Walleye Fishing:
Our lodge is located on McLennan Lake, which is about 10 miles south of Chapleau. Our lake is smaller than some of the big lakes in the area. It is a crystal clear lake and for this reason, has to be fished in the evening only for walleye. The Walleye are common in the 1 to 3 pound range and on occasion bigger Walleyes in the 4 to 5-pound range get caught. There are trophy Walleyes in the lake but it's very rare to see a 10-pounder. There are those exceptional days where the Walleyes are just feeding like crazy.
It is not uncommon to catch over 100 walleye in a 4 hour period in one of the nearby lakes in the area. We don't want you to think that you will see action like that on McLennan Lake but you can catch some nice walleye and it happens all the time on our drive-to lakes.
We promote catch & release on the home lake and ask that all Walleyes between 17.1 and 28 inches be released as they are in their prime spawning age. Another reason why we have a good Walleye population is because there is a high population of feeder fishing in the lake such as Whitefish, Dace, Suckers and some perch.
Northern Pike Fishing:
Lakes in the Chapleau area are home to a healthy population of Northern Pike and also produce some big trophies. Northern Pike in the south grow much faster but with warmer water there are also more parasites so Northern Pike rarely get over 10 pounds before they parish. In the far north towards the tree line and into the arctic tundra it's the exact opposite. Northern Pike live to be very old and become larger because of the clean water but they also grow a lot slower because the water is so cold and unfertile. Chapleau seems to be in the goldilocks zone where Northern Pike grow fast and live to a ripe old age. With a high population of Whitefish in our local lakes the Northern Pike are well fed and can get big.
Smallmouth Bass Fishing:
Most lakes in the Chapleau area are home to an ever growing population of Smallmouth Bass. Our area is now one of the top destinations in Ontario for Trophy Smallmouth Bass because the bass have thrived in our clear rocky lakes. The Smallmouth Bass evolved in the Great Lakes' Water System and the Mississippi River basin. Through the illegal introduction of fish as well as eggs being transported by waterfowl, the bass have made their way into most of northern Ontario's lakes. They were once considered an invasive species but their popularity has given them game-fish status.
Brook Trout Fishing:
Many guests are very surprised with the Brook Trout (Speckled Trout) fishing opportunities in the Chapleau region. We have beautiful streams and several lakes in the area with great trout fishing opportunities.
Perch Fishing
There is limited Perch fishing in the area. Because of the high population of Pike most of the Perch stay in the thick weeds. In the morning if you are catching Walleye and it's in an area with thick weeds, then most likely the Perch are in the thick weeds. As the day gets brighter the Walleyes will slow down so try mooring into the thick weeds and fish straight down off the boat with a small hook and a piece of worm. If you stir up the bottom with your anchor you should attract more Perch from a distance. Make sure you have a second Pike rod handy. A perch feeding frenzy attracts big Pike.
With a sports fishing license you are allowed to bring home 50 Perch, which is a great way to have lots of fish for the big fish fry.