Verna Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Sudbury end of Ontario holds Verna Lake. It sits at 436 metres above sea level. Surface area is around 34 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The bank runs about 4.4 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. It is high ground by Ontario standards. Nearest town is Dowling, 76 km off. Further out sit Rayside-Balfour (83 km) and Elliot Lake (84 km). It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Verna Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Sudbury include smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Read Verna Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -15°C in January to roughly 17°C in July. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Anyone fishing Verna Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. For a change of water, Cadden Lake is 1.7 km distant. For Verna Lake in particular, ask before you travel.