Fishing Paddy's Lake in Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Paddy's Lake stands in Sudbury, Ontario. Height above sea level is 407 metres. Surface area is around 28 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. There is roughly 3.2 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. For supplies, Dowling is 19 km out. Rayside-Balfour lies 25 km off, Azilda another 35 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Paddy's Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Survey and observation records for Sudbury include smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The shape of Paddy's Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -14°C in January and 18°C in July. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Climate figures give an open season running late April to late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. On Paddy's Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Green Lake at 1.6 km is the nearest alternative. Nothing on Paddy's Lake should be assumed from this page alone.