Not many fisher-persons will disagree that pound-for-pound Smallmouth Bass are the hardest fighting freshwater fish on the planet. Wabigoon Lake and Dinorwic Lake are stuffed with Smallmouth Bass of every size. Smallmouth Bass also taste fantastic and many of our guests enjoy their white fluffy meat just as much as Walleye.
Wabigoon Lake and Dinorwic Lake are peppered with thousands of rocky islands, rocky points, shoals, reefs and weedy bays. Smallmouth Bass are available in vast numbers and are very easy to catch all year because they don't take off into deep water like that do on deep lakes. Smallmouth Bass are caught in the shallows all year. You don't have to travel far from camp to start catching them. We also want you to remember that you have 62 square miles of water with 236 miles of shoreline on the two best Smallmouth Bass fishing lakes in Northwestern Ontario. Somewhere off those rocky points is the biggest bass you will ever catch and he is just waiting for you.
If you are new to Smallmouth Bass fishing in Northern Ontario; it helps to understand Smallmouth Bass society. Bass in the 1/2 to 2-pound range generally travel in large schools and roam along the shoreline looking for food. They can move into an area with lots of Crayfish and minnows and stay for days until the food is gone. If you find one of these schools you can virtually catch a bass every cast all day long. That's a lot of fun but many of our guests come to Merkel's to catch the big old lunkers and there are plenty of them. If you are into a school of bass and they suddenly stop feeding don't stop casting because that means a big Pike or Muskie has moved into the area so be prepared to get a big surprise.
Larger Smallmouth Bass in the 2-1/2 to 7 pound range almost always travel in mating pairs. These mating pairs are very territorial and do not let the smaller bass near their rocky point or rocky shoal. Mating pairs are always the same size. It you catch a 5-pound bass you know that there is another one in the same spot. You may get lucky and find a spot where a big single female is being chased around by 4 or 5 big males of the same size. This happens often. If you are in a spot where you are catching bass on almost every cast then chances are you will not run into a big one unless it's a rogue male coming in to eat smaller bass.
Serious bass hunters will have some fun at these spots but eventually hunt down the big ones. If you
move into an area that's perfect for bass but not producing any fish that that
means there is a big pair in the area. They are big because they are smart so
perseverance and trying multiple baits is the key to getting a big one. Moving your
boat into the area may have spooked tham so just keep trying and try to stay quiet.
If you specifically target bass and spend your time where there is a school of
smaller ones it can be easy to catch 60 to 80 bass in a day. We say only 60 to 80
bass because you will also be catching Pike, Walleye, Muskie, Perch and Crappie in
the same spot and that reduces the numbers of bass.
Wabigoon and Dinorwic are 100 fish-per-day lakes. As far as Smallmouth Bass over 3 pounds; spending the day targeting the points and shoals should produce around 30 fish over 3 pounds. If you spend the whole week bass fishing you will catch quite a few in the 4 and 5 pound range and maybe a couple in the 6 to 7-pound range. A 7-pound bass is considered a trophy by most. Smallmouth Bass this size are in the lake but they are not as common as the smaller sizes but guests do catch a couple per week. Smallmouth Bass in the 8+ pound range are extremely rare but they are there. There is no reason why Wabigoon Lake or Dinorwic Lake could not produce the next World Record Smallmouth Bass.
Wabigoon and Dinorwic chain of lakes is loaded with super nice Smallmouth Bass! Early morning is an awesome time for top water action. Be sure to cast your bait as close to the shore as possible. Go so far as to hit the rocks and drop down! If you are 3 out, you will catch only 1/10th of the bass you could be catching! Using a spinner or chatter bait works well. As the day and the season progresses, the bass tend to move to deeper water. On Wabigoon Lake that means 4 - 10! This is where a tube jig or wacky worm will prevail. Using a drop shot can reap tremendous rewards on those big flats, in deeper water or on the rock piles. Again move slowly to help avoid snags.
Try a bobber from bygone days and just relax and enjoy the day! The best advice is to practice your casting accuracy and lure presentation as it hits the water.
Once again, you want it close to the shore, log, rock or dock. Remember you are fishing shallow and dont want a big splash!
