If I had a chance to fish Lake Erie with Dwight for a possible six or even seven-pound smallmouth or return to Ontario, the province, not the lake, I'd pick Ontario because it's an adventure with stages. There's the logging roads:

When the signs warn you, heed! Those logging trucks drive fast and they own the roads:

There will be streams to cross and one stream I crossed was about 10' from a waterfall. Scary!

And there are puddles too. I wear my Mucks and walk every puddle to determine if it's a trap.

Then you reach the portage trail and sometimes there's not even a trail, so we walk it first and mark the route with orange tape that dissolves over time.

Then you reach this!

Sure, the smallies top out at five pounds, at least for me, but the total package is so exciting for me. So, if I had a 30-year old buck who never complained in the rain and could carry a canoe through a swamp while inhaling mosquitoes without complaint, I'd go with Ontario, but in a world where all my dreams come true, I'd fish Ontario and Erie!

Same here.

I find the style of fishing on Lake Erie - which I understand to to be mostly jigging - to be a thing I don't care for.

If others like it, that's great!

I agree. I’m closer to Erie but have never fished it. The back country hike/paddle/fish seems to be much more my speed.

58 minutes ago, bp_fowler said:

I agree. I’m closer to Erie but have never fished it. The back country hike/paddle/fish seems to be much more my speed.

For sure. I've seen the pics of where you prefer to catch bass.

FWIW, my pond has enough scruff to remind me of the bush (the Canadian word for the wild), but it's easy and close enough for me to reach. Still, it's not the bush.

I’ve fished both places. Huge bass like the kind Lake Erie produces are special. But, I’m not a fan of big waves and seasickness. My planned week long trip to Erie, turned out to be only 3 days because of windy conditions that kept even the big boats off the water. Ontario lakes provide me with the small water, target casting, multiple species trips with pine covered islands, rocky points and bars that I prefer.

I haven’t tried a whole lot up there but I like Lake Michigan. Superior looked amazing as well but I would imagine becomes terrifying with wind. I did catch a pike ultra shallow in superior that was a welcome surprise

3 hours ago, Further North said:

Same here.

I find the style of fishing on Lake Erie - which I understand to to be mostly jigging - to be a thing I don't care for.

If others like it, that's great!

I lived in Erie PA & fished Lake Erie for 11 years. I probably spent 90% of the time fishing with jerk baits. So its not really mostly a jigging bite. Yes you do have to contend with weather & waves but the rewards for me were a whole lot of trophy bass caught by my friends & myself.

43 minutes ago, Dwight Hottle said:

I lived in Erie PA & fished Lake Erie for 11 years. I probably spent 90% of the time fishing with jerk baits. So its not really mostly a jigging bite. Yes you do have to contend with weather & waves but the rewards for me were a whole lot of trophy bass caught by my friends & myself.

The world may never understand what truly happened out there.

You were doing things most folks here would never believe.

I was so fortunate to have been able to experience it a few times.

Thank You.

A-Jay

The Great Lakes are just a smallmouth mecca all around. I fish off Lake Huron and some of the bass I’ve saw I had to double take to make sure it wasn’t a salmon or trout. Monsters. There’s underrated largemouth too, some huge fish there as well. This spring I’m gonna try to be around early enough in one spot to possibly get a 6-7lb northern MI green bass!

18 hours ago, Dwight Hottle said:

I lived in Erie PA & fished Lake Erie for 11 years. I probably spent 90% of the time fishing with jerk baits. So its not really mostly a jigging bite. Yes you do have to contend with weather & waves but the rewards for me were a whole lot of trophy bass caught by my friends & myself.

Even jerk baits aren't really my thing, but I get it.

My favorite is small rivers in a drift boat...I'll take that over big open water every time.