Page 12 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 17

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Bounties of the St. Lawrence

By Tom Fagan with Robin Casgrain

ith the coming of spring, I met
Wup with Robin Casgrain and
asked him to share some memories of

perch fishing and some of his methods
of early spring ice fishing.

I found his story informative,

practical and a terrific read. It
could only be written by a top-

notch fisherman. Robin has a great
knowledge of Lake St Francis and the
Upper St. Lawrence River area.
I would also like to note that the
changes made to the perch fishing

season, the late ice fishing season has
for the most part been eliminated.
Here is Robins story, as told to me.
“In the old days, before perch
seasons were imposed, some of the
best days were spent on small pieces
of ice locked in bays and rush beds.
In early morning or late afternoon,
a person would drive by boat across
mostly open water and sneak onto Stanley Island seemed to hold every “I like the edges and ends. Edges of the line reached bottom. This was a

one of those small islands of ice with perch on the lake, another year behind shoals where there isn’t much current. lovely spot, fairly sheltered and out of
sometimes only six or eight inches of Canal Island. However, the window Ends of shoals and islands where there sight. It was great for two springs, but
water between the spring ice and the of opportunity was short with ships, are little eddies. Places where two or alas, there are others who pursue the
river bottom. The noise of pulling wind and sunshine. three currents meet. The channel west tasty perch! Soon there were as many

the boat onto the ice and cutting “After ice out, we would traditionally of Christatie Island comes to mind. boats as fish and then there were no
holes surely scared the fish, but as fi sh the bays, it seemed the bays on “I recall one Easter weekend and fi sh. These spots will be good again

you dropped a line and waited, they the south side of the river heated up most guys were out on the ice. A pretty someday
returned! Slabs! Beautiful, big perch faster than the north side. healthy west wind had put a little water The last few years, the perch seem
that cruised in these shallows. “There are fishers that follow the in the boat and a few live minnows to move more, here today and gone

“As you know, Tom, time goes perch through the entire season and call on the fl oor. I started drifting down tomorrow. You can try a spot one day
quickly, especially a spring evening on fi ve feet of water “deep.” Somehow I the gut between Christatie and Snake without success and return one or two
a small piece of ice, which is perhaps fell off the edge and think the sixteen Islands, and after what I thought was days later and be in the bite. There is
twenty feet by thirty feet. Geese, feet is shallow! No cane poles for me a bite, I dropped the anchor, dropped a good variation in size and the fi sh are
ducks in full colour, foxes hunting now. The fl ats east of the big islands, line and started to clean the boat.” abundant. The perch fishery is healthy.

along the shore. Oh! A hit, a beautiful Butternut and Ross, hold spring fi sh Tom, you know the rest of the If you keep moving and try a variety

big perch brings you back to fishing. and fishers. It was not unusual to see story. The channel was fi lled with of depths other than your traditional

“This was a short but exiting fi fty boats scattered about in a small perch. Cast in any direction and spots, you will discover that the perch

tradition. One year the east end of area, and everyone was catching! one or two fish were on even before are here.
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