The Mountain River Lodge
2007 Season 

Reservations - 1800-267-0737                  Main Lodge - 1-613-584-2861

email - tmcarlin@webhart.net

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Tackle Box

Take advantage of these tips and techniques, they work wonders on our part of the Ottawa River. If you have some patterns that work especially well for you and would like to share them with us, just post it on the board or E mail it to us - thanks!

Some of the basic lures you should have while fishing these various waters are as follows, keeping in mind that everyone has their favorites and change is quite often good.

Rappala's  - 4 - to 6 inch floating and broken backs. ( black and silver, black and gold)

Husky Jerks -  7 inch  (blue and white, orange and white)

In line Spinners - Mepps #3 to #5 (Gold & Silver)

Spinner Baits - In Tandem - 1/2 to 3/4 oz willow bladed in all colors 

Crank Baits - Poe's, Baggleys, ect. divers from 3 to 12 ft 

Surface lures - Tiny torpedoes, Hula Popper, Zara Spook

Weedless - Hooks # 02's and #03's

Steel - 6 and 9 inch wire leaders

Sinkers - Sliding weights, split shots, bell sinkers

Soft Plastics - You bet!

Just look at these colors that are sure to bring on the bite in the new Millennium. 3 to 6 inch twisters and worms.

I believe most colors work, but after doing the show circuit and seeing some really fine patterns and mixed colors coming out in  the new season, well ...just like talking to your broker - I'm going to give you my best bets for the coming year. Use opposites to see what  these fish are turned on to, go from drastic  vibrant bright colors to the extreme dark and subtle bottom blends. Everyday and every water is different so make the changes often and experiment.

Crank baits -Make it dive deep and erratic and it will work!

Early season will see a strong bite on the shallow retrieved Rapala type lures but be sure that a Mid season strong hit will come from the deeper running Thunder Sticks and Storm Hot n tots- The deeper there running, the brighter you will want the colors. Don't forget the wobble, when its dark down deep these fish need the quick displacement of a rapid side to side action lure to hone in on.

Spin City -

Kick it fast then stop it -  work it across early season weed growth  inches from the surface and even Jig it in plus 15 feet on drop offs. The versatile Spinner Bait is a guide favorite in covering  water fast in "Fan Out" patterns most effectively. Big spinner blades in the # 5 willow pattern is a personal fav.  but Colorado #3's  with quicker spin in the in line Mepps repetior are long time proven commodities. This past seaon of 2002 saw the Blue fox #3 - #5's as a devastating Lure on the Chalk and Upper River areas.

Stay In touch and we will go into detail on our more favorite crank baits - just how to fish them in still waters and currents. Also look forward to more details on subtle plastic patterns and just how to stir up the action with erratic spinners. Should have part II on the Tackle Box sometime soon. Don't forget to e mail with your input.

tmcarlin@webhart.net  Mail me soon!   eh!

T C