Fishing 101

BY TIM ALLARD

MY FREE TIME is often spent wetting a line in search of a school of fish and, with luck, the odd trophy. Being on the water is rejuvenating, and trying to solve the ever-changing “where are the fish” puzzle makes every outing unique and a fun challenge.

Over the years, I’ve introduced many friends to the sport. Almost always they have a blast, and when they don’t it’s usually because of bad weather or the fish just weren’t biting (it happens). It doesn’t cost a lot to get started in fishing and if you’re often out in a canoe or kayak, it’s easy to turn your tour into a troll. If you’ve never fished before, it’s a good idea to find a friend who’s already “hooked.” Ask him or her to take you along. Most anglers will share their insight and fishing tips; just don’t expect waypoints to their best spots.

Let’s look at some things you need to get started, because there’s no shortage of fishing opportunities in the Ottawa area.

Most anglers prefer to fish from a boat. (I’ll cover shoreline fishing in the magazine’s Summer/Fall issue). One big advantage of a boat is you’re able to cover a lot of water, and with luck find more fish. A 14-foot aluminum boat is a staple at many cottages and a great, basic outfit for fishing. Canoes and kayaks are good to fish from too, but can be tricky in waves or wind. Rod holders, an anchor, and cushion seats can help customize your outfit for comfort and convenience. Also remember to carry the proper safety equipment (e.g. extra paddle, life jackets, a throw bag, a bailer and a noise device like a whistle).

The Ottawa area is home to a variety of fish species. Small, scrappy panfish – rock bass, bluegills, sunfish, perch and crappie – are great to introduce children to fishing. Mostly found in shallow water and in good numbers, usually panfish are willing to bite. A small worm on a tiny hook, suspended below a small bobber, will fool them in most situations.

Game fish, which are commonly targeted by serious anglers, include smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, pike and muskie. Trout species can be found in lakes within an hour’s drive of Ottawa. Other less sought-after game fish include catfish and carp.

Rods, reels, line and lures range from the basic to the specialized. Trying to sort out what to use can be a challenge, but your fishing friends will help. A 6½-foot, medium action spinning rod makes a good all-round rod. The medium action provides enough strength to land a big fish but also bends enough for the little ones. Match it with a reel spooled with six- to eight-pound test line. The rated test of a line is the amount of weight it can take before breaking, and six- to eight-pound line is a good choice for most game fish. When fishing with children, opt for a shorter rod to keep the combo’s weight down. My original outfit caught hundreds of fish, and although that specific combo is gone, I use a similar one to fish jigs (explained below). This rod and reel setup can cost around $100, with higheror lower-end models available too. When it comes to tackle and lures, the choices can seem endless when you factor in colours, sizes, styles and even smells or scents. However, there are some basics to get you started. My top three beginner baits are jigs, crankbaits and spinnerbaits.

Jigs are hooks with weighted heads. To make them more appetizing to fish, they’re tipped with live bait or softplastic bodies. Plastics come in a variety of shapes, with minnow imitations or twister tails being popular choices. Jigs are great for fishing the bottom.

Cast them out and reel them in, or let them sink and then hop them along the bottom to imitate a scurrying minnow, insect or crayfish. Keep in mind that when you fish on the bottom, you risk getting snagged and you’ll occasionally lose a bait that won’t come free. Snags are one of the biggest problems for new anglers, but even professional anglers have to deal with them. If you don’t

PHOTO BY ROBERT FAUBERT – www.holeriders.com

want to risk your new lures, simply fish with ones that stay off the bottom, like crankbaits or spinnerbaits.

Crankbaits are hard-bodied, minnowlook-a-like lures with a round lip on their front. When you reel them in, the lip causes them to dive downward and makes them wiggle. Reeling in for a few seconds and then pausing before reeling again is a great way to work these baits. The bigger the lip, the deeper they dive. Don’t buy a deep-diving bait if you want to stay off bottom. That said, a dynamite tactic is banging crankbaits over rocks to get the attention of nearby fish. Crankbaits are particularly effective when fishing for bass, walleye and pike, and are great trolling lures.

Spinnerbaits or in-line spinners have hair or rubber skirt bodies as well as blades. These are great casting baits. When reeled in, the blades spin, creating flash and vibration, while the fine rubber or hair pulsates with a tempting tempo. Cast these baits around weeds and rocky areas, especially if it’s windy. They’ll fool almost any game fish out there and tiny models will take crappie and perch. Best of all, as long as you keep reeling with a steady retrieve, and don’t fish too shallow, it’s unlikely you’ll hit bottom.

A fish “bite” ranges from subtle to aggressive. When you feel a hit, it’s important to set the hook. Doing this well involves half art and half science. When a fish hits a bait, it isn’t necessarily hooked. Anglers need to tug on a tight line to ensure the hook takes hold in the fish’s mouth. Different fish and baits require different powered hooksets. In most cases a quick snap of the rod upward on a tight line will do.

Once it’s hooked, keep steady pressure on a fish. Let the rod absorb the fight, keeping it pointed at about 10 o’clock. If there’s no bend in the rod, the line can go slack and a fish might shake free. Don’t overtire fish, especially if you plan to release it. Land fish with a net (preferably rubber treated so as not to remove their protective slime). Wet your hands and be gentle when handling them. Stay away from their eyes and fragile gills. Carry a pair of needle-nose pliers to carefully remove hooks from fish. Follow this rule if taking a picture. Hold your breath when you bring the fish out of the water; when you need to breathe so does the fish, and the photo shoot is over.

There’s nothing wrong with occasionally keeping a few fish for the table. It’s best to keep smaller species, which tend to be tastier than larger ones, but larger fish contribute more eggs during a spawn and will pass on their big-fish genes keeping population stocks healthy. Practising catch-and-release in over-fished urban areas is important to conserve the fishery.

Dispatch fish quickly, and put them in a cooler on ice before cleaning them. Various books describe how to clean fish with step-by-step photographs. The Ministry of the Environment’s Guide to Eating Ontario Sport Fish provides recommendations on how often you should eat certain fish species from various regions in Ontario. It includes information for women of

Ontario residents between 18 and 65 years of age need either a One Year Sport or Conservation Fishing Tag affixed to an Outdoors Card. Day licences are also available. For details visit: www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/fishing/ for the 2005-2006 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary. For details on sport fishing in Quebec, visit: www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/english/publications/online/ wildlife/fishing-regulations/

Petrie Island Bait and Tackle, Ottawa, 841-0778 Sports Action, Ottawa, 741-0999 LeBaron Outdoor Products, Ottawa, 596-4415 Voyager Depot, Ottawa, 741-3161 Bits and Baits, Stittsville, 831-9799 Paddletales, Winchester, 774- 2277 Bennett’s Bait & Tackle, Smiths Falls, 283-0683 Bait Casters, Mississippi Lake, 264-9696 Manotick Bait & Tackle, Manotick, 692-4142

Catch Fishing – www.catchfishing.com The Ottawa Valley Tourist Association –www.ottawavalley.org 800-757-6580 Visit www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/fishing/ottawa/ ottawariversites.htm for Ottawa urban angling spots.

OUTFITS FOR SPECIES

SUNFISH & BLUEGILLS 5-6 foot ultra light, spinning

BLACK CRAPPIE & PERCH

SMALLMOUTH BASS

LARGEMOUTH BASS

PIKE

WALLEYE

RAINBOW OR BROOK TROUT

CATFISH 6-7 foot ultra light or light, spinning

6-7 foot light to medium, spinning or baitcast 6-7 foot, mediumheavy to heavy spinning or baitcast 6-7 foot, mediumheavy to heavy spinning or baitcast 6-7 foot light to medium, spinning

6-7 foot ultra light or light, spinning

6-7 foot light to medium, spinning

2 to 4

2 to 4

6 to 8

8 to 14

8 to 14 (with a steel leader)

6 to 8

4 to 6

6 to 8

• Small jigs (1/16 – 1/8 ounce) tipped with twister tail grubs, pieces of worm • Micro lures, like crankbaits • Small jigs (1/16 – 1/8 ounce) tipped with twister tail grubs, or tinsel, pieces of worm • Micro lures, like crankbaits • Small in-line spinners • Jigs (1/8 – 1/4 ounce) with twister tails or tubes • Spinnerbaits and in-line spinners • Crankbaits

• Jigs (1/8 – 1/4 ounce) with twister tails or tubes • Spinnerbaits and in-line spinners • Big plastic baits, like lizards or worms between 4-7 inches

• Spinnerbaits and in-line spinners • Spoons • Crankbaits

• Jigs (1/8 – 1/4 ounce) with twister tails or tubes • Crankbaits • In-line spinners • Small spoons • Jigs (1/8 – 1/4 ounce) with twister tails or tubes

• Circle hook with a minnow, several worms or chicken liver

childbearing age and children under 15. The guide is available at LCBO and beer stores.

You don’t need to be fancy when cooking fresh fish. Placing fillets in tinfoil and folding the edges for a tight seal before broiling is my favourite way to cook fish at home. I prepare foil fish with diced onions, garlic, a few lemon slices, and olive oil or a bit of butter. Adding an oil-based salad dressing, other spices, or vegetables are additional ways to play with the taste. Cook the package on high heat (400-425 F or 205-225 C), and allow roughly 10 minutes of cooking time per inch of thickness of fish.

When cooking over a fire, fry fish in a cast iron pan so you can monitor how quickly they cook. Use a bit of butter or bacon grease. Some people use oil for a true fish fry. To prepare the fish, dip fillets in a milk or egg mixture, roll them in flour or breadcrumbs, and then

PHOTO BY TIM ALLARD

drop them in the pan for a few minutes on each side. It’s tough to beat the smell and sound of sizzling fillets over a campfire, not to mention the taste.

There are many fishing opportunities in the nation’s capital with the Ottawa and Rideau rivers running through the city, and the Gatineau coming in from the north. Renfrew and Lanark counties hold dozens of lakes and rivers worth exploring. Quebec also features many opportunities for Ontario residents with a non-resident Quebec licence. Tackle shops and tourism contacts can provide maps and tips on where and when to fish.

If you’re really eager to learn, hire a fishing guide for an instructional day on the water. To introduce children, consider some of the activities associated with National Fishing Week, July 1-9. There are also fishing clubs in Ottawa eager for new members. ≈ Tim Allard is an avid fisherman and outdoor enthusiast who has written for Ottawa Outdoors on many occassion.