FISHING TRIPS TO NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO ARE ALL ABOUT THOUSANDS OF CANADIAN LAKES THAT ARE LOADED WITH WALLEYE, BASS, MUSKIE AND TROUT

We're not kidding when we say there
are over 70,000 fishable lakes in
Northwestern Ontario! With so many
lakes, it's easy to back up our claim as
"Canada's Premier Fishing Destination".
Endless lakes also mean you'll never have
to worry about crowds out on the water.
Anglers have the opportunity to catch a
wide variety of fish including trophy-class
walleye, northern pike, muskie, lake and
brook trout, small and largemouth bass,
perch, crappie, sauger, sturgeon and
whitefish. How many angling destinations
can offer you this variety all in one area?
If you're looking for a good fishing lodge
in Canada, you've come to the right place.

You can drive, boat or fly in to your
Ontario fishing lodge. The drive in fishing
lodges don't mean that they are crowded.
Most of the resorts in Ontario are fairly
secluded. Imagine staying at an island
resort - with the only access being by boat.
Talk about getting away from it all. You can
also choose a Canada fly-in fishing vacation.
Choose either a full-service flyin resort or
fly into a remote fly-in fishing cabin. Planning a family fishing trip? There are
many family friendly resorts. You can enjoy fishing, swimming, water skiing, hiking and more.

Our fishing is fantastic in Northwestern Ontario because of the management
principle of catch and release. Anglers are encouraged to enjoy a tasty shore lunch of smaller fish but to let all trophy sized fish go. By taking a measurement and photo and getting a replica mount you help maintain the breeding population in our lakes, ensuring that in 20 years the fishing will be as good or even better than it is today.

Walleye Fishing
The ultimate in table fare and the highlight of the Canadian "Shore Lunch", walleye are extremely abundant in Sunset Country. Found in a variety of lakes and rivers, the average-sized walleye in Ontario are between 1 and 3 pounds. Of course fish over 30 inches in length and weighing over 10 pounds are a definite possibility. Jigging with live bait is the most common method of catching walleye. Big walleye are often caught at dusk while trolling with medium to deep diving crank baits. Bring a wide variety of tackle with you so you can adjust to changes in wind, light and temperature conditions.

Smallmouth Bass Fishing
If you want some of the continent's hottest action for smallmouth bass then a visit to Sunset Country is in order. Pound for pound, there is no better fighting fish so get ready for lots of wild jumping action. Smallmouth are found in many lakes in the southern half of Northwestern Ontario and prefer warmer rocky lakes with lots of shoals and reefs. You can catch Canadian smallmouth with the same tackle you use back home but local favourites include tube jigs and small crank or spinner baits.

Largemouth Bass Fishing
Largemouth bass are confined to a much smaller number of lakes but some of these lakes hold really big fish. Using a variety of spinner baits or your favourite crank baits, look for largemouth bass among fallen timber or in heavy vegetation near a deep drop off. Both species of bass live longer and grow more slowly in Sunset Country as we are at the very northern end of their range in North America.

Northern Pike Fishing
One of the most exciting and hardest fighting of all fish, the northern pike can be found in almost any lake in Northwestern Ontario. With a look to match their demeanor, northern's will hit just about anything you throw at them. Average pike are in the 6-8 pound range with the biggest fish reaching lengths over 40 inches and weighing more than 30 pounds. Big pike are often found along the rocks near a steep drop off or along the edges of weed lines waiting for an unsuspecting bait fish to swim by. Big northern pike will hammer muskie baits as well as large spoons so bring along some big tackle if a trophy fish is what you're after.

Lake Trout Fishing
With so many deep cool lakes, Sunset Country is an excellent choice for lake trout fishing. Lakes are distributed across Northwest Ontario and many lakes are known for their quality trout fishery. Cast or troll in the shallows around 10-15' in the spring. In mid-summer the trout go deep to between 40-100'. Downriggers are generally needed to get down to these depths but once down there, the action can get really hot! Lake trout average between 4-8 pounds but fish up to 20 pounds are not uncommon.

Brook Trout Fishing
In the most northerly regions of Sunset Country is one of the grandest treats in freshwater fishing - trophy brook trout. River systems such as the Winisk, Sutton and Albany offer truly outstanding opportunities for brook trout. The biggest fish go up to 8 pounds with plenty of fish in the 2 to 5 pound range. Bring your fly rod with you and get ready for a wild time!

Muskie Fishing
Sunset Country is without a doubt, one of the best destinations on the planet when it comes to muskie fishing. This "fish of 10,000 casts" is worth the effort. Once hooked, be prepared for a long, hard battle with this big predator. If you're looking for that "once in a lifetime fish" it is a possibility that you'll find it in one of our lakes in Northwestern Ontario. The Ontario record muskellunge measured in at 58 inches in length and weighed 65 pounds. What sets muskie fishing in Sunset Country apart is the number of muskie you'll catch. The key to success is to have a well-stocked tackle box with a choice of top to bottom baits. Natural bait fish colors are always a good choice when deciding what to use and no bait is too big!

Crappie Fishing
Pan fish such as perch and black crappie are a favourite of many anglers. In Northwestern Ontario we have great fishing for both species. Black crappie are abundant in both Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake and are a schooling fish. This gives anglers the opportunity to find a whole group of fish in a small area leading to a great day on the water. During the winter ice fishermen often fish for the tasty crappie.

Perch Fishing
Perch are much more widely distributed and for kids, are really fun to catch. In the summer look for crappie along deep weed lines and for perch, in sunken timber and under docks. In the spring you'll find black crappie and perch concentrated in shallow bays where the water is warmer.