Author: Wes David

ICAST 2026 ICAST is the world’s largest fishing convention held each year in Orlando, Florida. For four days (July 14-17), the Orange County Convention Center is filled with retailers, manufacturers, media, pro staff, and industry leaders gathering face-to-face to connect, collaborate, and shape the seasons ahead. New products are launched. Partnerships are built, and deals are made. The conversations which will drive the industry into the future all happened in real time at ICAST 2026.It would be impossible to cover all the products and industry gatherings at ICAST 2026. However, below are just a few new products that I believe…

The Canadian Economy Thrives with Hunting and Fishing Guides and Lodges During the last five years, hunting and fishing lodges have been on a roller-coaster ride of extreme highs and lows filled with unknowns for their future. First, it was COVID-19 that shut the lodges, guides, and outfitters down and literally shut the world down. Once the doors reopened to the world, guides and lodges returned to doing what they do best, only to face another threatening challenge. During the last three years across Canada, many northern hunting and fishing lodges have dealt with extreme forest fires. In many areas…

Kenosee Lake, Saskatchewan  Each year, I set my fishing and/or outdoor goals well before I plan my schedule. I have learned that if I set my goals first, I will force myself to plan my schedule to help achieve those goals—kind of a one-two punch. These will vary and even turn into wants. Sometimes, I plan to try a water body I have never fished before. Maybe, it’s to fish a different or unique fish species, or learn a new technique. It could entail fishing with family and friends or fish with someone unique who has a passion for what…

Nestled in the beautiful boreal forest of northern Saskatchewan, on its own private island,  is Stockman’s Lodge. It takes a maximum of 10 guests at a time to ensure not only a quality fishing experience but also a quality experience and outdoor adventure as a whole. Family-friendly and personable, Stockman’s Lodge is an angler’s paradise regardless of your skill level. I headed there last July and  the floatplane taxied to the dock at 9:00 am. Curtis and Corrie, the husband-and-wife owners of Stockman’s Lodge greeted us and a few other guests on the dock and showed us to our cabins.…

From One End to The Other Lake Diefenbaker is an Angler’s Paradise It had been over 15 years since I last fished Lake Diefenbaker, but it has always been a lake I wanted to return to and fish again. Lake Diefenbaker was formed by the construction of the Gardiner Dam and the Qu’Appelle River Dam across the South Saskatchewan River creating the reservoir we now know as Lake Diefenbaker. Construction began in 1959 and the lake was filled in 1967. MASSIVE WATER Lake Diefenbaker is a large water body stretching a little over 225 kilometres (140 miles) long with approximately…

A WEALTH OF OPPORTUNITY!  I assure you that anyone who has experienced a West Coast fishing adventure has a never-ending library of memories, stories, and photos of epic fishing. Stories and photos of incredible fish battles from salmon, halibut, and ling cod. You can see the excitement on their faces as they share photos on their smartphone , then relate the story of the epic catch. There is nothing like an arm-wrenching heart-stopping fight with a salmon or bringing a halibut or ling cod out of the depths of the Pacific Ocean. However, what about the fish species that are…

FIESTY FALL FISH    If you have been fishing for any amount of time, you have heard the saying “Bigger baits catch bigger fish”. And believe it or not, there are times during a fish’s feeding cycle when that statement couldn’t be truer. Large predator fish such as pike, walleye, bull trout, lake trout, and believe it or not, perch can eat up to 20 percent of their body weight. Take a 40-inch pike for example. When a pike is aggressively feeding it has no problem consuming three or four pounds of fish per day. And many fish species have no…

Planning a trip to Canada’s West Coast During the winter of 2019, I was booked to shoot an episode of Fishing the Wild West TV with Queen Charlotte Safaris, out of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia. The trip was originally to take place during the summer of 2020. Unfortunately, during the winter months of 2020, the world was put on hold due to COVID-19 and we couldn’t make it to Queen Charlotte Safaris. Two years later, we finally made it and I must say, it was one of the most spectacular places I’ve ever fished. GETTING THERE From the time you…

LAKE STURGEON ON THE NORTH SASKATCHEWAN Editors Note: Over my 42 years in the industry I have fished almost every section of the North Saskatchewan River, from Edmonton all the way to Lake Winnipeg where it ends it’s incredible journey. This river is dynamic and a multi-species bonanza. It should be on everyone’s fishing bucket list! During the summer of 2021, I booked a trip with Nick, the owner of Lunker’s Fishing Adventures to do battle with the lake sturgeon swimming within the murky depths of the North Saskatchewan River. Nick has been guiding for lake sturgeon and many other…

A WEALTH OF FLOWING WATER Millions of years ago when the glaciers melted and the continents divided, the world’s lakes and river systems were formed. Flowing water was forced to cut its way through the North American landscape until it reached its final destination. As the landscape changed, water flow was cut off in some areas forming lakes. In other areas opened up and water was free to flow creating the rivers and stream systems as we know them today. Alberta was a district of the Northwest Territories until being named a province in 1905. After the provincial borders were…