Fishing at Hennessy Lake, Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Hennessy Lake is a Sudbury water, in Ontario. It sits at 396 metres above sea level. The water covers around 3.13 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. The edge covers about 13 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. It is among the larger waters listed here for Sudbury. 86 km away sits Capreol, the nearest town. The nearest city of size is Greater Sudbury, 105 km away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Hennessy Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Sudbury records list smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch among the fish reported. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Hennessy Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 17°C in July and bottoms out near -16°C in January. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Climate figures give an open season running late April to mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Hennessy Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Deschenes Lake at 3.5 km is the nearest alternative. Where Hennessy Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.