Game Lake near Iroquois Falls: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Game Lake lies in Cochrane District, Ontario. It sits in rolling bush country. It covers about 3 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Our Cochrane District list holds plenty of bigger water. Iroquois Falls at 31 km is the nearest place to stop. Further out sit Kirkland Lake (54 km) and Timmins (72 km). Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Game Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Cochrane District, recorded fish include northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker, Iowa darter and logperch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Anyone new to Game Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -18°C and July at about 17°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Game Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a 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. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Nickle Lake is 1.1 km distant. Where Game Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.