winter2007

USING SONAR AND GPS ON ICE

Winter 2007

Canada Post Mail Product Agreement No. 40015689

VOLUME 13 • ISSUE 1 Just $3.95

DISPLAY UNTIL APRIL 15TH, 2007

SPECIAL REPORT

THE NEXT GENERATION CHEVY SILVERADO With GM’s

SILVERADO

160,000 km/5-year Powertrain Limited Warranty* and available OnStar† support, it’s no wonder that Chevy Trucks are considered the most dependable, longest-lasting trucks on the road.††

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2007 MOTOR TREND TRUCK OF THE YEAR™

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*2007 Models. Whichever comes first. See GM dealer for limited warranty details. †For OnStar terms and conditions, privacy policy and system limitations and details visit onstar.ca. †† Dependability based on longevity: 1988-July 2005 full-size light duty pickup registrations, including chassis-cabs. Excludes other GM divisions. Source: The R.L. Polk Canada, Inc. National Vehicle Population Profile – Canadian Vehicles in Operation as of July 1, 2005.

Winter 2007 Volume 13, Issue 1

65

Editor Jerry Hughes Art Director Patricia Heeney-Bacon Publisher Fred Delsey National Advertising Izumi Outdoors Tel: (905) 632-8679 President Wayne Izumi

44

Contributors Bob Izumi, Wayne Izumi, Steve May, Fred Noddin, Dave Taylor, Wil Wegman, Eric Weissman, Lawren Wetzel

19

55

Real Fishing is published by Izumi Outdoors Inc. 940 Sheldon Court Burlington, ON L7L 5K6 Tel: (905) 632-8679 Fax: (905) 632-2833 Privacy Policy: Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies whose products and services might be of interest to our subscribers. If you prefer to have your name removed from this list and not receive these mailings, please write to us at the above address.

We welcome manuscripts, but will not be held responsible for loss of manuscripts, photos or other materials.

37 37 LAKERS AND WHITEFISH ON ICE

55 HARD WATER WALLEYE

The tips, tackle and tactics you need to score on trout and whitefish this winter.

A straightforward strategy for finding and catching walleyes throughout the winter.

By Wil Wegman

44 WHEN IS A FLY NOT A FLY? When it comes to fly fishing, does size really matter?

By Eric Weissman

By Fred Noddin

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

All rights reserved.

Reproduction of any material without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Printed in Canada

On the cover: Bob Izumi with an ice walleye Photo by Izumi Outdoors

6 OPENING LINES

By Jerry Hughes

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

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

22 FISHING

By Bob Izumi

24 CHEVY FISH FACTS

26 THE WATER’S EDGE American Dipper

By Dave Taylor

28 FLY FISHING Picking the perfect fly rod

By Steve May

30 UNDERSTANDING ELECTRONICS

By Lawren Wetzel

32 THE HOT BITE The GULP! Sinking Minnow

34 BEST FISHING TIMES Doug Hannon’s moon phase calendar

52 FISHING FOREVER UPDATE Conservation in Action

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

By Bob Izumi

65 WHAT’S COOKING Maple Glazed Cornish Game Hens

By Bob Izumi

66 ART OF ANGLING

By Jerry Hughes

HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED Once upon a time ice fishermen were a decidedly hardy breed who ventured out to their fishing areas on foot. Once there, they used axes and spud bars to pound their way through the ice. Huts, if used at all, had to be hauled onto the lakes by the sheer strength and willpower of the angler and perhaps his horse or ox. Heat was supplied by a woodstove whose fuel also had to be hauled out manually.

Light, for most, was provided by the moon and stars while the more wellto-do enjoyed the luxury of a candle or oil lamp.

Finding fish was mostly a hit-or-miss affair. My, how things have changed!

Today’s ice fishermen are light years ahead of their forefathers both in terms of their equipment and their fishing knowledge. Snowmobiles and ATVs have replaced shanks’ mare as the preferred method of travel and this has opened up thousands of square miles of fishable hard water to winter anglers.

Specially designed augers, both manual and powered, have made the once laborious task of opening up a hole in the ice a relative snap. Punching a dozen holes through two-feet of ice with a gas-powered auger is something today’s ice fisherman does on a regular basis.

Can you imagine doing it with a heavy axe or home-made spud bar? We have 6 Winter 2007 Real Fishing

lightweight, portable heaters and lanterns, sonar and GPS systems and high tech rods, reels and baits that our predecessors could only have dreamt of.

Regardless of how advanced we’ve become with our gear, the basics of ice fishing, and all fishing for that matter, remain unchanged. The object is to find catchable fish and then offer them a bait in a manner that is appealing enough to entice them to strike. The tools we use today make this task much simpler, but tools alone won’t put fish on the ice. In order to find and catch fish consistently, we first have some basic knowledge about the fish we are after. This issue of Real Fishing is dedicated to providing some of that knowledge.

Ontario’s own Wil Wegman - who teaches ice fishing courses and has several top ten finishes at the annual Canadian Ice Fishing Championships starts things off by offering his insights into tackling lake trout and whitefish.

Wil explores fish locations and shares some of the secret baits and tactics he relies on to consistently place near the top in ice fishing tournaments.

In our second ice fishing feature, outdoors writer and multi-species angling expert, Fred Noddin, unlocks the mysteries behind catching winter walleyes.

Fred’s years of on the water experimentation have allowed him to develop tactics that put fish on the ice under any conditions.

In addition to our feature stories, this issue’s Understanding Electronics column takes a look at using sonar and GPS systems for ice fishing and our Art of Angling feature brings back the tools used in the early days of ice fishing.

Of course there’s more to winter, and to this issue of Real Fishing, than ice fishing, but I’m not going to give it all away here. I’ll let you enjoy the season, and the magazine, on your own time.

Enjoy. ?

Available Online at www.realfishing.com

Bob Izumi Professional Angler & Host of Real Fishing Television

Going NATURAL makes fishing more exciting.

These pros have a secret weapon. And it ain’t plastic. It’s Berkley® Gulp® – the next generation of soft bait. Gulp! is made from natural, 100% organic material so it breathes in the water, releasing the scent like a blood trail.

Outfishes All Other Baits, Including Live Bait! Proven in field test after field test.

Exclusive Water-Based Formula “Breathes” Scent Like A Sponge!

Water literally flows “through” GULP! like a sponge, resulting in potent scent dispersion.

Explosive Scent!

400 TIMES More Scent Dispersion than other scented baits!

Made From All Natural Ingredients! Smells and tastes like something fish gotta eat.

Regular Plastic Baits

Tough Stuff! Stays on the hook and doesn’t shred like plastic. You’ll catch more fish per bait and end up saving money.

Berkley GULP!

Biodegradable!

To help protect the environment for future anglers.

www.berkleygulpvip.com

©2005 PURE FISHING

It’s not easy to get a walleye to smile on cue, but Bob’s light touch and a gentle belly rub was all it took to get this fatty to put on a grin for the camera. Judging by the look on Bob’s face, the feeling was mutual.

8 Real Fishing Winter 2007

Real Fishing Winter 2007 9

BOB IZUMI’S REAL FISHING SHOW SCHEDULE January 06 January 13 January 20 January 27 February 03 February 10 February 17 February 24 March 03 March 10 March 17 March 24 March 31 April 07 April 14 April 21 April 28 May 05

Griffin “Big Bass” Brother’s Tournament Explore Fly Fishing in Mexico Little Bob’s Salmon Adventure/Lac des Illes Fly Fishing for Brookies Graham Lake Ice Pike/Simcoe Ice Fishing Perch Adventures Katie Alford at the Orillia Perch Festival/Kids & Cops Fishing Lynn Lake Northern Manitoba Excursion Mark’s First Musky Experience Ontario Smallmouth Big Fat Georgia Bass Deerhorn Lodge, Georgian Bay, with Michael Burgess Cape Cod Stripers and Bluefish Fishing with a Man Named Sandor Manitoba Ice Walleye Takasaki Pike & Walleye Combo 1000 Islands Misty Isle Lodge Lord of the Kings Salmon Ice Fishing Show Powerful Payara/Georgian Bay Gulp

STATION LISTING and AIRING TIMES* MARKET

PROV./STATE

STATION

DATE & AIR TIMES

Global Lethbridge Calgary Edmonton Global Calgary Global Edmonton Global Atlantic Victoria, BC Lloydminster Global BC Canada Winnipeg Global Winnipeg Global Ontario Barrie London Pembroke Windsor Wingham Peterborough Thunder Bay Keewatin & Kenora Kingston Global Quebec Global Regina Global Saskatchewan USA National Cable Marion

AB AB AB AB AB Altantic Canada BC BC BC Canada MB MB ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON QC SK SK USA IN, USA

CISA City TV Calgary City TV Edmonton CICT CITV CIHF A Channel Victoria CKSA/CITL CHAN Fox Sportsworld City TV Manitoba CKND CIII A Channel Barrie A Channel London A Channel Ottawa/Pembrook A Channel Windsor A Channel Wingham CHEX 18 CHFD/CKPR CJBN 14 CKWS 19 CKMI CFRE CFSK VERSUS WSOT

Saturday Noon Saturday 11:00 a.m.

Saturday 11:00 a.m.

Saturday Noon Saturday Noon Saturday 9:00 am Saturday 8:30 a.m.

Saturday 5:00 p.m.

Saturday 1:00 p.m.

Tuesday 11:00 p.m Saturday 11:00 a.m.

Saturday 9:00 am Saturday 9:00 am Sunday 10:30 pm Sunday 12:00 p.m.

Sunday 9:30 pm Sunday 12:00 p.m.

Sunday 12:00 p.m.

Saurday 7:30 a..m.

Saturday 12:30 p.m.

Sunday 8:00 a.m.

Saturday 7:30 a.m.

Saturday, 9:00 am Saturday 9:00 am Saturday 9:00 am Thursday 8:30 a.m.

Sunday 2:00 p.m.

*Station listings and air times are subject to change.

Please refer to your local television listings for stations and times in your area.

BILL DANCE NAMED TO FISHING HALL OF FAME Television bass catching legend, Bill Dance, was one of five men inducted into the International Game Fish Association’s Fishing Hall of Fame for 2006. The class of ’06 also includes big game fisherman, John W. "Jack" Anderson II; New Zealand sportsman, Charles Alma Baker; oceanographer, Milton C. Shedd; and Japanese conservationist, Hidenori Onishi. Hall of Fame inductees are chosen based on their contributions to the sport of fishing through angling achievements, literature, the arts, science, education, invention,

2007 - 2008 ONTARIO FISHING REGULATIONS DELAYED The 2007 - 2008 Ontario fishing regulations have been delayed and will not be available to anglers until early in 2007, pending Federal approval. Until the new regulations are approved and released, Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay has said that anglers in Ontario should continue to follow the 2005-2006 regulations.

“Anglers should keep their copy of the 2005-2006 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary and continue to follow those rules,” said Ramsay. “We have been working on significant

changes to the fishing regulations, but they will not be in place by January 1, 2007.”

Anglers will be advised when the new regulations have been finalized through the news media and the Ministry of Natural Resources website. In the interim, the current regulations will remain in effect and anglers should continue to follow the 2005-2006 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary until further notice.

NEW ONTARIO BASS TOURNAMENT RECORD In what can only be described as one of the most impressive sights in the history of Canadian competitive bass fishing, monster smallmouth after monster smallmouth were brought to the scales on Sunday November 5, 2006 during the 6th Annual Crackle Cup Bass Tournament on Lake Simcoe. In past years the weights for this event have crept higher and higher and many anglers were convinced that this would be the year that the winning weight would crack the magical 30-pound mark.

When the team of John MacDonald and Steve Hawkins came up to weigh their fish, the scales began to flicker close to the elusive 30-pound mark and finally settled at 29.90-pounds – just a hair short of 30, but a new Canadian record for a 5-bass limit nonetheless. Almost as an

12 Real Fishing Winter 2007

afterthought, their biggest fish was weighed separately - a ‘nice’ 7.14-pounder that fell just short of the 7.16-pounder weighed earlier by Mike Gifford.

MacDonald and Hawkins’ 29.90-pounds for five bass John MacDonald and Steve Hawkins now becomes the weight to beat for a one-day bass the weights from this years’ Crackle Cup tournament on Canadian waters. are truly mind boggling. Here’s how the In a testament to the incredible smalltop five teams finished: mouth bass fishery that exists on Lake Simcoe, the top 4 teams all weighed in limits of 1. John Macdonald & Steve Hawkins 29.90 lbs over 25-pounds for five 2. Dave Johnson & Barry Graves 27.75 lbs bass. Considering that it 3.

Mike Gifford & Howard Gifford 27.54 lbs takes about 20 to 22-pounds to win most 4. Dave Chong & Steve Spagnolo 25.74 lbs tournaments in Ontario, 5. Ryan Johnson & Bill Walker 24.42 lbs

communication and/or administration of fishery resources.

Bill Dance was one of the first full-time bass pros and was credited with catching the first bass in the first B.A.S.S. pro tournament. Dance won eight B.A.S.S. tournaments between 1968 and 1970, and holds three B.A.S.S. "Angler of the Year" titles. He has now retired from competitive fishing but still produces his Bill Dance Outdoors TV show that has aired more than 2,000 episodes over 38 seasons.

NEW WORLD RECORD MUSKELLUNGE October 6, 2006, is a day that Kevin Davison, of Cambridge, Ontario, will always remember and be thankful for because that’s the day that he accomplished what thousands of anglers have only dreamt of – catching a world record musky.

Kevin’s story began on October 6 when he traveled to Callander, Ontario, to spend the weekend with his brother, Gary, for what he described as, “mainly a fishing weekend” on Lake Nipissing.

Kevin arrived at his brother’s around 11 in the morning and the pair were on the water by about noon. They started out by casting some of Gary’s favourite musky haunts but the fish weren’t cooperating so the brothers decided to switch gears and try trolling some of the offshore structure the big lake is famous for.

At around 2 p.m. Kevin was trolling a 10” jointed Believer in about 25-feet of water when his rod suddenly lurched under the strain of something big. Kevin initially thought he had hit bottom, but a quick glance at the graph showed that the water was far deeper than his lure could run so he instinctively reared back to set the hooks. At that instant a gigantic fish surfaced and both Kevin and Gary knew that this was no ordinary musky. After a short, yet spirited battle, the huge fish was corralled in a gigantic musky net that was “big enough to fit two people in.” A meas-

the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame for consideration as a live-release record. After a tense couple of weeks of waiting, Kevin’s musky was approved as an unlimited line class, live release world record.

Kevin says that he has already made plans to return to Lake Nipissing for opening day in 2007. Now that word of his record catch is out, there’s no doubt he will have plenty of company.

urement indicated the fish was 58-inches in length, far surpassing Kevin’s previous personal best musky that was about 40-inches. After the fish was measured Kevin lifted it from the water, Gary snapped three quick photos and it was quickly released back into the water.

According to Kevin, there was “No revival time, the thing [fish] just took off like a shot.” The whole episode, from strike to release, lasted under 10-minutes.

The pictures of the fish, along with a sample of Kevin’s line, were submitted to

Real Fishing Winter 2007 13

LUND ANNOUNCES FIBREGLASS BOAT LINE The Lund Boat Company has announced that they will be launching two new fibreglass boats in 2007 to complement their existing high-quality aluminum boat lines. The new boats will be comparable in design to Lund’s popular Tyee models with one geared toward fishing while the other will be more family oriented. In addition, Lund has said that two more fibreglass models, similar to the existing Pro-V style, will be launched by the beginning of the 2008 model year.

"We are responding to a ground-swell of support from our dealers and customers by expanding into fibreglass," said Tom MacNair, Vice President of Sales and

O.F.A.H. TO OPERATE HATCHERY It’s official, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters are now in charge of operating the Ringwood Fish Culture Station - a major trout and salmon hatchery that was scheduled to be mothballed by the Ontario Ministry of Natural resources due to a severe lack of provincial funding.

Marketing at Lund Boat Company. "We were particularly moved by what we heard from fishermen," MacNair added. "They were eager to see if combining the styling and performance of fibreglass with Lund's fishing knowledge could bring the perfect fibreglass fishing boat to market. They all showed great interest in seeing a fibreglass boat line with the same quality, reliability and value of our aluminum models. The result gives the serious angler another option to

fish in a quality Lund boat."

The brand-new fibreglass fishing boats will not only include features that tournament pros and serious amateurs alike have come to expect, but also some new and innovative features that are not yet available on the market.

"Lund has long been known as the aluminum authority," said Andrew J. Klopak, president of the Lund Boat Company. "We are now extending our expertise to the fibreglass fishing boat market, responding to our customers and using the resources available to us as part of the Brunswick Freshwater Boat Group."

• • • •

Together with the Toronto Sportsmen's Show and the Ringwood Hatchery's host club, Metro East Anglers, the O.F.A.H. and its many partners will be directly responsible for stocking millions of fish into Lake Ontario over the next several years.

O.F.A.H. Executive Director, Mike Reader, Metro East Anglers President, Glen Anderson, Chairman of the Toronto Sportsmen’s Show, Walter Oster, and a number of other fishing industry folks gathered at the hatchery on November 21 to officially re-open the facility.

The Ringwood hatchery raises all of the Chinook salmon that Ontario plants into Lake Ontario, as well as several thousand rainbow trout annually.

Additionally, the facility will be supplying all of the Atlantic salmon that are being re-introduced into the Lake Ontario watershed.

HT ENTERPRISES INC.

100s of Fishing Accessories & Boats!

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See The Latest Outdoor Gear!

All New Features, Contests & Prizes!

Sponsored By

ACQUIRES JIG-A-WHOPPER & RED NECK TECH BRANDS HT Enterprises Inc. has acquired the original Jig-A-Whopper and Red Neck Tech brands to add to their existing lines of high quality ice fishing gear. The original Jig-AWhopper brand offers premium rods, reels, tip-ups, and over 100 original and patented lures, including the incredibly popular Hawger Spoon. Red Neck Tech Brands offers the famous "Hornet Grub" in over 50 various sizes, colors, and actions.

Ken Grahl, President of HT Enterprises, 14 Real Fishing Winter 2007

Inc. believes that the acquisition of the original Jig-A-Whopper and Redneck Tech brands will not only provide market stability to these popular brands, but will also compliment the product offerings of HT Enterprises, Inc. which also offers customers the brand names HT, Hardwater Tackle, Force Lures, Hot Bite Lures, and Little Jigger.

For additional information, please visit HT Enterprises at www.icefish.com

Copyright © 2007 Canadian National Sportsmen’s Shows (1989) Ltd. All rights reserved.

MARCH 14-18 DIRECT ENERGY CENTRE • EXHIBITION PLACE Weekdays 10 am to 9 pm, Saturday 10 am to 8 pm, Sunday 10 am to 6 pm

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 Ontario L7L 5K6.

FISH: 77 GREAT FISH of NORTH AMERICA

Paintings by Flick Ford; Text by Dean Travis Clarke; Introduction by Peter Kaminsky FISH: 77 Great Fish of North America is an upscale guide for the naturalist, an aid to the angler, a tool for the educator and conservationist, and an enjoyable read for everyone.

Artist Flick Ford’s watercolours of individual specimens—many of which he caught—capture the perfection of the fish at the moment they were pulled from the water. Each portrait is accompanied by tips on bait and habitat.

Also included are essays on the state of our oceans, species conservation efforts, and fishing with kids. With text by Dean Travis Clarke, executive editor at World Publications for Sport Fishing, Marlin, Fly-Fishing in Saltwater and Boating Life magazines, this 208-page book featuring over 80 colour paintings and sketches, is a must-have for anyone who enjoys fish or fishing. Hardcover: $65.00 CDN ISBN: 0-86713-095-4

Austin Naoum Aurora, ON Yellow Perch

Rory Helwig and father, Frank Niagara on the Lake, ON Smallmouth Bass

Peter Hopkins London, ON Largemouth Bass

Tony Scavo Niagara Falls, ON Lake Trout

Ian Grobb Hamilton, ON Northern Pike

Grace Watt Barrie, ON Walleye

Greenwich Workshop Press, 151 Main St., Seymour CT 06483 • 800-243-4246 • www.greenwichworkshop.com

MEMORIES of MAGICAL WATERS

By Gord Deval Gord Deval is the grand "old guy" of sport fishing in Canada.

Internationally known, he holds countless bait and fly-casting records and has represented Canada 32 times in North American and World casting competitions. As an angler, he has fished with a veritable “who’s who” of fishermen past and present. Memories of Magical Waters contains a richness of fishing lore related to Deval's experiences on numerous streams, rivers and lakes in Ontario and Quebec such as the Ganaraska River in Ontario; the Broadback River in Quebec; Lake Simcoe and many other waters within Ontario's Land O' Lakes, Haliburton, Muskoka and Kawartha regions. The book contains a wealth of Deval’s unique and often comical insights into fish habitats, fishing “how-tos” and general insider tips on lures and casting techniques that will appeal to anglers of all ages and skill levels.

Softcover: $26.95 CDN ISBN: 1-897045-12-3 Natural Heritage/Natural History Inc., P.O. Box 95, Station O, Toronto ON M4A 2M8 416-694-7907 • www.naturalheritagebooks.com

16 Real Fishing Winter 2007

TORONTO INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW January 13-21, 2007 Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place Toronto, Ontario Tel: 905-951-4051 www.torontoboatshow.com

CALGARY BOAT & SPORTSMEN’S SHOW February 15 - 18, 2007 Roundup Centre, Stampede Park Calgary, AB Tel: 403-245-9008 www.sportsmensshows.com/Calgary

WAWA ICE FISHING DERBY March 2 - 4, 2007 Wawa, Hawk and Manitowik Lakes Wawa, ON Tel: 1-888-290-3474 www.wawafishderby.com

WEST NIPISSING ICE FISHING TOURNAMENT January 20, 2007 Lake Nipissing Sturgeon Falls, ON Tel: 705-753-2517 www.icefishingtournament.com

OTTAWA BOAT, SPORTSMEN’S & COTTAGE SHOW February 22 - 25, 2007 Lansdowne Park Ottawa, ON Tel: 1-888-695-2677 www.sportsmensshows.com/Ottawa

TORONTO SPORTSMEN’S SHOW March 14 - 18, 2007 Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place Toronto, ON Tel: 905-361-2677 www.sportsmensshows.com/Toronto

ORIGINAL ICE FISHING CONTEST February 3, 2007 Cooks’s Bay, Lake Simcoe Keswick, ON Tel: 1-800-506-9911 www.originalicefishingcontest.com SPRING FISHING SHOW February 15 - 18, 2007 International Centre Toronto, ON Tel: 416-764-1789 www.springfishingshow.com

MONTREAL HUNTING, FISHING & CAMPING SHOW February 22 - 25, 2007 Place Bonaventure Montreal, QC Tel: 514-866-5409 www.sportsmensshows.com/Montreal CANADIAN ICE FISHING CHAMPIONSHIPS February 24 - 25, 2007 Lake Simcoe Georgina, ON Tel: 905-722-5425 www.cifc.org

EDMONTON BOAT & SPORTSMEN’S SHOW March 15 - 18, 2007 Agricom, Northlands Edmonton, AB Tel: 403-245-9008 www.sportsmensshows.com/Edmonton QUEBEC CITY HUNTING, FISHING & CAMPING SHOW March 15 - 18, 2007 Centre de foires d’Expocité Quebec, QC Tel: 514 - 866-5409 www.sportsmensshows.com/Quebec Real Fishing Winter 2007 17

2007 RANGER 170VS The new Ranger 170VS delivers all of the quality, fishability and value of a Ranger boat in a compact package that is more accessible to more anglers. The 170VS is a factory-equipped, full-featured rig rated for up to 115 horsepower. It includes many of the features found on Ranger’s larger performance fishing boats including a recirculating, aerated livewell with filter screens and timers, rod storage under both sides of the front deck and a generous center storage compartment. The 170VS fits easily into most garages and can be towed by vehicles of limited towing capacity, including minivans and most RVs.

• www.rangerboats.com

INNO® RACK & ROLLER SYSTEM This new roller/rack system allows for easy loading and unloading of aluminum cartopper fishing boats or inflatables onto most SUVs, vans, station wagon and sedans. Rugged 16-inch rubber rollers eliminate friction and help ease even heavy boats into position. Simply lift the boat’s bow onto the rollers, lift the rear of the boat, roll it towards the front of the vehicle and adjust the position. This unique system is compatible with rigid or inflatable boats up to 60-inches wide.

• www.innoracks.com

HIGH-TECH Ice Fishing Shelters The Arctic Bay Shelter and Polar Windbreak from HT Enterprises Inc. are just the ticket for anglers who want to fish in comfort while staying mobile on the ice.

1) The Arctic Bay Shelter is fully enclosed and is available in two or three-person sizes. It features a durable sled base with built-in runners, 300 Denier canvas walls and roof, locking trap doors and carpeted floors. The 2-person shelter dimensions are 72"L x 48"W x 72"H and its weight is 55pounds while the three-person model is 92"L x 57"W x 76"H and weighs 69-pounds.

2) The Polar Wind Break is made of 210 Denier material and weighs a mere 12-pounds. It comes with a built in seat that supports up to 400-pounds, an ice anchor and tow rope, and features storage pouches for ice rods, tip-ups and accessories.

The Polar Wind Break measures 27" wide at the opening and is 25" deep x 59" high.

• www.icefish.com

Real Fishing Winter 2007 19

2007

Introducing the SNOBEAR SnoBear is a new kind of recreational vehicle that’s part snowmobile, part car, part boat, part mobile ice hut, part bunkhouse and a whole lot more. SnoBear drives like a car, with features like an automatic transmission, power steering and disc brakes and, for safety on the ice, it has a composite body that allows the vehicle to float. An RV-style furnace and insulated cabin keep things warm and, when you’re ready to sleep, just flip down the wall-mounted bunks and spend the night in comfort!

• www.snow-bear.com

GLOBALSTAR Satellite Handset The new GSP-1700 is Globalstar’s smallest and lightest satellite handset. Weighing just 7.1-ounces and measuring 5.3” x 2.1” x 1.4”, the GSP-1700 fits easily into a pocket or gear bag.

The handset operates on the Globalstar satellite network in over 120 countries on six continents, making it ideal for those times when your outdoor pursuits take you to areas outside of cellular and landline coverage. The GSP-1700 includes a lithiumion battery that provides four-hours of talk time and 36-hours of standby time and there are a number of price plans to choose from.

• www.globalstar.ca

SHIMANO Gore-Tex® Rainsuit Don’t let foul weather spoil your fishing trip. Shimano’s two-piece Gore-Tex® Rainsuit will keep you warm and dry no matter what Mother Nature throws at you. This windproof, waterproof and breathable rain gear has a 2-ply Gore-Tex® shell, an adjustable double cuff system, fleece lined pockets and an adjustable hood to keep the wet stuff out so you can fish in comfort.

• www.shimano.com

We welcome submissions from manufactures 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

20 Real Fishing Winter 2007

Bob Izumi is the host of The Real Fishing Show.

By Bob Izumi

FISHING ETIQUETTE Recently I was sitting down having a Tim Hortons with a friend and fellow tournament competitor, Erick Hodgins. While we were drinking our coffees, we started talking about fishing etiquette and Erick told me a story that I couldn’t believe happened to him out on Lake Erie this past summer.

Erick was out practicing for a Canadian bass tournament, fishing a nondescript offshore rock pile, when an American bass angler roared up, took his boat off plane and yelled at him, “You’re on my waypoint.”

Erick put his arms up and said, “What?

How could I be on your waypoint when I don’t even know you? How would I know it’s your waypoint?”

Erick was shocked that this guy had the nerve to come up to him and say that on a massive lake like Erie. Now, maybe the guy was crazy or maybe he thought he had ownership of that spot. I’m not sure, but it is definitely one of the oddest things I had ever heard about fishing a particular spot. After hearing the story I thought that we should address fishing etiquette.

When it comes to fishing, etiquette could be where you cast, how you position your boat, what direction you’re trolling etc. There are so many different factors that come into play when you’re fishing in areas that have other anglers in them.

I recently invited a couple of friends to fish with me while I practiced for a bass tournament. One fellow continually cast directly in front of the boat, in the direction I was running the electric, and his line kept crossing mine. Finally I explained to him that it would be much more efficient if we worked a grid-like pattern to cover the water but, for some reason, he want22 Real Fishing Winter 2007

ed to continually have the first cast to all of the spots. It made for an uncomfortable day of fishing.

Stream anglers know that if you’re fishing a crowded pool for steelhead, say drift or float fishing, you need to get in sync with the other anglers in terms of where and when you cast in order to avoid crossing lines and creating tangles.

There’s a rhythm to it, and as long as everyone keeps in step with each other the problems are minimal. Problems usually only arise if someone interrupts the flow by doing things like casting lures, trying to still-fish with an anchored bait or running

from the ramp itself, so you’re not holding up people who are ready to go.

How about GPS-ing other boats? It seems like in open water situations it’s becoming a common occurrence to be fishing on some offshore structure when all of a sudden a boat will roar past you and you can hear them hit their GPS to mark the spot where you’re fishing. As far as I’m concerned that’s not the proper way to find fishing spots.

There are many times when I find anglers fishing in areas that I have found previously. If the spot is a little tight for two boats I won’t go in and fish there,

a float through the entire length of the pool. While it’s every angler’s right to fish how and where they please, it’s also their duty to make sure that their style of fishing doesn’t interfere with the other anglers on the river.

When a fish is hooked, courtesy dictates that the other anglers in a pool reel in their lines to allow the hooked-up angler room to fight his or her fish. If the fish runs downstream and the angler has to leave to follow it, then it’s fine to return to fishing the pool. Of course when the angler returns, you should be prepared to offer them their spot back.

Fishing etiquette comes into play even before you get on the water. If you pull up to a boat ramp and there are other boats waiting to launch, do your rigging and preparations in the parking area, away

even if I did find the spot on my own. If you’re working a larger area where there are other boats, cut them some space and let them fish their spots. Sometimes a courteous question like, “Do you mind if I fish over here beside you?” or, “Do you mind if I go around to the other side of you?” is all it takes. If the other angler says he’d prefer you to give him some space, move on and save the spot for later on.

There are dozens of other examples of fishing etiquette, but the bottom line is to put yourself in the other person’s shoes and think about how your actions will affect their enjoyment on the water.

Obviously, be courteous and remember, fishing is supposed to be fun. If everyone does this we’ll all have a better time on the water. ?

new

Breakfast Sandwich Eggs with bacon or sausage, and processed cheese on a toasted homestyle biscuit.

At participating stores. © Tim Hortons, 2006

BURBOT Lota lota If you do any ice fishing for lake trout or whitefish you’ve probably been surprised at one time or another by accidentally catching a burbot. These fish are easily identified by their unusual appearance, looking something like a cross between a fish and an eel.

fish. The burbot has a broad, triangular head that features small barbells extending from the nostril openings and a larger barbell on the chin. Burbot can range in colour from yellow to light brown or tan and they are usually darker the further north they are found. The background colour is overlaid with a mottled pattern that gives the fish a spotted or lacelike appearance.

Burbot are found in most of the suitable, fresh water habitats of Eurasia and North America lying above 40° North latitude with the exception of Scotland, The most identifiable features of a Ireland, the Kamchatka Peninsula, burbot are its long dorsal and anal fins, western Norway, most islands and the which run from the middle of the body to extreme north. In Canada, burbot are at the tail. The dorsal fin is actually com- home in every province except Nova prised of two fins, a low, short one that is Scotia, Prince Edward Island and similar to other fish’s dorsal fins, and a Newfoundland. second, longer one that runs rearward to Burbot are one of the few Canadian the rounded tail. The front half of the freshwater fish that spawn in midburbot, from the head to the anal fin, is winter, under the ice. In most cases nearly round, with a body width to depth they spawn in shallow water, from ratio of 1:1. From there to the tail the one to four feet deep, over a sand or burbot is laterally compressed like other gravel bottom. During spawning, up to 10 or 12 constantly moving individuals become intertwined into a writhing ball that moves over the bottom. Spawning only takes The IFGA lists the current All-Tackle World place at night and the spawning Record Burbot at 18-pounds, 11-ounces for grounds are deserted in the daya fish caught in Sweden in 1996. time. Burbot do not build nests, not do they care for their eggs or fry.

As a sport Colour: Yellow to light brown or tan background with a fish, burbot lighter, mottled pattern in the foreground. have few supSize: 15 to 20-inches and 2 to 3-pounds on average but porters. They can grow to over 30-inches and 15-pounds or more. are regarded Life Span: 10 to 15-years as a coarse Habitat: Deep, freshwater lakes and large, cool rivers of the fish in most northern hemisphere areas and are Spawning: November to May depending on geographic location; u s u a l l y in Canada generally January to March.

caught by ice anglers targeting other species, although there are some areas where they are actively sought after. The flesh of the burbot is white and flaky, and is said to taste similar to that of the cod, a fish closely related to the burbot. The burbot’s liver is very high in vitamin A, and the vitamin D content of its oil is on par with that of cod liver oil. Burbot livers are popular in some European countries, especially in Scandinavia, but they can be heavily infected with a type of tapeworm which often prohibits their use as food. ?

Did you know?

Burbot were once so abundant in the Great Lakes that they were considered a nuisance to commercial fishermen. In the early 1900s, pound-net fishermen, who regularly handled tar-soaked netting, would often use burbot liver oil as a hand balm for protection against the tar.

RECORD Burbot

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24 Real Fishing Winter 2007

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

By Dave Taylor

AMERICAN DIPPER

Recently I was out west photographing wildlife and, after a busy morning shooting pictures of elk and bison, I took a break by a fast flowing stream.

It developed into a chance to reacquaint myself with the American dipper, or water ouzel as it is also called, one of the more unusual song birds of North America. Song birds, more properly known as “passerines,” are the largest group of birds.

They include familiar species such as sparrows, robins and flycatchers, among others. The largest passerine is a species of raven, but most are fairly small.

26 Real Fishing Winter 2007

Passerines all share the common characteristic of having three toes pointing forward and one toe pointing backward. Unlike most other water birds, passerines have no webbing on their feet. They are often called perching birds because they are able to grasp hold of a branch with their three toes and then “lock” their stance with the back toe. A conscious effort must be made by the bird to release this grasp.

Once, on an early spring day after a late

winter snow storm, I came across a bizarre sight. A robin was hanging upside down on a tree branch. It was dead, having frozen during the night, yet its feet were still locked in position.

Very few passerines make their living by hunting for food in streams, but the American dipper is an exception. Not satisfied with looking for grubs along the shore, as one might expect, the dipper actually wades into the fast following water. There it uses its feet to grasp tightly to the rocks and boulders so that it is not carried away by the torrent while it seeks larva and water insects. The dipper can not only submerge its entire head to pry the insects loose, it can actually dive to the bottom of the stream to snare its prey.

Even more remarkable is the fact that this bird is a very capable swimmer.

The currents that dippers have been observed in are strong enough to knock over a human. In order to exploit this environment the dipper has several adaptations besides its unique feet. Its wings are short and stubby to allow it to fly in the air as well as to propel it underwater. The birds have a thick coat of down and nearly twice as many contour feathers to insulate them from the cold water of mountain streams.

They spend much of their day grooming in order to preserve their coat of feathers and keep it watertight. They also have a higher oxygen capacity in their blood to allow them to stay submerged for up to 30-seconds. The dipper’s eye has specially adapted muscles that allow the bird to see both above and below the water.

I watched a group of three or four of these birds for almost an hour. At times it looked as if they were posing for the camera! I could not help but admire the way they navigated their way around the stream. Nothing seemed to put them off their quest for food. I imagine any angler who has ever donned a pair of waders would be struck by the ease in which these birds handled the water! ?

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Steve May is the Project Coordinator for the Grand River Fisheries Management Plan. When not working to improve local fisheries he is fly casting over local rivers or teaching people about fly fishing.

By Stephen May

PICKING THE PERFECT FLY ROD Whether you are looking to get started in fly fishing, or just to add to your collection of fly fishing gear, it is essential to buy gear that suits the fish and conditions you expect to encounter. If you ask yourself a few key questions before heading to the cash register you will be sure to get a rod that can make future trips to the river a real joy.

A few things to ask are, what size of water will you be fishing; how big are the fish you expect to encounter (be realistic); and what size range of flies will you be casting?”

There is no single fly rod that can do everything, but some are very versatile.

With several lengths and line weights of rods available from a variety of manufacturers, at many different price points, there are fly rods out there to tackle everything from trout to tarpon or bluegills to blue marlin.

To make selecting fly tackle easier, manufacturers have come up with a standardized method of categorizing rods and lines using numbers from 0-15. Matching the line to the rod is very important because in fly fishing you are actually casting the line versus catapulting a lure. Getting a rod and line that are properly matched will make the outfit perform to its potential while unmatched outfits can be difficult for even the most experienced fly anglers to use. By balancing a rod with a line of the same number, you can be pretty sure you will have an outfit that will perform well.

28 Real Fishing Winter 2007

Lighter outfits, numbered from #0 to #4, are perfect for fishing small streams for picky trout or for making small fish like sunfish feel more sporting, but they do not perform well in the wind, when you need to make long casts or when you’re working a big fly.

Medium-action fly outfits, numbered from #5 to #7, are the 6’6” mediumaction spinning rods of the fly fishing world. These rods will throw a wide variety of flies and can handle a variety of fish including trout, bass, panfish and, at the heavier end, steelhead and light saltwater use. Most people should buy their first fly rod from this size range.

If you intend to tackle steelhead, salmon, largemouth bass or pike with a fly rod, look to one in the #8 to #10 range. These rods can be cast further than lighter models and will handle windy conditions, sinking lines, larger flies and larger fish. But, these heavier outfits are more tiring to cast and they can spook fish in cases where delicate presentations are needed.

As with any sport there are people who operate on the fringe. Ultra-heavy

rods from #11 to #15 are tools specifically designed to land giants on a fly rod. Musky, sailfish, tarpon, and tuna are all within reach with this heavy gear.

Rod length is another consideration.

The most popular fly rods are 9-feet long, probably because this length seems to balance accuracy and distance.

Shorter rods are easier to cast accurately and to steer around brush-choked streams. Longer rods give you more on-water line control and can help you cast further. Generally, smaller water, smaller fish and smaller flies mean you should go with a shorter and lighter outfit. When you are tackling bigger fish in larger waters with big flies, a longer and heavier rod is needed.

So, the next time you are picking up a new fly rod, remember to gear up with the proper tools for the job and your wise choice will be reflected in more success on the water. ?

like night and day The outdoors is like a breath of fresh air, an escape from it all, a time to connect with what’s important; yourself, family, nature.

It’s an experience that’s like night and day from the day to day.

For the reliable outdoor gear to make it happen, choose Coleman.

By Lawren Wetzel

ELECTRONICS ON ICE Let’s take a look at all the toys we put on our boats to help us get to the fish: 250-horsepower motors; 100-pound thrust trolling motors; thousands of dollars worth of sonar and GPS units; kicker motors for trolling - tens of thousands of dollars in gear so we can move around and stay on top of the fish. Well, if mobility is that important in the boat why, in the winter, do we fish from stationary ice huts all day?

Mobility is just as important to a successful outing on the ice as it is on the open water. You don’t need to spend tens of thousands of dollars to be mobile on the ice either. A simple GPS and sonar unit, that you may already have, is a great way to get started. One of the most popular trends I have seen lately is ice fishermen taking the sonar units off of their boats and using them for ice fishing.

The easiest way to rig your sonar up for ice fishing is to mount the unit in a small tackle box or dry box. You can store your transducer and a 12 volt gel cell battery for power right in the box as well. You now have an inexpensive, self-contained ice fishing sonar that can be transported easily and keep you on the fish.

If you have a larger unit on your boat, one that won’t fit into a small tackle box, try getting a handlebar mount to mount

the unit to your ATV or sled. This works really well if you have a sonar/GPS combo unit. You can run it on full screen GPS as you are driving to your spot, then drop a transducer down the hole and flip it to full screen sonar. This is something you will see a lot of serious fishermen doing on the ice this winter.

Flashers have always been very popular with ice fishermen because they offer the most current information on the screen.

There is no history on a flasher like there is with a LCD unit. The advantage of an LCD is that most people find them easier to understand than a flasher. Seeing the history on the screen gives the user a better picture in their mind as to what is below them. These days just about all Lowrance LCD units come with a flasher mode built right into them so it comes down to personal preference in choosing whether to view the traditional sonar screen or the flasher.

One big tip I can offer to make your ice fishing with sonar more successful is to increase the ping speed on your graph.

This is a relatively new feature on most Lowrance units that allows you to control the rate of speed that the transducer

A combination sonar/GPS unit, like the Lowrance LMS-34C iGPS IceMachine, is the ultimate ice-fishing tool!

Lawren Wetzel is a Lowrance Canada service technician and accomplished tournament angler who competes on the Citgo Bassmaster Northern Tour.

sends the signal out. Increasing the ping speed also increases the rate the screen updates the information it receives from the transducer.

With today’s units, the old complaint that LCD units are not as good as flashers on the ice because of the delay in displaying information is out the window.

I have done side by side comparisons and, when the ping speed is set to 100% on a LCD unit, the return is instant!

A good time saver to know is that a sonar signal can be shot through ice. The easiest way to do this is to carry some water with you and build a dam of snow on the ice to hold the water in. Then place the transducer in the water and it will shoot right through the ice. That can really save you time, especially if you do not have a power auger. You can check your spots for proper depth or the presence of fish before you take the time drilling a hole.

These days sonar is almost mandatory on the ice, but GPS units often get left behind. Having a GPS with you on the ice can be just as valuable as having it on your boat. With the detailed contour maps that companies like Lowrance and Navionics are offering, you can really locate the sweet spots that most other ice anglers won’t even know about. Just like using the unit on the water, you can get right on top of sharp breaking contour lines or the exact tip of a point. The other great thing your GPS allows you to do is run a pattern on the ice. For example, if you are catching fish on the sloping side of points that run from 20 to 50-feet deep, all you need to do is locate another similar looking spot on the GPS map and you should be quickly back into some fish.

This winter don’t just sit on one spot all day waiting for the fish to come to you.

Get after them with a good sonar and GPS unit and your catch rate through the ice this winter will soar. ?

Expanded choices of 7” , 8.4” and 10.4” SolarMAX™ TFT displays for 2007!

For virtually any boat needing advanced navigation plus high-performance colour sounding, the Lowrance LCX Series big-screen models definitely provide a whole lot more operational capabilities and functions, for a whole lot less money! And for 2007, enjoy expanded choices, including 7”,8.4” or 10.4” high-resolution, 256-colour SolarMAX™ TFT displays for superior viewing even in the brightest sunlight. Totally NMEA 2000® compliant for networking, these incredible sonar/GPS performers also incorporate two digital card slots for richly-detailed NauticPath™ and Navionics® plug-&-play electronic chart options. With increased nand flash memory, plus new Ethernet expansion ports for radar, video and satellite radio compatibility, the LCX Series products are loaded with Lowrance innovation. So compare the new LCX-27c, LCX37c and the LCX-112c models, and be nicely surprised to find bigger total performance gains, for much smaller budget pain!

©2006 Navico

www.lowrance.com

30 Real Fishing Winter 2007

How good is the new Gulp! Sinking Minnow from Berkely? Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just say that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a killer bait thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to set the bass fishing world on its ear next year.

While testing the bait on Lake Erie last fall, Bob laid a healthy beating on the resident smallmouth bass population. It didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter if the bait was rigged on a jighead and dragged along the bottom, or finessed on a drop-shot rig, the results were the same â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the smallmouth just couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t resist the Gulp! Sinking Minnow.

4(%

Gulp! Sinking Minnow 32 Real Fishing Winter 2007

"//4

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1

Fe br ua r y

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34 Real Fishing Winter 2007

3

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Ma rc h

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To order your copy of Doug Hannon’s 2007 Moon Clock Calculator send $9.95 plus $3.75 shipping & handling to: Moon Clock, Department RE, PO Box 724255, Atlanta, GA 31139 or visit www.moontimes.com

TUESDAY

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LAKERS AND WHITEFISH ON ICE

By Wil Wegman

A

s soon as the bright orange flag on the wooden HT tip-up went off I raced after it at full speed, anxious to ice another laker for breakfast that cold, crisp morning. A group of us were winter camping up in the wilds of northern Ontario and we were supplementing our diet with a steady supply of fresh, delicious lake trout. As I grabbed the line between my thumb and forefinger, I noticed that the spool on the tip-up was revolving frantically. I lifted my arm, forcefully setting the hook. Right away I knew this wasn’t one of the typical two to five-pounders that are so common throughout this section of the province as strong, powerful runs signalled that this particular trout was heavier than most. Although my fingers were semi-frozen they still acted as the perfect drag system, eventually tiring the big brute enough so that I could bring her up through the hole and grab her. At just under 15-pounds, this trout would not set any records (except perhaps, as the locals later told us, for this small inland lake) but it sure was the highlight of the trip.

There is no doubt that the primordial practice of hand-lining is the most intimately connecting method of bringing big fish like lake trout or whitefish up from the icy depths. Even more simplistic is the allure of using gads, which can still be seen dotting the ice in many remote regions of the country. These plain, thin branches are stuck in the snow and bent over towards the hole where the line winds its way down off the spool. The reliance on basic wooden jigging sticks is also widespread. For those who like to impart some movement in their baits, these foot-long rulertype sticks, which are notched at both ends to hold the line, is the only ice fishing ‘rod’ they have ever used.

But you know what? Ice fishing equipment has advanced and become so much better and so much more fun to use than in “the old days” that even the steadfast hand-liner is trading in his/her jigging sticks for graphite fishing rods while the gad fisherman are switching to one of many high-tech tip-ups on the market today. With this in mind, let’s have a look at some ways to up your

odds this hard water season by utilizing some of the modern ice fishing tackle available to winter lake trout and whitefish anglers.

LAKERS AND WHITIES

In many Canadian lakes where the mighty lake trout reigns supreme, there roams an oftentimes much less appreciated cold water species that can be equally as challenging and fun to catch.

Although the delicious lake whitefish can reach 14 to 15-pounds, realistically a fish half that size would be considered above average in most waters. Whitefish often have more liberal limits, are frequently underutilized and can often be more plentiful and catchable than the mighty lake trout.

Of course no one has to remind Canadian ice anglers that the lake trout is the true denizen of the deep, the fish that reigns supreme in so many waters across the country. For the ice fishing enthusiast, the lake trout/whitefish Real Fishing Winter 2007 37

Tropical Trout or Salmon Ingredients 11/2 qt water 2/3 cup non-iodized salt 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 cups crushed pineapple with juice 1 orange peeled and chopped Orange zest from 1 orange INSTRUCTIONS • Mix ingredients until sugar is dissolved.

• Submerge fish in brine, skin side down on the bottom layer, meat side down on the next layer.

Repeat layering, skin to skin, meat to meat.

• Place a weighted plate on top of the fish to fully submerge all fillets.

• Soak fish in brine for 6-8 hours, the longer it soaks the sweeter the flavor.

• Place fish on racks and air dry until pellicle is formed, 1-3 hours.

• Sprinkle fish with a light dusting of brown sugar.

• Smoke to desired texture. Cooking time varies from 3-10 hours depending on volume of fish and outside conditions. Check frequently so as not to overcook. Note: This recipe works well with hickory or apple wood Bisquettes.

This recipe is from Bradley’s Collector Recipe Collection at www.bradleysmokers.com

combo offers the perfect one-two punch as these fish frequently reside in the same lakes and even in same general areas. Catching a few nice whities in one hole and a big laker in the next is a common scenario across much of their range. With the wide assortment of ice fishing tackle available today, the ability to tailor your presentations to suit each of these great species has never been better.

Begin your search for lakers and whities by making some calls to local natural resources offices, tackle shops, ice hut operations or even checking local

fishing websites for some great start-up information. Obtain a hydrographic chart or other map of the lake, if you can, and then begin to eliminate a lot of water that you know isn’t ideal for either species. Shallow weedy bays with soft bottoms, for instance, are much better suited to warm water species. For lake trout and whitefish you’ll want to look for hard bottom areas around islands, near mid lake shoals, extended points, sharp drops, humps and any of the deeper areas of the lake. Of course there are some differences in the preferred habitat of the two species.

SEASONAL PATTERNS

HOT TECHNIQUES

Local experts look for active fish with a flashy search lure like a large HT Quiver or Big Catch Spoon. In tannic stained lakes I prefer the glow versions of these spoons or of the large HT Chatter Spoon. For lakers, the spoon is best worked wherever you are marking baitfish. If none are visible on your sonar, try beginning near bottom and jig for five minute intervals before moving 5-10 feet up and jigging again. Repeat until you are about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way to the surface and then drop the bait down to bottom again – or to wherever baitfish have appeared. Make sure to

In order to find either lake trout or whitefish during the winter, it helps to understand their seasonal movements throughout the hard water period.

Shortly after the season opens it is quite likely that both of these late fall spawners will still be adjacent to some of the same shoals or rocky points that they spawned on before the ice set in. So, early in the season you can find both Big Catch Spoon lakers and whitefish congregated in shallow water from 30 to 50-feet deep.

As the season progresses both species tend to move out into deeper water searching for schools of Quiver Spoon roaming baitfish, smelt or cisco. Typically in big lake systems such as Simcoe, this can often mean that trout and whitefish are in waters from 65 to 90-feet whereas in smaller Shield Lakes the Chatter Spoon depth is not as extreme.

Naturally there are exceptions to the deep water rule for mid-winter fish – such

Lake Trout and Whitefish Locations “The key difference I find in whitefish locations in the smaller Shield lakes is that these whitefish tend to really key onto the soft, silty bottom in bays and main lake basins. On Lake Simcoe I tend to do better on hard, or at least adjacent to, hard bottom areas on either the deep main lake basin or off some of the bigger bays.

For lakers, on the other hand, I find that, although they go deep too, they seem to prefer areas near humps, main lake shelves and off of deep points.”

Greg Klatt, ProFISH'nt Angling Services Email: Slayingm@Sympatico.ca • www.Profishntanglingservices.com Bus: 705-887-4482 • Cell: 416-580-2541

38 Real Fishing Winter 2007

as before dusk or after dawn when both species make forages back into shallower water in search of food. As a general rule, begin on the shallowest side of the area you are fishing and then work deeper as the day progresses. Expect the best action to occur in the early morning hours for both fish.

have periods (lasting up to a minute) where you are not jigging at all – just holding the lure still and shaking it.

Once you get bit, check your sonar right away to note what depth you were at.

Also, pay attention to how you were working your lure - rapidly up and down or while quivering. Keeping these factors in mind can be a great way to establish the most effective pattern.

For extremely overcast days or when heavy snow cover blocks virtually any sunlight from reaching the depths, the combination of glow and sound can pay big dividends. This is when a rattling Jig-A-Whopper Hawger Spoon in the 1/4 ounce pearl glow colour really shines. To increase hook ups though, try removing the single hook, add a Gamakatsu red treble and slide a Berkley power egg onto the hook. The addition of that Badd Boyz egg – especially for whitefish - can mean the difference between reeling up with or without a big old whitie on the line.

Whitefish are almost always very close to the lake floor, usually within 10-feet of the bottom. It is easy to see why too, as their underslung mouths are ideally suited to picking up tidbits from the lake floor. For decades, traditional spreader rigs with live minnows and wooden tipups have been the staple for thousands of winter whitefish anglers. Although there is little question that these still work, alternative bottom-oriented artifi-

cials, such the full sized Badd Boyz or Meegs lures tipped with a grub, half of a tube jig or a finesse minnow, are becoming increasingly popular on Lake Simcoe and many lakes to the north.

Of course good ice fishermen are always thinking outside of the box and Cam Moore, winner of the 2006 Canadian Ice Fishing Championship on Lake Simcoe, is no exception. He is quick to point out that whitefish don’t always follow the rules.

“There have been several times when we were fishing deep water for either lake trout or whitefish when we noticed suspending fish on the sonar.

As is always the case, we regularly have a white tube jig loaded on another rod for just such an occasion.

We will quickly bring the original line up and drop the tube down to the fish we just marked, anticipating that a laker might grab it at any second. Although 9 times out of 10 that fish will be the customary suspending lake trout, it is also quite often that a big whitefish realizes that there is lots of free food well above the lakes’ bottom and

all he has to do is swim up there and grab it.”

DOUBLING YOUR ODDS

Fishing in two holes is perfectly legal when ice fishing on most of the lakes in my home province of Ontario so when I’m laker or whitefish fishing it’s usually a double or nothing type deal for me.

The combo of a set line on a Polar or Windlass tip-up in one hole while jigging with an ice rod in the other is tough to

Formally KLAR Ullfrotte

COOK YOUR CATCH Put a little summer into your winter ice fishing with this island inspired recipe.

Real Fishing Winter 2007 39

Lit’l Minnow Jig

beat. What is rigged on the Polar or Windlass will depend on a few factors, not the least of which is the type of species you hope to catch. For fishing whitefish with a stationary Polar tip-up, you could go with the traditional spreader rig and minnows placed right on bottom or you could try a small jig like the Red Neck Tech Hornet Jig tipped with a Berkley Gulp 2-3” Smelt or Minnow and place it a few inches from bottom.

For lakers, suspending something like an HT Lit’l Minnow Jig, or even a single hook tipped with a Berkley Gulp Minnow, can produce when fish want a dead-stick presentation. When using Polar tip-ups for either of these rigs you can be sure that your line will not freeze thanks to the lubricant within the spool of the tip-up.

When you have some wind, and the temperature is high enough to keep your hole relatively ice-free, the Windlass tipup shines. In essence this rig can do the jigging for you thanks to the metal flap on the rocker arm that moves your bait up and down. You can use the same baits you would for the Polar – but instead of the stationary deal, you’ll be having some movement in your baits.

When the wind is really kicking up, you can even add a spoon tipped with a Berkley Power Egg. The addition of that egg is especially deadly on whitefish.

In the second hole it’s actually you that does the fishing not the tip-up so if you miss a fish … it’s your fault dude! To increase your odds of hooking up, check out some of the high quality graphite ice rods that allow you to detect subtle strikes you might otherwise miss. With so many good ice rods available to today’s modern ice angler it’s hard to just choose just one and you know what? You shouldn’t! If you can afford to invest in a few ice rods with different actions for different applications, you will never regret it.

For light-striking whitefish you need a rod with a fast, limber tip in a medium

or medium light action.

A heavier action would be overkill and could likely rip the lure right through the soft mouth of a big whitefish. For big trout, however, you’ll want to go with a heavier action rod that will allow you to work larger baits as well as to wrestle those big trout up from the depths.

Knowing where to put your presentation in the water column for lake trout is usually more complex than for the bottom-oriented whitefish.

Trout are not limited by water temperature during the winter like they are in summer and will suspend at a variety of depths under the ice, most often governed by the movements of baitfish. For this reason a good sonar unit, like the Lowrance Ice Machine, becomes a musthave tool for the serious winter lake trout angler. This unit will easily detect baitfish so you will know exactly where to place your bait. Watching it carefully throughout the day helps determine what depths you should be fishing at. It could be 10-feet off bottom in 80-feet of water one day and 40-feet off the next.

Ace ice anglers like Greg Klatt and Cam Moore both say they would be fishing blind if it were not for their portable sonar units.

A good sonar unit, like the Lowrance Ice Machine, is a must-have tool for the serious winter angler.

“Today's modern electronics are awesome and really help me to see exactly what’s going on below the ice. Units like Lowrance's 'Ice Machine' allow you to see real-time images while you jig. They also detect hard and soft bottom transi-

tions and, most importantly, the fish and how they react to various retrieves when trying to trigger a strike,” offers Klatt.

The beauty about the twohole approach is that you don’t always know which rig will be most productive on any given day. Sometimes it may be the subtle, lifelike, Gulp Minnow on a tip-up that gets all the action while on other days the fish will be whacking your spoon in the next hole. Oddly enough though, you may not get bit at all while jigging on some days or in certain lakes. Despite this, I am convinced that the flashy lure is acting as an attractor to bring fish into the area. And, if it’s the minnow the fish really want to inhale, so be it; your onetwo punch is what brought the fish in.

LIVE BAIT OR ARTIFICIAL?

Over the last several years many successful ice anglers have been relying less and less on live bait presentations in order to consistently catch fish. Today there are just so many natural, life-like alternatives that it becomes harder and harder to justify the need to use the real thing in order to get bit. Cam Moore says, “That three to four-inch simple white tube jig, instead of a live minnow for instance, can be an extremely productive presentation for suspended lake trout. I like to use a light, 1/8-ounce darter jig head and, instead of inserting the plastic tube all the way to the end, I rig it about _ of the way in before popping it through. This way you have a more horizontal presentation. I also trim the tentacles of the tube a bit with some scissors - and make sure the hook is razor sharp!”

Berkley Gulp Minnows, or the beefier Shaky Shads, in smelt or shiner patterns are quickly becoming a great alternative to live bait for hard water anglers. Using these bio-degradable, non-plastic, baitfish look-a-likes on 1/8 to 1/4-ounce darter or chicklet jig heads - or even on a drop shot rig - is incredibly productive for inactive whitefish or lakers cruising near bottom. As is the case with so many jigging presentations though, anglers have a tendency to overdo it. Don’t overwork these baits when fishing is slow. A gentle lift/drop with a little bit of Real Fishing Winter 2007 41

twitching or quivering here and there to mimic an injured baitfish works best.

OVER SIZING vs DOWN SIZING

In terms of presentation, Greg Klatt likes to keep things simple.

“Early in the day I take advantage of the more aggressive feeding mode of the fish and forcefully work larger spoons just off bottom - gold on cloudy days and silver on sunny. I often bounce a bait like a jigging minnow right on the bottom to kick up some silt because it mimics an injured or feeding minnow and often results in violent strikes - especially from whitefish. As the day progresses I slow it down though and begin to downsize my lures. By mid day, 'quivering' or bouncing a small jig or spoon is

often the only way to induce a strike.”

In clear water conditions, small can often be the operative word. I recall one year, while competing in the Canadian Ice Fishing Championships on Lake Simcoe, we were placed in an area that had all kinds of whitefish in it. As soon as the gun blasted to start the beginning of the event, anglers dropped their traditional flashy spoons to the depths below. The result was fish after fish being caught. Soon the majority of the field had their first of a possible two whitefish limit. The trick however was trying to figure out what the heck to do in order to fool another whitie into hitting.

Many anglers gave up in frustration and eventually began punching holes elsewhere, looking for more active fish. My sonar told me that there were still some fish to be had, so I began going through my pail of pre-rigged rods, dropping one presentation after another down the hole. Ultimately, I came to my final rod – a light-action perch outfit with two-pound test line and a small, white Berkley Micro Power Tube jig. I even added a couple of the live juicy maggots I had reserved for any perch I may find along the way.

I can recall that I did have to twitch and quiver that bait when it finally reached the bottom in 90- feet of water,

Alien Jig

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Marmooska

but it sure wasn’t for long. That pressured, finickier than all get out whitefish just sucked that little old bait right in to its mouth and my light action rod detected the subtle strike right away.

The battle to bring that six-pounder in on two-pound test line may have been a little too nerve racking for this high stakes tournament, however, I am convinced that I would have never landed that fish with conventional whitefish tackle.

Since then, downsizing and finessing big winter lake trout and whitefish has become an integral component of my ice fishing success. Such traditional panfish ice lures as the Marmooska, Alien or Predator jigs can be hard for fish to resist. If you add a couple of live maggots or Berkley Gulp maggots to these baits, you’ll increase your odds even more.

Finessing big pressured lakers and whities with light tackle from clear water lakes through the ice is a whole different ballgame and another article for another day. Until then, try applying some of the tricks and advice you’ve read here when you’re on the ice this coming winter. I’m sure they will help you to have a more productive hard water season. ?

Award winning outdoor writer Wil Wegman has been teaching ice fishing courses at Seneca College north of Toronto since 1987. He was a member of Team Canada at the 1991 World Ice Fishing Championship and has several top ten finishes at the annual Canadian Ice Fishing Championships. Last March Wegman and Greg Klatt teamed up to win the first ever Fish Trap ice fishing tournament held on Lake Simcoe.

By Eric Weissman

1. Fly-fishing: noun - a method of fishing in which fly-casting is used—(origin 1645-55) 2. Fly-fishing: noun - method of fishing in which an artificial fly is cast by use of a fly rod, a reel and a relatively heavy oiled or treated line.

1. Fly: noun - a fish hook dressed (as with feathers or tinsel) to suggest an insect or small fish for use as a lure or bait.

Source: Merriam Webster and American Heritage dictionaries

I

work as a fishing guide in Mexico and from time to time in Northern British Columbia. One of the most common things I hear on my travels is, “You fly-fish on the ocean? I thought that was just something you do on a stream like in that movie, you know, “A river runs through…”

It seems that many anglers and nonanglers perceive of the fly as a small device and that the fly rod is a delicate tool for angling smallish fish from bucolic settings. My preferred method of 44 Real Fishing Winter 2007

angling in almost every situation is flyfishing; it’s a choice I made some 15 years ago after deciding that fly-fishing, like golfing, was something you had to do often and with devotion in order to become great at it. Using a fly line and fly rod, using the techniques of a haul or double haul to load the rod and transfer your power into the line so it can carry and deliver a pay load - that is fly-fishing.

I am adept with other types of conventional gear as well. I have landed 30-

pound pike on ultra light spinning gear and 7-pound smallies on my trusty spinning rod. I have floatfished and bait cast and “plunked” lead on the Skeena. On several occasions last year, I hand-lined with my captains down here in Mexico for shark, pargo and snapper. And, in all these experiences of fishing with guests, friends or with my captains - the hardest working fishermen I know - there is some agreement about the technique of fly-fishing as I described it above. But the question often comes up, ’’What exactly is a fly, and when is a fly not a fly anymore?”

One of captains of down here, Betto, had never really seen fly-fishing when I started guiding here. At that time I had a hat with all kinds of flies in it and a small box of trout flies, because I had

heard, and have now confirmed, that there are indeed trout in the river valleys up in the mountains near here.

He looked at my small flies and said, “Ah, si, moscas,” (flies), because they look like flies, or insects or bugs. But of my larger flies he had more difficulty. He took one of my big sailfish flies and held

it next to my 14-weight rod and looked mystified.

He said something like, “mejor con estes,“ (better with this) as he held up a heavy-duty tuna rod.

To him it seemed unlikely that such a large load, a big fly, could be cast in the same way we cast a trout fly or a small streamer. He has since learned that it is not only possible, but he now specializes in putting the boat into position and chumming up fish so we can cast those big flies successfully. That was in May, some years back. For about 10-days everyone in town talked about this guy with the strange fishing rods.

They would watch me double hauling off the rocks into the evening and they would laugh. They would constantly argue that those big flies were not moscas - at least not like the small flies Real Fishing Winter 2007 45

that were in my box, but hooricans (lures). Their disbelief was reasonable.

They didn’t believe that a size-22 emerger fly could hook a 10-pound trout either. On the Pacific coast of Mexico, in a small fishing village, the debate and the questions seemed reasonable.

That summer I was working in B.C. and vacationing - fishing for steelhead, salmon and trout - in Terrace, British Columbia. I stayed at a fabulous lodge where all the guests would gather and chat and debate and laugh and so on over dinner. And then the debate about what is fly-fishing, and when is a fly not a fly, reared its ugly head again. It took the words of a wise, older angler to put it into perspective, and to take the explanation further than those offered by dictionaries and encyclopedias.

The waitress was standing there, doubtfully watching as one of the guests played with a few bits of salt and pepper on his plate.

“Sir? Your order sir.”

Chas looked up from his plate and carefully picked up the bits of salt and pepper. He gingerly placed them on the bread plate of his neighbor, Thomas.

The four other guys at the table watched the waitress’ eyes as she followed this odd behaviour. ”You think me quite mad?” Chas suggested to her.

She quickly replied, “No sir, I was just waiting for one of you to throw it over your shoulder.”

Thomas, who sat close to the waitress, felt the need to explain and took her hand and placed the salt and pepper in it. She went to shake it off.

“No, no, wait, don’t drop them!”

Thomas said.

She paused.

46 Real Fishing Winter 2007

Dave yanked the fly out of my hat and held it up. It was a 2/0 fly with a pink flashabou wrapped body, black hackle and a pink tail sometimes alternated with black marabou. exemplary lightweight dry fly fishermen.

They regularly fished Penns, Spruce and Delaware tributaries and on occasion fished the Credit River near my home in Toronto with size-26 to 30 tricos and midges from their vintage split cane rods.

“Well, don’t feel bad Eric, I can’t fish with those missiles you use down in Mexico either,” said Dave.

Thomas added, “Yeah, I hear that a 2/0 fly is about 1000 times larger than those.”

Dave laughed. “2/0? No Thomas, I mean missiles. Eric, show ‘em. But first give me that,” and he pointed to the “steelies nightmare,” a popular fly up here in Terrace which we guides use regularly, and at this moment was retired to my fishing hat, sitting on the table.

Two versions of the “Steelie’s Nightmare” Dave yanked the fly out of my hat and held it up. It was a 2/0 fly with a pink flashabou wrapped body, black hackle and a pink tail sometimes alternated with black marabou. I got up from the table and, as I walked towards my room to retrieve my newest batch of salt “missiles”, I heard, Chas say, “Now that’s about the limit for me. Anything bigger just ain’t a fly no more.”

‘Wait until he sees a 12/0 “Marlin Monster,” I thought to myself.

As I walked through the lodge, I pondered that criticism of large flies. Often incorporating synthetic materials, plastics, plug heads and beads, they can appear like a mass-produced lure sometimes.

So what does constitute a fly from a lure? Is it a question of size? If it is a question of size, then surely size-30 flies are rare enough and used so infrequently as to be considered as odd as, say, a 12/0 fly - which I regularly use in Mexico with my guests. And it can’t be the amount of dressing on the fly because on these size-30 and smaller flies there is nothing more than a bit of thread or dubbing in most cases. So, whereas a size 12/0 may be accused of overdressing, then a size-30 may be accused as of being underdressed.

And the question isn’t whether or not the fly was tied out of synthetic or natural materials since most flies today are tied from a synergy of techniques and materials, both natural and man-made. I often tie my elk hair caddis with elk hair wings, but antron dubbing. Many of my nymphs combine natural fibers for tail and legs, but are wrapped by synthetic materials such as the innovative materials offered by Virtual Nymph out of England. Steve Thornton’s super realistic flies are outstanding in terms of their realism, but his one unpublished fly, the Cam Emerger, is the most successful fly I ever used, and it looks nothing like traditionally tied Catskill Flies.

Original photo by Steve Thornton

“Look closer,” someone said.

The waitress brought her hand closer to her eyes and squinted, and I think she must have finally realized that what she was looking at were flies, not salt and pepper, because she said, “Oh wow… that’s amazing! What do you catch with that?”

Dave, the quiet one, the one who had tied the size-30 specks of thread said, “Big ol’ trout!”

“On those?” she laughed.

Dave proceeded to tell us about his “never pursued” Pennsylvania line record, or so he said, about a 22-inch brown on a size-30 speck of pepper.

“And on a half-pound tippet!” he added.

We all laughed. She took the meal orders and in a short while six entrees of wild Pacific Coho on cedar planks were delivered to the table.

“You know Dave, I can’t fish with anything that small, can’t see them, even with my magnifiers.” I said.

Dave smiled. He and Chas were

The Cam Emerger as created

by Steve Thornton

Up in northern British Columbia the spey casters often dredge the bottom with long, heavy, lead-core leaders which floss the schools of sockeye, coho and even steelhead, drawing flies

ured that if you use a fly rod and reel, and angle a fly of some kind, you are fly-fishing. Float fishing with a fly is still float fishing. But still I have to ask myself, what is a fly?

I found my big billfish fly. Surely once the guys see this we will have an answer. If a size-30 midge is a fly then this 12/0 white monster must represent the opposite end of the scale. Right?

“Where you been? “ Chas asked when I returned to the table.

I tossed the white monster onto the tablecloth. It is a huge fly; the tail is tied from a white boa, purchased in a craft

One of the other guests was listening and piped in, explaining how he casts his 500-grain sinking tip line off the reel with regularity, about 115 feet, and I said that I could do that too. But I never need to.

One of the other guys piped up, “500 grain line?”

I know what he was thinking, after all, these guys don’t do salt. And the other guy needs to know that no one on the planet is casting a 12/0 streamer like this one 115-feet even once, especially wet.

The conversation was starting to get trivial, I thought, but I have heard it so often – like competing paradigms of some science asserting themselves.

Before I realized it, I was in the middle of at least five different cross-arguments - heated, passionate discussions if you

The 12/0 Marlin Monster

through their mouths and eliciting the take. They are fly-fishing with fly rods, reels and gear, but the technique is clearly not the idealized view of fly-fishing.

And they generally swing just the slightest morsel of yarn or dubbing on a 1/0 hook. There is little manufacturing in the creation of these flies and they resemble nothing to a sockeye - since the sockeye doesn’t eat anything in the rivers and is largely a vegetarian in the ocean but still, it is fly fishing.

In fact, many of the float fishermen in my home of Ontario use level wind or centre pin reels, a float and lead to weigh down their line, which bears a standard fly like a steelie nightmare or a yarn fly.

They are, in fact, fly-fishing, but not with fly rods. This is called float fishing, since it is the floating of the line which distinguishes the technique from others.

So, as I rummaged through my salt bag to retrieve a fly, I more or less fig48 Real Fishing Winter 2007

shop. Long grizzly hackles skirt the boa and flashabou has been added for life.

These are all tied in under a beard of white and chartreuse bucktail to which an orange eye is epoxied in. It must have looked like a toy as it danced in the air and landed on the table with a thud. The guys looked a little astonished.

“What the hell is that?” one of them asked.

“That’s what catches marlin and sails and big tuna down my way.” I replied.

Thomas picked up the fly and examined it.

“How the hell are you gonna cast that?” someone asked.

I think I lost them after explaining that casting a 14 or 16-weight is a little different than casting a 4-weight. Despite the fact that large gauge rods are now very castable, they are not meant to be cast far or all day long. Even a 12-weight can be a tough ride all day.

prefer - about line type; whether nymphing is truly fly fishing; if flies should have beads or blades or rattles and if a 16-weight is more like a winch rod than a fly rod.

It was then that this older man and his wife, regulars at the restaurant, came over and they both smiled. He was tall and frail and somehow commanded a worldly respect. The table went quiet as he loomed over us all and reached into his pocket. We all watched his lanky movements closely as he pulled out one of those leather wallets that a kid might have had, you know, deer hair and a small embroidered pattern. It was worn and old and maybe it had been his since he was a kid.

His old fingers worked the wallet open, and he managed to pull out a small object that he laid on the white table cloth like it was the last ace in the deck. It was a “Torrent Special” as he

called it - a tandem salmon hook tied guide, comes up with some awesome with white polar bear as a wing onto a original and re-developed patterns. I tinsel body. learned to apply the expression, “it ain’t “It was the first fly I ever tied back in pretty but it works” to fly fishing from Hawke Bay,” he said. him. When we strip the fly fishing expeHis wife piped up, “And that was 60 rience of all ego and competition, what years ago.” we are left with is a thrilling techChas looked at it and said, “I heard of nique for experiencing some deeply perthese tandems but we don’t use them, sonal and humbling moments.

The modified Torrent Special “Still a fly,” the old not in P.A.” My favorite sounds are of the buzzzzz of my big reels man said. on a tuna or “Can’t use ‘em o t h e r there any more, leviathan, as back on the well as the rock, but way only slightly back when we a u d i b l e did.” “plunk” of my He went on #20 spinner as the fly travbeing sipped eled around the from the table. meniscus by “Back then some hookwe didn’t hear jaw, under a about nobody star-lit sky on fishing sailfish a branch of the on a fly or Delaware or tuna or, well…. on the Grand. them was the There is an sorts you inherent satishooked on line Mike’s Gorgeous Skipjack , on an “Eric’s Ugly Tuna” fly in San Agustinillo Mexico faction in faband tackle is ricating, or all. All them even purchasfish youse fellas is talking about, well, no one fished ‘em ing at the Torrent Special fly I have since ing, the correct fly, regardless of size, tied in my own way on a single hook. A based on our assumption of what will on the fly back then, I don’t think.”

Chas looked up and politely asked, couple of years ago in Newfoundland, it work, and then putting it to the test sucwas the cat’s meow. I rescued it from my cessfully. And that is what it is all about.

“So what are you saying?”

An important philosopher in the The old man replied, “Well, seems to salmon box, a smorgasbord of various me you don’t shoot an elk with a BB intricate flies, a kaleidoscope of diversity 1950’s wrote “transform people’s needs gun, you use a .308 but it’s still shooting, and materials that I never use now, and wants and the rest will follow.” My because this simple pattern works so well. friends down here in Mexico now ain’t it?”

We all kind of agreed, silently. I have And, after I write this, I am getting ready embrace a once-foreign method and I always felt that fly fishing has reached so to make a whole batch of new BIG flies can only imagine where the combination of their ages-old vocation with this many new horizons that it can only take like the one the guys were scoffing at.

Recently, one of my guests fulfilled his thrilling sport will take fly-fishing in the on new shapes and sizes, techniques and styles. For me, I think that big game flies dream of catching a Yellowfin on the fly. future. ? incorporating technology or materials For him, it was about taking a finely from other types of fishing is not like crafted fly rod and reel, absorbing the putting an arrowhead in a gun. That energy and rhythm of the ocean around Pedro, the next wouldn’t work. A gun and an arrow are him, channeling all this into the momengeneration of two types of hunting technology. A fly tum of his haul and finally delivering his captains, in San rod and reel and a level-wind are two fly into the path of his quarry. We all felt Agustinillo types of fishing technology but, as fly his heart beating and his exhilaration when the fish struck. fishing reaches into new places and to For fly fisherman, it shouldn’t be new species, it is entirely necessary to about whether a fly is too big or small, grow and modify.

“A science which hesitates to forget its or whether a rod like a 16 is too much. founders is lost,” a great American It should be about whether or not what philosopher once said. And it is true of we are doing satisfies our own goals fly fishing. Fly fishing is a passion of dis- from the experience and, for me, Eric Weissman is the Head Guide/ covery. It takes us to new places on the whether I am tying a size-20 spinner, a Proprietor of Expore Fly Fishing simple egg pattern or a 12/0 marlin earth and in our minds. www.exploreflyfishing.com It is funny, you know, because as I sit buster, I get the satisfaction I desire. My www.mexicofishing.ca friend, Ken Tutalo, a great Catskill here in my office writing this I am lookReal Fishing Winter 2007 51

Fishing Forever Update 7th ANNUAL FISHING FOREVER DINNER AND AUCTION The 7th Annual Fishing Forever Fundraising Dinner and Auction was held on Tuesday, October 24th at the Oakville Conference Centre in Oakville, Ontario. Over 450 fishing industry people, tournament fishermen, charter captains, concerned anglers and dignitaries came out to support fishing in Ontario by helping to raise funds that will be used to preserve and enhance fishing in this province. A special thank you goes out to all of the wonderful companies and individuals who donated items to the auction. Their generosity in providing top quality products and services is one of the reasons why this year’s Fishing Forever Dinner and Auction was one of the most successful to date and why it continues to grow each year. For information on Fishing Forever and its programmes and events, please visit the website at www.fishingforever.ca.

One of the highlights of the evening was the renewal of the Police Association of Ontario’s commitment to the Kids, Cops and Canadian Tire Fishing Days programme for 2007. Since its inception in the summer of 2004, Kids, Cops and Canadian Tire Fishing Days have allowed thousands of youngsters the opportunity to experience the thrill of fishing while developing their ability to interact socially with their peers, the police and other adult in a safe, controlled setting.

Congratulations to Tom Brooke of Shimano, Canada, on winning the Rick Amsbury Award for 2007. The award is given annually to the person or group who demonstrates “a commitment and passion in working to ensure that fishing in Canada remains enjoyable and accessible for everyone, today and into the future.” Tom’s tireless work in promoting, conserving and legitimizing fishing, not only in Ontario but across Canada, made the judges’ decision an easy one.

52 Real Fishing Winter 2007

Fishing Forever Update FISHING FOREVER WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE GENEROUS SPONSORS OF THE 2007 FISHING FOREVER FUNDRAISING DINNER AND AUCTION Acknowledgement of Ongoing Support

Drifter II Charters

Nisim International

Exide Technologies

Ontario Federation of Anglers

Fishing Forever Advisory Board

Exploreflyfishing.com

Dollco Printing

Facts of Fishing

Ontario Streams

Canadian Tire Corporation

Fergie Jenkins Foundation

Osprey Media

Police Association of Ontario

Graham Sanborn Media Ltd.

Outdoor Canada Magazine

Grand River Conservation Authority

pH Japan Lure & Café

Prize Donors

Grand River Fishing Charters

Pure Fishing

Advanced Taxidermy

Graywood Sporting Group Inc.

Rampage Sports Fishing Charters

Angling Outfitters

Helly Hansen

Rob Hyatt Outdoors

Ashley Jewellers

Izumi Outdoors Inc.

Rolly Astrom

Artitexture Inc.

Jenex Corporation

Ron Bauman

Banrock Station Wines

Johnson Outdoors Canada Inc./

Rousseau Restaurant & Lounge

Bass Pro Shops

Minn Kota

Royal Ready Mix

Beringer Capital

KTL Canada

Shimano Canada

Bluewater Designs

La Reserve Beauchene

Stoeger Canada (1990) Ltd.

BoaterExam.com

Lakeside Logistics

Terrace Suites & Lookout Terrace

Bradley Technologies

Langara Fishing Adventures

Golf Course

Canadian in the Rough

Le Baron Outdoor Products

Tim Hortons

Canadian Sportsfishing Industry Assn.

Len Gibson Decorative Wildlife Art

Toronto Sportsmen’s Show

Chantler Transport

Liz Astrom

World Fishing Network

Charles Weiss Art Studio

Lord Nelson Restaurant

WILSON’S Toronto Fly

Coleman Canada

Lowrance Canada

Columbia Sportswear Company

Lund Boats

Cordoba Hunting.com

M & M Meat Shops

Coyote's Run Estate Winery

Mel Griffin

Curtis Atwater

Mercury Marine

Dollco Printing

Milton Lake Lodge

Dr. Brett Moore, Chiropractor

Navionics

& Hunters

Fishing Centre Yamaha

FISHING FOREVER FUNDING AVAILABLE Fishing Forever is a non-profit foundation with a mandate to provide funding assistance to community-based organizations to help with their fisheries related conservation projects. If your group is embarking on a project that will benefit Ontario’s fisheries, you may be eligible for assistance from Fishing Forever. For information, visit the Fishing Forever website at www.fishingforever.ca and click on the “funding” link. ?

Real Fishing Winter 2007 53

By Fred Noddin

M

y good friend, Derek Nyrose, a coastal guy and saltwater specialist, suddenly found himself completely out of his element when he found me in Edmonton, smack in the heart of a good old Canadian winter. This was about as far removed from his ocean fishing as it gets. Being the adventurous type, he wanted to give ice fishing a go and he wanted to put a big checkmark beside a species of fish he’s read about and seen pictures of but never, ever caught: the walleye.

I agreed to take him out so we hooked up with Larry Kindraka and pointed the truck north to Athabasca and beyond, to Calling Lake. Calling Lake is a walleye fisher’s paradise. In the summer there’s lots of fish, lots of big fish, and the regulations allow us to keep one apiece. But come winter, fishing for ‘eyes over the frozen stuff is done differently and we’ve got to play by the fish’s rules. Gone are the days where all you had to do was troll a bottom bouncer and spinner rig to catch fish. Luckily for Derek the fishing Gods were smiling on him that day and pretty much everything he wished for, he got.

We got to the lake and drilled a series of holes over a long, expansive flat from deep to shallow and back again.

The ice was so thick that it threatened the depth of the power auger but we got through it just. In no time Derek was on a mat, looking down a hole and fishing.

In what seemed like an instant he said, “Here comes one.”

He jerked real hard, snapped the line and jumped up all at the same time. His eyes were as big as saucers.

“I think I had a walleye bite!” he exclaimed.

Judging from how far apart he put his hands, it was at least two feet long. Considering Derek had never caught a walleye before, we thought that it might have been a walleye, but it could have been a pike or a burbot too. We didn’t get too excited.

We got back to fishing and soon Derek saw another. This time he set the hook and it stuck. Quickly, he brought a chunky, four-pound walleye to the ice. That got us really excited. Not only were there were walleye in the area, they were biting in the bright of day. As the day progressed we picked up walleye bites steadily and then Derek really got Real Fishing Winter 2007 55

it going when he popped a seven-pound walleye. To cap things off, he later caught a monster of 9.6 pounds. This type of fishing isn’t supposed to happen to a first timer, but it did for Derek.

When he said, “I like fishing for these walleye,” it was likely the understatement of the year.

It was a great day at Calling Lake.

While I couldn’t have expected the steady walleye bite through the bright of day, we had set ourselves up for catching fish. Walleye fishing on the ice can easily be defined as the low light advantage because about the only fairly dependable thing, when it comes to catching walleye, is that there will be a bite at first light and a bite at last light.

Beyond that, all bets are off. Now, the length and intensity of the bite can vary.

Some days its fifteen minutes of good fishing while other days the action will rage on for a few hours. Why fish only bite for so long one day and five times as long the next is a question I may never get the answer to. What I do know, however, is that if I want to catch fish I’m going to be out there during the low light periods.

Being on the ice at the right time is only half the equation. The next step is to find a feeding flat and the access route to and from it. The spot we found at Calling Lake was a slow, tapering flat that took the length of a football field to go from six to eight-feet. There were some boulders interspersed and the end of the flat dropped quickly to 14-feet.

We drilled three lines of holes, one every 20-feet from the dropoff all the way up into sixfeet of water. We probably knocked through close to 40 holes.

We did all of the drilling right at the beginning so we would only disturb the fish once and then we got down to fishing.

Drilling a pattern of holes allows for mobility and it allows me to follow the bite as it progresses through the day.

Needless to say, a power auger is really handy for this type of fishing.

56 Real Fishing Winter 2007

Typically, walleye like to sit deeper during midday and they move shallower at low light. Given that tidbit, I’ll start my fishing accordingly. If I get to the lake early and I’m fishing first light, I’ll take a 1/4-ounce jig and minnow and start probing the bottom in the shallower holes. I’ll usually only spend five minutes in a hole unless I get a bite.

At low light the fish are going to be at their most aggressive so, if the jig is dropped anywhere near a walleye, it’ll usually come over and smack it. I’ll hole-hop quickly and cover water during this prime period as this is my best chance at catching fish.

As the day wears on and light intensity increases, I’ll slow down my

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Ontario OUT OF DOORS Magazine’s

SPRING FISHING SHOW February 15-18, 2007 Thursday, February 15th, 1 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Friday, February 16th, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Saturday, February 17th, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

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hole-hopping and I’ll migrate to the deeper holes. I’ve had my best daytime fishing by working the deep edges of dropoffs. I have this one dropoff on Pigeon Lake that goes from about 8-feet to about 23-feet and the base of that drop is where I’ll set up shop under the midday sun. I’ve caught everything from walleye to pike to perch to burbot to whitefish there, sometimes all in the same day. The base of dropoffs seems to be the place where a population of daytime walleye will hang out and, day in and day out, it has been my best midday producer.

For added opportunities, where the regulations permit, I’ll stick out a set line with a second rod.

I’ll usually drop down a jig and minnow and let it sit stationary, an inch or two off bottom, and I’ll attach a bell to signal strikes. I’ve found those little twin tinker bells to be invaluable as they are super sensitive and register most every hit. I no longer have to be looking at the rod to pick up on the bite. I’ll hear a tinkle and it’s off to the races. I’m catching more fish now. That said, there are still a few walleye that will come and suck in that jig and minnow so lightly that the bite won’t register on the bell.

That’s why I still look at the set rods from time to time. Sometimes the only giveaway will be a slight bend in the rod.

I swear that it sometimes feels like I’m imagining the bend, but if anything about the rod looks unusual, I’ll race over and check it out. Many of those imaginary bends turn out to be chunky walleyes.

The one thing other thing I’ve found to be quite consistent from year to year is the intensity of the bite, which increases as I move later and later into the ice-fishing season.

Many of my best walleye days are those warm March days under the heat of a new sun. It seems like the prolonged sunlight kicks things into high gear under the sheet of melting ice.

Underwater, the bugs are going, the plants are growing and the walleye, and every other gamefish, are feeding. It’s a great time to be fishing. Warm days, T-shirt weather and great fishing is simply the best.

Because of the increased activity, the bite lasts longer and the hits are more aggressive. A little trick I’ve learned for when the days start to warm up and the fish start to get active, is to switch up to

jigging spoons and tip them with minnows. The jigging spoons have added flash and do a great job of calling in fish from a distance. Let them splat in the sand from time to time, then lift them up, hold them still for a few seconds and get ready to feel the sharp crunch of a feeding walleye. This good fishing will take me right through to the close of the ice fishing season, be it because of regulations or weather conditions. With that, it will be time to put away the auger and tents, for soon spring will take over. Until then, may your days be filled with walleye and the same success Derek had. ?

Real Fishing Winter 2007 59

I

It sure has been a busy and interesting fall for me. In early September I took a couple of prize winners out fishing on Lake Erie where we caught a number of decent smallmouth bass. Then I took a short outing down to Lake St. Clair with tournament angler, Derek Strub. It was windy and rainy but we gave it a shot anyway and caught some smallmouth bass by spinnerbaiting in shallow water.

The next day I attended a golf tournament held by the World Fishing Network and Insight Sports. It was a nice break from all the traveling and fishing I’d been doing this season. Then I was off to the Niagara River to fish

By Bob Izumi

with friends of Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, Fergie Jenkins. I had rounded up about a dozen Canadian professional tournament anglers who lent their support, expertise and boats to this fun day of fishing prior to the Fergie Jenkins golf tournament later that week.

My guest for the day was Bobby Bell, an NFL Hall of Famer and former Super Bowl Champion. We had a great fun tournament on the river that day and Bobby and I were lucky enough to take first prize. Winning these fun tournaments is great for the ego but definitely not as financially rewarding as the larger events!

The next day I was off to Lake Champlain in upstate New York to get ready for the last tournament of the year in the Stren Series Northeastern Division. My practice was so-and-so during the few days leading up to the tournament and I decided that I would concentrate on deep smallmouth bass. I ended up catching 4 smallmouth the first day in 20 to 25-mph winds. About midday I decided it was time to go for largemouth to fill out my limit. On the first boat dock I went to I ended up catching a largemouth that weighed about 4pounds by skipping a Gulp Sinking Minnow up under the dock. I went back to the smallmouth bass spot and my coangler for the day, Rick Morici, from New Jersey, ended up catching 4 decent fish for just over 12-pounds while my limit weighed just over 14. I lost one heavy fish during the day that definitely would have helped my weight. As it turned out, Rick was sitting in 21st place on the co-angler side and I was in 30th on the pro side after day one, just 13ounces out of making the top 20 cut.

Due to the persistent high winds, the FLW tournament officials decided to cancel day two, making the day one weights the ones that decided who would fish on day three. I missed the cut but still ended up taking home a cheque.

Rick, on the other hand, fell into some good luck. He ended up getting to fish on the third day because there happened to be ties in both the pro and co-angler divisions which meant that 21 boats from each qualified for the third day.

After the tournament it was up to Bark Lake in Haliburton to take a number of contest winners fishing. This year we had a winners from across Canada from a Canadian Tire Motomaster/Nautilus Batteries contest, a group from Big Brothers, Boater Exam contest winners and a group of winners from a Deep Woods OFF contest.

Throughout the week myself and a number of fellow pro anglers, who participated in taking these contest winners fishing, kept a log so we could see who caught the most pounds of fish during our time up there. I don’t want to tell you who won because it might come across like I’m bragging, so I’ll leave it up to you to figure out. All in all it was a great week and I’m sure everyone had a great time.

Finally I got a break on the Thanksgiving weekend. I took Saturday, Sunday and Monday off to spend with family. Everybody asks me when the slow time of my year is and guess what?

Thanksgiving weekend and the Christmas holidays are my slow times.

Other than those, I like to go wide open.

The day after Thanksgiving I was off to Gananoque to shoot a show with Ken Tizzard, the former bass player for the

Ken Tizzard’s first Northern Pike

Real Fishing Winter 2007 61

bands The Watchmen and Thornley.

Ken loves his fishing and I thought it would be fun to take him down to the 1000 Islands with us. Unfortunately the weather did not look promising for Wednesday and Thursday, our two scheduled days of shooting so I pushed a little on Tuesday afternoon to get down there before the bad weather settled in.

We made Gananoque with an hour and 40-minutes of fishing time before dark so I went to a spot where I thought we could catch some spinnerbait fish - a spot where my son, Darren, and I had

fished during the CFT tournament in Belleville. We caught one fish right away on a spinnerbait but in 15-minutes we hadn’t had another hit so I made a 9mile run to another spot and ended up catching four smallmouth and three pike before the sun went down. The first two pike that I caught were 8 and 12-pounds and the smallmouth were all in the 2 1/2 to 3-pound range. Ken was reeling in a Strike King Premiere Plus spinnerbait and when it was about a foot and a half from his rod tip we both saw a very large pike right on the bait. The fish ate the lure and then ran right under the boat, almost breaking Ken’s rod on the side of the boat. After about a 4 or 5-minute battle Ken landed the fish that turned out to be over 15-pounds. It was his first, and obviously biggest, pike.

The next day there was a small craft wind advisory and buckets of rain. We did fish for a couple of hours and caught some largemouth and some more pike but it was really tough to shoot any video for the show. As it turned out, that first evening saved our bacon in terms of getting footage for a show.

Then it was home for a day to unpack, re-pack and head off to Cape Cod to fish for stripers. On the first day in the Cape we fished with Captain Joe LeClair of North Eastern Anglers. We 62 Real Fishing Winter 2007

ended up fishing topwaters during a bluebird day with mile-high skies. We raised a few big fish and caught a number of smaller stripers. The action was good enough that we ended up shooting the first half of a show that day.

The next day we drove south to Rhode Island and fished with Captain Ronnie Mouchon, of Breachway Bait and Tackle, who took us out to do some live bait fishing for stripers. Instead of the bluebird day we had the day before, we ended up with 6 to 7-foot seas and a little bit of rain. We caught a couple of pretty decent sized bluefish and some stripers, but no trophies. It seems that these guys I fished with are so focused on trophies that small fish don’t excite them but I’ll tell you what; I had a great couple of days fishing with these two pros. I’ve got to say, it’s a great world we live in when you can go and catch 20 stripers in Cape Cod in the morning and be back home night. Life is good.

After fishing with Ronnie, we ran back up to Wareham, Massachusetts, to the Navionics headquarters where I had the chance to meet all the wonderful staff who make the most incredible electronic cartography products that I use in my Lowrance GPS unit. These guys are light-years ahead of anybody when it comes to electronic mapping.

On October 24th, we held our annual Fishing Forever Fundraising Dinner in Oakville. It turned out to be an overwhelming success with a sold-out crowd of 450 people and over $90,000 raised

for our fisheries here in Ontario. This wouldn’t have been possible without all of the people who showed up and supported this great cause as well as the many sponsors, board members and volunteers who helped make this the huge success that it was.

The next day I was off to Wheeler Lake in Alabama with my good friend, Rick McCrory, to practice for the Stren Series Championship. We ended up catching some largemouth, spotted bass and smallmouth during our practice but then the unexpected happened. On Monday, prior to the Wednesday start of the tournament, it hit me about noon.

I said to Rick, “Can you take over the electric motor? I have to lie down.”

My head was spinning. It was like I didn’t know what was happening and I ended up sleeping in the boat for an hour. Obviously I had eaten something the day before that didn’t agree with me.

After I got up, we practiced until dark. I got back to the hotel about 6:30 that night and went straight to bed without eating. The next day I woke up and felt even worse because now I had diarrhea too. Four anti-diarrhea pills later…what can I say, I still had the runs. Needless to say, I didn’t bother practicing on Tuesday.

I went to the partner pairing meeting that evening and I drew a co-angler from California who had come to this yearend championship with his family. I talked to the tournament director about possibly not fishing, depending on how I felt Wednesday morning. As it turned out, there was an extra angler to take out the co-angler I had drawn. On Wednesday morning I still felt as sick as a dog and so it ended up being the first time in 33-years that I had ever pulled out of a tournament because of sickness.

I’ve fished tournaments with the flu, colds and all kinds of sicknesses over the

years, but never had I fished a tournament feeling like I felt during this one. I wasn’t even sure if I could stand in the boat without falling over. I ended up having to withdraw from the biggest bass tournament of the year with over $1-million - and that’s U.S. dollars guaranteed prize money. It was a tournament that I had worked so hard to qualify for, by fishing from Kentucky Lake to Wisconsin to Iowa to Detroit through the season, that having to withdraw from it broke my heart.

Luckily, Rick McCrory was with me in Alabama, so he drove back to Ontario without my assistance since I was still pretty green around the gills. In fact, I didn’t eat for four days. As a result, and the good thing about all of this, it ended up being a forced way of starting my new diet. I am using this opportunity now to get ready for the FLW Series tournaments which start in January on Lake Okeechobee in Florida. I’m 12pounds lighter and I feel great. What can I say, it’s a tough way to shed a few pounds, but it was a good kick-start.

The following week was our annual shotgun deer hunt. It was nice to be able to sit out in the bush for a while and reflect on my fishing season. After the hunt, fellow tournament angler and friend, Derek Strub, and I did a very short 2 1/2-hour outing on Lake Erie to shoot a deep-water smallmouth bass piece. We caught ten fish, the biggest one was over 5-pounds and there were a few 4s thrown in for good measure. We certainly got what we needed by using tubes and by dropshotting 4” Gulp Sinking Minnows in 36-feet of water.

Then it was off to the Bay of Quinte for some late season trophy walleye fishing with walleye tournament angler and President of Lindy Little Joe, Ted Takasaki, and my friend, Rick McCrory.

We were running deep-running crankbaits on 10-pound test Fireline with 12-pound test Vanish Transition fluorocarbon leaders for these suspended walleyes. We were fishing in anywhere from 50 to 70-feet of water with our lures running about 25-feet deep.

The key was letting 100 to 150-feet of line out behind planer boards and trolling with the waves at 1 to 1 1/2 mph. We ended up catching three fish from 6 to 10 1/2-pounds and then, as the sun was going down, Ted matched his personal best with a 12 1/2-pounder and I got another 10-pound walleye. We ended up caching five walleyes in total on our outing. Despite the weather being cold, windy and rainy, we still managed

to salvage a show, which made me ond place, missing the win by just .40 of happy. When you do what I do for a liv- a pound to J.P DeRose and Dwayne ing you certainly don’t like blowouts. Zammit. It was the best weight I’ve ever After my ill-fated experience in had for a 5-bass limit in a tournament Alabama, I was looking to come back and the same goes for Derek. with a bang.

That brings us to the end of November I got home on Saturday after the wall- and I’m off again, this time to do a eye trip and Derek Strub and I had decid- crankbait segment for the show and then ed that we would fish a one-day fun bass some deepwater smallmouth fishing tournament out of Port Colborne on with tournament angler, Darrren Jacko.

Lake Erie. CFT Tournament Director, Then I’m heading to Belleville for some Simon Frost, puts these events on every crappie fishing with local angler, Mike weekend during the late fall, right up Chesterton. It’s a tough life, but I think until the season closes. As it turned out, I’m up to the challenge. ? we had a field day.

Bob Izumi and Ted Takasaki with giant Quinte walleyes!

We caught between 50 and 60 s ma l l m o u t h bass and, although our five fish limit weighed over 27pounds, we still didn’t win the tournament.

We ended up in sec-

MAPLE GLAZED

Cornish Game Hens This Cornish game hen dish is perfect for those times when you need to add a little pizzazz to dinnertime. Whether you’re entertaining a house full of guests or preparing an intimate dinner for that special someone in your life, these maple glazed hens are sure to impress.

Ingredients 2

1 cup

1 1/2 cups 1 tbsp 1 cup

Cornish game hens (cut in half)

Maple syrup liquor

Honey Dijon Marinade (divided)

All-Purpose Seasoning Cream

Method

Marinate game hens overnight in 1 cup Honey Dijon Marinade.

Remove hens from marinade and rub with All-Purpose Seasoning.

Preheat oven to 400°. Roast hens for 40 minutes, basting with remaining marinade.

In a saucepan combine cream, maple syrup liquor and 1/2 cup Honey Dijon Marinade. Reduce and pour over the Cornish game hens before serving.

This recipe can be found in Bob Izumi’s new cookbook, Real Cooking with Bob Izumi.

To order your copy, call 1-877-474-4141 or on-line at www.realfishing.com Real Fishing Winter 2007 65

ICE FISHING DECOYS Hand carved ice fishing decoys were once a staple tool for winter anglers. They were connected by a string to a short pole that the angler would manipulate in order to attract fish to his ice hole.

Once the fish was in position, the angler would use a spear to catch it.

This grouping shows several styles of ice fishing decoys along with an ice fishing spearhead. The decoy on the right, with hooks on top, was a unique design that acted as both a decoy and a traditional lure.

Once widely used for fishing, fish decoys have now become popular as folk art pieces that can command hundreds, even thousands of dollars from collectors.

66 Real Fishing Winter 2007

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