This labor day weekend, we are going to trip to Basswood lake (specifically Jackfish Bay) for the first time. We are planning on paddling up to the canoe only section and will basecamp from there. We are planning on doing a lot of fishing, but really have no clue where to start. We'll primarily target walleye and hopefully some big pike, but will fish smallies too if we find them. Would anyone care to provide a little advice? Depths to target, presentations, areas to avoid, areas to concentrate on?

I appreciate any help I can get!

all of Jackfish bay is motors so you will see motorboats, non motors is in goose narrows
heading towards basswood river

I was thinking the mouth of the Range river and Spawn Creek were no Motor as well.

I have caught some monster pike from Jackfish... I find big vegetation flats and throw spinners and buzz baits over them for pike and smallies. I usually use regular bass fishing sized lures, not huge pike lures. My best out of there was 37 inches, but I have been in the canoe when a couple over 40 were caught.

Not much use on the walleye as I have only caught them while throwing crankbaits for bass.

Thanks bkebs

If you are looking for the opportunity to catch a trophy Pike toss big bass lures in Jackfish(hence the name). If you are looking for walleyes Head up to US Point with a topo map, as many night crawlers as you can carry, a anchor bag(30ft heavy duty rope and a basketball net with the bottom tied shut), and a couple marker buoys. Work all around reefs from the top all the way to the 30ft areas. Pro tip: set up a system where you keep the majority of your crawler cache at camp safety in a shady cool area and just take what you need out in the canoe. The area is known by us basswood cowboys as the late summer big walleye spot. . What type canoes you guys taking ? Are you bringing a depth finder ? If not think about getting the navionics app you should get cell service up there. Between the app and using your anchor bad to gauge the depth you should be fine. Keep in mind this is the big time, fishing mid lake structures in big water out of a canoe is not easy and can be dangerous. Peace and Love

We will be in quetico 17’s. I have a depth finder. May be a dumb question, but the big walleye are you speak of is in US waters, right? What do you use in carry in all your crawlers?

Big bass lures...like big spinner baits?

walleyevision: "We will be in quetico 17’s. I have a depth finder. May be a dumb question, but the big walleye are you speak of is in US waters, right? What do you use in carry in all your crawlers?


Big bass lures...like big spinner baits?"

Typically large quantities of crawlers are sold in flats. I would bring that flat along and just keep them in a shady cool damp area. Yea spinner baits or any other big bass baits that are weed friendly. The Queticos are good big water boats. Yes all on American side. Figure out a method to run the anchor from the back of the canoe. you can get away with tieing it off to the side gunwale when wind isn’t a factor but when wind is in play it can lead to swamping the canoe. Feel free to email me fpaull84@gmail.com

Last year we had good luck with big pike trolling a chub on the bottom.