to the 2013 December Outdoors

Transcription

O
Your monthly magazine updated daily at OutdoorsWeekly.com - December 2013 - Page 1
To Fis Ice
Gu ur hi
id na ng
e m
In en
si t
de
!
In Print • Online • Mobile
Monthly sportsmen’s magazine
Volume 41, Issue 12
December 2013
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Ice Fishing Edition
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Page 6
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Page 2 - December 2013 - Your monthly magazine updated daily at OutdoorsWeekly.com
Firearms Deer Harvest
Down 6 Percent from 2012
DNR News
Minnesota hunters harvested
128,814 deer through the second
weekend of the 2013 firearms
season, according to preliminary
numbers announced Nov. 20 by the
Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources.
The season ended Sunday,
Nov. 17, for all but 100-series permit areas in the northeastern part
of the state, where the season concludes on Sunday, Nov. 24. A late
3B firearm season in southeastern
Minnesota begins Saturday, Nov.
23, and concludes Sunday, Dec. 1.
Firearm harvest to date is
down 6 percent from last year at
this time. Overall, antlered buck
harvest is down 7 percent and antlerless harvest is down 5 percent.
“Based on our population
estimates, the decrease in buck
harvest was not anticipated and
may reflect hunting conditions
more than population,” said Leslie
McInenly, DNR big game program
leader. “Based on the preliminary
numbers, our opening and second
weekend harvests from Saturday
to Monday were down 4 and 13
percent, respectively, and we experienced windy conditions the first
weekend and both wind and rain
the second weekend.”
Weekend harvests, particuFor more information
on the firearms deer season,
visit www.mndnr.gov/
hunting/deer
larly opening weekend, drive the
total harvest numbers. McInenly
stressed that these numbers are preliminary.
Much of the change in statewide antlerless harvest can be attributed to decreased harvest in the
northeastern portion of the state,
where antlerless harvest is currently down 25 percent.
Much of northern Minnesota
experienced an extended, moder-
ate-to-severe 2012-2013 winter,
likely impacting overwinter survival and fawn numbers this summer.
In response, the DNR reduced bag
limits and the number of either-sex
permits available in many northern
permit areas. Also, antlerless harvest continues to be reduced around
the former bovine tuberculosis
management zone in far northwestern Minnesota to allow the deer
population in that area to rebuild.
Ample hunting opportunities
remain. In addition to the continuing firearms season in northeastern
Minnesota and the late firearms
season in southeastern Minnesota,
the statewide muzzleloader season runs from Saturday, Nov. 30,
through Sunday, Dec. 15. The archery season closes on Tuesday,
Dec. 31.
Hunters are reminded that deer
must be registered online, via telephone or through an in-person visit
to a big game registration station
within 48 hours of harvest.
Final Weekend of Camp Ripley
Hunt Produces Harvest of 127
See
More n
o
Pics 5!
e
g
Pa
OutdoorsWeekly.com
Jeremy McBroom of
Chatfield, MN (pictured
with son, Kash) shot
this buck on November 8th with his bow.
This is a 5.5-year-old
buck that Jeremy had
a history with since the
buck was 3 years old,
which ended up scoring
135-7/8".
OutdoorsWeekly.com
Max Vosejpka took his
first deer, a 10-pointer,
near Lonsdale, MN, after
sitting for 7 hours.
photos by
Beau Liddell, DNR
Lonny Hutchins
of Swanville,
MN bagged this
219-pound buck
on November 2.
Tony Sutherland
of Stanchfield,
MN shot this
220-pound buck
on November 2.
Little Falls area wildlife manager.
both hunts was 4 percent higher than
haps during this year’s event.”
A combined total of 5,002 permits were issued for both two-day
hunts, with 4,488 hunters participating -- the highest participation rate
since the hunt began in 1954. Success across both hunts was 7 percent, which is 2 percent below the
long-term average of 9 percent, and
similar to the success experienced
during other hunts at Camp Ripley
earlier this fall.
For the 10th year, hunters at
Camp Ripley were allowed to use
bonus permits to increase harvest of
antlerless deer.
“We’re very pleased with the
results the past 10 years,” Liddell
said. “While Ripley bow hunters
are known to be selective for bucks,
we have seen increasing proportions
of does and fawns taken in recent
years to help keep the population in
check.”
The proportion of antlerless
deer taken at Camp Ripley during
with 63 percent of this year’s harvest comprised of does and fawns.
The largest buck taken on the
second hunt weighed 220 pounds
and was taken by Tony Sutherland
of Stanchfield.
DNRofNews
ion: Tony Sutherland
Stanchfield, MN bagged this 220-pound buck at the Camp Ripley Archery
the ofhunt
went
lastthis
year,
and buck
7 percent
higher
Hutchins
Swanville,
MN bagged
219-pound
at the Camp
Ripley than
Archery
on November 2 nd, 2013.
The hunt
administered
by the
Department of“Administration
Natural Caption:
ResourcesLonny
with of
Hunters
atis the
second
two-day
nd
, 2013. The
is administered
by the Department
of Natural
with
Hunt
on
eration from the Minnesota Department of Military Affairs. - photo taken
by Beau
Liddell,
DNR.
with
noNovember
major 2injuries
or hunt
misthe long-term
average
(56 Resources
percent),
Camp Ripley archery hunt Nov. 2-3 well
cooperation from the Minnesota Department of Military Affairs. - photo taken by Beau Liddell, DNR.
were greeted with excellent weather Saturday and breezy to moderate
gale-force winds on Sunday, with
archers harvesting 127 deer, according to the Minnesota Department of
Natural Resources (DNR).
The Nov. 2-3 harvest, coupled
with the 181 taken during the Oct.
26-27 hunt, ranks 16th best at Camp
Ripley. Windy weather resulted in
more than half of the participants
leaving Camp by mid-day of the
second day of each hunt this year.
The four-day total of 308 deer is
about 5 percent below the long-term
average harvest of 323 deer for the
two hunts combined, and represents
a 28 percent decline from last year’s
harvest of 431 deer.
“Although the take is lower
than we’ve come to expect in recent
years, hunters achieved a harvest
at camp that is just below the longterm average, and deer registered
this year were in exceptionally good
condition,” said Beau Liddell, DNR
Reader Pics
Other hunters who harvested large
bucks during second hunt include:
• Lonny Hutchins, Swanville,
219 pounds.
• John Ampe, Maple Grove,
202 pounds.
• Nathan Ruch, North
Mankato, 197 pounds.
Many large does were taken,
with 16 topping the 120-pound
mark. The largest doe taken
weighed 147 pounds and was
taken by Jacob Zeis of Burtrum.
The archery hunt at Camp Ripley is an annual event. The DNR
coordinates the hunt with the Department of Military Affairs, which
manages the 53,000 acre reservation.
OutdoorsWeekly.com
Mike Tasa of Clearwater, MN took this
10-pointer on the
Minnesota Rifle Opener
Nov 9th in the Verndale, MN area at 7:45
am. Inside spread was
14-1/2" with 10" G2's.
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Reader Pics
email your photos to [email protected]
or tag Outdoors Weekly on Facebook!
Photos courtesy Babe's Bait and Tackle, Ely, MN
www.babesbaitely.com
Norbert Malecha of Faribault, MN landed this 28-inch,
12.5-pound walleye on Burntside Lake.
Tim Bruehl of Rosemount, MN
caught this 36", 14 lb northern pike while fishing a cisco
on Burntside Lake.
Rich Knotz of Ely, MN caught
and released this 7 lb. walleye
on his birthday while fishing a
leech on Shagawa Lake. Great
present from Mother Nature.
Zach Smith of Ely, MN and
his mom, Holly, caught this
nice stringer of walleyes from
Basswood Lake while fishing
with Dennis Portinen.
Mark Nappa of Ely, MN is
becoming a regular with
walleyes over 8 pounds from
Burntside Lake. This one
weighed in at 8 lbs., 2 ozs.
and was 29" long. He was
using a leech from Babe's Bait
to claim this prize.
Photo by Jerry Carlson
Charlie Simkins with a nice
late summer bass he caught
while fishing cabbage weed
with a weedless jig.
Publisher
John Draper
Production Manager
Webmaster
April Tesch
Published Monthly
Updated Online Daily
OutdoorsWeekly.com
Jason Mora with his Southeast Ohio whitetail bow harvest
taken on Oct 21.
John McCourdy from Lemont, IL after a long drive, his
buddy, Kevin talked him into
going out fishing without rest
- knowing that the evening
was great fishing… and look
how it paid off. He caught this
27.9-inch, 9-pound walleye!
Sales & Marketing
Paul Lorang
Sales Manager, 507-215-0530
[email protected]
Jarrod Fredericks
Publication Director, 507-215-1505
[email protected]
Contributing Writers
Jerry Carlson
Jason Durham
Todd Amenrud
Mitch Eegan
Kurt Amundson
Jim Edlund
Jeff Andersen
Dennis Foster
Bob Bohland
Bob Boyd “Geezer Bob” Jason Freed
Mike Frisch
Eric Brandriet
Dave Genz
Matthew Breuer
Turk Gierke
Brian "Bro" Brosdahl
Adam Glickman
Doug Hanson
Bob Jensen
Doug Leier
Jason Mitchell
Ed Meyer
Tom Neustrom
Travis Peterson
Gary Rehbein
Scott Richardson
Bob & Ginny Riege
Tony Roach
Ron Schara
Mark Strand
Garett Svir
Ted Takasaki
Kyle Thompson
Babe Winkelman
Visit www.outdoorsweekly.com for daily updates!
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OutdoorsWeekly.com
Augie Legatt arrowed this 10-point buck in Wright County on
November 2. It field dressed at 171 pounds.
Photos courtesy Gateway
General, Kabetogama
kabfishingreport.com
View these photos &
other Reader Pics on
our Facebook Page!
[email protected]
Copyright© [2013]
OutdoorsWeekly.com Business Office:
115 2nd St. NE, PO Box 277, Pipestone, MN 56164
email: [email protected]
1-800-325-6440
Mike Franck of Jordan, MN
caught this 18" smallmouth
bass and 21" walleye while
fishing leeches. Below: Val
Franck caught this 21"
walleye. They were fishing on
Shagawa Lake.
On November 5th, 2013 Alan
Burchell from Kabetogama
caught this monster Whitefish
while netting. Alan has been
netting for many years and
has never caught a whitefish
of this size (10 pounds, 28
inches).
OutdoorsWeekly.com
Michael Misialek shot
this 5x5 249-pound
buck during North
Dakota's 2013 rifle
season.
RIpley Pics
From our Readers
The Camp Ripley hunt is
administered by the DNR with
cooperation from the
Minnesota Department of
Military Affairs.
photos by Beau Liddell, DNR
3 Generations
OutdoorsWeekly.com
When I was young, we took
a picture of My Dad, Grandfather, and myself with the first
deer we harvested on our farm.
This was in 1989. Last year I
was lucky enough to harvest
a big buck but we failed to get
the 3 generation picture. I
told my dad that if we ever got
another chance with a big buck
we had to get that picture.
This year I was lucky enough
to take an 11-point trophy
deer and we didn’t forget to
take our 3 generation photo.
Thanks, Dad, for teaching me
about hunting and the aspects of land management and
stewardship. Hopefully this is
something I can pass on to my
kids in the future.
Judd Machula
From left: Tom Machula,
Emmett Machula, Judd Machula
Nathan Ruch of North
Mankato, MN bagged this
Caption: Nathan Ruch of North Mankato, MN bagged this 197-pound buck at the Camp Ripley Archery
buck
on
Nov.
2. Resources with
Hunt on November 2197-pound
, 2013. The hunt is administered
by the
Department
of Natural
nd
TesT Drive CapiTal of The WorlD
riDe iT Before You BuY iT!
Troy Kipka of St. Joseph,
MN took this 189-pound
Caption: Troy Kipka of St. Joseph, MN bagged this 189-pound buck at the Camp Ripley Archery Hunt
buck
on byNov.
2. of Natural Resources with
on November 2 , 2013. The hunt
is administered
the Department
nd
Joe Czech of Little Falls,
MN shot this 183-pound
buck on Nov. 2.
Caption: Joe Czech of Little Falls, MN bagged this 183-pound buck at the Camp Ripley Archery Hunt
on November 2 nd, 2013. The hunt is administered by the Department of Natural Resources with
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Alexander Unruh of
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Caption: Alexander Unruh of Hastings, MN bagged this 185-pound buck at the Camp Ripley Archery
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December 13-15
2013
Arrowhead
ICE FISHING
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In addition:
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Ice Fishing Edition
Deep Basin Crappie Towns:
A Reliable
Strategy
By Jerry Carlson
The public access was almost
empty when I pulled in. As I unloaded my four wheeler, I could
see a few vehicles still on the ice,
but for the most part, the lake was
quieting down for the mid day lull.
Once on the ice, I pointed my
rig toward the cluster of houses at the far end of the lake. As I
zipped across the frozen surface,
I couldn’t help but wonder what I
would find amongst the ice shel-
#
ters today.
Once at the edge of the shanty
town, I parked and began the process of looking for suspended fish.
It was not hard to do as there were
plenty of old, frozen over holes
that allowed for me to pour a little water on the surface and get a
reading through the ice.
It took some time but eventually, my Vexilar lit up with fish
signals that were hovering just off
of bottom. Although there are nev-
er any guarantees, I was quite sure
these red marks were going to lead
to another fine morning of deep
basin crappie fishing.
It has been a lot of years since
I first started targeting deep basin
crappie towns in the winter. These
clusters of houses are a common
site across the Minnesota lakes
that I fish and generally get quite
a bit of fishing pressure in the low
light periods. However, they often
get little, if any fishing pressure,
during the daylight hours.
There are reasons for the lack
of daytime pressure in these crappie towns. First of all, many anglers are working during the day
and hit the lake on their way home
from their jobs.
I also believe that the traditional method of angling with
minnows at dusk does not produce
the same kind of results during the
day. Crappie are a lot fussier about
what they eat when the sun is high
than they are when the sun hits the
trees and the shadows are long.
From my experience, I have
found that by using Euro larvae
instead of minnows and by scaling
down the presentation to ultra light
line and sensitive rods, these fish
can be caught during the daylight
hours. The bite may not be as fast
and furious as it is at night, but the
crappie can usually be coaxed into
accepting an easy meal.
Deep basin crappie
towns can be a great
location strategy for
midday crappie. By
using two-pound-test
Berkley Micro Ice and
maggots on a Hexi Fly,
these fish can be coaxed
into a daytime bite.
I will admit that not every
deep basin crappie town is going
to have fish hanging around all
day. Sometimes, they just plain
disappear during the bright part of
the day and do not come back until
dusk.
There are other times when
they are in such a wandering mode
that I can never keep up with them.
Once I find them and drill a couple
of holes, they disappear.
However, for the most part, I
find that searching for suspended,
deep basin crappie amongst a cluster of houses is a pretty easy way
to go. Because of the nature of
deep basin fish, they rarely leave
the protection of their deep water
sanctuary.
Targeting suspended fish in
and amongst a cluster of houses
is not foolproof. There are certain
lakes and certain days when the
process just does not work.
However, I have been successful with this strategy a hundred times over the years. Because
of my track record, deep basin
crappie fishing is always a consideration whenever I am putting
together a game plan for my next
outing.
For more tips visit
www.jerrycarlsonoutdoors.com
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Ice Fishing Edition
The Eyes of the Underworld
By Tom Neustrom
Visually we look at a body
of water during the frozen period
and try to understand what lies
beneath. We visualize through the
use of our eyes what may translate
below the ice and we have learned
there are certain tools that have
given us the opportunity to have a
better idea.
Mapping, electronics and underwater cameras have become
our eyes when probing the underworld. I now can take those visual
thoughts when peering out on the
vastness of a frozen lake and make
immediate sense of the surroundings.
When I choose the body of water I intend to fish, it doesn’t hurt
to do a little homework. Lakemas-
ter’s Contour Elite is a tool that I
have been using for the last couple
years and it allows me to dissect
a lake to identify areas I intend to
fish. I can find the exact location
and utilize the 3-D mechanics of
the program to give me a visual
look at the structure using state of
the art software on my home PC.
I then print off a copy and take it
with me when I venture out. I can
also transfer existing GPS weigh
points to the map and be able to set
up shop on the” spot on the spot”.
Contour Elite quickly lets you turn
information into results.
Lakemaster gives me the tools
to evaluate my decisions when selecting not only the lake I intend
to fish, but spells out the structure
best suited for the species I am
fishing that particular day. Prior to
winter, I will comb likely haunts
to fish in the frozen period utilizing my open water tactics to locate likely areas. I incorporate my
Hummibird 998si to find the spots
and then lock in a GPS coordinate
to later transfer to my Humminbird 597 ci Combo for my winter
expeditions. The electronics of today have open an entire different
world when it comes to ice fishing. Humminbird has paid close
attention to the wants and needs of
anglers and have given us the best
equipment to locate and catch fish,
summer or winter.
The Ice 597 ci and the new Ice
386 ci are your best choice on ice
for multiple options. Choose from
graph mode or digital flasher with
loads of power for a clear view of
the bottom, your bait, and the fish.
With precision GPS and Lakemaster mapping you will make short
work of locating the exact spot
you intend to fish. It just doesn’t
get any better. The Ice Series of
flashers is loaded with innovations that are far and away your
best choice on the ice. Loaded
with features such as three to six
color palette choices depending on
the unit and you will instantly be
ready to find and catch fish. The
powerful Dual Beam Technology
lets you alter your plan immediately depending on the depth from
a 9-19 degree cone. The Ice 35, 45,
and 55 units are the brightest and
most detailed flashers available.
With digital readout on the
Mapping, electronics and underwater
Ice 45 and 55 it gives you a
cameras have become our eyes
2 fisted approach to being at
when probing the underworld.
the precise depth. Humminter quietly without a splash
bird: Simply, Clearly, Better.
ter understanding of what lies in
In the world beneath the ice the underworld. The Micro Series limiting the spooking of fish. The
an additional tool has made me re-imagines underwater cameras Micro ll also comes with a built in
better without a doubt. Aqua-Vu offering amazing color and clarity re-chargeable lithium-ion battery
has long been in the underwa- in a pocketsize package. The AV for up to 8 hours of run time and
ter camera business for decades. Micro ll comes with 50 feet of ca- a battery charger. It fits neatly into
They continue to step up and pro- ble and micro camera the size of your pocket for safe storage. With
duce the eyes that give me a bet- a bottle cap. It slips into the waUnderworld, See 9
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Ice Fishing Edition
By Mike Frisch
Quick Trip Walleye
Across the ice belt there is no
better time to put walleye on the
ice – and eventually in the fry
pan – than right now. Lots of us
who love to fish live within easy
driving distance of a body of water
that probably has walleye swimming in it and, a quick end- of-theday ice fishing trip can probably
result in at least enough fish for a
We
WANT
YOUR !
TRADe
meal. Here are some suggestions
for a simple, yet effective walleye
fishing excursion.
Timing
Early ice is the perfect time for
catching winter walleye as they
often bite best for a period coinciding with first safe ice. Another
important consideration revolves
around time of day. Many waters
across the Midwest offer a peak
walleye feeding period at first
light and again at day’s end.
The daylight-to-dark period,
is in fact, the favorite time for
most ice fishermen meaning that a
right after work, or “hey boss can
I leave an hour early” type trip can
often be very productive. If possi-
ble, it is best to try to get on the ice
as early as possible and get holes
punched, portable shelter up, and
lines in the water to avoid spooking walleye when they get active.
Organization
Many winter anglers have become adept at being organized and
very portable to take advantage
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Early winter is
a great time to
put walleye on
the ice.
of quick, end-of-the day opportunities when they arise. Having
a portable shelter packed with the
essentials in the back of the pickup truck and ready for a quick stop
at the bait shop and then to the lake
makes these type trips easy.
I have used Frabill’s one-person Commando portable shelter
for my early ice trips for several
years with great success. This
shelter stores all my gear, allows
for easy towing by hand, and doubles as an awesome fishing shelter
when I get to my fishing spot.
Before the season starts, I pack and
organize my gear so that when an
end-of-the-day opportunity arises,
I can easily be headed for the lake!
Fishing equipment
Another key to putting early
walleye on the ice is the use of
the right fishing lure and other
gear. For me, the always reliable
Buck-Shot Rattle Spoon is the "go
to" jigging lure at early ice. The
Super-Glo Perch pattern in the
1/8-ounce size has long been my
favorite. This year, the bait is also
offered in UV color patterns for
even greater visibility to lure fish
in from a wide radius.
Fishing aggressively with an
attractive jigging spoon is important to first ice walleye success.
The odds for success go up even
greater when combining this approach with a good sonar unit that
lets me "see" bottom, the jig, and
any fish that approach it. This allows me to raise or lower my bait
and adjust my jigging cadence to
the fish's liking.
Humminbird's Ice 597 ci Combo sonar/gps unit allows me to do
just that and, also allows me to
mark and find productive fishing
spots. In fact, I have been catching fish late this fall (as I write
this story) through open-water on
several lakes and will use the gps
capabilities of this unit to return to
the exact same productive spots at
first ice!
First ice is a great time to
head to a local walleye lake and
put some of these scrappy fish on
the ice and in the fry pan. Quick,
end-of-the day trips are often tailor
made for these fish. The suggestions just offered can, in fact, help
anglers score on "quick trip" walleye this winter!
Mike Frisch is a western Minnesota fishing guide. Visit his
website at www.fishinwithfrisch.
com.
Ice Fishing Edition
By Bob Jensen
Fishing the Midwest
Early Ice Fishing Tips
I woke up this morning to a
fairly heavy snowfall. That got
me thinking about ice-fishing. If
it’s snowing, ice on the lakes and
ponds isn’t far behind. Following
are some ideas for taking advantage of early ice ice-fishing.
First and foremost: Make sure the
ice is safe. Enough said on that
topic.
Next, fish with a friend, and
keep a rope in your bucket. If
you thought the ice was safe but
it wasn’t, your friend and the rope
can pull you to safe ice.
Now for the fishing part of
our early ice ice-fishing adventure. Keep in mind that the ice
will be thin, there probably won’t
be much if any snow cover, and
that you might be fishing shallow
water. You’ll be directly above
the fish, so they’ll be able to easily hear or see you. It’s important
to get on your spot and get holes
drilled before the bite starts. It
often takes the fish a few minutes
to calm down after you drill holes
and get set up. If you know you’re
before not eating it and moving
on. If they’re doing a lot of looking but not much eating, you need
to do something different. I’ve
seen plenty of times when the fish
wanted the bait held as still as possible. There have been other times
when color or shape was the dif-
We
WANT
YOUR !
TRADe
ference between catching and not
catching. If they’re looking but
not eating, give them something
else to look at.
One last early ice ice-fishing
idea: Do it! It’s a good time, if
you work it right you’ll get a few,
and it will teach you lots about
fishing year ‘round. The opportunity to watch fish up close as they
look at your bait will help you realize that they’re doing the same
thing in open water and will teach
an angler the importance of paying
attention to small details in your
lure presentation.
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on a good spot, keep your moving
around from hole to hole at a minimum.
If there is some snow cover,
and if it’s on a good spot, drill
your holes on the snow. The snow
will muffle the noise a bit and will
camouflage your movements.
Starting early in the season
and going through the entire season, determine your lure size by
the fish you’re going after. You
might want to catch some panfish,
but different panfish have different
lure preferences. Take a look at a
bluegill’s mouth, then compare it
to a crappie’s mouth. The ‘gill has
a smaller mouth and will respond
better to smaller baits. Really tiny
baits on light line can be the difference between a few ‘gills and a
bunch of ‘gills.
Early in the season you can
often see fish with your eyes,
especially panfish, as they look
at your bait. Much of the time
they’ll come in and look your bait
over quite a bit before eating it, or
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Pay attention
to details under
early ice and
your chances
for success will
improve greatly.
As soon as the ice is ready, get
on it and get bit. We’ll see you out
there.
To see the new episodes of
Fishing the Midwest television go
to fishingthemidwest.com Join us
at Facebook.com/fishingthemidwest
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Destination Feature
By Bob Jensen
Fishing the Midwest
Favorite Fishing
Spots from
During the course of a fishing
season, I get to fish a lot of different lakes, rivers, and reservoirs.
Some lakes go through changes,
some good, some not so good.
This past year I had the opportunity to fish several bodies of water
that have changed some since the
last time I was there. Here’s what
I mean.
Kabetogama Lake in Voyageur’s National Park in northern
Minnesota has been one of my
favorite lakes for years. Kab has
an outstanding population of walleyes, both eaters and big ones. In
2013
mid-July 2013 we visited this island studded lake, a time when action can be slow. Both the days we
fished the skies were bright and
the wind was light, conditions that
usually don’t help. Nonetheless,
we caught lots of walleyes, but
what really surprised me was the
number of perch we caught. In the
past we never caught many perch
on Kab, but this year we caught
a bunch of them, and they were
big ones. The perch population on
Kab is cycling up, creating another
outstanding fishing opportunity on
an outstanding lake.
Another trip had me visiting
Lake Winnibigoshish in north
central Minnesota. Back in the
early 80’s I lived in this area and
visited Winnie quite a bit. It was
a good body of water then, it is
Kevan Paul caught this crappie in
Clear Lake in north central Iowa.
Several species of panfish are on
the upswing in Clear Lake.
world class now. On this trip I
fished with Craig Brown. Craig
and his wife Paige have owned
McArdle’s Resort on Winnie for
a good number of years and have
seen the changes the lake has gone
through.
Just a few years ago, perch
harvest on Winnie was virtually unlimited. Some anglers took
advantage of this and depleted the
perch population. Then a perch
limit was put in place, and not so
long after a slot limit on walleyes
was implemented. Now Winnie
has some of the best walleye and
perch fishing you’ll find anywhere, and it appears that it will
2013, See 32
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Destination Feature
Devils Lake
About to Get Hot
By Devils Lake CVB
With the cold Thanksgiving
week, anglers are gearing up for
their first Devils Lake perch forays
of the season. The back bays and
even some major portions of this
sprawling North Dakota lake have
frozen, however local authorities
are in the “warning mode,” and
urging first-icers to use the utmost
caution.
Perch have always been a
Devils Lake favorite, and since
surveys began, area fisheries researchers show populations of
large perch at record levels. Biologist Todd Caspers said, “Since our
surveys began in 1992, we now
have a record level of 12inch and larger perch in
the system, with most of
those being right at a foot
long or slightly bigger. I
expect ice fishermen will
have good luck with perch
in the winter months.”
eyes and northern pike, along
with some white bass. Looking
at the early fishing with the help
of a 25-year Devils Lake regular and Perch Patrol guide Dave
Randash could help narrow the
search. “Wait for 4 to 5 inches
of ice before walking out,” he advised. “And, plan the day so early
morning and late afternoon become your walleye-times. Target
perch in mid-day.”
His perch advice is to start
with the hot “early” areas from
last year: the east side of Creel
Bay (across from Woodland Resort) and the “dome” house area
on Creel. The region referred to
Dave Randash (left), of the
Perch Patrol with a pair
of walleyes and an angler
he guided holding a giant
northern pike.
To put the “record level” in
perspective, Caspers said, “The
numbers of 12-inch plus perch that
we encountered in our survey this
year are at the highest level that
we have documented since our
surveys began in 1992.” The actual numbers show the current level
of 12-inch plus perch to be three
times the average.
Ice fishermen will also encounter amazing numbers of wall-
as “Doc Hagens” was also a top
producer. He will also be checking the Pelican and Minnewaukan
Flats. “Early perch for me means
fishing water from 35 to 54 feet
deep,” he said.
Favorite perch tactics include a small Northland Buckshot
spoon tipped with a minnow head
or a wax worm. Randash also has
a second rod with a heavy dropper to get his tiny jigs with waxies
down immediately after catching
a perch. “The school doesn’t remain long; make hay while you
can,” he said. “Often, a third rod
with a bobber and a tail-hooked
minnow works best.” Anglers
Devils Lake, See 32
CatCh Our
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Destination Feature
Ice Fishing Lake of the Woods
The Comfortable Way
Zippel Bay Resort, early ice...
Ice fishing has evolved. Families and groups
have started traditions of an ice fishing trip,
with all the comforts of home...and then some.
By Joe Henry
When you think about ice
fishing, what do you think about?
If images of freezing your buns
off are dancing through your
mind, think again. Ice fishing
on Lake of the Woods has come
a long way. In order to make
the experience applicable to the
masses, resorts and outfitters
have taken steps to make it enjoyable, even to the novice.
Ice fishing in heat and comfort. Let’s put it this way, although we recommend dressing
for the weather, some folks get
away with a light jacket. That’s
because a visitor fishing through
an outfitter goes from a heated
resort, to a heated ice rig, to a
heated fish house with the holes
already drilled. Once inside, you
can create a sauna if you really
want to. Yes, set the thermostat
to your desired temp, and prepare
yourself to have some fun.
Everything is provided. Resorts realize that not everyone is
an avid ice angler. Most offer the
fishing equipment needed to haul
in the big ones. Some even rent
ice electronics by the day, so you
can see when the fish come below
your fish house. We do not call
this cheating in these parts. This
is really more of a form of an
adult video game. You can liter-
ally watch to see how the fish react to your lure and presentation.
Addicting? To say the least.
Bring your own lunch and
beverages out to the fish house,
or have the resort take care it.
Many offer lunch of some kind.
Let them know at least a day before and it will be ready when you
head out in the morning. Some
actually deliver heated lunch
right to your door. Yeah, really
roughing it!
When you get back to shore, many resorts offer the service of
fish cleaning. Rather than worrying about the fish, enjoy happy hour with the many other anglers from around the Midwest.
Your catch will be professionally
cleaned and packaged.
The wonder of winter in
God’s Country. For many, the entire experience of being in God’s
Fun for many is the
fantastic fishing.
The Walleye Capital of
the World is arguably
The Ice Fishing Capital
of the World.
Thousands flock to
this bountiful water
each winter to take part
in world class fishing
for walleyes, sauger,
jumbo perch, northern
pike, eelpout, whitefish
and lake trout.
Bombardier, track rig Arnesens...
From heated resort to heated track rig to heated fish
house, ice fishing appeals even to novice ice anglers.
Fish house,
ice fishing...
The sun sets on a
fish house surrounded
by the beauty of the
frozen Walleye Capital
of the World.
Country is fabulous enough. For
others, it is the adventure of going miles out on to a frozen lake,
with ice depths exceeding 3 feet
at times of the year. Fish houses
sit atop the most productive fish-
ing areas. All shapes, colors and
styles exist.
Once past the fish houses, the
frozen lake can look like frozen
tundra. For miles and miles, all
you can see is white with an oc-
casional ice upheaval breaking up
the beautiful tranquility. This is a
brutally cold environment, made
accessible with innovative people
and equipment. It is breathtaking.
At night, because of very
little light pollution and the fact
you are so far north, the stars and
planets absolutely light up the
sky. If you have not seen it, it is
awe inspiring. If you get lucky,
you might even see the northern
lights. Some nights, colors dance
across the sky in a way nobody
could ever create.
Fun for many is the fantastic fishing. The Walleye Capital of the World is arguably The
Ice Fishing Capital of the World.
Thousands flock to this bountiful
water each winter to take part in
world class fishing for walleyes,
LOW, See 15
tm
Lake of the Woods
Ice Conditions Report
Sportsman's Lodge
Baudette, MN
sportsmanslodges.com
800-862-8602
It's Freezing
Season!
Temperatures below zero
and single digits the past
few days. Great ice making
weather! We plan to venture out and do our first
ice thickness check later
this week (11-27). Stay
tuned! The forecast looks
cold. Do you have your
winter reservation in yet?
Give us a for call and ask
about our NEW Villas at
Sportsman's Lodge Rainy
River location! Sportsman's Lodge Rainy River
location call 800-862-8602
Sportsman's Oak Island
Lodge or Eagle Ridge location call 800-772-8411!
LakeofthewoodsMN.com |
/lakeofthewoodsmn | 800.382.FISH (3474)
Lake of the Woods Destinations
LOW, From 14
sauger, jumbo perch, northern
pike, eelpout, whitefish and lake
trout.
Fish Fry’s are Tradition. With
excellent fishing comes delicious
fish fry’s. As resorts offer menus
that offer variety that rivals many
larger establishments, fresh walleye is certainly a popular option.
Anglers have the option of having their day’s catch cleaned and
cooked up at many of the resorts
on the lake and Rainy River, or
simply order it right off of the
menu.
Folks staying in a cabin often
choose to cook up their catch on
their own. Most cabins are fully
stocked with the facilities and
utensils to cook for a good crowd.
Frying fish along with a few of
your favorite beverages, maybe
a sporting event on TV or simply
camaraderie of your group certainly make for good memories.
Enjoyable evenings. Ice fishing and the natural wonders are
just the start. When guests to
Lake of the Woods talk about fun,
there are many definitions. For
many, part of the experience is at
after 5pm when the local resort
bars and restaurants begin to fill
up with ice anglers. Folks from
all over the country converge to
swap fishing stories, share a beverage and perhaps watch a game.
Some resorts feature live bands,
karaoke and DJ’s.
This is an active place in the
winter. Lots of solitude while on
of the Woods
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See page 30 for Lake of the Woods Fishing Report!
the ice and If a person desires,
stimulation during the evenings
on shore.
Enjoyable for some is heading back to the cabin or room with
friends/loved ones and relaxing.
The days of freezing your
buns off while ice fishing are
behind us. The resorts that surround The Walleye Capital have
made ice fishing simple and comfortable for just about anyone.
Regardless of your fishing experience, give ice fishing on Lake
of the Woods a try this year. See
why so many folks who visit are
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Ice Fishing Edition
Focus on Styles of Fishing
Adding to the Ice Revolution
When it comes to
modern ice fishing, there is a direct connection
between tools and
techniques. The
tools make the
techniques possible. And yet, when
it comes to talking
about the tools, we
often lose the direct
connection to the
techniques.
That all ends here. When you
talk ice fishing tools with Dave
Genz, the discussion always starts
and ends with what the tools get
used for. Approach it this way and
your equipment selection is simplified. This time, we focus on
styles of fishing. When you know
what kind of angler you are, you
can do a better job of gathering up
the right tools.
“So, rather than just talking
about new products and their features,” begins Genz, “let’s talk
about how you’re going to use
whatever you use.”
He begins thinking out loud,
talking about how some ice anglers – himself included – head
onto the ice with a game plan that
includes remaining mobile. That
is, the primary strategy is to drill
lots of holes and fish them quickly, looking for active biters. Other
anglers – and it can be a function
of the type of ice shelter they use –
tend to drill fewer holes, and focus
mainly on catching whatever fish
are under them. As time passes,
it’s often the same fish (that have
already seen your initial offering)
that you’re trying to catch.
“It’s those two different styles
of fishing,” says Genz, “and both
are effective. Which one do you
want to be? If you’re fishing out
of a hub-style house or a wheeled
fish house or a permanent shack,
you aren’t going to move as much.
Maybe not at all. So you need
lots of rods, all rigged with something different, to try to catch the
fish that are camped under your
house.”
He talks about top competitors in ice tournaments, and how
they want to be mobile and move
to many holes, looking for biters,
but the crowd on the spots makes
it hard to fish that way. “Tournament guys are faced with that a
lot,” he says. “There are people
on all the spots, so you’re forced
to make those fish bite that are in
your area.”
He talks about pressured fish
and how they tend to be harder to
tempt. He brings up Jim Martin,
a Michigan fisherman known for
his ability to catch fish in crowds
during tournament hours. “Jim
Martin is the master at having lots
of rods rigged up ahead of time,”
says Dave. “He puts a lot of effort into tying up all these rods
By Dave Genz
part 2
the night before. His plan is to get
those fish to bite by dropping a different bait down there. Something
new.”
The point is clear: if your mobility is limited, either by choice
or circumstance, it becomes more
important to try to coax a few reluctant fish into biting. It’s more
likely that you are going to be sitting over fish that are slow to react. Active biters get caught quickly, then you settle in to a period of
working over tough customers.
In this scenario, it’s more likely that the bites are going to be soft
and hard to detect. The fish tend to
ease up to your bait and perhaps
half-heartedly suck at them, maybe just getting the bait to touch
the outside of their lips. There is
a theory in fishing that you “get
what you ask for” from the fish,
meaning that if you fish slow and
subtle, you get timid bites. If you
fish more aggressively, you tend
to trigger more aggressive bites.
But even that aside, in many cases when you’re camped on a spot,
Genz says, the bites become harder to detect.
This is one of the reasons
that spring bobbers are effective
tools for a lot of people. “But you
have to realize,” says Genz, “that
putting a spring bobber on your
rod limits what you can do with
the presentation.” We’ve talked about this before, but a spring
bobber generally ‘smooths out’
the presentation, making it more
of a swimming thing rather than a
rapidly-vibrating thing as with the
Genz Pound.
The good news is that, if you
like to fish with spring bobbers
and they match your style well,
that your rods are going to cost
less. You don’t need a great rod
with a spring bobber. The rod
can’t be a mushy train wreck, but
any reasonable rod will do when
paired with a spring. So it makes
it more affordable to gather up an
The classic Genz
style of ice fishing is
defined by moving
a lot, dropping your
bait into as many
holes as possible
until you catch
the fish you came
for. Staying in one
spot longer can be
effective, but the
premium becomes
dropping a wider
variety of baits down
to try to tempt what
are often the “same
fish.” Whatever style
you choose, gear up
for success. As you
can see here, the line
between shelter and
clothing has been
blurred, making it
easier to “fish outside” while remaining
comfortable.
Photo: davegenz.com
arsenal of rods, allowing you to do
the Jim Martin thing and hit the ice
with lots of rods, pre-rigged with
different style and color baits.
Sight Fishing
Next stop: sight fishing. Dave
goes into his thoughts on gear and
outlook when you can see the fish.
“And remember, these days we
can sight-fish at any depth,” he
says, “because you can use an underwater camera and see deep fish,
too, as long as the water is clear
enough.”
After watching countless others sight-fish, and doing plenty
of it himself, Genz came to the
following conclusion: when you
can see the fish, you tend to slow
down, or stop, your presentation as
the fish gets closer. “It’s like you
want to make it easy for the fish to
catch your bait,” theorizes Dave.
“So you slow everything down or
stop. That’s when your line starts
untwisting, so the bait starts spinning. Most fish lose interest when
the bait is spinning.”
This has been a long-standing
issue. Some sight fishermen have
learned to grab the line to keep it
from spinning. But now you have
a hook-setting problem, because
your line is in one hand, and there
is probably slack line between
your hand and the rod. The fish
sucks in the bait, you deal with the
mess, and the fish has long since
spit it back out before you get the
hook set.
The best answer to the whole
spinning bait thing has been the
introduction of ‘fly reels for ice
fishing,’ so the line peels straight
off without twisting. Genz was
instrumental in designing the Ice
Spooler series for Clam, which
features a longer ‘reel stem’ so the
reel doesn’t sit tight to the rod, as
a true fly reel would. This lets you
get your hand in there and hold it
like a traditional reel.
You can use a rod with a spring
bobber on it for sight fishing, but
the spring bobber is not useful for
detecting bites when you can already see the fish, and the spring
limits your presentation options.
So perhaps the ultimate sight rod
is one that allows you to either
‘pound it’ or swim it smoothly,
and minimizes line twist so the
bait won’t spin around as you slow
down or stop the presentation.
Mobile Attack
Genz’s favorite style of ice
fishing, the style he built the modern ice revolution around, is sometimes called run and gun. This is
where you attack the lake, drilling
holes on many promising spots,
fishing quickly, looking for active
biters, moving on. You keep moving, in most cases, even when you
catch fish, because the theory is
that there are only so many active
biters in an area at any given point
in time.
As soon as the action slows,
you’re on the move, drilling more
holes.
Fishing this style was the inspiration for what became the
original ‘blue suit’ by Clam, which
has evolved into a series of ice
fishing-specific suits that block
the wind, let you kneel down on
the ice, and just generally keep
your comfortable while fishing
‘outside’ in the elements. It has
become part of ice fishing lingo to
say that you’re wearing your portable shelter, using tools like Fish
Traps primarily to block the wind
better, to see better for sight fishing, and to get warm before going
out on the next attack.
The theory behind this fishing
style has been proven so many
times that it’s no longer a theory.
On most days, this approach produces the most fish, and the biggest fish. It places a premium on
the first drop down a new hole,
a time when the most aggressive
fish is likely to rise up out of the
pack and beat the others to your
bait. These are often the biggest
fish in the area.
“Our style of fishing,” says
Dave, “is we use the same jig and
fish it in a lot of holes.”
It’s not that he never changes baits. In fact, he brings about
four pre-rigged rods with baits
he thinks should produce. But it’s
common for him to keep dropping
the same jig down many holes. His
classic presentation style is called
the Genz Pound. To execute it, you
need a high quality rod that lets
you remain in control of many rapid, tiny vibration-like movements
you impart to the bait, and distinctly feel each cycle. What you
are feeling is the ‘bottom of each
bounce,’ and you train your hands
and brain to notice when the cycle of boomp-boomp-boomp gets
interrupted. That usually means a
fish has sucked it in, and it’s already past time to set the hook!
It’s difficult or impossible to
fish this style without a top-quality rod. This is the style we talked about last time, that has Genz
so excited about the new Legacy
rods. “They’re the most affordable
rods ever,” he says, “that let you
fish this way.”
That’s it for today. There’s always a reason for the gear selections, if you think about the style
of fishing you plan to do. Hopefully, this will help you gather up
the right stuff before you head out
onto the ice.
Dave Genz, known as Mr. Ice
Fishing, was the primary driver of
the modern ice fishing revolution.
He has been enshrined in the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall
of Fame and Minnesota Fishing
Hall of Fame for his contributions
to the sport. For more fishing tips
and to order his new info-packed
book, Ice Revolution, go to www.
davegenz.com.
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A Toast to America's Hunting
and Fishing Heritage
Wildlife Forever to conserve
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Safety Cover Keeps
Gear (and You)
Atop Ice
You’ve wheeled your ice shanty
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set it in place, are prepared for a
fine weekend on the ice. You catch
some perch, fry them up for dinner, and now it’s time to crawl into
your bunk for a nice winter’s night
nap.
Suddenly, the sound of the rattle reel jolts you from a sound
sleep—a fish has grabbed your
bait! You pile out of bed to grab
the line, but still half asleep, you
step directly on a different hole. If
it’s not covered with a Safety Cov-
great outdoors, and supports the
conservation of fish and wildlife.
Cheers!" Since 1987, Wildlife
Forever is America's leading
multi-species organization and
the nonprofit conservation arm
of the North American Hunting
Club and North American Fishing
Clubs representing more than 1
million hunters and anglers. Last
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No matter which species is your
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Remember Rod & Rifle Bourbon
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To find the distributor
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go to: www.rodandriflebourbon.com/distributors.
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Catch Cover’s new Safety Cover
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your holes ice free. Stomp on it on
your way to land the big walleye
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nothing happens. In use, Safety
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rods, cell phones, keys and other
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Simply place the Safety Cover over the hole—with or without
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Catch Cover’s Safety Cover retails for $19.99.
For more information, contact Catch Cover, 218-4544760; www.catchcover.com.
Give a gift subscription to
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About Wildlife Forever:
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Never Worry About
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Tears in neoprene waders and
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Clam Ice Auger
Conversion Kit
Clam’s Ice Auger Conversion Kit
allows an angler to use an 18-volt
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Providing enough power to drill
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Clam Psycho Shad
Even before we’d fished the Psycho Shad, it was a show stopper.
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Hot tip: gathers fish into an area
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Gift Guide
Aqua-Vu Goes
Macro with
New Feature
Rich Micro 5
Original underwater camera
company engineers lightweight, tablet-sized viewing
system
Imagine viewing an antiquated cathode ray tube TV one day
and suddenly, an iPad® the next.
A nearly parallel transformation
in technology occurred when underwater camera category leader
Aqua-Vu® engineered its popular
Micro™ Viewing Systems several
seasons back. Today, these convenient hand-size cameras remain
exclusives in the industry—testament to the company’s foresight in
fish technology.
This year, the Minnesota based
electronics outfit has circulated
several new Micro models, including the tablet-sized, ingeniously
enhanced Micro 5™. Engineered
with an expanded yet ultrathin
footprint, the Micro 5 features a
wider 5-inch LCD coupled with
miniaturized camera optics the
size of a bottle-cap. The new advanced LCD displays colorful underwater scenery with wickedly
sharp resolution and dazzling
brightness—a dramatic, noticeable upgrade over previous technology.
Professional angler Brian “Bro”
Brosdahl highly appreciates the
advance. “The brightness and resolution of the new Aqua-Vu Micro
5 delivers an obvious increase in
daylight ‘viewability.’ The handsize unit includes a built-in sunshield for blocking out the sun,
but you really notice how easy the
screen is to read on its own.”
Powered by a tiny yet potent
rechargeable lithium-ion battery,
Micro 5 and other Micro systems
operate for up to 7 hours—ample
time to survey structure for several days on the water. Connected to
the LCD with 100-feet of thin yet
muscular optical cable, the Micro
5 camera reveals dramatic underwater surprises, thanks to its
non-threatening miniature posture.
“The beauty of the Micro 5,” says
make a great addition to any cabin
or lake home. We offer lake maps
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Bro, “is that it delivers big screen
viewing in a really lightweight,
portable package. On the ice, I like
to ‘speed-view,’ cruising from hole
to hole to find schools of big bluegills. Micro 5 is compact enough
to fit in my coat pocket, or in my
tackle bag, and it’s so light and ergonomic that underwater viewing
now feels like stealth surveillance.
There’s no burden of carrying
around a heavy monitor and battery. I can cradle the LCD in one
hand and manipulate the camera
with the other. And I love that the
camera has a fin adaptor that lets
me down-view, side-view and even
up-view with a quick adjustment.”
Beyond unprecedented easeof-use, Micro 5 is loaded with extras, such as a built-in DVR with
an 8-GB hard drive, and a USB
port for connecting to computers
other devices. This advanced mini
Aqua-Vu offers another exclusive:
3X Digital Zoom for examining
fish and cover up close. Further,
integrated adjustable IR lighting
illuminates deep and dark water.
While the LCD itself is sheathed by
an IP67-rated waterproof case.
“It’s certainly the most advanced, yet user-friendly Aqua-Vu
system to date,” adds Bro. “The
Micro 5 is a dream to use on the
ice—incredibly portable and convenient. But what I really dig is
that the unit is just as valuable in
my boat. Mounted beside my sonar, or stowed in the glovebox, the
Micro 5 is always ready to solve
underwater mysteries and positively ID fish species and structure.”
The Original Underwater
Viewing System, Aqua-Vu is
manufactured by Outdoors
Insight, Inc., and has led
the underwater camera category in design, innovation
and quality since 1997. The
Central Minnesota based
company builds many popular outdoors products, such
as the iBall Trailer Hitch
Camera (iballhitchcam.com)
and Odor Check Moisture
and Odor Control System
(odorcheck.com) featuring
Scent-Lok Technology. For
more information on AquaVu, visit www.aquavu.com.
ing maps, canoe route maps, and
close-up maps of your farm or
home. We also offer, where imagery is available, now and then
maps featuring historical photography and new imagery blended
to create a unique map for your
property that will impress all your
guests. Be on the cutting edge,
with brand new LIDAR imaging,
which shows the topography of
your land. Please contact us with
any mapping requests you may
have, we would love to talk with
you about your next map.
northwoodsmapping.com
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Ice Fishing Edition
Techno Rigging on Ice
Maximizing Modern Electronics Today
By Ted Pilgrim with
Brian “Bro” Brosdahl
Remarkable to consider that
in a short span of years, we’ve
progressed from 5-gallon buckets and toy sleds to ultra-modern
“boats on ice.” Hardwater anglers today often own multiple
portable shelters, plus a snowmobile, ATV, and even a larger
luxury shelter tricked-out with
satellite TV. If you’re as serious
about the sport as Brian “Bro”
Brosdahl, you might even own
one of the new amphibious ice
machines, such as the Wilcraft,
which both drives over the frozen terrain and safely floats
across open waters.
Bro, whose Northern Minnesota home lies smack dab in
the middle of a thousand natural
lakes, spends countless hours
each winter searching for fresh,
untouched fish. More than anything else, he relishes finding
and then catching big bluegills
and walleyes— well away from
community holes. Spend a day
fishing one of Bro’s hot spots
and you might be tempted to
think he’s got it easy, surrounded by so many hungry, heavyweight fish. The truth—though
he doesn’t like to dwell on it—is
that he simply spends more time
searching, scouting, and sleuthing than anyone else. The other
bit of truth is that although it
takes extra time and effort, Bro
really does savor the search. Yet
he’d freely admit that without
the awesome array of fish-finding technology at his fingertips,
the process would be nearly insurmountable, besides being a
lot less fun.
“On the lake, I avoid crowds
at all costs,” says the legendary,
otherwise gregarious ice man. “I
like to find my own fish. But even
though the next big bluegill bite
might be right around the corner,
you’ll never find it on your own
if you’re not prepped for speedy,
efficient surveillance—and that
means using the right tools for
the job.”
Speed Viewing
One of the true secrets to
Bro’s genius for discovering
giant panfish— beyond his unmistakable sixth-sense— is a
favored fish-finding device.
Among the earliest adopters of
underwater cameras for ice fishing, Bro has lately been palming
an Aqua-Vu Micro, reaching
into his pocket for the compact
device at opportune occasions.
While searching along weedlines or over broad shallow flats,
Bro enters what he calls ‘speed
viewing mode.’ Walking briskly from hole to hole, he quietly dips the camera optics into
each icy opening. Holding the
smartphone-sized unit close to
his chest like a deck of cards, he
stealthily spies on fish and their
terrain, silently noting species,
size and numbers, as well as va-
Good tools produce
good work.
Bro’s motto continues
to serve him well.
“The ability to watch my
lure on sonar, or monitor fish
response on the Aqua-Vu, or do
both at the same time is just an
awesome advantage. The things
the camera shows really help me
get the maximum benefits from
my sonar. It’s the best learning
tool there is, because it’s always
confirming or disproving what I
think I’m seeing on sonar. And
at any time, I can instantly disconnect the camera and go into
speed viewing mode out on the
open ice.”
Tricked-Out
Rigging
Owner of no fewer than half
a dozen Frabill shelters, plus
multiple snowmobiles, ATVs
and even an amphibious Wilcraft, Bro’s always tweaking and
riety of vegetation.
Although the bottle-capsized camera optics can be
rigged to view in any direction—
including down, up and sideways—Bro prefers a panoramic
perspective, simply twisting the
cable between his thumb and
index finger to observe the terrain all around his position. “The
nice thing about this camera,” he
offers, “is that I can change the
direction the lens points in seconds. The little view-fin is super
easy to adjust, so I can be sideways viewing one moment and
then switch to get a bird’s eye
view for sight-fishing the next.”
Bro estimates that while deploying the miniature viewing
system, he’s able to filter through
vast stretches of fishless water
and find the sweet spots twice
as fast as he could by searching
with a rod and a lure. “By simply fishing, it’s not always easy
to determine where the bee-hives
of panfish are stationed. Some-
Multi-viewing educates and entertains, whether you’re
in a portable or a permanent shelter.
Techno rigging puts you on big fish and plenty of them.
Bro calls it
‘multi-viewing,’
coupling sonar
and an underwater
camera to receive the
optimum data and
maximum results.
times, they’re in the thickest
cabbage, or in little clearings between thick coontail. But just as
often, the biggest ‘gills or crappies are simply hovering in totally random areas that look completely un-remarkable on screen.
You absolutely need a camera to
put yourself on the money.”
Bro continues: “Sure, I can
fish all across a big flat with a
Bro Bug or a Northland Bloodworm and catch a few. But the
camera shows me the largest
flocks of fish, as well as the biggest individual bluegills or crappies. And the device is so small
that I can quickly put it in my
pocket and then start fishing with
the rod that’s been in my other
hand all along. Before I had this
little camera, instant switching
between underwater viewing and
fishing wasn’t possible.”
Multi-Viewing
Once set up on one of his
money spots, Bro often continues
fishing with the camera, but adds
sonar to the equation. He calls
the powerful pairing of electronics, ‘multi-viewing.’ “I get the
best of both worlds—sonar and
underwater view— simultaneously,” he says. Connected to a
special snake-arm mount, which
C-clamps to handle of Bro’s
Humminbird ICE-55 or 597 unit,
the Micro cam displays real-time
underwater video right alongside
his sonar.
retooling the way his sets them
up with electronics—GPS, sonar, underwater cameras, and
other multimedia accoutrements.
“Multi-viewing can also be
done inside your portable shelter, your pickup truck, ATV and
of course, your large permanent
fish house,” he says. “The key is
to make everything interchangeable. I use different mounts and
hardware from RAM Mounts,
Aqua-Vu, Humminbird and some
homemade jobbers that allow me
to swap units between different
modes of transportation. I also
pre-rig each shelter and vehicle
with its own power supply—be
it a cigarette lighter plug, extra
12-volt battery or even a built-in
battery charger for replenishing
portable sonar power or underwater cameras.
“I want to be able to take my
Micro camera, mount it inside
my Frabill portable, pop it off for
speed-viewing on foot, and then
re-attach it beside my Humminbird while fishing on open ice.
Same deal with sonar and GPS.
With a variety of quick-release
mounts and brackets mounted
in optimal locations inside shelters and on vehicle consoles, I’m
never without that critical underwater data at my fingertips. Even
at ice out, I can quickly transfer
units and new waypoints back to
my boat. Snap, you’re back at
the helm, wrestling big fish.”
Ice Fishing Edition
Scratching the Panfish Itch
By Garett Svir
It’s finally my favorite time of
year, early ice. My auger is tuned
up and ready. My new Clam shelter is assembled, and my Vexilar
battery is charged. My thoughts
have started to drift to what skills
I would like to hone this season.
The addicting part of ice fishing for me is putting together the
puzzle and unlocking the mysteries of the world below the frozen
surface. That equals finding fish
where others seldom look. According to a recent survey on my
Facebook page, an overwhelming
amount of anglers say the greatest
skill an ice angler can improve on
is the art of finding fish. This was
seen as a greater skill than jigging
style and bite detection. Then why
do some anglers congregate over
community hot spots, so accepting that the fish are simply not
biting? These anglers have yet to
be stricken with what we refer to,
in my group of friends, as the fish
itch.
The fish itch is extremely contagious and usually comes on
shortly after having success off
the beaten path. Far out of sight,
anglers with the fish itch, strike
out confidently over fresh untapped ice. Symptoms begin as a
feeling of persistence that drives
you to keep searching until you
have located fish. As symptoms
eventually progress, you will begin to find larger concentrations
of willing biters. Rumor has it that
some anglers, who have had the
itch for years, will eventually be
able to pursue some of the largest
specimens in a given lake, known
as slabs and bulls. You will begin
to recognize anglers with the itch
this winter as they move quickly
between holes, Vexilar in hand. If
you have been stricken, here are
some ways that you can scratch
the fish itch this season.
Lessons from
the Past
Taking lessons from the past
is a huge part of finding fish on
your own and gaining confidence
away from the community hot
spot. When going to a new body
of water, try to find areas that have
the same characteristics as the areas where you have caught fish in
the past. Panfish tend to relate to
similar areas on most bodies of
water. Learning to identify fish
holding characteristics and translating them to different bodies of
water will lead to future success.
One of my favorite crappie spots is
a 20’ depression in the middle of a
small shallow bay. When I study a
lake map of a new body of water, I
always highlight areas that mimic
my favorite spot back home. One
tip can be to visualize a contour
map in 3D. Looking for fish holding areas on a piece of paper can
be difficult. When you begin to see
maps in 3D, you will get a feel for
how fish relate to a particular spot.
You will begin to understand how
they find cover from predators,
and how they find food.
Drive thru Panfish
Drive through the community
hot spot. It is always worth seeing what type of areas the locals
are fishing. Let’s say many of the
permanent houses are spread out
over a 30’ hole, surrounded by a
an interesting pattern. While most
anglers drilled out deep basins
looking for plankton feeders, we
found huge bluegills gorging on
Amphipods or freshwater shrimp
on a large weed flat. Watching
these fish with our underwater
camera uncovered larger bluegills
than we had ever encountered on
this lake. We watched in fascination as these fish made their way
through the weeds with ease, sucking shrimp off the stocks. Shallow
water is where fishing fast really
shines. Because fish aren’t as visible in shallow water on electronics, we briefly fish each hole we
drill. By drilling a large amount
of holes we are assured to find the
open patches, pathways and edges,
which hold the largest numbers of
fish.
It’s a Slippery Slope
The fish itch is
extremely contagious
and usually comes
on shortly after
having success off
the beaten path.
shallow weed flat. I will begin to
search the lake map for other areas
with similar traits. Chances are if
you can find a similar spot with
less fishing pressure, you may
hit the jackpot. It can be a huge
advantage to work in a team with
one angler walking ahead drilling, while the other follows with
the Vexilar. Quickly driving up to
each hole on the snowmobile and
swinging the transducer in different directions will let you know
if fish are present. If fish are seen
when swinging the transducer, it
will alert you to which direction
to drill next. Once located, we drill
holes closer together until we are
right on top of the bio mass. Missing a school of fish by ten feet is
like missing by a mile. The new
Pro View Transducer from Vexilar has been a real game changer
the past few seasons. It allows an
angler to control the cone angle
with the gain knob. The ability
to search a larger area with fewer
holes is a huge advantage and allows for more time scratching the
itch.
Be Shallow
Searching shallower than everyone else will often produce the
largest panfish in a given water
system. Panfish grow large because they are able to avoid predators, including anglers. Noise from
anglers can push large panfish out
of deep water and into heavy cover. Once in the weeds they will find
the oxygen, food, and cover they
need to thrive. The two factors
that seem to draw fish are green
healthy weeds and proximity to
deep water. Coontail and curly
leaf pondweed specifically will
often stay green, even through the
harshest fall weather. Hungry panfish will roam through the weed
stocks, like a pack of lions, looking for that next easy meal. While
pre-fishing for a tournament last
winter, my wife and I stumbled on
Steep drop off’s surrounding
main lake structure can also hold
large concentrations of fish. These
areas hold food such as mayfly
larva and dragonfly larva. While
these food sources can be present
in many different areas, the base of
a steeply dropping slope will provide some of the highest concentrations. For years, panfish guru
Dave Genz has talked about these
sticky bottom areas. These areas
house the correct type of substrate
to allow larva to burrow.
Photos by
Kim Svir
Everyone’s Reading it...
UTDOORS
OEvEN
It takes a certain type of angler
to strike out away from the pack
to uncover that next hot pattern,
an angler with the fish itch. Once
O
In Print • Online • Mobile
you get the itch, you may acquire
a renewed passion for the hardwater season. It just may leave you
dreaming for a late spring.
O
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Ice Fishing Edition
What's New On Ice
Scott Seibert holds a nice perch taken while
using the new Clam Speed Spoon.
Photo by Jason Greene, UPNORTH Media Productions
New Clam Pro
Tackle Arsenal
By Scott Seibert with Bob Riege
As the Psycho Shad fell
through the water, my portable
Vexilar flasher picked it up and
tracked its descent on the screen.
I stopped the spoon a foot off the
bottom. After pausing for a moment, I lifted the rod tip one inch
and let it drop.
After about five minutes of
this type of action I was ready to
move to a new location, when all
of a sudden I noticed a wide flash
at about 20 feet. I quickly released
With Dave Genz
When it comes to ice safety,
Dave Genz has always said essentially the same thing: if you move
more, you will catch more fish. He
wants ice anglers to be mobile, but
be careful.
He’s a picture of consistent
safety precautions, wearing a life
jacket outside his Ice Armor parka,
using ice cleats for solid traction,
punching the ice with a chisel ahead
of himself, testing for thickness,
as he walks on early or questionable ice. Today, he wants to talk
ice safety over the entire course of
the winter. “You never know when
it could happen, that you could fall
through,” he says, “but if you have
the right stuff with you, you should
be able to get out alright.”
Two Aspects of Ice Safety
Really, there are two aspects to ice
safety.
1) Learning to identify situations that have the potential for
producing unsafe ice.
2) Being ready with the right
gear, should you or someone
around you fall through the ice.
Let’s look at both aspects.
Potential for
Unsafe Ice
Ice conditions can and do vary
from spot to spot on the same body
of water, and vary tremendously
from region to region. In some parts
of the ice belt, cold weather comes
and goes – so safe ice forms, then
might erode, even at midwinter. Especially in today’s connected world,
where we all see Facebook posts
with pictures of good catches, the
fever can sweep over people living
in fringe areas. It can be tempting to
try to add your own pictures to the
the spool and watched the Psycho
Shad sink to about 18 feet. The
perch immediately rose to the lure
and I tightened the line and set the
hook. A nice jumbo perch poked
its head into the hole in the ice and
I was off to a great day of ice fishing.
I quickly grabbed my other rod
rigged with the Speed Spoon and
threaded on waxies and sent it to
the bottom within a second or two
I had another perch right on the
edge of the hole and I knew that
these lures were going to work
well.
Being a professional angler on
the Clam Outdoors Team gave me
the rare exception to field test and
to use the new line of Clam Pro
Tackle.
Lures for ice fishing are like the
stars on a clear night, they seem to
be infinite in numbers. Even in the
summertime, my local bait shop
devotes a whole wall to various
sizes and colors of teardrops and
ice flies. Most lures are designed
to be fished with live bait. The lure
attracts the fish while the bait satisfies the fish’s sense of taste.
One only has to look at this
combination to realize that a jig
on the end of a pole needs to be
moved around if it is going to act
as the attractor.
Leading the arsenal of the new
tackle line is the Drop Series of
jigs.
This line of jigs are made
with tungsten instead of lead and
with that you are going to have
some remarkable results. The
Drop Series jigs are denser than
conventional lead jigs and have a
faster drop rate. These jigs can get
through that pesky slush and show
up on your electronics faster, plus
they will get you back down to the
active fish quicker and easier than
other jigs on the market. While using these jigs I can concentrate on
a school of fishing and catch more
from that specific school before it
moves on.
The Drop Jig is probably my
favorite one from this series. The
round head design and the posi-
tioning of the hook allow me to
present both artificial and live bait
to the fish. There are many other
jigs in this series of tungsten jigs.
For example there is the Dingle
Drop that has a swingin ball attached to the hook and draws inactive fish in for a closer look. The
others in this line include the Ant
Drop, Maggot drop and Duck Bill.
The Duck Bill has a prominent
bill that protrudes so the bait actually glides forward and lurches, as
it is being finessed jigged . If you
speed up your cadence and this jig
will dance to trigger a reactionary
Lures for ice
fishing are like the
stars on a clear
night, they seem to
be infinite in
numbers.
bite.
Plastic or artificial baits are
well suited for these Drop Jigs, but
the Maki plastics from Clam Outdoors are so life like. The tentacles
undulate in the water even without
moving your rod. The Jamei and
Maki along with the Polli are my
favorites. You won’t have to worry
if your bait is alive if you decide to
use Maki plastics.
With all of these offerings of
jigs and plastics one quick and
Ice Fishing Safety
Check the Conditions
and Bring Safety Gear
reports, even if the ice is iffy, at the
moment, where you live.
Iffy ice conditions can always
occur in places where water is moving due to currents or aeration devices, and around springs. This is
true even in the ‘True North’ where
cold weather usually remains for
months on end.
Also avoid expansion cracks, or
‘pressure ridges’ as they’re called.
It pays to know when significant
snow fell on top of the ice you are
about to venture onto. All things
being equal, it’s thought that ice
should be at least six inches thick
before the first good snow settles
on top of it. If heavy snow falls on
thin ice, the blanket of snow can
insulate the ice, preventing it from
getting thicker. Even with sustained
cold temperatures, you can have
thin ice under the snow. Again, it
all depends on when that snow fell.
It’s easier than ever to gather
information on known currents,
Clam and Ice Team pro
Rick Johnson nears the
edge of early ice. It’s hard
to tell, but he is wearing a
life vest over his Ice Armor
jacket, has floating ice
picks around his neck (now
they velcro to the vest), and
his boots are fitted with
Micro Spikes. The object
in Johnson’s right hand is
a chisel, so he can strike
the ice ahead of him as
he walks out slowly. If the
chisel goes through with
one sharp strike, he’ll turn
around and go back where
he came from. There is a
light dusting of snow on
the ice, but not enough
to cause slush or slow ice
formation. davegenz.com
springs, and other traditionally iffy
ice areas, and to get details on what
went down, weather wise, as ice
was forming. Seek this information
but couple it with your own observations, precautions, and common
sense.
Flotation, Picks,
and a Chisel
Genz has always thought it
strange that safety experts switch
advice abruptly after ice forms. “If
you’re going out in a boat on cold
water,” he says, “they tell you to
wear a life jacket. Then, a week later, after the ice comes, they tell you
to stay home. Why can’t we talk
about wearing a life jacket when
you go out on the ice?”
He makes a good point. Once
temps chill off into ice-making
range, it takes little time for safe ice
to form. (It can happen overnight,
in perfect conditions, and certainly
within a few days, with cold temperatures, safe walkable ice can
form.) And first-ice fishing can be
excellent. Read this clearly, exactly
how it’s intended: check ice carefully, and wear flotation clothing
above the waist just in case.
easy way to organize them is in an
Ice Armor Jig Box. These boxes
are small and compact. They have
a plastic see through window and
you can organize your jigs, rigs,
plastics etc. according to size,
color or specific species of fish.
These boxes are not your typical
tackle box, but instead they are
small enough to fit in your pocket
or jacket and easily accessible in
the coldest of days on the ice.
One of my favorite aggressive
fish tactics is to take a Clam Blade
Spoon or the Blade Jig and work
the rod tip so the lure has a very erratic action. Hop, skip, and bounce
the lure. When an aggressive fish
hits the bait you'll feel it. If the
fish are in a neutral mood they will
often hit a bait so lightly that you
don't even feel it. Scale down your
rod and line size to compensate
for the light bite. I might also go
to a reel that has four-pound test
Vicious Ice Fishing line.
Rounding out the arsenal of
the Clam Pro Tackle line is the
line of BigTooth quick strike rigs.
If you are looking for big pike,
musky or large walleyes select
Zero Rigs, BigTooth, or Baby
BigTooth. Hang a sucker minnow
or smelt under your favorite tip up
sit back and when the flag pops
you will be glad you have the BigTooth in your arsenal.
For more information on Clam
Outdoors and its excellent products go to www.clamoutdoors.
com. Hope to see you on the ice!
“We have a new life vest,” says
Dave, referring to the Clam life
vest, “that’s Coast Guard approved
and cut to fit over your suit. It has a
lot of features, including a quick-release velcro holder for ice picks. It
helps keep your core warm, and has
soft pockets for drying and warming your hands. And we have floating ice picks.”
Dave advises people to go ice
fishing with at least one partner, and
stay close enough to each other to
be able to help if one falls through.
It’s rare for this to happen, but if it
does, a second person can be instrumental in getting the dunked angler
back up on safe ice and headed in
to warm up. If the assisting person
can approach on safe ice but keep
distance while rendering help, the
odds of a good outcome are greatly
improved.
“That’s why we made the
emergency throw rope,” Genz said,
referring to another new accessory now readily available at retail.
“You can make your own, or this
one works really well. It looks like
a dog dummy that’s packed with
rope. You hang on to the loose end
of the rope and throw the thing to
the person in the water, and the
rope plays out as it flies through
the air. It stores 50 feet of rope in a
neat package, and you can keep it in
your Fish Trap or strap it to an ATV
or snowmobile.”
For the ultimate in protection,
Genz talks about the Lift Suit, an
ice-fishing specific suit made with
extra flotation that helps you stay
upright and floating in the event
you break through. He finishes the
thought by adding that floating ice
picks and chisels have also been
brought into the lineup, to make
Gear, See 32
Ice Fishing Edition
An Eye for an Eye
Matching Up For
Ice Walleyes
By Jason Mitchell
When fish are moving, you
can sit on a good spot and catch
fish as they push through. When
fish quit moving, you have to push
through a spot to keep contacting
fish. This can really be evident
when targeting both walleye and
perch. Especially with shallower water patterns on many lakes
where we are finding fish in less
than fifteen feet of water, these
fish movements typically revolve
around sunrise and sunset.
Anglers sometimes assume
that they should fish aggressively
during the prime times when fish
roll through a spot and snap at
lures but fishing aggressively can
also save the doldrums of the midday. What is fishing aggressively? Fishing aggressively is mostly
attitude. Fishing through spots,
checking multiple holes and moving that lure to call in and trigger
an aggressive reaction. Fishing
aggressively however also has to
be controlled and refined depending on the conditions. You can be
ambitious but you also have to be
smart.
During that prime time window when fish are reacting and
making you look good, you can
typically be more successful with
larger lures and more aggressive
jigging. The added profile and
flash pulls fish in from further
away and these fish basically find
you and eat. These are the fish that
really make you look good as an
angler. When these fish see the
presentation, they accelerate and
attempt to catch the lure. One
thing you will notice about these
fish is that they accelerate fast
and they actually want the lure
rocking, pounding, lifting or falling. If you back off and make the
lure subtle as the fish approaches,
you can see the fish losing interest
immediately. This is why the top
anglers on the ice swear by a Vexilar. That raw analog signal gives
you that intimacy with the signal
representing the fish, you can read
the attitude of the fish versus just
seeing a line.
The Shoulder
Season
Most tourism destinations
have what is referred to as a shoulder season. That little bit of a lull
time that is before and after things
are busy. Each day of fishing also
typically has that lull where the
traffic starts to slow down. As the
sun climbs a little higher in the
sky, the intensity of this bite typically drops off. The first thing
that typically happens is that the
fish are still moving in but become
much more hesitant. The acceleration up to the lure isn’t as fast.
These fish will typically pause
right at the lure and the movements of the fish near the lure become slower and more deliberate.
If you don’t make any adjustment
from what was working during the
prime time window, you will typically catch fewer fish. The first
adjustment I like to make isn’t so
much with the jigging action itself but with the lures. Scale back
to smaller and more subtle lures.
Downsizing with the same technique can often pay big dividends.
The Lull
During the prime time window and that shoulder where the
intensity of the fish drops off but
the fish are still patrolling, you can
sit on key spots and let fish come
to you. Sitting on a good location
or making small moves through
a good spot is often the most effective strategy. When you quit
seeing traffic on your electronics
Ironically, aggressive fishing presentations often shine for these
fish but there has to be a method
to the madness. Aggressively jigging inactive fish is a top strategy
because often, you have to turn or
move the fish to catch it.
Imagine drilling a line of ten
holes down a break line and there
are fish laying along the break.
The odds of drilling a hole right
over the top of and in front of a fish
are pretty slim even when you drill
a lot of holes. If however you can
drill a hole within ten feet of where
a fish is laying, you can sometimes turn the fish because there
is a good chance
that the fish
Jason Mitchell with a
might be facing
trophy walleye. Matching
away from you.
your strategy to the time of
Again, downsizing during the
day is especially important
middle of the
with walleye fishing.
day and fishing
aggressively can
pick off fish during the lull period of the day. The key however
during the lull is to drill enough
however, you have two options. holes over a spot where you can
Wait until the fish start moving pick it apart. In shallow water, I
again or move through and contact also believe the drilling can move
the fish just enough to make them
more fish.
When the sun gets high in the easier to catch at times.
sky, I basically believe that the
fish just lay on the bottom and
quit patrolling their environment.
Aggressive Versus
Passive
Most of the time, I feel I am
much more efficient and effective
if I stick to this basic premise of
fishing lures aggressively and being strategic in how I sit and move
as the day progresses. There
are always exceptions however.
There are days when fishing aggressively just doesn’t work and
you can typically come to this
conclusion fairly quickly by how
these fish respond. If fish flirt the
edge of the cone angle and actually dart away when you move the
lure, you are going to have to dead
stick with a live minnow and have
some patience. Most of the time, I
feel like I can catch more fish with
one rod and a Vexilar but when the
fish are in a funk, put your hands
in your pockets and dunk as many
minnows as you can legally do so.
The intensity of fish movements
that revolve around the low light
of sunrise and sunset is pretty universal but there are also many exceptions. Lake of the Woods and
Lake Winnipeg are a couple of
noteworthy exceptions where the
bite can pick up in tempo during
the middle of the day. Stained water or nonexistent fishing pressure
and in some cases light penetration
reduced by overcast skies or cloud
cover can alter this basic pattern.
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Pheasant Hunting • Archery Deer • Corporate Trips
Ice Fishing Edition
Stay Safe...
To Tell Fish
Stories!
By Eric Brandriet
Here is South Dakota were are
nearing yet another sportsman’s
yearly transition. Some hunting
seasons have winded down yet
a little December snow on the
ground can lead to some of the
best pheasant and waterfowl hunt-
ing experiences the state has to
offer. Snow means that the temperature has considerably dropped
and as sportsmen our minds often
spring ahead to the next upcoming
outdoor season.
By now there is often a thin
and possibly thicker layer of ice on
area ponds and small lakes. Shortly we will probably wake up and
there is will a permanent layer of
ice that even one of the strongest
winds will not break it up. Most of
us instantly have sounds of roaring
ice augers and visions of ice shelters and little villages on many of
South Dakota’s waters.
The past several
years have uncovMake sure you take
ered some the best
lakes in the country
the necessary
in South Dakota
precautions to stay
that are plum full of
safe in reaching these
perch and walleyes.
These lakes seem to
fishing destinations
be scattered across
so that all the fish
the
Northeastern
stories can be told!
Glacial Lakes area
and new ones are
discovered yearly.
To be one of the first anglers on
these bodies of water can produce
some of the best fishing ever.
It is no secret that first ice can
produce some and if not the best
angling experiences of the whole
year and who doesn’t want to take
advantage of it. One thing that
many forget is that this time of
year can pose some of the worst
ice conditions of the year. We often have large swings in temperatures and team that with windy
days and good solid ice formation
can be a struggle at best. Until
consecutive below freezing days
and nights occur, ice conditions
can change daily. Not a year goes
by that we hear of someone falling
through the ice.
Fish & Game Recipes
BBQ Venison Balls
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup uncooked instant rice
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper
1 pound ground venison
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup tomato sauce
1 Tbsp ground mustard
2 teaspoons paprika
In a large bowl, combine first four ingredients. Mix in
venison and shape into 1.5-inch balls. Place in greased
baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over
meatballs. Bake uncovered at 375° for 35-45 minutes.
Ritzy Walleyes
4 walleye fillets
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt, ground pepper
2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
vegetable oil
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Place beaten eggs a bowl and set aside. Combine flour,
garlic powder, salt, pepper in another bowl. Put cracker
crumbs into a third bowl. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or
large skillet over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Dip
the fillets into the flour mixture, then the eggs, and then
cracker crumbs and set fillets aside on a plate. Carefully
place fillets into hot oil. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side, using tongs to turn. Transfer to a paper
towel-lined plate. Serve with fresh lemon wedges.
Email your favorite fish or game recipe
to be printed in the next issue!
email to [email protected]
Here are a few tips or thoughts
that will prepare or ensure that you
will have a safe trip home after a
day of many tight lines not only in
South Dakota but other states.
1. Don’t go alone.
Take a buddy along and when
you leave home ALWAYS let
someone know where you are going and what lake your going to.
Giving them information like what
access your using can give them a
place to start if you don’t make it
home.
2. Take a cell
phone with fully
charged battery
with you.
Cell phones will work during
inclement weather and gives you a
chance to call for help.
3. Be observant
when traveling on
ice.
Ice color and clarity can be a
clear sign of ice quality.
4. Ask others
about ice quality
and thickness.
Waterfowl often keeps water
open into late fall and winter and
others might know of these areas
if you don’t. There are lakes that
might have structures that cause
week ice. Don’t be afraid to ask
others if you are going to new waters that you haven’t fished before.
5. Take necessary
safety equipment
and keep it safe.
I use a Plano Small Storage
Trunk (Model 1619) that keeps
safety and fishing equipment dry
and in great working order. This
tote comes with me whoever I venture on the ice. It is just the right
size to holder necessities but will
not take up a lot of room. Some
of the items that are in my trunk
include a tow rope, extra rope to
throw, a throw cushion, matches, heater and propane cylinders.
Some of these items may not be
used all year but they are always
available for an emergency on the
ice.
6. Many South
Dakota lakes have
undeveloped shorelines void of landmarks.
I make it a point to ALWAYS
turn on my Humminbird 597 ICE
GPS Combo before getting on the
ice to not only mark the landing
on my Lakemaster map but to also
plot a trail to ensure being able to
backtrack on safe ice that was first
traveled on. Weather can change
quickly during the winter. Couple bad visibility with darkness
and navigating off a lake can be
treacherous. A GPS combo with
make not only finding fish easier
but a safe trip on and off the ice.
7. When ice is
thick enough to
handle a vehicle,
allow passengers
to ride on tail gate,
so if ice does give
way, they can easily
escape.
Another idea is to drive with
windows down so if vehicle did
start to go down, exiting through
the window would be an option.
Let’s face it, early or first ice
can produce some of the best angling experiences of the year and
at the same time can be the most
dangerous time of year. Don’t
take unnecessary risks or put others at risk to reach these fish. There
are no fish out there worth risking
our lives. When in doubt, wait for
solid ice where maneuverability is
easy and the hungry jumbo perch
and walleyes will still be waiting.
Make sure you take the necessary
precautions to stay safe in reaching these fishing destinations so
that all the fish stories can be told!!
Deer Season Feature
A Wintery Whiff
Late Season Scent for Whitetails
bred you're probably better off
using the same scent tactics you
would normally deploy the first
part of November. Breeding or
competition scenarios should
still work. Scents like Special
Golden Estrus or Active Scrape
will support a breeding picture,
and Mega Tarsal Plus or Golden
Buck will help pull off a competition scenario. During late season I’ve had equal luck with either a breeding set-up or a rivalry
situation.
When breeding has finished
you’re usually better off using
curiosity or hunger to your advantage. Plain buck or doe urine
may work, or food smells
like Sweet Apple Mash or
Anytime you go up against a
Acorn Mash will appeal
whitetail’s sense of smell you must
to their need to feed. Cukeep foreign odors out of the
riosity smells like Buckpicture, but it’s especially
Nip or Golden Doe can
important when using lures.
build confidence and plea
Here’s the author pictured with a
to their curiosity, but one
By Todd Amenrud
big Minnesota buck in December.
of my favorite late season
Everyone has heard how exlures is Trails End #307.
traordinarily acute a whitetail’s
This
diverse
scent appeals to
depend
a
great
deal
upon
the
sense of smell is. Fooling it is
one of the whitetail hunter’s main “condition” of your herd. Here in hunger, curiosity and sex urges –
concerns. This consists of both, the Upper-Midwest we will often how can you go wrong?
keeping foreign odors, especially have rut activity that lasts through
human scent, out of the picture the month of December and even Delivery Methods
so as not to alert them to the fact in to January. On the other hand, The same application meththey’re being hunted, but also if the majority of does have been ods can be used all season long,
but late season we need to use
some common sense. Tools like
a Magnum Scrape Dripper may
freeze-up with consistent below
zero temperatures and in deep
snow scent trails are more difficult to create. However, after using Magnum Scrape Drippers for
years I’ve found that even if you
get below freezing temperatures
at night, as long as your daytime
highs rise into the 40s the dripper will still function perfectly.
If we have deep snow, scent
trails will still work great, but
they’re just more difficult to create. A Pro-Drag is a great tool for
generating any kind of a scent
trail. It’s constructed of a large
piece of supper-absorbent felt
with two tails, all attached to a
heavy-duty string. The two tails
A Quik-Wik works anytime as a scent dispenser,
make it easy to dip into a bottle of
scent so you can refresh the drag
but it works especially well in inclement weather. Its
periodically. The string is looped
design sheds rain or snow keeping your scent fresh.
so it can be simply attached to a
When your hunt is over the felt wick slides right back
stick found at your site. This way
inside the orange sealable container.
you can drag the trail off of the
path your feet are taking. This is
using lures and scents to try and bred and we get deep snow early, a key in deep snow. A Pro-Drag
use their sense of smell to your some years they seem to go into creates a continuous, easy to foladvantage by attracting them into their winter patterns while there’s low trail.
Quik-Wiks work anytime, but
range. Granted, they also have still time left in the season.
excellent hearing and eyesight, Examine the sign and watch their design is especially effecbut if you can fool their sense of their activity. If you’re still seeing tive during late season or bad
smell, you’ve got it made. I love sign of the rut going on there will weather. This unit comes with a
to set-up deer scents to try and be more activity than if they’ve pop-out, retractable, felt wick inlure-in mature bucks, and late begun their winter patterns. Once side a protective container with a
season is my favorite time to do they settle into their winter rou- screw-on seal. A Quik-Wik can
tine whitetails expend much less be filled with scent in the warmth
it.
energy, and a very clear pattern of your home or camp and simfrom bedding to food begins. ply hung at your hunting site
The Right Aroma
Do you believe a food lure, During the winter it’s all about when you arrive. When you’re
curiosity scent, rut-time smell conserving energy. If there is still finished with the hunt the wick
or plain urine will perform best? breeding going on, aside from stores back inside the plastic
The type of scent you choose finding more sign of movement, case. The design will shed rain or
may influence how to set it up, you'll probably see fresh rubs and snow and is the perfect tool for
using scent during late season –
and choosing the right lure will scrapes too.
If all of the does have not been or anytime.
During late season it can be pretty simple when
trying to lure in bucks. During that time, for a
buck it’s all about breeding or filling their gut.
Photo: WildOutdoorPhotos
Photo: Yoderrm
If there are still does that haven’t been bred you will
typically see more sign because the animals are much
more active. If this is the case, you may be better off
using the same “rut-time tactics” that you used earlier
in the hunting season.
A simple wick set-up is designed to lure in deer from downwind. This is the easiest scent
tactic that I know of. Place out
lure-soaked wicks crosswind
from your position at your maximum confident shooting range.
Maximum range is important because we want the smell to suck
in the deer before they get directly downwind of you. This set-up
can be created by using felt wicks
like a Pro-Wick, Key-Wick or
with one of the heated scent dispensers on the market.
Late season is my favorite time
for using scent, maybe because
it’s easy and I’ve experienced results. I try to keep it simple and
think about what a mature buck
wants at that time of the season.
For a buck it’s either going to be
about breeding or filling their gut.
Even if they are on a distinct feeding pattern, a little Special Golden Estrus can stir things up. Keep
human scent out of the picture by
using Scent Killer, clean gloves
and rubber-bottomed boots, use
common sense and results will
follow for you.
Hunting feature
Photos: Ted Takasaki
Pheasants love cover, and a good hunting dog (like Cody the yellow lab)
is ever vigilant while sniffing out birds! Check out the sprawling and
beautiful Dakota countryside we got to hunt with Torrey Lake Lodge.
Girls Can Hunt
By Ted Takasaki
and Scott Richardson
Have you ever wondered why
women like to hunt? We had the
opportunity to do some pheasant
hunting with four outdoors women at Torrey Lake Lodge near
Platte, South Dakota. Get some
insight into what drives these
women to “hunt up some critters,” just like the men do.
Already an accomplished
hunter at her young age, Taylor Lewin, 14, is the daughter of
Darin Lewin, owner of Torrey
Lake Lodge. She has shot many
trophy whitetail bucks and has
an incredible 8x8 elk, which left
me speechless as I gazed upon it,
hanging on the wall. She also gets
out to do some walleye fishing
with her dad.
When it comes to hunting, Taylor says that patience is her number one attribute. “I pass on many
average bucks,” she said, “until I
see the one I want to shoot. And I
still get excited every time a big
one comes by!”
Ted’s friend Jammie has hunted with her dad and brother on
many occasions over the years.
She told us a great story about
her dad taking her road hunting
for pheasants when she was just 7
years old.
“My dad would stuff my mom,
brother, two sisters, and me all
in the back of his pickup truck,”
she remembers. “We would then
drive around the countryside
looking for the elusive birds. The
only way he would be allowed to
go hunting was to take the whole
family! When he’d spot a pheasant, he would slam on the brakes
and all of us kids would slide
forward toward the cab of the
truck. While we were untangling
ourselves, my dad would run out
and shoot the pheasant. We’d all
laugh and admire the downed
bird. This experience was always
a great time and I will remember
the good times spent ‘hunting’
with my dad!”
Jammie’s daughter, Maryanne,
17, has a completely different
motivation for hunting.
“The thrill of accomplishment
is what trips my trigger,” she said.
“I want to show up my guy friends
Smiles from ear to ear after an awesome hunt!
Left to right: Ted the black lab, Jammie Koepp, Taylor Lewin,
Maryanne Reiter, Kristi Takasaki, and Cody the yellow lab.
at school and prove to them that I
can shoot just as good as they can.
I loved showing them pictures of
the pheasant that I shot.”
Funny enough, isn’t that what
us guys all do when we get
around the water cooler at work
while bringing up photos of our
biggest fish or deer on our camera
phone?
Kristi Takasaki, 25, is my
daughter, and after all these years,
I never knew she would like to
hunt. I often took her fishing as
she grew up, but didn’t ever take
her hunting or couldn’t envision
here holding a gun or a bow. She
met her boyfriend, an avid hunter,
while at college.
Now, she will sit in a tree stand
for hours in freezing temperatures
for an opportunity to shoot a deer.
“I have always loved being outdoors,” Kristi said, “and relish
the excitement that I feel when
I finally shoot a big bird, deer,
or any other species that I am
going after. There’s something
special about ‘living off the land’
and that’s what I get when we sit
down at the table for some freshly
prepared venison or wild turkey.”
The Hunt
It was a brisk, windy day as
we all stepped into the Torrey
Lake Lodge bus, which drove us
out to the fields of standing corn
and milo. As we all lined up to
walk the first field, the excitement started to build in anticipation of getting after that first
pheasant. Two of the girls, Maryanne and Kristi, had never shot a
pheasant before, so I was keeping
my fingers crossed. It was as if I
was trying to will a pheasant to
fly out in front of them. Immediately, birds were flying and shots
were ringing out. Jammie and
Taylor made the most of their opportunities and bagged a couple.
No bulls-eyes for the ‘newbies,’
though, which was a bummer.
Day two was much nicer, as
warmer temperatures and less
wind greeted us that morning. To
increase the girls’ chances of hitting a bird, we threw a few clay
pigeons out over Torrey Lake,
which is just behind the lodge.
They proceeded to shoot trap
loads until their shoulders were
ready to fall off.
On the first drive of the morn-
ing, Maryanne took the first shot
of the day and made a great left
to right passing shot of about
40 yards and crumpled her first
rooster. High fives and big smiles
were immediately handed out!
The
Unfazed, Kristi kept hanging
in there until the last pheasants
were flushed out of a big stand of
trees, toward the end of the day.
A rooster came screaming out
in front of her and immediately
veered to her right. She took the
shot and missed. She pumped the
second shell into the chamber and
took bead on the bird as it kept
flying away. She remembered in
the back of her mind to lead the
bird and took another shot. We
could see she was successful as
she ran over to the downed bird
even before the dogs could get
there!
I was so happy to see both of
them get their first ringnecks!
So why do girls hunt? We
would say that they hunt for all
the same reasons guys do… for
the thrill of victory, love of the
outdoors, and because they can
do it just as well as a man can.
All of these are great reasons for
women who would like to hunt to
get out and ‘just do it.’
Torrey Lake Lodge is a worldclass resort that caters to all sorts
of corporate and individual hunters. They also guide walleye anglers on Francis Case reservoir
during the summer. Check them
out at www.torreylakelodge.com
or call 605-337-3700.
Bird
BUZZ
Ring-Necked
Duck
This duck has a peaked head
and a white ring near the tip
of its bill. It also has a second
white ring that sets the head
and bill apart. It has a black
breast and back with gray sides.
The female is a Cinnamon color
and difficult to see when they
are out in a field. She does
have a slim white quarter moon
stripe from the back of the eye
toward the back of the head.
They range from Minnesota to northern Canada during
the breeding season and spend
their winters in the southern
half of the USA and into Mexico.
They spend the breeding season
fresh water marshes and small
lakes and ponds.
Exclusive feature
Winter Bird Feeding
different feeds in some of your
feeders.
Water is very important to
birds all year long, but mostly in
the winter. Birds will and do eat
snow, but that cools their body
greatly and the birds will always
go to the water if it is available.
Bird baths with a heater that has
a thermostat control are available
at the local bird stores. Great
Christmas gifts for the family!
Keep your
winter feeding
simple
Remember birds
will find their
own food all
year long and
your feeding
station should
just be there for
your enjoyment
and the birds
to supplement
their diet.
By Ed Meyer
Eco-Friendly Land Clearing & Mulching
Water is very important
to birds all year long, but
mostly in the winter.
Many birds stay here all winter, but appear different, as they
molt their feathers. A very good
example of that is the American
Gold Finch. During the summer
they appear a bright yellow/gold
with black and white markings.
In the fall, they will molt their
colorful feathers and become a
dull dusty brown and no one pays
attention to them. These Gold
Finches are not Canaries (a topical bird) that could not stand our
winters and live in-doors in Minnesota.
Some common birds that stay
in Minnesota are the Cardinal,
Chickadee, Nuthatch, Blue Jay
and the woodpeckers (Downey,
Harry and Red Bellied) and if
lucky the Pileated (the largest
wood pecker). One may also
see Mourning Doves, Sparrows,
Purple and House Finches, Juncos and during cold winters Red
Poles, Evening Grosbeaks and
Pine Siskins.
Where you live will determine the type of bird you will
attract all year long. The type of
feeders, feed and positioning of
the feeders will also determine
success. Some birds will feed
only on the ground, some mainly on the ground and some never
on the ground. Sparrows, Juncos
and Mourning Doves are ground
feeders. Cardinals feed mainly on the ground, but will come
to feeders if the feeder has a flat
place for them to sit and feed.
Woodpeckers feed in trees, on
feeders, hanging feeders, but seldom will go down to the ground
to get food.
Feeders should be placed
close to trees and brushes as they
make great cover for birds. All
birds need cover to escape from
hawks, house cats or other predators.
Keep your winter feeding
simple. Suet feeders are best for
the wood peckers and whatever other birds that will eat suit.
Hanging metal feeders are best
for Chickadees, Nuthatches, Pine
Siskins and Goldfinches (brown
this time of the year). Some type
of platform or hanging feeder
with a perch would be best for
Cardinals and Blue Jays. Keep
the food simple too, as most of
the birds will eat sunflowers.
Once you have birds coming regularly to your feeders, you can try
E
R
O
F
E
B
800-630-2960
AFTER
218-232-7328
www.wildernesslandimprovement.com
Trail & Lot Clearing
Wildlife Food Plots
Brush Removal
Buckthorn Eradication
Shooting Lanes for Hunters
Wildlife Habitat Restoration
CRP Land
Horse & ATV Trails
BATTLE LAKE
Ben's Bait & Tackle, Bennet
or Craig Stich, Junction of
Hwy 78 and 210 (218-8645596) There are 3-4 inches on smaller lakes like
Blanche and Silver. Anglers
just started walking out,
not safe yet as of late November. Give us a call anytime for an update!
Fishing Reports
The Most In-Depth Fishing Report!
M innesota
F I SH T A LES
Fishing Report
LAKE OF THE WOODS
LAKE BENTON
Kabetogama
Blackduck
Veire's Mini-Mart - Dave, 117
E Benton St, corner of Hwy 75
and 14 (507-368-4204) Give
Dave a call for an update! A
few out ice fishing, walking.
Park Rapids
Ely
Winnie
Leech lk
Hackensack
Crosby
Battle Lake
Duluth
Brainerd
Mille Lacs
BLACKDUCK AREA
Timberline Sport & Tackle, Carl Adams, Junction
of Hwy 71 and Blackduck
Lake Rd. (218-835-4636)
Area ice average about 5
inches on smaller lakes.
Some walking out, a few
riding ATVs. Red has about
4-6 inches of ice as of late
November with some anglers catching walleyes.
Should be a great ice fishing season on Red! Please
call for updates. Deer season was okay, with mostly
smaller bucks taken.
Brainerd AREA
Leisure Outdoor Adventures,
www.leisureoutdooradventures.com, Toby
Kvalevog and Jeff Andersen (1-855-LOA-HOOK or
1-855-562-4665) The Lakes
in the Brainerd area are
just starting to lock up. A
few anxious anglers were on
the ice this past weekend,
but more will be venturing
out as we near Thanksgiving and the first week of December. Typically the early ice bite is "the time" for
walleyes in the area. Gull,
Round, North Long, and
Pelican typically all have
decent early ice walleye
bites. Focus your efforts
on those prime feeding periods along the first shoreline
break with a jigging spoon
and shiner or fathead and
a dead stick with a lively
minnow. Tip ups can also
be a great secondary line to
use. The panfish bite can
also be good early on. Go
back and find anywhere
where there is still good
"green" weeds. Try one of
the new Clam tungsten jigs
or Maki plastics to hole hop
and search out those crappies and panfish. Look us
up this winter if you are interested in a guided ice fishing trip, ice house rentals
on Leech Lake, and monster pike fishing trips up
on Lake of the Woods. Leisure Outdoor Adventures
1-855-LOA-HOOK.
Glenwood
Chisago City
Traverse
Waconia
Minnetonka
LAKE BENTON
Mississippi
St Croix
Wayzata
See Google map online:
with directions at www.outdoorsweekly.com
CHISAGO CITY
Frankie's Live Bait and Marine
- www.frankies.net, Brad, Corner of Hwy 8 and CR 77 (651257-6334) We are making ice!
Bays and channels have ice,
but still be very careful. Pike
action great on tip-ups. Try
south end of Green, or the
channel between Chisago and
South Lindstrom.
DULUTH
Marine General - www.marinegeneral.com, 1501 London
Road, on the edge of Lake Superior (218-724-8833) About
4-5 inches on Boulder Lake,
catching crappies and perch.
Hunter Lake 4-5 inches also.
Should be great within a week
or so. Call for updates anytime!
ELY
Babe's Bait and Tackle www.BabesBaitEly.com, 500
Kawishiwi Trail, Ely, MN,
first business on the left as
you are entering town of Ely
from the west on Hwy 169
(218-365-6930) Another ice
season is upon us and anglers are chomping at the bit
to get out on the hard water.
We cannot stress enough to
exercise caution at this time
of year. There isn't a fish out
there risking your life for. Every year we hear the reports
of how many guys have died
in pursuit of a bucket of fish.
So, with that in mind, we
are hearing folks here locally that are having some success. Right now there have
been guys fishing One Pine
and Birch lakes with some
LEECH LAKE
Anderson's Resorts - www.
andersonsleech-lake.com,
Tim, (1-800-516-0077) (1800-516-0077) Leech Lake
is mostly iced over right
now... all except Walker Bay
(not safe yet). But it is a good
sign. The Narrows are one
of the best starting points
for winter fishing, walleyes
and perch, jig/minnow.
Steamboat Bay and Sand
Point are good spots to try
spearing when safe. Leech
Lake has had a good year of
fishing. We are looking forward to a great winter fishing season also! Let's hope
for a good cold snap with
no snow to get things safe.
Thanks for all the visitors to
our area! Have a great holiday season!
moderate catches. Currently they say that there is four
to five inches of ice where
they were fishing the shallow
bays. This is by no means a
blanket coverage, as we know
that there can be a wide variation of ice thickness due to
either wind effect, vegetation, and the much feared,
moving water or springs. So
please be careful out there if
you absolutely must get the
jump on the season. Always
carry a life jacket, and spud
bar or chisel to check the ice
as you go, and a good pair
of ice picks should the unthinkable happen and you
break through. Remember,
there is a lot of winter ahead
of us and there will be plenty
of time and much thicker ice
in the future.
GLENWOOD
LAKE of the WOODS
HACKENSACK
MISSISSIPPI
ST. CROIX
Fish On Bait & Sport www.
habitatnow.com, Kyle, 201
S Franklin St, 2 blocks
south of stoplights in
Glenwood (320-634-3667)
AREA LAKES APPEAR TO
BE ICED OVER!! With the
cold temps, area lakes appear to be iced over. Overnight low temps should be
making some good ice. It is
still very early so be careful! Early ice is always a
great time for walleyes on
Minnewaska so I would expect to see a lot of activity
over the next few weeks.
Many will be heading out
after the gills and crappies
as well. It's a little early for
giving any detailed fishing
reports and ice conditions,
so check with us as needed. We will have all the favorite bait on hand as well
as a full line of tackle...
along with advice and destinations to try. Also stop
by or email us for access
and lake conditions. We
also have the "Habitat Outlet Store" well stocked with
some of the most diverse
and high quality food plot
and native prairie seeds
for habitat development.
Many people planting "fall
food plots" right now. Also
visit the Habitat Outlet on
line at www.HabitatNOW.
com for all your spring and
fall habitat needs.
Fish On!
Swanson's Bait & Tackle - www.swansonsbait.
com, Jim Tuller, Hwy
371 on the north end of
Hackensack
(218-6756176) Things have been
pretty quiet around here
the last several weeks on
the fishing front. Most
guys have been working on deer hunting, but
there have been a few
holdouts on the water up
until this week. Fishing
had been pretty decent,
but the weather made it
pretty unenjoyable.
In
the last few days, many of
the area lakes locked up
with ice completely. Some
of the smaller lakes have
been frozen for as long as
a week or more. Most of
the bigger lakes like Webb,
Stony, Pleasant, and Baby
only just comletely froze
over in the last couple
days. Last reports were
that Leech, Ten Mile, and
Woman are holding out
with open water still. Guys
have been heading up to
Red Lake for some action
already, and it sounds
like they are doing well up
there already. Fisherman
have also started hitting
some of the smaller lakes
in the area as well for panfish. Towards the end of
this week we should be
getting more reports!
Lake of the Woods Area
Tourism Bureau - www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com,
near
Junction of Hwy 11 and Hwy
172 in Baudette, (1-800-382FISH) We have ice on the
lake! Ice fishing is just within our reach as ice continues
to build. 4 Mile Bay has 4-5
inches and there is 5 inches
on the lake walking straight
out from Pine Island. Water clarity in shallow water
looked good. Morris Point has
6-7" on bay and 4-5" on lake.
Zippel Bay has 5-7 inches
with 3-4 inches on the lake
out about a half mile to 15
feet. Arnesen's Rocky Point
has frozen over, but there is
still a bit of visible water on
the lake. Some resorts hoping
to have snowmobile and ATV
trails out on the ice within the
next week shallow fishing.Important...Remember to utilize
resorts and marked trails on
the ice. Do not venture off of
trails. Use proper safety gear.
Safety first. The Rainy River is
frozen and holding snow, but
with a strong current is still
spotty in most spots. Water
is still visible on some parts
of the river. Clementson Bay
has 2-3 inches of ice. Up on
the NW Angle, the inlet now
hold 4-5 inches of ice. The
lake holds ice as far as the
eye can see. For the latest
ice updates, follow Lake of
the Woods Tourism on Facebook at www.facebook.com/
LakeoftheWoodsMN.
For
lodging info, www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/lodging.
Turk Gierke, Croixsippi Guide
Service www.croixsippi.com
(1-800-929-1801) Now that
the St. Croix River is iced up,
I migrate south (though not
as far as I would like!) to fish
Pool 4 of the Mississippi River, this is openwater boat fishing for walleye and sauger all
winter. I launch at Everts Resort (www.evertsfishingresort.
com), it is a wonderful river
walleye oasis, providing water
not to launch the boat all year.
During December much of the
fishing is vertical jigging and
dragging jigs. Usually a solid
bite is found both dragging jigs
in 13 to 17 feet of water and
vertical jigging the deepwater.
Plan on fishing soft plastics.
Ringworms and paddletails
work very well, as do as fathead minnows on plain jigs or
bucktails, we use Suffix elite
mono 6-pound test and Limit
Creek LCS69MLF rods. Believe
it or not cranks also do well on
handlines and three way set
ups. Both crankbait presentations are on floating Rapalas.
Troll slow. This winter fishing
is weather related as freezing
your tail off is not too fun, so
planning these trips are completely weather related. River
stage is 4.04, a normal low
water level common in winter, at the Red Wing Lock and
Dam. Report from Turk Gierke
at Croixsippi Guide Service.
www.croixsippi.com
Mille Lacs walleye
regulation to remain
the same this winter
Walleye anglers who fish
Mille Lacs Lake this winter
will do so under the same bag
and slot limit that has been in
effect since May, according to
the Minnesota Department of
Natural Resources.
Following fish population
assessments this fall, the
DNR determined that maintaining the existing regulation
was appropriate. That regulation allows anglers to harvest
walleye between 18- and
20-inches, except one over 28
inches may be harvested. The
possession limit is two.
The walleye fishing season
runs through Feb. 23 and
reopens May 10. The walleye
regulation for the 2014 open
water season will be announced in late winter following an evaluation of harvest
data.
KABETOGAMA
NAMAKAN
Gateway Store, kabfishingreport.com, Phil & Ellen Hart, US Hwy 53 & Co
Rd 122, 30 miles south of
Int'l Falls-Canadian border (218-875-2121)
Ice
is forming nicely now on
Kabetogama (11/26/13).
A few have ventured out
and have come back with
some nice fish. Three inches plus in most areas – by
next week we will be in
great shape. Please call
ahead and check out the
www.kabfishingreport.com
site for more up-to-date
information. Start Making Plans, Hope to see you
Soon, Phil & Ellen Hart
MILLE LACS
Chris Kuduk's Guide Service - www.kuduksguideservice.com (320-630-1761)
Mille Lacs is still open as of
late November. Some skim
ice across the bays. Smaller
area lakes have a little ice,
a few venturing out, but it's
not safe. Be careful. Please
call Chris anytime for an up
to the minute report!
LAKE TRAVERSE
Wheaton Service & Bait,
www.wheatonservice.
com, Neighbor Steve,
912 Broadway, Wheaton, MN (320-563-1400)
Lake Traverse has a thin
coat of ice on it, much
to thin for any kind of
travel. With any luck,
by the 7th of December,
we'll be in on that early
ice walleye bite all ice
fisherpersons look forward to. December is
sure to fantastic on Lake
Traverse. Steve Nelson,
owner wheaton service,
Wheaton mn.Best Bait
In Town! Western mn
's Aluma Lite fishouse
dealer! Sleeper house,
and day house rentals
on lake Traverse. Spear
house rentals on Mud
lake. Wheaton Service
on facebook!
PARK RAPIDS
Smokey Hills Outdoor
Store - www.smokyhillsoutdoorstore.com
(218-237-5099)
The
north winds are blowing
and the cold air has already made some good
ice on our shallow lakes
in the Park Rapids area.
Be very cautious if you
are planning on venturing out on the ice, know
the lake and know where
the springs and moving
water are located. We
have ice picks available
at a reasonable price
and we recommend that
you own a set for early
ice. The pike fishing has
been excellent and the
classic steel leader, 4/0
hook, weight and sucker minnow will produce
the best results. Find
the still standing cabbage weed in 10 to 14
feet of water and “dangle” your minnow a foot
or two over the weed
cover and wait for the
strike. LureTech™ Wolfie™ tungsten jigs are
now available for purchase and when tipped
with a wax worm, they
are most likely to put
some fillets in the frying pan. Another week
of this cold weather and
we will have good ice to
take advantage of. For
more up to date ice and
fishing reports, give us a
call at the store. Be safe
out there!
midway irOn & metal inc.
Family Owned & Operated
731 NE LiNcoLN AvENuE • St. cLoud, MN 56304
new Steel & SUpply
ALuMiNuM •tirES & WhEELS • WiNchES • rEbAr & WirEMESh
JAckS • 1200# PLAStic dock WhEELS • MouNtiNg kitS
320-258-3003 • 1-800-246-4002
www.midwayiron.com
~ Winnipeg River System ~
Catch and Release Your
FISH OF A LIFETIME!
807-224-3403
www.roughrocklodge.com
Weigh Your Fish With A Ruler
Sunfish
Crappie
Trout
Bass
Walleye
Northern
length weight
(inches) (lbs.)
length weight
(inches) (lbs.)
length weight
(inches) (lbs.)
length weight
(inches) (lbs.)
length weight
(inches) (lbs.)
length weight
(inches) (lbs.)
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.1
1.5
1.9
2.4
3.0
3.7
0.3
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.1
1.4
1.8
2.2
2.7
3.3
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.6
0.8
0.9
1.1
1.4
1.6
1.8
2.3
1.0
1.3
1.7
2.1
2.5
3.0
3.6
4.2
5.0
5.7
6.6
7.6
Figures Courtesy Minnesota DNR
Fish are sometimes damaged when weighed. With
this chart, you can quickly determine the approximate
weight of your fish using a ruler or tape measure.
1.0
1.2
1.5
1.8
2.2
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.1
4.7
5.4
6.1
6.9
7.8
8.8
9.8
Note: These figures are rough estimates only. Actual weights vary slightly by lake and stream.
3.2
3.6
4.0
4.6
5.2
5.8
6.4
7.1
7.8
8.6
9.4
10.3
11.2
12.2
13.3
14.4
15.6
16.8
18.1
WINNIBIGOSHISH
Walleye Visions - www.mnfishingconnections.com,
Tom Neustrom, 21622 Airport Rd, Grand Rapids,
[email protected], (218-327-2312)
Come join us at the St. Paul
Ice Fishing Expo December
6th, 7th, and 8th. It’s the
premier Ice fishing show in
the country and displays
everything you will need!
WACONIA
MarkAmundson with an
18-pound, 38-inch Kab
pike caught on Nov 26.
MINNETONKA
Wayzata Bait & Tackle, Tim or
Bob, half mile west off I-494
on Hwy 12 (952-473-2227) Ice
skimmed over on small lakes,
big lakes open, very windy.
Should be a couple weeks to
ice. Call anytime for a report!
Mase's In Towne Marine www.intownemarina.com,
Cindy, corner of Lake and
Elm (952-442-2096) We will
open when there is walkable
ice. Please visit our web site
or call anytime for an update!
Park Rapids, MN • (218) 237-5099
Fastest Growing Ice Castle Dealer
8x24V Grand Castle
Slide out • Hydraulic
Easy Pulling • Sleeps 6
Loaded with Features
RED LAKE
JR's Corner Access, (320)
290-3838, www. redlakeaccess.com. See current reports on our Facebook page
at www.facebook.com/redlakeaccess/info
Friendly Service!
Friendlier Prices!
Best Prices Guaranteed!
cing
Finan le!
ab
Huge Lot
Avail
Inventory!
www.smokyhillsoutdoorstore.com
To Promote
Your event
Visit us online at
Click on Events
It's Free to post
and Print your
Event!
Events
Dec 6-8 - Progressive Insurance 21st Annual
St. Paul Ice Fishing & Winter Sports Show.
The LARGEST Ice Fishing Show in the Country!
Join us at the St. Paul RiverCentre to shop more
than 190 exhibits with products and services dedicated to the die-hard ice fishing and winter sports
enthusiast. View all new ice fishing products,
including fish houses, augers, underwater cameras, digital fish finders, rods and reels, tackle,
accessories, apparel and much more! The show
will feature all new merchandise at a variety of
price points to fit any budget. Whether you are
an avid fisherman looking for a few new accessories, an experienced angler in need of an upgrade,
or totally new to the ice fishing scene, you will
find what you are looking for at this show! www.
gsevents.com
Dec 8 -5th Annual Youth/Novice Pheasant
Hunt. Belgium WI, 8:30 AM. PARENTS AND
NOVICE HUNTERS: This popular free event
is sponsored by Pheasants Forever of Ozaukee/
Washington County Chapter 680. Please join us
for a fun-packed day of trap shooting and pheasant hunting for kids ages 12 to 15, AND Novice
Hunters of ANY age who are Hunter Safety graduates. Jeff Stolen, 262-284-7268.
Dec 13-15 - Arrowhead Ice Fishing and Winter
Show. Duluth Entertainment Convention Center.
This year’s show will feature exhibits and displays with the newest and most exciting products
on the market for ice fishing & winter sports enthusiasts at a variety of price points to fit any budget. It’s the perfect time to shop for yourself or
find that perfect gift for someone special. Come
down to the show and let the experts show you
what’s new in the industry and answer all of your
questions first hand. Free Seminars by top name
pros will be given thru out the day sharing their
experiences along with their tips & tricks to help
you have a successful ice fishing season. The Ice
Team will also be on hand to share their passion
for the sport & provide you with up-to-the-minute
cutting edge advice & resources for every avid
ice angler who attends the show. Don’t forget to
stop by the Frozen Fish Pond to try your luck at
ice fishing. The fishing is free and the rewards
are plenty! Just put your pole in the hole, catch a
fish and you could find yourself winning various
prizes and certificates valued at over $8,000. The
certificates can be redeemed at any participating
vendor at the show. Watch the fish bite your hook
with the underwater Vexilar cameras. The fishing
is FREE, FUN and for the entire FAMILY! For
more info: www.shamrockprod.com
Dec 13 - Comment Deadline. Public comment
period for draft management plans for Zippel Bay
State Park, Franz Jevne State Park and Garden
Island State Recreation Area. The Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Parks
December 2013
LUNAR PHASES
New Moon
Dec 3
First Quarter
Dec 9
Full Moon
Dec 17
Last Quarter
Dec 25
SUNRISE-SUNSET
SUNRISE SUNSET
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
7:31am 4:33pm
7:32am 4:33pm
7:33am 4:33pm
7:34am 4:32pm
7:35am 4:32pm
7:36am 4:32pm
7:37am 4:32pm
7:38am 4:32pm
7:39am 4:32pm
7:40am 4:32pm
7:41am 4:32pm
7:42am 4:32pm
7:43am 4:32pm
7:43am 4:32pm
7:44am 4:32pm
7:45am 4:32pm
SUNRISE SUNSET
17 7:46am 4:33pm
18 7:46am 4:33pm
19 7:47am 4:33pm
20 7:47am 4:34pm
21 7:48am 4:34pm
22 7:48am 4:35pm
23 7:49am 4:35pm
24 7:49am 4:36pm
25 7:50am 4:36pm
26 7:50am 4:37pm
27 7:50am 4:38pm
28 7:51am 4:38pm
29 7:51am 4:39pm
30 7:51am 4:40pm
31 7:51am 4:41pm
Events
Full list of events online:
Click on Events!
View and Submit events at www.outdoorsweekly.com
and Trails Division is releasing for public review
and comment the draft management plans for
Zippel Bay State Park, Franz Jevne State Park
and Garden Island State Recreation Area (SRA).
The plans are available on the DNR website at
dnr.state.mn.us/input/mgmtplans/parks/zippel_
franzjevne_gardenisland.html. Comments can
be submitted to Laurie Young, DNR Parks and
Trails planning supervisor, 651-259-5638, laures.
[email protected], or 651-297-5475, (fax) by
Friday, Dec. 13.
Jan 10 - Spring Turkey Application Deadline.
Applications for the 2014 spring season will be
accepted wherever hunting and fishing licenses
are sold and online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense from Wednesday, Nov. 27 through Friday,
Jan. 10, according to the Minnesota Department
of Natural Resources. The 2014 spring hunt will
consist of six five-day and two seven-day seasons. A regulation change in 2014 means hunters
need to apply for only the first three time periods, seasons A through C. All licenses for the last
five time periods, seasons D through H, are unlimited and available over-the-counter. A second
regulation change closes the portion of Carlos
Avery Wildlife Management Area (permit area
511) surrounding the wildlife office headquarters
to hunting. The remainder of Carlos Avery will
remain open to wild turkey hunting. Wild turkey
hunters interested in hunting this spring must apply at a DNR license agent, online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense or toll-free, 888-665-4236. A
nonrefundable $4 application fee must be paid at
the time of application. Prospective hunters may
obtain an application information sheet at DNR
license agents or view online at www.mndnr.
gov/hunting/turkey beginning Wednesday, Nov.
27. Hunt information materials include a map
of wild turkey permit areas, permit quotas, dates
and information on changes. For more information, contact the DNR Information Center at 651296-6157, toll-free, 888-646-6367 or info.dnr@
state.mn.us. For questions about the changes to
the Carlos Avery (permit area 511) call the Carlos
Avery office at 651-296- 5290.
Feb 21-23 - Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo.
Schwan Center. Continues the legacy of show
founder Tom Helgeson, who was a passionate
advocate for fly fishing. The 2014 show will be
expanding with increased square footage using
the entire Schwan Center. This expo includes fly
fishing celebrities, seminars and classes, fly tying,
youth activities and more. This event is moving a
full month earlier, into February, to avoid trout
season and accommodate guides working the early season. www.nscsports.org/
March 7-9 - Minnesota Deer Classic. Schwan
Center. After being purchased by the National
Sports Center from founder Hugh Price, the Minnesota Deer Classic found a new home in 2013
moving to the National Sports Center. Look for
improvements to the 2014 show with more ticket
windows, expanded square footage and other improvements designed to better accommodate the
large crowds this event draws. Once again, the
show will feature the official antler and trophy
measuring. There will also be demonstrations,
seminars and lots of kids’ activities. This is the
one event that stayed on its 2013 date, the second
weekend in March. www.nscsports.org
ULDRICH-VECTOR
SOLUNAR DATA (C) 2013
computerized-Minneapolis-shanghai
Tables indicate fish and game feeding and migration
times. Major periods bracket peak by an hour before
and after. Minor peaks, half hour before and after. Adjusted for Daylight Savings Times (October & April).
Valid throughout North & South America.
AM
MINOR MAJOR PM
MINOR MAJOR
1 11:0106:0104:01 11:16
2 11:46 06:46 - - 04:46
3 07:3112:01 12:31 05:31
4 08:1612:46 01:16 06:16
5 09:0101:3102:01 07:01
6 09:4602:16 03:16 07:46
7 10:3103:01 04:31 09:01
8 11:3104:0110:46 06:01
9
- - 05:01 07:16 12:16
10 01:1606:16 01:01 08:16
11 07:3103:16 01:46 09:01
12 08:4604:16 02:16 09:46
13 09:4605:01 03:01 10:16
14 10:3105:46 03:31 10:46
15 11:0106:1604:01 11:16
16 11:46 06:46 - - 04:31
17 07:1612:01 12:16 05:16
18 07:4612:3112:4605:46
19 08:1601:01 01:16 06:16
20 08:4601:3102:01 06:46
21 09:1602:0102:46 07:16
22 09:4602:3103:46 08:16
23 10:1603:01 09:31 04:46
24 03:3110:46 11:46 06:16
25 04:31 11:31 - - 07:16
26 02:1605:46 12:16 08:16
27 07:3103:31 01:16 09:01
28 08:4604:31 02:01 09:46
29 10:0105:1603:01 10:31
30 10:4606:0103:46 11:16
31 11:31 06:31 - - 04:31
Tourneys
Jan 13 - Frostbite Challenge. Pelican Lake,
Monticello MN. 10:30pm - 3:00pm. The tournament will be held at well-known Pelican Lake in
Monticello, Minnesota. There will be a kids fishing contest from 10:30 to 11:30 am, followed by
the Frostbite challenge fishing contest from 12:00
noon to 3:00 pm. The entry fee for the Frostbite
Challenge contest is $25, while the children are
sponsored so their contest will be free. Children
will be given an incentive prize (which is to be
determined) encouraging them to come out and
participate in the event. There are multiple prices
from 1st to 12th place for the Frostbite Challenge,
and also will be giving a grand prize (which is
also still to be determined). This is a great day for
the whole family to come out, whether the participants are beginners or skillful fisher people.
Jason Kisner, 763-257-9282.
2013, From 12
just get better with strong year
classes coming up.
Sometimes we don’t take advantage of opportunities close to
home. I’m guilty of that I learned
in May this year. Clear Lake in
north central Iowa is about thirty
minutes from my home. I used
to fish there a lot, but have driven
right by in the past several years
while traveling to other farther
away lakes and rivers. Big mistake!
Devils Lake, From 13
may use up to four rods while ice
fishing.
Devils Lake fisherman Clint
Devier feels the good late summer
and fall bite will carry over into
winter. “This summer, we’ve been
catching the nice 12 to 13 inchers,
some just a bit smaller and then
bunches of 8 and 9 inch fish. This
winter will be like the good old
days,” he said.
Walleyes were as hot as perch
all summer and fall, and that action should also continue under the
ice. Randash fishes shallow water
(10 feet or less) early and late in
the day, but has found that many
large walleyes roam the deep basins, where he catches quite a few
with perch tackle. His top two
walleye presentations are spoons
and Jigging Raps. “The past two
Gear, From 24
sure anglers can find everything
they need easily.
We almost forgot: spikes.
Sometimes called ice cleats, or
creepers. They strap onto your
boots, fitting you with ice-gripping
traction. They’re crucial any time
there’s no snow on the ice. They
can prevent slipping and falling,
which can (and does) lead to injuries. Genz mentions Micro Spikes
by Kahtoola, but stresses that the
most important thing is to get some
and use them.
“This is the stuff that doesn’t
get talked about enough,” says
Genz, “because it’s not really fishing equipment. And it’s not that
we’re saying that ice fishing is
dangerous. You’ll probably fish
your whole life without needing
most of this stuff, but if somebody
falls through and you don’t have it
along, you’ll wish you did.”
Amen, and a major understatement.
Dave Genz, known as Mr. Ice
Fishing, was the primary driver of
the modern ice fishing revolution.
He has been enshrined in the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of
January 25 - Devils Lake Volunteer Fire Department Ice Fishing Tournament. Before the
lake even starts making ice, Devils Lake already
has its thoughts on ice fishing; and ice fishing
tournaments. Devils Lake is the largest natural lake in North Dakota and covers well over
200,000 acres.The ice fishing season kicks off as
soon as conditions permit, but officially with one
of the biggest events in the area, the Devils Lake
Volunteer Fire Department Ice Fishing Tournament. The 30th annual event occurs January 25,
2014, and averages over 4,000 anglers out on the
ice for the afternoon. With over $225,000 in fishing prizes and a massive 150-prize drawing, this
perch, pike and walleye tournament is designed
for family fun. Fire Chief Jim Moe said the easyto-fish contest on Six Mile Bay offers convenient
parking within walking distance of the pre-drilled
holes. Third prize for largest perch wins a 2014
Ram Quad 1500 Express Truck. Second place
in the walleye division wins an $8,000 ATV, and
the second place pike wins a $9,000 hard-shell
ice shelter. Cash prizes will also be paid to the
top five places. Tickets for the event go on sale
every year in October and the 18,000 tickets go
fast. “This ice fishing tournament has a huge
economic impact for the City of Devils Lake.
It fills up the motels and resorts, and the money
raised comes back to the community,” said Suzie Kenner, Devils Lake Convention and Visitors
Bureau executive director. Jim Moe said, “This
fund-raiser has helped buy some nice fire trucks
and rescue equipment over the years.” Also funded are local youth activities and scholarships.
More details for the tournament can be found at
dlvfdicefishingtourney.com. Devils Lake fishing
guides target perch, walleyes, white bass and
pike. To contact guides and for the latest lake
conditions, fishing reports, lodging, activities,
restaurants, tournament news and resorts, check
www.devilslakend.com, or call 701-662-4903.
Watch the ice fishing tournament video (click the
link to watch) Read the story online
Feb 14 - Wintercade's 4th Annual Veterans
Appreciation Ice Fishing Contest. On Lake
Ripley, Litchfield, MN. 1-3 pm. Entry Fee $20.
Limited to 1000 tickets. Tickets available at the
Admiral Benson VFW Post 2818 or at the Nelson
Horton American Legion Post 104 in Litchfield.
For info: Gaylen Heacock, Jr., Wintercade Chairman, [email protected], 320-699-0985.
Find us on Facebook!
Clear Lake has undergone
changes in the past four or five
years. A dredging project on the
west end of the lake has created
lots of underwater structure. The
water is also clearer, rough fish
populations are down, and gamefish populations, both numbers
and species, have taken off.
I fished with Kevan Paul, a
Clear Lake fishing guide, one
day last May. We caught dozens
of walleyes. Some were keepers,
some were small. The small ones
are a good sign for the future.
Because of the improved
conditions of the lake, the musky
population is very strong and panfish numbers are expanding also.
Clear Lake has become one of the
Midwest’s best multi-specie lakes,
and it promises to get better.
Sometimes change is a good
thing. I discovered that when I
visited these three lakes in 2013.
To see the new episodes of
Fishing the Midwest television go
to fishingthemidwest.com Join us
at Facebook.com/fishingthemidwest
years, I figure at least two-thirds of
my walleyes came in the evening
while fishing rock piles with brush
and/or trees,” he said. Best spots
to try include Pelican, Dry Lake,
Lake Irwin, the western flats, near
the Casino, and he recommends
anglers keep moving, drilling and
watching their Vexilars. Randash
tip: “In deep water, use a nine degree transducer for less interference from nearby buddies.”
He likes to take kids northern
pike fishing. His favorite spots are
the north end of Six Mile Bay and
anywhere on Pelican. “Set tip-ups
with a treble hook and half a smelt
or cisco, and watch them run for
the flags; it’s a ball with all the
quality pike in the system,” Randash said. The pike and walleye
limits are five per angler per day
and 10 in possession. The perch
limits are 20 daily and 80 in possession.
A map of the nine convenient
public drive-on accesses is featured on devilslakend.com. A
modern fish-cleaning station is located south of Ed’s Bait Shop on
Hwy 20 (south of the City of Devils Lake). The 20 x 32 station can
handle 15 anglers at once, and like
the Devils Lake fishing season is
open 12 months of the year. It is
free, heated, has two grinders, a
clean-up sink, regular and handicapped bathrooms.
Devils Lake fishing guides target perch, walleyes, white bass and
pike. To contact guides and for
the latest lake and ice conditions,
fishing reports, lodging, activities,
restaurants, tournament news and
resorts, check www.devilslakend.
com, or call 701-662-4903.
Fame and Minnesota Fishing Hall
of Fame for his contributions to the
sport. For more fishing tips and to
order his new info-packed book, Ice
Revolution, go to www.davegenz.
com.
Bemidji to Host 2014 Governor's
Deer Hunting Opener Event
Gov. Mark Dayton announced that the city of Bemidji has been chosen as the host
community for the Minnesota
Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener
to kick-off the 2014 firearms deer
season.
Dayton made the announcement at today’s 11th annual deer
hunting opener celebration in
Fergus Falls.
“During my three years hosting the Governor's Deer Opener,
we have enjoyed terrific events,
thanks to the hard work of our
hosts in Biwabik, Winona, and
Fergus Falls,” Dayton said. “I
thank everyone in Bemidji for
their willingness to continue this
great Minnesota tradition.”
The Bemidji area is a popular deer hunting and travel destination because of its vast forests,
including the Chippewa National
Forest and the Buena Vista and
Blackduck state forests. Lodging,
dining and other services options
also are abundant.
Governor’s Deer Hunting
Opener events bring positive attention to an activity that is economically important to the state
and socially important at the
friend, family and community
level, too.
Minnesota is home to nearly a half-million deer hunters
whose direct retail spending totals more than a quarter-billion
dollars and supports 3,760 jobs,
according to a 2011 study by the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“We’re excited about having the governor help showcase
the Bemidji area,” said Dennelle
Hilliard, executive director of
the city’s visitor and convention
bureau. “We have a great public
land base and wonderful natural
resources for people to enjoy.”
The Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Deer
Hunters Association and Explore
Minnesota Tourism will assist
local partners in planning the
event.
Bait Shops
Get all your fishing needs at Veire’s MiniMart. Live bait. Fishing & hunting licenses.
24 Hr Pay at the Pump. Gas, Diesel. Feed
your hunger with our Hot Stuff Pizza &
Subs, wash it down with our wide variety of
beverages. Lottery, ATM are here as well!
117 E Benton St, corner of Hwy 75 and 14,
Lake Benton, 507-368-4204.
Rod and Reel Repair. Custom tackle and
specialty bait. Open early! Minnetonka fishing headquarters. Wayzata Bait & Tackle,
Wayzata, MN 952-473-2227
Ben’s Bait & Tackle, Battle Lake. Full line
of tackle and sporting goods. Home raised
live bait plus leeches, crawlers & waxworms. T-shirts, sweatshirts, souvenirs and
Minnetonka Moccasins! 218-864-5596
Swanson’s Bait & Tackle. Hackensack. Full line
of fishing and hunting supplies, Amoco gas. Bait
is our specialty. www.swansonsbait.com
Marine General, Duluth, MN. We invite
you to stop in and see the large selection
of Hunting, Fishing, Camping and Marine
supplies that we have to offer! Great prices!
1501 London Rd, Online catalog at www.
marinegeneral.com 1-800-777-8577.
Timberline Sports – Blackduck, MN. Your
fishing and hunting specialists. Fishing
tackle, hunting supplies, guns, guide service available. Call Carl for latest lake
information. Located at Junction of U.S.
Hwy #71 and Blackduck Lake Road. 218835-4636.
We know fishing! Check us out! Kabetogama
& Namakan lakes. Everything you need
and more! Gateway General, 9378 Hwy 53,
Kabetogama, MN 56669. 218-875-2121,
www.gatewaygeneral.com Weekly fishing
report online at www.kabfishingreport.com
CLASSIFIEDS
Firearms
1-800-777-8557
www.marinegeneral.com
Frankie's Live Bait & Marine
#1 Ranger Dealer in the World!
Skeeter Boats Dealer
Bait Shop Open 7 Days A Week!
10680 South Ave, Chisago City, MN
(651) 257-6334 • www.frankies.net
[email protected]
Ice Fishing
Real Estate
SILVER SPUR
GUN SHOP
Land • Cabins • Lakeshore
Quality Gunsmithing
810 North 27th Ave.
St. Cloud 320-252-4208
For Sale
YOU WANT HUNTING LAND...
FISH HOUSE SUPPLY
Your one stop shop for all
your fish house parts and
accessories! All parts are always
in stock! Order online today! www.FishHouseSupply.com
Custom Hunting,
Farm, and Lake Maps
Lamination and
Shipping Available!
Ask
about our
Christmas
Special!
northwoodsmapping.com
Northwoods Mapping LLC
Bemidji, MN
Auctions (live and sealed bid) • Commercial • Dairy Farms
Cropland • Development • Hobby Farms/Rural Residential
Hunting & Recreation Properties • Lakeshore • Residential
JESSE HUGHES (Broker/Auctioneer)
DAVE WELLER (Associate Broker)
DALE ZACZKOWSKI
(Agent)
Over 30 Years Experience • [email protected] • (320) 815-0460
CHECK OUt OUR CURREnt LIStInGS & AUCtIOnS At
www.HughesRealEstate.net
Vacation
Premier World Class Trophy Fishery. Over
40 resorts open year round with all the amenities. Getaways to the Northwest Angle/
Islands. Free Getaway Guide. Call now!
1-800-382-FISH(3474). Walleye Capital of
the World. www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com
Hunting
LUNDEEN
CAMOUFLAGE
JACKETS
SILENT PREDATOR wool camo.
High quality virgin wool coats, pants,
vests, bibs for serious hunters.
Visit www.bighorngear.com or call
320-249-5105. Pat Kipka, Aitkin, MN
Ash Lake, Orr
2 BR cabin & large garage on
over 1.5 acres with 183 feet
of shoreline. 158,900
Call RE/MAX Lake Country
218-757-3233
www.TheLakeCountry.com
SCOTT COUNTY, MN - 40 Acres
"Hunting Haven";
Dense woods & wetland.
One bldg. eligibility $199,900.
Karin A Witt, Broker,
Pinpoint Realty, LLC,
612-369-0638
(1213)
www.jobeesrusticdecor.
artfire.com
CONTACT SALLY JO
320-808-0923
email:
jobeesrusticdecor2008
@yahoo.com
Guides
Minnesota Fishing Connections
Professional Fishing Guide, Tom Neustrom
www.mnfishingconnections.com
Tom guides frequently and successfully
for all species of fish throughout northern
Minnesota from the many lakes around
Grand Rapids and Deer River to Lake
Winnibigoshish, Leech Lake, Cass Lake
and Red Lake. 218-327-2312, email:
[email protected]
Like Pheasant hunting? Call
Sand Pine Pheasants to book
your hunt today! 320-363-4790
www.sandpinepheasants.com
Classified
Ad Rates:
print and online!
30 word AD +
PHOTO for
ONLY $15 month!
Submit online at:
outdoorsweekly.com
Sand Point Lake
139ft of south facing shoreline
with a septic & electric.
Gorgeous water views! $175,000
Call RE/MAX Lake Country
218-757-3233
We can assist with
nding property from
Lake Vermilion to
International Falls!
LAKE
COUNTRY
Each ofce independently
owned and operated
218-757-3233
Sell or buy
land and
Lakeshore at
We can assist with nding p
Lake Vermilion to Internat
Kuduk's Guide Service
MILLE LACS LAKE AREA
Winter and Summer Guiding
Get a hold of Chris Kuduk at 320-630-1761
or email [email protected]
Lake Home For Sale 3 Miles From I-94.
2 Acres of Woods & 200' of Lake Shore
On Long/Crooked Lakes. 3 Miles West
of Clearwater, MN. 1650 Sq. Ft. on Main
Floor, 4 Bdr., 3 Bath, M/F Laundry, 2 Fire
Places, Steel Siding, Heated Wood Shop.
Appointment Only, 320-558-2720.
Find Outdoors Weekly
on Facebook!
MANY STYLES TO
CHOOSE FROM!
Submit your ad online:
outdoorsweekly.com
We’ve Got It!
(218) 230 3084
MEN,
WOMEN,
CHILDREN
HOMEMADE
USA MADE
GROVE
CITY, MN
For Sale!!! '05 Starcraft 206
Pro Star, 21' boat, '08 Starcraft
trailer, '08 Mercury 250 Optimax Pro
XS Racing, '08 Mercury 9.9 ProKicker.
Bow storage, 12 gal. bow livewell, 6
gal. insulated drink cooler, center
bow rod locker, 32 gal. aft livewell, 4
batteries: 2 cranking w/On/Off switch,
Battery Isolator, 2 trolling batteries. 4
Bank Charger, '12 HDS 10 Gen 2 w/
card, '12 HDS 8 Gen 2 w/card, LSS
1 Structure Scan, AM/FM/CD/MP3
Stereo system w/Amps, VHF Marine
Band Radio, 2 Cannon Downriggers,
2 8lb. balls w/clips, '08 80lb. Terrova
w/'11 iPilot, 2 remotes, many extras.
Comes w/6 seats and some lifejackets. This boat has always been stored
inside and taken care of. Must see to
appreciate. $30,000.00, OBO. 605491-2904
For Professional
Service With Results
Pike Spearing Supplies - Ice Saws,
Spears, Decoys, Mickey Mouse/Bunny
boots and the amazing Pike Buster.
See it in action
www.dream-outdoors.com
Check out our website
for prices and examples
1501 London Road, Duluth, MN
Submit ads online:
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Place your classified AD online at www.outdoorsweekly.com
BOATING
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30 word AD
+ PHOTO for
ONLY $15 month!
Photo: Gateway General,
Kabetogama
www.kabfishingreport.com
Mike Nevin from Rocherster, MN caught this really
nice Walleye while staying at
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outdoorsweekly.com
Wild Dakota is proud to
represent the heritage of
outdoor sports dedicated
to show the best hunting,
fishing & outdoor experiences
in the upper Midwest.
- Lakefront
- Land
- Residential
Find out more about advertising
- Recreationalopportunities
& broadcast areas at
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Properties
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to the 2013 December Outdoors

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