| Fishing Unfamiliar & Fly-in LakesThere is
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| | areas mid-lake weedbeds
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| a feeling of satisfaction and
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| | structural elements Never be without
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| accomplishment - the pride of craft -
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| | a portable depthfinder when fishing an
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| that comes with a successful day's
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| | unfamiliar lake or river. Depending on
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| fishing on a new, unfamiliar or fly-in
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| | its capabilities, the graph (apart from
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| lake, whether it is a limit of bass, a
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| | displaying the bottom contours and water
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| few walleyes for shore lunch, or a trophy
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| | depths) can provide other important data
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| pike. Not because putting fish in the
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| | to help you in your survey,
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| boat is the measure of a successful
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| | including:breaklinedeep-water basinsfish
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| outing, but because that success
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| | baitfishbottom "content"structural
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| underlines the fact that the angler has
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| | specificswater temperaturetrolling
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| effectively adapted to the existing
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| | speedProductive TacticsHey, we are
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| fishing situations and conditions, making
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| | fishermen, not cartographers - so let's
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| necessary changes in bait / lure
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| | go fishing ! At the risk of
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| selection, presentations and locations.
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| | oversimplifying the strategies used to
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| That, in itself, is no small feat, even
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| | explore and fish an unfamiliar lake,
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| at fly-in lakes which supposedly teem
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| | break down your approach as
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| with naive fish. Let me assure you that
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| | follows:prepare the "working map"parcel
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| we always breathe a sigh of relief (even
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| | the lake into manageable sectionscover
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| on fly-ins) after having caught a few
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| | water quicklyuse a variety of lures /
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| fish for that first shore lunch. Once
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| | techniqueseliminate unproductive
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| that initial success has been realized,
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| | waterpinpoint fishing "hotspots" update
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| the rest of a fishing trip takes care of
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| | the map continuously>
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| itself.Plan to succeedPre-trip Research &
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| | Parcel Up the Lake / RiverIt's easy to
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| PlanningUpon ArrivalA Working
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| | be overwhelmed on a new lake, especially
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| MapProductive Tactics
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| | larger ones. Instead, divide the lake
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| On new lakes, you need a systematic
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| | into more manageable sections, and treat
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| approach that will greatly improve the
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| | each as if it were a separate lake. As
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| chances of near-immediate success and
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| | each boat explores, fishes, and maps a
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| good catches, even when fishing an
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| | section, information is shared and.
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| unfamiliar lake - given the fact that
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| | Later, checked out by the others to
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| time is almost certainly a limiting
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| | verify the findings. Even very large
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| factor. To maximize your time and
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| | lakes can be quickly cut down to size
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| enjoyment of a day's fishing or a remote
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| | using this approach. However, if there is
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| trip, you need a system. Here's the
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| | only one boat and five lake sections,
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| Ontario Fisherman's oft-tested and proven
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| | start with the most promising or highly
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| approach.Pre-trip Research & PlanningIn
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| | recommended section in order to get on
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| spite of the fact that most fly-in and
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| | fish quickly and to avoid wasting
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| many road-accessible lakes offer great
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| | valuable time checking out "empty water"
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| fishing opportunities, anglers should
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| | for half the trip.
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| develop and execute a plan for fishing
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| | On rivers, this system is especially
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| any unfamiliar lake. Without such a
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| | easy and effective. Devoting a half-day
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| strategy, too much time on a short trip
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| | to each stretch provides diversity, yet
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| can be spent searching for fish or prime
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| | still allows for more time to be devoted
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| locations. Notice that I did not say
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| | to the "best" spots later.Cover Water
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| "wasted". No systematic survey of a lake
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| | Quickly In a relatively short time you
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| should be considered a waste of time -
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| | will want to explore, fish and map a
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| even when fish are not caught.One key to
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| | designated portion of the lake with hopes
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| finding fish consistently is to quickly
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| | of locating the most productive spots in
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| eliminate "empty" water, and one way to
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| | that section. To do this, move quickly -
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| do that is through trial and error.
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| | trolling fast-breaking shorelines,
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| Better, though, to spend as much time as
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| | casting exposed shoals, working along
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| possible actually fishing a promising or
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| | weedlines with spinnerbaits, spinners or
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| proven location. This can be best
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| | spoons. If fish are caught, it may be an
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| accomplished with a two-pronged,
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| | area deserving of a slower, more precise
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| strategic approach - one prior to the
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| | attack later. First, however, finish the
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| trip; the other on the water.Before
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| | surveying task you set out to accomplish.
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| putting the boat in the water, "explore"
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| | Mark it on the map and come back
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| the destination lake on paper through the
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| | later.Similarly, if a promising or
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| examination of available maps and charts.
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| | recommended area comes up empty, switch
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| Many times, gaining a thorough knowledge
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| | tactics or return to it late in the day
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| of the lake and the identification of
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| | (as you re-visit the hotspots identified
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| potential hotspots can be accomplished
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| | over the course of the day). Fishing live
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| without even getting in the boat.Check
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| | baits, drifting approaches, backtrolling,
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| available map & chart sources,
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| | float and still fishing are too slow for
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| including:MNR-produced "fishing maps"
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| | this part of the hunt but will serve you
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| lodge / camp fishing & navigation mapsMNR
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| | well later as you probe key spots more
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| stocking lists & maps resource management
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| | slowly and thoroughly.Eliminate
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| plans topographic maps hydrographic /
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| | Unproductive Water It's said that "you
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| lake-bottom contour maps resources maps &
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| | can't make a silk purse out of a sow's
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| plans (e.g. logging) maps prepared by
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| | ear", so don't waste precious fishing
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| previous groups canoe / hiking route maps
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| | time on "empty water". On the working
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| maps prepared by local clubs sanctuary
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| | map, cross out shallow back bays choked
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| maps & notices aerial photographs &
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| | with weeds, areas with "ooze" bottoms or
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| satellite images
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| | less than six feet of water. Abandon
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| Speak to others with experience on the
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| | shorelines which slope gradually to
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| lake, including:local anglers MNR
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| | deeper, regular bottoms. Forget most of
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| district fisheries personnel guides /
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| | the lake's deepest basins (more than 25
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| charter operators suggested references
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| | feet). Forget casting to reeds growing
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| (by phone)
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| | atop sand bars under just two or three
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| Immediately after booking a trip work
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| | feet of water. This approach will
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| through the above lists - a task easily
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| | effectively eliminate more than
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| managed if your group shares in the
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| | two-thirds of most lakes and will not
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| research. Besides, it is actually fun
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| | only save you time and frustration, but
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| trying to figure out the lake, sight
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| | will also assure that most of your
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| unseen and even better when you discover
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| | precious fishing time is spent in more
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| that some of your assessments were
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| | productive areas.Of course, there are
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| correct. And, having done some of the
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| | exceptions to every example stated above
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| "leg work" prior to the trip, you will
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| | - bass in the slop, early season pike in
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| have considerably more time for a
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| | the shallows, lake trout in the depths,
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| thorough "on-the-water" survey once you
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| | but most are seasonal movement patterns,
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| reach your destination.Upon
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| | which, in turn, help to eliminate other
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| ArrivalArriving at your departure point
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| | areas which might be better during a
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| or fly-in airbase, the work begins again.
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| | different part of the fishing season.
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| Now is the time to ask others about the
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| | Pinpoint & Mark Prime Spots / Cover /
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| destination to which you are headed,
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| | Structures With much of the lake already
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| including:outfitter / air service
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| | eliminated during the initial scouting
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| personnel bait & tackle shop proprietors
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| | process, keying on the lake's prime spots
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| cottagers, campers, canoeists fishing /
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| | and structural features should be much
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| conservation club members lodge operator
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| | easier now. Fish promising or recommended
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| guides camp clientele (especially
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| | spots slowly and thoroughly. When a good
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| repeaters)
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| | spot and good catches come together,
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| A Fly Over If your group is flying into
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| | accurately mark the spot in your GPS
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| a remote outpost or lodge, ask the pilot
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| | unit, with a floating marker buoy or
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| to do a "fly over" of the lake(s) you
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| | carefully triangulate the exact location
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| will be fishing. With a rough,
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| | using nearby and obvious landmarks.
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| photocopied outline map in hand, look for
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| | Immediately mark them on the working copy
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| and mark any:congregations of boats
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| | of the map (in colour).Update the Map
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| adjoining back lakes inflowing /
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| | Either for your own use on subsequent
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| outflowing streams shoals, sunken
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| | trips, as a favour to groups that follow,
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| islands, pointslarge weedbeds /
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| | or as a courtesy to the outfitter, keep
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| weedlineslog jams / shoreline
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| | the map up to date as it has considerable
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| coverrapids, damslodge / cabin location
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| | value to all parties involved. Mine come
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| Previous Party Info Upon arriving and
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| | in handy when I summarize fishing trips
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| unpacking, with map in hand, talk to
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| | for magazine articles and for the
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| departing anglers about the lake, the
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| | countless inquiries I receive each year
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| fishing, and the camp, including:fishing
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| | via e-mail. Show me yours, and I'll show
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| hotspots proven baits & tactics
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| | you mine !Arranging and planning the
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| reasonable expectations (numbers, size)
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| | annual fishing trip for the "boys" or
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| boating hazards boats & motors camp gear
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| | your family is an important and demanding
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| & appliances portages / trails to back
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| | task at the best of times. When daring to
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| lakes shore lunch site(s) bait
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| | venture to unfamiliar destinations, the
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| availability / minnow traps sanctuary
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| | uncertainties regarding the details and
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| areas
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| | the fishing opportunities are accentuated
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| A Working MapBy now, that rough outline
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| | still further. This season, when the time
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| map could be pretty marked up, hopefully
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| | comes to head out to that unfamiliar lake
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| with useful bits of information and
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| | or river, have your homework done, a
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| locations that will make those first
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| | "working map: at the ready, and a
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| outings on the lake safer and more
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| | strategic approach for surveying and
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| productive. Take a few moments to re-draw
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| | fishing the lake in mind. Anxieties will
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| the map more precisely , and give each
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| | be lessened, the chances of success
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| "boat" in your party their own map to
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| | heightened. And, as you have, no doubt,
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| record useful findings. As the map
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| | heard and read many times, confidence
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| develops, it won't be a pretty sight, but
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| | plays a very large part in any successful
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| its value will be inestimable later and
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| | fishing outing. But now you are ready!
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| on subsequent trips. As you fish and
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| | Enjoy your trip.Online since 1998 by
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| explore the lake or river over the course
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| | long-time OFM field editor, Bill Rivers,
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| of your stay, mark on the map:fishing
| |
| | the Ontario Fisherman is now taking on a
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| hotspots landmarks / hazards
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| | new look, but remains committed to
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| current flows & direction good
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| | showcasing "the best of Ontario
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| shoreline stretches prime cover
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| | sportfishing".
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