Fishing Big Paddy Lake in Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Sudbury, Big Paddy Lake is an Ontario water. The water sits 231 metres up. About 1.08 sq km, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. Shoreline length is close to 14 km, and each section fishes a little differently. It is among the larger waters listed here for Sudbury. Greater Sudbury at 16 km is the nearest place to stop. Lively is 18 km and Azilda 25 km. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Big Paddy Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. 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. Reported across Sudbury: smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch and Iowa darter. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Big Paddy Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -13°C in January and 19°C in July. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. On average, late April opens the water and late November closes it again. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. On Big Paddy Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Kasten Lake at 2.4 km is the nearest alternative. Rules at Big Paddy Lake are worth checking on the day.