First Canada Fly-In

[Ross]

Flying in in late July 2002. Looking for any information on lures, jigs, live bait or any other tips for catching walleye and northern pike in Canada. I have some experience catching walleye, but not much for pike. The lake is Kabinakagami. (Kaby) Fly out of Wawa.

Thanks

[TR]

I went on my first fly-in last year. There is no other experience like it. We went the first week of June and loaded our tackle boxes with everything we heard would work. While the jigs remained consistant the entire trip, I found a gold and black Rapala to be absolutely deadly. Both Pike and Walleye went crazy over it. Starting an hour before dark and late into the night you could literally catch a walleye on every cast. On different days we would find different lures that would be hot, but the gold and black Rapala was by far the best lure we found. You owe it to yourself to take a few along. I have booked another trip next year for opening week and have already purchased a dozen and will probably get more of different colors.

[Rubes]

Must have a portable depthfinder with plenty of battery power.
For northern:
I use Gold lures on a cloudy day and Silver on a Sunny day.
I like Gold, Silver,Fire-tiger and the Yellow 5 of Diamonds (my favorite) Dare-devil spoons sized 2 oz. 4 1/4".
I replace the treble hook with a big single hook to make hook removal from the fish easier.
#9 Shad Raps in Fire-tiger, Silver side/Dark back, and Gold side/Dark back. Works for both northern and walleyes when trolling or casting shorelines.
I would also throw spinnerbaits around weeds.
Rattle-trap type lures would be good in your arsenal.
Blue Fox Musky Buck (bucktail)Tandem-hooks (Silver blade).

For walleyes I would try live-bait rigs.
Take some crawlers with you packed in worm bedding.
I would buy some Cabelas crawler harnesses with 3 hooks with blade colors of orange, chartruese and any other combination you want.
Have various sizes of weights for different depths.
Jig/Minnow or Jig and Crawler combo.
Trolling crankbaits along deep shorelines can be productive.
Fish windy points.
If you can find underwater weeds (cabbage) in 5 to 15 feet of water you have usually uncovered a gold mine as far as a fishing hot spot.
Fish the outer edges first for big northern.
After I fish an area like this for northern then I use a jig/twister and fish in the weed bed and catch the walleye that are in the weeds.
Take a mouth spreader and hook remover, you will need it.
Good Luck

[MK]

I agree with both previous posts and might add a few comments. If the water is colored (weak tea) gold and black rapalas do great and if it is crystal clear like some up there, lighter colors, blue and white or silver and black rapalas. I've had just as good luck on the smaller rapalas, about 3" as on the bigger ones with the floaters doing well trolling about 75' back. Trolling a little faster than idle for pike, slower for walleye. Or cast them around fallen logs, points, etc. Last trip, I caught lots of pike, many over 34" on a 3/4 oz., about 2" long, 5 of Diamonds Daredevle.

Erie Dearies have worked well for me the past few trips tipped with about 4-5" crawler for walleye. You can troll slow with the Eries/crawlers but have a good swivel or line tangles will be bad.

Also, fish the points or drop offs around the islands and be ready for hits when you make turns around the small islands.

My portable Hummingbird with the suction cup mounted transducer will run all week on two new alkaline 6 volt batteries. You dont need a fish finder as much as a depth finder to find the drop offs.

If you can find a "second" shelf dropoff around 25-35 feet before it goes deeper, try jigging this shelf. Many large walleyes have been caught on this type of structure.

Fish like crazy if a storm is coming and go back to the cabin and have a beer or nap for the next few hours after it passes.

Good luck!

[Geno]

Been to Kaby 6 times, all with the Watson's. Pine Portage Lodge on the north end of the lake is my favorite. The past posts are right on, you need the portable depth finder, but your first full day there ( after you fly-in and get setteled ) get a guide !!! You won't regret it a penny, about $ 90 bucks, you'll learn enough about a small portion of the lake to have a ball for the next few days and he'll do a shore lunch for you that you'll never forget. Too many good stories that I could ramble about, but if you need more info you can mail me at genorogers@aol.com. I'll be glad to give you some specifics.

[Canadavei]

I did a fly-in to Pine Portage Lodge in 1977 so you're really bringing back some wonderful memories. I went in September and almost had the whole lake to myself (and girlfriend at the time). I've heard since that it's still a great place.