Porcupine Lake Fishing in Cochrane District, Ontario

• Overview

  Porcupine Lake sits in Cochrane District, out in Ontario. Height above sea level is 276 metres. This is sizeable water at about 2.78 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. At about 8.4 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. It is among the larger waters listed here for Cochrane District. The nearest place of any size is Timmins, 11 km away. Iroquois Falls lies 49 km off, Cochrane another 66 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Porcupine Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker and Iowa darter. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Fish Porcupine Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 18°C in July and bottom out at -18°C in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice clears near early May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. At Porcupine Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Parking is not close: 820 m from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. There is a pier recorded roughly 810 m away. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Shallow Lake at 2 km is the sensible second choice. Rules at Porcupine Lake are worth checking on the day.