Anglers in the northwestern part of the country tend to concentrate their efforts on bass, crappies and the ubiquitous bluegill. However, we won’t turn down a good opportunity to catch a limit of walleyes when we have the chance.

The golden-sided walleye is truly the glamour fish of the Great Northwoods. Just this last year, I had the chance to fish in Canada with a bunch of fishaholic friends and I jumped in with both feet.

Why Canada? Several reasons. Yes, it is true that Lake Erie, which is only a few hours away, is the “Walleye Capital of the World, but Canada is beautiful, wild and remote. Yes, a limit can easily be caught in Erie, but a trip to Canada always is an adventure, and usually provides a good mess of fish.

My friends and I headed for Klotz Lake in Ontario, which is on highway 11 near the little town of Longlac. I had bear hunted there in the 1980s and had fished the lake a couple of times, while the rest of those owl hoots had been traveling to this destination for 30 years. So, the lake was familiar.

The new owners have been working hard to provide a true wilderness experience for their guests. We stayed at Flint Wilderness Resort, situated right on the lake. As an example of its remoteness, although I did not witness it, one day a wild lynx leisurely strolled through camp. I wish I could have seen it.

We rented comfortable cabins and aluminum boats and motors, all part of the “package plan,” and set out to catch some fish. Klotz is a big, sprawling lake with lots of potential for stringers full of walleyes, pike and perch, along with an occasional whitefish.

As with most veteran anglers, we stuck with the tried-and-true methods of angling. This means that we trolled with ‘crawler harnesses and Lindy Rigs. Both have pulled many fish over the gunwales for decades.

‘Crawler harnesses consist of a monofilament leader of about 20 to 30 inches upon which is strung a number of plastic beads, with a spinnerbait blade on a clevis right in the center of the beads. At the end of the leader is a plain # 6 or #4 hook with a nightcrawler hooked through the nose.

Before the leader is tied to the line, a bullet weight or a lead walking sinker of about 1/4- to 3/8-ounce in weight is threaded onto the main line. This affair is trolled slowly with the rod tip held at about a 45-degree angle so that the sinker makes occasional contact with the bottom.

A Lindy Rig, named after the famous Lindner brothers of Minnesota, is a simple affair that consists of a similar leader, behind a similar weight with a floating jig head tied on the end of the line. Once again, a nose-hooked ‘crawler is affixed to the floating jig head.

Colors? Anything is good as long as it is pink/white. Believe it or not, this has been one of our hottest colors and it has produced lots of fish.

Want examples? Several years ago, I accompanied this bunch of varmints to Klotz, tied on a pink/white floating jig, and the first walleye I caught weighed over 9 pounds. That made me a believer.

This July, for some unknown reason, I was fishing with an orange jig head while my buddy John Simindinger was using pink/white. He had me down 5 fish to 0 when I finally tied on a pink/white jig. In less than 5 minutes, I had caught a walleye and continued to catch them all morning. Walleyes can be just that particular.

When to fish? Memorize this little ditty: “Early in the morning and late at night. That’s when the fish are going to bite.” It’s true. We nearly always make our best catches at these hours.

Walleye weather? I do not recommend being on the water when there is lightning and thunder. Always play it safe. 

But, following a bright sunny day or two, if clouds roll in, rain threatens and the weather scene changes, walleyes go on the prowl.

Why? Anglers come up with all sorts of explanations. The wind stirs up the plankton in the lake. The baitfish venture forth to feed, for two reasons. One, they are hungry. Two, they seem to “think” that the roiled water will hide their movements from the predatory fish.

Wrong! Walleyes, with their big eyes and their sensitive lateral lines, can easily detect the bait’s movements, and this triggers a feeding urge. This is the time to be on the water.

The Canadian border is currently open. You need to take a passport, copy of a birth certificate, and if you have a smartphone, download the Arrive/Can app. Be sure to go online and check border crossing regulations for the latest info, and also to find out if live bait can be taken into Canada.

It is not too late to take a trip this year. The fishing is very good in late August and September, when the fish go on a feeding binge before the onset of winter. Even October can be a big fish month, but the weather may be a bit tricky.

I would not hesitate to recommend Flint Wilderness Resort. For more info, check their web page at flintwildernessresort.com, or call 616-540-4329 or 616-262-6709.

If you watch their 2021 video, you might just see ol’ Graybeard with a stringer of fish. I’m the guy in the Boston Celtics t-shirt, and leaning on the fish cleaning counter, looking at more fish than I wanted to clean.

Fortunately, I had some good help; the cleaning did not take long, and the eating was fabulous. Try it; you will like it.