Three Island Lake in Sudbury: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Sudbury, Ontario, sits Three Island Lake. The setting is mixed forest. Around 32 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. There is roughly 5.0 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Ontario listings. Nearest place of any size is Dowling, 46 km away. Further out sit Rayside-Balfour (50 km) and Valley East (61 km). One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Three Island Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Sudbury records list smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch and Iowa darter among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Three Island Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 17°C and January about -15°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Ice clears near late April and comes back about late November in a typical year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan around that when you fish Three Island Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is a campsite 200 m from the water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Crystal Lake is 1 km distant. Check the current arrangement for Three Island Lake.