Ruby Lake Fishing near Chapleau, Ontario

• Overview

  Ruby Lake is a Sudbury water, in Ontario. Elevation runs to 356 metres. At about 40 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The whole outline is near 3.9 km, and most of it is walkable. The town to know is Chapleau, 61 km out. Further out sit Wawa (74 km) and Hornepayne (123 km). In the same area: Smallboy Lake 1.1 km off, 2 km away is Spear Lake, Bing Lake 2.5 km off, 2.8 km away is Green Tree Lake and Pogo Lake 4.5 km off. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Ruby Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. 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. Survey and observation records for Sudbury include smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Ruby Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 16°C for July and -16°C for January. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Ruby Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Should this one be busy, Smallboy Lake is 1.1 km off. Check the position on Ruby Lake before loading the car.