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Sturgeon River Whitefish | Fish'n Canada
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Apr 15, 2025
Pete Bowman and Angelo Viola head north to the Sturgeon River for some amazing Whitefish angling. They are literally sitting atop of massive schools of 500+ fish... but they have to figure things out. Rarely is fishing 100% easy! Don't forget to leave a COMMENT and give us a LIKE if you enjoyed what you saw. SUBSCRIBE for new videos and episodes released weekly! CONNECT WITH US WEBSITE: http://fishncanada.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/FishnCanada/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/fishncanadaofficial/ 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, Pete Bowman, and the pair continue to travel across Canada educating anglers using the experience they’ve gained over the years #Fishing
View Video Transcript
0:00
oh my god Peter I've never seen this
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many fish there's like 10,000 up ran to
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the boat like 10,000 I've heard it's not
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rocket science
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there's rocket science oh it is rocket
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science oh there's one coming out
0:22
there's a million white fish I've never
0:25
seen this many fish oh I just had to get
0:29
the fish in Canada show brought to you
0:32
in part by Ram trucks nothing worked
0:35
harder than a ram turn trusted on the
0:38
water since 1952 mercury and forest
0:42
number one on the water and outdoor
0:45
Canada Canada's only national fishing
0:48
and hunting magazine
0:50
[Music]
0:53
it's not often that you get to visit a
0:55
piece of fishing paradise but this week
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we're doing just that
0:59
we're here at Paschal eight cabins in
1:01
Northern Ontario a place that we can't
1:03
ever say enough good things about
1:04
whether you're talking trophy walleye
1:06
massive northern pike lake trout brook
1:09
trout perch there's something here for
1:11
everyone and to prove that point we're
1:14
going to do something a little bit
1:15
different that's right it's whitefish
1:18
season and we're hitting the sturgeon
1:20
River to go after this often ignored
1:22
species while I can be a fragile fish
1:24
for sport fishing with the right amount
1:26
of care and precautions it can be a lot
1:28
of fun to go after it's also one of the
1:31
most versatile and delicious fish on the
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planet but like any species whitefish
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takes a bit of skill and a few good
1:37
tricks to haul them out of the water
1:39
oh I just saw soft one by do a single a
1:42
single single fish look big yeah big
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weighty note there's someone in the boat
1:48
right there
1:48
look at ya Gary right under the boat
1:51
look at this tree yep yep they're all oh
1:55
my god again stay heck at that same spot
2:00
is gonna no no I'm off the side I
2:04
already tried from her there
2:09
there yes oh my god Peter like it no
2:14
that was like 10,000 our friends will
2:16
both like 10,000 I heard it because the
2:20
fern-like we're talking I've never seen
2:23
this many fish when it comes to fishing
2:26
nothing is ever as simple as it seems
2:28
just when you think the things are
2:30
lining up perfectly the fish will often
2:32
throw you a curve ball sitting on top of
2:34
a massive school of Whitey's what do you
2:37
think we hit that's right the wrong durn
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fish oh what a knack oh you know what
2:43
that's Spectre Oh Leona never back Oh
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fantastic
2:49
you got him Oh oh my God look at this
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okay so here's a situation we're fishing
2:59
whitefish
3:00
these are migrating whitefish migrating
3:02
up the river to to spawn and we've hit a
3:07
huge school of them right here in this
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upper Bend and couldn't catch them we
3:12
tried everything started moving up a
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little farther we're going to go all the
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way up to the dam eventually and we
3:19
started finding speckled trout which are
3:22
also spying there they're out of season
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yeah
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seasons shut down for them obviously
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incidental catches are always a
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likelihood when you're fishing a river
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that's got both of them and but we can't
3:33
figure out how to hit those white East
3:35
and there's a million white fish okay
3:40
Anna what's going alright we'll get them
3:43
all right we'll figure those so we
3:45
decided to move on we definitely don't
3:47
want to go after fish that aren't in
3:49
season heading towards the fast-moving
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water around the dam our luck is about
3:53
to change sitting on top of a huge
3:57
school away fished we couldn't get any
3:58
of them to bite the spinners that should
4:00
be attracting their attention haven't
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been doing the job so we decided to head
4:04
upstream and see what the current what
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is it oh I don't know but I got a whole
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school of whatever they are I'll drop in
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with you he is running
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let's tie off the anchor what good worry
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oh it's a whitey gonna bring it back
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there was a whole school or defense
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yeah man closer to the rapid maybe yeah
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yeah he was raining that gig jiggly
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stuff okay all right now whitey brother
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ya gotta get him figure out how the
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elite now I know I know got them I got
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them I put them right here for you oh
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you oh you gonna let me do the honor
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because I think that they're gonna let
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me get all slimed are you turn eat
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little fish aren't they echo look and
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feel the scales on that peep
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they're like little armor plates Wow
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yeah got a bit of a dog snowed on him
5:00
Kent our first sturgeon River white he
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he brought in a school I had to be 30 or
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40 fish but there you go there you go
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that didn't take long
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yeah yeah yeah perfect okay nice oh you
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to obey our Ripper's exactly though oh
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my god nice job Wow
5:25
like a bone fish so it's like a bone
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exactly look like one who does that
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look at that what a neat looking fish
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gorgeous looking things y'all suck come
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on at you little fatty now that my
5:41
friend is goodie that's a good plate
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victory that is yeah yeah fried or
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smoked okay you can do happen anything
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either art now in the bar bless it
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should be well he was getting away I'll
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do it the smart way I won't get my hands
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dirty on
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see like that was that's cool the jab
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that little swivel on yep yeah that's a
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lifesaver
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oh it is no shortage look at that how
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cool it'll get in the back there under
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ba my warm today he's had a pop soon as
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they look at that be followed up oh
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there's one coming out look at that
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there here we go jig down there with a
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worm on it you would take with that you
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got I got a worm on there too so you did
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I gave it I hope they don't take it
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right down with a worm I'll get the
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spinner there I can see it Wow you're
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gonna go around you hands underneath you
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do I can easy girl
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cool sheesh yeah that's a small fish and
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he is just ripping they're strong
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they're great they're just built for
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speed right
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make sure your drag is set we're running
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real light line here run a six pound
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fluorocarbon on these tiny spinners oh
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just missed one yeah you have a worm on
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there yeah yeah I think that piece of
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work might help us might be to take it
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yeah definitely worm helps while it
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would be easy to say that our luck has
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changed it would be more accurate to say
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that our technique for landing these
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whities has started to pay off now
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that's downsizing man yeah yeah I want a
7:37
zero year zero and I'm running a one I
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bet that number two would work fine here
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moving to deeper quick moving water and
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switching to number two spinners he's
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been starting to pull some bigger fish
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from the school but I've still got a few
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tricks up my sleeve and I can guarantee
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you that the best is yet to come
7:57
we've passed over a couple of large
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schools of white fish while the first
8:01
one was finicky and didn't go for
8:02
anything we tossed at it
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the second was starting to bite the
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secret slow-moving spinners and a quick
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wrist but we've seen even bigger fish
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underneath it it's just a matter of time
8:12
small I think so we'll come right at me
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Wow rep ridiculous
8:20
yep little little white fish well I'll
8:25
tell you what though this is five is fun
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it is fun man I mean if you're targeting
8:30
them which we are got into those into
8:34
that area where there's more there are
8:36
more whitey than specs of the spectrum
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more aggressive so we moved in this pot
8:41
looks for Cody to Angela and it's more
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whitefish here but what do we know what
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I'm getting Malaysia will quick release
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right here because easiest way to do
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this will be gay
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halos excellent handy as a water
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temperature rises these Coldwater fish
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will move from shallows into the depths
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when things start to cool down in the
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fall they'll start making their way back
9:09
out again there you go you got it look
9:13
at that look at that look at this right
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okay I might as well sit down here cuz
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he was just he just was going to knock
9:23
my words on why don't you do a whitefish
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show today what's wrong
9:28
they're usually backing off right of the
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boat right yeah as we lift it up they're
9:32
backing off keep the rod tip down maybe
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oh look at the scale patterns on these
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fish that is so cool
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one thing is you do have to get them
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back quick though these fish are there
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they're fragile aren't they oh yeah
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Hacha Lake is just downriver from Lake
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Nipigon the largest body of water
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entirely in the borders of Ontario often
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called the sixth great lake Nipigon is
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known for its unique sandy beaches and
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massive waterside cliffs but mostly it's
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known for wildlife because this huge
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lake is so remote it has remained in
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almost pristine condition it's a mecca
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for paddlers and hikers from around the
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world and if you love outdoor sports
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then this is the place to be
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Lake Nipigon is truly one of Ontario's
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great wonders and it's waiting for you
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to discover it we got it
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yep you know oh god I watch them take
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that yeah you stop at any Nealon yeah
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that's a good sign that was funny
10:49
I would jerk and then pretty hard
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I mean the more you oh yes
10:58
there is the way he I was jerkin that
11:02
real hard that's the other one was
11:05
bigger than I had on a quick release
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beauty of those barbless hooks unless
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it's a ten pounder that is not such a
11:16
beauty
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coming up sense will let you in on where
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to find them
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whatever they're your slimy white bed
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out there and oh there you go look at
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the wallowing I'm tying up and getting
11:31
that well I did something totally
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different there like you do get it no no
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I'm going to see if it'll working second
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time mayhem on baby come on baby with
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the Kindle swam right in the net
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look at there you go big shiner mental
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see much like a minnow exactly hook out
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already
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yep no D
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[Music]
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got one it good what I don't know yet
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Touma Greg said anyway wow they are
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really fighting nice Christ me to the
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small most and a drum yeah yeah look it
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up and the shape of a Bonesmen and the
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shape of the Bonefish I got him Wow
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look em over we got a hopeful plenty of
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that school's back again yeah just
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roaming you see them rolling around Wow
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oh oh and they are scrappy little dudes
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you look like a troll I'm here all day
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and they're not much different in shape
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than the Bonefish I mean when they look
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at they look at smiling our bull just
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got the same type of mouth freshwater
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well it's revered people travel all over
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the globe looking for bone fish and
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these guys are are really not in terms
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of sport fish they're really not looked
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at as a sport fish I don't get it
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well I'll tell you on Lake Simcoe
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they're an awesome sport fish and look
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at here right yes so when you try for
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them why not largest you
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[Music]
13:35
today's hot spot is a section to the
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sturgeon River in Northern Ontario the
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weight point on your screen will get you
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right there this river pool loads up
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with white fishing to fall making them
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easy to access with a boat there is
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limited access from shore as well try
13:50
casting is slowly reeling a small number
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zero - number two spinner right through
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the school of fish white fish in general
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are somewhat hard to hook because of
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their sucker-like mouth so a steady
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sweeping hook set usually does the trick
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if you're releasing these fish then
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please try not to exhaust them during
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the fight as they're quite a delicate
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species oh by the way white fish tastes
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great either smoke or fry for more hot
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spots like this one check out fishing
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Canada calm
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you got one boy that one came chasing me
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right to the boat
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who's gotta wonder that oh I think I'll
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go you got him at that he came chasing
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me right to the boat like yeah yeah look
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at these things well they're like a
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small amount I don't care what everybody
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says Wow
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this guy's got a bit of a red eye
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[Music]
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I'm going to start on them to beat oh
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really
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dang it a big scar across his back he
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attacks it
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begging nope they're all while you just
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scream her though
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oh I can have a follower back here to
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look anything look at a big that might
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be the toughest one yet you know I love
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them they're so small they're so tough I
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can't get him up
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come on like
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come on buddy get in there
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I was the toughest one might be the
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smallest one but tough flip redone hope
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fingers and just definitely caught up in
15:56
the fish department and while he wasn't
15:57
eager to tip his hand once he started
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landing some good white he's on his own
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he decided to share his technique as I
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suspected it all came down to gear ratio
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if we're uncanny like it's not rocket
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science why they follow that not better
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you know that right i watch beat work
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these white fish and tried to match or
16:17
improve on his results I got him about
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it play that good lady that is rough if
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we're using the same line the same lure
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the same color and I thought the same
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speed
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I watched him turn to real and matched
16:34
him turn for turn until it Dada me Pete
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was using a 5 to 1 gear ratio and I had
16:41
6 to 1 he was retrieving his more slower
16:44
than me and that made a hold of
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difference it's not rocket science but
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they're following it the biters these
16:53
rocket science oh it is rocket sighs
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well I don't know what it is but what
16:56
you explained that to me it's all about
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the importance of fine fishing details
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once I figured it out game on buddy
17:05
coming up brother the auto he's a fatty
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I'm got what I'm letting one go over
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here get your own I got less than that
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know what you're good
17:17
oh yeah that's the one holy mackerel
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Megan that's a big oh that's a big
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whitey man that's bad mmm that's a nice
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thing about the bar glove soy no just
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Falls right oh yeah
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good fish man that's a giant nope it's
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the ones we're seeing down there exactly
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those big ones I got ever gonna slide
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and come out and they're yours laughing
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clunking ourselves down in the middle of
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sport fishing heaven I was surprised
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that they didn't start biting for me
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sooner in this case he was all about the
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gear ratio bye-bye yeah and that makes
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for yet another memorable trip to the
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passion Lake area I know we'll be back
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here and I hope you make it to after all
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it's some of the best fish in Canada to
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get to today's great fishing we draw
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from Toronto on highway 400 north to
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Barry where we took highway 11 for the
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next 1,200 kilometers ending up at Road
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801 from there it's a short five
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kilometers to paschal a cabins there are
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plenty of great fishing and hunting
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opportunities here with the unique
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option of driving to little hidden
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destinations of pay off big time and are
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only accessible to paschal a customers
18:38
the fish in Canada show brought to you
18:42
in part by sales the outdoor superstore
18:47
Coleman the outdoor company must gulls
18:51
proudly Canadian since 1951 Cooper Tires
18:55
life the road trips come on let's go and
18:58
bring class both dominate the water
19:03
[Music]
19:18
you
19:18
[Music]
#Fishing
#Outdoors