Doc Talks Fishing Podcast

Think giant walleyes, muskies, bass and pike spend their days chasing giant meals? Think again. In one of the largest predator-prey studies ever assembled, fisheries scientist Dr. Jereme Gaeta analyzed more than 9,000 fish stomachs and over 22,000 prey fish from lakes across North America. What he discovered stunned us. Even the biggest predators spend most of their lives feeding on prey far small...

Most anglers think that the wind simply pushes baitfish around the lake. But what if the fish aren’t just drifting with the current? What if they actually know where the food is going to be? In this fascinating episode of Doc Talks Fishing, Dr. Derrick (Dak) de Kerckhove reveals his groundbreaking research from Algonquin Park’s legendary Lake Opeongo that shows how sustained winds create underwate...

We spend years as anglers, learning how to catch fish and we often selectively harvest a few smaller ones to enjoy for shore lunch or dinner with our friends and families. But most of us never learn how to truly cook fish properly. In this fascinating crossover episode, gold medal winning World Culinary Olympic chef and passionate angler Cameron Tait reveals the science behind unforgettable fish m...

For decades, we've cast muskies as shadows lurking in the weeds. Ambush predators waiting to pounce on our baits. But what if everything we thought we knew about these apex fish is only half the story? In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Sean Landsman pulls back the curtain on a hidden world where giant fish roam the open water, suspending over deep basins, hunting in ways that challenge what we...

If you've been on the water lately and thought your favourite lake looks darker than it used to... you're not imagining things. Lakes are quietly "browning" as dissolved organic carbon turns clear water into a tea-stained mystery-and it's changing fishing in ways anglers have never considered. In this fascinating episode of Doc Talks Fishing, Dr. Allison Roth breaks down w...

In this episode of Doc Talks Fishing, master brook trout angler, Mark Stiffel joins us to explain how he turns cutting-edge trout biology into success on the water. Building on the fascinating science shared by Nipigon biologist Rob Swainson in our previous episode, Mark reveals how he finds big specks throughout the seasons - from cold-water upwellings and shallow spring flats to the subtle struc...

How old is the biggest bass you've ever caught? If you fish Lake Ontario or the St. Lawrence River, the answer might surprise you. In this episode of Doc Talks Fishing, Dr. Connor Elliott from Queen's University reveals that some tournament-caught smallmouth in this world-class fishery are more than 21 years old - fish that have been growing, surviving and feeding for over two decades. U...

Most of us grew up thinking about goldfish as harmless pets — the kind we kept in a bowl in our bedrooms as kids. In this episode of Doc Talks Fishing, we sit down with Dr. Melanie Massey from the University of Toronto, whose research reveals an astonishing truth: goldfish are one of the most destructive invasive fish species on the planet, firmly established in the Great Lakes and spreading rapid...

Brook trout inspire a level of devotion that few fish can match. In this episode of Doc Talks Fishing, we sit down once again with our good friend and legendary biologist, Rob Swainson to uncover why. Rob draws on his decades of research to explain what makes brook trout so unique: their reliance on groundwater, their seasonal movements between shallow warming shorelines and deep cold refuges and...

What if we told you that some fish don't actually "get old" — but get better with age? In this jaw-dropping episode of Doc Talks Fishing, Dr. Chris Therrien returns with three more astonishing fish facts that challenge everything we thought we knew about fish and fishing. Chris fills us in on the unbelievable story of lake trout that show no genetic, physical, or reproductive declin...

We welcome back Dr. Chris Therrien for a jaw-dropping conversation that will change how you look at fish. Did you know that male bluegills will disguise themselves as females to sneak past aggressive males and steal fertilizations? Or that most —maybe even all— of the world record Arctic char caught in the legendary Tree River are likely Dolly Varden trout? Using cutting-edge genetic analysis, tra...

Healthy fish populations start with healthy habitat. In this episode of Doc Talks Fishing, we talk with Robert Pye and Melissa Dakers from Watersheds Canada about why protecting and restoring fish habitat is the foundation of sustainable fisheries. We explore the threats these vital areas are facing and how anglers and shoreline owners can make a difference in their own backyards. Robert and Melis...

Lake whitefish - the backbone of the Great Lakes fishery for centuries - are in trouble. Biologist Jason Smith joins us to explain why these iconic fish are disappearing, what's driving the collapse and the groundbreaking bold "Noah's Ark" project that could one day bring them back. It is a story of crisis, science and hope for one of the most important fish in North America. S...

We've all seen fishing regulations — seasons, size limits, daily and possession limits— but how are they actually set? The numbers aren't just pulled out of thin air. They're grounded in decades of science and driven by massive amounts of data -collected through creel surveys, trap net sets and rigorous sampling programs. On this episode of Doc Talks Fishing, we're joined by OM...

Fifty years after JAWS terrified a generation, the fear of sharks still runs deep — but the truth about these ocean predators is far more fascinating than frightening. In this episode of Doc Talks Fishing, Dr. David Shiffman, author of Why Sharks Matter, tells us why these ancient fish are critical to healthy oceans, how they shape entire ecosystems, what makes them biologically extraordinary, and...

Catch rates may look good on paper—but what if they're lying to us? Julie Charbonneau is a member of the Earth to Ocean Research Group, in the Department of Biological Sciences at Simon Frazer University and she joins us today to explain how high angler catch rates can hide serious population declines. Learn about the phenomenon of hyperstability, the dangers of relying on catch data, and wha...

What happens when the world's leading bass scientists gather to share their latest discoveries? The 2025 Black Bass Symposium brought together researchers, managers and anglers from across the globe — and the insights could change the future of bass fishing. In this episode of Doc Talks Fishing, we sit down with renowned fisheries scientist Dr. Steven Cooke of Carleton University, who helped...

Last year we sat down with renowned smallmouth bass researcher Dr. David Philipp to discuss what he described as a once-in-a-lifetime discovery on Opinicon Lake in southeastern Ontario. When COVID-19 restrictions limited angler access to the lake during the smallmouth spawning season, something remarkable happened. For the first time in decades, the fish were able to spawn undisturbed — and the re...

Salmon and trout face a deadly threat that has nothing to do with overfishing or predators-it comes from our roads. In this week's episode of Doc Talks Fishing, British Columbia Fisheries Foundation biologist Haley Tomlin reveals how a hidden chemical called 6PPD-quinone is washing off our roads and into rivers-threatening the fish. Don't miss this eye-opening conversation. Send us a mes...

Walleye populations across the Midwest are in trouble and Dr. Greg Sass warns they may be nearing an ecological tipping point. As head of Wisconsin's Escanaba Lake Research Station, Greg is one of North America's leading experts on freshwater fish populations. In this week's Doc Talks Fishing, he reveals why many walleye fisheries aren't bouncing back, and what must change befo...

In Part One, our good friend, pro angler Dave Chong, unpacked how fish— especially bass-are getting smarter, adapting to pressure, and avoiding our best lures. Now in Part Two, Dave reveals more advanced tactics that he uses to overcome the growing challenge of "conditioned fish," including overlooked triggers and his favourite presentations that don't wave red flags. Whether you&ap...

In this week's episode of Doc Talks Fishing, we dig into the cutting-edge science of fish learning and conditioning with top tournament bass pro Dave Chong. Building on the jaw dropping research shared by Dr. Hal Schramm, who revealed that bass can learn to avoid lures, boats, and angling pressure Chonger takes us into the weeds on how he adapts to beat these now-savvy fish. Dave doesn't...

In this episode of Doc Talks Fishing, we sit down with fisheries scientist Emily Yeung to uncover the incredible story of the Atlantic whitefish—a "living fossil" on the brink of extinction. These elusive fish have survived millions of years of evolution, yet today, they cling to existence in just a handful of Nova Scotian lakes. Emily breaks down why this species is so unique, what cata...

This week on Doc Talks Fishing, we crawl into the fascinating-and alarming-world of crayfish with renowned biologist Dr. Premek Hamr. From native species quietly working behind the scenes to the aggressive takeover by rusty crayfish, "Dr. Crayfish" pulls back the curtain on one of the most under-appreciated but ecologically powerful players in our lakes and rivers. What makes rusty crayf...

If you love chasing crappies, bluegills and pumpkinseeds—this is the panfish masterclass you’ve been waiting for. In this episode of Doc Talks Fishing , we hand the mic to Pete Garnier—known far and beyond as the Panfish Professor —to show us how he turns science into success. Pete doesn’t just fish—he studies his quarry like a true tactician. From breaking down key panfish behaviours to revealing...