Fishing with Piotr

One of the best ways to cover water really quickly in order to figure out where the fish are is to run a crank bait. You’ve learned the basics about crank baits from my previous article Crank Baits, but now I want to start focusing on specific ones. This time I will feature the crank baits from Strike King, specifically the Pro-Model. These have to be my favourite lures to use and they are no joke. Bass gobble these guys up and I’ve also caught numerous pike on them too. They are very versatile for all fishing conditions and come in such a variety of running depths that you can really pick and choose the right one for what you’re fishing.

The models are varied and come in everything from a very small and light 3/16 oz and go all the way up to a beefy 1 oz. These lures are perfect for bait-casters and are an easy worry free way to get your bait into the strike zone. Here are the basics that you need to know. Series 1, 3, 4S, 4, 5, and 6 all have an oval shaped lip. As they go up in series number they also go up in size, weight, and the depth they run. Depending on the series model you can get them to dive anywhere from 2 to 14 feet. The easy way to check this out is to simply read the packaging, it will tell you all the specs on the bait. Another added bonus with these guys are the rattles which create more noise and vibration that really entice the fish to bite. Since fish are really sensitive to any vibrations, the rattles along with the side to side action of this bait will for sure land you some nice bass and the occasional pike.

The other models are the Mini 3, Series 1XS, Series 6XD, and the KVD. The mini is perfect for early season fishing when the shad are still small. By now you should of heard the saying “match the hatch” which basically stems from fly fishing but is also transferable to regular fishing. The idea is that you want your bait to represent exactly what the fish are eating, so early in the season a small bait like the Mini 3 is perfect, since the bait fish are small.

Strike King Pro-Model Crankbaits -Mini 3 – 3/16 oz. – Sexy Shad Mini crankbait catches almost anything and lots of them! Beautiful finishes, reflective eyes, and enticing wiggle are irresistible to the fish. Like all of Strike King’s Pro-Model Series crankbaits, the Mini-3 features free-floating rattles and lifelike 3D eyes. If you really just want to catch something, put one of these on and add some fun to your fishing trip. Weight: 3-16 oz. Dives 4′-6′. Manufacturer model #: HCM3.. Strike King® Pro-Model® Crankbaits – Mini 3 (3/16 oz.)

The Series 1XS is slightly different from the other series of baits as it has a square lip. Personally I find this square lip to be perfect for throwing the bait into heavy structure, such as tree stumps and fallen wood. With the shorter square lip I find my bait bounces off the trees a lot easier than with the oval shaped lip from the regular series baits. The regular series are a better choice for more open water if the fish are hiding deeper in the water column. If they are really deep you can turn to the Series 6XD. This bad boy drops, and drops quick into 19 feet of water for really deep fishing.

Strike King Pro-Model Crankbaits – Series 6XD – Green Back/Chartreuse “This thing is amazing. When it gets down to its running depth it moves back and forth as it travels along. It looks like it’s hunting or rooting or searching for something. It may be the most realistic action I’ve ever seen in a crankbait. They bite it like crazy. Kevin VanDamFrom their striking finishes to the free-floating rattle chambers that emit varying sound frequencies, it’s easy to see why these Strike King Pro-Model 6XD Series cranks are so popular with the pros. Dives 18 feet +. Weight: 3/4 oz. Manufacturer model #: HC6XD.. Strike King® Pro-Model® Crankbaits – Series 6XD

Finally comes the KVD from this Pro-Model line up. Now if I have to tell you about KVD you need to learn a little more about fishing. KVD stands for the top bass angler in the world, Kevin VanDam. If you know or follow the fishing tournaments, you know about KVD. He is the reason why this whole Pro-Model line up was created, and his KVD model is similar to the Series 1XS except that it has no rattles. If you are on a quiet lake and the fish are close to you, use the KVD and you won’t spook the fish.

As for colours, there are a ton to choose from. I have found that for my style of fishing and the lakes I fish on a regular basis, the traditional Sexy Shad colour is the best. For 2011, they call this colour The Chartreuse Sexy Shad, but I have caught a few pike on the Citrus Shad as well, so it all depends on what you’re after. Since there is such a wide range of colours my suggestion is to get a few of these baits in a few colours and see what works for you. Try getting a more natural colour, a high visibility colour like red, and a colour that is somewhere in between. For fishing the lakes of Southern Ontario bass the Strike King Pro-Model crank bait is the perfect way to start since it is a super easy to fish and hardly ever gets hung up on trees.

View Lake Simcoe in a larger map

“SCROLL OVER THE IMAGES ON THE MAP FOR TIPS AND LOCATIONS TO FISH”

If you live in Toronto and want to get out on the water in a quick 30-45 minutes on a great lake, then Lake Simcoe is the place to go. A huge lake located roughly 50km north of the city, it offers a variety of fishing adventures. The water is clear, the fish bite hard, and the ice fishing is excellent.

In the spring try staying on the southern part of the lake, in Cook’s Bay or south west of Georgina Island (The biggest island on the lake). Here you will find early season pike and walleye as they congregate in the warmer waters and get ready to spawn. Make sure to check the regulations on when the season opens up and be there opening day. One word of caution, the waters can be pretty choppy on Lake Simcoe and the weather can really affect the fishing. Be sure to go out on the water when it is safe and check the weather forecast so that you aren’t surprised.

Summer is fantastic on Lake Simcoe. The season is open for all sorts of fish and you can hook into some beautiful largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, pike, walleye, whitefish, and lake trout. During the dog days of summer the fish tend to go deep so bring some deep diving crank baits, get ready to troll or just float around and jig the bottom of the lake. Trophy size fish are caught every year on Lake Simcoe so expect to be pleasantly surprised when you head out here. A few shore fishing spots can be found around the lake and they can make for a perfect day out with the family or friends. You can keep busy catching pan fish all day long and occasionally hook into a larger species.

Fall is often overlooked by recreational anglers but it can really be a fantastic time to head out on the lake. The fish are feasting on everything just before the winter and they are fat from a long summer of eating. During the week the lake is almost empty, giving you ample opportunity to pick your favourite spot and really focus on fishing. Do yourself a favour and take a day off work, get some buddies together and have a blast catching monsters all day long.

Winter is a very popular time to go fishing on Lake Simcoe. It is one of the largest lakes in the world that completely freezes over. Ice fishing huts are found all over the lake and tournaments are held almost every weekend. There are a lot of ice hut operators that can introduce you to ice fishing and many of them will supply you with your own hut, rods, and bait. The ice is usually very safe come January and February, but be sure to check with authorities on the ice thickness. During the winter you can expect to catch beautiful jumbo perch, whitefish, and lake trout.

Fast Fact:

Length: 30km at its longest.

Width: 25km at its widest.

Area: 744km²

Depth: Average is 49’ but at its deepest it is 135’

Close Towns: Barrie to the west, Orillia to the north, Keswick to the south, and Beaverton to the east.

Amenities: Since there are many small towns and even some bigger cities like Barrie, you can find almost anything you need. From food, supplies, gas, and marinas you will be well covered.

In the case of fishing, bigger is definitely better. What do I mean by this? Well, catching bigger fish is better, more fun, more challenging and allows to you have stories to tell for years to come. Now how do you catch these larger fish? The so-called “secret” to catching larger fish is simply to use larger baits.

Now be aware that there are some draw backs to fishing larger baits and lures, and they may not always be effective, but once you hook into a monster pike, musky, or even a big largemouth bass or walleye you will be hooked, pardon the pun, on fishing with larger baits. I have been reading and watching a lot of fishing shows and magazines which all stress the benefits of using these larger baits so I decided to try it out with wonderful results.

Baits and lures come in all shapes, sizes, and colours and of course the trick is to find the right bait for the right fish at the right time. This is what separates tournament winners from tournament losers and what can make for an exciting day of fishing for you or can make you come home without even pulling in one fish. This is why I stress that big baits do have some drawbacks but the benefits definitely outweigh these drawbacks.

So what big baits and lures am I talking about? There are of course a variety of them out there, from crank baits, spinner baits, swim baits, big spoons, big worms, and these are all targeted for catching those larger fish. When you go to your local fishing shop you will inevitably come across some of these large baits and wonder, is this a joke? Do fish really go after baits this big? The answer is of course, yes. They wouldn’t be making these baits if they were ineffective. If you are serious about fishing and have decided that this is a sport you can really get into I suggest buying one or two of these large baits and trying them out. For a first timer I would really suggest getting a large musky style bait such as a buck tail and a large crank bait. As you will see in the photos below.

Mepps - Bucktail Giant Killer

This lure is a Giant Killer Bucktail and is produced by Mepps. Mepps creates a lot of these styles of lures specifically for pike and musky anglers. These are proven baits and have been on the market for many years now. Many anglers swear by these. The one in this picture is one of the more traditional style baits you can use to target these large predatory fish. The best way to fish them is trolling them around the edges of weeds. You can cast these baits as well if you are shore fishing but ideally you use them when trolling. The red hairs, or the bucktail as it is referred to, gives the bait more body so a passing pike or musky thinks it is a larger bait fish. The red in this tail also increases your chances of a bite. Many studies have been done by pro anglers and they swear by the fact that red hooks or baits with a trail of red in them attract more fish. Also on this bait is a spinner. When trolling or retrieving this bait the spinner creates flash and vibrations through the water making it more noticeable to fish and more attractive. I have caught numerous pike on these baits and I too have been sold on them.

Storm - Giant Thunderstick

This large bait is a Thunderstick and is produced by Storm. This is just like any other crank bait/ stick bait but is just simply larger in size. With its rattles inside and side to side wobble in the water, this bait imitates an attractive meal to a large predatory fish. You can fish it just like the Mepps Giant Killer Bucktail. 

Giant Thunderstick comparison

Here is a comparison of the Giant Thunderstick to a regular 4 inch Thunderstick, and a regular crank bait. You can see the difference in size and what I mean when I talk about big lures.

Large Williams spoon

Large spoons such as this Williams spoon are also quite effective. Spoons are almost exclusively used when trolling. This particular spoon has a high reflective silver coating as well as a reflective red stripe on it. A spoon will wobble sporadically giving the impression that it is an injured fish, an easy meal for a pike or musky.

As I mentioned big baits are effective at catching big fish but they can be tricky at times. Ideally you want to troll these baits right beside weed beds, along channels in lakes, or through larger deep opened areas of a lake. If you start your troll and go through some heavy cover you will be do nothing but pulling weeds off of your bait all day long. If possible, use a fish finder or even visually inspect what type of water you are fishing. If it is extremely weedy then you want a shallow diving large bait such as the Thunderstick or a swim bait. If you are getting into deeper waters and need some more reflectivity to attract fish, something like the Mepps or Williams baits are perfect. These baits create a lot of turbulence through the water and reflect sunlight all over the place making the fish think that there is an easy meal right under its nose.

A key tip to fishing large baits is to only use them in the middle of summer right through to the fall. The reason being is that during the early season big pike and big musky do not have the larger food sources like they do later on in the year. Spring time is when most fish species lay their eggs and when most fish hatch so the food sources are smaller but plentiful. This does not mean that you won’t necessarily land a big fish using a big bait in spring, but you will have to slow down your presentation, troll at a lower speed, and you may wish to use a slightly smaller bait. Fall is the best time for big baits. The fish know the season is changing. They need to eat before the winter sets in and their food sources have had the summer to fatten up.  Ask any angler and they will tell you that the fall is the best time for monster pike and musky with big baits.

Do yourself a favour and next time you are at your local tackle shop don’t be intimidated by the larger baits. Grab a few of them and see if you can hook into a monster.

Mepps® Musky Marabou Inline Spinnerbaits – Silver/Black The Mepps Musky Marabou features a top-quality, heavy-duty #7 Colorado blade and a rugged, easy-spin clevis. Solid brass components mean every Musky Marabou is perfectly balanced and extremely durable. A heavy-duty split ring allows easy tail changes and eliminates the leverage that big fish can exert on straight-wire musky lures.All Musky Marabou tails are hand-tied with the highest grade of marabou feathers for outstanding durability and lifelike movement. Mepps’ time-tested tandem hook assembly incorporates heavy-duty extra sharp treble hooks. With its easy-spin low-drag blade, the Musky Marabou can easily be cast all day long. Its drag-resistant, high-flow marabou tail gives the Mepps Musky Marabou more lift and lifelike movement. For maximum effectiveness, retrieve the Musky Marabou at a medium to high speed just under the surface or burn it over the top of weeds. 1-1/4 oz. Specifications Heavy duty stainless steel shaft Extra-strong, solid brass Colorado blade Mepps high-speed, free-spinning clevis Solid brass body Heavy duty split ring Highest quality hand-tied marabou feathers. Mepps® Musky Marabou Inline Spinnerbaits

 
View Toronto Shore Fishing in a larger map

“MAKE SURE YOU ZOOM IN TO HAVE A MORE DETAILED VIEW OF THESE URBAN FISHING SPOTS AND CLICK ON THE ICONS TO GET A DESCRIPTION”

Fishing is something you can do almost anywhere, as long as there is a body of water. As you can see by the map here I have listed 18 places that you can go out and fish at. They are all minutes away from any spot in Toronto and can offer you a great place to spend the day or just to get out for an evening after work. Many of the spots are located in parks where you can bring your family and friends, and have a picnic or just make a day out of it. These are some of the places that I have explored in the past, have seen on tv, or have researched through the Ministry of Natural Resources.

These places are perfect for the first time angler or for kids. They are so close by to almost anywhere in Toronto and you can take a quick drive, public transit, bike, or walk to most of them. I really suggest getting out to one of these areas after a stressful day at work, you will find that all your problems seem to go away and you can clear your head while fishing.

If you know of a good place to do some shore fishing around the Toronto area and would like to share it with me feel free to drop me a line at: fishingwithpiotr@gmail.com

 Take a quick glance at the places I have mapped here, you may recognize a fishing hole right in your own backyard that you never knew was there:

1. Rouge River Marsh

2. Frenchman’s Bay

3. Petticoat Creek

4. Bluffers Park

5. Ashbridge’s Bay

6. Tommy Thompson Park

7. Toronto Islands

8. Humber bay Park

9. Grenadier Pond

10. The Humber River

11. Colonel Samuel Smith Park

12. Norton Place Park

13. Professors lake

14. Milne Park

15. Stouffville Reservoir

16. Mountjoy Pond Park

17. G. Ross Lord Park

18. Wilcox Lake

Two Boat Launches:

1. Frenchman’s Bay

2. Bluffers Park

Trolling is a method used by many anglers to cover a lot of water in hopes of catching one of the larger species of fish such as walleye, musky, or pike. Trolling involves casting your bait and letting the line go out as you slowly putt your boat through the water. By casting your bait out and keeping your bail open you will allow the bait to move out a safe distance away from the wake of your boats motor so as not to spook the fish. Of course, once your bait is about 50-60 metres away you should close your bail just in case a fish bites and to begin your troll. Once your bait is out in the water you can hold your rod or use a rod holder and simply manoeuvre your boat through canals, around structure, or through open waters in hopes of catching a hungry monster. This method is very successful when using larger baits such as large crank baits, large spinner baits, or big spoons. As larger fish species tend to cruise around looking for a quick snack, a well presented bait that is moving through the water with a bit of speed can entice them to bite. By trolling you may not put as many fish in your boat as you would when you are fishing for pan fish but when you do catch a fish using this method it is usually a trophy.

Classic Trolling

Classic Trolling: Side view

 The other method of trolling is to use a trolling motor. Now this method is not “really” considered trolling but it also allows you to cover a lot of water and get into some tight places where fish may be hiding. A trolling motor is an electric motor that attaches either to the bow of your boat or the stern. You will see many professional bass anglers using their trolling motors once they find a place where the fish are biting. By using the trolling motor you can pull up your main engine so that it does not get snagged or damaged on anything and then you can simply manoeuvre your boat in and out of weed pockets or shallow areas, the places where the monsters like to hide. When using a trolling motor you will usually be casting your bait and retrieving it making it a quite different method from the traditional trolling method described previously. The electric trolling motor is also whisper quiet which does not spook the fish and allows you to creep in on them as if you were stalking your prey.

For the traditional trolling methods you can use a trolling plate or even a drift sock on your boat to slow down the speed at which you are travelling. When your main engine is on, even if you are going at a slow speed, your propeller will still create a tunnel of water behind your boat. By using a trolling plate you disperse this “noise” from your propeller and help maintain a calm water zone behind your boat which in turn will not spook the fish. Secondarily the trolling plate allows you to slow your boat down even more so that you can slow the presentation of your bait if the fish are proving to be a bit sluggish. A trolling plate simply attaches in and around your propeller and can be lowered quite easily when you desire to do some trolling or can be easily raised when you wish to get under way. They come in a variety of sizes and materials but it is best to get the largest trolling plate you can afford and one that is made out of metal, not plastic, as the plastic ones have been known to easily break off.

A drift sock can also be used when trolling but it is not as effective as trolling under the power of your main engine. A drift sock is quite simply a large cone shaped device with a hole at the thin end to allow water to pass through. A drift sock is lowered into the water and adds more friction while you are getting pushed around the lake by the wind. This too will allow you to slow down your bait or will allow you to spend more time over certain structure, such as a sunken island or drop off, where the fish will be hanging out.

As mentioned you can troll a large bait behind your boat in order to entice to big boys to bite. Traditionally when trolling you will use a large crank bait that can be either deep diving or shallow diving depending on the depth of the water column that you are fishing and the fish you are targeting or a large spinner bait such as a Musky Killer. You can also use a swim bait or even a spoon when targeting the large fish you can catch when trolling. You would never use a worm and bobber when trolling and jigging is also a bad idea. You can easily get snagged up if you were to troll with any of these methods and it wouldn’t prove to be a very effective way of catching monsters. I will go in greater depth about trolling methods and baits to use in later articles but for now this is just to give you an idea of what trolling is all about and what to use.

Check out some of the maps I have posted and target some of the trolling lines I have outlined. Try your hand at some trolling and don’t forget to get some large baits to target the large varieties of fish you can catch using this method.

Northern Pike (or just Pike)

Characteristics: Pike are a long slender fish. They usually have a greenish body, but this can change from a light green to a darker green based on their environment and their food source. They also have very unique spots on their body. These spots are oval shaped. Cover their entire body, and are usually white or yellowish in colour. Pike can range from anywhere around 30cm and can grow all the way up to 150cm! These are true brutes of the underwater world. When they are young they can weigh in at a small 3-4 pounds but once they grow up they can get up to 50 pounds with some even larger than that.

How to handle: Be very careful with these guys, especially if you land a big one. They are very powerful fish and if you catch one that is 20 plus pounds you make have some issues with grabbing it. First of all you must be aware that these large predators have very sharp teeth, so don’t go sticking your hand inside its mouth unless you want to be cut. The best way to pull them ashore or to pull them into a boat is to grab them under their gills. If you look at a fish it usually has a hard outer edge around its gills to protect them. This is known as the gill plate. On a pike this gill plate is quite large and you can easily side your hand in behind this gill plate and grab the fish through there, all the while making sure not to actually grab it by its gills so as to not damage it. Once you have it grasped under its gill plate you can pull it into your boat or onto shore and then support it by its belly so that it is cradled in your hands vertically, as my buddy Tom does in the pictures page. One of the best ways to land these guys is to use a net or a fish cradle. While you usually net a fish it tends to calm down making it a lot easier to handle.

Where to find them: These guys love to hang out in weeds. As they are ambush predators so they tend to hang out in weed beds ready to pounce on any minnow or small bait fish that swims by. Weeds however, or only part of the equation, these guys can also be found in deeper waters with rocky bottoms. Be sure to try out both of these types of waters to try to catch one of these guys. These guys are best caught in early to late fall as they go into a feeding frenzy before the winter. You will find a lot of targeting anglers them at this time.

How to catch them: As I said these guys are big time predators and they like to hang out and just wait for a bait fish to swim past them. The best way to hook into one of these guys is to fish the edges of weeds. Unlike bass they don’t tend to really dig themselves deep in the weeds, they prefer to just be on the outskirts waiting for something to swim by. They can accelerate very quickly with their slender bodies and will eat almost anything. The best baits to use on these guys is a buck tail spinner, a large spoon, or even a crank bait. One thing is certain though, if you want to catch a big pike you have to use a big bait. A large predator like this will not waste its energy eating a lot of tiny fish, instead it will make one quick move to get the most out of its bite, hence you should use larger style baits. A great method for catching pike is to troll right beside weed beds or through channels in lakes with a slow presentation. In winter months these guys can also be caught through the ice. They feed all year long but your best bet is to target these monsters in early to late fall.

Northern Pike

Northern Pike 2

My buddy Tom with his pike

This Pike was brought in at Frenchman’s Bay, a little bay in Pickering which accesses Lake Ontario. Believe it or not this Pike was caught on a worm and bobber!