Angelo and Pete are just like all other red-blooded Canadian anglers out there. They love hearing about, reading about and talking to people who love fishing. In this list are 5 Canadian anglers, some newer to the fishing scene that others but all with a vast amount of angling experience and especially skills, that Ang and Pete follow and they suggest you do as well.
Here you go in no particular order, are 5 Canadian Anglers that you should be following!
GORD PYZER
“The Doc or Doctor” became a nickname for Gord because of his extensive break-down analogies of fishing techniques and technologies. Gord actually talks like “the Doc” on The Outdoor Journal Radio Show as well as on Gord’s many articles and blogs. Angelo, being the self-proclaimed “fishologist” pretty much has a partner in crime on each and every radio episode. When these two guys start talking technique, the show goes from out of the dump (you need to be a fan to understand that one) to into “information galore”.
The Doc and the Fishologist, now that sounds like a great Fish’n Canada TV episode!
Gord resides in Kenora Ontario. He is the fishing editor for Outdoor Canada magazine and is widely regarded as Canada’s most scientific angler. He worked for 30 years as a senior manager with Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources before devoting all his energies to fishing. This award-winning writer is also an internationally sought out speaker, tournament angler and field editor with In-Fisherman Magazine and Television. Gord also fish’s a handful of high-level tournaments in the north country. That’s a mouthful!
Gord has joined the Fish’n Canada web team as a blogger as well. There’s no way in the world that Ang and Pete wouldn’t make room for one of the best outdoor writers and Canadian Anglers of all time, Mr. Gord Pyzer.
Here’s a little something that no-one but the Doc can claim: Gord Pyzer is the only person ever to be inducted into the Canadian Angler Hall of Fame, National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and Canadian Outdoor Hall of Fame. Congrats on this accomplishment Gord!
Here is a final interesting and very scary story sent to us from Gord that you may not have heard:
“I was also the co-angler/passenger during an American Bass Association (ABA) tournament on Lake Mead, outside Las Vegas, Nevada when my partner hit the wake from a houseboat as we were heading down the lake in the tournament, lost control of the bass boat, put it right up on its side and flipped us outgoing 74 MPH. I should have been killed, but someone was looking out for me that day!”
We’re extremely happy that someone was looking out for Gord during that crazy mishap.
To follow Gord, go to these links:
CORY JOHNSTON
Hailing from the city of Peterborough Ontario, Cory Johnston (along with his brother Chris) has literally made it to the “big-time”. Cory has been fishing his whole life, but even more significant has been fishing competitively for his whole life. Cory comes from a fishing family. Pete and Ang used to fish against his father Lynn Johnston “way back in the day” during the old Pro Bass events. Lynn was always one to be watched, he had skills. Cory, however, that’s a whole different ball-game (sorry Lynn). This guy has not only won pretty much everything there is to win in Canada but he also has a great record on the FLW tour in the US and is now a force to be reckoned with on the BASS tour.
If you would like to hear Cory first hand, check out this interview he did with Angelo
Not just an angler, Cory loves to get out deer hunting on Ontario’s great wild country. As with his fishing, he’s always after that ultimate trophy.
Ang and Pete describe Cory (and brother Chris) as a guy with a small town, say it like it is, personality. His fame doesn’t go to his ego. He lets his talent do the talking.
Cory’s not just about Bass while on the water. Canada In The Rough’s Keith Beasley says about Cory on ice-out Steelhead “that kid’s a beast!”
Some of Cory’s highest fishing accomplishments are, qualifying for the 2020 Bassmaster Classic, career winnings on BASS so far $184,857, total career earnings on FLW of $416,133 (67 events) and pretty much every major event in southern Ontario. Cory has definitely earned his spot as one of the top Canadian anglers!
To follow Cory, go to these links:
WIL WEGMAN
Wil is a tireless worker when it comes to not only his fishing but his work as an advocate to the fishing industry. In 2017, he was inducted into the Canadian Angler Hall of Fame. He also won the Rick Morgan Professional Conservation Award as well as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ National Recreational Fisheries Award.
Will is employed full time with Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry for the past 32 years as a Resources Management Technician. That is his day job. When he’s off-duty, he’s one of the busiest individuals of “pretty much anything else” fishing projects.
One of Wil’s great claims to fame is he’s the coordinator of the award-winning Five Year Lake Simcoe Bass Tagging Research Project from 2006-2010. Over 1,300 bass tagged at tournaments providing information on seasonal movements, population dynamics, and effectiveness of fizzing. This work has set a trend in tournament anglers learning about fish care, a very important lesson.
He was the winner of 2004 and 2013 Bill Bond Memorial Award- “For dedication to promoting & conserving the Lake Simcoe fishery”, winner of 2006 “BASS Nation Conservation Director of the Year Award for the Eastern Division” and Ontario BASS Federation Nation Member of the Year Award, winner of 1991 Greg Clarke Outdoor Writing Award and winner of 2006 and 2012 OWC National Fishing Week Outdoor Writing Award.
As we said, Wil is a tireless worker in the fishing industry and his work is greatly appreciated by the entire angling community.
He is an educator in fishing and is an extremely accomplished ice fisherman. He does seminars to help others for their ice fishing seasons.
If you’d like to hear some radio interviews with Wil, here are some links:
Ice Fishing Tips with Wil Wegman
As you can see, we are big fans of Wil.
One last point about Wil that you probably don’t know about:
“I enjoy swimming laps 5-6 days per week at my local pool in training for the annual Orillia Sun City charity Swim … 4 km across Cooch (Lake Couchiching). My fundraising campaign is called “Wil’s Swim With the Fishes’.
Nice work Wil! To follow Wil, go to these links:
CHRIS JOHNSTON
Chris Johnston, AKA CJ, is the other half of the Johnston brothers fishing team. We say team because if there’s a team tournament that Chris is going to fish, he and brother Cory (featured above) are normally in it together. The bad news for those competing against them is, they’re good! The positive though, if you beat them, you definitely have bragging rights.
Chris’s nice guy personality suits him well off the water but is a strong contrast to his competitive “on the water” fishing mode. Don’t get us wrong, he’s still a great guy out there, but he’s fearless and deadly.
Angelo and Pete spent some time with Chris at this year’s Garmin summit and they could tell that he was absorbing everything that was important to him.
“Here’s a Johnston brothers story for you,” says Pete “I was fishing an opening weekend bass tournament many years ago on Lake Simcoe. Mike and I ended up doing well, I think 3rd place. I remember Chris and Cory, who were very young at the time, walking up to the stage in about 5th or 6th place.
I shook their hands and said congrats boys, and although they were very polite and cordial back to me, I could tell they were totally disappointed with their performance. You literally could see it on their faces. Most teens their ages would have been ecstatic with their high finish. Not Chris and Cory. Even back then it was all business, 100-percent dedication, and anything but first place just wouldn’t do. To me, that story solidifies why they are 2 of the world’s best competitive bass anglers today!”
Chris is a bass fishing machine. He’s accomplished more than most Canadian anglers will ever come close to. Some of his accomplishments are, qualifying for the 2020 Bassmaster Classic, FLW first-place finish on the Harris Chain of Lakes in 2018, as well as earning $499,445 US in 65 events on the FLW Tour. So far on the Bass circuit he’s earned $168,371 US, which includes two-second place finishes ) he was so close on these events that he’s definitely a favourite to win one in the future).
To follow Chris, go to these links:
JEFF GUSTAFSON
Also known as “Gussy”, Jeff Gustafson is also one of Canada’s top tournament fishing pro’s. Jeff is also an accomplished fishing and hunting guide in northern Ontario. He’s also an accomplished “shed” hunter in where he is constantly trekking in the woods, looking for deer antlers, AKA sheds. He’s one of the best at it!
Gussy resides in Keewatin Ontario (close to Kenora), which truly is “fishing country”. He’s fished and hunted his entire life. It’s something he knows well. By living in such an outdoors rich area, Jeff has certainly learned his fair share of fishing tips. Many of these tips have been “spilled” to the public in Jeff’s magazine articles on such publications as In-Fisherman Magazine.
He’s always been a force to be reckoned with when it comes to major Canadian fishing events like the KBI, and the Fort Francis Canadian Bass Championship, but now he’s currently a fierce competitor on the BASS circuit in the USA (as well as a former competitor in the FLW, links below).
His latest claim to fame is qualifying for the 2020 Bassmaster Classic, a huge accomplishment. During that event, he weighed the largest Bass of day 2. Not a win, but he did show what he’s made of.
As for his short term so far on the Bass circuit, he already earned $111,000 US. Not a bad start. In his past FLW career, he fished 44 events amassing a nice $316,975 US. This lad has what it takes!
Jeff is not just about bass though, he is one of the best multi’ species anglers in the nation. Giant Pike, Muskie, Lake Trout, Walleye, etc. are all on his accomplished species list. If there was ever an “ultimate Canadian outdoors die-hard” to be nominated, Gussy is definitely on the list.
To follow Jeff, go to these links:
In Conclusion
Well, there you go, Fish’n Canada’s favourite Canadian anglers that you can not only read about, but you can also follow, thus adding to your fishing knowledge and staying abreast as to how our lads compete on a world level.