Lake Winnibigoshish 2008 Fish Population Outlook

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Northern Traditions
Once a year thousands of
anglers pack up their gear,
hook up the boat and head to
Northern Minnesota with the
1000 Grand Lakes Area being
the destination. For the next
2-3 days every hotel, resort
and bed & breakfast will be full
without an empty bed to be
found. “Why would so many
people be heading to Northern
Minnesota,” you ask? It’s the
Minnesota Fishing Opener!
Grand Rapids, MN and its
surrounding
communities
were once known as a major
hub for the logging industry.
Over time this focus has
changed but logging still plays
a huge part of our economy.
Now businesses of every size
can be found. Whether it is
a major box store or Mom &
Pop business, they can all be
found here. You could say a
sliver of the past meets the
modern demands of society.
Throughout the year this
alone and the scenic beauty
attracts vacationing families
and
corporate
business
retreats but for one weekend
it’s the World Class Fishing
that becomes the main focus.
No where else in the Upper
Midwest is the Fishing Opener
such a gigantic event. Months
of planning and shopping
consume anglers. Many lay
awake at night wondering if
they forgot that one new item
that will catch the “Big One”.
For the people that don’t
partake or have an interest
they do not understand the
addiction, but for us it is
all part of the tradition. A
tradition that has been carried
down from
generation.
generation
to
What once was a weekend
with a few family members
has now turned into a reunion
amongst family and friends.
This is the one time of year
you can count on seeing just
about everyone! One might
compare the fishing opener in
Minnesota to the Super Bowl.
You don’t have to be a fan to
participate in the activities, just
allow yourself to get caught
up in all the excitement.
at the resort. Nothing beats
the first shore lunch of the
season. It doesn’t get any
better then a few fresh fillets
with potatoes and beans.
Don’t forget dinner cooked
on the old Weber, whether
its hot dogs and burgers or a
truly gourmet execution with a
game of cards to follow.
So with that being said maybe
its time to pack up the family
in the old truck and head
UPNORTH to start your own
tradition. Hope to see you on
the water!
Fishing isn’t the only thing this
weekend is about. There are
activities for everyone. Local
businesses run sales on just
about everything. Community
Barbeques and block parties
are quite common. And don’t
forget the entertainment back
Lake Winnibigoshish 2008 Fish Population Outlook
By Chris Kavanaugh
In a word – good. The outlook
for some species is better
than others but overall, there
are no major problems with
the fishery in Winnibigoshish
right now.
Walleye:
The catch of
walleye in assessment nets
in the summer of 2007 was
very close to the long-term
average for the big lake. The
walleye sampled varied in
length from 6.5 to over 26
inches, average length was
just below 15 inches. There
was a good diversity of sizes
and it appears that all age
classes are represented.
The walleye population in
Winnie is benefiting from
strong year classes in 2001,
2005 and it looks like 2006
will be good. Most other year
classes are at least average,
the last really poor year class
was back in 2000.
This
means there are a variety of
sizes of fish available. The
2005 and 2006 year classes
have benefited from warm
summers the last two years
and growth rates are very
good and some of these fish
will be of desirable size to
anglers this summer.
Northern pike: The catch of
northern pike continues to
increase in assessment nets.
The current catch is in the
highest 25% observed on
Winnie since 1983. High catch
rates in the sample usually
mean a smaller average size
and that was the case this past
summer. The average length
on northern pike was about
21 inches. However, there are
some quality size fish available
and the size structure appears
to be improving.
Yellow Perch: Perch are a
very important species for
both anglers and as a prey
item for walleye and northern
pike. The catch of perch in
assessment nets reached an
all-time low in 2005 largely
because of poor year classes
in 2000 and 2002. As the
strong year class from 2003
is maturing, the catch of
perch is increasing. Anglers
have been able to catch good
numbers of perch but have to
sort to get quality sized fish.
Again, as the 2003 year class
continues to grow, anglers
should start seeing more of
the larger fish.
Fish managers talk a lot about
year classes as an important
factor of fish population
dynamics, but how do you
tell how old a fish is? Length
of the fish may give you
some indication but fish
growth is influenced by water
temperatures, prey
Continued on page 9
UPNORTH, The 1000 Grand Lakes Area • 2008 SUMMER EDITION
EDITOR:
Jason Green
DESIGN & LAYOUT:
Cowduck Designs:
Brent Burich, Art Director
and Jason Green
CONTRIBUTORS:
Gary Roach, Jeff Sundin,
Ted Takasaki, Tim Lesmeister,
Travis Peterson, Steve Mattson,
Chris Kavanaugh, Tony Roach,
Dan Craven, Tom Neustrom,
and Jason Green
For advertising information or to join our
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information contained in UPNORTH’s Publications
is prohibited without authorization.
2
3
MINNESOTA FISHING PROS
Giving the Bobber the Slip
By Gary Roach
that are still at the beginning
of the learning curve. Shallow
walleyes spook, even when it
is windy with waves. Running
that big motor while setting
up the anchor is a sure way to
have to wait for the walleyes
to come back to you.
The Top-Rated
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Charlie
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Jason
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Bill
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Jeff
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We use the latest equipment to ensure your comfort.
If you can finesse walleyes
with a Roach Rig you are
considered top notch. Being
able to strain structure with a
jig puts you on the peak of the
walleye mountain. So why is it
when we break out the bobbers
those “elite” anglers give us a
look like we should be joining
the kids on the shoreline?
When did bobber fishing
become the red-headed stepchild of walleye fishing? What
is it about bobber fishing that
makes some walleye anglers
look down their nose at us
when we drop anchor and
cast out the slip-float?
First off, bobber fishing is
one of the more productive
forms of walleye fishing under
certain conditions. The fact
that you’re boat is anchored in
position near some structure
and that strike indicator, the
bobber, is telling you when
to set the hook is why some
anglers don’t think there is
much skill involved in this style
of fishing. They’re part right,
but mostly wrong. There is a
lot of thought that goes into
bobber fishing when it’s done
right.
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Some of the best bobber
fishing occurs when it is windy
and the walleyes are on top of
rocks feeding on the forage
that is getting kicked loose by
the wave action. Positioning
the boat is always a challenge
when you have wind and
sometimes it can take a few
tries to put the boat in just the
right spot.
Knowing how much line you
need to let out to get that
anchor hooked and letting
the wind get you into position
instead of running your big
motor separates the best
bobber fishermen from those
Before I even grab an anchor
I run the boat over the top of
the bar or reef I’m planning
to fish and find the highest
point on that structure. It
doesn’t matter if it’s 10 or 20
feet. It’s important to be able
to let your slipbobber work
the shallowest as well as the
deepest part of that structure.
You have to know where the
top of that structure is so you
can efficiently work around
the edges.
As soon as I’ve figure out
where the highest point is I go
over the top of the structure
and drop a marker buoy. I
want that marker right on the
top. Then I do a few drifts in
the boat to see where the best
place is to drop the anchor.
The anchor point is relative to
how the wind drifts the boat.
You want to have the bow of
the boat facing right into the
wind and the back of the boat
positioned where you can toss
your bobber and have it drift
right up to the marker buoy.
Some guys like to pull their
marker buoy after they’re
anchored because they fear
drawing a crowd. I leave it
in because then I know the
bobber is drifting right where
I want it to.
The anchor I use is an old
Water Spike. I’ve found that
this anchor really holds when
it’s windy and you’re fishing
rocks. There’s nothing worse
than battling with an anchor
trying to get it to hold. With
“The Spike” I can get into
position and hold there nicely.
I seldom use a bobber on calm
days. It seems like you need
that wind and wave action to
activate the bobber bite. I
also find the rock piles are the
best place to use a bobber on
a windy day.
My setup is simple. I use a
medium/light action spinning
rod. The reel is spooled with
eight-pound test Fireline and
to that I tie on a small barrel
swivel and an 18-inch piece of
six-pound test Trilene XT. To
the XT leader I tie on a onesixteenth ounce jig. I like a
smaller jig when bobber fishing
because I can use split-shot
above the jig to pull the line
through the slip-bobber and
keep the bobber just barely
floating on the surface.
There are two important
aspects to bobber fishing.
One is to make sure the bobber
setup is weighted enough to
allow the float to easily be
pulled under water. Too little
weight and the bobber will
create too much resistance
when the fish takes the bait,
and it will spit the bait and
swim away.
Keeping the bait in the zone
where the fish are is the other
aspect to bobber fishing
that must be considered for
success. I like to have a couple
extra anglers in the boat with
me when bobber fishing so
we can adjust the depths of
the bait to cover the entire
water column and see if there
are any walleyes higher up.
I’ve had times
when
I’ve
been in deep
water and the
walleyes were
just 10 or 12
feet below the
surface.
Bobbering
allows
you
to use any
bait
you
want. Hook
a
minnow
thought the
mouth
and
out behind the
head unless
it’s a bigger
m i n n o w.
Then
just
poke the hook
out the nose.
Leeches just
get
poked
t h r o u g h
the
sucker.
Nightcrawlers
have always
worked best
for me when
I hook them
right in the
middle
and
let the crawler
hang off both
sides of the
hook. As the bobber lifts and
drops the nightcrawler flutters
and flaps.
You actually toss the bobber
out to the side of the boat
and let the bait drift from the
deeper water to the top of
the structure. You can strain
a lot of water by working
both sides of your boat and
making progressively longer
casts. Each time that bobber
is moving over new water and
this allows you to get a feel
for where those walleyes are
sitting.
I’ve heard anglers say that
bobber fishing doesn’t work
in cover, especially when
walleyes are in the wood. It
depends on how you set up.
I was fishing the PWT at
Devil’s Lake in North Dakota.
The walleyes were in the trees
with some of the fish right on
the bottom and some sitting
suspended in the branches.
You can fish two lines one
Devil’s Lake so I made sure
one bobber’s positioned with
the bait near the bobber and
able to get into the branches.
The other bobber had the bait
just inches off the bottom.
I was using the Northloand
Weed Weasel jig because
they have a hook guard to get
it past the snags and if this
jig does get hung up it has a
heavy hook so you can pull it
out.
The wind would drift those
bobbers
right
into
the
branches and the suspended
walleyes couldn’t resist the
bait. I can’t think of a better
way to get a bait into wood for
walleyes. I do recommend that
when the bobber quivers as a
fish inhales the bait you want
to start cranking, otherwise
you’re going to be getting
wrapped up in the branches.
One thing that hasn’t changed
during all these years of
bobber fishing is the excited
feeling I get when a fish pulls
that bobber under. Makes me
feel like a kid again.
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4
Up North Nuptials
The Ultimate Minnow
By Tom Neustrom
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For decades upon decades
there have been many lures
that have come and gone.
Thousands as a matter of
fact, and some darn good
ones, came off the shelves
and disappeared into tackle
boxes all over the country.
Some of the different styles
of artificial baits continue to
transform from their original
shape and size to conform
to the needs of anglers and
the conditions they may
face. One of these pioneer
baits that really haven’t
changed in nearly 50 years
is the original Rapala.
It’s slender, minnow type
appearance, captivated the
fishing world, and continues
to lead the fishing industry in
its irresistible characteristics
that drives fish crazy on
every continent. I stand in
my garage and scan over
some of the old baits I have
hanging in my shop and
there is that Rapala starring
me right in the face, like to
say “remember me”?
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5
My dad was purest and
very seldom used live bait
some 40-50 years ago. He
had his go-to baits and
his tackle box had rows
and compartments full of
artificial lures with names
like L&S Mirror Lure, River
Runt, Pinkie Minnow, Red
Eye
Wiggler,
Johnson
Silver Spoon, Daredevil and
several others that were too
numerous to recall. All alone
in this one compartment
was this silver, minnow
looking lure that had an
appearance like none other
in the box. Some of the
paint was missing in spots,
like an old dog must have
been chewing on it. I asked
my dad if I could tie it on, and
I got “the look”, you know the
look that asks one if they are
crazy or something. It really
wasn’t selfishness that dad
was displaying, but a sense
of not wanting to lose his
favorite go-to bait. It caught
everything from walleyes to
bass to northern pike. I never
wrestled that Rapala away
from dad, although since his
passing, I do have it now. Over
the years I have purchased
many of these “magical baits”,
but there always will be that
riveting memory of the first
one.
Around 35 years ago, I started
guiding for walleyes at night
on Lake Geneva in Southern
Wisconsin. As with most gin
clear walleye lakes, Lake
Geneva produced walleyes in
the dark of night and couple
that with a lake that had a lot
of recreational traffic, it was
essential to sneak around after
everyone but the walleyes,
went to bed. There were
several of us that developed
patterns that caught walleyes
in the dark and the floating
Rapala was our lure of
choice. Most often we had
found that the walleyes were
roaming large shallow flats
with sporadic cabbage beds.
Many of these spots were
located in depths of 5-8 feet
and were difficult to fish. One
had to sometimes weave in
between moored sailboats
that were located in some of
the best walleye spots. Gas
motors were not the best way
to go about this method (God!
I wish we had four-strokes in
those days). For the majority
of the “night stalkers’, we used
our electric motors at near full
power and would slowly troll
these flats with #11 Floating
Rapalas. The size was crucial
and several of us preferred the
three treble hooks compared
to the two trebles that were on
a #9. At the speed we were
going our baits would dive to
about 4-6 feet, and at times
we would pinch on a split
shot two to three feet above
the Rapala, just to gain an
extra foot in depth. This was
a deadly method for taking
walleyes at night, working
very shallow water efficiently
and effectively. You know the
amazing thing, “it still works”.
Many
anglers
across
the
country either live or fish on a
body of water that has a lot of
pressure. Just because of the
recreational use during the
daytime, it doesn’t mean that
you can’t go out after dark and
catch plenty of fish. Gull Lake
in Brainerd, Pokegama Lake
in Grand Rapids, and Lake
Carlos in Alexandria are all
clear lakes with a lot of activity
during the day. These are all
prime candidates for the after
hours trolling techniques that
were applied over 30 years
ago. I’ll tell you one thing that
some of the monster walleyes
that live in those lakes, only
“come out to play”, after dark.
We have noticed a preference
for larger baits at night, and it
could be the size, profile and
target of these larger baits
that make them so attractive.
Most often, except for early
season presentations, I have
always preferred the larger
floating Rapalas, specifically
sizes F11 thru F18.
braids, line counter reels,
there has become a little
more sophistication. Having
the proper amount of line
out time after time can be
important to have your bait
run at the proper depth,
consistently. Just remember
with line counter reels you are
held to a trolling presentation.
There are situations where
a spinning reel loaded up
with monofilament, Rapala
Titanium, or Berkley Fireline
can be functional, either
trolling or casting.
Years ago, we trolled with
medium size spinning reels
loaded with ten pound test
monofilament line (low stretch
if possible) and seven foot
medium action rods. They
would work just fine under
today’s standards. Nowadays,
with the insurgence of super
The newest member to the
Ultimate Minnow family has
been the Husky Jerk, a bit of
a glamour child, but like all
the Rapala products, it’s a fish
catching machine. With its
neutral buoyancy capabilities,
awesome color combinations
alluring and erratic action,
As the years have come
and gone, there have been
even changes in the floating
Rapala, and they are all for
the better. With 19 different
fish attracting colors, four of
which incorporate a blood red
lip and treble hooks (Bleeding
Patterns), and seven different
sizes, it’s safe to say that
the Rapala family of floaters
has taken on major cosmetic
changes and will continue to
provide anglers with the best
minnow baits in the industry.
the Husky Jerk is one of the
new state of the art minnow
baits that can be used in
additional
presentations.
When the retrieve is paused
for any reason the Husky Jerk
stays at the same depth and
just puts the brakes on. This
bait is lethal for every species
of game fish, and there is a
fond affection from walleyes,
smallmouth bass, northern
pike and several species of
trout and salmon. Whether
trolled or fished as a jerk bait,
fast or slow, make no mistake
this bait is truly a masterpiece.
Available in fourteen colors
and five sizes, the Husky Jerk
is a bait for the ages.
Going back in time, to
methods and lures that have
worked for decades, is not
the worst idea one ever had.
The foundations that we have
built in each other’s world of
fishing and the techniques
we have learned, are all part
of the puzzle, called success.
The many things on the water
that I have learned over the
years are etched in my mind
forever. Artificial baits, such
as Rapala, continue to build
foundations in fishing that will
far outlive us all. “Don’t be on
the water without em”.
“THEY VIBRATE, SHAKE, ROCK & ROLL!”
The BAITFISH-IMAGETM and ROCK’N RAINBOW SPINNERS
are the hottest spinner rigs on the PWT and FLW Walleye
Tours! They feature vibrating fish-scale blades and lifelike,
Baitfish-ImageTM “match-the-hatch”
patterns that Walleye, Sauger,
Perch, Bass and
Baitfish-ImageTM Spinner
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resist!
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vibrates & shakes
with an erratic
rock & roll
action!
Snag
Free!
6
7
Solving the Musky Mystery - Walk Don’t Run!
Part Two: Trolling for Muskies
By Jeff Sundin
In part one of solving the
Musky Mystery, I mentioned
a few of the most effective
shallow
water,
casting
techniques to catch Musky. In
part two, we’ll look at a few of
the trolling presentations that
will help you put even more
Muskies in the boat.
In many ways trolling and
casting are different, but they
do have one key thing in
common so let’s use this quote
from part one to recap Musky
fishing rule number one: “The
biggest secret (if there is one)
is to spend time on “good
Musky Water”. You’ll learn
more and develop confidence
a lot faster if you spend your
time fishing lakes with good
populations of fish. Avoid
the old trap of heading out
to every lake that is rumored
to have a couple of big ones,
you can do better than that.
Thanks in large part to the
efforts of Musky devotees and
organizations like Muskies,
Inc. with cooperation from the
DNR, there are more Muskies
to catch today than ever
before. Take advantage of
the wealth of information that
these folks have put together
and in short order you’ll have
a good list of quality lakes to
get started on.”
Trolling could arguably rank
high as one of the most
effective ways to catch a
Musky. But for me, there is
one element of trolling that
falls into the category of “UNsportsmanlike conduct” and
that’s trolling in shallow water.
Depending on your point of
view, trolling in general may
or may not be considered
“sportsmanlike”. But, there’s
no doubt that trolling through
prime shallow-water weed
cover is certainly not a great
way to help make your
fishery better. I fish on some
lakes that have been on
the receiving end of intense
trolling pressure and at times,
I’ve seen it take a toll on
favored, shallow water weed
growth. It’s important that
we bear in mind our impact
on this shallow cover and do
what we can to minimize our
impact. Protecting shallow
water habitat is not only good
for game fish, but provides
cover for smaller forage
species, other wildlife and
helps improve water quality.
So after I said all that, lets
focus here primarily on simple
but effective techniques for
trolling in deeper open water.
By the way, “open water”
could also easily include “flat”
sand or gravel areas adjacent
to weed cover.
Long ago we assumed that
the “best” place to catch
than you might think, the two
basic rules to keep in mind
are; 1) You have to stay near
fish and 2) You have to get
your bait near a fish to catch
one.
The idea of trolling in open
water conjures up images of
large boats and thousands
of dollars worth of special
gear like downriggers, planer
boards and everything that
goes with that. If you’ve got a
larger boat and lots of gear, you
obviously have more flexibility
and can take advantage of
more opportunities. There’s
no reason that you shouldn’t
acquire all of the goodies if
you want to, but if you can’t
shell out big bucks right now
to get started, you can still
Lots of suspended forage, including a variety of larger fish is a good
indication that you’re in the right neighborhood. Spotting a Musky on
the graph is exciting, but you don’t necessarily need to see one to
catch it.
Muskies was where we could
occasionally see them. Areas
like shallow weeds, rocks and
other shoreline-related cover.
These areas do often hold
Muskies. But while they might
be feeding in these areas
during spring, early summer
and late fall when forage is
available in shallow water,
we’ve learned that often, these
shallow areas are used by
Musky primarily for resting. We
know now that at most times
of the year, the abundance
of suitable food like Cisco’s,
Whitefish, Suckers and other
open water forage species
attract
actively
feeding
Muskies out into deeper, open
water. These large fish locate
schools of larger forage fish
and really “strap on the feed
bag” returning to shallow
water cover when they need
rest.
Getting started is a lot simpler
get in the game. In fact, there
are lots of small lakes where
open water trolling works like
a charm for folks with small
boats and limited amounts
of tackle. By picking the right
lake, even folks equipped with
simple gear and a small boat
can cover plenty of ground
during an average fishing day.
That said, you’re going to
need at least a few key pieces
of gear to make it worth your
time.
Here’s a short, but important
list of items I consider a
must for open water trolling.
A graph that allows you to
see both suspended fish
and baitfish, a heavy action
trolling rod in the seven to
eight-foot range, a reliable
level wind reel spooled with
good line, a small assortment
of deep-diving crankbaits and
an assortment of bell sinkers,
swivels and strong leaders.
Also, unless you have an
intimate knowledge of the
lakes structure, you’ll need at
least a good plastic or paper
map.
A few extras that would be
nice could include a GPS and
mapping chip (for the GPS). A
line counting reel and a couple
of good rod holders. An extra
spare rod would be nice too,
but if it’s not in the budget,
don’t sweat it.
Locating a Musky in open water
is easiest by concentrating on
areas where they’ll be relating
to schools of forage fish. You
don’t necessarily need to see a
Musky on your graph (although
eventually you will), just keep
searching for “baitfish” that
are large enough to attract
feeding Muskies. We’re not
looking for the clouds of
smaller baitfish that we’d seek
if we were looking for Walleye,
Crappie or Bass. Remember
that we’re looking for forage
that’s large enough show up
on your graph as “separate
fish”. To a Musky, almost any
fish in the lake is food. A fourpound Sucker is a baitfish, so
are 2 pound Whitefish and half
pound Cisco’s. Watch your
graph and focus on the areas
where fish are abundant. To
put the odds in your favor,
the more fish you locate, the
better. It’s true that you may
not know for sure what kind of
fish that you’re looking at on
the screen, but to a Musky it
won’t matter.
Salmo Whitefish, Bagley’s
DB06, Giant Rapalas and other
baits of this type. These are all
good choices and all available
in colors that work in lots of
Midwest fishing situations.
Getting the best color is
a matter of matching that
emulate the forage species
in the lake you’re going to
fish. Use your imagination
and include colors that cover
a variety of situations that
could arise on your lake. For
a lake with lots of Suckers
or Smallmouth Bass, you
might want to go with larger
crankbaits in natural colors
like gold, brown or orange. If
your lake has more Cisco or
Whitefish, you might go with
thinner baits in the silver, blue
and green schemes. Don’t
overlook lures that emulate
small Northern Pike, Walleye
or Perch, whatever forage
is plentiful in your lake is
probably also on the Muskie’s
menu.
In a lot of areas, there are
groups of lakes with similar
structures and forage bases
so you’ll be able to get double
duty from lots of them. Keep
in mind that in the beginning
you’re better off with a handful
of good quality baits. As you
gain experience, you can add
to the collection intelligently
and in the long run you’ll end
up with a super selection of
great trolling baits.
Trolling rods for large baits
need to be heavy enough at
the butt section to keep your
A “poor mans downrigger” consists of a three way swivel, heavy bell
sinker and leader. By varying the sinker weight, you can custom tune
your trolling depth to almost any situation.
Choosing a small assortment
of quality baits is best
accomplished after studying
your lake a bit. Since we’ll plan
to use these baits primarily
for open water trolling,
concentrate on the bigger
billed deeper diving versions
of baits like the Cisco Kid,
crankbait under control, but
have a sensitive enough tip
to let you feel the swimming
action of the bait. I use a G.
Loomis MUR946C-TR that
can handle lures all the way
up to 6 ounces and is just shy
Continued on page 9
8
Solving the Musky Mystery - Walk Don’t Run!
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of 8 feet long. A minimum of
a seven-foot (or longer) rod
will help you keep the bait
out away from the boat and
allow you to troll without using
planer boards. Trolling without
boards or downriggers is
commonly referred to as “flat
lining”. Besides helping get the
bait out away from the boat,
the longer heavier rod will
help take the pressure off of
your forearm if you’re holding
it by hand. It won’t take long
to figure out that a wimpy rod
isn’t going to cut it for trolling
larger crankbaits especially
with added weights for going
deep. A rod holder with a
secure locking mechanism
would really come in handy
too.
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Trolling your lure at the proper
depth is vital, so it’s important
that you try to choose your
baits and gear based on
getting them to the depth
where the forage (or gamefish)
is located. Repeatability is
also important so you need to
develop confidence in some
system that allows you to get
your bait to the same depth
every time. For example, if I
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a drop line with a loop from
the third side of the swivel.
By experimenting with bell
sinkers of varying weights you
can easily learn to control the
depth of your lure.
To really lock in your ability to
fine tune the trolling depth,
“Photo Courtesy of Bruce Champion”
simple way of getting your
bait deep into the “kill zone”
is a drop weight rigged on a
three-way swivel. Tie one side
of the three-way swivel to
your line; add a leader to the
opposing side and finally rig
you’d ideally go with a line
counter type reel to help get
your lure back to the same
depth every time. If you don’t
have one or don’t want to go
that route, you can devise
other systems for keeping
(Continued from page 7)
track of distance too. Count
the times the line travels from
one side of the spool to the
other; count rod lengths and
so on. No matter how you go
about it, the idea is to learn to
put the lure where the fish are.
I’ve tried quite a few lines on
my Musky reels but I always
wind up going back to Fireline
and I think this is about as
versatile as it gets.
Often, the forage will relate
to structure like deep-water
humps or sunken islands and
deep holes located close to
steep drop-off areas along
main lake flats or bars. A great
trolling approach is to follow a
path or route that takes you
near a number of these deepwater fishing structures. For
example you might troll the
open water along a sharp
drop off until you come near
a sunken island. Turn away
from the drop off and continue
trolling through open water
until you arrive at the sunken
island and make a wide turn,
troll around that sunken island
and begin moving toward
another structure. Obviously
the more structure your lake
Lake Winnibigoshish 2008 Fish Population Outlook
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218-326-0515
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see lots of forage at 20 feet,
I could troll my favorite 9-inch
Cisco Kid 90 feet behind
the boat without adding any
weight. But if I’ve seen most
of the action down at 40 feet,
I’d need to either change
to deeper running bait or
add extra weight. One really
9
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available and even the sex of
the fish. Females generally
grow faster and larger than
males. Warm summers with
adequate prey produce much
faster growth rates than cool
summers.
In order to determine the
age of a fish we must look
at a bony structure. Scales
are commonly used because
they are easy to collect and
prepare.
However, ageing
slow growing or old fish can
be difficult.
Species like
northern pike may have a
high percentage of scales
that have been regenerated.
Other bony structures such
as spines, otoliths, opercles
or cleithrum are also collected
to verify ages.
Fish are cold-blooded with
metabolism and growth being
heavily influenced by water
temperatures. In our northern
climate there is enough
contrast in water temperatures
over the year that most fish
have distinct growth patterns.
As a fish grows in length the
bony structures also grow
proportionately.
As water
temperature cools in the fall
and through the winter growth
rate slows, leaving a distinct
mark on bones and scales.
except there are multiple rings
per year on a fish scale versus
the single ring in a tree. As a
fish gets older and the relative
length changes very little, the
scales become much more
difficult to read. Once the age
is determined from a scale it
is possible to reconstruct the
growth history of the fish by
the relative distance between
annuli and the length at
capture.
Scales work well on fish that
are young, say up to about
age 5 or 6 or very fast growing.
Throughout the year as the
fish grows there are growth
rings added to the scale called
circuli. When growth slows
in the winter the circuli begin
to overlap and form what’s
called an annuli or annual
growth ring. This is much
like the growth rings in a tree
On fish with spiny rays on
the dorsal fin a spine may be
collected to determine the
age. The spine is cut near the
base and then a thin section
is cut with a jeweler’s saw.
This can be observed under
a microscope to count the
rings, very much like counting
tree rings. As the fish grows
the spine becomes longer and
thicker. It is important to cut
cowduckdesigns
has, the more intricate your
route can be. On one small lake
near my home, there are only
a handful of sunken islands
and a couple of sharper drop
of areas. On lakes like that, I
can troll “the route” from one
side of the lake to the other
and then reverse my path and
go back. You might decide to
repeat the same route several
times on small lakes or choose
to cover miles of territory on
larger lakes.
Okay, so there’s enough
information to give you a taste
of trolling for Muskies. A lot
has been left unsaid but that’s
where your imagination kicks
in. The fun is in experimenting
with trolling speeds, mixing
up presentations and creating
open water scenarios to try.
Add your own personal touch
and you’re on your way to
mastering the sport, one trip
at a time.
Jeff Sundin is a full time
Professional Fishing Guide
and a founding member of the
Northern Minnesota Guide
League. For more information
go to www.jeffsundin.com.
(Continued from page 1)
the spine right at the base and
sectioned carefully so that the
first growth ring is preserved.
Scales and spines can be
collected from live fish with
little harm done to them. On
some fish, particularly larger
or older fish, scales and
spines are difficult to read and
another structure is necessary.
Collecting opercles, cleithrum
and otoliths will kill the fish so
they are only collected from
fish that can be sacrificed
without harming the population
or from fish that are already
dead.
Opercles
are
a
nearly
transparent bone located
on the gill cover.
The
growth pattern shows up
as translucent bands. The
cleithrum is a bone that
forms the back margin of the
gill cavity and is commonly
collected from northern pike.
Otoliths are small bones
located in the head, help fish
with balance, and are one of
the most reliable methods of
determining a fish’s age. All
three methods require some
preparation
with
otoliths
requiring the most time.
Once the age is determined
from one of these other
structures it is easier to find
and place those marks on
the scale to get the growth
history. This data can be
used to evaluate a variety of
management actions such
as stocking or regulations
and gives the fish manager
valuable insights to what’s
happening with the fish
population.
www.cowduckdesigns.com
10
11
Chasing Carp With A Fly Rod- An Interview With Charlie Moore
By Dan Craven
Carp fishing requires accurate
casting
and
sometimes
distance casting.
Weight
forward lines are essential for
both of those things. Make
sure you have a reel with a
smooth disc drag. Carp can
make massive runs.
Any
faults with the drag will result
in a broken line.
Craven: What conditions are
optimum for carp (fly-fishing)
in lakes and rivers (still water,
current, sight fishing, etc…)?
Our readers have expressed
interest
in
angling
opportunities for “other”, less
commonly angled species.
We interviewed Charlie Moore,
who has extensive experience
chasing Carp with a fly-rod.
Craven: For starters ,what sort
of outfit should we be using
for carp?
Moore: A 7 or 8 weight fly
rod works well for Carp
fishing. You should also get a
matching weight forward line.
Moore: The first thing to
mention here is that carp
fishing with a fly rod is a visual
game. You have to see the
fish to catch them. There are
very few times that you blindcast for carp. Water clarity is
essential. Calm, sunny days
are the best. The sun warms
the bays up well and brings the
carp in to feed. Plus, it makes
visibility better. This is true
for rivers and lakes. Look for
shallow bays that have a mud
or sandy bottom. For rivers,
you can also look for shallow
eddies that create scum lines.
The scum lines hold insects
that the carp will be feeding
on. The optimum condition is
to find carp that are mouthing
on the surface. These are
your most aggressive fish and
provide the best opportunity
to catch.
Craven: What type and length
of leader…?
Moore: I generally use a
tapered leader that is 8-9 feet
long and tapers down to 8
pound test. Make sure to use a
tapered leader. With accurate
casting, you need a soft water
presentation. Tapered leaders
lend a good hand in creating
very little water disturbance
when they land on the surface
of the water.
Craven: What are your favorite
three or four flies for carp –
and in what size?
Moore: My favorite pattern is
called “Charlie’s Carp Candy.”
That is simply an olive dubbed
body with an olive marabou
tail. This pattern has worked
from Arkansas to Kansas to
the Dakotas, Minnesota, and
all the way to New York. Some
other really good patterns
to use are: any mayfly larval
pattern (olive), Wooly Buggers
(olive and brown), crayfish
patterns, and always have
at least one minnow pattern
along preferably a Simm’s
Snake. With the larval patterns
I will use a size ten and twelve.
With the crawfish and minnow
patterns, a size 2 to a size 6.
Craven: Can you name a few
hotspots for us – for numbers,
size or alternate species?
Moore: The Mississippi River
from about St. Cloud on down
provides us a quality fishery
for carp. You will have some
issue with water clarity at
times. There are many lakes in
the Twin Cities that have great
carp fisheries. For traveling,
Lake Oahe in South Dakota is
one of the best carp fisheries
I’ve fished for numbers of
carp. They don’t get very
large there – up to about 13
pounds. If you are looking to
chase giants I will give you a
few options… Milford Lake
in Kansas is a great choice.
Milford lake has true giants up
to 40 pounds. Milford also has
a great population of mirrored
carp. In Little Bay de Noc in
Escanaba Michigan you have
a legit shot at a 50 pounder in
the Bays de Noc. You won’t
catch many, but when you do,
they are huge. Lake Superior
at Ashland, WI has some
fantastic flats fishing for carp,
good numbers with fish up to
30 pounds. The Glacial lakes
in North East South Dakota
has great carp fishing. You
have many lakes to choose
from and the fish get good
sized with fish up to 30 pounds
caught each year.
Craven: Thanks, Charlie! Any
last tips?
Moore: Don’t underestimate
the power of a carp. Their
runs are explosive and more
powerful than many other
freshwater fish. Be prepared
and have fun.
Mr. Flexibility
By Travis Peterson
the day after that. You’re
the guide for the week so
you’ll also have to consider
your clientele on each outing.
With these variables in mind,
flexibility will be the name of
the game. You might consider
planning one or more of the
following trips.
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So, you’re up here on vacation
with the family, huh? Great!
Brought the boat along too?
Super! I bet you could fish
every day from daylight
until dark. But sightseeing,
shopping, swimming, waterskiing, tubing, dining out, and
more sightseeing are likely on
the agenda of other members
of your party. If not, enjoy the
week on the water. However,
if you’ll be squeezing some
fishing in between other
activities, you will surely want
to maximize your efforts. You
might find yourself fishing in
the morning one day, evening
hours the next, and mid-day
Sunrise Service
Everybody up! OK, maybe
not everybody. But, for those
who want to experience the
best morning of the summer,
this trip is for them. Creating
the first ripples on the water
as you make you boat your
way through a thin layer of fog
is a cool thing.
Morning hours are a great
time to chase bass. Yes . . .
bass! Largemouth bass are
plentiful and willing in most
area lakes. Smallmouth bass
are found in smaller numbers
and in fewer lakes. Work the
shorelines. Bass will relate
to any obstacles in the water.
Target lily pads, bulrushes,
and fallen trees. Oh, and
don’t forget to cast around
docks. Because top-water
fishing is so fun and effective
in calm waters, I like to throw
a popper like a Rapala Skitter
Pop. Be careful casting these
with multiple people in the boat
though. Cast it near ambush
cover and twitch it back to the
boat. Another sure-fire bass
bait is a soft plastic Slurpies
Dip-Stick. It looks like, well
. . . a dipstick, but it catches
bass like crazy.
Often when I’m guiding anglers
for bass, this is all we use . . . all
day! Rig this bait weedless on
a worm hook and cast it near
the cover, working it back very
slowly, with lots of pauses.
Many strikes will occur while
the bait is descending or idle
on the bottom.
Burnin’ Daylight
Lather up with the sunscreen!
Get some cheap polarized
sunglasses for the kids too.
Mid-day is a good time to get
the whole family on board.
Walleyes lay pretty low during
high skies. On bright sunny
days, panfish and northern
pike are more cooperative.
may be a better option with
multiple anglers in the boat.
Put the boat in gear, cast the
lines out behind the boat, and
hang on! Diving crankbaits
like Shad Raps work well
for pike. In heavier weeds,
switch to a Classic-Series
ReedRunner Spinnerbait with
tandem blades. Pike like flash
and gaudy colors. Let ma and
the kids pick their own colors
and do some side-by-side
taste tests!
For sunfish, nothing beats
a small fly-imitating jig
suspended under a slipbobber. No bait is required.
My three young children
have determined that a
bumble bee colored Fire-Fly
Jig is irresistible to bluegills
and rockbass while a pink
and white Gypsi Jig tipped
with a small minnow tempts
crappies. Look, actually locate
them visually, for panfish in
the same areas mentioned as
bass haunts.
Pike will bite a lot of things.
During mid-day, look for
cabbage weeds in 6-12 feet
of water. Casting works well
and is fun. However, trolling
Night Bite
OK, walleye time! The last
Continued on page 19
12
13
Walleye Search Mode
By Jason Green
Whether you are on the water
guiding, fishing a tournament
or out for a day on the water
with family and friends, the
pressure to find catchable fish
is always there. It is in ones
best interest to have a plan of
attack before reaching the lake
and try to stick to the plan. Of
course unforeseen situations
usually come to light but the
ability to adapt can make the
difference. Before you get
to the lake it is wise to ask
yourself a few questions. Has
the weather been consistent
the past couple of days? Did
a cold front move in? Has
the wind been blowing in the
same direction for 24 hours?
The answers to these simple
questions will give you the
knowledge of where to start
your day on the water.
As summer patterns progress
and
water
temperature
increases
many
anglers
struggle to find good numbers
of fish. For me and a few
other anglers in Northern
Minnesota I would have to
say this is our favorite time of
year. As summer progress’ a
lake will go through a number
of changes but the number
one factor to me is vegetation.
While water temperatures are
increasing oxygen levels are
becoming lower. Vegetation
creates oxygen giving fish a
more comfortable and healthy
surrounding. It will also give
them a feeling of safety from
larger predators.
Locating
wind blown shorelines with
strong vegetation is a perfect
place to begin. If you can
find an area mixed with
vegetation, rock and gravel
that is just a bonus but just
because you have all these
major fishing holding factors
present doesn’t mean they
will always be holding fish.
This is the time to go into a
search mode.
When I say search mode
the goal is to cover as much
water as possible in a short
amount of time. For the past
couple of summers I would
have to say my go to search
bait is the Salmo Hornet,
especially when it becomes
difficult to keep bait fresh
and lively. Pulling these small
consistent action baits on the
outside of the weed line is
really unbelievable. The key
is in the speed you pull the
Hornet and how much line
you have out. When water
temperatures are cooler you
obviously want to be running
slower. For example if your
GPS is telling you the water
temp is 65 degrees or cooler
you will be running as slow as
.5 mph. If the fish are more
aggressive you might be
running as fast as 1.8-2 mph.
If water temps are 70 degrees
or higher you could be running
as fast as 3.5-4 mph. One
crucial mistake anglers make
in running crank baits of any
kind is using to heavy of a rod
and trying to set the hook. I
find that using a 7’ medium
light bait casting rod with a
line counting reel to be best.
The medium light action is soft
enough to feel the difference
between a strike, structure
and weeds while giving you
the backbone needed to reel
in a fish suitable to mount on
the wall. You can also change
the hornet’s speed and hard
wobble action with your pole
by giving quick simple bursts.
This is a nice way to mix things
up. Once a strike is detected
don’t set the hook. You will
only rip the hooks from the fish.
At this time, place a waypoint
on your GPS and let the fish
hook itself. Once you have
landed your catch go back to
your waypoint and finesse fish
the area thoroughly.
we are always reevaluating
even the smallest detail to
assure a winning edge over
the fish and other anglers.
With all that involves being
a great live bait angler, there
are times the fish will just not
cooperate.
States fish much differently
than us. I suppose to them,
our version of walleye fishing
probably seems too slow or
technical. As fisherman we
often grow so comfortable
with our styles of fishing that
we are not willing to change.
However, in my estimation to
truly be the most well rounded
angler, you have to be able to
adapt to different fishing styles
and conditions, no matter
what the circumstances. One
of the many alternatives I have
grown to love is trolling lead
core for walleyes.
To finesse fish the area you
can go with a standard 1/16oz
jig tipped with a minnow. If it
is late in the season minnows
might be difficult to keep
alive so going artificial is my
preferred method. This is
where the real fun begins.
Northland’s Slurpies Swim’n
Grub will tantalize just about
any species of fish.
The
Double-Curl Screwtail with
Holographic FishFlakes flash
and shimmer luring fish in from
a wide range. All you have to
do is pitch one into an opening
in the weeds and hop, twitch
and work it back to the boat.
Once you are done working
the area you can crank things
up again and continue moving
down the shoreline.
If you are one who always has
live bait in the boat another
good search method is a
Chatter Bait or a Northland
Rock’n Rainbow Spinner Rig.
These Chatter Baits can be
fished just like a Crank Bait
on the outside weed edge.
The blade design will vibrate
and shake your live bait with
a side-to-side motion. It also
has weighted brass beads that
will keep your rig in the strike
zone and aid in its consistent
action. These quality rigs are
the ticket when live bait is
needed.
I hope these tips and
suggested presentations help
you pick up more fish on the
open water when you are
under pressure and the bite
has slowed down.
Jason Green is a Professional
Fishing Guide in Northern
Minnesota and the Editor
of UPNORTH. For more
information on fishing Northern
Minnesota and weekly fishing
reports go to www.upnorthinc.
com.
No Limit with Lead Core
By Tony Roach
Like many of you, growing
up in this part of the country
fishing was a big part of my life.
We are extremely fortunate to
have not only so many lakes,
but lakes with lots of structure.
Because of our surroundings,
our style of fishing is usually
centered on live bait. The
basic fundamentals of being
a good structure fisherman
are not so basic. The very first
building blocks of structure
fishing can take years of
sitting in the front of a boat
studying, learning from other
anglers. Then as we grow into
better fishermen we develop
our own style. We build an
arsenal of live bait tactics we
are confident in. We catalog a
memory bank of what structure
to target, and how to work
that structure no matter what
the wind or conditions. It is a
natural progression from bait
selection to boat control. I feel
our rigging and jigging style
of fishing is hands down the
hardest way to fish. Yet, this is
the way we fish and what we
are comfortable doing. There
are so many variations it takes
years to master. Even for a
good angler to become great,
In July and August you often
hear “they are just not biting”.
You try every form of casting,
bladeing, bobbering, jigging,
rip jigging, rigging, bottom
bouncing… Well, this usually
means the end of the line for
many anglers. However, if you
are like me you’re not willing
to simply give up. There are
many alternatives and styles
of walleye fishing out there,
yet many of us “live baiters”
tend to ignore many of these
tactics. Walleye fisherman
in other parts of the United
Lead core is a form of using
sinking/weighted
line
to
achieve and sustain targeted
depths not attainable by most
lines such as mono or super
braids. This type of application
is most often used with a
wide variety of crank baits or
Northland rainbow spinners.
Gear is simple: a 7-9 foot rod
with heavy bait casting reel
and lead core. Lead core is
segmented: every 10 yards
represents a different color.
Each color will represent depth
based on speed, thus it is very
speed sensitive. At two mph
each color of lead represents
seven feet of depth per color,
but three mph only equals three
feet per color. The equation is
straightforward: speed equals
depth. In most situations, I
spool up 3-7 colors of 18 lb.
lead core with a 50 foot leader
of 10-12 lb. test mono. Then
I attach my baits with a small
snap swivel for action. This
may seem complicated at first
Continued on page 17
14
15
Smallies from the Deep End
By Steve Mattson
Lake Winnibigoshish Resort Area
LODGING DIRECTORY
Dixon Lake
1. Becker’s Resort
"Secluded Location, Open For
Great Fishing Winter & Summer"
800-348-1329 www.beckersresort.com
To Squaw Lake
2. Bowen Lodge
To Sand Lake
"Great Family Resort? Or Fishing Paradise?"
46
800-331-8925 www.bowenlodge.com
Cut Foot
Sioux
3. Dixon Lake Resort
"Quality air-conditioned theme cabins
on a secluded, great fishing lake."
800-362-7298 www.dixonlakeresort.net
4. Eagle Nest Lodge
Lake Winnibigoshish
"Warning! May Be Habit Forming"
800-356-3775 www.eaglenestlodge.net
Mississippi River
5. Four Seasons Resort
We
st
"New Ultra Deluxe Cabins Overlook
Mississippi River and Big Winnie"
6. High Banks Resort
9
Wi
nn
ie
800-525-0457 www.fishingwinnie.com
46
Ro
ad
2
Bemidji 30
miles
46
2
Bena
"New Owners, Spacious Lodge,
Bar/Dining Area, Open Year Round"
Grand Ra
10. Nodak Lodge
800-495-8434 www.lakewoodlodge.com
[email protected]
"Lots of Space, Great View and Year Around Fishing"
8. Little Winnie Resort
& Campground
11. Northland Lodge
"New Pool, Seasonal Campground, New Cabins"
800-346-8501 www.littlewinnie.com
800-752-2758 www.nodaklodge.com
"Your Favorite Family Resort On The Fishermen's Favorite Lake."
800-272-2338 www.northlandlodge.com
9. McArdle’s Resort
12. The Pines Resort
& Campground
"New Cabins, Harbor, Food, Launch Service & Guides"
"Convenient Location, Winter Lake Access, Camping"
800-535-2398 www.mcardlesresort.com
pids 30 m
iles
2
Deer River
800-365-2560
www.highbanks.com
7. Lakewood Lodge
Little Winnie
800-342-1552 www.thepinesresort.com
13. Tamarack Lodge
"Excellent Fishing, Winter Sports and Lifelong Memories."
866-494-7325 www.tamarack-lodge.com
14. Williams Narrows Resort
"On Walleye Alley, Secluded Boat Harbor – Bobbers Lounge"
800-325-2475 www.williamsnarrows.com
15. Winni-B-Gosh Dam Place
"New Owners, Friendly Atmosphere, Great Food"
218-246-8202 www.goshdamplace.com
World Class Fishing! Winter Sports! Family Recreation!
Visit our new website at
www.lakewinnie.net
Smallmouth bass are a fish
that amaze me more and
more every year. The more
you get to know the more
questions arise. It makes
you wonder if it will ever end.
Catching smallies exclusively
in deep water may be possible
but it is not as straightforward
as a walleye angler would
think. I don’t know of any
fish that can cover the entire
water column as much and
as quickly as a smallie does.
Sure there may be a few
others in the world, but the list
is small. And this fact alone
forces the savvy angler to be
aware of the circumstances
they are faced with every time
on the water. In other words,
be prepared to work the entire
water column when targeting
smallies.
Ask any walleye angler if they
caught any deep water smallies
dragging baits on bottom and
if so, I am sure that it didn’t
take them long to realize that
they didn’t hook into another
walleye. More times than not,
immediately after hook-set,
they have trouble keeping up
with this fish that is bolting for
the surface. And the fight is
on.
Conversely,
I
can
still
remember one of the first
times that I caught a smallie
on a topwater bait in the
middle of nowhere. My fishing
partner and I were on a
famous Canadian shield lake
and we noticed some surface
activity out in what we call the
abyss. It was basically deep
water with no real structure
nearby. We approached the
general vicinity as quickly and
quietly as possible and then
began to pepper the surface
with our Storm Chug Bugs.
In the back of my mind I was
thinking that maybe there was
an unmarked hump out there
so we kept the trolling motor
on and worked towards where
we had thought we saw the
activity. As soon as we felt
that we were close to the
area, ka-boom, my topwater
bait got crushed by a smallie
and I almost wasn’t ready to
set the hook. It caught me
off-guard because about that
time the depth finder was
showing that it was getting
deeper not shallower and the
boat was already in 35 ft. Like
I said, it was in the middle of
nowhere.
Truth be told, smallies are very
opportunistic feeders and can
be caught in shallow water
(less then 5 ft), feeding on the
surface away from structure
and deep along with walleyes
during certain times of the
year. Summertime into fall is
when you find great disparity
in where they can be.
When the water temperature
gets warm in the summer
(upper 70’s), bass decide to
vacate the extreme shallows
in search of cooler water. They
generally end up in places
where you would expect to
find walleye only maybe a
little shallower. This is the
time of year when it pays to
have high quality electronics.
A powerful liquid crystal
depth finder will help your
odds out tremendously by
connecting you to the deep
underwater world. I rely on
the Vexilar Edge to show me
bottom composition changes,
baitfish, bass, and the exact
deep weed edge.
During the late summer and
fall, many smallmouth bass
will congregate on the deep
break lines, humps and deep
weed lines of the clear water
lakes throughout the upper
MidWest. The deep weed
lines can be anywhere from
ten to twenty-five plus feet
deep depending on water
clarity and they usually break
quick. The best weed lines are
generally close to the main
lake basin, if not part of it.
is important to use one that
will run very near to the top of
the weed line, if not just ticking
the top of the weeds. Try to
keep the lure in the strike zone
as long as possible. Using
suspending model crankbaits
has a major advantage in this
scenario. Suspending models
can be paused right off the
weed edge, right in the strike
zone.
Tubes rigged carolina or texas
style, small plastic worms on a
Northland LipStick Jig Worm,
and soft plastic jerkbaits like
the Northland Slurpies Jerk
Shad or Storm Wildeye Shiner
rigged on a jighead are all
good choices for deep-water
soft plastics. It is important
to use just enough weight to
get the presentation down to
the weeds, but not so much
that it’ll be difficult to detect
a strike. Generally, a quarter
ounce bullet sinker will work
well for a three inch tube and
3/16 LipStick Jig for the small
worm. Be sure to carry a few
different sizes to compensate
for windy days or larger baits.
your minnow presentations
up above where you expect
the fish to be and worms and
tubes near bottom. When
using soft plastics, pay real
close attention to your line
and rod at all times, because
smallmouth bass will suck in
and spit out a presentation
in short order. This quick
inhalation is similar to what we
would call a “taste-test”, only
for a bass it is all done within
a second. Don’t be afraid to
set the hook should you feel a
subtle “tick”. If you wait, there
is a good chance it’ll be too
late.
A well-noted exception to the
deep water smallmouth pattern
is wind. Windy days have been
proven to bring smallmouth
bass and walleye up from
the depths onto shallow
structure to take advantage of
vulnerable baitfish. Therefore,
opportunistic fisherman take
advantage of wind pounded
structure to cash in on
outstanding catches of fish.
During these opportunities,
smallmouth bass can be
caught using almost every
type of artificial and live
bait presentation. However,
the fish are normally very
active when they are taking
advantages of this, so it really
pays to use a fast presentation
that will allow you to cover
water fast. Crankbaits are the
lure of choice on these days,
even over live bait. Lipped
crankbaits such as the Rapala
DT series or Storm Wiggle
Wart in crawfish and minnow
colors are solid producers day
in, day out. Lipless models
such as the Rattlin Rapala
can also produce fine catches
as they allow you to cover a
tremendous amount of water.
When the bass post up in
these locales a lot of the typical
livebait choices that walleye
anglers use will also produce
for smallies such as leeches, Slow and steady wins the race
crawlers and minnows. The with your presentation. Keep
best artificial
lures
to
use
are
“Weedless”
deep diving
crankbaits
and a variety
of
soft
plastics. With
crankbaits, it
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16
17
Control the Wind for more Fish
By Ted Takasaki and Scott Richardson
moves a boat faster than
the desired speed.
There
are tools you can use in that
case;
Sad to say, but many anglers
view the wind in the same
light as would-be Lance
Armstrongs.
Cyclists hate
headwinds because they
force them to pedal faster to
get anywhere. Anglers must
work harder in a breeze to
control their boats.
But, the wind is a fisherman’s
friend. Active fish concentrate
on the windy side of a lake
or reservoir where the food
chain goes wild and walleyes
can use their keen sight and
lateral lines to their advantage.
The wind breaks up light
penetration as well.
You’ve all seen days when
wind blows onto a structure.
You hammer fish. Then, the
wind stops, and so does the
bite. If the wind changes
direction, action picks up on
the new structure where the
wind is blowing.
We must be prepared to take
advantage of those situations.
A few boat handling tips can
help ease the hassle.
Years on the water have
proven walleyes are selective
and finicky. They tend to avoid
chasing lures or bait. Like all
predators, they’d rather their
food come to them. That
allows them to save energy
for growing and reproducing.
As a result, more walleyes are
caught under 1.5 mph than
above.
That explains why the most
productive tactics are often
ones that put a bait right in their
face. Vertical presentations
include jigs, Lindy rigs and
slip bobbers.
Horizontal
presentations include trolling,
bottom bouncers and drifting
with jigs or rigs.
But
sometimes,
the
wind
* Trolling motors. In a slight
breeze, turn the bow of the
boat into the wind to work
contours of structures. When
buying a boat, equip it with
the most-powerful trolling
motor and the longest shaft
you can for your purpose.
Autopilot trolling motors like
MinnKota’s new Terrova are
great aids to set the direction
which you want to move the
boat in. Back trolling with a
gas tiller motor offers even
more control in stronger
breezes. Be subtle. Make
minor adjustments in speed,
not major ones.
* For console boats, utilizing
a gasoline-powered kicker
motor gives you additional
power in order to neutralize
the wind speed.
A bowmounted trolling motor can
then be used to steer side-toside.
accessory. Just release the
harness buoy to get the drift
sock out of the way when you
are fighting a big fish. Return
for the drift sock when the fish
is safely in your net. Another
advantage – the buoy has
marked the place where the
fish took your bait. Where
there’s one, there could be
more.
You can move the boat to new
areas to fish simply by moving
the rope from one cleat to
another or to the bow.
* Anchoring your boat in one
spot is the ultimate form of
boat control. Drop one when
you find the spot on a spot
and places where you have
a high-degree of confidence
that walleyes are there or will
show up soon. For example,
anchor over that rock pile on a
point or where coontail meets
cabbage. That could signal
a fish-attracting change in
the bottom content. Or, how
about that washed out area in
a wingdam.
Even sitting still, the wind can
give your bait motion. Cast
weighted slip bobbers like the
Lindy Pro Series into the wind
and let the breeze blow them
back to the boat to cover a
larger area.
Use a heavy Navy style
anchor. Have plenty of rope....
as much as 100 to 150 feet.
Too little rope and the anchor
won’t hold. It’s best to have
two anchors onboard.
* GPS is a great tool. Speed
measurements
are
far
more precise using satellite
technology. Check how fast
the boat is moving as soon as
you catch a fish so you can
replicate the speed.
You can vary the speed and
direction of your baits in other
ways, too. When searching
for suspended fish, troll with
the wind and make S-turns to
vary the speed. Outside lures
travel faster, inside lures go
slower. Stall your baits once
in a while, too. Sometimes
that’s all that’s needed to
trigger a bite.
Don’t be a steady eddy when
casting jigs or crankbaits. Any
muskie angler will tell you that.
Vary your retrieve speed and
direction. Rip a crankbait and
let it stop. Pop a jig, pop, pop,
pop, then let it fall, then drag
it. Move bottom-bouncers
up the edges of structure and
down while reaching back to
tap the bottom.
Learn to use the wind. Don’t
fight it. You’ll lose.
* Drift socks like Drift Control
and Wave Tamer. Never leave
the dock without one or two in
the boat. They can slow the
boat to a crawl even in stiff
breezes.
Get the size right for your
boat. Too small is no good.
Get two sizes. Drift socks are
used most when drifting flats
and to insure a straight drift
the larger drift sock should be
attached to the front portion
of the boat. Put the smaller
one on the stern. Without a
drift sock, the bow will often
catch the wind and push it
down wind.
To precisely drift a contour, tie
a sock from the stern, turn the
bow into the wind and use the
trolling motor to stay on the
edge.
A drift sock from the rear while
drifting with the wind also
slows the boat to allow more
casts to productive spots.
Forward trolling with the wind.
If the boat is moving too fast,
tie two identical drift socks off
the forward cleats so they are
open at mid-ship. This tactic
can cut boat speed 30 to 50
percent.
A harness buoy is a great
No Limit with Lead Core
but there is an abundance
of trolling guides and speed/
depth charts on the internet.
Also, many of our outdoor
retailers sell a variety books
centered around trolling. I
always find it nice to keep a
copy of the depth charts, on
board at all times. You can
cross reference it at any time.
The next natural progression
is tweaking the presentation,
adding planer boards and
spreading lines over multiple
depths. Triggering fish by
using the wind or pumping
the rods, inside turns/outside
turns, and speed variationthat is what it is all about for
me. When an angler gets to
this point, it then becomes
a combination of speed/
depth, timing and triggering
maneuvers. This is where
practice and repetition will
(Continued from page 13)
play a key in your success.
depths with ease.
This style of fishing is great for
not only targeting suspended
walleyes, but is very effective
triggering fish that are relating
to structure as well. You don’t
need vast basin areas to
catch fish with lead core; this
style can be deadly on many
of our local lakes. It gives you
the ability to run any bait at
any depth. For example, if the
primary forage in the lake is
small perch, and you want to
run a #5 or #7 perch pattern
shad. Without lead core, a
person would be limited to the
diving depth of that bait. Now
with lead, you can achieve
any depth you desire without
having to resort to big billed
baits. The door is now open
for you to run any floating
raps, shads, or a variety of inline spinners at many different
Bottom line- fishing is fishing.
The fundamentals are the
same: boat control, depths
and lure presentation. With
lead core or any trolling, start
by nailing down your depths
than play with baits and colors.
Eventually, presentation will
lead into subtle moves that
trigger fish. Even with forms
of trolling such as lead core
gaining in popularity, many
are reluctant to experiment.
However I encourage anyone
to try anything instead of
giving up. There are lots of
versions of fishing walleyes
I enjoy from snap weight to
lead core and from rigging to
jigging. All in all, my favorite
fishing style has always been
what ever they’re biting on!
18
19
Plastic for Walleyes
By Tim Lesmeister
Walleye anglers like live
bait. Let’s face it; most of
the walleye anglers out there
wouldn’t consider launching
their boat without a couple
dozen nightcrawlers, a pound
of leeches and a bucketful
of minnows. When artificial
lures are considered it is the
crankbait that is the go-to lure
that gets used without live
bait. Even then, many of the
top walleye pros will thread
a half a nightcrawler on the
front treble hook of a deepdiving lure.
If a walleye angler opts to use a
lure without tipping it with live
bait it is usually because the
walleyes are biting so well you
could catch them on a stick
and a hook. Yet, there are
some, and these anglers are
still few in number, that have
achieved a level of confidence
in plastic trailers that it is all
they use under many differing
circumstances.
of
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“This phenomenon happens
early and late season and
you see it a lot in Canada,”
said Brown. “Walleyes herd
baitfish which then move to the
surface. You’ll see minnows
clearing the water trying to get
away. When this is happening
just drop that Jerk Shad into
the mix and when the line
twitches and starts to tighten
set the hook.”
Brown says that the feeding
binge might last a short while
or go for hours. “One time on
a lake in Canada we caught
a walleye on every cast for a
couple of hours,” he said.
Another
time
Brown makes his
move to a plastic
lure instead of the
real thing is when
he is on a lake
where the panfish
are a pain. “These
are lakes where the
walleye population
is usually high
from
stocking,”
said Brown. “The
population
of
bluegills and small
perch is also high
and trying to get
a
nightcrawler
or
a
leech
through
these
panfish is almost
impossible.”
WORLD
ith
Working W und
Aro
Game From rld
The Wo
Lifesize ~
ts
Head Moun
member of the Mr. Walleye
Specialties team will pull out
the Slurpies Jerk Shad and
using the slightly weighted
hook that is packaged with
the plastic bodies. He rigs
this lifelike lure with the hook
exposed.
TAXIDERMY STUDIO
Consider
the
slow-fall
approach that Tom Brown has
perfected with the Northland
Slurpies Jerk Shad. When
walleyes are herding baitfish
onto the top of a rock pile or
schooled next to a shallow pod
of forage, Brown, a veteran
tournament angler and a
As a remedy to this situation
Brown takes a scented plastic
worm, typically a seven-inch
auger-tailed version and hooks
it up to a Northland BaitfishImage Spinner Harness. “The
panfish still hit the tail of the
worm,” explained Brown, “but
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(Continued from page 11)
couple of hours before dark
tend to be best for midsummer walleyes. And, for an
adventure, consider staying
out after dark for a couple of
hours. For evening walleyes,
I like to troll the same 7-12
foot cabbage flats I fish for
mid-day pike, but with a ¼
Mimic Minnow Spin in the
silver shiner pattern. If I stay
out after dark, I’ll switch to a
#7 Shad Rap, also in a shiner
pattern, working the same
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they can’t pull it off. You’ll
be trolling this rig just a foot
off the bottom and you’ll feel
those bluegills pecking on the
worm and then all of a sudden
you feel a steady pull and a
head shake. The walleye has
pushed the panfish away and
grabbed that plastic worm.”
One of the most productive
plastic trailers for walleyes
is the grub tail tipped to a
jighead and cast to structure.
Stacy Barbour is a Minnesota
angler who has fine-tuned this
approach to the point where
he hasn’t tipped a jig with live
bait for years.
are my two favorite colors,”
said Barbour, “but on those
bright, clear days I’ll try white
or chartreuse. You can’t go
wrong with black.”
My favorite plastic pattern is
one I use on the river. It used
to consist of casting a Beetle
Spin to the rip-rap shoreline
regions during rising water,
but now I use the Slurpie Swim
Shad with the jig spinners.
It’s basically a spinnerbait for
walleyes.
works extremely well on
Canadian waters when the
walleyes are on the shallow
rock piles or in the vegetation
where there is some current.
In that clear Canadian water
you can watch as groups of
three or more fish will swim
out of the cover when they see
the flash of the blade. When
these walleyes spot that tail
wagging on that plastic body
it’s a race to see who gets
to it first. It reminds you of
smallmouth bass chasing a
“Even when the walleyesaren’t
biting you can catch fish with
this setup because you can
cover water fast and find those
half dozen fish that are willing
to bite,” said Barbour. “I use a
Roach Rig when the walleyes
are real deep on structure, but
whenever those fish are on
a weedline, on top of a rock
pile, or on a flat near a point
or against the shoreline I use a
jig tipped with a grub tail.”
When the fish are in a negative
mode Barbour uses a twoinch grub, when they are
more aggressive the four-inch
body, he says, is the better
attractor.
“There are times I hop the jig,”
said Barbour, “but most of the
time I just swim the lure to
the boat and let the twisting
tail do the work. If I’m fishing
eight to 12 feet of water I use
an eighth-ounce jighead and
deeper than 12 feet and I go
to a quarter-ounce. I seldom
fish heavier than that because
I seldom use this technique
over 20 feet.”
It is as easy as it sounds,
according to Barbour. Just
cast out the jig, let it sink to
the bottom, and slowly swim
the lure back to the boat.
“Black and a crawfish brown
depths but in areas with sand,
gravel, and rock.
This probably isn’t your first
family vacation. Thus, you
understand the need to be
flexible. I‘m confident that
What you do is drift with the
current casting the Swim
Shad right up to the shoreline.
Drag it slowly back letting the
current carry it downstream.
Walleyes that are hugging the
shore as the water rises will
swim out when they see the
flash of the spinner and hit the
Swim Shad.
This walleye spinnerbait also
you’ll
demonstrate
that
flexibility on a rainy day.
Walleyes bite all day on rainy
days, right? So . . . you’ll toss
the above itinerary overboard
and fish walleyes . . . all day.
You’ll don your rain gear, put
lure, only they’re walleyes.
A good bet would be that
walleye anglers will be slow
to make the transition to
plastic lures. There is a lot
of confidence in live bait.
But another good bet is that
more anglers will experiment
with plastic lures for walleyes
as they see others achieve
success with these tactics.
your hood up, and slow way
down, soaking a jumbo leech
or redtail chub on a Roach Rig
along an 18-21 foot breakline.
Now, that’s being flexible!
20
1.-02+0',#
710 NE 4th Street
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
218-326-0353 ,1-800-223-0621
www.raysmarine.com
2115 SE Main Ave.
Moorhead, MN 56560
218-287-9100, 866-461-9101
www.raysmarinemoorhead.com