| Smallmouth bass are found from picturesque | | | | The largest fresh water lakes in the world, a huge |
| glacial lakes of the Canadian Shield to Ontario's | | | | diversity of fish, and Walleye in abundance (over |
| Great Lakes shoals and in thousands of creeks, | | | | 4.7 million kg caught every year). What's more, |
| rivers, and lakes which lie in between. | | | | there's an entire range of experiences that allow |
| Soft-plastic twister-tail, tube, and shad jig bodies | | | | you to "go remote" at fly-in camps in the |
| on 1/8- to 3/8-ounce heads are the most | | | | Northwest and Northeast, or cast a line on |
| common smallmouth lures. Good jig colors are | | | | day-trips in our Playground. Come here for all your |
| black, smoke, purple, amber, yellow, and white. | | | | vacation, equipment, and news and weather |
| Bounce jigs along bottom, while retrieving or | | | | information. Come equipped, buy, or rent at any |
| drifting with the wind over potential hotspots. One | | | | one of the outfitters throughout the province. |
| trick is to allow a tube jig to settle on bottom, | | | | There are boats to charter, guided trips, fishing |
| then release 20 to 40 yards (18 to 36 m) of line. | | | | packages, or be your own guide and take |
| As the boat drifts, nudge the bait along, as you | | | | yourself to a place where there's just you and |
| feel for a strike. This technique is particularly | | | | the fish. Discover the riches of a tackle and bait |
| useful in clear, deep water for spooky smallmouth. | | | | shop, the hub of commerce in any small lakeside |
| Smallmouth is particularly fond of crayfish, | | | | town. Ontario at its best and do check it out. |
| especially soft-shells that have just molted. | | | | Ontario has the very best Smallmouth Bass |
| Largemouth tactics that workout in other places, | | | | fishing in the World with some areas having really |
| work equally effective in Ontario also. Fishing | | | | good Largemouth Bass Fishing. Bass Heaven's |
| varies from flip-and-pitch techniques around docks, | | | | many lakes, rivers and streams are here for you |
| matted weeds, shallow, and stumps, to exciting | | | | to enjoy. |
| top-water action on poppers, jerk baits, and | | | | Temperatures colder or warmer than these will |
| floating plastic worms. Although some southern | | | | generally cause smallies to slow down their |
| lakes or rivers are turbid, clear water is normal in | | | | metabolism, making them tougher to catch. |
| Ontario. Bait casting tackle spooled with 12- to | | | | Smallmouth bass also inhabit a wide range of |
| 20-pound line is ideal around heavy cover for | | | | water - there are "deep" and "shallow" bass and |
| largemouth in stained waters. Light spinning tackle, | | | | they are a schooling fish - meaning if you catch |
| though, is often necessary to fool largemouth in | | | | one there's a good chance there are several |
| clear water on sunny days. In these conditions, | | | | others in the area. Bass generally stick close to |
| thin, yet strong, braided or fused line and small | | | | the bottom or near structure like humps and |
| plastic worms, grubs, or jigs can jump-start the | | | | saddles. As ambush predators, bass need cover |
| action, while allowing you to handle fish around | | | | to feed successfully so casting accuracy and |
| cover. Live bait is effective for both species. | | | | presentation are key elements to consider when |
| Leeches, minnows, and juicy night crawlers rigged | | | | fishing for them. |
| beneath a float or with split-shot on the bottom | | | | Live or artificial baits both work well - night |
| will draw Ontario fishing lodges, camps resorts and | | | | crawlers seem to work particularly well as do |
| outfitters. It's the greatest vacation in Canada! | | | | tube jigs and small spinner baits. Bring a variety of |
| Whether you want to casually do some fishing or | | | | tackle and experiment to find what works best |
| try some more serious angling, our province is an | | | | under the particular conditions you're fishing that |
| angler's paradise. | | | | day. |
| Nowhere else can boast such a catch. Think of it: | | | | |