Winter 2013 by Real Fishing

Canada Post Mail Product Agreement No. 40015689

VOLUME 19 • ISSUE 1 Just $3.95

WINTER 2013

DISPLAY UNTIL APRIL 15, 2013

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Contents Features 30 THE CURE FOR YELLOW FEVER Sure-fire tips and techniques for successful hard water perch fishing. By Geoff Coleman

38 A MARLIN FOR THE RICKER Fulfilling the dream of catching a giant marlin. By Rick Ireland

49 THE ICE RIGGER ADVANTAGE An inside look at one of the hottest new ice fishing accessories of the year. By Tom Gruenwald

55 CHASING ICE A weekend of fun and fishing in a Lake Nipissing ice bungalow. By Jim Baird

WINTER 2013 Volume 19, Issue 1

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, Geoff Coleman, Patrick Daradick, Tom Gruenwald, Rick Ireland, Bob Izumi, Wayne Izumi, Steve May, Jason Mohring, 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

22 THE VINTAGE TACKLE BOX

By Jerry Hughes

By Patrick Daradick

10 SPORTSMEN’S ALMANAC

24 REAL FISHING FISH FACTS

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

Channel Catfish

26 BEST FISHING TIMES 14 WHAT’S NEW The latest in fishing tackle, gear and accessories

Doug Hannon’s moon phase calendar

16 FISHING By Bob Izumi

18 FLY FISHING By Steve May

20 THE WATER’S EDGE By Dave Taylor

Subscription inquiries Please call: 1-877-474-4141 or visit www.realfishing.com Canada Post Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40015689 Customer Account No. 2723816 GST Registration No. R102546504 Postmaster: Please return front cover/label only of undeliverables to: Real Fishing 940 Sheldon Court, Burlington ON L7L 5K6

28 THE HOT BITE

60 TALES FROM THE ROAD The trials and tribulations of life as a professional angler By Bob Izumi

65 WHAT’S COOKING On the cover: Stone Cold Perch! Photo by Izumi Outdoors

66 ART OF ANGLING

opening lines By Jerry Hughes

Remembering Robert Last fall we got a phone call from a woman whose father had passed away. She told us that he had been an avid angler and had accumulated a large collection of fishing gear over the years. Unfortunately, neither she nor her anyone else in the family were anglers and she didn’t know what to do with the assortment of rods, reels, tackle and tools. She had found one of Bob Izumi’s books while going through her father’s belongings and so she called us to ask if we could use any of the equipment. Because of our ties to Fishing Forever and the Kids and Cops Fishing Days programme we were sure that we could donate the items to kids who wouldn’t otherwise own any of their own tackle. We set up a date and I was elected to pick up the items. It all seemed like a fairly straightforward task. Drive to the home, pack the stuff in my truck, ferry it back to the office and put it in the basement for sorting and distributing. I figured there would be a tackle box or two, a bunch of lures, a couple of rods and reels and maybe a net or a pair of waders. In truth, I really didn’t give it much thought until I met the woman and we started to load the gear. What I thought would be a small selection of gear turned out to be literally dozens of tackle boxes, thousands of assorted lures and baits, a dozen or so rods, boat electronics, reels, clothing and collectibles. I noticed the meticulous detail in how the baits were packed. There were species specific tackle boxes full of baits for bass, walleye and muskie. There were other boxes full of old lures long retired from active fishing duty. There were tackle boxes that looked like they were the ones her father would have taken fishing once 6 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

he’d loaded them with the appropriate lures. There was even a box full of nothing but empty lure boxes, some including the original purchase receipts dating back to the 70s. There’s no question this man took his fishing seriously. What was really odd was how much of the gear was the same as my own. A lot of the items were incredibly familiar and reminded me a lot of what’s sitting in my own basement. One satchel-style tackle box in particular was identical to one I have and it contained several of the exact lures that mine holds. As we continued moving things, I started to get a strange sense about it all. Some of the things she told me about her dad really struck a chord, they sounded so familiar and similar to my own experiences. She told me about their family vacations and how her dad would fish all of the time; about how proud he was when he bought his “fishing boat”; about how he fished all year ‘round, for all different species; about how he subscribed to fishing magazines and watched fishing shows on television. It was all a little eerie in the sense that I felt she could have been talking about me. I never met Robert Natao, but after

going through his tackle and hearing some of his stories I felt a kind of kinship with him. He wasn’t a professional angler, just a hard working guy who loved to fish whenever he could. Although he had a couple of high-end items, most of his gear was mid range; average stuff if you will. He loved fishing for any species and he had a decent selection of gear for any of them. He kept several old baits, rods and reels that would never see water again but obviously held special meaning to him. He was an awful lot like a lot of the anglers I know, myself included, and I think I would have enjoyed fishing with him. Now that he has gone, I hope that some of his spirit will pass through his tackle and instil a love of fishing in the next generation of anglers. ?

Bait Tackle Tims

ÂŠ Tim Hortons, 2012

SC Johnson’s annual

Win a Day

On September 25, 2012, the staff of Real Fishing and several professional tournament anglers made the trek to Bark Lake in Haliburton, Ontario, for a day of fishing with the winners of two contests. SC Johnson’s annual “Win a Day Fishing With Bob Izumi” contest was won by Ron Bowerman of Brantford, ON, who brought his son, also named Ron, along for a day of walleye and smallmouth bass fishing. Dave and Nicholas Braun along with Joe and Tyler Nolan, won their fishing adventure through Canadian Tire’s Jump Start program. These folks traveled all the way from the Chicago area to take part in this unique fishing adventure. Along with the consumer contest winners, a number of Canadian Tire dealers and staff, along with several folks from SC Johnson, joined in on the fun. The weather couldn’t have been better and the fish cooperated in a big way. Everyone caught lots of smallmouth bass and walleyes, and the tall tales were flying around the dinner table and lodge into the wee hours. Congratulations to all of the winners and a special thank you to the good folks at SC Johnson and Canadian Tire for running these contests.

(Left to Right) Rebecca Doherty from Canadian Tire in Saskatoon, and Agnes Bedard from SC Johnson, with Bob Izumi, pro angler Rob Lee and a nice bunch of Bark Lake fish.

(From left) Nicholas Braun, Joe Nolan, guide Chris Giles, and Tyler Nolan with a nice three-fish limit.

Pro Angler Dave Chong (left) guided Brent Keeler from Canadian Tire in Lindsay (centre) and Pat Pecora from SC Johnson (right) to a nice bunch of walleyes.

8 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

SC Johnson’s Amy Umrysh (R) and Craig Salkeld from Canadian Tire in Peterborough, (centre) benefitted from Dave Chong’s walleye prowess in the afternoon session.

Fishing With Bob Izumi Jump Start contest winners Dave and Nicholas Braun had a good day on the water.

John Parsons (L) and Craig Gillis (middle) from Canadian Tire in Peterborough, with their best three fish from a few hours of fishing with Wayne Izumi.

Adam Ross (L) and Tim Van Meer (R) from Canadian Tire in Peterborough with guide, Will Kooy. ners, father SC Johnson contest win Bowerman, and son Ron and Ron e good with Bob Izumi and som smallmouth bass.

Jon Popham from SC Johnson (L) and his pro, Mike Jackson, with a mixed bag from Bark Lake.

Mitch Fox (L) and Caleb Jackson (R) show off the walleyes their guide, John McGuigan (centre) landed them on.

Winter 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Real Fishing 9

TOURNAMENT BENEFITS FISHING FOREVER Earlier this year Frank Guida, of Tri-Con Co., hosted a fundraising fishing day up on Lake Couchiching to generate funds for fisheries conservation and rehabilitation. Called “Fish with the Pros,” this one-day event gave 40 regular anglers the opportunity to fish in a real tournament with a professional angler. Each of the 20 pros fished with two non boaters in the team-style tournament. The event raised $1520 which was donated to Fishing Forever for use in protecting and enhancing Ontario’s fisheries. Congratulations to all the anglers who participated and special kudos to Frank Guida for organizing the tournament.

TORONTO SPORTSMEN’S SHOW RETURNS 2013 CLASSIC MUSKIE CALENDAR TO EXHIBITION PLACE In case you missed it - or forgot - the Toronto Sportsmen’s Show will return to the Direct Energy Centre at Exhibition Place from February 7-10, 2013. Walter Oster, Chairman and CEO of the Canadian National Sportsmen’s Shows, announced the return to the Exhibition grounds earlier last year. “We’re proud to be moving back to the very place the Toronto Sportsmen’s Show called home for 62 years - Exhibition Place,” said Oster.“We look forward to our new home and will continue to fulfill our mandate by

entertaining and finding new ways to bring the outdoors to life.” The Toronto Sportsmen’s Show, part of the Canadian National Sportsmen’s Shows (CNSS), first took place in Toronto in 1948 under the leadership of world-famous outdoorsman, author and dedicated conservationist, Frank Kortright, who devoted his life to protecting Canada’s wilderness. Sixty five years later, CNSS has helped protect Canada’s outdoors with grants in excess of $32 million.

Noted Canadian artist Charles Weiss has just released the 2013 version of his popular Classic Muskie Calendar. The calendar contains images of 12 original paintings inspired

by Charles’ observations and angling adventures with the king of Canada’s freshwater fish. The full-colour, spiral-bound calendar is printed on heavy card and contains moon phases and holidays to help plan your next muskie trip. The 2013 Classic Muskie Calendar is available for $20 from the Charles Weiss Art Studio, 34 Hughey Cr., Toronto, ON M1K 2V4, 416-752-4363, www.charlesweissart.com

10 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

GAIN REWARD POINTS WHILE FISHING AND CREATING OUTDOOR ADVENTURES Fishing, fishing, fishing. Why do I want to go fishing? What’s in it for me? I can’t take my laptop with me. I cannot connect to the Internet. Chances are I’ll have no phone reception at all. With a demanding world that’s always “on” and plugged-in, why would I want to spend hours away from all that? After all, this is my normal 24/7 routine. I’m always connected. I don’t even know where to begin to find a spot to go fishing. Can I fish in the city? Do I need to Google my way to a

smaller rural community to fish? Where do I find this information? The above scenario no longer needs to happen. TecVana Corporation is working with the students at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario to develop an app called GeoCruizing. With one tap of your finger everything you want to know is all there in one spot – in real-time. It allows you to find out what is happening in your neck of the woods. It could be a community event, a local attraction or an outdoor activity. The choices are endless. Geo-Cruizing is an app that’s innovating and makes fishing and other outdoor activities fun. It helps you identify what outdoor activity you’re interested in. You may be interested in entertainment, excitement, adventure or something cool you can do with your friends.

Each journey you take will have reward points assigned to it. There may be an opportunity to receive bonus award points for stopping in at various participating community events, attractions or businesses and scanning QR codes to gain on-site rewards. What’s different about the Geo-Cruizing app is that the end user gets to decide what they are looking for - what is trending and what activities are important. Usually it’s the reverse. The Tourism industry pushes activities on people and people tend to resist discovering, experiencing and planning an adventure outdoors because the Tourism industry isn’t connected with new technology. Geo-Cruizing works with the end user. This allows you to decide what’s important, what’s hot and what’s not. We’ve asked what you wanted, what you need and what you desire to start creating adventures outdoors. You’ve responded and we’ve listened. With your feedback, TecVana Corporation and Izumi Outdoors have created an alliance to collaboratively develop and grow new markets for the recreational outdoor industry within Canada, the United States and the Caribbean. The marketing pilot for the Geo-Cruizing app is planned to start in Southern Ontario beginning in 2013. For updates about the upcoming new innovative Geo-Cruizing app and how the program is unfolding, visit www.techvana.com.

EVENTS Calendar TORONTO INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW January 12 - 20, 2013 Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place Toronto, ON www.torontoboatshow.com CALGARY BOAT & SPORTSMEN’S SHOW February 7 - 10, 2013 BMO Centre, Stampede Park Calgary, AB www.calgaryboatandsportshow.ca SPRING FISHING AND BOAT SHOW February 15 - 18, 2013 International Centre, 6900 Airport Rd, Mississauga ON www.springfishingandboatshow.com ONTARIO FAMILY FISHING WEEKEND February 16 - 18, 2013 License-free fishing in Ontario www.familyfishingweekend.com OTTAWA BOAT & SPORTSMEN’S SHOW February 21 - 24, 2013 CE Centre, 4899 Uplands Drive, Ottawa, ON www.ottawaboatandsportshow.ca

MONTREAL HUNTING, FISHING & CAMPING SHOW February 21 - 24, 2013 Place Bonaventure Montreal, QC www.salonexpertchassemontreal.ca

EDMONTON BOAT & SPORTSMEN’S SHOW March 14 - 17, 2013 Edmonton Expo Centre Edmonton, AB www.edmontonboatandsportshow.ca

CANADIAN ICE FISHING CHAMPIONSHIP February 22 - 24, 2013 Lake Simcoe Jackson’s Point, ON www.cifc.org

QUEBEC HUNTING, FISHING & CAMPING SHOW/QUEBEC BOAT SHOW March 14 - 17, 2013 Centre De Foires D’expocité Québec City, QC www.salonexpertchassequebec.ca

WAWA ICE FISHING DERBY March 1 - 3, 2013 Wawa, Hawk and Manitowik Lakes. Wawa, ON www.wawaicefishingderby.com

NIAGARA OUTDOOR SPORTS & BOAT SHOW March 15 - 17, 2013 Scoitabank Convention Centre Niagara Falls, Ontario www.niagaraoutdoorshow.com

TORONTO SPORTSMEN’S SHOW February 7 - 10, 2013 Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place Toronto, ON www.torontosportshow.ca

KIDS, COPS AND CANADIAN TIRE FISHING DAYS Various dates and locations. Visit the Kids and Cops website for a complete list of events. www.kidsandcops.ca

Winter 2013 – Real Fishing 11

READER’S PHOTOS Rick McCrory Pointe-Claire, QC Peacock 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

Lucas Fancy Chatham, ON Muskellunge

Braydon Kelly Portland, ON Smallmouth Bass

Paul Sarris Whitby, ON Gar

Don Foreman Bolton, ON Chinook Salmon

12 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

Catch BOB on the Tube! BOB IZUMIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S REAL FISHING SHOW SCHEDULE Okeechobee Shiner Fishing The Brothers' Amazon Adventure Big City Pike Florence Alabama Bassin' Lord of the Kings Beauchene Fishing with Tim Brent Early Season Cranking on Champlain Quinte Fishing Variety Big Water Walleye Trolling Fall Fishing for Bass St. Clair Musky TBA TBA

January 5 January 12 January 19 January 26 February 2 February 9 February 16 February 23 March 2 March 9 March 16 March 23 March 30

STATION LISTING & AIRING TIMES* MARKET

PROV./STATE

STATION

DATE & AIR TIMES

Atlantic Canada

Global (CIHF)

Saturday 10:00 am

Calgary

Global (CICT)

Saturday 10:30 am

Edmonton

Global (CITV)

Saturday 10:30 pm

Manitoba

Global (CKND)

Saturday 9:30 am

Ontario

Global (CIII)

Saturday 9:30 am

Quebec

Global (CKMI)

Saturday 10:00 am

Regina

Global (CFRE)

Saturday 9:30 am

Saskatoon

Global (CFSK)

Saturday 9:30 am

Vancouver

Global (CHAN)

Saturday 10:30 am

Canada/USA

WFN

Check www.wfn.tv for dates and times

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

What’s

NEW

2013

REVO® BAITCAST REELS RECEIVE TOTAL REDESIGN Abu Garcia® has completely redesigned their popular line of low-profile Revo baitcasting reels. By completely re-engineering the design and utilizing new advanced materials, the new Revo is significantly lighter. Some models are up to 29% lighter than the original. The new Revos incorporate a larger D2 gear system that translates into more efficient cranking power and the compact design provides an easier fit to the hand for more comfortable fishing, hour after hour. There are nine models in the Revo baitcasting family to suit any fishing style and budget.

www.abugarcia.com

NAVIONICS LAUNCHES SONARCHARTS™ SonarCharts™ is a breakthrough in electronic mapping that features continuously enriched content which is updated daily and available for download within 24-hours. Navionics integrates its own survey data with Hydrographic Office data and sonar logs received from the Navionics Community, then combines them to provide the most up-todate charts with maximum detail. Virtually anyone with a sonar device can plumb the marine depths and upload their sonar logs through navionics.com. All SonarCharts™ users benefit from the contributions of the Navionics Community which is comprised of tens of thousands of individuals who submit hundreds of thousands of edits per year.

www.navionics.com

THUNDER ON ICE HT Enterprises Inc. is pleased to introduce their new Polar Thunder Series Tip-Up. This tip-up has a large capacity 500-foot spool with handle, multiple setting trip shaft and an ultra-smooth, “guaranteed against freeze-up” inner mechanism. The Polar Thunder tip-up also features a revolutionary, one of a kind adjustable drag system which allows the angler to increase or decrease the angle of the flag wire against the trip for fine tuning to suit any species. With a compact, ultra-thin V-shaped frame, the Polar Thunder is lightweight and easy to stow, making it the ideal tool for today’s mobile ice anglers.

www.icefish.com

14 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

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

NEW ELITE-7 WIDESCREEN SERIES Lowrance’s newest addition to its Elite family of fishfinder/chartplotter products is the Elite-7 Hybrid Dual Imaging (HDI) series. The Elite-7 series features a 7-inch, widescreen color LED-backlit display that is 70-percent larger than comparably priced 5-inch products. All Elite-7 fishfinder models feature Hybrid Dual Imaging™ (HDI), which combines Broadband SounderTM and Downscan Imaging™, to provide the best possible view of the water column. Elite-7 models with chartplotter capability feature a highly accurate built-in GPS antenna, a detailed U.S. lake and coastal map and a micro SD card slot. The new Lowrance Elite-7 series includes the Elite-7x fishfinder-only, the Elite 7m stand alone chartplotter and the Elite-7 combination fishfinder/chartplotter models.

www.lowrance.com

FENWICK INTRODUCES AETOS The newest line of rods from Fenwick, the Aetos series, are crafted with all the high-quality components and traditional feel of a Fenwick with some new, high-tech components usually reserved for more expensive rods. The high-modulus blank construction features titanium-frame guides and lightweight titanium inserts, making these rods light and durable. A new Fuji Skeleton reel seat and TAC split-grip handle make them comfortable for all-day use under any conditions. The Aetos family consists of 26 actions, 13 spinning models and 13 baitcasting. Aetos spinning rods range from 6’3” to 7’6” in medium-light to medium-heavy actions while the baitcast rods come in lengths from 6’4” to 7’9” in medium-light to heavy actions.

www.fenwickfishing.com

TIMELY OUTDOORS APP DataSport has announced their newly designed FishCast and HuntCast apps for 2013. If you could only hunt or fish one day of the week or month for a short period of time, wouldn't you want to go during a predicted peak of activity? DataSport’s Fish FishCast and HuntCast apps can pinpoint those peak activity periods so you can get more out of your time outdoors. Using peak times from Doug Hannon's Moon Clock calculator, all of the apps now cover activity periods for an extended season stretching from December 1, 2012 through January 31, 2014. Also included in the apps are weather updates for any place in the US and sunrise/sunset times for your location.

www.moontimes.com Winter 2013 – Real Fishing 15

fishing

Bob Izumi is the host of The Real Fishing Show.

By Bob Izumi

Get a Line on Ice Fishing Now that winter has arrived, it’s time to start thinking about ice fishing. It’s a great way to get outside and enjoy yourself, while getting a little exercise at the same time. And if you’re like me, you could probably use a little exercise after the holidays to help burn off a few of those Christmas calories!

Over the past few years there have been some real advances in ice fishing equipment and techniques. Ice fishing is going high-tech and today’s ice angler has more quality gear to choose from than ever before. GPS systems, underwater cameras, side imaging sonar, portable shelters and more are making the quest to find fish easier than ever before. That, combined with new knowledge of fish movements under the ice, has led to an explosion in the popularity of ice fishing. No matter how high-tech your gear is, the final factor in your success on the ice is that thin piece of line that connects you to the fish. These days, thick, springy monofilament or

16 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

old-style Dacron lines just don’t offer the handing characteristics, strength or sensitivity that today’s ice anglers demand. One of the best things to hit the ice-fishing scene in recent years is the array of ice and cold-weather lines that have been specifically designed for use in cold weather. They are extremely soft and supple and they resist the kinking and coiling that is so common with stiffer lines. With these lines you can use extremely light baits and still maintain a feel for them, even in deep water. That means extra sensitivity to help you detect even the lightest bites. Whether you fish from a hut or in the open; whether your fishing calls for monofilament, fluorocarbon, braid or a superline; you can find one that has been engineered for peak performance on the hard water. With so many new lines on the market it can be tough deciding which one is right for your particular style of ice fishing so I asked the folks at Berkley to give me a rundown on what’s available. Clay Norris Sr., the Senior Brand Product Manager, was kind enough to get back to me with all the details on Berkley’s cold weather lines and the applications each one is best suited to. Monofilament is familiar to all of us and it’s a great, all-around line for a number of ice fishing situations. Trilene Micro Ice is a lowstretch monofilament that offers increased sensitivity and better hooksets than regular mono. It has been designed for moderate cold weather and is ideal for use inside of a hut or on days when it’s not too frigid outside. When the mercury heads south, Trilene Cold Weather is the line to choose. It has a little more stretch than Micro Ice but its low-memory design allows it to remain free from coiling and tangling when you’re fishing in the open. Fluorocarbon lines have had a huge impact on fishing, both in open water and on the ice. The thin diameter, low stretch properties and

near invisibility under water make it the go-to line when stealth and strength are needed. Berkley’s new, 100% Fluorocarbon Ice line offers all of the benefits of fluorocarbon in a line specially formulated for use in cold weather. It is thinner and has less stretch than regular fluorocarbon line so it handles better and has less memory. And, because it’s 100% fluorocarbon, it offers the ultimate in invisibility for finesse presentations. Braided super lines are the ultimate choice when sensitivity and rock-solid hooksets are needed. The only drawback is that they can pick up water so they are best used inside of a heated hut or on days when the temperature doesn’t dip too far below freezing. A couple of the best braids are Berkley’s Fireline Micro Ice and Fireline Crystal Micro Ice. Both of these are made from 100% Dyneema fibers that are braided and fused together. This creates an incredibly sensitive, low-stretch line that is ideal when you need strength and sensitivity in one line. One of the neatest new lines on the market is Berkley’s uni-filament NanoFil. This isn’t specifically an ice fishing line but it is ideally suited to hard water fishing. It’s made of 100% Dyneema fibers, just like Fireline, but it isn’t braided so it doesn’t absorb any water and won’t freeze up when the temperatures fall. NanoFil has zero-stretch, offers the thinnest diameter and has the lowest visibility of any no-stretch line. This line is going to redefine what makes a great ice fishing line! There’s no question that high-tech gadgets are fun to use and they definitely help to put you on fish. But, like I said earlier, it’s your line that ultimately turns those fish from bites to catches. Make sure you’re using the best and you’re going to catch a lot more of them this winter. ?

Nothing keeps a promise like Trilene. Trilene XL is stronger than ever for the ultimate in confidence and control, versatile enough for a wide variety of baits and techniques, and unbelievably flexible for no hassles. BERKLEY-FISHING.COM

Follow the leader in line.

SCAN IT. CHECK IT OUT.

fly fishing

Steve May works for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. When he’s not working to improve our fisheries, Steve can be found guiding or fly-casting on his local rivers.

By Stephen May

My Favourite Flies Winter is my time to reflect on past outings and to plan future trips. Part of my routine is checking fly boxes to see what needs replacing. On a cold winter day it is nice to daydream while whipping up flies to get ready for the big hatches next season. I am most experienced with tying my favorite patterns simply because effective flies need to be replaced more often. All the extra practice has made me good at tying them! In this column I am going to share with you some of my most effective flies.

A few of the author’s favourite flies (clockwise from top left): Full Motion Hex; Chubby Chernobyl; Clouser Minnow; Usual, Glo Bug and Mega Prince.

If I was ever limited to just one fly, heaven forbid, it would be a Full Motion Hex. This fly can be fished as a nymph, wet fly or as a streamer, with equal effectiveness. Its action, size and colouring make it universally appealing to a wide variety of fish throughout the country. If I have this one tied to my tippet I am confident I can catch fish. This fly comes to life in the water and it just looks like fish food. My “default” pattern when chasing smallmouth bass is the Clouser Minnow. It dives to the bottom, resists snags and per18 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

fectly mimics a wounded or fleeing baitfish. It works on a lot more than bass too. Think about all of the big fish that eat smaller fish and then think, Clouser Minnow. The “Usual” has a cheesy name but is a standby dry that flat out works. Thank goodness someone figured out that the fur from the bottom of a snowshoe hare’s foot was perfect for floating a fly! Usuals are easy to tie, float like corks and imitate a variety of bugs when tied in varying sizes and colours. They are easy to track on smooth or rough water. Filling up my fly boxes and local store fly bins with these has paid for a lot of my fly tackle! Big, bold dry flies are fun to fish and the Chubby Chernobyl is a fantastic one because it gets smashed by both trout and smallmouth. The Chubby’s foam body, buggy dubbing, rubber legs and bold synthetic wing gets fish licking their lips before they discover there is a hook in that “cheeseburger.” The Mega Prince is a buggy nymph that can catch fish down deep, where they hide. It is not the easiest fly to tie, but when you get one just right it looks awesome. It’s royal combination of peacock herl, gold bead, biots and rubber legs attract oversized trout and steelhead from dark swirling waters in

enchanting places. This one brings back a lot of good memories. Glo bugs get no respect from many anglers targeting Great Lakes steelhead. In fact, some anglers do not even call them “flies” because of their simplicity. It’s true that they are super simple to tie but they have saved the day for me many times. Glo bugs perfectly imitate drifting fish eggs and I carry dozens of them in different sizes and colours to target fish that enjoy eating caviar - like salmon, steelhead and stream trout. These are just a few of my preferred flies. I am sure you have your favorites too. Sharing patterns, tying up new flies and dreaming about fishy places is a wonderful way to get through the snowy season. Hopefully, these flies can help you build some fond fishing memories in seasons to come. ?

DISTILLED BACK WHEN YOU CELEBRATED THE CATCH WITH A DRINK BECAUSE IT MEANT SOMETHING. LIKE SUPPER. Please Drink Responsibly.

Staying True Since 1856.

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

water’s edge By Dave Taylor

Belted Kingfisher You do not have to spend much time fishing along North America’s rivers and shorelines before you will hear the distinct rattling call of the Belted kingfisher. Although they are very widespread across the continent, they do have a few needs that must be met. The Belted kingfisher is a bank nester that needs to have sandy or earthen banks where it can excavate a nest. The excavation is typically about two-meters long but may exceed four-meters and it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to dig. While most nests are found close to water, this is not a necessity. Some have been found quite a distance away from the water's edge and a few have even been found in tree cavities. Without suitable nesting areas the birds will not stay in an area during the breeding season, although they may return to after the young have fledged. Once a suitable nest has been made, five to eight eggs are laid and both sexes incubate them. Access to prey is also crucial for the birds to stay in an area. They feed primarily on small fish, like minnows or the fry of other species. Other prey, including crustaceans,

20 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

insects, small mammals, amphibians and reptiles, may also be taken. Kingfishers typically hunt from a perch located above the water or they hover over a spot where prey is visible. To catch their prey the birds dive, beak first, into the water and they may stay underwater for several seconds. If it succeeds in catching its prey it will take it to a branch and beat it senseless. Once the prey is subdued, the kingfisher tosses it into the air and swallows it head first. Obviously, in order to get their prey the kingfisher requires open water. Winter forces more northerly birds to migrate to areas where they can still hunt while in the warmer, southern portion of their range kingfishers may reside year-‘round. Sexual dimorphism is evident when the larger males are seen perched by their females. Both sexes have blue bands (belts) around their chest but only the female has

a chestnut belt around the lower part of her chest. The Belted kingfisher is a member of a small group of birds in the order Coraciiformes. Being somewhat biased by my experiences with this bird, I have been pleasantly surprised on my travels to meet other kingfishers (there are over 90 species to found around the world) on every continent but Antarctica. Surprisingly, most species are tropical and, unlike the kingfishers I see locally, several species prey on terrestrial insects rather than on fish. Many are vividly coloured - a far cry from the subdued blue/grey of the Belted kingfisher – and all of them are short-legged and longbilled. The largest of all kingfishers is the one that sits in the “old gum tree,” Australia’s Kookaburra. In Ontario, where I live, I look forward to the kingfisher’s return each spring. Their presence never fails to enrich my time on the rivers and lakes. They are a good indicator of a healthy water system and I suspect they are also a good omen for anglers. ?

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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 online at www.ontariolures.com or by phone at 613-398-7245.

By Patrick Daradick

Fly Rod Lures Tackle manufacturers have always looked for different angles to attract fisherman and to sway them to purchase their new inventions. With fly fishing always being at the forefront in the tackle industry, many companies competed to find a lure that would not only be successful to the fly fisherman, but also be attractive and detailed enough to entice bass or trout to engulf such an offering. The concept was to invent a small body bait that would be unlike the typical flies that were being used at the time. These would have to imitate the insects, minnows and small wildlife found along the shores or within the waters being fished. Many tackle companies found success manufacturing these lures and many fishermen were lured into casting these unique wood, cork or plastic bodied baits. The detail in these baits and their resemblance to living creatures was astounding and almost a mirror image of minnows, bugs, frogs, mice and many other forms of wildlife. James Heddon and Sons, a well known tackle manufacturer from the USA as far back as 1924, introduced the “Wilder-Dilg” feathered minnow lure, a cork bodied, feathered fly casting lure that imitated a wounded minnow and was touted as “The Sensational Bass and Trout Lure.” Heddon also found success with fly rod bass bugs. The “Punkie,” a fly rod version of the Heddon “Punkinseed” bait, is one of the most sought after Heddon lures by collectors. The South Bend Bait Co. invented a small version of their famous Bass-Oreno lure called the “Trout Oreno.” This wood bodied fly rod lure came out in 1920 and stayed in production right through to the 1950s. Many companies followed suit and in time almost all tackle manufacturers were producing fly rod lures. 22 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

Companies like the Creek Chub Bait Co. from Indiana and AL&W from Toronto found success in designing fly rod versions of their more popular large lures like the Pikie minnow, Dingbat, Crawdad and Mouse Bait. All these were introduced around between 1924 and 1935. Even the famous Helin Flatfish was made in many fly rod sizes, styles and colours.

The most sought after Canadian fly rod lures would have to be the rare AWS fly rod “Fish-Hawk” lures made in Willowdale, Ontario by August W. Saarimaa in the 1940s. Another lure that attracts Canadian collectors’ interest is the Rogers “Dragon Fly,” a unique wooden fly rod bait with a prop that turns the wings when pulled along the water’s surface. This company also made a crawfish fly rod bait. Hex Baits from Brockville made the “Midget Minnow,” a Tenite-bodied fly rod bait similar to the Trout-Oreno. Although these lures are small in size, to the collector they are quite a find, especially if they are in their original boxes. They are quite easy to display and attractive to view. The value in fly rod lures is in their rarity and especially in the petite boxes they were placed in. Many of these unique fly rod lures can fetch hundreds of dollars in today’s collector market. ?

The AWS fly rod "Fish-Hawk" lures are very tough to locate. The box is from my personal collection and is the only one known to exist.

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real fishing fish facts

Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus

The channel catfish it either one of the ugliest, most despised fishes in Canada, ranking down there with burbot, bowfin and eels as the species anglers would least like to catch, or it’s one of the most revered fish that swims due to it’s incredible strength, its ability to reach trophy sizes and its excellent tasting flesh. It all depends on your perspective. Channel catfish are the largest species of catfish in Canada, averaging between 14 and 21-inches in length and weighing between 2 and 4-pounds, although they often grow to over 30-pounds. In some areas, especially the Red River in Manitoba, they regularly top 20-pounds.

DID YOU KNOW? Native North Americans used catfish spines as tools. The bases of the spines were rounded off and the barbs were removed so that the spines could be used as awls for leather work. If there was a hole in the base of the spine, it would be used as a needle for sewing. One such spine needle found on the shore of Lake Huron was carbon dated to 1000 years B.C.

FAST FACTS Colour: Pale blue, olive, steel blue or grey Size: Average 14 to 21-inches and two to four-pounds but commonly surpasses 25pounds in large rivers and lakes. Life Span: 14 to 24-years. Habitat: Cool, clear lakes and large rivers with sand, gravel or rubble bottoms. Spawning: Late spring and summer in water between 75º and 80ºF.

RECORD The current IGFA All-Tackle World Record channel catfish stands at 58-pounds even, and was caught in Santee-Cooper Reservoir, South Carolina back in 1964.

24 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

Coloration in adults is generally steel blue to grey, olive or black along the back and upper flanks, becoming lighter along the lower sides and dirty white to silver white along the belly. Channel cats feature olive to black colored spots which are more prominent in juveniles than in adults. They have large heads that are between 20% and 25% of their total body length and the head width ranges from 40% to 50% of its length. The snout is long, broad and relatively flat, and the mouth is short but extremely wide. The most distinguishing feature of the channel catfish it its four pairs of barbells, commonly referred to as whiskers. Channel catfish are found from Canada south to the Gulf of Mexico and from the Appalachian Mountains west to Montana. In Canada they occur in the eastern St. Lawrence River and its tributaries, the Ottawa river and its tributaries, all of the Great Lakes except Superior, across most of southern Ontario along a line from Lake Nipissing and the French River to about Sudbury, in parts of northwestern Ontario and into southeastern Manitoba as far north as Lake Winnipeg. The channel catfish is an excellent food fish and is caught commercially in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. In the United States channel cats are farmed extensively and in some areas up to 300pounds of fish can be harvested per acre of water. ?

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26 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

JANUARY FEBRUARY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

1 Excellent Time

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

Good Time

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

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THURSDAY

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

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

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

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

FRIDAY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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am pm am pm

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

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

am pm am pm

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

am pm am pm am pm am pm

am pm am pm

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

am pm am pm

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

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

am pm am pm

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

am pm am pm

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

am pm am pm

3:42 - 5:42 4:06 - 6:06 10:09 - 11:39 10:33 - 12:03

am pm am pm

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

am pm am pm

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

am pm am pm

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

am pm am pm

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

10:06 - 12:06 am 10:54 - 12:54 am 11:18 - 1:18 am NA 10:30 - 12:30 pm 11:18 - 1:18 pm 11:42 - 1:42 pm 12:06 - 2:06 4:33 - 6:03 am 5:21 - 6:51 am 5:48 - 7:28 am 6:09 - 7:39 4:57 - 6:27 pm 5:45 - 7:15 pm 6:11 - 7:41 pm 6:33 - 8:03 2:54 - 4:54 3:18 - 5:18 9:21 - 10:51 9:45 - 11:15

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am 9:54 - 11:54 am 10:18 - 12:18 am pm 10:18 - 12:18 pm 10:42 - 12:42 pm am 4:21 - 5:51 am 4:48 - 6:28 am pm 4:45 - 6:15 pm 5:11 - 6:41 pm

am pm am pm

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

MARCH

Best Fishing Times 2013

DOUG HANNON’S

To order your copy of Doug Hannon’s 2013 Moon Clock Calculator please visit www.moontimes.com or send $9.95 (USD) plus $3.75 (USD) for shipping & handling to: Moon Clock, Department RE, PO Box 724255, Atlanta, GA 31139

SUNDAY

am pm am pm

29 1:18 1:42 7:45 8:09 -

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

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30 3:18 3:42 9:15 9:39

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There’s the kind of crappy fishing that no one wants to experience and then there’s the kind of crappie fishing that every panfish angler dreams of. On a trip to Vermont’s Lake Champlain last spring Bob was faced with damp, overcast conditions but he didn’t let that stop him. Like any good angler, Bob persevered and turned a crappy day into a crappie day!

28 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

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THE CURE FOR

YELLOW FEVER

By Geoff Coleman

Whenever I find myself in a place where ice fishermen meet and the “dung is flung,” I have a fool-proof rule for separating the BS from the LOL from the OMG. I pay a lot of attention to the opinions of the blue collar family man who has to wrestle time away from date night, hockey practices, dance recitals, anniversary parties, work and other four-letter words just to go fishing. There's a guy who has to make the most of limited fishing time. He must recognize patterns quickly, identify high-percentage spots right away, and have go-to baits ready in advance. Mark Byles matches that description and then some. When we get to ice fish for yellow perch together, I am always watching to see what he has come up with. We live in the Kawartha Lakes region of central Ontario and, when the local lakes were opened up for winter panfishing a few years ago (for the first time since the 1950s), Mark contracted “yellow fever” and organized a work party the first day of the season to drill holes and find fish. If he could catch fish on ice, just a three-minute ride from home, his available fishing time would grow as fast as the national debt. Through trial and error, a few precious hours at a time, some effective patterns for locating perch throughout the winter were worked out.

30 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

Winter 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Real Fishing 31

EARLY ICE Early in the season, Byles concentrates on the shallows (seven to ten-feet) and works green weedbeds - the greener, the better. Everyone knows that extensive weedbeds go hand-in-hand with good perch fishing but there are good weedbeds and then there are great ones. On fertile lakes the greenery will grow to within inches of the surface in the summer, and it doesn’t die back as much as you would expect in the fall. If you come up against a situation where weeds are mixed in with ice shavings while you drill your hole, you are probably close to a decent spot. Stay in the area, but pop some extra holes to find where that weed wall terminates. Mark’s best weed spots have a distinct edge to them, transitioning from rainforest to clear-cut in a matter of feet. Weeds are living structure with little points and bays forming along the margins. All manner of feed, from bite-sized crayfish to minnows, live in the weeds. Get right on the edge of them, and you will see more action than Las Vegas on Super Bowl weekend. Too far beyond it, however, and you will have less action than a bible-belt bingo hall. In most cases, even 20-feet away from the edge is too far.

MID-SEASON By mid-season Byles abandons the shallows for structure in deep water – as much as 30feet, but usually around the 20-foot mark. The real thing to look for is a soft, mucky bottom. Perch are huge fans of chironomid

32 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

larvae -commonly known as blood wormsand these worms feed heavily on the dead plant and animal debris in aquatic sediments. Mark knows he has a good spot when a heavy spoon sinks into the mud and basically has to be pried out. He likes to lift the spoon and let it hit bottom with enough vigour to stir up the silt into a cloud. The curious nature of perch takes it from there. This is the time to break out some larger spoons. I have seen impressive catches with spoons that should be of more interest to lake trout. The hardware gets partially buried in the muck so it appears much smaller. When perch come in for a look, the minnow seals the deal. Orange is a particularly good colour. There is no doubt this is the toughest bite of the season, but perch will co operate if they are in the area. Work spots quickly and, if nothing is happening, move on to another part of the structure or find another spot altogether.

LAST ICE At last ice, perch start moving in earnest toward their eventual spawning areas. They are as big as they will be all winter and getting numbers of big fish is a good possibility. This is the time to look for something out of the ordinary in shallower water. If you can find a gravel bar surrounded by mud, or a rock pile in the middle of a sand flat, at depths under 15-feet, you will likely find perch as well. With where to fish out of the way, what to fish with becomes the question. Regardless of the timing, or location, any piece of equipment you use must do one thing above all else - it can’t get in the way of you catching more fish. In other words, a piece of gear should only make it into your arsenal if it helps you get a hook back down in the fish zone as quickly as possible after the bite. You need to get that fish out of the water, the hook out of the fish, and the bait back to bottom before the school moves from beneath the six-inch circle you drilled out of the acres of ice available to you. Let’s face it, perch fishing is generally not the solitary pursuit of a trophy fish, matching wits with a cunning adversary amidst breath-taking scenery while battling the elements in a primordial struggle as old as humanity and nature themselves. We just want something good to eat. We need a

Late season perch, especially spawning females, are as big as they will be all winter. Consider releasing these fish to help ensure good fishing in the future.

well-oiled machine designed to get the most fish possible during those flurries of activity.

JIGGING While there are several lures that catch perch, a jigging minnow is hard to beat. First of all, it doesn’t have to be tipped with worm, maggot or minnow to work. It can be, but it is not a necessity since there is enough colour, flash, and action built into every lift and drop to attract the biters. Second, it is very heavy for its size. Such density means it will reach the bottom in seconds. And, when you are fishing in 30foot depths, you will still get a very good signal telegraphed up the line to your hand Jigging minnows are hard to beat for catching winter perch.

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A good selection of jigging lures.

thanks to the bait’s heft. Third, you can pinch down the barbs on the nose and tail hooks for rapid hook removal. I got a lesson in this a few years ago from some Americans who were fishing central Ontario’s Lake Simcoe. It was an awesome day and we were all fishing out in the open. One guy in particular was really “on them” and I could not ignore the numbers of fish he was landing. He would reel in a fish, swing it out of the hole and lay it on the ice. Virtually as soon as there was slack in the line the hook fell out and he was fishing again. He rarely touched a fish to unhook it. He must have lost the odd fish going barbless, but if he did he was able to catch two others in the time he gained with his handsfree unhooking style. A final point about swimming baits - they lend themselves very well to modification. I like to take off the bottom treble hook and attach a tiny crappie jig or a ¾-inch brown/gold tube jig to a two- or three-inch dropper line. More often than not when I get fish on that combo it is on the little hook. On days when the fish are telling you less is more, turn to a small, minnow-imitating spoon. Tipped with the head of a shiner, these are very solid producers. I am a fan of the firetiger colour pattern with a single hook for speedy releases. Mark prefers to change the standard treble hook to a beaded ice hook.

SET LINES Perch are nothing if not curious, competitive, and cooperative so another rig that shouldn’t be overlooked is the humble spreader. Nothing more than a big sinker separating two or more hooks on four or six-inches of stiff mono, it is great for pinning minnows close to bottom. Whatever it is about this rig, when big perch are bot34 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

tom-oriented, spread- through the float, which remains bobbing ers will outperform a at the surface. Line feeds out until the stop lot of other, more jams into the top of the float, halting the sophisticated methods. freefalling bait at whatever depth you estabGetting two fish at lished. Then it is bobber fishing as usual. once is not that A few refinements perfect the slip-float uncommon. system. First, add sinkers until the bobber If you are fortunate is basically neutrally-buoyant and pulls enough to fish from a under at the slightest tug. When set this permanent or collapsi- way the fish will feel very little resistance ble hut, where wind yet the descending, or occasionally rising, and hole freezing is not float indicates even the softest take. You an issue, you can try a can clearly see how long the fish has had couple of other approaches that take the the bait and how active they are. The secguesswork out of when to set the hook. ond thing you may want to do is add First, borrow a page from whitefish and beads to your line, directly above and lake trout fishermen, and get – or better below the float. These should be big still, make - a tip-up. In a nutshell, tip-ups enough to prevent the stop or the sinkers are stands that hold and balance a line hold- from getting jammed in the float stem ing device. This can be as simple as a flat openings. Third, make sure the rubber stick with your line wrapped around or it stop has a death grip on the line. It will be can be a high-tech rod and reel balancing retrieved onto the reel with the line as you system. In either case, they are set with such haul in fish and you want it to stay at the precision that, when a perch so much as productive depth. Finally, make use of looks at a hooked minnow dangling below long-stemmed floats that protrude well it, the stick or rod swings up or down in the above the ice wall of your hole. Resist the stand. When a fish bites you simply pick up inclination to use too small a float since the rod, set the hook, and generally it is you won’t be able to load it up with the game on. sinkers necessary to get the hook back to A second hands-off method requires a lit- bottom quickly. tle more set up on the front end, but pays dividends to my way of thinking. Many walleye anglers have experimented with slip-floats during the open water season to suspend a bait at eye-level or to drift a jig across a snaggy piece of structure. These same floats are deadly through the ice. For the uninitiated, slipfloats look like any other slim, sensitive float except that the stem is hollow. You run your line through the float, which is free to slide along the line between your uppermost split shot and a stop (usually a small rubber bead) threaded on the line above the float. The stop determines how deep your hook will sink. When the rig is dropped into the hole the Slip floats allow you to suspend your bait at any depth. weights and hook pull line

THE CHOICE OF CHAMPIONS

“I first started using SHARK jigs in my first World Ice Fishing Championship held in Poland in 2009.That’s when I learned that small is a relative term…and the advantage of tungsten was drilled into my head. I could now use a super small jig and get it to fall as fast as a much larger lead jig. One neat trick that I have learned and applied in my home state of Michigan is when we get a slow bite in deep water, say around 30feet, I drop one of those small jigs down there, and it always triggers the fish into striking. It takes a while for it to go down and it is a very timid strike, but it makes all the difference between sitting on a bucket and catching fish.When I won the 2010 World Championship held in Rhinelander, WI, my go-to jig was a 3mm rain drop with a blue/glow eye.They are the best jigs in the world! 2013 brings the World Championship back to the U.S., and we have assembled a formidable team that will have high expectations of winning some medals. Armed with a good supply of SHARK jigs, I’m confident we will bring home the gold.” Mike Boedeker, 2010 WORLD ICE FISHING CHAMPION, 5-TIME USA ICE TEAM MEMBER.

GEARING UP The next consideration is the gear you actually fish with. Byles likes a light rod, but not the lightest ones on the market. A lightaction panfish rod, measuring around 20-

Match a low stretch main line to a fluorocarbon leader for a one-two punch of sensitivity and stealth.

36 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

inches long with a fast tip to feel the light bites, and enough backbone to set the hook in those 20 foot-plus depths, fits the bill nicely. An over-sized tip top that resists freezing is a nice touch. Match the rod to the size of the bait but give yourself some insurance on the hookset by going with low-stretch line. Sixpound test Berkley Fireline Micro Ice has proven itself to be rugged yet sensitive (like Harrison Ford, as my wife would say) and tip it with a 4-pound test fluorocarbon leader. If fishing is really tough, try switching to a 2-pound test leader. You may break off a few more fish but you can’t land them if you don’t hook them first. It’s not that perch are such dogged fighters, but the repetitive jigging action weakens extremely light line, and ice edges are unforgiving.

As line tests go down, the reel you use has to be increasingly smooth and dependable (like George Clooney, as my wife would say). Spend the milk money on a quality reel that gives line easily at the first pull. They all work smoothly once the line is in motion, but the ease with which line feeds out initially is critical, particularly at subzero temperatures. High-speed gearing for quick retrieves doesn’t hurt either. The last component of the perch fishing system that I consider mandatory is an electric fillet knife. If you haven’t tried one, you will be impressed with how quickly and effortlessly you can knock the fillets off a nice jumbo and get them ready for the table. After all, as my wife would say, you have to feed a fever. ?

A MARLIN FOR

THE RICKER By Rick Ireland

38 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

Our quest for the elusive marlin started over 20-years ago. Our first trip to Mexico was a well deserved vacation from years of hard work and saving money. At least for one week anyway! The kids were teenagers at the time so we ended up booking a trip to Cancun, where an experienced colleague said we should go with the kids for our first trip to Mexico. We chose an all-inclusive resort on the strip that was close to many attractions and “all of the action,” as the kids would say. We notified the kids that mom and dad wanted to try our luck at deep sea fishing and they were okay with that. And why not? They would have the run of the place while Darlene and I were out fishing.

Winter 2013 – Real Fishing 39

The trip, to us, was thought to be a once-ina-lifetime experience so we purposely booked the trip with just the two of us fishing on the boat. I couldn’t bear the thought of going out with several strangers and hooking into a big billfish only to find out it was on someone else’s line. I mean, let’s face it, why not avoid having to punch somebody in the mouth and take their rod if you can, right? I made it known to the Captain that I really wanted to catch a sailfish and he promised that he would try very hard, but he didn’t seem too positive in his response. We weren’t out in the deep blue very long before the action started. We caught some nice Wahoo and then my wife hooked into a three to four-foot mahi-mahi, also known as dolphin or dorado. Wahoo are much like a cross between a muskie and a barracuda, with big teeth and big eyes. They have a very mean disposition and those teeth are not to be taken lightly. A German Shepherd with fins comes to mind! The mahi-mahi was a real education for both of us, but more so for my wife. I couldn’t believe how fast that fish was. You could see a miniature wake come off the 50pound test line as she fought the fish. More impressive was the fact that my little wife was doing battle with it. She wanted me to take the rod as she began to tire but I insisted she finish on her own - and she made it! We continued to troll for several more hours and the Captain knew I wanted a sailfish really badly. He didn’t seem too confident on us catching one, l but I wasn’t giving up hope.

Mal de Mer Despite the beauty of the open ocean, the constant rolling has a way of making some people a little green around the gills, me included. I have tried many methods of helping my ailment but dimenhydrinate tablets seem to work the best for me. The ones I use come in a tiny bottle with a pink label marked “Motion Sickness” and I get them over the counter at my local drug store. Since I discovered these little beauties our big water excursions have been much more enjoyable and a lot easier to handle. I never go out on the big water without them.

40 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

Wahoo have a mean disposition and a mean set of teeth to go with it.

It was late in the afternoon and the charter was just about to come to an end when all of a sudden a fish slammed into one of the lures and launched himself airborne, wiggling frantically in mid-air and crashing down into the turquoise waters. With a proud look on his face the captain extended out his arm and, just like introducing a movie star, he said, “Sailfish.” I, on the other hand, was already in motion and heading for the fighting chair, ready to do battle with that glorious fish. It wasn’t very big in sailfish standards, but I didn’t care. It was mine, it was on the rod and I was holding it! The fish put up a spectacular fight, jumping fully out of the water several times, headshaking and tailwalking. It was everything I dreamed of. Finally the fish began to tire and I was able to get it up nice and close. The first mate grabbed it by the bill and hoisted it aboard. He and the captain laid it out gently across the top of the transom. As we admired the beautiful fish and took pictures, the Captain looked at me and said, Choose!” I knew what he meant. We took one more look at that fish and I said, “Okay, release it. It’s too beautiful to keep!”

They carefully lowered it back into the water and held on to the bill, working it back and forth. A few minutes later the striped beauty tore off, heading straight down into the depths. We all applauded! The Captain smiled and nodded with approval, knowing that fish would be just fine. It was only about a five and a half-footer, but we will never forget that first billfish.

This first trip planted a special seed in both of us and laid the groundwork for many deep sea fishing trips to come. Since that first billfish we have gone on several more charters in the Caribbean and Mexico. In Acapulco, we caught a seven-and-ahalf to eight-foot sailfish. On another memorable but frustrating trip we actually saw six sailfish right on the surface. The captain spun the boat around several times, on many instances dragging the lines right over their backs.

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The first mate looked at me, shrugging his shoulders, and said, “Fish no hungry.” Tell me that’s not a kick in the can, especially when you’ve come all that way and invested all that time and money! One good thing though, I’m fortunate that my wife enjoys fishing too so we can share the joys and the agonies together! No sense being disappointed alone... right? Some years later we decided to give Mazatlan a try. It is located on the Pacific side, directly across from the Sea of Cortez. If you draw a line directly west from Mazatlan’s shoreline it will run right through Cabo San Lucas, on the southern tip of the Mexican Baja. It seemed like a perfect place to try since Cabo and the cities on the West Coast are all famous for great bill-fishing. Large billfish, like Blue, Black and White marlin, as well as sailfish are in those waters, along with many other varieties of game fish. We took the local bus as close to the marina as possible for a look around. When we got there we strolled into a little office and met an elderly gentleman, sitting behind a desk. The walls were full of photos and mounts of nice fish. The gentleman spoke excellent English so we struck up a conversation.

Keep or Release? After landing a trophy fish you have to quickly decide whether to keep it or not. You won't believe how fast an eight-foot sail fish can lose its colour. In a matter of minutes you will notice all those beautiful iridescent colours disappear and the fish begins to take on a coppery grey hue. This is the reason many outfitters quickly put a blanket or cloth over the fish and pour water over it to keep it wet. If you want to keep the fish for mounting, most reputable outfitters have all the contacts. Bear in mind that a good billfish mount including taxidermy fees, shipping and handling could easily exceed $1000 or more. Another (and preferred) option is to photograph your catch, take accurate measurements and have a replica mount made. Some of these are more realistic than skin mounts and they will last forever. That way you can have your trophy while still releasing your catch to fight another day! 42 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

The prices he quoted us seemed great and better than we had experienced anywhere else. I had to be sure he understood that we were talking about the entire boat to ourselves, in case he misquoted us. He confirmed that this was the price for just the two of us, for an all-day charter. He also included hotel pick up at the front lobby in the morning, water, soft drinks, bait, ice and the return trip to our hotel. For a small fee he would pack us a box lunch or alcohol, if desired. We were sold! After giving him a small down payment and a handshake, we walked back from the pier with a sense of accomplishment. This was the start of a great and longlasting relationship we have with the Bibi Fleet. Since then we have caught several large fish with them over the years, including two sailfish in the seven to eight-foot-plus class. Last year turned out to be a very special trip. We decided to book a week in August, which the locals call the start of the rainy season. Quite often we would be awakened by horrendous thunder storms around 3:00 – 5:00 am. Kelly Hernandez, the manager of Bibi Fleet, told us not to worry and usually by 7:00 am the storms would clear out and make for a nice day. True to his word, this phenomenon occurred several times during the week. We confirmed our arrival in Mexico with Kelly and booked a charter trip for Tuesday. I asked for the same crew as we have had in the past - Alex senior and Alex junior, the father and son combination. Kelly said the guys would be ready and were looking forward to it. Over the years we have grown accustomed to them and mutual respect and understanding seem to be shared between our families. Not to mention that they can really catch fish! We pulled out of the harbour around 7:00 am and it wasn’t long before we ran into action. For a short time it was pandemonium on the boat with rods being tripped everywhere. What a blast! We boated five nice Yellowfin tuna in a matter of minutes before the school moved on. Alex kept one fish for dinner and we let the rest go. We continued out further into the sea in search of the “blue water,” where the ocean’s colour changes from a turquoise-

Darlene Ireland is all smiles after landing a nice tuna.

green to the most beautiful shade of blue you’ve ever seen. Unfortunately we couldn’t buy a fish until about 1:00 pm, when Alex Junior came flying down and grabbed one of the rods. A sailfish had come up and smacked one of the lines, but after a few head shakes it was gone. Shortly after we had to turn around and head back to shore with only the tuna to show for our efforts. Darlene and I were somewhat disappointed, but that’s fishing. We began to discuss the possibility of booking another charter and she agreed to try again later in the week. We asked Kelly if he could accommodate us again on Thursday and he said he could. On Thursday morning Kelly swung by and picked us up at the hotel lobby at 6:00 am. We had to make a little detour on the way to the marina since some of the streets were flooded due to the heavy storm the night before. The showers continued as we approached the harbour but then the rain let up just long enough for us to board the boat and get under way. By 8:30 am Alex Jr. had finished cutting and tying the bait rigs and we had all the rods in water. As the day progressed, Alex Sr. steered us into the deep blue while Junior kept changing lures, freshening up the live bait rigs and adjusting lines. He showed me one lure that was his favourite - a squidlooking creature about a foot long. Alex Jr. informed me that this lure had caught five 5 marlin and lost 11 more.

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Ominous early morning skies usually give way to sunshine as the day wears on

I said, “You’re kidding? “ He said, “No,” nodding his head with a smile. He told me he had modified it a little and then showed me some of the changes he made to it. I could see his handiwork and told him he did a great job. I said, “Well Alex, let’s see you make it six marlin, okay?” He laughed as he headed back up top to sit beside his dad. The two of them allowed me to come up top beside them and help spot. You can see a lot better from up on the flying bridge. Each time I’d spot something that just didn’t look right I would point in that direction. Alex senior would say, “No, that’s a duck,” or “No, that’s a turtle,” before smiling and laughing. A sea turtle’s flipper or a duck standing on a turtle’s back looks pretty convincing from a quarter-mile away, but Alex was always right! By about 1:00 pm we were starting to get discouraged. The weather had been perfect for quite a few hours but there wasn’t a fish to be bought. I said to Darlene, “Do you believe this? Two hard days of fishing and all we’ve got to show for it are a few tuna?” We were over 30-miles offshore by now so Alex senior had to turn us around and head back, although we still continued to fish. All of a sudden Junior came flying down from the bridge with a loud thud as his feet hit the floor. That got our attention real fast. I don’t think his feet touched one rung of that 10-foot steel ladder! The boat sped up quickly and Junior said something to his dad in Spanish as he grabbed one of the rods off the transom. 44 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

I said, “Have we got something?” I looked up and heard a reel screaming, only to see Alex Senior hanging on to one of the rods up top for dear life. He looked down at me with a big smile and said, “Si, marlin,” and motioned with his head for me to look out over the back of the boat. Way out in the horizon I could clearly see this fish flying horizontally, about 10-feet above the surface, and then ploughing into the waves again! “Yahoo” was the word of the moment as I flew into the fighting chair. Senior and Junior negotiated the rod down from up top and handed it to me. The fish looked very dark, almost black, and not very big because he was a long way out there and heading for China! He continued his long, high horizontal leaps and kept bulldogging. I just could not stop this fish! The line on the spool continued to get smaller and smaller and the reel was so hot you wouldn’t dare touch it. Senior and Junior were shouting in Spanish and then Senior threw the boat into high gear and began to chase the fish. Finally we made up a little distance and I was able to get a few turns of line back on the spool, albeit only for a moment. The fish took back everything I had gained in one hard pound of the rod. The reel was dangerously close to being empty but I finally began to gain a little. Junior continued coaching me and telling me to keep moving the line evenly across the spool with my thumb. Darlene removed my hat and kept wiping the sweat from my forehead. My left arm was throbbing in pain.

I said to Junior, “I think this fish is a lot bigger than we thought. I’m not kidding here guys, you should feel this thing! Even the big sailfish I’ve caught don’t pull this hard!” Alex could see the rod, which was as big as pool cue, being pounded by this fish. I could tell he was starting to think I was right. The fish sounded and it was all I could do to hang on. Then, all of a sudden, everything went slack. A sad feeling came over me but, as I reeled like hell to take up the slack, I felt the weight of the fish again. “Ah-ha,” I said to myself. “This crafty guy is pulling the old, “run at the boat,” trick in an effort to break free!” The fish tried that stunt on more than three occasions and each time it sent my heart sinking, thinking I had lost him. The line would go completely limp and I swear I broke the world record for speed-reeling! Alex Senior was well educated in the “marlin magic tricks” and would expertly increase or decrease the boat’s speed as necessary. Alex Junior couldn’t help but inform me that, out of all the lures and live bait rigs we had dragging out there, the fish had hammered his modified lure, and he was beaming with pride. As the fight continued I kept pumping and reeling, keeping a watchful eye and feel on the rod for any more tricks this fish would dish out. At this point my left arm was really sore and my thumb was stiff too. As we gained line we also began to catch the occasional glimpse of a big shadow in the water. The two Alex’s were talking in Spanish and you could tell that they were impressed by the size of this fish. We could start to see the blues, silvers and stripes coming into view.

Planning Your Trip If you plan to try a deep sea fishing adventure, be sure to do your research prior to going. The internet and a few phone calls can work wonders. Hotels in the area can also offer contacts. If you'd like to give Mazatlan a try, I highly recommend the Bibi Fleet. They were Mazatlan's first sport fishing fleet and they have been in business for over 65-years. That should tell you something! You reach them through their website at http://bibifleet.com, on their Facebook page, by phone at 669-913-1060 or by email at gogetem@bibifleet.com. Ask for Tadeo Hernandez - Kelly - and tell him “The Ricker” sent you!

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Junior began to pull line in and out of the rod tip by hand to aid me in fighting all that weight. As the fish got closer, we couldn’t believe the size of it. I stopped reeling before the leader got too close to the rod tip, stood up out of the chair and moved way back, holding the rod high and keeping the line tight. Junior bent over the stern and his dad joined him. At once, they both heaved and this huge marlin came flying into the boat and lay in front of us! Darlene and I couldn’t believe our eyes! “Holy crap,” was now the word! Junior removed his special lure and said, “Si, I told you is good! “ We all shook hands and hugged each other in joy. After sharing several “highfives” and taking a bunch of photos, it was time to head back to shore. Rick’s marlin measured nine-feet, six-inches long and weighed 211-pounds!

46 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

Alex Senior had marked the spot on his GPS when we hooked up and he said that I had fought that fish for one-hour and threeminutes. Junior nodded with approval and patted me on the back. He said, “You did good. Sometimes we catch bigger.” I said, “Bigger?” He said, “Si, grande. Sometimes three or four- hours!” As we headed back to shore, Alex Senior tried to call Kelly to let him know we would be late getting back. He couldn’t get an answer but laughed and said, “You watch, come three o’clock he’ll be on the phone saying ‘Where are you? What’s wrong?’” Sure enough, shortly after three the call came in. It felt great to have the manager call me personally to congratulate us on our fine catch! When we made it back to shore more congratulations were in order. The Blue marlin was weighed, measured and hung up for photos. It topped the scales at nine-feet, six-inches and weighed 211-pounds. When I told Kelly the story about it almost spooling us he said, “Not to worry, if it had got down to the end of the spool they would have clipped another rod onto yours and thrown your rod overboard. That’s what we do. We don’t like to do that, but we will if it means landing a big fish!” I could only think, wow, what a team! These guys will go to no end to ensure you have a great day on the water.

Kelly asked if we wanted to get the fish mounted but we declined. We told him the photos would have to do. And besides, the money could be put toward another future fishing excursion! Kelly liked that idea. He then offered some of the meat to us, so we took a large portion back to the hotel. I had promised Dago, who works at the front desk, some fresh fish if we caught anything. Kelly said not to worry about the rest of it. There were many hungry people in Mazatlan who would benefit from it and a large portion would help feed the children in the orphanage that was just down the road. Kelly’s operation donates a lot of free fish to the needy children and families in the district. When we arrived back at the hotel, Dago was very happy to see all that marlin meat. He also made arrangements for some of it to be delivered and cooked for us at one of the restaurants. We had fresh marlin steaks with our meal that night and they were cooked perfectly. We gave some back to the bell captain, the waiter and the cook so they could enjoy it too. If you like to fish and have never tried deep sea fishing, you should give it a try. You just never know – that one day could be your lucky one! ?

By Tom Gruenwald

THE ICE RIGGER

ADVANTAGE We ice anglers are an inventive lot, always willing to experiment with new equipment to increase our productivity. The proof is obvious, as our sport is filled with unique gear: portable shelters and tip-ups of various designs; hundreds of specialized ice rods; rod holders, floats, spring bobbers, lures, rigs... the list is virtually endless!

Winter 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Real Fishing 49

HT’s Ice Rigger is one such innovation, completely in a league of its own. Although similar to a standard tip-up, in that a spring-loaded flag signaling device indicates strikes, it’s different because a standard ice spinning combo is used to hook and fight your quarry. The Ice Rigger is not a tip-down or a tip-up because it doesn’t balance or tip toward a biting fish. And, because the Ice Rigger doesn’t feature automated hook-setting, it’s certainly not an auto-hook unit. Some might argue that since the Ice Rigger isn’t a tip-up or tip-down, and it doesn’t automatically set the hook, it’s simply an elaborate rod holder. However, the fact that line free-spools from the reel and presents minimal resistance to striking fish, means you can approach the Ice Rigger at your leisure. You can watch the fish run and determine when to set the hook at your discretion - traits normally associated with tip-ups, not rod holders. You control the timing and strength of every hook-set and you fight the fish using a rod and reel, free and clear of any interference from the Ice Rigger. Here’s how it works. Using a rod and reel combo of your choice, set your presentation at the depth you want to fish. Place the handle of

your combo in the Ice Rigger holder, open the bail on the reel and extend your line from the spool to the trip clip. The line is then slipped within the grooved clip - the deeper down, the stronger the hold for larger minnows or bigger, harder striking fish; the further up, the lighter the hold, better when using smaller baits and targeting smaller or lighter-biting fish.

To set the Ice Rigger, slip your line into the clip – deeper for more tension, shallower for less. A simple O-ring on the end of the trip bar can be slipped away from the eyebolt to reduce tension (top) or pressed forward to increase tension (bottom).

You can also adjust the tension of the trip to maintain additional control of your presentation. A simple O-ring on the end of the trip bar can be slipped away from the eyebolt to reduce tension when using smaller baits for finicky fish, or pressed forward to increase tension if you’re fishing larger minnows for aggressive, hard-striking predators. When a fish strikes, the clip rises effortlessly and smoothly, turning the trip bar and 50 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

releasing the flag. The line then slips free of the clip and free-spools from the reel as the fish moves away. There is no resistance whatsoever to biting fish, regardless of how hard and fast or slight and slow they strike and run. In effect, the Ice Rigger combines the advantages of a fully controlled, tip-up style flag signaling device with a dead stick-rod holder into one advanced, versatile system with one distinct advantage: your line spools freely from the reel without offering any resistance to biting fish. Because of this feature, you can easily spread multiple Ice Riggers throughout a wide area with virtually no worries about how long it will take you to reach the unit before a fish might sense something wrong and drop the bait. Plus, you can enjoy fighting each fish on a rod and reel. And, because the Ice Rigger doesn’t feature an automated hook-set, it’s legal across Canada and the United States. Here are a few examples of some applications I’ve discovered that perform well when it comes to strategic ice fishing with Ice Riggers.

Stocked Trout Ice Riggers make excellent dead-stick systems when working stocked trout and, depending where you’re fishing, can be set in numerous ways. One of my favorite strategies is to fish in groups, with everyone using Ice Riggers incorporating 25 to 30-inch, light action spinning combos. These are spooled with four-pound test line, followed by a length of fluorocarbon leader. We rig our combos with #10 treble hooks baited with one to two-inch shiner or fathead minnows. After spreading the Riggers across potential shallow water flats, we use a mobile jigging approach to fish over the adjacent areas of confined open water or deeper basins. This way we minimize shallow water disturbances - reducing the chance of spooking fish - while maximizing our area of coverage.

Concentrate your Ice Rigger sets along shallow bottom irregularities that trout may relate to. Shoreline points or slots for example, especially those near inlets or outlets, are classic producers. Add submerged cover like wood, boulders or rockpiles to these areas and you’ve really got something special. Set your Rigger trips light and keep the units in sight while you begin jigging adjacent open water areas searching for suspended fish. If anything moves through the shallows while you’re working deep, the Ice Riggers have you covered.

Walleye Ice Riggers provide a great opportunity when fishing walleyes on large main lake structures. Set along secondary breaks such as fingers or slots extending from the shallows into deep water bottom features walleyes follow when transitioning between depths - Ice Riggers allow you to effectively monitor fish movements through these key fish funneling areas. Rig them using 30 to 42-inch, medium action spinning rods, premium spinning reels spooled with six to eight-pound monofilament and #6 hooks baited with your favorite minnows. Strategically set the Riggers near cover, depth or bottom transitions. Ice Riggers can also be used to work along the edges of larger, classic structures or lengthy weed lines.. At times, walleyes may also drift onto shallow feeding flats, scatter across deeper mud flats or perhaps even suspend over them. Since these fish often form loosely knit schools or suspend and wander, they require extra work to locate. A combination of Ice Riggers, strategically spread at various depths throughout these areas, can help efficiently cover water, identify where these often light-biting, roaming fish are holding and increase your catch as you actively jig elsewhere.

Perch When fishing for perch it’s best to keep your Ice Rigger sets close by. I usually begin by jigging with 24 to 28-inch, light action rods and matching reels spooled with two-pound test line and

52 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

some form of active search lure such as a spoon, jigging minnow or swimming jig. Meanwhile, my Ice Riggers are baited with small, one to one and a half-inch minnows and set near bottom, strategically positioned alongside my primary jigging holes. These sets are used to catch perch that are attracted by my jigging motions but not active enough to strike it. More often than not I’ve found these fish quite willing to take the slower moving, Ice Rigger set-up. In fact, incorporating the Ice Rigger’s super-sensitive settings combined with the highly visible flag, it’s an absolutely deadly, no-miss combination that often adds significant weight to my winter perch catches!

Pike If there’s one piece of ice equipment truly meant for fishing pike, it’s the Ice Rigger. I like to use long, 42 to 54-inch, medium action rod with a smooth spinning or bait casting reel spooled with 10-pound test braided line. To that I add a light wire leader, a sharp #6 hook and a large minnow. I then simply spread my Ice Riggers over classic pike locations, such as pockets and related turns located within expansive weedy flats, or along deep weedlines. To best accommodate the braided line and these larger baits, be sure to set your drag just a little looser than normal to compensate for the lack of stretch. Slide your line further back within the release clip and use the heavier trip bar setting then get set for some fast-paced action. Ice Riggers allow for all the classic fun of chasing flags for pike, with the added dimension of fighting them on your favorite rod and reel! The unique, versatile Ice Rigger system adds powerful new dimensions to your winter fishing strategies - ones that will unquestionably help increase your winter catches with virtually any species, in a variety of conditions and situations. Whether you fish for stocked trout, walleye, perch, pike or virtually any other species, these units produce. ?

ICE RIGGER TIPS AND TRICKS Spool up with a thin diameter, low memory line that balances well with your combo and matches the conditions you’re facing. This ensures your line will flow smoothly from the reel; help signal strikes more easily and maintain the Ice Rigger at peak operation. Rig with a leader featuring the material, strength and length of your choice. For example, you may want to use a lighter, thinner or less visible leader like a long, light fluorocarbon when fishing for fussy species in super clear water. In contrast, you may opt for an appropriate length of heavy braid or light wire to help prevent bite-offs when targeting larger, toothy critters such as pike. In either case, attach the leader to the backing using a small ball bearing swivel. This enhances performance by preventing line twist. A standard horizontal jig or a plain, premium hook baited with a large grub or lively minnow is all you’ll need to draw fish. To create additional attracting power, consider using colored hooks or adding small flicker or smile blades, colored split shot, beads or yarn to your rig. Check each Ice Rigger frequently to be sure your lines are clear and your baits are lively. Work your baits or giving them a little twitch or two to add action before moving on. You’ll find a high percentage of Ice Rigger strikes occur during or just after such activity.

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CHASING

ICE By Jim Baird

Remember the winter of 2011? You probably recall December, January and February, but if you’re from southern Canada you probably don’t remember winter ever fully taking grip. It was the warmest one on record. Snowmobilers shed a tear, Southern Ontario ice fishermen tiptoed onto thin ice, and snowshoes stayed hung in the shed. Climate change seemed to be happening; but there is still hope for those, like myself, who embrace winter. The Old Farmer’s Almanac reports that most solar science experts believe we are entering a period of decreased solar flares and that our winters should be getting colder again for the next few decades - unless it is offset by increased greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the mild conditions, four of us decided to take an ice fishing trip, but most Southern Ontario ice hut operators were having their worst winter in years. It wasn’t long before our search led us north, to Lake Nipissing. It took a little coaxing to talk the boys, Jeff Jefferson and Terry Edgar, into making the four and a half- hour trek north, but when I offered to drive they obliged. Kyle Loney, the other member of our group, loved the idea since Lake Nipissing is less than a twohour drive from his place in Sudbury.

Winter 2013 – Real Fishing 55

Through talking to a couple local ice hut operators I learned the lake had 18-inches of black ice on it; not a lot for Nipissing on January 24th but it was more than enough to drive our trucks onto. While 18-inches of black ice can support over 15-tons, aerated white ice or slush ice only has half the strength. More importantly, there was more than enough ice to support Nipissing’s renowned ice bungalows. These “ice huts on steroids” come equipped with bunk beds, a barbecue, an oven and stove, gas heat, and even a television! The reliable ice conditions on Nipissing, and the significant population in the North Bay, Ontario area, make the ice bungalow business feasible, and Nipissing offers some of the best ice hut operators in the country. Despite the fact that there are several ice bungalow operators, it can still be tough to rent one in prime season if you leave it to the last minute. We scrambled and managed to find an available bungalow with Lake Nipissing Ice Fishing Charters (www.lakenipissingicefishingcharters.net) who are positioned off the southeast shore of the lake, near Callandar, Ontario. Kyle, Terry and I are no strangers to wetting a line through hard water, but Jeff, a successful businessman, was a little outside the usual comforts of his downtown Lake Nipissing is huge, the fifth largest in Ontario if you don’t count the Great Lakes, and with a surface area of 542 km (337 miles) there is an enormous amount of water to explore. There are no lake trout in Nipissing because it’s a relatively shallow lake considering how big it is - its average depth is only 15 feet. This makes it a warm water lake which means it is great habitat for pike, perch, muskie, bass, walleye, Lake herring, and, surprisingly, whitefish, which are a cold water species but can survive the warmer months in the deeper parts of the lake. Despite its shallow average depth, Nipissing does reach down to 171feet at its deepest point. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) tells us that the walleye fishery is not what it once was on Nipissing. A large commercial harvest, along with angling pressure targeting walleye, has been blamed for the decrease in population - which is said to be half of what it was in the 1980s. A slot size and a limit of four walleye per angler have been in effect for some time and it seems to be helping.

56 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

Toronto penthouse - despite the conveniences of the bungalow. He’s not a fisherman, let alone an ice fisherman, but I was hoping that if he had a good time on this trip he would be game to come along again. It’s always good to have another recruit! After he saw some of the other fisherman and their pickup trucks on the ice - not to mention the Sorel boots, fleece camouflage sweaters, and weathered overalls that seemed to be standard attire in the shanty town of ice bungalows - Jeff mentioned that he didn’t really fit in. He did look a little

like a ski bunny fresh off a shopping spree at Sporting Life, but the important thing was he was dressed warmly. Nevertheless, as we baited our lines with minnows and began jigging Jeff was confident that he would catch the biggest fish. We weren’t fishing for more than a couple hours before Mike, the owner of Nipissing Ice Fishing Charters, came to our door with an eight-pound walleye that Kyla, a 12-year old, had caught moments earlier. It was huge! The bite didn’t start for us until later in the night. Terry landed the

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Kyle Loney with a big Nipissing perch.

first one and we landed a couple more that night, but it was pretty slow. The next morning we followed Mike farther out onto the lake, to a hut where the perch were biting, and we started to load up. It was perch after perch! Kyle brought in a jumbo that was the biggest perch I’d ever seen. Then Terry and Jeff landed a couple whitefish. Good times were being had by all on the overcast but calm day. When the bite died down we made our way back to our bungalow where Jeff started cooking a roast and the rest of us started cleaning the big pile of perch. It took a long time and my hands were frozen by the end of it, but a little Fish Crisp, generous amounts of oil, and some sizzling pan-frying action turned the fillets into golden brown, melt-in-your-mouth pieces of deliciousness. The boys fished in the bungalow that evening while I went out with Mike and some of his friends to one of their favourite spots and we ended up hooking into eight good-sized walleye. I looked at the rig Mike was using; it was more sophisticated than the plain hook and minnow I had in the water. Mike showed me his small gold jigging spoon with a two-inch long cable at its bottom that was attached to a treble hook. The hook was baited with a minnow, hooked through the base of its dorsal fin. It was similar to the rig I use for lake trout. I asked Mike why he hooked his minnow 58 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

through the dorsal fin as opposed to the mouth, like I do. Mike said that the minnow gives better action, stays on the hook longer, and he loses less fish when he hooks the bait through the dorsal fin. Although this may seem like a fairly small point, I think it’s far from moot. All the little things add up in fishing and Mike did land a couple more walleye than I did that evening, so he may be onto something. While we were jigging I showed Mike some pictures of the whitefish we had Mudpuppies are common catches at night.

caught earlier in the day. He took a closer look and told me the fish were actually Lake herring. It can be tough to tell the difference between the two but the key giveaway is that a herring’s mouth points up while a whitefish’s mouth points down. I was a little disappointed because whitefish are the tastier of the two and are seen as a more prized gamefish. When I got back to the hut, it was time for a delicious roast and some walleye fillets. We played Texas Hold ‘Em with bells attached to our lines. We didn’t catch much more than a couple of mud puppies that night while we watched the NHL Skills Competition on television and drank cold beer until late in the night. Before our early departure on Sunday we decided that the four of us would come back next year, regardless of greenhouse gasses and solar activity. After breakfast we cleaned up the bungalow that had been our home for the past two days. Reluctantly, I told Jeff the fish he caught was a Lake herring and not a whitefish. Jeff said, “No, it was a Whitefish.” As I was about to correct him he stared at me, gave a quick nod and wink, and reiterated, “A Whitefish.” It looks like he had become a fisherman after all, and a promising one to boot - his Lake herring was the biggest fish we caught! ?

Tales from the Road By Bob Izumi

As I wrapped up my last Tales from the Road column I had finished my summer tournaments and was heading into the fall events. My son, Darren, and I were fishing a number of events together on both the Renegade Bass and CSFL trails, starting with the Renegade tournament on Big Rideau Lake. I can see why Big Rideau is a favourite for many bass anglers in eastern Ontario. It’s one of those lakes where you can catch both smallmouth and largemouth on a variety of techniques. If you like to flip you can catch them flipping; if you like frogging you can catch them frogging; if you like to dropshot you can catch them doing that. It’s one of those lakes where you can catch fish on a variety of techniques. Having said that, I don’t mean that it’s easy to just go out there and catch a bunch of giant fish, because you

still have to work for them. But it is one of those lakes that always produces fish for someone on one technique or another. We thought that we would catch some big smallmouth in shallow water. Even though this was a late August event my son and I went out in the hopes of catching a couple of kicker smallmouth and some good-sized largemouth and have a shot at winning. The funny thing about these tournaments is, when you thing you have a good shot at doing well, that’s when someKicker fish can be the difference between cashing a cheque or going home empty-handed.

60 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

times a reality check happens and things don’t go quite the way you had planned. That day we caught around 25 fish, mixed smallmouth and largemouth, but we couldn’t get any kickers. We didn’t have a single four-pound fish. We were using GULP! Sinking minnows rigged wacky style and we used the Havoc Grass Pig on a weighted belly hook, slowly reeling it over the shallow flats. We thumped a lot of fish but just not the right ones. We ended up weighing five fish, (four largemouth and one smallmouth) for 14.47-pounds and finished right in the middle of the pack in 23rd place. While it was good for points, it wasn’t so good for winning any cash. After the tournament we drove all the way home that night. We got in late, got a few hours of sleep and then got up early to head to the Upper Niagara River for the CSFL Bassmania tournament. We ended up with 19.65-pounds for a fifth place finish. Because the launch site was just at the top of Niagara Falls, it was a long run out to Lake Erie and to our fishing area. We decided that we would hit a number of old spots I had in my GPS and luckily, we put enough fish together to have an okay finish. A few days later I went down to Belleville for some bass fishing. I got largemouth up to four-pounds and smallmouth up to five. We got some good video in the can for a show we’re doing on the Quinte region. Then it was back home for an old neighbour’s wedding. It was nice to just kick back, go to the wedding and get into that abnormal, nonfishing lifestyle for a little while. Then I was off to Rice Lake in the first part of September for the Bassmania Classic. Rice Lake is another one of those noted fisheries that produces very good catches of both smallmouth and largemouth. Going into it I figured that smallmouth would dominate and they did. Darren and I had three kicker fish between three and a half and four and a quarterpounds during our days of fishing. We

ended up weighing 14.65-pounds on day one and 12.9-pounds on day two, which was good enough to make the cut for the final day. Unfortunately we could only manage 9.35-pounds pounds on day three and finished up in 17th place. Congratulations to Pete Garnier and Rob LaFleur for getting onto the right sized smallmouth and, staying with them and waiting them out for the win. Then it was off to Muskrat Lake to fish the Renegade Bass Classic. I’ve never been to this lake before so we went up early to get a couple of days of scouting done before the tournament. It was interesting. According to all the regulars up there, the lake wasn’t fishing as well as it usually does. Some of the other competitors said it wasn’t even half as good as normal. We ended up flipping Berkley Havoc Pit Bosses and Powerbait Thiefs on a weed flat. Both of these are small ‘’creature’’ baits that are subtle yet bulky and the largemouth seem to like them. Unfortunately we didn’t fare too well in the tournament but we had a lot of fun and that’s why we fish tournaments.

Berkley Havoc Pit Bosses and Powerbait Thiefs are small “creature” baits that largemouth seem to like.

Bob and Pure Fishing’s Chris Hockley with a nice Lake St. Clair muskie.

From there we headed straight to the B1 tournament on Lake St. Francis. The B1 is a premiere event held in Valleyfield, Quebec. Lake St. Francis is absolutely one of my top 10 places to fish bass in Ontario because it’s such a great fishery. It’s also one of those fisheries that can hand it to you. If you’re not on the right grade of fish you’re just not going to do well. We were feeling pretty good going into this tournament but on day one the wind blew and blew and blew. We were on the right grade of fish, but the conditions didn’t allow us to fish them. We were taking water over the bow of the boat and it was severely rough in the area we had found our big fish. As a result we scrambled around and caught a small, mixed limit of smallmouth and largemouth but it wasn’t enough to make the cut for day two. As it turned out, day two was cancelled because of the high winds so the tournament ended up being a one-day shootout. After the B1 I went up to Bark Lake in Haliburton to take the OFF! Contest winners fishing. We do this every year and it’s always a lot of fun. A number of fellow pro anglers come up to help out and we get to spend a relaxing day fishing with folks from all across Canada. The next day my brother, Wayne, and I fished with some of the OLG Sudbury Downs contest winners from the Sudbury area. We caught a number of walleye and smallmouth bass. After a couple of good days fishing at Bark Lake it was back home for a day

before I headed to Chippewa Creek on the Niagara River for two, one-day CSFL Bassmania tournaments. On day one, Darren and I decided to gamble and run all the way to Nanticoke on Lake Erie. I’m guessing that it’s an 80 or 90-mile run, one way. We figured we would fish where nobody else would be and we were right. I

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Winter 2013 – Real Fishing 61

on Lake St. Clair - we didn’t get any real giants but we caught lots of fish. That place is just a fish factory and it never ceases to amaze me how many fish are out there. The next weekend was supposed to be two, one-day CSFL Bassmania tournaments on Lake St. Clair but they were cancelled due to low water levels and high winds. . Then I did a speaking engagement in Belleville for the Belleville Sales and Ad Club. It was an honour and privilege to talk to these people about some of my travels around the world and some of the experiences I’ve had. I met a lot of new people and also ran into some old friends while I was there, which made for a great evening. It seems like, when you travel as much as I do, the meetings pile up. I had to attend a number of of sponsor and production meetings just to catch up. With as many tournaments as I fish it seems that these things either get piled up in the fall or in the winter. My brother, Wayne, had arranged to get a motorhome from a friend of his so, after a few days of office work, about 25 of us went to Between the Lines Winery to do some wine tasting. I’m not a big drinker but I do have a good palate for wine. I thought it would be fun to spend some time with different people we work with and friends on this little wine tasting journey. The funny thing is, about 75% of us picked the one wine we are going with for the Izumi Signature wine that will be coming out. It was a lot of fun to be in on the ground floor think the fish didn’t even know they were supposed to be there it was so far away! We scrambled and caught a limit of smallmouth but not enough to get a cheque. On the second day we decided to fish closer and shallow on Lake Erie and ended up in second place with 22-pounds. We threw back another 20-pound limit of fish and probably caught 40 fish that day. Then we headed to south-western Ontario to do some muskie fishing with Charter Captain Jim Fleming aboard Drifter II Charters. Chris Hockley, Field Marketing Manager for Pure Fishing joined us on this trip. It was a typical muskie day 62 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

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of what will be bottled next for us. From every bottle sold, one-dollar will go to Fishing Forever to support fisheries enhancement projects. It’s a win-win situation that I’m happy to be involved with. Then it was time to head to the Bay of Quinte to do some walleye fishing with Charter Captain Scott Walcott, who owns the West Lake Willows resort down there. Scott hauls his boat all the way to Picton to get in on the run of giant walleyes that occurs every fall. We hit it a little bit early as the water temperature was still relatively warm and the bite was off a bit. Scott told us he’d had a few good days then he’d have a couple of tough days, then a few good ones – that’s how it had been for him. The day we showed up to shoot a show it was tough. The day before, he caught them up to 12 ½-pounds, including a couple in the 10-pound range. I needed one big fish for a Quinte themed show I’m working on. I’ve got footage of smallmouth up to five-pounds, and largemouth up to four, but I needed one big walleye and one medium walleye to open the show. Although it’s mainly about bass, I wanted to show walleyes as being one of 64 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

the fish available in the Quinte region. We caught a few pike but no walleyes all day. Finally, about an hour before dusk, we got one that was just under 11-pounds. That was good enough for the few minutes of video I needed to start the show so it all worked out.

After the Quinte trip I popped into the KTL show. KTL is a fishing product distributor who sells to independent retailers. We caught up with a lot of old friends at the show and got to see some of the new things that will be on the shelves next year. Then I was off to Ranger Boats in Flippin’ Arkansas for their Advantage Product Knowledge Tour. It’s a day-and-abit of boat testing and touring the plant to see how Ranger Boats are made. I know it’s a dirty job but somebody’s got to do it! We ended up testing the new 520C Carbon tournament fishing machine and a number of other boats in their line on Bull Shoals Lake. I’m always impressed when I go through the Ranger plant. If you see how these boats are built, you get the feeling that these things should cost double or three times as much as they do. They are literally handmade. When you see how many steps are taken in each and every boat, you wonder how they can afford to sell them for what they do. We flew back and now I’m getting ready for a trip to Costa Rica. It’s time to pack some lightweight clothing for the hot weather and get ready to enjoy a little family trip – although we might squeeze a little fishing in while we’re there! ?

What’s COOKING

Pan Roasted Salmon Wrapped In Prosciutto, Basil And Horseradish Cream Sauce INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Horseradish Cream Sauce

Preheat an oven safe skillet on medium heat.

Place heavy cream and horseradish into a sauce pan. Place on medium-high heat until cream reduces by about one half.

6-ounce salmon fillets

1 pkg

Sliced prosciutto

1 bunch

fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Put about a tablespoon of olive oil into the skillet, add salmon and sear both sides of fillet. Make sure to get a golden brown crust on the salmon before flipping.

Season with salt and pepper. When salmon is ready, remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

Remove salmon to a plate lined with paper towel.

Horseradish Cream Sauce

Preheat oven to 350°F.

1 cup

heavy cream

2 tbsp

horseradish

Place one slice of prosciutto on cutting board. Place two basil leaves on top of prosciutto. Place salmon top side down on the basil.

Place salmon on a plate, pour the cream over the salmon and serve with your favorite side dishes.

Wrap one side of the prosciutto over the salmon and the salmon in the prosciutto. Repeat with remaining salmon. Place wrapped salmon in pan and put in oven. Cook about 6 to 8 minutes.

Winter 2013 – Real Fishing 65

WINTER’S EMBRACE Description: It’s been said that art imitates life and this little slice of life shows nature at her artistic finest. A warm day causing a haze to form over the frozen lake; a waning sun struggling through building clouds and a lone angler wrapped in a misty blanket combine, in one frozen moment, to conjure feelings both ominous and ethereal.

66 Real Fishing – Winter 2013

Subject: Ice Fishing Medium: Unaltered digital photography Camera: Nikon D70

l attractant that Gulp! Alive! has a powerfu water fish just leaves a scent trail in the alistic action re can’t resist. And with its Gulp! outfishes e ris rp su and shapes, it’s no , even live bait. an ything and ever ything alive. Gulp! Looks, feels and tastes ®

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