Articles have been written by a few different “Musky Experts” and they have concluded that Wabigoon Lake is one of 7 lakes in Ontario that could house the next world record musky!

Let’s start with a little history of “the goon”. Wabigoon Lake became famous among musky fisherman across Canada and the US in the late 1970′s & early 80′s. Craig Dawson was one local angler who caught the musky fever in the late 1970′s & early 80′s his family owned Birch Cliff Lodge on the North shore of Wabigoon Lake. He regularly guided on the lake but his passion was to catch the next World Record Musky! Around that timeline there was a Canada wide fish derby called ” The Molson Big Fish Contest”  that ran all year long from coast to coast. In 1981 nine of the ten largest muskies caught in Canada were caught on Wabigoon Lake, many of those were caught by Dawson.

This spurred the influx of Musky Anglers from across North America in search of the Next World Record Musky! This influx ran up to the late 1980′s. There were record numbers of monster fish caught during the hey day! Unfortunately during this time period the practice of catch & release was rarely used. This was devastating for the musky population in Wabigoon Lake.

During this in the mid to late 1980′s Bernard Lebeau, one of the world’s foremost musky experts had came to Wabigoon Lake to study the Musky in Wabigoon Lake, over a few of summers he studied the musky. During these studies he had a live net in which he caught a monster musky, one more impressive than any that he had seen. This is a portion of an article written by Larry Ramsell on “How Big do Muskies Get”.

Do Muskies Really Get That Big??
by Larry Ramsell, Research Editor

And let us certainly not forget the musky that Bernard Lebeau captured in his net on Wabigoon Lake at Dryden, Ontario in 1985. At approximately 5 feet long and a head so big that Bernard couldn’t get his arm all the way around it, it was massive. Unfortunately it got ornery and escaped shortly after the photograph, seen here with and provided by Bernard (see photo), was shot, so no length, girth or weight was taken. Had they been able to corral it, it would have been implanted with a transmitter and could have provided some incredible data! As a side bar to that fish, after Bernard examined the Ontario record 65 pounder caught by Ken O’Brien in 1988, he told me by phone…:

“I hate to tell you this, but the Wabigoon fish was much larger than O’Brien’s fish!”

(To see this article & the photo go to http://www.bonnybay.com/howbigdomuskiesget.htm

Also Bernard’s research  was telling him that the musky fishery on Wabigoon Lake was in distress! Luckily in the late 1980′s the Musky season was closed on Wabigoon Lake! In the mid 1990′s the season was re opened but with limitations that if any one wanted to keep a musky it must be at least 52″ long! This along with groups like Muskies Inc. promoting safe handling of muskies as well as catch and release of Muskies was a start to the rebound of the Wabigoon Lake Musky population! In the late 1990′s the Ontario MNR decided to put a Minimum keep size of 54″ for Muskies on Wabigoon Lake and a few others where Muskies had the potential to grow to be a World Record Musky!

Here at Davis’ Bonny Bay Camp we get many anglers who come year after year in search of the World Record Musky! This will be our 11th summer owning the lodge and we have been pleasantly surprised with the increase in numbers of Muskies caught here. As well as a full size range from small to Super Tanker Sized! Every season we are seeing more fish in the 50″ plus range! In all of the time that we have been here we have had out guests catch legal fish 54″ + but due to there great ethic’s they have been released!

In the January/February 2012 issue of Musky Hunter magazine, there is an article with photo’s Titled “Numerous Huge Muskies Caught in the US & Canada”. The first Musky in the Article “was caught in Ontario’s Wabigoon Lake and is the largest fish in the report” On July 30, 2011 Travis Turond Caught this 57″ Musky at 8:30 in the evening on Wabigoon Lake! Travis released the beast to the depths of the Goon to grow larger! Maybe in the next few years Travis will catch the Next World Record Musky! I don’t know the girth of the fish but at 57″ long it is just one inch shorter than Ken Obrien’s Ontario Record 65lb Musky!

We are excited to see the rebound of the Musky Fishery! Wabigoon Lake is living proof that catch & release as well as imposing size limits on fish work well! We enjoy catching more fish & better quality fish than we have been able to catch for years! As well even with the size rules we are still able to catch & keep enough for a good feed!

These Ontario Deer Hunting Tips are based on hunting methods that we at Bonny Bay Camp, have learned over the years while hunting near Dryden Ontario!

At Davis’ Bonny Bay Camp we offer two options for our hunts,  the first is a hunt on private land that we lease, we have everything pre scouted and set

Congrats Keri on your first deer! See you next fall!

up for you. The other is a option where we give you an area orientation on a map, and you do your own hunt on crown land. This Volume of Ontario Deer Hunting Tips is for people who are a little adventurous and prefer to hunt on there own on our vast expanses of crown land (public land).

One of our Ontario Deer Hunting Tips for a new person hunting on crown land would be, to research the area prior to starting your hunt. Google earth can be a great tool for this, especially for areas closer to Dryden ON where the picture quality is a higher resolution. Otherwise if you want to contact us at  Davis’ Bonny Bay Camp, we can get you information on where you can access good maps that designate crown land vs. private land, with many of the logging roads etc. Generally in our area our crown land is comprised of natural forests, swamps, lakes & rivers along with large areas that have been cut over. We can also direct you on where to get maps on areas where tree harvesting is happening or proposed in the near future this can be a great asset!

Assuming that you are hunting for a Trophy Buck, after learning a little about your hunting area, some good Ontario Deer Hunting Tips would be,

1. In most cases big bucks don’t travel freely in an open cut over area
2. Normally when wood harvesting takes place they leave buffers of trees along all waterways, swamps etc.
3. This makes those areas excellent funnels for the deer to travel giving them some cover from predators.
4. Another key location would be a crossing point on a creek or river, ie. a beaver dam is an excellent funnel or ambush point!
5. Some of our terrain is quite rough, therefore it is good to find a ridge overlooking these areas, a ridge overlooking a beaver dam can be a dynamite spot!
6. When hunting near the cut over areas usually a fresher cut 5 years old or less is better, it gives you better visibility as well it provides good vegetation for the deer to feed on.
7. During the rut, scout the funnel areas for scrapes & rubs, that definitely will give you some confidence in weather or not  to spend any significant time watching these areas.
8. During the mid to late season we usually have snow! The crown land makes it awesome for those who like to track there buck! It seems that most of our hunters that hunt crown land are amazed at the size of our areas available to them, and the ability to track an animal for long periods of time over a large area without being cut off by another hunter as is common in some areas.
9. If possible, you can pre scout areas and clear shooting lanes and put out bait. Baiting is legal in our area and is very productive. Deer find corn or oats like candy, as it is not something that is readily available to them in this area!
10. And one last Ontario Deer Hunting Tip’ especially during the rut/pre rut it is a very good idea to ensure that you have your rattle bag along as well as your calls! We have had hunters almost run down by bucks after giving a few grunt calls during the rut! This is definitely a must for rut hunting.

If you want any more info please feel free to contact us, We have had many trophy bucks harvested on crown land using these techniques!

Congrats Kevin on this awesome buck!

In Early June of 2011 Robert Cardenas, Ryan Nelson, Lyle Nelson, Lenny Nelson, Chris Weid and Gene Weid arrived at Bonny Bay Camp for a week of Jumbo Perch Fishing in Dryden ON.

During there week they caught many great Walleye, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass and Crappie. But they had great success on with there Jumbo Perch Fishing in Dryden ON.

With the late spring they found the Perch schooled up in the weeds in the shallower lakes off of Wabigoon Lake. The small shallow lakes the water warms up quicker making the Perch and Walleyes  more active! Perch from 10″ to 14″ are common in numbers in these lakes at this time of the  year!

One of the Tricks that work well for  Jumbo Perch Fishing in Dryden ON at Bonny Bay Camp is to use small jig’s 1/8 or 1/16 oz tipped with a small piece of crawler. Verticaly jig them in between the weeds, your success will be much higher if you are right in the weeds as opposed to just off of the weed line.  At times when the Perch are very active even small bucktails and spinnerbaits buzzed over the weeds will land you some awesome fish!

Robert and the boys have consistently had amazing success doing this for the last 10 years here at Bonny Bay Camp. If you are a Jumbo Perch lover May and Early June is prime time Jumbo Perch Fishing in Dryden ON.

For more info and tips on Fishing for Jumbo Perch in Dryden ON, check out  this link http://www.bonnybay.com/fishing-perch-ontario.htm

A big thank you to all of our guests who have been posting some amazing Wabigoon Lake fishing pictures to our page on Facebook! We are happy to feature your pictures on our blog, and hope you enjoy the animated video we created with your pictures!

Wabigoon Lake Fishing Pictures

Featuring Your Wabigoon Lake Fishing Pictures

We would be delighted to feature your fishing trip pictures! Simply visit our page on Facebook and share your pictures! We save those pictures and feature all the pictures we can on our blog and social media!

Featuring June 2011 Wabigoon Lake Fishing Pictures from the fishing trip guests of Bonny Bay Camp and RV Park in Dryden Ontario, Canada.

New Wabigoon Lake Fishing Pictures 2011

Good Fishing and Good Weather

With hail the size of golf balls gone good fishing and good weather seems to be taking its place. Pike season is open and like last year (check out last years pike photos) the Early Season Pike Fishing is good.

This week our guests, Brad and Mark went fishing one day. They where our first guests out on the lake this season and the fishing was good.

Early Season Pike Fishing

Brad caught 5 Northern Pike, Mark caught 6 Northern Pike and a bass along with over 25 bites all in one day. Mark states that Brad caught the biggest Pike at about 40 inches. Mark went out fishing several more times catching some nice bass sizes 15, 16 and 17 inches which were all released. Mark noted as the week went on the fishing got better.

The Early Season Pike Fishing details:

The fishing was hot in water about 2-3 feet deep with most the Pike being caught in weedbeds and Smallmouth Bass being caught near rock piles. The bait of choice was Slop Master and Bucher Tails.

Something else to note is when Brad and Mark went out fishing, midweek, there was a full moon.

Early Season Pike Fishing Pictures

[Show as slideshow]

On May 5th we had our first campers for the season here at Bonny Bay Camp!

These brave soles are camping in Dryden Ontario, while working for Moose Creek Company planting trees in the area.

We are providing them with breakfast, a packed lunch and dinner every evening! We start breakfast at 4:30 am, and serve dinner for 6:30 pm. It’s a long day for all but it is a nice early spring start to our campground.

The campers have endured almost everything. This evening we had a hailstorm with the biggest hail that I have ever seen bigger than a golf ball! It was a little noisy but everyone is fine. A hailstorm like this is unheard of around here!

After working for 6 days straight the crew had a well deserved day of rest today! While camping in Dryden they have been enjoying the loons and ducks frolicking in the water by the dock as well just enjoying the refreshing spring breeze. Of course the highlight of the day was the evening hailstorm!

This weekend our seasonal campers will be starting to get ready to move in for there season of camping in Dryden Ontario!

If you have been Camping in Dryden before, or even have a favorite campground, here is a question for you. What do you like best about camping, our campground or your favorite campground?

Family Smallmouth Bass Fishing

Smallmouth Bass - Great Family Fishing

Kids have a great time catching smallmouth bass because even the small ones put up a great fight. We would be happy to offer tips for smallmouth bass fishing that youth can use to catch more fish.

Photo Of The Month Contest Eligibility:

Since January 2011 we here at Davis’ Bonny Bay Camp have been running our Facebook Picture of The Month Contest. The contest occurs monthly starting the 1st of every month and ending on the last day of the month at midnight; though pictures can be submitted anytime in between. To be eligible to enter this prestigious contest you must simply become a fan of the Bonny Bay Camp Facebook Page and a present or former guest.

Read more about the contest and becomea Fan of the Bonny Bay Camp Facebook Page.

The Definitive Guide To The Photo Of The Month Contest:

Once you’ve become a fan of the Bonny Bay Camp Facebook Page upload a photo from your stay at Davis’ Bonny Bay Camp to your Facebook profile. Then post your picture to the Bonny Bay Camp Facebook Page Wall. Once you’ve done that be sure to tag yourself in the picture.

At this point in time your picture is eligible for the contest and you are probably wondering how you win? Well it is pretty simple, get your friends, family and other fans of the Bonny Bay Camp Facebook Page to like your picture on the Bonny Bay Camp Facebook Page Wall. If your photo has the most “Likes” by the end of the month at midnight you win.

here is an example of a perfectly eligible photo:

What Do I Get if I Win?

Besides unlimited bragging rights and being granted titles like “master fisherman,” 25 Bonny Bucks are at stake. 25 Bonny Bucks equal 25 dollars redeemable only during your stay at Davis’ Bonny Bay Camp and can be used to pay for part of your trip, merchandise exc.

Congratulations to our previous winners: Robert Cardenas, Ryan Nelson and Lyle Nelson.

So start posting your photos but remember to follow these Rules and Regulations because if you do you could be the next photo of  the month winner.

Wabigoon Lake Musky Fishing Tips

Summer Musky Fishing Tips:

Musky love fast moving spinner baits buzzed over a thick cabbage bed. One of the great Musky fishing tips would be if you use a single hook you will be able to maneuver it through the weeds without getting loaded up with weeds. Short casts into the open pockets are more productive that long casts. Check out these Musky fishing pictures.

Musky Fishing Tips

Like Northern Pike, shallow is the key. 1 to 5 feet of water!!! You will be amazed when you can pull 50″ + fish from 1 to 2 feet of water! Musky Fishing Tips for Wabigoon – there are many weedy bays, feeder creeks engulfed with weeds and sand bars covered with clumps of cabbage weeds!

These musky fishing tips help you find prime musky areas to target, as well quite often it is easier to locate these gators in smaller weedbeds in cuts on mid lake islands or saddles between islands with weed clums near by! Wood & weeds is a great combo on the Goon! Look for deadheads & tree tops laying in the water with nearby cabbage weeds!

Fall Musky Fishing Tips:

Musky still love the spinner baits but as the water cools large jerk baits like Suick’s are priceless!! Along with the Believer or Swim Whiz, these are great fall Musky baits. It might be against your better judgment but if you fish the weed beds into late fall you can be rewarded with the fish of a lifetime!

Some other important Musky fishing tips are, fish by the moon phase

Online Musky Fishing tips:

More musky fishing tips are available at www.bonnybay.com

Dryden Ontario Topwater Musky

Topwater Musky Fishing Tips

2010 Dryden Walleye Fishing Weekend Video

A short video taken during a Dryden walleye fishing weekend last summer on Wabigoon Lake. There are over 50,000 acres of water, countless miles of shoreline and nine adjoining lakes with inflowing creeks and rivers.

A Walleye fishing dream-come-true, Wabigoon Lake is considerably warmer and more nutrient-rich than most area lakes – and the population of Walleyes seems inexhaustible. These factors combined with perfect Walleye structure makes Wabigoon Lake one of the best Walleye lakes near Dryden Ontario, and a trophy Walleye hotspot of the area.

The Best Dryden Walleye Fishing Weekend of 2010?

Many anglers report that Catch and release is a big part of any Dryden walleye fishing weekend!

Our Dryden Walleye Fishing Weekend Was Special

Dryden Walleye Fishing

Many anglers report that Catch and release is a big part of any Dryden walleye fishing weekend!

Dryden Area Walleye Ice Fishing:

Fish for Walleye, Northern & Jumbo Perch right near our lodge, or for the adventurous bring your snowmobile and we can arrange a guided trip to amazing winter walleye fishing at lakes only accessible by air in the summer!

Dryden Walleye Fishing Weekend Cabin Rental

Dryden weekend cabin rental overlooking the lake as well as the playground. With electric heat and air conditioning, two bedrooms with one queen sized bed, three single beds and one pull out couch, a full sized kitchen and a full bathroom with shower and bathtub. It also is wheelchair accessible. A perfect choice for your next Dryden Walleye Fishing Weekend!