Fall 2017 by Real Fishing

S I G H T S

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F I S H I N G

Canada Post Mail Product Agreement No. 40015689

VOLUME 23 â&#x20AC;¢ ISSUE 4 Just $4.95

Fall 2017

DISPLAY UNTIL JANUARY 15, 2018

T H E

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For The Name Of Your Nearest Ranger ® Dealer, Call:

1-800-373-BOAT (2628)

or log on to rangerboats.com TM/® are trademarks of Ranger Boats, LLC and its affiliates or suppliers. © Copyright MMXVII White River Marine Group R-7170

Contents Features 30 RIVER-RUN WALLEYES Walleyes are usually caught by rigging, jigging, trolling or cranking in lakes, but they are just as at home in medium to large river systems. Here’s how to find them and catch them from moving waters right across Canada. By Wes David

40 FISHING FOR DINOS AND GIVING BACK This past summer the Ladd Foundation hosted their inaugural sturgeon tournament to raise funds for the conservation of these great fish. Here’s what happened, both on and off the water, when Andrew Ladd and several of his NHL friends got together for this worthy cause. By Mariko Izumi

48 THE SIGHTS OF FISHING People see some strange things on their fishing trips and, as you’ll see in this photo essay, the Real Fishing crew are no exception.

52 EDITH FISCHER’S OLD TACKLE BOX Harkening back to an earlier time, this story is sure to put a smile on the face of seasoned and rookie anglers alike. By Mark Forabosco

By Real Fishing Staff

Fall 2017 Volume 23, Issue 4 Editor Jerry Hughes Art Production Rossi Piedimonte Design Publisher Fred Delsey National Advertising Izumi Outdoors Tel: (905) 632-8679 President Wayne Izumi

Columns

20 6 OPENING LINES

26 BEST FISHING TIMES

By Jerry Hughes

Doug Hannon’s moon phase calendar

Contributors Patrick Daradick, Wes David, Mark Forabosco, Bob Izumi, Mariko Izumi, Wayne Izumi, Ryan Lamothe, Steve May, Dave Taylor, Charles Weiss Real Fishing is published by Izumi Outdoors Inc. 940 Sheldon Court Burlington, ON L7L 5K6 Tel: (905) 632-8679 Fax: (905) 632-2833 Privacy Policy: Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies whose products and services might be of interest to our subscribers. If you prefer to have your name removed from this list and not receive these mailings, please write to us at the above address.

We welcome manuscripts, but will not be held responsible for loss of manuscripts, photos or other materials. Published four times each year: January (Winter) April (Spring) July (Summer) October (Fall) One year subscription is $12.95. For USA add $10 all others add $30. Subscriptions: Real Fishing 940 Sheldon Court, Burlington ON L7L 5K6 Subscription inquiries Please call: 1-877-474-4141 or visit www.realfishing.com Canada Post Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40015689 Customer Account No. 2723816 GST Registration No. R102546504 Postmaster: Please return front cover/label only of undeliverables to: Real Fishing 940 Sheldon Court, Burlington ON L7L 5K6 Contents copyrighted. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Printed in Canada

On the cover: PAUL AUSTIN WITH A HUGE FRAZER RIVER STURGEON Photo by Kevin Estrada, Sturgeon Slayers

10 SPORTSMEN’S ALMANAC News, trivia, event listings and more from the world of fishing

28 THE HOT BITE

14 WHAT’S NEW The latest in fishing tackle, gear and accessories

16 FISHING By Bob Izumi

18 FLY FISHING By Steve May

20 THE WATER’S EDGE By Dave Taylor

22 THE VINTAGE TACKLE BOX By Patrick Daradick

24 REAL FISHING FISH FACTS Northern Pike

60 TALES FROM THE ROAD

The trials and tribulations of life as a professional angler By Bob Izumi

64 WHAT’S COOKING 66 ART OF ANGLING

opening lines By Jerry Hughes

Have It Your Way This issue of Real Fishing marks the end of the 2017 publishing year for us and we’re already looking forward to bringing you more great fishing stories in 2018. To close out the year we thought we’d throw a little bit of everything into this issue; from regular fishing articles to a fishing story that almost everyone who fishes can probably relate to. We’re starting this issue off with a look at how to catch one of Canada’s most popular sportfish, the walleye, from river systems across the country. Most of us pursue walleyes in lakes and reservoirs but rivers can be just as good, if not better. River fish are generally less pressured and a lot of waters that are popular for other species also hold good, yet often overlooked, populations of walleyes. In River-Run Walleyes, Alberta resident, author and top-notch angler Wes David shows how you can get in on the action with his timeproven tips and tactics that will put you on the right track to catching ‘eyes from any river they inhabit. Our next feature takes an inside look at sturgeon conservation in British Columbia and how a group of guides, NHL stars and concerned anglers got together this past summer to host a fundraising tournament in support of these great fish. Mariko Izumi was on hand to emcee the event and she shares the fishing and the fun surrounding the first annual Ladd Foundation Sturgeon Tournament in her article, Fishing for Dinos. Aside from catching fish, one of the great things about being on the water is having the chance to see things you wouldn’t normally see in your backyard. From crazy and humorous animal antics to amazing natural sights to the way people put their stamps on the landscape, there’s a wealth of interesting and wonderful things to see in the outdoors. We’ve seen 6 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

our share of unusual things over the years and we’re sharing some of them in this issue’s photo essay, The Sights of Fishing. Rounding out our features is Mark Forabosco’s tale of two young anglers and their quest for a legendary muskie. After hearing of the trophy potential of a nearby lake from an old woman, one of the boys is eager to give it a try while the other dismisses her advice and believes their quest will become nothing more than a hunt for fool’s gold. Edith Fischer’s Old Tackle Box follows the boys on their adventure while illustrating some old-time moral advice about respect and humility that remains worthwhile today. In this issue we also take a look at the northern pike, and Dave Taylor gives us a glimpse into the life of the Cooper’s hawk in his Water’s Edge column. Steve May shares some of his tips for safe wading in his Fly Fishing column and Bob Izumi talks about timing your fishing trips for the best chance of success in his Fishing column. As we’ve said many times before, fishing is a personal pursuit that means something different to everyone. Catching fish is always a part of it, but in many cases it’s the other, more intangible aspects of spending time on and around the water that are what give fishing such a strong appeal to so many of us. With that in mind, we’ve tried to fill this issue with a bit of everything from the world of fishing. We hope your enjoy it. ?

berkkley-fish yng.com

2017 FISHING FOREVE In June, Fishing Forever held their annual Fundraising Golf Tournament in support of the Kids, Cops and Canadian Tire Fishing Days program at the Turtle Creek Golf Club in Campbellville, Ontario. The weather was perfect and a full field of sponsors, professional anglers and friends showed up to hit a few balls and share a good time on the course. After the last putt was sunk, everyone was treated to a full buffet style dinner. Then it was time for the live and silent auctions where a variety of items - including fishing and outdoors gear, clothing, artworks and all-inclusive fishing trips to some of Canada’s best resorts and lodges – were up for grabs. Rounding out the day were the awards for the overall tournament winners along with the winners of the various special hole prizes. Thanks to the generosity of everyone who showed up to support Fishing Forever, the day was a rousing success and we’re looking forward to doing it again next year.

A near miss on the “Win a Canoe” hole.

The full buffet-style dinner was a hit with the golfers.

Heather Reid with the biggest trout of the day.

Gail Stevens gets ready to serve breakfast.

One of the many fish caught on the fishing hole.

In the running for the smallest fish of the day.

8 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

ER G O L F T O U R N A M E N T

Emcee Mariko Izumi gets teased by her uncle Bob.

the Wayne and Bob present

The Hole-in-One prize, generously provided by Bolton Motor Products.

Braeden Hinds. Closest to the Pin prize to

First place winners, Ash Goldie, Kevin Estrada and Wayne Izumi. Missing from the photo is the fourth team member, Ralph Bauer.

Fall 2017 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Real Fishing 9

A BASS OF A NIGHT FISHING BANNED ON PORT HOPE’S GANARASKA RIVER DIFFERENT COLOUR As of August 15, 2017, fishing will not be allowed between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. on the Ganaraska River in the town of Port Hope, from the Robertson Street bridge to the Molson Street bridge. Jim McCormack, Port Hope’s director of parks and recreation, said the ban is due to illegal fishing and complaints from individuals and business owners in the area. Complaints include fish carcasses being left to rot along the riverbank, fish being discarded in garbage containers and fish being tossed into outhouses along the river. Port Hope council opted to defer a plan to implement a $40 license for anyone who

10 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

wants to fish along the Ganaraska River, preferring to first look at the nighttime fishing ban and how it plays out before making any further decisions. “Our Port Hope police services are now trained to enforce the fishing regulations and they have dedicated patrols that patrol the river,” said McCormack. “We’ve really taken a zero-tolerance approach and if there is an infraction, then there will be a fine.” The fine for fishing at night along the Ganaraska River will be $150. Over the winter the town will re-evaluate the effect that increased enforcement and the ban on night fishing has on illegal fishing activities.

You never know what’s going to bite your lure when you’re out fishing, as Dan Haley can attest to. This past August Dan was fishing with his friend, Cody Dafoe, on the Bay of Quinte when what seemed to be a decent sized largemouth bass grabbed onto the swimbait Dan was casting. After a brief fight the fish was brought alongside the boat, but it wasn’t the normal largemouth the guys expected; instead, the fish was a golden colour and not the usual green that largemouth are known for. A similar looking bass was caught from the same waters during a tournament in September of 2015. Based on its physical features that fish was determined to be a largemouth, despite its unusual colouration. Dr. Robert Montgomerie, a professor and research chair in biology at Queen's University, explained that the colour abnormality was likely due to a mutation that prevented the fish’s scales from making the proper molecular structures to convert white light to blue. Without the structures that convert white light to blue, the fish looks yellow or gold rather than green, which is what you see when blue and yellow combine. Regardless of the science behind it, Dan’s catch was definitely one for the photo album and we’re sure he’ll be talking about it for years to come.

ICAST 2017 NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE AWARDS One of the most important features for ICAST exhibitors and attendees is the New Product Showcase, where new fishing related products are introduced for the first time.

This year, 1263 products, accessories and apparel were entered by 280 companies into 26 categories in the New Product Showcase, all vying for the overall

Overall Best of Show

“Best of Show” award. Here are all of the winners in their respective categories.

Bote Rover

Best of Show Category Winners C AT E G O R Y

C O M PA N Y

PRODUCT

Boating Accessories

Yeti Coolers

LoadOut Bucket

Boats and Watercraft

Bote

Rover

Eyewear

Costa

Sunrise Mirror Lens

Footwear

Huk Performance Fishing

Attack

Giftware

The Catch and Release Print Shop

Fish Prints Actual Size

Lifestyle Apparel

Frogg Toggs

Prym1 Series Pilot II Jacket & Bibs

Technical Apparel

Frogg Toggs

Sierran Transition Wader

Electronics

Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics

SOLIX 15 CHIRP MEGA SI GPS

Fishing Accessory

YETI Coolers

Panga Duffel

Fly Fishing Accessory

Simms Fishing Products

G3 Guide™ Stockingfoot Wader

Fishing Line

Pure Fishing Inc.

Berkley Fireline Ultra 8

FishSmart

Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle

2017 Flounder Sample Pack

Kids’ Tackle

13 Fishing

Ambition Combo

Tackle Management

Daiwa Corporation

Tactical Backpack

Terminal Tackle

Trapper Tackle

Trapper Round Bend Treble

Freshwater Hard Lure

Okuma Fishing Tackle Corp.

Savage Gear 3D Topwater Bat

Saltwater Hard Lure

Rapala

X-Rap Magnum 40

Freshwater Soft Lure

Lunkerhunt LP

Prop Series

Saltwater Soft Lure

LIVETARGET

Hollow Body Mullet

Fly Reel

Pure Fishing, Inc.

Pflueger Supreme QRS Fly Reel

Freshwater Reel

Shimano American Corp.

Curado K Baitcasting Reels

Saltwater Reel

Shimano American Corp.

Sustain Reels C4000/5000

Rod & Reel Combo

Lew’s Fishing Tackle

Mach Crush Speed Spool Combo

Fly Fishing Rod

G. Loomis, Inc.

IMX-Pro Fly Rod

Freshwater Rod

13 Fishing

Fate Black

Saltwater Rod

St. Croix Rods

Legend Tournament Inshore

Fall 2017 – Real Fishing 11

READER’S PHOTOS Berkley Damphouse West Lorne ON Walleye

Paul Lee-Chin Dundas ON Bluegill

Terry Trypus Sudbury ON Northern Pike

12 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

Send us a photo of your best catch and you could see your picture in a future issue of Real Fishing Magazine! Send photos to: Real Fishing, 940 Sheldon Court, Burlington, ON L7L 5K6 John Whyte Orillia ON Brook Trout

Tyler Ramsdell Bartow FL American Alligator

Catch BOB on the Tube! Tune in every Saturday morning on Global, and weekly on WFN, as Bob Izumi and his guests show you where, when and how to tackle the biggest fish from the hottest Canadian and international destinations.

STATION LISTING & AIRING TIMES* MARKET

PROV./STATE

STATION

DATE & AIR TIMES

Atlantic Canada

Global (CIHF)

Saturday 8:00 am

Calgary

Global (CICT)

Saturday 10:30 am

Edmonton

Global (CITV)

Saturday 10:30 pm

Ontario

Global (CIII)

Saturday 8:30 am

Quebec

Global (CKMI)

Saturday 8:30 am

Regina

Global (CFRE)

Saturday 7:30 am

Saskatoon

Global (CFSK)

Saturday 7:30 am

Vancouver

Global (CHAN)

Saturday 10:30 am

Winnipeg

Global (CKND)

Saturday 7:30 am

Canada/USA

WFN

Check www.wfn.tv for dates and times

* Station listings, airtimes and show descriptions are subject to change. Please refer to your local television listings for the latest show schedules.

What’s

NEW

2017

THE SMELL OF SUCCESS Berley’s new PowerBait® MaxScent line of soft baits showcase a revolutionary new material that releases a super-charged scent field to help beginner and professional anglers catch up to 45% more fish. This allnew material is perfect for finesse presentations with ultra-realistic texture and natural matte colors to fool the hardest to catch fish. The soft yet durable material provides for life-like action and easier hook-ups, producing multiple fish on each bait. There are eight new designs in the MaxScent lineup including a stickbait, beaver style bait, a grub, a ribbon tail, and chunk trailer and three finesse baits. The General looks like a standard 5” stickbait, but includes MaxScent. It feels heavy and it sinks with an attractive wiggle. The Flatnose Minnow has a flat nose for better hookups when the bait is fished on a drop-shot rig. It is 4” in length and, along with dropshot rigs, it will do well fished several other ways. The King Tail is an 8” ribbon tail worm that feels like a longer worm due to its bulk. It has ribs down the side and a big, thick tail. The Lunch Worm is similar to the King Tail, but is just 6” long. It is similar to the classic 7” Berkley PowerWorm with a compact profile but it has a bigger tail. The Hit Worm is a worm that can be fished in many ways. It has a thicker body followed by a thin tail section and rounded tail. It is 4½” long and will work great on a drop-shot, Texas-rig or Neko Rig. The D-Worm is a finesse offering that measures 5½” long. It can easily be fished on a drop-shot as well as on a wacky rig. It features a thin profile with thicker head and tail sections. The Creature Hawg is a flipping and pitching bait that comes in a 4” size. It features craw-like appendages at the end of a standard Beaver shaped body. The Meaty Chunk is a 3” jig trailer that is ideal for use on pitching and casting jigs.

www.berkley-fishing.com

NEW LAKE MAPS Navionics has added charts for more than 1,700 lakes in Ontario (800), Quebec (900) and Alberta (22), plus another 800+ lakes in the US, primarily in Maine, Minnesota, Florida, and a dozen other states, that you can see with the free Chart Viewer at navionics.com. The new charts can be downloaded to your Navionics+, Navionics+ Regions or HotMaps Platinum card or you can update the easy way and get a pre-loaded card shipped to you. On mobile devices, you can update charts on your Boating app, or download the free app for a two-week trial.

www.navionics.com 14 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

We welcome submissions from manufacturers and distributors for our New Products section. Products that appear in this section have not necessarily been tested or endorsed by the staff at Real Fishing. Submissions can be sent to: Editor, Real Fishing Magazine, 940 Sheldon Court, Burlington, ON L7L 5K6

GET A GRIP Clinically Fit’s EZElbow Pro Angler’s elbow pain relief kit has been specifically designed to treat angler’s elbow pain while strengthening the muscles and tendons in the forearm and elbows so they can handle and absorb more stress. A unique compression strap holds the included and reusable instant heat or cold packs, or acupressure spike plate, for relief right where it’s needed. Also included in the kit is a reverse-grip hand strengthener that fits either hand and has been designed to develop the forearm strength needed to overcome the stress placed on the muscles while pitching, casting and setting hooks all day.

www.clinicallyfit.com

THE BULLY IS BACK Williams is pleased to announce the revival of its famed heavyweight spoon series, the BULLY. Redesigned from the ground up, the new 2 5/8-inch long BULLY weighs in at 9/10-ounce, making it ideal for long distance casters and deepwater fishing enthusiasts angling for trout, salmon, walleye, bass, striped bass and pike. The new and improved BULLY is offered in nine colours and is available in either treble hook or single siwash hook versions. The new lure will hit the shelves in late 2017.

www.williams.ca

THE REEL DEAL Voted Best of Category among fly reels at ICAST 2017, the Pflueger® Supreme QRS (Quick Release Spool) reel offers an interchangeable large arbor cassette spool system. Modern in style and functionality, the new interchangeable large arbor cassette spool system allows the angler to quickly change line size and/or type so that the same reel can be used for many different fishing conditions. The new polycarbonate cassettes are secured in the spool carrier by an advanced locking system enclosed by a full stainless steel and 6061 alloy construction. Other key features of the Supreme QRS include dual spool 4-line rating, quick release sliding ring system and line indication system.

www.pfluegerfishing.com

Fall 2017 – Real Fishing 15

fishing

Bob Izumi is the host of The Real Fishing Show.

By Bob Izumi

Timing Is Everything If I had to pick the perfect day to go fishing, it would be after several days of stable weather, on the last day of stable weather before it changes. I’ve seen every species of fish go absolutely crazy as the weather’s about to change. It’s like hitting a light switch. It’s almost like a red light special at your department store or Black Friday shopping – everybody and everything goes nuts. I remember filming a show on Chemong Lake in the early ‘90s with bass pro Bernie Schultz. There were some black clouds in the sky, the wind was picking up and there was a storm approaching us. We were fishing buzzbaits and catching largemouth and muskies when a four-pound walleye came up and hit a buzzbait. Now, I would never recommend using a buzzbait for walleyes but let’s face it; when a walleye comes up and hits a buzzbait, you know the fish are very active and turned on. To make a long story short, the period just before a storm hits can be a magical time to fish. But you have to play it safe. If a storm or high winds are approaching you don’t want to get caught out in the middle of the lake when the storm arrives. If you’re fishing at a time like this, make sure

16 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

you’re close to the ramp or dock or shelter of some kind. Now let’s talk about the full moon. Whether I’m in Florida bass fishing, or fishing up here in the north, I like to fish on or around the full moon. It seems like you catch a lot of big fish around the full moon. If you’ve got a warming trend along with a full moon it can be game on. It can be like magic. One of the keys for big smallmouth up here in the north - and it doesn’t matter if I’m talking Lake St. Clair, Lake Simcoe, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, or even the St. Lawrence River – is that there is a certain population of smallmouth will either be shallow or move shallow on flat, hot sunny days, especially if you get two or three of these days in a row. It’s crazy. The fish just move up and some of the biggest fish in the lake can be found cruising on shallow sand patches, on sand/gravel bottoms or sand/weed type of areas. We’ve

won a lot of money fishing tournaments when the weather is hot and flat and those big smallmouth move shallow. On the other side, those hot and flat days can be tough for fishing smallmouth bass in deep water. You almost have to drop a dropshot right on top of their heads to catch them. When there’s a ripple or chop on the water those same smallmouth are easy to catch. You just drop on them with a dropshot like a three-inch GULP! Fry or a Berkley Powerbait Pro Twitchtail Minnow, and usually they’ll hit pretty quickly. So there’s a case where the same conditions have very different effects on fish, depending on where they are located. Wind is definitely an important factor when it comes to the right timing. As an example, let’s talk about wind on weed edges. When you’ve got a weedline where the fish are positioned, a breeze blowing on it – it doesn’t matter if it’s a slight breeze or a moderate wind - can make those fish become very active, especially on weed points or any transitions or differences along that weed edge. I can’t count the number of times where we would go to a weed edge where there was no wind and you’d have to get right into the weeds to catch fish, whether they were walleyes, largemouth bass or some other species. By moving to another section of the lake where the wind was blowing onto the weedline we could catch fish on the outside edge of the weeds on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, swimbaits or other baits that you could work parallel to the weed edges. There’s no question that timing your fishing right can be the difference between catching lots of fish or struggling to scrape up a couple. You can definitely put the odds in your favour by planning your trips when the conditions are prime, and then adjusting your approach on the water to match the conditions out there. It’s worked for me over the years and I know it will work for you too. ?

LET THE ADDVENTURE BEGIN Reel in these beauties

REngineer EVOedTforORO BeEAST brute strength and unrele Revo® Toro® Beast deliver e s a unique platf pulling species. Superior cranking power a give anglers the upper hand on a variety of

3D TOPWATER DUCK Ev very Spring baby chicks hatch and hungry pike, mussky and bass know these are an easy meal waiting to be plucked from the surface. The Savage Ge ear 3D Duckling mimics a fleeing eing duck just waiting to be taken out by a large predator.

fly fishing By Stephen May

Wade Right In Fly fishing is best experienced in beautiful places where you can enjoy both the fishing and the surroundings. Wading allows you to immerse yourself in the fishing experience, right next to the fish. There are many amazing places that you can reach with a pair of waders that boats just can’t get to. Tumbling mountain streams, shallow ocean flats and remote rivers are all accessible for those who are willing to wade in. In the fall, my favourite fishing involves wading larger rivers in pursuit of steelhead. You can get to the perfect place for making a solid presentation to these majestic fish. When steelheading, having a good set of waders and wading boots is required to be safe and comfortable. A few hundred dollars spent on a good set of waders and shoes is an investment that will pay off with years of comfort and safety on the river. Modern waterproof and breathable fabrics seem to get better every year. To stay warm, simple polar fleece pants worn under your waders will work in the worst of weather. I can be comfortable with ice chunks occasionally bouncing off of my waders if the rest of my clothing is layered up properly. Wading shoes are as important as the waders themselves. Keeping traction on algae covered rocks on the bottom of an unstable river bottom is one of the toughest things you can ask a shoe to do. Solid contact with the river bed and proper ankle support are important in keeping you from an unexpected dunking. Newer treads made of high-tech plastic and rubber compounds work much better than those of a decade ago. Felt works well for traction, but it has been found to be able to transfer invasive species to new waters if they are not dried properly or sterilized. If wading in extra slippery areas, studded soles should be considered. For safety, you need to respect high, off18 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

coloured water as it can hide hazards such as logs, boulders, ledges and other obstructions. Cold or fast flowing waters need to be treated with additional caution. Remember to stay within your limits. If you don’t feel comfortable, take the safe route. It is best to fish with a friend just in case one of you make a misstep and need some help. Wading can get you into trouble if proper care is not taken. Wading is a super approach in less turbulent waters like lake or ocean flats. Nearshore waters are often teeming with life and bigger fish often come in to feed on this bounty. Wading is a perfect way to access good fishing for bass, bonefish, carp and many other species.

Clear, calm waters make a stealthy approach important in order to get within a reasonable casting distance. In warm weather, a pair of swim trunks and appropriate footwear may be all you need to track down fish. Wading extra slowly to avoid alarming a big fish you have sighted is a very exciting part of wading. Taking your time and wading carefully will result in better fishing regardless of the waters. In a turbulent river, it can mean getting pretty much right on top of the fish where short line fly fishing techniques can be used. On lake or ocean flats, wading can get you within range of unsuspecting fish for a delicate and accurate cast. Simple approaches are often the best and wading certainly fits the bill. I am sure you won’t be disappointed with the beautiful places and fishing experiences you will enjoy while wading in. ?

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navionics.com

Dave Taylor is a well known photographer and naturalist from Mississauga, Ontario

water’s edge By Dave Taylor

Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)

Some of us of a certain age will remember Rachel Carson’s book, The Silent Spring. In this book she sounded the warning bell about the loss of raptors due to DDT contamination in the ecosystem. Being of that age group, I remember never seeing an osprey, bald eagle or peregrine falcon in southern Ontario. Of course that has changed now. I can, within an hour of my house in Mississauga, go out birding with the knowledge that I have a very good chance of seeing all of these species. We’ve come a long way since the ‘50s and ‘60s in improving our environment, especially our stewardship of wild lands and waters. There is one raptor that I’d never heard of back in those days that I do not even have to leave my house to see today. I’ve seen it out my kitchen window many times in recent years; a Cooper’s hawk. In fact, I do not think there are very many places in the GTA where you would not have a pretty good

20 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

chance of seeing this bird. Like its better known relatives, it too suffered massive losses due to DDT. And like these other species it has recovered, but its recovery has been nothing short of spectacular. However, unlike our efforts to bring back bald eagles and peregrine falcons, this bird’s recovery was…well, kind of accidental. It’s true that peregrine falcons have adapted to city life very well and are now more common among skyscrapers than they are in wilderness cliffs, but they do not hold a candle to the abundance of Cooper’s hawks in cities, towns and villages across their range. Why? Well, without setting out to do so, we’ve accidentally created the ideal conditions for this bird to make a comeback. First, we’ve planted trees. Lots and lots of trees, to the point where cities in the GTA and across North America have more trees now than they did 100-years ago. That may be hard to believe but think about it. Most cities were farmland even just a few decades ago and farms do best on areas cleared of forests. As we grew to a more urban society, trees were a desired part of our environment. We certainly did not plant trees to help these hawks. We planted them for shade, for beauty, to stabilize stream banks and to help fish by cooling rivers and preventing runoff, but not to help this hawk. But as it turns out we did help, for the Cooper’s hawk is a forest hunter able to maneuver through the trees after its prey. All it needs in contiguous tree cover and we gave it this in our forested parks and treelined streets. The other thing we did was provide it with an abundance of its preferred prey; songbirds. Bird watching is growing as a hobby faster than any other recreational activity and one of the best ways to see birds is to feed them. Bird feeders concentrate songbirds and this provides a bounty of prey

for the Cooper’s hawk. But don’t feel too bad for the songbirds. The feeders help ensure the songbird’s survival and the Cooper’s hawk misses many more times than it succeeds. Besides, this hawk is a wonderful bird to see too! Cooper’s hawks are fairly large, almost as large as the more commonly seen red-tailed hawk. They are not, however, bulky. They have streamlined bodies ideal for maneuvering through the tangled maze of forest branches and trunks. Seeing them hunt reminds me of those fighters in Star Wars maneuvering through debris or asteroid fields. To achieve this dexterity Cooper’s hawks have relatively short, rounded wings and long tails. They have sharp talons for grabbing their prey and small bills for tearing off flesh. Hunting this way has its costs. Almost one quarter of Cooper’s hawks in a recent study had suffered some form of damage to their chest bones. In cities, pigeons are often selected as prey but in the wilds their prey includes many types of songbirds as well as other prey such as smaller hawks, small mammals and frogs. Cooper’s hawks are monogamous during the breeding season, which occurs once a year. The female incubates the eggs and both parents contribute to feeding the chicks. Typically three to five eggs are laid and these hatch in a little over a month. A month later the young have fledged and left the nest, however, it may be up to eight-weeks before they are independent enough to secure their own food. Great horned owls and larger hawks will prey on the young birds and raccoons and crows may steal an egg or two. Anglers might encounter this hawk along any forested body of water, but the best place to look for them is along treed roadways in cities and towns. ?

the vintage tackle box

Patrick Daradick has been collecting vintage fishing tackle for over 25-years and is a specialist in Ontario made tackle. He enjoys sharing his passion and knowledge and can be contacted online at www.ontariolures.com or by phone at 613-398-7245.

By Patrick Daradick

The Flatfish - Helin Tackle Company You could honestly say that Charles Helin invented one of the most famous lures ever used by fisherman worldwide when he designed the flatfish. The lure originated was when a young, dedicated fisherman named Charles Helin was determined to produce a lure that would entice fish to attack the lure rather than just make a feeble pass at it. It’s still manufactured today and it still delivers the same results as it did when it was invented and patented back in 1936. Most tackle boxes still carry this simple banana-shaped wooden or plastic plug. Charles Helin was born in New York in 1905. At the age of 11 he was living on Fourth Avenue in Detroit. After leaving school early, at the age of 15, Charles started to work at the Fisher Body Corporation as a “tack spitter”, a term once used to describe upholsterers. He worked this trade for the greater part of 16-years and was considered

22 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

to be the fastest automobile upholsterer in the nation. With his first ever paycheque, Charles went to the sporting goods store and purchased a brand new rod, a reel, some silk line and some plugs. He ventured out on the numerous lakes around the city of Detroit on his fishing trips and, by the time he was 17 he was making and using his own lures. Once he got the lure-making bug he designed baits during most of his spare time. In the winter he would carve out various designs and then try them out when the fishing season began. His aim was to create the perfect lure, and he was determined to succeed. He was so sure of his designs that five people, who joshed him about his foolishness in wasting time by trying to invent such a lure, were all promised jobs in his future factory. Helin kept the promise. On one particular fishing trip Charles Helin and a friend became frustrated when they could see bass feeding in the water but they could not entice them to strike the lures they were using. Helin’s response to seeing this was, “The bass are still feeding. If we had a lure that would swim slowly past them, with enough action built into the lure so they couldn’t tell it was fake until after they struck it, we’d keep right on catching them. Fish rely entirely on their eyes so we can’t fool them by imitating natural food

unless we also impart life to the imitation. If I can make this lure with life-action, I’ll have something.” The fishing trip that changed hook design was on a lake near Jackson, Michigan. Using surface lures, the bass were rising and striking but not staying hooked. Helin observed that the lures had good action, but were equipped with just the two trebles. Although sharp, they were hung loosely the old standard way. The loss of many fish proved to Helin that a new hook method would have to be devised. Charles Helin noted that large hooks did not penetrate past the barb into the tough tissue of a fish’s mouth. It became clear to Helin, therefore, that smaller hooks must be used. In response, he developed an amazing hook harness that hung from his flatfish lure. It consisted of a wire cradle with two small treble hooks dropping below the lure, front and back. Helin tested his new hooking system on a fishing trip to Big Lake with two other fellows. The three of them caught a total of 12 bass and Helin, using his new offset-hooking system, caught 11 of them. The slowly retrieved lure coaxed the strike while the small off-set hooks hooked the fish. Helin knew then that he had created his perfect lure. He applied for a patent in 1936 and, in 1937, he gave up his job at the Chrysler plant and embarked on his lure making business. He had no organization, no money and no business knowledge yet, within a few years, his flatfish lure became the largest selling lure in North America. His lure was so successful that he employed 100 workers who turned out thousands of flatfish a day. One small note: the flatfish was the first lure ever to sport an orange paint colour, according to Charles the only colour to reflect natural light. Today, flatfish lure boxes can be found with both Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, markings on them and there is definitely no shortage of flatfish lures to collect. ?

real fishing fish facts

Northern Pike Esox Lucius

The northern pike is a long, narrow fish with a broad, flat, and somewhat duck-bill shaped head. The jaws, roof of the mouth and tongue are covered with sharp teeth that are constantly being replaced. The lower jaw often extends beyond the upper and the underside generally features five pores on each side. A single, soft rayed dorsal fin is located far to the back near the tail, just forward of the anal fin. The tail fin is moderately forked and the tips are slightly rounded. The basic coloration of the pike features a dark background with numerous light, beanshaped spots arranged in seven to nine horizontal rows. The back and sides can range from dark green through olive-green to almost brown while the lower flanks and belly are creamy to milky-white. Fins may be green, green-yellow, orange or pale red and feature irregular black markings or blotches. Pike are found around the world in the northern hemisphere, almost to the Arctic coast lines. They are primarily a freshwater fish but are known to inhabit slightly brackish water, especially in the Baltic Sea and

24 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

other areas of northern Europe. In Canada their range includes most of Labrador and Quebec lying south of Ungava Bay; all of Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta; the northeastern section of British Columbia, and most of the Yukon and Northwest Territories except for the extreme northern and eastern coastal areas and the Arctic islands. Pike are absent from the Maritime Provinces. Pike spawn in the early spring, immediately following ice-out, when water temperatures are in the 40°F to 52°F range. Spawning takes place during the day on vegetated river floodplains, in marshes and in the shallow backbays of large lakes. One female usually pairs up with one or two smaller males and they will spawn at irregular intervals over a few days. Pike do not build spawning nests; their eggs are scattered randomly over several spawning sites. It is estimated that female pike carry about 9,000 eggs per pound of body weight and the average female will have some 32,000 eggs. Although pike deposit high numbers of eggs, and the fertilization rate is usually over 50%, the mortality rate is exceedingly high and can reach over 95%. Young pike feed on zooplankton and some small insects for their first week or so before adding small fish to their diet. By time the juveniles reach about two-inches in length their diet shifts almost entirely to other fish. As adults, pike will consume almost anything including frogs, crayfish and occasionally mice, ducklings and other vertebrates, however, their main food source remains other fish which, make up some 90% of their diet. Pike are often though of as a fish of shallow, weedy water and this is true to some extent. A lot depends on their geographic location. Mature adults enter the shallows in the spring and fall, but tend to retreat to deeper, cooler water in the heat of summer. Younger pike are more likely to remain in the

shallows throughout the summer. In the northern part of their range mature pike can be found shallow all season while in the south they are more likely to hold in deeper water during the hottest time of the year. Pike are a popular sportfish and can be caught in the open-water season by casting, trolling, jigging or fly-casting. In the winter they will hit a variety of jigged lures but they are especially susceptible to live and dead baits like smelt, chubs, sardines and herring. Pike can make long runs when hooked but generally seem to do more thrashing, twisting and short distance darting, especially when they get close to the boat. Pike are wonderful food fish having sweet, white, flaky flesh. They have a series of ybones along the side that can make filleting them a challenge but the results are well worth the effort. It’s best to skin pike before cooking as the skin has heavy pigmentation and a thick mucus layer that can give the fish a muddy taste. ?

DID YOU KNOW?

Although pike are a freshwater fish they can also tolerate low levels of salt water. In the Baltic Sea pike are known to thrive in water with up to 10% salinity and can reproduce successfully in water with up to a 7% salt concentration.

FAST FACTS Colour: Dark green through olive-green to almost brown on the back and sides with numerous light, bean-shaped spots. The lower flanks and belly are creamy to milkywhite. Size: The average angler caught pike is between 20 and 30-inches in length and weighs three to five- pounds, although fish over 36-inches and weighing over 10pounds are common. Life Span: 10 to 12-years in the southern part of their range and up to 25-years in the north. Habitat: Pike are most commonly found in warm, slow, heavily vegetated rivers and warm, weedy bays of lakes. In the heat of summer, larger specimens will often move to deeper, cooler water. Spawning: Mating occurs in early spring, immediately following ice-out and, occasionally, under the melting ice when water temperatures reach 40°F to 52°F.

RECORD The current IFGA All-Tackle World Record northern pike stands at 55-pounds, 1-ounce and was caught from Lake of Grefeern, West Germany in October, 1986.

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26 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

OCTOBER

MONDAY

THURSDAY

9:18 - 11:18 am 10:06 - 12:06 am 10:54 - 12:54 am NA 9:42 - 11:42 pm 10:30 - 12:30 pm 11:18 - 1:18 pm 12:06 - 2:06 3:45 - 5:15 am 4:33 - 6:03 am 5:21 - 6:51 am 6:09 - 7:39 4:09 - 5:39 pm 4:57 - 6:27 pm 5:45 - 7:15 pm 6:33 - 8:03

2:06 - 4:06 2:30 - 4:30 8:33 - 10:03 8:57 - 10:27

am pm am pm

WEDNESDAY

2:54 - 4:54 3:18 - 5:18 9:21 - 10:51 9:45 - 11:15

am pm am pm

8:30 - 10:30 8:54 - 10:54 2:57 - 4:27 3:21 - 4:51

am pm am pm

2:06 - 4:06 2:30 - 4:30 8:33 - 10:03 8:57 - 10:27

am pm am pm

1:54 - 3:54 2:18 - 4:18 8:21 - 9:51 8:45 - 10:15

am pm am pm

2:42 - 4:42 3:06 - 5:06 9:09 - 10:39 9:33 - 11:03

9:30 9:54 3:27 3:51

am pm am pm

8:18 - 10:18 8:42 - 10:42 2:45 - 4:15 3:09 - 4:39

3:06 3:30 9:03 9:27

am pm am pm

1:54 - 3:54 2:18 - 4:18 8:21 - 9:51 8:45 - 10:15

8:42 9:06 2:39 3:03

am pm am pm

7:30 7:54 1:57 2:21 -

9:54 - 11:54 am 10:42 - 12:42 am 11:30 - 1:30 am NA 10:18 - 12:18 pm 11:06 - 1:06 pm 11:54 - 1:54 pm 12:42 - 2:42 4:21 - 5:51 am 5:09 - 6:39 am 5:57 - 7:27 am 6:45 - 8:15 4:45 - 6:15 pm 5:33 - 7:03 pm 6:21 - 7:51 pm 7:09 - 8:39

am pm am pm

1:06 1:30 7:33 7:57 -

am 5:54 - 7:54 am pm 6:18 - 8:18 pm am NA am pm 12:45 - 2:15 pm

6:42 7:06 1:09 1:33 -

11:30 - 1:30 11:54 - 1:54 5:57 - 7:27 6:21 - 7:51

5:06 5:30 11:33 11:57 -

7:06 7:30 1:03 1:27

am NA pm 12:42 - 2:42 am 6:45 - 8:15 pm 7:09 - 8:39

6:42 7:06 1:09 1:33 -

am pm am pm

1:06 1:30 7:33 7:57 -

am 5:54 - 7:54 am pm 6:18 - 8:18 pm am NA am pm 12:45 - 2:15 pm

6:42 7:06 1:09 1:33 -

am pm am pm

3:06 3:30 9:03 9:27

am pm am pm

8:42 9:06 2:39 3:03

am pm am pm

8:18 - 10:18 8:42 - 10:42 2:45 - 4:15 3:09 - 4:39

am 5:54 - 7:54 am pm 6:18 - 8:18 pm am NA am pm 12:45 - 2:15 pm

8:42 9:06 2:39 3:03

7:06 7:30 1:03 1:27

am Excellent Time pm am Good Time pm

7:30 7:54 1:57 2:21 -

1:06 1:30 7:33 7:57 -

3:30 - 5:30 am 4:18 - 6:18 am 5:06 3:54 - 5:54 pm 4:42 - 6:42 pm 5:30 9:57 - 11:27 am 10:45 - 12:15 am 11:33 10:21 - 11:51 pm 11:09 - 12:39 pm 11:57 9:06 - 11:06 9:30 - 11:30 3:33 - 5:03 3:57 - 5:27

am pm am pm

am 5:54 - 7:54 am pm 6:18 - 8:18 pm am NA am pm 12:45 - 2:15 pm

10:42 - 12:42 am 11:30 - 1:30 am NA 11:06 - 1:06 pm 11:54 - 1:54 pm 12:42 - 2:42 5:09 - 6:39 am 5:57 - 7:27 am 6:45 - 8:15 5:33 - 7:03 pm 6:21 - 7:51 pm 7:09 - 8:39

4:18 - 6:18 am 5:06 4:42 - 6:42 pm 5:30 10:45 - 12:15 am 11:33 11:09 - 12:39 pm 11:57 -

1:54 - 3:54 2:18 - 4:18 8:21 - 9:51 8:45 - 10:15

6:42 7:06 1:09 1:33 -

am pm am pm

NA 12:06 - 2:06 6:09 - 7:39 6:33 - 8:03

am pm am pm

6:54 7:18 1:21 1:45 -

11:18 - 1:18 11:42 - 1:42 5:48 - 7:18 6:11 - 7:41

am pm am pm

9:06 - 11:06 9:30 - 11:30 3:33 - 5:03 3:57 - 5:27

am pm am pm

3:30 - 5:30 am 3:54 - 5:54 pm 9:57 - 11:27 am 10:21 - 11:51 pm

am pm am pm

9:06 - 11:06 9:30 - 11:30 3:33 - 5:03 3:57 - 5:27

am pm am pm

2:42 - 4:42 3:06 - 5:06 9:09 - 10:39 9:33 - 11:03

9:30 9:54 3:27 3:51

am pm am pm

8:18 - 10:18 8:42 - 10:42 2:45 - 4:15 3:09 - 4:39

3:06 3:30 9:03 9:27

am pm am pm

1:54 - 3:54 2:18 - 4:18 8:21 - 9:51 8:45 - 10:15

8:42 9:06 2:39 3:03

am pm am pm

7:30 7:54 1:57 2:21 -

am pm am pm

8:54 9:18 2:51 3:15

28 8:06 8:30 2:03 2:27

am 3:30 - 5:30 am 4:18 - 6:18 am pm 3:54 - 5:54 pm 4:42 - 6:42 pm am 9:57 - 11:27 am 10:45 - 12:15 am pm 10:21 - 11:51 pm 11:09 - 12:39 pm

am pm am pm

27 7:06 7:30 1:03 1:27

am pm am pm

7:06 7:30 1:03 1:27

am pm am pm

3:18 3:42 9:15 9:39

1:18 1:42 7:45 8:09 -

am 10:06 - 12:06 am 10:54 - 12:54 am pm 10:30 - 12:30 pm 11:18 - 1:18 pm am 4:33 - 6:03 am 5:21 - 6:51 am pm 4:57 - 6:27 pm 5:45 - 7:15 pm

3:06 3:30 9:03 9:27

am pm am pm

am 12:30 - 2:30 am pm 12:54 - 2:54 pm am 6:57 - 8:27 am pm 7:21 - 8:51 pm

9:30 9:54 3:27 3:51

1:06 1:30 7:33 7:57 -

8:54 9:18 2:51 3:15

14 8:06 8:30 2:03 2:27

2:42 - 4:42 3:06 - 5:06 9:09 - 10:39 9:33 - 11:03

5:06 5:30 11:33 11:57 -

am pm am pm

6:54 7:18 1:21 1:45 -

9:18 - 11:18 9:42 - 11:42 3:45 - 5:15 4:09 - 5:39

3:18 3:42 9:15 9:39

1:18 1:42 7:45 8:09 -

am pm am pm

11:30 - 1:30 11:54 - 1:54 5:57 - 7:27 6:21 - 7:51

am NA pm 12:42 - 2:42 am 6:45 - 8:15 pm 7:09 - 8:39

am pm am pm

am 3:42 - 5:42 am 4:30 - 6:30 am 5:18 - 7:18 am 6:06 pm 4:06 - 6:06 pm 4:54 - 6:54 pm 5:42 - 7:42 pm 6:30 am 10:09 - 11:39 am 10:57 - 12:27 am NA am 12:33 pm 10:33 - 12:03 pm 11:21 - 12:51 pm 12:09 - 1:39 pm 12:57 -

8:30 - 10:30 8:54 - 10:54 2:57 - 4:27 3:21 - 4:51

am 10:06 - 12:06 am NA pm 10:30 - 12:30 pm 12:06 - 2:06 am 4:33 - 6:03 am 6:09 - 7:39 pm 4:57 - 6:27 pm 6:33 - 8:03

SATURDAY

am 12:30 - 2:30 am pm 12:54 - 2:54 pm am 6:57 - 8:27 am pm 7:21 - 8:51 pm

9:18 - 11:18 9:42 - 11:42 3:45 - 5:15 4:09 - 5:39

2:54 - 4:54 3:18 - 5:18 9:21 - 10:51 9:45 - 11:15

7:42 - 9:42 8:06 - 10:06 2:09 - 3:39 2:33 - 4:03

FRIDAY

7:42 - 9:42 8:06 - 10:06 2:09 - 3:39 2:33 - 4:03

NOVEMBER

TUESDAY

8:30 - 10:30 am 8:54 - 10:54 pm 2:57 - 4:27 am 3:21 - 4:51 pm

DECEMBER

Best Fishing Times 2017

DOUG HANNON’S

To order your copy of Doug Hannon’s 2017 Moon Clock Calculator please visit www.moontimes.com or send $9.95 (USD) plus $3.75 (USD) for shipping & handling to: Moon Clock, Department RE, PO Box 28460, Atlanta, GA 30358

SUNDAY

4:18 - 6:18 4:42 - 6:42 10:45 - 12:15 11:09 - 12:39

am pm am pm

9:54 - 11:54 am 10:18 - 12:18 pm 4:21 - 5:51 am 4:45 - 6:15 pm

am 3:30 - 5:30 am pm 3:54 - 5:54 pm am 9:57 - 11:27 am pm 10:21 - 11:51 pm

am pm am pm

9:06 - 11:06 9:30 - 11:30 3:33 - 5:03 3:57 - 5:27

am pm am pm

2:42 - 4:42 3:06 - 5:06 9:09 - 10:39 9:33 - 11:03

am pm am pm

8:18 - 10:18 8:42 - 10:42 2:45 - 4:15 3:09 - 4:39

10:42 - 12:42 am 11:06 - 1:06 pm 5:09 - 6:39 am 5:33 - 7:03 pm

am pm am pm

30 9:30 9:54 3:27 3:51

am pm am pm

Fishing guide Taro Murata knows that cold weather is no reason to give up on fishing. On a January trip to Lake Ontario, Taro was fishing a warm water outflow when this big brown trout showed up and made the day. It just goes to show that hot bites can happen even in the depths of winter.

28 Real Fishing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fall 2017

30 Real Fishing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fall 2017

By Wes David

RIVER-RUN

WALLEYES There has been so much written about walleye, and walleye fishing, in lakes and reservoirs that many anglers have forgotten that walleye are actually a river fish species and are very at home living in the current of thousands of North American river systems. As fragile as a walleye fishery may be, walleye are very adaptable fish. They have flourished in North American lakes and reservoirs after finding their way into these systems through both natural waterways and stocking programs. However, anglers who overlook river systems in favour of lakes and reservoirs may be missing out on some amazing year-â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;round walleye fishing.

Fall 2017 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Real Fishing 31

From one end of North America to the other there are a variety of river systems and their tributaries that support healthy walleye populations. Even river systems that are well-known for other fish species often support walleye. For example, the Bow River flows through the province of Alberta and is a world-renowned trout fishery. It hosts a variety of trout species that attract anglers from around the world, but it also has a healthy walleye population swimming within its flowing glacier waters. The same goes for the Columbia River system and its largest tributary, the Snake River. Both support world-renowned salmon, trout, and sturgeon fisheries along with some amazing river walleye fishing. Ontario’s St. Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers, known as trophy muskie and bass waters, are home to good populations of walleyes. The French River is famous for it’s multispecies fishing - with walleye being a major

32 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

when fighting a walleye in the current. I also find the sensitivity of braided line to be better suited for detecting the difference between a subtle walleye bite or the current bumping a lure off the bottom or off a piece of structure. When using braided lines I find myself having to adjust the drag on my reel more often as I try to match it to the current and to the strength and size of the fish I’m fighting. If the drag is set too tight you can break the line. I’m sure this has happened to all of us at one time or another, regardless of where we were fishing. However, a more common issue when fishing braided line in medium to fast current is ripping the hooks out of the fish’s mouth. If your drag is set too loosely you will never get the fish in as it will use the current to its advantage to gain slack line and spit the hook. Anglers will have to gently play with their drag system to find the right sen-

sitivity for the fish and current conditions they are in. The drag may have to be adjusted for every fish, depending on the size of the fish and the strength of the current it’s being fought in. When fishing in river currents I like to let the current do the majority of the work. River walleyes are used to seeing their food speed by them so they, like most river fish, will rest in the current breaks provided by underwater structure, inside corners, or even cutouts along the riverbank. All these areas are prime river walleye hangouts and should be fished thoroughly in any river system. Walleye will rest in these areas and ambush baitfish and other aquatic species, including insects, as the current washes them by their hidden location. Once I find where the walleyes are holding, I like to position my boat upstream and let my lure move downstream to the fish. If I’m using a jig, depending on the current

contributor to the river’s popularity. Manitoba’s Winnipeg and Red Rivers are known for both their trophy walleye and world-class channel catfish fishing. And the list goes on. Anglers targeting the walleye within river systems, especially smaller ones, often have them all to themselves. After 20-years of walleye fishing on hundreds of North America’s rivers and their tributaries, I’ve found techniques, gear, and locations, that have helped me to consistently set the hook on these fish. I learned the hard way that the first thing you will need to do to catch river walleyes is set up a minimum of two rods with your favorite reels, and spool up with heavier line than you would normally use for walleye fishing. Anglers targeting walleyes on lakes and reservoirs often use the lightest line they can get away with, usually 6, 8, or 10-pound test, regardless of the brand of the line being used. However, when fishing river systems, anglers will not only be fighting the walleye, they will also be fighting the current, and river walleyes know how to use the current to their advantage. When I’m fishing for river walleyes I have two rods rigged. One is spooled with 12pound braid and the other spooled with 14pound braid. I find the braided line to be more resistant when it comes in contact with underwater structure, as it often does Fall 2017 – Real Fishing 33

conditions I’ll tie on a 1/8, ½, ¾ or even a 1ounce jighead. The heavier jigs slow the bait down and keep it closer to the bottom, often bouncing off the bottom as it moves with the current. Keeping your rod tip pointed up will help prevent the jig from snagging in the rocks, but if your jig is too heavy for the water depth and current speed you’ll end up getting snagged frequently. 36 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

River fishing calls for an assortment of jig sizes and you’ll need to adjust the weight of your jig for the different conditions you are going to encounter. When I’m fishing a jig, I usually tip it with either a soft plastic bait or a live nightcrawler. Soft plastics tend to be more durable in the current, especially fast current, and matching the color of your soft

plastic bait to the walleye’s natural forage in the river system can increase hookups. River walleyes often have to make a fast decision on whether they are going to feed or not before their potential meal flows away with the current. My second favorite lures are hard plastic crankbaits with a fast, tight wobble. When I’m fishing these types of baits I position my

boat in the same way as when I’m bouncing a jig to the walleye, however, the current pushing against my lure lets it maintain a natural swimming motion. The current forces the lure to give off a continuous vibration that attracts walleyes from the surrounding area as well as from further down river. This works extremely well in stained water as walleye may not be able to see the bait for long distances, but they will feel the vibration and begin searching for an easy meal. Once a walleye hits a hard plastic lure, the current literally sets the treble hooks for me. All I have to do is lift my rod up and begin fighting the fish. However, patience must be shown when fighting walleye in the current regardless of the jig or lure being used, as you are not only fighting the fish, the current is also working against you the entire time. As I mentioned above, I take my time and adjust my drag according to the fish and the current conditions. Trying to horse a walleye against the current will often rip the hooks out of the fish’s mouth.

When I’m fishing from the shore I use these same lures, baits, and techniques, however, I position myself closer to where the walleyes are holding and I cast upstream. I let the current bring my bait back towards me, reeling in the slack line as the bait gets closer and letting out line as the current takes my bait past me and down the river. This allows my bait to be in the strike zone the majority of the time while covering a large amount of water from one location. The structure in a river system is just as important to walleyes as it is in lakes and reservoirs. They use structure to get a rest from the current as well as to ambush food. I’ve been in 18-feet of water and, within a boat length, it was as shallow as two-feet and walleyes were holding on the steep underwater structure most of the day. Walleye would consistently take our offerings as we trolled over the steep structure, banging our lures off the face of the structure as it climbed from the depths. I believe that baitfish were getting pushed into the rocky structure by the current and were get-

ting dazed or wounded, and the walleyes were holding in the area, feeding on the disoriented baitfish. While current can be important, don’t overlook the current breaks. Baitfish will often go into the calm water to get a rest from the current and the walleyes will move into feed on them. When I’m fishing a river from my boat, and searching for walleye, I will often troll a hard plastic lure. As I troll, I will continu-

Fall 2017 – Real Fishing 37

ously move in and out of the current as I move up the river. When I’m trolling a river, 90-percent of my hookups have come when I’m trolling up river, against the current. I’ve found that trolling against the current reduces lure snags and hangups. I let out lots of line to distance myself from my lure and, when possible, I troll with my electric trolling motor or my kicker motor to eliminate noise in the water column from my big outboard. Once I catch a walleye, I will mark it on my fishfinder or take a landmark and troll past the area a few times. A good tip when

you take a landmark or mark a waypoint, is to take note of how much line you had out at the time of the hookup. Remember, the fish was caught where your lure was, not where your boat was at the time of the strike. I like to use a line counter reel when trolling to aid me in knowing exactly how much line I have out, which makes my multiple passes more accurate, resulting in more hookups. Over the years I’ve found that more than one hungry walleye lives in the same area and it pays to return and repeat the same pattern several times.

However, once I’m convinced I’ve caught all the active walleyes in the area I will move further up river, searching for more actively feeding walleye. I’ve found that it’s not uncommon for another group of actively feeding walleye to be only a short distance away from the area you were just fishing. When I’m fishing downstream, with the current, I like to let the boat drift with the current and I control my direction with the trolling motor. This allows my lure to be moving at a natural speed that the walleyes are used to seeing from the resident baitfish. I also let out less line, to reduce snags and hangups. If the fish want the bait presented slower than the current is moving, my favorite way to slow myself down is with a drift sock. I like my lure to run in the bottom half of the depth of the river, ideally, six to 18-inches off the bottom, regardless of whether I’m trolling with or against the current. Mastering the current conditions to present your bait properly is the key to landing river walleye.

If you’re looking for some great walleye fishing this year, either from your boat or from the shoreline, give river walleye fishing a try. It’s fun and something a little different from lake or reservoir fishing. Best of all, it’s not uncommon to catch numerous other fish species over the course of a day, turning a walleye outing into a real multispecies fishing adventure. ?

38 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

40 Real Fishing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fall 2017

FISHING FOR DINOS AND GIVING BACK By Mariko Izumi

This past July, Andrew and Brandy Ladd hosted their first ever sturgeon fishing tournament to raise funds for a couple of really worthwhile causes: the Rick Hansen Foundation and the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society. As one of the top professional hockey players in North America, Andrew Laddâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passion for the game is matched only by his passion for improving the lives of others. To give back to communities in the United States and Canada, Andrew and his wife Brandy formed the Ladd Foundation, which supports a broad range of causes focused on youth and the environment. Its goal is to give individuals, with limited opportunities, access to new and exciting experiences, namely through sporting events.

Fall 2017 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Real Fishing 41

Andrew Ladd welcomes guests of the inaugural Ladd Foundation Charity Sturgeon Tournament.

jumping and stamina that they display when you hook one.” The Fraser River is the best body of water for sturgeon fishing in Canada and it’s no coincidence that it is also home to an ongoing catch-and-release tagging program that has resulted in one of the best baseline population datasets on a species like this in the world. The Lower Fraser White Sturgeon Monitoring and Assessment Program is volunteer driven and is truly unlike any other program out there. Take it from me, who’s fished all over the world for dozens of species, it is a unique program and one that not only protects the species but also allows for a very interesting and educational experience while on the water with a certified professional guide. Kevin Estrada, a former hockey player, is the current owner/operator of Sturgeon Slayers and the Director of the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society. He and Andrew have been longtime friends and had been talking for quite some time about hosting a sturgeon fishing tournament to raise funds for the Ladd Foundation. Around the same time Rick Hansen, President and CEO of the Rick Hansen Foundation, had also been talking to Kevin about the need for an upscale, intimate event to bring awareness to the sturgeon fishery and its conservation initiatives. Everyone got together and the end result was the Ladd Foundation Sturgeon Fishing Charity Tournament, which would provide an opportunity for all three organizations to achieve their goals and make a difference in the youth, disabilities, environment and sports arenas. The inaugural event was held this past July on the Fraser River in British Columbia, where the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society is based and where the volunteer-driven Lower Fraser White Sturgeon Monitoring and Assessment Program takes place. There was a palpable buzz in the air as participants flew in from all over North America, many of whom had never fished for sturgeon, also lovingly referred to as “Dinos”. These fish are prehistoric and can grow to over 11-feet in length. Needless to say, sturgeon fishing on the Fraser is an exhilarating experience. As John Ward from Cuda put it, “I was not expecting the current to be as strong or the fish to be as strong as they were. They remind me of a saltwater fish with the power, 42 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

The evening before the first day of the tournament, guests were welcomed by Andrew Ladd himself and a host of other pro NHL’ers taking part in the event, Kevin Estrada and his team of guides, and the staff at the Fraser River Lodge where the two-day event took place. Each participant was presented with a hockey jersey of the person

they were to fish with the next day. They also received a substantial goodie bag with Cuda fishing knives and tools, a Nobis high-tech Elroy jacket, rum from Diplomatico, custom tee-shirts made by G&A Promotions, and a handful of other fun items. Lots of travel and fishing stories were swapped over drinks and dinner and, before everyone knew it, it was time to catch some sleep for the next day’s 7 am start. Between the lodge and Tall Timber B&B, everyone had a comfy spot to rest before getting into the physicality of sturgeon fishing. The fishing was led by Kevin’s company, Sturgeon Slayers, and the event’s off-water activities, including a full breakfast before heading out on the river, took place at the Fraser River Lodge. Each team got to fish with an NHL player including Andrew Ladd, Tyler Myers, Mark Scheifele, Colin Fraser, Zach Bogosian and Duncan Keith, during the two-day tournament. Fishing for sturgeon on the Fraser is done by jet boat using heavy conventional gear that can safely get sturgeon in quickly and then released. A variety of bait is used (secrets only divulged while on the boat with a guide) and it needs to sit at the bottom with limited movement. The cream of the crop of sturgeon guides were assembled and the result was two days of exciting fishing. The first day was sunny and hot, as is often the case in the Fraser Valley during the summer months, and the participants and hockey players were quick to get to know each other and have a good, relaxing time. Boats were split between the Agassiz and Hope areas of the river so as to give each boat the best chance at interacting with the dinos and to allow each team to experience the remote beauty of the Fraser.

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John Ward, far left, gets help holding his 8-foot 2-inch sturgeon.

Not long into the first day, the largest sturgeon of the tournament, an 8-foot 2-inch fork length beauty, was caught by Cuda’s own John Ward, who had never been sturgeon fishing before. “Rick Hanson coached me on what to watch out for”, says John, “and the fight was completely unexpected. Hands cramping, biceps burning, back aching for almost 45-minutes. It was great! The fish breached twice as well, which was cool”. Imagine that - an 8-foot plus fish jumping out of the water. Like I said, exhilarating! All five boats were successful in their own right, with every boat getting to interact with multiple sturgeon. And by interact, I truly mean it. As per the best handling practices guidelines, if a fish is over 150-cm long you mustn’t bring it into the boat. This means that to scan it for a chip, possibly tag it, and measure it for the research program, you have to literally get into the water with these gentle giants. They don’t have teeth so no harm there, however, you have to be aware of not

Tyler Myers had his hands full trying to land a big sturgeon.

44 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

running your hand along their scutes (sharp pointy spikes along their spine). This experience of sharing the space with the fish is part of what makes sturgeon fishing so much fun and sometimes even emotional. I’ve seen, firsthand, a grown man cry when touching and releasing a mammoth sturgeon. Rick Hansen’s boat (where John caught his 8-foot plus beauty) is always a fun boat to be on because of Rick’s enthusiasm and competitiveness. I’ve worked multiple events where Rick is fishing and somehow his boat is always in the running for first place. Shortly after John caught his 8-footer a memorable sturgeon fight was on for Tyler Myers, who was busy battling his first one ever. The sturgeon was forcing the 6’6” hockey player to dance around the boat, which was quite the sight to see. When the fish was finally landed near the beach, there were a lot of high fives, handshakes and hugs exchanged. Not too long after that the same team, fishing with Sturgeon Slayers’ Kevin

Estrada, caught a baby sturgeon which is, in its own way, almost more unlikely than catching a lunker because you can’t really target them. Taylor Hughes was the one to reel in the cutie. “I can't take much credit for that 41-cm monster. Between Kevin's superb boat maneuvering skills, the photography skills by the built in crane Tyler Myers, the hydration expert Dr. Douglas D. Watson keeping everyone at peak operating levels, and let's not forget the pure determination from the hot hand Mark Scheifele, it was really a team effort.”

That’s another thing about sturgeon fishing: everyone on the boat has a job to do. While one person is setting the hook and then reeling the fish in, another may be reeling in the other rods, while another is managing the boat so the line doesn’t break off. There is usually an organized chaos that takes place in order to successfully bring a sturgeon to the boat, and then another round of the same thing in order to properly measure it, scan it and tag it. In addition to all of the excitement on the water, the participants were treated to a barbeque lunch right on the beach with the boats. Later that night, once everyone was cleaned up, a wine tasting was held back at the lodge. The tasting was hosted by wine specialist Andrew Switzer, and Scott Robinson, the winemaker for Little Engine Winery out of Naramata, BC. The lodge features stunning mountain views, roaming bison on the property and is set along the river, creating a cozy and dreamy setting. Add to that wine and spirits, and you have yourself the perfect little evening. On the second day of fishing the clouds were out and the moody atmosphere only

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there are so many small sturgeon being seen lately is a good sign for the fishery. Rick Hansen was also a big part of the event and he delivered a powerful speech at the final dinner. He had most of the room in tears and had all of us feeling inspired by the time he was done with the microphone. This year’s proceeds were split between the Rick

added to the excitement that often accompanies fishing for dinos. Naturally, everyone was vying to take the reins of the largest sturgeon position, however, as anyone who’s fished for these fascinating creatures can attest to, just being out amongst them and in the stunning landscape of the Fraser is satisfying enough. I personally visited each boat

46 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

with my father Wayne, who joined me on the tournament boat and at our off-water events to act as our resident photographer for the week. It was fun to see everyone, beginner and avid anglers alike, taking it all in. On the final night of the event there were fun awards given out for Longest Sturgeon, Smallest Sturgeon, and Most Sturgeon Adopted, and I emceed a silent and live auction. A plethora of NHL memorabilia from Frameworth Sports were auctioned off, along with some fishing trips, specialty alcohol and fishing gear. The generosity in the room was abundant and we had quite a few laughs as we auctioned off a bunch of big ticket items. As mentioned earlier, John Ward from Cuda took home the Longest Sturgeon Award, while Taylor Hughes from Hughes Trucking Ltd. took home the Smallest Sturgeon Award. This was a hot award as there were multiple sturgeon seemingly in the running! The team led by Andrew Ladd adopted the most sturgeon. The fact that

Hansen Foundation and the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society. Every year, the Ladd Foundation will choose a new cause to donate to. In the end, lots of money was raised, many smiles were made and over 50 sturgeon were caught, recorded, and released. The team is already planning the 2nd annual event for 2018! If you’re interested in attending next year’s event, please send an email to kevin@sturgeonslayers.com. For more information on the Ladd Foundation, go to LaddFoundation.Org. For more on the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society visit FraserSturgeon.com and for more on the Rick Hansen Foundation, visit RickHansen.com. ?

THE SIGHTS OF FISHING Wild creatures are common sights on fishing trips but sometimes you see one that just seems out of place. On a 2004 trip to Venezuela this lizard was spotted sunning itself, not on a rock or in a tree, but on an old stump in the middle of a lake. A reptileâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s version of waterfront property perhaps?

48 Real Fishing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fall 2017

There are many things that go into making a truly memorable fishing getaway. It goes without saying that lots of big fish top the list; but clean, comfortable accommodations, great food and having good friends along on the trip are also important in making the adventure one to remember. So too is the scenery and some of the interesting or unusual sights you come across. From breathtaking sunsets to up-close encounters with wildlife, it’s often these other things that add flavour to the stories you tell about your trip. Over the years we’ve had all sorts of weird, wonderful, and sometimes frightening encounters that we wouldn’t have experienced were it not for fishing and we’d like to take a few pages to share some of those with you.

In 2016 Bob was practicing for a bass tournament on Dog and Cranberry Lake near Battersea, Ontario, when he saw one of the strangest things we’ve ever heard of – a swimming squirrel. It’s a good thing Bob was able to snap a couple of photos of the dog-paddling rodent because nobody would ever believe a tall tale like that, especially from a fisherman!

While fishing the 2012 Sturgeon Bay Open in Wisconsin, Bob Izumi and Derek Strub were greeted by this rather large snake that was sunning itself on the lawn outside of their accommodations. Thankfully the guys had a long-handled net on hand that Derek used to move the trespasser to a safer location.

When you’re fishing you’re usually hoping that the fish will want to eat your bait, but in Florida you’ve got to be careful you don’t end up being the bait. On a largemouth bass trip to the Sunshine State back in 2012 this “too big to mess with” alligator slipped into the water just as Bob was passing by. We don’t know if the ‘gator was just curious or if he was fishing for Bob, but we do know that he didn’t have “angler” for dinner that day.

We’ve all heard stories about the voracious appetite of northern pike and here’s proof that the stories are true. On a 2007 trip to the Ogoki Reservoir near Armstrong, Ontario, Erick Hodgins hooked a walleye and, while he was fighting it, a northern latched on to it. The pike was so determined to keep his meal that he didn’t let go, even as he was being netted. The hook was still in the walleye’s mouth as it was extracted from the pike’s throat.

In 2005 this strange, human-like creature was spotted patrolling the shoreline of Lake Erie – or should that be Lake “Eerie”? It popped up just long enough for us to snap a quick photo before it disappeared back into the water…

Black bears are relatively common in Northern Ontario but they generally keep their distance from humans, especially during the daytime. However, bears do what bears want to do and for some reason this guy decided it would be nice to pay a visit to Laurentian Lodge in the Elliot Lake region back in 2015, while Bob and the crew were up there shooting an episode of the Real Fishing Show. Maybe he thought he could get a few fishing tips from Bob?

Fall 2017 – Real Fishing 49

It’s been said that Mother Nature is the planet’s greatest artist and we’re inclined to believe it. On a 2011 trip to the Pointe au Baril region of Georgian Bay we came across these incredible, natural rock formations that almost look like they were sculpted. Is it just us, or do you see a lizard and a salmon in these pictures too?

Wildlife encounters are always a highlight on a fishing trip, especially the friendly kind like the one that led to this shot being taken at Diamond Key Lodge near Britt, Ontario in 2009. We’re not sure if this fox was friendly or just hungry but he sure didn’t seem concerned about the anglers in the background, or our photographer, when he sidled up to the table for a little lunch!

In 2008 the Real Fishing crew headed out for a day of ice fishing on Lake Simcoe and were greeted by this surreal scene. Although the ice was safe, an early freeze/thaw/freeze cycle had made it look anything but.

Imagine moseying down the shoreline fishing for bass and hearing a movement in the shoreline weeds and grass. Now imagine moving in for a closer look and being greeted by this. That’s exactly what happened to Bob and his wife Sandy during a 2014 fishing trip to Florida. Despite the obvious surprise of staring straight into the eyes of this snake, Sandy was cool and calm enough to get a photo before the creature slithered back into the undergrowth. Do you ever get the feeling you’re being watched? Maybe you are. On a 2010 trip to La Reserve Beauchene in Temiscaming, Quebec, this little fellow was acting like the head of the local neighbourhood watch as he kept a keen eye on things from his high-rise window.

50 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

Bad things can happen when heavy trucks meet thin ice. On a 2013 ice fishing excursion to Lake Winnipeg the Real Fishing crew came across a stark example of that while heading out to their fishing spot. What happened remains a mystery but you can bet that at least one unlucky angler won’t be driving on the ice again anytime soon.

On a trip to Mexico in 2006 Bob and Wayne came across the wreckage of an airplane that apparently was carrying illegal cargo when it crash-landed on the beach years earlier. It was never removed and now it serves as a reminder of the area’s notorious history – and it also makes for a pretty good fishing pier.

Fall 2017 – Real Fishing 51

EDITH FISCHER’S

52 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

S OLD TACKLE BOX By Mark Forabosco Illustrations by Charles Weiss

An approaching shadow took shape behind the screen door. “Can I help you?” The teenager wearing a blue baseball cap looked up from the bottom step, smiled warmly and replied, “Yes mam, I called about your ad in the paper regarding the muskie tackle for sale.” The old lady peeked her head out from behind the door, placed a hand over her mouth for a moment, giggled and broke out into a wide smile that highlighted her high cheek bones. “Oh yes, of course, please come on in. Where are my manners?” The two teenage boys stepped into the house and looked at one another; the heavier set of the two, with the short cropped red hair, winked and rolled his eyes at his friend. “Let me get that tackle box,” the old lady said, “I’ll be but a moment.” The heavy-set teenager looked down the hall to make sure the old lady was out of hearing range and, grinning, turned to his friend and said, “This place reminds me of that house in the Amityville Horror.” “Quiet Tanner, she seems real nice,” his friend replied. Moments later the old woman returned with a faded pine tackle box with a leather handle. “This belonged to my late husband. Actually, I forgot all about it until I came across it in the back of the closet while doing some spring cleaning. The teenager with the blue baseball cap took the tackle box from her hand and set it down. “Was he a muskie fisherman?” The old lady adjusted her apron, brushed a strand of her silver hair to the side and said, “Oh yes, Charles was quite the muskie angler. Spent most of his time on Lorimer Lake.” Tanner quickly cut in, “There aren’t any muskie there no more! It’s full of stunted pike, a few carp and little stuff like sunfish and perch. Too hard to drag a boat down there anyways, the old logging road’s grown over since they closed the resort, and that was before I was even born.” The old lady tightened her jaw, obviously unimpressed by the outspoken adolescent, and turned to his friend in the blue ball cap. “What’s your name son?” “Rowan ma’am, Rowan Carter.”

Fall 2017 – Real Fishing 53

The old lady let out a giggle and said, “Are you James Carter’s boy?” Rowan smiled, “Yes, you know him?” “Oh, of course I know him. I’m Edith Fischer. I taught your father senior English in high school. You look just like him.” Rowan nodded his head, “I guess that’s the good thing about teaching in a small town. You get to see how all your students turned out!” Edith was beaming and said, “My, what a small world. And what is your husky friend’s name?” The heavy-set teen was stunned and quickly snapped back, “My name is Tanner, and I’m not husky!” Edith Fischer looked the sarcastic teen in the eye and, in a hollow tone replied, “That is debatable.” Rowan could feel the tension building between Edith and Tanner and he was quick to change the subject. “My father told me some stories about the lake Mrs. Fischer. I guess back in the day it had some good muskies.” Edith nodded her head and replied, “My husband and I fished that water for over 40-years… some wonderful memories and some big fish stories, let me tell you.” Tanner grinned like a Cheshire cat and wiggled his nose with delight. “Forty years, eh? I guess that means you’ve been around for a real long time.” Edith Fischer turned around and, without skipping a beat replied, “Follow me, I want to show you boys something in my husband’s den. You know, I once knew a Tanner back in high school; he did five-years in the penitentiary for robbing a gas station. Must be something to do with that name.”

54 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

Rowan looked at Tanner and broke into a wide grin. Tanner’s cheeks were beginning to burn as they followed Edith down the long hallway. Tanner whispered in Rowan’s ear, “Somebody ought to put that old bird back in her cage.” Rowan cast Tanner an angry glare as Edith waved both of the boys into the den. “Rowan, would do you me a favour? Please tell your friend just because I’m on in years does not mean that I am deaf.” Rowan gave his sidekick a hard stare and, in a low tone, told Tanner to cool it. Tanner frowned and made a zipping motion with his hand across his mouth. A stone fireplace was the focal point of the den, but it what was above the fireplace that caught the boys’ immediate attention - a mount of a very large muskellunge. Beside it was a plaque that read. “1971 Lorimer Lake 52 inches 37lbs”. Tanner frowned, “Yeah, great fish, but like I said, that was forever ago.” Edith directed her gaze back to Rowan. “Don’t you listen to him son. I’m sure there are a few trophies left in that lake.” Rowan nodded. “I believe you!” Rowan set the tackle box on his lap and looked inside: half a dozen large spinners, two scarred up Cisco Kids, three vintage Pikie Minnow lures and a black Globe top water lure with a slightly bent blade. “How much are you asking Mrs. Fischer?” Edith let out a sigh, “How does 40-dollars sound?” Rowan began to dig for a couple of twenties in his pocket saying, “It’s a deal!” “Don’t forget to send your father my regards.” Rowan nodded, “Yes mam,” and opened the screen door to leave. Edith put her hands on her hips; her eyes glued to the floor in a moment of quiet reflection, then looked back up and waved a boney finger at Rowan. “Wait a minute son. I have something for you!” She marched back into the den and quickly returned with a rod and reel. “Here Rowan, I’d like you to have this. It just needs a bit of grease and some new line. Charles took good care of it.” Rowan, startled at the gift, said, “I don’t think it would be right, Mrs. Fischer.” Edith shook her head and gently placed the rod in Rowan’s hand.

“Charles caught that muskie on this pole; it would make him happy to know that someone is still using it.” The reel had a few scratches, but still shone as if it were new. The rod itself was a solid old fiberglass model a little over six-feet in length, the long cork handle stained dark from use. Rowan gave the old lady a warm hug, thanked her profusely, and made his way outside. Standing at the bottom of the stairs Rowan, holding tightly onto his new gear, looked Tanner in the eye and said, “Next Saturday we’re heading to Lorimer Lake.” Tanner, deep in thought, bit his lower lip and answered, “Fine, but if I have to help drag that Jon boat through all that mess and we don’t catch any muskie, you owe me twenty-bucks.” Rowan nodded, “And what if we do?” Tanner bit down on his lip once more then replied, “I’ll buy that old bird a dozen roses; deal?” “Deal.” Rowan replied. Suddenly a woman’s firm voice rose out atop the steps from behind the screen door, “Just make sure they’re yellow!” Tanner turned his head in the direction of the faceless voice and scowled. *************************************************** Rowan and Tanner leaned back on the edge of the boat and took in the full view of the lake. It took them the better part of an hour to drag the boat there from their parking spot, all the while Tanner dutifully remarking on how this excursion was nothing more than a colossal waste of time. But they were at the lake. The morning was uneventful as Rowan manned the oars while his cohort cast over weedbeds and along the shoreline. Encircled by high evergreens and ancient maples, Lorimer Lake was less than 300-acres in size, but Rowan found that it held a certain charm. The lake itself appeared relatively shallow, except for a few deep weedbeds and a small bay in the south end which was fed by a meandering creek. Tanner threw his rod down in disgust. “Nothing, zip, nada”. I’ve been casting for over three-hours and all I got to show for it are a couple of small pike. Let’s go home.” Rowan got up and stretched out his arms to the sun. “Here, you row for a while and let me fish.” 56 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

Tanner picked up an oar, got settled in and grinned, “Why don’t you try something out of your new magic tackle box?” Rowan poked around and tried to separate the three Pikie Minnow lures, whose hooks were tangled together. “What’s this?” Under the lures was a small piece of paper, neatly folded into a square. Rowan opened the paper. “Hey Tanner check this out, it’s a map! The old man marked down which lures worked the best in which parts of the lake and how many muskie he landed in each spot over the years!” Tanner rolled his eyes. “And here I thought it was map to Davey Jones’ Locker! Come on Rowan, let’s call it a day.” Rowan stood up, took a long look around the shoreline and then pointed to a small bay no more than 200-yards away. “I see it, row us over there! Here in his note it says he caught three muskies in that bay by casting over to the right of a big stump. Tanner squinted his eyes and said, “I don’t see any stump.” “Keep going Tanner, it’s the only bay on the lake.” As the boys got closer they could make out the remaining form of a stump, just a few inches below the water’s surface. “That’s it,” said Rowan, while Tanner was occupied trying to fend off a hungry horsefly. “I’m getting eaten alive! Rowan, there isn’t enough gold in Fort Knox to ever get me back here again!” Ignoring Tanner’s dire sufferings, Rowan made a cast and held his breath as the lure landed with a subtle splash a few feet past the stump. The old Pikie minnow did its rhythmic waltz, diving just below the surface of the silent water and wiggling from side to side. Rowan’s eyes were glued to the lure. It was less than a rodlength away when an ominous form appeared. Directly behind the lure loomed a head, as big around as a man’s thigh with coal-black eyes the size of a 50-cent piece. It rose up just enough to break the stillness of the water, and was followed by a great length of body before a red dorsal fin cleared the surface, the fish showing itself to the surprised angler.

Though it lasted no more than a second or two, to Rowan the moment was frozen in time. The large fish dove straight under the boat with the lure buried in the corner of its toothy mouth, the vigour of the muscular tail and heavy mass keeping the rod bent in a deep, straining arch. Rowan braced himself, calling out to Tanner for help as the drag reluctantly surrendered line to the hostile adversary whose every headshake telegraphed its raw power. By now both Rowan and Tanner were leaning over the side of the boat as the fish continued on at a frantic pace. “Get that rod down into the water Rowan, otherwise the line will get cut on the hull of the boat!” Rowan wisely followed Tanner’s advice as the old fish sulked on the bottom. Suddenly the fish tried a different tactic and came straight up, clearing the surface by three-feet on the other side of the boat. Then it sounded, once more furiously shaking its head, trying to dislodge the hooks that threatened its freedom, before swimming straight towards the submerged log from where it came. “Tanner, row me over there. She’s got wrapped around on that log!”

Rowan looked down to see that the line had completely circled the log. Gently he placed his rod into the stained water, swung it in a large circle, and the line immediately came free. The desperate fish made a last-ditch run straight out towards the lake. Rowan could feel the muskie tiring and confidently placed his thumb down on the spool for added pressure while he slowly

Fall 2017 – Real Fishing 57

worked the exhausted fish to the side of the boat. Tanner leaned down and gently slipped his hand under the muskie’s gill plate. Then, with a pair of pliers he quickly extracted the hooks. “Rowan, we gotta come back here next weekend! And we can’t tell anybody about what we caught!” Rowan, elated and at a loss for words, simply nodded his head in agreement. “Here grab the tape measure,” said Tanner. The boys stared at each other in awe. “Fifty-one inches Tanner! What-da-ya think of them apples?” Tanner just kept shaking his head as they watched the muskie slowly return to the depths. “Holy crap that was a big fish…I still can’t believe it,” exclaimed Rowan.

58 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

************************************************** Edith Fischer was dressed in her Sunday best when she saw Tanner standing alone, holding a bouquet of flowers at the end of her walkway. “Mrs. Fischer, th-th-these are for you,” stammered Tanner, awkwardly extending a dozen yellow roses to the old lady. “You were right, there’s still at least one big muskie swimming in that lake.” Edith admired the roses. “Well, thank you very much Tanner, they’re quite lovely. Fiftyone inches is one big muskie no matter how you cut it.” Tanner’s mouth opened with surprise. “How’d you know?”

Edith Fischer giggled and said, “Your friend dropped by last night with a box of chocolates for me.” Tanner looked down to the ground not sure what to say next. “Tell me Tanner do you like chocolate cake?” Tanner smiled meekly and nodded his head. “Yes mam.” Suddenly Edith looked past Tanner. “Do you hear that?” Tanner once again nodded his head, saying, “Yes mam that’s the church bell ringing.” Edith adjusted her blouse. “So it is. Tell you what young Mr. Tanner, why don’t we have some chocolate cake after church?” Tanner nodding his head in approval, replied, “I’d like that Mrs. Fischer.” Edith Fischer put out her arm for an escort and said, “Very well then, shall we go?” Tanner took a step backwards, a look of shock on his face. “Many years have passed since I was last escorted into the house of God in the company of a young gentleman,” said Edith. Tanner shook his head, shrugged his shoulders in confusion and sheepishly replied. “Ma’am, I really don’t get out to church that often.” Edith Fischer stepped closer to Tanner, slipped her arm into his, smiled warmly and giggled, “Of that Mr. Tanner, there is no doubt! ?

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Fall 2017 – Real Fishing 59

Tales from the Road By Bob Izumi

When it comes to spring fishing the opportunities are endless, especially here in southern Ontario. After getting rained out

many days on the water I found a number of areas in about a 25-mile stretch where I had located some smallmouth, so my game plan was to target smallmouth in the tournament.

with fishing guide Taro Murata on Cameron Lake, we decided to give it another go on Rice Lake, which is one of the larger lakes on the Kawartha chain. The Kawarthas offer multi-species angling and Taro spends a lot of time guiding on this chain of lakes. When we got out on Rice Lake it was game on. We caught numerous walleyes up to five-pounds with Taro that morning by fishing weedlines and weed edges in about eight to 10-feet of water. One of the things about Rice Lake is that it has a good abundance of weeds. My Navionics mapping chart showed all of the contour lines and most of those contours have weeds on them. We got enough walleyes in a few hours one morning to get our show done. We even had time to sneak into Golden Beach Resort for a great lunch. What can I say, life was good!

60 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

It’s not often that I devote a ton of time to pre-fish before a tournament but the FLW/Costa event on Lake Champlain was the first of three in their northern division tournament series so I thought I would go down there early and get in some practice. I had six-days of fishing prior to the event, which is about three to five-days more than I normally get for any other event. A lot of the bass, both smallmouth and largemouth, were still shallow. Most of those fish either hadn’t spawned yet or were in the middle of the spawn. After spending that

As it turned out I did a lot of sight fishing for either cruising smallmouth or smallmouth that were locked on beds. When it was all said and done I ended up 13th out of the 190 or so boats in the tournament. I missed the top ten cut by 10-ounces, with a total weight for the two days of 33.10. Even though I missed the cut, ending up in 13th place was a nice finish out of a big field like that. The unfortunate thing was that I was in a later flight on the second day of the tournament so I didn’t weigh in until late in the afternoon. Just as I was getting the boat tarped an incredible amount of rain hit. I got a little bit wet and the boat got a lot wet before I got it covered. I finally pulled out of Plattsburgh at 6:05 that evening, I stopped for one fill-up of fuel and one coffee, and that was it. I drove the rest of the way without stopping and got home at about 2:15 that night. After a quick shower I set the alarm for 3:30 and then slept for an hour. When I got up in the wee hours, Darren and I loaded up the truck and drove an hour and 45-minutes up to Orillia to fish the Casey Cup. After being on the water for eight-days

I was feeling pretty good other than a little bit more sleep would have helped. With no practice and very little sleep I still had enough energy to give it hard that day and we ended up in sixth place at the CSFL Casey Cup with 23.40-pounds. Overall I was pretty happy with that. It was incredible how tired I was when I got home and I definitely got a good night’s sleep that night. The next day we were off to the Berkley B1 tournament in Belleville. The Bay of Quinte has always been a good spot for us over the years. I remember filming shows there in the early ’80 and Wayne and I won our first tournament there back in the ‘80s with 45-pounds of largemouth bass. Needless to say, Darren and I were excited to fish the first of three B1 tournaments that Ben Woo is running this year. We caught 17.3-pounds on day one and 17.7-pounds on day two for 35-pounds even. The fishing was absolutely incredible and we got well over 40 bass over the two days. The majority of our fish came by flipping and pitching either a Berkley PowerBait Chigger Craw or a Chigger Quad in black with blue flake. We used 1-ounce, 1¼-ounce and 1½-ounce Ultra Tungsten flipping weights with 4/0 Berkley Fusion flipping hooks tied to 65-pound test Spiderwire Smooth. We were flipping in some pretty heavy weeds as well as in some open weedbeds to catch all of our fish.

Bob and Cam Thompson share a laugh on a fishing trip in northern Ontario.

We ended up in sixth place and came away sitting in second for Team of the Year, behind Cory and Chris Johnston, who ended up winning the tournament. Of the 28 teams who were fishing all three of the B1 tournaments, they were the only team who finished ahead of us. Hats off to Cory and Chris for another phenomenal finish. Those guys are hard to beat no matter what tournament they’re in. Then it was back home to get some work done before heading off to the Canadian Open on Lake Simcoe. The Canadian Open is a long-running tournament that’s been held everywhere from the 1000 Islands to Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie to this year on Lake Simcoe. It’s a pro-am format where you fish with a different amateur every day and that amateur gets to carry the total weight that you and that person catch. It was a three-day event and on the first day I weighed in 22.95-pounds. On day two I weighed in 21.2-pounds and on day three I got 21.7-pounds. I ended up with 65.85pounds in total and finished in third, behind Cory Johnston who was in first, and his brother Chris, who was second. This is almost sounding like the last tournament where they won it as a team. The key bait for me at the Canadian Open was a ¼-ounce dropshot rig with a Berkley PowerBait Pro Twitchtail Minnow in the watermelon/pearl colour. That little bait is a fish catching machine. Smallmouth can’t resist it, they just love that thing. I got home for a day to get organized and then it was off to Orlando, Florida, for

ICAST 2017. It’s always cool to see what’s new down there and to see people I’ve known for a long time. This year we could only be at the show for one day but we crammed about six or seven meetings into the day. After the show we went out for dinner with the folks from Cuda and Mystik and had a great time before heading back home. I first met Cam Thompson back in the mid-‘70s when my dad held the first bass tournament in Canada. At the time Cam worked for Woodstream, which was the parent company of Fenwick, and he’s one of the few guys who has been in the industry longer than I have. Cam is the guy who got me my first Fenwick flipping stick back around 1979. I can remember driving over to Buffalo with him to go to their U.S. warehouse to pick it up back when I was just a young fellow. That was a turning point for me and I went on to win dozens of tournaments by flipping for largemouth bass. Cam recently retired from Pure Fishing and Rob Walton and the rest of the crew from Pure Fishing Canada had a farewell party for him in Burlington. It was great to see Cam and several other old friends at the party. Even though Cam has retired, we certainly will be seeing lots of him both on and off the water. The next tournament on my schedule was the FLW/Costa 1000 Islands Open. The last three times they’ve held a tournament there, over the past seven or eight years, I’ve got a first, a second and a fifth place so needless to say I was pretty jacked Fall 2017 – Real Fishing 61

up about this tournament. If I was a betting man I would have bet any amount of money that I would have had a respectable finish in this tournament. I can’t remember having a bad day out on the eastern end of Lake Ontario or in the St. Lawrence River in the past 20-years of fishing out there. My pre-fishing went very well. On one day of fishing in shallow water I could have had 26 or 27-pounds. I actually ended up putting shrink tubing on my hook so I wouldn’t hook any of the shallow fish. At one point I felt a tick, looked in the clear water, and saw a six-pounder trying to eat my bait but it couldn’t get hooked because of the shrink tubing. Behind it was one about five, several fours and a bunch in that 2 ½-pound range – there were about 10 fish swimming around together. I kept moving and it wasn’t long before a five-pounder grabbed my bait. A little further along I had another one over sixpounds grab it. In a short stretch of about 200-yards I had located around 25 fish including a couple of sixes, some fives and numerous fours and other sized fish. So

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62 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

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that was my shallow area that I figured would definitely be worth hitting in the tournament. I know that shallow smallmouth can be here today and gone tomorrow so I also wanted to get some deep fish going. Late one day I got on to some deep fish in about 18 to 24-feet of water. It was a massive school of smallmouth; the biggest school of smallmouth personally I’ve ever found on Lake Ontario. You definitely get big giant smallmouth on Lake Ontario, but you don’t get the big schools like you do on certain parts of Lake Erie. Anyway, in an hour by myself I hooked and landed 25 fish. Normally I would never catch that many fish before a tournament, even fishing deep, but this was three-days before the tournament started and I felt like I could hook them and they’d be ready to go again in a few days. The main reason I kept hooking them was that I couldn’t get anything over 2¾pounds. They were all 2 to 2¾-pounds. It was an incredible amount of the same year class of fish. After catching so many on a dropshot, I kept zigzagging down the break, in and out at 18, 20, 22, 24-feet of water. About 200-yards down the break I finally set the hook on a little heavier fish. When I got it in I put in on the scale for giggles and it weighed 5½-pounds. I threw out another cast and caught a three-pounder so I figured it was time to leave. I was convinced that this place was loaded. On the first day of the tournament I told

my co-angler, a nice guy from Maine, that we were going to go to a spot where we would catch a limit in minutes so we could take the stress off of getting a limit and have the rest of the day to cull up. He swallowed the pill I fed him so he was feeling pretty good about my plan. On day one it was blowing hard out of the southwest and we ended up running out onto Lake Ontario in solid six-foot waves. We stopped a couple of times on the way out for a break from the rough ride and managed to put two fish in the livewell from those spots. After a 2½ hour trip we finally got to my spot, but we didn’t graph a single fish and we didn’t catch a single fish. It was pathetic. I was miffed and I couldn’t believe the fish had disappeared. It was time to go into scramble mode. I fished some other deep areas and got nothing. Then I had to fuel up because I ran so much. I ended up going to the shallow fish I’d found in practice but only got two dinks. Then my co-angler got a fish on a deep spot and then it was time to run in. So my coangler had one fish and I had four for 11pounds and change. On day two the winds had swung straight around to the northeast and I thought, okay, we’re getting a curveball thrown at us. The wind was in completely the opposite direction so I figured I’d switch things up a bit. I didn’t go to the deep area where the massive school of fish was, but I fished a number of other deep areas and caught a couple of fish. I ended the day

catching eight keepers all day and my coangler caught two, so we got 10 fish all day. In my case, “all day” includes a lot of time running, probably between 2½ and 3-hours of running because I was fishing a lot of different areas. I probably covered over 100

miles that day and ended up with a small limit and a total of 26.06-pounds over the two days, which put me in 75th place overall. So I was about halfway down the field but I did manage to stay in the top 20 in the points standings. The top 40 anglers by

points get to go to the year-end FLW/Costa Championship, which is being held at the end of October on Kentucky Lake. Overall, I can honestly say that the only thing I learned in that tournament is; if there’s one thing you can guarantee yourself it’s that smallmouth bass love to move. In that tournament they moved from the shallow areas and they also moved from the deep areas. Moving on, I can’t wait to get back there for the 1000 Islands Open, which will be my next tournament. But before that I’m heading up to Georgian Bay to stay at Delawana Resort to shoot a show this week. With any luck the fish will be more cooperative and we’ll get our show done without too much trouble. No matter how it goes, I’ll be on the water doing what I love, and when you get to fish for a living life’s always good. ?

Fall 2017 – Real Fishing 63

What’s COOKING

Thanks to Ryan Lamothe, Sous Chef at Graffiti's Italian Eatery in Kanata, Ontario, for providing this recipe.

Turducken Croquette With Parsnip Puree, Cranberry Relish And Blood Orange Segments “This appetizer is a favourite when my family comes to my home for the holidays.” - Ryan Lamothe TURDUCKEN CROQUETTE, 8 PORTIONS INGREDIENTS 2 turkey legs 2 duck legs 2 chicken legs 12 cups melted duck fat 1 cup coarse salt 1 cup brown sugar 6 peppercorns 1 garlic clove 1 clove 1 cinnamon stick 1 cup flour 1 cup liquid egg 1 cup Panko bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS Place the turkey, duck and chicken legs in a large cake pan. Mix the sugar and salt together and pour over the legs. Add the peppercorns, garlic clove, clove and cinnamon stick to the cake pan. Place in the fridge overnight to cure the meat. Rinse the salt and sugar off the legs and place in a large pot with the melted duck fat. Cook in the

oven at 300°F for 4-6 hours. Once cooked, pull the turkey, duck and chicken leg meat into small pieces, keeping each type of meat in separate bowls, then place in the fridge to cool. Set the duck fat aside in the fridge to gelatinize. Add a tablespoon of gelatinized duck fat to each bowl of meat and stir (this will hold the meat together). Fill a medium sized ice-cream scoop with 1/3 turkey, 1/3 duck and 1/3 chicken.

Form meat into a ball and repeat for the remaining meat. Place the flour, liquid egg and bread crumbs each in their own bowl. Dip each ball of meat into the flour, then into the egg then into the bread crumbs. Deep fry meat balls at 375°F until golden brown.

PARSNIP PUREE INGREDIENTS 8 large parsnips, roughly chopped 1 large onion, roughly chopped 1 garlic clove

cinnamon stick

½ cup maple syrup 2 cups cream Pinch of salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS Place the parsnip, onion, garlic clove, cinnamon stick and maple syrup into a medium sized pot. Fill the pot with water until ¾ full.

Set on the stove on medium heat and cook parsnips until tender. Strain and remove the cinnamon stick. Place parsnips into a blender, add the cream and blend until smooth. Serve hot.

CRANBERRY RELISH AND BLOOD ORANGE SEGMENTS INGREDIENTS 2 cups cranberries 1 cup orange juice 1 cup triple sec

64 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

1 cup 2

brown sugar blood oranges zested, peeled and segmented

DIRECTIONS Place all ingredients (except the orange segments) into a small sauce pot and set on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cook until the berries have burst and the liquid starts to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the blood orange segments. Put in the fridge to cool. Serve cold.

Whe en you pack Izumi wine es, you can afford to be selective. COME ANND GET IT. Our wines are only available direct — either in person or by delivery from our vine eyard d in Niagara-on-th he-Lake, Ontario. It’s taken 14 years to get it right, to perfect the craft ft of making wine that is drinkable, accessible, and affordable. It all happenss here in our Big Red Barn. Our modern-rustic space houses our cellarr and is part tasting ro oom,, part clubhouse. There e’s no pre etension or mystery here e. All that we kknow, we e’re ready to share with you, to delight the novice wine lover and the veteran oenophile alike. Visit us or order d ahead for your nex xt big trip and for each purchase of an Izumi wine ne, Betwe een the Lines will donate $1 to the Fishing Forever Foundation, a non-pro ofit organization commit c ted to the pre eservation of Canada’s fishing resources.

BetweenTheLinesWinery.com m

Artist: Charles Weiss Medium: Acrylic paint on canvas Dimensions: 16” x 20” Website: www.charlesweiss.com

66 Real Fishing – Fall 2017

“This is my fish scene dedicated to Canada's 150th anniversary. The acrylic painting features a muskellunge blasting through a tangle of lily pads after a jig with a Canadian flag leaf on the side of it. The lure might appear, to a muskie, to be a frog jumping off of a lily pad. This dramatic painting is enhanced with contrasting hues of red and green inspired by shoreline vegetation.” – Charles Weiss