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Posts: 309
| Thinking about our annual trip this year. We've done Eagle, Cedar, Perrault, LoW and Pipestone (been a while for these two), and added Wabigoon to the list last year.
Anybody been anywhere else in this general area that they'd recommend for a week trip? Not really interested in Fly-Ins. Boat-ins are fine but drive-ins would be better. Nothing to outrageously expensive either.
Or, best to just stick with what we know because it won't get much better? |
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Posts: 25
| Stick to the lakes you have been fishing, and maybe choose one and realllllly concentrate on that body of water. Do NOT get in the habit of "lake hopping" just because one lake gets hot, then another gets hot. I learned the hard way by doing just that and have wasted a lot of money doing that. I now concentrate on only a couple of the lakes you mentioned, but the key is to TRY to fish more and really dissect that body of water you are concentrating on. You will be surprised of all the spots you may find that are not always on the map. Good luck! |
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Posts: 572
| Stick with where you have the best time and fun. Resorts can make a difference. You may want to change the time of year you go. Consider full phases, etc.
Late or early spring can make a lot of difference to weed growth, etc. so, weather can make a difference, as well as, how one likes to fish. Of course, you must consider if you are after numbers or one in a life time.....
If I was after numbers and a good chance at a trophy, I would head to the LOW. But, I'm headed somewhere else.
good luck.... |
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Posts: 243
| Would love to hear about some off the radar lakes in Ontario.....the big popular ones are a given. Or lakes that you can't get to but have the potential to grow monsters. Stuff dreams are made of! |
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Posts: 309
| I agree with the "lake hopping", completely. We've beat up those in the list pretty good over a few decades. We are always after the lifetime fish, but since it's one week a year for us, numbers are important too. I know LoW and Eagle are hard to beat, but it's more about what Musky Time said.. they are a "given". I'm just wondering if there's any hidden gems worth visiting, that we've never considered or been to in the past. |
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Posts: 357
Location: Duluth, MN | Id take a long look at giving Crow (Kakagi) lake a shot around opener up there.
Ive had a ton of fun on that lake, and have seen "the fish" several times.
look up Musky Bay Resort. Paul and Chris are great hosts.
www.muskybayresort.com
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Location: Eastern Ontario | I think EVERYONE should go to St. Clair |
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Posts: 111
Location: Weyauwega Wi. | X-2 on Crow. Some absolute giants out there. Paul and Chris are great host's. You won't be disappointed. |
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Posts: 1530
| everybody go Ottawa river .. nippising to lol. |
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Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | I've fished Canada from late May (before they moved the muskie opener) to last week of September (flyin) with sleet and snow. All were great trips with fond memories. So far two lakes worth revisting and one is the flyin lake. As my time here on earth and the time allotted to muskie fishing has become more limited in the last 10 years I've become more focus'd and exploring new lakes....... with my grandchildren. Its great fun. I really don't like crowd's.
Rowan and Dryberry are on my bucket list. Ditto - Crow is a must do for any serious muskie fisherman. I hate driving by on trips north, most time's I just stop & launch & fish for the day or two on the way home.... there are some really big fish in that lake.
Al
Edited by ESOX Maniac 1/1/2014 11:48 AM
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Posts: 540
Location: Leech Lake, Walker MN | Rowan is really an untapped resource fly in only and that's the difference
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Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | Georgian Bay!
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | There's some other good choices out there....
-The Winnipeg River/lake system out of Minaki is good, in fact my biggest ever came out of there ( just can't bring myself to keep driving past LOTW though or I'd be back)
-Lac Seul is a cool place to go giant hunting, although numbers are limited and you'll have to work hard
-If you enjoyed Pipestone you might like the Manitous ( Upper and Lower) as that's also trout water with big fish potential.
-Canyon Lake is great for ridiculous, fly in like numbers but with limited big fish ( also Little Vermilion and it's connecting lakes for the same type of action)
- There's also the Long Legged/Stork Lake Chain west of Ear Falls. Quite an adventure to get there but those lakes have a lot of fish and some big ones too
...oh and as the one guy alluded to...can't speak on it personally but Dryberry is on my bucket list, I have heard some great things about it. Unfortunately it sounds like you may need a tank to get back there
Edited by Musky Brian 1/1/2014 2:46 PM
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Posts: 309
| Thanks for the info. Crow looks and sounds interesting, and still keeps me within the 1-day range to get back home. I love the idea of gin clear water (especially after a week at Wabigoon!), but it's definitely harder to fish. I'd appreciate some more info, since about all I can find are the lodge marketing blurbs. We lookin at weedy bays, rocky points, or trolling through deep, open water? 10,000 casts or 1,000 like Eagle? Limited to morning and evenings? Not really interested in Lake Trout, but I'm assuming it's got a decent smallmouth population? Northern Pike?
Edited by Booch 1/2/2014 1:39 PM
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Posts: 357
Location: Duluth, MN | I dont necessarily think Crow is harder to fish than other bodies of water, just kind of a different approach.
Timing is everything and depending on what kind of spring they have up there it can determine how and where to fish.
Generally speaking on opener the fish should still be in the bays or just outside of them on rock points and shorelines. When they are int he bay its a blast because you can sight fish them with jigs.
Outside of that the norm up there is small bucktails really fast, but weve also done wellon bigger stuff. Main lake islands and reefs will be the ticket if they move out of the bays early. The fish seem to sit very shallow on the rock shorelines and your casts need to be very tight to shore. Seems like the put the feed bag for a on after the spawn up there.
Night fishing is can be very productive, but be careful lots of stuff to hit out there, get some good tracklines down. Maps are so so, Theres one unmarked reef up there we now affectionately call "Ranger reef" lol |
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Posts: 309
| After lots of deliberation, we've booked at Muskie Bay Resort. Now, we just have to wait 6 months! |
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Posts: 7090
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Booch - 1/13/2014 2:17 PM
After lots of deliberation, we've booked at Muskie Bay Resort. Now, we just have to wait 6 months!
On the Moen Chain in WI? |
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Posts: 743
| great choice on lake of the woods for what you want out of a trip, Booch |
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Posts: 309
| The Lodge is on Crow (Kalagi) Lake, but we've got access to Lake of the Woods at anytime. Sounds like a pretty good setup. Thanks bdog for recommending it.
Now, to find a map of Crow Lake. I've got shorelines on my GPS, but it'd be nice to have a decent paper map. Suggestions? |
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Posts: 480
| Thornes has paper maps of kakagi, they're about $9.
Paul at muskie bay resort will likely mark it up for you to get you started.
I suggest to get 2 maps, one for the boat and one for the cabin. You'll use the boat map a lot.
We have a group going up the first week in August to MBR. Good luck |
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Posts: 10
| Cliff lake is right in the middle of the area you wish to visit. 27 miles north of vermilion bay right off of 105. Only 16 cabins on the entire lake make for very little pressure and amazing action for both barred and tigers. You would be staying at Lost Bay resort. Its clean well kept and the prices are the best part. Lots of Lakes in the area have multiple Camps on them but Cliff has only one. Less people more fish my friend. www.lostbayresort.com.
Edited by tyzep6 1/14/2014 2:39 PM
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Posts: 432
Location: mpls | We fish Crow a lot. I know that another mentioned small baits, we have always done better just the opposite . Crow is BIG bait water. I will not throw anything under 12" . Pike color is best.
The days can get long. You will catch fish, but they will be 36"-38" . Most of the big fish are night fish. As Duff said, have two maps and be careful. It is a beautiful, but very dangerous lake.
Joe |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | I won't go back to Canada,... Been there twice and 'Felt very un-Welcomed",.... SMall fish and big flies,..... An it Cost more to have LESS Freedom..... Also to many rules/Stupid laws.......
I'll fish here in America, Where I can still enjoy a BEER, while catching Bigger muskies.....
Edited by Top H2O 1/19/2014 8:35 PM
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Posts: 1023
| Thousands of American anglers per year disagree with you H2O.
Landry |
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