Fishing at Big John Lake, Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Big John Lake is a Sudbury water, in Ontario. Land around it is spruce and muskeg. It measures about 41 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. About 4.7 km of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Some 56 km away sits Timmins, the nearest settlement. Greater Sudbury is the closest city, 188 km away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Big John Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Take Big John Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 17°C for July and -17°C for January. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. The lid usually goes in early May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Averages suggest open water from about early May through to roughly mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. On Big John Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. 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. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Little John Lake is 2 km off. Treat access at Big John Lake as something to verify.