Imagine yourself on a wind swept point, or a calm back water bay, with the sound of your drag whizzing as the fish of your dreams gives you the battle of a lifetime. Let this vision become a reality with a Canadian fly-in fishing trip to Lloyd Lake Lodge. 
When you get tired of catching all of the fish Lloyd Lake provides, the Clearwater River and other day use lakes are accessible from Lloyd Lake and affords the freedom for fly fishing or spin casting.
Still not convinced a Canadian fly-in fishing trip to Lloyd Lake is for you? Take a moment and get a closer look at the various fish you will have the opportunity to catch by Clicking Here!
Ready to come to Saskatchewan on a fly-in fishing trip, better take a look through our Tackle Box to see what you will need to bring. Finally, take a look at our Photo Gallery and see the successful fisherman from our most recent season.
WALLEYE JIG FISHING TIPS
Jigs are without question one of the most versatile fishing lures. Walleye fishermen everywhere agree that a leadhead jig tipped with live bait or a soft plastic grub body catches fish in all seasons. During my recent visit to Lloyd Lake, the jig ruled as the hands down choice for fast walleye action. Depending on the time of year and water depth, various sizes of jigs and jig fishing presentations are likely to produce best.
Early Spring/Shallow Water..... In the early spring when walleye are most often found in shallow water, a 1/8 or 1/4 ounce jig works best. I define shallow water as anything less than 10 feet deep. Because shallow water fish are easily spooked by the presence of the boat, casting the jig and working it back to the boat along bottom works best. A medium action six to seven foot spinning rod is ideal for this presentation. Spool up with 10 pound test super braid line. Low stretch super braids make it easy to detect the subtle strike of the walleye.
Summer/Deeper Water.... As spring turns into summer, walleye move into somewhat deeper water and jig fishing techniques must change as well. Throughout most of the summer walleye will be found mostly using water from 10-20 feet deep. A 1/4 to 3/8 ounce jig is required to fish these somewhat deeper depths. In deeper water, casting becomes less effective. A more productive method of jig fishing is to back troll using the outboard to slowly drag the jig along bottom. Let out enough line to maintain contact with bottom and back troll into the wind. By putting the outboard in and out of gear, it's possible to maintain contact with the bottom and keep the fishing line at about a 45 degree angle.
Live Bait or Plastic Baits?.... Walleye eagerly slurp up jigs tipped with live bait like minnows, nightcrawlers or leeches. At Lloyd Lake the walleye population is so dense that I personally feel live bait is unnecessary. Using soft plastic grub bodies in place of live bait has several advantages. First off, soft plastics stay on the hook much better than live bait. If a fish strikes and is missed, simply drop the jig back to bottom and chances are the fish will hit again. When using live bait, a missed fish usually means the bait has been stripped from the hook. Secondly, soft plastics have the advantage of adding action and color to a jigging presentation. During my recent visit to Lloyd Lake the best two soft plastic baits were Berkley Gulp Minnows (3 inch) in the shad color and the Yum 3 inch Walleye Grub in chartreuse. While these grubs are fairly expensive per package, the number of fish that can be caught per grub is amazing making them the clear winner among serious jig fishermen.
JERK BAITING FOR PIKEPike are aggressive fish and big pike are especially vulnerable to large shallow diving crankbaits called "jerkbaits". The jerkbaits commonly used by bass anglers (4-5 inch long) are too small and easily swallowed by adult pike. Instead, pick out larger (6-10 inch) versions designed for musky or salt water fishing applications. My favorite jerkbait for pike fishing is the Salmo Warrior Crank. This bait is the ideal size and has stout hooks suitable for fighting big pike. Also, the Warrior Crank has only two hooks making it easier to release trophy pike unharmed.
The jerkbaiting presentation is simple to master. Make a long cast and start the retrieve by snapping the rod tip sharply every couple of seconds. Keep pace reeling up the slack line while popping the rod tip. This jerking motion on the rod tip will cause the bait to dart in different directions, roll and wobble as if it's a wounded baitfish. By keeping the rod tip high, a jerkbait can be worked over the top of emerging weed cover. Around rocks and other deeper cover, lower the rod tip to the surface so the bait can dive a little deeper.
Big jerkbaits require heavy tackle to fish effectively. A heavy action flippin' stick and baitcasting reel loaded with 20# test monofilament or 40-50# test braided line is a good choice. At the terminal end, a 24 inch leader of 50-60# test fluorocarbon leader will eliminate bite offs. Heavy salt water style spinning gear can also be used for jerkbait pike fishing. The reel must be capable of handling at least 150 yards of 20# test monofilament or an equal amount of 40# test super braid. The spinning rod should be a heavy or extra heavy action and about seven foot long.
Pike are exceptionally vulnerable to jerkbaits. Be sure to release all trophy fish quickly to insure Lloyd Lake continues to offer world class pike action for generations to come.
Map of Lloyd Lake Lodge Lakes & Area