Canada Smallmouth Trip

[Ski Tar]

My father, brother, son and I are booking a trip to Camp Quetico in Canada for late May/early June next year and I'm pretty pumped up about it. I'm hoping it will be a great trip that creates a lifetime memory for my son. I have a friend who has been up there and couple of times and he says that it is absolutely the most amazing smallmouth fishing he's ever experienced. We've fished largemouth, spots and smallmouths all over the south but this will be our first trip north of the border. Have any of you guys been up there, if so, how was it?

[SuperCorona]

Make sure you go during bass season, which last time I went started the last weekend of June IIRC.

[Neighbor]

Make sure you go during bass season,

I wouldn't be too concerned about the season. You can still fish for SMB just can't keep them when out of season. (we never keep any smb)

The water will be cold. Late May the ice could have just came off 10 days to 2 weeks ago. Water temps might be 40 - 55. We go up to LOTW 2nd week of June. We like to see water temps 64+ but many times they aren't warm enough yet. That early, the SMB won't be ready to spawn yet. Might have to locate them deeper. The walleyes will be shallow. even 1-2 feet. 1/8 jig with 3 inch twister tails in chartreuse, white, yellow and maybe orange.

[Al from Canada]

I wouldn't be too concerned about the season. You can still fish for SMB just can't keep them when out of season. (we never keep any smb)

The water will be cold. Late May the ice could have just came off 10 days to 2 weeks ago. Water temps might be 40 - 55. We go up to LOTW 2nd week of June. We like to see water temps 64+ but many times they aren't warm enough yet. That early, the SMB won't be ready to spawn yet. Might have to locate them deeper. The walleyes will be shallow. even 1-2 feet. 1/8 jig with 3 inch twister tails in chartreuse, white, yellow and maybe orange.

Sorry, but it doesn't matter if you're practicing catch and release or not, if the bass season isn't open you can't fish for them.

[basscat21]

It's my understanding that they are pretty serious about that infraction too!

[Skeet Skeet-er]

Where your going I think is fine, most of northern Ontario is "open all year". Checks regs for sure but most of northern is all year and below Georgian bay has seasons.

[oldmanwinter]

These where caught on May 10 in Northern Ontario close to the Manitoba border, water temp 40 degrees Farenheit In parts of the lake there was still ice which we still managed to pull fish through the rotting ice.
Attachment 369922
.Attachment 369919

[HotRudderedBum]

These where caught on May 10 in Northern Ontario close to the Manitoba border, water temp 40 degrees Celsius. In parts of the lake there was still ice which we still managed to pull fish through the rotting ice.
Attachment 369922
.Attachment 369919

Nice smallies but 40 degrees celsius is pretty hot!

[oldmanwinter]

Whoops.....

[Neighbor]

Sorry, but it doesn't matter if you're practicing catch and release or not, if the bass season isn't open you can't fish for them.

Sorry incorrect. For the Quetico is zone 5 Ontario fishing regulations
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass combined

Season: Open all year
Limits: S-4 and C-2; must be less than 35 cm from January 1 to June 30

[Al from Canada]

Sorry incorrect. For the Quetico is zone 5 Ontario fishing regulations
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass combined

Season: Open all year
Limits: S-4 and C-2; must be less than 35 cm from January 1 to June 30

Fine, but you said in your post that it didn't matter if the bass season was open or not as long as you were releasing them and that is NOT correct.

[Fins]

The S and C designations in the limits refer to the type of license you buy. Sportsman licenses are more $ but you can harvest more fish. Conservation licenses, smaller harvest limit, less $ for the license.

[ColdSVT]

Nice smallies but 40 degrees celsius is pretty hot!

Yeah like over 100f hot!

[bradjames12]

Did a week long portage trip in the Quetico with my dad and a bunch of other folks 20 years ago.. saw the Northern Lights up there for the first time ever..
Dad caught a 42' pike, my dad and I practically fed the entire group as we were the best anglers there.. last day half a mile before we were picked up I caught a 5+ smallie..

Great trip, and hope to be able to take my boy on a similar trip when he is older.

[Phoenix Jim]

Been to Canada twice this year including just last week to Rainy and then lake of the woods and used to go to boundary waters every year. I will say it is tougher in July versus in May. We wacked them in May and all you need is 5 inch grubs and jerkbait. Weather more of an issue in May but the points and humps are loaded with smallmouth.