Doc Talks Fishing Podcast

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
underwater convey...

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 meals - from perfect shore lunch over...

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 thought was gospel.

Drawing on cutting-e...

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 what browning water means for fish—and the answers will ...

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 structural clues most anglers overlook.

I...

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.

Using data from tournament mortalities, Connor e...

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 rapidly across the continent.

Melan...

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 their incredible ability to adapt to...

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 decline as they age and actually improve over time....

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, traditional ecological kno...

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 Melissa explain what's at stake and how ...

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 OMNR Regional Fish and Wildlife Specialist, Sc...

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 why so many species are on th...

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 what it all means for the future of B...

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 organize the symposium. From angle...

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 result shocked the science commu...

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 before it's too late. If you care about the future of walle...