Using Technology for Fishing Success in Ontario's Sunset Country

An Explosion in Technology: The Best Fishing Electronics for Northwest Ontario Anglers

Over the past several years, we have seen an explosion in the technology available on our electronics to help us find and catch more fish. I spend a good chunk of the year travelling across North America to compete in bass tournament competitions on the Bassmaster Elite Series, as well as competing in tournaments around home in Sunset Country. 

I can tell you that fishing has changed a lot in recent years because of this technology. We have better mapping on many waters, and of course, forward-facing sonar has changed the game. We can even make our own maps, a great addition for those of us who fish remote waterbodies.

Read on to hear my thoughts on how you can use technology to catch more fish across Sunset Country this season. Before I go any further, let me be clear that you do not need this technology to catch fish, especially across Sunset Country (where we have phenomenal fishing), but all of this stuff will help you find and catch fish more easily; there is no doubt about that.

Better Mapping for Northwestern Ontario Lakes

The top electronics companies have all invested in better mapping for their units, and it makes life easier for anglers. The most popular fishing destinations across Sunset Country, like Lake of the Woods near Kenora and Rainy Lake near Fort Frances (and some others), now have really high-detail mapping available. This makes it possible to identify the small structural elements that were overlooked in the past. We can see which structural features butt up against the deepest water, the subtle bumps that were not on the less detailed maps, and we can navigate with confidence in many areas.

I have had dozens of good walleye and smallmouth spots on Lake of the Woods that were not on any prior maps, and they are all visible now on the latest mapping. While it disappoints me a little bit, it’s also opened up so many more options for me regarding new spots to try. I live near the west arm of Lake of the Woods, and over the winter months, I’ll seldom fish the same location twice during the season. I usually fish a new spot every time I go out because there are just so many little bumps and humps to catch fish on. Some don’t pan out, but most do. I enjoy the hunt for new spots.

Dozens of other waters across the region also have pretty good mapping available, where there might not have been anything in the past. I put the latest Ontario VX card in my Humminbird units and get mapping for many of the waters I like to fish, including the smaller inland lakes. Most electronics manufacturers now offer better mapping, or you can download apps from Humminbird or other manufacturers to get mapping on your phone. The bottom line is that if you want to bring your boat to fish in Northwest Ontario, you can do so with confidence on many waters thanks to good mapping. 

Forward-facing Sonar is Changing the Way We Fish

Out on the professional tournament trails, we’re seeing younger anglers starting to dominate and win tournaments, and a big factor in this is their proficiency with forward-facing sonar. For those of you who might not know what we’re talking about, it is a newer sonar technology that
have been gaining in popularity over the past several years.

We can now look ahead of the boat and watch our bait for the entire cast. We can also see fish suspended on the bottom; they really can’t hide. It has changed the way we fish because we can now actually see whether there are fish around us. If we don’t see anything, we keep moving until we do. On a lake as vast and complex as Lake of the Woods—1,700 square miles of bays, islands, and structure—that ability to quickly rule out unproductive water is enormous.

Use Fishing Technology Responsibly in Northern Ontario

There has been some controversy around forward sonar, mostly from anglers who haven’t even used it. Sure, it has opened the door to fish, particularly suspended fish, that we couldn’t really target in the past. Now they can’t hide. But it is fun to use and watch how fish interact with and react to your bait. Like I say, just because you see them doesn’t mean you’re going to catch them all. For a lot of anglers, it has eliminated the need for trolling, which has always been an effective way to cover water and find fish, but it still is. But with the forward sonar, we can now pull up to a spot and have a look around, then pitch jigs to the fish that we see.

Times have changed since the 80s and 90s, when anglers kept a lot more fish than they do today, but there does need to be some responsibility on the part of anglers in how they use forward sonar to avoid targeting fish that are too deep or clearing out a population from an area. Crappies are really susceptible to this because they school up in such large groups. Forward-facing sonar is legal to use in Ontario, but like any effective tool, it works best when anglers pair it with good conservation judgment.

As I’ve said, forward-facing sonar is really fun to use and very effective at speeding up the process of finding fish. If you visit us in Sunset Country for a fishing adventure, it’s going to help you learn a new body of water much quicker than in the past because you can figure out the best depth, types of structure the fish prefer and what they want to bite.

More Technology To Help Catch Fish in Ontario: AutoChart Live and Spot-Lock

Humminbird has a product called Auto-Chart Live, which is really easy to use for creating maps of the waterbodies you fish. You insert a special SD card into your unit, which then uses sonar, specifically Side-Imaging, to create maps of the areas that you like to fish. It’s efficient and effective. It has been around for over a decade, and I have friends who have mapped entire lakes, making their return trips efficient. I wish I had used it more on some bodies of water over the years. Obviously, this is an effective tool for many waters across the Sunset Country region that are remote and lack mapping.

As a guide, one of the best advancements I’ve seen is the Spot-Lock feature on our trolling motors. Many newer trolling motors now come equipped with GPS and can hold your boat in a specific spot with the push of a button. When I take people fishing, I often have to help land fish, re-rig tackle, and take pictures, all of which take me away from the trolling motor. Now, I can hit the Spot-Lock button, and the boat doesn’t move, so we stay on the fish, and other anglers in the boat can effectively keep their bait in the water.

Catch More With Underwater Cameras

I have carried an Aqua-Vu underwater camera in my boat for over 20 years. It’s a great tool for learning why a certain spot holds fish, and it shines at identifying fish you might see on your electronics that won’t bite. Simply drop the camera down and see what they are. If you fish with kids, an underwater camera will be your best friend because it will keep them busy for hours on the boat when they get bored—trust me!

Don't Forget Why You Fish

Even though we have some of the best fishing in the World in Northwest Ontario, and you can get out and catch fish without any of this technology, it does all help if you decide to bring your own boat on your fishing adventure. Fishing, ultimately, is still about having fun, so with or without technology, a fishing trip to Ontario's Sunset Country will deliver on that. 

I hope you have a great trip this coming season!

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