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| I need suggestions on where to take my trip to Canada next year. I'm already going to Pipestone 2nd full week of July, so I'm looking for a place in early August or later. Some of the places I'm considering are Lac Seul, Whitefish Bay, and Eagle among others. I was wanting to mainly fish muskies, but to also do a little bit of walleye fishing.
I'm looking for a lodge that offers the American Plan, but I would be bringing my own boat. Chances are I will be going along on this one, so that also plays a factor. I must say it's kind of exciting looking around for a new lake to fish. Any suggestions on lodges would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Posts: 336
Location: Wheeling, IL. | Try Andy Meyers on Eagle |
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Posts: 371
Location: Dixon, IL | I don't know where you live.....go to Musky Show or fishing show is a good place to go and sometime get reasonable price, too! My friend went to Rowan Lake in Ontario. Nielsen's Fly in Lodge and he like it very much. He caught some nice muskies and some big one followed to his boat. There's many place to go and not easy to pick one or two to stay! I don't even sure yet for which place for my son and I plan to! |
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Posts: 462
Location: Antioch, IL | Bill Sandy's Blackhawk Island, LOTW. Great camp that now offers the American plan & they don't make 'em any better than Billy, as a muskie fisherman or a person. |
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Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | nathan, i would suggest you seriously consider http://www.andymyerslodge.com/ give steve herbeck a call tell him what you are wanting and looking for and you will be in good hands. its all there!
if going solo is a concern, i have a buddy who went there solo this year and had a great time. if you want to email me i can put you in contact with him if you have any questions concerning going there solo.
Edited by muskihntr 10/15/2008 5:42 PM
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Posts: 61
Location: Sioux Lookout On Canada | Not much up here for american plan that allows you to fish during peak musky times. Consider putting a trip together tha gives you easy access to the fishery, clean affordable and quiet accomodations, and most importantly, flexible fishing times. American Plan will mean you miss the early morning and evening bite.
If you want some suggestions let me know.
fishing guide on Eastern Lac Seul |
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| How is the fishing pressure around AML? The only Canadian lakes I have fished so far are all trout water(Crow and Pipestone). On both of these lakes I barely saw another boat the whole day. Some people I've heard that go to Eagle say there is a considerable amount of pressure.
I have also strongly been considering Wabigoon, but I don't personally know anyone who has ever fished it. It looks and sounds like a great lake though.
Thank you for all the responses. I might just go to some of the All Canada shows and decide then, but those are a little ways away.
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| Nathan,
this year was my first year at AML on Eagle Lake. I cannot see ever going to another lodge after one week at AML.
Both my brother and I boated 50+s, and even had the privledge to see one of the famed Eagle lake "supertankers". I honestly never in my life thought I would see a fish that big.
As muskihntr said, going alone is not much of an issue. Herbie will work with you. The only obvious pressure noted on our trip was from member of our group or lodge.
I highly recommend hiring a guide a few days. |
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Posts: 8828
| Nathan, we did see a lot of boats on Eagle this year. Funny though, everyone still catches fish. Sometimes the third or fourth boat through a spot scores. I had two fish up over 50", plus we caught a 48 and a 45 on a spot not much bigger than the boat. There were several fish caught by others the week I was up on that very same spot. I talked with Herbie and some of his guides a bit about that very thing, how some of the "community spots" get so much pressure.
The consensus was that there are just so many fish moving on and off those spots all of the time that it doesn't really matter. You might fish it and catch a big fish there, two hours later someone else might go through and catch a big fish there, tomorrow there might be three big fish there, or none at all.
The American Plan at AML? Well, I like food, and I like not having to worry about where its coming from or having to cook and clean up. I have to do that at home, I sure don't want to do it on vacation. I suppose you miss out on some fishing that way, but you probably would lose more time having to cook.
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| I must say that I'm also a little intimidated to fish Eagle. I always hear that Eagle is just a tougher lake to catch muskies on for whatever reason. I even remember hearing Saric and several other professionals mention something along the same line. |
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Posts: 2024
| If I may offer my .02 cents. My limited understanding is that Whitefish is infinitely more difficult to fish than the other lakes you've listed. Could you strike out on the other waters you listed? Sure. Whitefish is gin clear and the density of muskies up there is MUCH lower than the rest of LOTW or probably the other lakes you've mentioned. It's hard to ignore the success stories that come from Eagle. I must say, it is tempting to forego LOTW one year to fish Eagle. If I did I think I'd hire Herbie or another guide up there. I'd do the same if I was fishing Lac Seul. The giant caught from Lac Seul this past August is just another reason to consider that lake as well. Again, though, low density fishery with relatively low amounts of recruitment.
Whichever lake you choose, I guarantee you won't make a bad decision. Good that you are asking around. In the end it will be a win-win for you. Nothing like Canada! |
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Posts: 8828
| I've only caught 5 fish on Eagle in 12 days fishing it. Had a shot at many others, and some big ones at that. 12 days isn't much, but it seems to me the biggest things about fishing Eagle are
1. There's too much great looking stuff to choose from
2. You will need decent boatside skills
3. There's a lot of navigational hazards
Much of the dangerous stuff is marked, but there are a few places down South where you had better know exactly where you are and exactly what you are doing. Herbies got a box of busted props from this season alone from people who know way more than I do.
I would suggest hiring a guide for a day or two to show you some of the spots that have been consistently producing fish if you're nervous about it.
If you don't want to do that, anyone at camp will happily take your map and talk you through some great places to fish that will keep you busy the whole week. You probably could fish the whole week within 5 minutes of camp if you really wanted to. |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | If you want a viable option on this side of the border, Spring Bay on Vermilion in Minnesota has about everything you say you're looking for. I've stayed in quite a few places and this was one of the better ones, and it was quite a few hours closer. good luck! m |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | I will go back to your original question...
Of the 3 you listed, Whitefish bay is probably the toughest spot to Musky fish. You said you already fished trout water, so you can pretty much expect similiar results on Whitefish as well.
Lac Seul is probably going to be rising in popularity due to some of the recent success. You can do well there, but I have been told by several big time fisherman you can go days without seeing a fish as well. This is probably your best potential to get the biggest fish, but the lodging is so-so.
I have stayed on Eagle now about 5 times. It's a beautiful lake, it's built like 4 lakes into one, and it has the best resort Canada has to offer ( Andy Meyers Lodge). If you stay there, you will get a head start on how to fish Eagle, because it can be tough and you will need it. I've had tough days out there for sure, but when that place is on you can see so many big fish in a day it is ridiculous. As for pressure, it certainly can't be much worse then LOTW. So much water out there, pressure is not an issue in my opinion.
You also asked about Wabigoon. Some really like it. I personally don't. If you enjoy the serenity of Pipestone you are not going to enjoy driving your boat around all week with a paper plant and downtown Dryden behind you. The chocolate milk water gets pretty darn old too after awhile. I have been to all these places and Wabigoon would be a DISTANT fourth on my list |
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| Lac Seul is a great lake for not only trophy musky but also pike. I can offer some advice for free and help you plan your trip if you want. I have detailed maps that break the south east section of the lake into areas. Trust me when I say that you can learn this lake easy and you should have success. Factors that can affect your success are wind and cold fronts but, that goes anywhere. There are other lakes in the area that have great musky populations. Big Vermilion lake and Little Vermilion lakes are great as well. I boat many muskies on these clear cold water lakes. As many as seven in one outing. Three lakes in a close proximity of each other should be enough to keep you busy while yo are here.
Let me know if I can help.
Neil Michelin
Canadian Heartland Fishing
Lac Seul Fish Fry Co. |
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Posts: 56
| I've seen both LOTW and Eagle. Both are great choices, if you go to a good place, like AML.
If you go to Eagle, plan to fish with guides for a while, at least until you really start to learn the lake--which may take a while. LOTW might be a little friendlier to those who like to fish without guides.
Also, my sense is that you will catch more fish at LOTW. If you have your heart set on a REALLY big fish, Eagle is a better bet.
Depends what type of fishing you like to do! I like different things about both.
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| fished cedar lake last september , the last 3 evenings 2-3 hrs each moved 12 fish and boated 5. Nothing big, 35"was the biggest but moved one good fish twice no hooks. All were on top water,pacemaker & top raider.This was my first time there and will be back. |
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Posts: 1188
Location: Iowa | Andy Meyers for sure...no better service, lodging, food, and people anywhere IMO...love that place and the fishing is close to the lodge too...and I mean some tankers are caught within sight of camp...
Big Perc |
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| Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I still haven't made up my mind. From the way it looks I'll probably wait until the All Canada shows to make my choice.
I guess the only thing I don't get is why is everyone so scared to fish trout water? I mean there are some huge fish in those clear water lakes. |
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Posts: 734
Location: Watertown, MN | Nathan
When we started going there 7+ years ago, I was hoping for a fish on eagle. Things have changed there in the last few years, with the 54" limited alot more fish are showing up and being caught. Last trip 6 in the boat, had a chance to triple in the last 15 minutes of the trip but lost one. I thing yes LOW will offer you a shot at a 10-20 fish trip, but plenty more big girls on eagle, also if you want some numbers Herbie has several numbers lakes you can jump on for some action with in 20 minutes from camp. Just like on any trip you can't control weather, and make sure your on the water, cause when the window opens and you not on the water you might have missed the trip maker. As far as pressure, you see boat, but a lot of them are walleye guys running arounds, some nites spots close to camp might get crowded, because everyone is running out after supper, but never really had any problems fishing what I wanted the whole. As far as first time there, talk to steve at the show, he will get you pionted in the right direction.
Troyz |
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