Maki Lake in Sudbury: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Maki Lake is listed under Sudbury, Ontario. The surface lies 386 metres up. It measures some 1.12 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. There is roughly 13 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Few waters listed in Sudbury are bigger. Chapleau is the closest town at 52 km. Wawa is 68 km away, with Hornepayne at 133 km. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Maki Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Across Sudbury, recorded fish include smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch and Iowa darter. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Maki Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 17°C; by January the average is down near -16°C. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. Averages suggest open water from about early May through to roughly mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. It sets the rhythm of the year at Maki Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Bader Lake, 3.2 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position on Maki Lake before loading the car.