Archive for August, 2012

Barbara, my wife, & Mulligan our pup headed up to participate in the 25th Annual Owen Sound Salmon Spectacular event this weekend in Own Sound, ON.  The Sydenham Sportsman Association & all the volunteers did a great job again making sure everyone had a great time as anglers tried their skill at catching the largest salmon to win the event.

For those of you that may not be aware, the Own Sound Salmon Spectacular has been running for the lasts 25-yrs. and is one of the most recognized salmon derbies in North America!  At this years even the public was again treated to a salmon fish fry.  I checked with the volunteers at the frying station and they informed me that they would go through about 600 lb. of salmon nuggets….that’s a lot of fish to feed a lot of hungry guests!!

As you can see from the images this is more than a salmon derby, it is a mayor event in Owen Sound, ON with a huge tent set up right on the water, product displays and many concessions in side.  One of the evening highlights is the live band entertainment while contestants weigh in their catches.

Here is a little history on the Sydenham Sportsman Association and the great work they do every year to ensure great fishing in the Owen Sound are:

• Over a century ago, it is believed that Ontario’s first fish and game protective association was formed right here in North Grey County. This effort was the result of a few farsighted conservationists who realized that unrestricted seasons, and no creel and bag limits would soon deplete fish and wildlife populations.
• In 1925, some 300 North Grey residents banded together to form an association known as the Grey-Bruce Counties Fish and Game Protective Association. Possibly this name states in a nutshell what our organization is all about.
• In 1947, this organization became the Sydenham Sportsmen’s Association.
• In 1959, the SSA built and maintained Ontario’s first Fish Ladder at the Mill Dam in Owen Sound. More recently, steel covers have been placed over the fish ladder steps.
• In 1997, further Fish Ladder improvements were completed to facilitate fish movements and improve volunteer safety.
• Annually the Sydenham Sportsman Association help in raising and stocking millions of salmon in Lake Huron.

If you would like more info. on the Owen Sound Salmon Spectacular or would like to compete in it, just go to the Sydenham Sportsman Association site.

On our last day at Red Pine Wilderness Lodge we fished with our good frineds Anna-Rae & Gerald Fisher and caught trophy Smallmouth bass and enjoyed a shorelunch back at the lodge.  Our last day was one with calm weather and we were able to again cast the Rapala Skitter Pop and Rapala X-Rap Pop along the tree-stump studded shorelines and fished the nearby structure breaks.

Calm conditions are not the best for fishing walleye, but all of the guests managed to catch eating-size walleye which they enjoyed at our shorelunch. While walleye fishing, Ryan Edenborough, our guide also landed this small fish called a “Logperch” which is part of the minnow family.  Gamefish in Lady Evelyn Lake have lot’s of different minnow species to feed on!!  James, the owner along with his staff did a great job again making sure we all had a wonderful stay and enjoyed the fresh-fish shorelunch!  We again enjoyed having our pup Mulligan with us and playing with the rest of the dog-pack that included Bo (yellow lab), Cosmo (Pomeranian), Hunter (golden retrievier), and Dora (black lab).

If you would like to enjoy the hospitality, ambiance, wilderness setting and excellent fishing Red Pine Wilderness Lodge has to offer, make sure to contact them to book a trip!

My wife Barb, our pup Mulligan and I just had the pleasure of filming with our special guest Ryan Edenborough at Red Pine Wilderness Lodge on Lady Evelyn Lake, ON.  We have been filming trophy walleye TV shows for the last 3-yrs. at Red Pine Wilderness Lodge, but this Aug., we decided to use Rapala topwater lures to do a trophy smallbass TV show.  Our lures of choice were the Rapala X-Rap Pop, and the famous Rapala Skitter Pop.

Our guide and guest Ryan started things off by landing several trophy smallmouths using the #5 Rapala Skitter Pop, while Barb landed the largest bass measuring almost 20′ on the #7 Rapala Skitter Pop.  I landed the most smallmouth including some 17 & 19″ fish using the Rapala X-Rap Pop.  We used the Rapala Concept Ti & Shift rods equippd with Rapala Shift reels and loaded with Sufix 832, 10 lb. test braid line with 12 lb. test Sufix Fluorocarbon leaders.

Conditions have been windy and cool on the lake, but that has not stopped the smallmouth from smashing our topwtaer lures in 7-10′ of water.  We have been having the best luck fishing large sand-bottom flats that have some tree stumps.

Besides landing some really nice bass, we also took an hour or so to jig-fish for some eating-size walleye right in front of the lodge.  We already have our catch to enjoy a fresh fish shorelunh tomorrow!!

If you love to catch walleye and trophy bass in a wilderness setting, give Red Pine Wilderness Lodge a call and book a trip!

I had the pleasure today to fish with our General Manager, Tony Brecknock and Chris Fuoco of Channel Zero .  Our day started out meeting at 7am at teh Fort Erie, ON boat launch and as soon as we headed down-river, the rain started to come down.  Good thing it did not last long.  We found the right drift with our Humminbird 800 series sonar, I lowered the Minn Kota Terrova in the water and started our drift and I immediately hooked a 3lb. smallmouth that proceeded to head right to the surface, it leaped about 2′ out of the water and threw the jig!

For the next couple of hours we landed about 6-nice size smallmouth including a couple of 19″ fish that were just over the 4 lb. mark.  The winds started to pick-up and we were drifting against the current so we decided to head out to Lake Erie to see if we could land a few more fish on one of the many reefs.  The waves were starting to build-up, but we did manage to hook another 3-4 nice size smallmouths.  Thank goodnes for the auto-pilot feature of the Minn Kota Terrova which enabled me to safely slow-down our drift and fish effectively, even in pretty strong winds.

We fished 4″ tubes with 3/8 oz. jigheads using Rapala Concept Ti rods and Rapala Shift reels loaded with 10 lb. test Sufix 832 braid and 12 lb. test Sufix fluorocarbon leaders.  The River Hawk performed well even in 4′ waves and we had lot’s of fun!!

Tomorrow we are off to Red Pine Wilderness lodge to film a dynamic TV show on walleye and hopefully some topwater smallmouth action.

Gabor Horvat reports. As we usually do every year, my wife & I went to the French River, ON for a week of fishing & relaxation. This time we took with us a good friend Mark and his son, Eathen. We celebrated his 13th birthday during our trip. When we arrived, the weather was very hot and after fishing we cooled down by going for a swim.

The next day was very humid and hot, but we managed to get some pike. After that the weather started to cool down and pouring rain helped to add some oxygen to the water, so thefish started to bite more aggressively. We landed many pike, but the bass were more hesitant. We still got a few of them, but 90% were pike.

Mark landed a trophy size cat fish, using a spinner bait.

 

The water temperature was at the beginning around 78F, but after, at the end of the week cooled down to 72F. We were fishing most of the time at the edge of the weed beds, at 7-12 feet of water. The pike were very aggressive, but interesting thing I need to add: we lost many of them. They hit and ran. If they got the lure at first hit, we managed to land them, but if not, they did not come back to chase it.

It was nice to observe them with polarized glasses how fast they attack and if not hooked, getting back into the weeds. At the end, it was a nice week spending lots of time on the water, catch many fish and enjoy the clear air.

I had the pleasure of fishing with Richard Yantha from Johnson Outdoors today to shoot a dynamic TV show fishing tubes in the Upper Niagara River for trophy smallmouth bass.  We launched at the Fort Erie, ON boat launch &  started fishing around 8am.  Richard has a smallmouth bass on his first cast and within a short time landed the first fish of the show, a chunky 16″, 3 lb. fish. 

With Richards expertise, we were able to deliver some great tips on Humminbird sonars and Minn Kota electrics and the Minn Kota Talon anchor system.  We fished 4″ TriggerX tubes rigged with VMC, 60-degree, off-set tube jig hooks in 14-20′ of water.  We both used the Rapala Concept Ti rods matched with Rapala Shift spinnig reels.  Our line of choice was the Sufix 832, 10 lb. test braid tipped with a Sufix Fluorocarbon 12 lb. test leader.

By late morning the winds had changed from south to north which made drifting the river difficult. The River Hawk boat performed excellent, and we landed over a 1/2 dozen nice-size smallies for the TV show.

AUGUST 15, 2012 –Yamaha Motor Canada is pleased to introduce its 2013 line of WaveRunner® personal watercraft highlighted by the industry’s luxury flagship line, the FX® Series; and Yamaha’s best-selling models ever, the VX® Series.

“Yamaha has a WaveRunner to offer for every segment of the personal watercraft industry,” said Yamaha National Manager, Rick Layzell.  “We’ve focused on innovation and luxury to propel the FX Series to the top of the luxury performance segment.  Our VX Series offers the reliability, performance and value that entry level buyers demand.  And our performance models have demonstrated their leadership on the race course with multiple national and world titles.  This is an exciting lineup for Yamaha and one that offers a model we know connects with every type of consumer.”

Led by the FX Cruiser SHO®, Yamaha’s best-selling luxury-performance model ever, the FX® line delivers the utmost comfort, convenience, storage capacity, towing ability, and unadulterated fun. The FX Series includes the FX Cruiser SHO, FX SHO®, FX Cruiser® HO, and FX® HO.

FX Series Highlights:
• New metallic colours and graphics.
• “Theatre” seating for Cruiser® models; the first true three passenger seat on a personal watercraft with hip support for the driver and each passenger.
• Fast acting mechanical neutral for starting in place.
• The largest displacement engine on the market.
• “Command link” instrumentation buttons on dash.
• Fast access stern storage area for wet items and tow accessories.
• Extra large stern reboarding area.
• NanoXcel® hull and deck

“There is not another watercraft in the industry that is as in tune with today’s luxury performance buyer as the Yamaha FX Series,” said Yamaha Product Manager, Jean-Francois Rioux.  “Not only does this series feature the largest displacement engine in the industry, but it is packed with the latest innovations and technology.  From Cruise Assist to Neutral gear to the Theatre style seating, the FX Series offers consumers a fun, fast, comfortable ride with amenities and features that exceed their expectations for personal watercraft.”

Joining the FX® line are Yamaha’s affordable signature VX® Series WaveRunners®, which are the most reliable and fuel-efficient watercraft on the market today. The VX Series remains the watercraft of choice for value minded buyers and rental operators alike.

VX Series Highlights:
• Topped Yamaha’s sales chart in 2012 for the eighth consecutive year.
• New metallic paint colours and graphics.
• Offers the best fuel economy of any three-person personal watercraft in the industry.
• The #1 choice of rental operators due to its reputation for reliability and low maintenance.

The VX Performance Series returns with Yamaha’s VXR® and VXS® that feature all new colours and graphics as well. These models offer the performance of the world’s fastest supercharged models without the added cost of a supercharger and intercooler.

VX Performance Series Highlights:
• The most affordable high-performance model in the industry.
• New colours and graphics for 2013.
• The largest displacement engine in its category.
• Dominating the Normally Aspirated class on the 2012 IJSBA national tour.
• Class-leading acceleration and top speed out of the box supported by a wide selection of aftermarket products for racing enthusiasts.

Also returning is Yamaha’s FZ® Series, the epitome of high performance and a testament to Yamaha’s racing heritage.  The two-person FZR® and three-person FZS® feature Yamaha’s 1.8L Supercharged engine, the largest displacement engine in the industry, along with Yamaha’s exclusive NanoXcel hull and decks, which are engineered using nanotechnology to be light, strong and nimble.

FZ Series Highlights:
• Industry-leading acceleration and top speed out of the box supported by a wide selection of aftermarket products for racing enthusiasts.
• The largest displacement engine in the market.
• Industry’s only race-ready nano-engineered hulls and decks.
• Dominating the Pro Open class on the 2012 IJSBA national tour.
• Premium sport bolstered seat for the FZR.

To see the entire 2013 line up of Yamaha Waverunners, visit www.yamaha-motor.ca

Regards,
Yamaha Motor Canada

For 2013, Yamaha boat customers can choose from 23 different configurations. Joining the 192 Series is the value-priced 19-foot 190 Series, the family friendly 21-foot  210 Series, the high-performance 212 Series, and the 24-foot 240 and 242 Series, the largest, most feature-rich models in the Yamaha line.

Additional highlights for 2013 include new stylized helms featured on Yamaha’s 24-foot models, and black and grey aluminum tower options available on specific watersports models. Also new are premium Clarion® sound systems throughout the line.

2012 has been Yamaha Motor Canada’s best-selling, boat season ever thanks to our complete line-up of runabout boats, from the best-selling 19-foot’ to the luxurious 25-foot categories.

To view an exciting walk-through of the 2013 192 series, copy and paste this link into your browser. http://youtu.be/WTwKpy4LBUU

To see the entire 2013 line up of Yamaha Boats, visit www.yamaha-motor.ca

Regards,
Yamaha Motor Canada

Wayne Sheridan reports: Finally, some good rain has raised river levels. After drought levels for the past month and exceedingly warm water, things are on the rebound. Even the campfire ban has been lifted in the Grey-Bruce. Rain will continue this Friday and Saturday. Once river levels rise and stabilize, fishing should be good for Monday and Tuesday. Best time for trout fishing will be right around dawn and sunset. It is important to note that around August 15, trout will dramatically increase their food intake after a hot summer. Cooler night temperatures will drop the river and lake temperatures. Our neighbour caught this small baby lamprey in the park this past weekend. This is the first time we have ever seen one this far up river.

River Flow Rates: moderate/low and rising. Visibility clear 6ft.

 

River Levels: Saugeen River (above Durham) rising at 1.178M, Saugeen River (Walkerton) at 9.235M, Saugeen at Port Elgin down at 7.388M, Sauble River (Sauble Falls) rising at 0.695M, Sydenham River (Owen Sound) up at 4.856M, Maitland River (above Wingham) up at 9.858M, French River at Woseley Bay at 186.231M, Bronte Creek near Zimmerman up 5.773M, Credit River at Streetsville up at 4.51M, Credit River at Orangeville up at 11.231M, Grand River (Doon), up at 4.047M (below Shand dam) down at 1.614M, Rideau River at Ottawa up at 2.65M, Ottawa River at Britannia up at 57.616M

 

Prime Fishing Times: Saturday August 11th, 2012: 6:38 am to 10:01 am (moon overhead) and 7:00 pm to 10:26 pm (moon underneath). Moonrise 1:02 am. Moonset 3:35 pm.

 

Flyfishing: Iso, various caddis, trico, white dun, red blood worm, crayfish and minnow.

 

Great Lakes Fishing: Trout and salmon are presently in the 100ft depth and below. Best bet is Lyman lures, monkey puke and herring colours. Use larger lures to imitate the baitfish. Use Lucky Strike lures.

 

Always Fish Safely

 

Wayne Sheridan

 

Don’t forget to check the lunar times and check out our new articles on Flying Squirrels, Cod Stocks, White Nose Syndrome in Bats, and the Asian Carp Debate at www.canadianangling.com .

Pat Pagano, founder of the ICHA event in Windsor, ON just reported he returned from fishing at Barrow Bay near Lions Head, ON. It was a family holiday, but he did take his Rapala RSC counter reels and trolling rods loaded with lead-core and steel line and he had a chance to do some some flatline fishing in the clear waters of Lake Huron. He and his friends Nino & Nino Palazzolo caught some nice fish trolling between 60 & 70 ft. of crystal clear water. What a nice way to spend a holiday, hot weather, good friends and fresh fish on the barbecue!!