I have been incredibly fortunate in my life so far to have visited some truly incredible fishing destinations for bucket-list species. However, no matter where I go, I always find myself drawn back to the epic smallmouth bass fishing in the Algoma region of Northern Ontario. The stretch of land between the cities of Sudbury, Ontario and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario is known to many as Trophy Alley due to the high number of trophy-sized smallmouth bass caught in the area. Further, it’s an ideal destination for anglers looking to explore a variety of different lakes with drive-to access.
On this fishing adventure, my father Colin Mckeown, and I were the guests of Jim and Ann Kehoe, owners of The Outpost Lodge. Located on Jobammageeshig Lake within the beautiful landscape of the Cambrian Shield wilderness, The Outpost Lodge was the perfect home base location for our week of fishing. Having been a guest at The Outpost Lodge before, my dad had heard many stories of my wonderful memories at the lodge with Jim and Ann, and I was thrilled to have the chance to create new ones with him on this trip.
Our goal for the week was to target shoulder season, and post-spawn smallmouth bass, while exploring some of the many lakes in the area around The Outpost Lodge. This area of Algoma had been experiencing a variety of weather throughout the weeks leading up to our trip, including high winds, high temperatures, and lots of rain. With this in mind, we came with a variety of equipment, line types, and flies, should we need to switch up our strategies, or target species. We came prepared with 6- and 7-weight rods in both 9- and 10-foot lengths for bass, as well as heavier rods of 9- and 10-weight should the opportunity for pike fishing arise. We brought a variety of intermediate lines for fishing streamers, woolly buggers and crayfish patterns, a floating line for poppers (should the weather be favourable), and both an intermediate sink tip and a Type 5 sink tip. The variety of line ensured that no matter the conditions, we would be able to locate fish in all levels of the water column.
After arriving at the lodge and settling into our cabin, my father and I launched our boat and headed out onto Jobammageeshig Lake to spend the evening exploring and assessing where things in this lake were with regards to the spawn. When fishing during the shoulder season of spring, it’s essential to be observant of the lake you're fishing, as certain cues, like bass beds and their stages, will give you an idea of where to locate bigger fish. With the high temperatures the area had been experiencing, we realized it was likely that all the bass beds we were seeing had already spawned out, meaning that the fish would likely be deeper in the water column. Keeping this in mind, we came up with a plan to explore some of the other fantastic lakes in the area in hopes of locating big, active post-spawn females.
One of the best things about this region of Algoma is its accessibility. No matter the conditions, there is always a lake, river, or creek to explore! Having brought our boat, my dad and I were able to find some great smallmouth bass fishing on lakes within a short drive of The Outpost Lodge. Having good, accessible fishing and comfortable accommodations to return to after a great day on the water really makes for a fantastic trip. With a variety of cabin sizes that included full cooking facilities, flexible American Plan packages, and warm, welcoming owners, The Outpost Lodge was like an eclectic home away from home.
During dinner one evening, we got to talking with some of the other guests, who’d had fantastic success fishing for big northern pike on the main lake here at the lodge. As a northern pike enthusiast, my interest was piqued. For the last day of our trip, my dad and I decided to switch gears and go from targeting smallmouth bass to northern pike. With a front having rolled through, it took some time to figure out the most effective flies to use, and where in the water column the pike were sitting. However, once we discovered some narrows where cabbage beds from the previous year were still visible, our patience was rewarded. Hunting for these epic, predatory creatures was the perfect way to end our trip.
I will always love the adventure of exploring and fishing in Algoma, but every trip that I get to take with my father is that much better. It was a fantastic week, filled with lots of opportunities for fishing, wonderful accommodations at The Outpost Lodge, and lots of memories made along the way.
