Fishing Poach Lake in Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Poach Lake sits within Sudbury in Ontario. Spruce and muskeg runs right down to the water. Roughly 63 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. There is roughly 4.8 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. For a base, Chapleau sits 30 km out. Wawa is 109 km away, with Timmins at 152 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Poach Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. 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. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Read Poach Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 16°C; by January the average is down near -16°C. The ice season is long here and the open one short. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. The open-water window runs from around early May to about mid November in an average year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It holds true on Poach Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Hambone Lake, 1.8 km away. Check the position on Poach Lake before loading the car.