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

• Overview

  The Greater Sudbury entry here is Pistin Lake, in Ontario. Mixed forest runs right down to the water. Around 40 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The margin runs to about 7.0 km in total. For a base, Espanola sits 20 km out. Lively is 32 km away, with Dowling at 37 km. Close by you have: Rickale Lake 1.4 km off, Little Ella Lake out at 1.7 km, Hock Lake 2.6 km off, Star Lake out at 2.9 km and Ella Lake 3.2 km off. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Pistin Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Reported across Greater Sudbury: smallmouth bass, yellow perch and northern pike. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At Pistin Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -12°C to 19°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly early December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Pistin Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Rickale Lake is 1.4 km off. For Pistin Lake in particular, ask before you travel.