Jul 22, 2008 - 04:30 AM

By Chris Hall

LAKE SCUGOG -- With a sharpshooter's precision and relentless determination, Doug Lavis casts over and over again into the shallow, green waters of Lake Scugog.

Under a brilliant blue sky on a recent sweltering Tuesday morning, Mr. Lavis stands at the front of a borrowed boat, displaying the angling skills he's accumulated over years and years of fishing.

First swinging back his rod, Mr. Lavis sends his lure flying towards a patch of weeds and lily pads with a mere flick of his wrist. The life-like mouse lure, which he's dubbed 'The Rat', hurtles a fair distance away from the boat, a small splash and some ripples the only tell-tale signs of its arrival as it bobs in the water. The Canada Geese nearby hardly notice.

In about 20 minutes on the water, Mr. Lavis has cast dozens of times. Out goes the lure, followed by the slow, steady reeling that drags the hook back over weeds and, in open spots, inches below the water.

It's a game of waiting, and Mr. Lavis is prepared to play.

With a slight wind pushing the boat, the weeds along the mouth of the Nonquon River get closer. A quick cast out onto the weeds and Mr. Lavis prepares to maneuver the boat away from the plant-life with a stomp of his foot on the trolling motor controls, but he's sidetracked by a sudden and vicious tug on the end of his line.

In a flash, his line goes taut and the end of his rod curves, nearly bending over under the weight of a fish struggling on the other end. Mr. Lavis' hands are a blur as he reels in the line and as quickly as the fish took its ill-fated bite, a three-and-a-half-pound bass is being lifted over the edge of the boat.

Pleased with his catch, Mr. Lavis closely and carefully examines the fish before unhooking it and tossing it back into the water.

"This is a really good lake. It's a got a really good fishery but people don't seem to care because of all the weeds, but the weeds are where the fish are," said Mr. Lavis, 54, a sales manager in real-life but a true fisherman at heart.

At the other end of the boat, Joe Montgomery is having just as much fun on the water, but without the same results. He casts over and over and over, trying to entice a fish or two to grab his lure. The countless geese swimming nearby provide most of Mr. Montgomery's entertainment for the morning - other then applauding Mr. Lavis' catches - but he's fished enough in his 85 years to know that sometimes the fish bite and sometimes they don't.

He's fished in every one of Canada's provinces and territories, each state in America and throughout Europe in his days. He holds world fly-fishing records. He also spins a great tale or two of his fishing adventures.

But most importantly on this day, like Mr. Lavis, he talks of how great the fishing is on Lake Scugog. And that's the point of the day.

In an effort to shed a little light on local tourist sites, Durham Tourism officials have pulled all the strings necessary to cobble together three fishing boats, a trio of angling experts, local and regional officials and the media for a morning of fun in the sun on Lake Scugog.

For years now, fishing on Lake Scugog has been a well-known pastime, explained Patrick Olive, Durham's commissioner of economic development and tourism. But in these days of skyrocketing fuel prices and competition for tourists, it's time to refocus on what Durham has to offer and to rekindle interest in local day-tripper destinations, he said.

"We want to significantly re-establish the importance of fishing in Durham Region and the diversity of fish in our lakes and the fact that Lake Scugog happens to have world-class fishing," said Mr. Olive.

The region, he continued from a perch beside the water at Goreski's Lakeside Resort, is a day-trip market and Durham is "anxious to create a destination for families and a place to take the kids, a great place to enjoy."

Also jumping on the chance to enjoy a morning out on the water was Scugog Mayor Marilyn Pearce. Teamed up with professional angler Danny Dunn, the veteran mayor made the most of her time by catching perhaps the nicest looking bass of the day.

"The fish were striking well and it was a great experience," she said, recalling with awe Mr. Dunn's wrestling match with a monstrous muskie. "It was fun to get out on the lake and see what it was all about and the fish certainly seem to be alive and well."

That was the general consensus of the day. In Mr. Lavis' mind, Scugog has some of the best fish around. They're clean, containing no parasites, bugs or worms, and their health appear to be "just unbelievable. They're nice, fat and healthy. They're very good, healthy fish, as far as I'm concerned."

As well, there's plenty of diversity, noted the fishing experts. There's fish of all sorts, from walleye, muskie and panfish to large- and small-mouth bass, and they come in all sizes.

Lake Scugog has had its ups and downs over the years, said Mr. Lavis. But, "in my opinion, it's holding its own."

Fishing, he continued, "is relaxing for me. It's not to put food on the table, it's a sport. If nothing else, it's a nice, slow boat ride. A bad day on the water is better than a good day at the office."

For more information on the attractions offered across Durham Region, visit www.durhamtourism.ca.