I've been out bass hunting three times already locally. Ontario also opened their bass season a week early but that turns out to be a week later than Quebec but only in Zone 18. My first outing last weekend yielded a dozen or more 15" LM at this lake which is for the most part private (that is the only hint I will give).
Much like my trip to Quebec I was rigged up with a dry line, long leader and two flies. The dropper was the famous Mississippi Maiden developed by a lady fisher from the OFS some years ago and it is likely the best bass fly ever. I will post a picture as soon as I make some more. All the ones I have are beaten up! The point fly was the next best thing, a black Coney Leech but not made up with rabbit strip but rather Arctic Fox strip. I also put on a red glass bead.
Casting to shore as close as I could get, I did manage a couple of LM which rivaled the Quebec lake in around 4 pounds.
However today I went back to that lake and the larger fish have already moved into deeper water. I did get a bunch of 15 inchers but they took the fly a bit further out. This lake has LM as well as SM and I landed three like the one below by slowly trolling in 15 to 17 FOW. In lakes that have both species, they will occupy different territory. LM like veggy cover and SM like large rocks. Fishing with a fish finder is essential, not to find fish but to see what the bottom of the lake is like and how deep.
Much like my trip to Quebec I was rigged up with a dry line, long leader and two flies. The dropper was the famous Mississippi Maiden developed by a lady fisher from the OFS some years ago and it is likely the best bass fly ever. I will post a picture as soon as I make some more. All the ones I have are beaten up! The point fly was the next best thing, a black Coney Leech but not made up with rabbit strip but rather Arctic Fox strip. I also put on a red glass bead.
Casting to shore as close as I could get, I did manage a couple of LM which rivaled the Quebec lake in around 4 pounds.
However today I went back to that lake and the larger fish have already moved into deeper water. I did get a bunch of 15 inchers but they took the fly a bit further out. This lake has LM as well as SM and I landed three like the one below by slowly trolling in 15 to 17 FOW. In lakes that have both species, they will occupy different territory. LM like veggy cover and SM like large rocks. Fishing with a fish finder is essential, not to find fish but to see what the bottom of the lake is like and how deep.
Small Mouth Bass are a bit more lively than LM in terms of jumping and fighting. This was the smallest of the three that I caught (but the best picture.....I'm need more practice with my new camera).
The picture at the top of this column is of a LM caught at my local lake 22 minutes from home yesterday. This lake has a vigorous all year stream running into it and out so the water is of a high quality. Being closer to town, one doesn't catch as many but the short drive time frame means I can slip over for a couple of hours any time.
The picture at the top of this column is of a LM caught at my local lake 22 minutes from home yesterday. This lake has a vigorous all year stream running into it and out so the water is of a high quality. Being closer to town, one doesn't catch as many but the short drive time frame means I can slip over for a couple of hours any time.
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