Hard to imagine a nicer fall than the one we have enjoyed in western Canada this year! Every fall in late October friend Jim Price and I head up to fish Tobin Lake in northern Saskatchewan. This past year we moved the date to the middle of the month. A few years back we didn’t make it until the first week of November and that was a disaster. The warmest day on the water that year was minus three Celsius. We all agreed that we would do everything in our power to make it a way more enjoyable. So when we arrived October 14th to fish for three days, the forecast was for light winds and highs in the mid-teens. Now that’s more like it!
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| This is more like it! |
DAY ONE: We did have some concerns that if we came earlier we might not get a big run of river fish. Well, as it turns out, that was the case. Luckily, with light winds for the most part, we were able to get out to the big lake. Jim and I fish with friend Boyd Holmen and his new Yar-Craft is a treat to fish out. Boyd is a tremendous angler who knows the lake like the back of his hand. We always seem to find fish, no matter where they try to hide. After a twenty minute boat ride we were fishing for walleye out on the north shore of Tobin. While we marked some fish, and had two bites none came to the boat. Our next spot was better but water quality was an issue. While we only caught two walleye, Boyd hooked into a trophy pike, which ran him around in circles for a while. |
| Waiting for the bite |
We were all using bottom bouncers and spinners, so Boyd had to be careful not to put too much pressure on this beast. Finally, I got a net under him. Carefully taking the hook out with the fish in the net in the water, I moved over so Boyd could hold him up for a quick picture and measure. With a solid set of shoulders and big girth this gorgeous fish measured out at 41 inches. That really was the highlight of our morning!
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| Boyd with his trophy pike |
Later in the afternoon we found a good school of active walleye in 26 feet of water. By using chartreuse Colorado blades off the back of 2 ounce bottom bouncers we managed to boat a number of solid fish, a great way to end another fun day on Tobin Lake. |
| Jim with a solid Tobin Lake walleye |
Tomorrow- more walleye and pike action
