# Lake Mistinikon - Matachewan, Ontario - Horseshoe Island Camp



## ohiojmj

I arrived at Horseshoe Island Camp on 5/28. The weather was mostly clear, sunny, and unseasonably warm, the water mostly flat, the black flies and mosquitos moderate. The lake surface temp was 69-72F, again, unseasonably warm for a Montreal River reservoir which sometimes holds a little ice at Memorial Day according to the 25 yr ateendees. Having never been to Canada so early, the lack of weeds was very noticable. Reeds were not out, cat tails only a foot tall, remainder of weeds barely noticable. High temperatures made for deeper fish outside of a few stray 20"-24" pike from casting cranks and spoons in the shallows with some form of cover. Mepps spinners, one of usual favorites in Canada, failed to produce. Trolling deep cranks in day and shallow divers or Williams Wabler spoon at dusk was the game of the week. 

Fishing for most of the week was fair to good, not great with most guys picking up only a few keeper sized walleyes and pike plus a couple bonus smallmouths for the sport of it each day. Some did not work the lake real hard. The typical numbers caught per day fit on one or two hands. Many fish had little or nothing in their gut, a sure sign the unseaonably warm weather had an effect. The occasional overcast/windy afternoon improved the bite. I experienced a fishing frenzy this past friday evening when I found a baitfish filled bay and trolled jointed floating rapalas. I personally caught 3 walleye between 22"-24" (5 # max - biggest of week for our group), a couple smaller keeper walleye, and a 29" (7# - 2nd biggest, 34"/10# was group's biggest) pike within one hour at dusk. The two other guys in my boat also picked up a few large walleyes as well. Of course, we were limited to only one 18"+ walleye each so some fine fish we released. 

All in all a good week of fishing. Weather had its effect as usual, but persistence paid big bonus on friday, a time when many had already called it a week and dug out the cards. The camp was nice, clean, well maintained. It had all propane fixings (lights/frig/hot water) and pumped water to cabins. the lake had plenty of shallow bays (weedy in summer), rocky shores, log jammed areas and the usual structure for good fishing. I wacked one rock and lost a chunk of skeg and a prop blade, but you can't expect to visit Canadian lakes 2 weeks per year and not bump rocks. I was prepared with spare prop! Need a weld repair to skeg, but 3 yr old Merc no longer a virgin, big deal.

Next stop, Camps Ronoda at Lac Remigny, Quebec in early July. I'll be ready to work the weeds and be in more familiar waters (3rd yr).


----------



## bkr43050

Thanks for sharing the results on the trip! It sounds like a fairly decent trip. Perhaps not what you and most of us come to expect from Canadian waters but nevertheless you nailed some decent fish. I have never been up any earlier than mid-July and have always wanted to do an early trip. Someday I will get to and hearing others' results are helpful.


----------



## juniormintz

its great to read reports on canada, I personally have been going for 3 years to the same camp on the manitoba/ontario border on the english river (part of the winnipeg river) and that place has been a dream come true. The lodge name is cariboufalls and they treat you like royalty. Great people and even better fishing. Last year i pulled my biggest pike to date running 42in and going for 27lbs. Not only are the fish mean they are well feed and fat by the time i get to them. Also have had several 30in eyes caught from this place. Each year the fish have gotten bigger and the bite even better. The lodge is family owned and operated and is only one of two logdes on the english river so you pretty much never see another boat. Thanks for striking up some good memories fellas.


----------



## Mason32nd

this will be my fourth consecutive year going to Horseshoe Island Camp.
We have a regular group of about 20 guys who go up near the end of May every year, they actually have been going there for around 20 years now.
i find the fishing to be very good, active pike in the many small bays , and a nice little pickeral hole just beyond the "bailey bridge".
i'm down to counting the days till i'm there once again for a whole week of nothing but fishing !!! 
if anyone else is a regular visitor there, maybe we can exchange fishing thoughts and ideas


----------



## ohiojmj

Here's my recollections:

Walleye: Old timers made early evening trip to hump and hole just a few hundred feet north of the north bailey bridge (north of Bell Island) where we anchored and minnow jigged up fair sized fish until near dark. There's a boulder strewn region just south of this bridge that made returning in darkness a hazard (my broke skeg). Our best walleye luck was in the bay just south of the south bailey bridge. The small bay is to the east. we circled this bay at dusk and hammered large walleye and a couple decent pike. Some decent walleye were also jigged at the southern end of lake in or near the Montreal river chute. There's some shallow water to get through to the chute area. Also some nice lengthy shoals to troll between the narrow rocky pinch point and the chutes. Wished I would have used warm harnesses back then.

Pike: We fished the large bay just north of the north bailey bridge. The bay heads to the west with several wide open areas. Plenty of pike pulled. Also caught some decent pike in weedy top of lake (head straight north to end) and also in the nearby east fork which ends at the dam. In this fork, our pike were behind islands in weed beds as you frst enter the fork and two north pointing bays along northern side of the big fork where we found some relentless areas of sunken logs. 

Another favorite was to troll deep cranks/spoons along shorelines in deep water to north of south bailey bridge, then just south of the same bridge across from the recommended small walleye bay. Start on west shore below brdige between the island and continuing along shore until you get to the big bend. Some nioce shoals there. As you approach the big bend, we crossed to the east and had luck with wind swept points around the island at the entrance to the dead end southern fork and in the fork itself. 

Smallmouth: As we were there in late May, 2 yrs in arow, the smallies seemed to be in rocky shoal or weedy areas right up against the shore. Picked up some in the weedy top of lake (head straight north to end) with small cranks trolled or cast. Many strikes occurred when trolling around a corner while lure banged rocks at shoe.


----------



## Mason32nd

thanks for the tips. i'll be hitting a few of those spots this year.
i really hope the weather isnt as nice as it was last year, although the fish were plenty , i really think the warm weather and calm lake had a big impact


----------



## jp1000

Hey Mason,

I've been going to Horseshoe for 10 years now. We leave on June 4th this year. This is a week later than usual. 2 years ago was our best week. There are 6 in our party and all 6 of us caught trophy Walleye that year with the biggest hitting 12 LBS and the smallest of the trophys was around 6 lbs. 

Last year was not as good but still plenty of fish with a few more trophys. My best hole is right under the bridge (toward the chutes). We show up at around 7m. and we all have our limit before 9:00. Most years the fish are eater size but for the last few years we have been catching monsters at this spot. The chutes is hit and miss depending on the spawn. I'm hoping the water is a bit higher than last year. If I'm there before you I'll let you know how we do. Who am I kidding it's going to be great regardless, great friends, scotch, the cry of the loons, and Cigars, can't beat it.


----------



## ohiojmj

Yea the deep water around the bridge towards the chutes was a good evening/dusk troll spot for walleye and pike plus the bay past bridge to the left. Saw a lynx cross the bridge once! That bridge toward chutes area was easier for us to navigate back to HI camp in dark than the other bridge where we had to pass thru the narrow along the big island and the scattered boulders before that bridge.

Forgot to mention that where small streams run into the lake, we found plenty of pike and walleye casting , prbably feeding on the baitfish or enjoying the fresh oxygenated water dumping into the lake. Just wish I had tried my home made worm harnesses back then.

Good luck and post a report.


----------



## fshnjon

We were up at Matachewan on 5-20 .My 1st trip up there .We stayed at a bearcamp in Kirkland lake .Fished most of 1 day there with not 1 bite ,fishing was slow because of the warm weather ,we fished the Blanche River and caught some really nice walleye and a few pike .also fished Round lake and Larder Lake ,caught a few lake trout there .We also fished a couple lake i dont know there name We had a great time and caught some decent fish ,but wasnt as good as I had expected .I would like to go back and try it again .

Jon


----------

