Author: Don Lamont

PRIME TIME FOR BIG PIKE! As the water warms in June, and the weeds start to emerge, pike start to shake their post spawn doldrums and get on the move. Early in the season, a slow presentation is usually more effective. Right now fast and aggressive is better. In fact if I had to choose in June it would be a jerkbait or a spinnerbait! BIG WATER PRODUCES BIG FISH Some of the best to drive to locations in Saskatchewan include Last Mountain Lake, Lake Diefenbaker, and Tobin Lake. In Manitoba, Cross Bay on Cedar Lake is my favourite spot.…

CARP CRASH COURSE On the walk back from the water I often overhear anglers whispering amongst their group, “That guy was fly fishing,” as though I was a celebrity or perhaps an alien from an alternate dimension. I try to eavesdrop on the conversation that ensues. “What is that?” Someone else explains, “Fly fishing is when you float an insect or fly on top of the water” and gestures with flailing arms how to fly cast. Out of nowhere one of the anglers stops me “Hey, do you fish in British Columbia?” A little baffled, I respond, “Not often, I…

EARLY SEASON TROUT Stocked trout lakes remain fair game year long. Be it through the sheet of ice, or through the first pockets of water opening up as the ice rots away. For die hard fly fishers and trout-bums an April ice-off is the first remedy to the lingering cabin fever. This spring does not look too promising. As I am writing this, the cold April morning has once again brought with it a layer of fresh snow. Well, there is no better time to look through old photos and journal logs. The memories start to flood back, and that feeling of anticipation begins to mount…   MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS We crest the hill, and there is that familiar vista I’ve come to love. A small reed-lined bay to the left, a large island in the distance and a parking lot…

PART TWO OF OUR SOUTHERN ALBERTA FLY FISHING ADVENTURES It was cool and dry in the mountains when we arrived on July 11th, 2016 for our semi-annual fly fishing trip to the Crowsnest Pass region. Two years ago the streams and rivers in the region had been fairly high and fast. Totally different conditions greeted us that year and that was a good thing. Water conditions were relatively benign, with lower water levels and medium flow. In fact, when talking to Vic Bergman the first night, he said he was hoping for rain for the next couple of weeks in…

As we self isolate, time to tell some stories of trips gone by. Two of my all time favourites came two years apart in the same part of the world. My first trip was in 2014 with a group of friends. Two years later I went back and almost never made it home. What surprises me is that I didn’t include this trip in my new book. TRIP ONE The older I get the more I appreciate my time on the water. I started full time in the industry in 1982 and since that time I have seen my share…

THE EARLY DAYS! When I started in the fishing industry as a guide in 1982, we relied a lot on the use of bait to catch many of our fish species. For walleye, it was nightcrawlers, minnows and leeches. There were soft plastic baits available but the use of scent, impregnated in those lures, hadn’t happened yet. I used a lot of Mr Twister curly tail plastic and old classic double tail. Back in the day these were the go-to plastic, and since that time they have expanded their products considerably.The design of the curly tail started a revolution in…

Stay Close to Home Fishing might be one of safest forms of outdoor recreation right now if you take the appropriate precautions. If you are self-isolating with your family right now and everyone is healthy, maybe a short day trip within your province is a good idea. Fresh air and fishing make for mental wellness. I had been isolating in my house for about three weeks following the Mid Canada Boat Show in Winnipeg. I wasn’t planning on taking any chances that I might have picked something up there. Then both my wife and my son got laid off at…

Making the best use of fluorocarbon fishing line. As the ice fishing season winds down, many anglers are retooling their equipment for the open water season just around the corner. One of the biggest chores is getting new line on reels. There are so many choices out there that it can be a difficult and often frustrating process. I want to focus on the use of  fluorocarbon fishing lines and the applications in which they are the most effective. FLUOROCARBON AND SPINNING REELS ARE NOT THE BEST MATCH! I have been using fluorocarbon fishing line for a long time. I…

 Gussy gets ready for Classic Week! He is a long shot, with the odds given him to win at 30-1. The last time he was on Lake Guntersville he had his worst tournament of the year, finishing 67th. Can Jeff Gustafson have a better week at the Bassmaster Classic? It doesn’t hurt that the guys that he rooms with on the road and share information with are some of the tournament favourites. You have the Johnson brothers from Ontario, who Jeff has fished beside for a few years now. Then there is the other teammate from Minnesota, Seth Fielder, who…

It has been a fabulous February with more great action on the way. Temperatures near freezing this weekend will make for some great ice fishing conditions. If it stays like this we also might have an early ice out in western Canada. MANITOBA Perch action is really starting to heat up, with Lake Manitoba enjoying a resurgence with these tasty critters. The fishing on the big lake for perch used to be unbelievable, then died off for reasons unknown. With more stable water conditions the last few years, things are looking up once again as populations rebound. Walleye action on…