Fishing Myrtle Lake in Cochrane District, Ontario

• Overview

  Myrtle Lake lies in Cochrane District, Ontario. Around the bank it is boreal forest. Roughly 36 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. A shoreline of some 4.5 km keeps the choices simple. The nearest town is Hornepayne, 49 km away. Thunder Bay sits 368 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Myrtle Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Open biodiversity records for Cochrane District list northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker and Iowa darter. The county list is broader than any single water. At Myrtle Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 16°C; by January the average is down near -19°C. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Myrtle Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Gagnon Lake at 1 km is the nearest alternative. Where Myrtle Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.