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Posts: 48
| Hi All,
I have been planning a Canada Muskie trip for a while, and I think this year it will happen. I am debating between two lakes in Ontario. One is of course LOTW (Sandys Blackhawk island) and the other is Ceder lake (Ceder lake lodge).. My time frame is mid-august to mid-September. Which lake would be a better fit for a first timer in Canada? I have been fishing for Muskies for over 10 years, so I know the game however might be slightly different up north.
I had my mind kindoff made up gping to Ceder but the Lodge owner told me that the lake turns over last week of August/First week of September depending on the Weather. I was wondering if LOTW turns over around the same time?
Any help is much appreciated
Thanks
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Posts: 2280
Location: Chisholm, MN | Seems weird to me that it would turn over that early. But I'm not a canadian, so I am not an expert. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong. I would be more worried about algae blooms on LOTW's though. |
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Posts: 48
| What is also weird that at Ceder they shut the Lodge down after the 20th of September, saying it gets way too cold. But again Im from Missouri and not Canada.. |
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Posts: 596
Location: Duluth | Hit LOTW if going that late. If blooms are a concern you can run to clean water. |
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Posts: 48
| Is really mid-august to mid-september considered late up in Canada? Do I need to re-think the scheduling and go earlier? |
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Posts: 2280
Location: Chisholm, MN | No, but LOTW's can have bad algae blooms in august and September so a lot of people avoid that time. people fish Canada into November, so it's not late. I just have a hard time believing that any of those lake would ever turn over in August. |
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Posts: 48
| I would prefer Ceder Lake (which is not that much up north from LOTW) because of it's size and shape for my first time. Hoping someone can tell me about the turnover in that region... |
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Posts: 189
| We were on Wabigoon (Dryden Area) last fall starting Sept 15th. The reason of the late date is that we were hoping to cash in on a few grouse as well. Although we caught fish in my opinion it was too late. We were the last fishing group in camp. The owner was pulling his boats and getting ready for the deer hunters. The water temps had slipped away and we got a different weather front every day. If the border is open we will be back but this time 4th week in August. Again is the border is open we hope to be fishing a couple different lakes in the Perrault Falls area end of June. |
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Posts: 48
| So I'm guessing September might be a bit too late.. Might be looking at Mid August then. I know a lot of people have fished LOTW but has anyone had any experience fishing Ceder? |
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Posts: 1971
| For what it’s worth..I really like the first week of September in Canada , I’ll do it again this year... I’ve done it past 3 years have caught big fish every year and pressure is very low.
Edit, and it’s not turnover time... it would have to be a crazy year to have turnovers first week of September? It’s topwater time 
Edited by IAJustin 3/24/2020 10:09 PM
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Posts: 51
| Greetings,
I fished Perrault Lake a LOT from 2001-2015. It is connected to Cedar Lake via an easily navigated river. I made a handful of excursions to Cedar Lake. Thus, I have a good understanding of the water in both lakes. Cedar is a much shallower/warmer body of water than Perrault Lake.
My wife and I would fish Perrault Lake together in the third week of August each season - mostly targeting walleye, bass and perch. I then would go back three weeks later (during the third week of September) to target toothy critters. The lake would undergo huge changes during those three weeks between trips. Peak water temperature (e.g low to mid 70s) would be reached during our August trip and then rapidly fall between trips. Water temperature in mid September might be in the mid to upper 50s. Lush cabbage weed beds would be decimated, and sometimes replaced by coontail weed.
Fishing in NW Ontario during September involves a moving target, as the weather is changing that much and that fast. It's sort of like our weather in the mid-west during mid to late October. You can have the best weather and the worst weather of the season, both in the same day.
The ten days leading into turnover can be magical in terms of musky fishing. Timing this is near impossible, as I have seen turnover in mid-September. I have also left for home in late September before turnover arrived. A massive algae bloom typically erupts in Cedar Lake in mid-September and flows downriver into Perrault Lake. This algae bloom is sometimes mis-identified as turnover.
My experience has been that Cedar Lake has better numbers of muskies than Perrault Lake. That doesn't mean that Cedar Lake is a numbers lake. Both lakes are trophy fish water. My personal bests are 52s. I have seen several, and even hooked two fish, that were likely in the mid to upper 50s. Unfortunately, these larger fish didn't make it to the net - go figure!
I haven't been on Perrault and Cedar Lakes for five years now. I have heard from friends that musky pressure has picked up on these lakes due to several musky shows being filmed on both lakes.
Good fishing and tight lines!! |
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Posts: 48
| it defiantly seems like that is I go first week of September that there will be less pressure on the lakes. Im just hoping that the turnover wont be in full effect when Im up there |
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Posts: 1971
| You have a zero percent chance last week of August for turnover
Slim chance first week of September...like less than 5%.. heck some years we have 70-72 degree surface temps 1st of September ..usually get a few colder days like highs in the 50’s but they can be great days to catch fish ... if you wanted to go September 15th -30th time frame I’d be worried. |
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Posts: 48
| I called around today.. local Bait shops and talked to a guide, they all said that at Ceder the turnover usually happens last week of August/ fist week of September depending on the year. Now I have to decide if I want to go before turnover happens or after. I have had good luck fishing after turnover catching fish still in the shallow cover seeking warmer waters but again that is in the US (southern reservoir) so Im not sure. |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | badkemo - 3/24/2020 3:12 PM
Hi All,
I have been planning a Canada Muskie trip for a while, and I think this year it will happen. I am debating between two lakes in Ontario. One is of course LOTW (Sandys Blackhawk island) and the other is Ceder lake (Ceder lake lodge).. My time frame is mid-august to mid-September. Which lake would be a better fit for a first timer in Canada? I have been fishing for Muskies for over 10 years, so I know the game however might be slightly different up north.
I had my mind kindoff made up gping to Ceder but the Lodge owner told me that the lake turns over last week of August/First week of September depending on the Weather. I was wondering if LOTW turns over around the same time?
Any help is much appreciated
Thanks
If you have been planing this for some time I think I would put any hard plans on hold for another year and see how this Covid 19 shakes out. This may be the fishing season that wasn't. I now do most of my fishing on the St Lowrence and can see many if tot most of the marinas not even opening. I may be confined to fishing the two local lakes off the trailer. They were pretty good lakes till they started doing TV shows on them.For 38 years I always took holidays the first week of September it's magic. |
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Posts: 48
| horsehunter - 3/26/2020 7:26 AM
badkemo - 3/24/2020 3:12 PM
Hi All,
I have been planning a Canada Muskie trip for a while, and I think this year it will happen. I am debating between two lakes in Ontario. One is of course LOTW (Sandys Blackhawk island) and the other is Ceder lake (Ceder lake lodge).. My time frame is mid-august to mid-September. Which lake would be a better fit for a first timer in Canada? I have been fishing for Muskies for over 10 years, so I know the game however might be slightly different up north.
I had my mind kindoff made up gping to Ceder but the Lodge owner told me that the lake turns over last week of August/First week of September depending on the Weather. I was wondering if LOTW turns over around the same time?
Any help is much appreciated
Thanks
If you have been planing this for some time I think I would put any hard plans on hold for another year and see how this Covid 19 shakes out. This may be the fishing season that wasn't. I now do most of my fishing on the St Lowrence and can see many if tot most of the marinas not even opening. I may be confined to fishing the two local lakes off the trailer. They were pretty good lakes till they started doing TV shows on them.For 38 years I always took holidays the first week of September it's magic.
This situation is definitely interesting... Where I'm at the season never closes and the lake I usually fish DNR has closed the boat ramps last week.. I dont know that I can survive not going fishing!!! |
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Posts: 1971
| badkemo - 3/25/2020 8:39 PM
I called around today.. local Bait shops and talked to a guide, they all said that at Ceder the turnover usually happens last week of August/ fist week of September depending on the year. Now I have to decide if I want to go before turnover happens or after. I have had good luck fishing after turnover catching fish still in the shallow cover seeking warmer waters but again that is in the US (southern reservoir) so Im not sure.
That’s so cool, Cedar turnsover on average 20 days earlier than any other lake in the area...I’d call Andy Meyers lodge and ask how many times any lakes in the area turnover in that timeframe, they fish many lakes... While talking to them you probably should book 1st week of September...they’ll let you know it’s a great time and no need to worry about turnover . Go back to your sources and ask them so your water temps are below 57 degrees the last week of August? lol
Edited by IAJustin 3/26/2020 10:12 AM
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Posts: 626
Location: Madison, WI | IAJustin - 3/26/2020 10:05 AM
badkemo - 3/25/2020 8:39 PM
I called around today.. local Bait shops and talked to a guide, they all said that at Ceder the turnover usually happens last week of August/ fist week of September depending on the year. Now I have to decide if I want to go before turnover happens or after. I have had good luck fishing after turnover catching fish still in the shallow cover seeking warmer waters but again that is in the US (southern reservoir) so Im not sure.
That’s so cool, Cedar turnsover on average 20 days earlier than any other lake in the area...I’d call Andy Meyers lodge and ask how many times any lakes in the area turnover in that timeframe, they fish many lakes... While talking to them you probably should book 1st week of September...they’ll let you know it’s a great time and no need to worry about turnover . Go back to your sources and ask them so your water temps are below 57 degrees the last week of August? lol
Exactly! There is zero chance of turnover last week of August. Pretty good chance for strong algae blooms then though and I’m guessing that’s what they’re describing as turnover |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | Turnover in August?
Must be some guys up there taking advantage of the relaxed cannabis rules...
I don’t think Cedar Lake would make a top 15 for me as far as NW Ontario Musky destinations I’d want to speed a week on. Beautiful area though!
Edited by Musky Brian 3/31/2020 11:52 AM
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Posts: 571
Location: Germantown, WI | Second week of September has been great for me the last 3 yeArs on LOTW. A lot of action, good numbers, plus a ton of pike in that 35-40” range as a bonus. Good walleye and perch numbers and size too jigging during this time of year too.. |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | All recreational facilities ,marinas, parks, launch ramps, skate parks, golf courses, tennis courts etc both public and PRIVATE have been ordered closed. Wait another year.
Edited by horsehunter 3/31/2020 5:24 PM
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Posts: 397
Location: Wisconsin | I would also suggest checking out Century Lodge on Eagle Lake. That time of year is excellent on the south end of Eagle, and Century lodge is the most remote lodge on all of the southern half of the lake. All of Osbourne Bay and Nivens Bay are on fire in the late summer. I will be making my 10th trip there August 15-22 this year, and we consistently catch numbers and quality fish. The cabins are beautiful, all on a remote island, and the family run lodge always make it an exceptional vacation. I promise you will be pleased if you do some research on Century Lodge! |
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