# Prairie Bee, Ontario



## linebacker43 (Aug 3, 2009)

Heading up there for a week long trip at the end of June. Anybody fished it before? Buddy went up last year and said the weather took a crap on them the whole week. They went the beginning of June. Said they had to scrape their windshields a few mornings. Hopefully not the case this year. He said it is known for Smallies, just wondering if anyone as been there or not. Thanks for any info! 

Linebacker43


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## linebacker43 (Aug 3, 2009)

If it helps, it connects to Lake Windermere....lol! Anybody fished that body of water.


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## tancaddis (Mar 27, 2017)

My two fishing buddies went up last year for a few days on a scouting trip and they had a good time. They went in early September, so the fishing was a lot different than our normal trip in early-mid June. The pattern was off, but they worked hard and found Walleye every day. Lot's of nice smallmouth, but few pike. I have a feeling it was just because the fish are not holding to structure at or near spawn time like we are used to.

At any rate, we are going this year (June 10-17) and staying at the outpost cabin on Prairie Bee. They liked that end of the lake a lot better. More structure to fish, and more typical walleye holding depths for spring fishing. I have read both good and bad, but honestly I am really looking forward to it....any week in Canada, fishing with family and friends is better than slogging away at work. I've been to 8 different lodges/outfitters in Ontario and Quebec over the years and I've only had one "bad" fishing trip. I am stoked about this year. Bringing my 9 year old boy for his first trip and I think this is the perfect compromise between drive-to lodge and fly-in....


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## linebacker43 (Aug 3, 2009)

Thanks for the input tan, we are checking in on the 17th and staying the following week. Hope you have a great time and enjoy the time with your son. May run into each other up there checking in and out.


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## Hammerdrill (Mar 22, 2017)

Linebacker, Will be up there the last week of June. Leave some fish for us.


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## linebacker43 (Aug 3, 2009)

Two weeks until departure and I can not stand it! Going to be the 2 longest weeks of work ever. I have already packed my clothes, got all boots, rain gear, fishing gear gone through and organized and then gone through again and organized....lol. All I have to do is pack the food and beer and away I go!


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## linebacker43 (Aug 3, 2009)

Talked to the camp owners via email a few days ago and the made it sound like we may have to deal with a mayfly hatch while we are up there. They said that this brings the whitefish into the shallows and you can catch quite a few of these fish. My question, are they any good to just fillet and fry or is there another way to fix them. I know I have heard of smoked whitefish, but that isnt going to happen while we are there. Are they comparable to a local fish around central ohio? White bass?? Just wondering!


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## caseyroo (Jun 26, 2006)

Very mild flavor, much better than white bass! You can fry, bake, smoke, etc... We baked them and did on the grill on foil. Excellent eating


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## fishlogic (Apr 2, 2012)

Whitefish are excellent table fare. I just fillet, lightly season and fry them in a little oil. I've never battered or breaded them. Not sure how that would turn out. It's a very flaky and firm white flesh. Just be sure to remove the brown fat as it contains a lot of the fish oil and makes them fishy. Some people like that though. You can definitely catch them during a Mayfly hatch. One lake we were on there were little schools of Whitefish eating the larva or emergers (not really sure what they were eating) that looked like sharks on the surface of the water. A small piece of worm on a Mayfly rig (small spinner harness) or under a float does the trick. I imagine a lot of smaller baits would work.


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## Hammerdrill (Mar 22, 2017)

Returned from Prairie Bee. We really enjoyed the remoteness, no planes, trains, or automobiles. The use solar power to power light bulbs, I would recommend bringing and LED lantern to supplement. Propane powers the fridge, and stove, plus hot water for the full bath. The only generators they use are for the batteries on the trolling motors, and they ask that they not be run at night, Fishing was a little tough the first few days. I think the weather had a lot to do with that. Our last was rainy, and we did really well catching, smallmouth, Walleys, and Pike.


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## linebacker43 (Aug 3, 2009)

Sorry for the delayed response. I have been off work since the trip and have been busy with family and getting things done around the house. Our trip was from the 17th-23rd of June. Fishing wasn't bad for us as we had overcast/rainy days all but 1 day. We had to work for them that day out in the deeper water and low light situations. Almost all fish were caught on just a plain jig and twister tail combo of some sort, favorite color being something with orange in it., sometimes tipped with a leech. My buddy did have some good luck throwing a Whopper Plopper at dusk for some nice Smallies and some pike as well. There was several days where we had on our rain gear plus extra clothes because of the chill from the temps and rain. All in all a good trip and like Hammerdrill said , loved the remoteness. Would have liked to have known that their phone service was gone since there little general store burnt down before we got there but that wasn't really a big deal. Only seen the folks from the 3 other cabins a few times all week. Seen plenty of wildlife including Moose, otters, beavers, bald eagles, all sorts of birds and ducks and had are resident chipmunks eating peanuts off the porch all week long. The brothers that take care of that camp were very friendly and got what ever you asked of them by the following morning. Biggest pike of the trip was 31 in, walleye was 23 1/2in, and Smallie was 18 1/4 in, I also caught 2 whitefish. We didn't target a specific species just relaxed and fished and that's what it was all about for me. We would go catch our limits for lunch/ dinner and the rest of the time we fun fished. Hopefully I will be able to make the trip again next! 

P.S.A.......Don't mind the Beer Gut!


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## BMustang (Jul 27, 2004)

Thanks for the update. I fished Dog Lake out of Missinaibi ages ago. 
I remember checking out a camp on Windemere Lake.
I suspect that your camp was in the vicinity.

I enjoyed your comment about "fun fishing." All too often I find myself on a quest, moving from one spot to another to find fish, and then when we catch one, I find myself releasing him and quickly in pursuit of the next one.
Obviously, I really have fun doing this, but there is something to be said about just kicking back catching whatever jumps on your hook.


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## tancaddis (Mar 27, 2017)

I should've responded earlier. Our trip was the week before linebacker (10-17th) and we stayed at the outpost cabin on the north end of the lake. Absolutely awesome spot. Had a rough time finding the walleye the first couple of days. Ended up hitting the evening bite along shore in the evenings on hot'n'tots. Also caught a few off the dock just running a slip bobber and leach.

Outside of that, we only caught about 5 pike all week. 25" was about the largest, but that wasn't the real fun. This place is a prolific smallmouth fishery. We hit smallmouth on topwater all week. 2 feet off shore, the males were guarding the nests in typical post-spawn action. If you put a torpedo, J7 or spook anywhere near them, they would chase it and destroy the baits. It was a blast...Would definitely go back just for that. Largest of the week was 20+" and 5lbs. Average was 3lbs. The walleye were suspended at 17-23ft of water in the deepest parts of the lake and were very off pattern. I think they were too far off the spawn and were recovering. They did not like to eat much.

One thing I would tell everyone...not sure if the rest of the lake is like this (I'd bet it is), but there are just tons and tons of widowmaker boulders just under the surface on the north end near the outpost cabin. We had to be extremely careful around the northern islands and western arm, and really anytime we were near a shoal or shore with a boulder field. A lot of camps will mark the big boat killers with anchored bleach bottles, but this camp does not do it. I would guess because there are just so many of them. Please be extra careful if you see even the smallest rock coming out of the surface. It usually means that there are rocks all around it just below the surface. It's fine when rolling in slow, but this lake was an oddball from that perspective. Lots of shoals that come up out of nowhere and you roll right out of 25ft, into 6,5,4ft of water with large boulders.

Anyway, had a great time. Took my 9 year old son for his first trip and even though the black flies gave us trouble the first couple of days, we persevered and made it a memorable trip. Weather was great other than one day of rain. -Tancaddis


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## Hammerdrill (Mar 22, 2017)

BMustang said:


> Thanks for the update. I fished Dog Lake out of Missinaibi ages ago.
> I remember checking out a camp on Windemere Lake.
> I suspect that your camp was in the vicinity.
> 
> ...


Yes, Windermere can actually be reached from Prairie Bee, it is just a short walk from the dam, not far from where the 4 cabins are located. The only camp on Windermere is owned by the same family who owns the one on Prairie Bee.


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## tancaddis (Mar 27, 2017)

...also don't mind the beer gut.


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## linebacker43 (Aug 3, 2009)

tancaddis said:


> One thing I would tell everyone...not sure if the rest of the lake is like this (I'd bet it is), but there are just tons and tons of widowmaker boulders just under the surface on the north end near the outpost cabin. We had to be extremely careful around the northern islands and western arm, and really anytime we were near a shoal or shore with a boulder field. A lot of camps will mark the big boat killers with anchored bleach bottles, but this camp does not do it. I would guess because there are just so many of them. Please be extra careful if you see even the smallest rock coming out of the surface. It usually means that there are rocks all around it just below the surface. It's fine when rolling in slow, but this lake was an oddball from that perspective. Lots of shoals that come up out of nowhere and you roll right out of 25ft, into 6,5,4ft of water with large boulders.



There were plenty of boulders on the eastern side of the lake as well. We just took our time when we around the shore and any islands. Once you got through the "Dividing Narrows" it opened up and you could run full speed in the middle of the lake. Ethan said he has marked the widow makers before by the 4 cabins and either someone has moved or taken his bouys or they have sunk? There were two guys in the cabin beside us that were just targeting Smallies for the week and they had some impressive numbers for the 6 days that they were there. Nothing better then a blow up from any fish on top water!!


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## nightowl (Apr 10, 2004)

This a late post but if you head back up there go to Soretooth lake. It is a few minute boat ride from the Outpost cabin. Short walk past the trappers cabin. Big pike and walleye. There has always been a boat or 2 over there, just need to take a motor. You will probably be pushing mud for the first couple hundred yards, but it opens up,,,well worth the trip.


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## tancaddis (Mar 27, 2017)

Good call! I will definitely look into that. I always like a back lake adventure.


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