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.