The Best Unsuccessful Trip

I recently went on a trip deep into Ontario’s Sunset Country. I was in a bit of a rough spot with my mental health so I decided I needed to get away from my regular routine for a while. As I matured as an adult I realized that time and physical health were eventually going to run out. I had to live life to its fullest and take some risks. Plus I always wanted to try to catch a salmon.

With all these factors in play, I decided to take the journey to the Nipigon River on the north shores of Lake Superior. It was a crazy undertaking but I decided that I had to give it a try. I made the nine hour drive from Winnipeg alone with only audiobooks to keep me entertained. Soon, I came upon the majestic views that are the shores of Lake Superior.

The Nipigon River

The Nipigon River for me is the closest body of water that has salmon. My Lund Pro Guide was unlikely to handle the waters of Lake Superior but targeting salmon in the rivers would be safe. In late August, salmon begin their migration up the rivers until they are blocked by hydroelectric dams. The Nipigon’s first obstacle is the Alexander Dam where I focused my efforts.

The river was a fast flowing Canadian shield river with high clarity. It was a bit hazardous though as I did hit my motor on some shallow rocks. I spotted tons of sunken trees on the side scan which claim many lures. There are no maps of the lake so I had to take it slow and use Genesis Live to map out the contours. The scenery though is absolutely splendid.

While the salmon are prized, many people come to the area for brook trout. The world record brook trout came from these waters so it’s quite the fishery. I was going to do brook trout if I knocked the salmon off my list.

Fishing for a Salmon

Aside from some internet research, it really felt like I went into this blind.

The best way for anyone with little knowledge of the water is to troll. The most popular method is to troll crankbaits like a Rapala J13. It’s pretty simple but there are some difficulties. The current on the lower Nipigon can be really strong that you have to give a lot of gas. In fact I would even say that it’s not worth trolling through some stretches and it would be more efficient to skip high current areas. There are also lots of sunken trees that will need to be dodged. To add to all this, the river is really popular with anglers during the salmon run. It can be a bit hairy trying to navigate with all the boats letting out long lines.

When I went, the fish density was fairly low. You need to cover lots of water to find a salmon. I realized that the optimal strategy was to drive as far downriver as possible. That would allow me to make very long trolling runs and keep the lure in the water as long as possible. It was very tough fishing but it was what I had to do to catch a salmon.

I spent three days just trolling the Nipigon. I did hook into a chinook on my last day. The power of these fish is unlike any other fish I’ve seen (considering their size). My line counter read 350 feet at one point and I was considering chasing it down to not run out of line. I was starting to overpower the salmon but it shook the hook and I lost my only chance.

I did catch a rainbow trout at least when I took a break to cast into the shallows. So at least I did catch a fish. Unfortunately that is how fishing is sometimes. It was pretty heartbreaking since I spent so much on the trip and I would not get another chance for a while.

Staying at Quebec Lodge

On the bright side, I got to stay a pretty neat bed and breakfast place. It’s a lodge unlike any I’ve been to. Quebec Lodge is an old fashioned building facing the shores of Lake Superior. I got a meal plan where I got to eat with all the other guests. It’s not often that you spend a lot of time with the other guests like family. They came from all over the continent and I got to share my unique fishing experiences with them.

In general, staying at a fishing based lodge is a very good way to get local knowledge. I did learn quite a bit about the fishing by talking to the guides and guests. That is something you can’t get when staying at a campsite or a motel.

It was a very pleasant stay overall and if I had to go back to the area, I’d stay at Quebec Lodge again.

Lessons Learned

This trip has really taught me to enjoy trips regardless of the fishing results. Despite the lack of action, I really enjoyed being in amazing scenery far from home.

During all those hours trolling and driving, I had a lot of time to do some self reflection which happens a lot when fishing. I realized that I had to be more courageous in life and take more risks. When I got home, I decided to make amends with people I wronged in the past. I started to approach people more and strike up conversations. I vowed that I would live a life with fewer regrets. While they were things I’ve always thought about in the past, this trip really felt like a turning point.

Sometimes the best reward on a fishing trip don’t involve a fin.