Pushing Late Season Limits On Lac Seul

The allure of pursuing late season giants on northwest-ern Ontario’s Lac Seul has a unique risk to reward fac-tor. This sprawling lake is vast and remote. Cell service is gone before you even reach the Deception Bay boat launch.

- Ben Beattie

The first sign of life when traveling up the lake is 40 miles from the launch, an outpost resort that’s been long since closed for the season. There’s a good chance you won’t even see another boat if you’re really pushing late into the season. Faith in your equipment is mandatory.

The rewards, on the other hand, are what every musky hunter dreams of. The chance for a true late season giant skews the risk factor, so the push on into November continues.

The truth is you never know what to expect when going deep into the season up here. I’ve been frozen off the first week in November and I’ve fished into December. It’s usually gameover around November 10-15.

Mid-Late

I consider the last two weeks of October to be mid-late season. It’s well past turnover and the muskies are settled into predictable fall patterns, leaving every possible technique on the table. Suckers, casting, jigging, trolling — it’s all in the lineup.

When conditions call for it — when it’s not too cold — I prefer casting. Rocks are king, either prominent points or if you’re worried about hitting it with your boat — cast it.

Big rubber is just as proven here as it is anywhere else. Medussas, Bull Dawgs, Posseidons and Shadzillas keep my rubber rod loaded. I remember the first time I ever saw magnum Shadzillas — my buddy Tony Hernandez from Chicago brought them up — and after netting a 50- and a 53-incher for him I raided his supply.