bass – The Outdoors Guy

September 10, 2014

Fishing the Mighty St. Lawrence with Eric

My buddy Eric Dupuis, Adverting Guru with the Ottawa SUN, and his wife Bridgit headed out on the Mighty St Lawrence River recently for some late summer angling action, and here’s the result:

We launched out of Prescott on the St. Lawrence yesterday and caught a couple nice small-mouth and Bridgit caught a nice walleye.

Had to go deep to get them. Caught the first bass in 25′ on a tube and the 2nd one in 50′ on a drop shot.

Bridgit caught the walleye in about 40′ on a worm harness.

Caught them all around the marina and fort area. Caught a bunch of Gobies too.

Hoping to make it out again in 2 weeks.

Eric Dupuis

June 19, 2013

Bass season is upon us!

Randybass — Avid bass angler Randy Rosenthal poses with his personal best largemouth caught on opening weekend at an ‘undisclosed’ lake. The fish weighed just over 6 pounds and was live released.

Bass enthusiasts of FMZ 18 were, no doubt, out in hordes this past weekend for the coveted bass opener.

And if you don’t think there’s anything special about Micropterus – be they salmoides or dolomieu – just ask one of the local bass fishing organizations.

Ottawa is slowly becoming a largemouth & smallmouth fishing Mecca, thanks to groups like Renegade Bass, Bass Anglers of Ottawa and Petawawa Bassmasters.

And, of course, we cannot forget the coveted Ottawa Valley – otherwise known as FMZ 15 or Pembroke District – which is where I do the bulk of my bass fishing each summer, at our trailer in Cobden. Bass opens in that District this weekend (Note: See this Thurs Pembroke Daily Observer – Outdoors Column – for more bass info.)

Speaking of bass fishing, where is your favourite bass lake or river? Without giving away all your tricks, I invite all the bass nuts out there to tell us where you like to catch old bucket mouth!

As a converted bass guy myself I am slowly being ‘lured’ away from trout, pike and muskie, and towards the elusive bass.

Drop me a line with your bass plans or send me a tip I’m not fussy.

Outdoorsguy

June 20, 2012

Summer starts with bass and muskie nearing full swing

Fishing in Zone 18 is poised for take-off this weekend!!

The coveted muskie fishing season in Eastern Ontario got under way a couple of weeks back, and the popular bass season kicks-off this weekend.

Bass and muskie are traditionally the final two species to open each summer; however, account for probably half of the anglers in this part of Canada.

If you’ve ever hooked into a ‘lunge’ it is an experience you won’t soon forget! Back in the day, I was about as avid a muskie hunter as one could possibly be. I remember that first summer of chasing lunge..back in about 1993. I hooked into a muskie by accident and I was hooked instantly. That fish, on the other hand, did not remain hooked as many lunge tend not to do. I needed to upgrade my equipment from medium-action bass/walleye spinning gear to full-fledged heavy muskie tackle. (& trust me, it isn’t cheap!)

That first summer I started off slowly; acquiring a bit of tackle at a time and it took almost the entire summer before I had any muskie casting or trolling gear, and an actual fish in the boot. I must have missed a dozen before I nabbed my first one – a nice 42″, 17.5 pound specimen.

It was my first bonafide lunge and the only one in my life I’ve ever kept. (Not that I would ever consider or suggest it today, but lemme tell you, it was friggin tasty. Served it to boys at moose camp that year)

My love summer affair with the ‘fish of 10,000 casts’ went on for the next 10 years, or so, unabated. My buddies and I fished many of the beautiful muskie lakes in the Laurentians(Lac Tremblant for example) and including the Ottawa River on occasion. (The 39.5 pound behemoth in photo above was taken in the Ottawa near Hawkesbury, back in about 1998)

Regardless whether you are bitten by the summer muskie bug like I was, or just love to chase old bucket mouth. The start of summer and this weekend’s opening to bass season brings back many fond memories.

What summer memories do you have pursuing your favourite game fish?

Outdoorsguy

Here’s a link to the MNR Regs for Zone 18, if anyone is interested:

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@mnr/@letsfish/documents/document/mnr_e001337.pdf

May 28, 2012

Bass season around the corner

For avid Bass enthusiasts, that forth Saturday in June can’t come fast enough!

Hey, and if you don’t think there’s anything special about Micropterus – be they salmoides or dolomieu – just ask one of the local bass fishing organizations.

Ottawa is slowly becoming a largemouth & smallmouth fishing Mecca, thanks to groups like Renegade Bass, Bass Anglers of Ottawa and Petawawa Bassmasters.

Speaking of bass fishing, where is your favourite bass water? Without giving away all your tricks, I invite all the bass nuts out there to tell us where you like to catch old bucket mouth!

As a converted bass guy myself (the 7-pound behemoth I landed two years ago helped) I am slowly being ‘lured’ away from trout and muskie, and towards the elusive bass.

Drop me a line with your bass plans or send me a tip, I’m not picky.

Outdoorsguy