Toad Lake Fishing in Cochrane District, Ontario

• Overview

  In Ontario, Toad Lake falls inside Cochrane District. The surroundings are northern bush. At about 54 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. At about 5.2 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Some 42 km away sits Longlac, the nearest settlement. Further out sit Geraldton (72 km) and Greenstone (87 km). It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Toad Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Cochrane District cover northern pike, yellow perch, white sucker, Iowa darter and logperch. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Toad Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 16°C and January reads -19°C. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Toad Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Little Toad Lake is 3.6 km off. Signs at Toad Lake carry more weight than any list.