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.