May 2 - May 9

News From the Store

Its turkey time!  Season kicked off on April 25th and the Gobbler Contest is now in full swing.  Both Watson's and Lake Huron Rod and Gun have had dead toms rolling through the door daily to be scored for the contest.  Overall leader and week 1 winner for the Gobbler Contest is Terry Brown.  Terry's bird scored an impressive 72.625.  This big tom has won Mr. Brown a high-end Zeiss scope and is still in contention for the overall prize.  Week #2 leader is Doug Elder who checked a bird into Watson's that scored 71.10 as of today.  If you don't have a ticket for this charitable contest and are planning on killing a turkey, you will regret it!  Stop in and pick one up for a chance to win big.

Turkey calls from Primos, Quaker Boy, HS Strut and GobblerStalker are on the shelves at the store to meet the needs of local hunters.  Watson's also stocks all your required camo, ammo, vests and decoys to bag a strutter.  Don't forget to stop into the store and check out the great deals on shotguns such as Mossberg and Benelli.  Looking for a new shotgun sight or premium optics to help you bag a bird?  You guessed it, Watson's has it all.

May is also salmon time in Owen Sound.  Chinook anglers can find all the important downrigging supplies at Watson's, including; downriggers, fishfinders, gps units, spoons, body baits, terminal tackle and premium line from Maxima, Berkley and Seaguar.

With the opening season of inland trout fishing upon us, don't forget to stop into the store and check out the great selection of Columbia vests, new wading boots, trout rods, float rods and Raven Float reels.  We also have a great selection of trout lures such as Mepps spinners, EGB spoons and the ever popular AC Shiner.

Watson's is happy to announce that draw tickets for the Ontario Steelheaders "one of a kind" float rod and reel combo are now at the store.  Pick one of these up for $20 when your in the shop, support a great organization that cares for the Saugeen and you could win this awesome package from Islander Reels and NorthFork rods.  For more info check out http://www.ontariosteelheaders.ca/

Hunting and Fishing News

As noted above, spring turkey season is now underway.  Local hunters have been reporting excellent success rates despite the poor weather conditions during opening week.  Heavy winds and rain can hamper gobbling of male birds and therefore making them hard to hunt.  That hasn't stopped many local hunters from dropping the hammer on some really nice toms.  Cold mornings and rain can leave toms on the roost for longer periods of time in the morning.  They might not gobble as frequently off the roost, so take that into consideration when conditions are not perfect.  Once the weather starts to warm up, breeding will be in full swing and the majority of hens will be nesting.  Take this into account when your in the turkey woods and do not disturb nests if you happen to come across one.

The opening of spring trout season was reported to be a good one this spring.  High water, and cool temps have prolonged the spring migration of steelhead into local tributaries.  This is a bonus for river walkers since past springs have come early and resulted in the majority of fish having finished spawning and headed back to the lake before rivers opened.   Local tribs are still reporting good flows, and decent numbers of steelhead can be found in the upper reaches of many watersheds.  Brown and brook trout fishing has been fairly consistent this spring as well, with anglers reporting good catches the past week in local rivers.  Anglers should pay attention to local regulations for many tributaries as there are extended spring closures on a few systems.  These areas may not open till the end of May, and trout fisherman need to be aware of this.  When in doubt, check the MNR reg book for clarification.  Here is a direct online link for the Ontario regs http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LetsFish/Publication/STEL02_163615.html

Salmon fishing in Owen Sound and Colpoy's Bay has been good.  Anglers are reaping the rewards of good numbers of spring Chinook in both bays.  Heavy winds have kept many anglers off the water, but a few nice days the past week have allowed large numbers of boats to hit the water.  Good catches have been reported by anglers fishing deep in the "hole" and in depths of 40-60 feet of water along the shorelines.  Cold temps dictate a slow trolling approach close to bottom this time of year.  Body baits rule when temps are cold.  As the temps warm up, fish become more aggressive and spread out throughout the water column and spoons begin to take more fish.

Looking for more information?  Stop in to Watson's for the latest!