Canadian Border is Open
Sunset Country welcomes you back! For many Americans, it’s been a long break from their annual fishing trips north of the border. However, as of October 2022, all Canadian border crossing restrictions related to Covid-19 have ended. There are no longer vaccine requirements, Covid testing prior to entry, random testing, using the ArriveCan App — nada, nothing. Entry to Canada is just like it was before the pandemic.
In August of 2021, our crew returned to Sunset Country the day the border reopened. We waited in line all night and into the morning with hundreds of others. For many of us, not being able to enter Canada was a sad affair. Sunset Country is such a remarkable place filled with many memories and opportunities. Having missed a fishing season and a half, it was amazing to return. It’s hard to find an adjective that describes the quality of those fishing experiences. It’s been spectacular!
Not that most of NW Ontario’s fisheries receive fishing pressure, compared to what we have in the states, but the lack of fishing pressure was noticeable. Many anglers simply didn’t travel because they were not vaccinated, had a person in the group who wasn’t vaccinated, or didn’t want to deal with the hassle of Covid border crossing procedures.
Many of these same groups had been traveling to Ontario for years and had deposits held by resorts to welcome them when things return to normal. With that in mind, there will be full camps this season. Bottom line: If you haven’t made plans to travel yet, now would be the time to make them before everything is full. It’s going to be another incredible year up there with waters infested with big uneducated fish!
In our opinion, the diversity in the types of water, species to target, and accommodations make Sunset Country one of the world’s best freshwater fishing destinations. Pick any type of trip you want. Go minimalist camping and explore wilderness parks, fly into an outpost with an entire lake system to yourself, or stay at a lavish lodge with guided fishing.
The variety of fishing opportunities is astonishing. Sunset Country has the Canadian classics like walleyes, trophy pike and lake trout — but there is so much more. It’s probably the best place on earth to musky fish. The smallmouth fishing is out of this world and there’s also good largemouth fishing. Crappie populations have exploded and are kicking out giants. There are big perch, stocked trout lakes and big whitefish. Not only is this species list rich, but many of these waters are world-class destinations for incredible action and a chance to catch a fish of a lifetime. It’s a multi-species paradise!
Again, there are countless options. Over the decades, the Angling Edge staff has visited numbers of fisheries and resorts, so we can certify that all these places exist and the fishing is legit. We are planning our trips now for the 2023 season, looking forward to visiting some of our favorite spots and exploring new ones. The most exciting news is that returning to Sunset Country is easier and closer than you think.
