Wired2fish and friends from Lindner’s Angling Edge embark on a Canadian pike fishing adventure at the renowned Lawrence Bay Lodge on expansive Reindeer Lake in Northern Saskatchewan. Unlike a typical fly-in lodge outing, Ryan DeChaine explores sprawling Reindeer Lake with a tricked-out bass/musky boat armed with advanced sonar. He explains how he leverages local guide knowledge and technology to find pike in a seemingly endless ocean of potential spots.
TACKLE USED (retail links)
- PLASTIC – Z-Man Scented Jerk ShadZ (7-inch), color – Nuked Chicken Glow: Buy at Amazon, Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- JIG – Z-Man Diezel Eye Jigheads, 1-ounce: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- ROD – 13 Fishing Envy Black III Casting Rod, 7’9” Heavy: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- REEL – 13 Fishing Concept Z Slide Casting Reel, 7.5:1: Buy at Tackle Warehouse, Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- LINE – Sufix 832 Braided Line Lo-Vis Green, 65-pound: Buy at Tackle Warehouse, Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- LEADER – VMC FL Fluorocarbon Leader, 80-pound: Buy at Amazon, Buy at VMC
- SHIRT – AFTCO Reaper Hooded Sweatshirt: Buy at Tackle Warehouse, Check out Fishing Clothing at AFTCO
DeChaine emphasizes the importance of harnessing modern fishing technologies to enhance the fishing experience. DeChaine focuses on using aerial imagery to hone in on interesting-looking areas on the uncharted waters of Reindeer. Once in the zone, he demonstrates how he uses 360 and forward-facing sonar to see fish. No fish? You need to move.
While DeChaine uses his MEGA Live to find and cast to the fish, it also informs the right bait. He constantly observes how the pike respond to his lure and makes adjustments as necessary. On this day, an oversized soft jerkbait provided depth control and an erratic freestyle action that can be adjusted to the fish’s mood. Additionally, the single hook setup fishes clean through the grass while being an excellent hooking lure.
Even with the best equipment, DeChaine talks about the challenges and unpredictabilities of fishing in such a massive water body, emphasizing the importance of persistence, observation, and adaptation. There’s no replacement for time on the water experience, making a fishing guide the best way to accelerate the learning curve. As always, merging traditional fishing know-how with modern technology is the best bet for a successful trip.
BOAT & ELECTRONICS
- FISH FINDER (bow stack) – Humminbird APEX 13 CHIRP MEGA SI+: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- FISH FINDER (console) – Humminbird APEX 16 CHIRP MEGA SI+: Humminbird SOLIX 15 CHIRP MEGA SI+ G3: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- 360 SONAR – Humminbird MEGA 360 Imaging: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- LIVE SONAR – Humminbird MEGA Live Imaging TargetLock: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- TROLLING MOTOR – Minn Kota Ultrex 112lb-36V Trolling Motor: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- BOW GRAPH MOUNT – Precision Sonar Over and Under Bow Mount for Deck: Buy at Precision Sonar
- CONSOLE GRAPH MOUNT – Precision Sonar Lund Pro-V Bass Smart Bracket Console Mounting System: Buy at Precision Sonar
- SHALLOW WATER ANCHOR – Minn Kota Raptor, 8′: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- BASS BOAT – Lund 2075 Pro-V Bass XS: Check out at Lund Boats
- MOTOR – Mercury FourStroke, 250hp: Check out at Mercury
