Red Pine Lake Fishing near Elliot Lake, Ontario

• Overview

  In Ontario, Red Pine Lake falls inside Sudbury. Elevation runs to 430 metres. At some 3.46 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The shoreline runs about 24 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. It is among the larger waters listed here for Sudbury. Nearest town is Elliot Lake, 92 km off. For a city, Greater Sudbury is 136 km off. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Red Pine Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Sudbury include smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch and Iowa darter. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Red Pine Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 17°C in July and bottoms out near -15°C in January. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Red Pine Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Sulphur Lake sits 2.7 km off and takes the overflow. For Red Pine Lake in particular, ask before you travel.