Some locations are just perfect for lots of bass, big bass too! We experienced this exact scenario on a trip near Perrault Falls in Northwest Ontario on Wabaskang Lake from Kingfisher Resort during the supposed dog days of summer.
This lake has it all when it comes to sportfishing, muskie, northern pike, walleye, smallmouth bass, it has it all and the natural habitat to sustain excellent spawning and reproduction for years to come including countless back bays, rock shoals, island points, miles and miles of shoreline pencil weeds mixed with cabbage weed beds and mid lake reefs, absolutely perfect for all the aforementioned game fish that attract visitors to Northern Ontario from around the globe.
We hooked up with a local angler who offered to use his boat and lake knowledge for the days of our trip. We discussed what we were targeting and specific structure elements that could hold the most and biggest bass on this lake, which, by the way, are not targeted as heavily as the walleye, and muskie are targeted on Wabaskang Lake. We fished several shorelines, rock shoals and island points with minimum success, then decided to head to an area that has a neck-down area between two large bays of the lake that has shallow cabbage weed beds scattered throughout.
I started tossing loud, topwater prop baits over the weedbeds during the high midday sun and immediately started to inspire violent strikes on the noisy, splashy topwater bait.
These bass obviously have never seen these loud, bothersome baits and did not hesitate whatsoever to try and crush the baits as they were fished above the weedbeds.
The action was non-stop all afternoon into the evening bite when the toothy critters also decided to get in on the action, yes, large muskie and northern pike attacked our baits with mouths wide open and cut our braided line like it was thread. Fortunately, we brought a lot of extra bait on this road trip to Northwest Ontario.
We continued our smallmouth quest the next morning and evening on Wabaskang Lake with similar success, catching and releasing smallmouth bass up to four plus pounds and schooled up in wolf packs of three to four fish at a time roaming the shallow weedbeds, as exciting as it gets.
A few big pike were caught and released as well in Ned Rig baits worked along rocky island points. Overall, a very exciting trip to a brand-new lake we have never fished before, but I highly suggest it to anyone who enjoys the opportunities available and the multiple sport fish that call Wabaskang Lake home.
The lodging we called home was Kingfisher Resort, they feature ten cottages which are large by industry standards. They have one, two, three, and four-bedroom cottages that can comfortably accommodate groups or families of two to eight persons, with each having its own bed. All cottages have living rooms with comfortable furniture as well as sofa beds, which can be used for that extra person. The cottages are fully modern, all electric and feature electric heat. Each cottage has a full bathroom with lots of hot water and flush toilets. At Kingfisher Resort, they boast not only excellent fishing but pleasing accommodations as well. The cottages are more like homes than summer cabins. They are spacious, comfortable, fully equipped, and above all, spotlessly clean!
For the fisherman who needs a boat, with sixteen-foot-deep, wide boats and spunky new or near-new motors, fishing on Wabaskang Lake is easy and relaxing. The boats feature flat floors with comfortable swivel seats, include paddles, an anchor, and minnow buckets, plus a full tank of gas daily included with package plans only. The outboard motors are 20 and 25 hp.
Plan your Northern Ontario angling vacation today and consider the friendly folks at Kingfisher Resort on a lake that boasts a LOT of smallmouth bass that are virtually never targeted, waiting for you.
Visit the Resort here at http://www.kingfisherlodge.com/
