As we enter the fall season in Alberta, Brown Trout fishing on the Bow River will pick up. Those elusive Brown Trout will show up on the end of our monofilament fishing line. Brown Trout will start to fatten up for their spawn making for good fishing for this species. So how are we to hook into these lovely specimens? The answer I believe lies in their diet!

Young Brown Trout feed on insects and other invertebrates, but the larger fish are active predators of other bait fish including young Brown Trout, suckers, White Fish and Rainbow Trout. Larger Brown Trout will also feed on small animals that fall in the water from shore. This is a hint as to where to cast your lure when fishing from a boat! Brown Trout usually do not become active or feed until the late afternoon or early evening but when the weather is cool enough they will feed during the day as well. The largest Brown’s of the river feed under the cover of darkness, so stay out on the river bank a little longer than most fisherman dare too. Brown trout can be caught with artificial flies, spoons, jigs, plastic worm imitations and lures.

When I target Brown Trout I use lures with natural looking colors to imitate their natural diet. I select lures that look like Rainbow Trout, Rocky Mountain Whitefish and Brown Trout during daylight hours. It is very important to key in on these colors to have good success fishing browns when there is cloud cover. Browns have better “dim light” eyesight than most other trout. However I find success with brighter colors during the cover of darkness. Use the most natural of bright colors and you are sure to land a trophy brown in the dark.

On the Bow River I have found you need to stay fishing well past dusk, an hour past the last light is usually when I start to hook up trout. There is a slow period between twilight and total darkness on the Bow River. I use this time to conserve energy and prepare for what is about to transpire. I make a habit of checking my hooks for any damage, bent hooks or dull hooks will be dealt with at this time before complete blackness arrives. If I need to change a hook out I will do this before there is no light left. I like my hooks strong and very sharp, Eagle Claw hooks is what I prefer over any other hook manufacturer. There are a few other companies I like also but Eagle Claw is my selection when I trout fish the Bow River.

Plan your time to fish browns accordingly and make sure you use lures that are close to what the browns are feeding on. Find deep holes in the river and present your lure at the top, middle and tail ends of these holes. Try different speeds of retrieve and you will catch these wonderful hard fighting species of trout!

Before I head out to fish a river at night I will go out and do some scouting during the daylight hours. I look for hazards that could endanger me and I also look for prime fishing water while there. I look for classic trout holding water such as pools, slow deep runs and under cut banks where fish could be holding. When fish are hiding here during the day it can be quite difficult to cast to them, or they are not going to feed during the day. As nightfall happens, these fish move out of their cover and come alive into more approachable fishing water where you can cast to them.

For these reasons your prime water at night might now include slow outside bends, tail end of a pool, inside shallow bends, and those calm open flats can all start to produce fish once the cover of darkness arrives, especially if this water boarders deeper “classic” holding areas.

The lures I prefer to use at night include plugs like Rapala’s, Berkley Frenzy’s, Matzuo jointed minnows. What I will do when fishing at night is have two fishing rods rigged up and ready to go. I do not like fumbling around at night trying to tie on hooks. So I avoid this hassle and get prepared before hand in the daylight hours.

When approaching the location of water you plan to fish, do so quietly and softly as to not scare off any fish that are holding near the edge of the bank. Also keep your flashlight or head mounted light away from your targeted water. Remember, the less you disturb your location the more chance you will have at landing a trophy Brown.

Please remember fishing in the dark is sometimes awkward and can be challenging. This type of fishing is purely based on feel. But once you have done it a few times you will become productive and could be rewarded with the trophy Brown Trout of your dreams.

Fishing a pond can be both fun and productive. Ponds usually do not get the pressure that main lakes and rivers see. Therefore, they can offer anyone a good chance to catch a fish. When the fish are biting you can pretty much throw anything at them and have a good shot at catching a nice bass. But what do you use when the fishing gets tough? Well I’m going to tell you the 5 lures that every pond angler should have in order to up their chances in tricking a fish into biting.

The first lure that should be in everyone’s tackle box is a top water lure of some sort. More specifically, you should have a popper lure. These lures offer great excitement and fun when the fish are attacking the lure. These lures are ideal for early mornings or later evenings. Both Smallmouth Bass and Largemouth Bass can not resist these lures on the pond.

The second lure that I suggest which should be in your tackle box is a stick worm. Stick worms like the Senko offer a slow presentation when fished weightless. Big bass can not resist the quivering action as it slowly falls to the bottom of the pond. The Senko is a great lure to be fished at any time of the day.

The third lure that I recommend that you have for pond fishing is a small crankbait. These lures offer a great advantage for the angler to reach the deep depths of the pond. When the fish are down deep throw a crankbait out and reel it in so it’s making contact with the bottom. This gets the attention of the fish in those dog days of summer.

The forth lure that every pond angler should have is a finesse minnow. A finesse minnow, that is about 3-4 inches in length like the Berkley Gulp Alive minnow, is a great choice. They look real and act real when fished on a drop shot rig. When those fish are locked jawed this lure is your best bet at catching a bass.

The final lure that ought to be in your box is a frog of some sort. Fished over matted vegetation can create some of the biggest explosions you will ever see. Giant pond bass cannot resist “Kermit” hopping along the weeds.

I listed a wide range of lures that should put more fish at the end of your line. These lures offer anglers the ability to catch when fishing gets tough. Remember, the key is to be different then the other anglers. The next time you fish at your favorite pond give these lures a try.

‘Till next time: May your hook sets be Massive and your fish be Monsters!

-Peter Natev

The Seasons and Spinners

From season to season minor adjustments need to be made. But with the changing of the seasons, summer and fall can be great times to fish the spinner. Fall provides the right water temperature and the angling pressure can be low which helps your odds on high pressured rivers and streams.

When fishing in the summer the most important factor to consider is the water temperature. This may require you to start fishing earlier in the day or later on in the evening depending upon where you live. Places where it is cool enough to support trout over the summer may not be cool enough to keep them feeding on a consistent basis. A good idea is to measure the temperature of the water you intend to fish. Test the water to see if it is within the trout’s feeding range. If the water is too warm, your odds will greatly decrease. You might catch the odd fish but why waste the time and effort? If the temperature is too warm move on to another river or stream which has cooler temperatures more suited to your preferred species. Once you reach your intended river with cooler temperatures you will find few changes in the trout’s habits.

Here are the ideal water temperatures for various species of fish:
Rainbow & Steelhead like 56 degrees, Brookies and Browns prefer 59 degrees. Salmon, such as Coho’s and Chinooks like 54 degrees. Pickerel like to feed in 63 degree waters. Bass feed in much warmer water, Small Mouths like 66 degrees and Large Mouths like it at 71 degrees.

As you know, early morning and late evening provide the best times to fish spinners in the summer because the water temperatures are usually within the trout’s feeding range. Sometimes water levels can be low in the early summer which causes trout to be wary or spooky. Trout often will sit near the banks in a river and will hide more than usual under fallen trees, rocks and under cut banks. Since the water level is low, casting a spinner near their hiding spot will scare them and they will not feed. Casting far beyond their hiding spot and bringing the lure across this place will improve your odds of hooking up. Try a heavier spinner with lighter line at this time of year as you can cast further with that combination.

Trout can also see and hear better at this time so fish well away from where you think the fish are hiding out. I fish well upstream of where I think there will be fish as trout cannot see as well behind them. If you have to approach them from the sides or from above, keep a low profile. Stop well short of where you would normally stand and make a longer cast. If you don’t, you will scare a lot of your potential trout. Remember in the summer that trout will not slowly eat their prey; they tend to take as little time as possible to catch their food. Expect them to dart out quickly from their hiding place and then turn and swim back to their hiding spot immediately after hitting your spinner.

This may be the most exciting time for me to fish trout because of the sheer power and quickness the trout poses. Retrieve speeds vary so test which speed is working best for you on that particular day. Try letting the spinner bounce on the bottom a few times before retrieving it in. Keep trying different tricks and find the best one for you on that day’s outing. Make sure that the stretch of river has not been fished, if you see a fisherman fishing ahead of you find another location as chances are he has scared all the fish from that stretch of the river. Find an un-fished stretch of river and your success will greatly improve.

             The past weekend my brother and I went fishing for some pike, at Canal Lake, which is located in the Kawartha region of Ontario, Canada.  We fished from shore casting a variety of baits to see what the fish wanted.   A little tip for fishing from shore is using a lure that can be thrown a long distance.  A lure that can cast further gives you a better advantage because it always you to cover more water. 

            Spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits was our lure of choice.  Fishing was a little slow because of the funny weather we have been having with an inconsistency of warmth, which is needed to really get those fish in a feeding frenzy.   Lipless crankbaits worked the best and produced numbers of fish but no lunkers were caught.  The way we worked the bait was casting it out as far as we can and reeling the lure in at a steady retrieve just over submerged weeds.  We used 7’MH crankbait casting rods and 7.0:1 burner reels.  Our reels were spooled up with 14lbs fluorocarbon line.   Another tip that I would suggest is use a fluorocarbon line conditioner I can’t stress enough how much it helps with reducing bird nests and the prevention of line coiling.

            All though we did not catch any fish to be bragging about we still had a fun day out on the water.  Any day of fishing beats any day at home.   Not catching “Big Bertha” is only motivation to go out fishing again.

‘Till next time: May your hook sets be Massive and your fish be Monsters!

Using the Spinners

I have written several articles on finding fish and articles on different types of lures. I would now like to share some information regarding the use of the spinner. My intention here is to make your experience on the water more productive. Not only will you improve your odds you will have more fun as well.

Every fisherman has the privilege of seeing different colors and sizes of spinners when he enters the sporting goods store and looks at the shelves. We would all agree the selection is impressive but how do you select a lure which will best suit the river or lake you intend to fish. I used to believe in the old superstition that was based on hearsay, what appealed to my eye or the last fisherman I talked to at the river. What I think happens to most anglers and has happened to me is we select lures “A” “B” and “C” from the shelf. We then go out and fish these lures we selected. We then successfully make a satisfying catch with these lures and then conclude that we have found the “perfect lure”. The fisherman then fishes his “chosen” lures catching a fish every so often. Once in awhile an outstanding catch is made and the fisherman believes he now has an exceptional lure once the fish are “on the bite”.

I now look at things a lot different now I know more. I believe the angler makes a catch when his “chosen” lure coincides with the conditions that are best suited to his “chosen” lure and the style he is fishing it. The result is a predictable one, sometimes he catches a decent fish and sometimes he gets skunked and every so often he catches a monster. This is a classic example of anglers who fish for Trout. I believe the reason that fishing spinners has never been taken seriously is that many fisherman do not take the scientific approach to fishing them, what I mean is matching the lure to the prevailing conditions just like the fly fisherman who carries with him a dozen different fly’s to match the hatch. I believe that anglers when fishing hardware have to consider size, degree of flash, color combination in relation to the water color, temperature, and light conditions. These considerations will produce good consistent catches of high quality fish.

The main objective here is to put spinner fishing within a specific framework where the choice of a particular lure is based upon tangible environmental factors. This will help you dictate what color, size and weight of spinner should be used. An example, a fly fisherman in May will not tie a big fly on the line as this is when the May Fly hatch is coming off. He will tie a small fly that looks as close as possible to the May Fly, he will use the same colors and will keep the fly at the top of the water surface to imitate the hatch. Same thing with spinners, use a smaller spinner that is light and has the same colors in it and you will find success.  This is the framework I speak of here. There is absolutely no reason why trout cannot be negotiated with spinners regularly in all conditions. A great deal of practice combined with some patience and an accurate thermometer will be your greatest asset. A note book to write down your experiences will also add to your future fun fishing the spinner.

Alright! Time for a quick game, everyone. Below is a video of a good friend of ours, comedian Dan Bingham, that showcases a particular kind of fish… in action. Can you guess what type of fish it is? Slow motion, for your convenience.

Good luck!

On the 4th of May 2008, in the Mississippi river, master angler Darin Opel caught the largest carp in the history of the western hemisphere. The sucker was 92 lbs, shattering the former record of 35 lbs set two years ago. But it’s not only the what that’s cool; it’s the how. As if the catch wasn’t impressive enough, Opel actually shot the fish using a compound bow and arrow - nailed it right above the eye. Then, after fighting with it for 10 minutes, he jumped in the water and wrestled it to shore.

Opel’s a genuine hunter, taking on not only fish, but sharks, and even alligators. In fact, he’s extremely allergic to fish, and gives away his catches to his buddies.

So if that’s the biggest in the west, how big do carps get in Asia?

Not to take away from Darin’s achievements, but the largest carp caught in Asia, pictured below, was a Siamese carp caught by the Thai fisherman on the right last year. It weighed a shocking 256 lbs.

Here’s a video that shows pictures bowfisherman Opel and the massive carp (fast forward to about a minute in): http://wcco.com/video/?id=41361@wcco.dayport.com

Bowfishing in action

In case you were wondering how it works…

These dudes love their bowfishing…

What’s next? …

魚による死
“sakana niyoru shi” (Death by Fish)

I love to swim, but I have to admit that every time I’m in the ocean or a lake, I do wonder if something’s gonna bite my legs, or worse, pull me under. Fact is, there are a lot of ways fish can do you in (and I’m not just talking about getting slapped too hard by a large trout), but let’s start with the basics:

Eating You

More than just another horror b-movie, “b” standing for horror “blood” and horror “boobs”, Piranha did for piranhas what Jaws did for the Great White, bringing animal terror into popular culture. That they travel in schools multiplies an already impressive showing of razor sharp teeth in a typical piranha mouth.

Watch a piranha gnash through a pencil in the nice educational video below:

Maybe even more frightening is the adult Snakehead, not afraid to attack humans either. Growing up to three feet long, these bastards can crawl on land and survive for up to 4 days. If they do appear in a lake near you, it’s the rest of the lake’s marine life you should be worried about - entire lakes have been poisoned just to get rid of them.

Choking You Out

In 2003, a Cambodian teenager caught a spiky fish called a Kantrorb, which leapt out of his hands and into his mouth, loding itself in his throat. He choked, and died. Then, in July 2005, a Malaysian boy caught a Climbing Perch that did the same thing: leapt from his hands into his throat in ultimate taking-you-down-with-me ninja-fish style.

Poisoning You

The chokers kill as they’re dying, but the poisoners can even kill after death. Thinking he was immune to the poison inside, Japanese actor Bando Mitsugoro VIII died after he ate toxic livers from the Puffer fish. “Delicious yet potentially deadly” does attract some types (not me), with a danger = sweeter principle that applies better with Russian Bond girls.

Considered a delicacy (especially in Japan), Fugu has to be prepared carefully - a chef undergoes 2-3 years of training to be able to cook and serve it safe. “Death by Puffer Fish” has established itself as a resilient cultural meme - at least as far as the Simpsons barometer goes. One of the more memorable near-death-of-Homer episodes, he was told he had a day to live after a replacement chef botched the cooking.

Stinging You

The Crocodile Hunter wasn’t the first to be killed by the barbed spine of a stingray, much as he was maybe the highest profile. They’re not known to attack humans, but if you hang around an animal’s super-deadly weapons enough, you start to face some risk. Same thing happened to an Australian woman in March of this year.