Fishing at Avery Lake, Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Sudbury, Avery Lake is an Ontario water. It lies 410 metres above sea level. The water covers around 1.57 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. With 15 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Size puts it in the front rank of our Sudbury list. Start from Capreol, 54 km down the road. For a city, Greater Sudbury is 75 km off. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Avery Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Sudbury records list smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Avery Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 17°C on average, January about -16°C. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. On Avery Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. 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. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Seagull Lake, 2.6 km away. The position on Avery Lake is worth confirming on the day.