Any love for Canal Lake? Last fishing trip of season...

[Raycaster]

I've searched around for info about Canal Lake (Off of Mitchel and Balsam) but have found very little.

 

Spending Thanksgiving up there with the pontoon and wondered if I should stay on Canal or trailer over to Balsam that I know.

 

Did hear that it is pretty weedy like Mitchel with some bass action but haven't heard much more.

 

Any info very much appreciated.

 

thx.

 

[Cosmos]

I was fishing Canal lake with my wife 2 or 3 weeks ago. We didn't have any luck. I was looking for pike. We found nice weeds free spot with a lot of pan fish, but no predators. balsam would be a better choice in my opinion.

[Christopheraaron]

each time I go to mitchell (next door) I pull out at least one giant bass and some pike, all in the weedy section which is only really fishable from canoe or kayak. Never fished canal but I've heard lots of good things about the pike fishing there.

[Locnar]

Fished both Mitchell and Canal last year... On Mitchell we caught some pike and some good sized bass. Canal... All that was biting was perch. Doesn't mean there isn't pike in there though.

[mattybculp]

^{I would go to balsam. just my opinion.}

[Raycaster]

Thx for the replies guys.

 

Since this is actual a "Family Weekend" I will probably remain on Canal and see if I can sneak over to Ant Island one of the days.

 

Funny how a decent sized lake close to Mitchel and Balsam doesn't share their success. Maybe the locals want to hide it!

[Propwash]

Hello Raycaster,

 

I'm not a local, but fish the lake maybe 20x a year as my folks live out there, so I have somewhat "local" knowledge of the lake.

 

First off, Canal has seen an explosion of weed growth this year. It was always a weedy lake but this year was by far the worst since at least the early 90s. By early summer the lake was choked, weed from top to bottom making great hiding for the fish but really tough for fisherman - boat traffic is down this year from those in the past, I figure clearing your prop of weeds every couple meters was a deterrent. That said, this time of year, some of the underwater brush recedes a little. I haven't beeen up in about three weeks, but it's usually the case in the fall.

 

You will be tempted to fish spots without weeds, but as others mention, the areas with underlying rock hold mostly pannies and bass which are good fun in their own right - some good ones in there too, with an appetite for unweighted senkos - just sayin

 

Gators were harder to come by this year; mostly due to the above-average weed growth allowing more cover for the fish and less distance your bait can travel before getting hooked up in the weeds. Your best bet for slimers is to concentrate on the deeper edges of the lake around the canal, the deeper basin on the South end of the lake just west of the hole in the wall (arch bridge), and an unmarked submerged island maybe a click North of the arch bridge just to the left of the canal. White and white/chartruse spinner baits with a trailer hook pulled across the top of the weeds or a mepps cyclops seems to be the best pike fare. If things are slowing down, try a sub-surface walk the dog type lure.

 

I'm sure this info will get you into some fish. Good luck with them pikes. They are there. Just not showin themselves much due to the cover. Let us know how you do.

 

Prop

[Raycaster]

Propwash, thanks you for the very informative reply.

 

Luckily my brother and I are used to Cache Bay in Nippisising and I have the pontoon so the weeds don't bother us too much. Was in Mitchel early this year and it was weedy but the concern was logs/stumps.

 

Again thank you for the replies and hopefully I'll be able to post some success.

[jimmer]

Try a Weedless Johnson Silver Minnow spoon with a trailer tail of some kind over the weeds. I had great luck with them years back. They are great for weedy lakes.