# Spanish River/North Channel - May 11/June 10



## BMustang (Jul 27, 2004)

Just returned from our annual four week stay at the Blue Heron Resort on the Spanish River in Northern Ontario. There we fish the river and the North Channel of Lake Huron.
We have been making this trip annually since 1991, but in recent years going earlier and staying longer. The chances of catching trophy Northern Pike increases the closer to ice out that you can arrive. You always roll the dice and take a chance that the weather may not be favorable during that time span, creating a high risk/high reward scenerio. Staying for four weeks allows for some early spring missed fishing opportunities due to nasty weather.

Such was the case this spring, where our nicest day may have been the day of our arrival. Our next truly nice day occured two days prior to our departure. In the interim winter maintained its grip on the Great White North where we daily temperatures in the 30's climbing into the 40's as the days wore on, and then gradually into the 50s and 60s during Weeks Three and Four, with daily 15mph winds from the west and the north. Adding to the discomfort of the cool/cold air were a myriad of pop-up shower/storms that seemed to linger for hours without warning, leaving us drenched to the skin on several occasions. The bugs this year were a whole different issue. The Black Flies came early and stayed late, and when they began to die out (the week of our departure) the mosquitoes took over in full force. You can judge how many nice days we have by the times I fish in "white pants" - this year's total was 3 out of the 32 days, and the wearing of long underwear outnumbered the wearing of white pants.

With all of this being said, we never had a day where we didn't at least get to fish for 3 or 4 hours, and on most days were able to fish a five hour morning session and a 3 hour evening session. We simply had to dress up like Nanook of the North, and endure the discomfort of cold hands and winds across your face that "would make a husky shiver."

The fishing was merely excellent, with pike and bass being caught from the first day there and then in Week Two the Walleye jumping on our hooks when we trolled shad raps for them. Our Northerns were somewhat disappointing in size with a 32 incher, being our tops, but there were a gazillion in the 22 to 27 inch range keeping things interesting. The smallmouth bass populations are thriving, and although they are out of season, are plentiful, readily hit plugs and and I'll admit are fun to catch. We caught three that measured 21 inches (five pound range) and a plethora of 17 to 20 inch fish with pot bellies. ALL OF OUR PIKE, MUSKIES, and BASS are handled with care and returned to fight again another day. We do keep the walleye and I cleaned 33 in the 20 inch range with 26 inches being our largest, that we ate for dinner or brought home. We landed four muskies - a 48 incher that hit a Zara Spook on 8 pound test line, and a 43 inch monster when throwing a spinner bait for pike. We also caught two "dinks" about 22 inches. In addition we caught four largemouth bass - very rare for this area, one of which weighed 5 pounds. We do not throw weights around recklessly. The weights come off of my much-too-honest digital scale. Our best numbers day was around 50 with our low being at about 10. WHile we enjoyed the sun, cloudless bluebird sky days provided the biggest challenge. Totally cloudy days, the best. 

Myself and two others fished with me on week one.
Tow of us fished Week Two and Three
Four of us fished in two boats on Week Four

All in all a fantastic trip, despite the elements and we have booked back again next year.

My formal report can be found at:
http://www.bmustangs.com/SchabellSpanishRvrFishingTrip17.html

A few of our trip pictures are posted below. I'm the heavyset guy in the red jacket holding the smallie and the guy all bundled up holding the 43 inch musky.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Thanks for the update, a good read, Beautiful photo of the sunset and fish.


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## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

Four weeks up there is amazing! Maybe one day when I retire I'll be able to enjoy extended time on the water.

Great trip!


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## BMustang (Jul 27, 2004)

MDBuckeye said:


> Four weeks up there is amazing! Maybe one day when I retire I'll be able to enjoy extended time on the water.


Four weeks goes quickly. Especially the way we structure the trip. Little time for relaxing. We drive from Cincinnati to Saulte Ste Marie, Michigan (ten hours) the day before going to camp. On the arrival date we get up eat breakfast, purchase our groceries, change our money over to Canadian and then drive the final three hours to Spanish, Ontario. It takes us oldsters a few days to recover from the travel ordeal. I can't imaging making that hike and then returning home in only seven days. Our thinking is that if we are going to the trouble of traveling that far to go fishing, especially in the early spring when the weather might keep you on the shelf for a day or two, we elect to stay for awhile. What is crazy is that I only take a week and a half off after fishing three weeks at Pickwick Lake in Tennessee, prior to coming to Canada. What else is crazy is that now that I have returned from Canada, I won't fish again until after Labor Day. 

What keeps the days rolling by is that we get up in the morning at 7am, eat breakfast, pack lunch and on the water by 8:15am or 8:30am. Fish until 2pm before returning to cabin, where I insist on a two-hour nap, normally from 3pm to 5pm. Up at 5pm to fix dinner. Normally something off of the grill along with a salad and veggie. By 6:30pm we are back on the water and fish until dark, trolling for walleye for final hour - 9pm to 10pm. Then in for the night, clean whatever walleye we chose to keep, and then process photos taken that day while having a cocktail, followed by a shower and in bed by 11:30pm. And then do the same thing for the next 39 days. The only breaks we get is if it is raining, or simply too raw to get out amongst them. In those cases we sometimes do a load of laundry, or go back to bed until about 11am when we go out and fish until dinner time.

With this type of routine, the days fly by. We don't take days or evenings off. If we are in the cabin and the conditions are acceptable, we are driven to be out there.


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## redhawk fisherman (Apr 13, 2004)

My buddy and I were two crazies that left the Spanish river after a week at 4:30 AM this morning and with only two stops made it to Loveland at 4:00 PM. Needless to say we were cooked. The smallie fishing was incredible as BMustang says. Our weather was incredible unlike his. Our biggest pike was only 31 inches, and we had a couple of 20 inch smallies, but most were 16-18 inch footballs. They have a much different look than Dale Hollow smallies(where I fish around 40 days a year.) We reserved the same week for next year already. We had the opportunity to move up a week, but as a teacher I can't risk the chance of too many make up snow days. BMustang's knowledge of the resort and fishery has been invaluable!


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## BMustang (Jul 27, 2004)

^^ Glad to hear you had a safe and expeditious trip home. 
11 and 1/2 hours is great time.
Also glad that you had a productive and fun trip.
We are already looking forward to next year.


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## chris1162 (Mar 12, 2008)

Awesome report just like every year!


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## sharp33 (Mar 30, 2015)

BMustang said:


> ^^ Glad to hear you had a safe and expeditious trip home.
> 11 and 1/2 hours is great time.
> Also glad that you had a productive and fun trip.
> We are already looking forward to next year.


Hey Dave it's Tracy . Ironically a buddy of mine wants us to try fishing up near the Spanish river and North Channel this year. He was up there 25 years ago and wants to go back. I got on this site and I see you have been there alot. We normally go to North lake Minnesota every year but it's a haul and a lot of work getting back in there . It borders Canada and the BWCA and we are all getting older . I'm the youngest in the group at 51 ...and it's just not safe anymore to portage and work your butts off to get back in there . I loved reading your reports from Blue Herron over the years . If its ok I would like to have your input on a couple questions . 

1) Would 16.5 deep v lunds work up there ? 

2) We were thinking of going up around June 18th , Is that a good time? 

We really haven't decided where we are going this year we just want to lessen the travel time , the work and have fun fishing together. We are also considering a fly-in trip somewhere. Thanks man and I hope things are great your way !!!

Tracy


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## BMustang (Jul 27, 2004)

Tracy:
Happy to help.

The Blue Heron is located on the Spanish River, five river miles from the North Channel of Lake Huron, providing a myriad of fishing conditions.
Fishing probably isn't what you've experienced near the BWCA, but the conveniences of a drive-in camp, comfortable cabins, a nearby town with restaurants and supplies probably compensate.

Your 16.5 Deep V Lund will be perfect. Dockage is in view of your cabin.

June 18th is a fine time to go. Not sure what you are fishing for. That is still pre-season for bass, but prime time for walleye, which are plentiful. The camp also has industrial grade deep fryers, making fish fries simple. Obtaining a cabin during the June 18th time frame might be a challenge.

Cal and Deborah Matheson are pros at the fish camp business. 

I have been going to the Blue Heron since 1991 and can't wait for our trek there again this spring.
Myself and my partner are 70 years old and have no trouble negotiating the conditions.

Visit their website at: http://blueheronresort.on.ca/
Give Deborah a call at 705-844-2596 to see what is available.


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## BMustang (Jul 27, 2004)

BMustang said:


> Tracy:
> Happy to help.
> 
> The Blue Heron is located on the Spanish River, five river miles from the North Channel of Lake Huron, providing a myriad of fishing conditions.
> ...


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## sharp33 (Mar 30, 2015)

Thank you for the reply ! Well the boys have decided we are gonna go on a fly-in this year so the spanish river will have to wait . The wife and I are very interested in going up but I'm not sure we can swing it this year. I looked at your fishing reports and they were awesome and very well done . I hope you do well at Pickwick this spring which I'm sure all depends on the weather. . We are going down April 10 - 15 this year and staying at Bear Creek again. Again thanks and I hope all is well your way ole buddy !


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## fshnjon (Feb 25, 2008)

Great post ! Went fished up there a few years ago in the fall , I would love to make a spring trip !!


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