Catching Bass Can Be Crystal Clear

Head to this Northwest Ontario resort for an opportunity to catch your personal best smallmouth bass.
smallmouth bass fishing extreme angler tv

One of the best things about fishing for smallmouth bass in Northwest Ontario is the sheer number of lakes and rivers that harbour both numbers and personal best trophies for visiting anglers across North America who make the trek to this part of the province.

We recently had an opportunity to visit with the nice folks who own and operate Crystal Beach Resort near Atikokan, Ontario on Crystal Lake which is an excellent lake trout, smallmouth bass, and northern pike lake. Catches of one-hundred bass a day are not uncommon on this lake and some guests have experienced over forty lake trout in one day of fishing!

crystal beach resort sign

Crystal Lake is not known for its walleye fishing but many excellent walleye fishing opportunities exist in some of the lakes in the surrounding area and are teeming with them! Walleye anglers often stay at the resort and use it as a base camp to access these walleye lakes, which gives them a choice to fish different lakes each day of their trip. Anglers can choose over 20 nearby lakes, all within driving distance of the camp. This allows anglers to fish in all types of weather conditions, with some lakes wide open, and others having many bays and islands for protection. 

aerial landscape crystal beach resort

Marimon Lake is the most known lake in the area, producing the largest smallmouth bass anywhere in Ontario's Northwest. Smallmouth bass in the 4 to 6-pound range are not uncommon! With some even up to 7 pounds! The size of Marimon Lake is about 24,000 acres of water and is a backed-up floodwater system of the Seine River. This lake is known for its northern pike, walleye and smallmouth bass fisheries. 

ontario smallmouth bass fishing crystal beach resort

Our trip to Crystal Beach Resort was in mid-July with slick calm and sunny conditions mixed with a few short rain showers thrown in for variety's sake just to make it a bit more challenging.

We fished a few different lakes during our visit and caught a boatload of northern pike in all sizes along with smallmouth bass ranging from one to five plus pounds on various noisy top waters including poppers and prop baits.

The bass literally crush your top waters on these lakes.

extreme angler tv angler holding fishing rods aerial view of crystal lake northwest ontario

When the top water bite slowed down around lunchtime, we picked up a Ned Rig bug bait and cast it to a mixture of pebble rock and sand and caught some of the lake's bigger, thicker bass that we’re hunkered down with bellies on the bottom during the high bright sunny conditions.

At Crystal Beach Resort the very spacious cabins can accommodate small groups, all the way to large family reunion groups. Each cabin has a lakeside deck and picnic table. The cabins are heated with a wood stove and they supply the wood. The cabins also come fully furnished with electric refrigerators, electric ranges, toasters, coffee pots, microwaves and all cooking utensils.

All linens are included except personal bath towels. Each cabin also has a full bath.

interior cabin crystal beach resort exterior cabin crystal beach resort

Looking for the opportunity to catch your personal best smallmouth bass on some of the most scenic lakes Ontario has to offer, consider visiting with the nice folks at Crystal Beach Resort.

About Karl Kalonka

It's possible Karl's love for fishing began as early as the age of five. His parents took the kids on weekend trips across Ontario fishing for panfish, catfish, and bass. "I started with a bobber and worm from the time I was five years old," says Karl. These days, he has the enviable task of doing what he loves for a living, travelling across Ontario fishing, filming and producing two outdoor series, Extreme Angler and Crappie Angler TV.

Recommended Articles

The Inside Scoop

The fall is the perfect time to hit the water when the fish are starting to feed.

Whopper Walleye

Discover the 3 lodges in Ontario’s Sunset Country that offer trophy walleye in big waters.

Northern Pike Aplenty

Why the pike are so active near the end of the ice fishing season.

Off-Grid Ontario Fishing Adventures

Escape to one of these 4 remote Ontario outposts this summer

Drive-to Ontario Lodges

Ontario has the perfect easy-to-access fishing oasis for every angler!

Dream Fishing Trips

These two Ontario lodges, just across the border from Minnesota, offer anglers the chance to fish multiple species.

Different Strokes

From jigging and buzzing to chunking' and windin', there's no right or wrong way to work a fishing lure.

Kesagami Wilderness Lodge

Kesagami Lake has just under a million acres of fishable water that is chock full of pike and walleye.

First Time Walleye Fishing for Beginners in Ontario

I was lucky to share that experience with first-time anglers twice last week. 

Pike and Walleye: Ontario’s One-Two Punch

Walleye and the northern pike reside in the same bodies of water. When one's not biting, the other might!

Exclusive Video

How To Zero In On Lake Trout

Keeping You In the Fishing Game

Tips For What To Have On Your Boat

Slate Falls Outposts: Arc Lake Outpost

Fly-in Adventure and First-class Service in Northern Ontario

Ice Fishing in Northeastern Ontario

Year-round lodges that offer everything from DIY to fully outfitted ice fishing operations.

What to Pack for a Fly-in Adventure

These items are sometimes overlooked but come in really handy on a remote fishing trip.

Eagle Lake Fall Muskies

Discover why in the late fall Eagle Lake is a prime location to catch giant muskies in Sunset Country.

Fantasy Fishing For Walleye

Catching up to 100 walleye a day at Clark's Resort & Outpost Air Service.

Top 8 Places to Ice Fish in Ontario

Ice fishing in Ontario offers diverse catches in serene winter settings.

Why I Use Sinking Fly Lines

What these are and how to use them for fly fishing.

Trophy Lake Trout on Lake Obabika

The pursuit of giants on a recovered fishery.