If I were to pick one lake.....

[Doop]

If I were to pick one lake in Ontario where a guy has a great shot at a 20 pound plus northern pike where could I go?.....numbers are always nice but I was hoping to catch a big'un without paying an arm and a leg.

Any thoughts?

Edited May 10, 2007 by Doop

[Raf]

If I were to pick one lake in Ontario where a guy has a great shot at a 20 pound plus northern pike where could I go?.....numbers are always nice but I was hoping to catch a big'un without paying an arm and a leg.

Any thoughts?

 

NW ontario or Kesagami.

 

Otherwise, L. Huron.

Edited May 10, 2007 by Raf

[Doop]

Where is Kesagami?

Any specific lakes in NW?

 

Lakes with camping options are a bonus....I don't want anything fancy...just an opportunity to catch a pig.

 

I've wanted to fish Canada for so long now....I just turned 30...so I think it's about time I actually make this trip!

[mepps]

No Question, Little Vermillion

 

Been there, caught one, going back in 2 weeks.

 

[Clampet]

 

[glen]

Clampit you are a good fisherman.

[Clampet]

Clampit you are a good fisherman.

 

I am?!!??!

[Rizzo]

When I catch my first 20 pound northern I'll let you know. I'm sure they are in lakes like Muskoka, Nipissing and G Bay, I just haven't come across them yet. I think the fish get bigger the further you get from Toronto. Get yourself 8 hours from Toronto and my guess is you'll find the bigguns

[walleyejigger]

i've caught 2 and witthout being specific, they were both caught in lakes less than 2 hours north of sudbury, accessible from a highway, and both caught on jigs fishing for pickeral, so.... if someone were to actually try for it i'd think they'd be fairly easy to catch without paying an arm or a leg

[danc]

There's literally hundreds of lakes in Northwestern Ontario that produce trophy northerns. But the locals never target them. I happen to catch a 15 to 20 lb. fish every other year or so by accident and I'd really rather not catch it if I had my choice. I don't need a big, ugly, stinky fish flopping around in the bottom of my boat. But they're up here in droves if that's what suits you. Lake Superior is a good place to start. You can get them right in front of town and have no competition. Come north. They're here and plentiful.

[Rizzo]

I don't need a big, ugly, stinky fish

 

hahaha I love it. Funny because its true

[Canuck2fan]

I don't know about 20lb northerns but the 10 to 15lb ones we catch around here are pretty much considered a pest fish. We only fish for pike for that long 6 weeks between when the steelhead stop and smallmouth bass begins.

 

I won't be specific but dead smack center in south western Ontario within an 40 minute drive there are a half dozen places where you could catch 10LB + slimy smelly pike all day long all season long if you really want to... and that is from shore. I can't imagine what a person could do with a boat and actively looking for them.

Edited May 11, 2007 by Canuck2fan

[LipDip]

The real question is how much time are you willing to invest (read: waste) travelling. Money also. Twenty pounders come out of Lake Simcoe regularly. I've caught five over 25# and two over 30# withing 75 minutes of Toronto. Finding lakes with the capacity to grow them isn't as hard as timing them in this part of the country. Simcoe, Nipissing, S Gbay, E GBay, North Channel GBay, hundreds of lakes along Hwy 11, 69 and 124 have pike over twenty pounds to their name. An OFNer's gonna get one that size with the TO city skyline in the background this month, I can almost guarantee it. I think there's plenty of them closer to home and cheaper than most realize. You might not be fishing a fly-in and might have to work a little, but there's no shame in that. Quinte's got them. Muskokas, Chandos, the list is endless. You can drive to all of them and be home the same day if you want. Not that expensive travel or outfitted trips are a waste at all, just maybe start with what you have at your immediate disposal. If the lawnmower won't start, check that there's gas in it before ripping out the engine. Hope you nail one and get a good pic!

[Whopper]

Bring on the slime!

 

The bigger the better!

 

I need a good lube

 

Whopper

[scuro]

It would be north of the Sudbury-Northbay line unless it was the Ottawa river, or lake huron...but those places are better known for Muskie.

[Zamboni]

Going to try for big pike on Rosseau and Joseph myself this summer-no idea where but posts show the lunkers are in those lakes.