Winter 2014

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VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 1 Just $3.95

WINTER 2014

DISPLAY UNTIL APRIL 15, 2014

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Contents Features 30 DEALING WITH TOUGH WINTER BITES Tips for success under tough winter fishing conditions.

By Tom Gruenwald

42 LATE SEASON PERCH Where, when and how to score on late season jumbo perch.

By Wil Wegman

48 BEAT THE BLUEBIRD BLUES A look at summertime tactics for cold front bass.

By David A. Brown

54 WALK-IN WALLEYE Smaller rivers can offer untapped walleye fishing opportunities.

By Mark Forabosco

Winter 2014 Volume 20, Issue 1 Editor Jerry Hughes Art Production Rossi Piedimonte Design Publisher Fred Delsey National Advertising Izumi Outdoors Tel: (905) 632-8679 President Wayne Izumi Contributors David A. Brown, Patrick Daradick, Mark Forabosco, Tom Gruenwald, Bob Izumi, Wayne Izumi, Steve May, Dave Taylor, Tim Tibbitts, Wil Wegman Real Fishing is published by Izumi Outdoors Inc. 940 Sheldon Court Burlington, ON L7L 5K6 Tel: (905) 632-8679 Fax: (905) 632-2833 Privacy Policy: Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies whose products and services might be of interest to our subscribers. If you prefer to have your name removed from this list and not receive these mailings, please write to us at the above address.

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

Published four times each year: January (Winter) April (Spring) July (Summer) October (Fall) One year subscription is $9.95.

For USA add $10 all others add $30.

Subscriptions: Real Fishing 940 Sheldon Court, Burlington ON L7L 5K6

Columns

20

6 OPENING LINES

22 THE VINTAGE TACKLE BOX

By Jerry Hughes

By Patrick Daradick

10 SPORTSMEN’S ALMANAC

24 REAL FISHING FISH FACTS

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

Lake Trout

26 BEST FISHING TIMES 14 WHAT’S NEW

Doug Hannon’s moon phase calendar

The latest in fishing tackle, gear and accessories

28 THE HOT BITE 16 FISHING

By Bob Izumi

62

18 FLY FISHING

By Steve May

20 THE WATER’S EDGE

By Dave Taylor

Subscription inquiries Please call: 1-877-474-4141 or visit www.realfishing.com Canada Post Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40015689 Customer Account No. 2723816 GST Registration No. R102546504

60 TALES FROM THE ROAD

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

The trials and tribulations of life as a professional angler

By Bob Izumi

Contents copyrighted.

All rights reserved.

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

Printed in Canada

64 WHAT’S COOKING 66 ART OF ANGLING

On the cover: KING SIZED CRAPPIES! Photo by Izumi Outdoors

16

opening lines

By Jerry Hughes

Winter Reading As anglers, winter means different things to each of us.

Some of us relish the onset of the hard water fishing season and the new challenges it presents. Others see it as a time to perform maintenance on rods, reels and tackle to ensure everything is in tip-top shape for the spring. Still others wile away the time by expanding their knowledge of fishing by reading books and websites or getting involved in online discussion groups. Like fishing itself, there’s no absolute right or wrong way to get through the next few months – it’s all a matter of personal choice.

With that in mind, this issue of Real Fishing offers a broad range of articles and columns on a variety of fishing related topics. If ice fishing is what you enjoy, we’ve got a couple of great articles that are sure to help you put more fish on the ice this winter.

Tom Gruenwald, of HT Enterprises, makes his living from ice fishing and he is one of North America’s best and most well informed ice anglers. He knows all too well

6 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

that fish sometimes “turn off” and refuse to bite, especially in the winter, and he knows that there is no single way to get them to become active. What Tom does know is that most inactive fish can be coaxed into hitting if they are approached properly.

Tom has come up with several methods to deal with the slow bite syndrome and he shares them in his article, Dealing with Tough Winter Bites.

Award winning outdoor writer and popular ice fishing seminar host, Wil Wegman, is a master ice angler and a previous winner of the Perch Attack ice fishing tournament on Lake Simcoe. Wil also placed first and third respectively in the Perchin’ for MS ice fishing events in 2011 and 2012. He is undoubtedly one of Ontario’s top winter panfish anglers. In his article titled Late Season Perch, Wil shares his knowledge and expertise with 10 tips geared specifically to catching jumbo perch at the end of the ice fishing season.

If open water fishing is more to your liking, you’re sure to enjoy Mark Forabosco’s article on how to catch walleyes in small to medium-sized rivers. The twist is that this story is geared specifically to anglers who fish from shore. Mark covers locations, reading water, baits and the techniques that

will put you on good fishing in just about any river where walleyes swim.

For you bass fans, professional writer and FLW Outdoors correspondent, David A. Brown, uncovers the secrets to catching post frontal bass in his article, Beat the Bluebird Blues. From locations to presentations, David’s article is full of time-tested techniques and pro angler insights that are sure to give you some ideas on how to approach tough bass fishing conditions next summer.

Whether you fish hard through the winter or prefer to use the cold weather months preparing for the coming open water season, we trust you’ll find something of interest in this issue of Real Fishing. Stay safe and have a great winter! ?

Bait Tackle Tims

Š Tim Hortons, 2012

Real Fishing Adven At the end of September, Bob and Wayne Izumi, along with the Real Fishing staff and 8 professional tournament anglers, played host to over 20 sponsors and contest winners from across Canada for a three-day fishing adventure in Haliburton, Ontario.

Canadian Tire and Home Hardware dealers, folks from SC Johnson, CRC contest winners and staff, as well as Toro dealers and the winner of their “Go with a Pro” contest were all treated to great weather, great food and, of course, great fishing. As you can see, everyone had a fantastic time, including us! We can’t wait to do it again next year. Keep an eye on our website, TV show and this magazine for details on the next contest and maybe you will win a chance to join us this fall for a once in a lifetime fishing adventure with Bob Izumi.

(L to R) Pro Angler John Whyte with SC Johnson’s Nick Rombeau and Greg Vrantsis.

The chipping challenge – win the kayak by chipping a ball into it!

Bob Izumi put Home Hardware's David Dishky (left) and Shane Jantzi (right) onto some good smallmouth.

8 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

(L to R) Canadian Tire’s Jason Babbage and Glenn Taylor with Bob Izumi.

r Naugler (R) with David Gammon (L) and Christophe Pro Angler John Whyte.

CRC’s Don Scott caught the biggest smallmouth of the trip.

Wayne Izumi with (L to R) Rick Pointon and Eric Sellars from Canadian Tire in Guelph.

ture in Haliburton Bob with CRC Contest Winner Thomas Lapointe (far right) and his son, Tom.

Wayne Izumi with Toro Contest Winners, brothers John (left) and Bill Sirman.

Gary Thomas and Stephen Nickerson from Home Hardware in Nova Scotia with their Guide, Mike Judge.

Home Hardware Dealers from Valleyview Alberta, Randy Mckinnon (L) and Craig Bellamy (R) with Pro Angler Will Kooy.

Pro Angler Ward Edmonds (second from left) and Bob Izumi with Lance Kalman and Raymond Yaremchuk from Canadian Tire in Red Deer, Alberta.

Bob Izumi with CRC’s Don Scott (L) and Mark Sceeles (R).

Toro Dealers Brad (left) and Billy (far right) Patterson with their Guide, Will Kooy.

Home Hardware’s Dave Chong (middle) with Collingham. in Calv and ) (left dra Ken

Jacques Dore (L) and Francois Riendeau (R), from Canadian Tire, with their Pro Angler, Chris Johnston.

Winter 2014 – Real Fishing 9

NEW SEASON OF REAL FISHING TELEVISION Bob Izumi’s Real Fishing Show kicks off the New Year on January 4th with a brand new season of great fishing adventures. From ice fishing for lake trout on Lake Simcoe to tackling roosterfish off the coast of Costa Rica, Bob and his guests

bring the best fishing information and entertainment there is to the small screen. Check page 13 of this issue or visit our website at www.realfishing.com for the full lineup of show dates and times.

GCAN® WINS TECHNOLOGY GREEN 15™ AWARD Fuel Transfer Technologies Inc. and its GCAN® Portable Refueling System (www.gcan.com) have been awarded the Technology Green 15™ Award at the 2013 Deloitte Technology Fast 50™ Awards. The award is presented to a company for, “developing technology solutions and intellectual property that promotes efficient use of the earth’s resources. The Deloitte Technology Green 15 Award recognizes winners that create technology solutions that reduce environmental impacts while improving operational performance

10 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

and productivity”.

“Deloitte’s Technology Green 15 companies make a positive impact on the environment with innovations that help reduce global warming, and save energy to preserve the environment,” said Richard Lee, Deloitte’s National Managing Partner, Technology, Media & Telecommunications.

Every year in North America, more than 23 million gallons of gasoline are spilled using existing portable fuel containers. The GCAN®, with its patented vapour recovery and automatic shut-off capability, virtually eliminates these dangerous spills while also significantly reducing the volume of harmful gasoline vapours released into the environment. The environmental, safety, and ergonomic benefits of the Canadian made 20L GCAN® have generated considerable consumer and commercial interest across Canada since its release in late 2012.

OUCH! Electronic mapping charts are wonderful tools to help you get around unfamiliar waters but they do have their limitations, as Wayne Izumi found out the hard way. It seems that his chart listed a certain stretch of water at about five-feet deep, plenty of water to run his boat through. The trouble was, the water level had dropped to about three-feet deep

and nobody told the electronic chart about the change. Running wide open, Wayne got a seriously intense lesson on why charts should only be used as guides when a chunk of granite got in the way of his outboard’s skeg and sheared it clean off. Luckily the engine itself wasn’t damaged and the folks at Citywide Propeller Repair in Mississauga were able to fix things up like new.

TORONTO AREA SALMON ENFORCEMENT BLITZ from Toronto, as well as Durham, Halton and Peel regions, checked over 450 people on many of the tributaries. The blitz resulted in 90 charges for a total of $10,930 in fines.The most common offences involved snagging and netting fish, fishing in posted sanctuaries and fishing without a licence. Ten individuals were also issued summonses to appear in court.

The bright spot in all of this is that the Ministry of Natural Resources received over 110 calls from concerned and responsible anglers, and members of the public, to the

In a sad commentary on the ethics of some members of society, the Ministry of Natural Resources announced that they laid 90 charges during a two-weekend enforcement blitz on Lake Ontario tributaries across the Greater Toronto Area during last fall’s salmon migration.

During two weekends in September and October, Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officers from Peterborough, Guelph and Aurora districts, Lake Ontario and the canine unit, along with OPP police officers

MNR TIPS line reporting suspected unlawful fishing activities during the salmon migration. There’s no question that concerned, vigilant and honest anglers can make a difference if they want to. If you see someone committing a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time, or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours to report it.

You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

BLIND ANGLER SCORES TROUT ROYAL SLAM Australian angler Cynthia Stevens is the IGFA’s newest member of the Trout Royal Slam, which she completed in an incredible 15-days during a whirlwind trip through North America. Not only did Cynthia complete her Royal Slam faster than anyone in IGFA history, she did it without the use of her eyes, as Cynthia is legally blind.

Her quest began on September 15th when she caught a brook trout in New Hampshire while fishing with Rick Holloran. Ten days later,

and on the other side of the country, Cynthia caught her golden, rainbow, and brown while fishing the San Joaquin and Owens Rivers in California. After only two days of rest, Cynthia then traveled north to Oregon where she caught her lake, bull, and cutthroat over three consecutive days, while fishing Odell Lake, the Cougar Reservoir, and the Williamette River, respectively.

Although Cynthia accomplished her slam in record time, it was anything but easy.

Because all IGFA Slam & Trophy Clubs must be caught by IGFA rules, Cynthia made sure she

was completely unassisted in all of her seven captures – something she had to reinforce with the helpful guides, all of whom provided testimony to the legitimacy of Cynthia’s captures.

Enthused and invigorated by her success, Cynthia is planning to tackle more IGFA Royal Slams, explaining that they “allow anglers of all abilities to achieve something extraordinary in their passion of fishing.”

EVENTS Calendar KIDS, COPS AND CANADIAN TIRE FISHING DAYS Various dates and locations.

Visit the Kids and Cops website for a complete list of events. www.kidsandcops.ca TORONTO INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW January 11 - 19, 2014 Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place Toronto, ON www.torontoboatshow.com

SPRING FISHING AND BOAT SHOW February 14 - 17, 2014 International Centre, Mississauga, ON www.springfishingandboatshow.com ONTARIO FAMILY FISHING WEEKEND February 15 - 17, 2014 License-free fishing in Ontario www.familyfishingweekend.com OTTAWA BOAT & SPORTSMEN’S SHOW February 20 - 23, 2014 EY Centre, Ottawa, ON www.ottawaboatandsportshow.ca

CALGARY BOAT & SPORTSMEN’S SHOW February 6 - 9, 2014 BMO Centre, Stampede Park Calgary, AB www.calgaryboatandsportshow.ca

MONTREAL HUNTING, FISHING & CAMPING SHOW February 20 - 23, 2014 Place Bonaventure, Montreal, QC www.salonexpertchassemontreal.ca

TORONTO SPORTSMEN’S SHOW February 6 - 9, 2014 Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place Toronto, ON www.torontosportshow.ca

CANADIAN ICE FISHING CHAMPIONSHIP February 21 - 23, 2014 Lake Simcoe Jackson’s Point, ON www.cifc.org

WAWA ICE FISHING DERBY February 28 - March 2, 2014 Wawa, Hawk and Manitowik Lakes.

Wawa, ON www.wawaicefishingderby.com EDMONTON BOAT & SPORTSMEN’S SHOW March 13 - 16, 2014 Edmonton Expo Centre, Northlands Edmonton, AB www.edmontonboatandsportshow.ca NIAGARA SPORTSMEN SHOW March 14 - 16, 2014 Scotiabank Convention Centre Niagara Falls, Ontario www.niagarasportsmenshow.com QUEBEC HUNTING, FISHING & CAMPING SHOW/QUEBEC BOAT SHOW March 20 - 23, 2014 Centre De Foires D’expocité Québec City, QC www.salonexpertchassequebec.ca

Winter 2014 – Real Fishing 11

READER’S PHOTOS

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

Jamie Bruce Kenora, ON Crappie

Paul Michele Stuart, Florida Roosterfish

Tanya Humphrey-Anthony Toronto, ON LM Bass

(L to R) Phil Vitug and sons, Dante and Darius Georgina, ON Smallmouth Bass

Mark and Noah Basaraba Timmins, ON Pike

12 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

Tim Tibbitts Freeport, Bahamas Red Snapper

Catch BOB on the Tube!

BOB IZUMI’S REAL FISHING SHOW SCHEDULE Costa Rican Roosterfish Great Lakes Smallies Lake Simcoe Ice Fishing for Lake Trout Ontario Spring Steelhead Slammin' Swimbait Walleye Grand Bahamas Bonefish Pitching PowerBait for Bass Lake of the Woods Luxury Fishing at Grace Anne Lodge Georgian Bay Bassin' Sunset Country Crappies Inshore/Offshore Fishing at Zancudo Lodge Kenora Walleye Niagara River Fall Steelhead

January 4 January 11 January 18 January 25 February 1 February 8 February 15 February 22 March 1 March 8 March 15 March 22 March 29

STATION LISTING & AIRING TIMES* MARKET

PROV./STATE

STATION

DATE & AIR TIMES

Atlantic Canada

Atlantic Canada

Global (CIHF)

Saturday 8:00 am

Calgary

AB

Global (CICT)

Saturday 10:30 am

Edmonton

AB

Global (CITV)

Saturday 10:30 pm

Ontario

ON

Global (CIII)

Saturday 7:30 am

Quebec

QC

Global (CKMI)

Saturday 8:30 am

Regina

SK

Global (CFRE)

Saturday 7:30 am

Saskatoon

SK

Global (CFSK)

Saturday 7:30 am

Vancouver

BC

Global (CHAN)

Saturday 10:30 am

Winnipeg

MB

Global (CKND)

Saturday 7:30 am

Canada/USA

Canada/USA

WFN

Check www.wfn.tv for dates and times

*Station listings, airtimes and show descriptions are subject to change.

Please refer to your local television listings for the latest show schedules.

NEW

What’s

2014

WINTER WARMTH Men’s Back to Hells Mountain™ Interchange Jacket Columbia’s new waterproof, breathable, three-in-one winter jacket features a fully seam-sealed outer shell with an adjustable storm hood, underarm venting, media and goggle pockets, and a drop tail for extra coverage in poor weather. The insulated plaid shirt jacket liner features thermal reflective lining to help retain body heat and it zips out so you can wear it on its own.

Men's Baselayer Heavyweight Long Sleeve Top Featuring Columbia’s innovative body-mapped design, this baselayer top has Omni-Heat® reflective dots in zones that need warmth most and OmniWick™ in high-perspiration zones for maximum moisture transmission. The supple fabric has flat-lock stitching to avoid chafing, raglan sleeves for extended range of motion and an antimicrobial treatment to protect it from bacterial growth.

www.columbiasportswear.ca

HANDS-FREE ICE FISHING HT Enterprise’s new Bucket Rocker Rod Holder is a lightweight, easy-storing system that hooks onto any five or six-gallon bucket. The arm extends out to a unique pivoting cradle that allows you to jig by rocking your rod without removing it from the holder and the open frame design lets you lift your rod freely, quickly and easily when it’s time to set the hook. The Bucket Rocker Rod Holder can also be employed as a stationary rod holder or as a tip-down style bite indicator.

www.icefish.com

NO MESS MAINTENANCE Sierra’s Lower Unit Fill/Drain Kit features two marine-grade, 304 stainless steel fittings that permanently replace the upper vent plug and lower drain plugs on Mercury or Evinrude/Johnson outboard or stern drive lower units. Both fittings feature a ball check valve that prevents any outward flow of lubricant and the lower fitting contains a small magnet that attracts and holds metal particles. Service adapters screw into the fittings, disengaging the check valves and allowing fluid to flow in and out of the lower unit for a no-mess inspection or gear oil change.

The kit also includes a debris cap for the lower fitting and a key ring tool for installing and removing the adapters and debris cap.

www.seastarsolutions.com

14 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

We welcome submissions from manufacturers and distibutors for our New Products section. Products that appear in this section have not necessarily been tested or endorsed by the staff at Real Fishing. Submissions can be sent to: Editor, Real Fishing Magazine, 940 Sheldon Court, Burlington, ON L7L 5K6

RANGER Z518C AND Z519C Ranger’s new Z518C and Z519C bring all the features and performance of Ranger’s Z500C Series to a mid-sized platform.

Rated for 200 and 225-horsepower respectively, the Z518C and Z519C come factory-equipped with a setback plate, a Lowrance HDS7 at the console and HDS5 at the bow, a Minn Kota Fortrex trolling motor and a recessed foot pedal. Both boats have 8-foot center and portside rod lockers and are available in single or dual console designs. Innovations include a remote drain plug that allows water to be drained without manually removing the plug, and an external charger plug allowing batteries to be charged without the need to leave any compartment hatches open. Both the Z518C and Z519C come with a custom-matched RangerTrail® trailer, equipped with a Road Armor finish, LED lights, aluminum wheels, ratchet tie downs, and COOL Hub lubrication system as standard equipment.

www.rangerboats.com

FLIP OUT! UltraTungsten’s “Da Bomb” is a compact, 9/16-ounce flipping/punching jig made of 97% tungsten. Smaller than most similarly weighted jigs, Da Bomb is ideal for making finesse presentations to fish in heavy cover. A 140-strand living rubber skirt adds action that calls fish in and the premium 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG heavy wire hook is strong enough to haul the biggest bass out of the nastiest places without bending or breaking. Da Bomb also features a collar for adding rattles and comes in six proven colours.

www.ultratungsten.com

SEEING IS BELIEVING Costa has revealed three new sunglass designs that offer the clearest vision while protecting your eyes from outside glare.

Tuna Alley offers a large, wrap-around fit, front frame vents to alleviate lens fogging and a no-slip interior lining to keep the sunglasses comfortably in place all day. Available in tortoise, matte black, white, crystal and blackout frame colors, Tuna Alley can be fitted with the full spectrum of patented Costa 580™ lenses and can also accommodate prescription sun lenses.

Cat Cay features front frame vents, no-slip nose pads and an open slot in the sunglass arms to attach a gripper retainer cord. Cat Cay is available in tortoise and shiny black, as well as the new blackout and sky frame colors, and can be fitted with prescription sun lenses.

Inlet features a medium fit with a deep square shape, flexible spring hinges, nearly indestructible co-injected molded nylon frames and no-slip nose pads. Inlet sunglasses are available in tortoise, shiny black and the new pink coral and pomegranate fade frame colors.

www.costadelmar.com Winter 2014 – Real Fishing 15

fishing

Bob Izumi is the host of The Real Fishing Show.

By Bob Izumi

Gearing Up For Ice Fishing Now that winter has arrived it’s time to start thinking about ice fishing. Over the past few years there have been some real advances in ice fishing equipment and techniques.

Today’s ice anglers have more quality gear to choose from than ever before. That, combined with new knowledge of fish movements under the ice, has led to an explosion in the popularity of ice fishing. Let’s take a look at some of the innovations that are available and how they can help you catch more fish through the ice this winter.

One of the best things to hit the ice-fishing scene in recent years are monofilament lines that are specifically designed for use in sub-zero weather. They are extremely soft and supple and they resist kinking and coiling. With these lines you can use extremely light baits and still maintain a feel for them, even in deep water. That means extra sensitivity to help you detect even the lightest bites. And don’t forget the “super” lines – braided, fused, co-polymer and so on. All of these have their place in ice fishing; especial-

16 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

ly in situations where a combination of power and sensitivity are needed.

Today’s ice fishing rods have been designed to take advantage of the extra sensitivity the new lines provide.

You can get ice fishing rods in an incredible selection of

lengths, actions and power ratings to suit just about any type of fish you’re after. A lot of the better ice fishing rods are made from graphite and they are comparable in quality to your regular open water models.

There’s no need to wrap fishing line around a stick or to tape a reel onto an old broken rod anymore.

What about punching holes through the ice? Axes and spuds are way too much work and chainsaws are just plain dangerous. Portable augers are definitely the way to go. Manual ice augers are light and they do a great job of cutting through moderately thick ice. Gas powered models are fast and will cut through thick ice in no time.

There are even electric ice augers that work off of an electric, rechargeable drill.

Whichever style of auger you decide on, remember to keep the blades sharp if you want to get the best performance out of it.

In the winter, fish still relate to drop-offs, weed lines, shoals and points, just like they

do in the warmer months so you should look for cover and structure before you start drilling holes. In the old days we’d turn a section of lake into Swiss cheese by drilling dozens of holes all around an area, then lower weighted lines down to determine what depth we were at. Today’s ice anglers can choose from many different models of portable depth finders, like Lowrance’s Ice Machines, that have been specifically designed for use on the ice.

Many of today’s units are available with GPS capabilities so you can zero in on the best areas before you start drilling holes.

You can even use an iPhone with a Navionics GPS app to find those hotspots.

Using electronics is a lot more efficient - and a lot less work – than drilling random holes all over the lake!

Nothing is worse than trying to fish when you’re cold and that goes double for ice fishing. That’s why the ice hut has been a fixture on frozen lakes for years. The only problem with a hut is that it isn’t really portable. I mean, you wouldn’t want to move a plywood hut around to 8 or 10 times in a day would you? That’s where portable shelters come in. These are lightweight, windproof and most of them fold relatively flat so they can be transported easily. The floors of these huts are made of plastic and they can be loaded up with all your gear and pulled along like a sled.

So now that we’ve got all of the equipment, how do we move it to the fishing grounds?

Take your pick – snowmobile, ATV or a specialty vehicle like the SnoBear. Even though these can represent a large investment, you should think of them like you would think about your boat. They open up huge areas that you just can’t reach if you are on foot, they make it possible to carry all of your gear along with you and, with proper maintenance, they will last for years.

Ice fishing has always been a popular pastime in Canada and, with today’s gear, anglers can expect more hard-water success with less effort than ever before. ?

The new Revo reels are silky smooth, fit my hand PERFECTLY, have powerful drags and matching Abu Garcia rods that are simply second to none!

-Bob Izumi

WINCH™ INSHORE

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

fly fishing

By Stephen May

Finding Fish This past fall I snuck out for a short steelhead outing. I jammed a couple of hours of fishing between meetings on a busy day and I guess the flows were just right, according to internet, as there were tons of cars in the lot on that Tuesday afternoon.

I headed down the trail expecting to see hordes of anglers at all of the good spots.

Surprisingly, there were several good openings on prime water. I had a great day.

The new linked-in era of fly anglers know how to take advantage of information resources to find out when the conditions are right. But, they do not always have the skill in the finer points of the sport to be able to take advantage of prime conditions. You just can’t Google that. Thank goodness!

Even in perfect conditions, you need to make a good presentation to exactly where the fish are positioned.

In a river situation, you need to understand where fish are located in order to consistently get your fly in high percentage water on every cast. This is more effective than getting your fly into as much water as possible.

The most basic form of river reading is to look for things that make fish happy. Fish are lazy and don’t like the direct current.

They want food brought to them and they do not want to be eaten! If you can identify places where these basic needs are met, you have successfully read the river!

Fish do not sit in the full brunt of the current for very long periods of time so I usually keep my fly out of the fastest water. Fish use the current to feed, and swirling water can provide protection from predators, so look for fish to hold at the edges of strong flows.

An obstruction, like a log our boulder, or a structural change in the river - like the convergence of two flows or a depth change can provide the conditions fish seek. A couple of key things to look for are colour 18 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

changes and surface bubble trails.

Colour changes in the water often reveal depth and current changes. Dark spots on the bottom are often deeper, calmer resting spots that fish hold in. Dark patches in the form of slick spots near fast water, or in a pool below fast water, are often key fishholding areas so get your fly in there!

Concentrations of bubbles can point you to holding fish as well. Concentrated lines of bubbles often reveal two currents coming together, concentrating both food and fish.

Converging currents also create eddies that provide places where fish can hold comfortably. I fish bubble trails whenever I

encounter them. Presenting nymphs through dark spots and along bubble trails is a super way to find more fish on just about any river.

To better read the river, polarized glasses are a must. Without them it can be a lot like reading a book in a dark room. Polarized glasses remove glare from the water, allowing you to better see the contours of the bottom, boulders, logs, other cover and even fish. This adds a whole new dimension to your fishing.

Next time you are on the water, take the time to interpret the conditions and read the river’s clues. Before long you will begin to understand that the flow and character of the water can direct you to the fish much more effectively than an internet site can. ?

C139 - 33 Gram Manual Inflatable Personal Flotation Device

FLOTATION WHEN YOU NEED IT FREEDOM WHEN YOU DON’T

A low-profile design for everyday use without the bulk. When you need flotation protection, just pull the lanyard and let the CO2 technology inflate the vest instantly.

(Shown before and after inflation, also available in an auto inflate model)

www.stearns.colemancanada.ca

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

water’s edge

By Dave Taylor

Red Squirrel The Red squirrel is heard more often that it is seen by anglers. Its preferred habitat has to have pine trees or other conifers and, in places where there is a combination of good fishing waters and these trees, this squirrel will likely be encountered.

It is the smallest of our tree squirrels and weighs only about half of what the Grey squirrel weighs - a mere 140 to 300 grams (5 to 11 ounces). Surprisingly, it often succeeds in driving off its larger relative when the two species meet at a bird feeder. Red squirrels are known to be very aggressive and will also chase off gray jays, blue jays and other Red squirrels.

They will confront their main night-time predator, Great Horned owls, and harass them during the day with their loud, angry chirping until the owl flies off to a quieter retreat. Grey squirrels make a deeper, grunting sound when they are alarmed. Skilled squirrel hunters can reproduce this sound by striking two stones together but the red

20 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

squirrel’s long “chirr” sound is much more difficult to replicate.

Black bears (and out west, grizzlies) are, if not a direct threat, a major annoyance.

Red squirrels cache their horde of seeds that may contain up to 50 litres (over a bushel) of pine nuts. There may be several such middens in the squirrel’s territory and each pile of seeds is jealously guarded against interlopers. Bears seek out these middens and will ravenously consume the high protein nuts. When bears uncover one of these seed caches there is little the tiny squirrel can do except voice its anger.

Red squirrels also eat mushrooms, acorns, berries, birch and aspen buds, maple sap and even bark. They are also

predators of a sort and will eat insects, bird’s eggs and nestlings. They will even eat carrion; however, animal matter makes up just a small part of their diet.

Found all across Canada and the Northern USA wherever there are suitable stands of pine trees, the red squirrel is replaced on the West Coast by a close relative, the Douglas tree squirrel. This squirrel has an almost green-gray look to it, rather than the red coat that gave our more widely ranging squirrel its name.

Red squirrels nest in holes in trees (often made by woodpeckers); in other abandoned burrows or in nests they build themselves out of leaves, twigs and bark, called a “dray”. The nests are lined with shredded vegetation for insulation.

In these nests the female gives birth to between three and seven babies. Most will not survive their first year but a few lucky ones may live to be nearly seven-years old.

There is no shortage of predators: owls, hawks, coyotes, foxes, weasels, fishers, bobcats and lynx will all dine on them. The marten is its most dangerous enemy. Unlike the other predators, martens seemed to be virtually designed to hunt red squirrels.

They are agile tree climbers, small enough to enter the squirrel’s drays and they can keep pace with the squirrel as it flees from branch to branch.

The call of this tiny squirrel is a familiar one to anyone who enters its habitat. Next time you hear it, give a listen and try figure out what may have set it off. ?

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the vintage tackle box

Patrick Daradick has been collecting vintage fishing tackle for over 25-years and is a specialist in Ontario made tackle. He enjoys sharing his passion and knowledge and can be contacted online at www.ontariolures.com or by phone at 613-398-7245.

By Patrick Daradick

The Blades of Delany Some of the most collectable Canadian-made metal fishing lures are those crafted by the Delanys, of Cobourg, Ontario. These prize finds date back to the pre-1900s and were manufactured right up into the 1910-1920 era.

The Delanys were ahead of their time as tackle makers and were well known businessmen in the city of Cobourg. Theirs is a name etched in the history of the city. They designed very unique and distinct styles of trolling spoons in copper, brass, silver and plated metal, in a wide range of sizes, and designs. What truly made some of their lures unique was a hand-hammered or dimpled pattern on the blades.

Blades stamped with J&H Delany are the earliest of the Delany baits. These date back as far as 1868 and the stamping stood for John and (Thomas) Henry Delany. J&H Delany were in business on Division Street in Cobourg during this time period and

were manufactures of trolling baits, duck decoys and hunting knives.

The partnership of J&H Delany was dissolved four-years later and this would lead to the change in the stampings on Delany blades. John Delany moved to Orillia, Ontario, and his blades were marked F.J. Delany. Henry Delany continued to manufacture lures in Cobourg, Ontario under the stamping of T.H Delany, for about another three-years.

William Delany Sr. was manufacturing fishing tackle around the year 1875, selling his fishing tackle out of his jewellery store business on King Street in Cobourg.

William Delany’s metal lures were stamped

simply, W. Delany, Cobourg. These lures also had very unique dimpled patterns and were offered in many shapes and sizes. His success with fishing tackle out-performed his two cousins, John and Henry.

Croft & Sons Tackle Co. offered William Delany’s wares in their catalogue dating back to 1900-1902. William Delany passed away in 1912 but the family continued selling his fishing tackle on into the 1920’s.

The Delanys certainly were the founders of the earliest designs of Canadian metal fishing lures and for 50-years they designed and manufactured some fascinating varieties. In fact, some Delany patterns were copied by other tackle makers and certainly one early lure manufactured by Pflueger was based on a Delany design.

As far as collector value and rarity, the Orillia-made baits stamped, F.J. Delany, are the rarest and most valuable. These lures, if they can be found, would certainly find values well over the $500 range. Lures from around 1868 to the 1870s and stamped with J&H or T&H are also scarce and highly sought after. These baits would rank next in value. Plain blade, W. Delany lures follow, ranging in value from $75-$125, while the ones with dimpled blades command a much higher value.

Delany lures are some of the most prized finds in Canadian tackle history so take a peek into that old family tackle box. If you see the name “Delany” stamped on that unique shaped, dimpled patterned metal lure, you have just found a very nice piece of Canadian history. Enjoy it! ?

22 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

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real fishing fish facts

Lake Trout

DID YOU KNOW? Lake trout are one of the only cool water game fish species that are native only to North America.

Salvelinus namaycush

A member of the char family, the lake trout is a uniquely Canadian fish. They are easily recognized by their long, somewhat rounded shape, deeply forked tail and body which is covered with light spots on a darker background.

Lake trout range in colour from almost silver to light green or gray, dark green, brown or almost black along the back, depending on the particular water body it inhabits. The flanks are lighter and fade to white or milky on the belly. The pectoral, pelvic and anal fins have an orange to orange-red hue with the narrow, white leading edge that is common to members of the char family.

Lake trout are native to North America but have been transplanted to such locations as New Zealand, South America and Sweden. In Canada they can be found in southwestern Nova Scotia; throughout New Brunswick and most of Quebec; in northern Labrador; across most of Ontario; through northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan; across most of Alberta (except the extreme southeast) as well as in northern British Columbia and throughout the Territories. Interestingly, lake trout are absent from most of the Hudson and James

24 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

Bay lowlands, an area that encompasses most of northwestern Quebec and the extreme north and northeastern portions of Ontario.

Lake trout spawn in the autumn, between September and December, in water between 48ºF and 57ºF. They prefer to spawn over large areas of lakes with boulder or rubble bottoms but they are also known to occasionally spawn in rivers. The eggs fall into cracks and crevices where they will remain for between four and five-months before hatching in March or April.

Due to their preference for deep, cool waters, lake trout are most accessible to anglers immediately after ice-out in the spring, or during the winter months when they become a primary target for ice-fishermen. For most of the summer they prefer to remain in the hypolimnion, the area below the thermocline, in water temperatures around 50ºF. Across most of the southern and central parts of their range, anglers

FAST FACTS Colour: Silver to various shades of green, gray, brown or nearly black with lighter spots and a milky to creamy white belly.

Size: The average size lake trout will weigh between 2 and 10-pounds. Fish up to 30pounds are not uncommon and trophies over 40-pounds are caught every year by anglers fishing in far northern waters.

Life Span: Lake trout commonly live for 10 to 20-years although some have been known to live for up to 60-years.

Habitat: Cool, clear waters of large, deep lakes and rivers. In the extreme north they are known to occur in shallower lakes that remain cool throughout the year.

Spawning: Spawning takes place between September and December over boulder or rubble bottoms.

RECORD The IGFA All-Tackle World Record lake trout is a 72-pound monster that was caught from Great Bear Lake in 1995.

must use downriggers, wire line or deep vertical jigging techniques to catch lake trout in the summer, but in areas of the far north they can remain in relatively shallow water throughout the summer.

Lake trout typically live for 10 to 20years although some have been known to reach 60-years or more. Because of this, it’s not uncommon for them to reach weights exceeding 30-pounds. In fact, the current IGFA All-Tackle lake trout stands at 72pounds. Larger fish do exist however, and the largest lake trout on official record weighed 102-pounds and was caught in a gill net from Lake Athabasca, Saskatchewan in 1961.

Lake trout are an important species for both recreational and commercial fisheries.

Their flesh is firm, with an excellent flavor, and may appear white, pink, orange or orange-red. While commercial fishing for lake trout has declined, due in part to the collapse of the Great Lakes fishery in the 1960s, sport fishing interest in these fish remains high. ?

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26 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

JANUARY

MONDAY

5

6

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

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

am pm am pm

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

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

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am pm am pm

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am pm am pm

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am pm am pm

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

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

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NA 12:42 - 2:42 6:45 - 8:15 7:09 - 8:39

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

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10:42 - 12:42 am 11:06 - 1:06 pm 4:21 - 5:51 am 4:45 - 6:15 pm

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am pm am pm

am pm am pm

1

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

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am pm am pm

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

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20

26 7:42 - 9:42 8:06 - 10:06 2:09 - 3:39 2:33 - 4:03

27

am pm am pm

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

1

11:30 - 1:30 11:54 - 1:54 5:57 - 7:27 6:21 - 7:51

7

am pm am pm

25 7:06 7:30 1:03 1:27

31

am 10:42 - 12:42 am pm 11:06 - 1:06 pm am 4:21 - 5:51 am pm 4:45 - 6:15 pm

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25 8:06 8:30 2:03 2:27

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

5

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5:54 - 7:54 am 6:42 6:18 - 8:18 pm 7:06 am 1:09 NA 12:45 - 2:15 pm 1:33 -

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am pm am pm

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

am pm am pm

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

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

am pm am pm

10 7:06 7:30 1:03 1:27

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NA 12:42 - 2:42 6:45 - 8:15 7:09 - 8:39

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

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3

SATURDAY

3

9

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

FRIDAY

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

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am NA pm 12:42 - 2:42 am 6:45 - 8:15 pm 7:09 - 8:39

am pm am pm

2

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

am pm am pm

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

5:18 - 7:18 am 6:06 5:42 - 7:42 pm 6:30 am 12:33 NA 12:09 - 1:39 pm 12:57 -

30

am pm am pm

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11:30 - 1:30 11:54 - 1:54 5:57 - 7:27 6:21 - 7:51

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

27

16

THURSDAY

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

20

26 6:42 7:06 1:09 1:33 -

7

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

13 9:30 9:54 3:27 3:51

WEDNESDAY

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

Good Time

7:30 7:54 1:57 2:21 -

FEBRUARY

TUESDAY

Excellent Time

12

MARCH

Best Fishing Times 2013

DOUG HANNON’S

To order your copy of Doug Hannon’s 2014 Moon Clock Calculator please visit www.moontimes.com or send $9.95 (USD) plus $3.75 (USD) for shipping & handling to: Moon Clock, Department RE, PO Box 28460, Atlanta, GA 30358

SUNDAY

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27

15

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

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am pm am pm

29 am pm am pm

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

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You never know what you’re going to catch when you’re fishing in saltwater, as John Zanelli found out on a fishing trip to Belize. John was fishing out of St. George's Caye Resort, enjoying a beautiful day and catching a variety of fish in the inshore waters, when this big tripletail decided it was time for lunch. !

“It was a very exciting experience to catch a fish like that while fishing the shallower waters, with light tackle. It took approximately 20-minutes to land the fish and, to be honest with you, I did not know what it was until our guide enlightened us.

It was a trip that I will never forget!”

– John Zanelli

28 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

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IINNOVATION NNOV OVA ATION

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By Tom Gruenwald

Dealing with Tough

Winter Bites 30 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

Today’s sophisticated ice anglers have taken their game to an entirely new level.

No longer are they aimlessly wandering onto the ice, haphazardly drilling holes, blindly lowering baits suspended beneath bobbers at random depths and sitting in place for hours, shivering while hoping for a bite. Rather, they’re selective.

Smart. Researching the waters they’re fishing to ensure the desired species is present in sufficient numbers and featuring a size distribution measuring up to their expectations. Working to determine primary and preferred forage bases, their habits and how this may influence fish behavior and movements; evaluating competing species that may effect how their target species might adapt to that situation, during various conditions, throughout the winter season. By understanding the species, the relationships and the places and times the fish they’re seeking are most likely concentrated and actively feeding, the odds of catching them consistently can be improved significantly.

Winter 2014 – Real Fishing 31

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Modern ice anglers are efficient, too. They travel to select locations using advanced GPS and sophisticated smart phone apps integrating detailed GPS mapping systems, using them to identify primary structures and secondary features likely to draw fish - even access data gathered by biologists, guides and knowledgeable anglers - sometimes surprisingly current information obtained from sources actually fishing the same waters at the same time!

Once on location, these anglers use fast cutting, high-speed augers to cut multiple holes, incorporating sonar and underwater cameras to confirm their position. They search for select “spots on the spots” concentrating the largest numbers of actively feeding fish, then carry out carefully orchestrated game plans, meticulously matching their gear to the situation using select tackle, baits and presentations.

Yet even the most adept ice anglers will encounter tough conditions, times when seemingly everything has been done correctly and fish are located, but they’re unwilling to cooperate. Anglers may account for these tough bites in a number of ways, including severe cold fronts, plentiful forage, bright conditions, moon phase, barometric pressure, low oxygen, highly pressured or “edu-

34 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

cated” fish. Any of these variables, or combination thereof, could be correct. The only thing for certain is there are no absolutes, and bad days are eminent. However, by identifying the issues and appropriately taking corrective actions, it’s possible to make something happen. Knowledgeable anglers understand the trick is to properly assess the circumstances, and be prepared to implement some key approaches to tip the odds in their favor.

Here are a few variables that can cause winter fish activity to slow, followed by some suggestions for contending with them that may help the next time you find yourself confronted with a tough bite.

DEAD ZONES Let’s start with a worst-case scenario, a toxic zone. This is a fishless region often found along bottom in soft, mucky areas below thick ice and heavy snow cover, where decomposing materials use up oxygen and release noxious gases such as carbon dioxide, ammonia, methane, hydrogen sulfide and phosphorous, which are toxic to fish. These conditions may also significantly alter pH, which may not only cause fish to cease feeding, but form an environment forcing them to move away.

Taken to an extreme, on smaller, shallow lakes

these conditions may even result in winter kill.

Toxic zones create an impossible situation.

Avoid such areas or lakes.

LOW OXYGEN Oxygen depletion is a similar phenomenon. In waters where oxygen deprivation is only a problem in specific areas, you might consider carrying an oxygen meter. This is a fairly substantial investment, but valuable because this helpful gadget allows you to efficiently identify low oxygen regions and eliminate unproductive water quickly. Should you not have one, don’t fret. Just look for areas of enriched oxygen such as inlets or outlets, deep, hard bottom features or basins away from decomposing materials.

Although springs don’t provide oxygen, these beds of relatively “warm,” flowing currents often promote a region of thinner ice above, permitting better light penetration that in turn allows green vegetation to continue photosynthesizing, providing additional oxygen.

Fish may also avoid low oxygen levels found along bottom by suspending - just be cautious in these situations. Since water temperatures generally become colder as you move away from bottom and sufficient forage may not be present, depending on the

conditions and how high the band of low oxygen rises this situation may have a counterproductive effect.

Another option is simply jumping to a body of water likely to support better oxygen concentrations, a strategy employed by ice angler and HT pro staff member Jamie Vladyka.

“My preferred response to these situations is to watch dam schedules on the Connecticut River. If I see increased flows planned, I head over and fish set-backs. The resulting fresh flow brings rejuvenated oxygen counts and, as a bonus, often increases forage availability too.”

FORAGE VARIATIONS Even within areas of sufficient oxygen, you may encounter segments of a fish population relating to various forage types in different areas of a lake at the same time. To be consistently successful you must determine what forage base each concentration is feeding on - and which of these factions are most active.

Start by using sonar or an underwater camera to identify forage and note the fish’s position in relation to it. When larger game fish are suspended near baitfish, try working large, flashy or noisy minnow imitators above the level the fish are holding, tempting them to come up for it. Once they do, race the bait away to try teasing them into striking reactively. For panfish apparently grazing on suspended plankton, work flashy little plankton imitators in a similar manner.

If fish are relating to bottom-hugging baitfish, you might try gently bouncing a flashy, suitably apportioned rattle spoon, rattle bait or blade bait off the substrate in an effort to attract attention, then gently lift and hold the lure still, just above bottom, to trigger strikes. If they’re digging grubs from bottom sediments, try simply dead-sticking a tiny insect imitation directly on bottom.

Lake Superior guide, Aron Kastern, has experienced this first-hand.

“On Lake Superior, drastic changes in barometric pressure or water temperatures

caused by currents, storms and precipitation, may not only put the fish off but, more importantly, change what various schools are feeding on at that particular time. Last winter we found several thick schools of

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Winter 2014 – Real Fishing 35

splake. Repeatedly, we would watch them rise and approach our baits but, despite the presence of baitfish, they wouldn’t touch traditional minnow-imitating spoons or smaller profile panfish-style baits. We soon recognized one of these schools was feeding strictly on mud worms and larvae. We switched to smaller insect imitations and, by fishing them right on bottom, were able to get those fish to go.”

“When the bite is tough,” he concludes, “you must adjust. Figure out what the fish you’re working are feeding on, then match the hatch.”

ABUNDANT FORAGE What if you should discover large amounts of appropriate forage keeping the fish well-fed and therefore challenging to catch? In these circumstances try setting stationary, big-bait presentations on tip-ups, dead-stick tip-downs or ice riggers.

Simultaneously, and in adjacent holes, utilize an active, aggressive jigging approach and work various depth levels energetically with large, flashy or noisy baits - like blade baits or rattle baits - to trigger reaction strikes from nearby fish.

This strategy covers two extremes. The former provides ample opportunity for fish Sometimes bigger is better.

36 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

to lazily approach an easy, high-efficiency meal, which can tempt them to strike, while the latter urges them to attack the annoying, high profile bait whistling around nearby.

Should a fish engage, simply continue working your lure, attempting to provoke the desired reaction strike. Ironically, jigging a flashy or noisy bait with a smaller profile just above the level of the fish can also turn tricks in this situation. Experiment!

COLD FRONTS Cold fronts, with their associated bright skies, pose yet another challenge. You may respond to high pressure, cold front situations by downscaling, going with thinner line, smaller lures and slower presentations… or again, experimenting with larger, flashier, faster moving baits to instigate reaction bites, the approach HT pro staffer Dennis Foster prefers.

“My personal theory is that most folks go completely backwards by downsizing when facing this situation,” he explained. “In my mind, big baits - or those that appear to be larger, like larger tubes, blade baits, rattling spoons or lipless cranks - are the way to go.

Fish are genetically programmed to be efficient and are looking for the easiest possible opportunities that gain the greatest amount

of calories per effort, and presenting big baits appeals to them.”

A secondary benefit is that the ‘big baitsbig fish’ concept tends to hold true, so not only may this approach help you catch fish under tough conditions but, as an added benefit, larger ones as well. HT pro staffer Rob Jackson concurs with this theory.

“One thing I did last winter is bucked the trend. Where most folks would downsize, I responded by upsizing. I noticed my overall numbers went down a bit, but did the big crappies ever hit the ice! Instead of going with a tiny jig and spikes, I went to the largest size Tungsten Marmooska jig and tipped it with a two-inch piece of nightcrawler. It looked ridiculous, but man did the slabs eat it!”

BRIGHT SUNLIGHT Aside from the obvious options of fishing in stained water environments, alongside shade-providing cover such as tall weeds, boulders, flooded wood, steep-sloped structures casting shadows, deeper water or fishing during twilight periods - when facing bright conditions try fishing river backwaters or reservoirs. For some reason, river-related fish appear less influenced by bright skies.

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clothing that blends with the bright background, and use longer rods to position yourself away from the hole, especially when fishing shallow, clear water. But don’t stop there.

“Every lake and every fish is different,” said Team U.S.A tournament medalist Chad Schaub. “When dealing with bright sun, I generally start by fishing some type of soft plastic and jigging fairly aggressively; then by mid-day, go with smaller lures and live baits, fished less actively. Pay attention to the fish’s reactions and adjust accordingly. If they respond, stick with it. If not, switch until you find what they want. As for the hook-set, use a nice, easy lift, avoiding quick movements that might spook any nearby fish.”

“Fish smart, with a super-sensitive strike detection system, too,” said tight lining proponent Dave Young. “In light-bite situations such as these, I’ve discovered anglers miss hesitant strikes. My suggestion is to watch your line, using it as a strike indicator. To do so, make it ‘bounce’ beneath the water as you jig, always watching for any interruption, jump or hesitation. This is something most ice anglers overlook, but it’s the most effective means of sensing light strikes. “

WATER TEMPERATURE Water temperature variations are another important, yet often overlooked consideration. During winter stratification the coldest water is found just beneath the ice, while the warmest, densest water pools at the bottom. All other variables aside, in general, winter fish often appear to prefer this warmer, 36°F to 39°F water. Just be aware that currents may mix this stratified water, affecting fish activity.

“I’ve seen instances where strong currents break up the stratified layers, causing the temperature to become homogenous. When the water temperature is uniformly below 35°F the action often slows,” said ice enthusiast, Steve Wiedmeyer.

At the same time, other influences may have a positive effect. Springs, for example, bring relatively warm water and can be hotbeds of activity. Another theory involves situations where 39°F water pools atop gradually sloped flats, then slides down the adjoining drop-off, forming slight currents that bathe adjacent deep water basins with relatively warm, well-oxygenated water.

Provided such areas support sufficient cover and forage, this may be a theory worth

Downsizing your presentations is always an option on pressured waters.

38 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

investigating. If you have the means, you may wish to check water temperatures, noting where you find fish consistently to determine patterns.

FISHING PRESSURE When fishing popular waters, where fish populations are heavily pressured and become “educated,” the game can get really tough. Here, using something as simple as a new lure design or style can be the answer, especially if fished in a unique manner.

“I think fish get tired of seeing the same old lures, presented the same old way, over and over again,” admitted veteran HT pro staffer, Wil Wegman. “My response is to have a variety of pre-rigged baits ready to go, then change baits whenever I mark fish but can’t get a reaction.”

“That’s why I have great confidence in what I call the “two hole” method,” continued Wegman. “I’ll actively jig a new spoon design near the bottom in one hole, for instance, while simultaneously working a unique, slower moving plastic in the other, continually moving from one set of holes to another, watching closely for a reaction and responding accordingly. If a fish goes for the

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If fish aren’t cooperating, a slight shift shallower or deeper, or a move to another area of the lake, may yield impressive results.

plastic, I’ll drop the spoon rod and focus on working the plastic, or vice versa. Mobility and versatility are definitely a plus!”

Downsizing - going with a light, super-sensitive system and the smallest, most natural looking lures and baits appropriate to the situation - is another viable option. Ice pro Jeff Kelm relies on tungsten micro-heads tipped with plastic tails.

“I’m a ‘plastics first’ guy,” said Kelm, “and I always start by experimenting with various tail designs and colors, downsizing my jigs as necessary. And, to minimize spooking finicky fish, I work high in the water column, attempting to hook the fish that are holding high first. This activity often draws other fish up, plus it allows you to pull hooked ones out fast, before others can panic. Drawing out fights with hooked fish while bringing them up from bottom risks spooking the remaining, already tentative fish. This strategy has performed when confronted with even the toughest bites.”

“Also, be careful about drilling too many holes too close together,” added Wisconsin ice guide Larry Smith. “A couple holes allowing a little bit of light may attract fish, whereas a bunch drilled tightly together allows excessive light penetration that confuses and turns spooky fish off.”

SCATTERED FISH When fish are scattered, get mobile! Fish any given hole for short periods only. Why one is any more productive than another a short distance away is anybody’s guess but, given this situation, the more fish you place your presentation in front of, the better the chance you’ll find one willing to open its mouth. Even backtracking from one hole to another can often be productive.

“If you’re fishing in a group and working structure, try setting a nice spread of tip-ups to help cover water as you jig,” recommends ice guide Larry Smith, “moving them often to cover different depths, and varying your bait positioning in an attempt to lock onto a pattern.”

“When fish are scattered across wide areas, like vast mud flats, tip-ups become less effective,” Smith continues. “Now, jigging becomes crucial, and technique is the key.

Start by fishing high in the water column, using baits offering a great deal of fishattracting vibration and flash. Create a disturbance. Never stop moving the bait until 40 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

you see fish. If they respond, great! If not, quickly grab a secondary rod rigged with a more subtle presentation and drop that down to trigger strikes. You’ll be impressed with the results!”

JUST PLAIN NON-ACTIVE FISH At times, you’ll find fish, but they simply won’t be actively feeding. If possible, don’t waste time with them.

“Rather,” suggests HT pro staffer Dennis Foster, “move to adjoining shallower or deeper water regions. Fish are holding within that area for a reason, and non-cooperative fish may simply be part of a group that has just fed, or have moved away from the feeding area and are lounging around before their next foray. If you can’t get a response after experimenting with a few options, move. A slight shift shallower or deeper may yield impressive results. If not, you can always come back and try working these marked fish again later.”

Try other areas of the lake featuring similar structure and cover at varied depths, too.

Such areas may also be holding concentrations of fish and you may discover one of those schools more willing to bite. If so, remember to work the fish high. Get them to start coming up chasing, attempting to form what Wisconsin ice guide Larry Smith calls “layering.”

“If you can get the fish to ‘layer’ - meaning to stack vertically - then hold them by working the highest positioned fish first and bringing them up fast, you’ll total more fish,” Smith offered. “This is accomplished by working your lures higher in the water column, drawing fish up to stir activity, then retrieving hooked fish quickly. There’s no question this strategy results in improved catch rates!”

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER Of course there will be times when several of these factors may come into play interchangeably, or even simultaneously, which can really stack the odds against anglers.

Don’t get down! Learn to recognize these variables and where they’re occurring, then

react and adjust your strategies accordingly.

Select waters and areas of primary advantage, where challenging conditions aren’t present or have minimal influence. Be mobile, incorporating strategic presentations at appropriate depths, experimenting to determine the most effective methods and strategies, always using the most sensitive systems you can find. Most importantly, stay versatile. Fish responses can and will change.

Yes, there will be times when the fish are simply off and success doesn’t come easily, if at all. At times you may uncover no specific pattern, but if you’re able to sporadically pick up a fish or two by using a variety of methods, and that’s what it takes to be successful, so be it.

The bottom line is this: The more variables you consider when facing challenging conditions, the more you’ll learn and the better you’ll get at this game, thereby boosting your odds of success. And that’s what makes ice fishing such a rewarding sport in the first place - and ultimately keeps us all coming back for more. ?

Winter 2014 – Real Fishing 41

By Wil Wegman Wil Wegman is an award winning outdoor writer and popular ice fishing seminar host from southern Ontario and previous winner of the Perch Attack on Lake Simcoe.

Wil also took first place at the Perchin for MS event in 2011 and finished 3rd in 2012. You can reach Wil through his Focus on Fishing website at www.wilwegman.com

Late Season Perch Ten tips for more and bigger fish this winter.

Yellow perch are popular targets during the winter throughout much of Canada and the northern United States. Many anglers, however, stow away their ice fishing tackle just as some of the finest winter perch fishing is upon them. Depending on where you live, the late-ice period can start as early as the beginning of March and last until the middle of April - or longer in the far north. It can be a time when perch fishing means warm sunny days on the ice with spring in the air. It can also be the time to catch both quality and quantities of perch, especially if you adopt some of these late season ice tips.

42 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

Safety First By its very nature, ice fishing late in the season is more dangerous than during other periods of winter. Ice becomes old and can show symptoms such as honeycombing and softening. Old holes can open up, pressure cracks widen and shore ice begins to melt and break away. Run-off, incoming rivers, and stronger currents can all weaken the ice. Be extremely aware of these hazards and stay away - or even off the ice entirely - when they’re present. Keep in mind that ice thickness guidelines need to be doubled and possibly even tripled near the end of the season. That four inches of clear, blue ice which is recommended for walking on, should be at least seven or more near the end of the season. The clear early season ice has now become mixed with white ice which contains frozen snow, slush and air pockets- making it much weaker. Be extremely cautious when venturing out with an ATV or snowmobile. In fact, leaving your vehicle on-shore is recommended as conditions deteriorate.

Let someone know where you’re accessing the lake and when you’ll be home. Wear personal floatation, carry a cell phone in a Ziploc bag, bring a throw rope, spare socks, a compass and a handheld GPS if you have one. Lakes are often barren of snow cover at this time so wearing a pair of HT Sure Grip Safety Treads can help keep you upright. Lastly, I think of my HT Retractable Ice Pics the same as way as I do towards the seat belt in my vehicle. I hope I never have to rely on either to save my life, but both will if something bad happens! Carry those ice pics where they’re easily accessible - just in case.

Understand the Biology of Late Winter Perch As the winter progresses, yellow perch enter a period of conflict.

Both male and female perch have a continued instinct to seek easy forage and eat throughout the day, but nature is also telling them that it will soon be time to get their priorities straight and make sure future generations succeed them. Perch are spring spawners and, when the ice leaves and water temperatures reach 6.7°-12.2° C, reproduction is what’s on their minds. This creates a dichotomy of sorts for even seasoned ice fishing aficionados. One day perch can be ravenously feeding and eager to accept your lures and presentations, yet the next day they turn their noses up at your most treasured baits. Understanding that this is just “par for the course” can help you from going insane. More importantly, by changing depths and locations you can keep one step ahead of these wily beauties. Why? Because not all perch in any given lake will turn-off or vacate your late season spots simultaneously.

That’s why it’s important to have several late season areas on your chosen perch lake.

Winter 2014 – Real Fishing 43

Finding Late Winter Perch Essentially, the ideal location will be adjacent to spring spawning sites. These can include river mouths, channels, marinas or even near-shore shallows where aquatic vegetation, submerged brush or fallen trees exist. Obviously you will want to stay away from currents, thin ice and other hazards, as mentioned earlier. On prolific trophy perch waters like Lake Simcoe, perch will even use sandy shorelines with sparse weed patches to spawn on.

Next, you’ll want to find a food source in the vicinity of the spawning areas. In clear water lakes, perch may stay deeper during the last ice period than they will in murkier waters. For instance, in mid-March on Lake Simcoe, we may catch perch down in 30-feet

of water or more one day and 15-feet the next. Why? Because late winter perch are opportunistic feeders and will feed on what’s most plentiful and easiest to catch. In many large waterbodies, emerald shiners or young smelt begin to move in during late ice and perch are not far behind.

In waters with plenty of aquatic vegetation, scuds or grass shrimp will hold onto these plants. Perch don’t need to chase these tasty morsels and on many waters they become a preferred prey option. The trick to finding these tasty amphipods is to locate green, healthy weeds as opposed to brown, dying ones. You may have to search around a bit to find the green weeds that are harbouring scuds or shrimp and here’s an easy way to do it. Drop a large treble-hooked bait to the bottom, snag a weed and bring it up through the hole, then shake it. If scuds are present they should fall off and scatter all over the ice, letting you know you are potentially in a hot feeding area!

Maximize Electronics Ice fishing without good sonar is a handicap most ardent ice anglers choose not to

experience on a regular basis. My Lowrance Elite 5 Ice Machine not only makes fishing late season perch more fun, but more productive as well. It shows me, in full living color, where the perch are, what depth I’m fishing, the bottom composition and so much more. I can even switch to a full Navionics chart of the lake and save my waypoints on the same unit.

As great as a good sonar is, I have seen some anglers who will use it (or underwater cameras) as the sole source of their fish-finding efforts. They’ll drill a hole, drop either the transducer or camera down their hole, not see any fish - and move on. All this effort without even dropping a lure down the hole!

First-hand experience has taught me that these electronics-reliant anglers are missing out on some potentially beautiful big perch sitting just outside of the transducer cone or lens. Perch, by their very nature, are inquisitive so dropping your lure down the hole can be just what it takes to get them to come screaming over for a look.

You’ve taught them all you know about fishing, including wearing their lifejackets.

Fishing is a wonderful sport; an activity you and the kids can enjoy. They look up to you for information and guidance on something you can share together. You’ve got them hooked on fishing. The Canadian Safe Boating Council thanks you for getting them ‘Hooked on Lifejackets’.

44 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

Fish Active Perch First Spoons, like the Jig-A-Whopper Lazer Hawger 2000 series or the Jig-A-Whopper Lazer Rocker Minnow, are great lures to help you catch the most aggressive individuals within a school of perch. Brighter colors, like chartreuse and orange, also seem to trigger strikes. When perch are really active you can even tease them well up off bottom; sometimes mere feet from the surface. When you catch one, the rest of the school moves up off bottom a little more. The key to capitalizing on this phenomenon is to unhook the first perch as quickly as possible and immediately drop your bait down again before the rest of the school catches on to your high-jinx.

Catch Those Inactive and Neutral Perch As discussed earlier, late season perch are not always thinking of eating. Sometimes you will mark them on your sonar but they ignore your baits. Those inactive or neutral perch can drive you nuts but, if they’re big enough to warrant your interest and persistence, they can still be caught. This is when finesse outshines other methods 10 to 1.

Begin by downsizing almost everything. I turn to two-pound test line and light or medium light action ice fishing rods. If your rod collection is limited and you don’t have anything light enough, one of HT Enterprises’ spring bobbers can be attached to your rod to give it the sensitive touch you’ll need to detect light strikes.

The new HT tungsten Marmooska jig tipped with a few maggots gets down quick and is great for the finickiest of perch.

A plain jighead tipped with live bait makes a great finesse presentation.

46 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

Another option is to rig one of HT’s Alien jigs or a football head with a small artificial plastic minnow or creature bait. Tip this with maggots and quiver it in place or slowly work it up off the bottom to make those fussy perch forget about their current temperament and inhale your bait.

that the smaller male perch are usually the first ones to move in to nearshore areas during last ice, followed by the bigger females.

These bigger perch will often hang back in deeper water for a few days or more before moving up shallow.

Fish with Friends… Effectively Be a Line Watcher Chances are good that fussy perch will not aggressively attack your baits. If you’re not paying attention you could easily miss the strike. Even the largest perch in the system - those 13 to 15-inch hawgs we all yearn for - can bite so lightly you’ll hardly even notice it. If you see your line move to one side of the hole, set the hook! If you see the line kink up it means that a perch has grabbed it and is swimming upwards – set the hook! If you feel a weightless sensation when you’re jigging, set the hook! Become tuned in to exact weight and feel of your bait and, if at any time you feel anything different at all, set the bloody hook - it could be a 15-inch perch!

Once you have chosen your location, don’t be afraid to make the ice look like Swiss cheese. If we have a productive late ice area we’ll drill many, many holes within a couple hundred metres radius. We’ll fish one for a while, then walk over to the next sometimes as close as a dozen paces away catch a few perch, then move on again.

Often one whole area within that zone will turn off after giving up a few fish - but suddenly someone on the far side of it begins to slam big jumbos and can signal his buddies to join in on the fun. This is when you don’t want to spook the whole school so it’s important to have your holes pre-drilled and to keep on-ice noise to a minimum.

Conservation and Kids

Learn To Walk Away Sometimes you need the self-discipline to break a rule many anglers live by – “never leave fish”. Although late ice can provide the very best perch fishing of the entire year, there can also be times when the fish just will not bite or the school is so dominated by small perch that your odds of getting a few to brag about are like finding a needle in a haystack. This is when a move is not only warranted, but strongly recommended. It doesn’t necessarily need to be across the lake or miles away, sometimes all it takes is a move a hundred or so metres away to find bigger fish or active biters. Keep in mind

You might ask why conservation and kids are included in a tips article on late ice perch fishing. It’s because they both represent the future of our perch fisheries, that’s why! Although perch populations are generally considered strong today, there are no guarantees that this will always be the case.

This is especially true of waterbodies that hold exceptionally large, above average sized specimens. Those big, egg-laden females are what make those fisheries so special so the vast majority should be voluntarily live released to help perpetuate the big-fish gene pool.

Lastly, perch and other panfish are ideal candidates to get kids hooked on ice fishing.

Adults have a responsibility to engage the next generation of anglers to help them begin to appreciate, first-hand, this wonderful resource. Without that connection to our fisheries, today’s youth will likely lack a strong desire to conserve, protect and enhance it as they enter their adult years.

Those same kids you introduce to the sport are our next fishing licence buyers and could very well be the ones succeeding the great fisheries staff we have across the country today. ?

BEAT THE BLUE Understand the Limitations and Adjust Accordingly on Post-Frontal Days

48 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

BIRD BLUES

By David A. Brown

It’s high beams from oncoming traffic. It’s that unexpected camera flash. It’s your kids suddenly flipping on the bedroom lights when they need that midnight drink of water. Intense brightness that hurts your eyes and compels you to blink, shield your face or just turn away from the source of illumination. Now, throw in a big headache – maybe the hangover type for some, or just sinus pressure for others. Any way you slice it, an unpleasant dose of bright light and discomfort will give you a good understanding of why it’s so hard to catch a bass after a cold front. There’s no question that when those skies clear and the high pressure sets in you can expect a high degree of difficulty on what’s known as a “bluebird day.”

Winter 2014 – Real Fishing 49

But take note, that’s “difficulty;” not “impossibility.” Big difference and, while multiple factors can influence your postfrontal fishing outcome, success demands that you embrace two key concepts. The first is that you will be fishing for far fewer bites and those bites will likely be lackadaisical at best. Secondly, even though bass don’t feel like feeding, they know they have to eat to live. What does that mean to you, the angler? You gotta make it easy, convenient and, did we already say, “easy?” Well, it’s worth saying twice. You gotta make it easy for the fish to catch and gobble whatever you’re throwing. That said; let’s take a quick spin through the post-frontal playbook.

WHERE TO LOOK The biggest factor leading to the “bluebird blues” is the sky’s relentless bombardment with intense sunlight. Sure, the high pressure also fiddles with the fish and there’s no question that colder weather can make them lethargic. But unyielding sunshine will send the fish running every time.

Missouri dock flipping specialist Dennis Berhorst put it this way: “Fish don’t have eyelids like you and me, so when it’s bright and sunny they have to get under something to shield their eyes.”

Weed mats and rafts of floating vegetation are good options for bass on bluebird days.

Texas bass pro Tim Reneau agrees and adds that when he has to fish after a front, he’ll look for the heaviest cover he can find. Whether it’s wood or weeds, the thicker the better.

Out on the West Coast, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Ish Monroe says that anglers spending post-front days on the famed 50 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

California Delta should consider weed mats and rafts of floating vegetation as their target-rich environment.

When heavy cover is less abundant, expect fish to drop off into deeper water adjacent to likely feeding areas. Mark Rose, an FLW pro from Arkansas, said that islands and bars close to a main river channel fit this bill. In such scenarios, fish can feed on the flats, drop off to the deep water during the front’s passage, lounge in the deeper, dimmer water during the bluebird day and then gradually climb back up the slope to feed in increasingly shallow water as conditions stabilize.

On a recent visit to Kentucky Lake, Rose pointed out a small, forested island north of the Paris Landing Bridge. Here, a long point with flanking flats reached out toward the river channel. This, Rose said, exemplified a favorable scenario for post-frontal bass.

“An island that has a long taper and then drops off on the end gives fish a place to hold out and not feed,” Rose said. “When they’re feeding, they’re going to be up there on those flats, but after a front a long point gives them a place to suspend with plenty of water over their backs.”

WHAT TO THROW Slow, slower and slower still – that’s the basis for effective bluebird day presentations; so much so that experienced anglers often fish with reels having lower-than-normal gear ratios to ensure a glacial pace. As for post-front baits, you’ll do well with dropshots, Carolina rigs, and the ever-popular shaky head with slender worm style baits.

“A finesse rig is great because the fish don’t have to chase it or work hard to get it,” says Ish Monroe. “You throw a shaky head out there and it’s going to stand up and have movement without you even pulling on the rod. That seems to get the fish biting.”

Mark Rose also favors this tactic and said that the ability to drop that bait just about anywhere - and then leave it to its own devices - makes the shaky head a great choice for practically any environment.

“In mid-summer, when they’re really aggressive, I’ll use heavier weights with my plastics to get the fish to react,” Rose said.

“But in bluebird conditions, I go with a lighter weight and try to keep it in front of them as long as possible.”

That being said, Rose notes the wisdom of playing off the baits that were producing prior to a cold front and trying to recapture

Smaller versions of standard presentations can work wonders during a cold front.

that interest in a scaled-back presentation.

“If I’m throwing a ½-ounce buzzbait before the front, I might go to a ¼-ounce,” said Rose.

Texas guide and tournament pro, Stephen Johnston, likes his blade baits, but sometimes those bluebird days find the fish just lazily nipping at his blade when it runs past their face. Johnston overcomes this by fishing the bait without the usual swimming trailer. Casting distance shortens with the lighter bait, but the more compact profile tends to nab more of those short-strikers.

If Texas-rigged plastics are your thing, drop down a size or two in that worm, creature bait or lizard. It’s also important to go with the lightest weight you can get away with and still make contact with your bait.

DON’T FLIP OUT A good option for reaching fish in all types of cover, flipping jigs can serve you well on bluebird days – as long as you make the right adjustments. Essentially, don’t just decrease the head weight; trim down that skirt to a thinner, maybe even bristly, look and select a more subtle trailer.

There are two thoughts on trailers. First, you can go with a short and simple chunk trailer for minimal motion but, for a more

Once the front stabilizes, more aggressive approaches will start attracting bass again.

compact profile, thread the chunk’s body right up onto your jig hook rather than hanging it on the hook bend. Also, if you like the action of a wavy craw trailer, keep it short and sweet by snipping about an inch of the body and threading it on close to the jig head.

From December to February, California pro Ken Mah goes old school with his postfront jig presentations. Favoring black and blue, he’ll start with a 3/8-ounce first and then maybe drop to a 1/4-ounce if the bite’s tough. On the back, he likes a bright blue colored, #1 sized pork frog shaped trailer.

“A classic jig-and-pig combo,” Mah said.

“I don’t like a lot of moving appendages or quick action plastics on bluebird days.”

Louisiana’s Greg Hackney – a big fan of flipping jigs – says bluebird conditions often mean that the only way he’ll get bit is to downsize from his standard ¾-ounce model to 3/8 or ½. Sometimes even that doesn’t do it and, on cold days with extremely clear conditions, Hackney will swap the big profile jig for a ¼-ounce model or a finesse football jig. Switching to a smaller chunk trailer and downsizing to 10- or 12-pound fluorocarbon line further reduces the intrusion.

“There are days when I’ll get 10 or 12 bites on that little jig and I may get one on the full-size jig,” Hackney said. “I find that I don’t have to drop my line size as much when I’m using a full-size jig because those fish are in a more aggressive mode and line size doesn’t seem to bother them. But when you get one of those cold fronts, and they’re Jigging spoons are a good option for suspended, deep water bass.

52 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

not in an aggressive mode, that’s when it seems like I need to downsize – that’s when it makes a difference.”

WHEN IT’S NOT SO BAD Ish Monroe is quick to point out that bass in deep water are not so deeply affected by bluebird days. Fish that suspend in 30-plus feet just don’t feel the ill effects of a passing cold front like those in less than 10 feet.

In shallower situations, where bluebird days bear profound impact, the second day after a cold front typically sees those conditions stabilizing. The wind generally returns, clouds start to spread across the sky and warming temperatures stimulate the fish to move around and resume their normal feeding activity.

Activity levels depend on each particular school of fish, says Mark Rose.

Nevertheless, he expects most bass will start to exhibit an eagerness to return to feeding.

“A front is a shock that gets them off the feeding mood because that weather is too cold,” Rose said. “But once that weather stabilizes, they’re going to eat. They’re survivors – you put a piece of meat in front of them, and they’re going to eat.”

When that happens, turn the dial back the other direction on your bait sizing. Just don’t be in a hurry to force feed the fish – gradually increase those sizes and speed up the presentations with a measured progression.

Think of it like stepping into a shower with the water turned fully to cold.

Slamming it all the way to the other extreme presents a shock of another kind. If we can tolerate yet another metaphor – ease off the clutch as you ease down on the gas.

“Once it gets right again, I’ll go back to the rattling and more aggressive approaches,” Rose said. “It’s just bolder tactics.”

Greg Hackney said he eagerly looks for afternoon warming trends to ease the bluebird blues. And, when post-front days show signs of early stabilization, he’s going to want his full-size jig on standby.

“When conditions stabilize, and those fish start moving out to the edges of the grass, they’ll be looking for easy meals,” Hackney said. “That big jig falls past their face so fast that they just react and bite it.”

Stephen Johnston offers this thought on picking up the pace later in the afternoon of a post-front day: “On a bluebird, sunny day with light wind, that’s when I’ll burn a 3/8ounce spinnerbait just below the surface on a 7:1 reel. It makes the fish react because you’re winding it so fast. Make a long cast and stick the tip of your rod in the water and wind as fast as you can wind. It will make it almost like a wakebait. A lot of times, especially if it’s cold, those fish will just come up and mouth at (the spinnerbait) and you’ll never feel a bite, but you’ll feel your blades quit turning. When you feel your blades quit turning, jerk!”

Clearly, tackle and technique options for post-frontal conditions are numerous, but the two must-have elements of a successful game plan are patience and persistence.

Remember that the fish want to return to feeding as much as you want them to get there. Just put in your time, pay close attention to how the day shapes up and outlast the bluebird blues. ?

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WALK-IN WALLEYE

By Mark Forabosco

54 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

One of the very first television fishing stars to come out of Canada was a fellow by the name of Red Fisher. This was roughly a decade before angling luminary Bob Izumi hit the market and made his mark on the industry; back before remotes, when black and white television was the norm. Every Saturday afternoon, from Scuttlebutt Lodge, Red would sit down with his guest of the week and, as an old 16 millimeter film began to play, they would narrate their fishing adventure to the listening audience.

Most of the shows took place in remote, far away locations in Northern Ontario with Indian names that I couldn’t even pronounce. As a boy I couldn’t help but be drawn in by the allure of camping out beneath midnight skies filled with a rainbow of colours born of the Northern lights; pine trees higher than some of the office buildings in my small town and diamond crystals reflecting from the clear waters as the rolling waves dashed repeatedly against high cliff walls. But the highlight of the show always came down to one thing, the catching of those golden walleye which, back in those days, were referred to as pickerel.

Sometimes I would swear that I could smell them through the television as they were being fried over an open fire!

Unfortunately, any hope of landing walleye was relegated to my classroom daydreams. The nearest place that I could travel to wet a line held carp, sunfish and, if serendipity was with you, the occasional smallmouth bass.

Even if my family had decided to travel to a walleye lake we owned no boat so, for the most part, I was out of luck.

But good things come to those who persevere.

Winter 2014 – Real Fishing 55

As I entered my later teenage years with the purchase of my first automobile, and with just enough money left over for gas, a new world was about to open for me. By this time in my life, many years before the internet with its plethora of fishing information, I had learned that in order to gain any information about those hallowed secret spots I had only one option - find an oldtimer who had a number of secret spots, sit down listen to his stories and, if I were really lucky, he just may feel sorry enough for me that he might point me in the general direction of a decent walleye hole.

Fortunately, I knew a few old-timers around town and between visits to their homes with an occasional bottle of my father’s homemade wine, or running into them at the local tackle shop and making small talk, I was able to collect enough informative tidbits about which nearby rivers held a few walleye and what baits worked best for that particular season.

Reflecting back on those days, what stands out the most was the anticipation of opening day. Every walleye was special - it didn’t matter if it was a head shaker or an old broad shouldered trophy.

On one opening morning, standing on the bank watching a thin veil of mist drift across the river, I took notice of a number of minnows breaking the surface, leaping in all directions. I quickly put on a pencil float and deworm and drifted through the commo56 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

tion. Less than 10-minutes later I had two eating size walleyes hanging off my stringer.

I was ecstatic an hour later when I landed number three and my day was over.

Most articles and television programs related to pursuing walleye are generally relegated to lake fishing and involve a boat.

Mind you, there are a number of rivers and tributaries located in the heart of southern Ontario that have resident walleye populations. Are you going to have those Lake Erie or Bay of Quinte days? Probably not, but with a little legwork and diligence you can still get some good action.

the surrounding area of shoreline is low ground - what might be referred to as a flood plain - it could indicate that the section of the river for the most part would remain fairly shallow. Is the river bank muddy or very rocky? This can reflect what type of bottom you will be fishing over. By incorporating a little common sense you can quickly eliminate a large section of unproductive water.

Good hunting ground is often the key to finding predator fish so let’s concentrate on the 20% of productive water that will hold river walleyes. Deep water or pools that are adjacent to fast current areas and that hold

Rivers such as the Grand, Crowe, Thames, Delaware, Conestoga, and Saugeen, to name a few, and some of their tributaries, offer up some pretty decent opportunities to land old goggle eyes.

Though these systems have local populations some, such as the Thames and the Delaware, also have healthy spring spawning runs. After spawning, walleye aren’t particularly fussy since they are trying to regain the weight lost during the long journey and the completion of their reproduction cycle.

These fish are, for the greater part, in an aggressive feeding pattern and are generally not that difficult to catch.

baitfish such as shiners, chub, perch and suckers, can be prime spots. Active walleye will often hang near the end of these runs searching out an easy meal, or with the onset of evening, move in for a late night hunt. I have found these spots to be particularly dependable in the summer. Traditional ambush points like large boulders, downed timer and undercut banks are other good places.

I can recall few years back, on a rather uneventful day on the river, a fellow angler set up a few yards away and started to work a jig right along the shoreline beside an undercut mud bank. Sure enough, on his second cast he landed a very respectable fourpound fish. Because it was a mud bottom I had ignored that location but the undercut bank was what held that fish and made that spot a good area to ambush prey from.

Another time, while fishing a tributary of the Grand River with my wife, she drifted a simple worm and float combination alongside a large rock in about three feet of water, just spitting distance from shore, and hooked into a walleye of about six-pounds.

These are just two examples of the drawing power that ambush points can have. In

Location is Everything The key to success lies in your ability to find walleye - which can be time consuming and may feel to be a daunting task, especially on larger systems. This is what I find so refreshing about fishing medium sized rivers like the ones mentioned earlier. Rivers are very easy to read and shorelines can tell much of the story. Is the nearest high ground tapering down at a steep angle to the river? If so, that contour line should continue, creating a deep water spot. On the other hand, if

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these cases the walleyes were right along the shore rather than out in the middle of a river, holding in areas that many anglers, myself included, would have nonchalantly passed by.

The last place is also one of my favourites, and that is deep holes under bridges. I have landed some of my largest river fish over the years from these types of areas. Walleye will often gather in holes under bridges because of the shade that is provided and I believe it also serves as a holding point until evening when fish become more active and move in search of prey.

The tougher the walking is, the better the odds are that fewer people have been there.

You may try these treks three or four times, searching different locations, and then on the fifth trip you find your very own certifiable honey hole. These areas absolutely exist and when you find them and you’re sitting there on the river bank by yourself, or maybe with your son, it may feel as if the two of you are up north in some remote location with the world all to yourselves. All that is needed is some legwork and determination.

Lures and Presentations

Every gravel sideroad bridge or river’s edge that you decide to wet a line in has probably been fished by another angler at one time or another. It’s the nature of the beast and these areas may still have some decent fishing. But they are going to receive a lot of attention from eager fishermen. The good Lord gave us two legs so don’t be afraid to use them! The further you are willing to walk off the beaten path the less angling pressure that area will receive.

I had heard of a deep hole on a local river that held some big fish but it was a long way off the beaten path. I searched for that enchanted area for two-years before finally giving up. Ten-years later, on opening day, I saw this old soul in waders emerge from a nearby thicket. We exchanged pleasantries as he made his way to his car. In passing, I mentioned this magical location that I could never find.

He smiled, gave me directions, pointed and said, “It’s about three quarters of a mile in there son.”

The next day I followed the seldom used trail in, tolerated the insect barrage and landed a 26-inch walleye on my third cast.

Ten-years earlier I had walked that same trail and gave up and turned around about a hundred yards short of the spot. Had I only toughed it out for five more minutes!

58 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

One doesn’t have to break the bank when it comes to acquiring enough tackle for river walleye fishing. I usually carry a small plastic container with six or seven different lures - and a twin for each, just in case I lose one.

It is rare for most parts of these rivers to exceed depths greater than 10-feet, so medium running crankbaits that dive down between four and eight-feet will do the job.

Minnowbaits, banana-shaped crankbaits and in-line spinners all have well-deserved reputations for catching river walleye, and these baits still work very well. When the bite is slow, a small piece of worm added to the hook can often turn the tables in your favour. If your lure isn’t running quite as deeply as you would like, simply add a couple of split shot between 12 and 18-inches ahead of the bait.

Though walleye will bulldog when hooked, they don’t have the tenacity of a large smallmouth bass or a rainbow trout.

There is no need to get too high tech with gear - a seven-foot, medium action rod with a reliable spinning reel spooled with 8 to 10pound test line will suffice.

River Stewardship As the world gets smaller and angling pressure increases, we have an obligation to manage and protect the waters that we so enjoy. Historically, part of the angling experience has been returning home with some fish for an evening fry. Taking a couple of opening day bass or walleye is fine, and it is an important part of our angling heritage.

Something that I have taught to my son is that eating what you catch is normal. What

we have to be aware of is the fact that practicing selective harvest is necessary.

Looking back, I kept the first couple of large river walleye that I landed. At the time the line of thought was that these were enough for two real good fish fries and a nice photo, so why not keep them.

In hindsight I realize that I made a mistake. It’s not my intention to get up on a soapbox and preach no-kill fishing, but I have seen the results of how the removal of too many large female walleye can destroy some great waters. Big fish, especially females, are the lifeblood of average to small sized rivers and removing them from these systems can upset the fragile fishery. By releasing large spawners you help to ensure great fishing for the next generation. I don’t begrudge anyone keeping one special trophy, or a few fish for a meal, just be selective about the waters that it comes out of. ?

River walleye are often overlooked and underappreciated, and I’m not quite sure why that is. It really is fishing in its simplest form, and the perfect way to introduce a kid to angling. I could take my son out in a big boat on Lake Erie and troll all day, but children get bored quickly. Take a kid to a river, however, and there are trees to climb, muskrats to watch and painted turtles to hold. There are rocks to skip, woods to explore, fossils to find and geese to agitate.

Best of all, there is time to ask questions about the world around them while sharing a riverbank with dad. And maybe, with some luck, a couple of river walleye to provide them with a lifelong memory.

Tales from the Road

By Bob Izumi

It seems like in today’s world there’s either good news or bad news. We’ll start off this Tales from the Road with some sad news. Since our last issue, we ended up making another trip to Georgian Bay, to Glenn Burney Lodge to finish the show that we attempted to shoot before I dusted our camera with an accidental coffee spill.

Glenn Burney Lodge is located in Seguin, Ontario, just on the south side of Parry Sound. Just a few short months after we were there, the lodge was destroyed in a fire.

If any of you had the chance to visit the lodge in recent years, you know it was an incredibly beautiful lodge with a lot of character.

The owner had decorated the lodge with his vintage guitar collection along with a lot of original artwork from British Columbia but, tragically, it was all lost in the fire.

The good news is that the owner, who was in the lodge at the time the fire broke out, escaped with just a few minor injuries, and plans to rebuild the lodge. We wish him all the best in creating the next generation Glenn Burney Lodge.

On a happier note, we finished our show at Glenn Burney and had some exceptional smallmouth fishing. Brent McNamee, from BoaterExam.com, and I got into a school of big smallmouth bass one day and at one point I caught five big ones on five consecutive casts with a Berkley Havoc Flat Dawg stickbait.

We were rigging the Flat Dawg wacky style, with a 1/0 hook through the middle.

We cast them out and just let them sink down to the bottom. The first fish I hooked Smallmouth bass can’t resist a wacky-rigged Berkley Flat Dawg.

60 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

had about 15 others following it, the smallest was about three pounds and the biggest looked to be around five-pounds. Many of the fish we caught were in the four to fivepound range. It’s magical days like this on the water that make life in my line of work really good. The fall period offers some of your best fishing opportunities. Not only is there not a lot of traffic on the water, the fish are actively feeding during this time period.

After filming on Georgian Bay my son Darren and I headed to eastern Ontario for the Berkley B1 bass tournament. The B1 is one of the classic fall events that I look forward to every year. It attracts a very large field and it is held on an incredible body of water, Lake St. Francis. This lake stretches from the province of Quebec into Ontario and is a part of the St. Lawrence River that offers a lot of great fishing opportunities.

A couple of days before the tournament started we had a chance to take out some of the Pure Fishing executives; Andrew Marks, Dave Wensel and Chip Jaggard, while me, Darren and my brother Wayne were practicing for the tournament. If I’m not mistaken, all of the Pure Fishing folks caught fish close to the five-pound mark that day. In hindsight I would say that we were around the right fish to win the tournament but the conditions and stars have to line up for you to get them during the tournament.

On the day before the tournament my son Darren, who shoots the Real Fishing show, and I decided we should get some work done while we were on the water. We went out with the new 7’ 6” Abu Garcia Veracity flipping rods matched with the new Revo Rocket baitcast reels. The Revo Rocket has

a 9.0:1 retrieve ratio and is one of the most incredible baitcast reels I have ever used.

With one turn of the handle it will pick up 37-inches of line.

In two-hours I caught 15 largemouth by flipping a four-inch black/blue Berkley Chigger Quad, with a one-ounce Ultra Tungsten weight, in and around pads, reeds and weed mats. The fishing was absolutely on fire and I probably got 20 to 25 strikes in the two-hours we were out.

Berkley’s Chigger Quad is a deadly flipping bait for big largemouth bass.

Even though I like fishing for largemouth bass, I knew I had to button down and go for smallmouth during the tournament so that’s what I did.

On day one, Darren and I weighed in 19.56pounds of fish for our limit. We had four very large fish that were over four-pounds each, and one smaller one that we couldn’t seem to get rid of. All of our fish were caught on wacky rigged, Berkley Havoc Flat Dawg baits. We missed three or four more big fish that day that would have given us a huge limit, but we were still in contention after day one.

Day two was not as kind to us, bringing overcast skies and strong winds. What I’ve found is that, for whatever reason, when it’s overcast and windy big-water smallmouth don’t seem to be very active in shallow, clear water. I’ve found this to be true on Lake Simcoe, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and in the 1000 Islands area. When it’s sunny and clear you catch a lot of giant smallmouth in shallow, clear water, but when it’s overcast and windy it seems they either vacate those areas or they just don’t want to hit. In the case of our day two, we just couldn’t catch them and ended up fishing deep. We got 13.06-

Everyone had lots of fun at Bark Lake.

pounds for our best five fish and dropped way down in the standings to 36th place.

The tournament had prizes to 35th place so we left empty - handed. Needless to say it was a quiet drive home, but we’ll get over it!

I got to spend a night at home before I headed up to Bark Lake in the Haliburton Highlands. Every year we go up to this small lake to host the winners of some of our sponsors’ contests. On the first day we hosted the winners of contests we ran for CRC and Toro. As usual, everyone had a great time catching lots of smallmouth bass and walleyes.

On the next day we hosted a larger group of prize winners of an SC Johnson contest who had won their trips through Canadian Tire and Home Hardware stores. On this day we had 10 boats competing in a little fun tournament we set up. A number of fellow tournament pros came up to help out and they all managed to get their guests into loads of fish. It was a great couple of days and we all had plenty of fun.

After the Bark Lake trip I was off for a day of fun fishing on Lake Erie with Chip Jaggard and his father-in-law, George Hatcher. As it turned out, our day was shortened to a threehour outing as I had to be in Toronto later that afternoon for a family function. We got onto the lake and it was perfectly flat and calm. It was one of those rare days in September that you dream about. We ended up catching about 25 smallmouth bass, with many being three to four-pounds, on Berkley’s Havoc Flat Dawg baits.

You probably noticed that I’ve mentioned this bait before in this article and I have to admit I’m becoming fond of this particular lure. What can I say; it catches smallmouth like you wouldn’t believe in shallow, clear water. It was exciting to see George, who is a salmon guide in Newfoundland, catch his first smallmouth bass. George is an accomplished Atlantic Salmon fly fisherman and he adapted pretty quickly to smallmouth fishing.

My next trip was supposed to be to Lake

St. Clair for a little musky fishing aboard Drifter II Charters with Captain Jim Fleming. Jim is one of those charter operators who says it like it is and he’s not afraid to cancel a trip if the conditions aren’t right.

A day before our planned trip Jim called and told me that it wasn’t worth driving all the way down there as the water was stirred up and there were a lot of floating weeds (which make it very difficult to troll musky baits). Jim said it would be best to put the trip off until the conditions were better so that’s what we did.

With the musky trip off, we packed up the Suburban, hooked up the Ranger 620VS and headed to Sunset Country in northwestern Ontario to fish out of Grace Anne II Lodge, which is located in the middle section of Lake of the Woods. We’re talking about a five-star lodge that offers luxury accommodations and is one of the finest resorts on the lake. The head chef, Nicky Dartiailh, is from France and if I ever win a lottery I’m going to see if he wants to become my personal chef. This guy is good!

We went out fishing with Chris Batiuk, who has been guiding on Lake of the Woods for a long time. Just around the corner from the lodge my brother, Wayne, and Chris easily caught enough walleyes for a shore lunch. The fishing in this part of Lake of the Woods was off the charts. Chris put us onto a ton of walleyes as well as a bonus muskie during the short time we fished with him. If you’re looking for the best of the best in luxury accommodations for your next fishing trip, you really should check out the Grace Anne II Lodge.

For a couple of years now my Real Fishing Radio co-host, Gord Pyzer, has been telling me about catching walleyes on swimbaits on Lake of the Woods and I finally got the chance to hook up with him and see what he was talking about. This was on the day after we fished at Grace Anne, but the weather turned and we were faced with an extreme cold front and very windy conditions.

We got out on the lake armed with some

medium-heavy Veracity spinning rods with Revo Premier reels and 12-pound test Nanofil line. We used thin wire leader material and tied this to ½ or ¾-ounce, bullet style jigheads baited with Berkley Hollow Belly swimbaits. The idea is to cast these baits out, let them sink all the way to the bottom, and then swim them just above the bottom. A slow retrieve, where you can just feel the tail of the bait thumping, is the ideal speed for these baits.

The action we had was absolutely incredible. In less than an hour, Gord and I had caught enough fish to do a show. The average walleye was in the three to four-pound range and we got several bigger ones from five to eight-pounds. We caught these fish in anywhere from 20 to 40-feet of water. This was some of the most exciting walleye fishing I have ever experienced in my life.

Contrary to the old belief that jigs and rigs or other finesse presentations are the best way to catch walleyes, I would have to say that for bigger than average fish this swimbait technique really seems to get them.

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Winter 2014 – Real Fishing 61

Gord had been telling me about this technique for so long, all he could do was say, “I told you so!” After Gord and I shot the show, my brother Wayne hopped into the boat with me and we shot another show.

Not only did we catch oodles of walleyes on the swimbaits, we also caught them on a Sebile Flat Shad which is a lipless, vibrating crankbait. We would cast it out and let it sink to the bottom, then use a sweeping, up and down motion to “yo-yo” the bait back to the boat. We caught a number of walleyes up to eight-pounds using this technique.

Last, but not least, I decided to switch up and try a dropshot rig on some fish I was marking on my graph. Everybody thinks of a dropshot rig as a bass technique, and that’s what it became most popular as, but it can also be a great tactic for walleyes.

Dropshotting a lot of the artificial baits like the Berkley Gulp, can really pay off. I was dropshotting three-inch GULP! Minnows and caught a number of fish by sight fishing on my Lowrance graph and dropping down to them. Overall it was an incredible outing with my brother Wayne and Gord Pyzer to finish up our Lake of the Woods fishing.

As the cold front settled in we wanted to head up to the village of Minaki, which is about a 40-minute drive from Kenora. Our

good friend, Phil Reid, from Winnipeg, had recently purchased Birch Island Resort , which is just a few minute boat ride from the town of Minaki. Birch Island Resort is a 100-year old facility that has a lot of character. With the CN railway going through Minaki, from what I understand it was originally one of the Eaton family’s retreats.

At the time of our visit Phil hadn’t officially opened up yet as the new owner but we wanted to check it out. Before going on this trip I was contacted by Shannon Smadella.

Shannon was Miss Canada in 2009 and she wanted to interview me for an article for Cottage North magazine. After speaking with her I found out that she liked fishing so I said, “How about we meet at Birch Island Resort”, so she came up to meet us. It was a perfect time to see Phil Reid’s lodge and also to get a little fishing in with Shannon.

Shannon Smadella and Bob share a chuckle over a pint-sized walleye.

We didn’t catch any big fish because the front had really settled in and made the fishing tough but in the few hours that we had a chance to fish we had a great time and a

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62 Real Fishing – Winter 2014

great chat and also got the interview done for the article she was working on.

On the day we planned to head home I decided to squeeze in one more outing for crappies. I talked to tournament angler Jeff Gustafson about going out but he was tied up

with another commitment so he suggested a friend of his, Jamie Bruce. Jamie fishes tournaments and guides on Lake of the Woods.

The good thing is, Jamie said he was on crappies so we got out and caught a bunch of slabs that we’re just under fifteen-inches. All of the fish were caught on a drop shotted Berkley two-inch Power Minnow or a oneinch Gulp! Fish Fry. What an awesome way to end our trip to northwestern Ontario!

After fishing with Jamie I had to rush back to southern Ontario for a fish fry that we were doing at Coleman Canada’s headquarters. This was a fun, corporate outing where we cooked up some tilapia that we picked up from the fish market and some perch that we had caught. We cooked for close to 100 people that day. Even though it was in the first part of October, the weather was perfect. It was a beautiful day for a fish fry.

I had a chance to get out with my buddy, Mike Watson, on Lake Erie. Mike and his wife, Sue, are two of the best smallmouth anglers on the eastern basin of Lake Erie.

When I asked him, “What should I bring?”, he said “Bring some tubes, some dropshot rigs and some jigging spoons.”

I met up with Mike in the late afternoon for a couple of hours of fishing. It was one of those days where the wind wasn’t blowing and we had to jump on it. We got out onto Lake Erie and the bite was on. We were using jigging spoons for smallmouth in anywhere from 24 to 36-feet of water.

While I was packing I had grabbed a couple of Johnson Splinter spoons that I hadn’t yet used. When we got on the water I tied one on to give it a try and within a couple of minutes I was fighting about a four-pound smallmouth.

The catching was non-stop and I did not put that rod down for the rest of the outing.

It was incredible - we caught 40 to 50 smallmouth bass up to six-plus pounds in our few short hours of fishing. I couldn’t believe the fish I caught that day, including three over five-pounds and one over six, on that Johnson Splinter spoon.

One thing I’ve learned from the Watsons is that you don’t have to aggressively jig when you’re using spoons for smallmouth bass. It’s almost like finesse jigging – you let it get down to the bottom and then you just lift it up and you let it fall. Many times the fish seem to hit it as it’s sitting on the bottom. It’s

Mike Watson and Bob caught a number of big smallmouth on Johnson Splinter Spoons.

an incredible technique that I know Mike’s wife, Sue, has got down to an art form. She is one of the best smallmouth spoon-jiggers that I know. It was one of the most incredible twohour stretches of fishing that I’ve ever had in the fall for smallmouth bass.

I also had a chance to do a lot of visiting around this time of year. My friends Steve and Linda Clapper, from Lima, Ohio, stopped in for a visit at the house. They were on their way to Muskoka for a vacation. It was so nice to visit with the Clappers. Steve and I have known each other since the late ‘70s when he fished my dad’s tournament.

Many of you know that my dad organized the first bass tournament in Canada. Steve and I stayed up until two in the morning

talking bass fishing. Steve is a fanatical fisherman. He has won more tournaments on the western basin of Lake Erie than anyone I know. His biggest win was in 2007 when he won $200,000 in the FLW/Chevy Trucks Open on the Detroit River. It was so much fun catching up with Steve and Linda.

I guess I should say it - I had a few bad outings during this time frame too. When you spend as much time on the water as I do, sometimes you have to expect you’re going to have some bad days. While Steve was in Muskoka I thought it would be great to get out fishing with him so I met up with my friend, John Whyte, who lives in Orillia, and John joined Steve and I. We all met in Barrie for a day on the water, a November outing on Lake Simcoe.

From what John had been saying the bite was during the first couple of hours in the morning on Simcoe but we got off to a little bit of a late start. I think we missed the bite because John caught the only fish of the day.

It was about a three-pound smallmouth that he caught on a tube jig when we first got out at about 10 in the morning. That was the last fish we landed during out outing and it was definitely a humbling experience.

Although the fishing wasn’t what we hoped for, it was fun to talk fishing with two of my friends out on the water.

That wouldn’t be the only time I got skunked this fall. Before I get into that, I had an invitation from Consul-General Eiji Yamamoto to celebrate His Majesty, the

Emperor of Japan’s birthday at the Japanese-Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto. My wife Sandy and I thought that it would be an interesting function to go to so we headed to Toronto to check it out. It was fun outing. Even though I may look Japanese, I don’t speak any and there was a lot of Japanese talking going on around us.

I didn’t understand a word they were saying but I will say that we met a lot of nice people. We even had a chance to visit with the Consul-General and his wife. It was an honour and privilege to be at that function.

Just before I finished this Tales from the Road column in late November I had a chance to get down to the Niagara River for some steelhead fishing with guide, Frank DiMarcantonio. As soon as we met at the boat ramp he said that the water was muddy and the bite could be slow. Visibility was about six-inches and usually that’s the kiss of death when you’re fishing for steelhead on the Niagara River in the fall.

We decided to go out for a few hours anyway but didn’t catch enough fish for a show and the water was getting muddier the longer we stayed out. High winds on Lake Erie had obviously muddied up the river and it was just one of those deals. We decided to pull the plug after a couple of short hours because even if we did scrape a couple of bigger fish together it wouldn’t be what I’d want to make a TV show. But, as Arnold says, we will be back. ?

Winter 2014 – Real Fishing 63

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s COOKING This recipe has its roots in fine dining but is easy to make at home and is guaranteed to impress your guests at your next dinner get-together.

Tirado De Mahi Mahi INGREDIENTS 1 cup 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp 2 tbsp Salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 small Spanish onion 1 large jalapeno pepper 1 (approximately 3-pound) Canola oil 1 tbsp 2 1/2 tsp 1 Hass avocado 1 small ripe mango 1/4 cup

DIRECTIONS fresh ruby red grapefruit juice red wine vinegar olive oil honey to taste to taste halved and thinly sliced thinly sliced center-cut mahi mahi fillet for brushing sweet paprika ground cumin halved, pitted, peeled and diced halved, pitted, peeled and diced fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish

64 Real Fishing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Winter 2014

Whisk together the grapefruit juice, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, honey, and salt and pepper. Add the onions and jalapeno, toss to coat and let sit at room temperature while you grill the fish.

Heat grill to medium-high heat.

While the fish cures, make the avocado and mango topping. Put the avocado and mango in a large bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the remaining 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, the cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.

Toss gently to combine.

Brush the fish on one side with canola oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, the paprika and 2 teaspoons of cumin. Flip, brush the second side with canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Scrape most of the onion mixture off the fish, spoon the mango mixture across the top, garnish with whole cilantro leaves and serve.

Place the spice-rubbed side down on the grill, cover and cook until the first side is crusty and golden-brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook, uncovered, for another 5 or so minutes, until just barely cooked through.

Special thanks to Tim Tibbitts, chef and owner of Flying Fish Modern Seafood in Freeport, Bahamas for providing this recipe. Flying Fish is the #1 rated restaurant in the Bahamas on tripadvisor.com.

You can see what Flying Fish is all about at www.flyingfishbahamas.com or www.facebook.com/flyingfishmodernseafood and you can follow Tim on twitter @flyingfishfreep.

Place the fish on a platter and top with the onion mixture. Let the fish sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

He gave you his best.

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