Help planning lifetime trip

Me and a good friend are looking to plan a trip of a lifetime. It sounds like a tall order but we're willing to do whatever we have to to make it happen. We are hoping to find a strong pickeral/pike fishery within 12-14 hours of the GTA, we will be roughing it, looking for either a campsite/park, crown area, or will sleep in the truck if necessary. Ideally we would like to go light as possible and are leaning towards bringing the canoe as opposed to the 14footer. The trip is planned for the end of July or first week of August and we will be going for a 5-7days. We are really hoping for some feedback, tips or suggestions. We are willing to go further if necessary.

All great feedback will be rewarded with good karma :thumbup:, and if you want to meet us there a few beers to show our gratitude :silly:. Thanks for your help, looking forward to your comments.

12-13hrs puts you just outside Wawa.. Chapleau area offers some good canoeing/fishing.
http://www.chapleau.ca/en/visit/parks.asp

Did a fly in to this area a couple years ago, last week of June. Fishing (walleye/pike) was good
http://www.ontarioparks.com/park/missinaibi

Lot's of nice areas you could go to. Lke Jben said 12 - 14 would put you near WAWA or maybe you would prefer towards Cochran. I guess an important question is what kind of gear do you have? Do you have tents, stove, lantern's etc. Do you want to be in a park or out in the Wild Blue Yonder.

I've been to chapleau twice, fished Racine Lake, first time it was fantastic, best pickeral fishing of my life, few years later all the eyes were replaced with smallmouth, fished 4 days and hardly any eyes at all. Also fished Jenny under Racine. Beautiful area. We do have the equipment and I am not opposed to the blue yonder lol

I would head for Temiscaming but swing into the bush around Eldee, staying on the Canadian side of the Ottawa River. You might even get up to McClarens landing.
There used to be a road that ran north from Smooth Rock falls up towards Moose Factory . We found some big river walleye in that area.
Then there is always the road to Pickle Crow.
Take the canoe and a trailer boat, switch around when you see the water available. Go with an open mind and be willing to change your plans if it seems crowded.

You can't go wrong around Biscotasing. Tons of campsites and crown land you can pitch a tent on. I would lean towards the 14footer with a small outboard as it will enable you to cover more water as there is certainly lots of water to fish. It would be just over a 6 hrs to get there.

Nakina, about 16 hours. Just East of Nipigon.

Unless you're a strong paddler who get's out a lot, bring the 14' boat and motor.

5 days on the water just paddling can exert a toll many folks are unprepared for. 2-3 are fine, but by the 4th-5th day you'll be wishing you could just cruise.

Mox is right about the Nipigon area, or go as far as Terrace Bay, and head North from there.

Forget all that nonsense of traveling ten hours.

Load up your 14ft'r and find a place to camp on Manitoulin Island. Here you will catch world class walleye, rainbow, and salmon, all within 15 minutes of ANYWHERE on the Island. There are so many lakes and rivers that are loaded with trout and salmon, i have a difficult time choosing where to fish each day. If walleye are your choice, i can put you on top of them easily. Its the most underutilized and forgotten place to fish. You'll easily tie into some of the best fishing and most beautiful scenery you will likely ever see.

Google tent and trailer parks and pick one thats close to where you want to fish and the species youre after. Manitoulin Island WILL be a trip of a lifetime..i guarantee it. (oh, and little to no bugs depending on where you are on the Island) :)

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Originally Posted by MickeyKnox

Forget all that nonsense of traveling ten hours.

Load up your 14ft'r and find a place to camp on Manitoulin Island. Here you will catch world class walleye, rainbow, and salmon, all within 15 minutes of ANYWHERE on the Island. There are so many lakes and rivers that are loaded with trout and salmon, i have a difficult time choosing where to fish each day. If walleye are your choice, i can put you on top of them easily. Its the most underutilized and forgotten place to fish. You'll easily tie into some of the best fishing and most beautiful scenery you will likely ever see.

Google tent and trailer parks and pick one thats close to where you want to fish and the species youre after. Manitoulin Island WILL be a trip of a lifetime..i guarantee it. (oh, and little to no bugs depending on where you are on the Island) :)

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I will take you up on that one of these days! So far I leave for the Algonquin trip this Sunday at 4am, thanks again for your help, ill let you know how I make out.

Just one thing to note...road access to a number of the lakes up north can be very much limited (restricted actually).
Unfortunately there is not a very good system for communicating these restrictions until you get to the road and see the signs.
Once you have a destination in mind, connect with the local MNR office to see if you can actually access those roads for fishing.

Darren