Fly fishing the Ottawa River for bass

Certainly one of my favorite summer season actions is fly fishing for smallmouth bass in flowing water. So, when Jeff Jackson, proprietor and operator of Algonquin Fly Fishing, supplied OOD Editor Ray Blades and myself an opportunity to fish out of his drift boat on the Ottawa River, I discovered myself counting down the times.

Jackson is a consummate skilled. He’s a Fly Fishing Worldwide-certified casting instructor and, within the off season, a professor at Algonquin Faculty, instructing outside journey and tourism-associated topics. With him on the oars, you’re in good palms.

Alongside for the trip

We met Jackson in early August, the night earlier than our float, in Beachburg, a fairly little city simply southeast of Pembroke. We had been staying there on the aptly named Whitewater Inn, a sublime place that supplied a superb mattress and breakquick expertise. It’s the sort of place you could possibly fortunately take a non-angling partner to and get full factors for the selection.

Jackson tell us what we may anticipate, and laid out the plan for the float together with, security directions, and the place we might meet to launch.

A drift boat is principally a river dory that’s steered and propelled by one individual working the oars. Everybody else is simply alongside for the trip – or on this case, to forged streamers to one of many numerous fishy spots. Drift boat experiences are common within the US, however uncommon in Ontario.

I had excessive expectations of the waters, however at the launch level the following morning, I spotted they in all probability weren’t excessive sufficient. The Ottawa River, at that stretch, is concerning the closest factor to smallmouth bass heaven I’ve ever seen. It’s a tea-colored, boulder-strewn, food-filled circulation the place each present seam, weed line, financial institution, and boulder (and these are numerous) appears excellent for hold- ing bass that proved to be enthusiastic consumers of flies.

We stayed on the Whitewater Inn in Beachburg, a few half hour south of Pembroke, then drove quarter-hour to the Nationwide Whitewater Park in Foresters Falls.

We may have simply fished the complete day inside sight of the launch and had a good time — because the first few casts shortly proved. Throughout that prime time, I had a fish on instantly, and was hardly ever capable of string two casts in a row through which a fish didn’t observe or hit. Blades, although he lacked the benefits bestowed by a casting place on the entrance of the boat, additionally did effectively.

They weren’t big fish (principally within the 12- to 16-inch vary), however they had been fantastically clear and feisty smallies — the sort that make the tip of a fly rod dance, particularly in quick water. These are what Jackson dubs medium-sized fish. The bigger ones, he says, hit the 20-plus inch mark.

On the float

The float — in that drift boat — is what makes the expertise distinctive and is what attracts you again.

The river isn’t privately owned — that is Canada, in spite of everything. However entry alongside that whole seven-hour stretch is. Plus, there are simply sufficient rocks and whitewater areas to maintain out motorized boats. Nor was there any growth in sight. One trapper’s cabin was, in actual fact, the one construction we famous alongside the best way. We floated down a beautiful and brawny wild river that had carved its manner by way of the uncooked and rugged Canadian Protect. If it may have been any higher for a fly-fishing smallmouth bass junkie, I can’t think about how.

We fished beneath the outstretched wings of eagles and osprey. We caught dozens of smallmouth bass, and different species together with a small channel catfish.

Ridiculously fishy spots

On a visit like this, you shortly develop respect and admiration for the individual on the oars. Jackson knew the river and learn how to navigate the whitewater stretches. Extra importantly, he knew learn how to maintain the boat in place and place so we may ship streamers into ridiculously fishy spots for as lengthy because it took to exhaust the bites there.

At noon, we pulled right into a picturesque level for a picnic lunch (this can be a catch-and-release expertise), and take forged from shore. Not surprisingly, we caught fish right here too.

By the point we landed on the takeout level, Blades and I had our fill of contemporary air, nature, and bass. And that’s an incredible feeling to have. Jackson, who labored the oars solidly your entire day, seemed able to do it once more. And that’s a superb factor, as a result of I’m undoubtedly going again.

Different AFF adventures

In spring, Jackson  affords Algonquin Provincial Park wade-and-fish adventures for brook trout too. AFF additionally guides fly fishing adventures on the Petawawa, Madawaska, and different stretches of the Ottawa in summer season.

Casting instruction can also be out there.

Fish species

In the event you select to focus on any of those, Jeff and his guides may help.

• smallmouth bass
• brook trout
• walleye
• pike
• muskie
• channel cat
• fallfish
• white sucker
• rock bass
• perch

Journey particulars

Price: $500/day, $50 for a further angler. Two anglers max per boat. AFF runs two drift boats and two fly-fishing particular rubber rafts. This permits for a maximum group dimension of 8.

Contact: www.algonquinflyfishing.com

Lodging: www.whitewaterinnbeachburg.com

Initially revealed in Ontario OUT of DOORS’ Fishing Annual 2024

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