Parkin Lake in Greater Sudbury: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Parkin Lake lies in Greater Sudbury, in Ontario. This is mixed forest ground. This is sizeable water at about 1.19 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. Shoreline length is close to 12 km, and each section fishes a little differently. Size puts it in the front rank of our Greater Sudbury list. Capreol is the closest town at 20 km. Valley East is 28 km away, with Rayside-Balfour at 40 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Parkin Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Open biodiversity records for Greater Sudbury list smallmouth bass, yellow perch, northern pike and pumpkinseed. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Parkin Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 18°C; the cold one sits at -15°C. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. That is the shape of the year on Parkin Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Pothole Lake at 1.6 km is the sensible second choice. Nothing on Parkin Lake should be assumed from this page alone.