I won't tell you where they are or how to get there, but if you fish them,
you won't be disappointed. Not easy to get to either!

They are:

Whitebark
Grove
Reserve

And all inside Algonquin Park.

Enjoy! I know I had great fishing when I fished them!!!


Bo

For someone who wishes to preserve AP you certainly have me puzzled. Some people spend hours and days researching this information, only to have someone blurt it out over the WWW.

yep .. U truely are a legend in your own mind.

D-monster

everyone likes to catch a fish, and the attitude adopted by AA frequenters is that of preservation and limiting catch. I'm not an avid fisherman by any means, but even I can see this.

Problem is that if this was a closed forum these statements would be all well and good.
But its not. There are hundreds of lurkers out there checking in here just to find out where to go for the "spring run" ... most are not anglers .. who take out way more than their limit.
I saw it happen on one particular lake last yr.


D-monster

Hey don’t take it out on Bo, he’s our spirit messenger, if the spirits think we should know “Bo Knows”

I would wager that these lakes are very remote, and would appeal to only the toughest trippers.

I'm thinking Master Bo prefers to crash through the woods, rather than paddle. LOL

Hope those breadcrumb trails aren't scooped by squirrels before he gets back to the start point!



Barbara

I know this is a big issue or some folks but in this case these lakes are so remote that its just not possible to get in an out in a day. So maybe (and that’s a big maybe) someone will venture there over a long weekend and harvest some fish. Isn’t that better then going to an already pressured lake? An people who break the regulations will do so anyway and anywhere.
I already know where these lakes are and although I like to believe that I am hardcore I doubt that I'll ever go there due to their inaccessibility.
An what’s with people an their keeping secret lakes. OOOOH NOOOO it’ll get fished out…oooohh. Why take these secrets to our graves. Personally I am thankful to people like BO an Coach who bother to share their wisdom and experiences. They are the wise men that adventurers would consult in the old days. They make tripping into the park a better experience for all us “Lurkers”.

First off, I love Algonquin Park and wouldn't give out any information that I feel would do it potential damage. These lakes are very difficult to get to and I would wager only fished by other anglers maybe once or twice a given year. That's how remote they are.

And Barbara is right on!!! Can't canoe to these lakes and you have to do a "wee bit" of bushwhacking to reach them. No campsites on them either so you can't legally camp on them. It is definitely a very long day trip to get to them and back. But the potential of having caught a speck in such a remote lake that is rarely fished by others should be cherished after all the hard work you have just gone through to fish those waters. I know I cherish these lakes immensely and was lucky to have had the opportunity of fishing them.

Also, as I am getting on in years, I won't be around for ever and I have a wealth of information that I wish to share with others who love and cherish Algonquin as much as I do. Algonquin has been very good to me over the years and I'm trying in my own way to give to others what Algonquin has given me.

But rest assured, I would never, ever give out any information that I feel would be harmful to the place I call my home away from home.


Bo


Bo

Bo, You're the man.

D-Monster, Bo has provided more valuable information on this site than most will ever know. I love camping and fishing and frankly can't stand the whole attidute of not sharing 'some' information. The reality is this is not a highly popular forum like a fishing forum so if somebody happens to be a camper AND a fisherman AND is inspired enough to get to a remote lake, good for them.

The kind of people who would try to access these lakes will most likely respect the regs and more importantly the park and mother nature. Bo, i will try to get to one of these one day and when I do, and will think of you.

Thanks dude.

AP

Well said, AP. I knew that these lakes would be tough to get to, and Bo wanted to share his joy with those similarly inclined.

Thanks again.

Well said Bo!

I think your spirits have taught you well, and even though I don't normally fish, I appreciate the sentiment of the knowledge that you share!

In my mind, Bo really does know!

Jeff

Those lakes are very isolated!!

I'm still working on your "Secret Lake(s)" off Hwy 60.

Thank you for sharing your wisdom and knowledge of the park.

Thanks for all the kind comments!

I believe D-monster is a newbie to this forum and doesn't know me the way the rest of you do. I think that perhaps he just misspoke before realizing just where these lakes are.

And while we are on the subject of what I know, the only reason I know is because many other "oldtimers", including my dad, who are no longer with us, passed this information on to me as they knew how much I loved Algonquin and would respect such information and not do anything that would harm what I have said many, many times before is the GREATEST PARK IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!!! I was lucky enough to be the son of a trainman who loved Algonquin Park and I spent my early childhood years riding on the rails through Algonquin on one of those vehicles that you had to push this handle up and down to get the railcar to move. As such, my dad was always heading to work on some "train work gang" deep within Algonquin and I had the opportnity and good fortune to fish a lot of remote lakes on the way to my dad's work.

The stories I remember hearing from my dad and other "oldtimers" while sleeping in a caboose, deep in the interior of Algonquin, are too numerous to mention, but have a special storage area in my brain. There are many excellent speckled trout lakes that were told to me that I even haven't had a chance to fish. And like Whitebark, Reserve and Grove are very remote lakes.

I was 8-12 years old during this time so as you can imagine, I was in paradise. I only wish other AAers could have had this same experience as it is an experience you just can't forget. I remember standing on the shore of some lake when I was like 10 years old and thinking that maybe I'm the first one to ever stand here and fish this lake, other than the Algonquin Indians that is. It is a feeling that is very hard to put in words.

So what do I do with the immense knowledge of fishing in Algonquin Park that I possess thanks to my dad and his "oldtimer" friends???? Racoon has shared quite a bit in what I know and even though I have a son, believe it or not, he is not a fisherman and rarely goes to Algonquin Park.

So I have decided to share a little of what I know with members of this forum in the hope that it would enhance their fishing experiences within Algonquin. And I do so knowing full well that ALL bonafide AAers would never
knowingly not obey all the fishing regulations that exist within Algonquin, and do everything in their power to protect and preserve Algonquin for future generations.


Bo

CanadaMoe:

My "secret" lake is not off of Highway 60, but rather off of Rock Lake, and is listed on the Algonquin Park stocking list. I'm sure you can figure it out now.


Bo

And I presume that you have recently
been to these lakes in the past 10 years to vouch for the SPECKS that are awaiting for bushwackers

Good thing is now that you have lost 40 lbs and are an avid walker with your second job

It must be easier now for you to share the pics from the specks caught on your next trip

I anxiously await your trip log

Rac n

MOTD:

To suspose is good
but
to know is better
Tom Sawyer

Bo,

What an amazing story, I can see it all as clear as day, especially the part about the "push-pull" rail carts!

Keep talking "oldtimer," I'll be a listening.

Jeff P (Formally the new guy )
http://algonquincanoeing.blogspot.com/

I could only find Whitebark on the map, and it looks like a 3-4km bushwhack with a big uphill hike to start. No thanks, that is insane.

I seem to recall you may have mentioned this, but you should jot down some adventures from your memory. I don't think half of my friends would read 'The Incomplete Anglers', but I reckon most Algonquin enthusiasts would. I'd certainly read your stories.

Bryce:

The Incomplete Anglers....what a fantastic book. I have it and re-read it every winter. It is my favourite and is right up there with A Story ABout Fish and Love....The Last Guide...namely Frank Kwiack(sp) himself who still lives in
Whitney.

My wife who has taken up writing (which is now her passion) and has had some of her work published in outdoor magazines, wants to write a book on me and Algonquin Park since I was very, very young. Not to make money on like selling the book, but just to put pen to paper about my life and journeys in Algonquin Park, and the very special times that we have spent together on our many, many trips. Perhaps when she is done, give it to Friends of Algonquin Park to do with as they please.

This is what we plan on doing when retirement comes probably in the next 5 years or so. The "meadow" would be a good place to start writing this book!! LOL LOL


Bo

Racoon:

I've been to Reserve Lake in the last 12 years (with cousin Grant Wagner), but not the others. And I positively guarantee you'll catch specks if you fish any of these lakes.

After all, the Indian River flows through all of them or is real close so trout can go up streams, and you should know all about the Indian River from our times fishing it in the Pembroke area.

For me, the Indian River is the best speckled trout river that flows through Algonquin Park. And it's hardly ever fished!!!


Bo

Bo, this is my second reply to this forum. First I have been coming to the park every spring for the past 30 years the last 17 with my now 30 year old Son. From what I have read so far you are at the park a lot more than that but it has a special meaning for my Son and I as this is where are best father son conversations have been. We are as much best friends as we are father and son and the PARK is responsible in a big part for that. I am sure there are a lot of others out there with the same feeling. As for the comments about the 3 lakes, being on a few other fishing forums I know where he is coming from, you tell someone where you caught the big one and the cars are lined up at the place the next day. Great forum and I will try and be a regular contributer.

Bo and the others who support him are right on. Anyone with any experience in the Park can look at a map and know that lakes located any distance off the canoeing trails take a butt busting effort to get to. The reward, as in our recent trek to Loontail, is as much about managing to make it at all (one of the folks who e-mailed me in the course of that exchange had tried before and made it only about 2/3 of the way there before turning back), and learn more about this amazing landscape and ourselves along the way, as in any fishing we may do.

As far as I am concerned, Bo can name all the lakes in the Park he knows anything about and enlighten and entertain us to his heart's content along the way. Meanwhile, I have confidence that the fish stocks in those lakes are secure, and all the lurking fish killers in the world out there can hop in their cars and drive forever to find them, but without a commitment to spilling a lot of sweat, blood and maybe even a few tears, they will never set foot on the shore of any one of those lakes.

-Mark

Thanks for sharing. I've always enjoyed listening to your stories around the campfire.

As someone who doesn't always have the time to do the searching and not always willing to sacrifice the only full day on a trip, I certainly appreciate you passing this info along.

Ken, Mark and Preacher:

Thanks for all the kind words and support!

Ken....you are right about you and your son. Algonquin Park does that to you! It is a very special, magical place!

Mark....I know that you appreciate fishing a lake like I do when you have busted your ass getting there and then get this feeling like you are fishing a lake that no one else has fished! It is indeed a very special and hard to describe feeling!! But one to be cherished!!!! Hard to get to lakes ROCK!!!!

Preacher.....I have a lot more stories to tell ya!!! When's our next trip???


Bo

Hey Bo,

Thanks for sharing the lakes......will I ever get to places like those? Once upon a time Little Dickson had that solitude feeling for me back in the early 70's, tough to get to before the cart path came into the picture. Those trips were definitely the bonding time for my father and myself as well as it was the only time we really spent together, just he and I.

Indian River? I'll have to look that one up......IMHO Nip River between portage from Nod and Allen rapids is the best speckle fishing I've had and I'm not wary of posting it here for all the "lurkers" to see. If one can make it in there, the right to fantastic speck fishing has been earned!

I fished Whitebark along time ago with an uncle. Great lake Bo! Nothing big we caught but LOTS!

Also it takes a lot of factors other than a "Sure Thing" remote lake.

How many times have you gone to "Lake Sure Thing" and been skunked..my hands up

Then there is the weather

Your presentation.

The water temp

The alignment of the stars.

Your deodorant

The balance in your Karma account. Early this year, late this year etc etc. etc.

So even if someone tells you what lake is hot, or you figure it our yourself doing research there is whole lot of other stuff that can impact your ability to catch.

On the other hand if it all comes together for you that place becomes special..and you want to protect it and you want to go back. Once that happens you will.

At the end of the day I think the message needs to be about conservation and awareness rather than being tight lipped about spots so that when the weekend warrior finds one they appreciate it.

On the other hand if you find something truly great you WILL "keep it to yourself"

Nuff said

Ive read the responses a number of times now an still having a hard time trying to figure this all out.
This is the first time I have been "burned" in a forum for just trying to protect fish locations or fishing information. What I say makes total sense to me. But as i can see, it doesnt to others.
Oh well.
What maybe you may not be aware of is that the lakes that are discussed in this thread, are not "put and take" lakes that stocked with splake and brookies for fishing pleasure. These lakes hold Native trout strains... a natural resource that is being lost on an annual basis.
No need to put strain on the environment, especially in a spot so beautiful a Algonquin.

D-monster

D-man, I am on a couple of other fish forums and I agree with you that if I put in that we filled the boats with fish on Lake X today and it was a drive to lake, you would see cars lined up in the coming days. Or if I put out 3 lakes to try a for 6lb bass and they where drive to same thing. But as a fisherman who has been fishing in the Park for a lot of years we basically all know most of the trout caught in the Park Interior are caught in about a 3 week period in the spring and maybe a week or so in the fall. I have not looked at the map but what I have read tells me these lakes are lucky to see maybe 2 or 3 fisherman a year at most. I can tell you right now I think the fish surveys are probably attracting more people to certain lakes in the park than any thing else.

Yeah, perspective and context are important here. These aren't easy to get to places. There's no parking lot or cart trail or portage.

Having been on those fishing boards, they also respect passing stuff on to the next generation. 99% of the people on those fishing boards don't portage further than from the parking lot to the dock.

Ya those are the kind of Lakes If I dragged My Brothers back there, and they Didn't catch A LOT
I'd be left behind LOL!

I see nothing wrong with shareing info on a lake that is remote to say the least....
If you can jaunt in there on a day trip, or camp there for a week with a group, then you might want to keep the location on the down low....
But those lakes are not for the Faint of heart. If your already camped close as can be, and you get up at dawn, head into the bush with a compass, and breadcrumbs you'll get there in time to fish for a few hours before you have to think about comming back out...unless of course you like to bush wack in the dark, or are camping illegally, in which case shame on you!

I'm pretty sure those lakes are safe until the park cuts a path to them and put sites on them.
I myself might enjoy a trek out there, but I'd have a hard time convincing any of brothers to come along.

Bo do you haul a canoe Back there?

Nope, no canoe!! The walk with a small pack and rod and reel is hard enough!


Bo

Thought so