Canoe Country in May

May is boom or bust. Let’s go for boom.

Those traveling to the BWCA and Quetico often ask me how’s the fishing going to be on my trip. In which I follow-up with when are you going?

I’ve been to The BWCA/Quetico many times in May and it’s my experience that May breaks down in two ways, late ice out and early ice out. Arriving on fishing opener weekend can be a challenge. Water is cold and sometimes on late ice out years it’s very cold. Walleye and smallmouth fishing can be tough on late ice out years. On the flip side the lake trout fishing can be excellent and the big pike bite can be very good as well. I’d sum up May by saying the later in May you go the better the fishing will be.

Lake Trout

Trout tend to be shallow (10-30 feet) and trolling crankbaits along the shoreline break (best guess is 50-100 feet from shore) is a great way to load some lakers as is jigging tubes. My choice rod for lake trout is a medium power fast action baitcaster for trolling and I prefer the same type of set up for jigging but in a spinning rod. But this is the back country so you may only have 2 rods so just pick your favorite based on how much trolling you’ll do. The baits I’ve had the most success with are white tubes followed by minnow style crankbaits that run 12-20 feet. A good day of  lake trout fishing can produce 40 or more lakers. I can’t stress enough that if you catch a laker on a shoreline keep working that shoreline with both a crankbait and a jig. Tip: If you catch a few lakers on a shoreline trolling and the bite slows switch to a jig and fish the area again.

Big Pike

My experience on big pike is to fish a jig very slowly on the bottom in areas that attach to shallow bays.

Most of the big pike I’ve caught in mid-May are caught on 5 inch grubs. A good day can yield 10-20 pike over 10 pounds with many approaching or surpassing 42 inches. If you are so lucky to have warm sunny days I’ve stumbled on big pike in mud bottom bays and best of all spots in and around cane that has yet to emerge. A good pair of polarized sunglasses is most helpful finding these underwater cane fields.

I’m going to further break down the big pike situation. A typical May has the pike shallow (8-15 feet) but still somewhat sluggish and offering them a snack sized soft plastic produces more consistent results and you may even stumble on a walleye, lake trout or smallmouth bass. Areas to focus on are sandy flats and entrances to mud bottom bays. If the weather on your trip is warm and sunny the pike tend to be more shallow 2-6 feet and more aggressive. You can stick with the jig but switch to a bigger profile swimbait and fish it faster. Spinnerbaits and glide style baits are also effective although you will find it’s preferable to use baits with a single hook. Big pike with multiple treble hooks in them pose issues that I don’t like to mess with in the back country. My pike gear is also a medium power fast action rod either a casting rod or spinning rod will do just fine.

Walleye

Walleye fishing for me in May is always hit and miss as far as big numbers. The nice part is while maybe the total number of walleyes isn’t what it will be in June it is a big fish time of year. I’ve had some trips in May where we caught more walleyes over 27 inches than keeper size walleyes.

No matter the time of year I always find walleyes on sandy shorelines and sand flats that slope into deeper water. I also like current. If you find current and sand chances are you’ll catch walleye. Maybe even lots of them them! I fish a 7 foot extra fast Predator ML spinning rod for walleyes and smallmouth. I’m casting a 1/8 ounce jig with a black plastic worm or a minnow color grub in 6-12 feet of water most of the time.

Smallmouth

During May I typically don’t target smallmouth bass unless I stumble onto them. We catch plenty of them fishing for walleyes. If smallies are your target use the same set up as you do for walleyes but fish the entire shoreline not just the sandy areas with a jig and plastic. On sunny days you may see them swimming along rock shelves attached to deeper water. I’ve found these fish to be very agreeable to my presentations. Smallies may come from anywhere at this time of year and most are cruisers looking for an easy meal.

Gear

My recommendation for gear is simple. Each angler in the canoe brings two rods. One is a medium power casting rod and the other is a medium light spinning rod. I prefer fast action on the baitcaster and extra fast on the spinning rod but bring what you have. I always bring one extra rod per canoe. My choice is always a medium power spinning rod because it’s the most versatile option.

Lure choices are simple. The go-to is a 1/8ounce jig made with a really good hook. Hooks are very important in these waters. I’ve experienced a straightened hook on more than one occasion and it won’t happen again.

Here’s my tackle box mix in May:

Ten 1/8 ounce jigs per day. 5 days 50 of them
Ten 1/16 ounce jigs per day. 5 days, 50 of them
Twenty 1/4 ounce jigs.
1 spinnerbait
1 glide bait
2 topwaters
5 minnow style crankbaits 10-20 foot divers.
10 plastic worms per day
10 grubs per day
3 wire leaders
1 Needlenose pliers
1 Hookout

Any trip to canoe country is a good time to go and May can be outstanding. Remember this is a great multi-species time of year and be prepared to fish for lake trout, pike, walleye and smallmouth bass. Good skill!

Images from May trips into Canoe Country

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BWCA Quetico Fishing

Lake Trout Fishing in Canoe Country with Video

Big Schools of Lake Trout

It’s a common practice to troll for lake trout when in deeper Quetico and BWCA lakes and it works. Trolling will produce lakers as you cross water on the way to your next campsite but to really target multiples of lake trout I’m talking 20-30-40 of them in a single day jigging for them is my go to method.

Trolling for Lake Trout

Trolling for lake trout in Canoe Country during June involves a medium power casting rod, 10lb test line (I like Gamma line for the record) and a selection of crankbaits or spoons. I find crankbaits to be more reliable in terms of what depth your working. A minnow style crankbait that runs 15-20 under the surface has been the top producer but I’ve had days where a fat body deep diving crank works too. One tip: use a 3 foot leader and attach it to a good barrel swivel on the main line when trolling this will prevent line spin.

Each trip is significantly different in terms of where the lakers will be located. When crossing big lake trout water the opening strategy is for each angler to run a different lure at a different depth. Lakers will come up to chase a bait. I’ve seen lake trout eat a crank at boatside. If angler 1 is catching fish at 20 feet with a deep diving minnow crank and angler 2 is shut down running at 15 then angler 2 makes a move to a 20 foot crankbait. This is a great tactic for paddling across big water. I know you’re proably asking yourself in how deep of water are the lake trout? I’ve caught them in less than 10 feet jigging and in over 200 feet suspended 20-40 feet down during June.

The next tactic also includes trolling crankbaits but now you’re running a shoreline. On shorelines what we do is once a fish is caught we stop and jig for them with a white tube or swim bait. This method has often resulted in many lake trout in a single location. Of course the wind will somewhat dictate what you can do.

Jigging for Lake Trout

Jigging lake trout is the number one way to catch many lakers in a single spot. Finding these spots can be more cumbersome but it pays off big time. I mentioned the shoreline method above. Find them with crankbaits then stop and jig them. The other effective way is to jig steep shoreline walls. When jigging for lake trout allow the bait to hit bottom and bounce it for a bit. Then snap it lightly back to the canoe. If you sense that the lure never hit bottom set the hook! You can search for lakers with jigs or spoons too.  This method works best with the angler in front casting a heavy jig allowing it to hit bottom then snap it back to the canoe. This is a good method to find big schools of lake trout. Or if the wind allows you can vertical jig while drifting.

Lakers will eat your jig on the drop and they love the keep away game! 

The best lake trout fishing I ever had involved bait crashing the surface. Smallmouth bass will drive bait up to the surface and sometimes the bait just wants to be on the surface but in either case chances are there are lakers under this bait. On one particular trip we were catching smallmouth bass inches under the surface over 60-70 feet of water. When the smallie action slowed we dropped jigging spoons and swim baits to the bottom and bingo, lake trout. And lots of them. A few other times we saw the tell tale signs of bait eating bugs off the surface and dropped jigs into this area and caught lakers. If you see bait hitting the surface over deep water 40 plus feet stop and jig that area!

The jig method requires a medium power rod, reel and a 1/2 ounce jig tipped with a white plastic or a silver jigging spoon. Both casting and spinning outfits are fine.

To further wet your lake trout appetite I’ll tell you we have caught over 90 lakers in a single school over a basin full of bait that we saw crashing the surface.

I hope this helps your next attempt at lake trout fishing in canoe country. Have a question? Feel free to ask in the comments or email me at pete@outsidepwr.com.

Lake Trout on the Drop

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Make a Wish List, Then Pair it Down

Lists; most men don’t like them, me included, but it’s a must for a wilderness canoe trip.

A list can make packing and gear selection easier.

I’ve spent over 250 days in Quetico and the Bdub. And in my younger days I didn’t have any list that wasn’t in my head. But as I grew older making a list became as neccessary as an extra pair of Smart Wool socks. What a list will do for you besides reminding you what to pack it will give you a shopping list and a wish list that you will use to make your trip to the Canadian Shield in a canoe more pleasurable.

My list is at the bottom of this page. But don’t stop there, make your own based on what you think you may need. Write it all down, write it crudely with no regard for spelling or format if you need, but write it down. Trust me this will help you ID not only what you absolutely need but other luxury or safety items that will be serious consideration for your personal What to Bring list.

Start with what you know you need, a canoe, paddles, PFD’s, fishing license, park passes, maps, fishing rods, tent and general food items like instant foods and snacks, Knorr pastas, Velveeta Mac n Cheese, instant mashed potatoes and a variety of spice packs. We’ve even made bisquits and gravy. Then think it through even more. What else can you bring to make your trip better that won’t drag you down with too much additional weight. Start this list well in advance of your trip. Get others on the trip involved in making the list. Keep it open on your device so you can add to it on a whim. If you’re anything like me you take mind vacations during the day to ponder what you’ll need and encounter on a canoe trip and having that list handy allows you to add stuff as you think of it.

What you will absolutely need is one thing and what I refer to as luxury items are another. Luxury items might include steak, butter, Koolaid with suga r, Canes Chicken Tenders, a Garmin In Reach, a cutting board, a cooler or even a chair. You can decide to obtain and bring these things or discard them during your final preparation. I have found myself bringing steaks (frozen) and eggs on most trips and they will last when packed correctly. So will cheese and butter, for at least a few days, I’d say 5. Our cooler pack also includes a frozen block of beef and barley soup in a reusable tub wrapped in a plastic bag. This is our ice and placed in just an ordinary soft sided cooler will last 5 days when placed on the bottom of the canoe and in the shade. Even in 80 degree temps. One thing I did learn on a 14 day trip is don’t get half butter half oil butter substance in a tub. Our tub of half butter failed, everywhere inside the bag the tub was packed in was a mess. In terms of butter, which we love, just by a pound or maybe two, wrap it in a zip freezer bag and use it over 4-7 days depending on the season. Butter to me is an absolute must have but you can choose to use buttery Crisco or what ever suits your fancy. One other must have luxury item we bring is sourdough bread. This stuff fried in butter as an appetizer as I’ve been told by many is incredible to have after a long day of paddling and I agree. Make it while the fish are being cleaned!

So continuing on about what to bring you’ll need handy snacks like beef jerky, beef sticks and trail mix. I recommend bringing one extra day of trail mix per person just in case you’re held over for a day by weather. And bring one more day worth of instant pasta meals. Trust me.

On a recent trip my canoe partner Jay had tick proof pants. On the Cuddy Creek portages I had 33 ticks on me, Jay had 1.

If you are into fishing bring more jigs (10 per day if you fish a lot) than you think you need and at least one extra bag of your favorite plastic worms. I prefer Culprits but bring what you like. I don’t use treble hooks on these trips much. Maybe for lake trout  but even lakers will eat a white tube on a jig. If you are a troller then I understand that crankbaits will be in your arsenal. Pinch the barbs. In Quetico you must pinch barbs on all hooks. It’s good for you and the fish. I’ve impaled myself and it’s not an issue when the barb is pinched.

Just a few more things then you can go about making your list. Bring an extra pair of lightweight tennis shoes. Bring two fillet knives and for some trips a pair of gloves just might be handy. I’m hoping you get the gist of this and you certainly will get more of an idea when you look at the list below. Write it all down. Some gear may not go on the trip but you’ll be happy you had a list to go by.

Feel free to contact me about your canoe trip.

This stuff will improve your trip.

Speaking of a cutting board and Gorilla Tape. If you forget to make sure your wicker seats are sound for the trip. make a new seat with the cutting board and tape.

Wilderness Canoe Trip List

1. Tent
2. Backpacks- 2 or 3?
3. Food- Steaks, butter, cereal Great Grains, nuts, sourdough, instant meals, pasta, rice, pop tarts, jerky, summer sausage, fish breading, coffee
4. Tarps(2)
5. Tennis shoes/Sandals/Hiking boots (one pair)
6. Boots/portage rain boots(Muck boots or equivalent)
7. Clothing- 2 of each? 1 hat No blue jeans. Lightweight base layer just in case.8. Hats- Ball cap and cold weather hat.
9. Flashlight or other light sources. (one headlamp) batteries/(one flashlight)
10. Lighters/Other firestarter
11. Camp stove and fuel
12. Pot and pan
13. Coffee pot
14. Utensils- Dish towel / paper towels or napkins, dish soap (camp suds), plates, (gal. plastic bags) etc etc
15. Filet knives (2)
16. Ropes/Cords
17. Gorilla tape
18. TP
19. Pocket knife
20. Garbage bags
21. Nalgenes- 2(3)
22. Shampoo(camp suds)
23. Towels – 2 small ones
24. GoPro and extra batteries and chips.
25. Phones for photos/video
26. Back up phone power and charging cords
27. Texting/weather deal (looks like Garmin Inreach)
28. Foam wrap for canoe gunnel
29. Rods 2 each plus I have a 3 piece for extra back up, back up doesn’t have to be three piece
30. Extra reel
31. Extra line
32. Foldable net – don’t have to bring one up to you and room
33. Gloves
34. Reasonable amount of tackle. Lots of jigs and plastics. Needle nose pliers(2)
35. First aid kit
36. Paddles and an extra that attaches to the canoe
37. suntan lotion, (not just 100 year old spf 4 lol)
38. Passport
39. Wallet
40. Rain gear
41. canoe sponges
42. Fire starters
43. Head nets (2) – I have them
44. Stick of deet, permethrin, avon skin so soft for Black flies
45. Camp chairs? Cots? Probably out due to room but nice to have.
46. Throw PFD
47. PFD’s
48. Water Filter
49. Maps
50. Canoe coating
51. Tick proof pants
52. Canoe seats

Download the PDf of this list.

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Basin Smallmouth Bass in Summer

I know what you’re thinking? Fishing smallmouth bass in a deep basin is just plain a wacky idea in canoe country. Nope. Let me explain a few things. First of all smallmouth bass are voracious predators and they quite simply go where the food is. If this means deep basins so be it. Next question; how does one find smallies in a basin? Basins are deep and typically big or super big so defining where to start can be so easy it’s not funny or it can be a search mission.

Lets start with the easy part, sight fishing. Yep you can see smallies in 40-80 foot basins with the naked eye. How you say? Just notice the surface. Do you see fish exploding on the surface over basins? If so I’m betting these are smallmouth bass chasing bait to the surface. This could be a few blow ups or an entire couple acre area with hundreds of fish blasting away at bait right under the surface! And this is the most fun you’ll ever have in a canoe. Typically this occurs in light wind situations so you can see this a long way off. See the surface blowing up? Start paddling immediately because these fish will eat swim baits hard. Really hard! Some of my favorites swimbaits are Keitech and Zoom. I prefer lighter colors and the larger sizes. Put them on a 1/8 or 1/16 jig head and cast ’em into the boiling water. Start reeling as soon as the bait hits the water and rip it fast just under the surface. Rip it all the way back to the canoe many will eat right in front of you, usually in packs of many. You’ll be amazed! I have witnessed this many times. Two particular adventures had us catching big smallies hand over fist for over an hour using this method and a few other times we had 5-15 minutes of non-stop action on fish over 18 inches.

So that was easy and almost dumb. To find them deeper fish basins attached to weed beds and points. This tactic is a little more methodical but when you find the smallmouth they eat in volumes. Typically I’d start at the first break, say 15-20 feet and work towards deeper water casting the same rig mentioned above only let the bait hit the bottom then start snap jigging it back to the canoe. These fish are on the prowl in schools. Playing keep away is what works best and the bites are take no prisoners.

Want to know more? Feel free to comment and I’ll get back to you. Or shoot me an email.

This is one of the smallies we caught inches under the surface in about 65 feet of water. You gotta see the tail walk!

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Big Pike in Quetico

Big Pike Eat Plastic Worms

This 40 inch pike was caught while fishing for smallmouth bass in 10 feet of water. Shield lakes often produce large northern pike and are often hooked and landed while casting jigs for smallmouth bass and walleye tipped with soft plastics…Culprit Worms, Kalin’s Grubs, Keitech Swim Baits etc etc.

It may sound crazy but we catch more pike over 36 inches while fishing for smallies and walleyes than when we cast lures specifically targeting big northern pike. That said I mostly fish for smallies and walleyes.

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