Canadian fly-in fishing trip

[Sidekick]

I just got invited on a weeklong fishing trip in Northern Ontario. It's a fly-in with a float plane to a remote lake with cabins during mid August. Fishing will be for walleye and pike according to the one guy that's been there before. What should I expect and any tips on what to bring? My fishing experience has mostly been confined to the usual Missouri fare of catfish, bass and bluegill. I have a good openface reel and a nice baitcaster both on Ugly Stiks so I think I have the tackle part mostly covered except for the lures. What will I need besides lots and lots of insect repellent?

[shortmag]

You might want a 6.5 to 7 ft. spinning rod and reel. I'd suggest medium to medium light action and upgrade a bit from the Ugly Sticks. Some jigs and slip bobbers will likely help you catch walleyes. Tip the jigs with live bait or the new Gulp alive products. Johnson silver spoons should catch the northern pike. You are so lucky to get invited on an adventure like that. Enjoy and good luck.

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

I just got invited on a weeklong fishing trip in Northern Ontario. It's a fly-in with a float plane to a remote lake with cabins during mid August. Fishing will be for walleye and pike according to the one guy that's been there before. What should I expect and any tips on what to bring? My fishing experience has mostly been confined to the usual Missouri fare of catfish, bass and bluegill. I have a good openface reel and a nice baitcaster both on Ugly Stiks so I think I have the tackle part mostly covered except for the lures. What will I need besides lots and lots of insect repellent?

Sidekick, You should not go into something like this unprepared. I'll tell you what I'm going to do to help you out. So that you will know exactly what to take, I will volunteer to go on this first trip for you. I will make mental note of everything you will need on the next trip. No, don't thank me now, I'm glad to do it.

Alan

[SeniorCoot]

Ok Here's what I'd do--get me a medium wt. spinning rod around 7' with 8# test. if you have ex spool take some 12-14#test for Pike-then I'd have me some Daredevil(brand) spoons in traditional red/ White, 5 of Diamonds,and a couple of misc colors--take 12" steel leaders also for Northerns(Jacks)-for Pickerel(walleyes) i'd have lots of jigs hair and plain lead head in purple/ green/etc with stinger hooks if allowed-check and see if it's a barbless lake. Then I's also have some Mr. Twister tails in assorted colors--and bait hooks for leaches and minnows--believe me this is short list-- the ammo you could pack is almost endless BUT if I only had one lure in my box it would be a medium size- daredevil in Red/ white--any more questions PM me. I've fished N Ontario, MB,YT on many occasions ans also fish eyes ans pike on Miss r- as a matter of fact I'm leaving for river after working my dogs this am.
Also pack lots of BUG DOPE!! and Zatrain's Fish Fry.-BEER (BLUE) and a bit o Alberta Premium.

[Bushman]

Sidekick, if you send me a pm with your e-mail address I'll send you a list that one of our guys made up a few years ago. In a week and a half we are going on the same trip. This will be my 30th year doing this so I figure that I have things pretty well sorted out by now.

First off, this year you will need a passport if you are driving to get across the border.

Next find out if you have weight restrictions for gear for the float plane. We have always been restricted to 150# each. Go over that and it gets real expensive. We always pre-order our beer and soda and the camp owner does not charge us for weight for that and it is there when we get there. Some guys drink way more beer than we do and at 20# a case and ~$42. flown in, you had better like beer a lot to justify that weight and cost.

We always go mid-June because the walleyes are done spawning and are in 7-15 feet of water so they are easy to reach. Mid-August you are going to need to find the holes and fish deeper water.

Walleye fishing in Canada is mostly jigging over structure. Northern fishing is mostly casting spoons in and around the weeds. You will always get northerns fishing the walleyes too because where there are small walleyes, there are big northern looking to eat them. Bite offs were a problem until we went to the American Fishing Wire 1x7 stainless camo 10 pound test leader wire called Surfstrand. The walleyes don't care and the northerns get caught instead of them biting off your lure.

Don't go too light on the rods you bring. Canadian fish are old fish because the growing season is so short. I like at least a medium action with a fast tip and I personally use a medium heavy 6'9" spinning rod to help set into those bigger fish. Mono with a wire leader will work OK for casting, but we like 8 or 10 pound black Fireline the best for jigging.

We are always looking for the biggest walleyes and don't spend much time casting for northerns. Dad always said getting a big northern in the boat with you was like having an alligator on board. If I had to take one lure for each species it would be a half ounce chartreuse Whistler Jig and a 1 1/8 ounce silver Johnson Silver Minnow. That half ounce is not a misprint. Unless you are on the bottom, you are not on the big walleyes. The little guys will chase a lure up to the surface, those big females won't. Big fish are lazy and they want something big enough to eat. Sharpen your hooks so that they stick into a thumb nail, not slide on it. Red #8 stingers will get the short biters on a tipped jig. A yellow/greenish Fuzzy Grub with the red father tail fills in the shank of the hook and tip the jig with a minnow, crawler or strip bait.

Sunscreen and cover up cloths are a must. Full rain gear too as it can rain every day. Never been bothered too much by bugs where we go, but the black flies can be bad in some places. Deet keeps them away.

[Sidekick]

Thanks for the info guys. I was told that we were allowed up to 100 lbs of gear plus a case of beer on the plane. I'm pretty well covered for outdoor gear. I think I have more of that than I do real clothes. I usually travel pretty light compared to most people when it comes to the assortment in my tacklebox. I may surf the Bass Pro and Cabelas websites and see if they have a pike or walleye "kit". I still have a lot of spoons leftover from when I lived in Montana. They don't get much use here.
Bushman, I'm sending you a PM. I appreciate the advice you guys give. SK

[Sidekick]

Thanks Bushman! It took me about a half hour to read all that. I guess I need to get started on my passport.

Alan I appreciate the offer but asking you to drive all the way to Canada from Texas would just be rude of me and I won't do it.

[Bushman]

Pretty comprehensive isn't it. That is one of the things that I like about Tom, the camp owner. Nothing is left to chance and he runs a tight ship. Lots of guys are going to be surprised by needing that passport this year when they get turned back at the border. In years past you needed one if you flew into Canada, but they have been warning us for years that we would need one for driving and this year it is effective June 1.

[DaveHawk]

I did a few fly in's up that way. You'll need some steel leaders, Silver rattle traps, I used Slug-go's also, Pike killed them.