Welcome to Week CLXVIII of ‘Fishing Parkland Shorelines’. Like most of us I am a novice fisherman, loving to fish, but far from an expert. In the following weeks I’ll attempt to give those anglers who love to fish but just don’t have access to a boat, a look at some of the options in the Yorkton area where you can fish from shore, and hopefully catch some fish.
This week I am going to sort of turn back the clock a little, back to the Parkland Outdoor Show & Expo held in Yorkton in mid-April.
The event attracts people who love the outdoors from all over Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and with good reason. Attending the show is like a pilgrimage to Mecca in search of treasure.
As a fisherman the event doesn’t offer the same number of booths to enjoy as it does for the hunter, but there are always that few which make you stop and take a long look.
This year two booths in particular made me stop for a closer look.
The first was the HookSafe Canada booth.
The HookSafe idea is one of those creations which is so simple it amazes that no one had thought of it ages ago.
The HookSafe is a simple piece of molded plastic which fits over your hook which remains on your rod. The hook safe then itself fits into a guide on your rod. The hook is protected, yet remains on the rod.
It’s a great little item if you are in the boat, no fish are biting, and you are going to speed off to another spot, you slip on the HookSafe and you don’t have a treble hook bouncing around in the breeze.
For the shore fisherman it’s perhaps even handier. You want to walk down the shore to try a new spot, and have to traverse past, or through some bush, a tangling lure is almost guaranteed to snag up.
Pop on the HookSafe and the lure is covered.
The HookSafe is made of durable, weather resistant ABS plastic but the company website notes “it won’t scratch the eyelets on your rod. “If you secure your lures to your eyelets, the metal will scratch the eyelets, and that sharp nick could cut your line when a fish is on.”
This is such a handy little item, it’s well worth a look. Check it out at www.thehooksafecanada.ca
The second booth that grabbed my attention in a big way was from Kamooki Smart Fish.
“The Kamooki SmartFish(tm) features a smooth, laterally compressed bait fish body, and assumes a natural head-down, tail-up profile when its unique, precision engineered zinc keel rests on any structure,” details the company website.
“When retrieved, the SmartFish(tm) displays a tight vibrating action with accentuated side to side tail wag motion. When the SmartFish(tm) is vertically jigged, it vibrates as the rod tip is raised and slowly flutters down when the rod tip is dropped – all the while tracing forward in a circular pattern.
“The astonishing properties of the SmartFish(tm) are all utilized when fishing bottom structure. Bounce it along the bottom from one point to the next, allowing the bait to truly hug the contour being fished.
The single treble hook design attached to the tail, coupled with the constant vertical position, make the SmartFish(tm) remarkably snag-resistant.”
These lures offer a rather unique design, one where the weighted belly of the lure allows it to bounce along the bottom of the lake, while the hook at the rear of the lure stays slightly higher. A fish coming down to feed on the lure will suck up the hooked end first.
The higher set of the hook on a retrieve will also reduce snags.
I absolutely love the action of these lures.
That said the couple I have tried haven’t proven better than any other lure in my tackle box this slow year, but that may be the learning curve of fishing with lures which have a rather distinct action.
From the company website we can get a better feel for technique with Kamooki lures.
“Kamooki’s patented technology is what really separates the SmartFish(tm) from all other lures. The secret of the SmartFish(tm) is in harnessing the intricate relationship between the buoyant and non-buoyant properties. This is best demonstrated when the lure is resting on structure, where remarkably, the SmartFish(tm) maintains its upright profile on a single contact point. It is in this position, that the SmartFish(tm) achieves mechanical equilibrium. Through the harmony of its precisely crafted zinc keel and bottom-heavy design, integrated with a beautiful, uniquely shaped body, the SmartFish(tm) comes alive!
“Crank your SmartFishTMacross the top of vegetation or along weed lines and watch its uniquely erratic rattling and vibrating action trigger the intrinsic predatory response of game fish. This technique is particularly effective for Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike.
“Crawl, walk or run your SmartFishTMacross bottom structure and start catching the fish you’ve been missing! Our patented SmartFish(tm) technology enables you to work even the most unforgiving underwater terrain as fast or as slowly as you want. This technique is irresistible to Smallmouth Bass, Lake Trout and Walleye.
“Vertical jig your SmartFishTMin open or hard water seasons throughout the column of water. When pumped, your SmartFish(tm) will swim in a circular pattern, rattling and vibrating to telegraph its location through the water. This technique is especially alluring to Lake Trout and Walleye.”
The lures certainly offer some variety in how to present them, which broadens their appeal, but I’ll admit I am still experimenting with approach when I tie one on the line. Since we know presentation is important in fishing, there may well be a need on my part to refine my technique with these lures.
I say that because the action of the lures does suggest it will be effective once mastered.
There are of course a number of patterns from Kamooki, including a new series which have me drooling.
“The Kamooki SmartCraw(tm) features a deeply textured, naturally robust crawfish body and assumes a natural head-down, tail-up profile when its unique, precision engineered zinc keel rests on any structure,” details the website.
“When retrieved, the SmartCraw(tm) displays a wide lazy wobble with accentuated side to side motion. The SmartCraw(tm) is specifically designed to emit a natural clicking sound. When the SmartCraw(tm) is vertically jigged, it vibrates as the rod tip is raised and slowly flutters down when the rod tip is dropped – all the while tracing forward in a circular pattern.
“The astonishing properties of the SmartCraw(tm) are all utilized when fishing bottom structure. Bounce it along the bottom from one point to the next, accurately simulating the true motion and resting position of a crawfish, unlike any other hard bait.
The single treble hook design attached to the tip of the claws, coupled with the constant vertical position, make the SmartCraw(tm) remarkably snag-resistant.”
This design is so logical since crayfish are a bottom scuttling food source for fish already. If you have a lure which can hug the bottom, working to mimic a crayfish is a natural direction to do in development.
The other exciting aspect of Kamooki is that it is a Canadian company, based in Edmonton. Readers will know I love to promote Canadian innovation in fishing.
It is the brainchild of Kamran Sheikh.
“I was born in Edmonton, capital city of the western Canadian province of Alberta,” writes Sheikh on the company website. “Deeply passionate and curious about the natural world, I spent countless childhood days fishing on the shores of the North Saskatchewan River. In my late teens, my family moved east to Ontario, where I discovered a new world of amazing fisheries and a myriad of new species. I was fortunate enough to spend a great deal of time fishing throughout Southern Ontario, especially on the Kawartha lakes.
“In my early twenties, I began hand-carving my own wooden lures as a hobby. During this time, I specifically started experimenting with the buoyancy of lures as I tried to design a bait that could effectively walk across bottom structure. With this in mind, and using coarse components found at hardware stores, I continued to focus and refine my handiwork. Many models later, the original SmartFish(tm) prototype was born.
“I earned an Environmental Sciences degree at the University of Lethbridge, made possible by working the summers guiding anglers in various lodges in the Northwest Territories. This afforded me an unparalleled opportunity to spend limitless hours on the water to test and refine my designs.
“My first job after graduating was as a fisheries technician for an environmental consulting firm. It kept me literally immersed in water, thinking more than ever about fish and how fundamental sustainable fishing is to my identity.
“It was time. I decided to focus on developing my designs with a view to production. I would perfect and share my lures and my design ideas with my inner circle.
“Armed with a handful of demo models, I attended ICAST 2013. The response was beyond my craziest dreams. Buyers, pro anglers, competitors and the media were all over the SmartFish(tm). At the same time, they asked thoughtful questions and provided some fantastic ideas for innovation. The fishing world adored the product, but I knew I could enhance it further. Despite incredible demand, I would wait to produce and spend more time perfecting the prototype.
“I am thrilled today to introduce Kamooki Lures, the realization of my vision and labour made possible through the support and encouragement of my wife, my family and close friends. It’s a company dedicated to creating innovative lures and promoting the conservation of fisheries and wildlife habitat.”
Do check them out at www.kamooki.ca
