Fishing at Allen Lake, Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  In Ontario, Allen Lake falls inside Sudbury. Country round the bank runs to rolling bush. Roughly 27 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Shoreline comes to about 3.4 km, small enough to learn in a day. Chapleau sits 59 km from the bank. Timmins lies 125 km off, Elliot Lake another 152 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Allen Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Reported across Sudbury: smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Allen Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 17°C and January about -16°C. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Allen Lake.

• 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. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. The nearest alternative is Kostka Lake, 0.9 km out. For Allen Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.