Hoot Lake Fishing Guide, Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Look for Hoot Lake in Sudbury, Ontario. It sits at 398 metres above sea level. At roughly 8 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is a small entry by Sudbury standards. The town to know is Dowling, 84 km out. Then Rayside-Balfour, 88 km, and Capreol, 96 km. Alternatives close at hand: Crow Lake 0.5 km away, Bat Lake roughly 1.3 km, Bushtail Lake 1.4 km away, Mudhen Lake roughly 1.6 km and Elspie Lake 2.4 km away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Hoot Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Sudbury records list smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Hoot Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -15°C and July at about 17°C, the water has a wide range to work through. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Hoot Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Crow Lake sits 0.5 km off and takes the overflow. Rules at Hoot Lake are worth checking on the day.