Cowan Lake Fishing near Greenstone, Ontario

• Overview

  Cowan Lake falls in Thunder Bay District, part of Ontario. The bank is 406 metres above sea level. It measures about 68 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. You are looking at roughly 5.8 km of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. The town to know is Greenstone, 48 km out. For a city, Thunder Bay is 173 km off. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Cowan Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Cowan Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -18°C in January. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. The water is typically free of ice between early May and mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Cowan Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Southern Lake at 2 km is the sensible second choice. The position on Cowan Lake is worth confirming on the day.