Catching Big Fish

Your trophy awaits in Canada...

Catching big fish on a Canadian fishing trip is something you will remember forever. It is the ultimate rush for a freshwater angler to land a 30 pound Pike or a 40 pound lake trout. These are fish of a life-time, and something that we all dream about every time we hit the water.

Catching big fish is a relative statement. Obviously a walleye isn’t as large as a pike and a pike isn’t as large as a lake trout (and so on). So you need to identify what trophy you are going after. Maybe you are headed to a location that is home to a number of species, all of which have trophy potential. If so, then all the power to you!

REMEMBER: Catch and throw back all trophy fish. They are the backbone to the future of fishing. A large fish lays many times more eggs than a smaller fish of the same species. When catching big fish handle it with care, take a photo, and put him back in the water. The generations that follow will thank you!

Walleye
Anything over 7 pounds is a great walleye. If you can land one any bigger than that, kiss it gently on the lips, take a photo, and get her back in the water. Depending on your location, catching big fish is not easy. Catching a big walleye is even tougher.

If you are looking for a trophy walleye, fish for them in the fall. Your presentation is key and must match the mood of the walleye. The water is getting cold, and the walleye most likely will not be moving too fast.

Shallow reefs, basins and weed-beds are home to big fall walleye. Crankbaits can be effective as well as live bait rigs. Tobin Lake in Saskatchewan, Lake Diefenbaker in Saskatchewan and the Winnipeg River System all are home to monster walleye in the fall.

Northern Pike
What a great fish to catch. When this fish is anywhere over 12 pounds you have a great battle on your hands. The northern pike is an aggressive fish, and when it strikes your lure you had better be hanging on tight.

The early spring offers a fantastic time to catch trophy pike. They can typically be found in shallow bays where the water temperature is just right. The northern pike itself has just finished spawning, and always welcomes an easy meal.

Using deadbait for northern pike is a great strategy for catching big fish at ice off. As the summer wears on, the big northerns follow the 55 degree water temperature to deeper locations on the lake. This is where crankbaits, spoons and spinners can land you a trophy northern pike. Accented structure and the edge of weed-beds are key locations to find these predators as they are looking to ambush unsuspecting prey as it swims by.

Lake Trout
If you are looking for a monster freshwater fish in Canada, the lake trout is your gig! The lake trout has been known to get above the 60 pound mark. In fact the largest on record was netted in Lake Athabasca, Saskatchewan over 100 pounds!

Lake trout follow baitfish religiously. You will typically find them in water around the 50 degree range. In the spring the fish are quite shallow and can be caught on light equipment. Jigs and spoons work well for the lake trout in the spring.

Come summer, the fish can be almost 100 feet deep. You will need some heavy equipment to get down that far. Big spoons trolled at a slow speed are the order of the day here or the use of downriggers.

In the fall the lake trout spawn, and can be found in shallow water. Reefs are a great location to find these predators.

Muskie
The muskie can grow to be one big fish. Some muskie can get to be over 50 pounds, with the world’s record well over 60 pounds! That is a big load to be bringing into the boat.

If it’s a trophy you are after the fall is the time to do it. When things cool down in September and October is when many seasoned anglers agree the time is right. Muskies tend to fatten up for the winter, adding more girth to an already big body.

Big jerkbaits along shorelines always seem to be a hit. Get out in the morning and evenings during the early fall. As winter approaches and the water cools off, the fishing actually seems to pick up. Downsize your lures as the ice comes and troll these fish s-l-o-w! It could pay off with the fish of your life!

We have lots of strategies for catching big fish at Freshwater Fishing Canada. Check them out by species in the left hand column.

Thanks for reading.

Good fishing.

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