Butler Lake in Sudbury: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Butler Lake in Sudbury, Ontario. The water sits 366 metres up. At about 59 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Around 11 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. Head to Chapleau, 75 km away, for anything you forgot. Wawa is 82 km away, with Hornepayne at 108 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Butler Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Sudbury include smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Butler Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -17°C in January to roughly 16°C in July. Everything is compressed into the middle of the year. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan any trip to Butler Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Battley Lake, 1.9 km out. Check the current arrangement for Butler Lake.