Van Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Van Lake is set in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. It lies 224 metres above sea level. Around 15 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. There is roughly 2.3 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Ground here is low by Ontario standards. Espanola sits 25 km from here and is the nearest stop. Greater Sudbury is the closest city, 51 km away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Van Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Greater Sudbury, recorded fish include smallmouth bass, yellow perch, northern pike and pumpkinseed. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Van Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -11°C to 19°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near early December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. That is the shape of the year on Van Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Cat Lake is 1.5 km off. Nothing here settles the position at Van Lake for certain.