Ice-fishing Friday: A snowy backcountry trout trip in the Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve

Having grown up fishing and guiding at his grandparent’s hunting and fishing camp in the area, Steve has a good handle on how to find fish and what works in local waters. He’s also a good communicator and is keen to share his knowledge. The key to draw trout in is to use something flashy, such as a spoon, but not overwork it, he advised. When jigging, lift the rod tip a foot or two, bring it back down and pause. Only set the hook by sweeping upward, rather than a quick jerk, when you feel the weight of the fish. It didn’t take long for Ted to put that advice into practice and cross brook trout off his bucket list.