Fall 2019

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Contents Features 30 AUTUMN RIVERS OF BRONZE When the leaves start to turn, river dwelling smallmouth bass begin migrating to their wintering holes, where they can provide anglers with some of the best fishing of the year. Here’s how to track them down and catch them from early fall until freeze-up.

By Rob Dankowsky

38 HIDDEN GEMS Many small lakes and ponds provide plenty of good fishing despite being relatively untouched by anglers. If lots of action and uncrowded conditions sounds appealing, pull out a map and look for these hidden gems in your area. You just might discover your own piece of fishing heaven.

By Charlie Ricottone

46 THE MGM FISHING TRIP

52 FISHING THE TROPICS A pictorial look at some of the memorable winter fishing getaways the Real Fishing crew have enjoyed over the past 25-years.

By Real Fishing

Next June, the Murphy, Glatt and Murray families will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of their annual fishing trip. It’s quite an achievement and it shows how time spent fishing together can bond families over generations.

By Carl Glatt

20

Fall 2019 Volume 25, 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 6 OPENING LINES

By Jerry Hughes

24 REAL FISHING FISH FACTS Black Crappie

Contributors Rob Dankowsky, Patrick Daradick, Mark Forabosco, Carl Glatt, Bob Izumi, Wayne Izumi, Ryan Lamothe, Steve May, Charlie Ricottone, Dave Taylor 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

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

14 WHAT’S NEW

By Mark Forabosco

59

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

28 THE HOT BITE

Canada Post Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40015689 Customer Account No. 2723816 GST Registration No. R102546504

58 TALES FROM THE ROAD The trials and tribulations of life as a professional angler

By Bob Izumi

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

64 WHAT’S COOKING 66 ART OF ANGLING

On the cover: SLAB-SIDED SMALLMOUTH! Photo by Izumi Outdoors

26 REFLECTIONS ON FISHING

18

opening lines

By Jerry Hughes

Winding Down Well, here we are nearing the end of another open water fishing season. It’s always a bit sad knowing that it will soon be time to wrap the boat and put her into hibernation, and it’s excruciating when everything starts to freeze and you finally have to admit that winter is in the air. Stripping line from open water reels, cleaning them and putting them away until spring really is a huge dagger. Sure, there’s always ice fishing, but it’s just not the same.

Despite the shortening days, there’s still time to get out on the water and enjoy some fantastic fishing. Walleyes and bass are on the feed now and, once you locate them, the fishing can be outstanding. The same goes for muskies, and everyone knows that the fall is absolutely the best time of the year to hook up with the fish of a lifetime. Salmon and trout are running up many of the rivers feeding the Great Lakes and panfish are schooling as they slowly move to the deeper areas they’ll call home for the winter. But inevitably Mother Nature is going to do what she does and there’s nothing we can do about it.

Before things turn ugly outside, why not try something you might not do much of in the late fall – smallmouth fishing in a small or medium-sized river. Rob Dankowsky knows a thing or two about this somewhat secret fishery and he’s sharing his tips and tricks on where and how to do it right.

Beginning on page 30, Rob dissects the rivers and shows the best areas to target for late season smallmouth. He also shares some tried and true bait choices and fishing tactics that have proven successful over the years.

If you’d rather start planning for next season, check out Charle Ricottone’s story, on page 38, about finding and fishing your own little piece of paradise. There are 6 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

hundreds of small lakes in cottage country that rarely see anglers, and most of these offer fast action along with the peace and seclusion that make a day on the water even more enjoyable. Whether you’re looking for a place to hone your skills with a new fishing technique, to take the kids for a few fish-filled hours or to simply get away from it all for a while, these hidden gems are the perfect places to do it. Best of all, there’s probably a few of these close to your regular fishing spots.

We’ve often talked about the ways that fishing can bring people together, and how the camaraderie aspect of the sport is almost as important as the fishing itself.

We’ve always known it to be true and, apparently, we’re not alone in that thinking.

On page 46 of this issue Carl Glatt shares his extended family’s incredible history of getting together for an annual fishing trip that will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary next June. The Murphy/Glatt/Murray clan may not be the greatest anglers on the planet, but there’s no denying that their yearly adventure has helped to cement their family together through the generations.

If the thought of winter closing in is just too much, you might want to consider planning a fishing trip to someplace warm for a week or two. Over the years the Real Fishing crew have been to dozens of tropical

destinations and they all offer fabulous fishing that’s definitely different from what you’re used to. While we can’t single out any one spot as “the best”, we can say that they all offer something unique. Our Fishing the Tropics pictorial on page 52 highlights a few of our favourite southern locales, and it just may help you decide to pull the trigger on your own winter fishing getaway.

The fall can be a wonderful time of year or it can be a harbinger of the long, cold days ahead – it’s all a matter of perspective.

Whether you fish until the bitter end, or you hang your gear up at the first sign of frost, this issue of Real Fishing should offer something that fits your idea of late-season things to do. ?

Print and digital subscriptions are available online at www.realfishing.com/ magazine For help with your subscription, please contact our customer service department

IT ’S N OT L U C K , IT ’S S CI E NCE Y ears of research have gone into creating the exclusive Berkley ® P owerBait ® formula.

PowerBait tastes like food to fish, causing them to hold on 18x longeer*.

That means more time to feel the bite and set the hook.

BERKLEY -FISHING.COM

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Fis Fish Fi ish sh H Hol Ho o old lld d on

x 18LLoononge ng n ge g ger e err

* Based on controlled laboratory testing. Results may vary.

© 2019 Berkley is a registered Trademark of Pure Fishing, Inc.

*

berkley-fishing.com

2019 FISHING FOREVE This past spring, Fishing Forever held its annual fundraising golf tournament and auction at the Turtle Creek Golf Club to raise funds in support of Bob Izumi's Kids, Cops and Canadian Tire Fishing Days Programme. Under beautiful, sunny skies nearly 100 golfers turned up to enjoy a day of fun on the links while helping to promote fishing. Golf entertainer Brett Cleverdon was on hand to show off his long driving talents as well as his incredible skill as a trick-shot master. After a great day on the course everyone had a chance to place their bids on a wide range of silent auction items before sitting down to a fantastic dinner that was followed by a spirited live auction. Our thanks go out to all the golfers who joined us for this year’s tournament, and to all of the sponsors, donors and helpers who made this year’s event one of the best ever. We can’t wait to do it again next spring!

Brett Cleverdon, along with Bob and Wayne Izumi, congratulate the tournament winners, Mike Jenkins, Scott Shonicker and Lee Collins.

Taking a whack at the High Tee competition.

Checking out one of the silent auction items.

Fresh fish and chips being prepared for lunch.

Brett Cleverdon (L) with the Longest Drive winner Kevin Estrada.

8 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

ER GOLF TOURNAMENT

e and Brent McCord with ray, J.D. Murray, Tony Pag Third Place winners Jay Mur granddaughter and grandniece Yale. thir Bob and Wayne Izumi and

Trying to land one in the kayak at the Chipping Contest.

to the Wayne Izumi with Closest .

Pin winner Mike Osborn

Now that's a dinner!

Mike Osborn, Dave Osborn, John McGuigan Ralph Bonkowski and Michael Donnelly with a massive pike that won the Big Fish award.

Earl Moore (L) with the fist place prize from the putting competition.

Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 9

MERCURY MARINE CANADA PARTNERS WITH GEORGIAN COLLEGE This past summer Mercury Marine Canada announced their partnership with Georgian College’s Marine Technician Program at the Robbert Hartog Midland Campus to expand and improve educational opportunities for people in the marine industry. Students of the marine and small engine program at Georgian College will now have a hands-on opportunity to work with the latest leading-

edge marine technology and products, strengthening the pipeline of technicians across the country and continuing the growth of the marine service industry in Canada.

Mercury Marine Canada will also relocate its service training facilities from its head office in Milton to Georgian College this fall.

The Georgian College marine technician program is approaching it’s 50th Anniversary

and is the heart of the marine service industry in Canada. The new support from Mercury Marine adds greatly to the resources and learning opportunities available to students and will help ensure they get the education and experience they need to be part of the future of the marine industry.

Mercury Marine’s Gary Coleman cuts the ribbon to officially open the facility at Georgian College’s Robbert Hartog Midland Campus. With him are (L to R) Randy Clarke and Rob Davidson from Georgian College, Peter Hart from Mercury Marine and Mac Greaves, Georgian’s Campus Manager.

10 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

CANADA HOSTS 2019 PAN AMERICAN BASS CHAMPIONSHIP

EVENTS Calendar KIDS AND COPS FISHING DAYS

Youth oriented fishing events Various dates and locations www.kidsandcops.ca

The Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association (CSIA), in conjunction with the Canadian Sport Fishing League (CFSL), have announce that the 2019 Pan American Bass Championship will be held in Cornwall and SDG Counties, Ontario, on the section of the St. Lawrence River known as Lake St. Francis, from October 15th to 19th. This will be the first-ever Pan Am Bass Championship to be held on Canadian waters.

The Pan American Bass Championship is an international team fishing tournament that will see two-person angler teams from Canada, First Nations, United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and possibly other countries of the Americas, visiting the Cornwall region in search of big bass.

Bob Izumi, who captained Team Canada to a second-place finish at the 2018 PanAm Bass Championship tournament in Florida, will captain the Canadian team again this year. Bob and his son Darren received a bye into the Championship while the rest of the Canadian contingent were selected by way of a qualifying tournament that was held on Lake St. Francis in August. Rounding out Team Canada are Andy Kinstler & Scott Lecky, Rob Lee & David Chong, Robert MacMillan & Ryan Flaro, Matt Massey & Robert Greenberg, Stephen & Phil Hegarty, Nicolas Gendron & Jason Gramada and Brian Hughes & Anaise Chaves.

MONSTER MASH

Fly Fishing Muskie Event October 25 - 27 Stoco Lake Tweed, ON https://twp.tweed.on.ca/monstermash

GREATER NIAGARA FISHING & OUTDOOR EXPO

January 17 - 19, 2020 Niagara Falls Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls, NY www.niagarafishingexpo.com

TORONTO INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW

January 17 - 26, 2020 Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place Toronto, ON www.torontoboatshow.com

Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 11

READER’S PHOTOS

Dave Malloy Port Colborne, ON Walleye

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

Steve Barnett and Jack Levert Ottawa, ON & Lunenburg, ON Sturgeon

Geoff and Mike Woollcombe Lake Rosseau, ON Lake Trout

Heidi Baxter Hagersville, ON Pike

Michael Bauman Elliot Lake, ON Lake Trout

12 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

Catch BOB on the Tube!

Tune in every Saturday morning on Global, and weekly on Sportsman Channel Canada and WFN (USA), 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 Atlantic Canada Calgary Edmonton Ontario Quebec Regina Saskatoon Vancouver Winnipeg Canada/USA

PROV./STATE Atlantic Canada AB AB ON QC SK SK BC MB Canada/USA

STATION Global (CIHF) Global (CICT) Global (CITV) Global (CIII) Global (CKMI) Global (CFRE) Global (CFSK) Global (CHAN) Global (CKND) WFN

DATE & AIR TIMES Saturday 8:00 am Saturday 10:30 am Saturday 10:30 pm Saturday 8:30 am Saturday 8:30 am Saturday 7:30 am Saturday 7:30 am Saturday 10:30 am Saturday 7:30 am 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

2019

NEW COLOUR PATTERNS FROM BRECKS Brecks has launched a new “Jelly” series of holographic-style decal patterns that change colour hues with the angle of light refraction, mimicking the natural appearance of smelt, shiners and other baitfish. The series includes four base colours: Moon Jelly, a bluish to purple gradient; Flame Jelly, an orange to yellow to green gradient; Banana Jelly, a yellow to green gradient; and Sky Jelly, a purple to blue gradient. The new decal patterns are available in various shapes and colours on selected sizes of Mepps Syclops spoons; Williams Wablers and Dartees; Mooselook Wobblers and Lake Clear Wabblers.

www.williams.ca

FENWICK WORLD CLASS® AND TECHNA® PX RODS Fenwick® has introduced new rods built with 3M™Powerlux®technology for rods that are 30% stronger on average, while retaining Fenwick’s traditional lightweight feel. 3M™Powerlux resin in the rod blank helps to disperse the stress and tension that can occur in a rod while casting or fighting a fish, and it keeps the rod blank from forming cracks over time. Techna PX series rods are available in spinning, baitcasting, and muskie actions models while the World Class rods come in baitcasting and spinning models.

www.pullstartfire.com

YETI HOPPER M30 The new YETI® Hopper M30 Soft Cooler features a rugged, high density DryHide™ shell that resists mildew, punctures, and UV rays. RF-welded seams provide both a leakproof interior and a waterproof exterior, while Coldcell™ insulation ensures your drinks and snacks stay frosty. The magnetic, leak-resistant HydroShield™ closure seals in the temperature and two quickrelease buckles keep it closed. This soft-sided cooler measures 25" long, 12" wide and 17-1/2" tall, includes a convenient shoulder strap and can hold up to 20 cans of your favourite beverage or up to 28-pounds of ice. The Hopper M30 is available in navy, charcoal and river green.

www.yeti.com 14 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

We welcome submissions from manufacturers and distributors for our What’s New 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

2020 RANGER FS PRO SERIES Ranger’s FS line of Deep V multispecies boats has been expanded to include five new models with all-new designs, upgrades and greater capabilities. The new FS PRO Series is led by largest Ranger FS Series boat ever, the 622FS PRO, at 22' 10" in length. The 622FS PRO is joined by the 621cFS PRO, 621FS PRO, 620cFS PRO and 620FS PRO to round out the 2020 model year. All FS PRO boats feature higher horsepower ratings, with the 622 and 621 boats capable of handling a 400-horsepower outboard while the 620s are rated for 300-horsepower.

Highlighting the all-new FS PRO Series is the RIDE system (Ranger Intelligent Display Engine), an innovative, whole-boat command center. This technology is housed within a 9" touchscreen multifunction display that is exclusive to Ranger.

With RIDE, anglers can control every critical aspect of the boat including ignition, security, trim tabs, livewells, Power-Poles, lighting, stereo and jackplate while displaying engine parameters such as RPM, MPH, fuel and more.

www.rangerboats.com

COLUMBIA FORCE 12 JACKET Columbia’s new Force 12 Jacket features OutDry™ Extreme, a waterproof and breathable fabric technology constructed with a waterproof layer on the outside and soft, wicking fabric inside.

With OutDry™ Extreme, the water-tight exterior membrane features millions of microscopic perforations that let water vapor escape through a wicking membrane directly fused to the shell.

The jacket is fully seam-sealed and features zippered vents on the sides, waterproof chest pockets and neoprene sleeve cuffs that cinch up snugly to keep your arms dry.

www.columbiasportswear.ca

Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 15

fishing

Bob Izumi is the host of The Real Fishing Show.

By Bob Izumi

Making The Connection There are a lot of fishing lines available on the market today for different techniques and species, and all of them have their time and place.

When braided fishing lines first came out I was a tad skeptical. Actually, I didn’t try them for the first year or two. When I finally tried them I still wasn’t sure what to think because I was so used to using traditional monofilament line. At first I thought braided lines were too sensitive. I was so used to mono, and how it stretched, that braid really threw me off. I could feel everything, but I could almost feel everything too well. I was so used to the stretchiness and low sensitivity of mono that I thought braid was just too much of a direct line between me and he fish. But after I started using it more and more I realized the benefit to using some of these “super lines”. I found that these gel-spun, fused or braided fishing lines definitely helped me catch more fish.

In the early years, when we only used monofilament, we used stiffer rods to get a good hookset. Nowadays with the super lines, I find that a softer action rod works

16 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

better and it acts like a shock absorber as these lines really have no stretch to them.

Depending on how you fish, monofilament line still has it’s time and place. I use monofilament line, like Trilene XL, when I’m using topwater lures and I want a line that is limp and will not sink.

But, when it comes using a topwater bait like the Choppo prop bait, or a frog, or any topwater bait with large, heavy hooks, I actually prefer a braided fishing line. I feel you get a much better hookset on these types of lures with a braided fishing line. Here’s a couple of examples from a few of my recent fishing outings where some of the new lines have really come into play.

On Big Rideau Lake we were fishing for lake trout that we were spotting on our graph in deep water, anywhere from 60 to 90-feet down. I was using 10-pound test Berkley x9 braid, which is woven with nine strands of polyethylene fibers around a polyethylene core, and is much thinner than traditional 10-pound test monofilament.

Because the water was clear, I added a three to four-foot leader of eight-pound test Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon. This setup allowed me to get my Vibrato vertical jig down to the depths quickly and it let me feel

everything the bait was doing. It also telegraphed hits instantly. It was just the ticket for vertically jigging for the lakers.

I also did some panfishing up there using six-pound test Nanofil with a four-pound test fluorocarbon leader. Nanofil is a unique super line that is ideally suited to using with spinning gear. It has a very smooth finish that makes it one of the longest casting lines I’ve ever used, and it’s also extremely sensitive. In this case I was using it to catch monster bluegills and pumpkinseeds by fishing vertically on humps, but it’s also ideal for dropshotting, casting light baits and other techniques where you need a line with both strength and sensitivity.

Prior to fishing at Big Rideau we fished the FLW Canada Cup bass tournament on the Bay of Quinte. We were using Fenwick World Class flipping rods spooled up with 65-pound test Berkley x5 braid, that we tied directly to our Texas rigged Berkley Power Baits, to flip and pitch around lily pads, weed mats, trees, reeds and other heavy cover. The x5 braid has five strands of polyethylene fibers woven around a polyethylene core and is designed for maximum strength. This line is very abrasion resistant, you don’t have to re-tie often and it has the strength and power to pull big largemouth out of heavy cover. It’s a great line for the baitcasting outfits that we were using.

There are so many super lines available but they are not all created equal. Some are better for spinning outfits, some are better for casting outfits, some excel for open water finesse techniques and some are best suited to power fishing in heavy cover. It’s really up to you to match your choice of technique to the right super line and go from there. The link between you and the fish has never been better. ?

fly fishing

By Stephen May

Fly Tricks For Fall Trout In the fall, fly fishing changes. Not only does the weather cool, the bug activity often quiets down as well. Different techniques are needed to adapt to the rivers where fish are often looking for different food. Searching techniques and paying attention to details can improve your success.

Using stealth, slowing down, observing and taking samples from the bottom of the river can all be keys to success. Make sure you do this. If you find clues like rising fish, birds flying around, spawning fish releasing eggs or if you see bugs on the water, in the stream-side bushes or on the rocks on the bottom, you have the clues you need to select a technique and fly pattern to start with. If you see flying bugs and rising fish you are set to start with dry flies. If there are lots of bugs or eggs in the riffles, then match the food source by nymphing.

But, you won’t always spot these in the fall. Spawning fish may or may not be in the area and the bugs can be tiny. Many times in the fall things look pretty quiet and the river provides few clues to help you find fish. In these times, the fish are usually looking for food too! A “searching pattern” can help hungry fish find your presentation. A variety of patterns can be used at this time but my favourites are swimming streamers, swinging a wet fly and drifting bold, dry flies.

Streamers cover water quickly and help you find fish. Throw your fly along the

bank, near boulders, into deep holes and along ledges. Catching fish with streamers is awesome, but even if a fish just shows itself by flashing at a streamer that is a clue that helps. You can adjust your presentation to home in on it. With streamers, you can go big, small or even double up with two streamers. If you have not tried fishing two streamers at once, it can be a ton of fun.

Streamers allow you to work water fast and can help you find both numbers and big fish.

A more relaxed searching technique to try is a traditional wet fly swing. I like to make this a little less traditional by switching out the typical, tiny spider-type fly with a larger,

meatier nymph like a Bead Head Fox Squirrel Nymph or a small Wooly Bugger. Steelhead anglers also like this technique for fish holding in runs and pools. Trout, bass and other species also like swung flies in the fall.

Dry flies can also be effective as searching tools in the fall. Use these in transition areas like where a riffle drops into a pool, or near current breaks. Bold dry flies seem to work best for me in the fall. Big foam flies with rubber legs can be a lot of fun to fish and they roughly imitate the larger hoppers, beetles, caddis and big mayflies that fish might be looking up for.

The fall is a wonderful time to be on the stream, but it is different from the spring and summer bounty. The key to all of these presentations is to keep moving, cover water and keep your fly wet. This will help you find more fish and see more wonderful places on the stream this fall. ?

18 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

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

water’s edge

By Dave Taylor

Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

Thief. Predator. Plague carrier. Engineer. Cute. Friendly.

Loner. All of these words apply to the Eastern chipmunk, the largest of Canada’s five chipmunk species.

They are about 30-centimeters long and weigh up to 150-grams. Like all chipmunks, they have a series of stripes running down their back and sides. It should be noted that not all striped ground squirrels are chipmunks.

Found from southeastern Manitoba to the Maritimes, and in most eastern U.S. States except Florida, they are easily the most recognizable ground squirrel. They frequent picnic areas and campsites and can be habituated to humans quite easily. They will even feed from your hand with a little patience! However, encouraging them to come to close can be hazardous to your health as they carry fleas, which can bite and infect you with the plague, although this is a rare event. Their urine and feces can present a greater danger as these can spread the Hantavirus.

Eastern chipmunks prefer deciduous forests but they also get along well in city parks. One even frequents my urban backyard. While not generally thought of as tree climbers, they can and do climb on a regular basis.

For a human-friendly critter, they are loners in the wild. Mating in early spring will bring

20 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

several males to court a female but these gatherings are short-lived. Females with young are the only other social group and even then the young scatter within a few months of birth.

In Ontario they have only one litter a year but further south they will have two. As the climate warms, two litters might become more common across their range.

Chipmunks are born in a burrow, usually between three and five to a litter. After an abrupt drop of several centimeters, the burrow levels off and may run for several meters underground. Burrows can be quite simple, with no chambers, but some are complex systems containing chambers for a latrine, food storage, sleeping and waste storage. The nest chamber can be up to 30-centimeters wide and is filled with chopped up leaf debris for insulation. Entrances are hard to see as they lack any obvious signs of excavation.

Chipmunks possess cheek pouches which expand to carry extra food. The older they get the larger their pouches become. Their food can be nuts, seeds, green plants, mushrooms and bulbs, and may also include insects, eggs, worms, small birds, small frogs and even small mammals. Food is cached for future use and a lot of it is hoarded in their main burrows, where it is stored for the winter.

Chipmunks are not above stealing from other chipmunks but those caught stealing are chased off.

In winter, chipmunks disappear underground.

There has been some debate as to whether they are true hibernators or not, although they do spend

about four to six-days in a row in a deep torpor, after which they wake up to sleepily feed, use the latrine and then go back to sleep.

On mild winter days a chipmunk may emerge from its burrow to feed on an abundant above ground food source, (such as a bird feeder), but this is rare.

The arrival of spring is heralded as much by the sighting of chipmunks as it is by the sighting of robins. In my opinion, more so, as robins are now a year-‘round fixture in Southern Ontario.

Chipmunks have a host of predators including coyotes, bobcats, foxes, raccoons, weasels, cats, dogs and snakes, among others.

The lifespan of a chipmunk seldom exceeds two-years and most of the young do not survive their first year.

To escape predators, chipmunks have evolved a sort of language to let other chipmunks know not only that danger is near, but just what sort of danger approaches. “Chucks” and “chips” made from a stationary position indicate a predator has been spotted and is still around.

“Chucks” indicate that the predator is a bird. “Chips” indicate that it is a terrestrial predator like a cat, fox, coyote, etc. A rapid series of high pitched calls means the chase is on. On more than one occasion I’ve heard this and then seen a fox emerge with a chipmunk in its mouth.

While they are adorable little mammals, and fun to watch, they should not be encouraged around the fishing camp, cottage or backyard. Still, they are pretty cute. I once rescued one that was swimming across the lake I was fishing on. I extended a paddle and the little guy clung to it, allowed itself to be lifted into the canoe, and then calmly sat on the bow until we hit shore. Never did he say thanks! ?

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 with research by Jim Greenaway

The Canada Needle & Fishing Tackle Co. Ltd. When you research many Canadian fishing tackle companies you find very few that have such a history as the Canada Needle & Fishing Tackle Company, (CNFT), a fishing tackle maker and distributor that started in Toronto and flourished in a small Ontario town called Havelock.

Arthur John Howard Crook, an English gentleman born in 1876 in Studley, England, was commissioned by the well-established hook and needle firm of Henry Wilkes & Co. Ltd. to oversee their Toronto branch in October of 1908. Mr. Cook moved his family overseas and resided at 1151 Dufferin Street in Toronto.

In 1915 a new fishing tackle enterprise was established with A.J. Crook as one of the partners. Its name was the Canada Needle & Fishing Tackle Co. Ltd. and it was located at 76 Wellington St. West, Toronto. Mr. Crook was listed as the manager of this company in 1918. The sole purpose of CNFT was to carry on business as manufacturers and agents for the sale of needles, pins, hairpins, hook eyes, fish hooks, fishing tackle and sporting goods.

In 1930 CNFT purchased the Croft & Sons fishing division, which included Croft’s tackle stock, machinery and the Lowe’s patents for Buffalo Baits and Star Spinners.

The company was listed as being in the

22 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

Croft building at 436-438 Wellington Street in 1931.

The first catalogue was printed in 1931 and featured Lowe’s Star Spinners and Buffalo Baits. The firm also sold and distributed many items by other major tackle companies including tackle made by Pflueger, Skinner, and trolling lures made by Canadian tackle maker W.H.Wright of Owen Sound.

They were also the sole distributors for Lurette Living Bait Lures (glass baits) and the “No Weed O” spring hook lure. Lucky Strike Bait Works also produced wooden lures for the firm and they can be found in a green box with the same distinctive copy found on Frank Edgar’s orange-coloured Better-Luck fancy border boxes.

In 1934 the depression saw Arthur lose money and he decided to sell his Toronto home and make a move to Havelock, Ontario. Havelock, like many small towns during this era, was a depressed town in a depressed time. Once settled in Havelock, Arthur set up the Canada Needle & Fishing Tackle Co. and continued as manager.

The company was a blessing for the small town as many locals found employment there. In 1940 the parent company, The English Needle & Fishing Tackle Co., shipped bulk needles to Canada and this helped the company flourish.

Arthur’s daughter, Monica,

spent one year after grade eight sorting the needle shipments. Most of the women in town found work at the company sorting needles and tying fancy flies and feathered hooks. In 1942 the building was expanded to accommodate machinery, plating vats and an office. The Havelock Company grew to 12 men and women working on fishing tackle and another 35 women sorting and packaging needles.

Gilbert Crook joined his father at the Canada Needle & Fishing Tackle Co. in 1946 as assistant manager. Later he would replace his father as the company’s manager. Prior to joining the company Gilbert enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force. He served on several bases across Canada in World War II as a base photographer, teaching aerial photography techniques.

His first employment was as a bank teller at the Bank of Toronto. His name plate read, “Crook”, which was humorous indeed.

One of his inventions was the “Fish-O-Buzz”, a battery operated ice fishing device that held the line and would buzz when a fish took the bait. The company continued to produce needles and fishing tackle but, by 1950, the lack of demand for needles brought a change in the company’s direction and name, and the company’s name was changed to Canada Fishing Tackle & Sports Ltd. Arthur Crook died in 1961 and Gilbert became manager of the Havelock plant. He remained in charge until the plant’s closing in 1969.

Canada Needle & Fishing Tackle Co. items are unique. Many of the items they were the sole distributors of are very sought after due to the limited production. The lure in the picture goes with the dark green Game Fish box. The lure and box carry a value of $400 as this is the glass eye version of the bait. The little round split shot tin would fetch $100. The light green box would have had a transparent glass Lurette lure in it. The box and lure together would easily command a price of $1000 in today’s market. ?

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real fishing fish facts

Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus

The black crappie is a member of the sunfish family and features the same deep, laterally compressed body shape as other sunfishes.

The back is generally olive, metallic green or brown-green in color and may have a slight silver or blue tinge. The flanks are lighter, ranging from greenish to iridescent green or silvery and are covered in numerous black blotches. The belly is creamy to whitish.

Black crappies are native to eastern and central North America and have been widely introduced into other regions. In Canada, black crappies can be found in Quebec, from the St. Lawrence River and its tributaries westward to the Ottawa River; throughout Ontario roughly south of a line from Temiskaming through Sault Ste. Marie to Lake of the Woods, and into southern Manitoba. They are absent from the Prairie Provinces but have been introduced into areas of southern British Columbia.

24 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

The average black crappie is between 7 and 10-inches in length and weighs up to 1-pound, but fish up to 12 to 16-inches and weighing up to 2-pounds are relatively common. The IGFA lists the All Tackle World Record black crappie at 5-pounds, 7-ounces.

Black crappies spawn in the late spring or early summer, when water temperatures reach 66°F to 68°F, usually between late May and late June. They are known to enter the shallows much earlier, often in early to mid-April, however, this early movement is feeding related rather than a spawning migration.

During the spawn the males clear shallow nests in sand, gravel or muddy bottoms in water under 2-feet deep. Females may spawn with several different males and will deposit a total of between 25,000 and 70,000 eggs in a number of nests. The eggs hatch in 3 to 5-days and the fry are guarded by the male for a few days before leaving the nest.

Juvenile black crappies feed almost exclusively on invertebrates before turning to a fish based diet.

Young black crappies are preyed upon by many larger fish species including other species of sunfish, basses, pike, muskellunge and walleyes.

Mature crappies will eat all types of small fish including perch, other sunfishes, shiners and other

minnows, as well as bass and walleye fry.

The preferred size of prey is between 1 and 3-inches. Due to their tall, slender profile, and their spiny dorsal and anal fins, adult black crappies are not a primary forage for other fish.

Black crappies are a favorite target species of anglers due to their schooling tendencies and their willingness to bite both live and artificial baits. They are most often caught from clear, quiet, warm waters of sheltered bays, large ponds and areas of large rivers where the current is low. Black crappies have white, flaky flesh and are considered one of the tastiest of all freshwater fish. ?

DID YOU KNOW? Adult black crappies feed on many species of fish fry but they are not a primary prey species for other fish.

FAST FACTS Colour: Olive, metallic green or brown/ green along the back, sometimes with a silver or bluish tinge. The sides range from greenish to iridescent green or silvery and are covered in numerous black blotches.

Size: The average size of a black crappie is between 7 and 10-inches in length with a weight of up to 1-pound. Fish up to 16-inches in length and weighing up to 2-pounds are not uncommon.

Life Span: Up to 10-years.

Habitat: Ponds, small lakes, shallow areas of large lakes and large river systems.

Spawning: Spawning takes place between May and July over sand, gravel or mud bottoms in areas where vegetation is present.

RECORD The current IFGA All-Tackle World Record black crappie stands at 5-pounds, 7-ounces and was caught on May 15, 2018, from Richeison Pond in Tennessee.

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reflections on fishing

By Mark Forabosco

My Annual Trip To The French River Upon retirement, my first goal was to land a trophy muskie on the French River - a goal similar in challenge to climbing Mount Everest in sneakers or capturing a Sasquatch with a lasso.

No easy task. Due to last year’s case of Muskie Widow Syndrome, my wife decided to retire and stay home this year. Enter my brother in-law George.

Louise Nutley, owner of Bryer Lodge, told me that in the past week five quality muskellunge were landed in the evening across from the camp. Usually I would take such scuttlebutt as nothing more than hearsay, but I knew a gentleman who landed two fine specimens in the 30-pound class from that same stretch a year earlier.

George, my Pennsylvanian brother in-law with the easy-going nature of a Forrest Gump, was elated once he discovered the French’s thriving population of smallmouth bass, so much so that for the first five-days that was pretty much all that we wet a line for. The only exception was some evening trolling in front of the

26 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

ancient cliff walls across from the lodge.

We landed so many smallmouth that I was counting them in my sleep, but I was at the French for the mighty muskellunge, not some little brown fish that had an addiction to crayfish patterned body baits.

Friday, our last angling day, was to be dedicated to capturing my trophy. I was Ahab and somewhere out there was the freshwater version of Moby Dick, and I had my honey holes all marked out. There was the wedding chapel - a dilapidated trapper’s cabin that stood guard over a weed bed adjacent to a deep water drop off. Then there was Hipster Hollow, named after the rock island where many of the city kids with man-buns, name brand flannel shirts and manicured beards camped out.

(For the record, muskie fisherman never wear name brand flannel shirts or have manicured beards).

Friday morning arrived with an early autumn chill, cloudy skies and a slight chop on the water. A perfect muskie day!

Today was going to be the day, I could feel it in my bones. My curse on the French was about to be broken. I was going to get a fish so large they were going to post my mug on the cover of this magazine! Yes sir, move over Bob Izumi, there’s a new sheriff in town. I might even get my own fishing show, Muskie Fishing the French with

Mark Forabosco! I’ll get all kinds of celebrity muskie anglers joining me on my adventures, like Scarlett Johansson or Kate Upton. It was my time to shine!

Rather than get into the minutia of the day, I’ll simply share with you the total tally: muskie landed, nada, zip. Muskie lost,

four. The final straw came at Hipster Hollow when a 30-pound fish, with a back as thick as a Christmas ham, inhaled my glide bait (which I have christened “Luckless Louie” because of its inability to get a solid hookset on anything with gills) and shook its head twice before unleashing its grip and slowly sinking into the abyss.

Back at the dock Louise Nutley asked me if I had heard about the 25-pound fish caught by a walleye fisherman two nights before, right in front of my cabin.

My reply was a brief, “No.” An hour later I ran into the couple staying at cabin five. When I inquired about their luck, the fellow told me about the other night while his wife was fighting a (you guessed it) smallmouth bass on a spinning rod and a 52-inch muskie inhaled the bass and hooked itself right in the corner of its mouth. Then last night, though he never fished for muskies, thought he would try a lure that he purchased on Amazon. By golly didn’t he just go out and land a 49-inch muskie by himself!

There are many things in this life we are told not to do. “Don’t step on Superman’s cape. Don’t play with matches. Don’t lick a metal post in the middle of winter.” The best advice I can give to you relating to don’ts is; “Don’t get into muskie fishing!” ?

CURING THE COLD There’s nothing like a hot snack to warm you up when you’re ice fishing, but beans and wieners don’t always make the cut. With a couple of barbeques, a little creativity, some fresh fish and a few simple ingredients from home it’s easy to whip up a chefworthy “hot bite”, even out on the ice.

28 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

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AUTUMN RIVERS

By Rob Dankowsky

Photo by Spencer Neuharth, courtesy of USFWS Mountain-Prairie.

Cast number one results in a powerfully built 18-incher! Cast number two and a 20-incher comes to hand. Cast number three and I find myself hooked into something really big and powerful! Moments later, I find that my hand is barely fitting around the shoulders of a very thick 23-incher!!

30 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

OF BRONZE

Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 31

Around the second week of September, smallmouth bass in rivers begin an annual migration to the select pools that they will spend the rest of the fall and winter in. This migration from summer habitat can often cover the span of tens of miles. River smallmouth vacate their summer feeding stations at this time of year to travel downstream to larger pools that offer greater depth and highly reduced current.

THE RIVERS

Nothing gets my heart pumping more than giant, river smallmouth bass. And nothing gets my heart racing like catching a bunch of them, especially on back-to-back casts! Sound to be good to be true? Well, not if you’re talking about the consolidated pods of river smallmouth bass in September, October and November.

32 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

This fall migration happens in small to medium rivers all over southern Ontario.

Some of the best rivers have outstanding steelhead runs, while others do not. Most of them also contain other resident fish species, from carp to muskie.

The rivers in question can have holes from three-feet deep in some of the smaller ones to over 20-feet deep in some of the bigger ones.

Furthermore, in the middle of summer, water in certain sections of these river is often only a few inches deep. The primary forage in these rivers tends to be both abundant crayfish and minnow species. Smallmouth generally top out at 22-inches in these rivers,

but fish up to 24-inches or seven-pounds are a possibility. Almost every year fish greater than 22-inches and six-pounds can be caught in late fall.

LOCATION All of this great action centers on wintering pools from three to 12-feet deep, depending on the size of the river in question. These wintering pools have greater water depth than the average along with some sort of structure that reduces current. Overall though, reduced current is absolutely key. For example, a slow-moving pool with a maximum of four-feet of water is much better than a faster moving pool with a maximum depth of 15-feet of water. The reduced current is necessary for smallmouth to rest and enter into a semi- hibernation state during the coldest months of the year. In late November smallmouth can actually be seen resting right on the bottom, even on the coldest of days.

Structure also needs to be present in wintering pools. This can come in the form bridge pilings, giant boulders and shoreline points that extend into the river’s flow.

Shallower lips of river bottom, that drop off

into deeper water, also make for great smallmouth holding river structure.

Consequently, almost every one of these wintering pools occur in straight sections of river as opposed to sections that bend. Bends in the river tend to create increased velocity that smallmouth find very undesirable during this time of year.

Find a few of these features together on your favorite river and there is a good chance that you will strike some big river gold!

HOW TO Wintering holes can be fished in three different ways: kayaking, wading or a combination of the two. It is important to note that the third method allows anglers to fish bigger wintering pools, multiple wintering pools, and it also allows anglers to get out of the kayak in order to target select hotspots. Employing the use of a kayak also allows an angler to fish a particular stretch of river in order to locate other wintering holes that may be downstream of the hole that the angler is presently fishing. A lot of my favourite stretches of river often contain

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up to three wintering consolidations of smallmouths. Oftentimes great wintering pools can be found within a couple miles of each other - or even within a couple of hundred yards of one another.

Spending a day catching dozens of smallmouths from 15 to 23-inches out of a kayak is a fine way to spend a splendid fall day. Fishing a stretch of river can either be done with two anglers utilizing two vehicles in typical float trip style or solo, with a bicycle parked downstream in the woods.

Some of the most productive days occur during the middle of the week, solo style.

Simply hop on the bike when you’re finished the float trip downstream and bike back to the car, putting the bike in the back of the vehicle and then driving back downstream to pick up the kayak.

THE 1, 2, 3 PUNCH Once you have identified a good wintering pool, that you are confident contains smallmouth, it’s time to start using the 1, 2, 3 punch.

The first punch consists of casting out a four-inch tube jig with either a 1/8 or ¼-ounce tube bait. Cast the tube upstream of you kayak or wading position and simply let it sit or slowly drag along the bottom as you are reeling in. I like to call this method the “dead stick crawl”. Always maintain a fairly taunt line to detect bites. Bites will sometimes come on the vertical drop of the initial cast, so watch your line or for any “funny’ movement. If you see a “tick”, or if your line tightens up, set the hook, hard!

The main thing with this technique is, once you jig hits the bottom, just let it sit.

Oftentimes an arm-wrenching strike will come within 30-seconds of the jig hitting bottom. If there are no strikes within about 30-seconds, slowly start crawling the jig across the bottom. Remember that this is the cold water period and nothing is moving quickly, especially crayfish! If you feel even the slightest weight, set the hook.

After some practice you will get really good at detecting hits. Eventually you will be able to feel smallmouth literally pick the bait up with their mouths.

Tube colours that mimic crayfish, like pumpkin copper, and watermelon fleck, are my absolute favourites. Tubes that are impregnated with salt, scent and flavour are also crucial.

34 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

The second punch consists of using live four to eight-inch minnows. Eight-inch minnows may sound big, but they’re perfect for big river bronzebacks - not to mention the odd giant pike, muskie or even aggressive steelhead! Once again, the key is to cast upstream and “dead stick crawl’ your presentation. As for terminal tackle, all that is needed is some split shot, some fluorocarbon leader material and a bunch of hooks from sizes 2/0 to 4/0.

Once you have cast the minnow out, just let the rig sit still and wait for a fish to bite.

If a bite isn’t detected, slowly drag the minnow towards you about five or 10-feet and let it sit again. Bites will feel like slowly moving weight at this time of year.

Smallmouth bass aren’t shy this time of year and I will often tighten my line up enough to feel them swimming around with the bait in their mouths. It literally feels like you are “walking the smallmouth around on a leash”. This “leash walking” technique serves two purposes. First, it lets you know where the fish is when you set the hook. Secondly, the subtle pressure that the smallmouth feels from your line and rod tip discourages them from swallowing the bait.

After roughly five to 10-seconds of “walking the smallmouth” I set the hook and hold on. This tactic results in about 95% percent of the smallmouth being hooked right in the corner of the mouth.

Using a slip bobber and suspending a big lively minnow close to the river bottom can also pay big dividends in the fall. As with the previous approach, let the fish tow the bait around for a few seconds before setting the hook.

The third punch consists of “slow grinding” a deep-diving crankbait. This method often accounts for my absolute largest smallmouth, even in late November.

Once again, cast upstream from your wading position or kayak. Once the crankbait hits bottom, start reeling very slowly and steadily, allowing the bait to bump into the rocks and substrate. The strike will feel like a slow, steady weight, almost like you have hooked something very soft on the bottom. Once you feel this slow

and steady weight, set the hook and hold on.

My favourite lure for this is a natural crayfish coloured deep-diving crankbait. The key is selecting a lure that dives deep enough to steadily hit, and grind along, the bottom.

TACKLE TIPS For these brown giants of fall I like to use longer than average rods, like those typically used for salmon and steelhead, in the nine to 10-foot long range. These rods cast baits further, allowing for more water coverage per cast. They also have enough backbone to control a 23-inch smallmouth, a 20-pound carp, a 14-pound steelhead, a 15-pound pike or even a big muskie. I also love to combine a good quality braided line with a quality fluorocarbon leader of about two-feet. Fish aren’t nearly as line shy at this time of year so I will often use 30pound test braid along with a 20-pound fluorocarbon leader.

Another tackle must-have is a quality hook sharpener. I like using a small hook

36 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

file. Hooks contact the bottom continuously when fishing this way and they can become dull very easily. Filing hooks on a regular basis can often make the difference between watching a 23-inch bass jump, spit the hook and swim away, or having it in your hands for the picture of a lifetime.

A good pair of polarized sunglasses can also make the difference between a good day and a great day. Not only can structure be seen more clearly, but they make it easier to spot slowly cruising smallmouth.

Finally, needle nose pliers and a suitably sized net should be utilized. You never know when a four-foot fish with sharp teeth is going to drag that bobber under!

There is no better time to be on the river than in the late fall. Locate a wintering pool near you, employ the 1, 2, 3 punch, and get ready for some amazing smallmouth fishing.

At this time of year 30-fish days are definitely possible and six-pound smallmouth bass make regular appearances. Keep a couple of the smaller fish for a stellar fish fry but do your best to release the giants. Smallmouth over 20-inches are often 20-years old and can’t be replaced easily. If you do catch a smallie of a lifetime, let it go and get a graphite replica mount. If you do, the chances are good that you will catch that same fish next fall - and it will be even bigger! ?

Every now and again we anglers are lucky enough to find lakes, ponds or creeks that feel so isolated from civilization that believing they are a reality is sometimes more difficult than finding them in the first place. Stumbling across, or being introduced to, a body of water with such enormous potential for catching fish is what any fishing enthusiast dreams of. Fortunately for myself, I have lucked out three times in one shot.

38 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

HIDDEN GEMS

By Charlie Ricottone

Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 39

A cottage that I regularly visit; and by regularly I mean five to 10 times per year; has a lake that can sometimes be difficult to fish.

I’ve spent the last 11-years learning the lake, perfecting techniques, tweaking presentations and, every so often, getting completely skunked. It is highly unpredictable, especially on the nights when the stars seem aligned to present the perfect fishing conditions but the results are no more than a litany of mosquito bites and practice casts.

levels. I am not sure how accurate this claim is, but I have heard it from a few different sources, so my guess is that it must hold some truth.

This amazing little “practice lake” holds a slew of largemouth bass ranging up to just over three-pounds. They may not be the biggest, but they have some fight in them.

Surrounding the lake that the cottage is on are three much smaller lakes that my fishing partner, Mike, and I visit at least once per year. The first is within walking distance from the cottage and the other two are less than a 10-minute drive followed by a few minute hike through the bush. Each one offers something different, whether it’s the size, shape, or depth, but the one thing they all have in common is that you’re pretty much guaranteed to get, what I fondly refer to as, “bass thumb”.

Lake #1 The smallest and closest of the lakes is narrow, measuring roughly 1000 feet by 300 feet. It is barely more than a pond, with the shoreline tapering to the water on one side and flat rock faces that measure up to 25-feet high on the other. Rumour has it that the lake was once dead and at some point lime was thrown into the water to balance the PH 40 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

Since it’s so close, we have the option of taking just about any gear we want. Often, we use our standard medium or medium-heavy bass rigs, but taking a light action setup to this amazing little fishing hole can make for a far more exhilarating couple of hours.

Small boats are left on the shore for anglers that know where to find them. The compact size of the lake requires no more than a trolling motor or a 1.5 to 3-horsepower gas motor to get around.

Years ago we would only take paddles, but Mother Nature never wanted to cooperate.

We found ourselves constantly rowing against the wind, as it tends to shift directions every 20-minutes or so.

Rock shelves, shoals, and deadheads hold countless fish that lie in wait for the right bait to come along. With such minimal pressure, the fish attack almost anything. From lipless and square-bill crankbaits, to topwater plugs and frogs, to virtually any soft plastic bait, this lake offers an excellent chance to practice hooksets and landing fish. Through the summer months the water is crystal clear and provides an opportunity to do some sight fishing. A wonderful little honey-hole, this lake is only the first on the list of my secret little hideaways.

Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 41

Lake #2 Lake #2 is the closer of the two that require a drive and a walk to get to.

Although the walk is less than 10-minutes, the terrain is slightly rougher than getting to the other two lakes. With a partial ATV trail, partial walking path, and a tiny bit of trailblazing, this secluded body of water holds mainly largemouth bass and sunfish.

Larger baits are recommended to avoid being stuck with pulling the little nuisances off your line every couple minutes!

42 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

There are no boats available, however, some of the best spots are accessible from shore. These include large mats of weeds and patches of lily pads that hold some reasonable sized bass. The only issue that comes into play is when a large fish is hooked in the weeds and it decides to dig down and wrap itself up in the stems.

We’ve learned to tie braided line directly to our lures so that we can easily haul in the fish, weeds, and anything else that may keep us from landing and releasing the fish safely.

The limited access to this lake makes it slightly more challenging on days when the fish don’t happen to be biting, which is partly why it is also the one that we visit the least.

Lake #3 The largest, furthest away and, in my opinion, the most fun of my favourite little lakes also happens to be the most productive. Since it’s about a 20-minute walk through the bush on a trail which only certain people know well, the pressure on this lake is the lowest.

A pristine forest surrounds the lake, meeting the water’s edge on every shoreline. The thick foliage provides shaded spots and there are occasional deadheads that hold fish and offer a chance to practice flipping and precision casting.

A couple of boats sit in wait at the shore, but the key is getting there early to secure the dry one! Fishing with soaking wet feet from the small, leaky boat can put just a slight damper on the day, albeit a very slight damper.

Mike and I like to get up early and head in before the rest of the family wakes up.

If we get moving early enough we can make it into the lake before the bugs become unbearable.

Once we’re on the water we usually don’t see a soul all day. However, there was one time that we got there and had to settle for the smaller of the two boats, although we did consider ourselves lucky when we saw that the other boat had five 20-something year old guys in it. The gunwales had almost completely disappeared into the water under the sheer weight of the occupants! We puttered around, keeping our distance, while silently thanking them for leaving us with the opportunity to fish.

The productivity of this lake is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Usually you’d have to pay thousands of dollars for a fly-in trip that may produce more but, for little to no expense and only a half-day of our time, we have the opportunity to experience the ego-boosting level of fishing that only these hidden gems can offer.

Mike and I usually venture in with just the two of us. We will fish every bay, every weedbed and every downed tree in the

lake. On our most productive days we’ll catch about 30 to 40 fish each. We keep count for the first 10 or 20, then quickly abandon counting for another activity: challenging one another to mini competitions. The competitions include first to get a fish, the largest fish, and the most

fish in each new section or bay. Often we end up about even in our “scores” but, no matter what, we always have fun out there.

The fish aren’t the only aggressive creatures in the water. I once caught a two and a half-pounder only to have a snapping turtle grab the fish’s tail. I had to reel in the

dead weight of this monstrous reptile and then coax it to let go. The turtle was persistent but I eventually managed to shake it off and release the fish safely.

This lake has been a great place to practice presentations and experiment with new baits. While we’ve noticed that crankbaits tend to be some of the best options, due to their noise level and action, weedless soft plastics and topwaters on weedlines and points have also proven to work very well. On the best days, we’ve often joked that a hook attached to a bottle cap would work!

On my most recent trip up north I invited my parents, my sister, her husband, and their kids to enjoy a few days at the cottage.

They arrived on Monday and, by mid-afternoon, my dad and brother-in-law had already heard a number of fishing stories about the surrounding lakes. Mike easily persuaded us to take a trip to one of these immaculate treasures the next day.

After a good night’s rest we were up and getting ready by 7:00 am. We drove to the clearing and were on the walking path by 7:30. Mike led us down the path, (I’ve been to the lake almost a dozen times and I still don’t know the way), through the dense forest, a few clearings, and eventually to the lake’s edge where the boats were found leaning up against a tree.

We launched the boat, a process that started my day with a nice soaker, then hooked up Rudy, Mike’s little 2.5 horsepower motor, and started our excursion around the lake. That relic of an outboard has made the last few years of fishing these lakes exponentially easier by eliminating the need to paddle and by saving precious minutes of fishing time every time we change spots.

The day started off a little slow, with no fish caught in the first bay but, as soon as we started moving, my dad hooked into a nice two-pound class bass. He didn’t manage to land it, but it signified that the fish were biting. I’ve heard stories of very slow days on this lake, although I have yet to experience one myself.

As we continued to move slowly along the shore and weedlines, we discovered that our best chance on this overcast morning was to throw chartreuse cranks to entice the fish to hit the loud, bright Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 43

baits. This turned an uncertain day into one that would see each one of us catching a healthy number of fish.

The fish were hitting at all points in the bait retrieval. Sometimes as soon as the lure hit the water a splash would follow and another aggressive little bass was on the line. A few times we could see a fish hit the bait mere feet from the boat. But they hit hard and often and that’s what we were most thrilled about.

Between admiring the unspoiled scenery and catching bass for a solid three-hours, we finished our little adventure with approximately 40 fish 44 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

caught. Three were kept, 37 or so went back in the water, and we made a great memory that we can all share for years to come.

Find Your Hidden Gem I am not normally one to keep secrets about good fishing spots, the baits I use and other things I’ve learned along the way. I like to share my knowledge and experiences although, once in a while, I feel obligated to keep quiet when I come across these hidden gems. These lakes are so good that more pressure or the wrong person, like an angler that doesn’t respect

the beauty and state of these pristine landscapes and water bodies, will only strip the magic out of the perfect little fishing hole. It is those times that I respect when a place needs to be kept secret, especially when it can’t even be found on a map but has the possibility of being accessed by the public if they happen to stumble across it.

When you find your hidden gem, feel free to keep it to yourself, share it with those you trust, respect it for it’s natural beauty, and love it for providing a fishing spot that almost guarantees you a great day on the water. ?

THE MGM

By Carl Glatt

46 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

FISHING TRIP On the first Saturday of June 2020, a group of 20 extended family members will celebrate an amazing milestone. They will be participating in the 50th consecutive year of a family fishing trip begun by four founding members way back in 1971.

Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 47

The MGM Group in 1973.

In 1971, the first members of the Murphy/Glatt/Murray (MGM) clan spent four-days on the Pickerel River. This river was selected because their father/grandfather was a logger on the Pickerel in the early 20th century. Subsequent years have mainly been spent on the French River and the West Arm of Lake Nipissing, with a few exceptions, and the trip is now five-days long.

In 2020, the group of fishing characters will include G and Uncle Carl (two of the original founders); Mr. Mike and Chef Mikey; Bugs; Willy (aka Yank); Brentski and his boys Charlie (New Guy), Little Luke and BBall Ben from Wolfe Island; VR Sean and just plain Sean; Liam the Swimmer; Ry (GitrDone13); Ryan (Al Dente); Fast Phil; Joel The Driller and hopefully several new additions including Troy the Terror; Pickering Ray and Colie the Goalie.

Unfortunately, two of the original members, Ed (Panfry) and Barry (Moose and Mr. Marvelous) are no longer with us as they would revel in the festivities.

As in every other year, the trip starts with a breakfast gathering at the Northway Truckstop in Guthrie, just north of Barrie.

Everyone is greeted with the secret MGM handshake, which amuses and mystifies the other patrons in the restaurant. It’s quite a challenge for Mary and her staff to serve 20 people at once but they pull it off seamlessly, even when everyone orders an extra side order of sausage or bacon. Calorie counting is not a recommended practice on these trips!

Then it’s off to Lake Nipissing, via Highways 69 and 64, through Noelville and Monetville, both small French communities whose local populations are also a bit confounded by this influx of English strangers into their towns.

48 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

Arriving at Shuswap Camp, on the West Arm of Nipissing, the group are greeted by Heinz and Gerda who have been their hosts for almost 25-years and never fail to have their cabins and boats ready. They take in their “luggage” (green garbage bags filled with their oldest and most ugly stuff), and five-days’ worth of food, since all meals are cooked by the group. They also spend an hour or more getting their fishing gear ready.

You would think that relining reels, etc. could be done at home but that would be too logical. Then they venture out for some late afternoon and early evening fishing.

It should be noted that the group are not expert fishermen. They have little knowledge of fancy riggings or exotic techniques. They only troll and they expect to catch their share of walleye and pike, coupled with the odd accidental smallmouth or muskie that are out of season. Catch and

The view from the docks at Shuswap Camp.

release is always practiced. Fishing aside, it’s really the “Group of Seven” scenery, the family camaraderie and the good-natured ribbing that makes these trips memorable.

Half a century of fishing in much the same way means there is lots of room for trying new lures and techniques. In the early ‘70s, typical lures such as spoons, the red and white plug and the Pikie Minnow were the mainstays of pike and walleye fishing.

Every year at least a few members bring a “secret weapon” guaranteed (in their mind) to land the biggest fish. In the early years, a Rapala minnow (new to Canada back then) was one of these and it produced far more fish than anything else that year.

In later years, various lures and baits have been tried and they occasionally produce good results. One minnow rig advertised on TV produced a good sized pike on its first use but then never caught anything else. The

The MGM Group in 1994.

best of these has been the classic Ripplin Redfin which has consistently produced more and bigger fish than any other lure.

Trolling techniques, such as backwards or zig-zag, have also been tried but usually just resulted in flooding the boat or hitting a submerged rock.

After the first day’s fishing, it’s back to the cabin to get ready for a late dinner at around 9 pm or so. Since the first night is always steak, mosquito repellent is slathered on by barbeque chef G, as the steaks are cooked outside of the cabin. Coupled with fried potatoes and creamed corn (every year for 50-years!!), this is the best meal of the trip.

Menus have always been a contentious topic on these trips and the various attempts at change have produced some interesting results. The original idea to have spaghetti and meatballs saw the group being met with The other evening meals are highlighted by huge, double pork chops and a Chef Mikey shrimp, chorizo and rice concoction that gets rave reviews from all. Cooking breakfast is a logistical challenge as 40-plus eggs, four-pounds of bacon or sausage and 50 slices of toast mean coordination and planning are mandatory.

Dinner is always followed by poker - with

the exception of one night in the late ‘70s when too much red wine produced too many sleepy fishermen and the poker was entirely forgotten, as were the pots and dirty dishes. What a mess to wake up to!

After all these years the stakes in poker are still quarters and only three games are played: five card draw, seven card stud and lately, Texas Hold’em. The youngsters learn

canned Chef Boyardee and a separate can of Puritan meatballs in gravy. Apparently knowledge of true Italian cooking was very limited in the early ‘70s. Now they have spaghetti and real Bolognese sauce with garlic bread and Caesar salad - a far cry from anything in a can! by watching and by being allowed to sit in occasionally, when nature calls one of the regular players.

If a player forgets to put in their ante before dealing, they are greeted by gales of laughter from the other players, along with comments such as, “Are we playing for fun?”, and other embarrassing put downs.

No one ever loses much and the big winner from the trip is expected to buy ice cream for everyone at a stop on the way home.

The next three-days of fishing are basically the same: lots of trolling around favorite spots with the occasional Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 49

The group taking a mid-day conference break.

The gang in 2017 with the Big Fish Award plaque naming every winner since 1971.

“conference” of all the boats to discuss almost everything but fishing. There is a daily boat draw system to determine who is in each boat, except for the second day of fishing which is designated as “family day” when brothers or fathers and sons are paired up.

Shore lunches are prepared every day on a portable propane barbeque that is brought out in one of the boats. Lunch menus are also a problem. Hot dogs are a mainstay, as are cans of chili, but items such as “shrivel” burgers, pork and beans, grilled chicken, canned ravioli, cold cuts, chunky soup, and various others have been tried and then eliminated for good reason. The current lunch of homemade pulled pork on a bun seems to have good acceptance, but only time will tell.

As with many other endeavors, some of the members have insisted that changes in venues or camps will greatly improve the fishing or the accommodations. This has produced some interesting results. One year it was

50 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

decided to rent a houseboat on Rice Lake, which was billed as being able to “comfortably” sleep eight. Apparently some people have different ideas about what

The MGM group all dressed up for their 40th Anniversary trip in 2010.

constitutes “comfort”. The tight quarters, coupled with a strong wind on the lake, made for a disastrous trip that year. The group’s financial solvency was only saved by the insurance purchased on the houseboat.

One year, a trip to the Sportman’s Show convinced the group that a location further

north would produce great fishing results.

Lake Kipawa in Laniel, Quebec, was selected as the destination as fabulous fishing was promised. The fishing was never fabulous, but the snow in June certainly made things different, to say the least!

The Moon River was also a destination one year, but the fishing was difficult.

However, the beer drinking horse that showed up at the door one morning was certainly a novelty.

Great ideas for other fun things to do on these trips have produced three memorable events. One year everyone brought a mat, several range golf balls and a few golf clubs to try and clear a nearby island in Keith’s Bay. Safe to say, this is the only time in history that this has been tried. Another year saw the introduction of a potato gun to the trip. If you have ever tried a potato gun, you will understand what a hit that was. Lastly, let it be known that a typical 30-horsepower fishing motor on a 14-foot aluminum boat can enable a skinny, naked fisherman to water ski in a remote secluded bay. No further explanation required.

The person catching the biggest fish has always been recognized by the awarding of the MGM Big Fish Award, which is a large plaque naming every winner from 1971 to the present. In the early years, the biggest Barry Murphy, in 1994, with the largest pike ever caught by the group.

In 2019 Sean Murphy caught the group’s all-time biggest walleye.

fish were a couple of large channel catfish that took the award. More recently, pike and walleye have dominated, with the largest of these being a 40-inch pike and a 27-inch walleye.

The group have caught many other species over the years including carp, dogfish, ling, drum, whitefish and all the usual panfish. There is also the Panfish Award, which is awarded to the person catching the smallest fish. As you might expect, this award is not coveted and many stories have emerged about what does or does not constitute the smallest fish. By the

way, the Big Fish Award needed some way to compare a large pike with a large walleye. Since pike are naturally larger, walleye are given a 35% boost in length to enable a fair comparison.

As you may have guessed, this trip is not really about fishing.

It’s about the friendships and the relationships that have been formed over the years by these three related families. Getting to know one another and keeping in contact is very special. In all The MGM clan planting the time capsule likelihood, these relationships that will be opened in 2020. would have eroded over the years were it not for the traditions they included as their contribution to the established by this simple fishing trip. These mementoes, so the unveiling promises to be traditions are well formed and very casual both surprising and exciting. but they have served them well for the last Fishing tales are notorious for their 50-years. Other families would be smart to stretching of the truth. This is one that put together something similar, whether it be doesn’t. 50-years of family fishing fun have fishing or some other outdoor adventure. produced a marvelous legacy for future Lastly, everyone is looking forward to the generations of the Murphy/Glatt/Murray opening of the group’s time capsule in 2020. clans.?

It was buried on the shores of Keith’s Bay 15-years ago. Most cannot remember what

Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 51

FISHING THE TROPICS

By Real Fishing

Once the cold winter weather sets in a lot of Canadians like to escape for a little fun in the sun, and we’re no different. Over the years we’ve made numerous trips to tropical destinations for a brief respite from the snow and ice.

Now that autumn is here, we thought it would be a good time to share some of our most memorable trips. From spectacular fishing to breathtaking scenery to the incredibly friendly folks we’ve met, all of these places qualify as “trip of a lifetime” locations. Maybe, after looking through the following pages, you’ll be inspired to make one of them yours!

52 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

JAMAICA

JAMAICA – 2004 The nicest people, beautiful scenery, multi-species fishing and a whole lot of fun – what’s not to like?

Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 53

VENEZUELA

VENEZUELA - 2004, 2005 From its posh resorts to its rugged interior country fishing, Venezuela was an amazing place to visit. Giant peacock bass and wickedly toothy payara made it an incredibly unique fishing experience.

54 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

THE BAHAMAS

THE BAHAMAS – 2013 Mahi-Mahi, tuna and bonefish are plentiful in The Bahamas and the local guides will always put you on the fish. Pristine waters, first rate accommodations and all the sun you can handle make this a great winter getaway.

Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 55

BELIZE

BELIZE – 2011 Multi-species fishing opportunities, both inshore and off, abound in Belize. You just never know what's going to hit and that's part of what made this trip a memorable one.

56 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

MEXICO

MEXICO – 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Scenic, historic and hospitable Mexico is best known in angling circles for its famous trophy largemouth bass fisheries. What’s not as well known is that it also offers saltwater opportunities for tuna, sea trout and many other species in the Gulf of Mexico.

Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 57

Tales from the Road BROUGHT TO YOU BY

By Bob Izumi

Since my last Tales article I’ve been averaging at least sixdays a week, sometimes seven, on the road. Road trips are, and have always been, a big part of my life. There’s just something about being on the go that I love. In fact, as I wrap up this column I’ll be hitting the road again and I can’t wait, even though I just got back a day ago. I think it’s ingrained in me so much that I don’t mind living out of a suitcase. I know it’s not for everybody, but I like it.

Speaking of road trips, in the early summer we made a trip to Reid’s Birch Island Resort, which is in Minaki, in Northwestern Ontario’s Sunset Country, to meet Jim Lacey and his son TJ. TJ reps all of the boat lines for Tracker Marine, including Ranger Boats, who introduced their new VX1888 multi-species aluminum boat this year. We went up there with a couple of things in mind: to shoot a show featuring Reid’s Birch Island Resort and to do a photo and video shoot of the new Ranger VX 1888 aluminum boat.

I’ve been to Reid’s a couple of times over the years and I have to say that Phil and Lizanne Reid run a first-class operation. This is a very well-run fishing lodge with gourmet meals, professional guides and excellent fishing. Best of all, you can drive to it.

My friend, Darrin Bohonis, also joined us on this trip. Darrin is a fishing tackle rep from Winnipeg as well as a tournament angler and professional photographer. He brought all of his still photography equipment to get some pictures of the VX 1888 for Ranger to use in their promotions.

It was a good visit up there and during our 2½ day trip we caught smallmouth bass, walleye and pike. On the last morning I got out for a couple of hours with professional guide Kris Gaune and we caught a good bunch of walleyes. Overall it was a down and dirty trip and we got a lot accomplished while we were there.

After finishing up at Reid’s we hopped in the truck for the day and a half ride home, then grabbed the Z521L Ranger tournament bass boat and hit the road to

the first Renegade Bass qualifier of the year on Mississippi Lake in Carleton Place, near Ottawa.

For some reason we couldn’t get any good fish to bite until Darren finally hooked a big smallmouth that was just under four-pounds. While he was fighting it I saw six or seven more bass following and all of them were between 2 ¾ and four-pounds. I couldn’t catch any of the followers so I decided to net his fish. Unfortunately, we didn’t have anything else good in the livewell; just some small largemouth and that was it for us for the day.

Darren Izumi with two smallmouth from Mississippi Lake

Although we caught about a dozen bass that day we only had one good one and ended up with 10.97-pounds, which put us in 36th place. Not the best way to start off the Renegade series but at least it kept us in the hunt for the top-40 to qualify for the Classic.

Then it was down to Lake Ontario for a smallmouth shoot. I had a sample of the new Berkley Spy, which is a new, subtle hardbait, about 2 ¾-inches long, that I wanted to test out. The Spy has a spinner on each end, and it has a little bit of a wobble as it falls. As you retrieve it, it has just a 58 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

Smallmouth bass just love the new Berkley Spy.

slight undulating motion while the spinners are turning. If you’ve never tried these for clear water smallmouth fishing you really should. They’re a great search bait and they are definitely fish catching machines. I used eight-pound test Nanofil line with an eight-pound Trilene fluorocarbon leader to fish this little bait. By firing out super-long casts with that ultra-thin diameter Nanofil, I was able to cover a lot of water and catch a number of decent bass. There’s something about the subtlety of this bait that makes it an incredible little lure.

Then it was over to Lake Simcoe for another smallmouth shoot. Judging by the lack of beds on the lake I suspect that a lot of smallmouth did not spawn this year on a lot of our lakes, especially the Great Lakes.

With all the high water we had this year around Ontario I believe this will probably be one of those years where there was a low percentage of bass that actually spawned -

big, “toilet bowl flush” hits on a topwater bait - the kind where it’s like somebody threw a concrete block in the water - and this was one of those hits. He brought the fish in and it was a real big, pot-bellied bass but its tail was not worn from spawning.

Since this was a July tournament I suspect it did not spawn so it looked like even the largemouth, in some cases, did not spawn this year in certain bodies of water.

The highlight of that trip was definitely staying at my friend Robert Greenberg’s place on Big Rideau. We enjoyed some fun company and some great food and it’s always nice to visit with some of my friends from Eastern Ontario when we stay at Robert’s place.

After getting back home it was time to head off to ICAST in Orlando, Florida. I’ve only missed one ICAST in the last 36-years and it never gets old. I love seeing all of the new products in the fishing world so that trip was a lot of fun for me.

or even attempted to spawn. In a lot of the areas that I go to you will usually see the empty beds, if it’s a post-spawn situation, but I saw very few beds that looked like they had been used. There was the odd bass on beds around the lake but for the most part we caught our fish by casting the Berkley Spy as well as by covering water with a Berkley General. If we did see any fish we’d use either a Berkley PowerBait tube or a dropshot rig.

After Lake Simcoe we headed back to Eastern Ontario for the Renegade qualifier number two, which was held on Big Rideau Lake. Once again, we couldn’t get any big fish going in the tournament and we ended up with 11.52-pounds for a 61st place finish.

The day before the tournament Darren threw a frog up into some slop in about two-feet of water, in the back of a little bay.

Just five minutes prior I had said that it had been a long time since I’d seen one of those Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 59

When we got back from ICAST we headed to the third Renegade Bass qualifier, which was held out of the city of Cornwall, on Lake St. Francis. We ran around and caught a few fish here and there and ended up with a couple of four-pounders and some two to three-pound fish in the livewell by late morning. It wasn’t going too badly at all. As we were leaving a spot in the late morning I threw a “Hail Mary” cast out off of the area we were fishing, into “nothing” water that was about 13-feet deep, and got a hit. I had a fish on about three-pounds and there was a four-pounder following it. Darren threw in and caught the four-pounder so we decided to stay and fish for a minute and we proceeded to catch about 30 bass in about a 50-yard circumference. We ended the day in sixth place with 21.09-pounds for our five

Bob and Travis Gerrits with a couple of Cataraqui River largemouth.

60 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

fish. All in all it was a very fun event.

Catching those fish in the mid-depths rather than shallow or deep was fun. It was something I really didn’t practice. We practiced deep water, 25 to 35-feet, and we practiced shallow water but the mid-depths was something I just didn’t take the time to practice so catching those fish was a little bit of icing on the cake.

We stayed an extra day in Eastern Ontario and dropped into Kingston to do some flipping for largemouth in the Cataraqui River. Canadian freestyle skier Travis Gerrits and his dad joined us in Kingston and they wanted to do some flipping. It was really windy that day, blowing out of the south at probably 20 to 25-miles an hour. Because of that we couldn’t really go anywhere so I decided to stay right in Kingston on the Cataraqui River. We flipped six or seven largemouth bass using black/blue Berkley Chigger Craws and had a lot of fun. We even got a double-header at one point which was neat. The wind definitely made it challenging because when you’re flipping and you’ve got a wind that’s just howling down the shoreline, everything’s moving. The weeds and reeds are moving as you’re trying to flip so it’s not the ideal situation, but we got our show done so I can’t complain.

Then I went home for a day before heading off to Lake Simcoe for the Bronzeback Cup. The Pallottas from CSFL put this event on. We weighed in 19.42-pounds on the first day and 16.98-pounds on day two for 36.4-pounds and got ninth place overall. I was hoping for bigger weights so it wasn’t exactly what I expected. Cory and Chris Johnston walked away with this tournament with 49.04-pounds over the two days. These two young men are amazing tournament anglers who seem to light it up everywhere they fish.

In the time that I have fished tournaments, which is 46-years now, I have never seen two dominant anglers like them ever come out of Canada. It’s pretty exciting to watch but it’s painful if you’re also a competitor in those same events!

Then it was back down to Kingston for the 1000 Islands Open. I always look forward to fishing this event because that area has been so good to me over the years. In fact, this tournament is going into its fifth year and over the last four-years we’ve gotten

Darren Izumi with a big smallmouth he caught prefishing for the 1000 Islands Open.

a top-10 finish every year so my confidence was very high. As it turned out, we weighed in 16.63-pounds on day one and 12.86 on day two for 29.49-pounds in total. It put us

in 55th place after two days and we missed the top 50 cut by a pound.

In this tournament the top 50 boats after two days get to fish on day three and they

all have a chance to win an $80,000 bass boat. Whoever has the right key to start the motor wins it. They also pay down 20 places in the tournament so it’s really a great event. My friends Todd Currie and Shawn Stenson absolutely put a beating on

Bob and Darren went through 12 bags of black/blue Berkley Chigger Craws catching largemouth like these at the FLW Canada Cup.

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Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 61

the entire field. They weighed in 68.17-pounds for 12 fish. In this event there is a four-fish limit per day so that was an incredible weight. They had three amazing days. I heard that they had their limit by 10 o’clock in the morning on the first two days and by 9:30 on the third day and basically quit fishing after that. They just mopped up in this event. Congratulations to them.

Then it was back for the final Renegade Bass qualifier on the stretch of river from Cornwall to the Iroquois Dam. The Iroquois Dam was closed to us and we weren’t allowed to go past it to the west. I don’t know this stretch of river as I’ve only fished one tournament there where we had to stay in that particular section of the St. Lawrence River. When it was all said and done we ended up in 67th place with 12.17-pounds.

We did not get one three-pound bite in the tournament and missed qualifying for the

62 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

classic top 40 by 1.55-pounds.

At the tournament prior to that, at the Q3 tournament, Renegade held a draw for where the classic would be. I jumped off the ground (actually about two-inches) when they drew Lake St. Francis out of Cornwall on the week after Labour Day but missing the classic pretty much took the wind out of my sails. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, tournament fishing can be a very humbling experience. If you fish enough of them you’ll have the highs and the lows and you’ll know what I go through. It’s definitely not for everybody but I sure do love my tournament fishing.

Even after having a so-so season thus far, I still like to leave these events by hopefully learning something. What I learned from that one is we didn’t really do anything wrong. Guys caught them deep and did well, guys caught them

shallow and did well - we just didn’t get any big bites that day. We saw some big fish cruising under the boat but they wouldn’t hit our baits. Maybe we got too close to them, who knows.

Then it was off to Trenton for the FLW Canada Cup on the Bay of Quinte. This was a three-day event that the Pallottas from CSFL put on. In this tournament you could fish from the city of Trenton and Quinte West as far as the ferry at Glenora so there was a lot of water to fish. I believe there were 75 or 80 boats in this tournament and, with that much water available, it didn’t fish crowded, it spreads the teams out.

After the first day we were sitting in second place with 21.48-pounds. We finished day two in fourth place with 16.52-pounds and on day three we moved up a spot to third with 16.44-pounds. We ended up in third place overall with a total

weight of 54.44-pounds.

All of our fish came by flipping and pitching. We went through 12 bags of Berkley black/blue Chigger Craws during the three-day event. We caught fish junk fishing anything we could pitch or flip to.

We covered miles of water and we did it like I like to do it. That’s how I like to fish. If I could only choose one style of fishing, it would be flipping and pitching for largemouth. My stomach is still black and blue from this event; from setting the hook and catching everything from 12-pound dogfish under weed mats to northern pike to largemouth bass - it was amazing. One of the days alone we caught over 30 fish!

Young guns Cooper Gallant and Danny McGarry got second – they beat us by just over half a pound with 55-pounds even.

My hat goes off to veteran Les Zacny and young gun Cal Climpson who weighed in a whopping 15 bass for 68.36-pounds and walked away with this tournament. I’ve

known Les since the ‘80s, I’ve known Cal since he was a little kid, and I’ve known his dad, Paul Climpson, since the ‘80s.

Les and Cal weighed in three smallmouth and two largemouth every day of the tournament. They were only catching seven or eight fish a day but they were catching the right ones. They fished off shore deep, unlike us who spent our time beating the banks, fishing shallow. In fact, both the first and second place teams fished off-shore while we chose the method and technique I like doing. Those guys showed us how to do it and walked away with the tournament. That was, without a doubt, a record weight for that fishery on the Bay of Quinte.

Then I did a quick trip down to Port Colborne for some Lake Erie walleye. Cory Page, who is the rep for Penn Reels, set this trip up. Cory also had Dave Malloy, from Erie Tracker Outfitters, come out with us.

Dave used to do a lot of chartering, he also

fishes walleye tournaments and he runs the store down in Port Colborne. We started in about 80-feet of water and trolled back towards 60-feet of water. We went almost to the American border in the middle of the lake, due south of Port Colborne, and we really put those Penn line counter reels to work. We ended up catching a dozen fish in a few hours and were back in well before noon to have a nice brunch at Sugarloaf Marina.

As I finish this Tales from the Road I will say that I enjoyed a nice, fresh walleye dinner last night so you’ll certainly get no complaints from me - especially when it comes to feeding this belly of mine! ?

Fall 2019 – Real Fishing 63

What’s COOKING

Elk Tartare with Horseradish Crema ELK TARTARE (SERVES FOUR) 1-pound Elk tenderloin, sliced into very thin strips, then finely diced into cubes 1 small shallot, finely diced 3 garlic cloves, finely diced 4 gherkin pickles, finely diced 3 tbsp. grainy mustard 2 tbsp. maple syrup 2 small limes, juiced and zested 2 tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper 4 Quail egg yolks 4 tbsp. black sea salt (½ for tartare, ½ for garnish)

Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl in the order of the ingredients list. Mix together and set in the refrigerator for 10-minutes. Once chilled, fill four small ramekins with mixture.

64 Real Fishing – Fall 2019

Place ramekins upside down on plates and gently pull up, removing ramekins from tartare mixture. Place one quail yolk on top of each tartare. Serve raw and garnish with remaining black sea salt on the side.

CROUTONS 1 baguette, sliced into ¼-inch thick slices 1 tbsp. olive oil pinch salt and pepper

HORSERADISH CREMA 2 cups cream 3 large limes, juiced and zested 1 small head of horseradish, finely grated with a cheese grater pinch salt and pepper

Pre-heat oven to 300°F. Place the baguette slices on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven until toasted. Serve warm with tartare and crema.

Combine all ingredients except the horseradish and pepper. Set on the counter at room temperature for four to eight-hours until thickened. Stir together and place in the refrigerator overnight. Add grated horseradish and pepper. Serve cold alongside the tartare.

Special thanks to Ryan Lamothe, Chef at Wild2Table Catering, for providing this recipe.

Bringing him in took six hours.

Why r ush dinner?

COME AND A GET IT.

Our wines are only available direct — either in person or by delivery from ou ur vineyard in Niagara-on n-the-Lake, Ontario. It’s taken 14 years to get it right, to perfect the e craft of making wine that iss drinkable, accessible, and affordable.

It all happe ens here in our Big Red Barn Barn. Our modern-rustic modern rustic space houses ourr cellar and is part tasting roo om, part clubhouse. There’s no pretension or mystery here. All that we know, we’re ready to sh hare with you, to delight the novice wine lover and the veteran oenophile alike.

Visit us or or o der ahead for your next big trip and for each purchase of an Izum mi wine, Between th he Lines will donate $1 to the Fishing Forever Foundation, a non-p profit organizatio on committed to the preservation of Canada’s fishing resources.

Contact us to book your winery tour. Mention th this his ad and receive a free tasting of our Izumi wines:

BetweenTheLinesWinery.com

The Tom McCall Memorial

Artist: Rip Caswell Medium: Bronze Date: 2008

The Tom McCall Memorial is an outdoor bronze sculpture of former Oregon Governor Tom McCall, who was instrumental in supporting the beautification of the west bank of the Willamette River. The 20-foot tall statue depicts McCall wading through the Umpqua River with a fly rod and a steelhead, and is located along the Willamette River in Riverfront Park, Salem, Oregon.

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