Fishing Slink Lake in Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Out in Sudbury, Ontario, sits Slink Lake. The water sits 335 metres up. The water covers some 11 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. About 1.4 km of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. On size it sits at the modest end of our Sudbury list. The nearest place of any size is Timmins, 81 km away. After that come Chapleau at 90 km and Iroquois Falls at 139 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Slink Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Sudbury: smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Work Slink Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 17°C, while January sits near -17°C. Cold dominates the year and the fishing works around it. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. It sets the rhythm of the year at Slink Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Should this one be busy, Bobsled Lake is 1.1 km off. For Slink Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.