Musquash Lake in Sudbury: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Musquash Lake is set in Sudbury, Ontario. Height above sea level is 433 metres. Around 16 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The whole outline is near 2.0 km, and most of it is walkable. Compared with other Ontario water on our list, it sits high. The closest town, Chapleau, is 40 km away. The nearest city of size is Greater Sudbury, 277 km away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Musquash Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. 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. Fish documented in Sudbury include smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Musquash Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 16°C and January about -16°C. Everything is compressed into the middle of the year. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. Climate figures give an open season running early May to mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Plan around that when you fish Musquash Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Burnt Lake at 2.6 km is the nearest alternative. For Musquash Lake in particular, ask before you travel.