Walleye
The main event
Locals call walleye "the filet mignon of Canada," and it's the fish most anglers drive up for.
Clear Shield lakes like Kabenung, Whitefish, and Dog grow strong numbers of eating-size fish in the
16–18 inch range, with bigger ones mixed in.
Early season is prime: when the water is still cold, walleye sit in less than 10 feet of water
in bays, along shorelines, and near river mouths. A lead-head jig tipped with a minnow is almost
cheating. As summer warms up, they slide out to deeper structure and the bite shifts to evening.
Northern pike
Pure muscle
If walleye are dinner, pike are the fight. They're everywhere and they're aggressive — one group of
nine anglers on Kabenung landed more than 200 pike in a week, including a 36-incher on an ultralight rod.
Break out heavier tackle and big bucktails or spoons if you want a true trophy. Weed edges and
drop-offs hold them all summer, and they'll hit a lure meant for something smaller more often than you'd like.
Smallmouth bass
Rocky and scrappy
Smallmouth love the rocky shoals, points, and islands that define these lakes. Pound for pound
they may be the hardest-pulling fish you'll hook here.
Bass open later than walleye — usually the third or fourth Saturday of June — to protect the fish
while they guard spawning beds. Once open, tube jigs, crankbaits, and topwater over rock will keep a
rod bent all afternoon.
Lake & brook trout
Cold-water gold
Deep, cold lakes around Wawa hold lake trout, while clean feeder streams and back lakes hold brook
trout — often called the most beautiful freshwater fish in the province.
Cold water is the key: lake trout are shallow and catchable right after ice-out and again in fall,
then drop deep in the heat of summer. Brook trout fishing is especially lovely in autumn, when the
forest turns and the fish colour up.
Whitefish, perch & more
Bonus bites
Lake whitefish, yellow perch, and burbot (locals say "ling") round out the menu. Perch are a great
target for kids and a fine shore lunch, and whitefish reward anglers who like a puzzle.
These species are often open when others are closed, which makes them a smart backup plan for
early-spring or late-fall trips. Always confirm the current rules for the exact lake you're fishing.
Michipicoten River salmon
The wild card
Here's the treasure almost nobody expects this far inland: Chinook salmon run up the Michipicoten
River, which flows into Lake Superior a short drive from town.
Late August into September is salmon time — even spawning fish that have stopped feeding will
smash a spinner, spoon, or crankbait swung in front of them. The town's Salmon Derby each August is
built around this run.
