Slab Lake Fishing Guide, Cochrane District, Ontario

• Overview

  Cochrane District, Ontario, is where Slab Lake sits. The country here is mixed forest. Small at around 2 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Most waters listed here for Cochrane District are larger. Supplies mean a trip to Iroquois Falls, 27 km off. Further out sit Timmins (36 km) and Cochrane (58 km). The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Slab Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Cochrane District include northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker, Iowa darter and logperch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Slab Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 17°C and January about -18°C. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Once it clears, about early May, the fishing comes on quickly. The water is typically free of ice between early May and mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It holds true on Slab Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. A parking area is marked roughly 290 m out. You can camp 410 m off, which suits an early start. A picnic area is mapped about 230 m away. There is a toilet block some 440 m out. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Island Lake, 0.4 km out. Where Slab Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.