Author: Michael Sweatman

Cisco Disco! While we packed up at the end of a short, family ice fishing session, a local fellow stopped by as he was hopping from shack to shack on his ATV to ask how the fishing was. Reflecting on the steady bite we enjoyed, my wife Christy asserted, “We did pretty good targeting cisco”.  The fellow kind of nodded his head, said nothing, and drove off. UNDER THE RADAR Some freshwater fish species don’t get much love. The lowly cisco is a favourite snack of pretty well all predator fish, but at best seen as a nuisance bi-catch of…

CAMPING ON THE ICE How to stay comfortable, safe, and productive on overnight ice excursions Whether it be to save money on lodging, maximize your time on productive spots, or for the shear adventure of sleeping on a frozen lake, many hard-water anglers consider overnighting in their shelters. I found the tricks I learned sleeping on the frozen ground during Army exercises enhanced my overnight ice fishing experiences. I hope to share a few of those tips so you can be comfortable, safe, and productive. CATCHING SOME FISH  SLEEP! An overnight trip requires its own set of gear. In the…

Unlocking Diefenbaker Rainbow Saskatchewan’s largest southern waterbody, Lake Diefenbaker, is known for incredible multi-species angling opportunities with over 23 species lurking in the depths. In fact, it’s the home of world records for rainbow trout and burbot, so it is also known for some massive specimens. Being 225 kilometers long and up to 66 meters (220 feet) deep, it can also be daunting to the average angler. However, by paying attention to structure and food sources, good fishing can be had. The best part is that open water access to cold water species—such as rainbow trout—is available late into the…

500 Inches of Pike: A Northern Saskatchewan Adventure 9:04 am, first morning on the water. Our guide, Joel, edges the boat toward a point recently flooded over by the high-water levels on the Cree River system. Flooded conditions make fishing challenging as the structure available to the fish is suddenly amplified. We see two river otters amongst a stand of pencil reeds in the drizzly, grey morning. Joel “had a feeling about this spot” and decided to beeline straight here from camp at Cree River Lodge. My wife Christy pitches the orange and gold #2 Len Thompson toward a cove…

A GREAT SPORTFISH! I remember spending hours as a boy staring at the hand painted fish in the Anglers Guide. I was studying the short captions, excited to consider what it would be like to catch an unfamiliar species. Words like cutthroat trout and channel catfish loomed foreign and enticing. In those early years, catching anything beyond pike and walleye made you a fishing god amongst family. I’m not certain what keeps us from trying for unfamiliar species.  But once we do, it is hard to stop. Targeting channel catfish is no exception. Seemingly out of place, the channel catfish…