Fishing Spruce Lake in Cochrane District, Ontario

• Overview

  Spruce Lake lies in Cochrane District, Ontario. It stands 228 metres above sea level. It is low-lying compared with other Ontario water we list. The closest town, Kapuskasing, is 23 km distant. It is 340 km to Greater Sudbury, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Spruce Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. 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. Survey and observation records for Cochrane District include northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker and Iowa darter. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Spruce Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 17°C for July and -18°C for January. The fishing year opens late and shuts early. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. On Spruce Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is West Audrey Lake, 1.3 km out. The position on Spruce Lake is worth confirming on the day.