Fishing Johnston Lake in Cochrane District, Ontario

• Overview

  Johnston Lake is one of the Cochrane District waters in Ontario. The water sits 289 metres up. At 9 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Most waters listed here for Cochrane District are larger. For a base, Hornepayne sits 45 km out. Thunder Bay sits 369 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Johnston Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Cochrane District: northern pike, yellow perch and white sucker. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Johnston Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -19°C in January. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early May. The water is typically free of ice between early May and mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Johnston Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Roger Lake is 1.2 km distant. Check the position at Johnston Lake before loading the car.