# Manitoulin Island, Lake Kagawong



## [email protected]

I leaving for the lake on Friday. Does anyone have any tips for the perch, smallmouth, and walleye? Location and lures? Everyone from up there keeps saying nightcrawlers on the bottom for everything. 

Also: Is it a mistake taking a bass boat up there? Any problems taking a boat into Ontario?


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## BMustang

[email protected] said:


> I leaving for the lake on Friday. Does anyone have any tips for the perch, smallmouth, and walleye? Location and lures? Everyone from up there keeps saying nightcrawlers on the bottom for everything.
> 
> Also: Is it a mistake taking a bass boat up there? Any problems taking a boat into Ontario?


Smallies and walleyes will both take crankbaits. The locals are hooked on using "Dew Worms" (we call them "Dew Worm Dippers" but have no sense of adventure. Any medium depth diving crank bait should work, as well as surface baits (Pop-Rs (file down the lower lip some) or Skitters) for smallies and 3" Twister Tail grubs will all put fish in the boat.

We fished in that vicinity earlier this spring and caught over 600 smallies and walleyes and NEVER used one piece of live bait.

If you can't locate them - troll shadraps!
The surface bait bite in the evening is incredible. 

No problem at all taking your bass boat into Canada. The watchout is that the water can get pretty rough up there with a prevailing west wind and deep Vs are much more suitable than bass boats. Legends and Lunds are your best bet. 

Have a ball!!!


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## DarbyMan

I just back from Lake Huron and the North Channel a few weeks ago. We fished some of the water around Manitoulin. Nailed the smallies on top water in the evening. Have fun!


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## fugarwi7

[email protected] said:


> Also: Is it a mistake taking a bass boat up there? Any problems taking a boat into Ontario?


Make sure you have your boat registration with you...most likely you will have to register your boat at the border...no fee, but they document your boat and you have to keep the registration in your boat while in Canada. As for the fishing, what works here works up there...being stealthier & lighter line may help since the water is so clear. Good Luck!


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## yankee

As BMustangs says the water can get rough. Check the wind and weather forecast before heading out for the day.

You should have no problem taking you boat into Canada. However, 95&#37; of the time they'll ask you if you've registered your boat with customs. If not they'll ask you to have it registered right there at customs and it only takes a few minutes. Be sure to have your boat and trailer registrations and they'll issue you a small blue permit.


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## r9ptbuck

Dont forget the trailer registration as well! 

Good Luck!


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## BMustang

fugarwi7 said:


> Make sure you have your boat registration with you...most likely you will have to register your boat at the border...no fee, but they document your boat and you have to keep the registration in your boat while in Canada.


This will probably "black cat" me, but I've been pulling my boats (19' Starcraft and 17' Pro V BassTracker) to Canada annually (and often twice annually) since 1991 and I've never been asked to register them.

I have been asked on occasion if the boat had ever been to Canada before and I have always truthfully answered, "Yes, it has!"

Don't get hung up on all of the border procedeures. It is a piece of cake. As stated above make sure that you have your driver's license and your car and boat registrations with you. I don't know about trailer registrations since I'm from Kentucky and we don't require them.

Typical border check goes like this: Good Morning! Where are you from? Where are you going? What is your purpose of visiting? How long are you staying? *Do you have any firearms, alcohol, or tobacco?* Thank you and have a nice stay. 

Occasionally they will ask if you are bringing in any bait or citrus, or if you've ever been there before. They will sometimes ask your license number. When you pull up they have mirrors set up to punch your license number and check for any outstanding warrants, and they can see if you were ever there before. Quite informal.

If you look respectable and act professionally you will sail right through.

Have a great trip!!!


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## [email protected]

Thanks for all the good info. I've driven up for fly-in trips in the past and the border people have been friendly. 

I've been getting mixed information on taking nightcrawlers into Canada. Some say no, some say yes. Crawlers are half the price here as up there, $3US for 2 dozen vs. $3.50CA for 1 doz. One guy told me it's ok as long as they are in synthetic (cellulose) bedding and not soil. One of the border pamphlets I read said worms were OK as long as they weren't on the prohibited list.


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## yankee

No big deal on the boat registration...... but it could be if your boat/trailer is stolen or your involved in an accident and a dead serious OPP or MNR constable wants to see it. How do they know you even brought it into the country? Why take a chance, there&#8217;s no charge, its hassle free and only takes minutes. 

My Canadian permit has the trailer license plate number on it. They will want to see a registration or something with your trailer license plate number on it. 

A valid drivers license will work most of the time however you should take your BC too. Again why take a chance. The US custom guard on return will most likely want to see both.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/rc4161/rc4161-e.html

_ When you enter Canada, a border services officer may ask to see your passport and a valid visa, when necessary. If you are a citizen of the United States, you do not need a passport to enter Canada; however, you should carry proof of your citizenship such as a birth certificate, certificate of citizenship or naturalization or a Certificate of Indian Status, as well as a photo ID. If you are a permanent resident of the United States, you must bring your permanent resident card (i.e. green card) with you. For more information on admissibility into Canada, read the fact sheet called Managing Access to Canada. It is available on our Web site at www.cbsa.gc.ca._

I think your right about worms. But I don&#8217;t see anything on the MNR site regarding the import of worms. You can contact the Border Information Sevice between 8am and 4pm at (204) 983-3500 or (506) 636-5064. You can also contact the MNR at at one of their offices listed on this site.

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/csb/offices/mnroffices_district.html

Have a great time!


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## DaleM

All the post have told you correctly.
I have a place on the island ( well just off it by a few miles.) BEWARE---!!!
The water level is really low and there are rocks up there like none you will ever find here. Unless you know where you are going I would strongly suggest you not go fast until you learn a few route. Fugarwi will back me on this as he has a place close to where I am. You can not see there rock until you are on them. And traveling 30-40 MPH it is to late when you do see them. Not trying to discourage you at all, just trying to give you some sound advise from someone that has been going there for a lot of years, and knows the area well. Bass boats are fine but to be really honest they are not the best in that area. I have hit a few of these rocks and I have been there for over 35 years! If the place you are renting has boats I would suggest you rent one of theirs. May not be as fast but it could save you a ton of money on repairs if you'd hit a rock in your boat. Also check with your insurance Company before you go. Some company's do not cover you outside the US. If you do take your boat PLEASE be careful. That area is a great fishery but also can be a very dangerous place in a boat. Wear you life vest ALL THE TIME. the water is colder and you may not see another boater for hours or days. Have fun, be safe and take lots of pictures.

By the way you are right on worms, must be in buss bedding, no dirt what so ever. Also extra gas in cans will cost you a duty fee.


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## [email protected]

Thanks Dale for the warnings. I know exactly what you're talking about having hit my fair of shoals and rocks with rental boats. I have a topographical map of the lake which will help some but I will be very careful. I will posts pics when I get back, I'm ready to leave now!!!


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## [email protected]

Here were the results of our trip. We caught well over 100 smallies. You could catch tons of little ones on nightcrawlers but tubes, senkos and a tube/dropshot finesse minnow rig selected for the larger fish. The largest ones measured about 19" on a golden rule. We tried for pike for a couple of hours with no luck. We also fished a little a few days for perch with no luck. The locals' excuse was there was a shad-fly hatch, whatever that is. We were having too much fun catching all those bass anyway! Blew a headgasket mid week but had it fixed in a few hours. Thanks for all the info and tips.


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## BMustang

Great smallies!!! Gives me the itch.

I've never fished that area in mid-summer. Just curious what depth was most productive??

Did you try any topwater???


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## [email protected]

I tried some topwaters without any luck. Most were caught anywhere from 4' to 26'. Overcast to sunny and time of day didn't seem to be a factor. The bite did pick up when the water was choppy.


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## BMustang

[email protected] said:


> I tried some topwaters without any luck. Most were caught anywhere from 4' to 26'. Overcast to sunny and time of day didn't seem to be a factor. The bite did pick up when the water was choppy.


Thanks!

From your photos it appears that you are fishing off-shore and not throwing to shorelines as you would in the spring - makes sense!

Surprised they didn't bust up on topwaters. Perhaps the extreme water clarity had something to do with it.


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