McArthur Lake Fishing in Cochrane District, Ontario

• Overview

  McArthur Lake stands in Cochrane District, Ontario. This is pine and birch country. This is sizeable water at about 2.63 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. Around 14 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. Few waters listed in Cochrane District are bigger. Timmins at 30 km is the nearest place to stop. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 192 km distant. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on McArthur Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Public occurrence data for Cochrane District names northern pike, yellow perch and white sucker. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At McArthur Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -17°C in January up to 17°C in July. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. McArthur Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Marceau Lake at 5.8 km is the sensible second choice. The position on McArthur Lake is worth confirming on the day.