Regular readers of this column are well aware of my lifetime attraction to the wilderness fishing available due north of the international border.
My full-course Canadian affection has been fed in bites ranging from family vacations to the easily reached bass lakes of visitor-friendly Ontario to remote camps that are reached by floatplane, the only way in and out. I’ve fought big pike on the rock-strewn Georgian Bay and teased much smaller speckled trout from the swift rapids and glistening black pools of the Lady Evelyn River.
My favorite place north of the border is Lake Temagami, a semi-wilderness, well known far and wide for its trophy lake trout. Not that I couldn’t be tempted to hop a flight to a shoreline camp somewhere else but certainly only if the outing wouldn’t interfere with our annual Temagami trip.
Sport show time
I mention Ontario now among falling snowflakes and frigid temperatures only because in coming weeks will be sport show time and that means Canadian camps will be featuring specials, discounts, in an effort to fill their reservation lists. And yes, they typically have a few good dates still open.
Keep in mind that several Ontario camps now offer non-resident black bear hunting as well as fishing. Sport show specials can be a real deal when one considers the favorable currency exchange rate. It changes slightly day to day but currently it averages about 32%. That translates to $100 U.S. will exchange for $132 Canadian.
Exchange rate
But a bit of advice: don’t count on getting the whole benefit from the exchange rate at cash registers along the way north. Ask the teller at your bank is he or she has taken in any Canadian currency from travelers who have returned home. When it shows up grab it because it’s the only exchange in which you’ll not have to pay some sort of shipping or service fee.
Know the lingo
Understand the language when you are talking to camp owners. Understand that camps often offer several layers of creature comfort. Top billing is an American plan in which you will get a cabin or resort room, three served meals, and perhaps a fishing boat. An American plan is perfect for a family vacation. We signed on for an American plan with the Severn Lodge while touring a local sport show and it was indeed, a family vacation we still talk about decades later.
Other less costly plans include housekeeping (cottage) rentals, maybe a side trip or one day guided fishing, a shore lunch, or even a fly-out experience. If it’s a camp that sounds good, sign and go.
Stateside vacations
That’s not to say there aren’t countless places that need visiting right here in the states. Some fishing buddies and I are thinking seriously about a three- or four-day spring trip to Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee, one of the finest crappie lakes in the country.
Rather than tow one of our rigs we will probably book a package that includes room, boat, and even bait. We may even hire a guide for day one, a shortcut to finding the right spots and the best techniques. We are hoping to find a good place to base our Reelfoot trip at one or more nearby winter outdoor shows.
Thank you for mentioning Severn Lodge. We are thrilled to hear that you had such a great time and hope to see you again! All the very best
I found it interesting when you said to sign u for an American plan when doing guided fishing. My brother wants to do a big fishing trip to Canada soon since we both have it on our bucket list. We’ll be sure to find a floatplane that we can take in to fish.