Petit Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Petit Lake sits in Cochrane District, out in Ontario. It lies 262 metres above sea level. Around 14 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. Shoreline comes to about 1.5 km, small enough to learn in a day. Hearst at 45 km is the nearest place to stop. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 389 km away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Petit Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Cochrane District, recorded fish include northern pike, yellow perch and white sucker. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Fish Petit Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 16°C, the coldest about -19°C. Cold dominates the year and the fishing works around it. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. That is the shape of the year on Petit Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, Nassau Lake at 1.9 km is the nearest alternative. Where Petit Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.