Author: Don Lamont

 Gussy gets ready for Classic Week! He is a long shot, with the odds given him to win at 30-1. The last time he was on Lake Guntersville he had his worst tournament of the year, finishing 67th. Can Jeff Gustafson have a better week at the Bassmaster Classic? It doesn’t hurt that the guys that he rooms with on the road and share information with are some of the tournament favourites. You have the Johnson brothers from Ontario, who Jeff has fished beside for a few years now. Then there is the other teammate from Minnesota, Seth Fielder, who…

It has been a fabulous February with more great action on the way. Temperatures near freezing this weekend will make for some great ice fishing conditions. If it stays like this we also might have an early ice out in western Canada. MANITOBA Perch action is really starting to heat up, with Lake Manitoba enjoying a resurgence with these tasty critters. The fishing on the big lake for perch used to be unbelievable, then died off for reasons unknown. With more stable water conditions the last few years, things are looking up once again as populations rebound. Walleye action on…

PRIME TIME PERCH Perch are a much sought after game fish, especially during last ice months of March and in some places April. They are also a delicious fish to eat. Cajun perch is my absolute favourite! Here in Manitoba, the giant perch lakes are well documented. They also change on a yearly basis depending on winter kill or over harvest by anglers. It’s a simple thing to visit the Master Angler page here in Manitoba to determine which lake is currently kicking out jumbo’s. PRACTICING SELECTIVE HARVEST In Alberta, Hooked Contributor and guide Dave Shmyr has caught more than…

Hard Water Haven A fisherman’s bounty and desire for adventure doesn’t come easy and ice fishing to remote lakes in the Northern Ontario back country take skill, patience and determination. Snow machines off loaded and running we heaved the hard water gear off the truck and onto the tow-sled. The bitter cold was not stopping us from enjoying this true northern outing.  Like giddy school kids, we clambered onto the warmed-up sleds and headed into the great white yonder in search of the hidden lake that held the fish we wanted. A good 40 minute or more ride into the…

The first time I caught an big burbot, I was amazed at the weird battle that took place under the ice. I was fishing for lake trout on Lake of the Woods at the time on a shoreline point. This section of LOTW had plenty of deep clear water. When I set the hook, I knew it was a big fish but it was not acting like any lake trout I had ever caught. There were wild rolls, followed by a short power surge, then more rolls. When I finally got this beast to the hole, it got jammed sideways,…

THE TIME IS NOW! It was 1990 and I was on the road with two board members of Fish Futures, John Toone and David Carrick. We were visiting as many regional Wildlife and Enhancement groups as time would allow. Why, you ask?  Fish Futures, especially President David Carrick had come to the realization that unless the angling public became involved in the management of the fisheries resource in this province, we would be at extreme risk of losing that resource. He also realized that it was a province wide responsibility and that there would be strength in numbers. This, because…

My Colombian trips are always well planned, far flung adventures to the remote headwaters of the Orinoco. What once began as a casual conversation between friends somehow morphed into an expedition into the jungle in search of peacock bass in untouched waters. My fly fishing dreams came true as I hooked and landed some incredible fish. Great people, exotic fish, and a remote, wild setting – how can you ask for more? This trip began with handshakes and hugs at a small airfield outside Bogota with our pilots and fishing partners Juan, Hans, Daniel & Gregg. As we hauled our…

When it comes to the Whiteshell Provincial Park in winter, the scenery alone is a big enough draw. With ample swaths of boreal timber spliced with bare granite peeking through snow drifts and what seems like a lake around every corner. For years, many Manitobans have been spending a significant amount of their winter recreation time enjoying the beauty and serenity the area has to offer and while fishing is what usually brings me to this part of the province, there can be so much more to do in winter! SNOWMOBILE TRAILS EVERYWHERE! Snowmobiling is one of the bigger draws…

It seems Manitoba Sustainable Development – Fisheries Branch, has been in the news a little more than usual this past couple of years. With the Lake Winnipeg South Basin commercial and recreational fisheries under scrutiny, to the short staffing at the Whiteshell Fish Hatchery, the branch is showing its’ weariness from an apparent, decades long, systematic dismantling by various elected governments.    There are many factors one can attribute to this deterioration. However, I am not drafting this to lay blame or to point fingers. I simply want to show the factual changes that have occurred, some of the reasons for said changes and possibly offer up some solutions. Just basically how things…

While it’s still early in the ice fishing season, the south end of Last Mountain Lake, Saskatchewan has frozen over. The rest of the lake is just bit behind. Really cold temperatures are making ice fast. Jered Reiss is a hardcore angler from Regina, who spends a lot of his time chasing down the walleye on this great body of water, located just north of the city. In the story below he shares his secrets to early ice season success on this lake. Watching a determined walleye come in on my flasher and coaxing it to bite is the most…