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I'm a big fan of the Platypus gravity works filter. I fill the reservoir bag from the lake while I'm paddling to my campsite. Once I get there I hang the bag first and set up camp while gravity filters the water for me. You can have a litre of water in a few minutes with no effort. As a bonus they also have an additional carbon filter that does a great job filtering out that frog/beaver/turtle pee taste 😜
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You don't HAVE to buy a water filtering system. I have successfully used Pristine water purification drops for many years. MEC storesell it, but on occasion you can find it in drugstores as well.They are two bottles, 60 ml each, comes as a pack for about $ 20.00. It does many litres of lake water, makes it completely safe and has no after taste or colour at all. To be extra cautious, usually I boil a couple of litters of water at night, add drops, when cooled poor into 1 x 2litre plastic pop bottle that I bring along for that and were good to go. BIt more work maybe, but it's definitely cheaper then anything else.
When cooking meals, water is boiled for 2 minutes, drops added, let sit for 15 minutes, return to heat source an finish making meal, making sure to separate enough of the treated water for a hot beverage.Never had an intestinal problem yet, after 40 years of camping.
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Moyo wrote:
Wow lots of info and still learning the areas and different lakes. I did laugh about the wife and excited dog while trying to land a large pike. Was thinking of leaving next week for up to 5 days and had farm and crotch lake in mind but that mention of hydro lines and lots of campers close is sort of a turnoff.
Nonetheless I think they're your best bet. Farm and Crotch are equal in convenience and pike but Crotch is probably prettier and less of a thoroughfare, just camp in the north half of the lake where sites are more spread out. It's not an especially busy part of the park. Take a look at the AA trip logs database, there are some base camping trips described on Crotch Lake.
Looking for eating size pike and maybe a bit larger (also trying to find regs on that within the park).
Algonquin Park is within FMZ 15 and those are the fishing regulations that apply. There are also some general fishing rules just for the park (no live baitfish, no winter fishing, no fishing within 100 m of any dam), but the species-specific regulations are just the zone-wide ones. Accordingly, there is no restriction on the size of pike you can keep; the daily retention/possession limit is 6 pike on a sport license and 2 on a conservation license. If you do go to the Crotch/Farm area, I suggest eating every pike you catch up to your daily limit, as they are an invasive species that is considered the single greatest threat to the park's trout fisheries in that watershed.
So is farm or crotch not a great choice?
Pike in those lakes come in all sizes, they're definitely not all monsters. You'll see some examples in the trip logs.
Will be renting a canoe so getting the outfitter to drop off is easiest which probably makes a difference where I go.
Not much of a difference actually -- pretty much every access point in Algonquin gets canoe delivery service from at least one outfitter. For access point 17 you can get delivery from Opeongo Outfitters in Whitney or Algonquin Bound in Madawaska.
I guess I have to buy a water filter. Any recommendations? MSR I've heard of but can I count on $400?
Not sure where you get $400 from. I use the MSR Miniworks which is less than $100 at MEC. As you can see from the replies, others have their own preferences, and as tentsterforever points out there are even cheaper options than filters. Filters are preferred by most people who camp a lot but if this trip is a one-off you might just want to go with drops.
Also I downloaded Jeffs map. Very helpful.
Definitely!
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I ended up going with the platypus filter and charcoal add on. Something about turtle pee... lol
DanPM, I was looking at farm and seemed nicer and more secluded but crotch lake island campsites look pretty nice. Is that a road I see running right in between both lakes? I hope not as on Jeffs map it looked different but google earth shows it as a road. I will definitely keep any pike I catch and appreciate all the helpful info on this forum!
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Up to the lake crossing its an access road. At that point it's gated and continues north as a logging road not accessible to the public. Hence the change in style on Jeff's map, though both parts are marked. There are many such logging roads through the Algonquin interior but for the most part there won't be vehicles on them unless that area is being actively logged, which you can check for on the AFA operations map. The public may walk on logging roads but not drive/bike/cart.
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Ontario Fishing Regulations
Algonquin Park is in Zone 15.
Barbara
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Algonquin Park Management
Rules and Regulations
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SEC lake has decent size pike.  I have caught several in the 3 to 4 1lb range.  I only fished Wet once but did not catch any pike  ( it does have very good bass fishing)
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BASIN LAKE (no portages) is my favourite PIKE lake in ALGONQUIN PARK. Really nice campsites where you access the lake and another really nice campsite on the island. Â
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