Ice Fishing Saftey

When planning on going out on the ice there are a number of things to take into consideration.

First this in first, check the thickness of the ice. Usually ice that is 4 inches thick is safe to walk on. Be wary though because the ice may be thinner in some spots. This why it is always smart to check the ice in many different areas. Be careful of moving/ running water. Running water freezes differently if at all. Be very careful when close to incoming streams and strong currents.

If you are planning on driving your truck or ATV on the ice it is best to wait a little later in the season when the ice is thicker. The ice needs to be at least 12 inches thick to support vehicles.  If you are questioning the ice safety it is best to be safe than sorry.

It is all ways good to have a pair of ice picks on you when out on the ice. If you were ever to break through the ice, having a pair of ice picks will definitely save your life. If you could imagine climbing out of the lake trying to get back on top of the ice, there is nothing for you to grab on to. Ice picks are mean for you to jam them in the ice and give you a firm handle to grab onto to pull yourself from the water.

Also never go out on the ice alone!!! If something we to ever happen, being with another person could very well save your life.

Being on the ice should never be taken lightly. You never know when you will be fighting for your life in freezing cold water.

***For anyone who has ever gone through the ice they know the sear terror that follows. Literally once you’re in the water the clock starts and if you do not get out in time you will die.  So it is better to be prepared for the worst then to be caught off guard. ***

Ice Fishing

With the depths of wither closing in fast many anglers are waiting for the ice to get thicker so they can go out and start ice fishing. Many people seem to think that the fishing season stops when the wither months come, but the fishing does not stop here. The winter months take up a quarter of the year and instead of sitting indoors waiting for the spring, you should get out there and start ice fishing.

Ice fishing can be some of the most enjoyable. Many anglers set up what are called shanty’s, these are little cabins build on the lake over you ice fishing hole to provide shelter, warmth and comfort.  A great advantage to ice fishing in that you can make numerous holes in the ice and drop multiple fishing lines in the water. This greatly increases you chances of catching a fish and makes ice fishing more relaxed.  

Usually when ice fishing you use a very tiny rod that is only designed for jigging through ice fishing holes.  Many anglers also use what are called Tip-ups witch allow you to be fishing without actually holding the rod. These devices raise a little red flag when a fish hits and indicates that you have caught something.  Now obviously you will not be able to fit a net trough the small hole in the ice to land the fish so it is highly recommended that you bring a Gaff hook. A Gaff hook is a large barb-less hook that you can use to pull the fish from the water by hooking the fish behind its gills. This tool is extremely important because you will not be able to pull a big fish from the water just by the strength of the line alone. 

The fish that you are most likely to catch in the winter are walleye. You will be able to catch almost every fish that you would be able to in the summer.

Many people are skeptical to try ice fishing because of the cold and because they assume that you cannot catch fish in the winter. 

Let me make this clear, at least once in your life you need to try ice fishing. It is some of the best and most fun fishing you will ever do. Take the time to set up your fishing spot and you will have a great time.  Ice fishing is one of the best winters activates and is something to look forward to when thinking about the winter months. 

Lake Trout Overview

Fishing for lake trout may be easily one of the hardest fish to catch. Trout have an extremely bony jaw making it very difficult to set the hook. This is why many anglers use smaller hooks to ensure that the hook sets inside the fish’s mouth.

Ice fishing is the perfect opportunity to catch trout. Trout are very deep water fish and stay in the cool water in the depths of the lake. In the winter Trout come up from the depths, making it easier to catch one.  In the summer, many times when you catch a Trout you cannot release the fish back into the lake. When you catch a big lake Trout in the summer, sometimes the pressure change from the bottom of the lake to the surface damages their internal organs. This, many times, results in the fish dying. However in the winter when the Trout are not at the deepest points in the lake, you can catch and release without extreme harm to the fishes health.

Some tips for Trout fishing.

I would recommend using live bait when fishing for Trout. Minnows, leaches, insects and worms are all great bait to use when trout fishing, I find that larger minnows work the best. The best method for catching trout is trolling the bottom of the lake.

The average size of trout is 2-10 lbs. and are usually found in cold water 50˚F (10˚C) in clear, deep lakes.

When fishing for trout bring a net and be prepared for a long exciting fight. Trout are very strong fish and will take a little effort to land.  

Please share with me some pictures of the Lake Trout you have caught in the past on my Facebook page or on Twitter.

Great Canadian Fishing Excursions

If you looking for a great high quality wilderness vacation, I have the place for you! One of the best Canadian fly-in /train-in fish and hunt camps I have ever been to is called Mar Mac Lodge. 

Mar Mac lodge is located in the untouched remote wilderness of Northern Ontario. The resort is located on Esnagi Lake and the fishing is amazing. Esnagi Lake is 27 miles long and is famous for its plentiful and huge Pickerel, Northern Pike, White fish, and Perch.  The remote location of this lodge limits the number of anglers on the water, increasing your chances of catching fish. There is also conservation rules that have been put in place to ensure that the lake will never be over fished  The fishing on this lake is so good that you are almost guaranteed to catch fish.

Upon arrival you will be amazed with the quality of the resort, compared to other fish camps I have been to, Mar Mac Lodge takes the cake. You are instantly greeted at the docks by the friendliest staff waiting to take care of your equipment and luggage.  The resort is completely self-sufficient and has running water and electricity in the middle of nowhere! The cabins provide the most comfortable stay that you will ever have at a fish/hunt camp.

Very morning you walk down to the dock and find your boat waiting for you fully loaded and ready to go. Staying at Mar Mac Lodge you are assigned an 18ft cedar strip boat with a 20hp Yamaha. Every morning the staff ensure that you have a full tank of gas, you bait bucket is full and the landing nets are ready to go.  Meals are also provided by the Lodge and are excellent. If requested they will pack you a lunch for the days you are on the water. The service is exceptional and you will not be disappointed.

At Mar Mac lodge they also have fishing guides that are available to take you out, show you the secret spots, and cook the most amazing shore lunch you will ever have.  You do not need to have a guide to find the fish but it is a nice luxury to have available.

Mar Mac Lodge will provide you with the experience of a life time and is the most high class fishing experience ever!

Here is a link to their site for you to check it out for yourself: http://www.northtoadventure.com/index.php

Fishing Gar Pike

Fishing for Gar Pike is a little bit of a challenge. The Gar Pike is truly an amazing fish to catch. Catching a Gar pike is like pulling a prehistoric dinosaur from the water. They have a beautiful colour with incredible scales and very long shouts. You cannot mistake a Gar for anything other fish in Ontario because of it obvious differences.

Gar Pike are more difficult and challenge to catch because of their long bony snouts and rows of sharp teeth. They have very long cylindrical body shape with very large pronounced scales. The colour of the fish is very vibrant. On their spine the colour starts out a darker green and gradually blends into a light green/slivery colour throughout its body until turning white on its belly. They also have large black spots all over their bodies.

Gar Pike are warm water fish and can be seen basking in the sun close to the surface.  This species can be found in lakes spanning from the mouth of Lake Huron to the St. Lawrence river. They are also found along the eastern coast of the United States, and from Montanan eastward towards through the Mississippi river up to the great lakes. 

Gar Pike caught in Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada.

It is challenging to set the hook when fishing for Gar Pike because of the shape of their mouths. This Gar was caught on a large Perch Rapala. The 3 Treble hooks on the Rapala seemed to set fine. Gar Pike are truly amazing fish and you must see one you self to really admire their beauty.

The Best Way to Fillet a Bass

 From my experience filleting Bass I have found one method that is the simplest and easiest. It provides perfect fillets, takes very little time, and does not require opening up the guts. This method of filleting Bass requires starting from the top of the fish and working down the fillet.

1. Hold the fish on its side with its belly facing you. Start by making an incision behind the gill and behind the side fin. Cut down and inwards on a slight angle toward the fishes head until you hit bone.
2. Now spin the fish around so that its spine is facing you. Starting from the incision behind the gill, run you knife along the spine towards the tail. Keep cutting deeper along the spine until you feel the rib cage. With you knife, slowly cut along the rib cage until you feel it end, once past the ribcage push your knife fully through the fish. Cutting from there, all the way back, to the tail, separating the back of the fillet from the fish.
3. Keep running you knife along the rib cage  going around them while working your way down to the belly of the fish. Stay as close to the ribs as possible. Once you make it all the way around the rib cage you cut the fillet off.
4. Remove the skin by holding the fillet skin down. Start at the tail. Cut under the fillet on a slight angle into the skin. Holding the skin, not the meat, cut all the way down the fillet separating the skin from the fillet.

Remember: If you are planning on freezing the fish and transporting it to take home. You must leave a little bit of skin visible on the fillet, in order to for the ministry to identify the species. There are huge fines if you caught with fillets that are out of season and illegal.

This is the method i have used for years and have found to work the best and it is the easiest. 

Here is a video i found to help you better understand what I'm taking about.

http://youtu.be/QDeXjmsTFt4

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass are a lot of fun to catch because they hit hard and put up a great fight. Smallmouth Bass can be found in many lakes throughout Northern Ontario and the great lakes.

Smallmouth Bass concentrate on shorelines and off-shore shoals hiding in rocks, weeds, and submerged logs and trees. Smallmouth Bass are usually found in deeper water, when compared to other fish like Pike or Musky. They can be found in 2-20 feet of water or even deeper. The depth is not as important when fishing Smallmouths, what you need to be looking for is good underwater structure. If you can find an area that is filled with “Hiding Spots” for the fish then they are most likely there. Smallmouth Bass like cover, they like spots to hide.

The most rigorous feeding times for Smallmouth Bass is dusk (late evening, before it gets dark) and dawn (early morning, just before the sun rises)

Lures that are good for Smallmouth Bass are: spinners, ribbon tale grubs(eg. Mister Twisters), surface lures, small Rapalas, and of course live bait. Worms always work and almost ensure catching a fish. Crayfish, minnows, and frogs also work very well.

How to Fillet a Pike

Filleting a Pike

Filleting a pike is extremely hard because of the amount of bones in its fillet. This is what turns many anglers away from discovering the great taste of Pike fillets. De-boning a pike fillet is very difficult if you don’t know what you’re doing. The most crucial part in de-boning a Pike is to remove the “Y” bone that runs along the length of the fillet. The way I find works best is removing the Y bone in one whole piece. Y bones are very fine, thin, hair like bones in the fillet. Eating a fillet that hasn't been de-boned is very unpleasant because of the ample amount of bones.

Once you have caught a decent sized pike to eat, you know need to fillet the fish. The shorter time the fish takes from the water to the cutting table, the better tasting it is. Remember: monster fish are not good to eat, they have high mercury levels within their bodies and do not taste as good, at the same time you want a big enough fish you yield two decent sized fillets.

Once you have opened the fish up, you can run your fingers along the inside of the fillet to feel where the Y bone is. This is a very hard process to explain and is better thought through a video. I have made this video to give you a visualization of what to do.

Keep in mind this is an expert who has done this for years, so do not expect your first pike fillet to be perfect. It takes practice

        

Northern Pike

Northern Pike Overview

One of my personal favorite fish is a northern pike. Not only do they taste great, but they put up a good fight on the line as well.  In northern Canada there are a substantial number of fresh lakes that are home to pike.  These fish are relatively easy to catch, but are hard to fillet. Pike are usually attracted to bright shiny colours and excessive movement under water. They can be found hiding off the weeds around shallow shoals, bays, and rivers. Pike are usually found in 10-15 feet of water with thick weeds. This can change depending on season. 

Recommended Lure for Pike

The lure I have had the most success with fishing for Pike is a Perch Rapala. Remember: bigger lure equals bigger fish. I generally go big or go home. So I use a 7 inch lure with 3 treble hooks. 

I have also had great success with  Black & Gold Rapalas, rapalas are a great lure for pike and every angler should have one in their tackle box. 

Everyone has their favorite lures, but if you don’t, choose one and stick with it. Do not change it after 3 or 4 casts. Have faith in your decision.

Identifying a pike

Northern Pike are torpedo like fish that are dark to light green  in colour with light oval spots all over its body.  A quick way to identify the fish is by looking at the head and jaw pike. Pike have large teeth and can be very powerful, don’t under estimate the danger of a fish flopping around with a hook hanging out of its mouth. Many people have wound up in the hospital with a hook through their finger, as a result of carelessness. 

-Pike loose their color slowly after they die. as scene with the smaller fish on the top.

Determining Great Fishing Locations

Good tips you should consider when picking a spot to fish.  

Majority of lakes in Ontario are filled with fish waiting to be caught. The key is, knowing what fish are in the lake and where they are hiding. Knowing the depth of the water you’re fishing in is a key advantage because it helps you to better judge you lure choice and determine the probability of fishin that area. Many anglers (aka Fishermen/fisherwomen) use what’s called a depth sounder or also known as a fish finder to determine the depth of the water. A depth sounder can also be used to indicate the structure of the lake bottom. When you can tell the structure of the lake bottom you can determine what type of fish are likely to be in that location. For instance, Pike and Musky enjoy hiding out in long, very healthy, weeds, in around 10- 20 ft. of water (depending on the season). Having this advantage severely increases your chances of catching a fish. Another tip for catching fish is watching the direction of the water current and watching the wind patterns. Watching the current and the wind patterns can help you determine where the bigger fish are because where ever there is bait fish, theres big fish that follow. Schools of bait fish are influenced by the water current. For example, if the water current is flowing in, towards a shallow bay, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll find a decent sized fish. The wind patter also has something to do with the placement of the bait fish because usually if the wind is strong enough it will create waves that move in the direction of the wind. Since bait fish are usually closer to the surface, they can be influenced by this wave action in the same way they are influenced by water current. One more good technique is fishing at the mouth of an “out flowing” river. Many of the bait fish are being pulled by the current downstream, whereas the really big pike and musky for example, will not generally make their way down these really shallow rivers and streams.  This means they can be found hanging around at the mount of the river. Taking into consideration these points can significantly increase you chances of catching a fish.

Muskellunge (Musky) Fishing Overview

In Canada, there are a vast number of fresh water lakes, rivers and streams that flourish with a variety of different fish. The large volume of water and strong ecosystem provides a perfect habitat for Muskie to live and grow, creating a great potential chance to catch a “monster”.

The conservation of fish in Canada is taken very seriously. The only time a fish should be killed is when there are intentions of eating it. There are very strict rules and regulations that MUST be followed when fishing in Canada.  The Ministry of Canada is responsible for these laws. Fishing regulations are something that should never be over looked. Breaking the law has serious consequences. For example, if you are caught keeping fish in Canada without a fishing licence, the ministry has the right to seize all of your fishing equipment and in extreme cases they can even seize your boat!!!

To check rules in your area refer to the Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2012.

The best time to catch these fish is between 1 pm to 4 pm as well as around midnight. Due to the fact that this is primarily the time that these fish are searching for food. Their main diet consists of fish that aren’t as big as them (ironically the food chain). They can be found in heavily vegetated lakes, bays, and rivers. This is because smaller fish tend to eat in the vegetated areas and quickly become prey. When searching for muskies use an extremely large lour such as a plug. This is a big wood lure that is more durable than the average lure; perfect for larger fish. Other recommended lures include big spinners, and oversized Rapala’s.  Any type of rod could be used, but it is well worth the investment in some heavy tackle. Good quality rods include Abu Garcia, Dawia, Shimano, Cabela, and St. Croix just to name a few.

 

One of the biggest Muskies every caught was pulled out of the same lake and general area as one of my favorite fishing locations. The fish was caught by a Toronto accountant in 1988, out of Georgian Bay’s, Blackstone Harbor, Moon River Basin (Ontario). The Muskie weighed 65 Pounds, was 58 inches in length, and had a girth of 38 inches!!! Goes to show you that you never know what your day of fishing will bring.

Follow this link for a picture and article on this Record Musky.

http://www.musky.ca/ontario-record-muskie-ontario-record-musky.htm

Fishing Gear

When fishing in Canada, or anywhere for that matter, you need the right equipment. There is nothing more frustrating than fishing for hours, waiting for the big one to bite with no luck. Until, unexpectedly you got one! Your adrenaline kicks in and the fight is on, or at least, until your equipment fails and the fish gets away. Having an equipment failure instantly removes the feeling of excitement. The worst part is that it could have been completely avoidable. There’s no telling if the opportunity you just gave up was the biggest for the year, you may not get a second chance. Many fishing enthusiasts may have only caught a couple of real “monster fish” in their life time. This is why it is so essential to have trust and confidence in your fishing equipment. Using the right equipment for the type of fishing you doing is the best thing you can do to help reduce your chance of losing a fish. There are many different styles and types of fishing that you should be aware of. For example there is fresh water fishing, saltwater fishing, fly fishing, ice fishing, casting, trolling, and jigging just to name a few. It is important to know that there are differences between them. Equipment used in salt water is not the same as equipment used in fresh water. In salt water objects are more buoyant and float differently than in fresh water. Some fishing reels are designed for casting, while others are designed for trolling. The key element on a fishing reel is the drag, this allows line out well before the line snaps, allowing you to be able to catch a 20lb fish on 10lb line. Deciding the gear you’re going to use is very important. One thing I recommend for fishing in fresh water is to use braided line, not monofilament. Braided line is extremely sensitive, doesn’t stretch, and is a lot stronger than regular (clear) Monofilament line. Usually it is a little more expensive but I find it to be worth the investment. Remember: Don't forget to bring a net when you go fishing because you never know when you may catch a giant fish.