If you have spent any amount of time fishing you surely have some good memories from all of your outings. When a trip is all said and done, it’s those memories that we carry forward and the great ones come from success finding and catching fish, getting to spend time with friends and family and from visiting beautiful places. My decision to make my living in the fishing industry is one that I have no regrets of. I’ll likely never be rich with money but I can tell you that I am rich with all of the great memories I…
Author: Jeff Gustafson
Jeff Gustafson
Jeff Gustafson, known in the fishing world as "Gussy", grew up on the shores of Lake of the Woods in Kenora, Ontario. He took out his first guide trip at age 14 on Lake of the Woods and has made his living in the fishing/outdoor industry ever since. A graduate of the University of Manitoba, Gussy has always been self-employed as a fishing guide, outdoor writer and photographer as well as fishing promoter. Today his fishes the Bassmaster Elite Pro bass circuit and as many local bass tournaments as he can find the time to enter. You can find him online through his website at www.gussyoutdoors.com.
When it comes to ice fishing in Northwest Ontario it’s no secret that it is one of the most widely known “hotspots” across the ice belt. There are few places where you have to multitude of options for different species of fish as well as varying types of lakes to fish. Across the Sunset Country Region there are actually upwards of 75,000 bodies of water, many of which hold great fish populations! We all know that Lake of the Woods is a popular destination for ice anglers and for good reason. World Class opportunities exist for walleye, lake trout,…
With the long winter that is about to settle in on us here in Manitoba and Northwest Ontario, serious anglers know that time is running out to get in those last few trips in the boat. Fortunately, fall fishing is some of the finest of the year, for both numbers and size for most species of fish. There is just something about the cold weather period for seeing the biggest fish of every species. When I think about the biggest bass, walleye, pike and musky that I have seen, most have been during the cold weather period when water temperatures…
\We all go fishing for many reasons, high amongst them, simply the opportunity to be outdoors with a buddy. It’s fun to make the drive to the lake, play with new equipment or get ready for a tournament but at the end of the day the experience is always improved when we catch fish. The more the better right? The following eight tips are guaranteed to help you catch more fish this summer so read on! Braided Line and Leaders The use of braided line continues to gain popularity every year for good reason. Its zero-stretch properties have greatly increased…
Growing up there was no day I looked forward to more than getting back in the boat after a long winter. Come the first warm day in February I was sorting and organizing all of my tackle and putting new line on my reels. Maps were laid across the table and long hours were spent studying them as I made a plan for where I would fish come opening day. It was overkill but I was excited to go fishing! In Northwest Ontario we are fortunate that the season remains open through the ice out period for all species except…
Growing up I was fortunate that I was able to start participating in competitive fishing events a young age. My Dad took me in the KBI tournament for the first time when I was 10 years old and by high school I was fishing every event I could, from ice fishing to walleye and bass tournaments. Competing in these types of events made me a better angler because they forced to find and catch fish in all types of conditions to have success. Looking back, I have had some great bass tournament finishes over the years and have even managed…
As we approach another season on the ice most anglers, myself included, get excited to get out there. Every year we have new gear and tackle to play with that will hopefully help us catch more fish. And there are always new opportunities that await. In Northwest Ontario’s Sunset Country Region we have some of the best ice fishing options on the planet, a reason why nearly every TV show from In-Fisherman to Bob Izumi’s Real Fishing Show to Lindner’s Angling Edge all visit annually to get their ice shows shot. To be successful on your outings this winter, try…
For most of us that live in central Canada there is probably a little bit of depression that comes at the end of our beautiful summers. I know there is for me. I enjoy ice fishing and having different seasons, but I really love our summers, the nice weather and great fishing. Fortunately for us anglers, fall fishing is hot for almost all of the fish species in our lakes. I think the fish know that the long winter is coming and they are in the mood to eat and bulk up for the long winter. So keep that boat…
About ten years ago several teams started to really excel in some of the biggest bass events across Northwestern Ontario’s Sunset Country Region. Jim Lindner, Alex Keszler, Ted Stewner and John Guzej were all placing very high in events on Lake of the Woods, Shoal Lake and particularly Rainy Lake. What was the secret? They were all targeting suspended smallmouths. These were the biggest fish in the system and these guys all figured out how to catch them. The reason that smallmouths were showing up in the middle of the lake or “out to sea” as we referred to it,…
There are not very many nice words I can use to describe the winter of 2014. It’s been a battle to say the least and as I write this in mid-April we still have plenty of good ice out on Lake of the Woods. This long winter is going to influence our open water season because we’re looking at a very late ice out. There is also a lot of snow that needs to melt so we can assume that we will have high water this spring and likely through the entire season. The following tips will help you put…