Fishing Smith Lake in Cochrane District, Ontario

• Overview

  Smith Lake lies in Cochrane District, Ontario. The country here is mixed forest. It measures about 13 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The bank runs about 1.8 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. The closest town, Timmins, is 6.2 km away. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 216 km distant. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Smith Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Open biodiversity records for Cochrane District list northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker and Iowa darter. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Work Smith Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -17°C to 17°C. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. The season on Smith Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Cowboy Lake is 3.2 km distant. Check the position on Smith Lake before loading the car.