brook trout – The Outdoors Guy

March 23, 2018

Spring, a magical time of rebirth in the great outdoors

The late great Roger “Elliot” Lepine doing some early-season trout fishing in Montebello

With ice huts soon flying south for the summer and wild turkey season around the corner, the smell of spring is definitely in the air.
I don’t know about you, but the arrival of spring cannot come soon enough for me! Winter has its merit, I suppose, but after four months of snow and freezing rain, enough is enough. To hear the thumping drum of the first ruffed grouse of the year, or catch a glimpse of wild garlic plants pocking their heads up of the forest floor, are all telltale signs that a new season is afoot. I know it’s difficult to imagine with lots of snow still on the ground, but we’re on the homeward stretch with ice-out about a month away. Before you know it we’ll be breaking out the turkey calls and trout and walleye tackle like it’s going out of style.

Last week I bid farewell to a close friend and fishing companion, my dear father-in-law; Roger “Elliot” Lepine. I will think of this fine man in the spring as the ice lifts off the lake and I cast my first line. RIP Elliot!

Gobble gobble
With little over a month until the province’s April 25th turkey season opener arrives, hunters are reminded that, should you happen to bag a gobbler, you only have until noon the following day to report it. Call 1(800) 288-1155 and have your hunting card available and be prepared to identify the age and sex of your bird. To purchase a wild turkey license, you may call the same number until April 30th, and it will be mailed the next business day. For more information, please read the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry regulations at https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-hunting-regulations-summary. There you can either view or download the regulations. Happy turkey hunting and gobble, gobble one and all.

Ice-fishing season
I had a blast ice-fishing with the ‘fam’ recently as part of Family Fishing Weekend festivities. My wife, two daughters and I participated in the Harbour Harvest, held at the Nepean Sailing Club, and a great time was had by had by all! My scale-straining 11” yellow perch was actually in contention for a prize at one point, until someone landed a northern pike. More importantly, the girls had a good time and we are already looking forward to next year’s event. With the March 31st ice-hut removal date just around the corner, however, things on the hard top are soon drawing to a close.
Folks in the Ottawa Valley legally have until the end of the month to haul their huts away, and remember that anyone who has not removed their ice hut by then is in violation of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, and could face charges. Winter fishing remains open on most lakes and rivers after the huts are gone although ice conditions tend to be sketchy and unsafe by this point so please be careful.

Bounder Magazine
Keep your eye out next week for Bounder Magazine’s highly-anticipated spring issue. My ‘welcome back’ Outdoors Guy column will take an inside look at my ‘trophy’ brook trout adventure in May, along with some other cool springtime hunting and fishing topics. There are many other great Bounder columns of note like my pal Randall Moore of CHEZ 106 FM’s famous ‘One Minute Moore” and other great columnists like Mark Papousek, Delmar and Cecil, Dave Brown, Red Green, Jim Hurcomb and many more! Check-out Bounder online at: www.Bounder.ca and watch for more magazine pickup sites coming in Pembroke, Renfrew and Cobden!

Column anniversary
This month marks the 5th anniversary of my Outdoors Guy column in this awesome publication, the Pembroke Daily Observer, and I wish to thank managing editor Anthony Dixon and assistant editor Tina Peplinskie for being the best editorial staff I’ve ever worked with. There are great folks up the Valley and these two are indeed kindred spirits. Sharing my passion for the great outdoors with readers each month is something I hold dear. Thanks to the hunters and fishermen of the Ottawa Valley for your continued support, and hopefully I will see you around Cobden, Pembroke or Petawawa this summer.

January 30, 2018

Spring trout, off the beaten path

May 29, 2014

Annual trout trip a BIG success!

My annual trout fishing trip to Temiscaming, Quebec, is a time I look forward to all year long..regardless whether we catch a lot fish or none at all. This spring marked the 25^th anniversary for my father and brother-in-laws on our annual may trout trip.

Of course with this late spring, water was the coldest we’d seen in years. Mid – Low 50’s I’d estimate on most lakes and the fish were up high and hitting like crazy!! The most big fish actions we’d seen in years!

Here’s a nice photo of my 82-year old father with a decent-sized eater trout, this fish was probably a bit smaller than our average size. Most brookies we caught were in the 17″ – 20″ range or around 2.5 – 3 pounds. Certainly not your average ‘spec’.

We boated a total of 45 trout over the 4.5 days we fished, and released an incredible 30 of those fish. The real joy for me now is catching these monster specs and having a couple of meals of smaller fish. We each took home two trout apiece; far from our limit of 7.

Here’s Steve with nicely-coloured fish from our other ‘eater lake’.

Learning how to quickly and efficiently release brook trout is an art in itself. Smaller trout were actually more difficult to release so we ended up keeping small ones for eating.

The place we’ve been camping for the past 15 years has become like a familiar friend, on the shores of a scenic but non-trout lake.

Here is one of the big brookies I caught slow-trolling a Williams W55 Lite…incidentally, we caught ALL 45 trout on the same exact spoon if you can believe that. Why didn’t we change lures? Well, when you find something that works it only makes sense to stick with it!

Although I’ve tried different tackle over the past few years, I always come back to Williams and Mooselook as my standby spoons!

This big guy Bruce caught in a nearby lake ended-up as part of our meal that evening (for obvious reasons) This was the largest trout we’ve ever caught on the other not-so-secret lake we fish, and a great looking 22″ specimen it was!

This year we really took the time up north to smell the roses. We didn’t need to spend 12 hours a day on the water and ended-up fishing maybe 6 hours per day – followed by a horse-shoe tourney(won by Steve & I), some great musical entertainment by Bruce and euchre inside the tent after the sun went down. Lots of laughs and a few frosties were had by all. (NONE whilst fishing of course..laughes yes, beer no!)

Without a single black fly or mosquito to be had, it truly was the best time to be in the great north woods! We even saw snow in the bush in many spots and along the roads on the way up. I predict ice hadn’t been off these lakes for more than a week; which is terrific timing for brookies if you can plan it that way, or simply luck-out as we did.

Upon closer inspection, this behomoth 24.5″ trout (the largest we’ve ever caught in the region) may have actually been one of our ‘mystery’ or Aurora trout. This was the only photo we snapped before it was released since I wanted this huge spawner back in the water as quickly as possible! I would estimate this girl (a female) to be easily 5 pounds and possibly more. Without any speckles or halos…it does have the appearance of an Aurora trout. I look forward to the chance of catching it again next year!

Well, after 25 years of spring trout fishing I’d say my Dad, brother-in-law’s and I, have things down to a fine science. With some of the best fishing we’ve had in over two decades, it was a fine way to celebrate our silver anniversay!

Hey…25 years together is pretty damn good I’d say, some marriages don’t even last that long!

For more information on trout fishing in La Belle Province, please contact Tourism Quebec: 1 (888) 883-8801 or online at: www.tourisme.gouv.qc.ca

Outdoorsguy

May 22, 2014

Bring on a flurry of pike and walleye!

This month’s Outdoors Column in the Pembroke Daily Observer just out in print today:

http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2014/05/22/bring-on-a-flurry-of-pike-and-pickerel

Bring on a flurry of pike and pickerel

By Jeff Morrison

Thursday, May 22, 2014 2:41:51 EDT PM

Jeff Morrison, the Daily Observer’s newest columnist, offers up his take on the great outdoors.

Anglers in search of the province’s top game-fish need wait no further as Ottawa Valley walleye and northern pike are now fair game in Fisheries Management Zone (FMZ) 15.

FMZ 15 is an immense region covering much of Northeastern Ontario; extending eastward to the Ottawa River, south to Arnprior, north to Deux Rivieres and west across all of Algonquin Park to Parry Sound. The Ministry of Natural Resources reminds all walleye and pike anglers that they must have a valid fishing license, and should abide by the daily limits for your area. Where length limits apply, anglers should measure their catch carefully, and any fish caught while angling must be kept whole so the length can be measured by conservation officers. If you should accidentally catch another species for which the season is still closed, it must be immediately ( and safely) returned to the water. Best of luck on your pike and walleye endeavors!

Scribe tickled about trout conservation

Still recovery from my annual trout trip to Témiscaming earlier this month, I am pleased to report that the brook trout in that region are alive and well. With much cooler water temps this year than is usual, the brookies were out in full force and feeding heavy. In recent years, we have been practicing catch and release on one of trophy trout lakes to help ensure the future of this fragile fishery. Of the 40 trout we caught on this particular lake, 30 were live-released without a scratch. To catch and safely release brook trout requires patience and a soft touch at canoe-side. Barbless hooks and a good set of long-nosed pliers are a must. Of the trophy-sized ‘specs’ we released, one measured a whopping 24.5″ and would easily tip the scales at over five pounds. To see a trout of this stature swimming away is an incredible feeling. Sure, we did keep enough smaller fish for two good meals and a couple to bring home, but the majority of fish were live released. If you had asked me 15 years ago about letting a five-pound brook trout go, I probably would have laughed. Practicing conservation of the species requires self-control, but offers copious long-term reward.

Blind Anglers International Tournament

The Blind Angler’s International Tournament (B.A.I.T) will once again “lure” legally blind men and women, along with top professional sport anglers, to the Nangor Resort in Westmeath, for a fun filled weekend on May 30th – June 1st. This year’s event kicks-off with a dinner at the Westmeath Community Centre in an event that aims to demonstrate abilities rather than disabilities. The opportunity to learn a new skill, or to re-kindle an old passion, serves as a mechanism of rehabilitation for the participants. The Arnprior Lions Club is hosting the tournament this year under the Lions’ B.A.I.T. project.

‘Bear proof’ the cottage or trailer

While spending time at the cottage or trailer this summer, it’s wise to remember that you’re in the natural habitat of black bears – omnivores easily attracted by human food and garbage. Cottagers are reminded to put waste out on the morning of garbage day, and not the night before, and never leave pet food outdoors. Make sure to thoroughly clean outdoor barbeque grills after use, and fill bird feeders only during the winter months. Do not put meat, fish or sweet food in your composter or in open garbage areas. These are just a few small precautions to make your property bear free this summer.

Next time at Outdoors Guy

Be sure to tune-in for the June Outdoors Guy column right here in the Valley authority on ‘The Great Outdoors,’ The Outdoors Guy in The Daily Observer and at www.thedailyobserver.ca. I’ll be launching my coveted 2014 Trivia Contest with some terrific prizes, featuring another great product field-test and news on my next book -Canadian Wild Game Cookbook, published by Canada’s most beloved cookbook producers Company’s Company. All this and more right here next month!

May 27, 2013

Outdoors Guy Annual trout trip solves mystery

(Sr. Outdoors Guy with a nice cold water brook trout we caught, with surface temp ranging from 49 – 54 degrees F)

My annual trout fishing trip to Temiscaming with my Dad and brother-in-law’s is a time I look forward to all year long..regardless if we catch a lot fish, mystery or otherwise.

This year certainly was a great trip fishing-wise, and a very poor one weather-wise, with bitter cold daytime temps and even 3″ of snow on the tent one morning!

Oh well, when you’re catching fishing like this, who cares!!

(Photo of ‘mystery trout’ now beleived to be an Aurora trout)

(Here’s Bruce with a great looking male brookie pulled from ‘Lac Perdu’)

This year we released 12 trout(10 brook, 2 mystery) – the most trout we ever have released; including one fish well over 3 pounds!

(Not a bad looking camping spot!)

(Not a bad tent set-up too!)

(The boys working on breakfast inside the tent)

Mystery solved!!!

Ok, thanks to Maple(& others) for their assitance in finally identifying our mystery trout!

What I had always considered to be ‘Quebec Reds’ appear to be the endangered species called Aurora trout. Although we only caught two this year (both released) we have probably caught more than 20 of these special fish over the years.

In our secret lake we call Lac Perdu, brook trout and Aurora trout appear to live together(& spawn) in harmony. The brookies account for probably 90% of the lakes population with Aurora accounting for maybe 10%.

Now that we know what they are, and after reading up on this rare fish, we will no longer keep any of them from this lake. According to what I read, the Aurora experts are not coming out and labelling the Quebec Aurora’s with that name, as they claim all Auroras’ are found within Ontario waters.

The QC Aurora’s currently found in only 2-3 lakes(I gues 4 now), at the moment, appear to be a mystery. The original Aurora’s were distributed only in lakes around Sudbury, and most of those fell victim to acid rain.

Just one more reason I enjoy my annual trout fishing trips. You never know what you’re going to catch!

Here are some close-up shots of the QC Aurora we caught two years ago. The ones from this year were released safely at boatside and no photos were taken:

You can see how they differ from regular brook trout with a lack of ‘halo’ spots and lack of vermiculation on the fins and upper half of their body.

Outdoorsguy

March 26, 2013

Turkey and trout just around the corner

Although we are still a few weeks off with plenty of snow left to melt, sportsmen (& women) at this time of year generally fall into two categories.

1) Turkey

2) trout

Beat

Which one do you choose?

Send me your spring plans and I will feature you (and all your secrets) in my next Ottawa SUN Outdoors Column. There’s no money involved, in case you’re wondering…

Outdoorsguy

May 20, 2011

Outdoors Guy early season trout adventure

(One of the giant cold water trout we caught last weekend, with surface temp ranging from 53 – 55 degrees F)

(My brother-in-law Steve with a great looking male brookie pulled from ‘Lac Perdu’)

(Another colourful brook trout)

(Bruce with his personal best…this one was 22″)

(Our friend ‘Shirley Partridge’ having a dirt nap beside the tent)

(Tent set-up at night)

(Awesome sunset at our campsite..so long for another year!)

May 26, 2010

Outdoorsguy spring trout trip

My annual trout fishing trip to Temiscaming is a time I look forward to all year long..regardless weather we catch a lot fish or not.

The date is May 14th and since we were arriving smack dab in middle of a New Moon and beginning of a cold front, I know we’d at least be in for a couple of days of good fishing.

Which is exactly what happened…2.5 days of great action and then the sun and warm weather arrived and the fish went into hiding. At which point, the black flies came out in droves (Iggy was right)..but hey, I’m not complaining.

As we hit the first lake on opening day and I set up my Humminbird sonar..I was pleasantly tickled to see surface water temp was a scant 52 degrees F – quite surprising given the early spring we had. Chances were the lakes had not ‘turned-over’ completely and 52 degrees was the water temp from top to bottom!

Things did heat up a tad while we were there, but water temp stayed just below 60!

Here’s a pic of my father and Bruce on opening day, showing evidence of how cold it really was them..daytime high barely went 5 degrees C. (This meant toques were required at night for sleeping!

After boating 14 nice trout in the 13-17″ range from our first lake, we get our canoe in position for fishing ‘Lac Perdue’ on the second day..the smaller than average size turned out to be the norm for the week.

The place we’ve been camping for the past 10 years has become like a familiar friend, on the shores of a scenic but non-trout lake. The resident loons were nice to see though.

Here is my brother-in-law Steve cleaning fish by the lake shore with his special bug suit on. Everybody had one of these things but me..mine was still at home in the garage…dooh!

This photo was taken from my Bushnell Trophy Cam I had set-up over-looking our camp area. It was to monitor all unwanted visitors, but managed mostly to capture images of guys going for a late night pee.

Here is a decent-sized brookie I caught slow-trolling a Williams W55 Lite…

This dark trout was taken by Steve on our secret lake with the mysterious brook trout/QC Red trout..either way, they’re not your average strain of trout…they are very dark and many of the fish from this lake don’t even have spots. At the office, they mistook these trout for lakers.

I’ll leave you with this shot of my father in front of our tent setup, a place I consider as home away from home. In the end we had a great fish meal, lots of laughs, a few games of horse-shoes and a handfull of fish shy of our limit…no 5 pounders this year, but all in all, a pretty damn good trip!

I forgot to mention that on this trip I also presented my father with the first copy of my new book ‘Weird Facts about Fishing’ – the book was dedicated to him afterall…