Author: Don Lamont

EDITORS NOTE: You can enter to win a trip to one of Shaun’s Outpost camps by entering this contest on our website. You can also hear Shaun talk about his career, his camps and airline on The Complete Angler Podcast Episode # 38! For the last four years I had  been trying to book a trip in to one of the many outpost fishing camps owned by Shaun Jackson. Three years ago, the pandemic got in the way, then in 2021 forest fires made travel to the eastern side of Lake Winnipeg a no-go zone. In fact, Shaun lost two…

MANITOBA The new Manitoba Angling regulations have taken effect on April 1st. There are some pretty dramatic changes for this year. Angling for pike, bass, crappies and several other species are open all year round. Changes include new angling licence types and fees, such as a new one-day angling licence; licence exemptions for seniors and active military members and veterans who reside in Manitoba; and the ability to carry your angling licence electronically. Additional changes include new possession limits and size restrictions, and area and species-specific closures to protect spawning fish. If you would like to get up-to-date on the…

GUSSY PULLS IT OFF DESPITE A TOUGH DAY THREE With temperatures warming up to the mid-seventies (24 Celsius), things were starting to change rapidly to the fishery at the Bassmaster Classic. Having talked with Gussy at length over the last three weeks, we knew it was going to be a winter smallmouth bass pattern that was going win it for him. Was that over with the weather change? WINNER IN 2021 AT KNOXVILLE Gussy had notched his first win at the Elite level in 2021 on the same body of water. He had figured out a deep smallmouth pattern that…

HISTORY IN THE MAKING – THE 1st CANADIAN TO WIN THE SUPERBOWL OF BASS FISHING! When Gussy invited me down to Bassmaster Classic a month ago I thought about it for about a week. I looked up airline flights but it would’ve taken about the same time as driving. So I got friend  Darrin  Bohonis to come along as my photographer. It turned out to be one of the best decision I have made in my career in this industry. Gussy and I go back a long ways. I first heard of Gussy a bit through the KBI Bass tournament.…

CAN GUSSY PULL IT OFF?  OF COURSE HE CAN! Over the last three days we have been mixing with media all over the world.  Many are in disbelief on what is happening. “Why is the fishing so hard?” many have asked, including the majority of the anglers who are trying just to catch a limit of five bass or even one bass. Jeff Gustafson has had unwavering confidence in his pattern since I did a podcast with him two weeks ago. Which you can find beside this article. Nothing changed when I interviewed him on Media Day on Thursday. https://youtu.be/Q3tyDWGTitM…

BIG DAY FOR GUSSY It was a long and exciting Day 1 of the on the water action. Darrin Bohonis had gone down to the Volunteer Dock to the catch the kickoff of the tournament. He was joined by thousands of others who had come to cheer on the home town heroes. While there might have been 55 Australians cheering for Carl Jocumsen, there were hundreds here from Canada rooting for the four Canadians in the field.  This included Cooper Gallant, the Bass Open Qualifier from Bowmanville, Ontario. This guy is the real deal, having finished second the Opens Angler…

Editors Notes It is an abbreviated fishing report this week because I am down in Knoxville covering the Bassmaster Classic for Hooked Media. As I file this report, Gussy is in first place. Check out the interviews with the 4 Canadians we did at Media Day yesterday here. Follow all the action over the next three days at http://bassmasterclassic.com Visit Hooked every evening for UpToDate reports on the Classic. Check out us on Instagram at @hookedmagazine @dlamont46 and Darrin Bohonis @ darrinbohonis who is down here with me doing all our media. Great job Darrin. Here are some images Darrin…

MEETING THE PROS The sun finally decided to shine and the temperature climbed to above 20 Celsius (mid 70F) as all 55 qualifiers for the Classic gathered for Media Day. This is the culmination of the year for these pros and the thousands of fans who are gathering to follow the three days of competition. Darrin Bohonis and I arrived early just to make sure we were on time. Gussy was our first stop, but he was busy tying on lures so we left him alone. It was key to let him get his work done. Our first four interviews…

THE SUPERBOWL OF BASS FISHING! You might not know it but bass fishing is one of my all time favourite pursuits. In my first big time event at the Inaugural Kenora Bass International, my partner and I were in the lead after Day 1. Of course, I messed it up and finished 10th. it was just the beginning of what was to be an intense pursuit for a number of anglers in Canada. Don’t forget this was 30 years ago. Jeff Gustafson was still knee high to a grasshopper. AT THE TOP! Well look at him now, a pretournament favourite…

MANITOBA GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES NEW PROJECTS TO PROTECT FISH AND WILDLIFE The Manitoba government is protecting the province’s abundant natural resources by awarding $780,660 in funding for 21 fish and wildlife improvement projects from the Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Fund (FWEF).  Natural Resources and Northern Development Minister Greg Nesbitt made the announcement earlier this week. “Manitoba’s fish and wildlife are precious resources that should be preserved to ensure its sustainability for future generations of Manitobans,” said Nesbitt. “We recognize the important contributions of licensed hunter, anglers and trappers that support the conservation of fish and wildlife and these investments will provide…