Spring Frenzy ! The Unique Qualities of Spring Fishing
Our largest pike of 2024- 51.25″- caught and released by long-time Gangler’s guest, Dr. Robert Chianelli
Many fishermen simply go into a froth thinking of the potential of spring fishing in Northern Canada. This early season pattern generally lasts from ice-out in early June thru the middle of July when the weed beds begin to appear as our waters warm. Why do these early season fishermen get so excited ?
VISUAL FISHING Because of several factors, this is when the fish, particularly pike, are in their shallowest haunts. Because of our clear waters, it is almost all sight casting. It’s not uncommon to go into a bay and see 25, 50, even a 100 pike lined up like soldiers ready to go to battle. After ice-out, it’s common to see their backs sticking up in 6”-12” of water.
WARMING WATER TEMPS After ice-out, fish and particularly pike are drawn by warming water temperatures to the warmest areas of the lake, the shallowest bays with dark, mucky bottoms that will warm first. Bays like this in the northwest corners warm first as they catch the most sunlight. This heat is critical as the pike are recovering from their ice-out spawning rituals, especially the big females. We have found that when bays hit 58 degrees, the fish really turn on. Another early season hot spot are small creeks flowing down from small lakes or marshes into a bay. The ice melts off those bodies of water first and consequently they are much warmer than the main lakes. The areas where these small feeders enter can hold some really big fish.
HUNTING BIG PIKE For those specifically targeting big pike, this is a great time as you literally can search the water visually looking for the big monsters sunning themselves.
TEASING THE FISH Fishing at this time of the year can be so much fun. If a pike does not immediately destroy your presentation, you’ll find they will slowly rise up and glide toward your bait, slowly closing the gap between themselves and your lure, literally almost touching it with their lips while locked on in a death stare. This is so intense ! This stand-off can last as long as 1-2 minutes. At times like this, a subtle twitch of a fly or a plastic bait will suddenly trigger that gigantic maw opening and an explosion happening, all within a split second. Tight lines as your heart will be beating a mile a minute.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU WILL CATCH The North Seal features the finest of the Canadian Grand Slam. What that means in early spring is when casting a bay, you never know WHAT you may catch. It’s common for a guest to be working the end of a shallow bay and what he THINKS is a trophy pike only to end up with a 20 lb. lake trout or a trophy walleye. That’s the beauty of fishing Grand Slam Waters.
The spring can be an absolutely incredible. For those unfamiliar with Canadian fishing but aficionados of salt water flats fishing, this may be the best shallow water fishing you will ever see in your life.
Discover what so many fishermen excitingly wait all year for ! You can still lock in your piece of the Spring Frenzy now !
