Mel Lake in Cochrane District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Cochrane District, Ontario, sits Mel Lake. The country round it is spruce and muskeg from end to end. At 2 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Our Cochrane District list holds plenty of bigger water. Supplies mean a trip to Timmins, 36 km off. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 257 km distant. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Mel Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Survey and observation records for Cochrane District include northern pike, yellow perch and white sucker. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Mel Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 17°C in July and bottom out at -18°C in January. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. The lid tends to go about early May and return around mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. On Mel Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Davis Lake at 0.2 km is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Mel Lake before loading the car.