My First Canadian Fishing Adventure/Tips?

[Pooch]

Sportdog, Email me at poochpig@frontier.com.

I can answer many of your questions about the camp and the lake. Take a look at my pictures posted on this website.

Pooch

[Sportdog]

Originally Posted by Pooch

Sportdog, Email me at poochpig@frontier.com.

I can answer many of your questions about the camp and the lake. Take a look at my pictures posted on this website.

Pooch

Thank you. I sent you a PM.

[Bill Krejca]

I like to pack my stuff in large plastic bins, duct taped secure. This keeps clothers, etc, dry, for traveling a distance longer than from the vehicle to the cabin. Weather can be anywhere form 30 degrees to 85. Bring along some cold weather gear. A rain coat and pants are a must, but don't make the mistake of expecting to wear tennis shoes when it rains. I like ankle high leather boots, useful for keeping bugs off the ankles, also. Wool socks and cut-off gloves , long johns are useful. Don't forget that you generally can't just go to the store if you need something, so make a list of stuff you use at home and determine whether this stuff needs to go with.

Listen to Pooch, he knows about which he talks! Have fun!

Bill Krejca

[elway12]

Ditto on Pooch. He knows his stuff AND fishing at Savant. It is a great camp, lake, and great people. Anything Pooch doesn't help with give me a PM. We have gone there 4 times.

[new hips]

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.

Well it's pretty much all rocks up there, I use 6lb fireline on my jigging and lindy rigs, sensitivity is unreal, no line twist either. Small diameter = less water resistance and lighter weights to a achieve desired depth. You can go to Fireline cyrstal with 18in of florocarbon dropper when jigging also. I use 8-10lb florocarbon for all my snells. Mono on your baitcasting will work fine, but get quality snap swivels to avoid line twist. I use Power Pro on all my baitcasting reels because of it's strength. Bad part about braid that it's hard to break when snagged, solution is to use lighter aberdeen hooks, they will bend and come free. Always try to stay fairly vertical when jigging or 45deg when bottom bouncing. Don't get cheap with your snaps swivels or leaders. I caught a 40in Northern on 6lb Fireline on Lac Seul with no leader !!!!

[octanehi5]

let the young guys on your trip do all the carrying, lifting, cooking ,dish washing,You are there to enjoy yourself I'm 59 and thats how I FEEL ABOUT MY TRIPS you never know if you will make it next yr. Hope you have a great time

[Nimstug]

Sportdog.

Congratulations on your first trip to the Canadian Shield! We're pretty much contemporaries and am looking forward to another trip with my son in September. I'll toss a few items out for consideration in no particular order.

1. Take along a 'trip coordinator.' Someone who'll make sure you don't bring too many of one item (salt shakers) and not enough of another item (t.p.)

2. Flashlight or head light. On my first trip a flashlight wasn't on the list and I put one in the car only because I saw one in the garage when I was closing the door. It's dark-dark up there.

3. I respectfully disagree with Octane. Pitch in and help out, even if you are not assigned to do something that day or meal. More hands working more time for fishing. And guys who don't help out tend not to get invited on the next trip. The Canada 'Eh board is full of stories about slackers.

4. When you go through customs, roll down the front and back windows and everyone take off the sunglasses so the agent can see in and see everybody.

4A. Thank the agent for their work. They won't remember you next time but it may make it easier for the guys behind you.

4B. Make sure the guy who answers the custom agent's questions is wearing hearing aids if he has a hearing problem. We didn't do that a couple of years ago. Our guy gave the right answers but it was not for the questions that were asked.

5. Take along a small notebook and pencil. The notebook I use is 7x5. I use it to make sketches of places I've caught fish, how we did that day, and general thoughts and impressions. I use it to remind me of stuff to tell the wife when I get home.

6. For each boat's emergency kit, make sure you have some fire starter materials like small candles or 3" strips of rolled newspaper soaked in wax. This site has some other ideas. http://www.lovetheoutdoors.com/campi...restarters.htm

7. Hooded heavy duty zipper sweatshirt. Cabelas sells them with a waffle type lining.

8. If your group hasn't decided how to handle money and food, this thread will help:
http://www.walleyecentral.com/forums...hlight=nimstug

Stay safe on the water.

Nimstug

[Blue Lk]

As a local around your age I can give some rules to live by up here.

#1 Be prepared for both extremes of weather (very hot & humid/cold & wet)

#2 Take time to sit back & enjoy the sights &
sounds,sunrise,sunset,stars,loons & the sometimes the silence.

#3 Enjoy,it is not allways about the fish.

#4 Canadian beer & whisky is pretty good stuff.

[SinOrSwim]

Rain Gear!!!!!! Like others have said. You almost have to get the bib overall pants and then a good rain jacket. Nothing worse than having your jacket ride up your back when you sit down and having water run down your backside.

Also, I don't take pants or only take one pair. I wear shorts and then put my rain gear on when it's cold. That way, I can take them off when it warms up during the day. Plus, it saves on packing. I can wipe my hands on my rain gear.

DRY BAG!!!!! A good dry bag is a must as well. You WILL get wet in those boats even if it's not raining. Keeping your stuff dry is a big key. Also, waterproof boots because the bottom of your boat WILL get water in it. Guaranteed!

Notice my theme? Staying and keeping stuff dry makes things much simpler.

Flashlight, we have found the head lamsp you can get at walmart and other places are bright and they only take either AA or AAA batteries. Plus, makes it handy to put on your head for cleaning fish or cooking outside.

[Pokstermania]

In Canada bug repellent is good, but stink can cause fish to stop biting, long pants and shirts work better. If your in northwestern Ontario the killer is blackflies. I don't think any amount of spray stops them, but good boots do just fine.

I jig with mono up to 35 feet and braid beyond that. Casting for pike or musky is always braid, 20-40 pound is best.

I like raps, lip less cranks, wally divers. All work great on different days for Northerns, bass, and walleye.

Jigs and little joe's for walleye. Last summer we killed walleyes on spinners (white and yellow). Depends what they want.

I have never brought my own pans. If you're flying in, it takes to much weight. I would rather have a few more lures than a pan, but that might be me.

GPS is great to have. As are depth finders. Many lodges rent them and they are a must.

Most of all bring a camera. The fish of a lifetime is one cast away. Good luck!