Portage Lake Fishing in Greater Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Ontario holds Portage Lake, in Greater Sudbury. The bank is 280 metres above sea level. The water covers some 39 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The shoreline runs about 8.1 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Capreol sits 26 km from here and is the nearest stop. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 41 km distant. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Portage Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name smallmouth bass, yellow perch, northern pike, pumpkinseed and rock bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Portage Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -14°C in January and 18°C in July. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The open-water window runs from around late April to about late November in an average year. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. On Portage Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is camping recorded roughly 480 m off. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Boot Lake, 1 km out. For Portage Lake in particular, ask before you travel.