Bear Lake Fishing in Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  The Sudbury entry here is Bear Lake, in Ontario. What surrounds it is rolling bush. The water covers around 1.17 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. At about 12 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. It is among the larger waters listed here for Sudbury. Markstay-Warren is the closest place, 35 km off. West Nipissing follows at 44 km, then Sturgeon Falls at 44 km. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Bear Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Sudbury cover smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Fish Bear Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 19°C on average, January about -12°C. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The water is typically free of ice between late April and early December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Bear Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping shows a campsite some 410 m from the water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Lac Viau at 3.2 km is the sensible second choice. Treat access at Bear Lake as something to verify.