Author: Don Lamont

I was out on Lake of the Woods today with one of the best bass anglers in Canada and in North America. Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson took time out of his busy schedule to take Hooked Magazine owner and publisher Kevin Stobbe and myself out for a day on the water. Jeff is a busy guy, so his commitment to a day in the boat was much appreciated. It was a beautiful morning as we launched the boat at Pye’s landing on the northeast end of the lake. Certainly way out of line for this time of the year. Jeff was…

This what the weather should have been like! Beautiful, rugged countryTRAIL END CAMP DAY TWO Chris with a nice bit of lumberHard to imagine but the wind was blowing even harder from the north when we woke up Sunday morning. As we left the dock at 10 a.m that morning I knew we wouldn’t be able to last long on the water with a wind chill of about minus three Celsius. We headed back to a sheltered bay were we had caught a few fish the day before. I decided to start trolling some shoreline in hopes of finding a school…

TRAIL END CAMP DAY ONEWe had been planning this trip for a long time so even a bit of miserable weather was not going to stop us. Unfortunately it did slow us down! My wife Thora lands a nice bassWe hooked up the boat at 7 p.m Friday night and drove the two hours it takes to get to Pointe du Bois from Winnipeg. We managed to avoid a porcupine on the last leg of our trip, just before we arrived at Trail End Camp. Along on the trip was my wife, her sister and husband, all keen to get some…

I have spent hundreds of days running crankbaits in the fall for big walleye. Most of this time has been spent on three of the world’s best trophy walleye fisheries; the Red River, the Winnipeg River at Pine Falls (including Traverse Bay) and Tobin Lake (Saskatchewan River). Each present its own unique set of the challenges, so let’s break them down one by one. RED RIVER For years the Canadian Wiggler dominated the big fish bite on the Red River in the fall time. Wiley old veterans would troll from Selkirk to Lockport and everywhere in between to catch monster…

Its official, fall has arrived! This time of year brings anglers in this part of the world out in droves, hoping to catch a trophy walleye. On a recent adventure to the Whitemud River, I pulled out my first Berkley Flicker Minnow. My friend Jim Price was using the # 7 Flicker Shad in a custom painted perch patter. By the end of the day he had out fished me about 20-14, so I would have to say that crank proved a little more effective on this day. It was also diving a bit deeper on less line than my…

Brilliant sunshine met Kevin Stobbe and I as we headed east to the Whiteshell Provincial Park this week.This was to be my annual pilgrimage to Crowduck Lake Camp. Kevin, who is the publisher of Hooked Magazine had signed up for this Charity Fishing Event with Boston Pizza owner Denis Paulhus. As editor of the magazine I got to go along.It seems I make at least one trip to this great walleye lake every year and this day did not disappoint.In fact, it was one of the better days I have on the lake as far as size of fish caught.…

Kenna with one of her many fish caught!Six Lac du Bonnet students enjoy a great day on the water!By Don LamontNestled on a small bay at the start of the Winnipeg River at Pointe du Bois, Trail End Camp is a favourite destination by anglers in the know. This was the destination on a beautiful August day this past month for some lucky students from Lac du Bonnet and area. Vance and Maureen Hrechkosy were outside the main lodge to greet the six students from Lac du Bonnet that had been offered a dream fishing trip. It was to be…

Saturday  Our last full day, we decide to head down the foothills to the Oldman River,  in a section near Highway 22. I have one of my most enjoyable days using two different presentations. I start with a Terranasty along with a Prince nymph dropper. Six fish later the action slows…then on the last pool of the day fish start to rise and I catch two beautiful trout on a Royal Coachman on what was a great day for me. All in all a great trip with some real nice guys, something I sure would consider doing again.

   Part Two of our Adventure to southern Alberta Now headquartered out of the Racehorse Creek campground the next three days are spent fishing the Livingstone River. There are many roads that lead to the riverside, but this river is also very popular among fly fisherman. The first two days we don’t have too much trouble finding a stretch of river to fish, but come Friday things are crowded. On our first day on the Livingstone, Len Penner has a great day, landing nearly 20 fish. Lime Sally was the fly of the day. Phil and I catch some fish…

DAY FOUR: Castle Falls holds some big bull trout! The next day we try and access the south Castle River but are stopped by some washed out sections of the access road. Instead we stay relatively close to home and fish the forks of the south and west Castle. Some beautiful pools make this short section attractive but Phil hooks the only rainbow of the trip on a big brown Wooly Bugger fished in a straight section of the river. Meantime in the pool below I land two cutthroat back to back before we call it a day. That’s because…