An angler’s paradise for hot summertime multi-species action. Nestled in the heart of northwestern Ontario’s Sunset Country, Sioux Lookout is rich with angling opportunities. At its doorstep lies tens-of-thousands of acres of unspoiled natural lakes that are teeming with fish. Walleye, northern pike, bass, muskie and lake trout are abundant in this unique setting where an angler could literally spend a lifetime fishing and not cover the same shoreline twice. STARS OF THE SHOW Walleye are the biggest draw for anglers to Sioux Lookout with legendary Lac Seul setting the stage for unbeatable numbers and trophy fish. Catches of 100-plus…
Author: Ben Beattie
Ben Beattie
Ben is a fishing guide and outdoor writer living in Sioux Lookout, in northwestern Ontario’s Sunset Country. Originally from southern Ontario, Ben has a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo. His love of fishing and hunting brought him to Sioux Lookout, where he lives with his wife and 2 sons. Ben is a dedicated outdoorsman who is passionate about fishing and hunting. With famous Lac Seul in his backyard the fishing possibilities are endless – from January through December. In his 12th year guiding, Ben is dedicated to customer service and works hard every day to ensure his guests have the best possible experience on the water. From keeping a bend in the rods with walleye action to chasing trophy muskies, Ben does it all.
Muskie fishermen are notorious for stockpiling tackle. Between new baits and old classics, both with different colour and size variations, it quickly adds up to a sizeable collection. Oversized tackle bags, boxes and bins for these baits typically take up a lot of space in the boat. Not to mention that muskie baits run about 30-bucks a pop, which makes it an expensive endeavor. The fact of the matter is that for someone looking to get into muskie fishing—or even a seasoned—could be very successful using just 3 different baits all season. Outfitted with just a spinnerbait, a topwater bait…
Last winter while ice fishing for walleye, I watched on my flasher screen as a narrow green band appeared below my bait. The green band turned red as the fish moved in for a closer look. I jigged my offering slowly to entice a strike. Nothing. I quickly reeled up and changed to a more subtle presentation. When the smaller offering settled near bottom the red band reappeared on the flasher’s display. I raised the bait and watched on the flasher as the fish followed it up. This time, however, I felt the unmistakable tap on my rod as the…
Guide proven tactics for when the going gets tough. When it comes to winter walleye fishing it seems like the trend is either feast or famine. One day they’re smashing everything you put in front of them and the next they’re nothing more than marks on your flasher. Trying times on the ice get more common during the mid-winter timeframe, too. When walleyes aren’t co-operating try turning to finesse techniques to coax bites from inactive fish. WATCH FOR SIGNS There are no hard and fast rules saying when it’s time to start finesse fishing. On a day-to-day basis I let…
Muskie are notorious for following baits only to turn away at the boat without striking. Known as ‘raising’ a fish in the muskie world, it is a significant event in itself. Raising fish means knowing their location, which is half the battle. The other half is getting them to commit and take your bait. There are some things you can do to increase the odds of catching fish once you’ve located them. PERSISTENCE PAYS Muskie are territorial by nature and often return to the same hiding place after they follow a bait. Returning to spots where you’ve raised fish is…
Top water tactics for explosive summertime muskie action. One of the first times I brought my wife muskie fishing I set her up with a Top Raider surface bait. They are easy to cast and even easier to retrieve. She was getting the hang of throwing the bigger muskie baits and her figure 8’s were coming along nicely too. We hadn’t been out long when I noticed the tell-tale ‘wake’ behind her bait and I calmly told her she had a follow and to just keep reeling and be ready to do a figure-8. As her bait approached the boat,…
The weeks following ice-out provide some of the best lake trout fishing of the season. Simple trolling tactics like long-lining and using planer boards are all that’s necessary to catch fish. Lake trout are a cold-water species, preferring water temperatures of less then 55-degrees. During the summer months they spend most of their time in cool, deep water, where it’s more challenging to target them. However, in the weeks following ice-out, water temperatures in the upper portion of the water column are within lake trout’s comfort zone. This creates a unique window of opportunity from an angling perspective. First, lake…
When the topic of ice fishing for pike comes up it’s hard not to think of late season fishing with tip-ups and dead bait in shallow water spawning areas. All for good reason, too. It’s a proven tactic for catching big pike. But what about the rest of the winter, before big pike head to the shallows? In my experiences, big pike spend much of the winter hunting in the same areas and depths that walleye do. In fact, every winter some of the biggest pike I see are caught on walleye gear while jigging for ‘eyes. GEARED UP My…