JustinHoffman

Thanks, Mike. Definitely looking forward to getting into those 'gills again before the season ends... Good luck on your outings this fall! Good Fishing, Justin

Hello All, November 8 With the weather forecast looking more than favourable – and the wind non-existent – I made the decision to head out on a solo mission to my favourite Quebec lake. Launched the boat at 10:30am and motored over to the productive spot that coughed up most of the fish the previous week. I decided to work in a bit shallower than before, hoping the largies would be relating to the cabbage and rocks that are prolific between 6- and 12-feet of water. Seeing a large school of baitfish in tight also helped with the decision. FOR THE FULL REPORT AND TO VIEW ALL OF THE PICS, CHECK OUT: http://justinhoffmanoutdoors.com/2011/11/09/bountiful-bass-and-big-gills-quebec-style/ Good Fishing, Justin

Thanks, guys....a return trip is on the calendar for next week Good Fishing, Justin

Hello All, Was back up to a favourite Quebec lake yesterday with good buddy and fellow writer, Tim Allard. Conditions were mint, the slow fishing turned on a dime come late afternoon, and 100+ pounds of French bass were brought in the boat! One word....jigs. Read the full report and see all the pics here: http://justinhoffmanoutdoors.com/2011/11/03/100-pounds-of-quebec-bass/ Good Fishing, Justin

Beauty mixed bag, Merc! You guys did good... Thanks for sharing.. Good Fishing, Justin

Thanks, guys... Look for another Quebec report in the next week or two...hopefully with a few piggies Good Fishing, Justin

Hello All, The fall is a time of splendour for the fishing fanatic. Fish are plentiful and hungry once the water cools, and can generally be found in specific and easy-to-find places. Mid-October also signifies my return to our northern province – to sample the French bass in all their Quebec glory. My buddy Andy’s small cottage lake never fails to impress. October 17 Mother Nature rolled out of bed on the wrong side this day – and she showed a demeanor that was in sharp contrast to the glorious weather of only a week earlier. Needing to head up to the cottage this morning, I decided to tag along with Andy and get in a few hours of fish time in preparation of our day-long outing planned for the next day. For the FULL REPORT and MORE IMAGES, check out: http://justinhoffmanoutdoors.com/2011/10/19/bonjour-achigan/ Enjoy! Good Fishing, Justin

Hey Shawn, Definitely was a blast getting out on the water with Ashley! If anyone has the opportunity, I say to definitely go for it... How has your season been so far? Good luck with the remainder of the fall.. Good Fishing, Justin

She definitely knows her stuff, Mike - was a blast to fish with. Hope a few fall fatties are getting your net wet this month... Good Fishing, Justin

Thanks, Merc - much appreciated. Have a great fall season! Good Fishing, Justin

Hello All, This past week has blessed us with some phenomenal weather. Temperatures in the mid- to high-20′s and pure and unobstructed sun made it feel like summer once again. Digging out the shorts and sandals in honour of this one last hurrah sure felt fulfilling. I had the pleasure of sharing the boat with Ashley Rae of http://SheLovesToFish.com on Monday. Not only is this woman an accomplished angler in her own right – and a breath of fresh air for the fishing industry – but she is also one of the most down-to-earth and friendly people you could meet. Regardless of the fishing action, I knew we were in for a fun day on the water. October 10 I made the drive down to Kingston to meet up with Ashley early this morning. After a quick introduction and a stop for gas, we headed northward to a favourite lake of hers. Arriving at the launch some twenty minutes later, we are joined at the ramp by Dale Minicola, CEO and President of http://marinecentral.ca. Behind his tow vehicle was the “Charger” bass boats he carries. I gazed over with a slight hint of envy! After a few quick words and well-wishes, we set off in our prospective boats in search of some fish tales. Ashley and I take a short ride up the lake and stop at a point. Working out from it in the ultra-clear water, we begin tossing baits in the 8- to 15-foot depth range. It doesn’t take long for Ashley to connect with the first one of the day on her drop-shot rig. FULL REPORT and MORE IMAGES continues at: http://justinhoffmanoutdoors.com/2011/10/13/the-lure-of-fall-fishing/'>http://justinhoffmanoutdoors.com/2011/10/13/the-lure-of-fall-fishing/ To read the FULL REPORT and to view all of the IMAGES, please click on: http://justinhoffmanoutdoors.com/2011/10/13/the-lure-of-fall-fishing/ Good Fishing, Justin

@ Harrison - Great point and one I actually discussed with my Dad after numerous failed hook-ups. I actually have a few of the small LiveTarget frogs, and it was exactly what I was thinking. Sadly, we had a deadline to meet back at the launch and this was the last spot of the day. I will certainly be throwing some smaller stuff this coming week back at that spot... @ Dana - Great to hear you got out with the frogs! Fall time can be awesome for shore fishing and tossing topwaters - largies will often move up super shallow this time of year, especially if you can hit it when the "real" frogs are beginning to migrate from land to water to begin hibernation. (Same goes for walleye...) Keep at it and your luck will change - certainly don't need slop or pads to get a fish to hit a frog. Open water works just fine... Good Fishing, Justin

Thanks for the positive comments, guys. Yes, although there is added pressure to catch fish, something about the realtime format seems better. @ Brian - Hooksets are one thing I'm not dainty about! haha!! And the slop is littered with those blasted pike at times... Good Fishing, Justin

Hello All, This week offered me the chance to hit the water on two separate occasions. With the cold front of Thursday still fresh in my mind, fish activity levels – and the best baits to throw – were definite food for thought as I launched the boat Tuesday. September 20 This morning was a mixture of sun and clouds and called for a high of 20-degrees. Although the forecast stated winds of ten clicks, the mid-morning and early afternoon period proved especially blustery. I began working some deep weedlines in six to ten-feet of water, throwing a variety of reaction baits, including cranks, spinnerbaits, and swim baits. Although I picked up a few fish, most were on the small side. At this point, I made the decision to head up river to a section of prime slop mats, situated out from shore and in two to three-feet of water. With the sun up and the adjacent flat sparse with vegetation, it was my hope that the largemouth might be seeking shelter under this lush canopy. Pitching Double-Wide Beavers and Pacca Craws to the edge of the slop proved to be the ticket. A few fish needed some extra coaxing, but most would shoot out and grab my offering before it reached bottom. Like previous, many of the fish were in the one to two-pound range. Boat control became extremely tough with the blowing winds, and I abandoned this tactic in hopes of finding some calmer water. Report continues at: http://justinhoffmanoutdoors.com/2011/09/22/frog-fishing-fantastic/'>http://justinhoffmanoutdoors.com/2011/09/22/frog-fishing-fantastic/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UKhdGa1fZk And then this girl hit the next day... If you would like to read the full report from this outing, and to view more images, please visit: http://justinhoffmanoutdoors.com/2011/09/22/frog-fishing-fantastic/ Good Fishing, Justin

Thanks for all of the quick replies, guys. Jedi's was the first I read and it worked perfect! So easy... Oh, and Brian...you're welcome anytime, bud. Cheers, Justin

Hello All, Can't seem to figure out how to embed a youtube video into my post. I have tried copying the embed code, the url, and a host of other things - it will show up as a link, but how do I showcase the video directly on the page. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers, Justin

Interesting looking reels, Garry... Been using Quantum reels for the last few seasons. One or two are starting to go, so was making the decision to stick with this brand or go with something else. I am quite impressed with what I have read and seen of the new Abu Garcia MGX's. 5.4oz's and 7.9:1 gear ratio - quite impressive. Decisions, decisions...lol! Thanks for sharing.. Good Fishing, Justin

Good stuff, Terry! She was a cold morning today in Ottawa when I finished my overnight shift!! You ever take the ultralight rod out and target some of those big bull 'gills?? Would be a tonne of fun I'd imagine...and some good eats. Great video as always.. Good Fishing, Justin

Hey Dana, I can't say enough good things about the new 15lb Rapala Touch Screen Digital Tournament Scale. Accurate within +/- 1oz. Display and save your top 8 fish, cumulative totals, etc. Best thing I like is the "clamp". No more using the meat hook. Quick, easy and minimal damage (if any at all.) First full season using one - two thumbs up for sure. http://www.rapala.com/products/tools/touch_screen_scale/ Good Fishing, Justin

Hello All, Was fortunate to get out on four seperate outings this past week. The nights are cool and the water temperature is beginning to drop, but for the most part, the fish are still relating to their summer haunts and busting baits fairly well. September 10 Ventured out to one of my favourite little lakes on this day with a good friend of mine. This is the same body of water that Christine and I (ok, more like Christine!) had enjoyed a banner day a couple of weeks prior. Weed flats were producing fish on spinnerbaits early on but trying to duplicate that pattern left us scratching our heads. Opting to try for smallmouth, working deep water, points and shoals was seemingly futile. We came across some beautiful looking water, but unfortunately the fish were not were we believed them to be. We did figure out that the shallow water bite was fairly consistent. Isolated pads and wood began producing fish for us fairly well and we began scraping together some fish. This 4lb 1oz fish was my best for the day. It came from an isolated piece of wood surrounded by healthy weeds. My flipping jig barely broke the surface before this girl smashed it on top. To read the rest of this report and view more images, please check out my website at: http://www.justinhoffmanoutdoors.com Good Fishing, Justin

@ 206 - It is the 15lb Rapala Touch-Screen Digital Scale: http://www.rapala.com/products/tools/touch_screen_scale/ Love the clamp, also - much better than the hook. (Although the package does come with both.) Accuracy is to +/- 1 ounce. Keeps track of your fish, also. Ha ha - yep, forgot to put the BB on silent. Good thing I didn't get any calls... @ Terry - The frog bite has been great the last couple of weeks! Good Fishing, Justin

@ Mike - Definitely give it a try. Fun to make and cool to relive the action once again. Unfortunately, the fish can be camera-shy from time to time, ha ha! Good Fishing, Justin

Hello All, Spent the last few days on the water. Frog bite was definitely on fire Shot a short video I thought I'd share: Will post a full report tomorrow.... Good Fishing, Justin

Thanks for the kind comments, guys - much appreciated. Will be shooting more video this weekend. Will try to get some different tactics on tape and get some longer clips put together. Bit of a learning curve here but it sure is enjoyable Good Fishing, Justin

Cool video, Terry. Awesome to see how many actually school up...and how difficult they are to catch. Felt like a clip from "Hook and Look"...only thing missing was you and your scuba gear Thanks for sharing. Good Fishing, Justin