Author: Don Lamont

With the fourth annual Bug Chucker Cup ready to get underway Joel Wiebe and I had drawn Twin Lake as our morning venue. Having pre-fished Twin the day before and having a subpar day, Joel and I were less than enthusiastic about drawing it right off the hop. Friday May 29th, 2015 6:30 am: Alarm clock goes off 6:44 am: Send text to Joel “Don’t want to jinx it but after this morning Giant Tiger is going to want to sponsor us” 7:00 am: Breakfast… translation… coffee and a Gatorade to rehydrate from a few Stanley Cup Playoff beers the…

Alternatives to a jig and a worm for panfish If you got your start fishing at a young age there is a good chance that your first fish was a panfish. Many people classify panfish as a fish sizeable for the pan. Be it a Bluegill, Crappie or a Rock Bass, all are fairly eager to bite a variety of presentations. Most anglers move on to “bigger and better fish” leaving the days of smaller species on the end of a line behind them, often forgetting the exhilarating fight and exuberant colours offered by the smaller members of the Centrarchidae…

Depending on the individual, fishing can mean a number of different things. For some it’s a relaxing pastime to unwind and surround yourself with nature. For others it can be a family outing, or a time honored tradition like an annual fishing trip to a remote lake. Oftentimes it is more about the company and comradery, the experience and the memories, and maybe harvesting a few fish for the dinner table. On the polar opposite end of the spectrum is the tournament pro or trophy angler, driven by competition, and the desire to catch the most and biggest fish in…

When it comes to family, beggars can’t be choosers, so best make yourself comfortable and learn your place. Fishing promises the unexpected, and how you manage to land a fish by hook, line and rod will be compared to all those proceeding and following. A good fishing story will decide your place in family history (especially a story about the one that got away). To claim your fame and survive family, recognize the cast of characters and manage their limitations. And be very afraid. Dad is passionate about knives, but his filleting skills are that of a human Slap Chop.…

In my 36 years in the sport fishing industry I have sampled a lot of water and heard about a lot of great fisheries. So when Hooked Magazine contributor and guide Ben Beattie talked to me about coming and fishing Lac Seul and area I didn’t have to think twice before I agreed. Lac Seul is noted for its gargantuan muskies, some of the largest in the world. Linda Rice owns the record for the largest muskie ever caught by a woman, an incredible 57 inch fish that was estimated to be 57 pounds. She also happens to own Moosehorn…

An angler’s paradise for hot summertime multi-species action. Nestled in the heart of northwestern Ontario’s Sunset Country, Sioux Lookout is rich with angling opportunities. At its doorstep lies tens-of-thousands of acres of unspoiled natural lakes that are teeming with fish. Walleye, northern pike, bass, muskie and lake trout are abundant in this unique setting where an angler could literally spend a lifetime fishing and not cover the same shoreline twice. STARS OF THE SHOW Walleye are the biggest draw for anglers to Sioux Lookout with legendary Lac Seul setting the stage for unbeatable numbers and trophy fish. Catches of 100-plus…

A Trip Down the Steeprock River   With near complete silence and my mind somewhat on auto pilot, I coast my way down rolling highways back to the city on a dark Sunday night. I look over to the passenger’s side and check on the wild flowers I picked for my girlfriend at the Steeprock River earlier in the day. A mix of horsetail, wild rose and a few plants I can’t quite figure out—I hadn’t caught a fish all weekend, but I wasn’t about to return empty handed either. [huge_it_gallery id=”6″] As much as I enjoy fishing, this nil catch disappoints me for only a second.…

It is late August and you have just hooked up with a 40 plus inch northern pike on the shallow edge of the cabbage and it’s pulling very, very hard. You had just tossed a “Snaggle Tooth”, multi-treble crank bait with a light rod and light line. Water temperature is around 22 Celsius and rising. It’s taking longer than usual getting this fish in due to the light gear, and it is also pulling sideways because that crank bait has hooks in the mouth and outside on the gill plate. After several minutes the beast is slowing down and…

Muskie fishermen are notorious for stockpiling tackle. Between new baits and old classics, both with different colour and size variations, it quickly adds up to a sizeable collection. Oversized tackle bags, boxes and bins for these baits typically take up a lot of space in the boat. Not to mention that muskie baits run about 30-bucks a pop, which makes it an expensive endeavor. The fact of the matter is that for someone looking to get into muskie fishing—or even a seasoned—could be very successful using just 3 different baits all season. Outfitted with just a spinnerbait, a topwater bait…

Ever fished for crappies in Manitoba?  More and more people are realizing that this species should be added to their list of species to target in this province. Many of the lakes in the Whiteshell region of this province are now home to impressive populations of this popular gamefish.  I can remember vividly to this day the great time we had on Caddy Lake ten years ago when I took my daughter out for a day on the water. She caught a massive 15 inch fish that is still the highlight of her fishing career. When I got an offer from…