White Duck Lake in Sudbury: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Sudbury, Ontario, is where White Duck Lake sits. It sits at 327 metres above sea level. It measures about 60 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. At about 6.1 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. For a base, Timmins sits 76 km out. Beyond it, Chapleau at 92 km and Smooth Rock Falls at 130 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on White Duck Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. 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. Species logged across Sudbury include smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch and Iowa darter. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. The shape of White Duck Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 17°C and January reads -17°C. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It sets the rhythm of the year at White Duck Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Boulder Lake is 2.3 km off. Nothing on White Duck Lake should be assumed from this page alone.