The Canadian Government in an effort to control invasive species has banned all bait imports into Canada. This means in addition to live bait which was already prohibited (with the exception of nightcrawlers in bedding), you cannot bring frozen or any kind of bait - including nightcrawlers - into Canada from the USA. This measure was put in place for the purpose of protecting our waters from things like zebra mussels, spiny water fleas, and other invasive species.
You cannot also bring live bait from Manitoba or other parts of Ontario. You need to buy bait in the Bait Management Zone (BMZ) you are fishing in. Luckily, all of Sunset Country is in the Northwestern BMZ. Please keep your receipts showing that you purchased your bait in one of the bait stores in the Northwestern BMZ. In the far north part of Ontario, you cannot have any live bait.
With that out of the way, the anglers who have decided to fish in Sunset Country this season you'll need to find a place to get live bait if the lodge and resort you're staying at don't already have live bait on-site at the lodge. The live bait issue may be more pressing if you're going on a fly-in trip but many fly-in outfitters also offer live bait. The key is to check with them before coming and see if they have the bait options you want and if they don't then it's likely the retail bait and tackle stores listed below will.
You can also get artificial lures, rods, reels, electronics, and much more. Your purchases will go a long way to help these retailers recover from the impacts of Covid-19 restrictions on their business. So you're also supporting local businesses where you're vacationing.
