Welcome to our tackle site. One of the first questions asked by our guests is - What about tackle? Of course this is followed by a list of other questions such as - What kind of rod & reels are best to use? What lures are best? What size lures? What colors are best? What size monofilament line should I use? And the list goes on. On this page we will address many of these questions and offer other related tackle information.

When first asked this question my recommendation is to simply pack up their tackle box with what is in it and worry about the rest when they arrive at our lodge. At Cat Island Lodge we pride ourselves in having a very good supply of proven lures for Canadian lakes. Time and time again I have witnessed guests who have purchased their tackle prior to arriving at the lodge to find that these lures were not correct and will simply lay in the tackle box. We suggest they visit with us or your guide and find out what is the best tackle and purchase it at the lodge, we can recommend the hot lures. By far the least expensive and time consuming way to get the job done correctly.

However this is simply a suggestion and the rest is up to you. Below we provide valuable information on the most popular lures and the type of angling in which they are used.

Our Tackle Store:

Our lodge store is well stocked with fishing tackle that are proven fish catchers. Lead head Jigs, Blakemore roadrunners, crank baits, spinner baits, Daredevil spoons, walleye bait rigs, steel leaders, swivels, monofilament line and much more. Many popular colors and sizes. Our guests find it cost effective and time effective to wait until they get to the lodge to purchase their tackle. They talk with their guide, find out what the fish are hitting on and purchase on a daily need basis.

The lead head jig is by far a very inexpensive bait and is very effective for catching walleye, northern pike, lake trout and small mouth bass. We provide the lead head jig in both the flip tail version or with a maribou skirt both are available in a large variety of colors and combinations. The most popular size is 1/4 oz. but when the fish are suspended or slow we find the 1/8 oz. variety to work very well, both sizes are available. The lead head jig is usually tipped with a minnow but can be fished with or without. The bait is best known as a very good bait for catching walleye and is fished best by back trolling or by casting and jigging back to the boat. But don't be misled, this bait is very effective for northern pike as they seem unable to resist this tempting appetizer. A hand full of these baits and you off to a action packed day.

Blakemore Roadrunners

The Blakemore roadrunner has been around for a long time. Like the lead head jig it is another inexpensive bait and is a favorite, you will find it a hard bait to beat when it comes to catching fish. A dynamite lure when it comes to catching walleye, and you can rely on the fact that Northern Pike simply cannot resist it. Tip the "roadrunner" with a minnow or fish it like it is, either way will produce fish. However tipped with a minnow produces the best results. This bait cannot be fished wrong as long as it is fished slow. We generally slowly back troll with the bait but casting and slowly back to the boat produces excellent results too. We have found that between the standard lead head and the roadrunner you cannot go wrong. On days when the standard jig does not work, the roadrunner seems to take over. That little blade simply does magic tricks when it comes to triggering the fish to strike. We stock the "roadrunner in large numbers, in all the favorite colors and 1/4 and 1/8 oz sizes - 1/4 oz being the popular size.

When it comes to fishing it is my favorite bait, you will never catch me without a selection of them. What is really nice is the fact that you can fill a 35MM film case with these lures and a few swivels, stuff them in your pocket and you are ready for a fun filled day of fishing action. No matter what you are wanting to catch, you can count on this little lure for plenty of action. Especially handy when doing portage trips and you want to go light. It is also one of Jimmy Houston's favorite baits, we need say no more about the Blakemore Roadrunner.

                              

Visit the Blakemore Lure website for more information:

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Crank Baits

There are countless of crank baits available that age good baits to use. We advise bringing along what you have. Many of the one's in your tackle box may produce excellent results. But we have found that the most popular on our lake system are the three shown above. Of course who knows what the best color is going to be while you are at Cat Island Lodge. Once again, we will be able to tell you which baits are hot and what colors seem to produce the best results. Crank baits seem to produce the best results for large Northern Pike.

The Rapala Husky Jerk and the Smithwick Suspending Rogue are extensively used for large Northern Pike and have been known to be a good bait for walleye's. The Rat-L-Trap is a very good all around bait and is very well known for it's value in catching Lake Trout. Of course there are countless of other baits we use for lake trout too.

Rapala Husky Jerk

Rat-L-Trap

Smithwick Rogue

Eppinger Daredevle spoons have been a traditional bait for catching Canadian Northern Pike. We stock these spoons in many varieties, colors and sizes. They are a favorite pick when it comes to casting or trolling for Northern Pike. For lake trout, the gold, silver or 5 of diamonds are trolled when they are in the deep water. They work well on downriggers and produce excellent results. Included in this line of lures is another Canadian favorite known as the Ruby Eye which are available in a variety of colors. However there are many other spoons available which produce excellent results, especially for Northern Pike and Lake Trout. Give them a try!!!

Our tackle store is well stocked with a very good variety of spinner baits. Many colors to choose from. The most popular colors seems to be yellow, chartreuse and white with silver or gold blades. Another inexpensive bait which produces excellent result. If you are looking for Northern Pike action, tie on a spinner bait and start hitting the edge of the weed beds. In fact we call them "Northern Getters", great baits for those Canadian Northern Pike. Now you won't always end up with the lunkers but you will end up with lot's of action. I can remember one day as evidence of the power of this little lure. Jimmy Houston's was filming one of his movies and on that particular day he was going to produce a show on Northern Pikehe caught almost 100 Northern Pike of all sizes. He was exclusively using a spinner bait and was casting to the edge or just inside any weed bed he could find. Simply could not keep them off his line, what a problem to have. Too many fishermen forget what they come for, basically all fishermen are looking for the action and thrill of getting that strike and the fight which follows. If action is what you are after, use a spinner bait . . generally you cannot go wrong.

Rods

We advise fishermen to bring along the rod and reels they feel comfortable with using. Casting & spinning are the most popular. Medium to light action rods are advised, they allow the best action and good hook setting ability. Ultra light is used but hook sets are more difficult but offer tons of action once the fish is hooked.

Reels

Regardless of the manufacturer or type of reel, always ensure that the reel has a good drag system that allow smooth release of the line throughout the range of the reels drag setting & allows for easy setting of the drag. If the reel has jerky or erratic release points or is difficult to set, consider the purchase of a new reel. The drag is the most important part. Our guests land big fish with light equipment but it always comes down to proper drag setting while fighting the fish.

Line & line test

6# to 10# test seem to be the most popular, 8# is a good choice. For casting with larger lures some guests have a second rod equipped with 14# to 17# line. Once again, the drag setting is important, set the reel for the line test, the line must release before it reaches its breaking point. When BIG fish are hooked, set the drag back to allow for the strong immediate force these fish place on your line when they run and dive.

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