Short Strike Monsters – Episode 477

Last season on the Fish’n Canada Show, we featured a western Canadian lake called Last Mountain Lake. Also known as Long Lake, it is located about an hour north of Regina, Saskatchewan. The Northern Pike fishing was so good there, that we just had to return to give it another shot.

Rob Schulz, owner and operator of G&S Marina Outfitters on Last Mountain Lake, once again joined Pete for this episode. The timeframe was post-spawn/spring, which meant the big Pike would still be shallow.

This particular excursion was a bit different from the last shoot, though. Previously, the fishing was outstanding. This time a cold front had moved in and it very much affected the Pike.

The boys again had the luxury of using a Princecraft/Mercury combo setup for the shoot through Silvester RV, as well as a fully-stocked cottage with food and locally brewed beer.

SWIMBAITS ON THE MIND

Pete and Rob had swimbaits on their minds again since they worked so well last time. Swimbaits are best known for being big Bass lures—especially in the USA. That said, a predator fish is a predator fish. So if they work in the south, they’ll certainly work in the north. And not just for Bass!

They come in an assortment of sizes, shapes, and materials, all of which have their place. There’s hard and soft bodies; full bodied and jointed; hollow and solid; and finally straight, paddle or boot tailed.For this episode, Pete and Rob were throwing five-inch Big Hammer swimbaits. These are hand poured and have a unique square-shaped tail giving the bait incredible action. Rob has tried a variety of different swimbaits, but swears that this is the perfect choice for Last Mountain Lake.

THE ODDEST PHENOMENON

A big shallow weed-filled bay was the hotspot of choice for their return to Last Mountain Lake. They knew the fish were there, but they didn’t expect the weather system to hit the Pike so hard. For some strange reason, almost every Pike in that bay—or at least the ones that struck the guys baits—would ultimately get off. Everything from single bumps, to multiple bumps, to solid strikes, to even fish almost brought to boat side. It was the oddest phenomenon that Pete and Rob had experienced.

‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way’ is the saying and it played out well here. Since all the Pike were short striking, the guys simply added a small treble stinger hook to their swimbaits. Simply put, the addition of this hook saved the day. They went from rags to riches with one small technical change.

This turned into another great Pike episode and reassured Pete of two things. One: Never give up and let the fish defeat you—there’s always a solution. Two: Last Mountain Lake is one of those dream fishing destinations for anyone who wants a crack at the fish of a lifetime.

LAST MOUNTAIN LAKE

Last Mountain Lake is a prairie lake formed from glaciation 11,000 years ago. It is located in south-central Saskatchewan about 40 kilometres (25 miles) northwest of the City of Regina. It flows into the Qu’Appelle River via Last Mountain Creek, which flows past Craven. The lake is approximately 93 kilometres long, but only three kilometres wide at its widest point.

It is the largest naturally occurring body of water in southern Saskatchewan, although Lake Diefenbaker (created by damming) is larger. The lake was named for a Plains Cree legend about the Great Spirit shovelling dirt from the valley the lake now occupies and forming Last Mountain Hills east of Duval. The lake is a popular resort area for residents of southeastern Saskatchewan.