With the walleye season opening across the country in the upcoming days, we spent some quality time on our Doc Talks Fishing podcast this week with longtime friend, Nick Baccante, who was the Senior Research Biologist in the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ Walleye Research Unit. Nick literally helped write the book on walleyes, with Dr. Peter Colby, who penned the Synopsis of Biological Data on the Walleye for the United Nations. So it was super-cool to talk with him about Canada’s most popular fish. Here are a few of our favourite takeaways from our conversation with Nick. I can’t thi ..read more

Canadian anglers have long had a love affair with trout, seduced by their sleek beauty and the clear, cold waters they call home. Despite their popularity, however, trout can be notoriously finicky. So if you want to consistently catch them, it pays to go with the lures that have proven effective over time. Here are the top 11 trout lures you need to have in your tacklebox… Mepps Aglia More Mepps Aglia in-line spinners have been sold than any other single lure in Canada, and as we know, the consumer is always right. In this instance, they’re absolutely correct that the Aglia is dynamite on t ..read more

Photo: Bureau of Land Management/Flickr When you’re fly fishing, there are 1,000 ways to lose a fish. Some of them aren’t your fault, such as when a fish does something completely unpredictable (I once had a trout jump into a low-hanging tree branch. It got off.) Some lost fish offer great learning experiences, providing unforgettable lessons about what not to do next time. But no fly-fishing mishap is more egregious or preventable than knot failure, which is a pretty weaselly term considering the knot didn’t tie itself. Knot failure is actually angler failure. The solution is simple and chea ..read more

When retired aircraft engineer Cedric Summers couldn’t find a canoe to suit his needs back in 1947, he diligently set about making his own. His material of choice? The same lightweight aluminum he used to build airplanes for the Royal Canadian Air Force. So was born the iconic Sportspal canoe in the basement of his home in North Bay, Ontario. Fast-forward to 1987, when Carl Crewson and two partners purchased Sportspal from bankruptcy and brought the business back to life. Crewson, who still goes to work every day at age 86, runs the company as a family affair with his son, daughter and a grand ..read more

The new-product showcase at September’s American Fly Fishing Trade Association conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, may have been smaller than usual, but the attendees were certainly enthusiastic. And with the impressive array of new products on display, it’s clear the fly-fishing industry is still going strong following the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are my picks for 2024’s best new fly gear for Canadian anglers. For a look at more of the year’s best new fishing tackle, also see our round-up of 2024’s best new lures, conventional rods & reels and electronics & accessories. Best Rod WRAN ..read more

For a look at more of the year’s best new fishing gear, also see our round-up of 2024’s best new lures, rods and reels and fly-fishing gear (coming Friday). Best Battery DL+ 12V 135AH BATTERY Lithium batteries keep impressing. This dual-purpose model offers 135 amp-hours of deep-cycle capacity to power your boat’s electronics, plus 1,000 cold-cranking amps to start the big engine. That’s five times the usable power of a traditional Group 24 marine battery, at half the weight and with a lifespan that’s five times longer. Plus, you get an 11-year warranty. Just put it your boat and forget abou ..read more

For a look at more of the year’s best new fishing gear, also see our round-up of 2024’s best new lures, electronics & accessories and fly-fishing gear (coming Friday). Best Affordable Spinning Rods MUSE BLACK II I’m impressed by 13 Fishing’s commitment to making high-quality tackle at affordable prices, and this new line of rods doesn’t disappoint. Featuring Japanese components such as 40-ton Toray Graphite blanks, Fuji K Frame stainless steel guides and Evolve Custom Soft Touch Reel Seats, the six rods come in a length, power and action for every freshwater fishing scenario. They also c ..read more

Every year, the recreational fishing world comes together at events such as the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades Show—best known as ICAST—to showcase the latest and greatest angling innovations. And with such an astonishing quantity and variety of new fishing gear on display, where better to find those items best-suited for fishing in Canada? Here’s my selection of the top new offerings for 2024. For a look at more of the year’s best new fishing gear, also see our round-up of 2024’s best new rods and reels, electronics & accessories and fly-fishing gear (coming Friday ..read more

After listening to Dr. Bruce Tufts, who heads up the Freshwater Fisheries Conservation Lab at Queen’s University, talk about why big fish matter on our most recent DOC TALKS FISHING podcast, our heads are still spinning in amazement. And judging from the emails and messages we’ve received from folks who listened to the podcast, we’re not the only ones who were spellbound. You can listen to the entire podcast by clicking HERE. And here are a few critical takeaways. It’s incredible how much science is still coming out about the value of big fish in fish populations. In many different ways, they ..read more

There’s an old adage about any job being easier when you have the right tools, and that definitely applies to fishing boats. Just as there are endless ways to catch fish, there are an equally endless variety of fishing boats to help you do just that. That means selecting the right boat for your specific needs takes a bit of thought and research. Shopping for a new fishing boat starts by making an honest assessment of your own needs, preferences and budget. Do you prefer to troll, or cast? Do you like big open lakes, or smaller more protected waters? Will you trailer the boat, or keep it dock ..read more