SUNSET COUNTRY: WHERE YOU CAN CATCH MANY
DIFFERENT SPECIES EACH DAY
One of the greatest things about fishing in Ontario’s Sunset Country is the variety of fish! Nowhere else can you find as many lakes with so
many species. Fish for walleye in the morning for your shore lunch, try for a trophy pike, muskie or trout in the afternoon, and feisty bass
in the evening or fish for walleye all day long, the choice is yours!
WALLEYE
PIKE
Walleye are why most
people come here to fish,
and for good reason. They
are the ultimate table fare
and our thousands of lakes
are loaded with them! These fish have a beautiful gold colour and
in some lakes, even a green or blue tint. Jigging with live bait in
20 to 30 feet of water is the most reliable method of catching
walleye but they also bite a wide variety of artificial baits. Big and nasty is one way of
describing northern pike and
they certainly have earned
this reputation. The top
predator in many lakes, the northern pike up here can exceed 45
inches and 30 pounds. Just about anything works with northerns
but many anglers love to throw big jerk baits or spoons onto rock
piles, sunken timber or along the weed lines. If you get a big one to
hit be prepared!
Ontario Walleye Record:
Weight: 22.25lbs | Length: 36.5in | Girth: 21.0in
Caught by Patrick Noon on May 26, 1943 Ontario Northern Pike Record:
Weight: 42.12lbs
Caught by Harry Bell on July 14, 1946
BASS
MUSKIE
Sunset Country waters har-
bor both small and large-
mouth bass but smallies are
much more common. Pound
for pound, our bass are the
best fighters in the lake so look for a wild and fun retrieve when you
hook into one. You can catch bass using spinner baits, plugs, raps or
plastic. Try a tube jig if the fish get finicky. The biggest smallies go
up to 7 pounds with big largemouth slightly larger. If you’re a dedicated muskie
hunter, you already know
Sunset Country is the prom-
ised land of muskie fishing.
We have these amazing predators not only in big numbers but
of the “supersize” variety. In some lakes, you’ll be hard pressed
to catch fish smaller than 45 inches and if it’s your day to shine,
there are big girls over 50 inches that await your cast. There's
nothing quite like catching a giant muskie in Sunset Country.
Ontario Smallmouth Bass Record:
Weight: 9.84lbs | Length: 24in | Girth: 18.3in
Caught by Andy Anderson on September 26, 1954 Ontario Muskie Record:
Weight: 65lbs | Length: 58in | Girth: 30.5in
Caught by Kenneth O'Brien on October 16, 1988
TROUT
CRAPPIE & PERCH
The vast Canadian Shield
landscape is dotted with
thousands of clear, deep
trout lakes which offer
some of this continent’s
most consistent lake trout fishing. If you’re up here shortly after
ice out then spin cast for lakers in 10 feet of water. Most of the
time, these fish are deeper though so down rigging or drop-shot-
ting are two methods that work well. Our northern rivers also
have native brook trout. While we are not general-
ly known for our panfish,
when it comes to crappie
and perch fishing, we can
compete with the best des-
tinations out there. Our black crappie can slab out at 3 pounds
and boy do they ever taste good! Try jigging for them in the
spring or fall or repeat the attempt through the ice. Once you find
them you’re going to catch a bundle! Perch are everywhere and
are very easy to catch!
Ontario Lake Trout Record:
Weight: 63.12lbs | Length: 51.5in | Girth: 32.8in
Caught by Hubert Hammers on May 25, 1952 Ontario Crappie Record:
Weight: 3.78lbs | Length: 17in | Girth: 16.5in
Caught by Charles Sherrill on May 10, 1986
2018 Sunset Country Guide | 9