Discovery a muskie gem in Algoma Country

The Goulais River is an overlooked gem that you might want to check out during spring or fall.

There are lots of muskie destinations throughout Ontario, Canada, however, one of the most overlooked is Lake Superior. Certainly with its vast size trying to locate muskies within giant Lake Superior itself can be difficult. However, there is a muskie gem waiting for you that can offer to make catching Lake Superior muskies much easier.

The location is the Goulais River located in the Algoma Region of Ontario Canada. This is the largest tributary on the eastern side of Lake Superior, located approximately 20 miles north of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Canada. The Goulais River originates in the Algoma Highlands and flows westerly winding its way through a valley, ultimately discharging into Lake Superior. The view of this area is simply breathtaking.

The Goulais River is host to a localized population of muskies that use the Goulais River to spawn. There are always some muskies located in the Goulais River, but the majority of the muskies use the Goulais early and late in the year. After the spawn, the muskies will remain in the River, but ultimately they make their way into Lake Superior to spend the summer. In the fall, the muskies will return to the Goulais and stage outside the mouth and move back into the Goulais River. Therefore, there are some tremendous opportunities at catching Lake Superior muskies that exist both in spring and late fall. Just imagine the potential of contacting a giant muskie in a small river, which spends the entire summer in Lake Superior.

The best fishing in the Goulais River exists within a two-mile stretch near the mouth of Lake Superior. The Goulais River actually forms three different branches as it enters Lake Superior and all can hold muskies. In addition, just outside the mouth of the Goulais River is a large weed bed and a break line that forms at the mouth of Lake Superior, which holds muskies both spring and fall before they suspend into the abyss of Lake Superior. The Goulais River and the mouth of Lake Superior offer a tremendous opportunity for a trophy muskies.

Some of the key areas within the Goulais River include isolated weed beds, fallen trees, docks, and the area where the Goulais River divides into three branches, and the mouth of the Goulais River as it enters Lake Superior. It’s important to locate areas with reduced current. Key lures include smaller bucktails, particularly early in the season, topwater lures and crankbaits.

Jim Saric with a hybrid tiger muskie caught from the Goulais River in spring.

The Goulais River also hosts some giant hybrid, tiger muskies as well. I caught a beauty while filming an episode of The Musky Hunter Television Show last spring while fishing with my friend Rob Cadeau.

The Goulais River is an overlooked gem that you might want to check out during spring or fall. There are great places to stay in the area that is not far from the river.

About Jim Saric

Jim owns Jim Saric Outdoors, Inc., which is dedicated to elevating the sport of musky fishing to new levels by educating anglers through print, web, and television. He is the publisher, editor and owner of Musky Hunter Magazine and the Executive Producer of The Musky Hunter television series. Jim has over twenty-five years experience fishing lakes, rivers, and reservoirs from Minnesota to New York and all across Canada. He has boated more than 100 muskies exceeding 50 inches in length, the largest weighing 53 pounds.

Recommended Articles

Spring Fishing Tips for any Angler

Increase your chance of success

Buck Lake Lodge

Fishing Walleye at Witches Nose

Eating Northern Pike

The Best Recipe to Cook This Fish

Top 5 Flies for Smallmouth Bass

The inside scoop on bass flies from the hosts of The New Fly Fisher.

Ontario Fly Fishing Hotspots

The Top 10 List

Sliding Into Bass Heaven

Fall is approaching, and they need to start feeding for the winter.

Fantastic Brook Trout

A Train-in Trip to Loch Island Lodge

The Eyes Have it

How to Use a Natural Resource as Bait

Keystone Muskies

Fishing Tips for Targeting Muskie on Cedar Lake

Legend of the White worm

Learn to Fish for Bass With This Lure

Six Species on Six Lakes at Slippery Winds

The Ontario Experience visits Sunset Country in sight of endless fish

Lodge 88: Keeping it in the Family

Fish'n Canada host Ang Viola takes his grandson to fly-in fishing lodge Lodge 88 on Esnagi Lake.

Fish'n Canada in The Rough

Pete Bowman of Fish'n Canada and Keith Beasley of Canada in the Rough Pair up for Some Wild Bass Fishing

Big Moose Camp

Fishing for Trophy Musky on Lake Nosbonsing

White(fish) North

Ontario's Lakes Offer Unlimited Opportunities

Friends in Fishy Times

An ode to fishing buddies new and old

Rainy Lake Walleye

Fishing at La Belle’s Birch Point Camp

Fall Walleye

Using Chub, Bottom Bouncers and Beads

Pro Fishing Photos

Helping You Take Better Photos of Your Catch

Balsam Lake Walleye

How to Use Snap Jigging to Catch Walleye