How To Find Baitfish without a Fishfinder

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Making a plan can be extremely important, especially if you’re about to tackle a massive body of water like Kabinakagami Lake. Doing your research, and drawing upon your past experiences, can be critical for being prepared and successful on the water. But being perceptive to the signs that nature provides—and being willing to adjust your strategy accordingly—can also be critical.

This is the lesson Fish’n Canada host Angelo Viola learned while shooting the 2014 episode, “Shallow Northern Phenomenon,” on Kabinakagami—or, as it’s more commonly known, “Kaby Lake.”

“This is what an angler dreams about: that special moment—that little frame in your fishing life—that brings everything together,” says Angelo in the KLP segment above. “We’ve got a marauding school of Pike behind me that are chasing these tiny baitfish—there are little millions of them—and out here in the deeper channel are these (Walleye), filling their guts.

“And that’s the part of the KLP (Knowledge, Location, Presentation) formula that I want to talk about today: the L part of the KLP formula. Location. It’s really important that you kind of formulate before you go out on the water the areas that are going to be really high-percentage areas for the fish that you’re after that day. But then every once in a while, even after you’ve got it all figured out, you’ve got to put yourself in the hands of God—because that’s what happened here.

“I saw a bunch of splashing back in this channel, put the boat nose in, had a peek. There were some Terns and some other birds dropping down into the water, feeding on this school of baitfish. Everything is here. This just happened. You’ve gotta keep your eyes and ears open and let some of nature’s little tales tell you where to fish like I did today.”

Having access to the latest and greatest fish finding technology can help anglers to pinpoint groups of baitfish, but don’t ignore the telltale signs you can see with your own eyes and ears. Diving birds like the ones that Angelo spotted can be a dead giveaway that there is a lot happening just below the surface. Keep your eyes, ears—and most importantly your mind—open, and respond to what nature tells you. Do that, and you’ll multiply your chances for success on the water.

Angelo Viola

ANGELO VIOLA is one of Canada’s most recognized and respected outdoor enthusiasts. His passion for the outdoors and skills as a creative director / producer have served him well crafting a broadcasting career in TELEVISION and RADIO that spans over 30 years. His relentless pursuit of the ultimate adventure and the ability to share the moment with audiences landed him the “best jobs in the world”, co host of The Fish’n Canada Show, The Outdoor Journal Television Show and Outdoor Journal Radio. In 2010 Angelo was inducted into the Canadian Angler Hall Of Fame making him a true fishing legend.

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