Bushtail Lake Fishing in Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Bushtail Lake falls in Sudbury, part of Ontario. It lies 400 metres above sea level. At some 1.13 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. There is roughly 7.3 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Size puts it in the front rank of our Sudbury list. Dowling lies 85 km from the water. Beyond it, Rayside-Balfour at 89 km and Capreol at 97 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Bushtail Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Open biodiversity records for Sudbury list smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Bushtail Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -15°C in January to roughly 17°C in July. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. At Bushtail Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Hoot Lake, 1.4 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the current arrangement for Bushtail Lake.