Fishing Ray Lake in Greater Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  The Greater Sudbury end of Ontario holds Ray Lake. The water sits 389 metres up. The water covers some 21 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The full circuit measures close to 4.3 km on foot. The town to know is Capreol, 41 km out. It is 66 km to Greater Sudbury, the nearest city. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Ray Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Public occurrence data for Greater Sudbury names smallmouth bass, yellow perch, northern pike, pumpkinseed and rock bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Ray Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 18°C in July and bottoms out near -15°C in January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Ray Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. 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. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Bowland Lake at 2.3 km is the nearest alternative. For Ray Lake in particular, ask before you travel.