Spring 2011 by Real Fishing

Canada Post Mail Product Agreement No. 40015689

VOLUME 17 • ISSUE 2 Just $3.95

Spring 2011

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Contents Features 30 BECOMING A FISHING GUIDE What does it take to be a great fishing guide? Some of Ontario’s top guides to share their insights into the skills you need to make a living by taking people fishing. By Jonathan LePera

38 PIKE SLAPPING Forget a finesse approach. When aggressive pike invade he shallows it’s time to make some noise by slap-casting with big baits.

46 PADDLING THE UPPER STIKINE RIVER Breathtaking scenery, fantastic fishing and big adventure on the Upper Stikine River. By Jim Baird

By Jeff Holmlund

52 JIGS & CRANKS FOR PRAIRIE LAKE WALLEYES Tried and true tactics for finding and catching shallow water walleyes. By Jeff Samsel

56 AMERICA CUP INTERNATIONAL FLY FISHING TOURNAMENT Blind angler Lawrence Euteneier recalls fly fishing for Colorado’s trout during the 2010 America Cup tournament. By Lawrence Euteneier

SPRING 2011 Volume 17, Issue 2 Editor Jerry Hughes Art Production Rossi Piedimonte Design Publisher Fred Delsey National Advertising Izumi Outdoors Tel: (905) 632-8679 President Wayne Izumi Contributors Jim Baird, Patrick Daradick, Lawrence Euteneier, Jeff Holmlund, Bob Izumi, Wayne Izumi, Steve May, Jason Mohring, Jonathan LePera, Jeff Samsel, 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 $9.95. For USA add $10 all others add $30. Subscriptions: Real Fishing 940 Sheldon Court, Burlington ON L7L 5K6

Columns 6 OPENING LINES

20 THE WATER’S EDGE

By Jerry Hughes

By Dave Taylor

10 SPORTSMEN’S ALMANAC

22 THE VINTAGE TACKLE BOX

News, trivia, event listings and more from the world of fishing

24 REAL FISHING FISH FACTS 14 WHAT’S NEW

Brown Trout

The latest in fishing tackle, gear and accessories

16 FISHING Timing is Everything By Bob Izumi

18 FLY FISHING By Steve May

26 BEST FISHING TIMES Doug Hannon’s moon phase calendar

Subscription inquiries Please call: 1-877-474-4141 or visit www.realfishing.com

28 THE HOT BITE

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

60 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

On the cover: Springtime Pike! Photo by Izumi Outdoors

By Patrick Daradick

65 WHAT’S COOKING 66 ART OF ANGLING

opening lines By Jerry Hughes

Mistress Fishing Have you ever thought about why you fish? I’m talking about the thing inside of you that makes you pick up a rod and head out into the darkness when most normal folks are still fast asleep; the thing that pushes you to cast or troll for hours regardless of rain, freezing temperatures or extreme heat; the thing that makes you leave the poker game early or forego a nightcap because you want to get to bed early in order to be at your best in the pre-dawn. Why do we so eagerly leave loved ones at home to escape for a weekend with the boys at a favourite fishing hole? Why is it that we are guilty of neglecting the occasional anniversary, Valentines Day or birthday, but we never, ever miss an opening day? Who hasn’t angered a parent by noisily assembling fishing gear at 3 a.m.? Who hasn’t endured jeers from friends when leaving a social event early? Who hasn’t had to choose between a lover and a love of fishing? And why do we continue to do so? Is there any true angler who hasn’t sacrificed something in pursuit of his or her fishing dream? My guess is, no. We willingly follow fishing, fully aware of the consequences, but, like the rats in the Pied Piper of Hamelin fable, we are unable to resist. There’s no doubt that fishing is a powerful mistress, but what is her true appeal? She offers us dreams of trophy catches yet often delivers skunkings. She promises calm waters and suicidally hungry fish but regularly delivers foul weather and fish with lockjaw. Occasionally she’ll hand us a piece of what we’re seeking, but just as we think we have her figured out she reverts to challenging us. In some ways she appears to be jealous and vindictive – demanding our constant attention but offering little in return for it. But heaven help anyone or anything that tries to come between us and her. 6 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

There’s certainly nothing tangible that drives us to fish. A stringer full of walleyes doesn’t further our careers; a 20-pound steelhead doesn’t make us attractive; winning a bass tournament doesn’t help us to be better parents and crawling through cedar swamps doesn’t make us smarter. So why do we do it? For the camaraderie we get from spending time with friends? As a way to get outdoors and bond with nature? To fulfill our heritage? To enjoy a meal of fresh fish? Surely all those things can be accomplished without waving a fishing rod around. I’ve come to believe that a true passion for fishing is something that we are born with as an integral part of our being. Without nurturing it lies dormant, but with guidance it flourishes. It grows and becomes who we are and what we do. To some extent it defines, even dictates, our lives. Fishing is not something we decide to pursue. Like painting is to an artist or playing is to a musician, it’s something we have to pursue. Without doing so we lose part of ourselves. We exist but we do not live. Other than parental love, fishing is the one relationship in life that begins in early childhood and remains with us until death. And perhaps that’s the appeal. Regardless of what the world throws our way, we know that fishing will always be there to embrace us. ?

The first catch of the day.

ÂŠ Tim Hortons, 2009

8 Real Fishing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Spring 2011

Simplicity Tie on a jighead. Tip it with a soft bait. Catch a walleye. Smile for the photo. What could be simpler?

Spring 2011 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Real Fishing 9

Supertanker! When you think of gigantic muskies, you probably think of places like the St. Lawrence River, Georgian Bay or Eagle Lake. How about New Brunswick? If recent events are any indication, the land of Atlantic salmon and brook trout could just be the newest emerging muskie hotspot. Back on December 14, 2010, Chad Cernivz was checking the outlet of the foundation drain pipe at his waterfront home on the banks of the Saint John River in Nackawic, NB, when he saw a huge fish lying on its side about 10-feet from shore. Using a large stick, Chad pulled the fish in and saw that it was a muskie. He contacted Steve Eldridge, Chairman of the St. John River chapter of Muskies Canada, to tell him about the fish and the pair met the following day. The muskie measured 50 7/8-inches long with a 29 ¾-inch girth and weighed 60 ½-pounds on Steve’s scale. A few days later, Steve Chad Cernivz with the gigantic muskie he found on the shore of the St. John River.

10 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

checked his scales against a certified scale at Canada Post and found them to be accurate within a couple of ounces. Needless to say, the New Brunswick muskie angling community is thrilled with the discovery as it points to the potential of the St. John River to produce world-class St. John River Muskies Canada Chapter Chairman, Steve Eldridge, measured this muskie at 50 7/8” long with a 29 ¾ girth. It weighed between 60 and 62-pounds.

muskie fishing. Although muskies have been known to inhabit the St. John River for about 30-years, only three others in the 50inch class have been taken during the several years that the St. John chapter of Muskies Canada has existed. On the other hand, the New Brunswick government considers muskies to be an invasive species and provincial law allows a 10-fish per day limit on them with a slot size of 4 to 68-inches. Whether the discovery of such a massive fish will have any impact on the muskie’s status in New Brunswick remains to be seen. What we do know is that New Brunswick muskie anglers heading out on the St. John River will be doing so with the knowledge that the next world record may be lurking right under their boats.

Tecvana Geo-Adventure Contest Winners Congratulations to Carol Stewart, of London Ontario, the Grand Prize winner of the TecVana Geo-Adventure contest. Carol and three of her friends will be spending a VIP week in the City of Dryden, Ontario, from June 14th to 20th, 2011. The experience will include a weekend at the Old Post & Village; some fun fishing with Wayne, Bob and Mariko Izumi; a cultural event with actor Adam Beach and participation in a host of events put on by Dryden in “Celebrating the Outdoors.” Other prize winners were Carrie Hiebert, winner of an Izumi Outdoors prize package for referring the Grand Prize winner; and Christina Nurse, winner of a Coleman Outdoors package for referring the most people to the contest. Thanks to the many sponsors who made this promotion possible including Coleman Canada, Columbia Sportswear, Pure Fishing, World Fishing Network, Faculty of Fishing, City

Contest referral winners (from left) Christina Nurse and Carrie Hiebert with Wayne Izumi and Grand Prize winner, Carol Stewart.

of Dryden Ontario, Dryden Development Corporation, Patricia Region Tourism Committee, Merkels Camp, Bearskin Airlines, MS2, Dryden General Motors, The Old Post & Village Resort in Northern Ontario, Izumi Outdoors and, of course, international actor, Adam Beach.

READ ALL ABOUT IT ONTARIO CONSERVATION OFFICERS ASSOCIATION COOKBOOK, 2nd EDITION The OCOA officers and their families have once again contributed their favourite recipes (containing both wild and domestic ingredients) to create another great cookbook. This second edition includes recipes for every occasion, from campsite settings to formal dinner parties. All proceeds from the sales of this cookbook go to support OCOA charitable and educational initiatives including the Horwood Lake Kids and Wardens Fishing Adventure.

Soft Cover: $20.00, plus shipping. 7" x 9" three-ringed binder with full color artwork. 184 pages with 352 recipes (and anecdotes). Cookbooks are available through the Ontario Conservation Officers Association website at www.ocoa.ca or by email at cookbook@ocoa.ca. Jumbo Jack’s Cookbooks, Audubon Media Corp., 301 Broadway, Audubon, IA, 50025, 1-800-798-2635

FINESSE FISHING WITH MIKE IACONELLI Professional Techniques for Light Line, Light Tackle Bass Fishing Whether you dream of becoming a full-time professional tournament angler, or just want to put more bass into your livewell on the weekend, Bassmaster Classic winner, Michael Iaconelli, and Bass Fishing Hall of Fame writer, Steve Price, tell you how in Finesse Fishing with Mike Iaconelli. Under their guidance, you’ll learn all the secrets of using lighter rods, reels, lines, and lures to increase your catch. Included are detailed descriptions of the actual finesse lures, rigging methods, and presentations that have taken Mike Iaconelli to the very top of the bass fishing world in both B.A.S.S. and FLW competition. You’ll learn about wacky rigs, drop shots, shaky heads, grubs, tubes, and many other rigs and how to use them from shallow water to deep, in clear or dingy water. When the bite gets tough, finesse can make all the difference and this book will definitely point you in the right direction.

$19.95 USD, plus shipping. Available online at www.mikeiaconelli.com.

WIN A LUND BOAT! The folks at SC Johnson have announced a new contest where you could win a Lund Fury boat, motor and trailer package, along with a day of fishing with Bob Izumi! The new Fury features Lund’s exclusive IPS hull, dual side stepped rod storage for up to 12 rods, an aerated 10-gallon livewell, a large bow casting deck, navigational lighting, ample storage and a host of other fishing friendly features you’d expect from a Lund. You and a friend will also enjoy a fishing trip for smallmouth bass and walleye with Bob and a group of his tournament buddies on one of Bob’s favourite honey holes in central Ontario. There are 14 additional weekly prizes up for grabs, each consisting of a $50 gift certificate from Canadian Tire. Full contest details and entry information are available at www.offcontest.ca. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Contest ends August 6, 2011. Fifteen prizes available to be won: one grand prize of a one day fishing trip for two with Bob Izumi September 6-8, 2011 at Bark Lake, Ontario, one Lund 1600 Fury fishing boat with trailer and motor (Approximate Retail Value: $10,800); fourteen secondary prizes, each a $50 Canadian Tire gift card. Correct answer to a mathematical skill-testing question required. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received prior to each random drawing. For full rules and contest entry, visit offcontest.ca. ®/™ S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. used under license and IMPORTED BY S. C. JOHNSON AND SON, LIMITED, BRANTFORD ON, CANADA N3T 5R1 ®/™ The trademarks of Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited are used under licence.

E V E N T S Calendar ORILLIA PERCH FESTIVAL April 16 - May 7 Lakes Simcoe & Couchiching Orillia, ON www.orillia.com/perchfestival

KIDS, COPS & CANADIAN TIRE FISHING DAYS Youth themed fishing events. Various dates and locations. 905-632-8679 www.kidsandcops.ca

GEORGIAN TRIANGLE ANGLER’S ASSOCIATION RAINBOW TROUT DERBY April 23 - May 7 Georgian Bay and tributaries Collingwood, ON www.georgianfishing.com

TRENTON KIWANIS WALLEYE WORLD May 7 - 8 Bay of Quinte Trenton, ON www.kiwaniswalleyeworld.com

BLUEWATER ANGLERS SALMON DERBY April 29 - May 8 Lake Huron Point Edward, ON www.bluewateranglers.com ANGLER & YOUNG ANGLER TOURNAMENTS May – July Various dates and locations in Canada and the United States. www.angleryoungangler.ca

RICE LAKE SPRING FISHING FESTIVAL May 14 to June 19 Rice Lake, ON www.ricelakespringfishingfestival.ca SOUTHERN ALBERTA WALLEYE TRAIL May 14 – 15, Chin Reservoir May 28 – 29, Travers Reservoir June 11 – 12, Milk River Ridge Reservoir June 25 – 26, St. Mary Reservoir www.gowalleye.com/sawt

CSFL PIKE TOURNAMENTS June 4 - Canal Lake, Sunset Cove Marina June 5 - Lake Dalrymple, Meadows End Resort www.csfl.ca GRAND OPPORTUNITIES Free On-River Fly Fishing Seminars/Fishing Day June 4 Belwood Lake Conservation Area Fergus, ON www.friendsofthegrandriver.com CASEY CUP BASS TOURNAMENT June 26 Lakes Simcoe & Couchiching Orillia, ON www.csfl.ca FAMILY FISHING WEEK July 2- 10 License-free fishing days across Canada www.catchfishing.com

SASKATCHEWAN WALLEYE TRAIL May 28 – 29, Diefenbaker Lake June 4 - 5, Last Mountain Lake www.saskwalleyetrail.ca

Spring 2011 – Real Fishing 11

READER’S PHOTOS Ben Pieczonka Regina, SK Smallmouth Bass

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

Beth-Anne Wahlman Hamilton, ON Tuna

Lucas Fancy Chatham, ON Crappie

Jamie Antoine Cornwall, ON Pike

Roger Geres Rhein, SK Walleye

12 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

(L to R) Terry Lawless, Marley Bremner, Haley Estrela Cambridge, ON White Sucker

BOB IZUMI’S REAL FISHING SHOW SCHEDULE Father’s Day Fishing Smallmouth Fishing with Big Jim McLaughlin Jigging for Lake Trout Bob’s Little Friend, Carley BoaterExam.com Smallmouth Challenge Trophy Walleye with Navionics Fall Smallmouth/Ice Fishing with Mike Lazarus Vancouver Island Adventure St. Lawrence Walleye with Jack Levert Monster Walleye with G2 Angling Georgian Bay Walleye Casting for Smallmouth/Flipping for Largemouth Florida Shore Fishing for Largemouth

April 2 April 9 April 16 April 23 April 30 May 7 May 14 May 21 May 28 June 4 June 11 June 18 June 25

STATION LISTING & AIRING TIMES* MARKET Atlantic Canada Calgary Edmonton Manitoba Ontario Quebec Regina Saskatoon Vancouver Canada/USA

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

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

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

DATE & AIR TIMES Saturday 10:00 am Saturday 10:30 am; Sunday 6:00 am Saturday 10:30 pm; Sunday 6:00 am Saturday 9:30 am Saturday 9:30 am Saturday 10:00 am Saturday 9:30 am Saturday 9:30 am Saturday 10:30 am Check www.wfn.tv for dates and times

What’s

NEW

2011

SHIMANO INTRODUCES CAENAN Shimano’s new Caenan baitcasting reel is designed to fish many different types of lures, from slow moving worms and jigs to fast moving spinnerbaits and crankbaits. With a 6.5:1 gear ratio and six shielded stainless steel ball bearings, the Caenan provides smooth fishing regardless of your choice of bait or fishing technique. Shimano’s VBS braking system and Lo-Mass Spool design make casting even the lightest baits easy and its low-profile design makes the Caenan comfortable to fish with all day long.

www.shimano.com

THE HOT SEAT The Chaheati all-season heated chair is similar to many of the lightweight, collapsible canvas chairs owned by millions nationwide but what sets it apart from the others are its cordless carbon fiber heating elements. The Chaheati seat offers four temperature settings ranging from 98°F up to 145°F and it heats up in less than 20-seconds, making it ideal for fishing, camping, hunting or any other outdoor activity where you need to stay warm and comfortable. A high efficiency, lithium-ion rechargeable battery provides up to six hours of heat per charge and lasts for over 500 uses so you’ll never be left sitting out in the cold.

www.chaheati.com

LUND MAKES AN IMPACT The 2011 Lund Impact is the perfect hybrid of durability and high performance. Available in 1675, 1775 and 1875 models, side console or tiller, with engine ratings from 90 to 150-horsepower, this boat really packs a punch. Complete with aft and bow livewells, casting platforms, built-in fuel tanks and rod lockers, the Impact offers anglers the ultimate in fishability. And when it’s time to head home, the I-Beam infrastructure and nofeedback steering provide for a safe, rock-solid hull and ride regardless of the conditions.

www.lundboats.com

14 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

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

KEEPS BUGS OFF!™ Nothing can spoil a day on the water quite like mosquitoes which is why new OFF!® 15mL repellents are the perfect addition to your tackle box. Available in OFF!® Deep Woods® and OFF!® familycare®, this compact, 15mL format provides effective, non-greasy protection that won’t stain. For the serious outdoorsman, OFF!® Deep Woods® repels mosquitoes for 8-hours, but is also effective against black flies, stable flies, ticks, chiggers and deer flies. And it’s recommended by Bob Izumi! For family use, OFF!® familycare® unscented contains aloe vera and repels mosquitoes for 3-hours.

www.bugsmart.ca

ULTRA TUNGSTEN WEIGHTS Ultra Tungsten’s new bullet and dropshot weights are made from 97% tungsten, which is harder and denser than lead. This results in weights that transmit bottom composition information better while being 40 to 50% smaller than equivalent lead sinkers. The dropshot weights are available in round or cylindrical styles from 1/8 to 1/2ounce in size, and feature a line clip for knot-free use. Ultra Tungsten bullet weights feature rounded and polished line holes at both ends to minimize line friction and there are no inserts to possibly interfere with, or fray, your fishing line. They are available with or without a locking screw and come in 1/16 to 2-ounce sizes.

www.ultratungsten.com

TROL-LOK™ TROLLING MOTOR MOUNT The new Trol-Lok is designed to securely hold trolling motors in place, preventing damage to both the trolling motor and your boat. Easy to install and easy to use, it automatically locks your trolling motor in place and unlocks instantly with the flip of a lever. The Trol-Lok is machined from 300 series stainless steel, making it super strong and rust resistant, and is assembled to endure even the roughest conditions. There are models to fit most Motorguide and Minn Kota bow-mount trolling motors mounted on bass or walleye style boats.

www.rmcboatworks.com

Spring 2011 – Real Fishing 15

fishing

Bob Izumi is the host of The Real Fishing Show.

By Bob Izumi

Timing is Everything In my Tales from the Road column in this issue I talk about the FLW tournament on Lake Okeechobee this past February and how timing was everything during the event. Before the tournament there was a severe cold front that pushed the bass off of the beds and put them into a negative mood. But then things changed. The weather and water warmed up, the full moon started to come into play and the largemouth started moving into the shallows in droves. I can’t stress how much the fish moved and how active they got when the weather and moon phase changed. In the case of that tournament, it resulted in record-setting weights for almost the entire field of anglers and more fish were caught than in any other tournament. Why? Because the timing was perfect.

Closer to home, spring is when steelhead make their main spawning runs up the Great Lakes tributaries. In the south, the best fishing can happen as early as February or March while Lake Superior fish may not show up in numbers until later. Local conditions like water temperature, colour and flow rates can have a huge impact on the timing of the runs. Hit it right and you can experience some of the best steelheading of the year. Miss it by a 16 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

day or two and you might find yourself struggling to catch a single fish. Spring crappies – same thing. You can go into a shallow canal or bay lined with lily pads, reeds, boat docks, whatever may be in there that those crappies will spawn up against. You could go in there one week and not catch a fish. But some warm, sunny weather could change the whole area and the fish could be in there, big time, the next week. I’ve seen it with big northern pike during the spring too. You go into those big feeder bays early in the morning when the water’s cool and the fishing can be tough, but later in the day it can be a whole different story. I was on a fly-in trip in Manitoba several years ago when this exact thing happened. We went to a huge bay early one morning and, after scouting the whole bay, we only saw one small hammer-handle. We went back later in the afternoon and caught a dozen pike in the 15 to 20-pound range in about an hour of fishing. Those fish were definitely not there in the morning, but once things warmed up, the fish moved in. Fish will move monthly, weekly, daily, and in some cases, hourly during the spring. There really isn’t any set time frame because the weather and water conditions are different every year. Warm, early springs with lots of water could mean an early fish movement while low, clear and cold conditions can mean a later season for those same fish. This is true across the board, for just about any species. If you go away for a regular fishing trip on

the same weekend every year, like opening day for example, you’ve probably run across this. Some years are incredible and others are a complete bust. How often have you heard, “You should have been here last week,” or, “You should have waited another week for the fish to come in.” Early season steelheaders are often faced with even faster changes in conditions and fish movements. It’s common to find low, clear water and tough fishing in the morning but by mid afternoon the snow starts melting, the water colours up a bit and the fish turn suicidal. An hour or two can make all the difference in the world. Most of us don’t have the option of choosing exactly when we’re going to go fishing and we end up going when our schedules allow. Unfortunately, in a lot of cases you don’t hit the timing just right. When that happens you have to take a couple of steps back and think about what the fish may be doing and adjust your approach accordingly. For instance, when spring crappies aren’t near visible cover in the shallows, the obvious place to look for them is out in the middle of the bay or in front of the bay. There’s a good chance that they will be staging in deeper water, waiting for just the right conditions before they move in. Of course, you could always change your target species if the conditions aren’t quite right. That might mean going for postspawn walleyes on rivermouth feeding flats instead of searching for crappies in shallow bays; it could mean tossing spinnerbaits in the shallows for pike if your favourite steelhead river is “blown out” from a few days of warm weather. We’re so fortunate in Canada to have so many species of fish to catch that there’s really no reason to waste valuable fishing time when the timing isn’t right. Keep an eye on the conditions, think about how they might affect the fishing and plan accordingly. A change of species, a move to a bigger or smaller waterbody or a change in location may be all it takes to turn a tough day into a memorable one. ?

“KISS TRADITIONAL SONAR GOODBYE!”

“After just one day on the water, I’m convinced. DownScan Imaging goes way beyond traditional sonar! When you see a tree, it truly looks like a tree. You can actually see the limbs and the fish suspended in them! You gotta see it to believe it.”

– Bill Dance, Host of Bill Dance Outdoors

GO B E Y O N D SONAR. Lowrance’s DownScan Imaging™ technology delivers a true view of what’s beneath your boat, making it easier to read and interpret than traditional sonar. All three DSI models mark the bottom to 250 feet at speeds up to 50 mph, delivering the proven performance capabilities that boaters and anglers expect from Lowrance—with the added benefit of incredible imaging views at unbeatable prices. Learn more about the new Mark and Elite DSI models at Lowrance.com.

Elite-5 DSI

Elite-5x DSI

Mark-5x DSI

fly fishing

Steve May is the Stewardship Coordinator for Waterloo Region with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. When not working to improve local fisheries Steve can be found guiding or fly casting on his local rivers.

By Stephen May

Mastering Sink Tips There are times on the river when you need to get to the bottom of things. To put your fly in front of deep holding fish you can add weight to the leader, use a weighted fly or alter your presentation to allow your fly to sink better. But, fly lines that sink are really useful tools you should get familiar with. There are full sinking lines and lines that are termed sink tips. What a sink tip does is get deeper while still allowing you to control the floating line behind the heavy, ”business end.” A huge part of a quality presentation is controlling your line to get a good drift. Line control through mending is challenging, if not impossible, with the full sinking versions that cut right to the bottom and are pretty difficult to control once you send them down. Full sinking lines are perfect for lakes, but not usually as useful in raging rivers. Having various lengths of sink tips is desirable and there are many on the market, but I have gone with a less expensive and more flexible method for my single-handed and Spey-type rods. A leader wallet, with lengths of lead core or tungsten based fly line in various lengths, allows me to adapt to the conditions at hand. Shorter lengths are better on lighter rods and when you just need to get down a bit to hit fish. To get in the zone on bigger waters and with heavier tackle you can use a longer length of weighted line. Looped ends on the fly line and tips allow for easy connections and changes versus changing entire lines. I even use staggered lengths of sink tips to allow me to link a couple of them together. Instead of having a 12-foot sink tip, adding a 5-foot tip to a 7footer accomplishes the same effect with one less piece of line in my pocket. I carry a couple each of three; five, seven and nine-foot models in one simple leader wallet and I then have sink tips for all of my rods! 18 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

Spring is a perfect time to use weighted lines. The higher flows associated with snow melt mean that getting bigger flies down deep to the fish is a successful strategy. Sink tips excel in these types of presentations, whether you are targeting trout with oversized streamers or chasing spring steelhead. A wallet with various lengths of sink tips will help you adjust to fish at a wide variety of depths.

The next thing you need to practice is how to make these lines fish at the depth you want. In rivers these lines sink faster on a slack line. So, to get deeper with any tip, use an upstream mend and cast them upstream until you get the desired results. If you are casting further up than you would like (as this can increase hookups with bottom), then move to a longer and heavier tip to keep things reasonable. I try to find a tip that I can cast between directly cross-current to quartering downstream to fine tune things. Mending the line provides even more control. An upstream mend helps deepen the line and downstream mends make for a faster, shallower presentation. Learning how to work the line properly takes some practice and experience but it’s worth the effort. Sinks tips are definitely worth getting to know better if you want to hook up with more oversized fish this year. ?

CANADA’S BEST ANGLERS TRUST SHIMANO [ PRO TIP FROM BOB IZUMI

DROPPIN’ IN FOR BASS The trend has been finesse the last few years with zebra mussels making our lakes kess ke very clear. The hottest technique for catching clear water smallmouth is the drop shot technique. Light line, a sensitive rod and d a good, smooth drag will help get the job b done. Look for rocky shoals or breaks an and nd work the bait nice and slow. From 10 to o 40 feet you will feel even the lightest bites es with the Crucial rod. The Crucial dropshot rod paired with the e Stradic CI4 is without a doubt the ultimate atte combination for these monster brown fish! sh!

• • • • •

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water’s edge By Dave Taylor

Ring-Billed Gull For city folk this is probably one of the most common medium-sized birds they see. Most do not even know its name. To set the record straight, there is no such species as a “seagull.” There are at least 55 species of birds with the last name, “gull,” and not one of them is called a “seagull.” The name is a generic one that has no real use other than to make it simple for English-speaking peoples to refer to these species collectively as “seagulls.” The ring-billed gull is migratory and many head south to th Gulf of Mexico for the winter. Rather than being referred to as a “seagull,” a more appropriate name might be “landfill gull.” The ring-bill is one of those species that flourishes in the presence of humankind. This is the gull that children encounter in the schoolyard when it comes to feed on spilled snacks. It is the gull found most often at recreation sites where we consume food - be that a baseball stadium or a picnic site. It is the gull that often makes daily trips to the local dump.

20 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the ringbilled gull appears to have been a common enough bird but nowhere near as abundant as it is today. The conversion of forests to grain fields and the subsequent abundance of food (and waste products) served to propel the population forward. At first, however, the Europeans hunted the gulls’ eggs. Some were used as food but most were collected by egg collectors. “Egging” was a popular naturalist activity that almost brought about the extinction of several species. In 1916 the Canada - U.S. Convention for the Protection

of Migratory Birds put an end to it and gave all migratory birds protection. Free from persecution, the ring-billed gull quickly found humans to be great benefactors. Not only did we provide them with food, we inadvertently built nesting areas for them as we turned land, excavated for highrise buildings, into spits and islands. The herring gull, a slightly larger gull, was less tolerant of humans and its numbers actually declined. The main reason for the decline appears to be that it was out-competed for nesting space by the smaller ring-billed gulls. A herring gull nesting colony averages about 100 nests. Ring-billed colonies commonly exceed 20,000 nests and one had over 80,000. Even one of the smaller colonies could have a few hundred thousand gulls in them after the eggs hatched. Each pair of gulls aggressively defends the area around its nest and the survival rate of chicks to fledging is about 80%. Adults carry food back to their chicks, which they locate by sound. Chicks peck at the “ring” on the parent’s bills, which induces them to regurgitate their food. Anglers need not worry about ring-billed gulls damaging fish stocks. While they will take the occasional small fish, they prefer eggs, small chicks, worms, grasshoppers, grains, carrion and of course, garbage. ?

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the vintage tackle box By Patrick Daradick

Patrick Daradick has been collecting vintage fishing tackle for over 23-years and is a specialist in Ontario made tackle. He enjoys sharing his passion and knowledge and can be contacted through his website at www.ontariolures.com or by phone at 613-398-7245.

The South Bend Bait Company It would be difficult to find a fisherman who hasn’t heard of the South Bend Bait Company. The company dates back to the early 1900’s and they manufactured a complete line of fishing tackle including rods, reels, line and lures. The main company was located in South Bend, Indiana. The logo displayed on their boxes and cards stated the South Bend “Quality Tackle” Bait Co. and the company’s South Bend, Oreno and Cross names on fishing tackle represented high quality and dependability. Backed by years of careful and conscientious effort in the production of artificial baits and tackle, and by a national advertising program of considerable proportion, South Bend Quality Tackle attained a high character recognized by anglers the country over.

Ivar Hennings, South Bend’s prominent tackle manufacturer, said in a 1930s Canadian fishing magazine that he has yet to see a fisherman from the USA who does not have the ultimate dream of making a fishing expedition to Canadian waters. “To me it’s easy to realize just why this should be, since I’ve made one or two annual trips up there for the past nine years. There is a certain fascinating aspect to planning these fishing trips to Canadian waters. This anticipation is equaled only by the actual realization of spending a week or two in some remote spot where the public have not molested nature’s sereneness.” 22 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

Ivar Henning’s fascination with Canadian waters and their excellent fishing convinced him of the importance of the Canadian fishing market. With this in mind, South Bend established a Canadian factory in Cobourg, Ontario. The general sales offices for South Bend Bait Co. Canada Ltd. were located in the Coristine Building in Montreal. A portion of the manufacturing done at the Cobourg factory, along with a stock of rods, reels, lines and artificial baits, were available for immediate shipment to Canadian resorts and dealers. The advantages of this plan became apparent the first year the plant was in operation. Instead of waiting a week or two for shipments, the majority of orders were shipped in two or three days. In researching South Bend’s Cobourg plant it surprised me to learn that they actually utilized an existing Cobourg factory the well known H.W. Cooey Machine and Arms Company - to manufacture, assemble and distribute their fishing tackle lines. Records dating back to 1929 indicate that, during the depression years, Cooey Arms took on contracts to assemble shotguns for Iver Johnson Arms & Cycle Works and to

produce fishing reels for the South Bend Bait Co. It’s unclear how long this partnership prevailed or how long South Bend was related to Cobourg, Ontario. Fishing ads in Canadian magazines seem to fade away by the late 1930s and indications suggest it was roughly a five-year relationship. South Bend lure boxes or carded artificial baits from Cobourg would actually be the same colour and style as those distributed by South Bend, Indiana. The only exception is that the side of the box would indicate South Bend Bait Co. of Canada Ltd., Cobourg, Ontario. South Bend Bait Co. from Indiana would later distribute their lures using two other Ontario companies. First would be the Harold D. MacPherson Corp. Ltd. from Toronto, Canada. Later, in the 1950s and 60s, boxes were marked with the company name, Campbell of Canada from Willowdale, Ontario. South Bend items from Cobourg, Ontario are highly sought after by Canadian and American collectors, especially mint-condition boxed lures. In the beginning of my collecting I made the unfortunate mistake of not purchasing a rare, white coloured, boxed lure from South Bend’s Cobourg facility. Twenty-years later I have never seen another. South Bend lures in boxes marked Cobourg, Ontario, are special finds and make great additions to any lure collection. ?

real fishing fish facts

Brown Trout Salmo trutta

Brown trout have a typically trout shaped body; long and laterally compressed with a large head that accounts for close to 25% of their total body length. Their tails are distinctively square and their dorsal fins have 12 to 14 soft rays. Like most trout, browns have a fleshy adipose fin between the dorsal fin and the tail. The mouth is large and extends to, or past, the rear edge of the eye. The lower jaw extends slightly beyond the upper one. In mature males the lower jaw develops a hook, or kype, which is most pronounced during the spawning period. Stream dwelling brown trout are typically light brown to golden in overall colouration. They are dark brown to black on the back and lighten to a tawny or yellow/gold hue along the flanks. Pronounced black, purple and/or reddish spots are present on the back, sides and head. These are often surrounded by a lighter ring or halo. The belly can range from silvery-white to white or cream. Lake or sea-run brown trout are primarily silver and their spots are less colourful and brilliant than those on their streamdwelling cousins. Brown trout are native to Europe and western Asia but have been widely transplanted to places like New Zealand, Australia and South America, among others. They were introduced to North America, specifically New York and Michigan,

around 1833. The first stockings of brown trout in Canada occurred in Newfoundland in 1894. They were subsequently planted in Quebec in 1890; Ontario in 1913 and the Maritimes in the early 1920s. Since then they have been successfully introduced in most areas of Canada with the exception of the far north and Prince Edward Island. Most brown trout spawn during the fall, in the shallow, gravel-bottomed headwaters of rivers and streams although some lake dwelling fish may spawn along rocky shorelines. During the spawn, the females create a shallow nest before pairing up with a male. Together they deposit eggs and milt respectively into the nest, which the female then covers with gravel. The eggs develop over the winter and will hatch in the spring as the water temperature rises. Browns are adaptable to a wide range of water temperatures but 65°F to 75°F is considered optimal. They are carnivorous and will eat a wide variety of foods including other fish, frogs, salamanders, crustaceans, worms, insects and even small rodents that stumble into a stream or river. As a sport fish, brown trout are considered to be one of the smartest and most difficult to catch of all the trout species. For this rea-

son, they are highly prized and eagerly pursued by fly, spin and boat anglers. In streams, brown trout are known to reside in the thickest cover – under fallen timber, beneath undercut banks and in other areas that are difficult for anglers to present baits to. The largest browns are most often caught during low-light periods, especially from dusk through the night. Average stream-caught brown trout are usually under two-pounds but much larger fish are reported every year. Stream size and available food supplies generally dictate the maximum size the fish can attain. Lake and sea-run browns grow much quicker and much larger than stream fish do. Five to 10pound fish are not uncommon and fish over 20-pounds are caught every year. The current IGFA World Record brown trout weighed 41-pounds; 8-ounces and was caught Lake Michigan on July 16, 2010. ?

DID YOU KNOW? Brown trout were a favourite of Izaak Walton, author of The Compleat Angler and considered the father of modern fishing.

FAST FACTS Colour: River or stream dwelling fish are brown to golden-yellow with numerous black, reddish or purplish spots. Sea or lakerun fish are generally silver with fewer, less pronounced and less colourful spots. Size: Lake or sea-run browns can reach 30 to 40-inches in length and can weigh as much as 40-pounds while stream fish typically run between one and three-pounds. Spawning: September through November in headwaters of rivers and streams.

RECORD The current IGFA World Record brown trout stands at 41-pounds, 8-ounces. The massive fish was caught in Lake Michigan, near Racine, Wisconsin, on July 16, 2010. 24 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

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

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

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

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am pm am pm

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7 am pm am pm

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

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

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

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26 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

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28 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

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So you want to be a Fishing By Jonathan LePera

Who wouldn’t want a career as a fishing guide, eh? Not only do you get to fish for a living, you’ll own nice boats and top-of-the-line equipment. Sponsors will be flowing over with free product and huge paychecks; you’ll get paid to work the trade shows and TV shows will be knocking on your door. Well, hit the brakes right there, it’s time for a reality check! While working in the outdoors as a charter captain, fishing lodge worker or guide can be a rewarding job, you definitely need to graduate from the school of hard knocks before you are able to make an honest income at it. If you’ve ever considered such a career, our discussion with some established guides might teach you a thing or two!

30 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

FAR AND AWAY “Guiding has been one of the best experiences of my life,” Ben Beattie starts. “The lodge you work for will make or break the experience for you, so carefully research the way they do business.” Beattie did the unthinkable – he left a desk job in southern Ontario for the greener pastures of Silver Water Wheel Lodge in northwestern Ontario. Although he started off working in a lodge, his evolution as a guide and outdoor writer has progressed so much that he now operates his own, independent guiding service. Those considering guiding for a lodge might want to consider the specific fishery available. In Beattie’s experience, the majority of his clients are Americans seeking out pristine Canadian waters in Northern Ontario where they can catch walleye. Understanding the fishery is paramount: are you guiding on a “numbers” lake or a lake abundant with trophy fish?

Guide? When you work for a lodge you’ll want to know whether you are responsible for providing your own boat, tackle, insurance, accommodations and food. You are going

to want to consider how many guides are on staff and if the lodge has an American plan where all clients will require a guide. Not every lodge is created equally, nor are their job descriptions and stipulations for

Spring 2011 – Real Fishing 31

Working for a busy lodge guarantees plenty of days on the water each season.

every guide. Wages and specific job descriptions are always good items to get ironed out from the onset. You’d hate to be chopping wood and doing maintenance instead of fishing as you thought you would! What Beattie likes about working for a lodge is that, “They do the advertising, find the guests, and fill your boat. That’s why it helps to work for a busy lodge where there is a large client base and you are guaranteed a lot of days on the water each season.” He was fortunate to be able to use quality boats, tackle and gear provided by the lodge. Beattie believes that, because his lodge permitted him to fish while he was guiding, he was able to experiment with different baits and to get a feel for the bite. That allowed him to focus on keeping the clients happy and on fish. His charming, affable personality didn’t hurt either. Some of Ben’s fondest memories include guiding Berkley Biddell, who founded the Berkley fishing company, and having a

great day on the water. He found Biddell to be “a great guy, very modest and very passionate about fishing.” Another noted highlight for Beattie was guiding a 12-year old girl to catching a trophy walleye. “She fought it with the composure and expertise of a veteran angler. The smile on her face was priceless.” While not everyone believes in the value of hiring a competent guide, Beattie feels that it takes all the guesswork out of fishing new water. “Imagine not only being put on the hot bite, but also learning how to assess each day in terms of finding fish under the given conditions and putting together patterns,” says Beattie. “A day with a competent guide should be a learning experience for everyone.” “Offer to tie jigs, bait hooks, take pictures, get excited for a nice fish, ask questions, serve a great shore lunch etc. Take care of your guests,” Ben stresses, “even when you’re off the water. In the end they will take care of you. It's rewarding to know that when your guests leave they request you for next year. I've developed friendships with several guests of mine and I'm looking forward to fishing with them again this year. Guest service is everything!” Spoken like a true professional!

BIG OPERATOR If fishing big water suits your personality, and you can consistently put fish in the boat for your family and friends, perhaps being a charter operator has crossed your mind. Captain Jim Fleming boasts 30-years of experience on the big waters of southwestern Ontario. On Lake Erie he runs out of Leamington for perch and walleye, and out from Erieau for walleye and steelhead. He

32 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

also has a well-earned reputation for his ability to consistently put muskies in the boat on Lake St. Clair. His skills have led him to appear on almost every major fishing show in Canada, with repeat visits by many. Fleming admits that not every charter is easy and that the weather is the biggest factor he has to contend with. Bad weather causes him to cancel half of his trips every year. Fleming admits he’ll cancel trips more quickly than some other Captains on account of the weather. Some of those days could have been fishable, but he’s not about to take a chance.

“If I take new people out and someone gets seasick, they won’t go out on any boat again. I’ll send them home and wait for a better day.” Sometimes the weather co-operates but the fish don’t. “My worst experience while chartering is getting skunked because you take that personally,” says Fleming. On those rare occasions where the fish don’t cooperate, Fleming has an ace-in-thehole; a great personality and years of stories to fill up the quiet times. He keeps a keen eye on everyone’s equipment and how they move around the boat. He realizes that not everyone is comfortable on a boat, so he makes every effort to ensure the safety of his clients at all times. His attention to his clients works, as some of them have been returning to fish with Jim for almost 20-years. “I’ve made a lot of friends over the years,” says Fleming. Many guides have their personal favorite clients or outings. While every client is special and important, some leave an impression that will last a lifetime. Fleming recalls his favorite celebrity without hesitation - Miles McLellan - a young boy with brain cancer with whom Bob Izumi had chartered a trip for muskies with Fleming.

Jim Fleming with his most memorable client, Miles McLellan.

“Even though Miles’ own life was in danger, his message was very strong and very positive right to the heart.” Despite being a well-respect charter operator, Fleming isn’t sure he’d chose the same path if he had to do it again. “I would not discourage anyone from starting, as we need younger people to replace old folks like me. But today, I probably wouldn’t start myself. I fish for the love of the sport. From a business point of view, it’s not the profit maker people say it is. You’ve got pressure all the time. You better give up fishing and have the ability to enjoy watching others catch fish.”

FOLLOW THE LEADER For some, guiding is an avenue to what they feel will be quick and easy money. Those individuals are sadly mistaken. It takes many years to establish a clientele that will support some form of a salary. That means lots of time on the water learning spots, getting away from community holes, and really understanding fish as they relate to their environment under a variety of conditions. Frank DiMarcantonio is a seasoned bass, muskie, and trout guide with 18years of experience on Lake Erie and the Niagara River. He’s a tackle junkie and Frank DiMarcantonio is a seasoned bass, muskie, and trout guide with 18-years of experience on Lake Erie and the Niagara River.

avid angler who fishes almost every day that he isn’t guiding. Looking back, DiMarcantonio literally pounded the pavement at trade shows, where he was able to get the majority of his bookings and give birth to his company. “I am a big believer in sponsorship,” he started. “If you can outfit your boat to the max, you will only give yourself and your clients the best experience on the water. Any help will save you thousands through the years. Also, working the trade shows will help you network, find new clients and keep you in the loop.” DiMarcantonio has been around long enough to see enough “wannabe” guides come and go. Not everyone has the staying power that it takes to succeed and they often underestimate what the job will entail. “Some guys are great fisherman, but they make terrible guides,” DiMarcantonio lamented. “You have to know how to get clients on fish and make them happy. It’s all about the clients.” DiMarcantonio uses his discretion as to whether or not to drop a line himself during a charter. “If they are first timers with me, I don’t fish. I make sure they know what they are doing and doing it right. If its tough and we really need a bite to strengthen moral, I may put a line out. But usually I don’t fish.” Anyone who has fished with DiMarcantonio has come to appreciate his patience and attention to detail. Equally important is his ability to put fish in the boat under the most diverse of situations. “Clients pick up on those things and really appreciate a good guides’ attentiveness.” DiMarcantonio does everything in his power to tip the odds in his favour. That starts by guiding with top-of-the line rods, reels, tackle. Few guides would allow their clients to fish with high-end gear but DiMarcantonio wouldn’t have it any other way. He believes that offering his clients the best equipment elevates their fishing experience to a whole new level.

MIND GAMES Marc Thorpe is as close to a Jedi-Knight as it gets. He has been guiding on the St. Lawrence for 18-years and is open about his obsession with muskie fishing. While he will guide for pike and walleye, he only does so

34 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

until muskie season opens, then it’s all business. He’s filmed shows with Big Jim McLaughlin, Pete Maina, Doug Johnson and Bob Izumi and he has the utmost respect for them, saying they all contributed to his evolution as a fisherman. Early in his guiding career Thorpe was quick to recognize his short-comings, which ultimately can become the undoing of many great anglers. “My worst enemy was my big ego,” Thorpe admits. Some older and wiser anglers promptly chewed him up and knocked him down a few pegs. Marc Thorpe and Big Jim McLaughlin admire a decent muskie.

“Everyone gets arrogant, everyone is going to be the next one to get put on the cross, but at the end of the day, we all take a nap in the dirt,” Thorpe continued. “A very good fisherman can fish pressured water. We fished unpressured water and caught stupid fish - they caught us. These activity patterns, where we get huge amounts of big fish, have nothing to do with you. It has everything to do with the environment and how it is exploding at that moment. If you happen to be there, you are going to be in on the gold rush.”

Thorpe has always evaluated his strengths and weaknesses as a guide so that he can do the best job possible for his clients. He works out four days a week in the off-season in preparation of the hectic guiding season. While guiding, he refines his diet as he’s realized that his body has to be in peak condition for the challenges that guiding presents. Some of those challenges can be mental as well as physical and you had better be prepared for the unexpected. Thorpe takes on a very serious tone when speaking of his responsibilities as a hired guide. “When you take someone out fishing, you are taking their life in your hands. If they suffer some form of illness, or an event occurs on the water, you are the sole person who can react with the balance and level presence to make sure that everyone comes out of the situation or event in the best possible manner. If you don’t have that knowledge, information, and training, it could make the difference between getting out of a bad situation and creating a disastrous situation.” He noted that some of those occurrences could be diabetic attacks, heart attacks, epileptic seizures, injuries on the boat, a collision with another boat or someone falling overboard. For those considering a career in guiding, full-time or otherwise, be sure to be trained in all of the life-saving measures necessary. Asking for mercy after an unfortunate event is far too late and negligence is a liability. Through his guiding his career Thorpe has been left with many memorable experiences. One day, while fishing with renowned muskie experts Pete Maina and Jim Gillespie, the group boated 19 muskies in 22-hours of fishing, 13 of which were over 30-pounds! In 2010, over a four-day stretch, 40 fish came into Thorpe’s boat, the biggest being 58inches. For Thorpe, the icing on the cake was the day back-to-back monsters left him

36 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

gassed and ready to call it a day. He was guiding Steve Bedard, who caught a 57-inch muskie. Thorpe congratulated him and proclaimed, “Dude, you’ll never catch a bigger one in your life!” Twenty minutes later Bedard put a 58-inch mammoth into the boat! Worth the price of admission? Absolutely!

CLIENT CARE Greg Klatt’s love of guiding started at the early age of 16, when he guided two gentlemen from the U.S. for a day of fishing on one of the Kawartha Lakes. He especially enjoys guiding children and seeing the excitement that comes when they catch their first fish or a new species. He also relishes the opportunity to share advanced techniques with avid anglers who are looking to step up their game. While his passion is important, so too is the hard work that it took to establish his business. Klatt’s dedication has fostered up to 1000 hits a day on his website and he boasts numerous repeat and referral clients each year. Klatt cautions newcomers to the trade, “Like any business, don’t expect to start up and have your phone ring off the hook the first day. That takes time and commitment. I had to come up with a business name, register it, develop and host a website. I had to design and print business and rack cards, and drop them off at many resorts and bait shops.” Klatt speaks with his clients before their day on the water to ensure he understands exactly what they are hoping for in terms of a successful trip. “Some clients are avid anglers and others have never held a rod or fished before. It’s so important to slow down and relate to whatever skill level they are and share and encourage them. You want them to leave with a positive and exciting memory. If so they will return and I guarantee they will tell their friends.” He knows that a little generosity goes a long way too, so Klatt, “always has free samples of new lures and sometimes hats etc. to give away to both the small and bigger kids at heart.” Not only does this please his clients, it helps to promote his sponsors by putting fresh product into the hands of prospective buyers.

Klatt’s clients are not shy to share their appreciation of a great day on the water. “I have had a number of customers tell me they had, ‘the very best fishing knowledge investment I ever made’ or ‘I caught more fish then all the times I went alone or with my buddies the past five-years.’” For Klatt, this is what guiding is all about. A job as a fishing guide isn’t for everyone, as many have learned the hard way. For some, guiding is an avenue to what they feel with be quick and easy money. Those indi-

viduals are sure to be sadly mistaken. Fly-bynight operations are exactly that and won’t last long in this business. Guides who offer value for the dollar will have a far longer shelf life than those in it for the quick gain. For those who welcome the responsibility of putting fish in the boat for their clients while ensuring a happy and safe day on the water, the rewards can be huge. ?

Guide Contacts Thanks to the following guides for their help in creating this article.

Ben Beattie: www.benbeattieoutdoors.com

Jim Fleming: www.drifter2.com

Frank DiMarcantonio: www.niagarasportfishing.ca

Marc Thorpe: www.marcthorpeguiding.com; www.fishfactor.tv

Greg Klatt: www.profishntanglingservices.com

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PIKE

SLAPPING Slap-Casting for Gator-Sized Pike In remote Canadian Shield lakes, walleye are the northern pike’s number one food source. Big pike love nothing better than to lie in ambush before slashing through a walleye school for their morning meal. Few are the northern walleye fishermen who have not experienced the rush of a giant pike locking on to a hooked walleye. When this happens, being “aggressive on aggression” is the name of the game, using a day of fishing for one legend of the north, walleyes, to boat another.

38 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

By Jeff Holmlund

Spring 2011 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Real Fishing 39

When aggressive pike start grabbing your walleye baits, it’s time to break out the slap-casting gear.

As I watched my fishing line trace a high, arcing path behind the Husky Dardevle, it never occurred to me that this errant cast, headed for the willow-enshrouded shoreline, was about to provide an “Ah Ha” moment in a young guide’s fishing life. In fact, all I was trying to do was to get my line in as fast as I could and re-cast to a weed line where I thought a big pike was lurking. “Woooooaaa baby” I coaxed, reeling furiously, trying to halt the big spoon in mid-air and avoid a shoreline snag. Semi-successful, the solid brass red-and-white landed not where I had intended, but on top of a thick weed bed, making a resounding “slap” on impact. I was shocked when the weeds beneath the oversized spoon immediately exploded in a boil of gigantic proportions. “Yeeowww, fish on,“ I bellowed, leaning back into my stout musky rod, snapping the single barbless hook home into the corner of the pike’s bony mouth. Unimpressed, the fish immediately took-off across the weedline, straining my outfit to its breaking point. With my line taut and buzzing through the water, I chuckled at the unexpected strike, then snuck a glance towards the south-ofthe-border fishermen I was guiding. “Get the big net,” I said. “I think I dropped the spoon right on its head, he’s an angry one,” I told the wide-eyed guest.

40 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

One minute my client was wondering what had cut his line while fishing a school of walleye. Then the guide launches a carhood-sized Dardevle and hauls in a gigantic northern pike. For my walleye fishing client that 20-pound-plus fish made quite the impression and ingrained in me the slap-cast as an essential tool for catching big, walleyethieving northern pike. Slap-casting is a reaction strike technique I use while enjoying the non-stop fishing action of a school of walleye. When tell-tale signs, like jumping bait fish and water boils, announce Esox Lucius is in the area, I switch into ambush/predator mode, grab my always-ready heavy rod tipped with a wire leader and an oversized spoon, plug or spinner bait and start hammering the water. Rip,

skip, flash, jerk or slap, this is an aggressive technique that stimulates these ambush predators and accounts for numerous 40-inchplus northern pike every year. “When casting for big pike around a school of walleye you don’t want to give them time to think or get a look at your lure, you just want to make them strike,” says pike fishing fanatic Evan Woodland. I have watched Evan progress from a drippy-nosed-kid, who spent every waking hour fishing off my dock, into one of the best pike fishermen I know. “When you know there is a monster pike in the area, fish hard and fast and make a lot of noise.” Evan says. Case in point: on a fly-in fishing trip this past spring, Evan, my dad and I were fishing mid-spring walleye in about four-feet of water off a windblown boulder pile in the middle of a shallow bay. The walleye were feeding heavily on minnows and we had been enjoying good action on a jig-and-minnow combination all morning. While bringing a walleye up to the boat, my dad’s rod was practically ripped out of his hands as a huge pike chomped onto the walleye. Seeing the boat, the northern quickly realized his mistake and let go, setting up a perfect opportunity. We immediately hauled out the heavy artillery and started slap-casting the surrounding area. I like to start where I last saw the pike, which is usually close to the boat, then work my way out. On Evan’s first slapcast, not 10 feet from the boat, he enticed a hit and a miss. My third cast in the same area produced similar results. Hoping we hadn’t lost our opportunity, we continued hammering the water. Ten minutes later we were still working the area when we saw a huge boil near some boulders near the shore-line.

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Evan Woodland with a nice northern that fell for a slap-casted spinnerbait.

The next cast sealed the deal when Evan slapped his huge spinnerbait within a couple of feet of the rockpile. I don’t think that willow leaf blade rotated once before the pike demolished the lure. After a heavyweight bout of a battle, our reward was in the oversized net - a 40-inch northern pike. Just awesome! There is nothing better than topping off a walleye-limit morning than by boating a gator-sized northern pike. Spring-time, when pike are feeding in shallow bays, is not the only time they can be putty-in-your-hands when using the slapcasting technique. As summer progresses, pike move from their shallow water spring haunts to developing weed lines where schools of walleye are feeding on baitfish. This is when ex-conservation officer, lodge owner, and guide, Barry Brown suggests his guests fish the cabbage weed beds for big pike and walleye. “I look for weed beds that are anywhere from 8 to 25-feet deep with cabbage weeds that haven’t grown all the way to the surface,” says Brown. “During summertime 42 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

feeding periods, weed beds are known to load up with small to mid-size walleye, attracting not only walleye fishermen but gigantic pike.” “While fishing the weed pockets for walleye, I keep an eye out for likely looking pike

ambush points,” Brown explains. “I find these big predators just love to hang out in the thickest, matted, nastiest areas in the weed bed, waiting for an unsuspecting walleye to feed its way. I like to run the boat right into these areas bumping the pike out

of its lair. Big pike won’t expend any more energy than they must, so when bumped they don’t tend to move too far. Once in position, I start to fan-cast the surrounding area and, more often than not, there is a big one in the area for the taking.” Make a racket and use a noisy lure like a buzzbait or a Jitterbug. Or skip five-of-diamonds or red-and-white spoons. Big redand-white spoons have a long history as the original big fish lure, but colors like white, black and orange, and chartreuse are now in fashion. On sunny days use silver or gold spoons as the flash of these can send big pike over the deep end. Swimbaits and oversized jigs work great too. Some guides prefer willowleaf-bladed spinnerbaits. Big, tandem spinnerbaits have the dual personality of being both noisy and weed-free while working heavy cover, making them lethal on big northern pike. When slap-casting for pike, bigger is better. Pike will eat anything they can fit into their

Pike will eat anything they can fit into their mouths including oversized spoons.

mouths. I have seen pike try to digest everything from walleye and whitefish to other pike that are bigger than they are. Make a lot of noise and when casting lures always make a big splash. Repetition is the key - sometimes if you drop a lure on their head they will hit immediately; other times you have to

keep hammering the same spot over and over before they strike. When slapping top-water lures like chuggers, poppers and even floating frogs, a stopand-go retrieve or a change of speeds can be used to trigger reaction strikes. While it’s true that a “walking” action is often extremely effective, when pike don’t respond, a faster “running” retrieve may kick them into action. Instinctively, pike react by striking. The retrieval speed of a slap-cast can make or break a situation. It can entice a strike, or cause you to move on prematurely. “I find fishermen new to pike fishing tend to reel their bait in too slowly,” says Bryan Chambers, guide for Duck Bay Lodge on Lake of the Woods. “I find faster usually will account for more strikes. In general; pike just love a “rip-it-in” type retrieval and high speed retrieves are well known to produce reaction strikes.” With cooling weather and snow around the corner, big pike strap on the feed bag and

Spring 2011 – Real Fishing 43

Author, Jeff Holmlund, with a nice pike taken on a spoon off of a long, sloping beach.

head deep, becoming virtual vacuum cleaners on walleye that are bulking up near their spring spawning areas. No doubt, at this time of year most brutes are taken trolling the edges of these schools, but these pike can be taken with a well placed slap-cast too. “My number one comfort spot, where I feel I can catch a big pike at any time of year is off of a sand beach,” Chambers continues. “In our area of the lake, sand and weeds are the ultimate combination when big game

hunting for pike. I concentrate my efforts on long, sloping beaches that have transitions to pencil weeds and are surrounded by boulders. And when I say boulders, I mean big boulders. Big boulders provide prime ambush points especially after weed and cabbage beds die off during the fall period. Pike like to lie in these ambush spots waiting for a walleye to get close and then they pounce.” “I try to think like a fish when I am looking at these areas and try to envision where I

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44 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

would hang out if I was a big gator,” says Chambers. “I look for likely looking pockets in the remaining weeds or natural ambush spots along the shoreline then cast these holes. Always concentrate your efforts in areas close to deeper water during the fall as pike will relate to deeper edges and drop-offs at this time of year.” I am sure some of Chambers’ clients think of him as a bit of a magician in his ability to find big pike but the magic is in the art of observation. Working the same area of the lake every day, and spending as many hours on the water as he does, he is able to observe daily movements of walleye schools. And like they say, where you find walleye you find big pike. The non-stop action of a school of feeding walleyes would appeal to just about any angler but recognize it for what it is. It’s the perfect opportunity to pull out a heavy outfit and combine fishing two of the “legends of the north” on the same outing. Next time you are on the water and you think you might want to hook a brute northern pike, try slap-casting around a school of walleye. I am sure you will enjoy the action and the next slap you hear could be a highfive from your fishing partner, after catching the biggest northern pike of your life! ?

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Paddling the Up By Jim Baird

Pushing deeper and deeper into northern B.C.’s Cassier Mountains, we flew by floatplane. At times it felt like we were almost skipping from mountaintop to mountaintop as we soared low under the dark, gray clouds. We looked out the window at golden streams of light that poured through the darkened clouds and illuminated the magnificent features of the rugged northern mountains. 46 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

It was late July of 2008 and I was on the first flight in with Nicole, my girlfriend at the time. My cousin, Brad, and long-time friend, Arie, waited back at the floatplane base in Dease Lake, at the outreach of civilization. They would meet us on the second trip in. I looked at the canoe, which was strapped to the outside of the plane, and then at everything we had loaded into the plane. We had stored our food rations in airtight barrels. Every piece of camping and fishing gear was carefully contemplated and meticulously packed during the seemingly endless months that led up to our departure date. We were ready to spend 23-days camping out on the banks of the Stikine. On a trip like this it’s a good idea to come prepared for a worst-case scenario. The Stikine River drains out of the Spatsizi Plateau, an area that has been called the Serengeti of North America because of its huge and diverse wildlife population which includes roving moose, mountain caribou, black and grizzly bears, stones sheep, mountain goats and bald eagles. We would see all

of these animals on our adventure and we would also catch glimpses of Sitka blacktailed deer, seals, and even a fully breaching gray whale on the Pacific. Fish species are also very numerous in the region and we had high hopes of reeling in every type available. Rainbow trout of several variations, Dolly Varden, char, Mountain whitefish, Arctic grayling, cutthroat trout, and three species of salmon – all of which could be caught in different parts of the river while we were there. I squinted my eyes as I looked through the windshield of the floatplane. I could see our drop-off point in the distance. The extreme headwater lake of the Stikine is nestled at the foot of towering, snow-capped mountains that circle the crystal clear lake. After landing and unloading the plane it didn’t take me long to decide that this was the most beautiful place I have ever been. I hoped that the shimmering rainbow trout in the lake would be as beautiful as the mountains outside of it. Nicole and I set up camp and collected wood as we listened to the far off rush of waterfalls cascading down the mountainsides.

per Stikine River

Spring 2011 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Real Fishing 47

I began casting off the beach where we had made camp, and I became worried when I didn’t catch anything on my first several casts. I really began to worry when I accidentally snagged a minnow that was not much bigger than the #1 Mepps I was using. I then heard a buzz and turned my head to see the floatplane dipping between two mountain peaks. It landed and delivered Arie and Brad. Brad was already excited and bragging about the big lake trout he caught in Dease Lake while waiting. With a concerned sound in my voice and a rumble in my stomach I asked the pilot about the fish and why I wasn’t catching any. He told me not to worry and that we would be catching lots of fish. “Go the tributary,” he advised, and that’s what we did. The tributary was a small creek that dumped over a ledge in a beautiful waterfall before it spilled into the lake, bringing

highly oxygenated water that carries fish food like mollusks, aquatic insects and their larva into the lake. After moving, we started to catch rainbow trout on almost every cast, with the odd whitefish and Dolly Varden mixed in. The rainbow trout in the upper Stikine River are smaller than their anadromous steelhead brothers but all of the fish we caught were of a decent size. It seems the fish would hit almost anything that drifted past in the current. I cleaned some fish in the stream, letting the current take the head, tail and guts with it. Fish guts are not good things to leave lying around in grizzly bear country! Early the following morning I awoke before the rest of the crew and slipped my canoe into the still water. I made my way back to the tributary, the cool morning mist billowing around me as I glided through it. Fishing from the boat, I hooked a Dolly Varden that I netted after a good fight.

This fish would be our breakfast before setting out on the mountain climb we had planned for that day. When I cleaned the fish I found the head and tail of a rainbow trout in its belly. I later told the crew about my find but I don’t think they really believed me. I was surprised that the char was able to swallow something so big and so I started fishing with larger #2 and #3 spinners. Later that day a caribou burst out of the woods, right in front of us, as we stood on the bank. It seemed annoyed that we were in his path. The large bull made his way around us and we watched as it swam across the lake.

48 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

A massive canyon separates the upper and lower Stikine. The canyon was created during past periods of increased volcanism when rivers of magma were pumped into the chasm, leaving it significantly less eroded than the preceding and succeeding river. In one part of the canyon the river is squeezed through a two-meter wide gap and this, combined with a significant drop in elevation, creates absolutely raging rapids at the bottom of the canyon’s 300meter high walls. The rapids are rivaled by none other in North America and only a handful of top-notch professional kayakers have successfully run them. It is these rapids that prevent anadromous fish like salmon and steelhead from migrating into the upper river.

The Stuart Cassier Highway crosses the river just above the canyon and a winding gravel road connects it to the small community of Telegraph Creek, which lies on the downstream side of the 72-km long canyon. Fortunately, our non-suicidal

group had prearranged a vehicle shuttle. This was the only sign of human interference in the watershed, save for a remote, water access only, salmon processing facility on the lower river. Since that time, BC Hydro has slated major hydro electrical development that is already underway on the Iskut River, one of the lower Stikine’s major tributaries. This will undoubtedly bring road access into the area and destroy the lower Stikine’s wilderness status. “Get the net!” Arie yelled after he sent a red #2 spinner under a tree that was overhanging the river. I saw Arie’s rod bend and heard his drag going. With ninja-like quickness I located the net and bounded from shore into the almost waist-deep river to net the big Dolly. We released the fish after a couple snap shots. It was day five of our trip and we were still on the upper part of the river. Arie pointed out what a perfect fishing hole he had found and I agreed. There was a big eddy sheltered by suspended trees right beside a tributary that poured oxygenated water into the Stikine.

It became more and more crucial to fish at clear tributaries after we passed the confluence of the Spatsizi River on day seven. The Spatsizi brings loads of silt into the previously clear Stikine. The silt makes it difficult for the fish to see your lure but the fishing remained superb at the mouths of the many clear tributaries. We stayed in “Arie’s spot” and started catching lots of Arctic grayling. The grayling is a salmonid, although it looks different from other salmonid species. It has an unusually long dorsal fin and a pink, blue and purple iridescent

shine that will glimmer and flash when the light hits its scales. Anadromous versions exude a brilliant, dark red color phase and males develop a large kype during their spawning period. The grayling’s success in very cold water is due to its ability to live in small pockets of water under thick ice while enduring low oxygen levels that would kill other salmonids. Unlike rainbow trout, Arctic grayling lived in Alaska throughout the last glacial period where they were able to survive in a couple small pockets of glacier-free land. As the ice sheet melted, it flooded the land with massive interconnecting lakes and rivers and the grayling was able to repopulate northern North American waters from Hudson’s Bay to the Bering Sea. There is even a southerly strain of arctic grayling in Montana’s upper Missouri river, but it has remained detached from the rest of the population since before the last ice age. Rainbow trout made it to northern B.C. and southern Alaska significantly later. They emigrated up the west coast at the end of the last glacial period, following retreating glaciers from southern California about 10,000 years ago. On day-15 of our trip we sat at the base of the Stikine’s magnificent canyon. The old Hudson’s Bay Company building that was behind us is still the most significant building in Telegraph Creek. We watched the silt-laden waters of the lower Stikine boil and churn as they went by us at a swift speed. The entire lower river is massive. There are no portages and the current is fast; it seemed that we wouldn’t even have to paddle for our last nine days on the river. The weather was warm and dry, a treat offered by the rain

shadow we were in. Tlingit natives from the soggy coastal region would traditionally make a yearly voyage up river to dry out their catch of salmon in the rain shadow, the dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. We loaded our canoes and headed out onto the lower Stikine. Its size and current seemed almost intimidating compared to the more intimate upper river. Tahltan natives that live in the area still rely on the Stikine’s bounty and, within the first mile or so down river from Telegraph Creek, we saw several drying shacks loaded with specially cut and hung salmon. A smoky fire was lit in each shack to keep flies away from the drying fish. It was a great feeling to be emulating lives of the past; relying on the same waters for food and traveling as people did hundreds and even thousands of years ago. We hoped that we would add some salmon to our diet in the days to come. As day-18 rolled around, we traveled out of the rain shadow and the climate changed very quickly. We entered the northern coastal rainforest where thousand-year-old cedars towered on the banks and the surrounding mountains were shrouded in fog. The numerous glaciated peaks sent out a glowing blue hue that soaked into the misty gray skies. Moss

Spring 2011 – Real Fishing 49

clung to the trees on the portage trail into Great Glacier, which lies deep in the rainforest near the Alaskan border. We launched our canoes into Great Glacier’s outwash lake and weaved through the surreal and Quixotic iceberg formations that had calved off the main glacier on the opposite side of the lake. We heard rumbling and thought it was thunder but later realized the “thunder” was the sound of the perpetually moving glacier. While leaving our campsite that day we saw our first seal which had swum over 70-km up-river from the ocean. On day-20 we passed a large petroglyph of a raven on a boulder at the river’s edge and I wondered what it meant - could it have been made to mark a good salmon fishing spot? We couldn’t seem to hook any salmon there, or anywhere in fact, as the fish were running unseen beneath us in the silted water. We weren’t too discouraged though because the Dolly Varden we were catching were pretty fish and they tasted good too. The strange name, Dolly Varden, is derived from a character that wore brightly colored dresses in the Charles Dickens novel, Barney Rudge. Despite the recognized beauty of the fish, a lot of hatred existed for it because it was believed Dollys poorly impacted the commercially important salmon stocks by voraciously targeting salmon eggs and fry. In the 1920s and 30s, the Alaskan government put a bounty on the species that paid as much as five-cents for each Dolly Varden tail submitted in hope of eliminating the species. Six million tails were turned in before the program was scrapped. It was later discovered that Dolly Varden are opportunistic eaters, much like rainbow trout and Arctic grayling. They are not highly predatory

50 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

and do not target salmon fry. The popularity of Dolly Varden as a game fish has risen substantially over the past several years. In the afternoon of day 22, we paddled up a crystal clear glacial outwash stream in search of salmon. The current was getting strong and we were giving it all we had, often using our paddles to push against the pebble strewn river bottom. We almost felt like admitting defeat when I heard either Arie or Brad shout, “Salmon!” Nicole and I pulled over and jumped out of our canoe. I could see what looked like hundreds of fish up ahead. Most were swimming in the current, at the base of another tributary, while some rested in a shore eddy. We float-fished with trout eggs tied in roe bags and with wet flies. We also used spoons and #4 spinners. The king salmon and steelhead runs were done for the season and we couldn’t see any Cohos amongst the school. We couldn’t entice any sockeye to hit (the spawning fish were difficult to catch despite their large numbers) but we were happy with the chum and pink salmon we managed to land.

As our last day rolled around, we timed our crossing to the island town of Wrangell with the tides. From here we would board a ferry and sail up the Alaskan panhandle to Skagway, where we would catch a ride back to Whitehorse, Yukon, the place our trip began. In the short period of time we spent in Wrangell we visited a beach where ancient petroglyphs of several different designs had been chiseled into the rocks; the stone faces seemed to be looking towards the mouth of the Stikine. It is unknown what their meaning is. The next day we boarded the ferry and began our voyage up the Alaskan panhan-

dle. I stood at the back of the ship and stared, stoned-faced, at the mouth of the Stikine, as I recounted my experiences on the river. When the ferry turned northward and the river vanished from sight, I wished I could be like the petroglyphs - looking over the Stikine forever. ?

52 Real Fishing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Spring 2011

Jigs & Cranks for Prairie Lake Walleyes By Jeff Samsel

Casting a jig to the end of point that juts out along a cattail bank, and feeling for that telltale thump, it almost doesn’t seem like you’re walleye fishing. Pick the right stretch of bank to pitch toward though, and offer the correct bait, and the fish will soon confirm that walleyes are indeed the name of the game. Walleyes relate heavily to forage-filled shoreline cover in prairie lakes, and anglers who know how to pick their banks catch fish shallow throughout the seasons. Jason Feldner of Perch-Eyes Guide Service on North Dakota’s Devils Lake is one such angler. Although Feldner uses a variety of approaches to catch walleyes at different times, he spends significant time pitching X-Change Jigs and Shadling crankbaits from spring ice-out until he wraps up his open-water fishing late in the fall. The fish are shallowest in the spring, largely because the sun adds a hint of warmth to big shallow flats, and Feldner will cast directly to the cattails. As the season progresses and the submerged cabbage starts to get thick, he’ll move the boat back into a little deeper water. He’ll parallel the same banks and cast toward them, throwing the same lures. He’ll simply adjust his path so he can fish the outside edge of the cabbage instead of the actual shoreline cover. Feldner also will fish around more flooded timber as the season progresses.

Zeroing In

1-2 Punch

Wind is a critical factor for finding the most active walleyes along the banks of a prairie lake. Feldner focuses almost exclusively on wind-beaten banks because the wind concentrates forage against those banks and creates sediment in the water, serving the double function of concentrating the walleyes and prompting them to feed more actively. “The wind is especially helpful when it blows in the same direction for four or five days,” Feldner said. Along any given section of bank, the fish are most apt to be along the sides or the ends of points, in little cuts in the cattails and near isolated bonus cover such as trees or rockpiles which compliment the vegetation. Feldner will hit key features from multiple angles as he passes them and will always repeat casts that produce fish. The fish typically reveal themselves pretty quickly if they are home so if action doesn’t occur fairly quickly Feldner often will move to another wind-beaten bank and continue his search.

Feldner’s lures of choice for this style of fishing are Lindy Shadling crankbaits and Lindy X-Change Jigs matched with some sort of plastic tail, and he almost always has both baits rigged. “Some days they want the crankbait. Other days they want the jig. You just have try both and see,” Feldner said. The size 5 Shadling, which is 2 1/16-inches long, is a very good size to match prevalent Warm, shallow flats attract big walleyes in the spring.

Spring 2011 – Real Fishing 53

Devils Lake

est jig that the wind allows him to get away with, but he needs to be able to reach bottom and to be able to feel jig very well at all times. His most common size is 1/8-ounce, but he’ll use the entire range of X-Change jig head sizes at times. Feldner typically matches his jigs with 3or 4-inch paddletail grubs or minnowshaped soft baits, having found that the walleyes usually like the thumping action of a paddletail. However, on dead calm days, when the fish tend to be more skittish, he’ll opt for a narrow bait with a X-Change Jigs make it easy to change head sizes to match the conditions.

forage. It runs to a good depth to kick the bottom without dredging it or getting hung up. It also has rattles, which Feldner considers very important, and it does not float back up quickly when he pauses his retrieve. Feldner also likes the Shadling’s realistic color schemes. A few of his favorite colors are Bluegill, Redtail and Shiner. “They’re also tough” Feldner said about Shadlings, “and they all run true out of the package.” Feldner's baits definitely get “toughness tested,” especially during the spring. Devils Lake supports a tremendous pike population and, during first part of the year, the toothy northerns are thick among the walleyes and in full attack mode. Feldner believes in varying presentations and letting the walleyes dictate their preferences. For example, if he sees fish following his lure but not quite committing to it, he has found that speeding the retrieve suddenly will often trigger strikes. That A few of Jason Feldner’s said, pausing the presenfavorite Shadling colours are, top to bottom, Bluegill, tation or mixing in erratRedtail and Shiner. ic tugs can sometimes have a similar effect. He experiments continually and pays close attention to when the fish bite. Feldner likes X-Change Jigs for pitching plastics because he can easily change head sizes when the volatile North Dakota wind kicks up or falls back. He favors the light-

54 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

An expansive lake in North Dakota’s Prairie Potholes Region, Devils Lake supports an outstanding population of high-quality walleyes, with big numbers of pike and huge white bass adding fun to the fishing action. It’s an unusual lake in the sense that its size is ever-changing and, in recent years, it has been growing – overtaking roads and farms and threatening lakeside towns. The grid of sunken roads actually provides important fishing structure but the same roads also cause significant navigational hazards, so spending a day or two with a guide on this lake is a very good idea. Devils Lake is also extremely popular with shoreline anglers, who tend to do very well catching all of the lake’s major sportfish species. For more on Devils Lake, including fishing reports and information about guided fishing and lodging, visit percheyes.com or call (701) 351-1294. age species, which include shrimp, various minnows and the fry of white bass and other sport fish, flash quite a bit of white, so the fish relate white with food. He also likes Pearl White heads on his X-Change Jigs, but when the water is stained, a bright color like Chartreuse Glow or Hot Pink can draw more strikes.

An Alternative Approach When the fish stack up in specific spots, whether around shoreline timber, off cattail points in bays or over offshore structure, Feldner will anchor and slip-bobber fish. He’ll anchor his boat upwind of the key area and fish leeches under Thill Pro Series Slip Floats, suspending his live offerings just off the bottom. As the season progresses, Feldner will do more and more slip-bobber fishing, suspending his leeches over offshore humps. He emphasized, however, that there are always fish along the edges that can be caught with jigs and crankbaits. ? A slip-bobber and leech is a deadly combination whenever walleyes stack up.

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Few who know me would disagree with the fact that I enjoy fishing more than most. Having been registered blind at age eight and then living through a gradual (and now complete) loss of sight has done little to dampen my enthusiasm. In fact, some might say my enhanced sense of touch and ability to focus has even given me a slight advantage.

America Cup International Fly Fishing Tournament By Lawrence Euteneier

56 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

But, am I capable of fly fishing? The question arose when my good friend, Lance Glaser, called with an invitation to compete in the 2010 America Cup International Fly Fishing Tournament. Now some may think that asking a blind guy to fly fish is just plain cruel and to have him fish in front of 70 of the world’s top fly fishers is bordering on sadistic. In fact, these were just two of many insults hurled at Lance last summer by several of our fishing buddies when he strapped me into a stand-up harness and then stood back while the 15-pound bonito I had on for bait was engulfed by an extremely large bullhead shark! All this to say, my friendship with Lance goes back far enough for him to know I’m not one to turn down an offer to go fishing. The America Cup International Fly Fishing Tournament is staged out of Frisco, Colorado which is located at an altitude of 9,000 feet. Rivers fished in the tournament include sections of the Arkansas, Colorado and Blue. Competitors come from around the world with the exception of my team, a hand-picked group of American fishing enthusiasts Lance had trained personally all of whom had disabilities of one sort or another. It was Lance’s hope that his “Rods and Wheels” team would demonstrate that people with disabilities could compete as equals in the world of fly fishing. I was just a kid when the outdoor columnist for our home town’s weekly paper and local fishing “God,” Mr. George Hore, took me under his wing. My apprenticeship included being spellbound as George relayed details of how he caught or killed the various mounted fish, fowl and game that adorned

Lawrence Euteneier with a Colorado beauty.

his living room. It also involved many an hour in his basement tackle shop as he demonstrated the art of tying flies. My flies may have been crude and my casts less than precise, but I did become fairly adept at tying and fishing nymphs. As my sight continued to decrease, I eventually turned to ultra-light spinning gear, a development I hid from my mentor, George, for fear of being labelled a heretic. Over time, I did find that I was picking up my fly rod less-and-less frequently. To be frank, when I got the call from Lance I wasn’t even sure where in the basement my fly rod now languished. In hindsight, I may have stretched the truth somewhat when I said to Lance, “no problem, I love fly fishing for trout.” Lance suggested I come to Colorado several days prior to the tournament to take in a few days of fishing together, as he had a weekend commitment that was going to prevent him from competing himself. Upon reflection, I think maybe he harboured certain doubts about my fly fishing abilities and didn’t want to be embarrassed for nominating me to the team!

The morning after arriving, Lance, my Bernese Mountain guide dog Maestro, and I were driving through the now famous town of South Park located in Park County Colorado. We were heading for the Hartsel Ranch and 4-Mile Creek. Turned out Lance’s notion of a refresher course involved using dry flies on a creek so small the pools were the size of hot tubs. Further complicating matters were strong winds descending from the surrounding mountains. We decided to enter the river and fish pools well up-stream. Lance advised taking no more than one false cast to avoid spooking the trout, a hard-wired reaction to flickering light that Colorado’s trout have developed to counter the numerous predatory

Lance and I took turns fishing the pools but I still had a dry-fly tied on which, all things considered, isn’t my favourite. I didn’t know it yet, but a man I was going to meet that very evening would address my flyselection concerns in ways that would later blow my mind. birds. So here I was, about to fish a creek reminiscent of my childhood, only this time without being able to see a thing. I knew my casting technique was sound, having practiced with Bill Spicer from the New Fly Fisher at the Toronto Sportsman Show, but could I catch fish? I shook out some line and made my first false cast straight into the wind. Lance suggested a little more line and a bit to the right. I discovered quickly enough that his directions were based on inches and not feet after settling my dry fly first on the right bank and then on the left. By the time I managed to execute a few successful drifts, the trout had long since cleared out. Between Lance’s critiquing of my technique, the winds that were holding my slack line almost horizontal, and constantly having to remind Maestro not to venture forward and spook the fish, a doubt began to creep into my subconscious that maybe I should admit to being an Isaac Walton impostor and simply withdraw from the competition. Just for a lark I swapped my 5-weight rod for Lance’s 4-weight and before long I was making precision casts of 30-feet plus. I also began getting hits, which brought up the next challenge. How was I to know when a trout took my dry fly? After catapulting several smaller trout clear out of the river, we worked out an arrangement that when Lance said, “Check,” I lifted my rod straight up in one fluid motion, without changing the angle of the tip. During the next day’s practice session Lance stepped it up a bit with a wade up the Middle Fork River. A slightly larger river than what we had fished the day prior, but absolutely breathtaking in terms of offering up a true, mountain fishing experience. With mountain peaks surrounding us on all sides, my senses were overwhelmed by Red-tailed Hawks screeching overhead; the sent of sweet sage mixed with wild-flowers; temperatures that started the morning in the low 30’s and climbed to the mid 80°F range by noon; cold, fast running rivers and large brown, rainbow, brook and cutthroat trout that would leave one quaking in ones waders.

Lawrence Euteneier with Gene Gambler and Maestro on location at Colorado’s Blue River.

Team Captain, Sarah Will, doesn’t let a wheelchair impede her enjoyment of fishing.

Noted outdoorsman and television personality, Tred Bardo, checks out his back-cast.

Later that day I met my volunteer guide, Gene Gamber, CEO of the Breckenridge Adaptive Ski Program, and the rest of my team: Sarah Will (our Captain), Tred Barta, Carlos Thompson and Randy Ford. It was over dinner with Gene later that evening that I was introduced to Billy Burger who was just coming off 25 straight days of guiding and was now kicking back for a bit of R-and-R. Now maybe Billy was just tired, or it may have been the “relaxSpring 2011 – Real Fishing 57

COLORADO’S ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY Most variations of the native Colorado cutthroat trout were almost eradicated due to the stocking practices of the government in the early 1900s. Cutthroat are not a large fish, and it was the government’s hope that stocked rainbow trout would offer a more plentiful food source for local inhabitants, most of whom were miners. The fact that the faster, more aggressive rainbows would inter-breed with the native smaller cutthroat was a development no one foresaw. Cutthroat are now being re-introduced and their habitat is being protected. Mining practices begun in the mid 1850s, and which continue to this day, also wreaked havoc on native fish populations. Rivers were dredged for gold and other metals required by the military during various wars. Gravel riverbeds were excavated from depths of two-feet down to as much as 100-feet. Mine tailings contaminated many local lakes and the construction of roads and reservoirs transformed the environment irreversibly. With the emergence of Vail, Aspen and Breckenridge as popular ski destinations in the 1960s, pressure from the tourism sector on local governments meant restrictions on mining operations for the first time. Tourism facility operators understood all to well that their customers wanted to ski in pristine wilderness settings and not in industrial wastelands. More recently, the volatile prices for beef cattle has led operators of large 25,000plus-acre ranches to offer ecotourism experiences along with guided fishing and hunting adventures. Fields of grazing pasture are now being transitioned back to natural meadows and wetlands, with millions of public and private dollars being spent on rehabilitating riverbanks.

58 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

ing” Billy had par-taken of already that evening, but he insisted I accept his offer to loan me several boxes of his home-made flies; the beauty of which rendered Gene speechless. I readily agreed. Day one was, without doubt, tough fishing on the Blue River. I started the day by breaking off what had to be a five-pound rainbow within moments of hooking up. I had been using a hopper pattern as an indicator with a wet fly and a small nymph from Billy Burger on the bottom. The rainbow had taken the nymph, a “Purple Poison” on a #18 hook, but for some reason my 4X leader parted the instant the rainbow surfaced. The water on the Blue River was moving unusually fast for the time of year with a flow rate of 800 CFS (cubic feet per second). The gates on the Green Mountain Reservoir up-stream had been opened to meet demand for water in the Denver area, 100-miles away, following a series of devastating fires that destroyed over 100 homes the week prior. The roiling water meant the trout had either hunkered down in deep pools or had sought refuge by tucking far in under the banks. It also didn’t help that tournament rules restricted us from fishing the far bank of the river. Gene and I worked around several islands in the centre of the river, leaving a good-sized pool close to the bank for our team-mates who were in wheelchairs. The water was just safe enough to wade but it would have been too much for Maestro, who instead was tethered to a tree in full view of the river. Only one of our five-member team managed to land a fish on this section of the Blue River on day one. Over half the competitors fishing this stretch also blanked. Thankfully, the day two draw for beats had us far lower on the Blue where there were considerably larger and deeper pools. Day two started with Gene and me crawling on hands and knees up to our first pool. Maestro knew the drill at that point and kept well back. It wasn’t long before we had our first fish of the tournament – a nice 21inch rainbow caught on a hopper pattern that I had dropped in under some overhanging branches. This beauty was followed up in short order with a 23-inch cutbow trout, a naturally occurring cutthroat/rainbow hybrid.

Without doubt we had found ourselves on water that was heads-and-tails better than what we had fished on day one. Calmer, broader and deeper pools meant fish were able to feed more actively without fighting heavy current. These were river fish nevertheless, and their strength was truly extraordinary. It was nothing for a two-foot rainbow to peel out 90-feet of fly line and another 50 of backing.

More than once I experienced hooked trout tearing past me and then just as suddenly turn and run in the complete opposite direction. The net result was a considerable loop of line being left far back in the trout’s wake. The thrumming in my rod produced by the combined speed of the trout and my effort to recover line is a sensation I’ll never forget. Naturally, I lost my largest trout after a short, but intense, fight. Within a split-second of being hooked, Gene watched in awe as a 10-pound-plus brown trout darted directly towards us and then turned 180-degrees and covered 30-feet in an instant before breaking off. I knew I had a fish on and was scrambling to take in slack but suddenly the line went as tight as a bow-string and parted. Gene’s description of the brown’s incredible speed left me profoundly shaken.

CHECK NYMPHING

Our netting technique involved Gene crouching next to the river while I brought the fish in the last 10-feet by reversing up the bank. Gene would then slip into the water and net the fish. I’d place the rod on the grass and slide in next to Gene to hold the net, keeping the fish in the water as Gene extracted the fly. I’d then lift the trout as Gene plucked my camera from my shirt pocket and snapped a quick photo, after which I would revive and release the fish. The trout were out of water for no more than 30-seconds. This 18-inch brown trout was the smallest of 12 fish caught by the author during the tournament! That’s pretty good fishing if you ask us.

The Billy Burger nymphs and wet flies I was catching most of the trout on were in the #18 to #22 size range. The 4-weight rod I used most of the time reduced my ability to force the fish, making for some intense stand-offs. The smallest of the 12 fish I caught throughout the tournament was an 18 ½-inch brown and the largest was a 25inch rainbow. Day three was only a half-day of fishing, and we once again scored a decent section of the Blue River. My luck held and I managed to catch another five trout. I worked a streamer on occasion to no avail, and took all my fish using the floating indicator fly

with a wet fly and nymph suspended below. My 12-fish total was not enough to place me among the top anglers, but definitely positioned me in the top 50 percentile. Many of the competitors coming from Europe used a technique called check nymphing. Instead of waders they wore wetsuits and almost fully submerged themselves in the river, leaving just their head and shoulders above water. Whether check nymphing actually constitutes fly fishing or is more akin to jig fishing is a debate I’ll leave for others to resolve. In fact, some might argue the method I was using involving floating indicators is little different than float fishing, thus, far be it from me to “throw the first stone.” A lot of competitors caught some amazing fish throughout the 2 1/2 days, and the tournament went off without a hitch. I really enjoyed myself – I mean who wouldn’t have if they were in my shoes. I had a topnotch guide, an unlimited supply of amazing flies, access to the best gear and world class trout rivers to fish in. Did I make an impression on my fellow competitors? I think my team did very well

The check nymphing technique involves a long, 11 to 13-foot rod with an extra-fast action. Instead of fly line, reels are loaded with 20-pound test monofilament that is tipped with 10-foot fluorocarbon leaders. There’s no actual fly casting involved as the flies are simply lobbed out. Anglers utilize wetsuits to maintain a low profile in the water as they move about. Flies used are a combination of three weighted nymphs tied to the line, 20-inches apart. The angler selects weights that allow the current to tumble the offering along the bottom of the river bed - heavy enough to provide bottom contact, but not too heavy as to hold fast. The technique involves lobbing the offering up-stream and then following the presentation with the rod tip as the fly drifts and tumbles past. At the end of the drift, the rig is extracted with a sharp jerk and flung back up-stream for another pass. The extra-light tip section of the rod allows the angler to lift and check for bites without spooking the fish and the heavier middle and lower section of the rod facilitates lightening quick hook-sets. Check nymphing is a highly effective method of catching neutral or highly pressured fish.

on that front as well. It truly was a fishing adventure where all the stars were aligned to make for one amazing adventure, and many of these “stars” for me were the people I met along the way. One thing is for certain, I’m going to give the check nymphing technique a try as it seems to depend more on ones sense of touch than casting ability. As exciting as dry-fly fishing might be to watch, unless the fish hooks itself it’s one bite I almost never feel. ?

Spring 2011 – Real Fishing 59

Tales from the Road By Bob Izumi

Just before Christmas a group of us got together with Grant McAllister and the G2 Angling Team for some early ice fishing in the Belleville area. What an incredible trip it turned out to be! We ended up fishing for about an hour and a half the first evening and all day the next day. It was unbelievable how many fish up to 13-pounds plus we caught. We caught somewhere in the range of 40 walleye and at least a quarter of them were 10-pounds or above. It was the best walleye ice fishing excursion I’ve ever had in my life!

Between last fall and winter one of the hottest spoons that I’ve been using is the Lindy Viking spoon. I’m not even sure if it’s a jigging spoon but I’ve been vertical jigging in both open water and now through the ice and I’ve had excellent results with this bait. It definitely seems to attract and catch fish. We ended up getting a great ice fishing episode for the TV series fishing with the G2 crew. Working with keeners and pros like these guys certainly makes my job easier. Between Christmas and New Years I got the urge to get back out fishing. My buddy, Dan Thorne, wanted to take me out for some open water, river steelhead fishing so we loaded up the SnoBear and headed off to Being in an area where the fish were moving and watching our electronics was very important. We were fishing on the edge of a horseshoe-shaped breakline that Grant and the guys had scouted out and it seemed like this was a real funnelling spot for winter walleyes. The real key was having good electronics so we could watch the fish come in and look at our baits. Once you had one under the hole you’d have to try to tease it into hitting. In most cases we would bring our baits up to try and get them to commit to our jigging spoon and minnow combinations. 60 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

meet Dan and his buddy. We had to take the SnoBear about three-miles in through a farm field and a bush to reach the river and it was a pretty gnarly trail to say the least. At times we had to fold the mirrors in on the SnoBear to get down this trail. They had received a really good dumping of snow so it was quite the adventure getting in. By the time we got to the river it was late afternoon and we had a very short time to fish. Our plan was to shoot some winter steelheading video and wouldn’t you know it; I hook up with a beautiful, chrome, fresh fish over 10-pounds in the first 15-minutes of fishing and we find out we’ve got microphone problems.

My wife, Sandy, had to make a 15minute trek back to the SnoBear to get some more microphones. In the meantime I decided that we wouldn’t use this fish on video so I put a little bit more “meat” to it and ended up pulling the hook out. I should have just played that fish out. We only had two other hits before we had to make the journey back out through the forest. I landed one; a three or four-pound rainbow, and we lost the other one. With all the effort we put in to reaching this remote area I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get our show shot. That’s fishing though, you never know unless you try. We gave it the old “Rah, Rah,” but unfortunately it just didn’t work out this time. After New Years I was off to Peterborough for the Tom Brooke roast. Tom is the Vice President of Shimano Canada and he has been with the company since the early ‘80s. He recently semi-retired from his position at Shimano and I was

honoured to be invited to his send-off party. Tom has really done a lot for the fishing industry both in sales and in conservation. He’s one of those guys who didn’t know that much about fishing when he got hired by Shimano but he’s won numerous pike and bass tournaments since then. The head table was filled with other TV fishing show hosts and tournament anglers who were roasting Tom. It was funny because, other than myself, I can honestly say that Tom’s won more tournaments than all the other roasters combined. Of course I had to say that while I was at the head table. They all looked at me with smirks on their faces so I knew right then and there that they were going to get me when they had their turn with the microphone. I’m not going to mention any names, but I’m sure you’d know most of them. I said to Tom that night, “This is almost like a happy funeral. It’s very sad that you’re retiring, but I’m happy for all that

you’ve done in your tenure at Shimano. Now you’ve got some time to do all of the things that you wanted to do!” It was a fun, yet emotional evening. Right after Tom’s roast we packed the Ranger and the truck for a trip to Florida. My buddy, Rick McCrory - who’s in every one of my Tales from the Road columns and who fishes as a co-angler in the FLW tournaments – and I were on our way down to scout Lake Okeechobee before the offlimits period for the opening FLW tournament of the year. We were all ready to go but when we looked at the weather radar things did not look good. A serious storm was brewing and we would be smack dab in the middle of icy and snowy roads. We decided to wait it out for a couple of days before finally hitting the road for the 1000-plus mile trip down to the “Big O.” Coming off a top-ten finish last year in the FLW Series tournament on Lake

Spring 2011 – Real Fishing 61

Okeechobee, I was very excited to fish this year’s FLW Tour Open. Okeechobee is one of those lakes that changes from year to year. You think you have it figured out one year and then you go back the next year and everything is different. The area you fished before is either high and dry and you wouldn’t even be able to get an airboat through it, or it’s full of water and the weeds have all changed. It never, ever is the same from one year to the next so it’s important to get out on the water to see the conditions first-hand. We got down there in two days and immediately hit the water only to find that a severe front was going through Florida as a result of that massive storm that had gone across the U.S. The temperatures were getting down to freezing at night and only up to about 60°F during the day. Florida strain largemouth are very temperamental compared to largemouth up here in the north and the slightest front will give them lockjaw. This was one of those trips and we struggled to catch fish each day. My son, Darren, ended up jumping on a flight because we had a commercial, a show and a tip to shoot. When he arrived, Rick and I had been on the water for a couple of days with only a few small fish to show for it. It was pretty dismal looking. Darren joined us on the boat for the next two days and we got our commercial and tip shot, but we struggled to catch any decent sized

62 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

fish. We caught a number of keepers but they certainly weren’t anything I’d want to make a TV show about. When the lake went off-limits before the tournament started we decided to run over to Fort Myers to hook up with long-time friend and fellow Shimano field staff member, Dan Crawford. Dan lives up in the Peterborough area where he and his wife, Martha, operate a really nice bed and breakfast called Selwyn Lake Shores on Chemong Lake. I’ve known Dan for over 20-years through tournament fishing and have always enjoyed his company but I’ve never really had a chance to fish with him over the years so this was the first. Dan was in Florida for a month with his wife and he said that the fishing was pretty good in the ponds and canals in the area where he was staying. He had been catching some fish so we decided to try filming a show on fishing for largemouth from shore. We had a warming trend during our outing in the Fort Myers area and, as the water warmed up, those fish started to come to the bank to look for bedding areas and they were very aggressive. I put a bag of Berkley GULP! Sinking Minnows in my pocket and we were off to the races. It was amazing how good the fishing was. We threw the Sinking Minnows out, deadsticked them, then moved them a foot or two and let them sit again. All of a sudden your line would twitch and start moving away. We ended up getting the show shot in about an hour! We went out the next day and between the two days we caught over 20 bass. The biggest was about five-pounds and a number of them were in the two to four-pound range. We did much better than I had done during my scouting session on Lake Okeechobee. We’re in the middle of getting that show edited as I do this Tales column and I can’t wait to see it. Since my trip I’ve Google Earthed several areas of Florida, especially areas where friends and family are, and I’ve already scouted out at least two or three hundred more places I can go try. I’m excited about what I found and I’m already thinking about how I can get back down

there for three or four days! When I got back from Florida the boys from Pure Fishing and fishing distributor, KTL, had the Canadian Tire buying group out on Lake Simcoe for some ice fishing and my brother, Wayne, and I joined up with them for a fun day of perch jerking out there. It was interesting watching some of the logistics guys from Canadian Tire who work in downtown Toronto and who had never fished before. I’m not saying all of them, because there are some diehards that do fish at Canadian Tire, but three of them in particular had never ice fished before. They were very intense as they sat in the hut that day, jigging for perch. I guess they must be that intense when they’re working at their computers too! It was pretty funny to watch but they all managed to catch their first perch out there. Right after that I had a big family wedding to go to with five or six hundred people attending. Way too much fun, way too much food and way too many laughs. It was an awesome time! The next afternoon Rick and I hopped a plane for Florida to get ready for the FLW Tour Open. It was scramble time as we had to pick up the boat that I’d left down there and get out on the water for the official practice period. We had missed the first of three official practice days so we had our work cut out for us. After such a bad prefish a week and a half earlier we were both optimistic in how the fishing would be, but we certainly were not oozing with confidence as we launched the boat. Well, a lot can change in a week and a half in Florida. When the water warms up those fish really do get a hankering to move into the shallows to get ready for spawning. It was incredible how many fish had flooded the shallows around big Lake Okeechobee. Each day we had between 60 and 80 bites. In fact, many times we’d be casting out different sides of the boat and we’d each have one running with our baits. We tried not to sting the fish but at one point Rick had one that just wouldn’t let go and it hooked itself. It was about a 6 ½-

pounder. We were both giggling like little schoolgirls just because the fishing had really changed. It was on fire. On day one of the tournament there were 160 boats out there and everybody was catching fish. I went through four limits of keepers that day but could only muster up 11-pounds, 2-ounces, which put me in 141st place. I couldn’t believe I didn’t catch a single decent fish that day. I didn’t even see a good fish! Between the small, nonkeepers and the keepers I probably caught 60 to 80 fish – it was incredible. On the other hand, my buddy, Rick McCrory, who was fishing as a co-angler, had a wonderful day. He had 19-pounds, 11-ounces to sit in fourth place in the coangler division. I was at my all-time low for 2011. That’s not to say that there won’t be lower moments but I certainly think there’ll be higher ones. Meanwhile, Rick was at pretty well an all-time high. Rick’s a pretty cool, calm and collected guy and he didn’t act too enthusiastically about his day. He obviously knew how down and out I felt. So day two rolled around and I said to Rick, “Man, you need, like, a limit of eightpounds to make the top 20 cut.”

The top 20 pros and top 20 co-anglers fish day three and the top 10 pros go on to fish a fourth day. I said, “Be cool, don’t get in a rush and just have some fun out there.” So, first thing in the morning on day two I ran about 20-miles from the launch site in Clewiston to where I was fishing up in the northwest corner of the lake. As I was fishing I saw Rick, about 60 or 70-yards away from me, fishing from the back of his pro’s boat. He drew a fellow from Kentucky and, believe it or not, they were fishing the same area that Rick and I had practiced in before the tournament. I was yelling at him and said, “Hey Rick, would you hurry up and catch the fish you need so I can get fishing!” It was fun talking to Rick for a few minutes out there. As it turned out, he caught 11-pounds, 4-ounces to make the cut and qualify for day three in 11th place. Needless to say, he was a very happy man. It took me a few hours to get a limit on day two and I would say that the afternoon bite, when the water warmed up more, was definitely better. I got a few good fish as the day progressed and, in the last five-minutes of fishing, I went back to an area where I had seen a fairly big bass cruising off of a bed. Sure enough, the fish was sitting in the eelgrass in about four or five-feet of water. It took me about five-minutes to catch it and it turned out to be between seven and eight-pounds. It was bittersweet though. Although I finally caught a good quality fish, I needed a couple of more to make it a successful tournament. One or two more of those types of fish and I would have gotten a very nice paycheque. But, it was a case of too little, too late. I moved up to 109th spot from 141st but the tournament only paid to 70 places. With my 29-pounds, 10-ounces over two days I was about six-pounds out of the money but that’s how it goes. Rick, on the other hand, made the cut on the co-angler side so he was back at it on day three. He caught a small limit that was good enough to put him in 15th place over-

all on the co-angler side. Needless to say he was very happy with that. Rick asked me to do a little bit of concierge work for him while he was enjoying himself on day three. He needed a flight booked and he wanted me to reserve hotel rooms and make dinner reservations for us that evening. So I spent the morning on the internet and telephone getting all of his dirty work done for him. I got our rooms

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and bad tournaments. Even now, I always do a post analysis of each event. What did I do right, what did I do wrong? I don’t think I did anything wrong at the Okeechobee event. In fact, if I fished it again tomorrow and the conditions were the same, I’d probably do the same things.

booked, got a very inexpensive, one-way flight for him from Orlando to Montreal and got us dinner reservations at a very nice restaurant called Amura. I had heard that Tiger Woods frequented this restaurant and I think I know why. This Japanese steak/sushi house has some of the best steak you will ever find. It’s funny how a great meal helped me forget the battle scars and wounds that I was suffering from after my poor finish at the FLW Open! My wife, Sandy, had flown down to Florida to visit her mother and to spend the last day of the tournament with me. We had a bit of time before Rick weighed in on day three so we decided to take a few promotional pictures she needed. We launched the boat and, on my fourth cast, I landed a seven-pound, two-ounce bass. Five minutes later I got a four-pounder. I had two fish that weighed as much as the five-fish limit I weighed on day one! It’s funny how this fishing game works! The next day we took Rick to the airport for his flight home. After he got on the plane, Sandy and I headed back to Ontario with the truck and boat. We had a pretty non-eventful journey although we did hit some pretty bad snow in upstate New York and the Niagara region. All in all we made it back unscathed despite my tail being between my legs the whole way home. After fishing competitively for as many years as I have, I know that there will be good tournaments, mediocre tournaments 64 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

In this tournament I just didn’t come across enough of the big fish that many of the other anglers were catching. Hey, on a positive note, if this fishing business doesn’t work out for me I think I’d make a great travel agent! ?

What’s COOKING Tempura Battered Pickerel with Lime and Cilantro Coleslaw and Tomato Jam Here’s a delicious spin on the traditional fish, chips and coleslaw dinner. Lime and cilantro give a fresh and zesty flavour to the coleslaw while the tomato jam makes for a unique and delicious dipping sauce.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

TEMPURA BATTERED FISH

TOMATO JAM

2 lbs

3 tbsp 1 5

3/4 cup 2 tsp 1/8 tsp 1 cup 1/4 tsp

pickerel fillets (substitute perch or crappie fillets) flour cornstarch baking powder water vegetable oil

LIME & CILANTRO COLESLAW

1/2 head green cabbage 1/2 red onion 1 carrot 1 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sugar 1/8 cup rice wine vinegar 1/8 cup chopped cilantro zest of 1 lime juice of 1 lime

vegetable oil medium onion vine ripened tomatoes (diced) 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 tsp salt

Julienne cabbage and red onion into thin pieces. Grate carrot on a grater and squeeze excess juice off. In a separate bowl, add mayonnaise, sugar, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, rice wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Stir ingredients together and pour over cabbage. Mix well. Place in refrigerator until later. Heat a small pot on medium, add oil and onion and turn down to med-low. Sautee onions until they turn a rich brown colour. Add tomatoes, sugar, and salt. Let simmer until thickened. Place in blender and pulse until pureed. Place in refrigerator until cooled.

Cut pickerel into 1 1/4 inch thick pieces. In a bowl, place flour, cornstarch, baking powder and vegetable oil. Add water and stir. There should still be small lumps in batter. Flour pickerel lightly. Dip fish in batter and scrape off excess. Place in deep fryer at 350°F. Fry until a light golden brown. Serve fish with coleslaw and tomato jam. Fresh cut fries would go nicely as well.

Special thanks to Jason Mohring of Tecvana Corporation for providing this recipe.

Spring 2011 – Real Fishing 65

THE OLD MAN IN BELIZE I still can’t think of that trip without thinking about him, “the old man in Belize.” Sitting there, hand-lining from his long dug-out canoe, he looked so content. Watching him, it hit me - fishing is whatever you make it. And I thought, right on! He’s got things figured out. He’s living the life. – Naoto Aoki

The Old Man in Belize Dimensions: 14" x 11" Medium: Oil on canvas

Contact: Yoshi Aoki Email: yoshi@flymaxfilms.com

66 Real Fishing – Spring 2011

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