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

Pat’s Muskie Academy

Nik learns the art of trolling for giant muskie on the French River and Lake Nipissing

Chapleau Lodge: More Than Just Fishing

This great lodge is also one of Canada’s best commercial diving schools.

Smoked Fish: A Do-It-Yourself Delicacy

Catching and eating fish from the cold, clear waters is one of the perks of living in Northern Ontario.

Memorable Panfish

Fishing Local Creeks With Shoreline Access

Irregular Lake Trio

Fly in to Woodland Caribou Provincial Park to fish for trophy muskie and northern pike.

Laurentian Lodge

Perfect base for fishing Algoma Country in Northern Ontario.

Top 5 Baits for Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass

What baits do you use to target bass? Find out why these 5 are the best!

Top 5 Tips to Help Improve a Day’s Fly Fishing

If you integrate these tips you’ll find your time on the water is maximized.

Northern Ontario is Great for Fall Bass

Learn the best regions for fall bass fishing.

Fishing and Foraging

Add some fresh foods and forage to your fishing adventures!

A Houseboat Adventure

The Ontario Experience visits Lac Seul in search of huge muskie.

Finding Walleye Gold

Fish at Moose Horn Lodge and Experience Fish-rich Lakes

Manotak Lodge

Trophy Muskie, Big Walleye and First-Class Hospitality

Brennan Harbour Resort

Largemouth Bass Fishing on Lake Huron

The Other Mighty Mighty

Brookies on the Nipigon River

Kesagami Wilderness Lodge

An Epic Fly-in Experience for Trophy Pike.

A Fitting Final Fling

First days of spring present us with some of the best fishing.

Go Shallow For More Walleye

Walleye anglers think the fish are always in at least ten-foot or deeper. They're wrong!

High Water on the Woods

When fishing in high water, there are a few ways to navigate them and land your trophy muskie.

Beasts of the Musky East

Eastern Ontario is a hotspot for musky anglers with big waters that hold giant muskies.