Just Fishing - Spring 2023

VOL. XXX No. 2

SPRING 2023

OH CANADA!

•22

Celebrating

30

years

•28

THE BEST JUMBO PERCH FISHING

•3

WHEN KEEPING IT SIMPLE SHINES

CURRENT ON RIVER WALLEYES

•30

IN THE NEWS

Plus More Great “Stuff” Inside!

When Keep It Simple W W

e’re swamped these days with bass fishing facts, figures, details, knowledge and intelligence. It used to be that we had to wait until a tournament was over before the winning angler spilled the beans about the secrets of their success. Even then critical details were conveniently forgotten or concealed.

Not anymore. Now we watch the events live on our cell phones as we’re eating dinner in a restaurant two thousand miles away. We can even zoom in, freeze the on-screen action and spy the lures tied to the ends of the rods in the corner of the bass pro’s boat. In a matter of a few short years, we’ve have gone from a dearth of details to a tsunami of bass fishing facts. And it has produced some strange habits and behaviours.

(Photo: B. Palaniuk)

How many bass anglers, for example, watched Canadian Bassmaster Elite pro, Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson hang a fluke-style bait over the side of the boat at the 2021 Bassmaster Elite event on the Tennessee River and shock his fellow competitors by catching bass using his “moping technique”?

Canadian Bassmaster Elite pro & 2023 Bassmaster Classic Champion Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson Spring 2023

By: Gord Pyzer

A good number of those viewers undoubtedly rushed out and bought the bait, hung it over the side of the boat and… moped up nothing.

We’ll let Gussy explain why in a moment.

A few weeks later, Japanese pro, Takumi Ito, stunned the same Bassmaster Elite field on the St. Lawrence River, sacking a five fish 26-pound limit of smallmouth bass on the final day of the tournament using a 4-inch Ecogear Aqua Swim Shrimp. I am guessing that so many bass angler bought the bait afterwards that they’re still hard to find these many months later.

The new reality is so many of us are focused on tournament results that presentation options are becoming a blur. As a consequence, we’ve forgotten how to put together a basic game plan for the lake we’re fishing and then switch things up when that plan doesn’t work out. Worse still, we often won’t listen to what the fish are trying to tell us, force feeding them instead with the latest winning bait.

Derek Strub, one of the winningest anglers on the Great Lakes.

cherished drop shot rig – it’s the same strategy employed by every good bass angler.

With two or three different lure styles, you can efficiently and effectively comb the water column, from top to bottom, at every speed imaginable. It is the gospel that Just Also lost in the mix is the reality that while Fishing has been preaching for years.

26-pound bags of smallmouth bass are achievable at the eastern end of Lake Ontario Every time you tie a lure to the end of your and the St. Lawrence River, they’re not line, you need to factor in depth control and possible in the vast majority of the lakes, speed control. So, if you‘re alone with three rivers, reservoirs, pits and ponds that most of or four rods in the boat, rig one with a tube jig, Ned rig, grub or swimbait that you can us fish on a day-to-day basis. fish along the bottom at various speeds. You need a second combination to prospect the SIMPLE SHINES middle of the water column and a third for “I almost always start fishing in a way up top on the surface. Two or more anglers that’s fun for me,” says Canadian Open in the boat, simply speeds up the elimination, champion, Derek Strub, one of the fine tuning and zeroing in process. So, one winningest anglers on the Great Lakes these high, one low, one fast, one slow. days and a master tactician renown for his drop-shotting skills. “I focus on three Simple shines! presentations. A chatterbait, spinnerbait and topwater lure. I fish through areas quickly, LURES ARE TOOLS & TIMING try to catch the most aggressive bass and IS EVERYTHING keep on moving.”

Which brings us to Mr. Gustafson and Strub’s game plan sounds simple, but when the “moping” technique that he used so you look at his starting lineup of lures – successfully on the Tennessee River. It is a none of which, ironically, includes his (Continued on page 4.)

Just Fishing . 3

A Line From “Big” Jim

I have to admit, if you’re a Canadian bass fishing enthusiast the month of April 2023 is one that won’t be forgotten for some time to come. It will surely never be forgotten by myself and Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson, aka the “Great Canadian Snow Leopard”!!!

On the Thursday evening leading up to the Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville Tennessee, I had the honour of being the the first Canadian inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame in Springfield Missouri.

I was presented with the Meritorious Service Award and became only the third individual to receive this award... a total honour!!!

Little did Jeff and I know while sitting at the event chatting, that in just over 72 hours he would claim the title of Bassmaster Classic World Champion! Plus In doing so, he became the first Canadian to ever bring that title home to Canada. You can find more on both these events later on in this issue beginning on page thirty (30).

The Spring issue features our incredible line up of writers and anglers, sharing vital information and experiences to hopefully make you a more informed and successful angler this year and into the future.

I recently had a wondrous conversation with the “Ice Boss” himself, Dave Genz, who had called to congratulate me on my Hall of Fame Induction. Dave mentioned something during that conversation that really got me thinking. It was how he had spent most of his life teaching people how to catch more fish. But he finds himself now trying to teach those same anglers to let most of thier fish go... Ringing so true... It literally stopped me in my tracks.

Preservation of our fishery is very important – so when you’re out fishing this year, be sure to keep that in mind… it really is all about the future!!!

Be safe & when ever possible, take a kid fishing!!!

Unsolicited articles are accepted and will be considered for publication provided they are original and have not appeared in other publications.

Publisher

“Big” Jim McLaughlin

Managing Editor Tammy Wight Contributors Gord Pyzer Al Lindner Tim Allard Jeff Gustafson Bernie Schultz David Chong Cameron Tait, Brian Brosdhal Jeff Matity Box 214 Seeley’s Bay, ON K0H 2N0.

Phone: (613) 387-8735 Email: info@justfishing.ca

www.justfishing.ca

All Rights Reserved Reprinting or reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden, except by written permission of the publisher.

“Big” Jim

IN THIS ISSUE

SPECIAL FEATURES When Keep It Simple SHINES.........................3 Locating Post-Spawn Carappies................12 Rigged & Ready for SPRING....................16 Swimbaits Old & New..........................20 The Best ‘Jumbo” Pearch Fishing........22 Staying Current on River Walleyes........28 Pike & Walleye Mashup!......................32 Swimbaits – Tough on Walleyes..............40 Designed for Detroit River Anglers.....46

(When Keep It Simple Shines continued from page 3.)

lesson in understanding that lures are simply tools you use at the right time, in the right location, in the right way.

“I learned very early on that fluke-style baits are a top choice for smallmouth bass when they are focused on eating baitfish in cold water,” says Gustafson. “The big thing that we learned from the Lindner’s, back in the early 2000s,whentheywerewinning the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship on Rainy Lake is that they were catching smallmouth on and around structure, but they weren’t letting their baits touch the bottom. That is the most important aspect of the technique. Around the same time, electronics were getting better so we could find fish and then watch how they reacted to our baits.

“The “hanging”, “moping”, “Damiki rigging” technique became widely used to win a lot of tournaments in Northwestern Ontario, especially when we found smallmouth in deeper water from August all the way through the fall. Over the years I have caught hundreds of bass doing it. But like any technique, the more you do it, the more efficient you become understanding the mood of the fish, choosing the right jig head and knowing when to put it away and try something else.”

(Continued on page 6.)

DEPARTMENTS A Line From “Big” Jim ..........................4 In The News............................................30 Target Walleye........................................52 Tubman’s Tips & Techniques .................53

On The Cover: Main – Bassmaster Classic Champion Jeff Gustafson, photo – Cody Rubner, The Best Jumbo Perch Fishing photo – David Chong, When Keeping it Simple Shines photo – Derek Strub, Current on River Walleyes photo – Brian Brosdhal, In the News photo – “Big” Jim Just Fishing . 4

Spring 2023

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(When Keep It Simple Shines continued from page 4.)

The ever personable Gustafson smiles, as though adding an exclamation mark to that last point, because it highlights a critical detail that many anglers ignore when the tournament winning technique bug starts blurring their vision. As Kenny Rogers reminded us in the Gambler... You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run.

what made me do it, but I quickly rigged a 4-inch Z-Man Jerk ShadZ on a 3/8-ounce Smeltinator jig, dropped it down, stopped it a few feet above the bottom and within ten seconds a smallmouth swam up and smoked it. I repeated it a few more times and knew that I was on to something.

“I came back the next morning, on the first day of the tournament, and the fishing was even better and easier than I could have imagined.

My technique was the best way to catch them.

I knew that I didn’t have to try another bait “When I started fishing the FLW Tour,” because there were other good anglers fishing Gustafson explains, “I had the fluke/jig tied on at around me and they weren’t catching them. many events where I thought I could fish deeper The funny part was that I only had six or eight water, but I just never hit with it anywhere. I really of those jig heads in my boat because I didn’t go thought it would work great for spotted bass there expecting to fish that way. After the second because their nature is so similar to our smallmouth. They use their eyes a lot, they like to suspend and they’re fairly aggressive. But I day I was digging through my roommate’s tackle for a few more jigs learned that spots don’t like the bait hanging above them, which is to get me through the tournament.” what drives smallmouth nuts. I’d watch the spots race up to my fluke LISTEN TO THE FISH and then put on the brakes and never bite it. So... I put the technique in the rod locker for a few years.

What Gustafson’s win highlights, of course, is the importance of “At the Tennessee River event last year, I have to be honest, I didn’t go there thinking that I’d catch my fish the way that I did. In fact, I didn’t even tie the bait on until midway through the final day of practice. I had fished through the area and had caught a couple of small smallmouth on a Ned rig and blade bait. I am not even sure

Just Fishing . 6

listening to the fish. Pay attention and most days they’ll tell you what you need to know. Several years ago, for example, I was filming an In-Fisherman television segment on Rainy Lake with editor-in-chief, Doug Stange. It was early spring, the water was calm, clear and cold. We were enjoying mediocre success casting Rapala (Continued on page 8.)

Spring 2023

(When Keep It Simole Shines continued from page 6.)

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X-Raps until after one cast, I ripped the lure down, paused for a second or two, ripped it down again and then laid my rod against the gunnel of the boat while I poured a cup of coffee. My rod almost flew out of the boat when a four-pound plus smallmouth ate the bait sitting dead still in the middle of the water column. Now, I may have been born at night, but it wasn’t last night, so I quickly cast out the jerkbait again, ripped it down and then let it pause interminably.

Another smallmouth destroyed it.

Then another, and another, and another until Doug shook his head in mock disgust – or maybe it was real – and made note of the Painfully Protracted Pregnant Pyzer Pause. But that one simple change, facilitated by listening to the bass, turned an otherwise ho-hum day of fishing into a stellar success story.

Simple shines!

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

FL-O

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Of course, monitoring the success of your favourite tournament angler is fun, but emulating a winning presentation can be frustrating, because there is always more to it than first meets the eye. As Gustafson has already told us, he spent 20 years perfecting the moping technique and tried it repeatedly – and unsuccessfully – at different events and couldn’t make it produce... until he did.

isn’t as easy as grabbing whatever rod, reel, line and lure combination you need and having at it. Spy baiting is a perfect example.

Every serious bass angler knows about it by now, but to spy bait well, and more importantly, ensure a decent to excellent landing ratio, you have to spend the time required to dial things in. So use your fun “That is how you should spend your fun fishing days to experiment with different rod fishing days,” says Strub, who has over 200 actions and line pairings to achieve greater top ten tournament finishes to his credit. success.”

“But remember, anything new these days (Continued on page 8.)

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Just Fishing . 8

Spring 2023

(When Keep It Simple Shines continued from page 8.)

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Just Fishing . 10

Another overlooked reality is that many tournament winning tricks, tactics and techniques simply don’t play well to your geographic area, or your style of fishing.

If you’re a run-and-gun A-type bass angler, for example, you’re guaranteed to have issues trying to fish an ultra-slow finesse method. Especially, if that tactic is best suited to deep clear western waters and you are fishing shallow stained eastern lakes.

And vice versa.

I was never more impressed with this notion of fishing to your strength than when the late Guido Hibdon and his son Dion – the only father and son to have each won the Bassmaster Classic – fished the Kenora Bass International on Lake of the Woods. They had never seen the massive one million acre body of water before the competition, yet they quickly put together a second place finishing game plan, beating all but one of the other 125 teams.

When I quizzed Guido after the three-day contest about how he was able to break down such an intimidating body of water so quickly, he chuckled and said, “Actually it was pretty easy. Before the tournament began, we learned from several of the teams that they had done well in previous years fishing with crankbaits. That is not our strength, but it told me that the smallmouth were relating to rocky bottoms and feeding on crayfish.

When I learned that, I knew we could catch them on tube jigs. That is our favourite way to catch smallmouth. In fact, on Dion’s very first cast in practise with a tube, he hooked a near four pound fish. From that point on I knew we were snake bitten.”

“The truth is that unless you are an Elite or MLF touring angler that travels coast-to-coast and east-to-west, you really don’t have to be an artist with every technique,” says Strub.

“The best bass anglers in North America are known to be one or two bait-presentation experts. Arguably, even the great KVD will be known as the best cranking angler of all time.

“Master a few techniques in the lakes and rivers that you like to fish and you’ll have a much better chance of being consistently successful. The less experienced anglers who are always chasing the latest fad or the technique that won the event on the weekend rarely settle into a rhythm. They don’t search for fish in the areas that suit their skills and so, they rarely fish confidently. I’ve competed Simple shines! in hundreds of tournaments and I always try to find fish in areas and at depths that JACK OF ALL TRADES, let me fish the way I know I am good at.

MASTER OF NONE It doesn’t always work out, but if I can find What Gustafson, Strub and the Hibdons have those fish, I will always finish better in a also demonstrated, of course, is the wisdom tournament.” and benefit of mastering a select few stellar techniques, as opposed to chasing after every Simple shines! winning presentation and becoming a jack of all trades.

About the Author – Gord Pyzer: 2009 Inductee, Canadian, Angler Hall of Fame, Fishing Editor, Outdoor Canada Magazine, Field Editor, In-Fisherman Magazine & Television, Co-Host, In-Fisherman Ice Fishing Guide, Television, Co-Host, The Real Fishing Radio Show, Host, Fish Talk with “The Doc”, Outdoor Journal Radio & President, Canadian Angling Adventures Ltd. Spring 2023

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Locating & Catching Post-Spawn

CRAPPIES By: Al Lindner

they simply cluster in and around the best a clumps the lake has to offer. Not yet really A post-spawn crappie caught by swimming flats.. weed ping schooled, but beginning to gather in groups, develo on jig died 3/32-ounce, soft-bo they provide excellent targets for catching s crappies finish spawning, the larger nice fish if you know where and how to females begin leaving nesting sites, locate and catch them. while the males remain to protect eggs and fry during the incubation and hatching We like to fish for these pre-summer process. Females begin filtering out across crappies in two predominant ways: Casting the adjacent flats, toward but not yet into the and swimming a small jig, and suspending a deeper water of the basin. Developing weed small jig under a bobber. Often, one angler flats outside the mouths of spawning bays, will fish one way, with the other using the or adjacent to stands of main-lake reedbeds, alternate system. become focal points of post-spawn and presummer activity.

On any given day, or at different times Weeds are not yet fully developed at this of day, crappies may Tiny jigs imitate the small minnow time, so crappies are on the move, at least show a preference & insect forage that crappies love to eat. initially. They begin filtering out toward the for one method or Light colours imitate minnows, while adjacent drop-off, searching for clumps of the other. Casting darker colour mimic insect larvae. developing weeds that provide both cover and swimming jigs Bright colours provide added visibility and feeding opportunities atop the edges of certainly allows you in stained or dark water. shoreline flats meeting the basin. to cover more water and is better for Small jigs sink about a foot per second.

In many cases, you can see these weed locating active fish.

Jigs with soft plastic bodies We experiment swimming the jig clumps in clear-water lakes, especially with Slowly saturating & marabou feather tails the use of polarized sunglasses. If the water known areas with provide lifelike minnow profiles. back to the boat at different depths until we either begin catching fish or is stained or dark, they may be difficult or a bobber rig once The marabou tail exhibits a near impossible to see with the naked eye. the fish are located breathing action, even at rest. are ticking the tops of weeds without snagging. Either way, we should be Casting and retrieving lures that tickle or may catch more in the strike zone just above the fish’s occasionally snag the taller weeds provides crappies if the fish are spooky or less active. a clue to their location. Even better, using Experiment with both approaches to see heads. Crappies like to “feed up,” meaning rise to strike lures or baits moving slightly Humminbird Side Imaging while slowly what works best. above their heads. cruising atop these flats provides clear images of weed clump location, thickness We usually begin by slowly drifting or using and height, and often reveals the presence of our trolling motor to move along the depth Our lure of choice is a 3/32-ounce Big Bites fish themselves. range at which weed clumps are beginning Lindner Baits Lindner’s Panfish Special to develop. Let’s say it’s around 6 to 7 feet. jig with a rounded, soft-plastic body and We like to say that the larger females are the We’ll keep the boat in about 8 to 9 feet of marabou tail. It has the line tie on top of first ones in, and then the first ones out, of water and cast up shallower, working our the jighead to be able to either vertically spawning areas in spring. That means some lures through the key 6- to 7-foot zone. jig or fish it below a bobber. They come in of the largest fish are the first ones to arrive at different colours. Experiment to see what the outer edges of the weed flats. Reluctant to We cast out and let our jig sink, counting, the fish prefer. drop down at first into deeper, colder water, “One thousand, two thousand,” etc.

(Continued on page 14.)

A A

Just Fishing . 12

Spring 2023

(Opening Day Walleye continued from page 2.)

Once the jig descends to the desired depth, hold your rod tip up at about the 10 o’clock position and slowly swim the lure back to the boat, occasionally ticking weed tops. Strikes can range from solid thumps from active fish, to barely getting heavy from less active ones.

When you get on a hot area, use the Spot-Lock feature on your Minn Kota trolling motor to hover in place, making repeated casts to the key spot.

If the fish slow down, or aren’t particularly active, switch to a bobber presentation that vertically suspends the jig below your float at the same depth you caught fish previously. Cast slightly upwind and let the wind and waves slowly drift the jig, with the waves imparting a lifelike action to the jig. If there’s no wind, cast past the spot, slowly bring it back with a few slow pulls, jiggles and pauses to make the lure appear alive.

When you hook and land a fish, your knot tends to slide on the hook eye; if you don’t reposition the knot, your jig will hang tail-down below your bobber, appearing lifeless. Instead, grip the jig in one hand and the line in the other, and pull to make the knot slide more toward the front of the hook eye. Done properly, your jig will now hang horizontally below your bobber, imitating a live minnow.

We like to use light line and tackle to effectively cast and fish these tiny lures. 4-pound test Sufix NanoBraid braided line, or Advance monofilament line, makes it easy to cast tiny lures longer distances, and the jigs tend to perform better with light, flexible line. With braid, add a short fluorocarbon leader between the jig and your main line for invisibility, to provide a little cushion on the hookset and avoid breaking the light line, and to help deflect the razor teeth of bait-stealing northern pike.

We fish these baits on St. Croix Avid or Elite Panfish rods, in 6’ 4” to 7’ 0” lengths and light or medium-light action, for a good balance of castability, cushion to absorb strikes and sufficient strength to fish large panfish on light line. Teamed with a series 1000 Daiwa spinning reel, you’re rigged and ready to tackle panfish all season long.

This pattern lasts about a month, with the fish moving farther out toward the drop-off as the weeds thicken. By summer peak conditions, when the weeds are at their peak of thickness and height, the crappies tend to school tighter and hide beneath the weeds during the day, coming out to the edges or rising over the tops to feed in early morning, late evening or at night.

Sometimes crappies hit everything you throw at them; other times, you need to fine-tune your approach, lure size, colour, speed, action, depth, etc., to make the magic happen. In recent years, there has been an absolute crappie explosion in southern Canadian Shield lakes just above the U. S. border.

The stained water really grows lots of big fish. If you understand their seasonal movement, and how they relate to developing habitat and forage sources, you can stay on crappies all year long.

About the Author:

Al Lindner ranks among the most renowned leaders in the fishing industry. Averaging about 180 days a year on the water, Al is hailed as one of the world’s best all-around anglers. Al’s long and honoured career as an author, syndicated radio & TV fishing show host, video producer, fishing guide, tackle manufacturer, lecturer and champion tournament angler has spanned 35 years of the most revolutionary years in sportfishing.

Just Fishing . 14

Spring 2023

Rigged & M Ready for M

onths ago, when ice started to form on our lakes and winter was setting in, it was hard to believe that we would actually get to be in a boat again. I love ice fishing but winter just always seems so long, especially back in December.

Well, another open water season is upon us and we get to enjoy warm weather, great fishing and being back in the boat for the next several months. Let’s make the most of it.

Anglers must be careful not to exploit crappie populations with sonar technology.

Getting the most out of your electronics

It seems like I’ve been writing about electronics a lot over Electronics the past few years. There has setup on the been a lot of advancement with front of my boat. forward facing sonar, improved mapping and the use of bigger uths screens. There has also been Suspended smallmo Mega Live. some negativity around this new technology with some worried that we are going to “fish out” our lakes and that it’s not available properly gives your electronics the best chance to work the way that they should. to everybody because of the cost.

The cost of keeping up with the latest in fishing technology is brutal for sure, it’s not a cheap activity. The reality is, you don’t need any of this stuff to head out and catch a few fish. I make my living by catching fish, in tournament competition and guiding, so I need to have every tool available to me, to stay competitive and relevant. If I choose not to adapt to the new technology, I’ll be left behind.

For the first ten years of fishing professionally, my boats were all rigged up in my garage, with the help of some friends. We always got everything done and functioning but with the use of bigger screens today and transducers requiring more power, rigging the boat Electronics play an important role in fishing today.

This year I mounted the trolling motor and Talons on my boat before I headed south but I decided to leave the electronics to the experts.

On my way to Florida prior to the start of the 2023 season, I brought my boat to Hennessey Outdoors in Dayton, Tennessee to have my electronics rigged up. They used some of their special wire harnesses to power my units and added on/off power switches at both of my X2 group 31 batteries that I use for cranking the big motor and powering On/Off switch at battery.

Clean rigging on my 2023 Lund Pro-V Bass Boat

all of the accessories on my boat. It was a nice treat to have these guys rig this stuff up nice and neat.

By: Jeff Gustafson Just Fishing . 16

The final result is that my electronics are working better than they ever have.

I have four screens on my boat this year, two at the (Continued on page 18.)

Spring 2023

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(Rigged & Ready for Spring continued from page 16.)

console and two at the bow. I went with two Humminbird Apex and two Solix machines this year. At the console, a Solix is dedicated to mapping, while an Apex is used for sonar – traditional 2D, Side-Imaging and Down-Imaging. At the front, an Apex unit is dedicated to Mega-Live, while a Solix is dedicated to mapping, sonar and Mega 360.

They are all linked together via ethernet and have the ability to share all sonar, mapping and waypoints together.

The Mega-Live forward facing sonar is the most important electronics item on my boat. This is my third year using this technology and this is by far the best it has looked. A combination of some updates that Humminbird has had for Mega-Live and the clean power that it’s getting from the rigging job is allowing me to see my bait 90 feet out in front of the boat. If there are fish around my boat, I’m going to see them, it’s incredible.

the easiest fish there is to clean out of a lake.

This technology makes finding and catching them very easy so anglers need to be careful not to hammer on them as hard as they can.

Keeping a few fish to eat is great, I love eating fresh fish at shore lunch or for dinner but we have to be careful not to damage our fisheries or we’ll continue to lose more fishing opportunities.

Tackle Trends for 2023 Heading into a new season there are always some new trends in tackle. While I can’t say there is some magic, never-before-seen lure hitting the market this year, one trend is using baits that function well with forward facing sonar.

For me, two different soft plastic baits are tied to my rods all season long, everywhere I fish for walleye and bass. These baits catch most other species as well. A jerk shad style minnow bait, rigged on a jig head has been If you have not jumped on the forward facing a popular bait for over a decade in central sonar wagon yet, you should consider it if Canada but it is a phenomenal bait to use in you can swing it. It is a lot of fun to use and it conjunction with forward facing sonar. will without a doubt help you catch more fish on every outing. Almost every day on the water I catch a fish and I’ll say to myself, “without Mega-Live, there is no way I catch that fish”. I might see a single fish or a school out behind the boat, maybe a fish suspended or I see a piece of cover like a rock, grass clump or log that I would have never known was there. I can pitch my bait to it and often a fish will reveal Scented Jerk ShadZ itself and bite. It really is incredible. rigged up.

When I see fish on my electronics out in front of the boat, swimming this bait a couple of feet above the fish is an awesome way to catch them, especially if the said fish are focused on eating pelagic baitfish like smelt or cisco, which are present in many of our waters. My bait of choice is a Z-Man Scented Jerk ShadZ rigged on a jig head like a Northland Mimic Minnow or Smeltinator head.

Rigging your Jerk ShadZ straight on the jig is important for it to work properly.

Just Fishing . 18

Obviously, there is some responsibility on all anglers to not exploit our fisheries with this technology. Crappies, which group up in large schools through the fall and winter are

(Continued on page 19.)

Spring 2023

(Rigged & Ready for Spring continued from page 18.)

“IfThe fishing summer (10you’re Mistakes You Need to Fix second bait forcontinued me isfrom a page Ned17.)rig, which I can use to With social media so spots and they aren’t pitch to specific targets like on a boulder, a log orand fish that areand prevalent these days, it How you set the hook depends its size, diameter thickness there, start fishing the spawning shoal, itself, these guardian fish fasttip is is easy to get caught up located closer to I almost green when Hot it isOn small, thinthe andbottom. razor a smartalways sweep use of thea rod (What’s Ice continued from page 37.)sharp, predatory responses in the form of reaction strikes. It’s heavy zinc sand.

As the transition is for weeks and weeks, never leaving the eggs,” in the hysteria associated pumpkin Z-Man Hula StickZ, rigged on a Northland all that is required to nab every fish. fishes great both vertically or when casted, making it a truly FLX-30 BB flasher/ fish finder featuring – 7 frequencies from 160 frame getting underway, it’sexplained still Paragamian. with a hot lake or new bait.

Elite Series Ned jig, which features a Gamakatsu hook. to 300 kHz, interference rejection options, target ID down to versatile offering for a number of species. For more information, common to find140 walleyes Some folks will even post I catch more fish on those two baitsdisplay than settings, anythingBattery else visit: https://www.northlandtackle.com.

1/4”, Digital depth displat, Day & Night in 15’ or FISH less. FOR“So, WHATEVER IS BITING the waypoints of popular non-spawning guardian fish stay on the throughout the year. status & low-battery alert, 3 power level settings & zoom zones. fishing But if3”you shoal, defend territory, and transducer fast to the & point of12 The new spots.

Magz Goby soft plastic bait offers a realistic baitfish Plus Vexiar’s band Ice-Ducer float, “They start to move out to broad I received a exc;usive message from a reader last fall about catching big know about it,action so dototens of near starvation.

Why?”I fully Ilike wondered out charger, loud. appearance and entice volt, 9 amp-hour, Vexilar Lithium battery, automatic a medium action more open-water areas at and northern pike. He had been unsuccessful thousands of other anglers. even the most smallmouth, largemouth “Well, why do most organisms on earth dofor finicky fish. The 3” Goby is great for both Soft carry external power posts spinning rod for first... sliding out around in hisPack efforts andcase, askedadjustable if I’d helprod himholder, zero in on the key depth.

Ieach flipped outrageous things in the name of procreation?” & winter fishing and for all game accessories and aasking custom Vexilar tackle box.

For more information, deep thatwhat bait, mywas preference himwater: back asandbars note species, in particular, he targeting. He summer Sharing reliable, guarded, retorted Paragamian.

“One word: hormones.

It’s fish.

Its soft body and active tail bring the visit: https://www.vexilar.com come out.... from and replied “Allshore of them.” being a G. Loomis Magz Goby insider information with Magz Goby to life!

For more information, primarily light and temperature, as well as other drop to deeper water, sand NRX 872, a 7’3” rod that onehttps://magzmfg.com. or two trusted friends Northland’s Spoons arecues a that killerbegin on the crappies, perch, environmental ofas a visit: flats, sand points andquestion sand Now, there isGlo-Shot no that when you are fishing forcascade walleye, is a work of art.

I like a is a good thing, but relying walleyes, pike andhormones trout. Cast or this vertically jig... themust S-curve causing behavior.

There be or humps. case in point, that you may catch a bonus smallmouth, largemouth 3000 sized spinning reel on second, fourth was started by Jon Bondy and was design by andwhich light,they lead-free The Bondy third Bait and Company a mechanism ‘know’ itconstruction is time to northern pike. Maybe even several.

But is it a huge mistake to assume walleye.

StickZ Hula like a Shimano Vanford, hand accounts of dock talk an outgrowth of his fishing guide excels withbodies twitches, liftscompletely. and falls. leavedeeper before give out “Walleyes beginand to move astheir water temps drop toward turnover it will happen thus, goGlo-Shot fishing without aspooled specific species in10-lb. mind. ® Bait – Bondy Bugcosts. business. Jon has made plastic baits is toBondy be avoided at all Sticks boost fish attraction up with Bottom long as for the fish fat reserves theirof Instead ofaslooking to be oninChange top (begins at 620F or so). in line, low-visibility situations.

As Van Dam says, “It since 1989 and, after countless hours Power Pro yellow braid liver hold up, they cancolours stay.” structures, look deeper.

I use to accompany the Conservation Officers andtofisheries technicians messes with your head.”

Glo-Shot Stick match conditions. of hard work, has grown the company and a 10-lb. fluorocarbon leader, attached by an FG knot. I like the who worked for me and we would pull alongside anglers and do® asoft creel Tip with live bait or IMPULSE to the point where they now have over Northland Glo-Shot yellow braid it’s easy to see, so IDuty can watch it.Bark I’ll notice “They will be inbecause spots like the sharper breaks orinon humps survey.

ISpoon was always amazed when the folks boats were asked Non-Breeders On –themid-lake More plastics.

Glo-Shot Spoons are available in dealers.

JonOUT loves to fish, but he DON’T BE FIRST IN100 AND FIRST bites my jig hits thethey bottom. that topand outwhen at perhaps 20’, rather than 15’, inwhatever holes inweights, soft-bottom what they were fishing for and .... bites. with 1/16-, 1/8-replied andor1/4-ounce Than Bite also loves tinkering with new lure flats from to 20’. red where treble depth hooksdrops in #12, #1015’ and #8 sizes, respectively. Hooks are designs withto new fishing first and anglers fish Slowconcepts Death for Finally, knowing the purpose of guys non-breeders’ Do the work now and get as If you were amongst the very attached via dual you splithave ringstofor added action and fewer lostlearn fish.

To be successful, focus in on a specific species, and techniques.

His latest addition to the lineup, the 1.75” Bondy walleye, Ned Rigs for bass, Bondy Baits for lake trout and big presence - territorial egg guarding –so explains ready for theactivate new season when it Bug Panfish Bait is sure to have fish salivating. The Bondy Buddouble Glo-Shot Sticks non-toxic, easy to and glow inseasonal vivid “Walleyes becomeare more selective about where they stage.

They much as possible about its lifestyle, habits, behaviour and is of bladed Cowgirls for muskies you know the heart stopping feeling colour forlocate eight hours.

They are not affect lureshun action why, as starts individuals or asspend a to mob, youenough much time generally on ayou spot-on-a-spot.

For example, ifasthey’re on a preferences.

Then need tolight use thecan information tothey select prime available in roller 30 mouthwatering colours and comes in a 20 pack. For riding the coaster to fishing success. and are also great lighting up a variety ofwill bobbers, hooks and jigs. more every living creature that dares invade their claim.

Ciscoes mid-lake hump with scattered they be thedo boulders. asboulders, possible out on theon water.

I hope locations, the bestfor lures and optimal presentations.

To otherwise information, visit: https://bondybaitcompany.com.

Ifare look forantagonist, thethe patch of sand.

If almost all sand, look for the rockpile. primary the target ofhas the anon-breeders’ disdain isalltheir torock, take a shot in dark, which always misses the mark. everybody great season! ® I count myself among the blessed to have been at the forefront of The Rattlin’ Puppet Minnow from Northland brings the noise with Leave for and fury.the hail Mary passes to the last minute desperation plays Makers of custom each of these trends.

Unfortunately, nothing good ever lasts. Despite afootball glass rattle and carry through water, all without killing its “Because more andaudible more walleyes show up on these few spots, more teams. handby amade injection Editor’s Note:famous Jeff Gustafson grew unbelievable efforts select few anglers to keep each one of the action. Anglers and more of themy lake holds no easy to Lake be skunked if you and hand poured soft Stakeouts with AQUA-VU revealed ciscoes making forays to up fish. on theIt’s shores of of the Woods techniques under wraps, the secret got out and loose lips sunk ships. havestructure.” long noted the don’t pay attention to subtle differences on the plastics Canadian Baits the bottom to gobble up eggs and then retreat, vertically, to just in Kenora, Ontario.

He has made his BELIEVE THE DOCKTALK benefits of vibration brings a variety of for the very first time in a below the ice. When so incensed, ciscoes will attack lake living infrenzied the fishing since he in It is why, when you readyou about a technique and community additional sound quality custom baits at troutjigs.asOn a united front basis, theoutdoor burbot chase allteenager a tournament angler, guide, and reliable source – like the pages of Just Fishing!

– or hear about it from a Iwas willasized never forget interviewing Kevin Van Dam, the winningest angler their baits, aswriter fish cue on Northland Rattlin’ and afforardable price.

Visit – – comers away from the bottom.

But, because they won’t leave their fishing promotor.

In 2019 he is competing theofBassmaster Elite trusted friend, you need to assess it immediately, perfect it quickly, Puppet Minnow in bass fishing history, immediately prior toon one his fourtoBassmaster auditory clues both help Canadian Baits add This Canadian company eggs, they won’t chase vertically.

This makes the ciscoes’ it to your arsenal and then milk it for all that it is worth, because every Paddle Tails Series in addition to competing in several events in Ontario.

You can them locate and target Classic victories.

He had sequestered himself, miles away from the Consider signing up to receive FREE offers swimbaits, craws / fish will become conditioned innovation will become commonplace, the game plan nearly perfect and their siege is relentless. find him social media @gussyoutdoors and onWhen his website at:him Canadian Baits prey of allonkinds.

The Puppet Minnowhouse. still sports itsItrademark tournament venue, atRattlin’ hisatbrother-in-law’s asked creature ice fishing Target Walleye/Ice emails Spikez to itIceand something better baits, will replace it. action, like atalk.” dying minnow, which triggers www.gussyoutdoors.com. why, hedarting said ....and “Toswimming avoid the dock / micro, finesse worms and more.(Continued Great prices on19.) on page (Continued on page 44.) their Glow in the Dark ice fishing plastics including their 2.5” Ice Spikez and 1.5” Paddle Tails. For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/canadianbaits.

6 #6

8 #8

7 #7

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Just Fishing .

43 Just Fishing Just Fishing . 53 Winter 2021 Summer 2020 . 19

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Spring 2023 .. 38 Just Fishing Fishing 18

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SWIMBAITS SWIMBAITS

SWIMBAITS WIMBAITS OLD & NEW

on a lake where bass are targeting gizzard shad or large herring. When those are the primary forage, I know the fish feeding on them will usually be larger in size. So I’ll go to lures that range in lengths of six to ten inches (maybe more) and match my colour selection to the bait they’re chasing.

OLD & NEW D & NEW

W

Among the best new hard-body entries is the Arma Joint 190SF swimbait by Shimano.

I like this lure for a number of reasons.

First, it has a unique hinging feature that allows its body to fold completely in half, which aids in long distance casting. The idea is simple: Less bulk or resistance, the further the lure will travel. And with a collapsible profile, casting accuracy, too, is improved.

By: Bernie Schultz

W

hen John D. Kreisser designed his K&K Animated Minnow back in 1906, I’m sure he had no idea of the number of manufacturers that would use his same concept more than a century later.

sizes, shapes and colours are currently available through most tackle outlets.

Considered the first jointed minnow, Kreisser’s lure was shaped from wood and featured glass eyes, a large metal tail fin and breakaway tandem hooks. Its unique hinging design was granted patent number 857,883 on June 25, 1907. According to the paperwork packaged with each lure, it was touted as “The Minnow That Swims!”

There’s something about their true-to-life profiles and swimming action that triggers big bass to strike, or at least follow the lure to within visual range so that a secondary presentation can be made.

K&K Animated Minnow with picture box.

Evidently, sales for the Animated Minnow were good, as Kreisser expanded his offering to include other sizes and profiles, even some non-jointed variations were introduced. But that was then, and this is now. And who could have guessed the number of similar swimbaits that would follow more than 100 years later?

Swimbait Situation

Why? Because they catch fish! And oftentimes, they catch the biggest fish.

That could mean a second cast with the same bait, or the use of a follow-up lure – like a wacky-rig Senko or a flukestyle bait. And if a second attempt fails to produce, at least the fish’s general location is revealed for another try later – a strategy that’s commonly practiced among savvy touring pros.

Photo: B. Mahoney

Secondly, the Arma Joint will track true at any rate of speed. I can burn it just under the surface or give it a lazy, slightly deeper retrieve, knowing it will maintain a perfect upright swimming action.

But what I like most about the Arma Joint is how it does an about face when paused. The lure literally circles back in the opposite direction, as if it were confronting any would-be followers – an action that I believe forces big bass to strike, in a total reflex reaction. Sort of like hopping a bottom bait to make lethargic bass bite.

Shimano Arma Joint Swimbait

They’ll make return visits to fish that reveal themselves, believing they will eventually bite. A practice that’s brought me success more times than I can remember – at places like Guntersville, Fork, Chickamauga and others. Big fish would track my swimbait When a fish is tracking a swimbait and you only to refuse it, but later bite on a follow-up pause the retrieve, oftentimes they will lose interest. But if that lure swings around and presentation with that lure or another. faces its attacker, predatory instinct takes over.

Size, Shape & Colour

Tactical Gear

While I catch the majority of my fish using Swimbaits similar to Kreisser’s are so popular smaller profile swimbaits, when I’m after big To throw big swimbaits, you’ll need the selection is virtually unlimited. Countless bass, I rely on larger profiles – like when I’m right tackle. We’re talking big rods and (Continued on page 21.)

Just Fishing . 20

Spring 2023

(Swimbaits Old & New continued from page 20.)

stout reels spooled with line heavy enough to withstand the repeated shock of casting heavy lures.

Most savvy swimbaiters use straight fluorocarbon rated between 20- and 25-pound test. Others prefer mid-range braid tipped with a fluorocarbon leader. Still others use straight mono.

Whatever your choice, be sure it can handle the rigors of repeated casts with heavier lures, without hindering the swimming action of those lures.

For rods, I prefer Shimano’s Expride series in lengths of 7’ 6” inches to 8 feet, in heavy to extra-heavy actions. These rods are stout enough to handle the heaviest of swimbaits and can launch them a mile, yet they taper perfectly for the right tip action. I pair them with slightly larger than normal casting reels – like Shimano’s Tranx 300 or Curado 300K. These reels feature powerful brass gearing and large profile handles, which work to your advantage with big swimbaits – especially when Photo: B. Mahoney winching big fish Shimano Arma Joint away from thick & Expride Rod cover and into the boat.

So many fish are lost on big swimbaits, usually because they’re played too long. I know it goes against conventional wisdom, but from my experience, the longer you play a fish on a big plug, the greater its chances to escape. And that includes swinging them over the gunnel once they’re close to the boat... using their momentum, of course.

Swimbait Summary Although throwing big swimbaits can be fatiguing, the rewards are oftentimes huge. Throw them around cover and obvious features, like docks, laydowns, riprap and grass edges. If large fish are present, chances are good a big swimbait will pull them out of that cover. And remember; although they may not bite on the first cast, they’ll usually reveal themselves so that you can quickly follow with another presentation or try them again later.

Go here to see more on Shimano’s Arma Joint 190SF swimbait, and here to learn more on John D. Kreisser and his K&K Animated Minnow.

Editor’s Note: Bernie Schultz competes on the Bassmaster Elite Series and serves as a columnist to Bassmaster.com and InsideLine.net. He’s also an educator and promoter of angling, representing some of the biggest brands in fishing – including Mercury Marine, Caymas Boats, Power-Pole, Shimano, Fuji Rod Components, Garmin, Hildebrandt, Yamamoto, Power Pro, TH Marine & Don’t Die Lithium Batteries. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook or through his website, www.bernieschultzfishing.com Spring 2023

Just Fishing . 18 8

Just Fishing . 21

The Best Best

Fishing

Fishing Of the Year!

By: David Chong many big fish. Last year’s event was won by Pro J’s Jasper Zhang and his partner, Scott Burns with 24.25 lbs. for their best 15 fish.

The top 11 teams all had over 20 lbs. of perch. I’m not really sure if the perch are getting bigger or if we’re all just getting better at catching them!

them. If you’re targeting them shallow, try your LiveScope on Perspective mode in order to see more range in front of you!

In the spring, the majority of the fish can be found in depths ranging from 4 to 30 feet of water! On Lake Simcoe, there is a population of perch that stay deep as 70’ – 90’ but unless you’re planning on keep all those fish for a fish fry, I don’t recommend targeting these This should come as no surprise to fish. When you’re bringing them out of those anyone but forward-facing sonar depths, their air bladders blow up and it is like Garmin’s LiveScope Plus is an hard for them to go back down if released! absolute “Game Changer” when it comes to targeting lake Simcoe’s Water clarity plays a big role in how these famed “Jumbo Perch”! During last Perch set up and what kind of feeding mood year’s event my partner, Oliver that they’re in! If you can find water with a bit Grigull and I, turned to each other of colour in it, those areas will tend to be a little Springtime is the best time of the year to catch true numerous times and asked “Does it warmer and the fish will be more active there!

“JUMBO” Perch on Lake Simcoe! feel like we’re cheating?”

45 degrees F is the temperature benchmark ake Simcoe is world renown for its where these fish really start to stack up and do “Jumbo” perch fishing through the ice With schooling fish such as yellow perch, the their spawning duties! and this winter was no different! Although key is to find the big girls and with LiveScope, (Continued on page 23.) good ice was slow in coming, when it got here it is only a matter of time! Once you are able it was here until almost April! Trust me Lake to find them, then they’re Simcoe is a world class yellow perch fishery usually fairly cooperative. all year long but by far the best perch fishing Not only does LiveScope of the year is in the spring especially for true aid in finding the fish, “Jumbo’s”! Many of Lake Simcoe’s famed it is also very useful in jumbo yellow perch begin their spawning determining the mood of rituals beneath the ice and move towards their the fish. shallow spawning grounds as the ice starts to goes out!

As with almost all types of fishing these There are literally spawning grounds all over days, electronics are Lake Simcoe, some holding larger schools and playing a larger role in bigger fish than others. Usually around the 3rd locating fish particularly week in April, the Mark McKeown Memorial with schooling species Perch Open is held in memory of Mark who such as perch. You can was a long-time member of the CBAF. Don drive around on your Sheldrake and I managed to win the first time main engine until you that this tournament was held weighing in start marking fish on over 21.5 lbs. on 15 jumbo perch. The crazy your traditional Chirp Part of a 24.25 lbs. limit weighed in by Pro-J’s Jasper Zhang & Scott Burns part of that day was I wasn’t sure that I had sonar, then deploy your to win the 2022 Mark McKeown Memorial Perch Open including weighed in our 15 heaviest fish as we had so LiveScope to zone in on “Big Fish” at 2.1 lbs.

L L

Just Fishing . 22

Spring 2023

Expands the• Expands strike zone thecreating strike zone a creating a potent scent potent trail behind scent the trailbait. behind the bait.

Expands the • Expands strike zone the strike creating zone a creating a otent scent potent trail behind scent trail the behind bait. the bait.

Fish Active •Scent Fish Active Technology Scent Technology • Expands the strike zone creating a TM TM )•stimulates fish ) Scent stimulates predator fish predator (FAST (FAST potent scent trailTechnology behind the bait.

Fish Active Fish Scent Active Technology TM TM nstinct. instinct. ) stimulates ) fish stimulates predator fish predator FAST (FAST nstinct. instinct.

• Fish Active Scent Technology TM Proven bait •colors, Proven bait colors, and super-soft and )super-soft stimulates fish predator (FAST life-likebait action life-like that fish action can’tthat fish can’t instinct.

Proven • Proven colors, bait super-soft colors, and super-soft and resist. action resist. ife-like life-like that action fish can’t that fish can’t esist. resist.

• Proven bait colors, super-soft and Fish bite and • Fish keepbite biting, and cast keep biting, cast life-like action that fish can’t after cast -resist. even after on cast pressured -keep even on fish. pressured fish.

Fish bite and • Fish keep bite biting, and castbiting, cast after cast - after even cast on pressured - even onfish. pressured fish.

• Fish bite and keep biting, cast after cast - even on pressured fish.

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(Jumbo Perch continued from page 22.)

There are lots of great presentations that will work on these massive perch at this time and of course live bait such as emerald shiners always work. A standard dropshot rig works great with any type of live bait that you may wish to try! Just make sure that you obtain your minnows in the proper Fishery Management Zone and keep your receipt in case you’re stopped by the MNR/ OPP or York Regional Police. All 3 agencies will enforce any regulation violations!

Because of the size of the yellow perch that we’re targeting, I recommend at least 7’ ML power rods like the Daiwa Aird-X models, which are great value. Pairing one of these rods with a 1000/1500 sized spinning reel spooled up with 6-8 lb. test braid and a 4-6 lb. test fluorocarbon leader and you’ve got a perfect “Jumbo Perch” outfit. The longer rod allows for greater casting distances and you’re also able to take up a lot more line when setting hook!

Another Beautiful “JUMBO” Yellow Perch

from Lake Simcoe!

Bait Company Mini Goby or a Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow. I generally stay with natural colours, although there will be those days when the bright chartreuse, pinks & oranges will slay’ em! Sometimes running a “Donkey Rig” similar to one that we run for ice fishing will get you numerous double headers. On the top hooks, a Mini MinnFIN or Micro Grubby from Grumpy Bait Company work great as well as creature baits like True North Baits, Mini M’eh Fly!

My go-to is some type of jig, I like to If you happen to locate fish over 10’ – combined an 1/8 oz. Ultra Tungsten ball jig 15’, virtually any ice fishing presentation with either a 2 1/2” Z-Man GrubZ, a Grumpy (Continued on page 25.)

Just Fishing . 24

Spring 2023

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(Jumbo Perch continued from page 24.)

will also work, McGathy’s Slab Grabbers, Clam Tikka Minnows and Rapala Jigging Raps! You can vertically work these lures and stay on top of these fish. Literally you’re ice fishing without the ice!

Mini Tube Jigs, which can mimic a goby or a crayfish can also be very effective especially when you’re fishing deeper. The Great Lake Finesse Mini Pro Tubes work great combined with a naturalcoloured tube.

The new Z-Man line-up of Micro Finesse baits are going to be deadly on the Lake Simcoe “Jumbo’s” The system is made up of 5 different ElaZtech baits, the Micro TRD, Tiny TicklerZ, StingerZ, An 1/8 oz. Ultra Tungsten Ball Jig combined with a swimbait, minnow bait Shad FryZ & LarvaZ in a wide or a goby bait will catch the variety of fish catching colours.

“BIG GIRLS”!

The Micro Finesse SchroomZ jigheads ranged from 1/10-1/30 oz. and are available in black, glow, chartreuse and red!

The buoyancy of the ElaZtech composition of these baits will cause them to stand up off the bottom like a Ned Rig! Spring 2023

DARK GREEN

CHARTREUSE

ISLAND BLUE

If you’re trophy hunting and possibly trying to catch a new Ontario record Yellow Perch, I find that there are definitely some “Big Fish” lures/presentations. While you may not catch as many fish on these lures, your chances of catching a true “Jumbo” are usually better! The Great Lakes Finesse Sneaky Underspin combined with a Z-Man Slim SwimZ or GLF Drop Minnow is definitely a “Big Fish” package. They’re available in 3/16 & 5/8 oz. models, which will allow you to slow roll them through those deeper depths!

(Continued on page 26.)

Always a fun time as the author, nelson Murak ami from Natura l Sports in Kitche ner & Martin Draeg er from Grump y Bait Compa ny target some Spring time “JUMB O’s”!

Just Fishing . 25

(Jumbo Perch continued from page 25.)

Another great “Big Fish” lure is any type of Beetle Spin type lure! You can make these up by attaching a safety pin style spinner with a Colorado blade to an Ultra Tungsten jighead or a Great Lakes Finesse Stealth Ball Jighead. Much like the Sneaky Underspin, it is a strictly a “Chuck N’ Wind” presentation, which enables you to cover a tremendous amount of water! While covering more water, you’ll be presenting it in front of a large number of big females who usually are not shy when it comes to feeding while they’re spawning.

want to get it weighed on a certified scale as it may be a new Ontario record!

The current Ontario record stands at 2.52 lbs. and was caught on Lake St. Francis, which is part of the St. Lawrence River system!

It is truly remarkable that the “Jumbo Perch” population on Lake Simcoe stays so strong when you consider the amount of pressure that they receive especially now that we’re in our post-Covid period.

Livewells full of Yellow Bellies are quite Many of our American neighbours will common during the Spring run! be up to target these delicious tasting fish.

An underutilized lure is an inline spinner, smaller Although you are allowed to keep 50 yellow Mepps & Vibraxes in sizes #0-2 are especially deadly when you tip it with a minnow or a worm! Make sure that you use a quality snap perch on a sportfishing licence, please swivel like Stringease’s SS Crane Swivel to help battle the line twist only keep what you’re planning to eat! that these lures create. When you’re not tipping your lures with live This will help sustain this awesome bait, it never hurts to cover up the human scent with a dab of Liquid fishery for years to come!

Mayhem. Being a gel scent, Liquid Mayhem adheres to your lure for a long time. Use your favourite confidence scent, two of my favourites Editor’s Note are the Garlic Crawfish and Shad scents.

David Chong is widely recognized as one If this past ice fishing season is any indication, I expect that this spring of Canada’s top competitive tournament will be a banner period for big “Jumbo’s” We’ve seen a great deal more anglers. He is also an avid multi species big fish this winter than in the previous couple of years! Not really sure angler and is a strong advocate for if this is part of a cycle or what but we’ve seen quite a number of 15” affordable, accessible angling for all! plus fish caught through the ice with rumours of a few over 17”! If you David loves sharing his vast fishing knowledge and stories with anglers of happen to catch one of these unicorns during the spawn, you might all ages, beginners and pros alike!

Just Fishing . 26

Spring 2023

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Breaking Bad During this time of year on most rivers, most anglers who have their line in the water with bait on their Northland jigs will catch fish. Savvy river anglers will chew up numbers like 40 to 80 bites with a dozen to two dozen fish over 25 inches. Most anglers will slip with the current covering water.

When the Big Fork and Little Fork ice dams break loose, mud, sticks, logs and other debris wash into the Rainy River. This breaking is bad as it turns the light tea-stained waters into chocolate milk.

Anglers who boated big numbers of fish the day before struggle to catch a handful.

I have been there before the water surge and after the water surge.

There is still potential when the river gets muddy and you’re definitely not going to catch them at home on the couch. When you’re planning By: Brian Brosdhal an outing, you can’t plan for weather or water quality. You just have to get out there and go he weather is changing. In April, Old Man Winter isn’t completely fishing all large rivers through with us but winter’s grip is slipping. Days are getting have tributaries that longer. Snow and ice are melting off the river exposing open water – can change the flow as and the race is on because the walleye bite can be fantastic! they melt down.

T T

Anglers are anxious to slide their boat over the ice into the water.

There isn’t a lot of room at first but the sun and runoff chew away at the ice quickly. What are just small stretches early on turn into miles of open river overnight spanning from Birchdale all the way to the Gap at Pine Island. Word gets out and walleye fans know to get there fast! Rainy River has trophy walleye potential (it’s not uncommon to see 30”+ fish with massive girth) plus a shot at numbers of small, medium and large fish. The river is catch-andrelease only to protect spawning females.

Author Brian Brosdhal with a beauty river walleye.

Vertical The most important thing when fishing any river is to stay vertical with your line. Keep your jig in the walleye target zone 6” to 12” off the bottom and your line straight up and down. If the line goes under the boat, you’re dragging it on the bottom looking for a log or rock to snag. If your line is ahead of you, speed up your Minn Kota i-Pilot to keep it vertical.

Once you know the speed to downriver troll, you can set your Minn Kota on cruise control. It holds the speed and the motor will even steer for you to maintain a course. Some years, the flow is low so it’s a mild drift down river between 1 and 2 mph. The speed of the current will vary in some locations, like the neck-downs or shallow shoreline-related bars that pinch the water to the center of the river and, of course, in big sweeping curves. Just remember, those spots are going to hold a bunch of fish. Some rivers, such as the Detroit River, have current speeds of 3 to 4 mph which makes it more challenging to keep a vertical line.

Spot-Lock Minn Kota’s Spot-Lock is definitely a game changer in the world of walleye fishing. With the push of a button, your hand-held remote keeps you anchored with pinpoint accuracy until you disengage it.

This works extremely well on the Rainy River. There are plenty of current seams to anchor to and jig below and slightly behind the boat. I like to pound the bottom with the jig head and lift up a foot (Continued on page 29.)

Just Fishing . 28

Spring 2023

(Staying Current on River Walleyes continued from page 28.)

Traditions

off the bottom to wait for the strike. Pounding the bottom too much In the Spring rivers are traditional destinations to shake the postwill call the sturgeon to bite. winter cabin fever out of your blood. Meet with friends and family for a remote northern getaway. Get on the water for walleyes.

I use Sunline SX1 green braided line. Its thin diameter cuts the water Gather around the campfire and share stories. Many anglers have with an 8 lb Sunline FC fluorocarbon leader that’s super clear and been fishing here since they were kids because their families abrasion-resistant. I wear Fish Monkey Stealth Dry Tec gloves and have been coming here for generations. And you never know never have to take them off when baiting minnows on jigs; they are if Old Man Winter will stick around or if Mother Nature has thin, waterproof and warm. Northland Whistler jigs and Thumper something else in mind. jigs with a rainbow or a frozen shiner work extremely well. With Whistler jigs, use short pulls forward with your rod tip and let it drop I have seen people trying to launch boats that are frozen to their back for about 3 or 4 seconds. The next time, repeat the motion but let out 3 to 4 feet of line. I call this walking the dog downstream. I boat trailers because the air temperature is in the single digits. I would rather not hook a big walleye too far from the boat downstream have also seen summer-like weather and sunburned faces. Whether so I reel in the Whistler jig and start vertical from the boat and then there is a snow squall or a heatwave, you will find Heather and I chasing that 30-incher on a river somewhere in April. Good luck! repeat the downstream walk.

Jigging with Humminbird Follow, like and share my fishing adventures on YouTube, TikTok, MEGA Live Imaging in forward Twitter, Instagram and Facebook! viewing mode will prepare you as the walleye approaches your jig. St. Croix Legend About the Author: Brian “Bro” Brosdahl, is a fishing guide and promoter. One of the Elite 7’ Medium Extra Fast most recognized and respected anglers in is the Cadillac for this jigging North America – Bro, as he’s known, is a approach. On windy days, I multispecies angler best known for his shorten up to a 6’ for less wind influence on the sport of ice fishing.

He can be booked for guided trips at: drag on the rod tip.

Upstream Sometimes it is just goFrustrated againstAngler the continued flow onfrom a river.

To (On Being A Competent Fishbetter Biologistto &A page 34.) get any condition, try to slow dragging a 2 toand 3 oz. bottom fish.bites As a in scientist I have much learn from anglers anglers can bouncer Northland Butterfly Blade Harness and minnowto certainly with learnafrom scientists, but those interactions are aunlikely or a crawler with apiles simple bead onTo a short 2 toI am 3 feet of Sunline FC help anyone catch more fish! say that a frustrated angler fluorocarbon leader with a Gamakatsu Wide Gap Hook.

Big is an understatement.

There are days – Finesse and we all have them – where Iwalleyes simply can’t get a bite.

I have all the necessary equipment, I read all can’t pass up a fat rainbow sucker minnow or creek chub of the blogs and upstream magazines, spent 11ofyears doingseam university level slowly dragging onIthe edge a current at .5 mph. education mostly focused on fish, and for the last 12 years I have This will create strikes. Just remember, its bottom bouncing been and a professor fish biology. not bottomofdragging.

Touch the sinker on the bottom every now and then to make you are near the bottom. This is a great approach Yet, I think what matters most is time on the water. I can look at a water after cold or ifthat the river murky.

And bass therehabitat are times when body aand sayfront – wow, looksislike text book – and not crankbaits just work better on rivers.

I keep my rod locker ready catch a thing. And then throw a random cast and hook a bass where they with Northland Croixkey Eyecon trolling “aren’t supposed Rumble to be”. I Shiners think thatonis St. another message – fish rods don’t ready to deploy. necessarily follow the rules.

The underwater world holds many River mysteries that fascinate me as a Rolling scientists and angler. Sometimes that Rainy River can get extremelyfascination rough at the Gap, Four or can lead to Mile someBay minor the long straight stretches where the northwest wind blows.

I have frustrations when I can’t figure out spent many days fishing in rough water weather andthem it’s where theduring fish arecold or how to get hard to beat a windshield this time of year. of the many to bite – butThis thatisisone what keeps me reasons I choose a Lund 2075 coming Pro V boat a Mercury 300 Pro backwith for more!

XS for guiding, tournaments and fun fishing anywhere, anytime. I stay comfortable all day, no matter the winds waves. When Aboutand thethe Author the struggle is real, Spot-Lock into the wind and hide behind your Dr. Steven Cooke is a professor windshield! and Canada Research Chair at Carleton (www.fecpl.ca).

I have an AFTCO Barricade rainsuit and,University even in the rain, I am dry alsowho a Science as a cork. I know I am not the He onlyis one fishesAmbassador in inclement for #Keepemwet Fishing. weather. I have witnessed many anglers boat big walleyes at the same time I am!

Spring 2023 Summer 2019

bbro@paulbunyan.net or brosguideservice.com.

Jason Matity & Jeff Matity are helplessly, hopelessly addicted to the sport of fishing. The only thing they like better than catching big fish is helping others catch big fish. Whether it’s trolling for northern pike and walleyes, to jigging for trout, burbot and perch, pitching jigs to bass, or dunking crawlers for carp and catfish, they are Saskatchewan’s multispecies fishing authority whether on ice or open water. Matitysgetfishing.com

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YOUTUBE.COM/MATITYSGETFISHING Just Fishing . 29 35

OH CANADA! – IN THE NEWS GUSTAFSON HOLDS ON FOR HISTORIC BASSMASTER CLASSIC VICTORY ON THE TENNESSEE RIVER

C C

anadian pro Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson’s bass refused to play fair on the final day of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota on the Tennessee River. But fortunately for him, the bulk of his work was already done. Despite catching only two smallmouth bass that weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces on Championship Sunday and falling three fish short of the 15 he’d been counting down toward all week, Gustafson held on to win the most treasured title in professional fishing with a three-day total of 42-7.

As the first Canadian Classic champion ever, he takes home the Ray Scott Trophy and a $300,000 first-place check. “I had an hour ride back to check-in, and it was horrible,” said Gustafson, who now holds two-straight wire-to-wire victories on this fishery.

“I thought I’d blown it for sure.

I thought there was no way I’d even be in the mix. “When I got back and looked at BassTrakk, I still wasn’t sure. I knew I didn’t have much more than what mine said and the guys behind me both had limits that might have been heavier than what they had entered.”

rod – a 7-foot, 3-inch medium action rig – with a Shimano Stella 3000 spooled with 10-pound PowerPro and a 10-pound Shimano Mastiff fluorocarbon leader.

He said the angle of the bait was key to many of his bites. “I use a knot called a San Diego Jam or a three tag-in knot,” he said. “You can really tie whatever knot you want, but you want that bait to sit horizontal and natural in the water. “I’ve been using that Z-Man Jerk ShadZ for years – long before they sponsored me – just because I feel really comfortable with them and they work.”

As for the action he was imparting to the bait, he said every fish was different. “There’s no real jigging,” he said. “It’s more of a quiver.

If they’re kind of eyeballing it, coming slower toward it, I just give the bait a little bit of a quiver.”

Sometimes Gustafson said he “plays games” with finicky fish. “When they’re coming slow, I pull it up away from them a little bit sometimes,” he said. “You get a lot of bumps, too, where they hit it with their mouths closed. When they do that, I drop it back down and start the quiver like it’s an injured baitfish.”

Gustafson said he relied heavily on his Minn Kota Ultrex trolling motor to stay on top of the fish, especially As it turned out, Gustafson received hard charges from both on Day 2 when the winds topped 20 Maryland pro Bryan Schmitt & Alabama pro Scott Canterbury, mph. “Spot-Lock is one of the greatest but neither could quite pull it off. Schmitt caught a five-bass limit things ever invented,” he said. that weighed 11-1 and finished less than 2 pounds shy of a win at Photos by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S. “Every time I’d catch a fish before I’d 40-14, while Canterbury caught one of the biggest limits of the even put it in the livewell, I’d hit day at 12-1 and finished just over 2 pounds back at 40-1.

Spot-Lock because, a lot of times, there were other fish following it.

So, Spot-Lock kept me on them.”

Gustafson spent the day in Tellico Lake doing the same thing that had worked for him six days in a row on the fishery – four during his Still, he said MEGA Live was the key to his event. “I know everyone 2021 regular-season Elite Series win and two to start this Classic – doesn’t love the forward-facing sonar, but it’s mandatory equipment if but something was different. Though plenty of smallmouth were still you want to compete with these guys. Everyone has it, and if you don’t, visible on his Humminbird MEGA Live electronics, they simply you’re not even gonna come close to competing.” weren’t as cooperative as they had been previously. “I think it was a combination of they’ve been getting fished hard and there’s some heat The magnitude of being the first Canadian to win a Classic trophy was coming and they’re ready to move up and spawn,” Gustafson said. still dawning on Gustafson 30 minutes after the trophy was placed in “I’ve been working them pretty hard, and you could tell they were his hands. “It’s insane,” he said. “I’m kind of speechless. I wish I could lazy. “The last couple of days, they would just skyrocket up to the bait have spoken a little better up there on stage. There are a lot of good when they saw it. But today it wasn’t like that at all.” anglers up there, a lot of people who love bass fishing in Canada.

“So, this is for everybody up there.”

After catching 18-8 on Friday and 17-3 on Saturday, Gustafson didn’t catch his first keeper until around 9:30 a.m. Sunday. Then it was The 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented another three hours before he caught his second and final keeper – and by Toyota set a new record, welcoming a crowd of 163,914 fans to by then, he had unofficially lost the lead on BassTrakk. But in the end, Classic Week activities. Gustafson claimed the $7,000 Rapala Monster his “moping” tactic won out. A technique that dates heavily back to Bag of the Week with the 18-8 limit he caught on Day 1. his Canadian roots, Gustafson used a Z-Man Jerk ShadZ in the smelt colour on a 3/8-ounce Smeltinator jighead with a 1/0 hook, fishing 2023 Bassmaster Classic Host: Visit Knoxville – Connect with #Bassmaster & straight down for bass he could see on his Humminbird MEGA Live the #BassmasterClassic on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & TikTok. forward-facing sonar. He fished the rig on a G. Loomis NRX+ 872 (Continued on page 31.)

Just Fishing . 30

Spring 2023

(In the News continued from page 30.)

CANADIAN BASS FISHNG EXPERT “BIG” JIM McLAUGHLIN HONOURED WITH BASS FISHING HALL OF FAME BOARD’S MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD

I I

n keeping with its mission of celebrating the sport of bass fishing, the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame Board of Directors will be honouring “Big” Jim McLaughlin from Seeley’s Bay, Ontario with its special ‘Meritorious Service Award’ during its upcoming sponsor/ donor reception at the Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville. Established in 2018, the Hall’s Meritorious Service Award gives proper and well-deserved recognition to an individual or organization for their significant contributions within specific areas to bass fishing.

McLaughlin, known throughout the Canadian bass fishing scene as “Big” Jim, was once one of the most feared and successful competitive anglers in Canada, as well as its first Pro Bass Classic winner and the first twotime Pro Bass Classic winner. He continues to be a headline presenter at major fishing expos in Ottawa and Toronto, along with handling emcee duties at various bass fishing tournament throughout Ontario.

“Big” Jim is doing that by physically introducing more anglers to fishing at tournaments, outdoor expos, kid’s events, or often a random lake side meeting, than any other Canadian.”

McLaughlin joins the late Ronnie Everett and Jim Hooven as well as the Western Bass Club as recipients of the Hall’s Meritorious Service Award. “On behalf of the BFHOF Board, we can’t thank “Big” Jim enough for what he done for bass fishing and the tournament scene throughout Ontario over the years,” said Board president John Mazurkiewicz. “It’s a pleasure recognizing him for what he does to celebrate, promote and preserve the sport of bass fishing.”

In addition to his angling skills, McLaughlin has always had a knack for introducing youngsters to fishing and helping their parents understand the sport and how to make it a family activity. Over the past 25 years, he has given many kids their first taste of fishing by hosting the Jackpot Casting Pond at the Many BFHOF inductees, the Hall’s Board, annual Ottawa Boat & Outdoor leaders from the bass fishing industry, pro Show. Over his career, he’s been anglers and special invited guests will be in a driving force behind growing attendance at the annual HOF reception on March 23 at the Bassmaster tournament bass fishing in Canada and has inspired many to establish Classic where McLaughlin will officially be honoured with his BFHOF careers in the sport as both professional anglers and in other areas within Meritorious Service Award. the industry.

More information about the Bass Fishing HOF “While “Big” Jim’s incredible and its mission of ‘celebrating, promoting and tournament accomplishments preserving the sport of bass fishing’ is available are what most bass anglers in at www.BassFishingHOF.com, or by contacting Canada would point out, it’s BFHOF executive director Barbara Bowman at his relentless and tireless work bfhof.barbara@gmail.com. promoting bass fishing that really overshadows all his tournament The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame exhibit, located success,” said noted bass fishing within Johnny Morris’Wonders of Wildlife Museum TV celebrity Dave Mercer. and Aquarium adjacent to the Bass Pro Shops’ flagship store in Springfield, “There’s a Greek proverb that Mo., showcases more than 80 individuals who helped shape the sport of says, ‘a society grows great when bass fishing and have been enshrined in the Hall. Information on visiting men plant trees whose shade they the 350,000-square-foot Wonders of Wildlife Museum can be found at know they shall never sit in’ and www.wondersofwildlife.org.

Spring 2023

Just Fishing . 31

Multi-Species Perspectives –

W W

Mashup!

alleye and pike often overlap when it comes to where the live and the forage they eat. When these species are sharing the same area, it’s not uncommon to catch a walleye on one cast and a pike on the next. Catching a mix of these tenacious, toothy fish can be a lot of fun, so with this in mind here are some dual-purpose tactics for anglers keen to target walleye and pike simultaneously.

A Preamble On Preventing Bite-Offs With a mouth full of sharp teeth, northern pike can easily cut through light lines commonly used for walleye presentations. Pike bite-offs are a big gripe with anglers. Who likes losing lures, right?

The simple solution is adding a leader to a walleye presentation when you’re in pike territory. I use a few different set-ups, depending on the scenario. When I’m primarily fishing for walleye in clear lakes where any pike catches involve small to medium sized northerns, I tie a 20- or 30-pound fluorocarbon leader to 15to 20-pound braid. If I’m trolling crankbaits for walleye, I use a 40-pound fluorocarbon leader with a swivel and snap on each end.

By: Tim Allard

It’s uncommon for a 5-pound pike to chew through a fresh fluorocarbon, but it’s critical to be regularly checking for damage and tying on a new leader at the first sign of trouble. This setup works for jigs, bladebaits, Rapala Jigging Raps, and swimbaits fished on medium- to medium-heavy rods.

On waters where there are higher odds of encountering larger pike or frequent northern catches, I use wire leaders. Pre-made leaders are easy to find at tackle stores, but I prefer using thin, knot-able single strand wire for most presentations with the exception of large pike baits.

Same day, same area, two species. The pike ate a Z-Man DarterZ trimmed down to 5” fish ed on a jig, the walleye ate a #7 Rapala Jigging Rap.

My experience is mainly with 18and 25-pound Knot 2 Kinky. This nickel-titanium wire is bite-proof, kink resistant, easy to tie, stretches about 10%, and is ultra-thin, so you don’t have to worry about refusals from line-shy fish. American Wire’s Surflon Supreme is another popular tieable wire option.

When I’m casting upsized plastics and hard-baits on medium-heavy or heavy rods for big pike, I use stronger fluorocarbon in clear water and wire leaders in murky conditions.

These leaders are overkill for walleye, but the hardware doesn’t impact landing those fish and, more importantly, are intended to ensure large pike make it in the boat.

Cross-Over Baits: Jigs & Swimbaits

Fishing islands is a good strategy.

This spot produced a pike casting and then several walleye trolling later in the evening.

There are many bait options for those wanting to maximize walleye and pike catches on any given day. Jigs rank high on my list as walleye are often bottom-oriented. Pike also relate to the floor or, at the very least, are aware of forage scurrying along bottom.

A bucktail jig is a great pick. A quality bucktail will take plenty of abuse from toothy pike and walleye. Ruggedness also makes bucktail

(Continued on page 34.)

Just Fishing . 32

Spring 2023

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(Pike & Walleye Mashup! continued from page 32.)

jigs great for ripping around vegetation edges, which are common hunting areas for both species.

“Big” Jim’s bucktail jigs have caught be a lot of pike and walleye over the years – and I’m not just staying that because he’s the publisher of his magazine. Ask around and a lot of bucktail jig aficionados will tell you the same.

LCW1 29 colours

When focusing on walleye and shallow pike, a 3/8-ounce jig is my go-to for casting deep weedlines, flats, and sand bars. For fishing pike in mid to deep areas and when using faster retrieves, use 5/8-ounce or heavier jigs. Adding a plastic worm, minnow, or swimbait trailer bulks-up a bucktail, and adds action and scent. Generally, I prefer to fish a bucktail with an aggressive snapping retrieve to trigger a reaction, but working these versatile jigs slowly will also fool either species and can sometime be a better play in cold water.

Gold & Silver “HHSG”

A jig paired with a four to five inch swimbait is another reliable presentation.

Steadily swimming the bait just off bottom drives walleye and pike crazy.

Minnow profiled plastics are excellent for walleye & pike. The Berkley Fusion19 Snap jig gives a minnow plastic a gliding action on the fall, triggering strikes from both species.

the jig allows for a slow retrieve mixed with pauses and lazy drops to bottom.

Similarly sized forked-tail minnows and soft jerkbaits (aka jerk shads) on jigs are another option. The thin profile and wispy tail of these plastics drives walleye and pike crazy. A liftfall retrieve along bottom is hard to beat. Some days fish want an aggressive snap, other times a moderate lift is better.

Likewise with fast versus slow drops.

This combo is equally good for vertically jigging.

Tip: Adding a drop

of super-glue to the nose of a swimbait or jerkbait before pushing it up against a jig improves the plastic’s durability and lifespan.

3 PACK KITS

Walleye-Pike Hard-Baits Walleye and pike will readily strike minnow and shad profiled minnowbaits and crankbaits when worked along shorelines, weed edges, and structures. Carry a mix of shallow to deep-running lures to work different depth ranges.

One of “Big” Jim’s bucktails, which caught a pike from deep cabbage a few casts after hooking this walleye.

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Just Fishing . 34

A collection of 1/2- to 1-ounce swimbait jigs covers most shallow to deep scenarios with bulky swimbaits. I use 3/8-ounce jigs for slim swimbaits for fussy walleye abiding in 8 to 18 feet. Lightening up on

Bladebaits, lipless crankbaits, and spoons are effective when jigged vertically over deep structure and flats where walleye and pike are feeding on baitfish. Casting spoons to shorelines, weed edges, and drop-offs is a well known pike strategy that is just as potent at putting walleye in the net.

(Continued on page 36.)

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(Pike & Walleye Mashup! continued. from page 34.)

Shared Habitats Focusing efforts on locations within lakes and rivers where walleye and pike mingle delivers good odds of hooking either species. While some spots have already been mentioned, here is a closer look at these locations and other areas worth trying.

QUICK SILVER 2 SIZES 12 COLOURS

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Points, Sand Bars & Wing Dams Walleye and pike are frequently attracted to structures extending into deep water, like points, bars, and river wing dams.

Both species use these push-outs as travel routes between deep and shallow water.

Large points, bars, and wing dams also act as resting and feeding areas.

Casting or trolling crankbaits along the drop-off ledges and across the top of these structures is a reliable tactic. Vertically jigging various baits is another option and a good way to dissect specific spots, such as river current seams occurring around these structures.

When sunny conditions shutdown the walleye bite, catches a bunch of pike this size was blast for my friends and I a couple years ago in May.

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S

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/williamslures www.williams.ca Just Fishing . 36

Walleye and pike are regularly found together in and around vegetation. Sometimes both species are orienting to deep weed lines.

Another scenario is species are relating to Shorelines different spots, such as walleye relating tight Shorelines are popular early-season to a weed edge and pike holding within a cast locations. In spring, these zones warm of deeper water along a drop-off. quickly, attracting baitfish and predators alike. An ideal scenario for catching both Always look for turns and points along species is finding rock and gravel walleye weed edges. These features collect fish. spawning sites close to pike spawning Understanding how walleye and pike are areas, such as large bays, marshes, and relating to weeds helps you choose effective tributaries. presentations and keep your lure in the strike In spring, it’s common for either species to be between the bank and the first drop-off.

During cold fronts or after several weeks of spring, fish may position on the drop-off, just beyond the break on mid-depth flats, or around the second drop-off. Keep in mind, too, certain conditions may concentrate fish in one area or depth range, and other times both species may be scattered.

Anglers should also be on the lookout for wind-blown shorelines throughout the season. Walleye and pike will take advantage of the tumultuous water conditions from waves blowing into the shallows to hunt prey. Shorelines are also common hunting territory at twilight and during overcast conditions.

Casting a jig to the shore, then hopping it along bottom towards deeper water has put a lot of walleye and pike in my boat.Trolling and casting shallow-running minnowbaits is another effective way to fish these areas.

zone. For example, when there’s several feet between the weed tops and the water’s surface, yo-yoing a lipless crankbait or swimming a swimbait over the top of the vegetation will trigger walleye and pike holding within weedbeds.

(Continued on page 38.)

Sidebar:

Letting The Dust Settle

The commotion from hooking and fighting a big pike may temporarily put resident walleye in a negative mood. Anglers having difficulty getting bites after landing a feisty pike are wise to leave and try another spot.

This might mean making a short adjustment within a large flat or making a bigger move and going to fish a completely different piece of structure.

There’s always the option of revisiting the original location after a couple hours to try your luck again.

Spring 2023

(Pike & Walleye Mashup! continued. from page 36.)

Walleye and pike can also be caught trolling minnowbaits and crankbaits. This includes running a bait over the top of weeds, along a deep weedline, or through water just beyond the weed edge.

Flats I’ve had some incredible days fishing flats where pike and walleye were feeding on yellow perch and other baitfish.

While flats by nature are fairly uniform areas, there will be specific features where fish congregate. Examples include isolated rock piles, patches of grass, a slight depression in bottom, where a point extends off a flat, and the ledge where the flat drops into deep water. Cover water until you figure out what spots are holding fish. Then dissect these zones by experimenting with different lures and trying different casting angles to maximize the number of fish you catch.

Deep Structure On large, deep lakes, walleye and pike frequently relate to deep, mid-lake structures and feed heavily on cisco, smelt, and other open-water baitfish. These locations typically begin producing in early summer as lake temperatures warm, prompting some populations of walleye and pike to leave shallow areas for deeper, cooler water.

Casting jigs is productive on deep, sandy humps and other structures with minimal snags. Craggy, rocky bottoms are another matter. These are better fished vertically jigging a spoon, bladebait, or a soft-jerkbait on deep structure.

Trolling a deep-diving crankbait is another good strategy and an effective way to cover a lot of water. Pulling the bait through deep water and then across the top of a hump can trigger strikes.

(Continued on page 39.)

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(Using Glittering Baits for Golden Walleye continued from page 28.)

than a straight spoon. Watch a lure’s action while jigging it just beneath the ice to learn what works best for specific baits.

The above said, remember to follow the lure down with the rod tip, keeping a slight bow in the line, to keep aware of how the bait’s behaving. More specifically, being able to detect a strike as well as know when a lure touches bottom.

Minnow Lookalike Considerations As mentioned at the opening of this article, flashy horizontal lures are deadly for walleye. I have a hard time putting a Rippin’ Rap down when I want to cover water, attract fish, and trigger reaction strikes.

In addition to the gold model, I’ve also had success with a few of Rapala’s new custom colours, like Fruit Bowl and Leprechaun, which feature various coloured metallic accents.

Hooked on a VMC Rattl Spoon in a Glow Red Fin

Walleye also love metallic jigging minnow. A chrome-blue Rapala Jigging Rap is a reliable choice when walleye are foraging on silvery sided baitfish, like ciscoe and smelt.

There’s also something about a gold-olive Rapala Snap Rap that makes big walleye get hungry.

(Pike & Walleye Mashup! continued. from page 38.)

If this doesn’t work, try trolling over the drop-off while following the structure’s perimeter.

Another Walleye-Pike Strategy Up to now, I’ve focused on tactics and areas offering equally good odds of catching walleye and pike, but there’s another option.

With this approach, anglers target walleye when they’re most active at dawn and dusk, and focus on pike during the day. This isn’t to say you won’t experience some incidental catches of either species at different times throughout the day.

On waterbodies home to both walleye and pike, there’s no need to choose fishing for one species over another. Using the tactics, baits, and locations suggested above, you can catch both species and, in turn, experience more consistent, action-packed angling.

About the Author: Tim Allard is a full-time, award-winning outdoor journalist and author/ photographer of the book, Ice Fishing: The Ultimate Guide.

He’s a regular contributor to numerous North American print and online publications. From panfish to northern pike, Tim fishes whatever he can, whenever he can.

Spring 2023

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Just Fishing . 30

Just Fishing . 39

SWIMBAITS SWIMBAITS HammerTough Tough on on Hammer Post-SpawnWalleyes!

Walleyes!

Post-Spawn By: Jeff Matity, GetFishing.ca on a 1/2 oz. Hammer Head jig. I tied it on and let it fly. “In this 8’ water, the fish are either suspended or feeding towards the surface,” I concluded, “Tom’s Rapala cannot be getting down any more than 4’ or so.” Keep it up and bring it in fast, I thought, mimicking Tom’s jerkbait, as my other companions, Gerald and Mark, searched for more Rapalas.

I peered intently down my lime-green Berkley superline for the first glimpse of my bait and any following fish. From above, the silvery sides of the swimbait flashed impressively as the bait came into view.

I stalled my retrieve and watched the bait hustle towards the bottom.

Then, I found out why the bait is called the Big Hammer! A 27.5” walleye, very big for this far North, came out of nowhere, lunged forward and engulfed the whole thing!

Jeff tackled up right with Medium-Heavy 13FISHING “Greenstick” spinning combo and swimbait-caught walleye.

While Tom and the other two “plug chuckers” may argue the details; truth be told, the Big Hammer laid waste to the minnow baits that trip. Amazingly, fish after fish, gobbled the entire 5” bait deep into their mouths, even in the cold, off-coloured water!

D D

oug Stange hosted an In-Fisherman TV segment that shattered the myth that walleyes are a timid fish, requiring live bait and finesseful presentations. That was over 25 years ago.

Doug employed a 5” Berkley saltwater swimbait to wallop big walleyes along a weedline.

I immediately invested in some 5” baits!

Jason Matity with chubby Post-spawn fem ale walleye courtesy of a 5.5” STORM 360GT Searchb ait – Hot Olive colour on 3/8 oz. head.

Years later, my “walleye opener with the Boys” was forever changed due to that bait! It was 2001, and a late spring saw the main body of Hansen Lake, in Central Saskatchewan, still frozen solid. We were thankful to get the boat in the water and work up the narrows to reach our favorite sun-bathed bay. Luckily, the water there was 5 degrees warmer than elsewhere.

I was convinced this was going to be another small jig and leech, “brain-surgery bite”, that we’d experienced in the past, under similar conditions.

A Real Swimbait & the Right Size for Walleye

A real swimbait literally swims! The tail sculls its way through the water with determination throwing the body into a series of alternating s-curves. The stiff body conducts the hammer-kick of the tail and rolls back and forth across its shoulders. The body, anchored by the jig head, tilts about 45 degrees on its axis, before the next kick sends it rolling in the opposite direction. This gives the bait its pronounced vibration pattern and the high angle of the We fished the perimeter of the bay and the jig and leech produced roll causes the tapered belly to flash visibly on each kick. Care must only 3 hammer handles. Deciding to target pike, my buddy, Tom, put be taken to thread the body on the jig properly; however, when on a 5” Rapala Original 13F Minnow. Within 10 minutes, Tom had rigged right, is marvelous. our first walleye; a solid 18” beauty. I intensely focused on my jig and leech and watched Tom added 2 more walleyes to the livewell.

Before this, my go-to jig and plastic was a 1/16-1/4 oz. head with It was time to make a change. a 3-inch grub. However, to turn on the predator in a walleye, fish However, to avoid verbal abuse from Tom, there was no way I was larger 5-6” swimbats on a 3/8-3/4 oz. jig. This upsized presentation putting on an F-13! Rifling through my gear bag I struck gold... a 5” will produce the right depth and speed control for a Jekyll-to-Hyde Big Hammer swimbait, in the Bleeding Trout colour pattern, rigged transformation of big spring walleyes.

(Continued on page 41.)

Just Fishing . 40

Spring 2023

(Hammer Tough on Post Spawn Walleyes continued from page 40.)

including swimbaits, in their seminar about “Magic Baits”. They gave many examples of how swimbaits can be fished, in different ways, for different species.

“I have a swimbait tied on one of my rods every trip... all year long... whether it’s an inch long for crappies or a foot long for muskies, there’s a swimbait tied on one of my rods... Heh, heh, you know Jeff (wearing his lucky In-Fisherman hat) with a settingwhat I mean?” chuckled James.

Jeff with trophy spring walleye, courtesy ZMAN HerculeZ swimbait – Houdini colour.

Yes, I do know what he means... swimbaits are one of the true “Magic Baits”. For walleye, bass and pike, 5-6” is magic for us!

Fingers in a

Don’t Take My Word for It... glove... Add these At The Spring Fishing & Boat to your Arsenal Show, this past February in For over 20 years, Toronto, brother Jason and I Jason and I have built HerculeZ Houdini strikes again. shared the Seminar Stage with our swimbait program some of our heroes. We were around the Big Hammer very excited to follow after James Linder bodies and heads. With that said, it has been and Jeremy Smith from Lindner’s Angling wonderful to see every major brand of lure Edge. We heard them identify several lures, manufacturer recognize Doug Stange’s

Spring 2023

sun jumbo walleye caught on 5.5” BIG HAMMER – Pacific Chovy colour on 3/4 oz. Hammer Head.

breakthrough and bring to market their own 5-6” baits for walleyes. In recent years, two such lures that we have added to the Big Hammer program are the Storm 360GT Searchbait & the ZMan HerculeZ swimbaits!

Summary of the “Big 3” The Big Hammer can be rigged on any size jig that has a 5/0 hook to swim through fishy water at any depth. The multitude of colours means there is a colour to match any fishing conditions. The special plastics formula creates a lure that swims like the real thing and gets bit! There is no way to fish it wrong.

(Continued on page 42.)

Just Fishing . 41

walleye are the titanic beasts surpassing 30”page – 41.)

10-lbs. – that anglers (Hammer Tough on Post Spawn Walleyes continued from flock to LML to cross paths with. Any missing link in the food chain, burning the surface to deadsticking or hardship during yearlyFrom growth spurts,on seriously impedes maximum on the bottom, the Big Hammer is versatile growth potential. Therefore, genetics aside, trophy walleye are not and productive. born, they are created... By their environment!

Mythical Methods: Here are totwogetexamples down toof the level of the fish

Rob’s simple genius, straight finely andforward, root them out of the rocks. Drag, tuned trolling tactics that are easily repeatable for rip or swim in shallow to mid-depths. maximum my rods aredurable. long- I have my original ZMAN success. Like Rob,Incredibly handled, rods with Cabela’s HerculeZgraphite/composite in HerculeZ that I fished all season last 20-Series DepthMaster reels and 20 pound Opening Night Storm 360GT isforanchored by and the The Golden Treasure: RobThe has been fishing the lake 60-plus years year. I caught test 53 fish, on this one bait, colour.

832 line. These are quality, affordable, invaluable tools.

3/8 3D acrylic with ultrahas been outfitting for overexquisite 3 decades.

Heoz. knows his lake,head his fishery and Sufix without having to do any repair to it! realistic eyes and 60-degree, 7/0is infectious hook that the daily, monthly and yearly patterns of his walleye.

His aura LocTite is the correct Over Unfished Waters: A tradeSuperGel secret, trolling planer product boards, reaches toward the for ahas superior, and time spent around him is goodout medicine!

No nose lie – Rob never Plane for touching up ElaZtech. multiply the efficiency of a trolling spread by taking lures off to the well-balance, straight-retrieve presentation.

(Continued on page 44.) “zeroed” with a guided group of guests in over 30 years! That’s right! No sides of the boat.

Fish are spooked into their path.

Consequently, The dense, rubber-like body withstands a no “banana curse”, no “wieners for supper”! He must be a magician... barrage ofGerman toothy Leprechaun, attacks. Swim through trollers can effectively fish three different depths simultaneously by Right? No... He’s The Magnificent remember!! out a shallow, depth and deep diving Rapala lure “Big 3”medium Swimnait Side-By-Side Comparison Not convinced? Well, if it takes a “school of hard knocks” story to settingMatity’s on the shallow-set planer board, hand-held rod behind the boat and Big Hammer Swimbait convince you, please– oblige me, here...

Big Hammer, Storm 360GT, ZMan HerculeZ deep-set planer board out deeper from the boat, respectively.

Bay Smelt colour on a •Body – flat sided, plastisol round, ribbed, tough oval, fins, ElaZtech* jig & in 2008, I hosted my first G&S TheHammerhead Lesson: Back PRO-CURE Super Gel – guided in •Tail – Patented “Square tail” Oversized bulbous round rectangle, finned STORM guided group.

Having some 360GT of the Searchbait best lakes in Smelt colour.

G&S Exclusive Tactics: Rob pulls Rapala Anise Plus formula. in Northern Saskatchewan, I was eager to tame some •Weight – lead heads, 5/0 hook 3/8 oz. Rattle, acrylic, 7/0 hook** 3/8 oz., crankbaits behind the smallest Offshore prairie giants for my guests. However, it took me a week belly, 5/0 Tackle or Church TX-6 planer boards. We scratching, gouging some to they approach, shallows and let theand tail even call in fish gnashing-of-teeth from nearby. When •Colours – 57 total (swimbait.com) colours (zmanfishing.com) find10 these little(rapala.ca) 6” boards8 indispensable in keep up tobody Rob and group’s fishthat numbers anddeal. size.Amazing search the ribbed holdshisa lot of scent seals the exploring thetough, hangout of giant, lethargic •Durability – soft, needs glue***, very head/jig fit well nearly Ibait! was obsessed. I ran each day over-and-over in my walleye lounging in “no man’s land”. indestructible mind, to pinpoint the source of Rob’s success. Then, it Theshallow/medium “near-edge” depth, is thespring, often-ignored, •Fishability – catch-all, 4 season, incredible hit Rob operatesowes on one primary principal Theme...

ZMan HerkuleZ its snag-resistance to to itsallbuoyant ElaZtech limited open water immediately out from in rocks season What secret?

It is “magnificently” plastic.success.

The fact thatisitthesits hook-up, nose down when resting on the top edge of a drop off – out over the simple. “power to locate andtool catch fish it is necessary •Where to find? – www.basspro.com – www.cabelas.ca bottom, Rob makes it an fishes” extremely valuable when (Continued on page 51.) during the whole open water season. You guessed it...

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Just Fishing . 50

Just Fishing . 42

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(Hammer Tough on Post Spawn Walleyes continued from page 42.)

hits bottom. A 4-foot section of SUFIX Advance #20-30 Fluorocarbon Leader material provides the bite-off insurance needed in the North Colour?? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder Country. The connection we use for the braid-to-fluorocarbon knot Simply put, Doug Stange and James Lindner believe in mopping is the Back-to-Back Uni-knot. A Rapala loop knot is my preferred up the easy fish with hot colours such as chartreuses, hot pinks, connection to the jig. fluorescent oranges and high-contrast colours. I absolutely follow their lead, especially when covering water to find schooling fish. The simple advice for the hook set is Do Not do a violent strike and However, I believe in further mopping up every fish in the school then pump the fish towards the boat. These two actions will guarantee by executing a 1-2 Punch with both the hot colours, first, and then a lost fish and ruin your confidence. naturalistic patterns and colours once fish are located.

My Procedure

My experience has been that once fish are located, a natural coloured lure, or darker coloured lure will trigger more fish and, perhaps, Note: I fish a very stiff drag and backreel once the fish is well hooked. larger, more experienced walleyes. Pro-Cure Super Gel adds Scent It takes a bit of practice; but, with this method, I hook more fish and and Taste when a fish noses up in behind a swimbait before finally play-out a fish much faster than if I relied on a “perfectly set drag”. overtaking the lure.

Here’s how: When you get a hit, reel down to the fish and get into Tackle Up Right & Set the Hook Properly good body positon to sweep set the hook. Your hookset must load the To most people, the lines and tackle that we use for swimbait duty entire rod. As you sweep the rod, reel quickly and smoothly applying would be considered more for pike than for walleye. Well, when you stout, steady pressure. are catching huge walleye that eat baby pike for breakfast, there is a very good reason why you need balanced tackle for swimbaiting. DO NOT pump the fish; but, maintain the steady pressure and reel constantly until the fish gets to within about 20 feet of the boat.

My 13FISHING spinning combo is a the “Greenstick” FATE Radio By now, the fish will have found its head and makes a powerful Active Pickle (RPS71MH2) paired with the Source F 3.0 reel run. By this time, the lure will have slid past the teeth and the (SORF-52-3.0-CP) spooled up with #20, hi-vis Neon Lime coloured heavy 5/0 to 7/0 hook will securely find flesh.

SUFIX ProMix Braid. Any high-vis colours will allow you to “line watch” since many strikes occcur when the lure is falling or when it As mentioned earlier, we always use Pro-Cure Super Gel in Anise or Walleye Formula. Yes, to create scent and taste that the fish will not reject. But, perhaps more importantly, the gel will give the substantial swimbait body a super-slippery surface that the fish’s teeth will not hold as easily. Thus, the slippery body slides through the teeth and the hook finds the corner of the mouth.

All these lures can be seen, in action, at getfishing.ca on our YouTube channel. The live, underwater strikes on the Storm 360GT, alone, are worth the price of admission!

Foot Notes: *ElaZtech is a Stretch-Armstrong-like, super-stretchy material that completely recovers after being completely crushed, chomped and stretched. It is highly buoyant so, the tail of the HerculeZ, for example, floats up and causes the jig to stand on its nose which makes it extremely snag resistant. ElaZtech melts regular plastic... follow instructions... store separately! **Storm also offers a 1/2 oz. 360GT head for separate purchase. Excellent addition to the 3/8 head ***Plastisol lure bodies require some repair at the end of a fishing trip or before the body is completely destroyed by toothy fish. The best product on the market for this duty is Mend-It softbait glue.

About the Author: Jeff Matitdy A Fishing Industry Professional for nearly 30 years as a Fishing Guide & Promotional Staffer, with Bachelor’s Degrees in both Science & Education, Jeff uses this training in his job as a Fisheries Professional & Outdoor Educator (specializing in fishing via family business, GetFishing.ca) to reach out to anyone interested in learning about fish.

Just Fishing . 44

Spring 2023

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INNOVATIVE NEW BAIT DESIGN FOR DETROIT RIVER ANGLERS What they are – Why you need them – How to fish them

T

Courtesy of: The Grumpy Bait Company

T

he Detroit River runs south between Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie and is an extremely popular walleye fishing destination for both Canadian and US anglers. The Detroit River has both resident and migratory walleye spreading its lengths. Walleye can be caught throughout the year however, the most popular walleye fishing time occurs between April and May. This time frame corresponds with pre-spawn, spawning and post-spawning periods. To catch walleye, anglers commonly jig plastic baits vertically from boats as well as casting and retrieving plastic baits from shore. Both techniques often result in great catches!

Over the years, anglers have used two primary bait styles – the 4” fluke (Figure 1.) and 4” worm-style bait (Figure 2.). These plastic baits are rigged with a 3/4oz, 5/8oz, or 1oz jig head and come in a wide variety of colours. While there are other techniques used on the river such as trolling body baits or hand-lining plugs, jigging with fluke or wormstyle baits has been the most popular choice for anglers over the years.

However, with recent changes in Great Lakes ecology, a new food source is dominating fish feeding preferences.

Common Walleye Baits.

Anything Missing?

What other naturally occurring, abundant food sources could entice fish to bite?

Walleye Food Sources: Why Goby Baits Just Make Sense

schools of smelt and other minnow-like fish. In 1988, with the accidental introduction of zebra mussels, Lake Erie was quickly transformed into a clear waterbody. Zebra mussels aggressively filtered zooplankton which was an important food source for mid-column prey such as smelt. This affected walleye two-fold. First, the overall reduction in smelt populations meant less food in the mid-water column for walleye to consume. Secondly, clear water conditions made it more difficult for walleye to ambush feed. This resulted in drastic reductions in walleye populations until the inadvertent introduction of the round goby.

Round goby (goby), introduced into Lake Erie in the 1990’s brought new opportunity for walleye and transformed traditional open water feeding behaviour to a partially benthic (bottom feeding) food web.

Why? First, goby do not have swim bladders, forcing them to scoot and hop along the bottom. Their inability to evade capture, coupled with their bottom dwelling nature, makes them an easy meal for juvenile walleye. Secondly, with a reduction in overall mid-water column food sources, coupled with the sheer explosion of goby populations, many species of fish including walleye, bass, freshwater drum and yellow perch added goby to their forage base. In the past, when smelt and shiners were abundant, walleye had the tendency to prefer minnow style baits. Now with the decline in those bait fish and an overall increase in goby populations, walleye more than ever are tuning into goby. This makes artificial goby baits an obvious choice for anglers fishing the Detroit River, St. Clair River, Thames River, Menominee River, Maumee River, Saginaw River and surrounding Great Lakes.

The majority of Detroit River walleye live most of their lives in one of three places – Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair or in the Detroit River itself.

All three water bodies vary in terms of food sources, depth, water temperature, clarity, water velocity and structure however they all have healthy populations of round goby. Since walleye enter the Detroit from multiple locations during peak fishing periods, it is important that anglers understand walleye feeding preferences and prepare their bait selection accordingly.

Lake St. Clair is a much shallower and warmer water body than Lake Erie, with a heavy presence of aquatic vegetation particularly during Lake Erie is the shallowest of Great Lakes and has a relatively low the summer months. This relatively low flow lake runs from the north velocity, flowing from the west to east, draining into Lake Ontario down and drains into the Detroit River in the south where the average flow the Niagara River. Lake Erie walleye common food sources include rate increases to 1.5 knots and can go as high as 9.5 knots. In Lake St yellow perch, freshwater drum, smelt, emerald shiner, invertebrates Clair, walleye tend to focus more heavily on yellow perch, freshwater and round goby. drum, shiners, round goby and invertebrates. It is interesting to note that biologists first recorded the presence of goby in the St Clair River, In the 1970’s and early 80’s, when zebra mussels were not yet introduced, and still today it remains infested with them. walleye were heavily focused on ambush feeding in a traditionally pelagic (open water) food web. During this time, trolling crankbaits Since then, goby continue to expand their footprint, which has driven bait resulted in much success as walleye were accustomed to hunting companies like the Grumpy Bait Company to design and manufacture (Continued on page 48.)

Just Fishing . 46

Spring 2023

(Innovative New Bait Design for Detroit River Anglers continued from page 46.)

river bottom make it easy for walleye to consume compared to minnow realistic, soft plastic goby baits that “match-the-goby-hatch” across style baits that are slender and more agile. various waterbodies in the Great Lakes Region. See Figures 4,5,6.

During pre-spawn, when the water temperature hits ~40F, walleye Variety of round goby colour patterns found in the Great Lakes Region migrate into the river and start aggressively feeding. Anglers can take advantage of the hot action using a number of fishing techniques and bait styles. However during the spawn, things can slow down as fish refocused on reproduction – traditional baits can become less effective.

During this lull, walleye are tight to the bottom, conserving most of their energy on reproduction. This is when anglers can take advantage of the natural tendency for walleye to attack and consume goby – a behaviour that has been imprinted into a walleye from a young age.

The Detroit River ranges between 18ft to 52ft and is considered a highvelocity waterbody. Unlike Lake Erie and Lake St Clair, fish living or entering the Detroit River must acclimate to much different conditions that are driven by flow rates, water temperatures, water clarity and a fish’s ability to quickly identify potential food sources. The Detroit River has a smorgasbord of forage including minnows, goby and invertebrates.

Juvenile walleye that hatched in the Detroit River focus on consuming easy prey such as small minnows, small goby and invertebrates. They remain close to the bottom to conserve energy, find food and hide from predators. As they migrate to either Lake Erie or Lake St. Clair, juvenile walleye quickly learn how to identify food sources in high velocity aquatic environments. Something that they will remember when the reenter the Detroit as adults later in life. Among the easiest to identify is round goby. Their bulky body shape and habitual proximity to the lake/

Bait Profile: How Picking the Right Style Bait Can Improve Your Odds Detroit River walleye are truly amazing top predatory fish. Not only must they make split decisions as food races down the river, they must also contend with dirty water conditions, making it even more difficult to feed. Imagine a plate of food being placed in front of you and before you can taste the food, the plate is taken away. You can smell it – you can see it – but you can’t eat it because it’s gone. That is the life of a walleye feeding in fast flowing rivers. In a split second, walleye need to identify if the food source is edible or not. In the context above, this means walleye need to make an “eat – or – don’t eat” decision before the food even gets to the table. That is an anglers challenge – to determine the best bait style that aligns to conditions and walleye feeding behaviour.

For the Detroit, there are a number of factors including water clarity, water temperature, wind speed and direction, cloud cover and bait profile. For this section, we will focus on bait profile.

“Referring back to various walleye food sources, goby offer a great choice particularly in high flow environments. Why?” First, round goby have elongated bodies with large heads, bulging eyes, two dorsal fins and a large vertically-aligned caudal fin. These visual characteristics have been imprinted in walleye throughout their lives, helping them to quickly identify goby profiles as a recognizable and easy-to-catch food source. They are a big target relative to other slim baits like worm of fluke (see Figures 7). In fact, Grumpy Bait Company’s Goliath Goby offers a 40% increase in overall cross-sectional, volumetric profile, compared to worm or fluke style baits. While some large, unrecognizable baits will spook walleye, goby are imprinted into their behaviour making the decision to bite in a split second a natural response. In addition, since walleye hug the bottom in fast moving waters to conserve energy, it naturally brings walleye closer to where goby are found – on the bottom. Not only is the shape and size of goby quickly identifiable, both goby and walleye naturally occupy the same space, making goby an easy and ideal bait choice.

In clear water conditions, fish can quickly distinguish prey at distance and chose to eat or not. Often, clear water conditions cause fish to become more spooked and selective in what they eat. In these conditions, experienced Detroit River anglers quickly adjust to clear (Continued on page 50.)

Just Fishing . 48

Spring 2023

(Innovative New Bait Design for Detroit River Anglers continued from page 48.)

Water Clarity & Strike Zone: Changing Up Your Bait for the Conditions

water conditions by changing their bait selection to more natural colours including blue/silvers, whites, browns and blacks. Grumpy Bait Company now offers a wide selection of natural coloured goby baits to help in these precise conditions, giving anglers highly realistic bait choices for finicky walleye.

Key Concepts: Clear water = larger strike zone, Fish have more time to consider biting a bait or not, Natural or bright colours are more noticeable, More freedom to jig with larger strokes as strike zone is much bigger, Scent and scent trails can still help to entice the bite.

In dirty water conditions, dark baits tend to catch more walleye.

The primary reasoning for this is that dark baits offer a shadow-like appearance in the water that is more noticeable than bright colours.

Turbid water is full of particulate matter that prevents sunlight from hitting and reflecting off baits causing a dulling effect that not only hides colours but prevents fish from determining bait profile. Profile in dirty water is very important and there is no more recognizable profile than that of a round goby. Their natural elongated bodies, bulging heads and larger vertical caudal fin make them easy-to-recognize even in dirty water. Making artificial, anatomically-correct goby baits even more important in dirty water conditions.

Now, there is also another water colour known as “slaughter-water”.

This water condition runs somewhere between clear and dirty water and offers the most ideal fishing conditions to catch even more walleye.

Slaughter water conditions are ideally suited for hot coloured baits that offer high visual contrast such as chartreuse/purple, limetreuse/black, hot orange/brown, black/silver etc. While mostly all bait colours will produced in these conditions, slaughter water is often hard to find.

Most weekend warriors are at the mercy of whatever conditions they face on the weekends and is why having a variety of all colours is important.

When it comes to our well-being, some things will always be essential.

Key Concepts: Dirty water = small strike zone, Fish have less time to consider biting a bait or not, Silhouettes are more noticeable – darker is better, Keep jigging to a minimal height to keep bait in the strike zone, Scent, UV and GLOW all help to improve visibility.

3 to 9, 11,2023 2021 ∙ catchfishing.com ∙ July 1

(Continued on page 51.)

Just Fishing . 50

Spring 2023

(Innovative New Bait Design for Detroit River Anglers continued from page 50.)

It is also helpful to use high-visibility braid to help you see the line contrasting the water surface. Watch out for other boats and buoys!

Jigging turbulent, high-velocity rivers can offer some major challenges. Often, these water conditions make it more difficult for anglers to keep constant contact with the bottom where walleye are found. Anglers using plastic baits need to identify the right jig weight coupled with the right bait profile. Bulky plastics with protruding appendages can cause baits to move unnaturally and uncontrollably in the water column, away from strike zone.

During tournaments, every second your bait is out of the strike zone can mean the difference between winning or losing.

Summary of Why Goby Baits Are Ideal For Detroit River Anglers

Boat Control: Keep Your Line Straight Down!

While there are many styles of baits available for walleye anglers, some baits just make more sense when vertically jigging.

Particularly with the invasion of round goby in the Great Lakes Region. Now, more than ever before, anglers are realizing that goby are an important food source for many fish species and are turning to goby-style baits. While Detroit and St. Clair river anglers have only had access to worm and fluke style baits over the years, Grumpy Bait Company is now leading the way and providing anglers with innovative, realistic goby bait choices:

Fishing large flowing rivers like the Detroit or St. Clair can offer some interesting challenges. First, presenting your bait close to the bottom can mean the difference between catching limits, or coming home skunked. Most anglers know that if you are jigging from a boat, it is critical that your line be directly below the boat. The ideal situation is your line is exactly 90 degrees from the surface.

Goby profiles are highly recognizable to walleye in high-velocity river environments, Round goby have become an important food The question many new anglers ask is, “ Why is it so important to source for Great Lakes walleye, Goby baits with two dorsal fins and have your jig straight down?” one large vertically-oriented caudal fin are important features that trick walleye into biting, Goby baits in natural/realistic colours can Most successful anglers will tell you that keeping your line straight improve catch ratio in clean water conditions, Goby baits in dark down, jigging your bait directly on the bottom, allows for better colours can improve catch ratio in dirty water conditions, Grumpy jigging control, bite sensitivity, and hook setting ability. This is no Bait Company specializes in goby baits and produces more styles easy task! Boat control requires constant adjustments to the trolling and colours than any manufacturer in North America. motor. Wind gusts, changes in river currents, avoiding other boats during the drift and contending with boat-wake can be a challenge. Questions about this article or want to learn more about Grumpy However, without good boat control, your odds of getting hookups Bait Company? Please visit www.grumpybaits.com or email info@grumpybaits.com will be drastically deduced.

TIP: Try to “follow” your line by pointing your trolling motor to where your line enters the water surface.

Make sure to maintain a constant distance from the nose of the boat to your line through continuous micro adjustments to the speed and direction of your trolling motor. Anglers commonly call this “chasing line” and can really help you present your baits vertically.

Spring 2023

Just Fishing . 51

2 P

NED RIGGING SPRING WALLEYES ON SHALLOW-ISH SAND

Is Ontario the blue walleye capital of the world?

robably my favourite way to catch walleyes! They’ll eat a Ned rig all season long.

But here’s a few keys to my program for spring walleye fishing on shallow sand, before the weeds grow up.

Shot just a couple days ago in central MN:

Seems like every single time I see a blue-ish walleye it’s from somewhere in ON. Just came across another one posted by The Ontario Experience of a Smurfette caught outta Ghost River Lodges:

I was catching ’em on a 3/16-oz VMC Ned Rig Jig (chartreuse) paired with a “green pumpkin goby” colour Z-Man Big TRD. There’s a zillion different Ned heads out there – few things that makes this one so fishy: A hybrid bend in the Ned Rig Jig’s 1X-strong, forged, fine-wire Vanadium Steel hook provides extra strength. A chemically sharpened needle point and a hybrid, wide gap ensures that bass (and of course walleyes!) stay buttoned...

REPORT

1 BLUE vs GREEN WALLEYES

Love me some unique critters!

Its traditional mushroom style head and 90° line-tie = drags smoothly on bottom, does a great job of hopping over rocks, “Blue pike” were officially declared extinct in 1976 by the U.S. Fish and creates more lift for your plastics so they stand up. and Wildlife Service. So what are the blue-ish variations of walleyes Comes in 4 sizes (1/16, 1/8, 3/16 and 1/4 oz) and 3 colours floating around the interwebz like the one above...? They are actually (black, green pumpkin and chartreuse). Love that all the sizes have a a different species than their extinct cousins. A little info below from 1/0 hook, ‘cuz a lot of other jigs out there start bumping up the hook size the heavier they get... which is fine unless you’re trying to throw John Hageman’s Sandusky Register write-up: compact little baits like you typically want to with a Ned rig.

“In a few lakes in ON and QC, blue-colored walleyes are frequently caught, but DNA analysis has repeatedly shown that they are simply a blue colour-phased walleye that is missing yellow pigment and not a true blue pike.” Now you (we) know.

Oh, and if Ontario is the blue walleye capital of the world, Btw I accidentally found out last summer (on an extremely tough bite) then obviously Manitoba is the that the VMC Ned Rig Jig’s “beveled edge conical keeper” does an #greenback capital.

INCREDIBLE job of holding on a nightcrawler too. Honesty would have never guessed by looking at it! But the crawler would literally Just magical! tear in half below the hook before the top would even slide down the keeper. Crazy cool.

Btw their B-E-A-utiful greenish coloration comes from the limestonerich waters of the northern basin of Manitoba’s Lake Winnipeg.

You know it was an insanely tough bite if I Some say the greener the fish, the “fresher” they are to the south stooped to throwing a basin... or maybe it’s from all that MTN DEW they chug before half of a crawler versus making the trek? Lol! Eventually the green will fade/blend into a plastics LOL. more white-ish look.

Paid off that midEither way they’re cool to look at and an absolute BLAST to catch. summer day tho.

Visit – www.targetwalleye.com –

Consider signing up to receive FREE Target Walleye emails Just Fishing . 52

Spring 2023

& TIPS & TIPS TIPS &

“Walleyes likeway to hold shallow –Rip butjigging near thea break – so they canEye move Al’s favourite to to catch ‘em: Neon Jig Al’s favourite way catch ‘em: Rip jigging aVMC VMC NeonMoon Moon Eye Jig simply because you will need deeper quickly when cold fronts come along.

When a front hits, we start (typically 1/4-oz) with a boot-tail or split-tail – targeting weeds in 8-12’ simply because you will need (typically 1/4-oz) with a boot-tail or split-tail – targeting weeds in 8-12’ tosimply start someplace.

The more because you will needstill use a jig and minnow to catch them, marking fish in 16-20’.

You can during low-light periods.

TECHNIQUES to during low-light periods. start someplace.

The more you learn by fishing, the just jig weight up 1/4-oz. I like to cast instead of dragging a rig toincrease start someplace.

Thetomore TECHNIQUES learn byallows fishing, thethe more TECHNIQUES you you can refine the rules that or jig.

That you to define the depth preference of walleyes more you learn by fishing, more 2. 2.

STRUCTURE BITE STRUCTURE BITE you can refine the rules that easily and it tends to keep folks thinking and active, not just holding onto govern the lake you are on you can refine the rules that oesn’t matter if you’re using livelive bait or or artificials, walleyes can the lake you are on the rod.”

An entirely separate population of walleyes oesn’t matter if you’re using bait artificials, walleyes cangovern that govern the separate lake youpopulation are on of walleyesare Anday. entirely areJigging JiggingRap Rapfish fishthat that be downright tough to catch this time of year... but don’t take it e be asked fishing Hall of Famer and northern MN fishing guide day. spend the summer tight to deep structure: downright tough to catch this time of year... but don’t take itthat that day. spend the summer tight to deep structure: he steps to followhow in locating fishdown underearly-season the ice is nowalleyes easy task. from me: Tom Neustrom he tracks – PRESENTATION from me: Walleyes love PARTICULARS: deep, hard “The key to catching shallow walleyes is he steps to follow in locating fish under the ice is no easy task.

Anglers heading out period, on lakes with little fishing pressure hethis steps to follow in locating fish under theiceice is no to easy task. Walleyes “During early-season I’ve found a or jigno and minnow be the presenting the jig and minnow in the most natural fashion possible, soaround we use “On a lot ofand these lakes, those structure fish love deep, hard bottom areas.

Crappies “On a lot of these lakes, those structure fishare are around Walleyes love deep, hard Anglers heading out on lakes with little or no ice fishing pressure areLindner: in for some plain old hard work.

Few anglers relish the challenge Al “Talking to the guides and a lot of the people Anglers heading out on lakes with little or no ice fishing pressure top option on lakes of all sorts, and in all sorts of 1/16-oz jigs, upsizing to 1/8-oz if it’s a bit breezy or 25’, but I’ve heard of bites going as deep as 40′ already Al Lindner: “Talking to the guides and a lot of the people bottom areas.

Crappies and perch love waters of but over 30 25’, I’ve heard of bites going as deep as 40′ already bottom areas.

Crappies and are in for some plain old hard work.

Few anglers relish the challenge ofare finding fish on a new lake.

Most prefer “following the crowds” and we know all over the Midwest, everybody has said this conditions.

At this time of year, you find walleyes in for some plain old hard work.

Few anglers relish the challenge deeper.

– that’s astounding.” we know all over the Midwest, everybody has said this perch love ofofover 3030Walleyes can be lethargic after the spawn, –soft that’s astounding.” feet with a waters super bottom, perch love waters over of fish on atheir new lake.

Most “following the crowds” and has been the strangest year any of us have ever seen for letfinding their eyes bestrangest fish finders.

To some, going from one group of between the shoreline the first major breakline and the water is still chilly as well. My favourite jig of finding fish on aand new lake.

Most prefer “following the crowds” and feet has been the year any ofprefer us have ever seen for with a super and sunfish lovesoft tobottom, hang feet with a super soft bottom, let their eyes be their fish finders.

To some, going from one group of catching walleyes.

On average, it’s been a tough bite, anglers to another is their form of “recon”.

If you ice fish, you may to deeper water.

Look for areas where the slope is for this situation VMC of Neon Moon Eye Jig. He talked about how winners Lund Mania let their eyes be their fish finders.

To some, going from one group of catching walleyes. On average, it’s been a tough bite, He talked about howtheis thethe winners ofthe the Lund Mania and sunfish love totolines. hang offand steep weedy break sunfish love hang anglers to another is their form of “recon”.

If you ice fish, you may but we still have lots of fish to catch.

“Not every walleye It’s pill-shaped so it falls easily and actually fishes tourney on Ottertail last month caught their best fish not too steep. not want to join the crowd or at some time you will be faced with the anglers to another of “Not “recon”. you ice fish, you may off but we still have lotsisoftheir fish toform catch. everyIfwalleye onlines.

Ottertail last month caught their best fishinin steep weedy break lines.

Finding the righttourney fish holding off steep weedy break not want to join the crowd or at some time you will be faced with the in the lake is always doing the same thing at the same heavy for its weight, due to its slim profile. The key 35-40’: challenge oftobeing thecrowd only angler on thing the ice, so will here a few tipsthe Finding not want the or some time beare faced with in the lake isjoin always doing theatsame atyou the same 35-40’: the right fish holding elements for the fish you Finding the right fish isholding toare present it with a subtle lift-and-drop action. depth.

There’s a lot of fish that do a lot of different things. challenge of being the only angler on the ice, so here are a few tips “For years, we tended to fish along shorelines where tochallenge remember the next time it happens to you and you want to find fish. depth. There’s a lot ofthe fishonly thatangler do a loton of different of being the ice, things. so here are a few tips elements for the fish you are after is fairly easy with ayou lake elements for the fish are Some anglers have aall hard timedeep... learning the jigging “I was amazed.

The big fish than And that holds true all the time.” to remember the next time it happens to you and you want to find fish. theto wind had holds recently been beating.

But after to a lot of and you want to find fish. after is fairly easy “I was The big fish allcame came deep...deeper deeper than And that alltime the time.” remember thetrue next it happens you with a deep lake map.

Ifisthe lake has oneamazed. after fairly easy with a lake motion required for this technique.

In that case, I normal... deeper than most of us had expected.

And we’re experimenting, found that not tothe be kind true inofmany normal... deeper than most of us had expected.

And we’re Your first stepI’ve is to understand water you are going to fish. map.

Ifthen thethe lake has one deep hole, you would start map.

If lake has one deep have them use a split-shot rig (1/8-here or 3/16-oz hearing that’s true ofofour lakes ininthe Here is ais couple ofthat Al’s favourite bites forfor you toare cases.

But I’ve found easier fool shallow Your first step is to thetothe kind of of water going to to fish. hearing that’s truefor foraeither anumber number our lakes here the Here astep couple of Al’s favourite bites you toare This will mean getting ait’s lake map and looking atyou the types of structure Your first is understand to understand kind water you going fish. hole, then you would start there for crappie.

If a lake hole, then you would start split shot) with a hook and lip-hooked minnow on Brainerd area.” capitalize on this summer. walleyes in water that’s murkier due to wind or Brainerd area.”

This will mean getting a lake map and looking at the types of structure capitalize on this summer. you have to you at this time oflooking year. Remember, your ability there This willavailable mean getting a lake map and at the types of structure forforcrappie.

If Ifaa #2 lake is there a maze ofcrappie. structure, VMC Octopus Hook, with just enough weight athen lake current.

Fortunately, theyou process of ice-out tends you have available to at this time of of year.

Remember, ability toyou travel on available a lake may be limited to foot power or poor iceyour conditions have to you at this time year.

Remember, your ability is a maze of structure, then it is best to break the lake to gently fall.

A light slip-sinker rig works, too.”

When wall-dawgs are is a maze of When structure, then 1.travel WEED BITE wall-dawgs arehugging huggingbottom bottomthat thatdeep, deep,Al’s Al’s to stir up on lake and the reach shallows cloudier than later inconditions season.

1.travel WEED BITE to asediments lake may becan limited to safely. foot power poor may limit the you It is or always aice good idea to itinto to on aareas lake may be limited toare foot power or poor icethe conditions is best to break the lake small regions that you can work without getting too confused. fav is snappin’ a Jigging Rap ‘cuz he says “nothing can it is best to break the lake fav is snappin’ a Jigging Rap ‘cuz he says “nothing can That makes it easier toknown sneak up on walleyes.

Ifdestinations, you’re fishing aasuper-clear lake, may limit the areas you can reach safely.

Itdestinations, is good idea to to into In most larger lakes as go-to walleye know the roads and the various winter access surround regions that you can work without getting too confused. may limit the areas you can reach safely.

It always is points alwaysthat a good idea “The best rod for these livebait techniques isand aand 7’better.” medium-power spinning rod Your first goal on most lakes is to establish the edge of weed line. trigger those fish faster Not every area ofof In most larger lakes known as go-to walleye intosmall small regions that you can work without getting too confused. trigger those fish faster better.”

Notthe every area it’s critical to be very quiet and make long casts to avoid spooking fish.

Walleyes know the roads and the various winter access points that surround there’s always an active population of weed walleyes: any given lake. first goal on most lakes is to establish the edge of the weed line. know the roadsanand thepopulation various winter access points that surround Your with a soft tip.

Walleyes will start to load the rod when they bite, so a stiff rod 25-40’ will hold a population of active walleyes.

This bite requires a good there’s always active of weed walleyes: Most winter lakes get far clearer then they do in the summer, and Your first most lakesofisactive to establish theThis edge the weed line.

25-40’ willgoal holdon a population walleyes. biteofrequires a good remain in that shallow zone because of the abundance of baitfish there, as well any given lake.

Most winter lakes get far clearer then they do inbattle the summer, and doesn’t work.

Simply raise the rod to setor the hook and the is on!” sonar/GPS unit.

Navigate to reefs or humps surrounded by deeper water any given lake. some of the biggest sunfish in the lake move into the old weed line Most winter lakes get far clearer then they do in the summer, and sonar/GPS unit.

Navigate to reefs humps surrounded by deeper water as its“Day relativein, warmth, compared to the depths.

Keep an eye out for feeding Al: day out, youyou can catch ’em’em in the middle ofbirds any weeds When it comes to finding fish, every time you try tomiddle make rules as to some that top out between 25-40’ and only fish where you see schools of fish or of the biggest sunfish in the lake move into the old weed line Al: “Day in, day out, can catch in the of any weeds for protection from predators.

Checking the edge of the weed line isor Courtesy ofsee targetwalleye.com that top schools of fishline some of out thebetween biggest25-40’ sunfishand in only the fish lakewhere moveyou into old weed too, especially loons or fishable gulls. If you see activity, head in that direction.” sparse to be and pull a bait through. population When itenough comes finding fish, every time you try to “That make rules asas to to for bait on the screen. where you SHOULD find fish, the rules Like catching sunfish protection from predators.

Checking the edge of the weed line sparse to be fishable and pull achange. bait through.

“That population When itenough comes finding fish, every time you try to make rules even youfrom are near a pointChecking or inside the turnedge where baitbetter on theifscreen. for protection predators. of the thedeep weedwater lineisis of fish is active earlier and late in the day.

They get out of the denser where you SHOULD find fish, the rules change.

Like catching sunfish atwhere night, many would agree that sunfish bite night, but in some better if you areare near a point oror inside of fishyou is active earlier and late thedon’t day.

TheyatLike get out of the densereven SHOULD find fish, theinrules change. catching sunfish comes closest shore. even better iftoyou near a point insideturn turnwhere wherethe thedeep deepwater water weeds and they’ll come upthat near the surface, rise in the weeds, “Ifcomes you hunt for them with your electronics, you’ll find them – they at night, many would agree sunfish don’t bite athigh night, but in some weeds and they’ll come up near the surface, rise high in the weeds, closest to shore. lakes, you don’t catch the really big ones until the sun goes down…

“If you hunt for them with your electronics, you’ll find them – theystick stick at night, many would agree that sunfish don’t bite at night, but in some comes closest to shore. and come out to the edges.” out when they’re there.” lakes, you don’t catch the really big ones until the sun goes down… and come out to the edges.” golakes, figure.you Here arecatch a few the good guidelines to use begin don’t really big ones untiltothe sunyour goessearch, down… out when they’re there.”

Courtesy of: www.vexilar.com go go figure.

Here are a few good guidelines to use to begin your search, figure. Here are a few good guidelines to use to begin your search, Courtesy Courtesyof:of:www.vexilar.com www.vexilar.com PRESENTS PRESENTS PRESENTS

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2024 CHEVROLET SILVERADO HD

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RYAN MCNAMARA RYAN MCNAMARA PETER KANE FLEET/SALES MANAGER FLEET/SALES MANAGER MANAGER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 613 797 8950 613539 7975437 8950 613 RMCNAMARA@TUBMANCHEV.COM RMCNAMARA@TUBMANCHEV.COM pkane@tubmanchev.com

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SALES SERVICE & PARTS MAX. AVAIL. PAYLOAD 7,290 lb. / (3,306 kg)

MAX. AVAIL. TORQUE GM EST. 975 lb. - ft.

Just JustFishing Fishing. .53 55

For the Love of COOKING

COOKING

“Tapenade” is a garnish that originated in Southern France and can be used in a multitude of applications. The salty olives along with the nutty almonds and

floral lemon is an exceptional pairing with the trout.

The simplicity in this dish speaks for itself and can impress guests and family alike. If you desire a bit more sustenance in the dish, cook up some aromatic Jasmine rice, a perfect combination!

with Cameron Tait

BAKED TROUT WITH ALMOND & OLIVE TAPENADE (Yield: 4 Servings)

INGREDIENTS: TAPENADE:

4 x 5oz Trout fillets 2 Cloves Garlic, chopped 6 Black Olives, seeded, chopped 60ml Sundried Tomatoes, in oil, chopped 50ml Slivered Almonds, chopped 15 ml Parsley, chopped 30 ml Olive Oil 10 mil Lemon Juice Kosher Salt & Pepper, pinch

SALAD: 3 cups Assorted Field Greens 10 Heirloom Tomatoes, cut in half 60ml Olive Oil 30ml Balsamic Vinegar 5ml Dijon Mustard 5ml Liquid Honey Kosher Salt & Pepper Lemon Wedges, optional

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350F0.

Clean and fillet trout, remove pin ones with fish tweezers and cut into 5oz (150g) portions.

If desired, the skin can be left on.

In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients for the tapenade and combine. Using a parchment lined baking sheet, place the trout skin side down then top with tapenade mixture.

Bake for approximately 15-18 minutes.

While trout is cooking, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey and seasoning, add salad greens, tomatoes and toss.

When trout is finished, plate together with salad, can serve with lemon wedges.

Happy Cooking!

Editor’s Note: Avid outdoors person, competitive angler, 2-time gold medal winning chef at the Culinary World Olympics and educator Cameron Tait truly loves being in the outdoors. Cameron is an active member of the Manitoba Wildlife Federation, Walleye Anglers Assoc. of Manitoba, Central Walleye Trail and on the Pro Staff team for Alumacraft / Suzuki and Minn Kota / Humminbird.

When not pursuing his passion for the outdoors, Certified Chef du Cuisine Cameron can be found surrounded by mouth watering food.

Just Fishing . 54

Spring 2023