A Multi-Species Smashfest in Northern Ontario

What, exactly, would you call a multi-species-smash fest? How many different species of gamefish would you consider to qualify? How about the size of the fish?

Well, we experienced an absolute, certifiable smash fest this past season while visiting with the great hosts of Bear Creek Cottages in Callander, Ontario on the famous Lake Nipissing.

This trip opened my eyes to the incredible northern pike fishing available on the lake—I used big oversized plastic lures in the twelve to 14-inch range with deadly sharp hooks protruding that increase strikes to hook up ratios substantially.

We also got into some of the beautiful gold bars as the locals call walleye on Nipissing while fishing both deep shoals and shoreline tapers and breaks with ball head jigs and nightcrawlers. And not to be undone, we put a beatdown on some nice smallmouth bass on those same walleye locations, which in our opinion qualified as a serious ‘multi-specie-smackdown’.

Bear Creek Cottages is a year-round family and fishing resort with one of the best natural sand beaches that Lake Nipissing has to offer.

Located on Lake Nipissing's south shore, Bear Creek Cottages offers thirteen clean cottages, a safe swimming area for children and adults of all ages, world-class fishing, private sheltered docking with hydro, boating, tanning, water skiing, walking trails and a professional walleye, pike and muskie guide if you desire.

They also offer spring, fall, and winter fishing packages and July and August family packages are also available. Located just three hours north of Toronto, Bear Creek Cottages has been one of Lake Nipissing's most successful resorts for over sixty years.

The breathtaking sunsets are second to none! The beach is one of a kind. It is no wonder why so many vacationers visit Bear Creek Cottages and make family and fishing memories that will last a lifetime!

Our trip was in the middle of September so beach browsing and swimming were not high on our agenda this time (maybe next summer) it was the respected reputation for catching oversized muskie and northern pike lodge owner Shawn Degagne has earned from his years of guiding customers to personal bests every season that we had to experience for ourselves especially since Shawn is known for casting, huge plastic baits on extra heavy power St. Croix rods with strong braided line and these big, rubber baits that attract the nastiest of northern pike on Lake Nipissing.

On the first day of our arrival, we unpacked our gear and headed out with Shawn to some of his popular locations that had a combination of heavy weed and rock in depths ranging between five to fifteen feet of water.

We first fished a small bay not far from his lodge and caught a few smaller pike and yours truly nailed a beautiful Nip walleye on a big, flashy black spinnerbait. Fun, you bet!

Shawn decided to move to some of his spots with bigger fish and as we travelled down the lake, we noticed just how beautiful Lake Nipissing is littered with islands and rock shoals all along the route.

We stopped about fifty yards off a rocky shoreline that tapered down to twelve plus feet and had a thick weed bed as far as the eye could see, an ideal location near the main lake basin for bigger predators like pike.

Shawn caught a few more pike before setting me up in the same heavy power rod, braid and oversized bait and told me to cast to the outer edge of the weed bed and make a long bomb cast and just keep reeling the bait so the kicking tail and slender body of the bait resembled either yellow perch, walleye or sucker.

It was either the second or third cast along that outer edge that resulted in getting smashed by one of Nipissing’s gator-like northern pike that fought like a train and had me laughing like a child. The sheer power of the strike and the size of the pike had me hooked on this style of fishing.

The next morning, we head out in search of Nipissing’s walleye and smallmouth bass and laid a total beating on a bunch of fish and only kept a few over eighteen’s for a barbeque later that evening at our cottage by the beach.

If you’re like me and are looking for a new angling challenge on these big bad northern pike or the 50-plus-inch muskies that call Nipissing home, or just want to catch a bunch of walleyes and bass, consider Bear Creek Cottages as your next family or buddies’ vacation, it truly is a ‘multi-species-smashfest’ kind of place that has me looking forward to returning next year.

Here are a few more reasons to consider Bear Creek Cottages.

The spacious cottages overlook Lake Nipissing. You can step out of your cottage onto the beautiful natural sandy beach. Enjoy the lake view and spectacular sunsets.

Fully equipped and fully furnished cottages (2 & 3 bedrooms available) Clean and spacious kitchens include a fridge, stove, dishes, pots, pans, microwaves, cooking utensils, coffee maker, toaster, kettles, etc., full 3- or 4-piece bathroom, electric heat and colour T.V. (with VCR/DVD). Each cottage includes a picnic table, outdoor chairs and a tabletop BBQ. Extra freezer space and cribs and high chairs are available at no charge.

The lodge facilities include private, sheltered docking facilities, boat and motor rentals, a fish cleaning hut, a playground area for children, paddle boat and canoe rentals, horseshoes, volleyball, croquet, and lawn darts. The lakefront cottages are awesome with beachfront fire pits for special family moments.

Contact Bear Creek Cottages

Visit their website here, or call them to book your vacation!

Toll-Free: 1-(888) 246-5026 Phone: (705) 752-1157

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