Byrnes Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Cochrane District in Ontario is where Byrnes Lake sits. Height above sea level is 166 metres. With some 23 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Shoreline comes to about 2.4 km, small enough to learn in a day. It is low-lying compared with other Ontario water we list. For supplies, Hearst is 67 km out. Thunder Bay sits 452 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Byrnes Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Cochrane District records list northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker and Iowa darter among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Read Byrnes Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 16°C, with January the cold end at about -20°C. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On Byrnes Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Brown Lake, 12 km out. The position on Byrnes Lake is worth confirming on the day.