For those guys who fish Canada in May do you plan to use worms this year due to the early ice out and warm temps? They say minnows are best in the spring which i would agree with but with the temps and and early ice out could it be time for worms on opening day?

Hello: I always take crawlers, leeches minnows and gulp baits. I let the fish tell me. Most days in early season minnows are best, but I've had days where leeches or crawlers were best and sometimes if there really hitting the baits I'll try the gulps. Good Luck this season O - R

Nathan, for 30+ years my 1st trip of the summer is always with a group of 5 or 6 (two of us are from the original 1979 group) and we always go for one week early in the season - sometime from the opening week to the week of Memorial Day. We haven't bought a minnow for the last 20 years. Two flats of crawlers for six guys, and half the 2nd flat is usually left in camp when we leave for someone in the following week to use. We do use cranks a lot (trolling), but regardless of early or late Spring, the crawlers work fine on jigs, on spinner rigs, and under slip bobbers. Beside the cost, it's often tough to keep minnows alive when you're driving 45 minutes to an hour to get to the back lake where you'll be spending the day in the sun. We just don't bother with minnows anymore.

Of course, . . . . that's just my $.02 worth.

Nathan: I might be a little more concerned about where the fish will be due to the "early" season? I would guess their location or pattern may be different than "normal" (IF there is such a thing :) ).
As far as bait - I will agree with the crawlers, leeches, Gulp. Minnows are too expensive and a pain to keep. If they're biting, they're biting.

One question on the worms, how much of the worm do you typically use?

We usually use the entire crawler (to start with) -- if the fish are biting aggressively, you can break them in half and they still work just fine (you can even set the hook sooner with half a crawler). Just what we do.

Nathan: I might be a little more concerned about where the fish will be due to the "early" season? I would guess their location or pattern may be different than "normal" (IF there is such a thing :) ).
As far as bait - I will agree with the crawlers, leeches, Gulp. Minnows are too expensive and a pain to keep. If they're biting, they're biting.


I agree on several fronts, One the fish will not hold to any normal patterns. I was hoping to catch the fish shallow but I dont think that will be the case but I will be checking there first. And Minnows are expensive sounds like the average cost is about 4 dollars a Dozen. I think will be bringing Crawlers, I purchased 4 packages of gulp minnows to try and a bunch of other plastic grubs,ringworms, and have been expanding the jig and crankbait box. Might even try perserved minnows. That said I'm sure will purchase a few dozen minnows to see how it goes but if you figure a pair of guys is going to go through 4-5 dozen minnows on a good day it gets expensive. I hope we have active fish and we can pound them with the plastic and cranks.

I totally agree that minnows are not only expensive but hard to keep. We usually take a flat of crawlers and have never been sorry. Last year we had a bunch of frozen shinners someone left in the freezer, they worked great especially the larger ones. We pretty much use a half crawler, bottom bouncer or jigging, even lindy rig or floater, so the crawlers go a long way. I feel it is cheap insurance compared to the cost of trip. I guess I never had much success with Gulp, no confidence in it. Couple years ago we had a good bite going, switched to Gulp, the walleyes would just peck at it, switched back to half crawler and started nailing them again.

I would always take crawlers for the simple fact that they're cheap and very well may work as well as minnows. As long as you have access to minnows where you're going, you can always buy some if you need them. I have had one spring trip a few years ago where the water was very cold and minnows outfished everything else by a huge margin, but that's the exception in my experience.

Okay, so are you guys telling me that for cold water, you believe minnows work better, but for warm water, you think crawlers are better? I have a few additional questions. What is the breakdown for cold vs. warm water? By that I mean, where do I draw the line (60F, 70F)? Also, when using a half a crawler, what is the suggestion for hook placement?

I have only ever fished with minnows and gulp with minnows being by far the more productive bait. Typically on jigs, but have trolled some three ways rigs as well. It looks like water levels are going to be low this year. I typically fish the last week of May/early June, but with the weather, I am pretty sure it is going to be a different type of year.

What is the law about the approved bedding to have crawlers in when crossing the border?

I can't speak for the others, but that's not exactly what I'm saying. I'm saying I think minnows work well anytime. They are also very expensive, and in warmer weather they are more of a hassle to deal with. Crawlers are also very effective much of the time, often as effective as minnows, and a lot easier to deal with.

We use a half or even a third if they're big and the bite is aggresive, hooked once toward the end on a jig/twister.

I've never had water temp info available up there so I can't help you with a temperature cut-off point. The year we really needed minnows was I believe 2009, and it was cold. Below freezing every night and highs in the low 40's kind of cold..... Catching lake trout while walleye fishing in 12 fow cold.... left the original ice in the cooler all week kind of cold......

What is the law about the approved bedding to have crawlers in when crossing the border?
You can bring worms across the border, just not in dirt, just worm bedding. Most places along the border will have worms in bedding, if you tell them your going to Canada. Try the search function, or the MNR website. If you plan to buy them locally, ask for bedding.

As WalleyeDave said, any bedding you can buy, just no dirt. If you're going to take a flat of crawlers, or even a half flat, just buy them in bedding, not in dirt. Where I buy mine online the difference in cost between a flat in dirt and a flat in bedding is only $7. Buying a flat in dirt, buying and prepping the bedding, then picking 500 crawlers out of the dirt is a real pain. Not worth the hassle or the $7.

Another option I've used, but not as good as bedding, is to shred newspaper and soak it to use as bedding. It works fine for a limited time, but I found that longer than 5 or 6 days the newspaper gets real icky.

I asked a similar question as I am headed to Ontario in May. Somebody provided me with this website - http://www.knutsonlivebait.com/index.html . I am going to order about 1000 worms for my fishing party and a hundred leeches for me. We will take our minnow buckets in case we get desperate and have to buy minnows, but I fully expect us to be happy with worms & leeches. Good luck

On average how many worms to people get per person for a week in Canada. I'm looking for a general estimate of whats worked for folks. I dont want to go to crazy as I tend to buy more then I need of most things.

On average how many worms to people get per person for a week in Canada. I'm looking for a general estimate of whats worked for folks. I dont want to go to crazy as I tend to buy more then I need of most things.

Nathan,

We get a flat of 500 for 8 guys. On average years we have some left but on good years they are all gone without a problem. We also fish minnows and will go through a 100 dozen or so during the week. So 500 Crawlers and 1200 Minnows for the week with 8 guys. We have had weeks when they were all gone the first 4 days.

Mike Kansas

Osuangler, you can't take leeches into Canada is my understanding. Before you order I'd check into that.

For those guys who fish Canada in May do you plan to use worms this year due to the early ice out and warm temps? They say minnows are best in the spring which i would agree with but with the temps and and early ice out could it be time for worms on opening day?

Canada is a big place...where exactly are we talking about?

You can't take leeches across the border into Ontario.

For those looking to buy crawlers, if you have a regular stop for licenses, etc once in Canada, you may want to check with them on their crawler prices. I've found they are usually very close to the same and you don't have to worry about border issues or keeping them alive on the long drive if it's hot.

I've been buying at Four Season in Ear Falls for many years, and the price and quality are good. You do need to order in advance.

no matter when we go It's worms. Always have had great luck with them..

On the subject of worms, I know that worm harnesses can be trolled, but does anyone cast and retrieve them? If so, are there any tricks to this process? Example, where do you put the weight, and what kind of weight works the best?

On the subject of worms, I know that worm harnesses can be trolled, but does anyone cast and retrieve them? If so, are there any tricks to this process? Example, where do you put the weight, and what kind of weight works the best?
JMHO -- I would not recommend doing that with a crawler harness - the reason being that I think they would tend to "ball up" or get tangled as they fly through the air/hit the water.