Cochrane Lake Fishing Guide, Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Sudbury, Ontario, is where Cochrane Lake sits. Elevation runs to 373 metres. Surface area is around 19 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. There is roughly 3.7 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Supplies mean a trip to Timmins, 94 km off. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 127 km distant. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Cochrane Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Open biodiversity records for Sudbury list smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Cochrane Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 17°C and January near -16°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. It holds true on Cochrane Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Saville Lake is 1.6 km distant. Where Cochrane Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.