Ontario Canada Fly In Fishing for Walleyes

Spring:

In the spring, most of the walleyes are in fairly shallow water.

Since the water is clear, you can often see fish. A good technique is to stand in the front of the boat and wear a good pair of polarized sunglasses. If you spot some walleyes, you have found a good spot. Imagine that, eh, looking for fish - a new concept for many.

In most of the Walsten Outpost lakes, the water out to about fifteen feet in depth is green in colour. You will fish the green water in the spring. In the shallower side lakes of McCusker Lake, such as Goofy, Denver, Lever, Purvis Wash and Aurora, the water is less clear. You will fish the shallows in the spring, particularly areas which will later hold weeds.

It is hard to beat a jig and minnow in the early spring. The fish are concentrated but a little sluggish until the water warms, so a slow trolling presentation works best. Since the water is clear, it is important to keep the bait away from the boat -- either through casting or trolling with a long line.

Summer:

Various minnow imitating baits work well, especially as the water warms into June. Trolling with a Little Joe spinner and a minnow or worm or leech is also good. Speaking of worms and leeches, these are best as the water warms. Minnows are always best in cold water situations (spring and fall).

We actively discourage people from using Lindy Rigs. There is a tendency to deep hook the fish with this technique. Mortality rates are high for fish released after being deep hooked (in the throat). If you catch 200 fish on your visit and you release them all, and 20% die, you have killed 40 fish. You may feel like a conservationist because you released the fish, but releasing soon to die fish is not sporting.

Fall:

In the fall, the walleyes tend to move to deeper water. While good catches can be had in 40 to 60 feet of water, walleyes brought up from this depth invariably die. So we recommend fishing in current areas (where the fish are shallower) or going to the side lakes which are not as deep. But if you must try, fishing with a jig and minnow about 18 inches off of bottom will catch you your deep water walleye so you can tell the boys back home about catching walleyes in 40 to 70 feet of water, (which they may find hard to believe.)

In the shallower side lakes of McCusker Lake, such as Goofy, Denver, Lever, Purvis Wash and Aurora, the fish do not go so deep. We often encourage people to fish the side lakes in the fall to prevent the killing of fish from the deep waters.

Ontario Canda Fly In Fishing for Northern Pike 

Northern fishing is great thoughout the year. In 2008, the largest northern caught in Ontario was caught from McCusker Lake Camp. Shallow bays are best in the spring. Particularly good fishing for northern can be had in Lever and the Purvis Wash.

Medium to heavy tackle is preferred for northerns, but the same gear you use for walleyes can be used in a pinch. An eight to ten inch wire leader is a must.

Spoons and spinnerbaits are the preferred baits. Daredevils, red eyes, giant Mepps, all work, as do many spinner baits and bucktails. Northerns are not fussy, but you need a faster retrieve to catch them successfully.

The limit for northern pike in Ontario is 4 fish. However, we generally ask that our guests practice catch and release for northerns (and trout). With this policy, we hope to protect the trophy fishing that we presently enjoy.

Ontario Canada Fly In Fishing for Lake Trout 

Many people have never fished for lake trout. They are missing a fabulous experience. In the early spring and late fall, the trout are in shallower water. No special tackle or bait is needed at that time.

Casting and trolling are the preferred methods.

Trolling is most popular in the spring. Advice is simple, troll fast. Various light flashy spoons can be used in trolling, or live bait rigs with a flasher in front. As the water warms, the trout move deeper. Jigging with bait and a 2 ounce jig (phosphorescent is good) in 40 to 60 feet of water over hard bottom works well.

Later in the summer, the trout move out to the deeper water and suspend under the ciscoes (a kind of small baitfish). Trolling below the bait fish will result in trout and northerns. Trolling above the bait fish will take walleyes. Only bigger fish suspend, so this is a good trophy presentation.

Various spoons can be used for trolling, but I like gold or silver type spoons. Live bait or herring rigs can also be used to great advantage.

In the fall, the trout move into the shallow waters to spawn. Spawning takes place in early to mid October. The season closes at the end of September. We always make a special trip at that time to fish for trout. When you catch them shallow, they have to run horizontally instead of trying to move toward the bottom, which they prefer.

Have you ever caught a fifteen or twenty pound trout in 18 inches of water? Have you ever heard your line sing with tension and cut a wake through the water at ten or fifteen miles per hour? Have you ever cast to a fish which you can see -- the back fin is sticking out of the water -- and had the fish hit with heart stopping impact? Maybe you haven't fished for lake trout in the fall....

Ontario Canada Fly In Fishing for Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass Tips:

The Smallmouth Bass is a predator, feeding mostly on minnows, crustaceans and aquatic and terrestrial insects.

The most obvious spots to fish are rock shoals and drop off points. They also can be found in deeper water where the concentration of feeder fish is more abundant. A depth finder is invaluable in finding the best structure.

Smallmouth Bass go down deep to feed on baitfish, which like to hang around deep ridges for protection. The bass also go deep when the weather becomes unpredictable. Unpredictable weather brings sudden changes in atmospheric pressure, which in turn means fish can feel a lot of discomfort in shallow water. The bass go deep to minimize this discomfort. When they go deep, they hang around drop-offs or underwater ridges so they can quickly swim deeper or shallower as the pressure fluctuates.