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Heading to Sunbeam Solo May 13-16 trying to beat the crowds (and bugs) - 1st time to this part of the Park.
Route - That time of year, is Blue Jay and Vanishing pond the way to go, or should I expect water levels to be a challenge? Planning on Sunbeam down to Tom Thompson on my way out. Any opinions / expectations for water levels though Aster and Willow?
Fishing on Sunbeam - I have read brook and lake trout. I have heard bass as well. With proximity to Hwy 60, should I be thinking primarily LT and bass?
Bugs – my first early season trip. Am I early enough to beat the bugs? What should I expect? Would 1st weekend in May be significantly better?
Opinions appreciated.
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I can't imagine Vanishing Pond to be a problem that early in the season. Unless we have a really early spring, I would expect you would be ok for bugs too!
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Bugs shouldn't be a problem unless spring and "ice-out" are early...I believe the official average ice-out (Opeongo) date over the years is April 30 (?)...I understand that it takes about 2 weeks after ice out for the black flies to emerge and then about another week before they start biting...that would put the blood donor date around May 21 in an average year...someone correct me if you can build upon this....other than last year, I have been in the park the previous 5 or 6 May Victoria Day** long weekends...saw black flies once and they weren't biting...btw, I hate black flies - nightmares of my university tree-planting days north of Thunder Bay in June (I should note that most of the last 7 years have been later than average ice-out dates) (**N.B. as Victoria day is always the second to last Monday in May it can be as late as May 24 and as early as May 18 of course)
Last edited by goneagainjon (3/08/2021 12:00 am)
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Did Blue Jay and Vanishing early July a few years back without any issue except a Moose cow anxious about me getting to close to the little one.
Last edited by keg (3/07/2021 10:54 pm)
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Forget bass....they are not in season yet until end of June.
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Thanks for input so far. Yes, of course Bass aren't open. Got ahead of myself. Thanks for the call out.
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I can vouch for the water level on Blue Jay and Vanishing Pond at that time of year. Did an ice out trip in that area a couple of years ago and took a side trip there, no problem.
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boknows wrote:
Forget bass....they are not in season yet until end of June.
Boknows, are bass not year-round now in some areas? Sudbury area I think...may not apply to AP though
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