Fishing at Happy's Lake, Greater Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Look for Happy's Lake in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. It sits at 279 metres above sea level. Around 15 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The edge runs 3.6 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Lively lies 6.5 km from the water. Greater Sudbury is the closest city, 19 km away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Happy's Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Greater Sudbury include smallmouth bass, yellow perch, northern pike, pumpkinseed and rock bass. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Fish Happy's Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 18°C, with January the cold end at about -13°C. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to Happy's Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Should this one be busy, Pump Lake is 3.4 km off. Confirm before you fish Happy's Lake.