Author: Jeff Gustafson

MODERN TECHNOLOGY As our ice fishing equipment continues to evolve our expectations of catching more and bigger fish grow.  High end mapping on our GPS units, new lures that fish have never seen before and insulated shelters and clothing that allows us to fish in any kind of weather situation all make going ice fishing more fun.  While some of these new items are certainly going to help us catch more fish this winter, there are some proven old school activities that continue to catch fish as well and should not be left at home.  Here are a few of…

Over the past several months as we’ve gone through the spring and summer fishing seasons we have been able to catch plenty of bass, crappie, walleye, pike and muskies in relatively shallow water.  Now that fall is upon us, anglers need to understand that many of these fish have moved to main basin areas and in most cases, deeper water.  The good news is for anglers, all of these fish are active as they feed heavily to prepare for another long winter. Fish with Larger Baits Throughout the summer, most fish will feed opportunistically on whatever they can fit in…

Lake Trout: Trolling vs. Jigging Many anglers give lake trout a break in the summer with the excuse that they are “too deep”.  Across Northwest Ontario we have some great lake trout waters and while it’s true that they can be found in deep water in the summer, the good news is that you know where to look for them.  They still bite, you just have to get your bait in front of them. No matter what species of fish you are targeting, if you are fishing new water then trolling is a great way to make contact with fish. …

 Warm Water Smallmouths From the time the shallow bays first open up you can find smallmouth bass in the warmest water you can find. I have had my boat on Indian Bay on Shoal Lake and had 100 fish days in the spring when the main body of the lake was still ice covered! Up until they actually start spawning, which happens when the water temperatures get in the 60 degree range, finding the warmest water you can find will likely put you in touch with some hungry smallmouths. It is such a simple rule to follow and it has…

Northern Pike are a spring spawning fish and the anticipated high water levels are going to be great for early season pike anglers. Almost immediately after the ice goes out, big pike swarm the back ends of the shallowest bays on the lake and for the most part they are going to be aggressive. The reason the high water is so good is that it floods a lot of old vegetation that pike love to get into to do their thing. When they are in this stuff not only are they easier to spot and sight fish, they are also…

Times are a changin’. Used to be when we went ice fishing, our presentation always included a jig tipped with some type of minnow or hunk of meat, no matter what species of fish we were targeting.  As the fishing tackle industry has grown, companies have found ways to make better artificial bait that works in all seasons for all species of fish. The days more anglers are finding ways to use artificial bait to catch fish.  The advantages are evident; less time wasted caring for live bait, less time re-baiting because a fish “stole” your minnow and there is…

By: Jeff Gustafson Every time we hit the water we have options.  Once we choose which species to fish for we must decide on the locations where we wet our lines then our presentation.  Time on the water helps us make these choices easier and good decisions have a significant influence on our success so use the following information to make some good ones this summer! Walleye: Live Bait vs. Artificial We all know that live bait works great for walleyes all summer long.  Whether we choose to use leeches, minnows or nightcrawlers, they will all catch fish.  There are…

Getting to travel around North America to go fishing really does give me an appreciation for how great we have it right here at home in Ontario’s Sunset Country Region. The scenery that exists around our lakes and rivers is unmatched and the multi-species fishing opportunities cannot be found anywhere else, especially when you consider the generally smaller, protected bodies of water. While nearly everybody that fishes in this part of the World gets out and catches a walleye or two each open water season, the reality is, around Lake of the Woods and the hundreds of smaller lakes scattered…

If you have spent any amount of time fishing you surely have some good memories from all of your outings. When a trip is all said and done, it’s those memories that we carry forward and the great ones come from success finding and catching fish, getting to spend time with friends and family and from visiting beautiful places. My decision to make my living in the fishing industry is one that I have no regrets of. I’ll likely never be rich with money but I can tell you that I am rich with all of the great memories I…

   When it comes to ice fishing in Northwest Ontario it’s no secret that it is one of the most widely known “hotspots” across the ice belt. There are few places where you have to multitude of options for different species of fish as well as varying types of lakes to fish. Across the Sunset Country Region there are actually upwards of 75,000 bodies of water, many of which hold great fish populations! We all know that Lake of the Woods is a popular destination for ice anglers and for good reason. World Class opportunities exist for walleye, lake trout,…