Fishing at McGrindle Lake, Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Out in Sudbury, Ontario, sits McGrindle Lake. The country here is rolling bush. About 1.40 sq km, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. You are looking at roughly 14 km of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. On our Sudbury list it sits near the top for size. Capreol lies 30 km from the water. It is 49 km to Greater Sudbury, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on McGrindle Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across Sudbury: smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch and Iowa darter. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. At McGrindle Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 18°C for July and -15°C for January. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. McGrindle Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. 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. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Lostend Lake, 2.7 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position on McGrindle Lake before loading the car.