Spring 2010 by Real Fishing

EXCLUSIVE! BOB IZUMI ON BECOMING A BETTER ANGLER

Canada Post Mail Product Agreement No. 40015689

VOLUME 16 • ISSUE 2 Just $3.95

DISPLAY UNTIL JULY 15, 2010

Spring 2010

, THEY LL NEVER CATCH UP TO OPTIMAX.

their top speed pales in comparison Mercury® OptiMax 225 hp Pro XS is 8.2 km/h faster than Yamaha® 225 hp HPDI® and 9.3 km/h faster than Evinrude® 225 hp E-TEC® HO.

EVINRUDE 225 hp E-TEC HO YAMAHA 225 hp HPDI

250

YAWN HO HUM

MERCURY OPTIMAX 225 hp PRO XS

225

#@% $#!+!

175

NEW

SEE MORE TESTS AT MercuryMarine.com

When it comes to top-end speed, no one comes close to the OptiMax Pro XS by Mercury. And, not only is it faster, it’s also more fuel-efficient. In fact, when the fuel needle hits empty on an Evinrude 250 hp E-TEC, the OptiMax 250 hp Pro XS still has up to 55 more

kilometres in its tank. While they’re looking for more fuel, you’ll still be chasing fish. To see just how far in front we truly are, look deeper at MercuryMarine.com.

Source: Bass & Walleye Boats® magazine “The Main Event” – June 2005. Tests conducted on a 20’ fiberglass fishing boat with a Mercury OptiMax 225 hp Pro XS, an Evinrude 225 hp E-TEC HO and Yamaha 225 hp HPDI VMAX.® © 2009 MERCURY MARINE. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Bass & Walleye Boats is a registered trademark of Ehlert Publishing Group Inc. E-TEC is a registered trademark of BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. Evinrude is a registered trademark of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. HPDI and VMAX are registered trademarks of Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha. Yamaha is a registered trademark of the Yamaha Corporation. All other trademarks belong to the Brunswick Corporation.

M aking the most of your time gets a little tougher everyday. It’s why Ranger developed a whole new level of leadership in the revolutionary Z-Comanche® Series. With muscle-car-inspired engineering and a long list of best-in-class features, these designs continue to take acceleration, handling, space, fishability and head-turning performance to new extremes. So take charge of your time and space. Surround yourself with the pace-setting freedom of the Ranger Z-Comanche® Series. It’s an all-out reminder of the power that comes from turning things loose!

For The Name Of Your Nearest Ranger Dealer, Call:

1-800-373-BOAT (2628)

©Copyright MMIX Ranger® Boats R-9011

Contents Features 34 PRO PATTERNS for SPRING PIKE Six of Ontario’s hottest anglers share their spring pike strategies for consistent success anywhere in the province. By Jonathan LePera

42 GRAND CATS The Grand River is home to one of Canada’s best and least pressured trophy catfish fisheries. Guide and author, Ben Beattie, shows how you can get in on the action this spring. By Ben Beattie

48 ABOVE THE ARCTIC CIRCLE The struggle to survive an epic adventure gives two brothers a deeper respect for life high above the Arctic Circle. By Jim Baird

54 WALLEYES NOW! Eye-Catching early-season patterns. By Dan Johnson

Spring 2010 Volume 16, Issue 2 Editor Jerry Hughes Art Production Rossi Piedimonte Design Publisher Fred Delsey National Advertising Izumi Outdoors Tel: (905) 632-8679

Columns

President Wayne Izumi Contributors

6 OPENING LINES

Jim Baird, Ben Beattie, Patrick Daradick, Bob Izumi, Wayne Izumi, Dan Johnson, Jonathan LePera, Steve May, Dave Taylor, Lawren Wetzel 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.

By Jerry Hughes

By Lawren Wetzel

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

18 FISHING Becoming a Better Angler By Bob Izumi

26 26 REAL FISHING FISH FACTS

20 FLY FISHING

White Sturgeon

By Steve May

28 THE VINTAGE TACKLE BOX By Patrick Daradick

30 THE HOT BITE 32 BEST FISHING TIMES

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

Doug Hannon’s moon phase calendar

Postmaster: Please return front cover/label only of undeliverables to: Real Fishing 940 Sheldon Court, Burlington ON L7L 5K6

58 FISH FOR EVER UPDATE

Big Spring Pike! Photo by Izumi Outdoors

By Dave Taylor

The latest in fishing tackle, gear and accessories

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

On the cover:

24 THE WATER’S EDGE

16 WHAT’S NEW

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

22 UNDERSTANDING ELECTRONICS

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

65 WHAT’S COOKING 66 ART OF ANGLING

opening lines By Jerry Hughes

A New Season A new fishing season is here and we’re celebrating by packing this issue of Real Fishing with a ton of great seasonal articles that will help you get the most out of your spring fishing. Whether you do the traditional walleye or pike trips, or if you’re looking for an entirely new challenge this year, you’re sure to find some great information in these pages. Jonathan LePera spent a good part of the hard water season talking to a half-dozen of Ontario’s best pike anglers about their approaches to boating big, toothy critters during the spring season. What he uncovered were a host of tips and tricks that apply to spring pike fishing anywhere in the province - as well as a pile of specific tactics for some of the greatest pike hotspots around. If you want to pass on the hammerhandles and get down to some serious pike fishing this spring, Jonathan’s article is sure to point you in the right direction. Walleyes are another favourite spring species and the good old jig is one of the most consistent baits to tempt them with. But there’s more to jig fishing than simply tying one on and tossing it out. Dan Johnson’s article, Walleyes Now, uncovers the intricacies of jig selection, tipping options and the best jig fishing locations throughout the spring season. With tips from a couple of North America’s best walleye anglers, Dan’s article is a must-read for any serious walleye angler. If you’re looking for a different test this spring, why not give catfishing a go? Ben Beattie took up the challenge on Ontario’s Grand River and discovered a relatively untouched fishery for big cats that often reach double-digit sizes. Simple tackle, simple baits and a basic approach are all it takes to get in on the action and Ben lays it all out in his article, Grand Cats. 6 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

Fishing from a canoe is always an adventure, but even more so when you’re paddling in the Arctic. Jim Baird and his brother, Ted share the tale of their epic, five-week adventure that takes them 350-km down the Kuujjua River, from the interior of Victoria Island in the Arctic island archipelago to the Beaufort Sea. Their trip continues for a further 115-km across the Beaufort Sea to the community of Ulukhaktok in the Northwest Territories. Along the way the brothers discover ancient Inuit campsites and artifacts, become stranded by horrendous weather, are tracked by wolves and ultimately gain a deep appreciation for the people who call the Arctic home. In between, they manage to enjoy some incredible char and lake trout fishing in one of the most spectacular settings in the Country. Along with our features, this issue includes Bob Izumi’s insights into becoming a better angler; fly fishing expert Steve May gives a primer on early season tactics for rivers and streams and Lowrance technician, Lawren Wetzel, offers part three of his series on the new down-imaging sonar systems. We’ve also included a look at some of the new fishing and outdoor gear for 2010, our fishing events calendar and a whole lot more. No matter what your quarry this spring, you’re sure to find some helpful hints in this issue that will help you in your quest. Enjoy! ?

The first catch of the day.

ÂŠ Tim Hortons, 2009

Anticipation

8 Real Fishing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Spring 2010

This incredible photo, taken from the main docks at La Réserve Beauchêne, speaks volumes to anyone who appreciates the great outdoors; so we’ll just let it speak for itself.

Spring 2010 – Real Fishing 9

On March 18, 2010, the Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association (CSIA) presented Real Fishing with a Chairman’s Award in recognition of the outstanding contributions the Izumi team has made to the sportfishing industry over the past 27-years. CSIA Chairman, Tom Brooke, applauded Bob and Wayne Izumi, as well as their behind the scenes staff, for their dedication to promoting recreational fishing for nearly three decades through their television and radio shows, magazine and website. “This award acknowledges, and is in recognition of, your outstanding contributions to the sportfishing industry,” said Brooke, “and we are delighted to have this opportunity to salute your efforts. This is simply our way of thanking you for all you’ve done for our sport and our industry.” Brooke praised the Izumi team for creating and managing Fish For Ever, an organization that raises much needed funding for conservation and fisheries enhancement projects. He also congratulated Fish For Ever’s Kids, Cops and Canadian Tire Fishing Days program for introducing thousands of youngsters to fish-

ing and for creating free and accessible angling opportunities for thousands more. On hand to accept the Chairman’s Award were Bob and Wayne Izumi, Real Fishing General Manager, Fred Delsey, and Kids, Cops and Canadian Tire Fishing Days Coordinator, Joanne Pellegrino.

New World Record Largemouth Bass! It’s official; the largemouth bass caught by Manabu Kurita last summer in Japan ties the IGFA All-Tackle World Record set by George Perry in 1932. After nearly six months of waiting, Kurita is taking his place alongside Perry in the International Game Fish Association’s (IGFA) World Record Games Fishes book. The men are now considered dual holders of the All-Tackle record for largemouth bass, which stands at 22-pounds, 4-ounces. Manabu Kurita, 32, of Aichi, Japan, was fishing on Lake Biwa on July 2, 2009 when he pitched his bait, a live bluegill, next to a bridge piling where he had seen a big bass swimming. He only twitched the bait a couple of times before he got bit. After a short, threeminute fight, he had the fish in the boat.

From left, Wayne Izumi; CSIA Managing Director, Tina Deutsch; CSIA President, Kim Rhodes; CSIA Chairman, Tom Brooke; Real Fishing’s General Manager, Fred Delsey; Kids, Cops and Canadian Tire Fishing Days Coordinator, Joanne Pellegrino and Bob Izumi.

10 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

Photo courtesy of the IGFA.org

Real Fishing Honoured By Fishing Industry

Kurita was quoted as saying “I knew it was big, but I didn’t know it was that big.” Using certified scales, his fish weighed in at 10.12 kg or 22-pounds, 4-ounces. When measured, the fish had a fork length of 27.2inches and a girth of 26.7-inches. In North America the largemouth bass, and especially the All-Tackle record, is considered by millions of anglers as the “holy grail” of freshwater fish because of its popularity and the longevity of Perry’s record. IGFA conservation director, Jason Schratwieser, said Kurita’s application was meticulously documented with the necessary photos and video. “The moment Kurita weighed his fish, word spread like wildfire,” said Schratwieser. “We knew this would be significant so we immediately contacted the JGFA” (the IGFA’s sister association, the Japan Game Fish Association) “for more information. Established in 1979, the JGFA compiles and translates all record applications of fish caught in Japan before forwarding to the IGFA.” “Six months may seem like a lot of time to determine if a fish ties a record,” said Schratwieser.“Hopefully, people now understand the amount of due diligence the IGFA conducted on this record. Although we

treat all records with equal rigor, the AllTackle largemouth bass record is nothing less than iconic and the bass angling community deserved nothing less.” Schratwieser added, “The IGFA wishes to applaud Kurita on his outstanding catch and would also like to commend him on his patience and candor during the entire review process. We would also like to thank the JGFA for their diligence and tireless assistance in corresponding with Kurita and fisheries officials.” “Most people thought that the next AllTackle record would come from California,” said Schratwieser. “Until Kurita’s tie, the seven heaviest bass records behind Perry’s came from California lakes. Little did people know that introduced bass grew big in places besides California, and that there are true monsters swimming on the other side of the world in Japan.”

Reel In The Big Ones With Bob Izumi! Win 1 of 3 fishing getaways with Bob Izumi to Bark Lake or 1 of 20 autographed Bob Izumi cookbooks. Visit offcontest.ca for more details.

Big Bucks Bassin’ Ontario’s tournament bass fishing fraternity will have a new high profile, high payback team tournament to compete in this summer thanks to Dave LaFontaine, tournament Director for the Temiskaming Smallmouth Bass Series. Dave has confirmed July 15 - 17 as the dates for the Temiskaming Shores Mega Bucks Bass Tournament which features a $93,000 prize purse with $25,000 going to the winning team, cash payouts to 25th place and a daily big fish award of $1000. The tournament is limited to 100 teams and all entries must be paid in full by May 29th in order to hold a spot. All 100 teams will fish on Thursday, July 15 and Friday, July 16 with the top 25 moving on to Saturday’s final day of competition. The community of New Liskeard, Ontario, located within the newly amalgamated City of Temiskaming Shores, has one of the great-

Dave LaFontaine, tournament Director for the Temiskaming Smallmouth Bass Series, has announced a new Mega Bucks bass tournament scheduled for this July.

est smallmouth bass fisheries around. With over 90-miles of water and every kind of structure you can imagine, Lake Temiskaming will put the best anglers to the test as they chase down the three to five-pound smallmouth bass that roam these waters. For more information please contact Dave LaFontaine by email at davecaro@ntl.sympatico.ca or visit the Temiskaming Smallmouth Bass Tournamenrt Series website at temiskamingsmallmouthbass.com.

Recreational Fishing License Sales Up After a few rough years where participation in fishing seemed to be declining, there’s finally some good news coming out of the United States. According to the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), fishing license sales rose by 4.7 percent in states that participate in the 12-state recreational fishing license sales index. Eight of those states recorded higher license sales increases from January through December of 2009 over the previous year, according to Southwick Associates, a research firm that monitored the license sales information.

“Although the RBFF/ASA Fishing License Sales Index is a strong indicator of fishing license sales, it isn’t an exact measure of all fishing license sales nationally. However, should the 4.7 percent rise hold true nationwide, it would represent one of the largest percentage increases in fishing license sales in over 30 years,” said ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman. “The typical angler spends $176 a year on just fishing tackle alone and contributes over $40 annually to conservation via license dollars and excise taxes. When the license sales index moves by just a tenth of a point, 40,000 anglers have entered or quit sportfishing. Even a small uptick in the index represents big changes in recreational fishing participation,” said Nussman. Ultimately, anglers, and other sportsmen and women, are the most significant funding source for conservation in the United States. Through the purchase of fishing licenses and special excise taxes on gear and motorboat fuel, hundreds of millions of anglers’ dollars each year are collected or funneled to states for conservation and recreation. In 2008, $720 million of these excise taxes were distributed for fisheries management and recreational boating enhancement. In addition, fishing license sales generated $600 million in revenue for state fish and wildlife agencies.

Spring 2010 – Real Fishing 11

READ ALL ABOUT IT OUTDOOR MEDICAL EMERGENCY HANDBOOK - First Aid for Travelers, Backpackers, Adventurers By Dr. Spike Briggs and Dr. Campbell Mackenzie

The Outdoor Medical Emergency Handbook provides easy-to-follow advice on how to prevent, treat and care for illnesses and injuries while outdoors or traveling. Using accurate drawings and a step-by-step format, the authors describe how to effectively assess a situation and what actions to take. The book covers: • Planning and pre-departure tasks, expeditions with children, examining a casualty, medical kit design. • Resuscitation ABCs, loss of consciousness, heart attack, diabetic emergencies, choking. • High altitude sickness, hypothermia, dehydration, animals and insects, drowning. • Wounds and bleeding, neck and spinal injuries, abdominal injuries, fractures, treating pain. • Neurological and psychological disorders, infectious diseases, overdoses, poisoning. • Emergency chest decompression, injections. With its at-a-glance design, pack-ready format and waterproof cover, the Outdoor Medical Emergency Handbook is essential equipment for anyone traveling, whether camping with the family or making a solo assault on the Himalayas. Soft Cover, flexibound and waterproof: $19.95 CDN, 240 pages, 5" X 9", ISBN: 1554076013, Firefly Books Ltd. 66 Leek Crescent, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 1H1 (416) 499-8412 www.fireflybooks.com

loop, basic snell, crawford knot, palomar knot, and many, many more! Author Geoffrey Budworth co-founded the International Guild of Knot Tyers in 1982 and regularly contributes to its quarterly journal, Knotting Matters. He’s been described as "the father of forensic knotting." In his latest book, Budworth includes

TRENTON KIWANIS WALLEYE WORLD May 1 – 2 Bay of Quinte Trenton, ON www.kiwaniswalleyeworld.com

KIDS, COPS AND CANADIAN TIRE FISHING DAYS Youth themed fishing events. Various dates and locations. 905-632-8679 www.kidsandcops.ca ANGLER & YOUNG ANGLER TOURNAMENTS May – July Various dates and locations in Canada and the United States. www.angleryoungangler.ca GEORGIAN TRIANGLE ANGLER’S ASSOCIATION RAINBOW TROUT DERBY April 17 – May 1 Georgian Bay Collingwood, ON www.georgianfishing.com ORILLIA PERCH FESTIVAL April 17 – May 8 Lakes Simcoe & Couchiching Orillia, ON www.orillia.com/perchfestival

GRAND OPPORTUNITIES FLY FISHING DAY June 5 Belwood Lake Conservation Area Fergus, ON www.friendsofthegrandriver.com CSFL WALLEYE TOURNAMENTS June 6 and 7 Sturgeon Lake Lindsay, ON www.csfl.ca CSFL PIKE TOURNAMENTS May 30 – Lake Dalrymple May 31 – Canal Lake www.csfl.ca SOUTHERN ALBERTA WALLEYE TRAIL May – July Various dates and locations www.gowalleye.com

BLUEWATER ANGLERS SALMON DERBY April 30 – May 9 Lake Huron Point Edward, ON www.bluewateranglers.com

SASKATCHEWAN WALLEYE TRAIL May – September Various dates and locations www.saskwalleyetrail.ca

Join in Ontario’s Premier On-River Fly Fishing Forum

By Geoffrey Budworth

12 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

Soft Cover: $16.50 CDN 160 pages, 7” x 9”, 420 colour illustrations ISBN: 9781602399938, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. 555 Eighth Avenue, # 903, New York, NY 10018 (212) 643-6816 www.skyhorsepublishing.com

E V E N T S Calendar

PRACTICAL FISHING KNOTS Are you or someone you know an avid fisherman? Have you been looking for a one-stop guide for all your fishing knot needs? Then look no further. Practical Fishing Knots illustrates how to tie more than 75 knots for use in all forms of fishing, including the angler’s

easy-to-follow, step-by-step illustrations and instructions in an easy, accessible, and essential reference guide for any fisherman.

June 5, 2010

Grand Opportunities is a celebration of fly fishing and the Grand River brought to you by Friends of the Grand River (FOGR). Join FOGR for Free on-river seminars, the largest Fly Fishing equipment “yard sale” in Ontario and a Women’s Only Fly Fishing introduction course. Most of the events are free once you pay admission to the conservation areas but make sure to bring a few dollars to take part in the raffles and games for great prizes and the delicious BBQ steak lunch. All proceeds from this event go towards making the Grand even better in the future, so come out and join us at Grand Opportunities 2010.

10:00am - 4:00pm www.friendsofthegrandriver.com

FREE Dry Land Seminars (Hampton Barn Area) FREE On-water Seminars BBQ Steak Lunch GIANT Used Equipment Sale WOMEN’S Fly Fishing Course FUN Games and Activities DEMO New Fly Rod Models FREE Fly Casting Lessons SUPPORT The Grand River Fishery CELEBRATE Fly Fishing in Ontario LEARN More About Fly Fishing VISIT Ontario’s Grand River Tailwater Belwood Lake Conservation Area Fergus, ON For more information call (519) 843-3102

10:30 Grand Volunteers = A Grand Fishery 11:00 Fly Casting For Success 11:30 Selecting Flies to Match Grand Hatches

BBQ Steak Lunch 12:00 - 1:30 (only $10 for FOGR Members) FREE On-River Seminars (Grand River Station) 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00 3:30

Surface Success with Dries and Emergers Championship Nymphing Techniques Think Like a Trout... Or a Biologist Big Flies... Big Fish Tactics The Secret to Success (drag and mending)

FREE Women’s Only Fly Fishing Course (1:00pm - 3:30pm) To register for the Women’s Course please e-mail stephen.may@ontario.ca or call Larry McGratton at (519) 843-3102 before June 1, 2010. If you have equipment to use bring it, if you need equipment let us know.

Used Equipment Sale

Friends of the Grand would be happy to help you sell your used fly fishing equipment. Please use the registration form that can be downloaded from www.friendsofthegrandriver.com and preregister the equipment. Friends of the Grand River will take care of the sale and a 20% commission will be donated to a good organization and a great river!

Directions to Belwood Lake Conservation Area

Belwood Lake Conservation Area is located on Wellington County Road #18 about 4km east of Fergus. For further directions visit www.grandriver.ca.

BOB IZUMIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S REAL FISHING SHOW SCHEDULE Fly Fishing For Trout Lake Erie Bass Diamond Key Lodge B.C. Trolling Beauchene Bass & Brookies Niagara River Steelhead Queen Charlotte Islands Pitching for Largemouth/ Original Social Networking Sunset Country Whitefish Cranking for Largemouth/ Early Season Crappies Port Colborne Smallmouth Backwoods Ice Fishing for Trout Langara Lodge Crappies Through the Ice

April 2 April 10 April 17 April 24 May 1 May 8 May 15 May 22 May 29 June 5 June 12 June 19 June 26 July 3

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

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

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

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

DATE & AIR TIMES Saturday 10:00 am Saturday 12:00 pm Saturday 12:00 pm Saturday 9:00 am Saturday 9:00 am Saturday 9:00 am Saturday 9:00 am Saturday 9:00 am Saturday 10:30 am Check www.wfn.tv for dates and times

READER’S PHOTOS Frank Guida Toronto, ON Walleye

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

Peter Serrani Cayuga, ON Chinook salmon

Sonia Stubbert Georgetown, ON Largemouth Bass

John Fedyniak Courtice, ON Steelhead

Will Maddigan Sudbury, ON Muskellunge

Dave Adie Hastings, ON Carp

14 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

What’s

NEW

2010

NEW FROM OFF!® OFF!® now has two new insect repellents that keep bugs at bay while providing an alternative to traditional wet sprays.

OFF!® FAMILYCARE® EUCALYPTUS LOTION is a new, non-DEET product for personal mosquito protection. OFF!® familycare® eucalyptus’ unique formula is based on an ingredient with insect repellent properties found in the lemon eucalyptus plant. The lotion is not sticky or greasy and effectively repels mosquitoes for up to 2-hours and black flies for up to 5-hours.

OFF!® FAMILYCARE® SMOOTH & DRY is now available in a convenient, 71g aerosol that can be packed inside your travel bag making it the ideal travel companion. OFF!® familycare® Smooth & Dry contains a revolutionary powder dry formula that leaves your skin feeling smooth and dry instead of wet and sticky. With 15% DEET, it provides effective protection from mosquitoes for 5- hours.

www.bugsmart.ca

BERKLEY® INTRODUCES BIO-DIP For 2010 Berkley® has introduced Bio-Dip, a new water-based coloring agent that, once applied, clings to Gulp!®, Gulp! Alive!™ and live baits. Non-scented Berkley Bio-Dip is specially formulated to provide long lasting color changes to give fish a different look without changing baits. Simply pat your bait dry and dip it into the jar for an instant color change. Bio Dip allows anglers to create fire tails, colored heads, add accents or to completely change a bait’s colour in seconds. Bio-Dip is biodegradable, is available in four colours and comes in convenient, re-sealable, four-ounce bottles.

www.berkley-fishing.com

KIWI CAMP DRY® The best kept camping secret is now available in Canada. KIWI Camp Dry® is a silicone based waterproofing spray ideal for camping, fishing, golfing, boating and outdoor sports gear. Treating clothing, bags, shoes, tents, tarps, patio furniture/pillows and BBQ covers with KIWI Camp Dry® not only repels water and the elements, it also protects outdoor gear to help it last longer.

www.kiwicampdry.ca

16 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

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

PAUL JR. ROADTRIP® GRILL Paul Jr. knows how to design a motorcycle, but his design talents stretch well beyond two-wheels! Paul Jr. partnered with The Coleman Company to design the 10th anniversary Roadtrip® grill. It boasts 10% more power with 22,000 BTU and features diamond-plated slide-out tables, chrome utensil holders and a speedometer-inspired temperature gauge on the lid of the grill. This completely portable grill collapses down and wheels wherever you need it to go!

www.coleman.com

BLOOD ’N GUTS™ Blood 'N Guts™ is a new fabric treatment from Columbia that is specifically designed to resist and wash out liquid stains, keeping you clean and protected in the wild.

BLOOD ’N GUTS™ SUPERLIGHT LONG SLEEVE SHIRT This stain-resistant and stain-releasing shirt features advanced repellency from any wet mess that may find its way onto it. The shirt is includes Omni-Shade™ UPF50 sun protection and features a flip up collar, a fully vented mesh lined back, rod holder, and two roomy hook and loop closed fly box pockets at the chest.

BLOOD ’N GUTS™ CONVERTIBLE PANT With a quick pull of a zipper, these convertible pants transform into a 9 ½” inseam short for all-conditions versatility. The durable, nylon rip-stop fabric repels stains, resists harsh UV rays, and dries fast. Blood ’N Guts™ Convertible Pants are loaded with functional features such as front slant pockets, hook and loop patch pockets, and a back zip-closed security pocket. A side elastic at the waist provides an easy fit while side loops keep small fishing tools within easy reach.

www.coleman.com

SHIMANO RE-DESIGNS BAITRUNNER REELS Shimano is introducing four new BaitRunner (BTR) reels that feature the latest in spinning reel technology and a modern, compact design. The new BaitRunner D reels have been upgraded to include Shimano’s Propulsion Line Management System, Fluidrive II gearing, Super Stopper anti-reverse, increased adjustability of the BaitRunner secondary drag system and a number of other advancements. The BaitRunner D reels are available in four sizes – 4000, 6000, 8000 and 12000 - all with 4.8:1 gear ratios. Line capacities range from 240 yards of 8-pound test on the BTR4000D to 350 yards of 16pound mono on the BTR12000D.

www.shimano.com

Spring 2010 – Real Fishing 17

fishing

Bob Izumi is the host of The Real Fishing Show.

By Bob Izumi

Becoming A Better Angler As I’ve said throughout my career, you’re never done learning when it comes to fishing. I think that anybody who’s reading this wants to be a better angler. It doesn’t matter how successful you are, you always want to catch bigger, better and more fish. In this column I’d like to take a look at three things that you can do to help make you a better angler. I recently did a seminar with Big Jim McLaughlin and at the end of it he asked if I would give everybody a tip on how they could catch more fish this year. I said that if people learned to use their electronics better they would catch more fish. Even though a lot of people have a fishfinder or graph, I think many of them either don’t believe what they see on their electronics or they don’t trust it. I believe that you have to trust your electronics for finding underwater changes like breaks, dropoffs, weed edges and other potential fish holding areas. When you find those spots there’s a good chance that you might mark some fish on them, but not always. Sometimes you’ll mark the structure but not the fish because they may be just outside of

18 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

your sonar cone. Just because you don’t see fish, that doesn’t mean they’re not there. Let me give you an example. Many years ago my brother, Wayne, and I fished a walleye tournament on Little Abitibi Lake in northern Ontario. It was the day before the tournament and we had caught some walleyes during practice. As we were driving across the lake, suddenly our graph went up and right back down. I swung the boat around and we ended up finding a small, unmarked shoal. We threw a jig down and immediately caught a fish. We thought that this could be a great spot for the tournament and, to make a long story short, we ended up getting second place. Guess where the winners fished? On that same little hump as well as another area on the lake. If our eyes had not been glued to our electronics we never would have seen that small bump on the bottom. My second tip is to fish with as many different anglers as you can. You can meet anglers through your tackle shop or local fishing club who may be good in certain aspects of fishing that you aren’t. What really excites me is when I get to fish with someone who I know is a specialist in a certain technique for a particular species of fish because I get to pick their brains and learn why they are so good at that particular technique. I remember sight fishing for bass with Shaw Grigsby many years ago. Shaw told me that bass have different personalities and moods so it’s important to read the mood of the fish when you’re pitching lures at

them in clear water. If they shy away from your lure because you cast too close to them, try making a long cast past that fish and bring your bait towards the fish on a bit of an angle and in a lot of cases they’ll come out and hit it. This little tip has paid big dividends for me over the years. That leads me to number three; trying new techniques. Changing up and experimenting on the water is a very important aspect to catching more fish. Now, I’m not saying spend half your day retying lures. What I’m saying is to try three, four, five; up to ten different types of baits in different types of water. Doing this is like rolling dice – the more you roll the more you’ve got a chance of winning. Fishing is nothing more than a process of elimination. The fish are either active or they’re inactive. If they’re active you can catch them on a variety of horizontal baits and techniques, if they’re inactive you’ve got to hit them on the head with soft baits and finesse approaches. I remember drawing long time tournament angler Larry Allard from Massachusetts in one of the early Bassmasters tournaments on the Thousand Islands back in the 80s. Larry took us into this feeder bay that had two little marshy corners and a rock bluff with a pretty good dropoff between them. Back then I thought the most productive way to fish a spinnerbait was to cast it out and reel it in with a slow, medium or fast retrieve but Larry threw a twin Colorado-bladed spinnerbait up against the bluff and let it flutter down. Then he twitched it with his rod tip – about every four or five turns of the reel handle he’d twitch his rod, let the bait flutter for a second, reel a few more turns, twitch, pause and so on. I watched him catch three giant largemouth bass in a row doing this while I was throwing a spinnerbait and using a steady retrieve. Needless to say he was leading the tournament after that day and I definitely learned something I’ve never forgotten. So folks, when it comes to becoming a better angler, the bottom line is; you’re never done learning. ?

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fly fishing

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

By Stephen May

Success This Season! Many anglers prepare for each season with a trip to the fly shop to get the “magic” fly or other piece of equipment that is going to launch them to incredible success on the river. Sadly, these purchases usually don’t help them catch any more fish. Learning more about their quarry and how to fool them would be a much better investment. An important consideration is in knowing where the fish are in a river. The saying that 10% of the water holds 90% of the fish is true in many rivers. Knowing that fish look for areas with food, as well as protection from predators and from the current, will help you find that magical 10% of the water. Fish are on the menu for many predators. Osprey, eagles, herons, kingfishers, otters, bears, mink and bigger fish all relish a trout treat. People are another efficient predator that fish fear. Trout are aware of their position on the food chain and, if they forget it for a even a moment, they can quickly be removed from the gene pool. A combination of several types of cover in one area makes for prime trout water.

20 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

Fish seek concealment. If they can tuck beneath an undercut bank or in the shadow of a boulder they will be much happier than sitting out in the open. Look for areas that offer cover in the form of deep water, rippled surfaces, boulders, logs, ledges or drop offs. If there is a combination of several types of cover in one area it will be even better. There is often a correlation between the best cover and the biggest fish. That impossible spot to get a cast into can be the home of the biggest fish in the river. These spots help fish avoid predators and allow them to ambush things that are lower on the food chain. It is easier to fool fish if you employ a stealthy approach. Take your time. Wade carefully and quietly. Splashing or sending a big wake while wading will be noticed. Trout are aware of threats from the air too, so avoid bright clothes, getting too close or having your line go over the fish - either on a cast or while it’s drifting. Try to show the fish your fly first and always land your presentation gently on the water. Sometimes approaching a hot spot from a different position can make a big difference. These simple tips will definitely improve your success rate. Many hidden spots that protect fish from predators also protect them from the current. Look for fish in sheltered pockets below fast water where they can dart into the current to pick up bugs or minnows that drift by. Places where a fast riffle dumps into a pool are always good to check out. Look for bubbles and foam on the surface of the water which

often indicates converging currents. These are prime trout feeding areas and they usually offer places for the fish to hide. Trout, in rivers, eat a lot of aquatic insects. But, as they get bigger, larger food items help them to maintain their size. The good thing about fish eating small insects is that they have to open their mouths a lot. They often let their guard down when taking advantage of the bounty of a good insect hatch. Once you have found feeding

fish the only thing left to do is get a fly in front of them that they are willing to eat. Armed with this information, maybe that new “magic” fly will come in handy this season... ?

understanding electronics

Lawren Wetzel is the Repair Coordinator for Navico Canada and an avid fisherman.

By Lawren Wetzel

Down Imaging Sonar - Part 3 I can safely say that the big buzz in electronics at the Toronto Boat Show this past January was centered on down imaging sonar. The detail of the images it produces is simply incredible and it functions as a great aid for interpreting traditional sonar. If you are one of the many anglers unsure about what your sonar is showing you, down imaging will clear that all up. The crystal-clear detail reveals true images of what is beneath you. The best example of this came when I drove over a weedbed for the first time with Lowrance’s DownScan. I was able to see individual stems of weeds growing off the bottom as well as the leaves growing from the stems. It was possible to tell the difference between the various types of weeds within the weedbed. Broad-leafed cabbage clearly showed up differently than finer leafed milfoil. The detail was absolutely amazing! What was even better than seeing the detail of the weeds was the ability to see the structure changes on the lake bottom within the weedbed. This is something traditional sonar has always struggled with. Down imaging helped me find out why one of my best spots was so good. There was a small contour change of about a foot and a half, right on the sweet spot right where I had my waypoint. I have driven over that spot many times trying to figure out what made it so good but never knew that contour change was there. Even with all the raving about down imaging sonar, you still need traditional 2D sonar for a couple of reasons. First of all, traditional sonar works much better for high speed use. Down imaging works effectively up to around 35-mph, but it excels at idle speeds. Secondly, traditional 2D sonar is far superior for marking fish. While down imaging will pick up fish, it does not compare to traditional sonar in this respect. 22 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

Down imaging sonar only paints a small sliver of the bottom while traditional sonar uses a wide cone angle. Therefore, when you drive over a fish with down imaging, the fish will show up very small while traditional sonar will represent fish as an exaggerated arch shape. For this reason it is often easy to miss fish with down imaging. With this in mind, Lowrance HDS units have a unique feature called DownScan Overlay. When you turn this on the down scan image will be overlaid on the 2D sonar screen, giving you the best of both worlds on one screen. Use the traditional sonar to

find fish and then use down imaging to show highly detailed images of the structure they are living around. A quick tip when you are using the DownScan Overlay is to select two contrasting color palettes for the best effect. A dark color 2D sonar palette for the background and a light color DownScan palette for the overlay seem to work best for me. The color palette options can be found under “Sonar Options” in the menu. Simply highlight the one you want to use and press “enter.” One of the most common questions I am asked about traditional sonar is, “What are the best settings for my sonar unit to get the most detail?” This is a question I don’t expect to hear when it comes to down imaging sonar because the factory settings seem to work the best. Using down imaging units is easy because there is nothing major to do to when setting up the unit. The only fine tuning that needs to be done is to adjust the contrast, which functions like the sensitivity setting on a traditional sonar display. Imaging sonar is truly one of the biggest revolutions in recreational sonar and I hope this series has given you some insight to its applications for anglers. The only question left for us to ask is, “What will be next?”?

“YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY SPOTS.”

“I have to find fish. My paycheck depends on it. HDS with StructureScan reveals everything, from scattered rocks to washboard indents. With Sidescan and Downscan imaging I can quickly find the fishholding structure I need, to crush the competition.

– Keith Kavajecz, Champion Walleye Angler, TV Host

CHANGE Y O U R VIEW. HDS® is available in 5-, 7-, 8- and 10-inch models. With built-in advantages like Broadband Sounder™ and Insight mapping, plus add-on options such as NMEA 2000® networking, SIRIUS® weather — and now StructureScan™ sonar imaging — safely navigating, finding structure and catching fish has never been faster, easier and more rewarding. For complete details, videos and new insights from Keith Kavajecz, visit www.lowrance.com/IZUMI.

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

water’s edge By Dave Taylor

Black-Crowned Night Heron The black-crowned night heron is a citizen of the world. I’ve encountered this species resting in Tanzania where I photographed it in papyrus reeds while hippos snorted below. In Australia, it was a familiar bird among exotic wildlife that included salt water crocodiles. In Hawaii it was listed as an endangered species, but one which was easily observed near Maui’s marshes. True, some were subspecies, but no matter where I saw them they all looked like the same bird I’ve seen in marshes near my home; on Florida vacations, and nesting above the captive wildlife of Washington D.C.’s National Zoo. Black-crowned night herons are small, fairly common herons but are seldom seen because they are active at night. Most sightings occur around dusk and dawn as the birds return to their nests and roosts. Black-crowned night herons nest in colonies. The nest itself is a rather flimsy affair of twigs laid one on top of another to form what might be called a platform. This

is lined with grass and reeds. Three to eight eggs are laid about two and a half days apart. The young hatch in the order the eggs were laid and older siblings will push out (or even eat) their younger brothers and sisters if the parents are not adept at finding food. I’ve seen black-crowned night herons nesting in the middle of large double crested cormorant colonies possibly because the cormorants provide the herons with a source of food. Fish are often dropped by adult cormorants as they try to feed their offspring and the herons scoop up the regurgitated meal. They also will feed on any unfortunate cormorant hatchling that falls from its nest. While the black-crowned night heron’s typical prey includes crayfish, aquatic insects and small fish, they will readily take small mammals (such as voles), small birds and

frogs. They will also consume worms, squid, eggs and carrion. They hunt by wading very slowly along the shallow, reedy shores of rivers, lakes and salt marshes or by remaining motionless until a meal appears. Herons that nest in Canada are migratory and spend their winters along the Gulf of Mexico where they mingle with resident herons. There is some concern that the growth in the Great Lake’s population of

double crested cormorants is negatively affecting this species. Certainly nesting colonies adjacent to some of the larger cormorant colonies have been displaced but I suspect the birds have simply sought out less crowded nesting sites. Cormorants are at least the size of these small herons and can dominate an area simply by their sheer numbers. To counter this, black-crowned night herons will nest in tall trees located much further away from water than the ones cormorants use. Each year I make a few trips to local nesting colonies and to areas where I know these birds hunt in order to photograph them. In their breeding plumages they are quite formal looking birds and their bright red eyes contrast with their somber colour. I would certainly miss them should they ever vanish from the landscape. ? 24 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

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real fishing fish facts

White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)

The white sturgeon is the largest of the North American sturgeons and is considered to be the largest fish found in freshwater in Canada. They are anadromous and spend most of their lives in coastal waters, close to shore in water less than 100-feet deep. Mature adults enter large, freshwater rivers to spawn, generally in the spring, although some may actually begin their migration in late fall and winter. White sturgeon can be identified by their body shape which is noticeably rounder than other sturgeons. They have a large, broad head; small eyes and a short, slightly flattened and bluntly rounded snout. The head also features barbels and a large, protrusible sucker mouth suitable for feeding along the bottom. Their bodies are not scaled; they are covered with patches of rough skin similar to a shark’s, and feature rows of large, bony plates. Despite their name, white sturgeon are not white. Their backs range from light to dark grey, olive or grey-brown and the flanks range from pale grey to off-white. Only the belly is white. White sturgeon are native to the Pacific coast of North America from Alaska south to California. In Canada they are most common in the Fraser River system, Kootenay Lake and river, the Columbia River and Vancouver Island. They are also known to

26 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

occur, in smaller numbers, in several other coastal watersheds in British Columbia. Spawning takes place in May and June, over rocky bottoms in areas of swift currents near rapids or waterfalls. Most spawning occurs in water temperatures between 48°F and 62°F. White sturgeon spawn more than once but the frequency decreases as the fish ages. A young female may spawn once every four-years while the interval for more mature fish may stretch to 10 or 11-years. Egg production is related to the size of individual fish and can range from about 700,000 eggs for a 35-pound female to upwards of 3 million eggs from a large specimen. The eggs are brown and sticky and they adhere to the bottom where they are laid. The white sturgeon is, like all sturgeons, a bottom feeder. In fresh water, small sturgeon feed predominantly on chironomids, which account for up to 35% of their diets. Other food items include mollusks, immature mayflies, caddis flies and stoneflies. Once a white sturgeon reaches 18 to 20-inches in length, its diet becomes primarily fish based although chironomids remain an important food source. At sea, white sturgeon are thought to feed on small, bottom dwelling fish and a variety of invertebrates. White sturgeon are an important species in both the commercial and the sport fisheries. Their flesh is quite palatable and the eggs are renowned when prepared as caviar. A single female can provide up to 200-pounds of eggs. Due to the immense size of the white sturgeon, often stretching to over eight -feet in length and approaching

300-pounds in weight, there is a large trophy sport fishery for them. The bulk of this takes place in the Fraser River system. Anglers use large chunks of salmon skein that are anchored to the river bottom by heavy weights. Rods are placed in holders and the bait is left to milk scent, which the sturgeon will follow until it locates the food source. White sturgeon fight hard and are known to make several hard runs and leaps when hooked. The sight of such a large fish jumping clear of the water undoubtedly adds to their appeal among sport anglers. ?

DID YOU KNOW? Despite their enormous size, white sturgeon are bottom feeders that typically eat small fishes, invertebrates and insects.

FAST FACTS Colour: Light to dark grey, olive or greybrown along the back; pale grey to off-white on the flanks fading to white on the belly. Size: The average adult white sturgeon ranges from four to seven-feet in length and weighs between 70 and 200-pounds but smaller and larger fish are common. Life Span: The white sturgeon commonly lives for over 50-years and fish over 100years of age have been recorded. Habitat: Shallow coastline areas while at sea and large, swift river systems in fresh water. Spawning: Spawning takes place in water temperatures between 48°F and 62°F, usually in May or June, in areas with rocky bottoms and swift currents.

RECORD The IGFA lists the all-tackle world record white sturgeon at an astonishing 468pounds. The gigantic fish was caught in Benicia, California, in July 1983.

the vintage tackle box By Patrick Daradick

Patrick Daradick has been collecting vintage fishing tackle for over 23-years and is a specialist in Ontario made tackle. He enjoys sharing his passion and knowledge of tackle collecting on his website at www.ontariolures.com

The Allure of the Find Vintage fishing tackle is one of the most diverse fields of collecting today. With the vast lure choices and nearly unlimited product inventions by historical, well known tackle makers like James Heddon & Sons and the Creek Chub Bait Co. as well as obscure garage and basement inventors like Ontario lure makers, Colmer Baits or Williams Baits, anyone can easily locate vintage tackle that they will cherish and be proud to display. Many collectors begin with the inheritance of a family member’s tackle box that was tucked away for years. When unlocked, such tackle boxes bring back fond memories of family members and of days spent fishing. Usually these boxes hold many lures and lure boxes that would be considered “common” old tackle. Occasionally though, there’s the find of a rare lure or lure box with historical importance that makes your heart race with excitement. What makes a lure or box valuable begins with its condition and rarity and ends with the desire of other collectors to own such a lure or box. One has to become educated to assure whether the tackle warrants such praise and value as "rare" or whether it is considered “common.” Being a seasoned collector, I'd strongly advise to join an organization that fields the experts who will be able to help and assist you. Two such clubs are the NFLCC (National Fishing Lures Collectors Club, www.nflcc.org) and CAFTA (Canadian Antique Fishing Tackle Association, www.cafta.ca.) If fishing reels are your choice, visit ORCA (Old Reels Collectors Association, www.orcaonline.org.) All these clubs host outstanding tackle shows where you can find the vintage tackle you desire, view outstanding tackle displays and gain important information. On June 13, 2010, CAFTA will showcase great collections from club members at their annual 28 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

show held at the Days Inn in Kingston. These clubs also provide magazines and gazettes throughout the year to their members. Many great articles are submitted by club members sharing their knowledge and finds on vintage fishing tackle. There are many websites that offer assistance to vintage tackle collectors. On my own website, www.ontariolures.com, you'll find a vast amount of information on Ontario made lures. A visit to my "fishing links" tab will provide many other resourceful websites to view. Just about all you'll need to know can be found at these specialized websites. Many collectors have found time to publish reference books on vintage tackle. Some specialize in certain tackle companies while others give an overall subject view on many tackle companies. A few of my favourites include “Collector's Guide to Creek Chub Lures & Collectibles” by Harold E. Smith M.D.; "Commercial Fish Decoys" by Frank Baron and "Spring-Loaded Fish Hooks, Traps & Lures” by William Blauser and Timothy Mierzwa. There are many more available for your enjoyment and education.

The prices in these books are just guidelines and will change with demand. Many factors attribute to the value of fishing lures or boxes. One factor is what they call "special colours." It will change the price on any lure dramatically, as seen in supplied photo. Collectors vary on what they collect and many specialize in certain areas of fishing tackle. For example, I collect lures made in Ontario. Others will collect products from certain lure makers. Still others try to acquire all colours of a particular lure by a certain lure maker. No matter what you collect, obtaining s highly desired lure, fishing reel or fly rod is what makes tackle collecting such a fun hobby. The allure of the find is contagious. Whether you desire to preserve that family tackle box no matter its value, or to add a special lure or box to your collection, keep it fun. Read up on your favourite type of tackle, attend some shows and get involved with the collecting community. You'll meet many fine people in this worldwide hobby of vintage fishing tackle who will be happy to help you along. ?

These Creek Chub Pikies look similar but the upper lure has a “special order” colour that makes it worth $125 more than the standard “silver flash” coloured bait on the bottom. The box has $25 value.

The fully automatic Thill® SPLASH BRITE™ activates upon hitting the water. Its bright red light is easy to see in all conditions. A true center slip float with a brass grommet that eliminates all hassles and tangles. With a minimum of 30 hours battery life, the SPLASH BRITE™ will change how you view fishing in the dark.

lindyfishingtackle.com

Michelle Trudeau from Lund Boats is not only the driving force behind the Angler & Young Angler fishing tournaments; she’s a pretty good angler too. Before last year’s Vanity Cup tournament on Lake Nipawin, Michelle had the chance to sample some of the great walleye fishing the lake is famous for. “Nipawin, Saskatchewan fishing is first class!” said Michelle.“What an amazing fishery! I was fortunate enough to head out for a while during a pre-fish day and look at what I caught! If ever you get the chance to go to Nipawin, GO! You won't regret it!” We've got to agree. Fish like this one definitely make it worth the trip to Saskatchewan!

30 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

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APRIL

THURSDAY

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

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

4:30 - 6:30 am 4:54 - 6:54 pm 10:57 - 12:27 am 11:21 - 12:51 pm

5:18 - 7:18 5:42 - 7:42 NA 12:09 - 1:39

11 am pm am pm

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

6:06 - 8:06 6:30 - 8:30 12:33 - 2:03 12:57 - 2:27

10:06 - 12:06 am 10:30 - 12:30 pm 4:33 - 6:03 am 4:57 - 6:27 pm

10:54 - 12:54 am 11:18 - 1:18 pm 5:21 - 6:51 am 5:45 - 7:15 pm

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

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

4:30 - 6:30 am 4:54 - 6:54 pm 10:57 - 12:27 am 11:21 - 12:51 pm

5:18 - 7:18 5:42 - 7:42 NA 12:09 - 1:39

am pm am pm

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

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

am pm am pm

10:06 - 12:06 am 10:30 - 12:30 pm 4:33 - 6:03 am 4:57 - 6:27 pm

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

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

4:30 - 6:30 am 4:54 - 6:54 pm 10:57 - 12:27 am 11:21 - 12:51 pm

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M AY

WEDNESDAY

Good Time

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32 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

TUESDAY

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MONDAY

Excellent Time

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

JUNE

Best Fishing Times 2010

DOUG HANNON’S

SUNDAY

10:06 - 12:06 am 10:30 - 12:30 pm 4:33 - 6:03 am 4:57 - 6:27 pm

19 am pm am pm

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

am pm am pm

34 Real Fishing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Spring 2010

PRO PATTERNS for

SPRING PIKE By Jonathan LePera

Pike fishing is most definitely not for the faint at heart but if the image of a big fish violently erupting on your bait, thrashing its way towards your grasp, and pushing your tackle to its breaking point is something that might interest you, by all means read on. I recently had the opportunity to interview some to the best pike anglers from across Ontario and this article is packed with their tips, tricks and know-how to help you catch more pike this spring, no matter where you fish.

Spring 2010 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Real Fishing 35

GREATER TORONTO AREA When you think of downtown Toronto, you think of culture, heritage, entertainment and sports, but have you ever considered trophy pike fishing? Lawren Wetzel, of Navico Electronics, realized he no longer needed a boat to pursue some of the best fishing of the year. Instead of being in awe of the bright city lights, he’s more readily impressed by the waterfront that teems with oversized pike. Wetzel’s prime draw to an area is water colour as he believes it draws in big fish just after the spawn. As a shore angler, he does not always have the benefit of knowing where vegetation is growing; instead, he looks for water slightly dirtier than in the surrounding area. Wetzel knows there is a limited window to experience phenomenal spring pike fishing immediately after ice out. “You’ll get those sunny days where it does start to warm that water up, and it’s those warm, sunny days that really get them going,” Lawren offers. He really gets excited about pike fishing once there have been two or three days of

bright sun with no wind and the temperature is above 5°C. Wetzel gives the nod to long rods for his shoreline pike pursuits as he is often fishing off a wall that is three-feet above the water’s surface. As well, he can make longer casts, get better hooksets and has more control when fighting fish due to the increased leverage offered by a long rod. Wetzel is equally as particular about his choice of line. “I use either 10 or 12-pound test fluorocarbon because it casts really far with lighter line so you can get further out and away from those fish that everyone is hitting - you can get to those fish that no one else can cast to. Also, it gets the bait down deeper. A lot of guys can raise fish but can’t get those fish to commit. The way I get those fish to commit is to get the bait down deeper.” A bait’s action is all-important to Wetzel and he refuses to use a leader as he feels it deadens the movement of the bait too much. “I’d rather break a fish off and get three or four more bites a day than throw on a leader and get one fish for the day.” Wetzel knows that most shoreline anglers use standard, shallow running jerkbaits and slash baits. He put the odds in his favour by using deep diving models so that he can bump bottom in 6 to 8-feet of water and catch the fish that the other anglers are missing. While many anglers get frustrated with monster pike that refuse to commit to their baits, Lawren never packs up and goes home. Instead, he ties a big white feather to the rear treble hook of his lure so that it causes more resistance and deadens the action slightly. More often that not this little trick is all it takes to turn the feed bag on. Timing is everything and Wetzel rarely fishes outside of his favoured 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. stretch.

Phenomenal spring pike fishing starts immediately after ice out.

36 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

“You are not fishing for 10 bites a day. Yu are going down there with the hope of catching one fish a day - or at least seeing one fish a day. But the rewards are there. There are some big pike in there. My biggest was pushing 18-pounds.”

ST. LAWRENCE RIVER/LAKE ONTARIO If pike fishing under the big city lights does not appeal to you, maybe chasing them in the Great Lakes will, much as they do for acclaimed guide, Marc Thorpe. A muskie fanatic and expert by trade, spring pike and walleye are not far off the guiding trail for Thorpe, who has been guiding on the St. Lawrence for 22-years. In speaking with Thorpe, it doesn’t take long for one to realize that his philosophies on fishing are technical, focused, but most importantly, practical.

“Sun is probably the element that kicks nature into gear more than anything else. Just look at life. If there is no sun, there is no life on the earth. If there is no moon, there is no life on the earth. Everything revolves around sun,” mused Thorpe. “If the birds are lying down, nothing is moving. If the birds are moving around, things are moving in life. If seagulls are all

bunched up in one area on the grass, all huddled together, generally, fishing is pretty tough. If their heads are tucked, then fishing is really tough,” he continued. Thorpe’s spring pike fishing is extremely focused as he only has a two week window before his muskie season begins. At that time of the year Thorpe notes that surface water temperatures are always in the 46°F to 52°F range. His better fish are consistently found close to new emergent weed growth, especially cabbage and reeds. Any reeds associated to sand flats are great places to start. As Thorpe sees it, “The sand warms up and they (pike) are using those areas for spawning. The water depth will be anywhere from one to four-feet.” Thorpe’s optimum conditions include water temperatures between 52°F and 55°F, roughly 10-degrees warmer than what they spawn in. Combine that with fishing the peak daytime period between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Thorpe is dialled in. He keys in on areas where creeks flow into the back of bays. Water that has cabbage, reeds, and access to 30-plus feet of water within a mile are enough to captivate Thorpe’s interest. Thorpe keeps his tackle pretty simple but differs from his colleagues in that he relies on brightly coloured spinnerbaits and chrome Williams Wabler spoons to consistently land spring pike. If he finds that his shallow pike have moved off and into four or six-feet of water, he’ll let 75-100 feet of line out and troll the breaklines. He is religious in his use of six to nine-inch steel leaders because of the way that pike fight in the weeds. Thorpe’s lure choices are based on his belief that pike feed based on reaction, vibration, and visibility. If the water is clear, pike will use their eyes more and if the water is dark they will rely more on their lateral line. When the fishing gets tough, Thorpe immediately begins looking for deeper water. Thorpe has found that pike will move off the secondary break, ranging from 12-18 feet deep, and into the deeper water as the 38 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

temperature rises. Thorpe looks for fish in water as deep as 25-feet as this is where he has found pike to stage before they spawn and again as they head out to deeper water after spawning. In eastern Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River the shipping channel is in close proximity and pike will often move off the ledge on the secondary break into the channel where they will lay on the bottom in 25-feet of water. Thorpe feels they do this because the mud is much warmer. Here, Thorpe will jig with Lindy Tiger Tubes or, surprisingly, a motor oil coloured worm rigged on a 1 to a 1 ½ounce walleye jig. Thorpe concluded with the following thought: “Any species you fish, you and the fish must become one…and that’s the only way to lead to success.”

LAKE OF THE WOODS Jeff Gustafson is a force to be reckoned with in bass fishing circles, having won the renowned KBI Bass Tournament and having strong finishes at the Fort Frances tournament, but there is definitely a fire that burns in him for trophy spring pike. Admittedly, he is spoiled with some of the best pike fishing in Ontario on prestigious Lake of the Woods. He started guiding and the young age of 14 and hasn’t looked back 13 years later. When targeting early spring pike, Gustafson heads immediately to the back of shallow bays where he is confident the pike will spawn. For Gustafson, it is imperative that his prime areas have a creek or some kind of running water as the increased oxygen will attract walleyes, suckers, and consequently, trophy pike. He is quick to caution such bays do not need a significant amount of run-off to attract fish. At the same time, he is not scared off by the mudlines that can sometimes be produced in such areas as they can be key spots for pike to feed in. Gustafson favours these places as pike traditionally gravitate back, year after year, to the dead weed clumps from the year previous. As well, the bays are mud-bottomed and, much like Thorpe, Jeff is confident that the fish will lie on the bottom, whether it be a few inches deep or up to 6-feet of water.

“I’ve seen some giant fish - and caught some - in water where their back fins or tails were sticking out of the water. You’ll be going along and they’ll blend in so good that you’ll spook them.” To remedy that, Gustafson recommends a pair of high quality polarized glasses in a copper lens, as it offers the highest degree of contrast for him to decipher, rock, weeds, wood, or fish beneath the water. Eye protection is equally important as large pike have no problem throwing large baits and their hooks back at you once hooked! Gustafson combs the water with white, soft-plastic jerkbaits that he rigs weedless, especially when sight fishing or fishing weedy areas. “Sometimes you will be fishing with a bit of slack in your line and you won’t feel the bite but you’ll see the lure disappear. That’s when you can cream them.” Equally effective are hard jerkbaits in any natural colour, such as Tennessee Shad, smelt, or white. Gustafson favours these shallow running baits for their erratic action and ability to attract quality fish. “I’m not in there looking for 6 and 8pounders, I’m looking for 40 inch fish,” Gustafson stressed. His personal best caught a few years back was a 44-inch mammoth that would have tipped the scales in excess of 20-pounds. Gustafson doesn’t waste his time beating on inactive fish either. “If they are not responding, or they swim the other way, the best thing to do is to move on and come back in an hour as those fish will be in the same general area,” he said. Gustafson suggests most pike anglers’ greatest error is not having fresh line on their set-ups. “Fresh line casts so much better. For people that don’t get to spend a ton of time on the water, you want to put every odd in your

Rob Hyatt guided Dave Sidel to this chunky Lake Nipissing pike.

favour and fishing line is an easy one to control. It is definitely going to put the odds in your favour.”

LAC SEUL Ben Beattie had an office job in Southern Ontario but realized he needed something more. Fuelled by memories of his days bass and pike fishing at his childhood cottage on Georgian Bay, in 2005 Beattie picked up and left for Lac Seul, which he touts as an “incredible fishery.” and started guiding. Logging 150-200 days on the water guiding for Moose Horn Lodge in Sioux Lookout, Beattie has become a force to be reckoned with and spring pike are in his sights.

After suffering through a long winter of hard water, Beattie is quite particular about where he will be once the ice comes off the lake. “I’m trying to find some warmer water; something to set apart a spot to give the fish a reason to be there. South facing bays warm up fast and places with an inlet of running water will open up a little faster so there will be more baitfish and pike,” Beattie noted. Beattie relishes in forecasts of spring sun and being able to find water that is three to four-degrees warmer that the main lake. Equally important are shorelines with a mix size of rock rubble anywhere from pebble to basketball sized. He noted that some lakes have great transitions between rock/rubble and sand Ben said that he preferred those shorelines a lot more than those that are all smooth rock.

Beattie believes that conquering trophy pike comes down to bait selection and he relies on suspending minnowbaits, slash baits, and weedless spoons with grub trailers. He prefers white for most of his baits as he feels it offers the greatest amount of contrast against the dark bottom and stained water that he typically fishes. Beattie runs a leader for fear of losing a trophy fish - as many anglers have. Realizing that spring pike will thrash at a bait - thus the necessity of the leader - he is also aware that the bite is reactionary. Once a pike sees the flash of the lure they are either going to commit to hitting or not. While many anglers let dirty water affect their confidence, water visibility has little bearing on Ben’s spring pike fishing as most of Lac Seul offers the same two to three-feet of tea stained water. Beattie has landed and guided clients to trophy pike up to 44-inches and he has no qualms about when the best opportunity to target trophy fish is. While many anglers believe trophy pike can be had all spring, Beattie cautions otherwise. “When big fish are post spawn and the water is warming up and pike are getting more active, there is a small window. It’s about two weeks and after that they move off from the shallows. That prime bite for big pike is a lot smaller window than a lot of people think it is.” Beattie is quite particular about his retrieve. Initially he fishes fast, to search for active fish, and he plays with not only the speed, but the cadence as well. He will start with a “snap, snap, pause” but says that it is something you have to experiment with because every day is different. Ultimately, Beattie lets the activity level of the pike to dictate action or speed of his retrieve.

LAKE NIPISSING Rob Hyatt and Lake Nipissing go hand-inhand as he has been guiding on the big lake, during both the soft and hardwater seasons, for over 22-years. Once the season opens, Hyatt heads out in search of sand flats and rocks. Mouths of rivers are also hot commodities because Nipissing pike spawn there. Hyatt prefers areas with water movement that are close to rocks with weedlines at the end of them because he finds the pike to relate to the hard structure. His prime areas contain sand, weed, and rock transitions.

Such areas might only be 10-feet wide but they can be loaded with fish, especially if there is some fresh cabbage weed mixed in. Like Thorpe, Hyatt has no problem targeting deep water pike. “I do like targeting pike in the areas that have deep water. On Nipissing, that means 15-feet of water nearby, where they can go over the edge and push up a school of bait.” Hyatt’s boat deck is lined with baits that produce consistently. While slash baits in dark gold or brown seem to be his preference (due to the dirty water colour of Nipissing) that doesn’t stop him from experimenting. One of his other favourite baits is the Berkley Hollow Belly Swimbait in chartreuse and white. While he will throw swimbaits up to 9-inches long, when the bite is tough he’ll scale all the way down to a 3inch soft plastic minnow imitation rigged on a jighead. Hyatt is adamant about throwing his soft plastics with a nine-inch steel leader but frowns on their use with jerkbaits as they get tangled in the hooks too easily. He prefers to work his baits aggressively but knows to switch up his retrieve to something slower and with long pauses if that’s what it takes to get bites. Fussy spring pike rarely get Hyatt down as he always has a trick or two up his sleeve. These vary from “yo-yo jigging” with soft plastic baits to killing their action completely. Hyatt emphasizes to his clients that, when pike are following and non-committal, simply stop winding and let the bait fall. He stressed that his theory pertains to all fish. “If you see them follow the bait to the boat, doesn’t even matter what kind of fish it is, they’ll commit. Pike are usually more apt to slam it when it stops.”

LAKE SIMCOE While some brutes do call it home, Lake Simcoe is not known as a trophy pike fishery. Its claim to fame is more about numbers and anglers pursuing pike here will not be disappointed. While Lawren Wetzel has an affinity to inner-city angling from shore, he also loves hitting this pike factory by boat. Spring 2010 – Real Fishing 39

Vernon as his feels the pike are less Shallow bays and high sun are always a good pressured and combination, especially when there is good more aggressive. vegetation mixed in. He noted that, in His personal best pushed 14-pounds and the Muskokas, the average fish is about 30anglers can expect to consistently land fish inches with many stretching to between 35 in the five to eight-pound range. Wetzel and 42. His fishing partner landed a 48 ¼stressed that spring pike on this lake are inch pike while pre-fishing for a tournament readily found on big weed flats in 3 to 10- and Rochette is positive that 50-inch fish lurk in the depths of Lake Muskoka. feet of water. Rochette pointed out that pike fishing By the time the season opens, Wetzel believes that the majority of the pike have really is not that difficult and sometimes already spawned. He pays little attention to anglers over-think things too much. Early water temperature and focuses all of his season pike will often remain close to where attention on water depth. He will usually set they spawned and will only leave to find up in 10 to 12-feet of water and start work- warmer water nearby. Rochette works from ing his way towards shore to figure out deep to shallow looking for where the pike are set up. Time on the water has taught where the fish are. Like Gustafson, Wetzel finds pike in dark Rochette that water temperatures of 55°F to bottom bays, holding to mud. Wetzel noted 60°F will move pike shallow, get them that some bays in the north end of the lake active, and provide the optimum opportunicontain these darker, muddy bottoms while ty for a trophy to be landed. He hits his key others have sand or silt and it’s the dark bot- spots three to five times a day, knowing that tom ones that consistently hold fish. If he pike can travel great distances. Rochette is meticulous about his tackle cannot find dead weeds or emerging growth, Wetzel will go looking for wood, and is totally focused on catching a fish of a especially logs. For sight fishing these brutes, lifetime. He’s willing to throw premium, his first choice is a white or bubble gum imported Japanese jerkbaits - that carry a coloured soft plastic jerkbait that he rigs on heavy price tag - just for the shot at a trophy 50-pound braided and a heavy 4/0 hook. fish. All of his lures are tied to 12-inch steel The heavy hook weights the bait a little for leaders and the second it gets kinked or casting, helps it track better and allows nicked it is cast aside. He keeps his bait Lawren to drop the bait right in front of a colours simple and chooses those that mimic fish if need be. He never lets the bait hit the perch and baby bass. Rochette’s “secret” bait, and one that has bottom, preferring to give it a snap just before it does. This is usually enough to trig- allowed him to clean up and cash cheques fishing behind other anglers, is an in-line ger a fish to commit. spinner. He prefers a #4 or #5 Mepps with an Indiana blade and some yellow or red LAKE MUSKOKA/LAKE VERNON Dave Rochette is a seasoned pro in both the colouring. He will run this lure 6 to 12-inchbass and pike tournament circles in Ontario. es under the surface. Rochette discards each A professed ‘bass head,’ Rochette finds him- spinner after he has landed a fish on it for self using similar techniques for pike as he fear that the wire has been weakened. He does during his bass pursuits. Rochette admits keeps the factory hooks but is obsessive that a great pike fishery will put the odds in about keeping them extremely sharp. He your favour, but to have a shot at landing tro- has little use for feathers or trailers and says phy fish, you really need to be on your game. that he does just fine without them. A true bass angler at heart, Rochette also Once the season opens, he most often finds himself fishing the northwest bays, as they has great success flipping a jig and craw into are the first to warm up. Shallow bays and fallen trees throughout the spring. He’ll use high sun are always a good combination, the same ½-ounce, black/blue jigs as he especially when there is good vegetation would for bass fishing. Under tougher conmixed in. It is equally important that the ditions, he will throw a soft-plastic jerkbait mouth of the bay step down into deep water. on a quality, 5/0 straight shank hook or a Rochette prefers the dingier waters of Lake 3/8-ounce ball head jig tipped with a curly 40 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

tail grub. When the fishing gets really tough, Rochette will ‘run and gun’ just like the pike that are in transition. He stresses that anglers cannot be stubborn and must be willing to keep an open mind. Spring pike fishing is a great way to kick off the open water fishing season and everyone should experience the thrill of a fish that wants to rip their rod from their hands and drag it to the depths of the lake. In the past, outings with little success or lost lures have afflicted most of us, but by putting these tips to the test you will be on your way to hooking into a trophy this spring. Why not trade in your rake and gardening gloves this spring, get out on the water and enjoy some of Ontario’s amazing spring fishing. I know I will! ?

TOOLS OF THE TRADE Along with rods, reels and baits, here are a few other items you’ll want to take along on your spring pike fishing trips. Landing Net or Cradle Pike are known for their sudden bursts of energy at boat side and many anglers have ended up with hooks planted deeply in their hands after trying to hand land one. Play it safe, especially with bigger fish, and use a large landing net to control the fish. It’s easier on the fish and it can save you from a world of hurt. Pliers or Cutters The safest and most efficient way to remove hooks from an angry pike is with a good set of pliers or hook removers. For deeply hooked fish, use cutters to snip the hooks off before release. Insect Repellent While the spring is the best time of year to catch hungry pike it’s also the best time of year for mosquitoes to be feeding on unwitting anglers. A good insect repellent like Off! Deep Woods will keep the bugs away so that you can concentrate on catching fish. Layered Clothing Dramatic weather changes are common in the early spring. It’s not unusual to have frost on the ground in the morning, sweltering sunshine later in the day and chilly conditions again in the afternoon. By dressing in layers you’ll be able to add or remove clothing as the weather dictates so you can stay comfortable all day long.

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a social networking site is one you do online and the

see a legendary Coleman® lantern, a green Coleman®

other you do when you don’t want to shower for a few

stove or even one of our tents in there.

days. To get started networking, social or otherwise, go

[

to www.coleman.com today.

Famous for finding friends in the woods. The inspiration for finding them on the Internet.

]

And just

like on a social networking site, those people

are doing their fair share of connecting and sharing.

To us, the only difference between a campsite and

By Ben Beattie Ben Beattie is a freelance writer and fishing guide from Sioux Lookout, Ontario.

42 Real Fishing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Spring 2010

Grand Cats “There’s a cat!” my guide, Steve Piggott of Angler’s Way Guide Service, called out as we watched one of the rod tips bounce subtly in the morning sunlight. This was a good sign – and a sign of things to come – considering we had only been set up for a couple of minutes on our first spot of the day. “The secret is fresh bait,” Steve said, as I picked the rod from the holder, set the hook, and began battle with my first ever Grand River catfish. I was more than impressed with the powerful fight of this unfamiliar opponent. With my rod doubled over, I tried to turn the fish towards the boat. I laughed out lout as the ‘cat’ pumped my rod and peeled drag. The battle carried on until its hefty body was in the net, complete with long, dark whiskers dangling through the mesh.

Spring 2010 – Real Fishing 43

Grand River catfish offer an excellent springtime fishing opportunity. The best time to catch them is between the end of ice fishing season and the opening of other species like bass, pike and walleye. Relatively easy access makes them an appealing target for boaters and shore fishermen alike.

Steve recalls; “Five or six years ago I was out here by myself most of the time. There weren’t a lot of people who realized the potential of this fishery back then. It’s as good a catfish fishery as anywhere else in the country, including well-known hotspots, like the Red River in Manitoba. Guys are just recently beginning to realize what an incredible catfish fishery we have right here in southern Ontario.” Action picks up shortly after ice-out in late March and peaks in early May when water temperatures reach the low 50°F

MAKING A STINK Steve Piggott with a hefty Grand River catfish.

CATS OF THE GRAND The best catfish action on the Grand River takes place in the approximately nine-kilometer stretch between the dam in Dunnville and the river’s mouth at Lake Erie. “You can easily fill your day within fourkilometers of the Dunnville dam. On a good day you can boat 30-plus cats, averaging 10-pounds, with a legitimate chance at a 25-pounder,” Steve explains. Impressive statistics, especially considering this was a relatively unknown fishery in the not-so-distant past.

SAFE HANDLING When handling catfish be careful of the three sharp barbs or ‘stingers’ located on their pectoral and dorsal fins. Lipping catfish is a common practice, however, be aware that their powerful jaws may clamp down on your fingers. It is acceptable to hold a catfish under the gill plate, as you would a pike or a walleye, as long as you avoid contact with their gills and support their body with your other hand.

Fresh sucker meat is one of the best catfish baits.

When Steve mentioned that the secret to success was fresh bait, he wasn’t kidding. Moments before dropping our lines he pulled a 15-inch sucker from his livewell. I watched as he removed its head with a sharp knife and proceeded to cut quarter inch ‘steaks’ from the body of the sucker. He carefully threaded the hook under the skin of the fresh deadbait and we were in business. Author Ben Beattie enjoys catfishing on the Grand River.

range. On the mid-April day that Steve and I fished together, the river lived up to the recent hype and attention it’s receiving. We enjoyed steady action, including double headers, and our big fish for the day tipped the scales at just over 17-pounds. Even with the recent surge in popularity, we shared the river with only a dozen other boats.

Scent is everything when attracting catfish. They have powerful olfactory receptors in their nostrils that are able to detect the faintest odours in water. Catfish also have the unique characteristic of having taste buds covering the entire surface of their body. These taste buds are especially concentrated around the whiskers. These well-developed

44 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

Even blind catfish can sniff out a meal.

senses of taste and smell allow them to search out food in water with poor visibility. Anglers armed with this knowledge will quickly realize that it doesn’t matter as much if the fish can see your bait; it’s whether or not they can smell it that counts. There are plenty of other baits that will catch catfish, including nightcrawlers, homemade stinkbaits, chicken livers and shrimp. However, Steve prefers fresh deadbait from a sucker. At times he will even enhance the smell by spraying the bait with GULP! Alive juice to help further disperse scent in the water.

HERE KITTY, KITTY, KITTY Finding a productive area to drop your line is the most challenging aspect of catching catfish. Fortunately, Steve is more then willing to share his experience and approach for locating fish. His best advice is to start your search along drop-offs to the main river channel. “Fish on the break, where the edge meets the channel. Cats use this channel wall to move up and down the river looking for food.” Finding this drop-off is easily accomplished with basic on-board electronics. Start in the shallows near the river’s edge and slowly make your way towards the centre. Mark where the depth makes a quick drop from shallow to deep and anchor there. Another advantage of setting up on a drop-off is that it allows you to easily cover both the shallow and deep areas with the boat in one position. With two or more

46 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

anglers, this approach will help give you an idea of where the fish are on a given day. As with most types of fishing, it pays to be versatile and cover as much water as possible. Other key areas to target catfish in the river include pockets of deeper water and the downstream side of mid-river drop-offs. “Any edge that the catfish can relate to is a good place to try,” Steve explains. Areas where the current is more pronounced are also worth trying, as the faster moving water will disperse scent more quickly and over a larger area.

GETTING THERE The town of Dunnville, located on highway 3 less then one hour south of Hamilton, provides easy access to the Grand River’s catfish hotspots. There is a boat launch at the Dunnville Boat Club, located behind the arena on Main St. The daily launch fee is $10 and includes parking. Fishmaster Bait and Tackle, also located on Main St. in Dunnville, offers a boat launch, parking, bait and shore fishing opportunities.

A productive strategy for targeting bigger fish is to try the deepest holes you can find. Early in the season you’re not likely going to find great numbers of catfish in the deep holes, but it’s worth a try if you’re looking to land a lunker. Steve and I put this theory to the test, and sure enough, we landed our biggest fish of the day from 27-feet of water. Steve says that this tactic is particularly useful for finding fish once the water warms up later in the season. Night fishing can be quite productive for catfish as well. Steve’s best advice is to try shallower areas at night, especially in the summer when the water is warmer. Regardless of where you drop a line, Steve stresses the importance of the run-and-gun approach. “If I’m not on them in 15-minutes, I’m moving. Even short moves of a hundred yards or less, like to the other side of the river, for example.”

Long, soft rods are ideal for catfishing.

Having two anchors - one tied off the bow and the other tied off the stern ensures your boat won’t swing around and your bait will remain in one place. As with all types of fishing, sonar and GPS units will make your job easier. Use the sonar to locate drop-offs, deep-water holes and other potential fish holding structure. Use the GPS to mark locations of structure as well as places where you caught fish. Having a waypoint on these spots makes it easy to return to productive areas on your next trip out.

CONTACT INFO EQUIPMENT There is no need to break the bank on expensive equipment for targeting catfish. Long, soft downrigger rods work perfectly. Even pike gear can be modified to handle catfish. For reels, level wind and spinning style reels will get the job done, provided they have ample line capacity for larger diameter line. Steve prefers to use 20-pound monofilament over braided line. The stretch of monofilament acts like a shock absorber and helps keep the hook pinned in place. On

the business end, run a 10-inch leader from a swivel to a number one, two or three circle hook. Place a one-ounce egg sinker above the swivel to hold the bait on bottom. To further ensure your bait remains motionless, a two-anchor system is best for boat control. Steve explains; “You want the boat to remain motionless so your bait isn’t being dragged around the bottom of the river. When your boat is still and the egg sinker holds your bait on bottom, the catfish have an easier time finding your bait.”

Steve Piggott, owner and operator of Angler’s Way Guide Service, provides guided trips for catfish on the Grand River, as well as multi-species trips on the Niagara River. For more information, contact Steve at (905) 957 – 2638 or visit him online at www.anglersway.net

This spring, get out and enjoy some catfish action on the Grand River. They are hard fighting and fun to catch - a combination that will surely make ‘Grand Cats’ an annual trip to look forward to. ?

Spring 2010 – Real Fishing 47

ABOVE THE A The wind whipped the river into whitecaps; the black mountaintops in the distance were barely visible behind the dark, grey fog. Black basalt canyon walls eroded into the river as rough legged hawks stayed pinned to their canyon-side nests.

48 Real Fishing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Spring 2010

RCTIC CIRCLE ARCTIC By Jim Baird Photos by Jim and Ted Baird

Spring 2010 – Real Fishing 49

Ted Baird with a nice Arctic char.

lake?” I asked the pilot. With a shrug, he said, “Oh I dunno, it looks deep enough.” He then took off and left us to fend for ourselves in the vast, uncompromising wilderness. We assembled our folding canoe and, although the hour was late, we headed out for a few casts, eager to gauge the fishing possibilities. The first cast produced a big hit. “Get the net!” I yelled, as an Arctic char broke the surface. Jim Baird hoists a decent Arctic char.

Ted pulled out his rod as our canoe neared shore and in four casts we pulled three char and a nice lake trout out of the river. I cleaned the fish as the wind howled and sleet pelted my face, and then joined Ted to help set up our tent, which we guyed to the ground, doubling up on pegs all around. We were feeling the cold at 2:30 a.m. even though it was mid-July. No flashlight was needed to clean our fish and set up camp as our location at 71-degrees north, 586-km above the Arctic Circle, granted us 24-hours of daylight, a delight offered by the far flung reaches of the Arctic. That night, as the rain and wind hammered our tent, it sounded like we were camped under a waterfall. My brother, Ted, and I were at the beginning of a five-week canoe expedition on the Kuujjua River, which runs 350-km from the interior of Victoria Island in the Arctic island archipelago to the Beaufort Sea. On completion of the river we planned to canoe 115-km on the Beaufort Sea, finishing at the community of Ulukhaktok (formerly Holman) in the Northwest Territories. We had come to experience high Arctic adventure and we were getting what we came for.

50 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

Five days prior to our arrival in the black canyon, during a two hour charter flight from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, we found ourselves roaring in tight circles in a float plane while our pilot peered out the window to determine the depth of a lake, one of our possible landing sites. After we landed, we waded to shore with our gear. “Do you think there are any fish in this

With one fish in the boat, Ted and I spent the rest of the night sight-fishing with small barbless hooked baits. We were amazed by the Arctic char dancing across the top of the water and by the big lake trout running out our spools. We knew that the lake we were on connected to the ocean some 350- km

away and that we were catching anadromous char that had made their way up from the ocean to spawn.

Remnants of the Last Ice Age As we made our way down the river we looked at the land around us and saw scars in the rock; claw marks left by massive glaciers during the last ice age. It is a misconception that glacial ice itself leaves scarring on rock. It is the boulders held within the glacial ice that grind, rock on rock, and leave scars while the mass of ice is in constant motion. Lake trout are well adapted to the bonechilling waters of the high Arctic. Mystery surrounds this prized game fish as its evolution during the ice age prevents scientists from documenting fossil remains of earlier subspecies or extinct relatives. Lake trout, which are actually members of the char family, are believed to have been roaming the waters of the earth for between one and three-million years, yet a fairly loose scientific understanding exists about their evolution. Author Jim Baird with a quality lake trout

added challenge of using barbless hooks, having to keep your line tight, making no mistakes or risk losing the big one. The lake trout varied in appearance and we caught fish having bright yellow, white, or beautiful deep orange fins. The lake trout of the high Arctic are smaller than those of the mainland barrens. Their growth rate is extremely slow in the oligotrophic waters that provide little sustenance for these fish. Ted and I were amazed that they could survive at all. All of the lake trout we caught were over five-pounds and one of the bigger ones Ted hooked snapped his rod into three pieces forcing him to land the fish with just the reel in his hand!

Ancient stone tent rings and Inuksuit were common finds along the river.

They used a Polar Bear Tooth The Inuit of the area traditionally lived on the sea ice in the winter, traveling with sleds hauled by hand or by dogs. Fishing for Arctic char and lake trout was, and still is, a major part of their culture and the fish make up an important part of their diet. As the trip progressed, Ted and I would often find an exceptional fishing hole and think we were the first to discover it, only to see remains of an old Inuit campsite. Stone tent rings, Inuksuit, and stone fox traps were among our common finds. It was hard to decipher, with our limited archeological knowledge, what certain structures were used for. We later realized that one of the ancient campsites we had stumbled across was of Paleoinuit origin and dated back as much as 5,000 years. Here we saw small stone arrowheads that were made to hunt Ted Baird with one of the larger lake trout of the trip

We were using blaze orange Pixie spoons for both char and lake trout. We found that they cast a good distance yet did not go to deep. The local Inuit anglers of Cambridge Bay taught us the useful “bow and arrow” technique for releasing a snag from rocks. Simply pull the line between your reel and first guide until tight, then release quickly. The whipping action releases your lure more times than not. Switching to heavy braided line proved to be an asset as the trip proceeded; it prevented us from having to pull out the net every time we wanted to boat a fish, bypassing the inevitable untangling of fish net and lure. We enjoyed the

muskoxen and caribou. We found it fascinating to imagine waiting behind a stone blind with such primitive weapons in anticipation taking one of these large animals. The Inuit that have lived in the area surrounding the Kuujjua for the past 400 years

or so are known as the Copper Inuit, named for the many copper implements they used. In Ulukhaktok we talked to people who had spent their summers on the land and winters hunting seals on the sea ice. It was not until the 1950’s that they began to move into permanent communities. Many of the homes we saw had racks out front, loaded with drying char. Before the days of commercially made fishnets the Inuit would pile rocks in the river, creating stone weirs to channel the running char. They would then wade into the river and spear the fish with long handled fishing spears. The Inuit of the region also used to lure fish with a polar bear tooth jigged on a line through a hole in the ice. When a fish got close they would spear it. This method is sometimes still used today. The more we learned about Inuit culture the more impressed we were. As we paddled the Kuujjua, Ted and I grew to further appreciate the skills and determination of those who called this river their home.

A Pack of Wolves Each day on the river gave us a taste of the ancient way of life and reminded us that there was a time when people lived only if the wild animals and fish around them lived. Even more exhilarating, my brother and I were able to see animals that probably had never seen people before. Halfway through our journey we came upon five Arctic wolves circling their Muskoxen kill. Surprisingly, the alpha of the pack seemed unalarmed by our

Spring 2010 – Real Fishing 51

Peril on the Beaufort Sea

“The alpha of the pack seemed unalarmed by our presence.”

presence and walked to the bank no more than 30-feet away from us. All five wolves followed us as we paddled down river and they were still tailing us over a kilometer later. Although we don’t like to admit it, both Ted and I were a little nervous and were often checking, uneasily, over our shoulders. When we came to a shallow point in the river our canoe got stuck on a gravel bar and, with the wolves getting uncomfortably close, Ted fired off a bear banger (a fire cracker made for scaring dangerous animals) and they ran away at full speed. The wolves were not the only animals we encountered on our trek. We were lucky enough to see muskoxen and caribou daily, with sightings totaling over a hundred for each species. In one day alone, we sighted over 30 muskoxen. On one particularly warm day that allowed us the brief opportunity to feel the sun’s warmth on our faces, we were fortunate enough to make contact with an Arctic fox. While fishing, we spotted the small fox finishing a swim across the river. We felt the urge to have a closer look at it so Ted and I slowly crept to within a couple feet of it as the animal basked in the sun. I held out a fresh piece of lake trout, which the fox ate right out of my hand. Feeding a fresh piece of lake trout to a small fox.

The fox did not fear us, and I really enjoyed being able to interact with a wild animal like this. She was a cute little thing and we figured that if we gave it a couple days, we could have had it in our tent while we rubbed its belly saying, “good girl!”

52 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

On the last week of our trip, we descended the final stretch of broken rapids before we hit the coast, just as the weather took a turn for the worse. We climbed out of our canoe and looked out over the sea, uneasy by what se saw. Whitecaps broke to the horizon and sleet and snow pelted the sand and scattered pebble beach. We stayed pinned down at the mouth of the river for four days and began to grow restless. Our time was ticking away. We began to suspect that the weather was always like this here and there was no waiting it out. Eventually we decided to go for it, but whether we would reach our destination by our own means or by rescue we did not know. An enormous stretch of towering cliffs along the shoreline of Minto Inlet left no place to get the canoe out.

We loaded up our canoe, attached our spray deck (a canoe cover that helps prevent swamping) and headed out into the waves. We wore our drysuits and kept our colored smoke signals, survival gear, and satellite phone waterproofed and strapped to our bodies. After paddling into a headwind for 10-km we rounded a point and the waves grew much larger in size. We were now paddling alongside an enormous stretch of towering cliffs that line the shoreline of Minto Inlet, on the western side of Victoria Island. The situation was very dangerous. With the massive cliffs at our side we had no place to get our canoe out as the waves threatened to swamp or dump us. We could not turn around and paddle with the waves because we would have started surfing until we lost control, breached and dumped, crashing and tumbling in the 10-foot waves. If we had dumped in this

stretch our canoe would have been smashed against the cliffs and we would have been left clinging to the rock face, shivering in the cold and trying to call for rescue on our satellite phone - a situation that would have seen us die of hypothermia. We headed for a small break in the towering cliffs where we thought we could get our canoe out. The waves surfed us onto the shore and repeatedly smashed our boat against the jagged, rocky shoreline, damaging it badly. Fortunately, we managed to get the canoe out before it was crushed. As we stood shivering on the shore, we called the R.C.M.P. in Ulukhaktok for a weather report. The officer said they were getting pounded by the storm and advised we sit tight and call him in the morning for another report. That night, while camped more or less on the side of a cliff, we prayed for the weather to break. We were both worried we would need a very expensive rescue. The next morning the weather had calmed. Ted and I wasted no time in breaking camp and repairing our canoe. We paddled the remaining 103-km to Ulukhaktok in 36-hours, getting there ahead of schedule. The last two days of our journey were a huge contrast from the previous 36-hours. Here in the Inlet the sun stood high in the sky, the waves were relatively small and not intimidating at all. Ted and I watched gulls perched in their nests on the cliffs. Others called and dove for fish as the waves gently lapped against the shore. Peace came over me as I stared up at the birds from the canoe and looked across to the other side of the inlet. I then looked out to the distant horizon of the Beaufort Sea’s Amundsen Gulf. We had barley made it out of there intact, and I shivered despite the sun, grateful for the calm water beneath our boat. We had spent five weeks in the Arctic and lived to tell about our adventure. As the trip came to an end I left Ulukhaktok with a deeper respect for the Inuit, for nature, and for life. ?

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WALLEYES NOW! Eye-Catching Early Season Patterns

54 Real Fishing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Spring 2010

By Dan Johnson

Tommy Skarlis with a tributary dandy. Veteran Lac Seul guide Ben Beattie banks on shoreline action early.

Early season walleye action can be insanely easy on hotspots across Canada. But, if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time – or wielding the wrong presentation even when the fish are on a suicide bite – the experience can quickly become a lesson in frustration. One of the challenges is adapting to constant change. Unstable weather can make yesterday’s hot fishing pattern evaporate like the morning mist. Worse, brutal springtime cold fronts can wreak havoc on fish behavior and punish those of us stubborn enough to be on the water. The good news is, as water temperatures climb into the mid-50°F range and beyond,

post-spawn walleyes put on the feedbag and follow their bellies to predictable locations, where anglers set up with the right approach can enjoy some of the year’s finest fishing.

SHORE PATROL Guide Ben Beattie knows the drill. A seasoned guide on northwest Ontario’s Spring 2010 – Real Fishing 55

legendary Lac Seul, Beattie battles early season instability with a nearly-invincible plan: pitching minnow-tipped jigs to sweet spots along shore. Granted, the huge amount of water to cover on many of Canada’s large lakes – including Lac Seul – can be intimidating. But having an edge in knowing where to start can make all the difference between catching one walleye and 100. Beattie trims the options in a hurry. “I follow the wind,” he says. “Windblown rock-rubble shorelines in an area of the lake that warms up fast are hard to beat, especially if there’s a slow-tapering bottom and some type of weed growth – either emerging plants or the remains of a bed from last season.” With his boat bobbing over deeper water a long cast from shore, Beattie beats the bank with leadhead jigs tipped with either minnows or artificial softbaits. X-Change jigs let anglers switch head weights without retying or re-baiting.

“I use minnows whenever possible,” he says. “You just can’t beat live bait.” Minnows are hooked through the mouth and out the gills, pressed tight to the jighead, then turned sideways and impaled through the midsection of the body so the bait lies on its side. “This keeps it on the jig with a straight profile,” says Beattie. “It also gives the minnow a tantalizing flutter on the fall.” To tailor jig size and color to match everchanging conditions, Beattie favors Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle’s X-Change Jig System. “It’s a key part of the program,” he explains, “Because matching the jig’s fall rate to the mood of the fish on any given day is critical. X-Change jigs let me switch head weights without retying or re-baiting, so it literally takes only a second or two.” Aggressive walleyes call for heavier heads, say, ¼ to 3/8-ounces, while finicky fish dictate downsizing to 1/8-ounce. “When they’re really snapping, you can fish faster with heavier jigs, covering more 56 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

water and catching more walleyes,” says Beattie. “But on a slow day, downsizing gives finicky fish a smaller, slower-falling target. The lighter head also forces you to slow down, giving them more time to take the bait.” Color is another key. “Here again, X-Change lets me quickly experiment with 20 different jig colors without retying,” he says. Shades of white, pink, chartreuse and orange are Beattie’s favorites, but there are times when other colors produce more fish. Hook colors, too, can be toggled between red, green, blue and black nickel. “I normally use the size 2/0 X-Change jig hook,” Beattie adds. “But sometimes during a tough bite I’ll use the smaller size 2.” The presentation is a study in simplicity and effectiveness. “Cast the jig right to the shoreline,” says Beattie. “I’ve caught walleyes up to 29inches long in less than a foot of water.” After splashdown, he lets the jig fall to bottom and then reels down so his rod tip is pointed at the bait. “I raise the rod to the 12 o’clock position and hold it there while the jig pendulums back down, watching the line for indications of a strike.” The difference between a bite and the jig hitting bottom are small, so it pays to use a line that’s easy to see – and watch it like a hawk.

Lindy’s X-Change jig system is a key part of Ben Beattie’s walleye catching program.

“If the line just goes slack, it’s bottom; but if it twitches to the side an inch or so, it’s a fish.” To aid line-watching, Beattie prefers 8pound, blue-tinted monofilament, downsizing to 6-pound in finesse situations. He ties directly to an X-Change Max Gap hook – which features a special collar that snaps securely into the X-Change jighead of his choice. “Max Gaps have a 10-degree wider gap than normal jig hooks,” he notes, “Which really helps on the hookset.”

To drive the steel home when a fish strikes his jig, Beattie quickly lowers the rod tip while reeling up slack, then delivers a solid sweep-set. “It’s okay if it takes you a few seconds to take up the slack,” he says. “This gives the fish time to get the jig in its mouth. If you try to set the hook instantly, you’re going to lose walleyes that have only grabbed the minnow by the tail.” It’s worth noting that Beattie’s bank pattern bags walleyes throughout the early season, but it also holds water well into summer – whenever wind and waves draw baitfish and predators shallow.

River Dance Tommy Skarlis has his own line on early ’eyes. The well-traveled walleye pro has spent a lifetime learning the spring secrets of walleyes on hallowed fisheries like Wabigoon, Rainy, Lake of the Woods, and the Canadian waters of the Great Lakes. “On big waters throughout Canada and across the continent, breaking down your options into manageable chunks can be challenging,” he says. “I focus on tributaries – rivers that draw spawning walleyes, and also harbor populations of resident fish year-round. Added together, this creates a mother lode of opportunity.” It also allows Skarlis to focus on predictable fish-holding areas. Tailwaters below dams are classic spots, due to their

Subtle features, such as isolated rocks, can hold plenty of walleyes throughout the spring and early summer.

propensity to gather spawning walleyes. Many post-spawn fish clear out quickly, however, taking advantage of flooded brush and other woody cover; holes and currentbreaking structure such as bridge and pier abutments along their downriver migration. Water levels are typically high, making holes less of a factor than they are in summer. Once, on a tributary of Lake Huron, Skarlis found a fish-holding section where the water dropped to 20-feet within 30yards of shore. “It was a natural, hard-bottom, 45degree break, not a bunch of mud that had been dredged out of the channel,” he explains. “Walleyes were relating to isolated rock piles lying on the slope.” Electronic aids including high-definition cartography and side-scanning sonar helped him zero in on key areas. “The charts showed me critical contours such as deep water near the bank, and side imaging was like having an MRI of the bottom. One of the spots on the spot, for example, was a little pile of rocks around a sprinkler intake.” Skarlis’ go-to weapons are Lindy XChange jigs tipped with Berkley Gulp! Alive! Minnows. Jig color depends on conditions. Bubblegum has been good to him, but Metallic Fluorescent Orange remains a standby in stained waters so common in the north. “The bottom line is to experiment with different colors until the fish tell you what they want, and X-Change makes it easy,” he says. Likewise, switch softbait patterns: Chartreuse Shad, Emerald Shiner, and Smelt are Skarlis’ perennial Gulp! favorites. It’s worth noting that Lindy Fuzz-E-Grubs are another top option. “The soft body and pulsating marabou tail have been catching cold-water walleyes since 1973 and they’re as deadly as ever,” says Skarlis. Jig weights are straightforward, though some tweaking may be necessary. Quarterouncers get the nod in nine-feet of water or less; 3/8-ounce jigs are reserved for deeper water. Where two rods are legal, Skarlis wields, in each hand, a 7-foot medium-fast spinning rod spooled with 8- to 10-pound-test low-stretch line. Presentations are tailored to the walleyes’ mood.

Lindy Fuzz-E-Grubs have been catching cold-water walleyes since 1973 and they’re as deadly as ever.

“When they’re not real aggressive, a steady “lift-drop” that touches bottom on the drop is a great option, with a hold and glide thrown in every once in awhile,” Skarlis explains. “I’ll get animated for more active fish, with a mixed cadence of sharp upward snaps, subtle taps, 3-inch lifts, and 3- to 10-second glides. If I need to get their attention, I upsize jig weight and pound it on bottom.” Depending on the timing of your trip, river mouths and adjacent structure should also be considered. Given adequate forage, spawn-run ’eyes may hold up there to feed and recuperate from the rigors of procreation before dispersing back into the main lake. Here, vertical jigging typically gives way to trolling patterns. “I often find walleyes in shallow, emerging weedbeds,” Skarlis says. “To cover water searching for active fish, I pull Lindy Old Guide’s Secret nightcrawler harnesses. Indiana blades in gold, silver, and perch are top producers. This early in the season, I slow-troll the rigs to 1.3-mph behind a 1/4ounce split shot.” To distinguish light walleye bites from the spinner ticking weeds, Skarlis uses a planer board with a tattle flag. “Set correctly, the flag will bounce up and down as the rig passes through weeds, but if it bounces and wiggles, you have a fish,” he explains. “You can also tell aggressive strikes from light bites, and react accordingly. When the flag pops back, a fish has sucked in the harness and you can set the hook and reel it in. But, when a walleye pulls it back slowly, you need to feed the board back with your reel in freespool before setting. If you can’t read the bites, you’ll miss a lot of fish.” Just another trick for making this spring your best ever! ? Spring 2010 – Real Fishing 57

FISH FOR EVER FOUNDATION UPDATE FISH FOR EVER RECEIVES FISHING INDUSTRY AWARD On March 18, 2010, the Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association (CSIA) presented Real Fishing with a Chairman’s Award in recognition of the outstanding contributions the Izumi team has made to the sportfishing industry over the past 27years. In presenting the award, CSIA Chairman, Tom Brooke, acknowledged the importance of Fish For Ever in raising funds to support the sport fishing industry and for promoting recreational fishing to youth through its Kids’s, Cops and Canadian Tire Fishing Days program. To date, tens of thousands of youngsters have been introduced to fishing thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Kids’s, Cops and Canadian Tire Fishing Days staff and the hundreds of volunteers who host events across Ontario each year. ?

CSIA Chairman, Tom Brooke, presents Bob Izumi with the Chairman’s Award.

58 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

KIDS, COPS AND CANADIAN TIRE FISHING DAYS The arrival of spring signals the official kickoff to another great season of Kids, Cops and Canadian Tire Fishing Days. To date there are over 50 events scheduled for the spring and summer in locations across Ontario (as well as one in Saskatoon). Most Fishing Days are free to attend and many also supply loaner fish-

Tire Fishing Day in your area. Whether you want to organize a small derby for your cottage area or trailer park or you plan to host a large event for a scout or

guides troop, soccer club or any other group of kids, you’ll find all the support you need on the site. Why not introduce a youngster to fishing this year by attending or hosting an event in your area? The kids will love it and it’s one of the few activities that won’t stretch your pocketbook.

ing tackle, a light lunch, and provide other activities for the kids. Things get underway with the always popular Huck Finn Fishing Derby at the Elgin Pond in Uxbridge on April 24th. Other events are scheduled in locations spanning Ontario from Windsor to Ottawa; Thunder Bay to Kingston and dozens of others in between. For a full listing of events visit the Kids, Cops and Canadian Tire Fishing Days website at www.kidsandcops.ca and click the “events” tab. The website also has information on how to host a Kids, Cops and Canadian

Along with meeting new friends, youngsters will have the chance to discover the joys of outdoor activities in a safe, controlled environment. There’s no better way to spend quality time with the people who deserve it most. ?

Tales from the Road By Bob Izumi

When you travel as much as I do, whether you’re driving or flying, things sometimes just don’t go as planned. This past January I was the travel agent for three of us who were going to Costa Rica and I was in charge of getting the flights booked. When we got to the airport in Toronto though, a funny thing happened. The person at the check-in counter said, “Oh, you weren’t notified? Your flight got cancelled last night. We’ve got you on a flight tomorrow.” Then she checked her computer and found out that tomorrow’s flight was overbooked so we didn’t even have a flight to Costa Rica! My brother Wayne and a friend of ours, looked at me like I was probably going to be fired as their travel agent even though the mix-up was beyond my control. I’m not an airplane mechanic. I don’t know how to fix airplanes or to control the schedules of major airlines.

We were supposed to be meeting up with four other friends who had taken different flights to Costa Rica so, with puzzled looks on our faces, we asked the lady at the counter, “What are our options?” She started feverishly keying on the computer and got us on another airline to Newark, New Jersey then back onto our original airline into Panama City. Hey, Panama City is warm and it’s close to Costa Rica – it’s in another country, but who cares? From there she was going to put us on a small, short regional flight to Costa Rica the next morning.

So we all shrugged our shoulders, smiled and said, “Sure.” What else were we going to do? We were only going down there for three days to begin with. We got to Panama City late that night but our baggage didn’t. We couldn’t even put in a claim because we were flying to San Jose the next day. We were told we should put in our baggage claim when we got to Costa Rica, because Panama City wasn’t our final destination. I’ve found that when you’re checking bags it’s always nice to have at least a spare set of underwear, socks, shorts, whatever it may be, in your carry-on bag so that if they do lose your bags you’ve got an extra set of clothes. Well, guess what? Because of the stringent security measures that airports are taking now we had to put our extra things into our checked baggage. So there we were, in Panama City, without even a toothbrush. We checked into a hotel at about 12:30 or 1 o’clock that night, stayed overnight and got into Costa Rica the next day. Our first trip was to the store to buy some underwear, shorts, tee shirts, sandals, Leo Capobianco (centre) and Shimano’s Tom Brooke (right) enjoy the sailfishing in Costa Rica.

60 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

Bob and the boys were able to enjoy a round of golf once their clothes and clubs arrived in Costa Rica.

toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors… everything. Our bags finally show up a day and a half later, after we’d bought all new things. You notice how I haven’t said what airline this was? I’ll keep that a mystery. I fly on so many different airlines and I haven’t really found one that I’m in love with – except private jets. I really do like private jets; that’s a really nice way to go. When it comes to commercial airlines I’m not sure which one I’d call my favourite because I really don’t have one. We finally got to Los Suenos in Costa Rica and booked a large charter boat - a 42footer – that four of us went fishing on. We ended up catching some high flying sailfish in excess of 100-pounds and had a great day. After our baggage showed up we finally had our golf clubs so we got in a round of golf the next day before heading back to Toronto. It was one of those short trips but it doesn’t matter. I like traveling, I like to keep moving, I like experiencing different things every week of my life and that’s the way it’s been for a long time now. Some things never change. As soon as I got back I was off to the Toronto International Boat Show on behalf of BoaterExam.com. This is the largest boat show in Canada and it’s the first time that I’ve done seminars there in a long, long time. It was great to be at the show and to see that, even though it’s been a tough economy, people were opening up their wallets and

buying boats and motors. The economy still has a long way to go to get to where it was a few years ago but at least there were more people buying than last year. From there I did some radio interviews and attended some meetings before my good friend, Rick McCrory, and I headed off to Florida for the first FLW Eastern Series tournament of the year with. Rick fishes as a coangler in the FLW tournaments and we were going down there for our official three-day practice period. Once I get on the open road there’s a sense of peacefulness that comes over me. Some of you might think I’m a little bit crazy thinking that a 26-hour drive is restful, but for me long drives are a good way to chill and think of all the things that are on my plate - like taping the TV show, competing in future tournaments, my charity work, sponsor obligations and so on. For me, driving is a good time to think, even though it can be a little monotonous at times. We got down to Florida just as a front had come through, it was in the low 40s (that’s Fahrenheit) every night and the fish had lockjaw. In 2½-days of practice I caught one 13-inch fish, a handful of small fish that were in the 10-inch range and that’s it. As we drove to the registration meeting the night before the tournament my mental state was at an all-time low. I thought, “Why am I here? I’m not even sure if I’m good enough to compete with these guys. Many of the anglers in this tournament are full-time, professional bass fishermen – that’s what they do for their living.” I’ll put this analogy to it: it’s like you’re a five handicap golfer and you’re going to a PGA tournament to go head-on with the PGA guys. Okay, I’m about a 20-handicapper, but that’s how I felt. I really felt like I was out of my league. I couldn’t catch fish during the practice period so what was I going to do in the tournament? With the cold nights in Florida I felt that many of the bass were not spawning yet so going into this tournament I decided to flip mats. Although I didn’t catch any fish by flipping mats in practice I thought maybe if I just stuck to it. If I had a horseshoe strategically placed somewhere in the boat, maybe

I would get five bites a day. I drew this really nice gentleman from Hazard, Kentucky as my partner for day one. You remember the Dukes of Hazzard? Well, this guy was a big, tall pastor from Hazard Kentucky, who just happened to own his own gun shop. As we got down to fishing I was burning inside. I felt like I had a knot in my stomach but on the outside I tried to play it cool, calm and collected because I didn’t want this guy to know that I was fishing by the seat of my pants. Photo by Cynthia Hare, Show Manager, Toronto Boat Show

He caught a nice 2 ½-pound keeper in the first hour of the tournament and I proceeded to flip mats along the shore without a hit until just before 10:30 in the morning. I looked away from the shoreline, off into the eel grass, and saw a bass of about twopounds sitting on a spawning bed. I flipped a few casts and when I caught it the lights went on. I can’t stress this enough. Every fish you catch, whether you’re fun fishing or in a tournament, can be a clue as to what the fish are doing at that certain time. When my lights went on I put the trolling motor on medium-high, abandoned my flipping pattern and started to zigzag in the reeds and eel grass, looking for more bass. I figured that the fish had come up into the reeds as the sun had started warming the water. I must have been right because I caught one bass that was just under seven-pounds and number of other bass that day. I also saw a sixpounder and an eight-pounder but they spooked away. I think I caught seven keepSpring 2010 – Real Fishing 61

Tales from the Road ers that day and was sitting in 15th place after day one with over 15-pounds. All of a sudden I felt like I had a shot at having a very good tournament. On day two I went straight back to where I saw the eight and six-pound bass but got nothing. I moved on and ended up catching a huge bass of about 8 ½-pounds, another one about 6 ½-pounds and some other keepers. I got seven fish in total and my heaviest five weighed just under 19-pounds. That moved me all the way up to fourth place. I went from being so far down in the dumps before the tournament to feeling like I just won a lottery after day two. Going into day three I was sitting in fourth place. Now it was time to hunker down and really fish hard. Once again, I put the trolling motor on high and got to work. Unfortunately I only caught six keepers for 10 ½-pounds and dropped from fourth to eighth place but I salvaged my tournament and ended up with a top-10 finish. Bass pro, Mike Iaconelli, coined the phrase, “never give up,” and that is so true when it comes to fishing. Coming into February there were more meetings and then I was off to Peterborough Photo courtesy of FLW Outdoors

62 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

for Shimano’s annual Field Staff meeting. It’s always great to get up there and see some of my fellow fishing professionals and tournament guys who I’ve known for many years. My brother, Wayne, and I were presented with a 25-year service award from Shimano Canada’s Tom Brooke. It was an honour to be bestowed with such an award and it is sitting proudly at home. That evening I went to my brother, Wayne’s, place. My niece, Mariko, was having a party to celebrate her second season of her successful TV series, Hookin’ Up, on WFN. There was plenty of great food, great company and everyone had lots of fun. Then I attended a conservation dinner at the Spring Fishing and Boat Show with a couple of my fishing buddies. It didn’t hurt that they liked to buy things because I think our table bought about 70% of all the silent and live auction items - including a Lund Pro-V with a 225 Verado on the back! Our table did really well at that fundraiser. I received another award from the show’s organizer and owner of the Bassmania tournament series, Andy Pallotta, when he presented me with a medallion celebrating my induction into the Canadian Angler Hall of Fame. This was another recognition that I will treasure for the rest of my life. It’s amazing how much work piles up when you’re never around any one location for very long. After the Spring Fishing and Boat Show it was time to put my nose to the grindstone for a week of “regular” work before heading up to the Ottawa Boat & Sportsmen's Show for two-days of seminars, something I hadn’t done up there for a long, long time. It was great to see a lot of people I hadn’t seen for a quite a while and to hook up with some of my fishing buddies who compete on the Renegade tournament trail. Before my appearance at the show there was a fundraiser for my long-time friend and professional angler, Big Jim McLaughlin. Big Jim has been battling prostate cancer for 2 ½-

years. I met Big Jim, ironically, on Bank Street, just down from Lansdowne Park where the show is held, 30-years ago when he had a small tackle store there. Big Jim is a very accomplished angler and has won two Canadian Classics among numerous other tournaments in his long career. He’s also one of those guys who gives so much back to fishing. I can’t tell you how much time Jim devotes to the youth. He is at more kids fishing derbies than any other pro angler I know of.

So we had this party for him in conjunction with the folks at the CNSS (Canadian National Sportsmen’s Shows) and it was incredibly successful. I want to thank Ray, Tara, Rob, Paul, Mark, Wally, Boo, and all of the other volunteers who spent tremendous amounts of time putting this together. The huge success of the evening wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication and unselfishness of every one of them. When I got to the show I couldn’t believe the seminar area. It was called the Minto Casting Challenge and every kid that came to the show and tried their hand at casting got to go to Big Jim’s booth and pick out a prize. Big Jim has been doing this for about eightyears now and his booth looked like one of the biggest booths you’d ever see at a fair. It was filled with big stuffed animals, rods, reels, lures, games, toys – and it was all free for the kids to choose from. I’ve never seen a booth like that. Hats off to Jim, the CNSS, Minto and all of the other companies who graciously donated the wonderful prizes.

Bob Izumi and Big Jim McLaughlin on stage in Ottawa. Photo by Dick Loek

As I’m putting this column to bed I have to go and book some airline tickets. I think it’s time that I take my wife, Sandy, down to see her

mom and stepfather in Florida for a couple of days. Once I get back I’ll be back on the road again. Did I mention that I love to travel? ?

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To celebrate our mutual passion for good food and great wine, Coyote’s Run has teamed up with Bob Izumi, the great Canadian Outdoorsman, to produce a set of signature Bob Izumi wines. With the sale of each bottle of Bob Izumi wine $1 will be donated to the Fishing Forever Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to providing fishermen with a vehicle to renew and preserve Ontario's fishing resource for the continued enjoyment of the sport today and for future generations. The wines are produced by Coyote’s Run Estate Winery, a small craft winery located in Niagara-on-the-Lake. This award-winning winery has been producing wine since 2003 and focuses on hand-crafted, small batch VQA wines. Coyote’s Run produces a variety of other wines include Pinot Noir, Meritage, Chardonnay and Riesling and are available at the winery retail store located on the vineyard property.

2004 Bob Izumi Red

Bob Izumi Wines

2005 Bob Izumi White

Introducing

To purchase your Bob Izumi wines please go to www.izumiwines.com and for more information about the Fishing Forever Foundation can be found at www.fishingforever.ca.

485 Concession 5 Rd, St. David’s, ON, L0S 1P0 • P: 905.682.8310 or 1.877.COYOTE.3 • www.coyotesrunwinery.com

What’s COOKING

NEW YORK PEPPERCORN STEAK Nothing tastes quite like a great grilled steak. This version of the classic peppercorn steak uses ingredients like mesquite, Dijon and rye whisky to add a unique and thoroughly enjoyable flavor to an old favourite.

INGREDIENTS

New York strip steaks, about 8 oz. each Mesquite seasoning to taste 1 cup red wine 1 cup demi-glaze sauce 2 tbsp whole black peppercorns ½ cup rye whiskey 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 cup cream METHOD

1) 2) 3) 4) 5)

Preheat grill Season steaks with mesquite seasoning Grill steaks to desired doneness Combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until sauce is reduced by 1/3 Serve steaks topped with sauce

Spring 2010 – Real Fishing 65

CHASER MUSKY LURE The Chaser Musky Lure was created by Advanced Taxidermy & Wildlife Design to help raise funds for the Chase Galea Fund. Chase, the son of Advanced Taxidermy’s co-owner, Shawn Galea, is afflicted with cerebral palsy. These collector’s lures are made from a mold cast from an actual fish and have been hand painted, scale by scale, with shimmers and iridescence. The eyes are blown crystal, hand painted and have a light reflecting backing. Only 60 lures will be made; 10 of each of the six color patterns. The lures will be available in walleye, blue walleye, perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and bluegill designs. All will be complete with packaging, display stand and a signed and numbered letter of authenticity. 100% of the monies raised through the sale of these lures will go to the Chase Galea Fund.

66 Real Fishing – Spring 2010

Contact: Advanced Taxidermy & Wildlife Design 3630 King Street Caledon ON L7C 0R5 416-614-7320 www.advancedtaxidermy.com Chase Galea Fund www.thechasegaleafund.com

New Trilene TransOptic line. Now you see it.

Introducing new Trilene® TransOptic Monofilament. ™

Now they don’t.

The first and only nylon copolymer mono line to physically change color in the sunlight. Above water, the sun’s UV rays cause the line to change to a bright gold color. Under water the UV rays are filtered, causing the line to change back to clear. So you can see it. Fish don’t. www.berkley-fishing.com