EDITORS NOTE: Hooked contributor Glenn McDonald has grown up in Northwestern Ontario. I can think of no better person to introduce our readers to this magical part of the world. Glenn shares some incredible insight in what this great destination has to offer, so much so that we have put it into a two part series. Here is the first installment.
WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE!
Vermilion Bay, Ontario is about as close to the center of Sunset Country as you can imagine. Positioned at the crossroads of Hwy # 17 and Hwy # 105, leading north to the Red Lake area. You would be hard pressed to find a better home base for a hunting or fishing adventure in Northwestern Ontario. Oh, by-the-way, this is also where I call home.
BLUE LAKE IS A POSTCARD COME TO LIFE
Highway # 105 leads to famous lakes such as Lac Seul, Red Lake and Cedar Lake, and is a well-known corridor for good reason. Just to the northwest of Vermilion Bay, and right across the street from Bobby’s Sport Shop is Highway # 647. While that may not roll off the tongue very easily, it’s also known locally as Blue Lake Road. Anyone familiar with the area knows how popular Blue Lake Provincial Park is.
I grew up on Blue Lake since my family has had a cabin here since building in the late 1950’s. It is truly a postcard of a location. Home to one of the most popular provincial parks in all of Ontario, its beach and crystal-clear water are local treasures. Primarily used as a recreational lake for water sports, it does hold a variety of fish species. Many summer vacationers use a stay at Blue Lake Park as home base for fishing adventures in the area. For those reading this, just looking for a fantastic summer vacation for the family, Blue Lake is hard to beat.
For myself, from my cabin, I can be at several major lakes within minutes, without leaving the Hwy 647 corridor. That is without including Eagle Lake, only a ten-minute drive away.
INDIAN LAKE CHAIN
This chain of lakes is popular among locals, as well as tourists. Easy to access from public launches on three of its lakes, it is no wonder it has been popular for years. I can remember being a kid in the early 80’s and fishing here with my parents, catching hundreds of walleye a day. While fishing may not be the same as my memories would have me believe, it is still a wonderful chain of lakes.
WHAT TO FISH FOR? SO MANY CHOICES
Anglers from all over North America come to the Indian Lake chain to target all five major species in our area. Walleye, lake trout, pike, smallmouth bass and the elusive musky.
Found throughout the system, walleye are the most popular species to target. Lake trout are found primarily on the western portion of the system, and are seldom fished. This alone will give an angler a chance at a trophy fish on low pressure waters. Smallmouth bass are found throughout, however the clear trout waters of the western side of the lake are fantastic for smallies.
Pike have been getting into the system, despite a retention dam designed to keep them from flowing downstream into Indian lake. Once almost devoid of pike, they are common in the entire system. The upside of a pike population is they have natural reproduction with the muskies and we see an increase in the hybrid, or tiger musky.
Muskies have been one of the great attractions to the Indian Lake system for years. Known as a ‘numbers’ lake, where at one time 10 or 12 fish a day were not uncommon. Those days are far behind us, as numbers of fish are down dramatically. Increased angling pressure, delayed mortality from incidental catch, and anglers keeping their daily limit have been linked to reduction in numbers. Loss of habitat due to rusty crayfish, as well as overall climate change, leading to warmer lake temperatures have also had a negative effect on population numbers. The overall average size has increased and my experience is that average musky anglers could catch a couple fish everyday, over the course of a week.
CANYON LAKE
Located downstream of the Indian Lake chain, Canyon Lake runs east to west. The CN rail line follows its entire distance, and you will find rail tunnels built right along the side of the lake. This alone is worth the visit.
Public access is on the extreme east end of the lake, right on a sand beach, adjacent to the railway. Many homes and cabins are built around the eastern portion of the lake, however it is not fished very heavily. With other lakes closer to Vermilion Bay, Canyon does not see as much local fishing activity.
Walleye and smallmouth bass are the primary species that anglers target. Musky and pike are present and similar to Indian Lake chain, this leads to a hybrid, or tiger musky population. Possibly the best lake in the area for a chance to catch a natural tiger musky.
Several sand beaches around the lake make it a nice place to spend the day with the family, and it is one of our favorite lakes to take the kids for a day.
MUSKY SIZE LIMITS
The musky angler in me would be remiss if I didn’t mention the size limits on Indian and Canyon lakes. Both lakes have a 40” size limit, meaning those with a sport fishing license can keep one musky over 40”. All the other major musky lakes in the region have a 54” size limit.
I see a couple issues with a 40” size limit. Some anglers are keeping fish over 40”, which they are entitled to do, however this leads to a decreased population as most of those larger fish would be adult spawning fish. A 40” size limit, from a tourism, or promotional point of view doesn’t attract musky anglers looking for an Ontario trophy fish.
I practice 100% catch & release on all muskies, regardless of size. I think most musky anglers do as well. I encourage all anglers that fish these waters to release all muskies, regardless of size.
A MUSKY HUNTERS PARADISE
The Indian Lake Chain and Canyon Lake system might be the best place for an inexperienced angler to catch their first musky. The population of fish is high enough, the overall size of fish makes it a worthy catch and both lakes are quite easy to navigate.
Even though the days of double digit daily catch numbers are gone, these are amazing musky fisheries. Both have healthy populations and average size on each lake would be 32” to 42”. Each lake produces fish upwards of the 50-inch benchmark, however I have not heard or seen a 50” fish caught on either for quite some time.
HIRING A GUIDE IS A GOOD OPTION FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS
Each lake is easily navigated, with very few true hazards. Just be warned that not all hazards will be marked by local camp owners. Spending a day with a guide can be helpful to maximize your musky fishing experience.
With so many great musky lakes in Northwestern Ontario, it’s hard to narrow down where to start. I fish all over the region and can recommend both these lakes as somewhere to start your musky fishing obsession.
The Hwy 647 corridor offers so many opportunities to fish, and I only touched on a few. As a camping experience, Blue Lake provincial park is second to none. For the musky hunter, both Indian Lake and Canyon Lake should be on your list of ‘must fish’ lakes. No doubt you’ll see the 54 or Bust crew out there at some point.
https://www.ontarioparks.com/park/bluelake
https://www.youtube.com/c/54orbust
Glenn McDonald 54 or Bust
contact : musky@54orbust.com