OC Online - Hot Spots 2006

text by Tom Adamchick, Mark Anderson, Ken Bailey
Patrick Campeau, Brad Fenson, George Gruenefeld
Jake MacDonald, Paul Marriner, Jim McLennan
Wayne Phillips, Gord Pyzer

Simply the Best
(Largemouth Bass, Mackerel, Muskie, Pacific Salmon, Perch)

LARGEMOUTH BASS
Duck Lake, B.C. In spring, fish the submerged weedbeds scattered throughout the lake for steady action. Tube jigs, spinnerbaits and Texas-rigged, dark-coloured worms all work well. More info: Creston Chamber of Commerce, 1-866-528-4342. –B.F.

Lake Nipissing, Ontario For monster fish, work perch-coloured spinnerbaits into and around the reeds and lily pads of South Bay. June and July are good, but August is best. More info: Lefebvre’s Outdoor Sports, (705) 474-5920. –M.A.

Ottawa River, Ontario/Quebec Martin, Noire, Clement and Lochaber Bays generate an incredible number of lunkers in July and August. Flip or pitch jigs or plastic worms along the weedlines. More info: Fern Sports Chasse & Pêche, (819) 986-1473. –P.C.

Lac St-Francis, Quebec From the third week of June to the end of July, look for the man-made channels and throw flipping jigs or tubes for great action. More info: Propac G. Leduc, (450) 371-6334. –P.C.

Lake Ste-Marie, Quebec Tubes, flipping jigs, weedless spoons and spinnerbaits work really well from July to mid-October in the area locals call Du Moulin Lake, near Ryanville Creek. More info: Dépanneur Luc Lafrenière, (819) 467-5478. –P.C.

Muskie hot spot: Ottawa River, Ontario/Quebec (Mark Krupa).

MACKEREL
Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia At the end of July, cast jigs or small spoons from any dock close to deep water, or troll through the outer harbour with mackerel rigs. More info: Wood Wise Outfitters, (902) 543-1460. –P.M.

MUSKIE
Rideau River, Ontario In July and August, cast black buzzbaits over the sunken weedbeds lining both shores of the river between Burritt’s Rapids and Andrewsville. Retrieve your lures quickly, and hang on for explosive action. More info: Osprey Charters, (613) 228-3185. –M.A.

Lac Seul, Ontario After sunset during the summer, throw big Dick Pearson Grinder spinnerbaits around rocky points, bars, shoals and main-lake structures in the northeast end of the lake. More info: Ontario’s Sunset Country, 1-800-665-7567. –G.P.

Eagle Lake, Ontario In August, pitch a Bull Dawg to the edge of deep growing cabbage, and let it freefall to bottom. Retrieve the bait at a medium speed, twitching it all the way back to the boat. More info: Vermilion Bay Lodge, 1-888-301-8229. –G.P.

Lake of the Woods, Ontario When the season opens in mid-June, cast a Mepps Musky Killer or Super Vibrax Spinner around main-lake structures adjacent to shallow, weed- and reed-filled spawning bays. More info: John Monteith, (807) 468-4766. –G.P.

St. Lawrence/Ottawa River, Ontario/Quebec In October and November, speed troll a cisco-, silver shiner- or sucker-coloured Triple D crankbait, in the top 30 feet of water over depths of 70 to 190 feet anywhere you spot baitfish. More info: Marc Thorpe Guiding Service, (450) 433-4784. –G.P.

PACIFIC SALMON
Squamish River, B.C. There are tons of pinks in the lower Squamish River through August, coho after that and waves of chum in November. Drift wads of wool or fly cast marabou Popsicle-type patterns. More info: River’s Edge Sportfishing Outfitters, (604) 898-5656. –G.G.

Stamp River, B.C. In September and October, the prime water for big chinook and great coho is upstream of the gun club and below the Stamp Falls sanctuary. Fish brightly coloured wool, or Popsicle-style flies, under floats. More info: Gone Fishin Shop, (250) 723-1172. –G.G.

PERCH
Lesser Slave Lake, Alberta On the flats during summer, slow-trolling a spinner rig with a small blade and a piece of dew worm produces some huge slabs. More info: Adventure Alberta, (780) 849-5346. –B.F.

Dauphin Lake, Manitoba In late August and September, drift and cast a small Fuzz-E-Grub tipped with a piece of crawler or frozen emerald shiner. Focus on the big, sandy flats. More info: For Your Walleyes Only, (204) 638-8659. –G.P.

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