slizotte1While at the Lund AYA tournament this year an angler came over and introduced himself.

After talking and sharing a few laughs with Sebastien, we planned a day trip together.

During our trip, I learned that Sebastien Lizotte was born and raised in a small northern community called Hearst.

At a very young age, Sebastien’s older brother and his friend Daniel introduced him to Walleye fishing.

They would bring him with them all the time.

When Sebastien got a little older his brother in law, Sylvain, introduced him to trout fishing and started to bring Sebastien with him every weekend.

At age eight, Sebastien’s father bought him a bicycle rack for his bike so he could carry his tackle box and fishing rod.

Sebastien recalls going everywhere he could peddle to, to fish around Hearst.

One of his favourite places to fish was the Mattawishkwia River since it was close to his home.

He also recalls biking to Pivabiska Lake with his friend Cedri.

The bike ride was more than a 10 km ride, but that didn’t prevent them from going.

One summer when Sebastien was 17, he recalls saving his money so he could buy his first boat which was a Jon boat.

One of the anglers that stands out in his mind that helped him become a better angler was a local angler from Hearst and past NOWT Angler Of The Year, Denis Martin.

He said Denis would take the time to share different techniques and tips with him, which he would then try and use while fishing.

At age 25 Sebastien started guiding.

In his words, “I loved to help teach anglers how to catch either walleye or trout.”

The smiles on the anglers faces after a day of fishing with him was very rewarding.

In the early 2000s Sebastien started fishing tournaments, however it wasn’t until the last three years that he started to fish them seriously.

Sebastien has four top ten finishes, and several top twenty finishes in Walleye Tournaments.

One memorable fishing experience for him was fishing for big Lake Trout on Nipigon Lake.

Another was when he went to Bay of Quinte for the first time last winter, where he caught some big Walleyes.

However, the one that stands out the most in his mind and heart was in 2011 when he finished third at the Lund AYA Tournament with his niece and nephew.

When I asked Sebastien who his biggest supporter was when it came to his fishing, a big smile came to his face.

He then replied, “My girlfriend of 16 years is my biggest support. I always loved fishing and I thank her for never wanting me to change. She always showed love and support because she understands my passion.”

Sebastien enjoys fishing for different species, however, Walleye are his favourite to pursue.

You never know where you’ll find them; rock pile, humps, weeds, deeper water, etc.

Although he excels in jigging, Sebastien knows to get that big Walleye to bite he has to stay versatile by also bottom bouncing, live bait rigging, and using slip bobbers.

Whatever it takes, he’ll do it, he says.

Sebastien told me that he enjoys the adrenaline rush he gets from competing against some of the best Walleye Tournament Anglers in the north.

“In every tournament I learn something new,” he says.

I’d like to thank Sebastian for a great day on the water and thought it only fitting to end the interview with this statement from Sebastian on why he agreed to do this:

“After meeting David I knew we had lots in common… love for fishing. He told me that we should go fishing so he could get to know me better and that I should have my bio done. Since I never turn down a fishing invitation I agreed. I have this personal goal, it is to become a Pro Staff Angler. To achieve this goal I have to put myself out there and get people to know me as a serious and ambitious angler.”