Island Lake Fishing near Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario

• Overview

  Out in Cochrane District, Ontario, sits Island Lake. Height above sea level is 291 metres. The water covers some 24 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Shoreline comes to about 3.3 km, small enough to learn in a day. Smooth Rock Falls is the closest town at 58 km. Greater Sudbury is the closest city, 268 km away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Island Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Cochrane District records list northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker and Iowa darter among the fish reported. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Island Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 17°C on average, January about -18°C. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Island Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Aitken Lake is 3.8 km distant. Treat Island Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.