Bowman hoists a hefty Whitefish smallie

TV’s Fish’n Canada hosts call Ontario’s Whitefish Lake a mutispecies hot spot

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By Angelo Viola & Pete Bowman

As this past summer pressed on, we again had the privilege of visiting new fishing destinations to record future episodes of The Fish’n Canada Show. Tough to take, we know! One of my favourites was a quaint little place called Hidden River Lodge on Whitefish Lake in northwestern Ontario’s Algoma Country.

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Nestled right in the heart of walleye country near Hawk Junction, the lodge was the perfect location for a Fish’n Canada shoot. Combined with adjoining Manitowik Lake to the north—accessed via a small channel in an old flooded dam—the acreage of fishable water was incredible. Missanabie, Dog and Wabatongushi Lakes were also nearby, all part of the Michipicoten River System.

For this shoot, I ran a solo mission. I was a bit worried because I’d never been to Whitefish Lake before, but after talking to lodge owner Matt Risko, my confidence was high that I would get into the fish. My target species were walleye and smallmouth bass in Whitefish, and brook trout in the neighbouring smaller lakes to which the lodge has access.

Bowman hoists a hefty Whitefish smallie

Thanks to a solid game plan, the shoot ended up a success. On Whitefish, I caught a bevy of smallies (and a few bonus walleye) amid some gorgeous waterfall settings, and I had a blast using a slip-bobber rig to cherry-pick walleye hidden in rocky structures. Trolling for feisty Algoma brookies on the neighbouring lakes rounded out the action.

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Hidden River Lodge is simply one of those awesome fishing destinations that’s not only easy on the wallet, it also offers multiple fishing opportunities to keep everyone in your group happy. Did I mention you can also go after lake trout, as well as northern pike, whitefish and perch? Fishing opportunities, indeed.

Learn more at www.hiddenriverlodge.com and www.outdoorcanada.ca/onfishing. For a complete guide to Fish’n Canada Show episodes, TV channels and show times, go to www.fishncanada.com or www.facebook.com/fishncanada.

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