Fishing at Commando Lake, Cochrane District, Ontario

• Overview

  Commando Lake lies in Cochrane District, in Ontario. Height above sea level is 266 metres. At about 14 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Bank access stretches around 2.6 km in total. Cochrane lies 1.1 km from the water. The nearest city of size is Greater Sudbury, 286 km away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Commando Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. County-wide records name northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker, Iowa darter and logperch. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Commando Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 17°C in July and bottom out at -19°C in January. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early May. Averages suggest open water from about early May through to roughly mid November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. On Commando Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. The nearest car park is 210 m from the water. Heavener's Variety is mapped as a fishing spot about 390 m away. Mapping records toilets within 380 m. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Norman Lake, 0.6 km away, makes the obvious fallback. For Commando Lake in particular, ask before you travel.