Vivian Lakes Fishing Guide, Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  This water sits in Sudbury, Ontario. The water sits 393 metres up. At roughly 9 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. On size it sits at the modest end of our Sudbury list. Chapleau at 103 km is the nearest place to stop. Timmins is 108 km away, with Dowling at 128 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Vivian Lakes

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Sudbury cover smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Treat Vivian Lakes as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 17°C and January about -16°C. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It holds true on Vivian Lakes more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Rat Lake at 2.9 km is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Vivian Lakes before loading the car.