Well where to begin. I should first start by saying my advice is worth exactly what you're paying for it - nothing. So with that in mind, here goes.
There are plenty of bears in NW Ontario, but the timing of the hunt can be critical. In my experience, most of the larger bears have gone into hibernation by the beginning of October. The reason for that is really quite simple, lack of food. A bear needs to store a huge amount of fat on its body in order to make it through hibernation. In the month of August alone, the average bear will increase its weight by 30%. Once you get into September, food supplies start to dwindle very fast. By October, there is simply nothing left for a bear to eat. A bear that doesn't hibernate will start losing weight, something they just can't let happen. The only bears I see in October are small bears that are hanging around the dump looking for food. I've never seen a bear out in the woods in October - not a one - and I spend probably five days per week on my ATV riding the logging roads an average of 25 miles per day looking for grouse during October. And yet every year the camps on my chain of lakes book bear hunters in October. I also don't think the camps do a very good job of hunting bears. They throw out some oats and grease in the same old spots year after year. They don't bother with any of the techniques that are available to the better bear hunters to determine if a bear is even in the area. I also don't like the oats and grease they use for bait, not because it doesn't work but because there are much better options.
I believe the bear hunt opens in NW Ontario in mid-August. Locals start maintaining bait stations the beginning of August and these are the people that get their bear. The down side is that it's hot and buggy work to maintain a bait station at the beginning of August, which is why I believe the camps don't bother with it until the weather cools off at the beginning of September.
If you want a sure fire way to bag a bear, watch the rainfall. In years with very dry summers the berry crop will fail to produce. If that happens, the bears are forced to look for other sources of food. Keep in mind that survival depends on them adding that 30% to their body weight in just one month I mentioned earlier. Everyone gets a bear during a drought.
If you do get a bear, you'll need to have prior arrangements to take it somewhere no matter the time of day to get it cooled down. A good camp operator should have that covered for you.
As for the fishing part, that's really no problem where ever you go in NW Ontario. Ever since walleye limits were lowered in border country for non-residents from 6 fish to 2 (4 for residents) fish stocks have exploded. I actually don't mind that my limit is half that for residents, as I take great joy in telling my Canadian friends that the rules make sense since it's a well know fact that any Yank can out fish a Canadian 2 to 1.
Hope some of this helps and good luck with your hunt!
