Fishing at West Cameron Lake, Greater Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Greater Sudbury in Ontario is where West Cameron Lake sits. It lies 346 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 77 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. There is roughly 5.2 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Head to Dowling, 20 km away, for anything you forgot. For a city, Greater Sudbury is 44 km off. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on West Cameron Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. 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. Reported across Greater Sudbury: smallmouth bass, yellow perch, northern pike and pumpkinseed. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On West Cameron Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -13°C in January to roughly 18°C in July. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. At West Cameron Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. 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. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is East Totten Lake, 2.1 km out. Confirm before you fish West Cameron Lake.