VOL. XXX No. 4
FALL 2023
DOW FRE NLOAD VER E PDF SIO N
ICE FISHING PREVIEW
PREPPI NG FOR ICE!
WHAT’S INSIDE EMBRASSING THE FROZEN FRONTIER....26 LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS........................32
Embracing the Frozen Frontier
–pg. 26
Fall 2023
Leave Only Footprints
–pg. 32
Just Fishing . 25
IT’S NOT OVER YET!
•25 •22
ICE FISHING PREVIEW
TARGETING FALL WALLEYE
•43
ONTARIO YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP
•14
A NEED FOR SPEED
Plus More “Stuff” Inside!
PREVIEW – WINTER 2024
FALL WALLEYE By Brian ‘Bro’ Brosdahl
I I
t’s true that the walleye bite slows down throughout the summer. Bug hatches and crayfish molting mean fish stomachs are filled with mayflies and soft shell-less crayfish. With water temperatures in the mid-to-high 70’s, walleyes lay low in the shade of vegetation or on the edge of the thermocline, mostly feeding at night when it is cooler without the intensity of the sun. The day-bite then picks up when their stomachs are empty. Walleyes feed hard when the pressure changes and won’t open their mouths if the barometer reading goes too low (and sometimes too high). Overall, they’re simple creatures. That doesn’t mean fishing is easy!
A couple of consecutive cold, long winters froze out minnow and leech ponds. An explosion of winter pressure and traffic on most large inland lakes created a high demand for minnows in the wintertime. Add it all together and there are not enough minnows to keep up with the modern minnow demand. Perfect timing at the bait shop will leave your bucket full. If not, be sure to have good plastics such as Northland Tackle Eye-Candy.
When I take a guide trip for walleyes, I have no control over Mother Nature. But I do know that you can’t catch fish at home or in your office. I enjoy a good challenge when the walleye fishing gets tough. You can put the odds in your favour by having the right tackle, good bait and the right presentation. The proof is in the live well – or your camera – at day’s end.
WALLEYES BY THE NUMBERS As summer is drawing to an end and fall is just around the corner, water temperature becomes the most important number of them all. The barometer is still a big player, but as the water temperature drops below 60 degrees walleyes will bite better on bad pressure readings. When the water temperature gets into the low 50’s, you can practically just wiggle your SUPER PLASTICS finger in the water to get a walleye bite. Until then, we are left with one issue in I have found that a 3.5-inch Eye-Candy northern Minnesota – the lack of minnows Paddle Shad or 4-inch Eye-Candy Minnow and other types of bait. works just like live bait. You can jig
aggressively or rip them. You can go slow and pause. Or you can swim them – they are so soft they never stop moving. Treat it like you have a real shiner or chub hooked on your jig.
Eye-Candy is made with a TPE plastic that is virtually indestructible, plus super absorbent. It is packaged in a tray with a lid so added scent stays in the bait and not all over the boat. How long will it last if you glue it to your jig head? I had one jig crawler on a 1/8 oz. MVP jig survive for two weeks of guiding and catching fish all day, every day until a northern pike bit it off! I play with colours. It is surprising what colour triggers bites from day to day. Try Purple Chartreuse, Pearl White, Black, Green Pumpkin and Purple Gill. Add a Black, Parrot, Sunrise Tungsten Fireball or MVP jig head to complement the entire presentation adding contrast or bulk or making it smaller. There are so many things to consider along with jigging cadence. If I have three different clients in the boat, I try four different colours at a time. When one colour becomes hot, I switch all client lines to that colour. My line stays experimental all the time.
SUNLINE LIGHT I recommend going as light as possible with line. I use Sunline FC leader material, made of 100% fluorocarbon 8lb. – but will go to 6-or-7 lb. test when walleyes are being difficult. I attach the leader to SX1 green braid or (Continued on page 4.)
Fall 2023
Just Fishing . 3
A Line From “Big” Jim
I’m finding it hard to wrap my coconut around it being fall and our Pre Ice Section, something fierce this year as the temperatures hovering near 28C in my part of the world. But, as always it will change. Before we know it – it will become late fall fishing and our minds will be thinking ahead to getting ready for the ice season. This issue has almost all of our regular contributors on board covering... most of our favourite species. Our buddy “Bro” has us covered for fall walleye plus gets us ready for ice fishing with some early ice prep to make everything easier for what winter can bring... BASS Elite Angler Bernie Schultz goes over his approach to speed, which is often thee key to success on heavily fished waters. Hall of Fame Angler Al Lindner gives us the rundown on Targeting Fall Walleyes in Canadian Lakes. A place they have become masters at reading the water in the fall. Sir Gordon Pyzer gives us the run down on cranking fall bass, as well as hunting fall crappies, which he regularly enjoys with his Grandson Liam. Jeff Matity teaches us Modern Dead Baiting and urges us to leave only footprints... a must read. Next up our own reigning Bassmaster Classic Champion Jeff Gustafson takes us on a rife to trying new water, something super important if you want to grow as an angler... Something Jeff knows well! Chef Tait cooks us up a Perch Paella, and although walleyes are his favourite fish, this dish will certainly tickle your taste buds all year. One last thing is I have noticed is several anglers holding up full limits of smallmouths during the heat of summer for photos. I would really like to see single fish pictures flooding social media to change this trend and reduce the strain on the fish after being caught!!! Fish safe & be safe folks... Have a great fall!!! Unsolicited articles are accepted and will be considered for publication provided they are original and have not appeared in other publications.
Publisher
“Big” Jim McLaughlin
Managing Editor Tammy Wight Digital Marketing RYP.Media Contributors Gord Pyzer Tim Allard Bernie Schultz Al Lindner Jeff Matity Jeff Gustafson David Chong Brian “Bro” Brosdahl Cameron Tait
Box 214 Seeley’s Bay, ON K0H 2N0. Phone: (613) 387-8735 Email: info@justfishing.ca
www.justfishing.ca
All Rights Reserved Reprinting or reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden, except by written permission of the publisher.
“Big” Jim
IN THIS ISSUE
SPECIAL FEATURES Size Matters for Fall Walleye......................2 Can You Feel It in the Air?...........................8 A Need For Speed....................................14 Crankin’ Up The Heat!................................18 Targeting Fall Walleye................................22 Let’s Try Some New Water...........................36 A Watershed Moment..................................40 The Fall Crappie Hunt................................46 SPECIAL ICE FISHING PREVIEW Embracing The Frozen Frontier............26 Leave Only Footprints.............................30 . DEPARTMENTS A Line From “Big” Jim ...........................4 For the Love of Cooking.........................21 Tubman’s Tips & Techniques .................42 In The News...........................................43 Target Walleye Report..............................50
On the Cover: Main – Let’s Try Some New Water; Ben & Jeff Gustafson. Targeting Fall Walleye – photo: www.gussyoutdoors.com, Targeting Fall Walleye; Al Lindner – photo: Lindner Media, Ontario Youth Championship, Finn Mahoney & Davis Voytek – photo: Bob Mahoney, A Need For Speed; Bernie Schultz –photo: Bernie Schultz Fishing.
Just Fishing . 4
(Size Matters for Fall Walleyes continued from page 3.)
high vis with a back-to-back uni knot. I tie the jig on with a loop knot to get more movement out of the jig. I use loop knots when I throw Puppet Minnows or Coffin Spoons to keep their action true but I bump up leader size to 10-16 lb. size depending on bottom hazards such as rocks or logs covered with zebra mussels. (Zebra mussels have a razor-sharp shell that can cut nicks into fishing line.) When you find a jigging stroke or cadence that the fish wants, stick with it. In the last two years, I have found that a double short stroke hop, reeling as I hop, has worked well. The shallower I fish, the less I pause – and sometimes don’t pause at all, just continue to reel. If you miss a bite, just pause. Most times the fish will come back and hit it again. Don’t set the hook too hard; if the fish misses, the bait will be too far away. Instead, when walleyes are tentative treat the jig as if it is a circle hook. (With circle hooks, you do not set the hook. You reel until the line is tight.) Reel jig until the line is tight, then sweep if it is still there. If the bite is good, then you can go back to the old-fashioned hookset.
BIGGER IS BETTER Finding bait can be tough, but I love fishing with large minnows this time of year. Large creek chubs up to eight inches will get you big bites. Creek chubs don’t have spines so they’re soft and move around continuously, which puts them high on the walleye feed list. Large walleyes can’t resist a big creek chub! You can even use the same bait for multiple fish catches. If the minnow is still alive after you catch a fish, take it off the line and place it back in the minnow bucket or live well. Use it later after it gets a little rest and it will work just like brand new – even with a few chew marks in them.
Tip: I bait my hooks without ever
taking off my Fish Monkey Stealth Dry-Tec gloves. They are completely waterproof and creek chub slime is notorious for cracking the corners of thumbs and fingertips with heavy usage.
Redtails are like a creek chub but die easily, are hard to get and are very expensive. Large sucker golden shiners work well nose-hooked on a rig but nothing holds a candle to the creek chub. I use a Gamakatsu walleye finesse wide gap hook with creek chubs. The design of the finesse wide gap hook leaves enough curve to hook around a big walleye’s jawbone. I use a #2 hook in most cases. Add enough weight to keep the minnow from swimming up and away from the walleyes. I also use a line (Continued on page 6.)
Fall 2023
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Just Fishing . 41
fish and swim your Eye-Candy past them – or if you’re using clipper to clip the corner off of creek chub’s tails so they don’t out a creek chub, tie a 1-2 foot leader and cast the short rig past the fish. Pull it past them and be ready to open the bail to feed swim walleyes. the line out. If the fish are suspended, use a bobber or drop shot I use a 7’-7’6” St. Croix Avid Medium Extra Fast rod for rigging at the level of the fish. large minnows. Most of the time, I use a 4-8 foot leader dragging across sand and gravel but when walleyes are more aggressive, I Late summer to fall fishing is a magical time to catch numbers shorten my leader to 2-3 feet. When a walleye is behind a minnow, of fish, as well as trophy fish. A 1-2 punch of plastics and the minnow freaks out shaking the St. Croix rod tip. Keep the bail minnows will cover the bases needed for a successful fall fishing open on your reel with a finger on the line. outing. Many days it will rain – and sometimes it will snow. I am prepared for all of fall’s foul weather wearing my AFTCO A super aggressive bite will rip three feet of line off the Samurai hoodie with my Barricade reel as the walleye runs with the minnow. Let them eat the rain gear tucked away in the storage minnow for 30 seconds to a minute before setting the hook. compartment of my Lund Pro-V. Walleyes must kill their prey by clamping and pinching with their Always ready for whatever is thrown teeth and jaw before they swallow. They don’t have crusher pads in the back of their throats like bass and catfish. The hookset is my way! critical. It is important to reel in all the slack line before you set the hook. Crank up slack until your rod tip bends. Then sweep or set Be safe on the water and enjoy your late summer and fall trophy walleye the hook. fishing! (Size Matters for Fall Walleyes continued from page 4.)
FIND & PITCH
The hookset doesn’t happen without finding fish. I use my Humminbird Helix 12 with side imaging to find the walleye school because I can go faster with side imaging on my transducer than I can with down rods that are designed for slower speeds. Find the fish with side imaging; then switch to MEGA Live Forward Viewing to see and cast to individual fish. I have my range scale on so I know how far to cast. Cast past the Just Fishing . 6
About the Author: Brian “Bro” Brosdahl, is a fishing guide and promoter. One of the most recognized and respected anglers in North America – Bro, as he’s known, is a multispecies angler best known for his influence on the sport of ice fishing. He can be booked for guided trips at: bbro@paulbunyan.net or brosguideservice.com Fall 2023
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By: David Chong
ven when you can’t feel a drastic temperature change, there are many signs that autumn is quickly approaching! The days are getting progressively shorter, the leaves are starting to change, you may notice a frog migration happen, geese are flying south and unless you are totally clueless you can’t help but notice that fall is fast approaching! What does it mean for you as an angler? It means that you have tons of options when it comes to multi species angling and if things line up right, you may be in for the best fishing of the season. Things that one must consider when heading out in the fall include dressing properly for the weather as it can change dramatically during the day. Remember you can always remove layers but you can’t put on what you don’t have with you! One of the best items of clothing that I had ever picked up over the years is my Striker Denali rainsuit. This suit consists of a set of a fully breathable insulated jacket & bibs. Not only does it keep me toasty warm but I never have to be worried about getting splashed by boat wakes or wet from rain or even the odd time, snow. Gloves & warm socks are always essentials in the autumn, being cold & wet will put a damper on the best fishing days.
Stunning fall colours only add to the beauty of fall smallies.
whatever crayfish, gobies, frogs, perch or baitfish that are around. On certain bodies on water such as Lake Simcoe, Lake Erie, etc. they’ll start following the emerald shiner migration. Their goal is to pack on as much body mass as possible to help them make it through the long winter months. On smaller bodies of water, both largies & smallies will key into the fall leopard frog migration and at those times, the topwater bite can be absolutely phenomenal! There is nothing more spectacular than being on a northern lake with the trees all in their fall colours, not a whisper of wind and smashing big bass on topwaters. Keys to locating areas where these fish are feeding are finding transition zones with green viable vegetation and of course bait! As the surface temps drop so will the feeding activity of the fish so adjust your presentation accordingly.
For smallies, I love throwing a suspending jerkbait in the fall such as any of the Lucky Craft Pointer series but as the water temps dip then my cadence and speed of my presentation will as well! Vary your cadence and speed until the fish tell you what they want. Often it will be jerk, jerk, pause and watch your line. Many times the hit will come as your jerkbait is paused & suspended. If you see your line jump then set the hook and hang on! Fall perch fishing is a great way up! ice e befor Size will be dependent on the size of the forage that s Although, I do try & get out for a little to spend friend really Papiest & his family they’re feeding on. I generally start with a Pointer river fishing for salmon & steelhead in Ralph enjoy these Lake Simcoe 100, Lightning Point 98, Slender Pointer 97 and the fall, most of my autumns are occupied Jumbo Perch. then downsize from there if need be. with chasing big smallies, giant buckets, jumbo perch, slab crappies & finally lunker walleyes. The great thing about all these species is the fact that they tend to school up Due to elbow & wrist issues, I throw my bass jerkbaits on a spinning while putting on the feedbag for the winter months. So many fish outfit consisting of a Daiwa Certate 2500 on a Daiwa Kage 6’ 10” medium-fast rod. I spool my reel up with 12 lb. test Sunline Siglon to catch, so little time... LOL PEx8 braid connected to my lure with a 8-10’ 12 lb. test Sunline FC As the surface temps start dropping into the low 60’s & high 50’s Leader! This setup along with the weight transfer system in Lucky and with the days getting shorter, this will trigger that fall feeding Craft jerkbaits allow me to throw my jerkbaits a great distance in frenzy! Smallies will start moving shallow to take advantage of almost any wind conditions. When water temps drop below the 50o (Continued on page 10.)
Just Fishing . 8
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(Can Your Feel It In The Air? continued from page 8.)
mark, sometimes it will be a slow steady retrieve with the odd pop that gets their attention.
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Z-Man’s Pro CrawZ as a trailer instead. There are many top-quality jigs to choose from, Punisher Jigs, Lightning Series Jigs, the Perfect Jig & Dirty Jigs are few of the ones that come to mind.
There are so many different ways to work a jerkbait. As they drop out deeper, sometimes strolling / long-lining a jerkbait is an incredible way to catch those late fall smallies. When employing jerkbaits in this manner, you should consider DD, +1 or +2 models to get them down a little bit more. You could even Carolina Rig a jerkbait, although a slow floating jerkbait would be the best one to use in this application. A floating model will prevent it from snagging up on the bottom as you retrieve or drag it. This particular presentation works great in current situations.
The New Daiwa Tatula Elite 7’5” Heavy power, fast action “Flippin’ / Small Jig” rod designed by Canadian Bassmaster Elite angler, Cory Johnston is the ideal rod for this presentation. I pair it with a Daiwa Tatula Elite P/F reel spooled up with hi-vis Orange 50 lb. test Sunline Siglon PEx8 braid. I’ll colour the last 4/5 feet with a black Magnum Sharpie to make it less visible. If it’s after turnover and One’s gotta love the way Buckets bulk up the water is gin clear then it would for the winter months! be time to go with 20 lb. test Sunline Flippin’ FC fluorocarbon line instead. Scenting your jig up with some Liquid Mayhem crawfish / garlic When it comes to finding Buckets in the fall, anywhere that I can find rock weed combination, preferably milfoil and boulders, crawfish scent is never a bad idea either. The gel consistency of there will be largemouth bass nearby. Both rock & wood tend the Liquid Mayhem fish attractant adheres to your lure and stays to hold more heat at this time of year so both are essential for on for a long time. areas to hold largemouths. Aside from throwing topwaters for them, my favourite fall presentation is a flippin’ jig, namely Again, as the water temps drop, slow down your presentation. an Ultra Tungsten Arky jig. Black, black/blue & Qkeechobee Flip your jig into visible weed clumps or where weeds are craw are my go-to’s and I like dressing them up with a colour butted up against a boulder or some rocks, then give it a bit coordinated Z-Man Fishing Hella CrawZ. If you wish to add of a shake and deadstick it there. When fishing a flippin’ jig, some more bulk and slow the fall down a bit, you can use (Continued on page 11.) Just Fishing . 10
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(Can Your Feel It in the Air? continued from page 10.)
it’s a good idea to become an avid line watcher, hence the choice for hi-vis line. Often, you won’t feel the bite but will just see Bill Jones practicing your line jump or twitch. When you see that or your jig just feels different, set the hook! CPR (Catch-Photo-Release) Remember “Hooksets are Free!” better a on a great Fall Smallie! swing & a miss then a missed opportunity.
Even though we’re using smaller lighter baits in this case, I like a longer rod such as the 7’ Daiwa Aird-X Medium-light, fast action rod. Spooling up a Daiwa Fuego LT 2000 reel with 6 lbs. test Sunline Siglon PEx4 braid, this is a power combo for Jumbo perch. Adding a 6-8 foot long 6 lb. test Sunline FC Leader joined with a Crazy Alberto knot, gives you that stealth factor in clear water conditions. The braided line’s no-stretch property enables you to feel those subtle bites.
The yellow perch fishing in the fall can be almost as good as it is in the spring. Schools & schools of these delicious tasting cousins of the walleye will follow in the emerald shiners migration on bodies of water such as Lakes Simcoe & Couchiching! For fall perch, you can drag your This is a great aspect of perch fishing as generally once you jig, hop it, swim it or even dead stick it if the fish are in a truly locate them, they’re plentiful and they’re feeding. Flats with rock, weed & bait fish are money when it comes to locating negative mood. Let the fish tell you what they want. Finding perch is usually the key as they are generally fairly cooperative. Garmin’s schools of yellow perch. LiveScope technology is outstanding tool when comes to locating I like to keep it simple when targeting yellow perch. An Ultra schools of yellow perch. Watching them on LiveScope also can Tungsten ball jig in a 1/8, 3/16 or 1/4 oz. size is perfect for give you an idea of what kind of mood that they’re in. targeting them as they are generally close to the bottom. You can use lots of different types of plastics on these jigs but I love the A close competitor to the yellow perch in terms of table fare is the Z-Man ElaZtech product whether it is a 2 1/2”-3” GrubZ, Slim black crappie. Crappies tend to spend a great deal of the warmer Swim, Finesse TRD, TRD GobyZ or the New 3 1/2” Scented Jerk summer months suspended out in deeper water. As the autumn cools ShadZ. The weight to use will be determined by the depth that the water temperatures, they’ll start moving back into shallower you’re fishing and the wind conditions. They are also available waters to feed. The way that I like to fish for crappies to using a slip in a stone grey colour, which looks much like green-pumpkin to float setup. This is one of the most fun ways to catch fish. There is something about watching that float go down... (Continued on page 12.) me as well as hi-vis colours such as chartreuse, pink & white. Fall 2023
Just Fishing . 11
(Can Your Feel It in the Air? continued from page 11.)
The same rod & reel outfit that you would use for perch fishing will work great for this style of fishing. The 7’ length allows you to pick up line quickly in order to get solid hooksets, especially when a breeze creates that bow in your line. Earlier last year, Z-Man introduced their Micro Finesse lineup of ElaZtech baits. The Baby BallerZ, Micro Goat, Shad FryZ, Tiny TicklerZ, StingerZ & LarvaZ are all great Crappie baits. They can be rigged on a Micro Finesse ShroomZ jighead in weights that range from 1/101/20 oz. The Micro Finesse Z-Man’s ElaZtech plastics jigheads are available in red, are deadly on crappies, chartreuse, glow & black. spring or fall! Purple death, coconut ice glow, electric chicken, pearl & napalm are all great crappie catching colours in the Micro Finesse baits. Crappie can be very colour specific when choosing what bait they’d bite, so don’t be afraid to change colours often until you figure out what they want. And when that float goes down, reel and set the hook with a steady sweep set. Try to avoid the crazy Bassmaster hookset
as crappies have very soft mouths and you run the risk of tearing them off with too hard of a hook set. The longer soft ML Aird-X rod is great at keeping pressure on these Slabs without tearing them off. Same as with yellow perch, black crappies do travel in schools and if you find one, there will be others around. There are white crappies in Ontario but they will be found in certain pockets and are not nearly as plentiful as black crappies. So, as you can see there are lots of choices when it comes to fall fishing. Although the fall can provide some of the best fishing of the year, it can be tough as well. This is because not only do you have to deal with inclement weather caused by cold fronts and hurricane season but there are other factors such lake turnover that can adversely affect the feeding window & mood of the fish. Shorter days, wind, rain and severe cold fronts tend to be the norm in the Great White North. Enjoy the open water fishing while you can because before you know it, we’ll be busting out the augers and Clam shelters soon enough! LOL Fish Hard! Dream Big! Editor’s Note David Chong is widely recognized as one of Canada’s top competitive tournament anglers. He is also an avid multi species angler and is a strong advocate for affordable, accessible angling for all! David loves sharing his vast fishing knowledge and stories with anglers of all ages, beginners and pros alike!
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Fall 2023
Bassmaster.com – Pro Spective:
A NEED FOR A NEED FOR SPEED!
(say above 60 degrees) and the skies are overcast, a spinnerbait or buzzbait might be the right choice. But if wind is blowing directly into the area, creating a chop, that could eliminate the buzzbait and significantly improve your odds with the spinnerbait.
SPEED!
Cooler temperatures or bright skies might require a deeper running lure, like a crankbait – billed or lipless. And if you’re dealing with cover that’s too thick for hard baits, then a fast moving soft-plastic might be the better choice – such as a Texas-rigged Yamamoto Speed Senko.
Keep in mind, certain crankbaits can be plowed through brush, stranding grass or lily pad stems at high rates of speed. By: Bernie Schultz Most often, the lure will deflect off the cover n tournament fishing, time is money. high-speed winding throughout the course rather than becoming snagged. That’s And any method that can produce quality of a day... or, in some cases, multiple days. particularly true for large profile crankbaits, like Shimano’s Macbeth series. fish in a hurry is of huge advantage, Their full-bodied profiles allow them to especially when you’re dealing with large bodies of water.
I I
One technique that’s perfectly suited for such demands is the high-speed retrieve. Not only does this method cover water quickly, with the right lures, it can trigger even the most reluctant fish to strike. All that’s needed is the proper situation and an angler with a need for speed.
THE RIGHT TOOLS Obviously not all lures are suitable for super-fast retrieves. Those that are include crankbaits, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, and certain soft-plastics. The requirements are simple: the lure must be able to maintain balance and direction at a high rate of speed. If it loses its track or balance on acceleration, then it’s not going to be very effective. With today’s advances in technology, many lures run true at high speeds right out of the box – no tuning required. We also have the advantage of super high ratio reels, which are perfect for fast retrieves. My choices include Shimano’s Chronarch, Bantam and Metanium casting reels paired to various Expride rods. These reels come in a range of retrieve ratios, high speeds included. And with higher ratios, fewer turns of the reel handle result. That, in turn, reduces fatigue, which is huge when you consider the amount of effort involved with constant
While faster reels and truer running lures may provide the proper tools, an angler must still be able to recognize the right situations for applying them. Here are a few scenarios that might help. tumble through cover, avoiding potential snags. And it’s that intermittent contact with grass, rock or wood that drives bass crazy. In fact, most strikes will occur just as the lure breaks free, in a sudden burst of speed. The same is true when a fast moving lure deflects off a dock piling or cypress knee. Fish can’t stand it. Simply by impulse, they’re The Right Stuff forced to react. And it seems the faster the Bass relating to shallow vegetation, flooded lure is moving, the more forceful the strike. brush, or riprap banks can provide the BURNING UP BASS perfect set up. Depending on the prevailing conditions, one of several lure types could Years ago, while fishing in a BASS event apply: If the water is reasonably warm on the Potomac River, I was getting lots of (Continued on page 16.)
Just Fishing . 14
Fall 2023
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(A Need For Speed continued from page 14.)
hits on a buzzbait. The bass were holding in patchy milfoil on a shallow flat. As the tide got higher, the better fish started missing the bait. First, I tried slowing the retrieve. But that didn’t help. Then I tried follow-up lures, and those didn’t work either. I even tried switching styles and brands of buzzbaits, but the fish would only react to the buzzbait I started with – they just wouldn’t fully commit to it. Finally, I got a break.
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Just Fishing . 16
And that includes all species of bass.
High Rate of Return Probably the most overlooked aspect of the retrieve is its effectiveness on heavily fished bodies of water. With increased pressure on our fisheries, bass everywhere are becoming conditioned to standard lure presentations. Realizing this, many anglers downsize their tackle and slow the presentation. And that’s often the right approach. But before falling in line with the others, I suggest you try implementing a radical, high-speed approach. In doing so, you may be able to force those same fish to react. And if it works, the amount of water you can cover is limitless.
After giving up on a lengthy cast, I was racing the lure in to make another presentation, when, right at the boat, just before pulling the buzzer out of the water, a 6-pounder crushed it. After I got the fish in, I could see the lure was buried in its throat. That’s when I figured it out! All it takes is the right tackle, the proper situation, and some perseverance to realize The rest of the day, I burned that buzzbait until the blade finally wore out. It was one the advantages of a high-speed retrieve. of my best topwater days in a tournament, It may be the and the lure I used was a clacker-style one angling buzzer called the HeadBanger made by a p p r o a c h Hildebrandt. The faster I wound that bait, where haste won’t mean the better the fish ate it. waste! Like most anglers, I would have continued to chunk and wind at the same pace, hoping for an eventual hook-up. But because I got a Editor’s Note: Bernie Schultz competes break and realized what had occurred, I was on the Bassmaster Elite Series and serves as a columnist to Bassmaster.com and able to turn things around. InsideLine.net. He’s also an educator and promoter of angling, representing Crankbaits are no different. I’ve had some some of the biggest brands in fishing incredible days burning crankbaits through – including Mercury Marine, Caymas rock, stranding grass, stumps and laydown Boats, Power-Pole, Shimano, Fuji Rod Garmin, Hildebrandt, trees. And it seems the faster the retrieve Components, Yamamoto, Power Pro, TH Marine & speed, the better my hookup percentage. Don’t Die Lithium Batteries. Follow him on For whatever reason, bass will sometimes Instagram, Facebook or through his website, react more aggressively when a lure passes www.bernieschultzfishing.com through the strike zone at warp speed. Fall 2023
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By: Gord Pyzer pushed close to seven pounds. We’ve simply caught too many 17- to 24-pound northern pike to remember them all. So, I was excited to jump to the front of the boat when we arrived, drop down the electric trolling motor and grab a nearby rod that I’d rigged with a Ned head. I pitched the jig up perfectly, so that it landed as quietly as a wind-blown sigh beside a boulder that I could see was ringed with lush green vegetation. I let the soft plastic fall to the bottom, lifted it up gently, shook it a time or two, and do you know what happened next? t is often said that we learn best when we experience something Nothing. firsthand. The observation and awareness is so much stronger than simply being told how to do something. Well, let me tell you, So I reeled in quickly and I had my eyes opened up recently when my grandson Liam and I made another pitch to arrived at one of our favourite fishing locations. another rock a few feet away and went through the It is a gorgeous, finger-like underwater point, sprinkled with same procedure. Only this brown basketball-size boulders and lush green cabbage, that time, I stiffened up like a snakes out from the tip of a stunning spruce- and pine-studded dog on point, once the jig island on a modest size lake in the heart of Northwestern Ontario’s hit the water, fully prepared Sunset Country. But, while the lake may be unassuming in size, to set the hook and cross the walleye, smallmouth bass and northern pike that prowl its the eyes on a big bruiser margins are huge. Our stoutest walleye, for example, nudged a bass as soon as I felt it dozen pounds in weight, while the biggest bass over the years intercept the falling jig. But again, I felt nothing.
I I
So, I dropped the Ned rod and picked up its buddy, adorned with a hand-tied black marabou jig that never fails, flicked it up onto the point, swam it back to the boat and... did I say it never fails? While all of this was going on, Liam was at the back of the boat rigging up a couple of crankbait rods. He tied a gaudy, Bad Lipstick coloured Rapala Rippin’ Rap on one, and a Helsinki Shad coloured OG Slim 6 crankbait – that features a circuit-bill lip – to the other. We swapped positions, he made a long cast with the OG Slim first, turned the handle on his reel maybe three times and set the hooks into a bronze coloured smallmouth that bowed his rod dangerously and leaped at least three feet out the water, re-entering with a belly flop that would have earned it a terribly low score at the Olympics. (Continued on page 20.)
Just Fishing . 18
Fall 2023
THE ORIGINAL CURLY TAIL® DESIGN THAT STARTED IT ALL! 2” TEENIE 3” MEENY 4“ & 6” TWISTER 4” DOUBLETAIL 10RS
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lesson in Upunderstanding that ( Cranking The Heat continued from page 18.) “Most folks don’t lures are simply tools you use know this, either, he nonchalantly landed the bruiser and set it atAfter the right time, in the right but when I won the free, he in then nerve to pick up the lipless lure location, thehad rightthe way. Pro Bass Classic rod, make another long cast, lift up the rod tip just on Lake Simcoe, I “Ienough learnedtovery early onwobble, that and set the hook into feel the bait was struggling on the fluke-style are abomber top he had just released. the twin ofbaits the bronze final day to get a bite, choice smallmouth It was for Groundhog Daybass all over again and I was (Rigged & Ready for Spring continued from page 18.) just like you were when they are focused get Walleye Report continued fromon page 52.) “If you’re fishing summer shocked. (10 Mistakes You Need to Fix The second bait forcontinued me isfrom a page Ned17.) rig,with which I can use to Liam. I mean, eating baitfish in cold water,” and they aren’t working shallow structure there is... perfect fish-attracting wiggle and spots pitch to specific targets like on a boulder, a log orand fish that are How you set the hook depends its size, diameter thickness an Belief continued from pageand 42.) ‘crawdad.’ says Gustafson. “The big I always was floundering. there, startcloser fishing the bottom. spawning shoal, itself, these guardian fish fasttip i e(Burbot great Beyond fall colours like ‘fire tiger’ located to the I almost use a green when it is small, thin and razor sharp, a smart sweep of the rod (What’s Hot On Ice continued from page 37.) And,that I still at what saw these unfold the rest of the sand. As the transition is thing we am learned fromIthe for weeks andfish. weeks, never eggs,” Butleaving then aI the picked up I incorrectly categorized pumpkin Z-Man Hula StickZ, rigged on Northland all that isBB required to fish nab every FLX-30 flasher/ finder featuring – 7 frequencies from 160 getting underway, it’s still day. It was a kick-in-the-pants reminder that too other option, would be avoiding the negative effects of the turnover by explained Paragamian. burbot as spawned-out or immature Lindner’s, back in the early my crankbait and to Elite Ned jig, which features a Gamakatsu hook. to 300 Series kHz, 140 interference rejection options, target IDrod down to find walleyes ngmales. to findwe a lake that hasn’t turned Finally, it finesse became clearyet, thator one that already has and had common often over 2000s, when they were winning I catch more fish on those two baits than anything else depthWHATEVER displat, Day & display settings, Battery proceeded to catch 30 15’ orDigital less. FOR eek or 2 toburbot settle down. The first ones to go are the shallow lakes as in1/4”, FISH IS Night BITING these big couldn’t be spawned “So, non-spawning guardian fish stay on the throughout the year. alert, 3 power level or fishFort withmass liveand baitcool andquicker... There may be as much as 2 weeks status the Frances Canadian & low-battery settings & zoom zones. have less “of out males. This group were fullshoal,broad defend territory, and 40 fastsmallmouth. to the & point Plus Vexiar’s exc;usive band Ice-Ducer transducer float, 12 erence – or more – as to when it all begins and ends.” Bass Championship on Rainy “They start to move out to I received a message from a reader last fall about catching bi soft plastic lookalikes, grown fish, over 4 pounds. Baffling, near starvation. Why?”I fully Ilike wondered out charger, loud. volt, 9 amp-hour, Vexilar Lithium battery, automatic a medium action more open-water areas at smallmouth, largemouth and northern pike. He had been unsuccessfu Lake is that they were catching their tiny, pinkish, when gonads we were should “Well, why do most organisms on out earth dofor “I wore the Soft carry external power posts spinning rod for first... sliding out around in hisPack efforts andcase, askedadjustable if I’d helprod himholder, zero in on the key depth. I each flippe ribbon-like, and under developed. smallmouth on and around BASE YOUR FALL CRANKS ON WATER outrageous things in the name of procreation?” accessories and aasking custom Vexilar tackle box. For more information, be crankin’ up the deep thatwhat bait, mywas preference himwater: back asandbars note species, in particular, he targeting. H largemouth that day Was this the group of fish that Sam retorted Paragamian. “One word: hormones. It’s structure, but they weren’t visit: https://www.vexilar.com come out from shore and TEMPERATURE replied .... “All of them.” being a G. Loomis heat. Which caused on Simcoe, too, fishing a crankbait along a deep also called I’m not primarily light and temperature, as well as other letting their males? baits touch thesure; but, drop to deeper water, sand NRXon 872, a 7’3” rod that about 80 percent of the fish that son, buddy, “Big” Jim Northland’s Glo-Shot are aofthat killer crappies, perch, weedline in Spoons 12-that to 15-feet water. I was using braid environmental cues begin the cascade ofas flats, sand points andquestion sand bottom. That is the most Now, there is no when you are fishing for walleye, ey fall trollers – water temps are finally starting to dip! Instead is a work of art. I like a Ben, and I harvested in 2008 were walleyes, pike and trout. Cast or vertically jig... the S-curve hormones causing thisofbehavior. There must be o McLaughlin, publisher and casting up to the edge the grass. Once I got humps. case in point, that you may catch a bonus smallmouth, largemouth of tying on any ol’ crankbait, did you know you can use water important aspect of the 3000 sized spinning reel these, so called, “males”. design by andwhich light, lead-free a mechanism they ‘know’ itconstruction is time to northern pike. even several. is it athe huge mistake to walleye. StickZ Hula mptechnique. to tellJust youAround which exact styles to run. of Fishing!, theMaybe lure down, I’d feelwith itBut contact so assum I’d like a vegetation, Shimano Vanford, excels twitches, lifts and falls. the same leave before their bodies give out completely. “Walleyes beginand to move deeper as water temps drop toward turnover it will happen thus, go fishing without a specific species in mind. ® Sticks boost fish attraction Glo-Shot up with 10-lb. to laugh out loud when Dr. Vaughn Paragamian... myso). lineInstead go slack theasspooled lure would slip off the time, electronics were getting Science Bridges the Gap 0 Bottom long the fish fat reserves their F or ofasand looking for to be onin top of (begins at 62let d Hawthorne’s logged a zillion hours pulling cranks in the fall, so in line, low-visibility situations. Change Power Pro yellow braid I told him about it weeds. I tuckered out the largemouth that day.” better so we could find fish liver hold up, they can stay.” structures, look deeper. I use to accompany the Conservation Officers and fisheries technician I sought out Dr. Vaughn Paragamian from the Idaho Fish & the first thing I asked him about when I had the chance to hop in Stick colours match and a 10-lb. fluorocarbonGlo-Shot leader, attached by anto FG knot.conditions. I like the ® a cree who worked for me and we would pull alongside anglers and do and then how theythis to say: “Those Game Department who fish are ‘nonbecause hewatch had used thehad Tip with live bait or IMPULSE soft his boat: Northland Glo-Shot yellow braid because it’s easy to see, so I can watch it. I’ll notice “They will be inalways spots like the sharper breaks orinon mid-lake humps survey. ISpoon was amazed when the folks the boats were aske Non-Breeders On Duty – More Bark breeders’. Eelpout, like sturgeon, do not all spawn every plastics. Glo-Shot Spoons are available in reacted to our baits. You’ll out bass same tactic twice to help bites mytucker jig hits the bottom. that topand outwhen at perhaps 20’, rather than 15’, inwhatever holes inweights, soft-bottom what they were fishing for and they .... bites. with 1/16-, 1/8-replied andor1/4-ounce year. Individuals rest on alternate spawning Than Bite He seasons.” always starts early withdrops a crankbait, too, him win the coveted flats from 15’ to 20’. red where treble depth hooks in #12, #10 and #8 sizes, respectively. Hooks are fall with #5 Rapala Finally, knowing the purpose of guys non-breeders’ Do the work now and get a “The “hanging”, “moping”, “Damiki rigging” technique became attached via dual split rings for added action and fewer lostlearn fish. on your next fishing To be successful, you have to focus in on a specific species, So why are resting fish active on the spawning Canadian Bass Classic. Shad Rapsgrounds, ‘cuz they’ve presence territorial egg guarding – explains ready for the new season so when it Glo-Shot Sticks are non-toxic, easy to activate and glow in vivid “Walleyes become more selective about where they stage. They much as possible about its lifestyle, habits, behaviour and seasona widely used to win a lot of tournaments incaught Northwestern Ontario, I wondered? more fish than adventure. I individuals can colour forlocate eight hours. They are light enough not to affect lureshun action why, as or as a mob, they starts you can spend as much time generally on a spot-on-a-spot. For example, if they’re on a preferences. Then you need to use the information to select prim any other bait infrom his especially when we found smallmouth in deeper water tell you that from firsthand and are also great for lighting up a variety ofwill bobbers, hooks and jigs. every living creature that dares invade their claim. Ciscoes “There rest is only just something about using crankbaits hump with scattered they be on thedo boulders. asboulders, possible out on the water. I hope locations, the best lures and optimal presentations. To otherwis “Eelpout as far as gamete production is concerned. Unlike mid-lake boat…especially while August all the way through the fall. Over the years I have caught If all rock, look for the patch of sand. If all sand, look for the rockpile. are their primary antagonist, the target of the non-breeders’ disdain experience. is to take a shot in the dark, which almost always misses the mark everybody has a great season! sturgeon that largemouth avoid spawning activity during their restingthat year, the to catch and smallmouth bass you water temps are 60® Northland the noise with The Rattlin’ Puppet hundreds of basspopulation doing it. But like any technique, the more you do it, and Leave the hail MaryMinnow passes tofrom the last minutebrings desperation plays fo fury. 0 yearly entire eelpout participates in the spawn, in one 65 F. Bump up to a #6 can’t explain,” says McLaughlin. “You won’t catch “Because afootball glass rattle and audible carry through water, all without killing its more and more walleyes show up on these few spots, more teams. form or another. males and females are mature non-spawning Editor’s Note:famous Jeff Gustafson grew the more efficientMany you become understanding the ofreach the fish, or #7 asmood temps the action. Anglers Aboutof thethe Author –holds Gord no Pyzer: nearly asunderdeveloped many bass with them, butmistaken the ones you do and more lake fish. It’s easy to Lake be skunked if you Stakeouts with my AQUA-VU revealed ciscoes making forays to fish with gonads, easily as spent or up on the shores of of the Woods lower end of that scale. choosing the right jig head and knowing when to put it away and try don’t pay attention to subtle differences on the have long noted the structure.” bottom to gobble up eggs and then retreat, vertically, to just immature when bigger. cleaned.And Only most under anglers a microscope slide, will be males so much fishing in the2009 in Kenora, Ontario. He has made his Inductee, Canadian, Angler BELIEVE THE DOCKTALK benefits of vibration something else.” 0in the ovaries of females and spermatozoa in below the When so incensed, ciscoes will attack lake be57-62 seen living infrenzied the fishing since he in Hall ofice. Fame, Fishing Editor, cecan the oocytes waterrarely hits F – and theonto weather is cooperating he’ll pageput 6.) and community additional sound Ontario, tie crankbaits their lines.(Continued– on males,” revealed Paragamian. troutsized jigs. On a united front basis, the burbot chase allwas a teenager as a tournament angler, guide, outdoor writer and BIG ol’ bent-lip #9 Shallow Shad Raps. Everything is going shallow Outdoor Canada Magazine, Field Editor, In-Fisherman Magazine &on I will neverNorthland forget interviewing Kevin Van their Dam,baits, the winningest angle as fish cue Rattlin’ Visit – – comers away from the bottom. But, because they won’t leave their fishing promotor. In 2019 he is competing on the Bassmaster Elite Puppet Minnow putting the feedbag on, including perch this size…. Television, In-Fisherman prior Ice Fishing Guide, Television, in bass fishingCo-Host, history, immediately toauditory one of his four clues toBassmaste both help During our conversation I shared that many of these non-breeders eggs, they won’t chase vertically. ThisShow, makes the ciscoes’ Series invictories. addition to competing in several events inmiles Ontario. You can Co-Host, The Real Fishing Radio Host, Fish Talk with them locate and target Classic He had sequestered himself, away from th Consider signing up to receive FREE were very emaciated with sunken eyes, reduced girth and shrunken, game plan nearly perfect and their siege is relentless. find him on social media at @gussyoutdoors and on his website at:him ginal Jointed Minnows are one of his favourite overlooked fall prey of all kinds. TheatRattlin’ Puppet still Canadian sports itsItrademark tournament venue, his brother-in-law’s house. When asked “The Doc”, Outdoor Journal Radio Minnow & President, Angling 0 Target Walleye/Ice emails pale-coloured an individual will eat action, like atalk.” dying minnow, which triggers F range non-breeder and fish are on the ling baits when livers. temps “Although are in the 50-57 www.gussyoutdoors.com. why, hedarting said ....and “Toswimming avoid the dock Adventures Ltd.
6 #6
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7 #7
for the example, without anywill available food on the w.chum Theyon runbottom, 5-7’ outta package, but Brad pinch on a small tshot up above the bait to get ’em down to the 8-10’ range.
gid temps: Original Floaters are tough to beat. Brad’s caught fish on m in water as cold as 42 degrees. #PolarPlungeStatus More details ight from Mr. Fall Cranky himself in this video. (https://www. tube.com/watch?v=RLYu8tPpv8U)
4
T
FALL WALLEYES LOVE SAND
T
his can be a frustrating time of year to track down a limit of tasties. Fish are on the move, but they’ll be migrating to predictable areas d eventually schooling up hard.
d Takasaki, Scott Richardson and Greg Bohn combined forces to e us and Yoda some fall-transition secrets. Full write-up archived e, few excerpts below:
www.targetwalleye.com
(Continued on page 44.)
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JustFishing Fishing 43 Fall 2023 Just .. 53
For the Love of COOKING
COOKING alk about a perfect, hearty dish after a successful T
day on the ice! This “one pot” creation is perfect for cooking over an open fire, portable gas stove or on the range at home. To make it
with Cameron Tait
simple, prepare all the ingredients at home the day before so there is more time for fishing! Best of all, if fishing is a bust that day, you still have a hot, tasty meal to enjoy. Paella is a Spanish traditional dish with Saffron-flavoured rice, combined with a variety of meats and seafood. It is named after a special two handled pan in which it is prepared and served. In this case, I use my trusty cast iron pan that holds the heat better that any other pot I own. I always have it packed in the boat and in my ice gear for that special, impromptu “Shore Lunch”. Perch is a naturally sweet and delicate fish, but in this dish it is transformed into a spicy and hearty meal.
PERCH PAELLA (Yield: 4 Servings) INGREDIENTS:
60ml Olive Oil 1 Onion, sliced 2 Chorizo Sausage, remove grind from casing 2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped 1 Red Pepper, diced 125ml Leeks, diced
250ml Long Grain Rice* 500ml Water or Chicken Stock 15oz Canned Tomato, chopped Pinch saffron (optional) 500g Perch Fillets 125ml Fresh Peas
*Cameron’s tip: Use “long grain” rice, short grain
or minute rice will turn to mush and be gluey when cooked.
DIRECTIONS: Clean, fillet and dice the perch into 1 inch chunks. Heat cast iron pan, add oil and sauté onions and ground chorizo until meat is browned. Add garlic, red pepper and leeks, sauté for one minute, add rice and stir to combine. Add water, canned tomato, saffron and perch chunks. Bring to a simmer, season with a pinch of salt and cover with tin foil or lid from cast iron pan. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring for the first ten. Remove foil, add peas and stir, cover for another 2 minutes and enjoy! Cheers! Editor’s Note: Avid outdoors person, competitive angler, 2-time gold medal winning chef at the Culinary World Olympics and educator Cameron Tait truly loves being in the outdoors. Cameron is an active member of the Manitoba Wildlife Federation, Walleye Anglers Assoc. of Manitoba, Central Walleye Trail and on the Pro Staff team for Alumacraft / Suzuki and Minn Kota / Humminbird. When not pursuing his passion for the outdoors, Certified Chef du Cuisine Cameron can be found surrounded by mouth watering food. Fall 2023
Just Fishing . 21
targeting fall ON CANADIAN LAKE targeting fall ON CANADIAN LAKES P
rior to fall turnover, walleyes in Canadian lakes can be spread through a variety of areas, from classic rocky structure like points and humps, to roaming offshore basins. But once water temperatures dump down below 55 degrees, the fish start to really cluster around rocky structures meeting the main basin of the lake, often with 40-plus feet of water nearby. Large Canadian shield lakes typically have loads of areas that fit the bill. In shallower natural lakes with limited deep water, focus on areas with deeper basins. Focus on steeper-dropping shoreline structures and mid-lake humps in fall, as opposed to structures in shallower, more sloping sections of the lake. Walleyes just plain relate to steeper drop-off areas during the cold water of fall, all other aspects being equal.
By: Al Lindner
Also, expect walleyes to be moderately deep, like 25 to 40-plus feet of water. Deep water provides stability for both forage species and walleyes. In fact, smallmouths in shield lakes use many of the same structures bordering the basin – just at shallower depths. You might catch smallies atop shallower rocks in 18 to 25 feet of water, and walleyes once you begin fishing deeper. In most shield lakes, the tops of mid-lake humps often have snaggy boulders which can eat your lures if you’re not careful. But once you drop a little deeper into the
transition zone between the rocks and the basin, the bottom often turns to a mixture of sand and softer mud bottom. If you fish right along this edge, using a combination of electronics and your sense of feel, you can minimize snags. And since this is the beginning of the fall walleye zone, you’ll be in good shape to catch ‘em! In the old days, we’d either lift-drop 1/2-ounce livebait rigs and big, lively chubs to tease big walleyes into biting, or vertically jig with a heavy jig and minnow combo, pumping 3/8- to 1/2-ounce jigheads in up-down fashion, to maintain frequent bottom contact and trigger strikes. In both cases, we’d lift-drop the sinker or jig to minimize snagging. And we caught plenty of fish! Nowadays, I seldom feel the need to fish livebait anymore. I prefer using artificial lures that have plenty of movement and action and are heavy enough to fish vertically beneath the boat. Hair jigs or jigheads tipped with soft plastics allow me to do that very effectively and are among my fishing deep options. Using heavy, #7 or #9 Jigging Rapalas allows me to move even quicker; their heavy lead bodies slice through the water to maintain a fairly vertical presentation. If you’re fishing just (Continued on page 23.)
Just Fishing . 22
Fall 2023
Traditions (Targeting Fall Walleyes in Cdn. Lakes cont. from page 22) (Ned This, Ned That! continued from page 50.)
8-pound Sufix Fluorocarbon to minimize Heavy hair jigs or jigheads tipped with When people my erZ line twist and prevent cut-offs from ktoothy soft plastics situation. provide lift-drop lure ask action an Zin In the Spring rivers are traditional destinations to shake the postm outside the boulder zone, you can use an Z whatalthough I think fish the helped coin the name of the lure in honour of critters his excellent friend, like pike. e in deep water, theirmistake increased rtreus e winter cabin outitofinto youra blood. friendswith andafamily upward flick of your wrist, followed bywith a value p p o Ned Rig for my response is, Ned, who hasfever turned lure ofMeet extreme cult-like C bulk and water resistance usually do‘I for a remote northern getaway. Get on the water for walleyes. drop of the rod tip, to make the lure jump following. “We were always comparing notes” said Gord. wouldis one of my favourite not allow you don’t care water what they mistakeasit Early to “We mid-fall cover as quickly e z a Gather around the campfire andashare stories. Many anglers have up a foot orand two, then immediately plummet H email back forth 4-5 times day, for weeks on end, over many, as long as they’re biting it’.” times to be on the water each Purpleyear. when usingfor, Jigging Raps. Experiment to been fishingkicking here since they were kids because their families many years.” to bottom, up a cloud of sand/muck Gord best. added, “If we’re fishing the The air is crisp yet not cold, boating traffic see what works have hereoccurs. for generations. And and you angler never know everybeen timecoming contact This really clear waters of Whitefish competition are at a minimum, “Outside of the little group Ned founded and Nature called, ‘The iftriggers Old Man Winter will stickthat around or if Mother has strikes from aggressive walleyes Bay on Lake of the andnearly big fish of all species bite, feeding to Finesse Network’, it flew underthe the radar 20 years”, something else in mind. trying News to clobber the lure before lure for Woods, I like natural and stock up energy reserves prior to a long, Gord toldon methe during conversation. “So, anything but ‘new’, escapes next our jump. Be sure to try theit iscold neutral colours versus northern winter. although the people fishing community is buzzing about the lure as the ‘hot That’s a combo you Inew haveRapala seen trying to launch boats that are frozen to their Jigging Shadow Rap as well some of the brighter twojustbeing can beat anytime, anywhere! new As a matter a lot of what are boat trailers because the of airfact, temperature is in the single called digits. Ned I for athing’. different fish-triggering action. tone colours in Kenora’s Rigs these days are very far from accurate.” Gord further explained, have also seen summer-like weather and sunburned faces. Whether algae stained waters.” Jigging Rapalas “Many companies are calling any number of moon shaped jigs as allow you to fish there is a snow squall or a heatwave, you will find Heather and I I like to use a 7’ 1” St. Croix Eyecon Ned jigs. Likewise, company after company has aggressively named (or renamed) beneath the boat in deep chasing that 30-incher on a river somewhere in April. Good luck! spinning rod, medium power with moderate FISH IT RIGHT: their smallest plastics as Ned this, or Ned that.”water, providing fish-triggering lure action action, which is ideal for fishing Jigging and the ability to move quickly to locate RETRIEVES, RODS, Follow, like and share my fishing adventures on YouTube, TikTok, Raps. I team it with a Daiwa Fuego 2500 REELS & LINE SO, WHAT EXACTLY IS THE NED RIG? and catch fish. Gopher Tackle reel spooled withand 8-pound-test Twitter, Instagram Facebook!Advanced I don’t think the rig can be fished wrong. You can drag it, shake “The Ned Rig was thea actual rig Mushroom Head SufixOriginal monofilament to provide little line count it down and swim it. Just use a systematic method of you got from the pairing of a Gopher Tackle About theit,Author: stretch to cushion hooksets, help maintain fishing it from top to bottom and cover the bases. And while on Mushroom Head jig weighing 3/32, 1/16, or the Author: Brian “Bro” Brosdahl, aAbout taut line on hooked fish and soften lure Al Lindner ranks among the most the subject renowned of presentation, Gord had some real gems of advice, 1/32 oz. with half a 5” Yamamoto is a fishing guide andofpromoter. One of theSenko action in cold water. leaders in the fishing industry. Averaging “The most interesting retrieve that I’ve been writing about, where most recognized worm. That wasandtherespected originalanglers and in the about 180 days a year on the water, Al issmallmouth hailed North America – Bro, as he’s known, a crappies and are involved is the “Bivins’ Bounce”. marriage of the two components andistheir During the warm water of summer, I might multispecies angler best known for his as one of the world’s best all-around anglers. Terry Bivins is a retired NASCAR driver from the states and he is an resulting characteristics is the rig. influence on the sport of ice fishing. opt for no-stretch superline to promote Al’s long and honoured career as an author, syndicated radio & TV fishing show host, (Continued on page 52.) He can be booked forbut guided trips at: extreme lure action, when the water’s video producer, fishing guide, tackle manufacturer, lecturer and champion tournament “After that, the YUM Dinger expanded bbro@paulbunyan.net or brosguidesercold, prefer mono. To comparatively either setup, add a angler has spanned 35 years of the most revolutionary years in sportfishing. the lureI persona with the vice.com. small barrel swivel and inches of lighter, more buoyant 5” about YUM16 Dinger cut in half. It was about half the weight of the Senko, due to much less salt. Jason Matity & Jeff are helplessly, Many anglers thought that would make it Matity poorer. But, hopelessly addicted to the sport of salt once the YUM Dinger was fished and most of the remaining Thetail onlywiggled thing they like better dissolved, it has more buoyancyfishing. and the a bit. than catching big fish is helping others catch big fish. Whether it’s trolling for “Everything changed when Zman produced the Zero worm, made northern pike and walleyes, to jigging for from their proprietary ElaZtech material, King. After trout, burbotfor andStrike perch, pitching jigs to the Zero’s success, Zman made their own ZinkerZ under the and Zman bass, or dunking crawlers for carp banner. This super-buoyant, 10X tough worm Zman catfish, they are Saskatchewan’s multigreatly improved the Ned Rig.” Finesse species fishing authority whether on ice ShroomZ or open water. Matitysgetfishing.com Jig Head “Finally, Zman tackle took the lead with their
YOU are invited to come along for the ride… ElaZtech ZinkerZ worms that are nearly
indestructible and have the greatest buoyance of all plastics. Ned catches as many as 180 bass Zman on a single Zman worm! Ned’s involvement in OG Mushroom the research and development of Ned products at Jig Head Zman resulted in the Zman Finesse T.R.D. Series (The Real Deal), the first pre-cut or pre-formed Ned Rig worms and finesse bodies. The Finesse Zman TRD eliminates the need to cut a 5” ZinkerZ in TT Lures half and comes poured in a 2 3/4” worm. Ready NedlockZ HD to go! No cutting needed!” So, I asked Gord, “IFHead IT SWIMS... WE“What FISH FOR IT...AND HELP the best all-round Jig would youWILL consider YOU CATCH IT! GetFishing Fishing’s Magic!” Ned Rig ‘Cuz today?” Jeff & Jason Matity
Zman came out with the ZinkerZ and, now, Visit our “When YouTube Channel the pre-cut Finesse T.R.D., that just perfected it to no end. When SUBSCRIBE you&fished it on any of the for ZmanFREE!! Shroom mushroom head jigs, it
was the Ned Rig personified. All of the colours and subtle hues that YOUTUBE.COM/MATITYSGETFISHING Zman and others have in their line-ups can cover any water clarity
Fall 2023 Summer 2022
Just Fishing . 29 35
Just Fishing . 23
ICE
Designed from the core with features to perform in all hard-water environments, the Convergence Ice is equally fit for hopping holes in sub-zero temperatures or long sessions in the hut.
ICE FISHING PREVIEW
PREVIEW – WINTER 2024
PREPPED FOR ICE?
WHAT’S INSIDE EMBRASSING THE FROZEN FRONTIER....26 LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS........................32
Embracing the Frozen Frontier Fall 2023
–pg. 26
Leave Only Footprints
–pg. 32
Just Fishing . 25
Early Ice Fishing Season Prep:
ICE
A A
s the seasons shift and the air grows crisp, it’s that time of the year when the thrill of the hunt intertwines with the anticipation of the frozen lakes. Here are a few tips to get you ready for early ice.
Embrace the Chill, Safely:
Safety reigns supreme as temperatures plummet and lakes freeze. Remember, ice is dynamic. Wait for at least four inches of solid ice, and check before and as you go. A RAZR Scout 4” Ice Auger to quickly check ice, and ice picks are must-haves. Also, don’t underestimate the value of proper attire. Fish Monkey Gloves designed specifically for ice fishing can keep your hands warm and nimble, allowing you to handle gear and fish with ease while maintaining comfort in the cold.
By Brian ‘Bro’ Brosdahl
maximizing your efficiency and enjoyment feel will give you the best chance in the while out on the ice. areas you fish. In the midwest, you should definitely have Northland Tackle items in Location, Location, Location: your box. Their reputation for quality and Research is key. As late fall transitions to effectiveness is unmatched. Subtle finesse early winter, consider utilizing tools like is paramount. Opt for Northland Tackle the Humminbird Helix 7 or 9 – excellent Glass Buckshot Spoons, Bro Bug Spoons, Sonar and GPS Mapping all-in-one and Rigged Tungsten Bloodworms with units – not just on the ice but also during gentle jigging that entices cautious fish. open water in your boat. Use these tools to locate the tall standing green weeds Panfish jigs and spoons with waxworms that are still alive and make waypoints. also work wonders. Don’t be afraid to put There’s a good chance those weeds will 3 or 4 on there. By strategically selecting still be thriving during the first ice. the right lures and baits, you’re ensuring that each piece of tackle in your arsenal By marking these waypoints, you’re plays a crucial role in enticing those essentially creating a treasure map for your elusive early ice fish. ice fishing adventures. As the ice sets in, revisit these waypoints and explore new SONAR SAVVY: Equip yourself areas frequently. This strategic approach with a quality Humminbird Ice unit – a significantly enhances your chances of powerful tool that unveils the underwater finding active fish and making the most of realm, aiding in fish location and behavior your time during early ice. analysis. For an even more advanced approach, consider the Humminbird Fine-Tuning Your Presentation: Mega-Live and Mega 360, exceptional live You don’t need a lot of tackle during (Continued on page 28.) early ice, but you do want the pieces you
Gear Check & Double Check:
Inspect gear before braving the cold. A sharp RAZR Ice Auger, like the lightweight and compact RAZR Synthetic Lite or the efficient RAZR Scout that can be operated with a brushless drill – a tool you probably already own – is your ally. Also, ensure your St.Croix Ice rod & reel are primed for action in frosty conditions. When it comes to line choice, especially for panfish, SunLine FC Ice is my go-to. Its light-line performance is unmatched and provides the finesse needed for delicate presentations. Having the right equipment isn’t just about functionality – it’s about Just Fishing . 26
Fall 2023
has won more high level bass (Burnprobably Baby Burn continued from page 10.) Once acontinued smallmouth strikes, youcreating can usually (Flash Spoon && FlyOn Trolling Tactics continued from page 16.) continued (Where Science &24.) Fishing Meet from 18.) (Bet On Rivers (Where Science & Fishingfrom Meetpage continued (In the News continued from page 35.) (Where Science Fishing Meet continued from page athe positive, River Backwaters forand Winter Walleye from page 16.)page (In the News continued 35.) from page 18.) tools supplies. Hopefully, some oficon information provided creating a(Bet positive, stress free was itthe aattached gratifying for simply on an to each body In summary, I’m not tell trying toclick say that the sky isrealism falling here. I am bait down in the water. Catching a trophy fish & FINAL TIP: BullFly jig completes the ofmoment snakewarrant a return visit at dusk. (Embracing the Frozen Frontier continued from page 26.) Pull the nylon tape to retrieve the (Sidebar ) when the blades stop turning. Always tournaments in North America over the past This provides them with anofarray options your rod a jolt to rip the weeds that might “bait of the year” a couple timesofbecause
Tip-Up ermal environment for child Pro-Th of hot cocoa or coffee. Consider hot water Frabill environment for children. them but also for the program. the hundreds per bait for some of the in this column will help with your own angling the same invasive species that these fish are on, roun Putting It All Together Ironically, thefrom same invasive species thatcustom these fishon area feeding on, round of water ingrip the forked province and get afeeding listing of the trying toon provide afirm balanced scientific perspective about lifelike swimbait issimply a Ironically, fun and effective tongue-like, hackle tail and bristly Gruenwal power cord the sonar end. This For many years, I always keep a on you rod, the strikes are Gruenwald rigs a minnow a stand-up While extraordinary, these tungsten lures to hunt prey and to rest. Change your focus few years than any other bait. It features Rigging is fun, but if you’ d have got caught on a blade. A bait casting For many of these kids this they are versatile baits that will put big bass made hard bodied lures. sonar and fish-finding tools that provide a Don’t stop yet – Register products for warranty, software updates, strategies. Good luck on the ice this winter! in a thermos for pre-cooked brats or hot gobies, are quick to pounce on eggs and bottom fry if the guarding mal 1sundown of the Next Cast gobies, are quick to pounce onpushing eggs and bottom fry if the guarding male way to do it. graveyard what we know and don’t know about these unique smallmouth bass Year of learning the Cast fish species in that iceThe pike, hackle collar. My the brother, Jason, has Fishing the shift from trophy aYear gstarts catchin to process is1easier with a Next friend style jig. vicious. Before setting hook, I’ll takein upa timeit comes incorporated maggots When style jig. The design keeps the bait off Start trolling by first watching the spoonfrom not only individual spots but rather catch fish instead or are, at their core, bait-delivery systems. reel with a high gear ratio will allow you to premium components, to vibrate as was their first time boat, and to be in the event of a recall. in the boat. real-time view of the underwater landscape. smallmouth is information angled. In my opinion, we might want to re-think smallmouth is angled. In my opinion, we might towant to isre-think this dogs forget onions, populations. My isdon’t primarily based onrod Lake Ontario and particular lake. using andnotified after-time salvaged aketchup, tough day searching outthi sunrise is best popular on heavily pressured one catch the power cable and feeding nylon tape to time slack quickly allowing the to load upbuns. the bottom an or my icethe season bottom and visible toainto fish. fly rig at boat side tominnows check that it’s running Youth Fishing Program aren’t or electrical work, to understanding the broader area in which a keen Youth Fishing Program reel in quickly to trigger a bite but also to for some, maybe the only time main attraction is still live bait or attractive The best baits have a natural appearance and a soon as it hits the water and is proven fish If you have fished in any Canadian bass situation if we want to maintain the quality of these fisheries because Some references for those who might want to situation if we want to Wrap maintain quality oftothese fisheries because it These technologies take knots fishthe detection the St Lawrence River, but much of it probably also applies to other nd Then in a second thermos have hot chili as Northla a from the battery’s end. with like deep water perch from the vast lake basin. systems in the States. Chucking musky baits rig and then I’ll pull back on theexperience fish. The days trikesmallmouth quick-s a also with fishing strategy to increase a tip-up properly. This gives you clues onmarabou the setleave the task the high percentage spot local is contained. they will this.inintel. take upto the slack when decide lifelike which anglers arefor finding plastics in aisexperts. variety of body styles and catcher. The CrossEyeZ Chatterbait is a consistent new Tip: DIY rigging saves money, but itare also gives valuable tournaments you have likely heard of is clearly not with our approach to managing bass inlan is not for consistent with our approach to managing bass in inland a Huge Success! know more… smallmouth fisheries where round gobies are now abundant such as aaction, Huge Success! Chatterbaits are a great bait fall theclearly next level, allowing you to observe fish painter’s tape security. herring or You can also see of slack-line setting dead! Not only do cisco His metallic-red Bullfly with two red maggots dead in the dark a whole different game and a an additional meal or for a Chicago Dawg with tipped Rig or my odds. It was the only Predat Most days Most days my dead-stick rod’s rigged with Marinas and specialty tackle up’s speed limitations. After gathering this that the battle is on! work really well for catching pike and musky jigs and their use by anglers. Over the past colours. Troubleshooting an issue’s faster knowing how the boat’s rigged. one that was released in 2020 that features in this region. lakes in this region. Lake Erie, Clair Simcoe. If Lunch we want to the enjoy these fisheries for , and losea fish, but you run risk of breaking proven largemouth fishing because they shine for It’sSt one. lakes are catch movements and structure inare unprecedented toword. and shot of Pro-Cure Water Soluble Oil safety is theminnow Familiarity with way one confident roperative numbe Topping. time gets crazy inand my Otter time of year when Iyou is the shops rigging services. data and the rig’s running aFish minnow on a lakes teardrop jig, like awhich Lindy Over the years with You’re On My Spot!! in Canada. Many swimbaits designed to provide 4: Unwrap painter’s tape and untie decade theayou’re secret has gotten out on these little Namekawa et al (2018). Rapid olfactory a wire weed guard, designed for use around as long as possible, it essential that we pay close attention to the things your line from a powerful hook-set. bait your Set belt. ice the use around sparse grass where it grows on the fools gorgeous buffalo-humped perch. The the water, proper lighting, and a minimalist stocked with trout across Costs can range around down, detail. Adjust your technique based on their n 2017, the Next Cast Youth Fishing n 2017, the Next Cast Youth Fishing right, slowly let out line. hands that live bait really introduction bag of personal or20-lb. Custom Jigs andstarted Spins Demon. Vortex. Havingthe a well-stocked ensuresor Use whose stout Frostee line, 16 in –found fluorocarbon, as it mimic shad,cord, a wide-bodied baitfish the sonar pulling enough forcommon jigs, origin tournament fishing discrimination learning in adult Frostee zebrafish. Word to the wise... When fish are very that science is telling us about them. On popular musky waters close to underwater majorThink cities wood. the You can keep the weed guard or pull above foot a about reason for the Water Soluble Oil instead Program launched with the focus devices there seems to be a drop of in Program launched with the focus and the numbers hard bottom areas mentioned above. made a difference in my These long, thin jigs flicker as the minnow These lon response. Understanding the has minimal stretch to ensuring you mounting and operation needs.but designs are around in most southern waters that you’re prepared fortovarious conditions Lake of the Woods in thethat 90’s bycan guys Experimental Brain Research 236: 2959–2969. Do not ever horse the fish the boat just in the US, it’s commonplace to find four . patient be and active, don’t abandon your larger lead of educating 10 to 13 year old children bottom it out and you have a great bait that has a the next generation getting involved of educating 10 to 13 year old children Let the rig sink slowly so that it doesn’t get our Pro-Cure Super Gel is because natural that have been Then one day Iabove swims. Afishing. split shot sixWhile to 10Pritchett inches places thattoare a little clogged upand to throw swims. drive the hooks home every time. many available imitate baitfish prey like environment can beevery atogame-changer. Norm and for Dave Lindsay, Big Joe andthe can enjoy your time on the in ice to theA s References because you are fishing with heavier gear, 5: Tie off theworking nylonoffish tape not at small both ends, leaving injigs place future or five boats a well-known spot the from the community. We’re only in fishing or the outdoors general. ghout from the community. We’re not only Throu tangled. One trick to help with this is feeding materials like hair and feather are easily quality hook and is more affordable than experimented and realized head or spoons that attract with size stocked in those hook pegs the minnow in the strike zone. hook pegs anglers fish braided line, this is not the place fish you can think including trout, a crankbait effectively. The effectiveness of and Hiram Archibald. These guys used to Jones KA. you 2005. Knowing Bass: the scientific fullest.So, as you gearprice upof for the early ice they’ll make pay the every time. rigging needs. teaching them how to fish but how to This program creates a unique up while two or three more wait their turn. these teaching them how to fish but how to set winter, out one arm length of line at a time. This (1) Nelson EJH, Holden J, Eves R, Tufts B (2017) Comparison diets for Largemouth matted down and smothered by the gel while thateasily I could a 1/16th lot of lakes. the Hammer. Youtocan look more up lake or zone-specific perch, bass andjigs suckers. for Jack it as you could tearfish the hooks outand and flash. Always gauge attitude approach catching fish. First Lyons Press. everything and amazingly, aget small these bladed is that theymeet can new be easily win season, remember that on rd Clark) If Ifishing know that fish isusing over 4-lbs., I’llsuccess take s: Bernaan explore, new challenges, rd Clar opportunity for youth who may (Photoyou s: Berna explore, face new challenges, meet new (Photo spots Luckily face in Canada, we rarely encounter same and Smallmouth Bass in Eastern Lake Ontario DNA barcoding and stable the on also gives idea of how much line’s And Once Again, Be Safe! the Water Soluble Oil is light and fly-friendly. extra strikes from those less of their mouth unless you are using a softer fishing regulations, look at aerial maps of the ounce jig with marabou feathers tied to it was USE A mOUnTing PlATE match with proper presentations. Match ripped from grass and that is one of the key We Carry: people, make new friends and to strengthen The program was not have had the chance to learn my time getting it in and allow the rod We Carry: the ice is a combination of preparation, people, make new friends and to strengthen The program was isotope analysis. PLoS 12(8): e0181914. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. s. ONE walleye for this course, level of competition but out. When a fishaggressive hits, duplicate this fish youfish through mid-October and over the five It milks cleansee and willCitrate not muck upsome your Of these swimbaits willcertain work in the ifend I amount rod. Monofilament is at the opposite ofsimply the Ogawa Kaway Jeven Caprio. 1999. ionspast enhance province and depth maps of Istructured tipmain myweapon. Chatterbaits with a Z-Man Razor triggering qualities to get bites. aggressive with size and aggression of their confidence which can be applied to every around about the world of fishing. tiretaste itcan out taking upto line slowly and never pone.0181914 their confidence which behave applied every structured around Drilling holes inand a Non boat makes most anglers anxious. Installing and use the same to getmove back pike skill, a touch of While backwaters offer walleye fishing opportunities inwon winter, rivers as aawards whole systems get pounded regularly. Having March, Inspeed While bac years Iand even ayou few big bass traditional pike musky locations but Arms an a tad responses to amino acids in the largemouth Restricted and Restricted Fire – New & tipped my hard baits with spectrum as itUsed has fartrolling tooamuch stretch and you Restricted and Non Restricted Fire Arms – New & Used tungsten flies. waters on this website. Ifluck. like to do ShadZ, a bait designed to be used on bladed aspect of their lives. 6 weeks of in-class aspect of their lives. allowing the fish to put slack in the line. 6 weeks of in-class transducer mounting plates will reduce your own. However, when you see perch or in the strike zone. Investing in a line counter bays shallow are dangerous territory. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, folks, stay s toward to share primo musky are danger bass. J. Neurophysiol. 81: 1603–1607. often-overlooked place toturf castwith for other these big Gulp won’tproducts be able to hook fish atthealllabs – aMatstruggle developed inused Berkley. with big fall largemouths thatYouth I haveFishing caught Over the years, I have marabou your before (2) (2016) Changes inhomework the Ecology and teaching, using athrowing The Nextand Cast jigs. Itrades) have been them on ajigs, G. Crossbows &spring Compound Bows (webore take teaching, As& aCompound smallmouth approaches the endtrades) ofcaution theusing the you through aluminium. These are also very easy baits tonumber use. Cast Crossbows Bows (we take reel makes quick work ofHanley, this exercise and spawn will clear away from fast flow areas, such as the main channel, exercise at a they walleye, on your Humminbird or Aqua-Vu where anglers isduring happening more frequently. predators the and summer is to clear away With the Humminbird Mega-Live By embracing safety measures, fineI’ve experienced first hand. With a properly which I make myself, to win several local on Ned rigs. Abundance of Smallmouth Bass in Lake Ontario: Always details... you go fishing, this site The goal of this FREE program was to supply curriculum, which Program was developed to teach and Thebladed goal ofjig this FREE program was tothey supply curriculum, Loomis NRX+ 883 (7’4”) rod fight, be careful are often good for which look like a mini version ofcamera, a kitchen is more accurate. them out, let them get down in the water ing follow times even inasgear backwaters. iately immed fish shallow cover like docks andThey trees hanging tournaments. They shine on those hot, flat tuned set-up reel, you should be able to underwater that torture you with Now I and can’t remember the last time that Iallprovide and Mega 360, you’re gaining tuning your and presentation, 1958-2014*. Queen’s University MScendless thesis. theJeff knowledge and provide the tools required provided the hands encourage young people to getand out Always a story has an amount – the knowledge and the tools required provided the hands perch jumbo r cutting board. Mine mounted with with two anothe one least surge with explosive quickness and yet with Matity with a Shimano Metanium MGL150HGB • Live Bait: water deep to drop column for a few seconds and then start • Hunting Apparel: first in the water, a top tactic amongst Lake of the • Live Bait: the on up If avoiding the “weekend warrior” brigade Set summer days when big smallmouths move . ice-out cast into the wind without backlashing. • Hunting Apparel: used live bait on the ice. I’m just telling my their unwillingness to commit, take a participant page to fish. Each participant received a Shimano on knowledge and and enjoy this my favoured past time. staying informed about the best fishing anspooled edge that could significantly My top bait choice also top smallmouth fordata another to fish. Each received aday. Shimano knowledge and of to explore. screws. Once installed you can then mount could be holding ais smallmouth and swim it power right atproducers the boat. Patience isdecades. key and ing.ca getfish You can short and long line troll with this (7.1:1) reel up*Data with 20-lb. Seaguar Suckers, Shiners, get you’ll “Always remember, when inon doubt, don’t go and Woods anglers. Muskies particular bays Under Armour, Browning, shallow these into shallow water and cruise, lazily looking Suckers, Shiners, of analyzed in this thesis was collected by the fish that span These your retrieve. ain. crankbait, I will like out isn’tand anreel, option, all like is not lost. Many coming own story and have absolutely no connection Under Armour, Browning, rod rodMuch glove, tackle box, a variety of tools for each child Together we are guiding the youth rod and reel, rod glove, tackle box, a variety of tools for each child out of Tom’s book and go small and heavy. spots, you’re setting yourself up for a Stay tuned! elevate your ice fishing transducers and other accessories directly bait, a Z-Man Hula StickZ. It’s a four inch past, never letting the jig touch the bottom. Check it out and thank don’t swing them in the boat, it’s a great way rig. Less line sharper turns r! Dace, Gruenwald said. all,of there’s probably patrol ateaching piece ofHerring cover likelife a times dock and a lifelike Lake Ontario Management Unit, Ontario Ministry of After pounde plus AbrazX fluorocarbon line. Dace, for an easy meal. Think of say these small jigs as out,” a twenty onmakes hands There is no shame inperforming using your magnets to musky anglers aren’t morning people. your locations attract musky boats like honey Muck Boots to pause them a couple during the to Berkley, although I will again that I’m lures, material, jacket, and a UPF Herring to practice the sport. After completing the of today, for the community tomorrow! Muck Boots lures, teaching material, life jacket, and a UPF to practice the spo to the plastic board, and that means fewer A 7’ – 7’6” medium action G. Loomis rod, a lures, your choice of line and wand is an thrilling and rewarding on tome break your rod! later! straight tailed worm that hasexperience a few tentacles experience, as you’re empowered easier, which is 10 necessary when following Natural Resources and Forestry. minnow swimming up along the lake down the road where the are “after-dinner as they float through help control spool over-runs, that’s why Torc, made possible through sponsorship Beingall onimitator your first spotpotential at daybreak is aside in-class sessions, volunteer anglers assisted impressed byyour the mint” way that they’ve invested in a Shimano attracts flies. Expand yourwalleye options by retrieve to catch any followers, Torc, all made possible through sponsorship in-class sessions, holes in the boat’s hull. Stradic CI4 reel spooled with eightcritical. Premium Sufix monofilament or a small lake’s shoreline. Less line’s also Forthe more information this please the frozen frontier. And as program, always, don’t10 on end. It was about the first bait a friend About the Author: Jeff Matity with real-time information that of it is strategy. an easy meal. Cast parallel to this, theare dock the water column, imitating a leech or small biting. they’re so valuable to the reel! I also allow for dollars and donations. In addition to each with a live release bass fishing tournament. • Large Inventory solid Even though muskies a scientific approach to develop their products. • Professional Staff finding secondary locations away from dollars andwithout donations. addition to this, each with aalive release ba but for the most part these are and wind •isLarge Inventory GRAB THE NED RIG • Professional Staff Power Pro braid ticket for casting Aspound aInstudent ofonto the game, Ithe spend of the ticket for shallow water trolling visit: www.tncyouthfishingprogram.weebly.com. Fluorocarbon, rated at 2, 3 cast and, at most, invertebrate. and retrieve your swimbait about a foot beneath forget to savor every moment –lot after all, turned meLake for this technique back in Iamount have tried every colour from few others possess. child received a and personalized team jersey a very small of slip in the drag, it’s Editor’s Note: Jeff Gustafson grew up on the shores of of the more active as the day progresses peaking for Bow Gun Repair child received a personalized team jersey A Fishing Industry Professional for nearly 30 years as a of Ammunition the crowd. If you choose to fish behind Tip: Fill holes in boat hull and coat back of Editor’s Note baits. for Bow Gun Repair of Ammunition these small time on Youtube.com, Bassmaster.com, getting More line isofthe better when a and the surface ator a slow and steady rate. sundown, 4 pound test fishbefore tungsten gems their grade olive to of brown to orange, but black remains the featuring all of sponsors. Teams 2 Guide were drawn from participants, it’s the stories and memories that truly 2016 and I jigs. have never really used anything I’m probably going to lose some street cred a must ifsnagged. you have any hope landing that Woods in Kenora, Ontario. He has made his living inboat, the fishing featuring all of the sponsors. Teams of 2him were in the hour so and after “The fishing program not only up dra Fishing & Promotional Staffer, with Bachelor’s Degrees board withtomarine silicone to seal. Let Editor’s Note: Tim Allard ofopened Ottawa, another use different presentations than &the Setup Onsite approach to gear are mandatory. It’s worth Editor’s Note: Dr. Bruce Tufts is a Professor and watching Major League Fishing. From lake has enough shoreline. Long-lining also & Setup Onsite Dr. Bruce Tufts is a Professor at Queen’s most widely used and the colour I have had the and then paired with one of the 10 anglers who maximum effectiveness. Solid graphite or fish as you need a little bit of give to pop that community since he was a teenager as a tournament angler, guide, else because it has worked so well for me. make these adventures unforgettable. with the hardcore largemouth anglers out The Nice Ice Essentials: Beyond and paired inextra both Science & Jeff usesyou this training infound his job cure before items to plate. quality fish canacertainly be fully caught atdifferent dawn.mounting toaddition a new hobby, also opened him upwith to Ontario is ato hard-water expert and authorthe attention to Education, detail. Rarely your competition. at Queen’s where he will teaches In catching marabou each, I’ve learned a few itsmallmouths, tricks to then improve helps troll deeper. Z-Man offers wide selection oftoyou For larger soft swimbaits, want University where he teaches Fisheries success with. The model for plastic the program was combine were assigned theUniversity task of guide and mentor. hook point into the mouth of that smallmouth. outdoor writer and fishing promotor. In 2019 he is competing on the noodle fiberglass rods suchyou as HT Sapphire The model for the program was to combine A reliable sonar unit gives insights into most were assigned the there but the Ned rig is not only a deadly You can’t catch a fish from an office or t as a Fisheries Professional & Outdoor Educator (specializing fishing gear, pack essentials: first aid kit, trying things. This has changed photographer ofthe the multi-award winning Fisheries Biology and for supervises research inmy the encounter another boat of any kind. spinnerbait game. Ascrappie aessentially writer, had jigs arenew phenomenal jigsI’ve and usually to make sure you use an adequate hook so local youth with local businesses and to offer Chatterbaits to choose from. Serious They were responsible each child’s safety Biology and supervises research in Freshwater Fisheries I sometimes like having my reels super-tuned Bassmaster Elite Series in addition to competing in several events in local youth with local businesses and to offer They were responsib in fishing via family business, GetFishing.ca) to reach out to and Iceapex Blues rods, have served the movements of respectively, fish, helping you tailor BATTERy TiPS dry clothes, warm drinks, snacks, and an One tip forFISHING rigging is always put athe of smallmouth bait, itintocatches largemouths asthe from aacouch atin home. book, ICE –to The Ultimate Guide, his entire outlook on how the world He’s not Many predators in 8/0 nature hunt inStudies no or Because Freshwater Fisheries Conservation Lab. He is privilege interviewing ofis.crappies Switch to aof glide bait orboat. a some Shadzilla ifdab other out fish live bait my When What’s important remember about this find yourself some large –AT: 12/0 wide an outlet with the opportunity to learn. to assist them implementing what they ofinterested their light weight, marabou jigs Conservation Lab. He is also multi-species angler and has fished bass anglers have certainly heard ofgap, the and by adding ceramic bearings as it adds to Ontario. You can find him on social media at @gussyoutdoors and on an outlet with the opportunity to learn. Studies and to assist them ORDER ONLINE www.blackflylures.com anyone in learning about fish. me very well. your approach to their behavior and available aton fine book stores, select outdoor also a set-up multi-species and has fished bass Otter Outdoors portable shelter for frigid sobest fearful.”– Parent of participant, 2017 low light conditions. Power fishing productive Virtually everytournaments musky lake or river has super glue collar of the jigspeak to hold to in well. We have going on across world’s anglers and hearing them shallow tothe spawn in the spring, marabou trolling is it’s angler weighted. Stopping or anglers are throwing blades or top-waters. have shown that fishing and thethe outdoors had been taught inCareful class. These volunteers gave screw-lock hooks. I like to use screw-lock be fished slowly. Ibass like to cast past Disconnect batteries and shut off thehave boat’smust master power when tournaments for amove number of years. Jack Hammer. The high-end model that have shown that fishing and the outdoors have had been taught in cl casting distance. though, be sure you his website at: www.gussyoutdoors.com. shopsIce andAnglers! internet(Continued retailers. increasing your of athe successful catch. tournaments for aclump number of years. areas before thechances sun tops tree line can Bro page obvious prime Some have reputations as Good Luck days. Consider bringing along aweed thermos most weekends been recognized as a benefit when comes topower-up up anot day out Ontario ofareas. their personal lives. Not www.blackflylures.com on page 23.) hooks with some weight attached toitthe shank aNorthwest likely boulder, log oron of that 37.) rigging. When done, connect wiring and electronics and on page (Continued on pageonly 20.) 14.) (Continued on page 38.) been recognized as a benefit when it comes(Continued to (Continued up aonday out of33.) thei are voiding the warranty on your reel. Summer2015 Just Fishing . 12 Fall 2015
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By: Jeff Matity GetFishing.ca
“L
eave Only Footprints and Take Only Pictures” signs can often be seen while strolling through a National Park. When we respect and obey those simple instructions we preserve the beauty of these special places for ourselves and others to enjoy. The same cannot be said for pike fishing destinations, not even when Special Regulations are in place to protect fish stocks. Bait fishing with multiple-treble-hook rigs and poor angling practices can be disastrous.
SPECIAL PLACES AT RISK... It is Great Fisheries that make Great Fishermen. Case in point, the world-famous Tobin Lake in Central Saskatchewan is a 4-Season mecca for four-foot-long pike. The fish are even protected by a Catch-and-Release Protected Slot between 75 – 115 cm (29.5” – 45 1/2”). Most would speculate that these Regulations should ensure trophy fishing forever as all mature fish over 75 cm must be released and only potential World-Record-Class pike over 115 cm may be harvested. Unfortunately, this is not the reality of the situation.
The method distances the first treble away from the head of the bait – away from the gullet of the pike. As the pike inhaled the bait, head first, the first hook to enter the fish’s mouth is the hook placed in the sardine’s back. Akin to its name, when using the Quick Strike Rigs, European specialist strike immediately... before the pike swallows the bait. Fast forward several decades and, for whatever reason, many North American anglers and tackle companies have gone to horizontal rigs (hooks in both the head and the tail). Some even have threetreble hook rigs to get better “hooking success”?!? As for running to the tip-up for a quick hook set? Many anglers doddle and let the fish hold the bait too long... especially so if the first fish is lost for some reason. I don’t know how many times I’ve hear, “Give ‘em time to swallow it.” A treble hook that is allowed to be swallowed hooks the fish deep, often with fatal results. The logical conclusion, it would seem, is that on Tobin Lake many big fish are sport-caught and released... unsuccessfully!
FISHERIES MANAGERS CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH
It stands to reason that sloppy angling techniques and faulty practices that leave protected-slot fish, literally, Dead in the water are not the wise use of a one-of-a-kind, world-class fishery. Community agencies and Fisheries Managers worked hard to put Tobin’s regulations in place to protect big, mature, trophy fish with the expectation that anglers develop and practice the best angling methods and know proper catch-photograph-release techniques so that fish Do survive the angler encounter and remain fully capable to recover and thrive after the hook-fight-land-handle-photograph-release procedure. Tobin Lake’s protected slot, facing unsuccessful release, is on a collision course with disaster. Forget magnificent fishing and lucrative tourism dollars. A mediocre fishery could easily result due to the lack of ownership and thoughtful stewardship by anglers. Fisheries managers or other stakeholders can only do so much. A beauty Pike caught by the authors son Ben.
In recent years, after complaints from local anglers, over what they described as a downward trend in pike angling quality in Tobin, Fisheries staff did an ambitious population assessment. Well, the fish are there... however, one factor has become quite obvious.
The “Big Fish Matter” movement out of the Dr. Bruce Tufts Fisheries Laboratories in Ontario has raised the awareness that big fish are more valuable than just for show on the wall. Native fish species of freshwater like pike, walleye, lake trout and even panfish species Do Not live beyond their reproductive years. Like reptiles and other coldblooded animals, fish, in fact, grow and reproduce their entire lives. Not only that, female fish produce more eggs of ever-increasing quality as they age. This doubly reflects poorly on Tobin Lake anglers unwittingly killing pike with improperly-fished, Quick Strike Rigs.
During the entire angling season, thousands of anglers target giant pike by using dead baits – open water use of baits under bobbers and below tip-ups in winter. Specifically, these dead bait fish are used with Quick Strike Rigs that originally copied, European-style rigging. Europeans strictly rig their sardine or herring, head-down, Remember, by law, Tobin fish are being released; but, not where one hook is placed in the back and the other in the tail. successfully. This is due to 2 things: 1) the inconsistency of (Continued on page 32.)
Just Fishing . 30
Fall 2023
(The Mentee-Mentor Relationship continued from page 52.)
“Big” Jim says, “Fish Hit It Like It Owes Them Money!”
program isforcontinued important tofrom (The Long Cast Pike page 26.) (Food For Thought from page 18.) (Giant Mid-Summer Pike continued from page 6.) (Strategies for Walleyes On Ice cont. page 16.) (Colouring continued from page 12.) (End Your Season with acontinued Bang continued from page (Leave Only Footprints continued from page 30.) 8.)
me. Many ladies don't finned in the 12”well. – 24” range inIorder tospeed reach maximum Ibecame knowprey my local Here, I non-lethal stretch quite asize. bit. has put countless walleyes Instead, they kept coming back with an eagerness to expand their crawler popular several years back. hadthe caught abarrier couple ofVMC small shorter game of cat-and-mouse. quick-strikes tolakes fish in areas, 5/0 know where tohook start, As schools of suckers complete their spring spawn in the shallows In shallow water, as deep as 10-15 feet, I actually get my boat up onto into the boat. Ditto, a firetiger knowledge and meet other women anglers. Friendships and mentor- bass on it as; inshows practice but on the second day of time the three tournament Ifwhat awell fish interest, keep as 2) the increase in hook-out for dayCircle Hook equipment to use and retreat to relatively Rap or Acme HyperGlide. plane and hold it at its lowest planning speed... around 13-14 mph. In mentee relationships developed in time and in 2019, we started a Jigging tweaking things until they Mike threw it out on a windy point and caught a pair of four pound fish caught to on go. multiple hook rigs (and the lethal or where Even 2012 “Best New Walleye Lure” Two weeks on the other hand, deeper water, #1 deep water I freezing drop plane down to incredible. 9 and mphgills Speed-mapping is best chew. formal mentorship program for members ofbythe organization. smallmouths attheir thefrom same time, it was We damage oflater, wind on the eyes of caught several worse, they may never Gordon Pyzer when the perch decide it is now time when the water is flat and there is no bouncing of the bow to jostleI predator follows them. other bigduring fish inthat the tournament on an umbrella rig and since then the fish period ofthe time). have experienced the for them to nest, they relocate in the from itson optimal, parallel angle with the bottom. I can’t Suckers make a tied great If atransducer walleye is still hesitant, always have one in weedy the fall. thrill pick of catching a fish! adjacent warm, soft bottom, always day, and mapping in choppy water is usually the norm. living among I useforaging evenmyless vertical HAVE YOUR CAKE I started mentoring as a bays, and the walleyes follow them For this, I adjust my tactics a bit taking a big “sausage shaped” bite the stalks and leavesflick movement. A slight Drop a Drop-Shot Our award winning lures just keep Girl Guide leader when in hot pursuit. As the movement & EAT IT TOO out a rod shoreline and working of of the tip from isweeds. deadly. It from the perimeter inward. I still do the of cabbage (Bass Fishing continued page 32.) getting better - the proof is in the they had a fishing badge. begins, you will notice that shallow-water speed-run with the wind; but, hold against the At the other end of the presentation spectrum is a steady drop-shot rig that can give ahave bait just enough catch. Without suckers, or the the Anglers created walleyes are spread out. When this So many girls learned to current. Wherever you are using them, – RICK OLSON © breeze, witherratic a really reduced speed thebut deep-water stretch. speed and motion to for will produce well for bass other species like walleye and Prototype Spoons other plentiful forage pressure ontouse Tobin’s pike try make some contact with isyou theshould case, you will put your bait in tie a knot, a bobber, photographic nderstanding the dreaded fall turnover, and knowing howoftothe deal with stimulate a strike. Shaking crappie as Crankbaits well. Consisting ofoffa the weight tied to the bottom line species, such asfish ciscoes the bottom. ricocheting front of far more and catch them population and anglers can and put a worm on a 4: Map-Blemish Fix fish patterns it, can spell the difference between a lure couple seconds, and then hook tied into the line about 12”-24” above the weight or smaller lake trout, bottom isfor oneaaof the top triggering functions faster trolling aown bottom bouncer and solve their problem. w/ UV finish success and an empty livewell. Walleyes hook. It's the same for any newbie as just of gettingplastics startedtocan be then pausing it briefly is also (with abaits. palomar knot). We of will attach variety the there belearning no pike. of thesewill PROTOTYPE SERIES™ During your curve, you will endaand up “washing out” on acoloured turn or crawler harness with ashare blend chartreuse, orange, redsoft and green ® are directly affected by this naturally For example, an elite guide tough. Mentors knowledge enthusiasm and mentees deadly. This makes Still, the pike-suckerhook butblades if youWhat prefer usesee liveisbait youacan to PROTOTYPE SERIES™ – Fergie Specials on a speed run. youtotipped will amimic blemish thatattach lookssome like ameat “blackColorado and beads, that again perch. occurring, seasonal phenomenon, and learn by doing. There's nothing like a day on the water to relax and pike expert, my friend My top crankbaits for bass around home are treble hooks dance, activates cabbage isoffixtheis toughest the hook as for well. – Plane Jane hole” on connection your map. simple: pull up on any black-hole and can make the Bagley Sunny Bsome andThe the Diving Balsa and enjoy the thrill of the anticipated call "got one!" rattles in noisy baits, adds flash, Rob “Crash” Wilson, has developed system of fishing dead a major predator/prey “hover” in thesame middle ofevery it. The hole willa begin toweed shrink rapidly asbaits, the Trolling the spinner combination alongDoug lines is aanother “New” 1/4-oz fishing conditions you’ll face during Rob Schulz & IN-FISHERMAN, Editor-in-Chief, Stange with B1. These crankbaits run true time and CLT 1, 3 & 5 and makes lures seductively sway snag-proof, amongst flooded tree that sprawl along the bottom of & 1/2 oz sizes relationship in North productive pattern as the weather, water and perch spawn heats up. And if In the fall I’m going to be using minnow imitating plastics, adjusting mapping unit continually truths the data and, finally, morphs into the the entire open water season. As water will putpivot. fish in the boat. Fish them on a seven 47” Last Mountain Lake monster pike. on the spot. There 3 sizes and Think of shaking a bait like jogging Tobin. Wilson’s dedication to using Circle Hook rigs with dead “New” Colours NATALIE HATHAWAY America. Pike need a feeding strategy they can rely on to fill their temps reach their summer high, a the cabbage bed is expansive, you’ll pinch yourself to make sure you’re colour of of therod surrounding map… voila! the size the toG.the fishIMXthat I’mopposite chasingdirection and the snapped size of the foot crankbait (Ibait likestall. the Loomis 6 colours inside lures would Turning in the is dreaming movement happening, but the lure islost not travelling very far.the This layering process occurs, with the end re-localized PRO 845C CBR) with 12 fish pound Seaguar not ifthink you remove the bouncer and trollfish the spinner rig without baits ended his frustration with snags, (with rigs hanging bellies. In mid-summer, their prey is and specific. forage that I the are focused on. For bass and big walleyes Gussy with Bass Fishing Legend motionless, suspended lures forward and brought the moving lures to Myweight grandpa introduced me fishing when I was aand wee little one keeps the bait appealing while staying in a small strike zone. fluorocarbon. For tournament fishing, Ito like sult being an upper layer, and a placement any over topswarmer of the weeds. Even more precise deadly is Rick Clunn from their mouths), and perfect hook in the mouth of the I might use a larger four or five inch jerk shad type bait but for BEFORE AFTER alower sluggish crawl before stopping. SPIN DOCTORS it wasn't until I met my husband, Aaron Hathaway, 17 years tobut change my hooks to Gamakatsu G-Finesse And not this kind of Turnover! cooler layer, separated by a quickcasting a perch-coloured original floating Rapala Minnow, Shad Rap or vegetation, wood swim jigs can to swim fish allowing quick, non-lethal releases – almost never damaging PRESENTATION WILL ULTIMATELY crappies or which pressured bass and walleye ISWITCH might use –aSEPARATE smaller two ORIGINAL treble hooks, areemerging extremely sharp, Tail Spinners™ MAKE Aweed QUICK ly changing narrow band, known astops. the Rippin’ Rap over the The key is adjusting the speed through all of this stuff with ease, generating Rob imparted enough of this stop-start-suspending presentation to the delicate gills or gullet. three inch light bait. “New” Chrome Bringing SUCCESS FROM STRESS super strong, wire hooks. – Fergie Special thermocline. This deeper, cooler, bottom layer, can quickly become totally (Continued on page 54.) you our ofthe your retrieve so that you scrape the tops and stalks of the vegetation reaction strikes with a quiet, subtle moving Switching from one bait to another can fool walleye. When jigging with lures that hisand fish were seeingany theuse. same triggering presentation void of oxygen, will eliminate Trying to pull fish from dead Original FLASHER JIGS Fergie Specials™ bait. Think aboutas places whereany you might with the lure, letwere itJigs suspend orwith floatrod up slowly, a walleyes rush upuse Aas lot ofcan pike anglers on spinners (bucktails and tandem-spins) an attractor bait, like arely Rapala Rap, Northland Buck-Shot Rattle Roger and Gary doing and reel...without pause Try Swim NOT Athen MIRACLE SYSTEM… JUST SIMPLE GENIUS I’m predominately using Z-Man Elaztech baits on my drop-shot rigs water be aTry complete waste ofRippin’ time. a frog, a swim jig might be a better option. Plane Jane Spoons™ and devour it. it this season, as the sun sets on a pristine late spring / or minnow baits likeis Original Rapala minnows to fish Ice weeds. Spoon, Sebile Vibrato, VMC Rattle Spoon or Williams Jig, IThey always for casting! Furthermore, Rob covered approximately 10-20 times ORBD because the plastic buoyant causing it to sit horizontal in the water EasyJigs™ Twist-off summer evening and you will discover theThis meaning of delirious. Prior to theRob start of my fishing career Again, Wilson is Some anof exceptional angler and trophy hunter. work! However, I rigged personally do not like using spinners orfirst Rapalahave another rod with ainofboards finesse bait. could bethe a cover small tube The purpose of the program is Flasher to: A:) support new/newer anglers early the water I did with the planer spreading his are set to an Fish finders display density objects, well as changes in density, which My experience and look more realistic. myasfavourite baits Finesse & Lytle’s body Secrets™ the U.S. back in 2012, I had never used a style plugs that sport multiple, fish-damaging treble hooks. Why? jig, jig and finesse minnow, darter or a compact tungsten spoon. His Circle Hook program, in my opinion, is his greatest contribution swath! Thus, ended the lesson! got my trolling & B:) provideTransparent new fishing Our opportunities to experienced anglers that enormous Award Winning makes up a40-foot thermocline. The upper warmer layer, isIless dense than with a swim jig the was ShadZ, 3.75” and the Jerk ShadZ baits. G. Loomis makes rods BIG OR GO HOME swim jig. They areSteakZ a skirtedGO jig but slightly so good ... Well, I’ve witnessed many fish hooked deep on these baits with back in 2013 at cooler bottom layer. It’s this change in density that will show up on a rear-end in gear and haven’t looked back since! to the sport. The central component, of course, is a circle hook! would like toRed learn about a new type of fishing they have not yet tried © Lures just getting different thefish flipping jigsdesigned that have in all ofthan their line-ups for no drop-shotting withLake light actions Spoons “if keep fish could ask for itPrototype they would”! Tail’s Aggressive frequently have qualms hitting a larger lure. Chickamauga, electronic graph, and it looks like a constant, narrow band. Some lakes are one, two or all three hooks of the treble hook in their throat or gills. photographic fish But I used have confess, as asInline I enjoy catching numbers nice Myyou favourite isSwim a 5/0 VMC Circle Hook fishedofIfon a size 12” or to target a new species. better – the proof is been fortoyears. jigsmuch typically so don’t tear the small hooks out of the fishes mouth. I could patterns w/ UV finish where there was When fish hesitate, quickly reel up the one lure, then drop the finesse so shallow and windswept that they may never thermocline. The big lakea Much damage is done, not when the fish strikes the bait from the walleyes, typically males, my idea of heaven is catching and releasing the Rob’s Rules: REELBAIT Tackle Co. have an eye positioned more towards the braided #50 Fluorocarbon leader or thin wire. From there, any tipgive you one tip for drop shot fishing, use a small, light wire hook spring shad spawn in the catch. circulates every time you get a decent wind, and the temperature remains bait. Offering walleye a smaller snack can tease them into eating. almost female fish. There is something about feeling side; but, when a fish follows the lure, then lunges andgoing engulfs the front of thedevice jig,always a lighter wire hook and Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic forced theSeward, suspension of the giant, up-like can be used. Any brand ofminnow hook isspecial fine as long as ithole, is 133 Seward Street, NE 68434 on around 5: Hugging Curves that will help your presentation look more lifelike. I’m usually using relatively consistent from top to bottom, throughout the entire season. Where regulations allow, soaking a real on a jig in one they are designed to be swam through all a bite, setting the hook and for a whole thing. When this happens, the treble hooks often end up deep www.reelbait.com 402.643.4127 grass. The program after only a few months BUT we are restarting it now! Not offset (gotta be straight-inline) and, in my experience, 5/0 and Periods ofhooks flat dead calm combined with the shallow heat ofis summer, #1 orsecond #2 most of theconditions, time. These areother small which makes kinds of shallow cover. while jigging an aggressive bait in(Sidebar) the totohooks attract fishwere awith great split thinking that you’ve in the soft throat/gill tissue. The general rule that I adhere to when mapping is “run parallel” bass right in push surface temps into the range of bathwater. But that’s ashooks far as itdeadgoes, stout. Also, swap out hooks for new, sharp, straight every Especially following the passing of frequent weather systems on big the light rods mandatory ifthe you want tomaps avoid losing fish. combination. The lure catches aggressive walleye, and the NEW snagged aaction rock or log. Then you the grass, plucking Tournament the contours. Now, on the “sausage shaped” you cannot avoid CISCOE CONCERNS and will last until the next good wind mixes everything up. Getting involved Series in this sport and finding mentors can be challenging feel The effectiveness ofmoney swim jigs comes Super Glow trip ormops-up so... dulled or stretched hooks cause Chaos!! water, the smart is on trolling: stick the hesitant biters. Position the finesse bait a the foot or two the head shakes and nothing off plentiful When fish come in with the hooks in their lip but are bleeding from “contour cutting”, which is slicing up and down changing water depths. Series from their ability to slide through all kinds at times for women for a host of reasons. We are fortunate to have a budges off bottom, or just above where you regularly mark fish on the sonar. We’re losing ciscoe populations Avoid the temptation shake the heck out your rodthe when you’re shad. There aren’t except size ofto your eyes What the transducer signal, finder-computer and mapping image will the gills, this isthewhat has happened. The experience gillsof tore and fish is now of cover that would give other lures a What happens then and do the fish the same negative breadth of female fishers within Ontario Women Anglers who want and 1) In spring, use shallow running lures and fish from the surface at an alarming rate as the climate you know... this isn’t bottom! fishing a drop-shot. Get the bait to the bottom and drag it along, A “CATCH-ALL” FOR WEIGHTLESS / ICEofAPPLICATIONS (Continued onare page 36) create isthat a Reeds, “dragging” effect of the image. I think it like a not perfectly tough time. lily submerged bleeding out! For thispads, reason, many conservation-minded outfitters (Continued on page 20.) effects the fall turnover brings? Absolutely not! It’s just the down; doanot dredge messy, muddy bottoms. In fishing summer use deeper warms, and theIaimpact on the to help others. They are able to provide safe, supportive one-on- designating imparting some light shakes every once in a while. almost always drawn water-colour contour map that you have dragged wet paintbrush fact that lake will turnover, that causes tough conditions, but their top trophy waters as strictlypopulations “single-barbless hook” walleye thatdown feed on divers andoz make hard-bottom contact often. in the past, and itdropping one experiences for other women who may just be starting out I’ve I exclusively use dead baits (Pro-Cure ‘n treated) use awritten 3/8 weight that is heavy, but I want theBait bait toBrine get to more likely due tocured the rapidly water temperatures. The body across and, in doing so, dragged clean contour lines out of sync with waters. Now, all baits can have the trebles removed and replaced with them is concerning. Losing their theon case today, that theto Pro Staffer or just want to learn more and, hopefully instill the confidence remains temperature oftheir aTo fish subject it’s “drag environment, and rapid changes the bottom quickly and not waste any time. that sink own. They fished onmarks” a highly flexible leader original map. fix,isand, return these and carefully run athe single-barbless hook oftoare course, fish can be hooked on Jason Matity’s – principal food source indeep deeper, 2) Use suspending lures all season long to achieve the ever-productive most overlooked – and cherished – in water temp can shut fish down, and it may take some time for their in newer anglers to pay it forward as a mentor one day – Tanya single GetFishing.ca the contour. ByHowever, running the contourthat several times, you will “tighten up” material such as #50 Fluorocarbon OR limp tyable wire connected hooks. anything increases the odds of a clean, cooler, main lake habitats Trophy Walleye early season trophy walleye pattern (i.e., Rob’s hard zig-zagging maneuver to work suspending stall body to adjust. The turnover usually coincides with the first hard frost MacLean, the marks to accurately represent thethe true Fall offers some of thetobest fishing of year and we have aEven longIfifof caught on aMentor, Ontario Women Anglers live-release of top-end, breeding-stock fish iscontour. worth your effort. tobeing adrag #5/0 VMC Octopus In-line Circle Hook via asoloop knot. means the walleyes are forced is the first person fish the jerkbait gives his stop-and-go presentation that is deadly). fall, but not always. Some years, the change is so gradual that it becomes ReelBait Pulsating & fuller winter ahead uspike layer your confidence bait isso a One spinner or minnow bait, fine. by Short Shank to relocate totothat’s shallower warmer main lake that most a large/aggressive swallows the bait entirely, a straight, difficult to structures pinof down. ofup, the indicators look for,Start issteady water Flasher jig EQUIPMENT EXPECTATIONS To participate in the program, women must be a paid member of the folks dress warm and get out there. o removing the trebles and replacing themfrom with single hooks water to on less nutritious won’t visit for atbreak least another temperature. When the surface temperature drops between 10-15 Celcius, 3) By trolling a shoreline with a free spread of feed lures of Siwash known diving pull, will simply the hook the bait, travel cleanly club. A mentor may offer 1:1 or small group instruction. Mentors month. Trust your electronics to show you species like yellow perch. Worse as seen on salmon spoons and plugs. For me, the swimbait is the top you canYou figure in the toturnover zone. Walleye activity canAlso, range willisyou’re feelto alone outoperate. A boat engine not cheap Over asimultaneously. season of colouring curves, you are able sample several depths out of the esophagus, gill area and mouth until it changes direction and mentees are paired up depending on their fishing interests, here still, perch inhabit warm water so the fish and you will enjoy those frombecause bad good, depending on severe, and how quickly water casting bait Ieveryone uselike on all waters. Forhow theChurch record, I will state here that knows that sessions, I tospend several hundred dollars on premium gas; as well planer boards, Rob’s favourite, ® in the corner of the mouth and become locked into place. the walleyes forced toall turn up location and availability. All of the mentors and organizers the temps cool off. gradual slide can make for betterare fishing. last few trips inA the boat. walleyes are still shallow. And Ias, feel the swimbait is universally more effective in fishing pike Evinrude 2+4 Fuel Conditioner and Evinrude E-Tec XD100 oil Tackle TX-6, gives impressive horizontal their metabolic rates and expend involved in the program are volunteers. They are not guides and, to be fair, most of them are, just situations, through fall, than anyThe other bait. to keep myspring engine running perfectly. way I look at it, my sport coverage. C 1 to 5 Much of the latefree. summer andthe early fall action can occur after dark,and much more energy catching not the big females that leave although are they are not compensated for their time, there is an of choice is not However, the information that a lake upand There are times when burbot or pike that are “huffing” thegives bait 3 sizes even when things get tough. There still might be a few walleyes that much less wholesome meals. Editor’s Note: Jeff Gustafson areas quickly, migrating WHAT SIZE? WHAT TYPE? once I discover herspitting secret spots and the migration routes of the fish iswill understanding that mentees should6 colours offer some assistance with spawning 4) Pike will follow lures for aup long way. sucking it in and it in order to taste it, will rip a bait off the surrender to anglers willing to give a little sleep. Another option, would ReelBait is aI losing fisheries grew deep upaAlso, on thetheshores ofscent, Lake of It Pro-Cure their water refugias where priceless! care and attention that give to battle, my boatasand motor costs for fuel, boat launches, bait, etc. Mentees are expected to to Adding quality baits like Pro Staffer be avoiding the negative effects of the turnover by trying to find aIherring. lake that hook and require a t-bone, under the spine, hooking of the managers are finding throughout My favourite, lure is a large swimbait in the 5” to 6.5” range. prefer they can devote the energy they the Woods in Kenora, Ontario. when mapping in the fall (before I put her to bed for the winter) ordown. in Ice Gel or Anise-Plus Super Gel, bring their own equipment and tackleJefftoMatity outings, unless otherwise Pike/Musky – hasn't turned yet, or one “breaking that already has had a week orisSTORM two torange. settle the southern walleye a jig with an added swimbait tail such as the largest 360GT However, most days, free of the bait” important since consume to the production of He has made his living in the the (when Igowake her shallow up from her awinter slumber) is timethan andthe GetFishing.ca gives pike a scent trigger that makes bigthey arranged with the mentor. Thespring first ones tothe are gain the lakes, as cool fished quicker Search bait and venerable Big Hammer swimbaits, on 1/2, more eggs. And they this with a Chunky a circle hook is best when it has an empty gap to fully pivot in the fishing community since he was money well invested. difference over the course of CHBD deeper varieties. There may beaThese asday. muchtwo as two weeks difference. Walleye nourishment by focussing almost solely on soft, silvery, pelagic ciscoes, 3/4 or 1oz. Hammer Heads. swimbait designs offer the a teenager as a tournament corner of the mouth and lockdown correctly. Therefore, running the To find out more information about this program, visit: https:// shiners and rainbow smelt. shape, texture, sizes and colours that combine to create a ispackage DON’T’ TAKE WORD FOR IT:GPS TIPS angler, guide, outdoor writer and Medium depth The final option is to not gotrigger atto all, but what fun is that? fun, even 5) Trolling with aMY hair on you hook shallow and parallel the spine ofSUPER-PRO the baitFishing (not through it) www.ontariowomenanglers.ca/mentorship AVAILABLE IN CANADA runner that closely imitates the prey big pike feed on. Namely, long slender fishing promotor. In 2019 he is when it’s tough. Dealing with the fall turnover can prove to be a real chalbutton can reveal daily hotspots where the leaves onlyare securing the bait onpolarized the hook. The free spool Darrin Bohonis, of www.bohonisenterprisesinc.ca, specializes in baitfish soskin important that I look for onglasses, my sonar screen To Find A Retail Outlet Near You Check Out Our Dealer Locator On Our Website The fish! Eluded tothe earlier, staring through our we often lenge, and overcoming tough conditions can bethem extremely rewarding. competing on the Bassmaster pike are holding and help you visualize how pike are setting up on a LINDA GALLUS Humminbird products and has spent more time mapping than most more than for the walleye themselves. Now, two critical details: pay design of the HT Polar Tip Up smooth and will not create enough observe common white suckers and/or northern hog-nose suckers Elite Series in addition to competing in several events in Ontario. piece of structure. This information helps youHe produce a suspending, “milk run” experienced folks have spent fishing, period! annually logs 100’s special attention to the depth at which you see balls of to bait drag to letfind the bait get torn free nor alertthethe the presence in the cabbage beds. Tosocial imitate them, colours infish browns oron whitish Visit – – Sharing the joys of fishing has always been a passion of mine, and You can him on media at @gussyoutdoors and his for casting, later. of hours behindare thenearest wheel, mapping.–Here his piles words of underwater wisdom: thenhues locate the structures reefs,are rock and grey terrific. website at: www.gussyoutdoors.com. (Continued on page 34.) Sign up to receive FREE Target Walleye/Ice which is why supporting the Ontario www.mepps.ca Women Anglers’ mentorship (Continued on page 29.) (Continuedemails onpage page15.) 9.) (Continued on
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of any unnatural resistance that would cause your bait to be rejected. The HT Wind Jigger, with Big Eye Rod is my favorite gear.
HT WIND JIGGER PROGRAM There are 3 reasons why I have converted 100% of my tip-up sets to Wind Jigger set-ups: 1) Speed; 2) Comfort, and most importantly; 3) Deadly effectiveness.
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being used out there right now... here’s why: A) Dropping baited hooks to bottom and free-spool reels until each can be set means all baits are fishing sooner. B) After each caught fish, “resetting” is very fast. The rod and reel means no wet hands and the bobber or tape on the line is simple and easy. C) The long, fiberglass rod can bow, pop or rattle so an angler can “read” pike attitude. D) The free spooling baitrunner reel indicates fish movement, obviously, and offers the gently, measured amount of resistance to the swimming fish. E) A stiff drag sets the hook with a simple fast, intentional reeling cadence followed by a smooth lift once the rod is loaded. F) The Ripple Puck keeps the hole ice free. It chews at the water using the water’s own thermal energy to keep the surface active and ice free. (TIP: rig line dead center in the hole in order to keep the Puck from pushing it to one side of the hole and having it stick and freeze.) G) The circle hook – stuck in the corner-of-the-mouth – will lead the fish sideways and turn her head up into the hole. Keep the fish’s eyes and gills in the water while you use your free hand to pop out the hook (pliers are very seldom needed). H) The Wind Jigger is simple mechanics done right. The large rod tube handles any rod handle and the coil spring arm with incrementally adjustable neck allows for perfect alignment of rod-to-hole orientation. Position rod Parallel to the ice. The rod tip can bow to the ice and still spill line from the baitrunner reel without the fish spitting the bait. I) When a Wind Rigger folds in half and the reel starts screaming line, there is No rushing/sprinting/hurrying of any kind. I believe many pike drop a bait they do not completely have in their mouths when everybody comes galloping across the ice. Shhhh! Be stealthy! You want that pike to have the bait completely in her mouth and moving away from you before you pull the trigger. This distance is critical in order to get the right angle and pull point that lands the hook in the corner of her mouth.
MAXIMUM FUN AND RELEASE SUCCESS IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT I admit, my HT Wind Jigger method is more expensive than the straight-up tip-up program. Whichever you choose, the Circle Hook Rig is perfectly suited any dead bait application. In fact, Rob Wilson has a well-travelled arsenal of tip-ups that work for him. For me, I hate freezing my hands (too much nerve damage over the years) and winding frozen dacron onto a small, tip-up spool is no longer my idea of a good time! Also, few anglers can resist the fun and effectiveness of fighting a trophy pike with rod and reel. About the Author: Jeff Matitdy A Fishing Industry Professional for nearly 30 years as a Fishing Guide & Promotional Staffer, with Bachelor’s Degrees in both Science & Education, Jeff uses this training in his job as a Fisheries Professional & Outdoor Educator (specializing in fishing via family business, GetFishing.ca) to reach out to anyone interested in learning about fish. Fall 2023
OUT
44
DOORS
LET’S TRY SOME NEW WATER
I
By: Jeff Gustafson
I
n October 2021 my brother Ben and I decided we would sign up for the One-Man Lake bass tournament, taking place on the last stretch of the English River before it dumps into the Winnipeg River in Northwest Ontario. It is a big body of water with a good reputation for big bass so we were excited to get out there and try our luck. I always tell people that if they want to become a better overall angler they need to constantly fish new water. That, and don’t just go fishing on the nice days, fish in all kinds of conditions. We all have places where we know we can catch fish and that’s great but if you only fish those spots, you can get into a rut of not keeping up with new techniques or finding the next group of untouched fish.
This year I have been running the new Humminbird VX cards and they are awesome. Highly detailed with some unique new colour palettes that make it easier than ever to see fish holding structure on the maps. The Ontario version of this card covers most of the more popular waterbodies in the province. They make it easy to navigate and find places to fish. I did find some general mapping of One-Man online but it was limited. When we arrived to prefish for a couple of days we were given a map by the tournament organizers that had safe trails drawn on it to get around to different sections. We used those for general travel and then just went slow when we were venturing off the beaten path.
little over an hour north of my hometown of Kenora, I had never fished there before. Living where I do, we’re lucky that we have access to a lot of different waterbodies. Since we had never fished this water before, I just used my routine approach that I do Some people don’t like to put their boats when I’m visiting new water for an Elite in water that is uncharted but I love it. Series event in the U.S. I like that I can probably find places where fish have never seen a lure on these fisheries because they don’t get the pressure and none of the structure is marked for everybody to fish. If you’re patient and you put the time in to look around with your electronics you can always find little rock piles, weed clumps and other cover that holds fish.
If you are going to a new body of water, you can try doing an online search on that particular waterbody.
Even though the One-Man section of the English River is only a
(Continued on page 37.)
Just part of our winning catch at One-Man lake.
Over my career fishing in the U.S. I have been faced with fishing a new body of water many times and have developed somewhat of a routine. The first step is finding maps if available. I learned my way around Lake of the Woods with a paper map in my hand and when I started traveling I would always buy a paper map of the places we would fish. Today, I seldom get the paper maps anymore because we have such great mapping available on our electronics. Just Fishing . 36
Ben Gustafson with another from One-Man lake. Fall 2023
(Let’s Try Some New Water continued from page 36.)
Obviously, some places are going to have more information than others. Most of the waters where we have our tournaments have plenty of information on past events where you can learn general tactics, forage preferences and facts about the system. I like to read reports on past tournament results, knowing some information may be fabricated but you can usually pick up some good general info. In the case of this One-Man tournament, there was not a lot of information available but there are a few fly-in resorts on the system so I looked at the photos on their websites and read their general bass fishing information. Knowing that this was a remote place, the fishing was going to be good, it would just be a matter of figuring out which areas had fish. Satellite imagery is where I’ll do quite a bit of study on a new body of water. Across Canada, on many of the waterbodies that have clear water, we can often see a lot of the hazards, which can be helpful in navigation and for finding fishing spots. Crow Lake is located just east of Lake of the Woods, near Nestor Falls. It’s a deep, clear trout lake and a bass tournament is held there every year in September. It’s an uncharted lake, but the water there is so clear that you can actually see all of the reefs on the satellite imagery, even some of the humps that come up to around 15 feet and shallower. I carefully looked over the imagery and made rough marks on a paper map where all of the reefs were. When I’m out on the water I can investigate more and get waypoints on these spots so I know where to avoid running but often these are some of the best fishing spots. Satellite imagery can be very useful for finding fishing locations, especially if you can get an image of a system when the water is low, revealing more rock, trees or stumps and fish-holding cover. Calling a friend is another way to gather intel. I want to note however that I feel that sometimes as anglers we rely too much on information we receive from others and it prevents us from learning and finding our own fish, which are usually easier to catch, more plentiful and bigger. When I fished the FLW Tour before joining the Elite Series in 2019, we were allowed to receive fishing information up until a few weeks before the tournaments. For most of the places we would visit I never really knew anybody to ask for direction t caugh outh largem giant fson’s but as I went along, it Gusta Shelby felt like if you weren’t during practice on Lake Guntersville. trying to gather some information, you weren’t doing your job.
rebates start mid september rebates start mid september
On the Elite Series, once our schedule is announced, usually months before the start of the new season, we are not allowed to get any fishing information unless it is from a publicly available source, like a website or a magazine. We can’t get any information from a friend, guide, etc. (Continued on page 38.)
Fall 2023
Just Fishing . 37
(Let’s Try Some New Water continued from page 37.)
It’s a great rule and it has been one of my favourite things about the Elite Series. The fact was, when I would get fishing help back in the earlier years, I would waste a lot of time trying the spots or places people told me about. The problem was, these were often obvious, community spots or they shared the same info with other anglers. It never really helped me, ever. All of the tournaments where I’ve done well, I’ve figured out a good pattern or found a good section of the lake or river to fish. So absorb the information you get from your friends but don’t fully rely on it. Use your instincts and try to put as many pieces together on your own as you can. If you know the season that you’re going to be visiting new water and the seasonal movements of the fish that you’re targeting, those can both help in formulating a plan. Knowing that bass and walleye spawn in the early season, usually in shallower bays or sections of a lake, we should probably start fishing in those areas in the spring versus main lake structure that will be good later in the season.
they move shallower and their activity levels increase, making fall a good time to target them. Knowing some of the tendencies of the fish that you want to catch can help greatly in breaking down new water. Sometimes the fish aren’t always where they’re supposed to be but usually when you follow the general rules, especially on new water, you’ll get a good starting point. That tournament at One-Man back in 2021... my brother Ben and I ended up winning it. He caught his biggest Canadian smallmouth (a five plus pounder) during the tournament and we had fun. It was October and we knew that the smallmouths would be grouping up on main lake structure. We fished a number of humps and reefs, found a few good spots and everything worked out. When we returned last year, we were still very novice on this body of water so we felt like we needed to add to what we already knew. We spent a few days learning more areas on this system and had a great time once again but we didn’t fare quite as well in the tournament, eventually landing in fifth place.
Lake trout prefer cooler water so in the heat of summer you can find them in the deepest holes of the lake but when the temperatures start to drop,
We’re planning to fish again this year (October 7-8) and we will spend our (Continued on page 39.)
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(Let’s Try Some New Water (When Keep It Simole Shinescontinued continuedfrom frompage page38.) 6.)
couple of practice dayscast, continuing explore X-Raps until after one I rippedtothe lure new water and look for untouched fish. down, paused for a second or two, ripped of the good spots itWe’ll downfish againsome and then laidpast my rod against during the of tournament but usually you will the gunnel the boat while I poured a cup never win on the same places. You can still of coffee. My rod almost flew out of the catchwhen fish off the old spots, new, fresh boat a four-pound plusbutsmallmouth ones always thedead best.still in the middle ate thearebait sitting of the water column. Now, I may have been One at of night, the best I get fishing born butfeelings it wasn’t lastinnight, so is I when I figure out a new bite or a new hotspot. quickly cast out the jerkbait again, ripped a tournament, it’s itWhen downI’m andprefishing then let itfor pause interminably. Another smallmouth destroyed it. Then another, and another, and another until Doug shook his head in mock disgust – or maybe it was real – and made note of the Painfully Protracted Pregnant Pyzer Pause. But that one simple change, exciting to know that you might have found facilitated by listening to the bass, turned the winning fish. When I’m around home and an otherwise ho-hum day of fishing into a away from the tournament scene, that rush stellar success story. might come from catching a big musky in a Simple shines!
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new area or finding a school of crappies in an area that they weren’t known to pop up in.
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
Sometimes it’s nice Of course, monitoring the success of your to get out on the favourite tournament angler is fun, but water and just pull isn’t as easy as grabbing whatever rod, reel, emulating a winning presentation can be up to the places we line and lure and combination you need and frustrating, because there is always more to know are good having at it. Spy baiting is a perfect example. it than first meets the eye. As Gustafson has catch fish but if you Everyto serious bass angler knows about already told us, he spent 20 years perfecting want up the moping technique and tried it repeatedly it by now, but to spy bait well, and more – and unsuccessfully – at different events importantly, ensure a decent to excellent Editor’s Note: Gustafson grew up on the shores of have to spend the time landing ratio, you and couldn’t makeJeff it produce... until he did. Lake of the Woods in Kenora, Ontario. He has made his required to dial things in. So use your fun living in the fishing community since he fishing was a days teenager to experiment with different rod “That is how you should spend your fun as a tournament angler, guide, outdoor writer and actions and line pairings to achieve greater fishing says Strub, who recent has over 200 fishingdays,” promotor. The most highlight of his career is winning the Bassmaster success.” top ten tournament his credit. Classic.You can findfinishes him ontosocial media at @gussyoutdoors and on his website at: “But remember, anything new these days (Continued on page 8.) www.gussyoutdoors.com.
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Just Fishing . 39
WHEN PERFECT STRANGERS CONNECT ON THE VALUES OF CONSERVATION By: Robert Pye
“Any luck?” The question was clear but a visual on whomever asked it was not. In mid-retrieve, my spinner bait lost momentum when I paused to reply in the direction of the inquiry. I knew it came from the cottage that was set back from a vegetated shoreland and in the early morning shade. “Only little ones so far,” I said, keeping my vibe elusive yet positive. On the water, that’s my signature response to help protect my fishing pride, and my fishing spots. However, judging by the tone, I gathered the question wasn’t fishing for free advice, rather simply casting out a friendly greeting. I took the bait.
as the riparian zone, to support wildlife, prevent erosion and reduce runoff that could threaten the overall health of waterways, including critical shoreline fish habitat. After getting comfortable with the conservation theme of our discussion, I admitted that I caught, and released, more than “only little ones” that morning. In fact, I said, “I hooked into a couple of lunkers over a productive weed line out there, which I realize now is being protected in part by the great stewardship of lake volunteers like you.”
With a quiet spin and thrust of the electric motor, I calmly navigated myself a few cast lengths closer to the property owner’s natural edge. Now I could see the man, or at least his face behind a steaming cup of coffee and a newspaper. He put both down for a chat that will forever shape my appreciation for people who take environmental pride in the waterfront they own, and the lakes that so many others have an opportunity to enjoy. Our exchange was one of shared observations about how the lake has dramatically changed as a result of invasive species, erosion, harmful blue-green algae blooms, and the increase in shoreline developments – the latter of which have, on some shores, replaced native plant and tree species with the kind of manicured lawns you expect to see in subdivisions.
LAKE LEADERSHIP
So, to answer his original question, good fishing is never a measure of luck, rather a focus on habitat. It’s almost always the result of community volunteers who support shoreland restoration, freshwater stewardship and education, as well as the kinds of local fish habitat projects that are happening these days thanks to organizations such
Not the case for the property I was Fish Habitat Restoration floating in front of however. Instead Work In Progress it is a brilliant example of how a shoreland can be as recreational as it is eco-functional, not to mention as Watersheds Canada. stunningly aesthetic. It was no surprise then when I learned that I was speaking with a volunteer from the local lake association. FOCUS ON FISH HABITAT I told him I only fished this particular lake a few times a year, and I had no idea how hard his fellow volunteers were working While angling is not in our organization’s name, it’s in the on citizen science efforts like Love Your Lake, and the highly passion of many of our supporters who promote healthy acclaimed shoreland restoration program called The Natural lakes and rivers through the programs already mentioned. Edge. We agreed that our lakes need the ribbon of life, known (Continued on page 41.) Just Fishing . 40
Fall 2023
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In addition to Love Your Lake and The Natural Edge program, Watersheds Canada’s Fish Habitat program has completed 22 habitat enhancement projects, made possible through our 50 community partners and several funders including Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, Honda Canada Foundation, Environment Canada and Climate Change as well as a recent donation from OFAH Zone E and in-kind support from Zone F. Watersheds Canada is a registered charity supported by annual fundraising campaigns like Water5050.ca advertised in this issue of Just Fishing.
National Fishing Week this summer. Lake association leaders and conservation-minded anglers will also have the chance to catch more information about fish habitat at the upcoming Lake Links “Hooked on Habitat,” supported by Watersheds Canada and our partners, and presented in Perth on October 21. Melissa Dakers and Robert Pye from Watersheds Canada removing silt to help bring back the walleye population.
Watersheds Canada’s Fish Habitat program has spearheaded walleye and trout spawning bed restorations, cold-water creek habitat enhancements, and volunteer work parties to add woody debris back into lakes with brush bundle projects. As an example of success, in 2022, zero walleye were spawning in a bed before a Watersheds-led clean up last fall. A massive build up of silt was obstructing a walleye spawning bed, but in the spawning season that followed our work, 40 walleye were counted there. In addition to historic walleye spawning areas, our organization has also saved a native brook trout population.
LET’S WORK TOGETHER Many of these fish habitat success stories were celebrated in Watersheds Canada’s social media campaign to help promote Fall 2023
After sharing my enthusiasm for Watersheds’ fish habitat work, I said to the cottager, “you must catch fish in front of your property all the time.” He laughed and said, “I don’t even fish!”
Above all else, our conversation that morning serves as a testimony to what Watersheds Canada is truly all about – building relationships with caring people from all freshwater interests who believe in working together to protect Canada’s lakes and rivers. Anglers, we appreciate your help, too. Editor’s Note: Robert Pye is the Executive Director of Watersheds Canada, and columnist for Outdoor Canada Magazine. Just Fishing . 41
TIPS & TIPS & TIPS&
When hungry jumbo perch school in the andput along weed edges, wish too much line out,‘em: tangling, etc.weeds “I can aMoon spoon onJig a Al’s favourite way to to catch Rip jigging a aVMC Al’s favourite way catch ‘em: Rip jigging VMCNeon Neon MoonEye Eye Jig simply because you will need simply because you will need Bro ties on a Gill Getter, which engenders a subtle gliding presentation. Luhr-Jensen Jet Diver and send itordown 30’ –pretty easily. On ainin Dipsy (typically 1/4-oz) with awill boot-tail split-tail weeds 8-12’ (typically 1/4-oz) with amore boot-tail or split-tail –targeting targeting weeds 8-12’ simply because you will need to startthe someplace. The more simply because you need to start someplace. The “Drop jig down and execute a series of subtle, 6-inch ‘buggy whips’ Diver, I can work 50’ without any problem plus the strike detection is during low-light periods. during low-light periods. TECHNIQUES to to start someplace. The more you learn by fishing, fishing, the to start someplace. The more you learn by the more get the jig flying around,” he begins. “This gets the fish’s attention. great. They’re also a good landing percentage bait – it can be hard to TECHNIQUES TECHNIQUES you you learn byby fishing, the more you can refine theon rules that you learn fishing, the more can refine the rules that After the fast.” jig and Mosquito Larvae swim keep fish buttoned cranks trolled 2. STRUCTURE BITE 2. STRUCTURE BITE you can refine the rules that govern the lake you are on Spoons vs Spinner RigsPerch – By: Jim Edlund you can refine the rules thatdown, let them pause for a couple Bro’s Proven Plan to Ice Portly govern the lake you areback on oesn’t matter if you’re using livelive bait or or artificials, walleyes can oesn’t matter if you’re using bait artificials, walleyes canthat govern thethe lake are that day. govern lakeyou you are on An entirely separate population Rap fish An entirely separate population ofwalleyes walleyes areJigging Jigging Rap fishthat that day. ofonseconds. Most are fish hit on thewonders. pause. “I’m a spinner guy, that’s how I’ve paid for everything I own,” jokes Lake Gear Recomendations: It’s notofany spoon that will work be downright tough to to catch this time of of year... butbut don’t take it itthat be downright tough catch this time year... don’t take with Northland Fishing Tackle’s New day. spend the summer tight to deep structure: that day. spend the summer tight to deep structure: Erie guide Capt. Robertson... but he’s not really joking. rigs Profile is key – smaller sizes Perch tasty creature with all likesee the a2.5” Silver Streakarmed Jr. or 3” Silver he steps to Ross follow in locating locating fish under the ice ice is no noSpinner easy task. task. he to follow in fish under the is easy from me:steps from me: Walleyes love deep, hard Walleyes love deep, hard keephe clients catching fish and coming back, which is good for a guide’s proven most “I tend the so 3” Larvae those successful. legs and they knowtoitgravitate can swimtofast, steps to Mosquito follow in on locating fishfish under ice is nono easy task. Anglers heading out on lakes with little orthe no iceice fishing pressure he steps to follow in locating under the is easy task. Streak Mini have Anglers heading out lakes with little or no ice fishing pressure “On a lot of these those structure fish are around “On a don’t lot of theselakes, lakes, those structure fish are around Walleyes love deep, hard bottom areas. Crappies and Walleyes love deep, hard bottom areas. Crappies and bottom line. Put enough lines out, and the spread acts almost like a vacuum Silver Streak Mini. You catch as many fish, but what you do catch they kick in the afterburners to catch it before Anglers heading out on lakes with little or no ice fishing pressure are in for some plain old hard work. Few anglers relish the challenge Anglers heading out onguides lakes with no ice fishing pressure Al “Talking the guides andand a lot of the people areLindner: inLindner: for some plainto old hard work. Few anglers relish the challenge Al “Talking to the alittle lot ofor the people 25’, butbut I’ve heard 25’, I’ve heardofbites ofbites bitesgoing goingasasdeep deepasas40′ 40′already already bottom areas. Crappies and perch love waters of over 30 areas. Crappies and love waters of over 30 when pulled through big pods ofMost walleyes – especially during mid-summer. arebottom bigger. You’ll get 5x many he ice fishing world is abuzz over Northland Fishing itas gets away.” with the 2.5” Jr. but that also are in for some plain old hard work. Few anglers relish the challenge of finding fish on a new lake. prefer “following the crowds” and perch are in for some plain old hard work. Few anglers relish the challenge we know all over the Midwest, everybody has said this of finding fish a new Most prefer “following the crowds” and we know allon over the lake. Midwest, everybody has said this – that’s astounding.” – that’s astounding.” perch love waters ofcleaning ® feet with super soft bottom, perch love waters ofover over30off 30 junk fish like yellow perch & ‘spike’ with aa super soft bottom, means wasted time Tackle’s new Impulse Mosquito Larvae. The lifelike of fish on atheir new lake. Most “following the crowds” and letfinding their eyes bestrangest their fish finders. To some, going from one group of of finding fish on a new lake. Most prefer “following the crowds” and feet has been the strangest year any of us have ever seen for has been the year any ofprefer us have ever seen for let their eyes be fish finders. To some, going from one group of feet with a super soft bottom, and sunfish love to hang feet with a super soft bottom, Not all walleye pods are big on Erie, and sometimes the fish are high in walleyes.” Lately gone even bigger – moving up tomuddy 4 3/4” sunfish loveRobertson’s to hang artificial softbait creates an undulating action panfish For low-riding perch cruising let their eyes be be their fish finders. some, from one group of of and anglers to another isOn their form ofTo “recon”. Ifgoing you ice fish, you may let their eyes their fish finders. To some, from one group catching walleyes. On average, it’s been a tough bite, catching walleyes. average, it’s been agoing tough bite, He talked about how thethewinners ofof the anglers to another is their form of “recon”. If you ice fish, you may He talked about how winners theLund LundMania Mania and sunfish love to hang off steep weedy break lines. the water column. The old saying that 90% of the fish live in 10% of the and sunfish love to hang spoons used by Great Lakes salmon anglers. “Might seem crazy – a lot off steep weedy break lines. can’t resist, and no one knows how to fish it every better than bottoms, Bro pins thecaught Mosquito Larvae on ain anglers toto another is their form of “recon”. Ifwalleye you ice fish, you may but we still have lots of fish to catch. “Not every not want to join the crowd or at some time you will be faced with the anglers to another is their form of “recon”. If you ice fish, you may but we still have lots of fish to catch. “Not walleye tourney on Ottertail last month their best fish tourney on Ottertail last month caught their best fishin not want join the crowd or at some time you will be faced with the off steep weedy break lines. water can be true. “Pulling spinners at 1.5 mph is not the most efficient Finding the right fish holding of my clients think I’m nuts – I’ll troll a full-size Silver Streak or Silver off steep weedy break lines. Finding the right fish holding its creator – hard water icon and Team Northland Pro Mud Bug or Mitee Mouse. “Let the jig fall, not want to the crowd or at some time you will beways faced thethe Finding in the lake isjoin always doing the same thing atice, the same challenge of being the only angler on the ice, so here are few tips 35-40’: not want tobeing the crowd or at some time you will be faced with in the lake isjoin always doing the same thing at same 35-40’: challenge of the only angler on the so here are aa with few tips way to find fish. That’s when you need to think ofthe other to intersect Streak Magnum. But it’s not crazy at all. “Youto won’t as many fish, the right fish holding elements for the fish you are Finding the right fish holding elements for the fish you are Staffer Brian “Bro” Brosdahl. “The Mosquito Larvae’s then pound bottom kickcatch up silt,” he says. depth. There’s a lot of fish that do a lot of different things. challenge of being the only angler on the ice, so here are a few tips depth. There’s a lot of fish that do a lot of different things. to remember the next time it happens to you and you want to find fish. challenge of the only angler onyou theare ice, so here afind few tips elements to remember thebeing nextmeans time itspoons. happens to and want totofind fish. fish.” For Ross, that “Spoons a you great wayare fish but efficiency-wise... Ten minutes into the troll & they get it. 50% of forforthe fish you are after isresulting fairly easy with ayou lake elements the fish are after is fairly easy with aamazed. lake hair-like legs and other wispy appendages wiggle with thetoslightest of “The cloud gets the perches’ attention and than fish “Imushroom was amazed. The big And that holds true all the time.” “I was The bigfish fishall allcame camedeep... deep...deeper deeper than to remember the next time it happens to to you and you want find fish. And that holds true all the time.” to remember the next time it happens and you want to find fish. fast. They aren’t meant to be fished slow – you most don’t work well below something is better than 100% of nothing.” after is fairly easy with a lake map. If the lake has one deep after is fairly easy with a lake map. If the lake has one deep jig strokes, driving bluegills, crappies, perch, and trout crazy,” says normal... deeper than most of us had expected. And we’re quickly gather around the sediments. Slowly lift the Mosquito Larvae out normal... deeper than most of us had expected. And we’re Yourmph. firstIn step is to to understand the kind kind ofaccepted water you you arerange, going but to fish. fish. 1.8 most cases, 2.0-2.5 mph is theof speed this hole, Your first step is understand the water are going to map. thethe lake has one deep hole, then you would start map. If lake has one deep then you would start hearing that’s true awith of Brosdahl, who routinely relies on the 1-inch bait to put fish on the ice – of Here is a couple of Al’s favourite bites for you to the Ifurges cloud while slightly shaking it,for so the bait twitches andhere pulses.” hearing that’s truefor anumber number ofour ourlakes lakes hereininthe the Here is a couple of Al’s favourite bites for you to Your first step is to understand the kind of water you are going to fish. This will mean getting a lake map and looking at the types of structure Your first step is to understand the kind of water you are going to fish. year we’ve been burning them at 3.5 mph with great success.” Ross anglers to outfit each rod a different colour pattern & This will mean getting a lake map and looking at the types of structure hole, then you would start there for crappie. If a lake hole, then you would start there for crappie. If a lake Brainerd area.” Brainerd area.” capitalize on this summer. especially when finicky winter panfish play hard to catch. capitalize on this This will mean getting ayou lake andand looking at the types of structure you have available tosummer. you atmap this time oflooking year. Remember, your ability there letthere walleyes helpIf you decide.“Colour on the back of the spoon is This will mean getting a at lake map at the types of structure you have available to this time of year. Remember, your ability for lake is athe maze ofcrappie. structure, then forcrappie. Ifa athen lake is a maze of structure, Such theatrics, he promises, is thenickel underwater of an extraYou do the math. Robertson says he can cover 3x as much water with important, rather than just silver, or gold.equivalent Pink or antifreeze are you have available to you at this time of year. Remember, your ability to travel on a lake may be limited to foot power or poor ice conditions you have available to you at this time of year. Remember, your ability to WEED travel on a lake may be limited to foot power or poor ice conditions it is ais amaze of of structure, then it isis best to break the lake maze structure, then with best to break the lake When wall-dawgs are hugging bottom that deep, Al’s When wall-dawgs are hugging bottom that deep, Al’s 1. BITE For example, the Mosquito Larvae is a go-to when jumbo yellow 1. WEED BITE crispy, thin-crust pizza loaded extra cheese, mushrooms, and spoons versus spinner rigs. “It’s like fishing 3 days instead of 1 – your odds proven performers, but it’s more the contrast than the colour, just like with tomay travel on a lake may be limited to foot power or poor ice conditions may limit the the you can reach safely. safely. is always always good idea to to into to travel on areas aareas lake you maycan be limited to footItIt power or poor ice conditions limit reach is aa good idea it is best to break the lake into small regions that you can work without getting too confused. it is best to break the lake fav is snappin’ a Jigging Rap ‘cuz he says “nothing can small regions that you can work without getting too confused. fav is snappin’ a Jigging Rap ‘cuz he says “nothing can perch are onthe the menu. “It’s a walleye great winter bait,” Brosdahl “When the gaggle perch eyeballing sediment cloud see go way up.” And spoons work great atsafely. deeper 40, and 50’, preferred spinner rigs. “I always tieyou up of my spinner rigs withthe contrast in bead colour may limit the areas you can reach safely. Itdestinations, is always athat good idea to to sausage. know the roads and the various winter access points that surround may limit areas you can reach It30, isperch always a good idea In most larger lakes known as go-to destinations, In most larger lakes known as go-to walleye know the roads and the various winter access points surround into small regions that can work without getting too confused. Your first goal on most lakes is to establish the edge of the weed line. into small regions that you can work without getting too confused. trigger those fish faster and better.” Not every area ofof Your first goal on most lakes is to establish the edge of the weed line. trigger those fishthe faster and better.” footage Not every area says. “Whether fish are relating toweed weedbeds orpoints muddy basins, the the Mosquito rise out of silt, the resulting melee resembles walleye habitat during the summer especially on big waters. from front to Larvae back. I’ve watched enough underwater to tell it’s know the roads and thepopulation various winter access points that surround any given lake. there’s always anthe active ofwinter walleyes: know the roads and the various access that surround there’s always an active population ofpeak, weed walleyes: any given lake. Your first goal on most lakes is to establish the edge of the weed line. Most winter lakes get far clearer then they do in the summer, and Your first goal on most lakes is to establish the edge of the weed line. 25-40’ will hold aa population ofof active walleyes. This requires a agood 25-40’ will hold a get population active walleyes. This requires good Most winter lakes far family clearer then they do inbite the summer, and “Spoons are probablyaction the most under walleye-finding tool. Unlike the tantalizing mosquito really putsused the bite on ’em.” The Mosquito contrast that gets the presentation towith ‘pop’. Then add abite little “The ruckus when human four teenage boys isflash. gathered any given lake. any given lake. Most winter lakes get far clearer then they do in the summer, and some of the biggest sunfish in the lake move into the old weed line sonar/GPS unit. Navigate to reefs or humps surrounded by deeper water Most winter lakes get far clearer then they do in the summer, and sonar/GPS unit. Navigate to reefs or humps surrounded by deeper water some of the biggest sunfish in the lake move into the old weed line a crankbait, can run them really fast. Not many cranks run well at recent trend in the table, Great and Lakes is pink/purple and Larvae works wonders threaded onto atime variety oftry small panfish jigs. Bro the dinner all and of a greater suddenMidwest everybody realizes there’s Al: “Day in,Iin, day out, you can catch ’em in the middle of of any weeds Al: “Day day out, you can catch ’em in the any weeds When it comes to finding fish, every you tomiddle make rules as to around that top out between 25-40’ and only fish where you see schools of fish or some of the biggest sunfish in the lake move into the old weed line When it comes to finding fish, every time you try to make rules as to for protection from predators. Checking the edge of the weed line isor that top out between 25-40’ and only fish where you see schools of fish some of the biggest sunfish in the lake move into old weed line for protection from predators. Checking the edge of the weed line is 3.5 mph. Plus towhen you Tackle’s have to Mud fish deeper, cranks canpopulation get tough only antifreeze, kind of metallic yellow.” favours Northland Fishing Bug and Gill-Getter. onethe sliascreen. ce left,” he laughs. sparse enough be fishable and pull a bait through. “That sparse enough to be fishable and pull a bait through. “That population When it comes finding fish, every time you try to make rules as to where you SHOULD find fish, the rules change. Like catching sunfish When it comes finding fish, every time you try to make rules as to bait on for protection from predators. Checking the edge of the weed line baitbetter on theififscreen. even better youfrom are near near pointChecking or inside inside turn turnedge where the deep water where you SHOULD find fish, the rules change. Like catching sunfish even for protection predators. the ofthe thedeep weedwater lineisis you are aa point or where of fish is active earlier and late in the day. They get out of the denser of fish is active earlier and late in the day. They get out of the denser where you SHOULD find fish, the rules change. Like catching sunfish atwhere night, many many would agree agree that sunfish don’t bite at atLike night, but in in some some you SHOULD find that fish,sunfish the rules change. catching sunfish comes even better if you areare near a point oror inside comes closest toyou shore. at night, would don’t bite night, but even better ifto near a point insideturn turnwhere wherethe thedeep deepwater water closest shore. weeds and they’ll come up near the surface, rise high in the weeds, weeds and they’ll come up near the surface, rise high in the weeds, “If you hunt for them with your electronics, you’ll find them – they stick at night, many would agree that sunfish don’t bite at night, but in some “If you hunt for them with your electronics, you’ll find them – they stick lakes, you don’t catch the really big ones until the sun goes down… at night, many would agree that sunfish don’t bite at night, but in some comes closest to shore. comes closest to shore. lakes, you don’t catch the really big ones until the sun goes down… and come out to the edges.” and come out to the edges.” out when they’re there.” out when they’re there.” lakes, you don’t catch the really big ones until the sun goes down… golakes, figure.you Here arecatch few the good guidelines to use use tothe begin your search, don’t really big ones until sunyour goessearch, down… go figure. Here are aa few good guidelines to to begin Courtesy of: of: www.vexilar.com www.vexilar.com Courtesy go go figure. Here areare a few good guidelines to to useuse to to begin your search, figure. Here a few good guidelines begin your search, Courtesy Courtesyof:of:www.vexilar.com www.vexilar.com PRESENTS PRESENTS PRESENTS PRESENTS
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IN THE NEWS Triumphant Triumph at the 2023 Ontario Youth Championship
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he 2023 Ontario Youth Championship (OYC) took place on the picturesque Tri Lakes, hosted by the Kawartha Lakes Marina, on the 26th and 27th of August. This annual event is a crucial stepping stone for young Bass Anglers, providing them with a shot at representing Team Ontario in the USA at the regional championship. This year, we witnessed great competition with a total of 12 teams vying for the coveted spots and the opportunity of a lifetime. Fishing conditions proved challenging, as the early signs of Fall graced us with a 48hour rollercoaster of cold fronts, bluebird skies, high winds, and sporadic rain showers. Despite these adversities, the participants’ unwavering optimism, excitement, and the dream of landing the tournament's biggest catch fueled their determination.
organizations and individuals. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Shimano Canada, who generously provided caps and brandnew Caius rods to every participating angler. Kawartha Lakes Marina also played a vital role by offering their venue as a host location. Over the two days, they served up a few hundred scoops of ice cream to anglers, parents, guardians, and well wishers, making the event even sweeter. As we look ahead to 2024, the anticipation builds for another year of opportunities for six more anglers to qualify and represent Team Ontario. Last years team competed in a field of over 450 boats at Lake Hartwell in South Carolina in June 2023, showcasing the regional championships as the pinnacle of young anglers’ dreams. This competition opens doors for participants to broaden their horizons and compete against some of the best young Bass anglers globally – an opportunity and privilege that can’t be overstated. These qualified anglers will proudly represent the Province of Ontario, The Ontario Junior Bass Nation, their families, and themselves.
The format remained consistent for both Junior and High school Anglers – a twoday tournament where teams of two anglers aimed to reel in their five largest bass each day. Weights accumulated, and at the end Troy Jamieson & Tristan Kruczek – High School division winners of day two, the two high school teams with the highest cumulative weight secured their spot. On the Junior side, only the top team The backbone of support came from the host organizations, qualified. The Ontario Bass and Junior Eligibility to parAdding to the excitement, each team had Bass Nations, who ensured the ticipate is as follows. Finn Mahoney & Davis Voytek – an adult boat captain who doubled as an event’s seamless execution. Anglers need to be Junior School Division Winners on-water coach during scheduled timeouts, Special mention is due to those in grades 3-11 and making it an excellent format for nurturing unsung heroes who dedicated a member of a local the next generation of Anglers in Canada. B.A.S.S. Chapter. These teams will also their time, expertise, and finances. need to find a boat captain. For those The three teams that will proudly represent All the boat captains, including unable to join a local club, there’s the the Ontario Junior Bass Nation in 2024 in Andrew Corder, Chris Buttigieg, Andrew option of becoming a part of a Virtual/ the USA are as follows: Troy Jamieson & Jamieson, Curtis Cronkwright, Mark Online B.A.S.S. Fishing club. Membership Tristan Kruczek ( High School division inquiries should be forwarded to youth@ winners), Anthony Romanelli & Logan Lee Penner, John Hawkins, Louis Milo, Tom ontariobass.com. (High School division runners-up) and Finn Sayer, Bob Butcher, Bob Mahoney, Jacob Mahoney & Davis Voytek (Junior School Dwosh, and Anthony Dube, who drove Tight lines and full hearts – we look forward boats and coached tirelessly. We also to seeing you all next year! division winners). appreciate Jill Voytek and Pam Isaak However, an event of this magnitude doesn’t for their contributions to photos and Anthony Dube, Ontario Youth Director come together without the support of various merchandise sales. (Continued on page 44.) Fall 2023
Just Fishing . 43
(In the News continued from page 43.)
The Ottawa Boat and Outdoors Show Set for February 2024 Ottawa, ON – The 2024 Ottawa Boat and Outdoors Show will take over the EY Centre once again, February 22-25. The region’s largest event for the recreational boating community is back alongside an expo for outdoor enthusiasts “This show is the perfect place to find a new hobby or take home a fun summer toy,” said Show Manager, Scott Sprague. “The visitor turnout is incredible every year and we’re confident this edition will set the bar once again.”
casting pond will be making its return, allowing for visitors to try their hand at angling. The highly anticipated, educational seminars will once again spotlight a variety of the biggest names in the business as they demonstrate new techniques, share unique tips, and allow guests to ask questions in-person. A full seminar schedule will be released closer to the event. Visitors are encouraged to plan their visit around the full schedule.
From boats and fishing gear to powersports, paddle sports, accessories, and much more, this show is a one-stop destination for outdoor essentials. With numerous features filling the show floor, there is something for adventurers of any age. Visitors can climb aboard the More information on ticketing will latest models from some of the region’s follow in the coming weeks. Full show leading dealers details can be found on the official website at www.ottawabos.ca. Visitors Alongside many other exciting features are also encouraged to connect with the yet to be announced, the fan-favourite show on Facebook and Instagram.
Just Fishing . 44
Fall 2023
Conventional Braids*
Designed for maximum abrasion resistance on Rocks, Docks, Boat Hoists, Heavy Vegetation, and Timber ©2022 Pure Fishing, Inc.
*Per internal abrasion test methods in a lab setting. See Spiderwire.com for details.
By: Gord Pyzer
O
ntario is such an incredible place to fish, not only because it offers the adventurous angler over 400,000 lakes of every imaginable size, shape and depth but also because of the variety of species you can target. Two days ago, for example, I was chasing mammoth muskies in Lake of the Woods, where there is over 14,000 picture-postcard islands, scattered amongst one million acres of water. Then, yesterday, I decided to catch black crappies in a much more modest hideaway, where I was serenaded in the evening by a lonely timber wolf howling to the moon on shore. Talk about the big and the small of it all. Gotta’ confess, too, that crappies and muskies are at the top of my fall fishing agenda because with both species, it’s a hide-and-seek hunting game to pinpoint them. Especially, crappies that you can find in so many dissimilar type lakes from Southeastern Ontario clear across to the Northwestern part of the province.
And they are typically moving around slowly. But – and this is an extremely important part of the location puzzle – there is almost always something that is attracting and holding the group of fish together, like the tip of an underwater point, a pile of rocks, or even something as subtle as a submerged log or tree lying on the bottom. When I find one of these bunched up schools that is ripe for the picking, I like to back away from the fish if it’s relatively shallow and calm, and cast a baby finger-size swimbait like a Z-Man Micro Finesse Shad FryZ or small rattling bait like a Rapala Ultra Light Rippin Rap. If I find the fish in deeper water, or if it’s wavy, on the other hand, I’ll get right over top of the school and
During the late summer months and into early autumn, for example, crappies are social animals that school up in large groups and move around together. This can make for feast or famine fishing: once you find a tightly bunched up batch it is like picking plump juicy grapes from a vine. Two of the most important things I’ve also noticed about locating crappies, in my Northwestern Ontario, Sunset Country part of the province, is that the schools at this time of the year like to cluster in deeper water.
hang a small jig tipped with a 2 1/4-inch Mister Twister Sassy Stingum in front of their noses. This is probably the most effective method
but be aware that your presence can alert the crappies and cause them to shift their position. You need to move along with them when the bite starts to slow down. If you’re fishing a relatively shallow featureless crappie lake – especially common in the southern parts of the province – you will find the fish relating to clumps of cabbage and distinct weed lines. They’ll often spread out a little more than the deeper water fish, but you will still find small clusters of crappies associating with weedy points and anywhere that a rock, boulder, clay or sand bottom creates a tiny opening-like oasis in the vegetation. I was fishing a weedline like this the other day and found the slabs a (Cont. on page 48.)
Just Fishing . 46
Fall 2023
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(Opening Day Walleye continued from page 2.) (The Fall Crappie Hunt continued from page 46.)
Once descends to the desired strands depth, hold your I rod tip up short the castjig away from the string-like of grass. picked off a about the fish 10 o’clock position slowly swim the lure to the the easy first pitching the and Z-Man paddletail up to theback scrawny boat, occasionally ticking weed tops. Strikes can range from solid vegetation and swimming it back to boat. Then, when the fish got thumps active fish, wise tofrom the moving bait,toI barely floatedgetting heavy from less active ones When you get on a hot area, use the Sassy Stingum beneath a the slipSpot-Lock feature on your Minn Kot trolling motor to hover in place, making repeated casts to the key spot. float and mopped up dinner.
IfI the slowadown, or aren’t particularly active, switch to a bobbe wasfish using 7 1/2-foot long presentation that vertically suspends the jig below your float at the sam medium light action spinning rod depth you caught fish previously. Cast slightly upwind and let the wind spooled 4-pound and waveswith slowly drift thetest jig,Sufix with the waves imparting a lifelike action and a two-foot toNanobraid the jig. If there’s no wind,Maxima cast past the spot, slowly bring it back with fluorocarbon leader. and I attached few slow pulls, jiggles pauses to make the lure appear alive. a bobber stop to the line, slid on a you slip hook float and andland thena fish, tied your on knot tends to slide on the hook eye When 1/16-ounce Moon Eye Jig and ifa you don’t reposition the knot, your jig will hang tail-down below you tipped itappearing with the lifeless. Sassy Stingum. bobber, Instead, grip the jig in one hand and the lin thepull presentation was inThe the key other,toand to make the knot slide more toward the front of th not moving theproperly, bait at all, letting the float dangle it you in hook eye. Done yourbut jig rather, will now hang horizontally below front ofimitating the crappies’ bobber, a liveeyes. minnow.
We to useimportant, light line too, and not tackle to effectively cast and rip fishthe these tiny It islike always to set the hook hard little lures. 4-pound test Sufix NanoBraid line, or Advance monofilamen jig out of a crappie’s soft mouth.braided So, when you see your float go line, makes easy toupcast luresand longer distances, and the jigs tend to down, just ittighten on tiny the line you’ve got him. perform better with light, flexible line. With braid, add a short fluorocarbon leader between jig and main line for invisibility, to provide a Autumn is herethe folks... andyour the fall crappie hunt is in full swing. little cushion on the hookset and avoid breaking the light line, and to help deflect the razor teeth of bait-stealing northern pike.
We fish these baits on St. Croix Avid or Elite Panfish rods, in 6’ 4” to 7’ 0 lengths and light or medium-light action, for a good balance of castability cushion to absorb strikes and sufficient strength to fish large panfish on light line. Teamed with a series 1000 Daiwa spinning reel, you’re rigged and ready to tackle panfish all season long.
This pattern lasts about a month, with the fish moving farther out toward the drop-off as the weeds thicken. By summer peak conditions, when the weeds are at their peak of thickness and height, the crappies tend to school tighter and hide beneath the weeds during the day, coming out to the edges or rising over the tops to feed in early morning, late evening o at night.
Sometimes crappies hit everything you throw at them; other times, you need to fine-tune your approach, lure size, colour, speed, action, depth, etc., to make the magic happen. In recent years, there has been an absolute crappi explosion in southern Canadian Shield lakes just above the U. S. border The stained water really grows lots of big fish. If you understand thei seasonal movement, and how they relate to developing habitat and forage sources, you can stay on crappies all year long.
About the Author:
Al Lindner ranks among the most renowned leaders in the fishing industry. Averaging about 180 days a year on the water, Al is hailed as one of the world’s best all-around anglers. Al’s long and honoured career as an author, syndicated radio & TV fishing show host, video producer, fishing guide, tackle manufacturer, lecturer and champion tournament angler has spanned 35 years of the most revolutionary years in sportfishing. Just Fishing . 48
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(slightly less erratic) makin’ it shine in colder water, or up shallow in snaggier stuff.
REPORT 1
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TOP 10 HARD-BODIED JIGGING BAITS FOR WALLEYE – Brett McComas
T
he ultimate Reaction Bite – and one of the most enjoyable ways to catch a walleye – is snappin’ a hard bodies jigging bait and letting it crash back down into the bottom. Here is some of our favourites, and more importantly, what makes each unique:
Made to compliment the Jigging Rap, not replace it. It has wider wings that grab a little extra water to lift and glide more. They also track a little s tr a ig h te r, w h e r e a s th e Rapala Jigging Rap darts off in Snap Wrap different directions a touch easier.
5:) Lunkerhunt Straight Up Jig: Great on pressured fish and big smart ones! The realistic patterns allow you to slow the bait way down when there’s a fish staring at it, without scaring ’em off.
Lunkerhunt Straight Up Jig
6:) Custom Jigs & Spins Rotating Power Minnow:
1:) Rapala Jigging Rap: The OG of hard-bodied jigging baits! Can be pitched, dragged, or vertically fished. Here’s what Al “you-might-have-heard-of-him” Lindner has to say about his all-time favourite walleye bait:
Rapala Jigging Rap
4: Rapala Snap Wrap:
“When everybody else is whining about how bad the bite is... I put a Jigging Rap on and catch 30 or 40 walleyes in the middle of the afternoon.”
No need for a barrel swivel... the RPM’s eyelet swivels to drastically reduce line-twist. Custom Has a super-wide glide and Jigs & Spins is designed to keep it from Rotating Power Minnow snagging itself.
7:) Rapala Flat Jig River rats: It’s 80% heavier than a similar length Jigging Rap, making it The option for heavy current or ultra-deep water.
Rapala Flat Jig
Doesn’t matter if it’s the middle of the summer, sunny, or glass calm, it straight up catches ’em! It’s a little different look in shallow water too ‘cuz it’s way less “darty” than the original Jigging Rap. Can get it to glide 4-8’ out 2:) Moonshine Shiver Minnow: to the sides with a slightly longer pause between rips. Darts and glides like other 8:) Phantom Lures Tilly: jigging baits, but what makes it different is how it rolls over Love the colours, internal rattle, no-hook front (for snaggy areas on the drop – like baitfish do – and so it doesn’t get hung Moonshine with a bit of slack. Some preup on the bottom of the ice) Shiver Minnow fer it’s nose-forward design and has a reeeeally nice (with no front hook) for pitching and casting to walleyes. Gotta say gliding action that covers a they absolutely nailed the colours! ton of real estate. Can now get Phantom Lures the Tilly in a big 1-oz (3.5”) Tilly 3:) Northland Puppet Minnow: size if you wanna go donkey Can get it in high-vis, optically-brightened UV colours for those huntin’! of you feeshin’ stained water. ‘Nuff said! IMO These next couple are a sorta in a category of their own... it fishes a bit lighter But because of the way you fish ‘em, felt they needed to be Northland and more “glidey” included in this list. Get your creative juices flowin’: Puppet Minnow (Continued from page 51.)
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Getting Ottawa Ready for the Water and the Great Outdoors
all day long in the tank. Also gotta love that they’re made in the USA.
(Target Walleye continued from page 50.)
9:) Berkley Snap Jig: It’s a winged jighead – with a gliding/darting action – that lets you swap out the body with your favourite plastics to change up the colour/action/profile. Berkley Snap Jig It does NOT have a treble hook, so can be fished super shallow and right up in the weeds. Walleye pro Korey Sprengel likes matching it with a Berkley 3” Pro Twitchtail Minnow (top) or a Berkley 3” Pro Jig Worm (bottom):
BONUS: STORAGE HACK Boxes like the Clam Deluxe Spoon Box or the Plano Spoon Boxes are 3” to 3.25” tall and will hold Jigging Raps up to the #7 size. Haven’t tried the 7080-20 Plano Spoon Box yet, but it’s 5.25” tall, so we’d guess the #9 Jigging Raps would fit too.
Berkley 3” Pro Twitchtail Minnow Berkley 3” Pro Jig Worm
10:) Someday Isle Tackle Water Puppet: Takes some practice, but you can work it like a puppet: Make it dart off and swing in a pendulum or figure-8 motion. Mix and match different plastic tails (or minnows) on the back to change the look/action. Someday Isle Tackle Water Puppet
Fall 2023
Here’s a vid playing ’round with a 1/8-oz Water Puppet paired with the tail off a YUM Genie worm. Could sit and tinker with different combos
Visit – www.targetwalleye.com – Sign up to receive FREE Target Walleye / Ice emails
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