Fishing Irish Lake in Greater Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  In Ontario, Irish Lake belongs to Greater Sudbury. The surface lies 303 metres up. It measures about 27 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The edge runs 4.4 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. The town to know is Capreol, 32 km out. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 53 km distant. Round about: Bonesteel Lake 1.2 km away, Big Valley Lake 1.3 km off, Owen Lake 2 km away, Little Valley Lake 2.7 km off and Evelyn Lake 2.7 km away. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Irish Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Greater Sudbury include smallmouth bass, yellow perch and northern pike. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Irish Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 18°C, while January sits near -15°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Climate figures give an open season running late April to late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. It holds true on Irish Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. If the gate is shut, Bonesteel Lake at 1.2 km is the nearest alternative. The position on Irish Lake is worth confirming on the day.