# Eyes.....Bass....Oh Canada....a novel (pic obese)...



## DocEsox (May 12, 2008)

Just back from a nice 4 day fishing jaunt in Montreal, Quebec ("no" that is not a weird state you haven't heard about it's in Canada&#8230;&#8230;that place with the maple leaf flag north of the lower 48) where the weather was all over the place but the fishing still went quite well. My guide down there (remember I'm coming from Alaska so it is "down there") is Mark Currie whom I met several years ago while getting weathered out of a musky trip. Mark is absolutely the best for my target species&#8230;.smallmouth bass&#8230;..he was a tournament fisherman, a very successful one, in Canada for many years. We were going to be fishing smallies but I wanted to do some serious walleye fishing also&#8230;&#8230;tasty little diablos.

As I was leaving my hotel to meet Mark I asked the front desk if they could fix my air conditioning. He asked if the heater in my room wasn't working. I told him not the heater&#8230;..the air conditioning cause it was too freaking hot in my room. Man I got some sort of thermoregulation problem&#8230;&#8230;I just don't get cold like normal people.

We started the first day going to the St. Lawrence downstream of Montreal because it was the only reasonable place to try and fish due to a very volatile wind screaming out of the northwest. This area has many islands so we could at least find somewhere that was on the leeward side of the wind. I love Marks' boat&#8230;..










asked him how much it weighs with that monster 250hp fourstroke on the back and he told me around 3,700 lbs&#8230;&#8230;one heavy sucker&#8230;..but it sure helps flatten out the waves when they're a rolling. Turns out much of the water we wanted to fish was off color and the bronzebacks were difficult to find. We marked a bunch off fish off a protected point but they were all little guys. We spent most of the day drop shotting jigs that mimic the ubiquitous, invasive gobies that are everywhere in the St. Lawrence. On the second drift over the point I nailed a decent bass:










We tried crankbaits also but with zero success&#8230;&#8230;was hard to overcome both the hard wind and the dirty water. It's not like we were in a big secret area as you could see the Montreal skyline and frieghters plying the St. Lawrence:










One thing I love going up and down the river in this part of Canada is all the beautiful old churches lining the waterway:










Somewhere in the afternoon I caught one other decent sized smallmouth&#8230;..










After bouncing around several spots with little to show for it we tried a protected, rocky shoreline back toward where we launched. They weren't giants but we hit a two hour flurry of 1-2 lbers while dragging our tubes over the rocks.

Fascinating little interaction we had with another boat with 3 non US, non Canadian fishermen aboard. We are busy just whacking the smallies in our last area when these guys start to motor over. I looked at Mark and said "Surely they aren't going to stop right on top of us." He commented something to the inaccuracy of my allegation. So our new friends come up and anchor 20 feet in front of us right on our drift line and start dropping live minnows&#8230;..ya gotta be kidding. Mark says he sees this all the time, unfortunately, and makes sure our drift pops us right into their boat&#8230;.they are "so sorry", pull anchor, move another 15 feet in front of our driftline and drop anchor again&#8230;&#8230;where is the missle launcher! We bump into them again and this time Mark just keeps motoring slowly on top of them until they move out&#8230;..what a bunch of wieners. Mark says that's why he quit fishing tournaments&#8230;.he'd have a great day by himself and then on the second day there would be 50 boats on top of him&#8230;..what a way to make a living......Mark claims that is why he has anti social behavior issues&#8230;..that and the way people drive in Montreal!!

Went to bed with a nicely wind burned face and up early the next morning to find exactly the opposite fishing conditions&#8230;&#8230;dead calm:










Not exactly what we wanted for walleye trolling&#8230;.dead calm with a bright sun&#8230;.oh boy the weather gods are conspiring against me. We set out our trolling rods and within 30 minutes had two nice walleye in the live well&#8230;..these were going home with me to consume at my leisure. Another 15 minutes or so, and a nice, skinny pike was caught and released:










The trolling rods hadn't been set out for very long and another eater walleye was on&#8230;..don't know why but I didn't get any walleye pics. We barely had the walleye off and rods out when the spinnerbait rod went off&#8230;..I hauled it out of the holder and knew immediately it was no walleye or pike. The fish dove deep and stayed down there for 4 or 5 minutes before we got her up for our first peak&#8230;&#8230;not a pickerel or jack&#8230;..it was a mean ole musky&#8230;..great bonus fish! A few more minutes and Mark got the Bogagrip on her&#8230;..took a few pics and off she flew&#8230;..










Nice dentition in that oral cavity&#8230;&#8230;but she needs an orthodontist&#8230;..










My hands were shaking now&#8230;..nice to feel the old adrenaline pumping. After releasing the ski the fish turned off like someone threw a switch. Nothing for the next hour and half so we moved to another area but only managed to troll up one smallmouth&#8230;&#8230;










The smallie, though, gave as a very cool grand slam&#8230;..walleye, pike, musky and smallmouth. We spent a few hours throwing tube jigs in deeper water near the main waterway with just a few smallies to show for it&#8230;..although we did run into a mess of birds&#8230;..










We termed this meeting as "a gathering of loons"&#8230;&#8230;funny my wife seems to use the same term when my family gets together&#8230;&#8230;hmmmmm. These birds weren't arctic loons but rather common loons&#8230;..my wife calls me that with great frequency but I've assured her I'm quite uncommon. With the sun out Mark told me the smallies should be pretty active in shallower water so we headed for some rocky areas of the lake. He was so right. After positioning us, we were casting from about 11 feet of water into a shallow reef which came up to about 3 feet. As soon as we got positioned he yelled "Jerk bait!"&#8230;&#8230;I jumped up and said, "what???" Turns out he was only telling me which lure to use&#8230;.oh. Made a few casts from distance with nothing but as soon as I could put it up on the reef and took a couple of rips I was slammed&#8230;beautiful smallie&#8230;.










Whipped the jerkie out again was hit and then followed by several bass. Threw into them quickly and was on to another toad (love how dark this one was from off the rocks)&#8230;..










A few small fish over the next 20 minutes then another monster bass&#8230;..










After working this rocky reef some more&#8230;.a few small fish and some misses (hey, no one is perfect&#8230;..my wife says I never am but then she's not a fish) and we moved down the shoreline to an area ranging from 4 to 10 feet deep with scattered rock piles and weeds. Continued to work the same jerkbaits with good success. I loved this fish as it came at the end of a very long cast and the moment it hit the water there was a massive explosion just as I got the line tight&#8230;.too much fun&#8230;.










It was cool looking into the water and seeing many 5-20 lbs. sturgeon feeding in the weeds&#8230;..some really big freshwater drum also.

We worked these rockpiles drifting for a few hours catching a couple of dozen minimouths. Here are pics of a couple of the nicer ones through midday&#8230;..



















After about 3 or 4 hours in the bright sun&#8230;..it was a lovely 60 degrees&#8230;.kind of got a bit of a sunburn&#8230;..the bite tapered off and it was getting late. We moved back toward the get out and trolled the area we had caught walleye earlier but without a bump&#8230;&#8230;course it was dead calm and bright&#8230;.not great walleye conditions. So we figured it had been a great day and packed it in.

Before loading up the boat Mark asked if I would like to eat some of the walleye we caught earlier&#8230;&#8230;..sure&#8230;..love walleye. He called and made reservations at a local restaurant where his wife and he eat frequently and they know the owner. Mark filleted the wallies and we met his wife there for dinner. The cook did them perfectly with blackened Cajun spicing and I had them with calamari and a salad&#8230;..it was to die for. We were having such a great evening I went way overboard and had&#8230;..wait for it&#8230;&#8230;wait&#8230;&#8230;yes 4 cokes&#8230;&#8230;I was totally out of control. Thought I was gonna have to get a taxi ride home but I made it&#8230;..bloated and, unfortunately, wide, freaking awake.

Next morning got up to a raging northeast wind&#8230;.it was just nasty. We travelled up river to Lake Francis (also part of the St. Lawrence complex) and launched at a nice, secluded ramp. Sitting across from the ramp were some great looking mallards and I thought maybe we could have duck a l'orange for dinner&#8230;..










But we boldly hit the open water and the pounding seems to have broken up the large kidney stone on my right side&#8230;..wow&#8230;..great fishing and medical treatment all at the same time. Even in the big boat we had to slow down many times and took quite a bit of water over the bow. Mark headed to an area where a river dumps in creating a flat with open sand at about 5-6 feet of depth immediately dropping into nearly 30 feet of water. Big fish hold here he told me&#8230;..but they are hard to get them interested&#8230;.heck it was nearly impossible to keep the darn line tight in the stiff wind. Threw onto the sand area and first cast was chased up by an absolute monster smallmouth&#8230;&#8230;but he wouldn't take the jerkbait (maybe if we could call the lures by a nicer name the fish wouldn't be put off&#8230;.just a thought). Wasn't long before I finally nailed a beast which we shoved in the live well. Several minutes later another 4 lbs class fish came in. I grabbed the other out of the live well and got a nice double pic&#8230;..










Close-up of the bigger fish&#8230;.










Mark said when he was fishing tournaments he could work this spot all day and could get 5 great fish off it. Everytime we floated over the sandy area we would several several nice bass&#8230;..they were everywhere but he said they seldom were on any kind of a bite. His reasoning was they fed in the deeper water then came up on the sand flat to warm up and digest&#8230;..seemed to hold true as we saw many great fish but few were interested in biting. We worked the area for another couple of hours in which I managed to boat 2 more great bass&#8230;.










The larger of two we scaled at 5.27 lbs&#8230;&#8230;a great smallmouth&#8230;..










Things quieted there so Mark decided to run back to water that might be more protected from the howling wind. He took the back route through some small side braids of the lake and as we were flying through one we saw something that just cracked us up. Someone had a great sense of humor as they had erected a nice satellite dish in a beaver lodge on an island&#8230;&#8230;.hysterical&#8230;..










We set-up on a point where the wind was blowing in and the shoreline was all rocks. Still casting jerk baits up almost to the shoreline we started moving very slowing down these rocks and were rewarded frequently&#8230;..



















This area was producing good numbers but many were smaller in the 2-3 lbs. range so we moved into a large, windblown cove about 5-7 feet deep&#8230;.mixed rocks, with a few weeds and started burning spinnerbaits just under the surface. What followed was the most spectacular bite I've ever witnessed for the next 3 hours. We started popping great fish with regularity and they were just slamming the spinnerbaits&#8230;..




























During this maelstrom of fish we scaled another one at 5.25 lbs&#8230;&#8230;there were numerous fish over 4 lbs&#8230;..the great thing was we didn't see another boat fishing all day&#8230;..unbelievable. This cove was just full of active fish&#8230;&#8230;more sic pics&#8230;..(sorry for all the forno(=fish porno) but I'm an addict)&#8230;&#8230;





































Finally after so many fish the bite slacked off and we moved around to the next cove where the search for fish became harder but we still found more takers&#8230;.










It was evident from a ventral view that none of these fish were going hungry&#8230;&#8230;










The light was starting to wane&#8230;..although the wind didn't&#8230;&#8230;when we decided to fish one last point. The first cast produced a nice 4 ½ lbs fatty&#8230;..










Changed back to the jerk bait on the point and was immediately rewarded&#8230;.










A few minutes later right off the shore this angry smallie horked the lure&#8230;..we weighed her in at 5.57 lbs&#8230;.the toad of the day&#8230;.










Managed one more nice fish off the point and the fish quieted down&#8230;.










Mark figured if you counted the top 5 fish I would have had about 25 lbs&#8230;..wow&#8230;..he is the man. My arm was really tired after chucking the spinner so long and I immediately was in sleepy land when my head hit the pillow a few hours later.

Last morning dawned with a fairly stiff easterly breeze and I wanted to catch a few more walleye to take home. We headed out to the walleye spot and after setting the first line the second wasn't even in the water when the reel went off. Nice eater sized walleye into the livewell&#8230;..we figured it took about 15 seconds.....nice. Another 30 minutes of trolling and two more 20 inch walleye were cooling their jets. We were marking fish all over the place but the bite just kind of switched off. Juggled the baits around to different depths and after another hour we got a big hit on the only spinnerbait out. Heavy fish&#8230;&#8230;turned out to be the toad walleye of my trip at a firm 26 inches&#8230;..










Nice set of choppers on this one too&#8230;..










We moved out to the area that was so productive for smallies 2 days ago and the water was off color. Only managed 4 or 5 bass&#8230;.a couple were nice though&#8230;.



















After giving up on that we cast a nice weed line for musky to no avail&#8230;..then we spent another 3 hours trolling which produced a skinny pike and another walleye for the livewell. The fish just quit doing anything&#8230;&#8230;I told Mark we could go in but he didn't want too&#8230;.he needed to figure it out. But in the end the fish won this battle but I had my walleye to take home (my wife loves the critters). All day we fished right below the traffic pattern going into to Pierre Trudeau airport in Montreal&#8230;..this monster DC11 came cruising in low as we headed for the ramp&#8230;..










Slept great that night&#8230;..Mark filleted the walleye for me and froze them for my trip home. Goofed around Friday then headed for the airport where, of course, they needed to search my carryon at US Customs&#8230;..must have been the 6 reels, asthma nebulizer and fish. They took me in the back room&#8230;.thought they were going to beat me. After the guy saw the reels and inspected my custom rods we got into a nice 30 minute conversation where he asked me to walk him through my pictures&#8230;.yeah dog. Got home at O dark thirty&#8230;.slept great and started writing this epistle.

May the FishForce be with you,

Brian


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## Briar Patch (Feb 1, 2010)

I sure do enjoy your reports Doc. Thank you for taking to time to whip 'em up and share them.


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

Wow what a post Doc.....you are one spoiled pup. Jeeze you are the man!!!


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## Envenomation09 (Oct 22, 2012)

Those sure are some nice ol' bass


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

truly jealous, fat smallies fight the best!


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## EvilTyeDyeTwin (Aug 9, 2011)

Been working like a dog this week (although dogs have it easy come to think of it)......so I have yet to click on this post till just now.....too dam tired to read your excellent literary genius, plus my attension span resembles that of Fixed Blade's. Hope there is not a test at the end of this....if so I would certainly fail!

So with that in mind....

*AMAZING, EPIC, WOW, WOOOOW, OUTSTANDING, SHOCKING, I'M I REALLY SEEING THIS*, Smallmouth Bass pics! People here in Utah would pay big $$$$$$$ to get into bass like that.

You truely are one spoiled dentist.....I'm getting the impression you are retired (more like tired....from catching bigguns that is.....suddenly that shoulder injury makes so much sense now). :O•-:

Is this you at work?









And you got a Muskey, Pike and a beaver dam with cable on camera.....ugh......disqusting! These posts of yours never get old....as always.....keep them coming.....never hesitate to post my friend!

P.S. I am going as an axe murder this halloween (hope you get the reference).

P.S.S. Should you make the pilgrimage aka another appearence back to the Beehive state this 2012 or 13 let us know....got some off the forum places to show you.


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