Canadian Fishing Checklist

[JDubya]

I'm getting ready to make my first fishing (pike & walleye) trip to Canada and I'm sure many other people are getting ready as well. So I was wondering what kind of checklist some of you may use to prepare for the trip. I searched the forums and could not find any geared towards a fishing trip, so I've came up with the following list. Any others out there, comments or suggestions?


FISHING
____Rods (4)
____Reels (4)
____License/Permit
____Spare Spools
____Xtra Line 8 lbs. Maxima
____Nippers/Eye Punch
____Hemostats
____Needle Nose Pliers
____Net
____Hook Sharpener
____Tape measure/Scale
____Towel
____Polarized Sunglasses
____Atlas/Lake Maps
____Tackle box
____Jigheads 1/4oz (75)
____Soft Baits (100)
____Spoons
____Spinnerbaits
____Leaders 12”
____Swivels and snaps
____Reel oil/Silicone spray
____Bug Spray/Sunscreen
BOAT
____Stringer
____Life vests
____Trolling Motor
____2 Stroke Oil/Gas
____Drain Plug
____Minnow bucket
____Oars
____Anchor & Rope
____Spare Tire
____Charge battery
____Xtra Shear & Cotter Pins
____Fuel tanks filled
____Spare rope
____Fish Finder
CAMPING
____Backpack
____Sleeping bag/Pad
____Tent/Poles/Stakes/Fly
____Rope
____Tarp
____Water Purifier
____Water bottles/Thermos
____Food/Drink/Snacks/lunch
____Silverware
____Stove & Fuel
____Lighter/Matches
____Bowel
____Mug
____Day Pack
____First-aid kit
____Repair kit
____Towel
____Soap
____Toweletts
____TP
____Trash bag
____Toothpaste/Brush
____Deodorant
____Lantern/Flashlight
____Compass
____Camp chair
____50’ rope
____Books/Cards
____Duct tape
____Firestarter sticks
____Binoculars
____Rinos/2-ways
____Knife
____Gerber Multi-Tool
____Filet Knife
____Axe
____Flashlight/Batteries
____Camera & Film
____Cell Phone/charger
____Pen & Paper
____Cooler
____Gold Bond
CLOTHING
____Jacket
____Fleece/Sweater
____Pants (2-3)
____Boots & Camp shoes
____Hat/Warm Cap
____Shorts
____Gloves (Xtra pair)
____Rain Gear
____Long underwear top/bottom
____T-Shirt (4-5)
____Wool/Liner socks (4-5)
____Spare dry clothes in car
TRUCK
____Spare keys
____Jumper cables
____Shovel
____Tow strap
____Tool kit
____Jack
____Lug wrench
____Tire plug/sealer
____12 VDC air compressor
____Manual
____Insurance/Registration
____Fire extinguisher
____Gas can/Funnel
____Spare belt
____Antifreeze/coolant
____Oil/Tranny fluid
Check Truck & Trailer
____Spare tire
____Lights
____Tire pressure
Check Truck
____Oil/Tranny fluid
____Coolant/Power steering
____Wipers & washing fluid
____Brakes

[ESOX]

Bug Dope, and sometimes I have been forced to wear a head net. Those black flies can drive you crazy.

[vanwagm]

Your list looks good to me. I do have a question, hopefully someone can answer. I'm heading to Simcoe later this summer, and will be taking my boat. Do I need any Canadian permits and/or licenses for my boat?

[live2fishdjs]

I'd probably bring two of such items as needle nose, sunglasses, and towel. Items I didn't see that I would include would be chapstick, zip-lock bags, camera (disposable(2) and digital), topwater baits, and stick baits. Have fun! :)

[bounty hunter]

Customs will issue a permit when you cross. Some times they ask and some times they don't.

[kbkrause]

Beer

[pikefisher]

to go along with headnet, I'd consider thin gloves as well. The mosquitoes and black flies will hit any exposed part of your body, regardless of size.

[jigworm]

GPS or compass.

[just ducky]

I've been going annually since '77, and we portage/fly in to an outpost cabin (I use the term cabin VERRRRRRY loosely...more like a shack). Depending upon if you're at a fly-in area, or drive right to it, the one bit of advice I can give relates to clothing......not sure where you're headed to, but we go NE of the Sault, and the weather varies widely that time of year. We've seen temperature switches of 30 to 40 degrees overnight. Might be snowing when you get up in the morning, and by 6 pm it's 70 degrees. So you need to come prepared for anything, and that means warm weather and cool weather clothes...INCLUDING FOOTWEAR! Over the years we've had guys come with us and they only bring leather hiking boots, or a pair of tennis shoes. Unless you can drive right to where you're staying, you have to pack all of this stuff in, and that's where the experience comes in. You need to pack thoroughly....but not overload! The first thing we do with a newbie when we're loading up Friday night is look at his gear bags. More than once we've made a guy dump all of his stuff and repack it, leaving a ton in the truck. Just takes an experienced eye to know how much is too much...or not enough. :one_eye:

[FREEPOP]

I you take worms, empty all the dirt out before you cross because they won't let you in with American dirt, even if they are Canadian Crawlers :dizzy:

This is very true, and will cost time in driving back over and dumping dirt.

[trailwart]

make sure you have your registration and proof of insurance for you truck and boat. i also read they are now requireing non residents to posess a boaters safty certificate, might want to check in on that if you dont have one.

[FREEPOP]

Exchange all your money at the boarder, Government type facility. Otherwise they will rape you blind using American money. You can use credit cards and they can't set their own exchange rates also. Beer, cigarettes and gas are very very expensive in their currency, it pretty much evens out on the exchange. You can only take a case or fifth and a carton of smokes per person.

[kingfisher 11]

I guess it sounds like things have been to easy for me the last 20 years of going into Ontario. Never had any questions about boat registrations or other wise. No boating cetificate is required is required until maybe around 2006

I know at one time no registration was needed on a small boats. If you MI reg was expired then it did not matter. They may have changed that. Your MI tags/reg. are good enough.

New law up there is a safety kit. A bunch of bull if you ask me. You have to have, bail bucket, floating flashlites, whistle and 50' of floating rope. Of course once you get there and you don't have this. They sell a real nice handy dandy pre made up kit. Of course it cost you more then double of what you can assembly one for here.

I am taking my boys up NE of the Sault during our annual Memorial weekend trip.

Like stated before I can show you pictures of us with our shirts off one day. Then the next day you have everything on you own and snowing. That trip I was forced to go to the local store for some cheap Jersey gloves. I should take back the word cheap. They cost me $5.00 and that was US funds. It was kind of a joke at camp that trip. Guys were hiding them on me because I treated them like gold. We even put our rain gear on just to help us keep warmer and break the wind. Still caught fish though, cold front did not slow them down one bit.

[Fins]

I know one things for sure, if you bring everything on that list you are more prepared than I ever am when going over.

[Bucktail Butch]

New law up there is a safety kit. A bunch of bull if you ask me. You have to have, bail bucket, floating flashlites, whistle and 50' of floating rope. Of course once you get there and you don't have this. They sell a real nice handy dandy pre made up kit. Of course it cost you more then double of what you can assembly one for here

Unless things have changed since last year, that applies to Ontario residents. Their law regarding nonresident boaters states that if your on-board safety equipment meets the requirements of your home state or province, you are legal in Ontario for, I believe, up to sixty or ninety days.

[JUSTCATCHINUM]

Take a roll of masking tape. Use this to tape around you pant & shirt cuffs. This will help keep insects out. Black Flys can bite more than once...without you knowing until you see your blood, swelling and feel the itching....100% Deet works the best for a repellant.

[fishwhore]

If this is a fly-in type trip be sure to a bring wire cutters. We have had 2 trips to Ontario that required emergency hook removals from thumbs. Those monster pike can be very violent in a boat and can put a hook in you quickly. It is very painful to pull a barbed hook back through the skin and is often much easier to push it through and cut the barbed end of the hook off. I would also encourage you to bring a COMPLETE first aid kit and not just some store bought one. Minor cuts, pokes, and bites can become infected quickly and can ruin a trip into the bush. One guy got bit while feeding an over-friendly chipmunk at our camp and his casting finger was aching all week. Another guy got bit by something and his hand swelled up like a catchers mit. Be prepared for many first aid scenarios including stitches, broken bones, burns, hooks, and bleeding. It can be days before a plane will spot your signals if the weather is foul so you need to be able to stabilize a wounded buddy and improvise to possible save his life.
-If you have any perscription medicine that you want to bring, be sure you have a copy of the prescription. They will consider it illegal drugs at the border otherwise.
-Wear sunscreen even if it not real sunny. When on the water for hours you can get a nasty burn that can take you out of commission for a few days.
-Minnow trap and leech trap. This will provide you with endless native bait.
-Lots of liquids. BAck in 1986 we ran out of beer, fresh water, and pop because the weather stuck us in camp for 2 extra days and the plane could not fly. We had to boil water, strain through coffee filters, and flavor it with lemons to have something to drink.
-Bring stuff to ward off cabin fever. High winds and torrential rains can keep you inside for days. Books, Chess, scrabble, cards, etc.
-Beer

[kingfisher 11]

Fishwhore
You may want to scratch the minnow trap. Check the regs but I beleive it is illegal for us to trap minnows in CD. Matter a fact we were told that. We also had to show a receipt to a CO up there to prove we bought the minnows and did not trap them.

I keep telling myself I am not going back but my boys enjoy this trip more then anything. They enjoy the bears, the moose and the left and right catching that always keep a young child interested. Who knows, maybe this will be my last year. Ontario really only wants us to catch and release anymore. The slot limits are just crazy.