what do i need to bring for a first time

[karol]

 going to gold arrow camp for my first Canadian fishing trip, they have boats but no depth finders or trolling motors , also since i'll be going over the 4th will the fish still be shallow or look for moving water?
   
  i have a ton of plastics , is there any must have's for the smallies and walleyes? spinning gear or also casting with medium heavy rod? thanks guys!

[djkimmel]

Well... where exactly is this?? If you are fairly far North you might still find some bass spawners yet - assuming they have smallmouth bass? Not every lake up there has bass in it I have found...

Walleyes will be long done with their spawn but they may still be somewhat shallow if you are up there a ways... though the type of lake, water and forage has quite a bit to do with that. Ask the camp for sure what they recommend because they usually WANT you to catch fish so you'll come back!

If there are smallies I'd take some casting gear. Walleyes are weird so sometimes you only seem to catch them good on weenie stuff but some smallmouth bass techniques are just much easier to do and more comfortable with casting gear. Again, the lake type, water color and forage will have some say in all of this.

I've caught walleyes only by fishing pretty deep in clear water but then I've also flipped them out of cattails and reeds, caught them during summer in less than 4 feet of water on rock bars or even sand. I've also caught big ones from fairly shallow weeds on ultra-clear lakes. Like I say, walleyes are weird.

If the lake(s) has lots of shallow wood cover you might catch both walleye and bass from there any time of the year, especially up north. Especially if you're fishing tannic water. Make sure you ask them questions at the camp BEFORE you go. That should help a lot!

But be prepared for something new and even out of the box!! I saved us from starving to death one year in Canada by doing things that had me being ridiculed and ostracized by the 'old-timers' because 'it just isn't done that way, boy...' It didn't really stop though there were pauses in their 'praise' of me every time I reminded them WHO caught the fish they were eating... ALL WEEK LONG!!!

[karol]

just north of international falls about 2 hours

[fiker]

Round ball jig heads and chartreuse grubs are cheap and will catch both species.

[djkimmel]

Yeah, you can make it as simple or as complicated as you like. But simple is kind of boring. For me, anyway... Good Luck!

[detroit1]

 If (when) you talk to them, ask if it's a lead-free lake, just in case. (never know these days) Bring a fish-landing glove, cheap dishwashing soap to use as insect repellant, and a mosquito head net.

[djkimmel]

Hopefully... going in July will reduce the black flies and mosquitoes! I almost went crazy the year we fished up there early in June (I think it was)... Black fly clouds and attacking waves of 'sparrow-sized' mosquitoes!!

I didn't think of the lead-free angle... I wonder if that is something that is happening up there in places??