In this issue:
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The National Fishing League has launched it's new home site -
www.NFL.ca
. The NFL.ca is a membership free to all anglers. The mission is
the promoting and developing of fishing resources for all to be
able to enjoy. The year starts off with a participation
Fall-Winter Derby held in District 5 - Lakes Simcoe and
Couchiching. We invite everyone to come and look over the
information online, just visit the homepage and surf around.
There are four more events planned - to be announced in the
coming weeks.
Mid North Outpost Camps
- We have fly-in remote fishing & hunting
outpost camps, located half way between Elliot Lake and Chapleau.
Choose from several lakes that offer fishing for Walleye,
Northern Pike, Lake
Trout, Brook Trout, White Fish, Bass, & Perch. We als have a
variety of hunting options available.
Peace Island Lodge
- Peace
Island Lodge is a five
star American Plan fly-in Northern Pike, Lake Trout and Walleye
Fishing Lodge with Indian guides, on Deer Lake, 120 air miles
north of Red Lake, Northwestern Ontario.
Sunny Side Lodge - We are located
on the north shore of beautiful Lake Nosbonsing. We have 5 fully
equipped lake front housekeeping cabins. There is a wide variety
of fish in Lake Nosbonsing, walleye, northern pike, trophy
muskie, small and largemouth bass and yellow perch. We also
offer a full guided black bear hunt in the fall which includes
baited trees stands and accommodations for a 6 day hunt (license
is extra) there are also fall and winter fishing packages
available.
Tornado's Canadian Resorts - 4
season resort on Pickerel River, Port Loring, Cloverleaf trail
system, Trail AR501. Accommodations in lodges with fireplace,
snowmobiling American Plan packages, hot tub, sauna, fuel. Fine
dining, restaurant open daily, lunch specials, licensed lounge,
pool table & satellite TV. Dogsledding packages.
Cedar Ridge Lodge
- Moose hunts still available! At our Lodge you get a truly memorable
experience at a reasonable cost. Run by sportsman who have a
passion for the outdoors and want you to experience the same.
Located on pristine Burt Lake, 30 km west of Kirkland Lake. We operate a clean lodge and
offer full American Plans.
Golden Eagle Camp - Looking for
an early and long season?? we've got it!! We are located on Hwy
65 just 18km north of Elk Lake. groomed trails right to our door
and TOP Trail A only 6km away. Enjoy a sauna and retire to a
rustic log cabin or brand new cottages equipped with air tight
wood stoves, elecrtic heaters and a whirlpool tub. A delicious
European style meal is available with advance notice.
Greening Bay Cottages - For
awesome ice fishing or great snowmobiling with immediate access
to trails, join us on the south shore of Lake Nipissing. Our
deluxe accommodations, equipment, service, and pricing will be
sure to please!!
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"The Do's and Don'ts of Trolling" By Justin Hoffman
 Trolling
can be one of the most productive ways to scour a lake for fish.
However, for those that believe it's simply a matter of tossing out
a lure and cranking up the motor, it can also be one of the worst.
Like everything in fishing, the art of trolling takes specific
knowledge and techniques in order to catch our aquatic friends on a
consistent basis. Adhere to the following fundamentals, and watch
your trolling prowess grow in leaps and bounds.
Types of Lakes
Trolling can be performed on virtually any lake in North
America, but choosing the best lakes to troll on can be decided by
following some basic criteria. First, you need a body of water with
some depth to it. Although you can troll in shallow water (less than
five feet) for a few select species, for the most part, lakes that
have a variety of deeper depths are dramatically better. Picking
lakes that have a large minnow or baitfish forage can also up your
odds for success. These lakes will hold fish that have become
accustomed to chasing down schools of prey, therefore, they are much
more likely to strike a trolled presentation that passes them by.
I also like to pay attention to lakes or reservoirs that garner
little fishing pressure. The less boat traffic whizzing around, the
more apt that fish will feed actively and not be spooked by all the
noise and surface commotion.
Structure Is the Key
Although it is possible to catch fish by "blindly" trolling a
lake, paying attention to certain structure areas is fundamental in
finding real success. No matter what the specie of fish you are
chasing, they all relate to change. Change can mean anything from
open water turning into a weedline, humps and underwater saddles,
points and islands and certainly breaklines. Finding these fish
magnets on your home lake, and fishing each one differently is the
name of the game.
Weedlines : Weedlines are just as the name suggests - a
distinct edge or line of vegetation that meets open water. Always
troll parallel to the green stuff, following the distinct changes
you'll come across, and try to keep your lure within ten feet of the
edge at all times.
Humps : "Underwater islands," or humps as they are commonly
referred to, are great for attracting and holding a variety of
gamefish. I prefer to make trolling passes across and around the
actual hump, starting my first pass in deep water and progressively
working shallower, until my final pass is directly over top of the
hump itself.
Points and Islands : Both of these areas are dynamite
trolling spots, but definitely come into their own during rough or
windy conditions. Approach points by making a trolling pass directly
in front of the tip itself, and also along both edges as it relates
to the land structure. If the island you come across has a point,
pay all of your attention to that structure area. Islands without
points can be simply circled, starting in shallow water and working
deeper, depending on the overall size of the island itself.
Breaklines : Breaklines are one of the most prolific
structure areas that cough up trolling fish on a consistent basis.
What these areas represent are sudden depth changes. Ten feet to
fourteen feet. Eighteen feet to twenty-four feet. The key is to
present your bait right on the breakline, always trolling parallel
to the break and not across it.
Using Your Underwater Eyes
On-board electronics are a must for trolling, allowing an angler
to see precisely what is below the boat at all times. Finding those
subtle depth changes, locating school of baitfish and their prey and
staying right on the edge of a weedline is impossible without these
digital dynamos. Although fishfinders run the gamut in terms of
price, even the most basic of units will improve your trolling
success greatly.
Spend a day zipping up and down the lake while watching your screen,
making a mental or physical note on a topographical map of all the
breaklines, points and humps you come across. Having this
information at your disposal will make it as simple as 1-2-3 to come
back later and fish these hotspots to the best of your ability.
Another important tool for trolling is a GPS unit. Punching in the
coordinates of schools of baitfish, the precise spot an underwater
hump is located and where the weedline starts and stops allows you
to come back time and time again to fish that exact same waypoint.
Ten Tips for Trolling Success
1. Experiment with lures. Try everything from shallow to deep
divers until you connect with a fish.
2. Vary your speed. Constant speed can trigger fish, but changing
your speed from faster to slower can turn the fish into a frenzy.
3. Never troll in a straight line. Zigzag patterns, circles and
L-patterns cause your lures to run at different speeds and in
different directions - both excellent triggering factors for
following fish.
4. Apply a scent product. Coating your bait with a commercial scent
will leave a scent trail in the water, enabling fish to find your
bait and strike it.
5. Run your lure at different lengths. The more calm the water, the
longer your lead to your lure should be. This wisdom should also be
applied when fishing shallow water.
6. Bump the bottom. Making contact with the bottom occasionally will
stir up fish and entice them to strike. This is especially
productive when targeting musky and walleye.
7. Use a marker buoy. Tossing out a marker when you connect with a
fish, or when you find a productive hump, will allow you fish the
area more thoroughly and will usually mean some extra fish.
8. Use an electric trolling motor. If the fish are extremely spooky,
or the water is crystal clear, switch over to an electric trolling
motor for a quiet and unobtrusive approach.
9. Use downriggers. For fishing deep water, or for fish that suspend
deep, a downrigger can be the key to catching fish. Look for a small
hand model that is easy to use and inexpensive.
10. Never give up. Although trolling can be boring and uneventful at
times, for those anglers that adhere to some principles and put in
the time, the rewards will outweigh the wait.
As you can see, trolling is a specialized and productive technique
for connecting with fish. Follow these do's and don'ts, and be
content in knowing that the mighty "trolling gods" will always shine
down on you!
Justin Hoffman is the proprietor of Nature's Eye Images, a
photographic stock company that specializes in nature and outdoor themes. Check out his
online catalog at : www.geocities.com/natureseyeimages/stockpage.html
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