Walleye on the Magpie Reservoir

This is an excellent fishery, no matter what time of year you fish it!

“I got a good one, Smeds,” says Petar Kusic as he reels down and leans back on his rod. It’s day two of the Dubreuilville Magpie Walleye Derby (DMWD), and we could really use a big fish.

“Okay, take it easy, lots of time,” I say, suspecting that my excited partner is trying to horse this fish up off the bottom too quickly. My intention is to help Petar slow down, focus, and land this big walleye. The result is that the formidable fish stays tight to the bottom, gets tangled in what is likely submerged wood, and escapes. Long faces prevail.

We’re running along a gradual break in the middle of a broad bay of Northern Ontario’s Magpie Reservoir, just west of Wawa. Formed after the flooding of a section of the Magpie River, the reservoir is loaded with walleye, but also with underwater stumps and trees. Nicknamed the “Snagpie,” it can be a challenge to fish, but it's well worth the effort. It’s never difficult to catch a feed of 14- to 16-inch walleye, and every now and then, fish double that size emerge from the slightly stained waters.

Redemption

It doesn’t take Petar long to regroup and hook another big fish. This time, I keep quiet and eventually slide the net under a 7-pound walleye. When the wind and waves pick up, we slip over to a sand hump off the tip of an island and I follow up with a 4-pounder. At a nearby narrows, we connect with a few more decent fish and end up with a top-10 finish in the tournament.

big ontario walleye
Petar Kusic with a nice walleye from Northern Ontario’s Magpie Reservoir. (Photo credit: James Smedley)

Held the second weekend in June, the DMWD is a great excuse to fish the Magpie Reservoir, but it’s a productive fishery no matter what time of year we visit. The 30-km stretch of water oscillates from sand to rock to gravel to forested shorelines, with fish moving predictably through seasonal haunts: from river mouths and shallow flats in spring to sharp breaks and deep offshore structure through summer and fall.

fishing boats
Derby headquarters on Northern Ontario’s Magpie Reservoir. (Photo credit: James Smedley)

The Steephill Falls Road off Highway 17 leads to a good launch ramp at the south end of the lake and another off Highway 519 to the north. The Reservoir is bracketed by the angler-friendly, full-service communities of Wawa and Dubreuilville that help to make the Magpie an excellent drive-to angling destination. And if you hook a big walleye, get it up off the bottom as quickly as you can.

About James Smedley

Professional photographer and writer James Smedley’s contributions—more than 400 pieces and close to 1,000 images—to U.S. and Canadian books, magazines, and newspapers have earned him over 40 national and international awards. In addition to teaching photography workshops, James is the travel editor at Ontario OUT of DOORS magazine. James has fly-fished for brook trout and arctic grayling in far northern rivers and continues to cast for trout, bass, and steelhead near his home in the northern Ontario town of Wawa where he lives with his wife Francine and daughters Islay and Lillian.

 

Visit James at www.jamessmedleyoutdoors.com

Recommended Articles

Ontario Brook Trout

Fish these 10 sweet spots.

Birchland Cottages: Modern comfort with classic Northern Ontario charm

This Clear Lake gem is a great for kids, and the fishing action is non-stop.

Hidden Musky Gems

The Musky Hunter shares 3 favourite musky hot spots across Ontario.

Plan Your Fishing Success

Fish ON-Line makes planning fishing adventures easy

10 Facts About Lake of the Woods

10 facts amazing about this massive Northwest Ontario Lake!

Ten Mile Lake Lodge

Enjoy Northern hospitality fishing for splake, brook trout and lake trout

Speckle Splake Spectacular

Ice Fishing for big Northern Ontario speckled & splake trout.

Don’t Be Afraid Of Muskies

Muskies are fish of 10,000 casts and are found in large bodies of water in Northwestern Ontario.

Catching Ontario Walleye

Pro Tips for Bait and Walley Presentations

Eagle Lake Fall Muskies

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

Reaching Deep For Walleye

Fishing for big Walleye in Ontario's Bay of Quinte.

Ontario Brown Trout Fishing

It may be the best fishing on earth.

Angling the Missinaibi

Exploring and fishing the mighty Missinaibi River

20 Years With Fish TV!

Fish TV discusses their favourite Ontario catches

Top 8 Places to Ice Fish in Ontario

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

Striker's Point Lodge

Hungry Walleyes and Big Pike on Whitewater Lake

The Ontario Fall Crappie Hunt

Ontario's 400,000 lakes are home to a variety of fish species.

Year Round Fishing in Ontario

Who Says You Can’t Fish All Year in Ontario?

Top 5 Musky Destinations in Ontario

The Musky Hunter shows you where to land the best musky in Ontario waters.

Float Fishing

The Fast Track to Superior Steelhead