Canada vs. Lake of the Woods

[Lucky One]

We are planning a spring fishing trip and will be in search of walleye and pike. We would like to catch fish, but we also would like to have a chance at a trophy! Which would you recommend: Wabaskang (Ontario), Eagle (Ontario), Lake of the Woods?

Thanks for your help!!

[PerchJerker]

Lac Seul

[garytheguide]

the good old usa...we have some darn good lakes in this area....good luck any way you go!

[Scoot]

What timeframe are you thinking? By spring are you thinking about the first week or April or the last week of May? Makes a big difference... First week of April- the Rainy River might be a great bet.

[Lucky One]

I was thinking late May, but it might push into the first part of June now. Thanks for your advice.

[Down Deep]

If you would like to go to Canada I would have to agree with Perch Jerker Lac Suel will provide fast action and a better than average chance of a trophy 30"+walleye or two. My preference for spring is the Ear Falls area, but you better get on it if you want to get in anywhere in June as the resorts book up early. LOW has some great June fishing in the Morson area.

[Abrams]

The biggest misconception about lakes in Northwestern Ontario is that you’ll likely catch a trophy walleye (over 30”) on a trip. I have a cabin in Ontario and a 28” is very rare and a legitimate 30”+ is an incredibly rare thing. Lakes in NW Ontario are cold, clear and relatively infertile Oligotrophic lakes. They have a very short growing season thus walleye grow at very slow rate. Personally my biggest walleye 32” was caught on Mille Lacs, my biggest Canadian grown walleye is 31”.

If you are interested in trophy walleye you’ll have better luck on Mille Lacs. If you want 50+ fish days with a few 26” or 28” mixed in Canada is the ticket.

[eyehead]

Totally agree with Abrams. You'll have alot better shot at a 30" fish on mille lacs in the fall than Most northern canadian lakes. We fish Lake Eden and its normal to catch 200-300 eyes a day with maybe two that will go over 26"

[fishyguy]

I think everyone has made good points here and it is going to boil down to what is important and of course your budget. Yes Canadian lakes do have a short growth season but MN lakes aren't exactly fast growth factories either.

My $.02 is that if you want to catch numbers of fish with a very good average size go to Canada. If you want trophies, I would still go to Canada but Abrams does have a point on trophy potential close to home. Of course, my worst days in Canada are usually better than a good day on Mille Lacs. My best fishing lakes have been Lac Suel and Minnitaki.

All that said, I wouldn't trade the experience of the solitude and wilderness of Canada for rush hour on the humps and flats of any of the Minnesota lakes even if I stood a better chance of the 30" fish. I can go up to Mille Lacs on many weekends. I can't experience Canada that easily.

Just my thoughts on why I choose what I do. Good luck to you

[Abrams]

The length of growing season from Minnitaki/Lac Seul vs. Mille Lacs is very different, especially the shoulder months (April, May – October, November).

In terms of experience, of course, there is nothing like owning a large portion of a 50,000 acre lake.

[Down Deep]

Abrams

It is true what you say about the water enviorment on many Canadian Lakes, but Lac Suel is the English River which has been dammed and is much different from those colder more sterile glacial lakes. Everytime I've been to Lac Suel in June someone in our group of 4 hits a 30.

[Abrams]

Then you should hit the lotto after pulling up a legit 30"+ walleye, because you're on a hot streak. I have a cabin on a lake within the English River system (Abrams). I've been going up there for 30+ years. I'm not saying it's impossible to catch a 30" fish, it just not as likely.

[Down Deep]

We fished the Ear Falls area for about 10 years and then moved down to river about 5 years ago to Sepration mainly because we like the Pike action.