Author: Don Lamont

THE NORTH SHORE EXPERIENCE  Breathtaking Ontario landscapes from the shores of Lake Superior, a trip to see this beauty a must. The north shore is a bucket list necessity, with bountiful fishing, motorcycle riding, ancient pictographs, waterfalls, hikes, camp sites and iconic light houses. First on my list is the “Galapagos of the North,” a lonely lighthouse island with black volcanic beaches and wind-swept trees surrounded by a blue-green azure freshwater ocean. Some of these stunning seaside backdrops will surely be a good addition to your picture album. The Porphyry Island lighthouse, which was first used as an operational lighthouse…

MANITOBA It is transition time in this part of the world. The southern rivers are open and smaller potholes. Some suckers are being caught but we are about a week away from good open water. One of my favourite trips each year is for early season crappies. Manitoba has many lakes that hold these feisty panfish and springtime can dynamite if you know what to look for.  WATER TEMPERATURE THE KEY! When the water temperature is in the four Celsius range, crappie position on drop-offs near deeper water, especially if there is vegetation. These are areas near where they spent…

EARLY SEASON BONANZA Over the many years I have been in this business, I have shared a boat with some of the best anglers on the planet. A few of those have a love for catching large pike. I happen to be one of those and if it is on a fly rod all the better. As far as I am concerned it is one of the best challenges an angler can have. NOT FLY ROD WEATHER Early spring is not the best time to pick up a fly rod though. It is usually better when the water temperatures rise…

A NEW DAWN AND A BETTER DAY FOR MANITOBA ANGLERS With the implementation of new angling regulations taking effect April 1st in Manitoba, our angling options have blossomed. Now we can fish for pike, bass, crappie and many other species year round. While walleye remains closed until May 13th in the southern division, there is so much to enjoy. While spring is having a hard time finding Manitoba it gives us more time to organize and game plan for open water. In past years, I have always headed to Northwestern Ontario to enjoy their open season. Now I can stay…

MANITOBA With snowfall on much of the prairies and Northwestern Ontario, access to has become an issue for those anglers still wanting to fish for available species. The ice conditions on the medium and small sized lakes in the southern half of the province are starting to get iffy. Roger and Sue Geres were out this past week fishing for a variety of species. They had some great luck on Lake of the Prairies catching jumbo perch. This reservoir has really become a perch hotspot in the last three years. After that they headed north. Roger Geres We packed up…

EDITORS NOTE: You can enter to win a trip to one of Shaun’s Outpost camps by entering this contest on our website. You can also hear Shaun talk about his career, his camps and airline on The Complete Angler Podcast Episode # 38! For the last four years I had  been trying to book a trip in to one of the many outpost fishing camps owned by Shaun Jackson. Three years ago, the pandemic got in the way, then in 2021 forest fires made travel to the eastern side of Lake Winnipeg a no-go zone. In fact, Shaun lost two…

MANITOBA The new Manitoba Angling regulations have taken effect on April 1st. There are some pretty dramatic changes for this year. Angling for pike, bass, crappies and several other species are open all year round. Changes include new angling licence types and fees, such as a new one-day angling licence; licence exemptions for seniors and active military members and veterans who reside in Manitoba; and the ability to carry your angling licence electronically. Additional changes include new possession limits and size restrictions, and area and species-specific closures to protect spawning fish. If you would like to get up-to-date on the…

A NEW AGE? They are often called trophies. That word is a bit loaded. What kind of competition can end with one being stuffed and mounted over the bar fridge? If not a trophy, then a wall-hanger. But that term is undistinguished. Either way, taxidermy fish and game animals deserve to be displayed and the work of taxidermists celebrated as artists and creators. Anglers figured it out about thirty years ago with replica mounts. Catch and release hunting has yet to be a thing. In the days before live-wells and camera phones, those so skilled or fortunate to catch a…

GUSSY PULLS IT OFF DESPITE A TOUGH DAY THREE With temperatures warming up to the mid-seventies (24 Celsius), things were starting to change rapidly to the fishery at the Bassmaster Classic. Having talked with Gussy at length over the last three weeks, we knew it was going to be a winter smallmouth bass pattern that was going win it for him. Was that over with the weather change? WINNER IN 2021 AT KNOXVILLE Gussy had notched his first win at the Elite level in 2021 on the same body of water. He had figured out a deep smallmouth pattern that…

HISTORY IN THE MAKING – THE 1st CANADIAN TO WIN THE SUPERBOWL OF BASS FISHING! When Gussy invited me down to Bassmaster Classic a month ago I thought about it for about a week. I looked up airline flights but it would’ve taken about the same time as driving. So I got friend  Darrin  Bohonis to come along as my photographer. It turned out to be one of the best decision I have made in my career in this industry. Gussy and I go back a long ways. I first heard of Gussy a bit through the KBI Bass tournament.…