The largemouth fishing on Lake Champlain, which lies between Quebec, Vermont and New York, is so good that legendary B.A.S.S. tournament angler and TV show host Roland Martin half-jokingly told a weigh-in crowd that he was thinking of moving from Lake Okeechobee, Florida, to Champlain because of the bass fishing.
      Lake Champlain is so good because it's loaded with excellent bass habitat and has a great forage base. Bass-tourney angler Marc Cloutier, who caught a seven-pounder on Champlain, recommends fishing back bays off the main lake. Look for reed patches, docks extending to deep water, and the mouths of feeder creeks. There are some great weedflats where spinnerbaits and topwaters can yield high numbers of two- and three-pound bass. Cloutier says main-lake weedlines are often overlooked, yet cough up some of Champlain's biggest largemouth. Carolina- and Texas-rigged Berkley Power Worms produce big- time. Fours and fives are caught regularly and sixes are not uncommon.
•Contact: Quebec Tourism, (800) 363-7777.

This shallow, weedy fish-factory, south of Peterborough, has long been considered one of the finest largemouth bass lakes in the country. Largies in the two- and three-pound range are common, with fours and fives seen regularly. And sevens aren't out of the question—in fact, Wayne Izumi caught one a few years ago during a tournament.
      Although most of the wild rice beds have disappeared, largemouth still have excellent cover to choose from. Docks can yield trophy largemouth. Or try casting spinnerbaits across weedflats early in the season. A dramatic metamorphosis occurs around mid-August every year, when much of the lake is transformed into a thick blanket of algae. Tournament anglers keep catching largemouth consistently by using their push poles to poke holes in the algae and thick weeds to create visible feeding areas for monster largemouth. Choose bassy hangouts—especially the ones that produce prior to the algae bloom. Dunk a plastic worm in the hole, shake it in place and wait for the fish to come investigate. When your line moves, set the hook and reel in your big Rice Lake largemouth.
•Contact: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Peterborough District, (705) 755-2001.

It may be a shock to learn that a lake in B.C., which has only a handful of bass waters, has the criteria required to produce the trophy of a lifetime. Duck Lake is Canada's best bet for a 10-pound-plus largemouth, having already yielded an 8-pounder. Only a few lakes in North America have the conditions to yield such a fish.
      Rob Baldwin, a former B.C. fisheries biologist, explains that Duck Lake's location in southern B.C., near Creston, gives it the extended growing season that bass need to reach 10 pounds. There's also a prolific forage base. What's more, Duck Lake receives relatively little fishing pressure (bass are not nearly as popular in B.C. as they are in Ontario or Quebec).
      Duck Lake is part of a large delta where Kootenay River enters Kootenay Lake. There's a four-bass limit, with slot sizes, and a year-round open-season. Proposed regulation changes, however, may see a catch-and-release-only, spring bass season. But for those who want a unique bass fishery and an honest shot at a rare Canadian 10-pounder, Duck Lake is the spot.
•Contact: B.C. Fish and Wildlife Office, Nelson Region, (250) 354-6584.

Tournaments on Rideau are usually won with largemouth averaging four pounds. And even non-pros can expect bass averaging two pounds and also a few four- to six-pounders.
      The Upper and Lower Rideau lakes have some of the finest deepwater weedlines in the country. To find the bass, look for back bays, shallow weedy shorelines and isolated structure, such as fallen trees and stumps. Try slow-rolling spinnerbaits overtop weedlines or a deep-diving Rapala Risto Rap alongside weed edges pushing the 17-foot level. Purple, Texas-rigged plastic worms or jig-and-pig combos can be dunked into these weedlines or used around timber and other heavy structure for big largemouth. Walkin'-the-dog with a Zara Spook provokes strikes from both shallow and deep fish. Grubs and tubes round off the largemouth angler's arsenal for inactive fish.
•Contact: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Kemptville District, (613) 258-8204.

Lots of water, lots of isolated weeds and lots of fish. Bass here average a couple of pounds but four- and five-pounders are not uncommon.
      Start by checking out shallow areas, such as shorelines, flats and back bays. Brian Berriault, who runs Backwater Tackle in Midland, says the Severn Sound area of Georgian Bay, from Midland to Honey Harbour and even further north around Parry Sound, offers some great untapped largemouth fishing. Some of the best spots on the Bay for big fish—such as Matchedash Bay, Sturgeon Bay, Hogg's Bay and Honey Harbour—offer lots of aquatic vegetation.
      The hottest technique is a Texas-rigged, 10-inch Power Worm (red shad, black or tequila sun rise colours), on a medium-heavy to heavy action baitcasting combo. You'll need 14- to 20-pound mono or a 20- to 30-pound braided line for flipping and dunking into heavy cover. You'll also need a stiff rod to pull those largies out of the weeds.
•Contact: Backwater Tackle, (800) 675-4071.

The filtering effect of zebra mussels over the last five years or so is responsible for new aquatic plant growth in areas of Lake Simcoe where weeds had never grown. The result? Increased largemouth habitat and ultimately better bass fishing. However, largemouth have moved deeper to the locations where their preferred habitat has "moved." In other words, weeds are deeper and generally so are the largemouth.
      Deepwater largemouth anglers on Simcoe use deep-diving crankbaits, tube jigs and grubs. One trick is to throw something different, like a jig and Berkley Power Lizard, especially the pumpkin/chartreuse colour.
      Shallow-water bass anglers do well early in the season fishing heavy cover such as pencil reeds, flipping cattail banks and pitching to docks. Shallow-water anglers casting spinnerbaits, plastic worms and topwaters need to remain far back from their targets because of the clear water.
•Contact: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Aurora District, (905) 713-7400.

"I think The Bay of Quinte is the fastest-growing bass fishery in Ontario," says the MNR's Steve Lawrence. Zebra mussels showed up in the early '90s and filtered the bay. A booming largie fishery has resulted.
      Largemouth have established strong populations in the Trenton, Hay Bay and Muscote Bay areas, and have now expanded throughout the Bay. You can find bass in the shallows of all backwater areas in the early part of the season, and as the season progresses, you can catch them from the deep weedflats and weedlines.
      For numbers of fish, throw a white spinnerbait over the expansive weedflats that cover six to eight feet of water. For inactive bass close to structure, a black-and-blue jig-and-pig is still hard to beat. Natural coloured tubes and grubs also produce well.
•Contact: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Tweed District, (613) 478-2330.

For those who like variety, the interconnecting bodies of Pigeon, Buckhorn and Chemong lakes, known as The Tri-Lakes, definitely offer a cornucopia of bass structure.
      Buckhorn has slop, island shorelines with fallen timber, lily pads and boat docks, but deep weedlines are the hot ticket here. Texas-rigged plastics, like Berkley's black and blue Power Craws, are productive. A local technique that pro anglers have adapted from recreational live-bait anglers is to allow a worm to sit in a weed pocket or a hole in the slop for extended periods. When the line begins to move, set the hook hard. Stout baitcasting tackle and heavy mono or braided line is required.
      The weedgrowth on Chemong draws both bass and anglers, but don't overlook smaller floating slop beds, docks and subtle breaks. Try throwing a rattling bait, such as the Rattlin' Rapala, to these breaks for a quick limit of keepers, then look for isolated cover to find the larger bass.
      Lower Pigeon swarms with pencil reeds, floating slop and undercut cattail banks, while Upper Pigeon is deeper and rockier—not as many fish, but bigger.
•Contact: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Peterborough District, (705) 755-2001.