Stern Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Stern Lake lies in Sudbury, Ontario. The ground round it is pine and birch. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Ontario listings. The town to know is Chapleau, 40 km out. Beyond it, Wawa at 85 km and Sault Ste. Marie at 127 km. Other water within reach: Pony Lake a shade over 0.5 km, Billings Lake some 1.6 km off, Sea Horse Lake a shade over 2.2 km, Tako Lake some 3.2 km off and Watt Lake a shade over 3.8 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Stern Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Sudbury include smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. At Stern Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 16°C for July and -15°C for January. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. The open-water window runs from around late April to about mid November in an average year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Stern Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Pony Lake at 0.5 km is the nearest alternative. For Stern Lake in particular, ask before you travel.