trapshooter

Thanks for sharing your story and the pics/video's. Looks like a great day.

Don, Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Don (IceGuyD) sponsored Derek (icewalker28) and myself for the CIFC's this past weekend. Don provided us with Sleds, Fish Traps, Vex's, Auger, tackle, knowledge and above all else a lot of laughs and a great expereince at the tournament. We were thrilled with 13th place and can't wait for next year. They ran a really great tournament and I'd recommend fishing it to anyone. Yeah Smokey, Derek will love life at the Lodge this summer. Great place to work at and lots of fishin too. I usually get a mid summer and end of season report up. Cheers, Ben.

The Tragically Hip. Great guys. Bunch of NHL guys. Nothing too crazy.

GbayGiant has it right... I too always use a mono or fluorocarbon leader when jigging or even casting cranks with a braided line. If you have 2 jigging rods, I suggest putting a braided line on one and 8lb mono on the other. I only jig walleye with braided line once I start fishing 20-25 feet or deeper.

Thanks for the great story Solo. Looks like another amazing trip. Cheers, ben.

Set your drag according to the lb. test of your line and you will never have a problem. Backreeling is a poor technique and in time will result in more lost trophies then you would have with a properly set drag. Too much room for human error in backreeling.

I couldn't agree with you more MJL. I just got the D40 myself and it's fantastic. For an entry level DSLR you won't find a better camera in terms of bang for your buck. I did a lot of research before buying and all reports gave 2 thumbs up to the D40. Very user friendly too, with great instant help menu's at the push of a button. The 18-55mm kit lens is also great but I can't wait to get a zoom... 18-200 or 70-300mm.

If you are intent on fishing cranks/minnow baits down deep, GbayGiant had the best advice of attaching a floating plug (eg, the rapala floaters) behind a bottom bouncer. A 3 way swivel & some weight will also do the same thing. Remember, the longer the lead the more the bait will be able to dive so keep that in mind. I would be more inclined to jig at those depths but whatever works for you. Cheers, ben.

Hey Carll2, YOu can get the fenwick Techan AV rod in baitcaster or spinning rod! Definitely look into that rod, you will not be disappointed. If you already have 2 spinning rods for jigging, lindy rigging, throwing smaller walleye sized cranks then you should be good. Get a Medium Heavy 6.5-7' baitcasting rod/reel (eg, Techna and Shimano Castaic reel) for throwing larger sized baits for pike and using for bottom bounching for walleye as well. If I could only take 3 rods those would be them. 2 spinning set-ups and 1 baitcasting set-up. Like I said before I am partial to Shimano reels, Stradic's for my spinning rods and I have a few different baitcasters including the Castaic (the one with the flipping switch) on my bouncing rod. Learning to throw a baitcaster takes about 5 mins or less if you have someone show you how to do it properly. Ask at the show or in the shop where you buy your gear from. It's all about setting the brake properly and you have to adjust it for every different bait you put on (unless the baits are the same weight). Just practice. When I got my first baitcaster I was in the backyard throwing 1/2 oz of lead around before I could get out on the water. As far as tackle goes.... we are spoiled and use a lot of live bait for walleye. Jig/minnow or a spinner/minnow rig when bottom bouncing. Get a bag of power worms for a minnow harness if you can't get the real thing. If they're snapping it doesn't matter if it's a plastic worm and then you won't have to change worms every fish. Much easier. As for jigs, I'll start in the spring using 1/4 or even 1/8 (sometimes finessing them is the only way and I'll downsize to 6lb test mono as well) and work my way up to 1/2oz and 5/8 once we get to fishing 30+ feet and/or it is windy. Not sure how deep your lake is but you might want to consider some heavier jigs. Personally I only use white twister tails if I use them at all but never hurts to try. I like a bare jig with my minnow hooked in his mouth, out the gills then back through the side of the minnow so his lips are kissing the ball head of the jig. Stays on longer and gets the hook point a bit farther back. For walleye cranks the only 2 I really use are xraps (size 10, white/pearl) and Cotton Cordel grappler shads. Lots of other stuff will work though. Throwing for pike, definitely get some large Husky Jerks in varous colours, SUPER SHAD RAP (for sure!), a bucktail inline spinner, spinner bait, spoons, larger baits like jakes or gramma's... typical pike stuff. If they are active they'll hit at anything that has some flash, vibration, movement. Lots of stuff will work so don't take this list as gospel. Spend more time looking for prime spots then switching baits. Also, you'll need your terminal tackle.. swivels, snaps, line (8lb mono for walleye, I use triline XL). I recommend braid on the baitcasting set up if you choose to go that way, 30 lb would be great. If I am jigging with braid I will always use a mono or fluorocarbon leader. Other stuff I can't live with out.... Gor-tex rain suit (coat and bib pants) proper layering cloths to keep warm and dry Rubber boots fillet knife and sharpener SUN SCREEN - anyone remember my pics from my first year?!?! I was a tomato! haha Water bottle for the boat. I like to carry a small fuel container for gas in the boat. Use it start shore lunch fires if it's damp out. MEC sells nice little ones from MSR. A dry bag for valuables in the boat. Camera Needle Nose Pliars and/or Leatherman tool GPS (for marking structure and incase you get turned around) I could go on like this...... Let me know if you have any other questions. Cheers, Ben.

Agreed. I Absolutely love the Techna AV blank. It has more backbone then the top of the line St Croix (Legend Elite) of comparable specs and is just as sensitive. I know this because I have both and fish with each of them on a daily basis. I also guide and put my gear through the paces for 120 days straight. The Techna AV blank comes in various weights, lengths etc. I would recommend a 1 pc rod. Another great thing about the Techna is the lifetime warranty. Break it, send it back and in a couple weeks you'll have a brand new rod. Another bonus is that you warranty the rod within Canada, unlike St.Croix which has to be sent accross the US boarder. As Speil mentioned a level wind (baitcasting) set-up is traditionally better suited for trolling then a spinning set up. Some folks will tell you that you don't need a sensitive rod for trolling but they probably can't tell when their plug isn't running properly. Since you will be using this equipment a lot, don't skimp and get something cheap, you will regret it later. I tried a Diawa reel, the capricorn (spinning) and it didn't last a month of heavy use before the drag was noticeably less smooth and the bail completely failed. This is all because I tried to save about $50 over the cost of a Shimano Stradic. Since then, I (and practically the entire guide staff at our lodge) use and abuse stradics and they are great reels. I would only purchase and recommend Shimano for all fishing reels. Don't waste the extra money on the Mg Stradic, not worth it. If you do go with a baitcaster for trolling I would highly recommend the Curado but if you can afford the Calcutta, go for it. Also depends if you prefer the low profile casters (curado) or the round style (calcutta). For bottom bouncing I use a 7' MH St.Croix Avid series with a Shimano Castaic reel. This reel has a 'flipping switch' which allows you to engage and disengage the spool with 1 hand. Very nice esp. if you are changing depths a hundred or more times a day. I STRONGLY recommend using a braided line for bouncing, 20 or 30 lb. This set-up can also double as a great casting set up for Pike. Good luck this summer. Have fun and remember how lucky we are to be among the few who get paid to fish. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions. Our lodge is also a walleye/pike camp with some smallies thrown in as well. Cheers, ben.

if you like to get down on your knees a lot when you ice fish, consider the Mustang integrity series with reinforced knee patches. I love mine and it's got a nice soft material for the parts of the suit that touch your face and the hood is great as well. Most of the suit is made of rip-stop material too. Try some on see what you like. I read in OOD that Helly Hansen bought Buoy-O-boy and Nautilus too and for Spring 07 only the HH suits will be available 'although Nautilus might reappear in the fall'. Interesting.

Minnow heads or tails work great for ice fishing so you're minnow doesn't necessarily have to be alive. Under a tip-up... definitely alive... being jigged however dead is fine. I catch a lot of fish on dead minnows. If the fish are active they will hit a dead minnow being jigged up and down and if you have it hooked better (backwards i.e. down through the skull first) you won't lose your minnow on every fish like you do when they are barely hooked through the lips or back. I also hook minnow's differently on different presentations... bare hook, jig, spoon or sweedish pimple with treble hooks for eg. Experiment, have fun! Cheers, ben.

Looks like fun brian. Good report. Thanks.

Great report guys. Crazy, the different colours on those 2 walleye you posted Sandy. Cute pup too.

Cliff, I've heard the key on scugog is finding a hole in the weeds and jigging there. I would say keep jigging with one rod and set a minnow on a hook w/ a split shot up the line on your tip-up. Also, I think there's a real bite around dusk. Keep it simple. Small jigs and spoons... downsize if you feel it is a tough bite. No big clunky snap swivels to your jigs either! I tip with just the head of a minnow all the time if nothing is happening with a whole minnow. If your operator is going to drill you a bunch of holes, that's perfect... keep moving! Chances are you'll get bit early on in a hole or not at all. Nothing wrong with going back over to a hole you've worked before. Keep jigging, but try different speeds and lengths for your jigs. Sometimes I find moving the jig slowly about 3" up and down works while other times you've got to rip it up 2 feet real quick and let it fall. Depends what mood the fish are in. Try on the bottom (bounce that minnow into the bottom!) try just off bottom and try a foot or 2 up off bottom. I find a lot of the time when I get a hit it's right after I've changed something... presentation, location, depth etc. Good luck and have fun! Cheers, ben.

that was a good laugh. thx

Nice!!! You'll have to get the low down on Scugog from the resident experts. I assume you are after walleye? Have fun.

Great find. The myth that bringing fish up slowly will save them is just that, a myth. Your best bet is to bring it up normally then release it quickly while it still has the strength to swim back down to where it was before. Some fish, like Lake Trout, can 'burp' the air out so this isn't an issue. Bass and walleye unfortunatley don't have this evolutationary gift and can die from being caught out of deep water. Some people 'fizz' bass using a large needle to release the air. I think the jury is still out on that technique though but I could be wrong. At the lodge I work for we don't target walleye deeper then 35' as we have observed fish that 'blow up' from deeper then that. Even though we know a lot of the bigger eye's hang out deeper then 35' it's an ethical thing and we don't even put our guests over deep water to target the walleye there.

That's probaby the best ciscoe crew in the Province eh JP?!?!

small glow jig + medium shiner is all you need. 30' of water.

Nice haul of walleye there on 4:20... you must have been hungry! Welcome aboard.

Greg, wow, great detailed report there. Nice pics too, that's an awesome set up you've got.

Bingo!

braids (superlines) and mono both have a time and a place. One thing I always do is use a mono or flouorcarbon leader on my braids, esp when jigging walleye. All my casting setups have braid and I've been a fan of PowerPro. It's really a personal preference and a confidence thing. Some guys don't like the braid because they think if you have improved feel, so do the fish. I must admit that if I feel the fish are in a negative feeding move I won't use a braided line. Do some experimenting and see how it works for you. Good luck.

Wayne, they have been driving trucks on Nipissing for a while now. I've punched through (by hand) 18" on the south shore, over a mile out.