Dougherty Lake in Cochrane District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Dougherty Lake is a Cochrane District water, Ontario side. It lies 303 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 42 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Bank access stretches around 2.9 km in total. Some 46 km away sits Timmins, the nearest settlement. Iroquois Falls is 52 km away, with Kirkland Lake at 56 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Dougherty Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. 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. Records held for Cochrane District cover northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker, Iowa darter and logperch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Dougherty Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 17°C and January near -18°C. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early May. Ice clears near early May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Plan any trip to Dougherty Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Little Dougherty Lake, 0.9 km away. None of that is settled for Dougherty Lake in what we hold.