Hello everyone, I would like to give an update on the summer’s fishing adventures. We fished in two different Ontario locations; Honey Harbour on Georgian Bay and the Trent River. Some of the my time was spent with Cameron and Nathan, my two sons, and some with my friends Frank and Mark. The boys and I fished out of the Terrace Lawn Cottages and Marina on the Trent River. Frank and I fished out of Picnic Island and Mark and I fished out of The Bloor Rod and Gun Club (a private club). Both are in the Honey Harbour area of Georgian Bay.
My boys, my best friend Don and I also went on a boating adventure with my stepfather and mother. We spent three days anchored in a secluded bay with four other boats swimming, fishing and enjoying everyone’s company. We broke bread with some new friends, marveled at the surroundings – the loons singing a majestic song, fantastic weather and starlit nights. We did not catch any fish to speak of but the pictures are great.
On Georgian Bay we successfully hooked some walleye, northern pike, large and smallmouth bass as well as a few big perch. On the Trent, my boys caught some walleye, a surprise crappie, northern pike and some bass. The methods we used were close to the same in both places. Crankbaits and tubes, spinnerbaits, rapalas, and homemade spinner rigs, the only difference being colour and size. I have enclosed some photos of all the baits we used to help you hook some fish on these bodies of water too.
From top left to right: Big O | Jointed Rapala | spinnerbaits (2) | Reaction Tube | homemade spinner and two rubber minnows
The crankbaits we fished with on Georgian Bay were variations of the perch colour. We used Big Os and Fat Raps around shoals and rock piles and caught several large smallies in the two to five pound range. Dark coloured tubes in greens, browns and blacks pitched and flipped into grass mats and lilly pads caught chunky largemouth and the odd pike. Dragging homemade spinner rigs in chartreuse and yellow tipped with natural coloured Gulp worms worked on the walleye, pike and smallmouth bass. On the Trent river we used the same baits with altered colour variations. The colours were a little hotter like chartreuse and hot orange for the cranks and spinnerbaits. We used mostly black tubes for the bass and natural colours in clear water for the rapalas. My oldest son, Nathan, caught his walleyes and crappie on a chartreuse spinner rig tipped with a rubber scented perch minnow. That particular bait was used to catch sixteen walleye during the summer and many pike.
Top left to right: Mouse Imitator | Frog | Clouser Minnow | Woolly Bugger | Deceiver
I will close out with this, I think the most fun I have had this summer was not the catching and releasing of so many fish, it was the time I had with my family and friends telling stories, having dinners al fresco under the stars, bonding with my sons, and my time and connection with nature. I thank God for these blessings in my life and I am so grateful for it all.
Until next time, tight lines and sharp hooks – Peter Wasag
Who called me a Woolly Bugger?
BY CHANCE, DID YOU ATTEND ALDERWOOD COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE (ACI) IN THE 70’S ???