| In this issue:
Our
Fishing
Video Site is up and running. If you have hi-speed
internet access
click
here to see some great short fishing video clips. We've
added a few new UNDERWATER Videos
Auld Reekie Lodge
- Whether you pamper yourself with our full meal plan and the
ultimate in comfort in one of our 6 luxury suites, or stay in a
fully equipped 4 star cottage where you can cook your own meals, at
Auld Reekie Lodge we feel
we've got everything you're looking for and more.
Auld Reekie Lodge, as
featured on the Canadian Sportsfishing Show, is a true escape in the
beauty of Northern Ontario's wilderness
Shooting Star Camp
- Fishing Northern Pike, Walleye, Smallmouth
Bass and Lake Trout in Metagama, Northern Ontario in the Spanish
River Country near Elliot Lake. Offering some of northeastern
Ontario's finest hunting and fishing opportunities, rustic fully
equipped log outpost camps located on the shores of the beautiful
upper Spanish river and surrounding lakes.
Bearskin Lodge -
Family holiday resort in Northern Ontario. Fully equipped waterfront
log cabins with screened porches and private docks. Pristine
wilderness lakes at the gateway to Killarney Provincial Park. Hiking
in LaCloche Mountains. Swimming beach, boat and canoe rentals.
Fishing for walleye, pike, large and smallmouth bass. Blueberry and
mushroom picking. Nightly campfires.
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Season-Ending Largies
By Justin Hoffman
 "Setting
Your Sights on a Trophy"
by Justin Hoffman
Everything in life seems to garner respect for being big. Big cars,
big houses and of course, big wallets. The same can be said for
fishing, where average-sized fish get nary a raised brow, yet
oversized monsters are akin to hitting the lottery jackpot.
Catching trophy fish, regardless of the specie, is more to do with
skill and advanced preparation than anything else. It takes a
well-executed game plan and long days on the water, but the overall
results are certainly well worth the effort. Putting the net under a
rare trophy fish is the ultimate angling high, and one that won't
soon be forgotten.
Doing Your Homework
The search for a trophy fish starts well in advance of getting
the boat or your lures wet. In order to catch a big fish, you need
to start thinking like one, and this is when preparation becomes
key.
Deciding on a body of water is the number one priority. You need to
specifically hit a lake that has big fish potential. An easy step to
accomplish this is through the beauty of the internet. Start by
checking out recent tournament results from various lakes in your
region. If the Big Fish award from each tourney is tipping the
scales past trophy proportions, you may have found a good place to
start. Message boards or lodge advertisements are other great areas
to delve into. People love to scoff about big fish being caught, and
you can use this information to your definite advantage. Contact the
local ministry and enquire about recent netting or electro shocking
studies. (One lake I frequent for bass did a study some years ago;
netting largies up to 7.5lbs and a smallie that tipped the scales at
8lbs! You can bet that I spend some time trophy hunting on that body
of water!)
Lake composition is another important consideration. Aside from
largemouth, most trophy fish will be found in large, deep-water
lakes. For muskies here in Ontario, Georgian Bay, the Ottawa or St.
Lawrence river all hold the potential for a truly monster fish, and
quite possibly the next world record. Although the Kawartha's hold
plenty of skie's, the chance of connecting with a
bigger-than-average fish on this numbers water is slim to
non-existent. If your heart truly lies with catching a big fish, you
need to head to where the big ones are hiding.
Once you have narrowed down your destination, figuring out where on
the lake you are going to try is paramount. If there's one thing I
can stress, its not spending time in unproductive water. Get
yourself a topographical map and highlight all of the areas that
would be conducive to housing a giant fish. Offshore humps, deep
water breaklines and shoals will all have potential in your quest,
and having an easy to consult map of the lake will take the guessing
game out of where to look.
The last thing to mull over before hitting the water is time of
year. Most fish species really bulk up and put on the weight come
late fall. This certainly applies to musky, walleye and bass.
Northern pike, on the other hand, can be at their heftiest during
the spring period, while the winter is advantageous for perch.
Knowing when your target is at its heaviest is crucial for finding
the biggest fish. (If a trophy musky is what you're after, the month
of November is probably your best bet.) Plan your trip accordingly,
and you shouldn't be disappointed.
Big Baits for Big Fish
Once you've found yourself on a lake, deciding what to throw can
really make or break you. Trophy fish reside at the top of the food
chain (for each of their respective species), and they attain these
great weights from eating whatever they want. Tossing big lures to
get their attention is the only way to go in my eyes.
For musky and pike, oversized body baits upwards of 14-inches are a
necessity. For largies, throw the biggest and bulkiest flipping jigs
or spinnerbaits you can find. For smallies the shape of footballs,
six-inch topwaters should be the norm and not the exception. These
are just examples, but you get my drift. Don't head out on the water
with snack-size baits, basically hoping for the best. Show the fish
you're serious, and give them something they can really chow down
on.
The Worse the Weather the Better
We all like to fish in sunny, calm water conditions. Sad thing is,
many of the trophy fish that swim prefer to move around and feed
when the weather is at its worst. Rain, high winds and overcast
skies is a musky or walleye's calling card. Most big fish that
people encounter come when the elements are uncomfortable to say the
least. And this is what divides the trophy hunter from the pleasure
fisherman - in order to get those big fish in the boat, we'll fish
in whatever weather it takes. No questions asked.
Reliance on Equipment is Paramount
Trophy fish require stout gear that is of the highest quality.
Dependable drags, high-test line and well-constructed rods will help
put fish in the boat. This isn't the time for saving a few bucks.
Check line religiously, adjust drag accordingly and sharpen hooks on
the hour, every hour. Believe me, failure to do so will end up being
the one time a big fish decides to hit, and you'll be left with only
a fish tale to tell your buddies.
Always bring a net when chasing the big boys. Even though you can
lip those massive smallies and largemouth, a net slid under her is a
sure-fire way to guarantee she gets in the boat.
Reliance on your body's equipment is also mandatory. Staying
concentrated and focused on the game at hand is the mindset of a
true trophy hunter. Look at each cast as being the one that you
finally connect, and stay on your toes for when that hit eventually
does come. When it does, you need to react with lightning fast speed
to ensure that that fish ends up in the boat. A momentary lapse of
judgment could spell disaster, especially if the biggest fish of
your lifetime is about to strike your bait.
Going after trophy fish is a different sport in the world of
angling. It requires a new found penchant and motivation, and the
rewards are unlike any you've experienced in the past. September 20,
2005 marked the day that I landed my biggest largemouth bass, a
six-pound trophy. This has taken me 16 years of serious fishing to
accomplish. I was specifically chasing a big fish that week, and the
results were well worth the effort. Putting a personal best in the
boat is a high, and a definite stepping-stone until that next trophy
fish is swung over the side of the boat.
Happy hunting to everyone…..and good luck in chasing that next world
record that swims!
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