My First Canadian Fishing Adventure/Tips?

[Sportdog]

At 61 years young I'll be going on my first trip to a Canadian fishing camp. We will be staying in a cabin after being transported five miles to a lake with no public access and are allowed to bring plenty of gear and food. I'm looking for any information on what you may feel that I should bring to make my fishing and stay the best that it can be. The lake has walleye, northern pike, lake trout, and whitefish. We will be fishing out of 16 1/2 foot aluminum boats with 15 hp outboards. Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[BennieS]

I'm 60 and going for the first time as well. Gold Arrow Camp in 34 days. Walleye Central is a gold mine of information. Not only will people here be generous with their many years of knowledge but there is also a search engine that you can use if you want to search for a specific subject that has been previously discussed. It's a very valuable tool for first timers such as ourselves. Also go to the Strictly Fishing "board". Just an encyclopedia of knowlege shared there as well that will apply to your trip. Tell you what, if you lay out a detailed and specific question, these guys can answer it. Good luck on your trip and don't be surprised at the quality of responses you will get. The famous turkey hunter Ben Lee described turkey hunting and I feel it is true of the Canadian fishing activity as well, "it's a disease".

[guidedfishing]

Never to late to get hooked on something.

I've been going to Canada as many as 5 times a year for almost 40years now, with a few missed years here and there. I've been pretty consistent the last 15years. I've camped and stayed in cabins and hotel rooms.

Regardless here is what I can tell you.

1. Get the best set of rain gear you can afford. I prefer full bibs and rain parka, I also have a quality pair of Lacrosse uninsulated knee high rubber boats. That gear is ether on me or in the boat at all times. (I can't stress this enough, and you can thank me later)

2. Keep the tackle simple, you really do not need alot. Make sure you have an assortment of 1/8 ounce and 1/4 ounce jigs, throw in a couple fire tiger husky jerks, couple spinners and spoons with leaders for pike and you have it 90% covered.

3. The good folks of Canada for the most part are friendly and most of the time willing to help you. When it comes to cash if you use US dollars expect to be hammered on the exchange rate. Here is what I do since I travel frequently in Canada I either use my credit card because it automatically does the exchange or I stop at an ATM machine on the Canadian side and get a couple hundred buck's CAD. Usually the ATM fee is only a couple bucks and a lot cheaper than doing an exchange anywhere else. I always have loonies floating around somewhere so I don't worry about bring it back I will use it next time.

4. Look for fish the same way you would back home, there is no secret. Inside and outside turns for walleyes, bars, and wind blowing into bays. Pike wood, rocks, and weeds.

5. Make sure you have some sun screen, hat and polarized glasses, all day on the lake even in cloudy weather can burn the back of your neck. No need to be miserable.

6. Don't drink the lake water no matter what some macho knuckle head may do. Many of the camps use lake water but it comes from points sunk in deeper water and is most of the time filtered. One case of Giardia and you will never make that mistake again. Been there done that don't try it.

7. Couple tips to make your crossing at the border easier. No where your going and how long you will be there. They will ask you. Don't try and joke with the border guards just be courteous answer their question and don't say more than what they ask for. They will ask you where your from make sure that what you tell them is the same thing that is on your passport, don't try and give them a reference point if its a small town just tell them the town in your address.

You will enjoy. if all else fails see point number 1.

good luck
GF

[outdoorsron]

Hello Sportdog: You didn't say when and how many were going. Have any of your party done a trip like this before ? They could help you also. Bug repellents , sprays, you can buy a spray for your clothes and let it dry and it works good. I know it never rains in Canada but good quality rain gear is a must. Check on the availability of live bait. I always take some even though they say you don't need it. Favorite spices and fish breadings. Find out about cooking equipment. Take a good skillet, Ive yet to find a good skillet at a Fish camp or resort. Do you need to bring a cast iron pot ? Do you need a sleeping bag and pillow. Does the boat have a livewell ? No livewell, put fish in cooler on ice, don't leave them on a stringer hanging off the boat all day, you want to eat them don't you. Do you need a portable depthfinder ? Do you need a marker buoy? Is ice available ? What about refrigeration ? Can you make your own ice ? Do you need a cooler ? Is plenty of boat gas available ? A couple extra rods, reels and line. Check with the camp owner/manager to find out what you need for lures and fishing supplies. Good Luck , Have a great time. O - R

[Bluff]

Don't forget a good, simple to use camera. Test it ahead of time. Radios are good for multiple boats and a GPS with points if possible. Do you need to bring extra batteries or is there a power source available for recharging devices?

[Pooch]

You wouldn't be headed for Lake Savant would you Sportdog? Almost sounds like our trip.

Pooch

[new hips]

After 25 trips, x2= best rain gear you can afford, waterproof boots a must. I bought a handheld GPS, + extra battery's. Portable fish locater, I have a waterproof gear bag that I keep with me at all times, lighter, whistle,camera. rain suit, netting,repellent, if you get stranded it will be a long night. Mouth spreaders for Northern. We boil the water and then run it thru a Micro filter back at the cabin.
Fishing.........Early in the year look for any incoming flow they will stacked in that area. Beaver huts also if deeper water is nearby, most any point especially if in the wind. Follow the wind you will find the Walleye, narrows between two islands create a current flow. Summer.... look for mid lake reefs, we start at 12-15 ft were the jagged rocks are, then work your way out to 40ft, there always on the edges. keep it simple, small jigs and half crawler or leech, or best minnows, bottom bouncers with a few blades + half crawler, if the bite is off, use a lindy rig with 36in snell and live bait with slow presentation.
Northerns...............basic Daredeville 1 oz spoons and 3/4 oz size, its all about color and size, add a twister tail as a trailer /white/yellow/orange. Johnson silver minnows Silver/gold, Mepps #5 spinners. Fish inside the weeds with the weedless, outside edge with the spoons letting it drop down 5-6 foot before retrieving. At least one Top water plug, If your onto Walleye and they stop biting the Northern are moving in, fan cast the entire area, they are very aggressive and not that fussy. You can troll shorelines with spoons or crank baits, don't overlook points and wind blowing into a shoreline. My experience says if it's calm and no waves your usually not catching much. I could go on forever, but you will enjoy every minute of the Canadian experience.

[Sportdog]

Originally Posted by Pooch

You wouldn't be headed for Lake Savant would you Sportdog? Almost sounds like our trip.

Pooch

Yes, Wildewood Resort and there are six of us going and none have any experience doing this to my knowledge. I'm a late addition to the dance as one of the six on tap to go had a new job and the time wasn't available to him. I only know two of the other five guys. We will be there on June 9th I believe for a week. I'm guessing that it will be pretty cold that far north in early June. I've been reading the information from the resort web site and have gathered a lot of information there but I figure there are guys on WC that may give me some information that may be very helpful. Thanks for the posts so far and please keep them coming or PM if you prefer.

[Sportdog]

Originally Posted by Bluff

Don't forget a good, simple to use camera. Test it ahead of time. Radios are good for multiple boats and a GPS with points if possible. Do you need to bring extra batteries or is there a power source available for recharging devices?

Camp operates on generator power. Does Canada operate on 120/240 volt system like the US? I do plan on taking a good supply of batteries. I think that we should take some of those two way radios for sharing fishing information with the other boats also.

[Sportdog]

Originally Posted by new hips

After 25 trips, x2= best rain gear you can afford, waterproof boots a must. I bought a handheld GPS, + extra battery's. Portable fish locater, I have a waterproof gear bag that I keep with me at all times, lighter, whistle,camera. rain suit, netting,repellent, if you get stranded it will be a long night. Mouth spreaders for Northern. We boil the water and then run it thru a Micro filter back at the cabin.
Fishing.........Early in the year look for any incoming flow they will stacked in that area. Beaver huts also if deeper water is nearby, most any point especially if in the wind. Follow the wind you will find the Walleye, narrows between two islands create a current flow. Summer.... look for mid lake reefs, we start at 12-15 ft were the jagged rocks are, then work your way out to 40ft, there always on the edges. keep it simple, small jigs and half crawler or leech, or best minnows, bottom bouncers with a few blades + half crawler, if the bite is off, use a lindy rig with 36in snell and live bait with slow presentation.
Northerns...............basic Daredeville 1 oz spoons and 3/4 oz size, its all about color and size, add a twister tail as a trailer /white/yellow/orange. Johnson silver minnows Silver/gold, Mepps #5 spinners. Fish inside the weeds with the weedless, outside edge with the spoons letting it drop down 5-6 foot before retrieving. At least one Top water plug, If your onto Walleye and they stop biting the Northern are moving in, fan cast the entire area, they are very aggressive and not that fussy. You can troll shorelines with spoons or crank baits, don't overlook points and wind blowing into a shoreline. My experience says if it's calm and no waves your usually not catching much. I could go on forever, but you will enjoy every minute of the Canadian experience.

Most of the fishing that I do does not involve rocky structure. Excluding my Dipsey Diver rods for salmon on Lake Michigan, all my other rods I use monofiliment line. Do you think I need to switch to braid? I figure that I will switch to braid for my jigging rod and maybe for a bottom bouncing baitcaster outfit but just put fresh mono on my two rods for casting. Does that sound reasonable? Thanks for the tips.