The top 3 fishing lessons Gord Pyzer learned last year

#1. FISH THE CONDITIONS

Tackle makers probably hate me for saying this, but an ounce of biology really is worth a pound of tackle—namely, you must pay attention to how fish are acting and match your presentation accordingly. Imagine, for example, that husky lake trout are scooting up through soupy warm water to devour juicy mayflies emerging by the millions out of the soft, muddy bottom. In that situation, you better not be trolling giant plugs behind downriggers in 100 feet of water next to rock structures.

Most anglers believe lake trout are always down deep relating to rock structures, but earlier this summer, I saw some lakers breaching the surface beside my boat—and yes, they were gorging on mayflies. That didn’t surprise me, as even the coldest-water-loving trout will spend 30 seconds in warm water if it means a belly full of food. But it did give me a clue as to how to catch them, and they were soon gobbling up my mayfly-imitating bladebait.

I encountered a similar situation while fishing on a small lake surrounded by a fire-ravaged forest, where big winged ants were chewing on the blackened jack pine and spruce. An offshore wind was blowing the bugs into the water by the dozens, and the trout were gulping them up like kids munching on popcorn. So, of course, I tied on my best ant-imitating bait and got in on the action. It reinforced the lesson that responding to on-the-water conditions will reap many fishy rewards.