Fishing at Lac Barroque, Cochrane District, Ontario

• Overview

  Lac Barroque lies in Cochrane District, Ontario. The surface lies 218 metres up. It covers about 4 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. On size it sits at the modest end of our Cochrane District list. Nearest town is Kapuskasing, 11 km off. Greater Sudbury sits 353 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lac Barroque

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name northern pike, yellow perch and white sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. On Lac Barroque the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -19°C and July at about 17°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. From about early May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. On Lac Barroque the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Breben Lake is 0.8 km distant. Where Lac Barroque is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.