While we want you to enjoy filling your limits and your belly, we are firm on practicing catch and release of larger, mature, breeder class fish. We appreciate and expect our guests to release ALL walleye over 18" and northern over 27.5".  No Walleye or Northern larger than these are allowed. These practices along with improving feeder streams and spawning grounds are making the fishing here on Wabaskang better year after year and hopefully for generations to come.   If you do catch that trophy fish of a lifetime and want to get it mounted, we will offer to pay the difference to have a replica made. Just take some quality pictures and a couple measurements and release the fish for a future angler to enjoy!

Questions:

• What bait/lures should I bring?

  • Depends on what species you are targeting, what time of year you are fishing and what your level of confidence is​!

  • If you asked me what is the one lure/bait I would use to catch multiple species of fish I would say that you can't go wrong bringing and assorted size of jig heads and soft plastic bodies. Often, you can tip these with a little live bait and target virtually any fish.

  • ​Generally:​

    • Walleye: ​1/16 - 1/2 oz. jig head with soft plastics (paddle tail swimbaits, fluke style baits, twist tails) or live bait, worm harnesses, lindy rigs, crankbaits, hair jigs.

    • Northern: Jig heads with soft plastics (paddle tail swimbaits), spinner baits, jerk baits, and topwater baits (buzz baits, etc...). Spoons (gold, 5 of diamonds).

    • Smallies: 1/8 - 1/4 oz. jig head with soft plastics, tube jigs, hair jigs, wacky worms, NED rigs, top water lures (Pop-R) or a slip bobber and night crawler all work well.

    • Perch: Slip bobber and piece of worm, 1/32 - 1/8 oz. jig head with small plastics, small hair jigs.

    • Lake Trout: Trolling spoons, 3/8 -1/2 oz. jig head tipped with minnow imitation plastics or live bait.

• Do you sell live bait?

  • YES!!!  We have minnows, night crawlers and leeches for purchase in our bait shop.​  

  • You CANNOT bring live or frozen bait across the border, but you can purchase at retailers such as Clark's Bait Shop in Dryden or Bobby's in Vermilion Bay or 4Seasons Sportshop in Ear Falls if you prefer to bring your own.

• What kind of rod and reel do I need?

  • A medium rod with a spinning reel spooled with 15 - 20lb braid will do the job. If you are going to cast larger baits for northerns, you may want a medium/heavy or heavy baitcasting rod and reel spooled with braided line. ​

  • I personally use a medium light rod spooled 15 lb braid and a 20 lb florocarbon liter which adds to the fun and challenge. For northerns I use a medium action rod with 15lb braid and a 20 lb flourocarbon liter. It's whatever you feel confident with!

  • I do have an extra rod spooled with 6lb momo and a 20 lb florocarbon liter for jigging walleye with live bait. Other than that, I would recommend braided line for most situations. 

• What is the best time of year to catch fish?

  • Walleye: ​Great pretty much all season long! There is a strong population of 1 -3 lb fish with many trophy size fish as well (4 - 12lb). 

  • Northern: Trophy size fish are caught all season long but the best time period is usually the first few weeks of the season when the fish are shallow or from late July thru the end of September.

  • Smallies: Many fish in the 3 - 6lb range. Best time period is usually late June thru September.

  • Jumbo Perch: Excellent all season long! Lots of fish in the 9 - 13" range. Best time period is usually July and August.

  • Lake Trout: Early spring and late fall are best.

  • Given the different depths, layout, and bottom structures of our lake, there is no bad time of year to come fishing

• Do you supply lake maps?

  • YES! Upon your check in at camp we will give you a high quality map of the lake and tell you which spots have been productive​, at what depth, and what baits have been working. Also, there is a larger map in our fish cleaning house that guests will mark during their stay

Fun Facts/Info:

***Each spring a mature female walleye lays approximately 26,000 eggs per pound of body weight.  Less than 1 in 10,000 will survive to maturity under perfect conditions.***

Here is information from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) for the walleye population in Wabaskang Lake during a the most recent study of samples using a standard gillnet method.

"Wabaskang Lake Walleye Status Report Card"

• Abundance is above average (compared to other walleye lakes in the Northwest Region)

• Good size range of fish

• Two very strong year-classes (ages 1 and 2) are entering the population

• Male growth is similar to Northwest Region average. Female growth is higher after age 4

• Male and female condition is slightly higher than the Northwest Region average

• Egg production is much higher than the Northwest Region average

• Wabaskang Lake is part of the Cedar River Watershed; check out more fish facts from the Association's page.

License Info / Fees (2024):

• We do not sell licenses at Tall Pines Camp. They are available for purchase online or at the Dutchies General Store 1 mile south of camp.     You can also purchase them on your way to camp just before the 105 in Vermillion Bay at Famous Bobby's  or stop in Dryden at the  Clarks Bait Shop

• Outdoor card (Needed for all licenses but valid for 3 years): $6.50 (estimated US dollars)

• CONSERVATION License (estimated US dollars)

  • 8 Day: $23

  • 1 Year: $40                                                    

• SPORTSMAN License (estimated US dollars)

  •  8 Day: $40

  • 1 Year: $62