Algonquin Adventures / May 07-10 Trip: cold, wet and 0 fish...again! :(

**Posted by goneagainjon** 5/14/2019 3:21 pm

After months of planning and pouring over maps, unfortunately my May 03 backcountry trip (Magnetawan to Grassy Bay and back) was canceled. I know many of you were in the same boat. So, as a plan B, I headed up to APP on May 7th for a few days of car camping and fishing before my planned trip into Pen for 2 nites (May 10-12). Alas, that was canceled too. We did manage to paddle Cache Lake and do a little 'ice-breaking' (thin crust of ice in a few places). It was cold and wet and we had zero luck fishing (grand total of 1 spec in 4 May trips now ) . My canoe partner bailed so I came back Friday. Planning to get up this coming weekend with my son. He gets bored fishing so we won't be fishing much if at all. Anyone willing to PM me and share a tip re: one of the better hwy 60 stocked splake lakes? I want to catch (and release) one before I retire from trout fishing. Thanks in advance! Signed, the world's worst trout fisherman

**Posted by Bambi** 5/15/2019 8:06 am

What was your fishing style/method? Lures used, areas on the lake targeted?

**Posted by PaPaddler** 5/15/2019 8:14 am

Not sure which stocked lake would be best but there is lake stocking data out there to see where the numbers go...I'd follow the numbers.

Best tip...get to a river. Specks are smaller but far more numerous. Small tackle like spinners or 1/8 ounce tube jigs work great. And there's the not-so-secret-weapon of worms.

Best rivers include the Tim, Nip, Crow...some areas are a bit more easily accessed (i.e. the Crow below Big Crow Lake). Most good speckled trout fishing is generally hard to get to. It may not be the skill of the fisherman in question when you are fishing sparsely populated waters.

**Posted by MartinG** 5/15/2019 3:39 pm

Not stocked but LOTR is probably the best trout lake on the corridor. I've caught a few Lakers there and one brook trout. There was someone who used to post here who ran Trout fishing classes on LOTR. He never failed to catch fish there on his courses.

You could also try the Oxtongue R. for Brook Trout. I would put in at Pine Landing and paddle up to Whisky Rapids. Then Portage into Westard and try your luck.

I've been skunked on all the stocked lakes along the corridor.

**Posted by Was Hardcore** 5/16/2019 12:02 am

MartinG wrote:
Not stocked but LOTR is probably the best trout lake on the corridor. I've caught a few Lakers there and one brook trout. There was someone who used to post here who ran Trout fishing classes on LOTR. He never failed to catch fish there on his courses.

You could also try the Oxtongue R. for Brook Trout. I would put in at Pine Landing and paddle up to Whisky Rapids. Then Portage into Westard and try your luck.

I've been skunked on all the stocked lakes along the corridor.

That's Greg Betteridge and he can catch trout if there are trout.His technique is unstoppable.

**Posted by oldboyscout** 5/16/2019 10:11 am

I'd have to agree with Pa about the Tim river. It is quite easily accessible and a nice drive from the HWY 60 corridor

**Posted by goneagainjon** 5/16/2019 10:47 am

Many thanks all for the tips! I like the river idea PaPaddler...I have actually caught specs in the distant past on the Oxtongue R as per MartinG...how is the Pet River PaPaddler et el?

**Posted by Dead_Weight (DW)** 5/17/2019 2:24 pm

Like MartinG I`ve had little luck with any stocked lakes along the corridor. Like any body of water though .. if you put in enough time and cover the area you will eventually get something, especially in spring. But I have young kids and no way they want to spend hours trolling, etc.

Are you up for a water taxi ride up Opeongo ? if so that opens up the Crow river as a good option ... lots of brookies in those sections.

**Posted by Antman** 5/18/2019 8:25 am

you're always better off fishing for river specks. They are much more aggressive than the lake fish. The crow river isn't as good as it once was . Too many fishermen keeping too many fish.