Fishing at Dave Lake, Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Dave Lake sits within Sudbury in Ontario. The bank gives way to rolling bush. The water covers some 38 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The perimeter runs near 6.4 km, so plan the walk before you start. Supplies mean a trip to Capreol, 53 km off. It is 77 km to Greater Sudbury, the nearest city. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Dave Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Sudbury records list smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye among the fish reported. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Read Dave Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 17°C and January at -16°C. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Dave Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Nox Lake at 2 km is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Dave Lake before loading the car.