Fishing at Straight Lake, Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Straight Lake is a Sudbury water, in Ontario. The country round it is pine and birch from end to end. The water covers some 17 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Roughly 3.7 km of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. Start from Dowling, 35 km down the road. Rayside-Balfour is 42 km away, with Azilda at 53 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Straight Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Sudbury, recorded fish include smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Straight Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 18°C and January near -14°C on the long-run figures. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Time your trip to Straight Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Marion Lake, 1.1 km away, makes the obvious fallback. None of that is settled for Straight Lake in what we hold.