Fishing Padre Lake in Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Padre Lake lies within the bounds of Sudbury, Ontario. It sits in northern bush. It runs to roughly 16 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Around 2.6 km of margin, front to back. For a base, Chapleau sits 49 km out. After that come Wawa at 84 km and Hornepayne at 135 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Padre Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Sudbury, recorded fish include smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch and Iowa darter. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Padre Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 17°C; the cold one sits at -16°C. Water stays cold even at the height of the year. The lid usually goes in early May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Expect the water usable from around early May until roughly mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Padre Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Abbey Lake is 1.6 km distant. Check the position at Padre Lake before loading the car.