Crickard Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Crickard Lake is a Cochrane District water, in Ontario. Elevation runs to 275 metres. It measures about 10 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. There is roughly 1.8 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Start from Cochrane, 12 km down the road. Beyond it, Smooth Rock Falls at 43 km and Iroquois Falls at 47 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Crickard Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker, Iowa darter and logperch. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Anyone new to Crickard Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 17°C for July and -18°C for January. Ice holds for a long stretch, so the open weeks matter more here than further south. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. The season between ice runs from about early May to mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. On Crickard Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is O'Malley Lake, 0.9 km out. Nothing here settles the position at Crickard Lake for certain.