Fishing at Letson Lake, Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Letson Lake falls in Sudbury, part of Ontario. It lies 378 metres above sea level. The water covers some 14 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 1.7 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Most waters listed here for Sudbury are larger. Capreol sits 70 km from the bank. The nearest city of size is Greater Sudbury, 94 km away. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Letson Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Open biodiversity records for Sudbury list smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch and Iowa darter. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Take Letson Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 17°C on average, January about -16°C. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Letson Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. 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. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Saturday Lake, 1.3 km away. Check the position at Letson Lake before loading the car.