Al Lindner and Ty Sjodin explore the west side of Lac Seul, long rumored to be the hottest walleye bite in Sunset Country. They show why.
Cameras, batteries, drones, rods—fifteen of them rigged and ready—boxes of jigs, soft plastics, hair jigs, Jigging Raps… we were loaded for bear. And when you’re heading into Ontario’s Sunset Country, you better be.
But here’s the truth: you can bring all the gear in the world, and it still comes down to fish, water, and opportunity.
And this place? It has all three in abundance.
As we said during filming, when you’re watching fish after fish come over the side, you might ask yourself, “Can you really be catching that many fish that fast of that size?”
Yes. The answer is yes.
Two Lakes. Two Personalities. One World-Class Fishery.
What makes Williams Lake Lodge so unique is that you’re not fishing just one lake—you’re fishing two completely different systems.
Lac Seul – The Walleye Factory
Lac Seul is legendary. Big water. Big structure. Big fish.
Those tannin-stained waters limit light penetration, and that’s one reason the walleyes bite all day long. When they’re grouped up—and in July and August they absolutely are—you can experience something special.
We slid up on one hump in shallow water after checking deeper areas, and it was like flipping a switch. Big walleyes stacked. Schooling. Aggressive.
We started shallow, because I’ve always believed in fishing shallow to deep. There are always fish shallow—spring, summer, or fall—and too many anglers bypass them.
And when those fish are in 6 to 10 feet of water on Canadian Shield rock, a jig becomes a weapon of mass destruction.
We had:
- Hair jigs
- Moon Eye jigs with plastics
- Paddle tails
- And of course, the Jigging Rap
And no, you don’t need live bait up here. You’re going to catch plenty of fish.
The Power of the Jigging Rap
I’ve been a believer in jigging raps in open water for years. The 7 and 9 sizes have been killers. But now that larger profile—size 11—has changed the game.
Bigger hooks. More real estate. Better hooksets on big fish.
When Ty switched colors and went four, five fish in a row, that was all the proof you need that color matters. Sometimes it’s size. Sometimes it’s speed. Sometimes it’s profile. But don’t let anyone tell you color doesn’t matter.
Rip it hard. Let it fall. Watch that line. A lot of bites happen on the drop.
And when they hit? That “thunk-thunk” never gets old.
It just doesn’t.
Boat Control & Technology
We spot-locked on those fish and picked them apart. Modern tools—forward-facing sonar, mapping, quiet brushless trolling motors—allow you to see fish in real time and react accordingly.
But here’s what I want you to understand:
Technology doesn’t replace instincts. It enhances them.
You still need to read structure:
- Points feeding shallow bays
- Saddles between islands
- Transitions from sand to rock
- Weed edges dropping into deeper basins
Find the forage. Find the fish.
And when you find them in Sunset Country? They’re often the right size.
Williams Lake – Smallmouth Paradise
Day two, we shifted gears.
Williams Lake is clearer, spring-fed, and absolutely loaded with smallmouth bass. It’s smaller water—about 4,000 acres—which makes it easier to break down than Lac Seul’s massive footprint.
And here’s something important:
The best smallmouth lakes up here often have weeds and rock. Big flats from 7 to 14 feet with cabbage beds. Healthy forage. Smelt. Crawfish.
That equals thick, heavy fish.
We leaned heavily on:
- Black hair jigs
- Finesse plastics
- Jerkbaits
- Topwater early
With a hair jig, less is more. Subtle movements. Let that hair breathe. Let it pulse.
When you see those bronze backs built like tanks, you understand why some lakes stay special—especially when anglers practice restraint and protect the resource.
What It Really Takes
People often say, “I’d love to do a television fishing show. That must be simple.”
Let me tell you—it’s a production. Cameras. Drones. Batteries. Rod lockers full. Tackle stacked three boxes deep.
But the magic isn’t in the equipment.
It’s in moments like:
- Doubling up on walleyes
- Watching a smallmouth clear the water beside the boat
- Sharing a meal at the cabin after a long day
- Sitting in a lodge that still carries that old Canada vibe from the 1970s
That’s what makes it special.
Why Sunset Country Is Different
Sunset Country isn’t just another destination.
It’s a region where:
- Walleyes grow big
- Smallmouth grow thick
- Northern pike roam shallow weed beds
- And the atmosphere feels untouched
You can fish deep breaks on Lac Seul one day and chase smallmouth across cabbage flats the next.
That’s a one-two punch that’s hard to beat anywhere in North America.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for something different—an adventure, not just a trip—consider heading north.
Fish hard.
Learn something new.
Bring plenty of jigs.
See you on the water.