| In this issue:
Our
Fishing
Video Site is up and running. If you have hi-speed
internet access
click
here to see some great short fishing video clips. We've
added a few new UNDERWATER Videos
|
Auld Reekie Snowmobiling Vacations We offer several
winter vacation options. You can snowmobile hundreds of
kilometres of groomed trails, go cross country skiing on nearby
trails, take a dog sled tour, or enjoy some of our breathtaking
scenery. You can also try your hand at ice fishing on one of the
hundreds of lakes in this area. Regardless of what you do at the
end of the day you can come back to the lodge and relax beside a
cozy fireplace and enjoy some of the great food offered in our
licensed dining room.
White Birches Camp
- Explore and fish the Pickerel River
system. Lakeside housekeeping cottages, RV and tent camping and
secluded outposts. Well maintained docks, and boat and motor
rentals. Beaches, recreation room, children’s playground,
laundomat, sauna. Off season discounts.
Makokibatan Lodge - Operated by Liddle's Fishing Adventures
- Makokibatan Lodge is a full service
American plan lodge located on the world famous Albany River
which is known for it's trophy walleye and northern pike
fishing. Accommodations consist of beautiful 3-bedroom log
cottages with indoor washrooms, hot and cold running water and
sitting area with a scenic view over looking Makokibatan Lake.
Our marine equipment are 16' lund boats with pedestal seats
powered by brand new 25HP Mercury motors.
Pakuni Lodge
- Pakuni Lodge is situated on the south shore
of Pakwash Lake near Ear Falls, Ontario. Its prime location
makes it a natural hot spot for walleye, northern, smallmouth
bass, perch and whitefish.
Hilltop Cottages
-
Hilltop Cottages, Tent and Trailer Park is located in
Deux Rivieres, Ontario along the Ottawa River on Hwy 17. Our
services include family camping, housekeeping cabin rentals,
service trailer sites, live bait and tackle, hunting, fishing
and more.
Papa Johns Cottages
- Pickerel (Walleye), SM Bass, Pike, Lake
Trout and Whitefish. Fish Herridge Lake, or take a wilderness
day trip in our Back lake fishing packages. We have placed
Boats, motors and gas on a chain of remote lakes accessible by
short portages off the home lake. Great fishing, Beautiful
scenery
Pipestone Point Resort
- Welcome to
Pipestone Point
Resort. A wilderness retreat. An environment to
serenity.Surrounded by some of the greatest hunting and fishing.
The waters of the Walleye, Bass,Lake Trout, Northern and Muskie.
Situated on a beautiful peninsula,
Pipestone Point Resort
offers unlimited exploration opportunities by land or water.
65,000 miles of shoreline, 14,000 islands, and countless bays
make for a remote and tranquil setting.
Shoal Lake Lodge
- All new quality accommodations will
include six individual cottages, the Lodge/Dining Hall,
Recreation Room and out buildings. Our specialty is Northern
Pike and Small and Largemouth Bass fishing. Northern Pike
fishing is simply fabulous both in number and size.
Shoal Lake is rated by
Ontario out of Doors as the #1 drive to pike
lake in Ontario.
Lost Lake Wilderness
Lodge - Wilderness retreat near
the villages of Elk Lake
and Gowganda, Ontario awaits you for your next holiday. We
provide a clean full facility private cottages in a gorgeous
setting. Provide all the opportunity to relax and have a
memorable vacation. Of course we'll be there if you need us to
provide you with bait for your fishing trip, or to cook your
meals if you are on our American Plan package. Maybe just to
chat about the area or maybe find where the BIG fish are hiding!
Black Creek
Outfitters - Black
Creek Outfitters is located in the beautiful
Mississagi River Valley in Algoma Country. We offer fishing,
hunting, ATV riding, snowmobiling & newly renovated housekeeping
cabins.
Lang
Lake Resort -
Summer or winter our cabins are winterized have a full kitchen,
running water and a personal dock. Choose from either
housekeeping or American plan. We also have boat and motor
rentals. Fish our main lake
system for trout, walleye, pike, smallmouth and largemouth bass.
Our resort also offers quiet back-lake
retreats. We have many activities such as hiking, snowmobiling,
swimming in the sparkling-clean water of
Lang
Lake or relaxing in
the hot tub. Don't forget to bring your camera!
|
|
"Choosing a 'Stick' For Ice
Fishing" By Justin Hoffman
With winter about to make it's appearance across
Ontario, ice anglers are beginning to feel the excitement as open
water lakes slowly begin their frosty transformation. Although it
may be a month or two away, getting your equipment together now will
save you frustration and headaches further on down the line. One of
the most important aspects of hard water fishing is the rod itself.
Using the appropriate style for the chosen application will help you
land more fish this season - plain and simple.
Owning a variety of ice rods in varying actions
and tapers is the name of the game for hard water fishing. Pictured
are a selection of High-Tech Fishing rods (HT Enterprises) that
cover all the bases in terms of ice sticks.
The 'Open Water' Mentality
I see it time and time again on the ice each year. Anglers using the
wrong kind of rods, or better still, pieces of apparatus that aren't
even rods in the first place! From the plastic fad rods that were
popular a few years back to exceptionally thick chunks of wood - you
may luck into the odd fish, but the potential can be so much greater
when utilizing the proper gear.
Think of ice fishing in terms of open water fishing.
You certainly wouldn't troll for musky with an ultralight rod, much
in the same way that you wouldn't target perch with a flipping
stick. For unknown reasons, when some people step on the ice, all
the rules of fishing equipment are forgotten, and that can be a
costly error in judgment.
Present-day ice fishing rods are technologically the
best they have ever been. They come in a myriad of lengths, weights
and thickness, and are tailor-made for different fish species and
specific applications. In fact, ice rods are almost identical to
their larger counterparts, in every way other than size and price.
Graphite is the way to go for ice sticks, offering
the user the most sensitivity for detecting what is happening below
the ice. Although premium glass blanks have improved greatly over
the years, and certainly are stronger than graphite, they won't
allow you to feel a strike quite as well. For light biters or tiny
lures, it has to be graphite.
The Length Factor
Ice rods come in a variety of lengths, and deciding on what
species you are chasing, will help you narrow down the selection
process. Short rods work best inside a hut, for obvious reasons,
whereas longer rods will provide greater power for hooksets, yet are
only viable on the open ice.
For panfish, a rod that falls between 20 and
30-inches is generally best. The shorter size will allow you to have
better control over micro-sized lures, and will also transmit the
fight of the fish much better.
When chasing walleye, an ice stick that measures 24
to 36-inches is the norm. The longer length will assist in driving
the hook into bony mouths, while also allowing the angler to play
the fish perfectly.
Salmon and trout require a longer rod in comparison
to any other species. Trying to fight a laker with a short rod is
asking for trouble, as is setting that hook on the initial strike.
Look for a style between 36 and 42-inches in length.
As for pike, choosing a rod that falls somewhere
between the walleye and trout length would be your best bet, with
36-inches being a great compromise.
The Positives of Power
The amount of force necessary to bend a rod is the definition of
power. The three main categories ice rods fall into are light,
medium and heavy, with a number of combinations found along the way.
Think of power in terms of the three main species of
fish - panfish, walleye and trout/pike. The larger and more fight a
fish can put up, the heavier the action should be.
For instance, panfish should be targeted with an
ultralight or light-action rod, dependant on the size of the bait or
lure that you are using. For walleye, light jigging applications
will respond best with a medium-light action rod, whereas heavier
jigs or spoons would fall under the medium-action category.
As for trout and pike, a medium-heavy to heavy rod
will get the job done best.
The Action Plan
The speed or action of a rod is measured according to where it
bends, generally in regard to the degree of taper from tip to butt.
The three main speeds of ice rods are fast, medium and slow.
A fast rod bends mainly at the tip, which allows
quick hooksets and excellent feel and vibration when jigging. For
panfish, an extra-fast or fast tip is preferred, while walleye
hunters should go for a fast to medium-fast setup, as should those
in search of trout.
Medium speed ice rods bend at the midsection. This
action is good for using baits that don't require exact feel, or
when using the rod as a stationary set line. Using a rod of this
style as a dead-sticking setup for walleye can be advantageous.
If the rod bends throughout the entire length, then
it is classed as a slow rod. For the most part, at least with the
species listed, this style of rod wouldn't be necessary.
Handles
For the most part, high-quality cork handles reign supreme for
ice fishing. Sensitivity is greatly enhanced through cork, allowing
you to feel the precise action your lure is performing below the
hole. Cork is also warmer to grip than plastic and/or metal,
allowing a more comfortable time for your hands when out on the ice.
Solid maple handles also offer great sensitivity,
and many manufacturers are starting to go with this trend. Although
I haven't personally used a handle of this type in the past, I plan
on testing a variety out this coming season.
Line Guides
When choosing an ice rod, pay particular attention to the line
guides. They should be spaced evenly across the length of the rod,
starting more than halfway up from the butt. Oversized guides work
well for fishing during the winter, as ice build-up can be kept to a
minimum, ensuring a clear path for your line to flow through.
Inferior or cheap-looking guides will only lead to problems, and
should definitely be avoided.
Evenly-spaced eyelets that are oversized and
durable are things to look out for when checking out the rod racks.
As you can see, using the right equipment is
paramount for fishing success. Although many of the ice rods may
appear similar in nature, choosing the correct one for your style of
fishing will lead you on your way to icing more fish this season.
Test drive a new ice stick - you'll be certainly
glad you did! |
