2017 Ontario's Sunset Country Travel Guide 2017-SC-Guide-Digital | Page 12

MY BUCKET LIST TRIP
BY AL LINDNER
Al Lindner is a world-renowned angler and one of the found-
ers of In-Fisherman Magazine. Al has been fishing the waters
of Ontario’s Sunset Country for decades and in this article,
describes his “dream trip” – fishing the entire season in Sunset
Country! Al’s current work includes co-hosting episodes of
Lindner’s Angling Edge Television series of which many
episodes are filmed in Ontario’s Sunset Country. people, I’ve made lifelong friends and fishing partners in this
neck of the woods. The shear volume of water and scenery is
beyond your imagination. And yes fish, more fish, and big fish.
Check out www.anglingedge.com for more info. In early May, just after ice out, I would find myself on a big
deep clear lake with lake trout and big pike. I picture the day
starting with a strong cup of coffee, a short stack with some
handpicked blueberry syrup and a side of ham, a little dock
talk followed by some flat line trolling. Trolling baits like a #7
Shad Rap are killers for early season trout. I would pull some
points and a few narrows to get a handful of nice lakers in
the morning. After the sun’s been out for a while, I’d make my
way into some dark bottom bays and start bombing around
for big pike. I’d start combing the water with a 1/2 oz swim jig
and a 5” boot tail watching big wakes bulge through the water
as sun-kissed gators attack. A couple weeks of this would be
perfect. Then just as the water on the main lake climbed up
to about 50 degrees it would be time to chase my absolute
favorite fish, the smallmouth.
Fishing is my passion, a life style and something that drives
me to keep learning and exploring. But fishing is much more
than just the catching fish, it’s how you catch them, it’s where
you catch them and who you catch them with. Of course, the
real centerpiece of fishing is the fish. I’ve had the fortune to
fish for many different species, in many different ways and
in many locations around the world. Through my travels, I’ve
checked off a number of bucket list trips and fish, but there’s
one I still hope to someday check off the list. It’s a full open
water season, ice out to ice up, in Sunset Country, chasing just
about everything that swims!
I’d like to share my dream season with you, including what I’d
fish for, how I’d catch ‘em and what I’d catch ‘em on. So here’s
what I dream about . . .
SO WHY ONTARIO’S SUNSET COUNTRY?
Simple! It’s got everything to make for a great fishing trip. Any
kind of lodging you could want - from rustic outposts, house-
keeping cabins, to luxury food and accommodations with an
American plan. You can drive to destinations, bring your own
boat, rent a boat, fly-in, portage into lakes, kayak, you name
it you can pick what you want, Sunset Country has it. Great
12 | 2017 Sunset Country Guide
There’s a lot of ways to catch smallies and a lot of fun ways
to do it, but one of my favorites, if not my favorite, is catch-
ing them on a jerkbait. I’d be sure to pack about 5 dozen
Hot Head, Pink and Clown size 10 X-Raps. Smallmouths are
absolutely crazy for a bright colored jerkbait when the water
is in the 50’s. I’d be bombing casts on beautiful broken rock
points adjacent to bays with sand and a few boulders in the