Fishing at Holden Lake, Cochrane District, Ontario

• Overview

  You will find Holden Lake in Cochrane District, Ontario. It stands 261 metres above sea level. It measures about 32 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The full circuit measures close to 2.8 km on foot. Kapuskasing at 52 km is the nearest place to stop. Smooth Rock Falls follows at 64 km, then Timmins at 92 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Holden Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Cochrane District records list northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker, Iowa darter and logperch among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Holden Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 17°C, the coldest about -18°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Expect Holden Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. 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. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Day Lake, 2.5 km away. The position on Holden Lake is worth confirming on the day.