Brutus Lake in Sudbury: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Sudbury, Ontario, is where Brutus Lake sits. Height above sea level is 427 metres. It runs to roughly 37 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. With 5.0 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. For supplies, Chapleau is 65 km out. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 246 km distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Brutus Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Sudbury, recorded fish include smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The near bank of Brutus Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -14°C in January and 17°C in July. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Plan around that when you fish Brutus Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Lineus Lake, 2.7 km away. Rules at Brutus Lake are worth checking on the day.