Canada Fishing

[hooker771]

I just got a call from my brother wanting to plan a trip to canada to fish. Have you all ever been to the great white north on an adventure? This will be NEXT summer, not the one coming so I have plenty of time to plan. Money is an object here, but there is room to have fun.

 

[walleyed]

Fished a few times at ( Evergreen Lodge) on Lac Seul Lake in Ontario, Canada . Have always caught a lot of
Walleye and Northerns on each trip.
The website is ' www.lacseulwalleye.com' also check out 'walleye central message board' and click on'canada'
I will be glad to share infro, just e-mail me @ [email protected]

 

[DHaun]

I went when I was 17 with some friends many years ago for 2 weeks. I recall lots of fun things were legal in Canada for 17 year olds back then emoBigsmile. Someone had a friend with a cabin and we ended up in the middle of nowhere catching smallmouth in Halls lake in a rowboat with Moose in the forest right next to us - Very memorable trip!

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q...686&spn=2.400859,4.075928&z=8&iwloc=addr&om=0

 

[hooker771]

Thank you all. Ive got lots of time, im just weighing the options.

 

[Nickajack Angler]

Lived in MN for 17 yrs... made a number of trips to the Great White North. Go. All that can really be said. Whether it's at a lodge or a resort or camping in the middle of nowhere. It's wilderness at it's finest. And of course phenomonal fishing. Take a video camera if you can. You will regret it if you leave it at home as I did a few times. If you are going out seriously in the wild, which isn't far from town as you think... take a weapon. We pulled up on an island to stay the night and awoke to bears that were on that little bitty island. No weapon. NOT that we would have been up for fighting them, but I remember the desperation realizing we didn't have a gun.
You will rarely see many people, unless they are at the lodge where you may stay or at a boat ramp. Go prepared. Take everything you need and could need. Frying pan, 2 gal peanut oil and breading, etc... I would strongly suggest emergency gear such as a first aid kit -well supplied. Be prepared. You are all you have out in the woods. And Bug spray is a MUST! It is quite expensive when you get out of town and just gas alone is eye popping. But when you get out to the lodges and fly in's, the prices get like a minibar in Vegas... IF they have what you need or want. The thing I remember most, (other than the gun thing) after my first trip, was I didn't take any heavy action rods. The Northern Pike fishing is incredible. Like a mini muskie, that will hit a worm, plug, spinner bait and definitely top water. They can get above 10lbs in a hurry and eat your small stuff up.
And just to let you know... if you have had a DUI in the past say 10 yrs, they will turn you back. You may want to get a passport and check if you can go prior to making plans if there is a checkered past with anyone in the group. From what one of my buddies brother experienced.... it's a dang expensive proposition to find your way home when you get left standing at the border gate. And your buddies go on with their trip... My buddy told him to get out of the truck and good luck getting home! Hope this helps.
For what it's worth... Souix Narrows part of Lake of the Woods is one of the most incredible places on the planet. And for a complete adventure for you and or another family or two is http://www.lowhouseboats.com/ They rent you a houseboat on Lake of the Woods and a 16ft fishing boat tethered behind. I've been right there...emoCool
Good luck and have a great trip. Wish we could go with!

 

[hooker771]

Thank you for all the tips. We are mostly interested in going with an outfit for Small Mouth.

 

[shsimons]

I've made many trips to Canada, probably around 8 or so. My number one bait for bait I have found for smallmouth? A hook and a leech. If the fish are finicky, they won't touch much else, but cannot resist a dangling leech. Try to buy them before you cross the border, check the regulations first. They are extremely expensive in Canada.

The Canadian smallmouth don't get as long down here but are typically are the fattest smallies you will ever see.
As far as Pike go, take anything and everything. Some of the bigger pike will get conditioned to seeing lures, so trying something different might end up being the "HOT" lure for the trip.

Trolling big cranks might get you a trophy walleye, but jigging a leech or worm seems extremely effective for them. I would recommend going to a lodge that will allow you to catch all three, in great quantity. I have a found a lodge that I enjoy very much that has quality of all three species. I typically don't fish for lake trout, but you can jig for those or use down riggers. It's just too much fun chasing after the smallmouth and pike.

I know you probably won't go there, but Lake Of The Woods has a portage lake made of smallmouth dreams. It is unlike anything else I have ever seen. We just fished leeches on the bottom, and caught over 100 in a morning until we ran out of leeches. About 10 of those fish were over 3 lbs. Canada is the type of place where your friends won't believe you when you tell them the fishing is that good. It's like Alaska, until you've been there, you have no idea.

Feel free to send me a PM, I'll be in Canada this year June 1-5 and hope to post a good report for you.

 

[PaperGod]

Nickajack Angler - 1/30/2008 10:36 AM

Lived in MN for 17 yrs... made a number of trips to the Great White North. Go. All that can really be said. Whether it's at a lodge or a resort or camping in the middle of nowhere. It's wilderness at it's finest. And of course phenomonal fishing. Take a video camera if you can. You will regret it if you leave it at home as I did a few times. If you are going out seriously in the wild, which isn't far from town as you think... take a weapon. We pulled up on an island to stay the night and awoke to bears that were on that little bitty island. No weapon. NOT that we would have been up for fighting them, but I remember the desperation realizing we didn't have a gun.
You will rarely see many people, unless they are at the lodge where you may stay or at a boat ramp. Go prepared. Take everything you need and could need. Frying pan, 2 gal peanut oil and breading, etc... I would strongly suggest emergency gear such as a first aid kit -well supplied. Be prepared. You are all you have out in the woods. And Bug spray is a MUST! It is quite expensive when you get out of town and just gas alone is eye popping. But when you get out to the lodges and fly in's, the prices get like a minibar in Vegas... IF they have what you need or want. The thing I remember most, (other than the gun thing) after my first trip, was I didn't take any heavy action rods. The Northern Pike fishing is incredible. Like a mini muskie, that will hit a worm, plug, spinner bait and definitely top water. They can get above 10lbs in a hurry and eat your small stuff up.
And just to let you know... if you have had a DUI in the past say 10 yrs, they will turn you back. You may want to get a passport and check if you can go prior to making plans if there is a checkered past with anyone in the group. From what one of my buddies brother experienced.... it's a dang expensive proposition to find your way home when you get left standing at the border gate. And your buddies go on with their trip... My buddy told him to get out of the truck and good luck getting home! Hope this helps.
For what it's worth... Souix Narrows part of Lake of the Woods is one of the most incredible places on the planet. And for a complete adventure for you and or another family or two is http://www.lowhouseboats.com/ They rent you a houseboat on Lake of the Woods and a 16ft fishing boat tethered behind. I've been right there...emoCool
Good luck and have a great trip. Wish we could go with!

NA, You've got me ready go and I've already been there about a dozen times !! emoBigsmile emoBigsmile emoBigsmile

 

[Nickajack Angler]

If I had my way, I'd go back in mid to late March when the first ice breaks on the Rainy River along the border. Though you only fish 10ft of water mostly, the 13 - 15 lb walleyes running up for the spawn is heaven on earth. And you are right about the leeches. But there is NO WAY they will allow you to bring leeches from the US> unless you smuggle them. There are some sick fines for that type of thing.... I'd definitely get across the border and buy them immediately before you get out of town. Man... you can drop some dough up there... Don't even tell him about the perch that are two to three lbs and some of the best eating in the world. But the leech thing was dead on. You'll catch everything on those.

 

[BackOnTheWater]

New member pikemaven might have some advice.</p>

 

[pikemaven]

Try www.klotzlakecamp.on.ca and stay at the campground if money is an object. Take a side trip to Flint Lake.

We stayed at the campgrounds in 2006 and then at the cabin on Flint in 2007.

 

[hooker771]

Again, thank you for the advice. Keep it coming.

As of now we are thinking of driving up and staying a week.
If we could go for a grand per person (all inclusive type) that would be nice. I havent researched anything yet

 

[shsimons]

Careful with the leeches! It was just an idea I came up with, because they are unbelievably expensive in Canada! Obviously, don't do anything to get you stuck at the border.

www.whitebirchlodge.com

The is the place, all inclusive, we went to back when I was in college with my family. We went to that smallmouth portage lake I was telling you about. Amazing shorelunch walleye everyday, and all you can eat breakfast, dinner, etc. for a 4-5 day trip, and 4 people in a boat with a guide, it's about 1,000 each. One of my more enjoyable Canadian vacations.

The lodge I go to now

www.pineclifflodge.com

It's a self guided thing, but you can get breakfast or evening meals if you like. It is just a comparison of an all inclusive versus self guided.

Also, the pinecliff site says there are no walleye, but we fish for spawning walleye in a little creek in june and catch hundreds. They come in from another lake, fish in a barrel kind of thing, but fresh walleye for shore lunch everyday, I can't complain.
4 MONTHS AWAY!

 

[Nickajack Angler]

Totem Lodge was down from the LOWHouseboat place on Lake of the Woods. How many people are you taking? The houseboats may be the way to go if you have 2 families of 4. I remember it being about $5400 for the houseboat for the week. You have to bring all groceries and pay for VERY EXPENSIVE GAS> bait was included. I have camped there also, and spent a TON less money. The house boat is like a sweet apartment on the water, and a 16 ft fishing boat to drag behind you... The houseboat is a steep endeavour and driving a boat that big with all the obstacles in the water can be treacherous.
BUT Totem Resort was the resort just down the lake on Souix Narrows... and the one we have said we'd go back to. It is TOP SHELF. They have nice boats that take you out with a crew and put you on the fish. You wouldn't want to self guide up there unless you have been there before or are with someone who has. You may want to take your GPS or obtain a handheld that shows topo of lake. If you recall the movie "On Golden Pond" with islands everywhere, BIG rocks sticking up or worse... JUST under the surface. Everywhere in the Narrows off the main lake...
Look up "Lake of the Woods" on google. There are PLENTY of resorts that are all inclusive or differnt pkgs. Totem Resorts has three different ones. The lodge is at Souix Narrows. I think it's five star, which is incredible when you see how far out there you are. Friends say you go and buy a 2 or 3 day pkg for fishing, then can go back out in the boat that comes with your stay. I was lucky enough to go with a buddy that has gone since he was a kid. You should be able to get the $1000/ea down a bit... Unless you only have 2 or 3 people. It's expensive, but it's worth it. It is the only all inclusive that I have seen on LOW. www.totemresorts.com click on Totem Lodge. Not been to the other 2. If you go up there, I'm serious... Take a 45 if you camp.

 

[hooker771]

Well my Dad just came over... I think this is the place they have in mind. Lac la croix. Anyone have any experience here or ever heard of Zups?

http://zupsresort.com/maincamp.html

I think we would get the "American Package"

 

[Nickajack Angler]

Not been there specifically to Lac La Croix. But have been to BWCA. There are a thousand places right in that general area to fish. It's basically the BWCA (Boundary Waters Canoe Area). The Boundary Waters is one of the most incredible places on earth, no motors and you have to portage in. Take some bug spray, wipe, gel.... You're gonna need it!!!! Wish I was going.... that's an awesome place to go. Enjoy your trip!

 

[SpeedFish]

Try northern wilderness outfitters. I went there about ten years ago and have been wanting to go back ever since. It's the whole deal, fly in, catch tons of fish, and absolutly no contact with the outside world. Their rates are around a grand for a week. They also have several lakes and areas to choose from.