Fishing Tate Lake in Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Tate Lake sits in Sudbury, out in Ontario. Height above sea level is 365 metres. Around 64 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. With 6.0 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Timmins sits 101 km from here and is the nearest stop. Capreol lies 113 km off, Dowling another 113 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Tate Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Sudbury cover smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Fish Tate Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -16°C in January to roughly 17°C in July. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Ice clears near late April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Time your trip to Tate Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Kizhik Lake, 1.1 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position on Tate Lake before loading the car.