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Riverbound Largemouth Bass! | The Fish'n Canada Show
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Mar 20, 2025
In this show, Pete Bowman teams up with Steve Niedzwiecki, former owner of Chaudiere Lodge, in Steve’s first ever return visit to this gorgeous destination. They first try their hand on Smallmouth Bass in the expansive Lake Nipissing. But after the weather starts to turn, they head to the protected waters of the French River digging deep in the junk for Largemouth Bass. CONNECT WITH US -------------------------------- ► WEBSITE http://fishncanada.com ► FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/FishnCanada/ ► INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/fishncanadaofficial/?hl=en ► TWITTER https://twitter.com/angeloviolafnc/ One of Canada's longest-running fishing shows, Fish'n Canada travels from coast to coast in search of trophy fishing opportunities. First started by brothers Angelo and Reno Viola in 1986, The Fish’n Canada Show has been on the air for over 30 years. Today, Angelo is joined by lifelong fishing buddy, Peter Bowman, and the pair continue to travel across Canada educating anglers using the experience they’ve gained over the years
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0:00
[Music]
0:01
oh there's one got one buddy yeah oh and
0:05
on lighter spinning gear there's so much
0:07
fun it's a mly it's a nice mly that is a
0:10
nice mly beautiful oh that's a nice fish
0:15
it's a walleye or a pike or a Musky look
0:17
at the drag going oh yeah there you go
0:20
Peter barely fit in the net that
0:23
fell nice fish
0:25
Peter I think we better net it oh dude
0:28
that's a big one the fishing Canada show
0:32
brought to you in part by Princecraft
0:35
boats the spirit of
0:37
boating Garmin tell a new fish
0:41
story The Outdoor Journal Radio podcast
0:44
Network every Pursuit every platform
0:47
every day and Ontario Canada in
0:50
partnership with destination
0:53
Ontario fish Canada
1:04
hi everybody Welcome again to the
1:06
fishing Canada show this episode is a
1:08
special one for all of us here at fnc
1:10
Central but especially for one of our
1:13
co-hosts Steve
1:14
NWI Steve has been a member of the
1:16
fishing Canada team for the past 5 years
1:19
but actually first appeared on an
1:21
episode over 20 years ago when he was
1:24
the owner of the legendary shower Lodge
1:26
on the upper French
1:27
River now even though Steve has since
1:29
sold his interest in the lodge it still
1:32
holds a very special place in his heart
1:34
and that's exactly why for this shoot
1:36
we're sending him back to his old
1:38
stomping grounds Pete who's no stranger
1:41
to these parts either will join Steve as
1:43
he experiences life at Shier Lodge not
1:46
as an owner but as a guest this
1:49
nostalgic return to where it all started
1:51
has all the makings of something special
1:54
Lake nipping and the French river is an
1:56
incredible fishery that also happens to
1:58
be steeped in Canadian history the first
2:01
to paddle and fish these Waters were the
2:03
aboriginals followed by the French
2:05
explorers and fur Trappers of the 16th
2:07
century it's considered to be one of the
2:09
most significant exploration routes of
2:11
the
2:12
Northwest chier Lodge is located on the
2:15
upper French River just 30 km from the
2:17
mouth of Lake nipping this lake is
2:20
renowned for big fish but like many
2:22
lakes at size it's also notorious for
2:25
big waves that'll keep even the most
2:27
hardcore angler from venturing too far
2:29
offshore
2:30
fortunately for the boys the weather
2:32
forecast for day one is calling for
2:34
little to no wind and glass calm Waters
2:38
at least for the morning meaning access
2:40
to the big lake and hopefully big
2:42
schools of giant unpressured smallmouth
2:45
bass after a mapping session with some
2:48
of the lodge guides the boys hit the big
2:50
water and head for a stretch of Rocky
2:52
points shs and Islands electronics are
2:56
an absolute must when venturing out into
2:58
these parts of Lake nipping as it's a
3:00
Minefield of unmarked Rocks Our Garmin
3:03
units as well as some slow cautious
3:05
driving have certainly saved us a few
3:07
props over the
3:10
[Music]
3:16
years when Steve and Pete finally arrive
3:19
at their first spot they're surprised
3:21
with what they find they were expecting
3:23
water temps in the low to mid '70s after
3:25
a stretch of hot weather and the
3:27
Calendar's recent turn to July what they
3:30
see however is water at a cool
3:32
66° possibly a bit too cold for the
3:35
posts spawn offshore pattern they
3:39
anticipated he's not big but he's a
3:41
scrappy but typical small Mo right yeah
3:45
yeah yeah it's a start that's a that's
3:48
decent start so I'm on the scope that's
3:50
the fun part about it get him on a
3:52
crankbait all the fun stuff that we want
3:54
to do we're working a great big rock
3:57
that Steve had marked in his GPS
4:00
and uh and all we're doing is scope
4:03
we've been working it for 15 minutes
4:05
seeing nothing nothing nothing then all
4:07
of a sudden it's saw three fish on the
4:08
scope and boom one of them hit so that's
4:11
a good
4:12
sign it may be just out out a little bit
4:14
off the the main part of the rock the
4:16
main part of the rock is busting right
4:18
there you can hear it and then uh yeah
4:21
little guy but it's a start tells us
4:23
they're here
4:25
anyway nice job Peter yeah buddy that's
4:27
what I like yeah we'll find him yes sir
4:30
we'll get
4:33
him oh there's one got one buddy y he's
4:36
a chunky guy yeah chunker he's a we
4:40
chunker jerk bait yes sir boyi that a
4:44
boy Stefan yo sir jerk bait the fish are
4:47
really green eh yeah they are there we
4:50
are nice there Lake nipping on that
4:55
yoeri jerk bait you can't beat him
4:57
little beauty yeah nice belly on him
5:01
there we go yeah we'll put him back
5:04
there and hopefully hopefully we're on
5:07
to
5:08
[Music]
5:12
something there's one you got him buddy
5:15
yeah little tiny guy again but that's
5:18
okay that's okay we found some shallow
5:20
fish
5:21
yeah I think that's probably one of the
5:23
ones that we saw oh wouldn't I wouldn't
5:25
doubt it oh and on lighter spinning gear
5:29
there so much M he's all right going be
5:33
the biggest one yet no I think
5:38
so and this uh the oerri braid is as
5:42
good a braid as you're going to get too
5:48
sensitive and that and this is even that
5:51
10 lb uh 10 lb floral that Yi 10lb
5:54
floral he picked it up no problem
5:56
obviously didn't bug him at all people
5:57
think at ate all the time but it's not
6:00
always the way didn't bother him at
6:03
all there we go yeah that's a good
6:06
little SMY you threw back to them like
6:08
what how many times five six times yeah
6:11
at least yeah for sure you know but
6:14
that's a good fight
6:15
man oh yeah that's a good
6:18
fight there we go we'll put him back
6:22
home yeah that's a good that's better
6:25
yeah good gut on him looks like he's
6:26
eating something yeah
6:31
the boys toughed out the slow morning
6:33
but ended up with a fairly decent day of
6:35
smally fishing certainly not what
6:37
nipping is capable of producing since
6:40
high winds are now in the forecast the
6:43
boys decide to head back towards the
6:45
lodge and of course in typical py and
6:48
Stevie fashion just one more stop along
6:50
the way it's not a small mod but that's
6:53
okay a walleye or a pike or a Musky you
6:55
want me to grab the net well yeah you
6:57
can if you want this is a good walleye
7:00
spot oh I just felt a
7:03
tooth it could be a
7:06
sheepy look at the drag going oh yeah
7:09
he's fighting totally like a sheepy now
7:12
and I saw a big side I know saw a Big
7:15
Slab yeah it's a sheepy that's what it
7:17
is you rotten
7:19
scoundrel all
7:21
right look at the size of this one like
7:23
this is a big shead man this is a big
7:25
one there you go Peter barely fit in the
7:27
net that fell
7:30
what I'll show you an ugly fish here
7:33
folks this is a one weird looking fish
7:35
look at that guy it's a pretty good
7:38
sheepy we got him in bequin a lot bigger
7:40
than that but I'll tell you what you
7:42
want to have some fun have some kids
7:43
comeing out and have some fun look at
7:45
that thing he's got that weird mouth
7:46
eats zebra muscles he does eat that's
7:48
one of the things that eat a zebra
7:49
muscles oh yeah they got Crushers in the
7:52
back throat I like them guys look at the
7:54
thing man that thing is built for
7:56
fighting folks that is funny and they
7:58
got jewels in their head yeah if you
8:00
wanted you can take the jewels out of
8:01
them yeah see you
8:05
buddy wow got to be a walleye come on be
8:09
a small mouth but no oh I don't know
8:11
about walleye it's a nice small that is
8:13
a nice small beautiful off that rock
8:17
yeah it's easy buddy easy I got Dean's
8:20
knot on here don't do
8:23
anything that's what Dean's waiting for
8:26
that's a nice fish Bud it is a beauty
8:28
biggy oh this she
8:30
is a she I thought it looks like that
8:34
sheepy I was going to say didn't jump or
8:36
anything like that I am the sheepy King
8:38
I Am The Herder of all herders my
8:40
friends Bey they usually like ants right
8:44
they go
8:47
Angelo but I think I got him beaten out
8:49
there you go and the sheep head King
8:52
yeah I was so thinking Okay small this
8:54
is even big no it's about the same about
8:56
the same size oh my God look at that
8:58
peach
9:00
see that's the teeth that I felt look at
9:02
that that's the teeth I felt on that
9:03
first yeah
9:05
po that's what happens you hit them in
9:07
the nose Peter and they poo on the floor
9:09
yeah I shouldn't have did that I'm sorry
9:12
sorry you're usually very polite sorry
9:14
to me to you to the audience and to
9:15
Angelo for his boat he just got pooped
9:18
on look at that thing I'm touching his
9:21
butt now G he crapped all over the place
9:24
the boat is like a disgusting mess now
9:27
yeah I think it's on my leg
9:31
did he get
9:32
you I'm the sheepy King The Herder of
9:35
all herder all the way a on
9:39
them you hit him in the nose and he
9:43
everywhere it's on the
9:45
console it's everywhere it's
9:49
everywhere from now on we don't hit him
9:52
on the nose no more hitting nose no
9:54
hitting sh
9:55
[Music]
10:03
after a great dinner sleep and breakfast
10:05
at the lodge it's now time to change
10:07
gears a switch up to largemouth bass
10:10
something the boys truly love to do with
10:13
so much Backwater in the French River
10:15
they decided to head to some of Steve's
10:17
Old Faithful hotpots shorelines weed
10:21
edges heavy pads arrowheads and reads
10:24
and even the op boat dock are all on the
10:26
menu and water there's one uh nope I
10:30
think we're good oh yeah maybe we'll net
10:32
him ah no I think we're good got ah we
10:34
got I thought I saw a giant budy yeah oh
10:37
and you know what what they're coming
10:38
and hitting on top I I was not dead
10:42
sticking it nice they are starting to
10:45
become
10:47
really active these guys I just said to
10:50
Stevie all the pad beds we've hit so far
10:52
have had nothing in them this thing is
10:53
full of bait fish bluegills and now look
10:56
right off the hop right a large mle
10:58
right off hop huge usually that's a huge
11:01
indicator that it's alive and well is a
11:04
nice fish right there that guy perfect
11:07
bat oh yeah there's so much fun
11:10
especially out here on I'm not going to
11:12
say light spinning gear but I've got 20
11:14
lb braid yo zerri braid oh hear that oh
11:19
that sounded great it wasn't me it was
11:21
over here it was in the pads and that
11:23
braid again is such a a a a valuable
11:27
tool when you're fishing like this but
11:29
cuz it gives you the ability to set the
11:31
hook right away and uh when the fish are
11:35
are on like they're on they're eating
11:38
these baits and um you you really got to
11:42
give it to them right away and it's nice
11:44
just a nice quick little snap and you
11:47
got them single hook yeah it's beautiful
11:50
for taking them out it doesn't hurt the
11:52
fish and uh yeah it's it's it's so much
11:56
fun out here good fish buddy yeah thank
11:58
you in the pads yeah yeah let's go and
12:01
get another
12:04
one got one
12:09
nice there we go you pulled him right
12:12
out of there quick brother he's a little
12:14
angry Stevie I'm a little
12:18
frustrated that's on a swimming Seno
12:20
yeah yeah so and that was that was a
12:24
little guy but not bad at all you know
12:27
um you're going to get all sizes in
12:29
we've got them this this long right here
12:31
and we've got them bigger and we know
12:32
there's some Giants in here too I mean
12:34
you're hearing them we're hearing them
12:35
blow up all over the place here it's
12:37
it's an insane little area right now I
12:39
think we're working on about what 10% in
12:41
the boat B I'm embarrassed to say yeah
12:44
I'd say like 10% of our bites we've
12:45
gotten and that's going to happen a lot
12:48
I mean the more you do this the more
12:49
efficient you're going to get but we uh
12:52
this is my first time doing this this
12:53
year obviously and probably Stevie's too
12:56
so you got to get used to it again braid
12:58
is a key you gotta that braid you need
13:00
that straight you know 20 not 20 really
13:02
30 40 or 50 lb braid is what you really
13:05
should use and then you can at least
13:06
have a chance of getting them in the
13:08
Lily fats you can deal with a lot of
13:09
times pulling your baits through pulling
13:10
fish through those reads those pencil
13:12
reads they are the toughest things man
13:14
when when that hook gets wrapped into a
13:16
pencil read like around it or through it
13:19
man you got a good chance of losing that
13:21
fish and that's and the fish the big
13:23
fish seem to be around the pencil read
13:24
these are smaller fish in the pads right
13:26
now but we're we're still trying to
13:28
figure things out but at least we're
13:30
hooking up fish now absolutely smaller
13:32
baits and and the nice thing about the
13:34
pads too is when you hook up on them
13:36
once you get that fish up on top of
13:38
these thick pad I'm going to call them
13:41
Fields you can really dance them across
13:44
the top and get them to the boat quick
13:46
yeah just like that they can't they have
13:48
a hard time breaking through to eat to
13:50
eat your bait but they have a hard time
13:53
diving down once they're hooked up yep
13:55
that's a good point
14:00
[Music]
14:02
this hot spot is a weedy area on the
14:04
French River with lily pads eelgrass and
14:07
mil foil absolutely perfect for bass to
14:10
live in the wayp point on your screen
14:11
will get you right there the amount of
14:14
good-looking stuff is endless there
14:16
could be a large MTH around every corner
14:18
it's all a matter of working hard and
14:20
digging deep if you're going to attempt
14:22
fishing heavy junk for larg M bass you
14:25
need to go in well equipped we suggest a
14:27
heavy braided line of at least 30 lb
14:29
test if not 40 or even 50 and for the
14:33
ultimate fish hauling winch a bait cast
14:35
Rod and Reel with heavy UI braid is the
14:38
deal well judging from Pete and Steve's
14:40
day in the junk their hooking to Landing
14:43
ratio was anything but Stellar trust me
14:45
you're not going to land them all but
14:47
it's sure a lot of fun trying for more
14:49
hotpots like this one check out fishing
14:52
canada.com
14:55
[Music]
15:03
when fishing Ultra heavy cover like Pete
15:05
and Steve are now it's all about
15:08
managing expectations Anglers have to
15:11
anticipate a lower hookup rate and
15:13
expect to lose the majority of fish that
15:15
do bite it's the nature of the Beast
15:18
having said that this type of angling
15:20
can be an absolute blast the boys sure
15:23
are having some
15:25
fun hey yeah right in those PS again no
15:32
it was in the split of the pads I
15:34
brought it through and he came over and
15:35
cracked it when when I was in the open
15:37
he's that's a nice fish a
15:40
beauty that boy
15:43
Peter oh yeah yeah he's the size of your
15:50
thigh that's about time I got one in
15:52
with a little hardcore fight material
15:54
there cuz it was getting very
15:55
frustrating I have to say you just yeah
15:59
just set the hook on so many fish and
16:00
you're we travel so far to get here you
16:03
lose them you know we're on a patter a
16:05
solid pattern like I me a numbers
16:07
pattern now right you a solid pattern
16:09
you're oh yeah we're hook hooking in the
16:11
fish hooking in the fish and we're not
16:13
Landing them so it's so nice and this is
16:15
not a giant by any means but he just a
16:18
nice
16:20
one oh I'm happy with fish like that all
16:23
day long yeah exactly what a perfect
16:25
look bad he is I know the guts on these
16:27
fish are incredible
16:29
good looking fish and through the you
16:32
know what through the pads all that
16:34
stuff that we're catching him in that
16:35
that fish equates to a four pounder in
16:37
the Open Water right because you just
16:39
you're just Gilling yourself to get them
16:41
in yeah you work hard for those fish
16:43
yeah that's the alure that's the
16:46
[Music]
16:50
[Applause]
16:51
fun nice fish Peter I'm ready jump jump
16:55
jump jump jump jump
16:57
oh look at the head on that one he's not
17:00
bad eh
17:02
yes that a boy take that buddy you got
17:06
it we saw that fish Stevie and I saw
17:08
that fish and he semi spooked and he ate
17:12
it nice ate it good good one fun one yes
17:16
beautiful colors on those two they're so
17:18
I love that's my favorite fish in the
17:20
world right there it's so much fun and I
17:22
didn't get a chance to do this when I
17:23
own the lodge yeah enough that's the
17:26
thing you know yeah exactly it was
17:28
either you guided because I needed a
17:31
guide um and come out here and and teach
17:34
people how to catch these fish which was
17:37
great but it's so much fun just to be
17:40
able to come out here with good buddies
17:42
and actually focus on it and just do
17:46
[Music]
17:48
it I think this is a SMY no I I think it
17:53
could be and it as the bait hit the
17:55
water it sounded different it just went
17:58
it mly yeah I think he saw it coming
18:01
down and it he sucked it in as it as it
18:04
hit the
18:06
water it's not a bad fish really I I got
18:09
a good look at oh yeah he's all right
18:11
yeah you don't let him just hand land
18:14
him yeah yeah nice yeah there we
18:19
go good job
18:21
brother look at that nice little small M
18:24
we we'll get this guy back there you go
18:27
buddy oh no he doesn't like you
18:36
oh that's a nice fish bad yeah want me
18:39
to grab him for
18:42
you oh he is not bad oh yeah I said it
18:44
was a big one then I thought I saw a
18:46
little one with that buddy that's got a
18:47
gut on it hey and uh I'll throw her back
18:51
look that's a nice bass man that's a
18:53
nice fat look at the belly on that
18:55
louth beautiful fish man um so we're
18:59
just about to leave this patch up see a
19:03
bud this patch he said let's go head
19:06
around here we're going to leave we Wen
19:07
even going to hit this and he says let
19:08
you know what we're here let's hit this
19:09
face of this ly pads right here it's
19:11
kind of a weed line sure and we just
19:13
about left and I said Stevie I found one
19:15
of arroe heads yesterday and there's a
19:17
little patch right there those are
19:19
called arrowheads out there and there I
19:20
said there was no pads in there but
19:22
there was arrowheads we got a fish in it
19:23
yesterday Dean and I and threw in there
19:26
was just
19:27
[Music]
19:33
you want need a net or I need a h I
19:35
think we better net it oh dude that's a
19:36
big one that come right out from
19:38
underneath this house boat and in all
19:41
the years I've been here I've never seen
19:44
this boat but they make such great
19:46
structure I am so happy that they put
19:51
this house boat here because it attracts
19:54
fish like that right there a that is a
20:00
beautiful large mouth get this out here
20:02
in any book right there beautiful Ste
20:07
look at that Beast right there French
20:10
River bucket right there that's what we
20:14
like to see right on that on that Seno
20:18
beside the stairs in a classic classic
20:21
spot hey Pete brand new this thing we
20:24
fished this part this part of the water
20:26
for Years first time we saw this and
20:28
Stevie said oh there's wood I said oh
20:31
let's go oh my god oh I'm so happy watch
20:35
this big fella go home I love this there
20:38
you go buddy that's a great fish oh yeah
20:41
kick and splash
20:45
baby well as you can probably tell
20:48
Steve's return visit to Shier Lodge was
20:50
a huge success it's yours a whole
20:53
different ball game when you're the
20:54
guest and not the one doing the heavy
20:56
lifting good job boys
21:00
[Music]
21:02
getting there brought to you by The
21:04
Outdoor Journal Radio podcast
21:08
Network to get to Pete and Steve's
21:10
fun-filled day of bass fishing they
21:12
first took Highway 400 North from
21:14
Toronto next they took Highway 69 North
21:17
to Highway 64 they then headed east on
21:19
64 to dois reserve Road and finally
21:23
proceeded to DOI Marina from there it's
21:26
a short boat ride to the beautiful Shier
21:28
Lodge located on the mighty French River
21:31
show Deer Lodge offers not only
21:33
worldclass fishing but canoeing kayaking
21:37
photography and so much more the 3200 ft
21:41
main Lodge has a large rustic dining
21:43
room complete with a stunning view of
21:45
the French River there's also a lounge
21:47
where you can just sit back by the fire
21:49
listen to great music or watch the big
21:52
game Shier has 12 Waterfront one two or
21:56
three-bedroom Cottages that can
21:58
accommodate two four or six guests they
22:01
are spotless modern and will meet the
22:04
highest standards of any fishing group
22:06
what could we say we've been visiting sh
22:08
Deer Lodge for years and we keep coming
22:15
back the fishing Canada show brought to
22:19
you in part by Yuri fishing lures fish
22:23
the best Mercury El fors go boldly and
22:28
and Outdoor Canada Canada's only
22:31
National fishing and hunting
22:33
magazine closed captioning for this
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episode is brought to you by fishing
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canada.com the gateway to your next
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Adventure in the wild cuz we're in for
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Canada yes we're in for some good
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[Music]
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oh
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[Music]
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