The fishing

An MNR trophy walleye fishery

Wine Lake and its connecting waters give up walleye from mid-May through September, pike from ice-out to freeze-up, and smallmouth that will save any slow afternoon.

Designated trophy fishery

Walleye

Peak

Early June peak; mid-May through September

Size

6–12 lb common · 18"–32" trophies released yearly

Tactics

1/16–1/4 oz jigs, spinners, twister tails, Rapalas, minnows & worms

The walleye fishing is plentiful amid Wine Lake's many rocky shoals, and connecting waters produce from mid-May to September. Bounce your jig off the bottom in 8–12 feet, or troll the windy shoreline when there is a walleye chop on the lake. The Ministry of Natural Resources has designated Wine Lake a trophy walleye fishery. OntarioAnglerAwards.com recognized Wine Lake in 2006 for the largest walleye caught and released in Ontario — a 34" fish gently released by Jim Miller of Tallahassee, FL. Conservation District policy is to eat only 14"–18" walleye; the larger brood stock replenish the lake.

Big mamas in the cabbage

Northern Pike

Peak

Ice-out through fall

Size

10–25 lb · 30"+ regularly boated

Tactics

Rapalas, shiny spoons, top water, 9-weight fly gear with deceivers

Many an angler comes to hunt the cagey northern pike, and the battle these big mamas give you makes for a fast-action trip. Our pike will eat almost anything, so come prepared with tough leaders and extra line. Drag a Rapala or cast a spoon into the cabbage weeds and match wits with a trophy-size northern. Fly fishermen and top-water anglers get a thrill when hungry pike break the surface. Please gently release these monsters.

Rock-shoal brawlers

Smallmouth Bass

Peak

Late June through September

Size

2–5 lb bronzebacks

Tactics

Tubes, topwater, small crankbaits along boulder shorelines

Wine Lake's boulder points, wind-swept reefs and connected water hold hard-pulling smallmouth that will save any slow walleye afternoon. Sight-fishing the shallow rock in late June is a favorite with families and fly anglers alike.

A rare cold-water fishery

Lake Trout

Peak

Spring and late September shallow; deep June–August

Size

10–25 lb typical · camp record over 41 lb

Tactics

Light silver and fluorescent spoons; weights or downriggers to reach 50–70 feet in summer

In spring and late September, fish the shallow water for lake trout — boiled, grilled or baked, they make a fine meal. Through the heat of June, July and August the lakers hold 50–70 feet down, so use weights or downriggers with light silver and fluorescent spoons. Lake trout are a rare cold-water species: only 1% of Ontario lakes still hold them, yet Ontario has nearly 25% of the world's population. We run a catch-and-release policy on these slow-growing fish, and careful handling and release of brood stock over 22" protects the fishery. OntarioAnglerAwards.com recognized Wine Lake in 2006 as home to the largest released laker in Ontario — a 45" fish caught by Mike Jones of St. Louis, MO — and in 2014 Spencer Logemann caught and released a 41-1/2" laker.

Jumpin' jumbo perch & clear-water whitefish

Perch & Whitefish

Peak

All season

Size

Eating size 9"–11 3/4" · 12"–14" jumbos released · camp best 14 3/4"

Tactics

1/16 oz jig and nightcrawler along weed edges and rocky drop-offs

Plenty of 12"–14" jumbo perch are caught and released each year. If you like a plate full of eating-size perch (9"–11 3/4"), you'll appreciate fishing Wine Lake with a 1/16 oz jig and nightcrawler — possession limits range from 25 to 50 fish per license, and jumbos at or over 12" go back alive. Bob Miller of Appleton, WI reeled in a 14 3/4" perch in September 2014, and after a summer of non-stop perch, 10-year-old Madi Brewer summed it up: "I feel like I'm living the dream!" Whitefish share the same cold, clear water — the water we still cut 500 lb ice blocks from each winter — and round out a shore lunch alongside the perch.

Season timing

When to come, and for what

Pick your week by what you want to catch. Early June is the single best walleye week of the year and books first.

Mid-May

Walleye & pike opener

Post-spawn walleye stack on the shoals

Early June

Peak walleye

The single best week of the year

July – August

Family season

Warm water, smallmouth, swimming, shore lunches

Mid-Aug – mid-Sept

Bear season

Archery black bear over pre-baited stands

September

Fall walleye & moose

Big fish shallow, adult moose tags available

Sept 15 – mid-Oct

Grouse & duck

Shotgun hunting plus the fall walleye bite

Conservation

Why the big fish are still here

The Wine Lake Conservation District policy is simple: eat 14"–18" walleye and release everything bigger. Those larger fish are the brood stock that keep replenishing the lake, which is why the Ministry of Natural Resources designated Wine Lake a trophy walleye fishery — and why a 34" walleye released here in 2006 was recognized by OntarioAnglerAwards.com as the largest caught-and-released walleye in Ontario that year.

If everyone in your cabin buys a conservation licence and takes no fish home, we discount your trip by the cost of each licence — roughly $35 a person.

Trophy fish at or over these sizes go straight back in the water: walleye 18", northern pike 35 1/2", lake trout 22" (about 8 years old), smallmouth 13 3/4" and jumbo perch 12". Catch-and-release cradles come with every boat, and our staff will show you how to use one.

Check open weeks Rates & licences