Spring Fishing - Coming Soon!

It's Time to Get Your Gear in Order

With the advent of yet another March, who thought I'd be posting about one of my most favored pursuits - fishing? It's been over 1/2 Century since I began to fish for small Bluegills and Rock Bass that hugged the shore of our summer cottage in Ontario. The fishing was incredible back then and from what I've been told it's still darn good 50 years later.

One of the better tasting fish IMO, the Walleye, will be starting their runs up various tributaries to spawn in about a month + / - and fishermen will stand in the icy water in chest waders trying to hook one "inside the mouth" which is no heavy toll on the population, since they don't really hit well when coming upstream to spawn. After the spawning draws to an end, the Walleyes head out of the rivers, canals and streams and are found hanging around shallow water reefs. They are ravenous of course from their journey and what better place to find loads of small prey fish and warmer water than shallow submerged reefs.

They will often hold fish all spring and summer long, but as the hot "dog days" of summer begin they will most often be found suspended in deeper water where they find the temperatures optimal. They may be holding at 15 - 25 feet in 40+ feet of water and will remain suspended in deeper water until the fall weather cools things down again driving the fish back to shallow waters - like the reefs mentioned above and as it transitions from "Fall" to "Winter", they are caught right from the many piers and other shoreline fishing access areas. No boat required! The biggest fish are hooked during the fall / winter period, with some coming in at 14lbs. That's a very, very big fish.

Get set for the season guys it's almost time to begin again. Be sure to have your most valuable items secured in a waterproof all purpose pouch. Don't forget that camera either! I recommend an Ewa-Marine flexible housing for your camera to keep it high and dry, while offering you the opportunity to escape the lousy quality of disposables. You'll be glad you did when you hoist that 10 lb. Walleye into the boat or to the shore of your favorite fishing spot. Good luck!