Fishing at Guilfoyle Lake, Cochrane District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Cochrane District, Ontario, this is Guilfoyle Lake. It lies 211 metres above sea level. About 7.68 sq km, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. With 16 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Size puts it in the front rank of our Cochrane District list. For a base, Kapuskasing sits 38 km out. Greater Sudbury is the closest city, 377 km away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Guilfoyle Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Cochrane District cover northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker, Iowa darter and logperch. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Fish Guilfoyle Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 17°C in July and bottoms out near -19°C in January. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. At Guilfoyle Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Douglas Lake is 2.3 km distant. Check the current arrangement for Guilfoyle Lake.