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SD-1604871R
2 Outdoor Forum I July 2013
July 2013 I Outdoor Forum 3
I
n an aggressive move to expand both its
distribution and scope, the Outdoor
Forum will enter a partnership with the
Black Hills Pioneer starting with the
August 2013 issue.
“We are very happy to partner with the Black Hills
Pioneer to provide the Outdoor Forum monthly tabloid to West River outdoor enthusiasts,” said Cory Bollinger, group publisher of the Aberdeen American
News, Farm Forum and
Outdoor Forum. “The
Outdoor Forum was a
startup for our market
just over a year ago and
has served the eastern
portion of the Dakotas
with quality outdoor news
and tips. We continue to
get great feedback from
our readers and are
excited about the expansion to West River.”
Established in 1876,
Bollinger
the Black Hills Pioneer is
the oldest business in West River South Dakota and
the only locally owned newspaper in the territory.
Based out of Spearfish, the paper primarily serves
the Northern Hills area, which also includes the cities
of Lead and Deadwood as well as Lawrence, Meade
and Butte counties.
“We know our readership has a keen interest in
what the outdoors has to
offer – it’s a major
part of why we all make
the Black Hills our
home,” said Letti Lister,
publisher of the Black
Hills Pioneer. “Our newsroom has long wanted to
produce a special outdoor
sportsman’s section for
the Black Hills Pioneer,
but we just didn’t have
the budget or resources
to devote to such an ambitious project on our own.
Lister
When we were
approached to partner with Outdoor Forum, we
jumped at the chance.”
The Outdoor Forum’s first issue was in May 2012
with a distribution of roughly
15,000, and through the partnership that number will
double. Outdoor Forum will
remain a free-distribution
magazine and publish the
second Friday of each month.
Its content will continue to
specifically target the interests and passions of outdoorsmen across the Dakotas.
“Black Hills Pioneer subscribers will receive the Outdoor Forum magazine inside
their newspaper the second
Saturday of each month as a
bonus,” Lister said. “We will
also be utilizing our exclusive
rack distribution network to
get the free publication into
even more hands. We have
nearly 100 rack locations at
high-traffic stops throughout
Northern Hills and Rapid
City. In addition, the Outdoor Forum will enable us to
offer local businesses a targeted advertising message to
over 30,000 readers each
month.”
The expansion into the
West River market will allow
the Outdoor Forum to
Photo courtesy of Black Hills Pioneer
expand its scope to include
The Black Hills Pioneer will enter into a partnership with the Outdoor Forum beginning
even more Dakota-specific
with the August 2013 issue, and the staff, pictured above, is excited to offer
activities, including popular
a dedicated outdoor product to its readers.
pursuits such as fly fishing,
ing columns on waterfowl, deer hunting, outdoor
elk and antelope hunting, mountain lion hunting, and
photography, fishing, outdoor news and more are
more.
included each month in addition to the seasonspecific features.
“This will not only be an expansion of distribution
and geography, but also an addition of content of out“What’s really unique about this product is that
door activities unique to West River to complement
readers will be able to learn about the outdoors perthose of East River already covered by Outdoor
spective across the entire state and region,” Lister
Forum,” Bollinger said. “We know that anglers and
said. “Our staff is eager to offer this unique publicahunters will travel to satisfy their diverse taste in
tion to our community.”
hunting and fishing experiences.”
The partnership comes at a great time, as the
upcoming hunting seasons are right around the corner. The Outdoor Forum’s August issue will have an
archery theme, followed by the September waterfowl,
October pheasant and November big-game issues.
However, readers can still expect a well-rounded
presentation of outdoor topics in each issue, as stand-
“We continue to be impressed with the team at
the Black Hills Pioneer newspaper and have found
them to be a joy to work with,” Bollinger said. “We
are so very excited to be partnering with a publication steeped in so much history, and we look forward
to a long and prosperous partnership providing West
River readers with quality content and advertising to
help them navigate their passion for the outdoors.”
N.D. Fall Turkey Lottery Moved to
August
Bismarck, N.D. – The North Dakota Game and
Fish Department is moving the 2013 fall turkey
license application deadline, originally set for July
3, to August this year to allow for a better assessment of the fall turkey population before determining license numbers.
The official date for the application deadline has
not yet been determined.
Stan Kohn, upland game management supervisor for NDGF, said the change will allow more
opportunities for hunters.
“Our fall turkey numbers are a lot more precise
when we can use data from late spring and early
summer before we have to finalize the proclamation,” Kohn said. “Now we can thoroughly assess
brood production, which has a direct influence on
the fall population.”
For years, the fall turkey proclamation was finalized in late May, with applications out in early
June and the deadline for applying in early July.
The decision was made by NDGF officials to
change the fall turkey process this spring, after a
tentative application deadline of July 3 was publicized in news releases, online and in the North
Dakota Outdoors magazine annual calendar.
Randy Meissner, NDGF licensing manager, said
moving the application process into August will
not cause any issues for applicants, as successful
hunters will be notified well in advance of opening
day.
“Hunters should expect licenses in September,
and the season doesn’t open until mid-October,”
Meissner said.
Check gf.nd.gov in August for more information
on the fall turkey license application process.
N.D. Deer Lottery Scheduled for Last
Week in July
S.D. Deer Season Applications Now Available
Pierre, S.D. – The application process for all South Dakota deer hunting seasons is now open, and
deadlines for several seasons are fast-approaching.
Applications may be submitted online through the GFP website at www.gfp.sd.gov. A paper form containing application and information is also available online or it can be picked up from GFP licensing locations across the state. Hunters will have the option to either apply online or fill out the paper application
and mail it to the state licensing office.
Applications and deadline dates include:
■Archery Deer, no deadline
■Youth Deer, no deadline
■Custer State Park Deer, July 19
■Black Hills Deer, July 19
■West River Deer, July 19
■Muzzleloader Deer, Aug. 30 for Any Deer Tags
■Any Refuge Deer, Aug. 30
■Resident East River Deer, Aug. 30
■Nonresident East River Deer, Oct. 11
In addition to deer seasons, the application process is also open for fall turkey and archery antelope.
The deadline for both seasons is July 22.
For more information or assistance with the application process, call 605-223-7660 or email
[email protected].
Bismarck, N.D. – The North Dakota Game and
Fish Department will conduct the 2013 deer gun
lottery the last week in July.
Licensing manager Randy Meissner said several
thousand paper applications need to be entered
into the system before the lottery is held.
“In the past we were able to run the lottery once
all regular gun applications were entered, but with
the new law it looks like the end of July will now
become the normal time period for holding the
deer lottery,” Meissner said.
A new law was passed during the 2013 North
Dakota legislative session that requires gratis
applicants interested in receiving an any-legal-deer
license to submit the application before the regular
lottery application deadline.
“Therefore, both regular gun and gratis applications submitted by paper have to be entered manually before the lottery can be run,” Meissner said.
Applicants who applied online and submitted an
email address will receive notification once the
drawing has been held. Others can access the
NDGF’s website at gf.nd.gov to find individual
results or to sign up for email and/or text alerts.
Asian Carp Discovered in More
Northeastern S.D. Waters
More Asian carp might be taking up residence in
Brown County, which sits in northeastern South Dakota, than experts thought a short time ago.
In the past week or so, 15 of the fast-spawning nuisance fish have been found dead or dying on top of a
water-control structure on the south side of Sand Lake
National Wildlife Refuge, said Don Soderlund, federal
wildlife officer at Sand Lake.
He said the fish were attempting to jump the structure even though they could swim through it. When
they jumped, Soderlund said, they landed on a cement
path on the top of the structure that vehicles use to
cross it.
Before the fish were found, wildlife officials were
guessing the number of Asian carp in the northern
reaches of the James River in Brown County was relatively low, said Mark Ermer, Webster-based regional
fisheries manager with the South Dakota Game, Fish
and Parks Department. But, he said, the recently discovered fish might be an indication there are a considerable number of Asian carp in the area.
It’s tough, Ermer said, to get a feel for the population of the Asian carp. The department has no survey
information, and attempts to set gear out and catch
them in northern South Dakota have proven difficult.
The fish cause problems because they can quickly
take over a body of water, Ermer said. They reproduce
at an alarming rate because female Asian carp lay
many, many more eggs than, for instance, a female
walleye.
Ermer said 2010 was a particularly strong spawning
year for Asian carp in the James.
Asian carp threaten the population of other fish
because they are filter feeders, Ermer said. That
means they don’t eat minnows, but rather feast on
algae and bugs in the water. Gamefish need that same
food for survival during the earliest stages of their
lives before they switch over to eating minnows, he
said. But the algae and bugs aren’t available when
there are large numbers of Asian carp eating them, he
said.
The Illinois River, a tributary of the Mississippi River, used to be a strong walleye and sauger fishery,
Ermer said, but that’s been largely wiped out by Asian
carp.
Even though there are apparently more Asian carp
in Brown County than expected, the region still
doesn’t see the same problems as the Yankton area,
where the James is deeper and, as a result, more easily
accessed by boaters.
Motor boats, Ermer said, startle the fish, causing
them to jump out of the water. And that poses a danger to the vessels as they cruise the river.
Soderlund theorized that the fast-rushing water running through the Sand Lake control structure startles
the fish, causing them to try and jump the dike. Asian
carp aren’t jumping anywhere else in the Sand Lake
area, he said.
There are two types of Asian carp – silver, the more
prevalent, and bighead – in the James, Ermer said. He
said they were found in the James River in North
Dakota years ago, so they clearly moved through the
area. But they tend to prefer deeper, larger rivers. And
the James River is not that deep in Brown County, a
reason the numbers are likely lower in northern South
Dakota than elsewhere.
Bighead Carp
Silver Carp
Photos courtesy of SDGFP
Ermer said there was a significant fish kill on the
James and Elm rivers last year, and that the department found a lot of traditional carp and pike carcasses,
but not that many Asian carp.
There have been a handful of reports of the fish in
the Turton, S.D., area in recent years, he said. Soderlund said the Sand Lake Asian carp is the first official
sighting in Brown County.
Even if the fish die when the water is low, they can
easily make their way back to northern South Dakota
from the Yankton area when the river is high, Soderlund said. And that’s why the fish pose ongoing concerns for both wildlife officials and anglers.
– Scott Waltman, Aberdeen American News
Pheasant Crowing Counts
Down in North Dakota
Photo by Mike McKinne, photos.com
Bismarck, N.D. – North Dakota’s
2013 pheasant-crowing count survey
indicates that rooster numbers were
down about 11 percent statewide compared to last year heading into the
spring breeding season.
All four pheasant districts had lower
counts than last year. The number of
crows heard in the northeast declined
by 18 percent, southeast and southwest by 11 percent, and the northwest
by nearly 2 percent.
Stan Kohn, upland game management supervisor for the North Dakota
Game and Fish Department, said only
the southwest was initially spared a
harsh winter, but a spring snowstorm
in April buried much of the area in
more than 12 inches of snow.
“Had it not been for the long winter
in most of the state and the April
storm, I would have expected a higher
crow count statewide this spring,”
Kohn said. “But I think we did lose
some birds during late spring, which
reduced our 2013 spring breeding population slightly from 2012.”
The late spring snowstorms and
cooler than normal April delayed
breeding and nesting for all upland
game birds, Kohn said, with early nesting hens facing rainy conditions, and
probably some flooded nests.
“On the positive side, this occurred
early enough in the nesting season that
most hens should have renested,” he
added. “In addition, the wet spring
seemed to jump start grass and forb
growth in pastures, helping laternesting pheasants with improved quality of nesting habitat. Unless we experience some early summer weather
problems, I still expect much better
upland game production this summer
from all our species.”
Kohn noted, however, the loss of
CRP is going to reduce nesting and
brooding cover in the future and will
continue to negatively affect the pheasant population.
Spring crowing-count data is not a
good indicator of the fall population. It
doesn’t measure population density
but provides an index of the spring
rooster population based on a trend of
number of crows heard. Brood surveys,
which begin in mid-July and are completed by September, are a better indicator of what to expect for a fall pheasant population.
Pheasant-crowing counts are conducted each spring throughout North
Dakota. Observers drive specified 20mile routes, stopping at predetermined
intervals, and counting the number of
pheasant roosters heard crowing over
a two-minute period during the stop.
The number of pheasant crows heard
is compared to previous years’ data,
providing a trend summary.
Potential Rewards Offered for Tagged
Oahe Salmon
Pierre, S.D. – The South Dakota Game, Fish and
Parks Department is asking anglers to assist in an
investigation to evaluate how stocking salmon at different locations might improve survival and catch of
Chinook salmon on Lake Oahe. Anglers could earn
cash in the process.
GFP is encouraging anglers to turn in the heads of
tagged Chinook salmon caught on Lake Oahe and the
Oahe tailwaters. Anglers who return salmon heads
from tagged salmon will be entered into a drawing in
which 10 rewards of $100 will be issued each calendar
year, with a maximum of three rewards per person,
per year. The annual drawing for winners of the $100
prizes will occur by Jan. 1.
“Research projects are underway evaluating salmon
return to anglers. Reporting of tagged salmon by
anglers is a crucial part of the research,” said SDGFP
fisheries biologist Robert Hanten.
According to Hanten, thousands of specially tagged
Chinook salmon have been stocked in Lake Oahe. A
small, coded-wire tag, which is only a millimeter long
and the diameter of human hair, was implanted in
these fish. Although tags cannot be seen by anglers,
tagged fish can be identified by the absence of a tiny
fin on their back.
“Salmon have a small fleshy-lobed adipose fin
directly in front of their tail, but this fin is removed as
part of the tagging process,” Hanten said. “If anglers
catch a salmon missing the adipose fin, we would like
them to turn in the fresh or frozen head of that salmon
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Prairie Dog Control Programs
Available
Pierre, S.D. – Officials with the South Dakota
Game, Fish and Parks and Agriculture departments
are reminding ranchers and producers to contact
either agency if they have unwanted prairie dogs.
The state’s prairie dog control program is cooperatively funded by SDGFP and SDDA. GFP manages encroachment issues on private lands that
have been encroached from adjacent public lands,
while SDDA manages complaints between private
landowners.
“GFP will control prairie dogs that have
encroached onto private land from adjacent public
land,” GFP Wildlife Damage Program Administrator Keith Fisk said. “Landowners who have
encroachment problems on their property from
adjacent public land must be within one mile of the
public land and have at least 20 acres of actual prairie dog colonies to be eligible for assistance.”
Additionally, landowners must contact GFP and
report that they have unwanted prairie dogs before
Aug. 15, 2013.
“GFP provides assistance to many landowners
across western South Dakota,” Fisk said. “This
deadline allows GFP sufficient time to coordinate
the logistics of our control program.”
If a landowner has a complaint regarding prairie
dogs that are encroaching from public land, SDGFP
must be contacted at 605-773-5913 to request control. Once eligibility has been verified, field staff or
a department representative will control the invading colony on the private land later this fall. All
complaints must be received by the Aug. 15 deadline.
Landowners that are experiencing encroachment
from adjoining private land need to contact SDDA
or their local county weed and pest boards. If the
colony is encroaching from private land, a signed
written complaint must be made.
There are two methods to file a complaint.
The first option is for the landowner to sign a
letter of complaint and mail it to the local County
Weed and Pest Board. The second method requires
a formal complaint, which is available by calling
800-228-5254 or through the SDDA website at
sdda.sd.gov. One copy must be sent to SDDA and
another copy to the landowner with the invading
colony. The mailing address for the Department of
Agriculture is 523 E Capitol Ave, Pierre, SD 57501.
Notices of encroachment may be sent in throughout the year.
The South Dakota Prairie Dog Management
Plan may be seen by visiting gfp.sd.gov or by calling SDGFP at 605-773-3387.
at the GFP Fort Pierre District Office, Oahe Marina,
Spring Creek Resort and Deep Water Marina, Carl’s
Bait Shop or West Whitlock Recreation Area.”
Information on where and when a salmon was
caught along with the angler’s address and phone
number must be included when submitting salmon
heads. In addition, a coded-wire tag must be found in
the head of the fish by department staff to result in
entry into the contest.
“Even though every salmon missing an adipose fin
was implanted with a tag, some fish lose their tags
over time, meaning not all fish caught by anglers without an adipose fin will contain a tag,” Hanten said.
For more information, visit gfp.sd.gov/fishingboating/salmon-tags, or contact the Fort Pierre District Office by calling 605-223-7681.
2201 6th Ave. SE
Aberdeen, South Dakota
605-225-6671
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T
he outdoor industry has long
taken note of archery’s place
in its ranks. Considering this
art form has existed for tens
of thousands of years, the
pace at which the sport is now
advancing is nothing short of mind blowing, and the
onslaught of new bowhunting technology each year is
hard to digest and understand with serviceable competence.
Beginners and advanced archers alike can feel overwhelmed when it’s time to buy a new bow, with everything from traditional longbows to recurves to
ultralight, ultra-fast compounds being found on
shelves today.
In the past decade, however, the most noteworthy
advances in archery have appeared in highperformance compound-bow setups for all shapes and
sizes. With the Dakota big-game bow seasons right
around the corner, here are seven important factors to
help you narrow down the selection when choosing a
bow off the rack.
1. Purpose
One of the many vices dedicated bowhunters can
fall victim to is bright-shiny-object syndrome. While
it’s easy to let the latest and greatest bows topped
with all the necessary add-ons make us drool, we have
to keep a bow’s intended purpose in mind.
There are several questions that merit careful consideration. Will you hunt primarily from a tree stand
or blind where your bow can be placed in or on a
holder of some sort more than 90 percent of the time
you’re afield? Or, are you a spot-and-stalk thrill seeker
who heads West River or takes to the Missouri River
Breaks in search of trophy muleys? How often will you
use your bow for recreational or competitive purposes? Will you be hard on your bow and constantly test
its durability, or will you only use it sparingly on a
yearly weekend getaway?
These questions and more need to be answered
honestly in order to choose a bow that fits you and
your hunting style. Weight and overall size can be predominant factors when toting a piece of equipment
around all day. Although compact, lightweight bows
are the new norm, don’t let these measurables sway
your entire decision if you have a pack designed to
conveniently holster your bow or if you can rest or
hang your bow while on stand. Conversely, if you’re
planning on wearing out the soles of your boots by
walking all day or if you’re the type to always have
your bow at the ready, compact and lightweight
attributes offer big-time advantages.
Paring your hunting style down to the facts alone
and clearly understanding the scenarios in which
you’ll hunt a majority of the time will bring several
options to light and rule out other less efficient
options when choosing a shiny, new bow. In addition,
we all need to remember the intent of bowhunting is
to encourage close encounters of the natural kind, and
with that in mind, the less glitz and glam, the better.
2. The Need for Speed
Speed has been a matter of contention in the
bowhunting community for a number of years.
Lightning-fast bows compared to quieter, more forgiving bows is often a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
In reality, there isn’t a bow made today that doesn’t
produce incredible speeds with a reasonable amount
of quiet forgiveness.
Only a decade ago, 300 feet per second was the ceiling for bow-generated arrow speeds. To put that in
perspective, that’s covering the length of a football
field in one second. Speed is a necessary ingredient in
the bowhunting equation for a number of reasons,
including increasing accuracy, decreasing the chance
game can “jump the string” and maximizing the footpounds of energy produced by the arrow spine and
broadhead, which ensures enough penetration power
to quickly and humanely take wild game.
Long, flat trajectories that are delivered in the blink
of an eye are intoxicating. But don’t let the overall
speed of a bow, which varies according to draw length,
poundage, and arrow and broadhead weight overshadow other functionalities such as forgiveness and
smooth-shooting ability.
3. Forgiveness
It’s simply a matter of fact that some bows are more
forgiving than others. Because bowhunting involves a
significant human element, it’s best to offer ourselves
every advantage we can gain from the sheer mechanics of a bow.
The primary factor determining a bow’s level of forgiveness is brace height, which is the measured distance between the grip and the bow string. As a general rule, the higher the brace height, the more
forgiving the bow. Beginning archers, for example,
will benefit with the forgiveness granted by bows with
brace heights of 7 inches or more, while more experienced archers can take advantage of the increased performance of bows with brace heights measuring
between 5.5 and 7 inches.
Photo by Andrew Johnson
Weight can be a huge factor if you’re dragging a bow around
all day on spot-and-stalk hunts; however, a pack that can holster your bow can give your arms and shoulders a break.
A common comparison is to picture two bows, one
with a 6-inch brace height and one with a 7.5-inch
brace height. If both are drawn back equivalent
lengths, the string on the bow with the lower brace
height will travel farther upon release, keeping the
nock in contact with the string longer and producing
higher speeds. Taking this illustration into consideration and adding our tendency to twist or torque our
hands, peak early and sometimes suffer from buck
fever, it’s easy to see how micro-mistakes can alter the
accuracy of our shot, making string travel a significant
factor.
A bow’s length from axle to axle not only affects its
maneuverability, but also how forgiving it can be.
Longer axle-to-axle lengths are generally more forgiving. However, longer bows typically have shorter
brace heights. Take care to consider each so that you
can pick a combination that best suits your style, draw
length and form.
4. Draw Weight
Heavy draw weights are a thing of the past thanks
to today’s bows. Smooth-shooting tack drivers are now
appearing in 40-, 50- and 60-pound draw weights. This
comes as a relief to many would-be bowhunters who
have been sidelined by shoulder injuries, as well as to
youth and women bowhunters whose frame relegates
their draw-weight capabilities.
“We’ve really seen a change in the bows we sell in
the last couple years,” says A.J. Hoffman, owner of
SoDak Sport and Bait in Aberdeen, S.D. “More and
more, draw weight is one of the first things my customers ask about, and we’re selling a ton of bows in
lower draw-weight ranges.”
Add in the increased limb efficiency and higher let-
off percentages of today’s bows and it makes sense
why killing your shoulder with excessive draw weights
is no longer a smart or even manly option. Most bows
have draw weights that are adjustable within a 10pound range, such as 40 to 50 pounds or 60 to 70
pounds. Some bows are now even being crafted with
more versatility in mind and have expanded drawweight ranges.
Keep your personal limitations in mind when choosing a bow, and make sure to select an option that
offers a draw-weight range with which you’ll be comfortable.
5. Design Features: Riser, Limbs and Cams
The riser is the middle portion of the bow to which
the grip and limbs attach. It’s the anchor of a bow’s
construction and factors in a bow’s overall stability,
weight and length. They’re often made of machined
aluminum or other stable, lightweight materials, such
as the rigid carbon-based risers some manufacturers
now promote.
The trend for limb design for the past several years
is toward achieving parallel conformity, sometimes
called beyond-parallel limb design. The methodology
here is that greater consistency can be achieved on a
linear, more parallel platform that reduces tension and
torque in a bow’s moving parts.
Cam design directly affects the timing of a bow, and
it appears in currently appears in three fashions: single, twin and cam-and-a-half (asymmetrical). If you’re
just starting, a single-cam bow is probably your best
bet, as rollover and synchronization become irrelevant
thanks to the individual cam.
A riser acts as the foundation for a bow’s stability and has
a direct impact on its weight, length and all-around feel.
Choose a bow with a riser design that conforms to your
hunting style and offers a comfortable feel.
SD-1606911R
Internal damping mechanisms such as the circular Harmonic Dampers in
Mathews’ bows (left) were designed to operate in any temperature. Rubber
noise-reduction mechanisms such as the limb spacers in some Hoyt models
(right) perform better in above-freezing temps. Both internal and external
damping mechanisms are often paired together,
offering bowhunters the best of both worlds.
Photos by Andrew Johnson
Twin- or dual-cam bows, as well as cam-and-a-half
models, require precision tuning to ensure the cams
roll over in synch. If these designs are off even slightly, the cams must be tuned so the bow’s timing can
return to peak performance.
When these three design features combine, a bowspecific feel is achieved. There’s no scientific term to
describe it, as the only real way to determine which
best suits your form is to strap on a release, hit the
range and see which design simply feels the best.
Keeping in mind the aforementioned factors of weight,
length, speed and forgiveness, see which all add up in
different bows to make the best candidates and then
let the feel of the bow choose you.
6. Stealth
When a bow string cuts loose an arrow, a violent
action occurs that produces intense, albeit brief vibrations. To compromise the noise these vibrations create, bow manufacturers have come up with several
ingenious ways of damping the sound. Damping is a
fancy word for muffling the sound by dissipating
energy and vibration by external means.
“Along with lower draw weights, most people also
want to know how quiet a bow is,” Hoffman says.
“They look at how quiet a bow is and then the draw
weight before they even look at the price.”
And for good reason, because additional noise created can cause deer to jump the string and turn well
placed shots into near misses. Every manufacturer
seems to have their own proprietary means for vibration damping. When narrowing down the selection of
available bows, take note of which features will match
well with the style and climate you hunt.
sure you choose a bow with a noise-reduction system
that is as versatile as your hunting style.
7. Cost
How much of a dent will be put in your pocketbook
is probably the first factor many people ponder when
buying a new bow. Although bow manufacturers have
come leaps and bounds in the past few years to really
level out the playing field, purchasing a bow is really
no different than buying anything else. When all is
said and done, you’ll get what you pay for.
If you’re a fair-weather fan, rubber noise-reducing
features are a good fit. On the other hand, if you’re not
afraid to take the bow out with your favorite pair of
snowshoes, rubber or other material that can harden
in colder temps can actually have an adverse effect and
produce more vibration.
Keeping your budget in mind is a no-brainer, but
remember that if you’re just starting out, a bow is just
the tip of the iceberg. New bows range anywhere from
$250 to upwards of $900. Add to that a release, rest,
sight, quiver, stabilizer, arrows, field points, broadheads and a case to jam it all into and bowhunting is
no small investment.
Cold weather is often handled better by internal
damping features built right into a bow’s core structure. Because temps in the Dakotas can range from 90
degrees chasing antelope to frigid, late-season hunts
for mature whitetails that survived rifle season, make
However, as important as cost control is to many of
us, it shouldn’t be the limiting factor when pursuing
your passion. Yes, bowhunting is not a cheap sport to
get into, but the chance to come face to face with a
deer, elk or turkey is worth the price of admission.
S
mallmouth bass are one of my
favorite fish to target, and when
we look at the fishing opportunities available up and down the
Missouri River in North and
South Dakota, there is no shortage of great smallmouth hotspots.
All of the Missouri’s reservoirs offer endless
options of great bass structure and habitat. For
example, Lake Sharpe and Lake Francis Case have
countless bluffs and sharp, breaking rubble shorelines that drop into deeper water that often hold
bass. On both of these lakes, shad often dictate
where these fish will be located.
Oahe and Sakakawa have no shortage of rocky
points and sunken islands that offer ideal structure
for bass. Lake Audubon features many shallow reefs
and islands where bass concentrations can be found.
Back to the Basics
The basic patterns and locations usually boil down
to finding the right combination of rocks, weeds and
water depth. Early in the season, some of the best
locations are rock bars or points that are tight to a
shoreline and large, shallow shelves or reefs that
have plenty of rocks present.
Weeds such as curly leaf pondweed, which has
become common on both Lake Audubon and Lake
Sakakawea, can add to the habitat and produce more
fish than the rocks. On these two lakes, the very top
of the reefs are often rocks, but the sides of the reef
in 4 to 10 feet of water will often hold thick stands of
pondweed.
Early in the season, bass can often be found in
water just deep enough to cover their backs. As the
summer progresses, some bass can still be found on
top of structure. Early morning and calm days when
the water is flat are usually best for finding fish
really shallow.
Wind or rough water will often push the bass
deeper, and because there is no shortage of wind in
the Dakotas, playing the wind and monitoring
water clarity is often the deciding factor for patterning bass.
As fish move deeper, nothing beats a tube jig,
Carolina rig, drop-shot rig or any other jig tipped
with a soft plastic for slowing down and working a
school of bass.
When you’re fishing for bass, remember the
cleaner the water, the better. Avoid dirty or stirred
up water. When the wind is blowing up on an
island or point, the bass will often stage on the
calm side or right along the edge where rough
water meets the calm water. Water visibility is
often fairly decent on the Missouri’s impoundments
unless a strong wind has been present for several
days.
On sunny, calm days, deeper fish often suspend off
the bottom enough to where you can mark them with
your sonar. When I’ve been unable to mark fish, I
often catch bass by throwing tube jigs up and onto
the rock structure and slowly working it back to the
boat to entice fish that are tucked into the rock crevices.
Presentations
To increase fishing efficiency, lures that can be
fished fast and cover a ton of water enable me to
find schools of bass.
Great search lures include rattle baits such as
the Salmo Zipper or Rattle Trap. Crankbaits work
really well, too, but they can’t be cast as
far as rattle baits, especially if
you’re casting against the
wind.
The color combinations I’ve found to work
best for crank and rattle baits are brown
and orange, silver
and blue, and classic
shad patterns.
Spinnerbaits work
really well whenever
there is cabbage or
curly leaf pondweed
present. Great color
options for spinnerbaits are
orange, chartreuse and brown
with gold blades, or white with silver blades.
Whenever bass are shallow, try casting
top-waters, spinnerbaits, suspending minnow baits, crankbaits or soft-plastic swim
baits.
Whenever you can mark fish in deeper water, dragging jigs below the boat but over the top of the fish
works as good as anything.
Great color options for soft plastics include motor
oil, pumpkin seed and watermelon. Anything black,
brown, dark green or orange can work, but white and
pearl are often worth trying first. Tubes, grubs, craw
imitations and straight worms all work well.
How and what you use is often dictated by how
slow you have to fish. Tubes and grubs are versatile
in that you can fish fast or slow, close to the bottom
or high. Drop-shot rigs require you to slow down, but
working a straight worm slowly through an area usually triggers fish to strike if you’re confident enough
in the location.
If They Were Anywhere Else ...
I consider the smallmouth options on the Missouri
River to be exceptional, and the best part about these
big, brown fish is that few anglers target them on purpose here in the Dakotas. I often joke that if Lake
Audubon or Lake Sharpe were in Tennessee or
Arkansas there would be BassMaster Classics fishing
tournaments on these lakes.
The excellent number of fish and the opportunity
for big fish truly create fantastic fishing opportunities
around every bend in the Missouri.
About the Author: Jason Mitchell earned a reputation as a
top walleye guide on Devils Lake, N.D. Today, Mitchell produces Jason Mitchell Outdoors, which airs on Fox Sports
North and Fox Sports Midwest. For more information, go to
jasonmitchelloutdoors.com.
Photo by beachnet, photos.com
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D
eer hunters have to be versatile. If you do much hunting
at all, you know conditions
change as do locations.
The varied topography of
the Dakotas lends itself to many different tactics, but
the vast majority of bowhunters hunt from treestands. For Dakota hunters, therein lies the issue. I
love to spot and stalk, but unless you have broken
terrain and reasonably good ground cover, that
option isn’t going to be all that successful, especially
on whitetails.
Where you can find a good spot that offers mature
timber in the right location, a hang-on type treestand
or ladder stand are great options, and they remain
the primary choices for most bowhunters.
Ground blinds have their place, too, and I hunt out
of them frequently each season. But what about
those pieces of cover with sparse, young stands of
timber? We Dakota archers and rifle hunters are
often faced with sparse shelterbelts on an old abandoned farmstead. Or how about a cedar flat or along
a creek system with a young stand of thick cottonwoods?
I hunt a few different properties with stands of
Russian olives lined along the edge of a cattail
slough. I’ve hung some stands in a few 8-inchdiameter trees, but when that wind starts to blow I
do more hanging on than holding a bow.
In cases like that, especially when I have to get
vertical to hedge against a downwind stream, I turn
to a tripod stand. I now have four of them, and I
absolutely love them. They take a few hours to put
together, mainly because I’m seriously mechanically
challenged. However, once you have them assembled
they are rock solid, and there are even some lightweight, basic models that can be carried in and out of
spots. That part might be your defining factor on purchasing a tripod, as leaving one on public land
wouldn’t be an option to take lightly, lest it go missing.
There are dozens of models on the market from
which to choose. I have several made by Big Game
Treestands that I absolutely love, but those can get
pretty heavy and are certainly not very portable.
A new lightweight model I really like is the Millennium T-100. This is a great new portable unit that
will get you up 10 feet and weighs only 36 pounds.
Photo by Dana Rogers
Archery hunters in the Dakotas are often faced with hunting in areas devoid of suitable trees on which to hang treestands.
Because of this, tripods are a viable option for hunters looking to gain an edge. There are even lightweight, portable
tripods available that hunters can carry into their desired stand locations on the day of the hunt.
This gives hunters great new possibilities because you
can get up off the ground but you won’t be too high to
be skylined if you can find a decent-sized tree to help
break up your outline. One of these seasons I’m going
to draw a refuge deer permit, and when I do I’ll be
packing one of these lightweight tripods into the cattails with me.
I’ve had some great success using these tripod style
stands over the past few seasons. In one case, I probably wouldn’t have been able to take a buck that wound
up being the widest whitetail I’ve ever been lucky
enough to tag had it not been for the help a tripod
stand offered me.
The buck was sticking to cover that was mostly
thick CRP mixed with a narrow strip of cedars and
Russian olives along a stretch of shelterbelt. Ground
hunting wasn’t an option due to the tall stands of
native grass at deer level. There were very few trees
within that buck’s home range, and no more than a
handful that would hold my 240-pound frame, let
alone all my gear.
That was the first year I purchased and set up one
of these tripods, specifically because this stretch of
prairie had been so tough to hunt in past years. I saw a
lot of good deer from that tripod but none within bow
range.
Finally I broke down during the rifle season and
hauled my .300 Win mag to the stunted cedar where I
positioned the Big Game Apex. Right at sunset the 24inch-wide, 4.5-year-old showed, and I managed to do
some slight gymnastics on the swivel seat and get him
stopped in a small opening between cedars and olives.
That season sold me on tripod stands.
If you have an open-country spot with lots of thick,
low brush, I suggest taking a look at one of the new
tripods. They are another great tool that helps bow or
rifle hunters to take advantage of hunting our upland
habitat.
About the Author: Dana Rogers grew up in central South
Dakota before joining the USAF. He now resides in Box Elder,
S.D. If you wish to contact him with an idea or comment,
email him at [email protected].
However, my favorite attraction in the Hills cannot
be found on any billboard, commercial or brochure.
Fishing is the most under-exploited attraction in the
area. Fishing opportunities are available throughout
the Hills, and the fish are more than willing to cooperate for anyone who buys a license and takes time to
drop a line in the water.
Fishing in the Black Hills can generally be broken
into three categories: large reservoirs, small reservoirs
and streams. Each has unique angling opportunities.
Large Reservoirs
Large may be an overstatement, but the 800 surface
acres of Pactola Reservoir make it the largest in the
Black Hills. The other large reservoirs are Deerfield
(414 acres), Sheridan (375 acres) and Stockade (120
acres).
Shore-fishing opportunities are plentiful, but the
bigger fish seem to be caught when fishing just out-ofshore casting distance by fishing from a boat or
through the ice. These reservoirs are each unique fisheries in their own right, but they all have one thing in
common – the chance at a big fish.
Pactola Reservoir will give you the best shot at a
true trophy. Pactola has plenty of rainbow trout,
brown trout and bluegills to keep the lines tight; however, the trend over the last few years has most
anglers setting their sights on the giant pike and lake
trout that cruise the weed edges and deep holes in the
lake.
In fact, the current state-record lake trout, which
weighed a whopping 30 pounds, was caught through
the ice this past January. Not all Pactola lakers are
giants, though, with 20- to 24-inchers being the most
common. But each year numerous double-digit lake
trout are landed and bragged up at the local bait shop.
Deerfield is
another great
option through
the ice. Off the
deep-water
points, around
the mouth of the
larger bays and
in front of the
dam, huge
schools of roaming perch can be
caught throughout the day. The
size of the perch
won’t set any
records, but the
quantity and flavor of the deep,
cold-water perch
will appease
rookie and experienced anglers
alike.
Photo by Vladimir Vitek, photos.com
Pactola provides plenty of opportunity for big northern pike. The non-native pike in this
fishery were illegally introduced but are now growing at incredible rates at the expense of the
stocked trout population.
The warmer water of Sheridan Lake lends itself to a
good weed bite in the shallows, but it also offers cool,
deep water for a multispecies fishery. The depths hold
schools of perch, crappies and dispersed rainbow
trout. The roaming schools of perch are very popular
with the ice anglers, and if you are willing to drill
enough holes, limits of fat 10- to 12-inch perch can be
had.
Pactola also provides plenty of opportunity for big
northern pike. The non-native pike in this fishery were
illegally introduced but are now growing at incredible
rates at the expense of the stocked rainbow trout.
Be careful when leaving perch to flop on the ice, as
the local bald eagles “perch” in the trees and watch to
steal a free snack.
As with the lake trout, smaller pike are more common, but big baits and deep weed edges can lead to
some monster 20- to 30-pound pike that can be a challenge on the short rod in the winter as well as the long
rod in the spring and fall.
With aggressiveness similar to the eagles, larger
rainbow trout (16 to 20 inches) will swipe your small
spoons and jigs as you are dropping down to the
perch. The rainbows can also be caught during the
warm summer months by trolling spoons and crankbaits.
Deerfield Reservoir is the most remote of the large
reservoirs due to its high elevation of 5,900 feet. The
lake is full of rainbow trout, brook trout and splake,
which can be caught with lightweight fly rods as well
as the conventional rod and reel or ice gear. A splake
will put up a mighty surprising fight after catching the
more common rainbow trout.
The shallow weedlines along most of Sheridan’s
shorelines are home to largemouth bass and northern
pike. Spinnerbaits, top-water plugs and plastic worms
can coax most of the bigger predators out of the thick
vegetation.
Stockade Lake in Custer State Park is the shallow-
est of the large reservoirs. There is a good population
of largemouth bass and northern pike with some
bonus smallmouth bass that can be caught by casting
crankbaits and plastics from boats, docks and picnic
areas. The lake is also filled with panfish which are
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information
SD-1606892R
T
he Black Hills of South
Dakota have long been a destination for vacationing families, rumbling motorcycles,
and regional meetings and
gatherings. Monuments,
attractions and other tourist traps can quickly fill up a
weekend or even an entire week for that matter.
Deerfield
holds the state
record for both
brook trout at 12
pounds and
splake at 11.88
pounds. The reservoir is wakefree in the summertime, which
makes it a quiet
place to cast
from a float tube
or jig from a
canoe. It also
produces nice
trout by trolling
flashing-spoon
rigs and cowbells.
active year-round. A lightweight fly rod is a fun way
to catch the scattered perch, crappies and bluegills.
Stockade is usually one of the first lakes in the
Black Hills to have fishable ice, making the lake’s
panfish the target of the season’s newest ice lures
and gadgets. Chasing Stockade bluegills through the
ice has become one of my favorites. The ’gills have
put on size this past year, and 8-inchers are common
with the occasional bluegill pushing 10 inches or
more.
Start looking for panfish along the first edge of
the weedlines and you are sure to hook into hungry
bass or pike, as well.
Small Reservoirs
Small reservoirs and ponds are scattered throughout the Black Hills and are not too far off the beaten
path. These reservoirs are too small for motorized
boats but can be easily and effectively fished from
shore, canoe, float tube or through the ice. Most of
the fish are smaller, but always be ready for the occasional surprise these lakes have to offer.
In the Northern Hills, Iron Creek, Strawberry Hill
Pond, Dalton, Reausaw and Roubaix teem with
stocked rainbow trout and the occasional perch.
These ponds are small but easily accessible and
make for a great picnic or rest location while driving
through the Hills.
Horsethief Lake, Lakota Lake and Canyon Lake are
the most popular small reservoirs in the Central Hills.
All three lakes are stocked with rainbow trout.
Horsethief also has plenty of small perch, crappies and
bluegills. If you fight through the little ones you might
just find one of the 14-inch perch or 15-inch crappies
hiding out.
Lakota is jammed up with 12-inch perch, but be
careful, because the numerous 4-pound pike can
quickly find your jig and snap your light line.
Canyon Lake is located on the edge of the Black
Hills inside the city limits of Rapid City. The lake has
several species lurking in its waters, including pike
and panfish, but it is most notorious for the big trout
cruising throughout the small lake.
Just upstream of Canyon Lake is the Cleghorn State
Fish Hatchery where, every once in awhile, big trout
escape and swim downstream into the lake.
Custer State Park encompasses the Southern Hills,
and Sylvan, Center and Bismarck are among the small
dams most commonly fished in the park. Once again,
these lakes are stocked with rainbow trout.
Sylvan Lake is located along the main hiking trail at
the base of Harney Peak. The granite spires of the
Needles make this lake a very scenic stop that’s worth
fishing before or after a hike to the peak or while
driving the Needles Highway.
Center Lake has some bruiser rainbow trout that
are more than willing to hit a fly, spinner or spoon.
In 2012, the state record tiger trout, which is a
hybrid of brown and brook trout, was caught out of
Center Lake.
Along with rainbows, Bismarck Lake offers
plenty of small perch and an occasional bass or crappie.
Streams
Streams meander throughout the steep terrain
and canyons of the Black Hills. Both native and
stocked trout can be caught in almost any reach of
moving water.
Short, lightweight fly rods are perfect for many of
the smaller streams and tributaries. Wet flies and
nymphs produce wild brook trout, while dry flies
and streamers usually work well for the larger
browns and rainbows. Anglers using traditional
rods and reels have success using small spinners,
spoons and plain hooks baited with worms, corn or
salmon eggs.
Some of the best fishing holes are off the beaten
path. Hike in from the main roads and trails and you
Blue water, green pines
and sheer rock cliffs
make the view from a
boat on Pactola Lake
one of the best in the
Black Hills.
Photo by Tyler French
are sure to find some trout willing to feed.
With most of the Black Hills being
National Forest, there is ample opportunity to
discover your own honey hole. If you are limited by time, try some of these more wellknown streams.
Rapid Creek is the largest stream in the
Black Hills. Upper Rapid Creek, above Pactola Reservoir, teems with wild brook trout
and the occasional brown and rainbow trout.
Deerfield Trail follows this section of stream
which runs between Deerfield Reservoir and
Pactola Reservoir, making the hiking easy.
Lower Rapid Creek, which sits below Pactola Reservoir, is a catch-and-release stretch
allowing only artificial-bait presentations.
This section of the stream has fewer numbers
of fish but has arguably the largest rainbows
and browns in the Black Hills. These fish get
a lot of pressure, so be prepared to fish hard
for each bite.
Rapid Creek through Rapid City is a surprisingly good fishery. If you happen to be in
Rapid City for business, slip out to the stream
in town between meetings or on your lunch
break and chances are you might land a brook
trout or two.
Spearfish Creek, located in the Northern
Hills, is the second-largest stream in the
Black Hills. Spearfish Creek drains through
Spearfish Canyon, one of the most scenic
drives during the fall months. Spearfish Canyon Highway winds along the stream allowing easy access to most reaches of Spearfish
Creek. Wild browns and rainbows hide along
the edges and riffles and deep in the pools.
Above: The steep Spearfish Canyon offers plenty of riffle rapids trailed by deep pools creating
perfect habitat for natural brown and rainbow trout populations.
Below: The author holds up a Sheridan Lake largemouth bass.
The shallow weedlines along most of Sheridan’s shorelines are home to plenty of bass, northern pike and panfish.
Spring Creek is accessible at many points
both upstream and downstream of Sheridan
Lake. Low water conditions above Sheridan
Lake can occur during the mid- to latesummer months. Look for rainbow and brown
trout in the deep pools and along vegetated
cut banks, and look for brook trout in the
smaller tributaries feeding Spring Creek.
Downstream of Sheridan Lake, fishing for
brook and brown trout can be excellent. Hike
along the Flume Trail leading up to the Sheridan Lake spillway or stop at any of the picnic
areas along the highway for easy access.
Fall into the Trap
Next time you plan a visit to the Black
Hills, make sure to pack a rod and a handful
of tackle. Although you won’t find a billboard
telling you where to fish, you are likely to
stumble upon a reservoir or stream worth an
excuse to take a picnic break or a hike.
Keep it simple, enjoy the scenery and take
advantage of some of the most understated
fishing the state of South Dakota has to offer.
About the Author: Tyler French is a freelance outdoor writer who grew up fishing and hunting in
eastern South Dakota but has called the Black Hills
home since 2007. For more information, check out
dakotadreamoutdoors.com or Dakota Dream Outdoors on Facebook.
Photos by Tyler French
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B
take to the fields.
hot spots for the year.
y the time this issue of Outdoor
Forum hits the stands, waterfowl hunters in both of the
Dakotas will have less than a
month to go before early Canada
goose seasons allow them to
The weeks leading up to opening day are the ideal
time to make preparations for the coming season.
Time spent now on each facet of the hunt – scouting,
guns, gear, dogs, etc. – will pay dividends during the
season.
So with the clock ticking down, let’s take a look at
what needs to be done before we hear the glorious
sound of the opening bell for the 2013 waterfowl hunting season.
Scouting
Location trumps all other aspects of the hunt when
it comes to finding success as a waterfowl hunter, and
it really never is too soon to start identifying possible
Small grains – primarily oats and wheat – are the
focus for much of the August and September Canada
goose action, and a quick drive through your normal
hunting area will help you pinpoint the location of
fields that will likely see goose traffic when young
birds begin to fly.
Wet or weedy spots within soybean fields and fallow fields that were too wet to plant in the spring
have also provided solid gunning for early honkers the
past few years. If there is a dairy or other type of cattle
operation in your area, it might be worth your while
to stop in and get an idea of where and when the
farmer may start chopping corn for silage.
Until the combines start rolling and the soybeans
and corn start coming out, Canada geese only have so
many places where they can find a meal. So the more
you know now of where geese may be feeding
throughout the first part of the season, the more likely
you’ll be able to set up your decoys on the X.
Most early Canada goose hunters shy away from
hunting big roost waters, but those small, shallowwater loafing areas used by geese during the middle of
the day are a popular way to stack up the big birds in
late summer and early fall.
Pasture ponds, river sandbars, or even small islands
within a slough or small lake are all areas that hunters
can target with success without running the risks
inherent with hunting a roost. The risks include
spooking birds from an area, disturbing the roost-tofeed pattern interfering with another hunter’s plan to
hunt those birds in the field and so on. These same
areas are often popular with both ducks and geese
until cold weather forces them to use bigger, deeper
water, so don’t be afraid to keep tabs on these spots
until the snow begins to fly.
Guns and Gear
I’ve been shooting the same Browning Gold semiautomatic shotgun for over a decade now, and for the
past four years, I’ve told myself that a new gun is in
order. Yet each fall I’ve found myself returning to the
gun that’s shot ducks and geese from Manitoba to
Arkansas and from Maryland to Missouri. Call me sentimental (or cheap), but I’m having a hard time spending the money on a new gun just for the sake of having
something that is shiny, new and trendy.
It is time, however, to take my old Browning to a
professional gunsmith to have it thoroughly cleaned,
replace the recoil spring and repair the front bead. I
clean my gun after every hunt in order to minimize
malfunctions, but the serious maintenance I leave to
the professionals. And now is the time to get it done.
If you don’t regularly shoot clays throughout the
summer, now would also be the time to hit local trap
range or sporting-clays course, especially if you are
shooting a new shotgun. If you can, bring along your
layout blind to practice the sometimes-not-so-smooth
act of sitting up, locating a target and squeezing the
trigger.
And if you’re like me and have managed to pick up
some of the new high-velocity, nontoxic waterfowl
loads on the market, you might want to pattern the
different loads through your main choke selections to
see which will fit your gun best.
Some of your other gear could likely stand a little
brush up, too.
Decoys – both field and water – should be hosed
down and excess mud or grime removed, and your
floating decoys should have their lines and weights
inspected.
Add a new layout blind to your trailer in the offseason? Make sure you give it a good coating of mud to
reduce the shine of the new fabric, or try a very light
coat of flat black spray paint.
Now is the time to prepare for the upcoming waterfowl
seasons. Don’t wait until the last second to take care of
necessary details such as gun maintenance, dog training
and conditioning, or decoy detailing.
This is also about the time of the year when I begin
to provide my neighbors with nightly serenades on the
duck and goose calls. Five-note greetings, comebacks,
clucks and honks – I stick to the basics, but the
cacophony of sounds is still enough to earn a few
strange looks. You’d think they’d know by now.
The blind, marsh stand and vest are all “toys” that I
first introduced during simple training sessions in the
backyard. I’ll leave the serious dog-training tips to one
of the other professionals of the Outdoor Forum, but I
know enough to say that opening day (or any day) of
the hunting season is not the time introduce a new
piece of equipment to a dog for the first time. Days in
the field during the fall are for hunting, not training,
so now is the time to work with that new stand, blind
or boat.
Daily walks, runs (I take Murphy with me on bike
rides in the morning and evening) or swim sessions
should also be a priority for your hunting dog before
season begins. Pre-season conditioning is a must for
the hunting retriever, and expecting a dog to perform
at the top of its game without it is not only unfair but
dangerous, too.
You owe it to yourself and your dog to have all the
pieces in place before that first morning in the decoys
this fall. Is there a lot to do in these final weeks? Sure.
But ours is a labor of love, and when those final seconds click off the clock and waterfowl season is officially open, we’ll sit back and know it was worth the
effort.
About the Author: John Pollmann is from Dell Rapids, S.D.
More of his work can be found in publications from Ducks
Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl.
Take aim ... you might be shooting at a pheasant worth
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Dogs
My yellow Lab, Murphy, is a pheasant hunter at
heart, but there is no containing his excitement when I
break out his layout blind. Backyard sessions with the
blind are one of our favorite summer routines, and
they’re a great way to keep him sharp for fall.
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SD-1607326R
W
e far too often view
panfish as the babies
of the piscatorial
scene. Yes, they may
be near the bottom
of the food chain.
But babies? I assure you they are not.
Whoever came up with classifications such as panfish would have us believe pound-plus bluegill, 3pound silver bass, or perch and crappies pushing and
even exceeding 2 pounds are not game. That doesn’t
make sense. Not in my world anyway. Apparently
these folks haven’t tangled with many – or any for that
matter.
Though they may forever remain at the lower levels
of the totem pole, these bantam weights have just as
much if not more fight in them than larger predators
with whom they share the water and, conversely, get
the most attention.
In fact, I would venture to say that panfish should
actually enjoy a much higher status. To that end, I
believe they are compact versions of the fish that prey
on them and are deserving of the title gamefish, as
well.
This is largely due to the fact that they share the
exact same characteristics of fine-tuned predators such
as pike, walleye, bass or even muskie. While constantly focused on dinner, panfish must also be wary
so as to not become dinner, all the while competing
for the exact same food sources.
During the summer months, I would surmise that
when panfish feed, they do so with more vigor and
ferocity than their larger cousins. You see, they must
get the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible
so as to not expose themselves for too long, as taking
their time while feeding often proves to be a fatal
attraction.
So, how do we transform this newfound respect and
insight into tactics that keep us in our rightful place as
the ultimate predator and consistently manage to take
a reasonable amount of them home for dinner?
This is where aggressive tactics rule. I am asking
you to take a leap of faith and throw out all of the dinky, dainty tactics you have been ingrained with over
the years. This is where conventional wisdom and
common sense part ways. Let’s be as bold as the fish
we are pursuing and really put it to them. After all,
common sense dictates that aggressive predators
respond best to equally aggressive tactics.
Tactics
Most days, methods that cover a lot of water and
present a choice of baits work much better than many
anglers could ever conceive.
In fact, speed is often the best option available. Not
just for the sheer efficiency of it and that you catch lots
of fish. Even more important in my mind is that you
will catch numbers of the biggest and baddest fish in
the lake.
Using speed and a variety of bait presentations as you
power troll are key in finding schools of
aggressively feeding panfish.
Size most definitely does matter, and goliath panfish just have a totally different look to them. Hump-
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back beasts they are, and they’re just downright cool
looking in my book.
Shake your heads in disbelief if you will, but speed
trolling gets the nod here. I will let the shaking of the
rods tell the tale.
I am referring to tactics that most would equate to
catching fired-up walleyes. Yep, we’re talking crankbaits and spinners starting above 2 mph and up to as
fast as you can possibly go without blowing them out.
Panfish they may be, but the belligerent little buggers
can and will smack the living daylights out of these
presentations.
Where
When chasing panfish, I begin by letting sonar and
background mapping guide my search along the first
major break leading toward deep water, which can
vary greatly depending upon the body of water.
This may range from depths that plunge into 100 or
more feet of water on a reservoir such as Lake Oahe,
to perhaps just 15 or 20 feet on a prairie lake. It’s all
relative. The most consistent depths I have found are
in the 15- to 25-foot range.
By closely monitoring the 12-inch color screen split
between a Navionics HotMaps Platinum edition and
the traditional sonar on my Raymarine E-127, I can
zigzag along at speeds up to 30 mph and easily spot
fish that are active and up off the bottom.
Once you have them located and determined the
depth they are holding, it’s time to circle back and put
something irresistible right on their snouts.
What
As previously mentioned, this calls for crankbaits
and spinners.
As for crankbaits, I do have some favorites. Over
the past year I have become enamored with Reef Run-
ner’s new 100 Series. It looks very much like a smaller
version of the 600 Series Deep Little Ripper and is
quickly building a reputation to match.
Another great bait is
the No. 4 Hornet from
Salmo, which has a
proven track record.
However, I recently discovered that you can
obtain a No. 3 Hornet,
and my initial indications
are that this bait provide
a valuable, smaller
options that’s just as
effective for panfish as
the larger No. 4s.
To round things out,
No. 4 Shad Raps in both
traditional and jointed
models work well, as do
walleye divers and similar lures. Any lure you
have confidence in and
that can remain stable at
higher speeds should do
the trick as long as you
keep them under 4 inches.
Lure color is the final
piece of the puzzle and at
times can be critical. To
help dial this in, we need
to have a number of colors onboard at all times.
The issue with this is
storage, which typically
means a tangled mess.
Well, no more of with the advent of the Crank Caddy. It’s an ingenious system that uses a box similar to
the Planos most of us have fought with for years. The
difference is the plastic boxes feature a flexible yet
durable plastic insert that which keeps your crankbaits
and their hooks separated. There are small,
medium and large verThe author holds up a crappie
sions available that hold
caught while trolling on a recent
fishing trip on Lake Thompson.
42, 28 and 12 lures,
respectively, along with
a handy dashmount or
bags that will hold five
boxes.
Spinners deserve an
equal amount of attention, and most days I
start out by dividing my
lines equally between
them and the cranks and
simply let the fish tell
me what they prefer.
Most any spinner
with a blade from size
No. 3 on down will give
you satisfactory results.
My personal favorite is
the Ventilator spinner
from JB Lures. They
have two unique vents
in a Colorado blade that
help create a bit more
attraction from the
added disturbance and
turbulence as water
passes through the ventilation system. But the
real key characteristic
that they provide is the
ability to withstand a great deal of speed without
blowing out. The vents once again come into play as
they are the stabilizing factor.
How
As they say, it’ all in the presentation, and this
holds water here as well.
For crankbaits, if you are in depths up to 15 feet it
is quite easy to run them on flat lines with superbraids. I prefer 10-pound Fireline or 12-pound NanoFil
as they both have diameters equivalent to 4-pound
monofilament line, which allows us to punch the baits
down a bit further.
Forget the dinky, dainty tactics you’re
accustomed to for panfish and give power
trolling a try. Gear for this aggressive
tactic resembles trolling gear for walleyes,
as line-counter reels, crankbaits and
spinners are necessary tools of the
trade for catching
larger-than-the-pan fish.
Photos by Andrew Johnson
For depths beyond the 15-foot mark, leadcore does
work well, but we are often dealing with large numbers of fish, and, quite frankly, continually paying it
out and reeling in long lengths becomes a bit tiring.
This is where the use of snap weights comes into
play. Not just enough weight to get the bait down
mind you, but flat-out heavier weights, no matter what
the depth. I am talking starting in the 4-ounce range
and even going up to 8 ounces. Believe me, the weight
does not spook fish, and I even run the heavier
weights right in the prop wash in shallower water. It’s
not uncommon to have 35 feet of line out in 20 feet of
water.
To that end, short leads are common, too. I generally do not go over 6 feet for crankbaits and just use
the length of the leader for the spinners. There’s no
need to go any longer, and this further aids landing
fish in that I just reel up to the weight
and swing ’em aboard. Simply unhook
the fish and you are right back at it.
boards are needed. They seem to only
complicate matters when panfish are
the target.
This is efficiency at an optimum
level, because you can avoid monkeying around with lures tangled in the
net or removing and then replacing
the snap weights.
Conclusion
Break out of your comfort zone
and give this some honest effort. I do
believe you will be pleasantly surprised by not only how effective this
is, but also by how easy it is.
In fact, I would start with the artificials and only move to the real thing
should the fish prove finicky and the
bite begins to die off.
Rods are personal preference, but
what I have found to work best are St.
Croix Eyecon Series Trolling Rods in
10.5-foot and 8-foot versions, coupled
with compact 5500-size line counters.
This gives me a lightweight and
responsive package that allows me to
stagger lines.
Because efficiency is our goal, no
Once you have spent a little time,
gained some confidence and have this
mastered you will become a panfishcatching machine.
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Please use some common sense
and practice conservation in only
keeping enough eater-sized fish for an
occasional meal and letting the bruisers go. Catching and releasing healthy
fish not only lets them fight another
day, but it also serves the brood stock
well in keeping our fisheries in a
healthy state for generations to come.
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About the Author: Dennis Foster is an outdoor writer and fishing and hunting guide
from Mellette, S.D. He welcomes comments
and can be reached through his websites at
eyetimepromotions.com or
dakotapheasantguide.com.
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SD-1605732R
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2275 E C OLORADO BLVD
SPEARFISH SD 57783-3200
(605) 642-2350
SUPER 8 STURGIS
2600 WHITEWOOD SERVICE RD
STURGIS SD 57785-2975
(605) 347-4447
CIRCLE PINES MOTEL
240 E HIGHWAY 12
WAUBAY SD 57273-2145
(605) 947-4641
PONDEROSA MOTOR LODGE
705 GLENDALE DR
LEAD SD 57754-2046
(605) 584-3321
WILSON MOTOR INN & CAMPER
CAMPGROUND
1109 E 7TH AVE
REDFIELD SD 57469-1811
(605) 472-0550
FAIRFIELD INN BY MARRIOTT
2720 1ST AVE
(605) 642-3500
COMFORT INN
701 W CHERRY ST
VERMILLION SD 57069-1139
(605) 624-8333
SANDY BEACH RESORT
3472 DAKOTA BEACH CIR
(605) 947-4492
ALL STAR TRAVELERS INN
517 W JACKSON BLVD
(605) 642-5753
HILLCREST MOTEL
412 4TH AVE
WALL SD 57790-6128
(605) 279-2415
BUR-OAK LODGE
13476 446TH AVE
(605) 947-4445
SHERWOOD LODGE
231 W JACKSON BLVD
(605) 642-4688
REDWOOD MOTEL
50 C AVE
WASTA SD 57791
(605) 993-3333
GALLEY STEAKHOUSE
LOUNGE & HOT
230 W HIGHWAY 12
WEBSTER SD 57274-1022
(605) 345-2424
BELLS MOTOR LODGE
230 N MAIN ST
(605) 642-3812
DAKOTA COUNTRYSIDE INN
22885 US HIGHWAY 12
WATAUGA SD 57660-7314
(605) 524-9699
BUSTERS RESORT
43588 136TH ST
(605) 345-2787
QUALITY INN HOTEL
2725 1ST AVE
(605) 642-2337
GUEST HOUSE MOTOR INN
101 N BROADWAY
WATERTOWN SD 57201-3525
(605) 886-8061
HOLIDAY MOTEL
300 W HIGHWAY 12
(605) 345-3323
CANYON GATEWAY MOTEL
503 SPEARFISH CANYON RD
(605) 642-3402
BEST WESTERN
1901 9TH AVE SW
(605) 886-8011
LYNN LAKE LODGE
13551 427TH AVE
(605) 345-4564
TRAVELODGE SPEARFISH
346 W KANSAS ST
(605) 559-3333
TRAVELERS INN MOTEL
920 14TH ST SE
(605) 882-2243
STONEFIRE MOTEL
100 W HIGHWAY 12
(605) 345-4329
SUPER 8 SPEARFISH
440 HERITAGE DR
(605) 642-4721
SUPER 8 WATERTOWN
503 14TH AVE SE
(605) 882-1900
PRAIRIE WOOD INN B&B
43829 US HIGHWAY 12
(605) 345-2345
WATERTOWN EVENT CENTER
1901 9TH AVE SW
(605) 886-6127
DAY CO INN & SUITES
801 W HIGHWAY 12
(605) 345-4701
PALACE EXPRESS
395 GLENDALE DR
LEAD SD 57754-1034
800-654-5323
BROOKSIDE MOTEL
603 REED ST
(605) 666-4496
THE OLD TOWN HALL INN
215 W MAIN ST
LEAD SD 57754-1603
(605) 584-1112
KEYSTONE BOARDWALK
SHERMAN ST. SYE 206
DEADWOOD SD 57751-2073
(605) 666-4990
DAYS INN
900 MINERS AVE
LEAD SD 57754-1348
(605) 584-1800
MT RUSHMORES
WHITE HOUSE RESORT
115 SWANZEY ST
KEYSTONE SD 57751
(605) 996-6835
BAREFOOT RESORT AT TERRY PEAK
21111 BAREFOOT LOOP
LEAD SD 57754-3750
(605) 584-1577
MT RUSHMORES WASHINGTON INN
231 WINTER ST
KEYSTONE SD 57751
(605) 666-5070
ECONO LODGE
908 MADILL ST.
(605) 666-4417
TRAVELODGE MT. RUSHMORE
KEYSTONE
522 HIGHWAY 16A
(605) 666-4638
AMERICAN PINES CABINS
1315 OLD HILL CITY RD
(605) 666-5475
LAKOTA LAKE ENCAMPMENT GUEST
HOUSE
13265 THREE MEADOWS RD
KEYSTONE SD 57751
(605) 666-5020
SUPER 8 KIMBALL
200 W KIOTE ST
KIMBALL SD 57355-2161
(605) 778-6088
DAKOTA WINDS MOTEL
720 S. MAIN
(605) 778-6215
MARYS LODGING
300 E. 1ST. ST.
(605) 730-0322
LAKOTA PRAIRIE RANCH RESORT
7958 LAKOTA PRAIRIE DR
KYLE SD 57752
(605) 455-2555
FORT RANDALL INN
116 W US HIGHWAY 18
LAKE ANDES SD 57356
(605) 487-7801
CIRCLE H MOTEL
711 S. HWY 18
LAKE ANDES SD 57356-6878
(605) 487-7652
RIVER HILLS MOTEL
723 US HIGHWAY 281
LAKE ANDES SD 57356-6878
(605) 487-7680
ROY LAKE RESORT
11571 NORTHSIDE DR
LAKE CITY SD 57247-6157
(605) 448-5498
COTTAGE MOTEL OFFICE
817 MAIN AVE
LAKE NORDEN SD 57248-2103
(605) 785-4164
SUPER 8 REDFIELD
826 W 4TH ST
REDFIELD SD 57469-2044
(605) 472-0720
THE SCHOOLHOUSE MANOR
505 SOUTH DAKOTA AVE
REE HEIGHTS SD 57371
(605) 943-5616
GRASSLAND LODGE
35330 144TH ST
ROSCOE SD 57471-7807
(605) 426-6776
HOME MOTEL
361 S NEBRASKA ST
SALEM SD 57058-8958
(605) 425-2828
SPEARFISH CANYON LODGE
10619 ROUGHLOCK FALLS RD
LEAD SD 57754-3783
(605) 584-3435
CIRCLE VIEW GUEST RANCH
20055 E HIGHWAY 44
SCENIC SD 57780-6804
(605) 433-5582
LEMMON COUNTRY INN
19405 US HIGHWAY 12
LEMMON SD 57638-6303
(605) 374-3711
THE PRAIRIE PILLOW SPORTSMENS
13729 300TH AVE
SELBY SD 57472-6210
(605) 649-7991
AMERICAN RV & KAMP
303 5TH STREET
MURDO SD 57559
PHONE 605-6669-2461
SELBY MOTEL
5000 US HIGHWAY 12-83
SELBY SD 57472-2043
(605) 649-7979
ANCHOR INN
105 E 5TH STREET
MURDO,SD 57559
605-669-2322
HILLTOP MOTEL & CAMPGROUNDS
7005 US HIGHWAY 12-83
SELBY SD 57472-2037
(605) 649-7622
BEST WESTERN GRAHMS
301 W 5TH STREET
MURDO, SD 57559
605-669-2441
SUPER 8 SIOUX FALLS
4100 W. 41ST STREET
SIOUX FALLS SD 57106
(605) 361-9719
IVERSEN INN
108 E 5TH STREET
MURDO SD 57559
605-669-2452
SUPER 8 SISSETON
2104 SD HIGHWAY 10
SISSETON SD 57262-2525
(605) 742-0808
LANDMARK COUNTRY INN
24325 US 83
MURDO, SD 57559
605-669-2846
HOLIDAY MOTEL
2216 SD HIGHWAY 10
(605) 698-7644
RANGE COUNTRY
302 W 5TH STREET
MURDO, SD 57559
605-669-2425
I-29 MOTEL
2105 SD HIGHWAY 10
(605) 698-4314
SIOUX MOTEL
302 E 5TH STREET
MURDO ,SD 57559
605-669-2422
DAYS INN SPEARFISH
240 RYAN RD
(605) 642-7101
SUPER 8 MOTEL
604 E. 5TH STREET
MURDO SD 57559
605-669-2437
HARVEST INN
751 DAKOTA AVE
OAKES ND 58474
701-742-2166
KOZY MOTEL
427 N MAIN ST
(605) 642-4846
SPEARFISH CREEK INN
925 N 3RD ST
(605) 642-9941
SPEARFISH CANYON LODGE
503 SPEARFISH CANYON RD
(605) 584-3435
THE LAKES LODGE
20 GOLF DR
WENTWORTH SD 57075-7300
(605) 483-3544
SPEARFISH HOLIDAY INN
CONVENTION
PO BOX 399
(605) 642-4683
BUDGET ONE MOTEL
309 8TH AVE SE
(605) 886-8455
WAGON WHEEL INN
811 WALNUT ST
SPRINGFIELD SD 57062-2146
(605) 369-2431
TRAVEL HOST MOTEL
1714 9TH AVE SW
(605) 886-6120
FINN & FEATHER INN-MOTEL
614 8TH ST
SPRINGFIELD SD 57062
(605) 369-2550
APPL INN
416 E KEMP
(605) 753-5625
LINCOLN HOUSE BED & BREAKFAST
PO BOX 115
STICKNEY SD 57375-0115
(605) 732-4463
COUNTRY INNS & SUITES
JUNCTION I29 & HWY 212
WATERTOWN SD 57201
(605) 886-8900
FOOTHILLS LODGE
38458 232ND ST
WESSINGTON SPRINGS SD 573825802
(605) 539-0282
RAINBOW BIBLE RANCH
14676 LONE TREE RD
(605) 923-6056
DAYS INN WATERTOWN
2900 9TH AVE SE
(605) 886-3500
STEICHEN LODGE
24625 371ST AVE
WHITE LAKE SD 57383-5408
(605) 249-2175
JUNCTION INN
1802 JUNCTION AVE
(605) 720-0127
AMERICAS BEST VALUE INN
3425 13TH AVE SW
(605) 886-6631
LEGENDS B&B LOG CABIN SUITES
DEADWOOD
STURGIS SD 57785
(605) 578-2780
2720 9TH AVE SE
(605) 878-1800
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS
2721 LAZELLE ST
(605) 347-4140
QUALITY INN HOTEL
800 35TH CIR SE
(605) 886-3010
FORT RANDALL HOTEL
38538 SD HIGHWAY 46
PICKSTOWN SD 57367
(605) 487-7891
BEST WESTERN
BLACK HILLS LODGE
540 E JACKSON BLVD
(605) 642-7795
GOVERNOR’S INN
700 W SIOUX AVE
PIERRE SD 57501
(605) 224-4200
HOWARD JOHNSON INN-SPEARFISH
323 S 27TH ST
(605) 642-8105
STARLITE MOTEL
2426 JUNCTION AVE
(605) 347-2506
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS
3901 9TH AVE SE
(605) 882-3636
SUPER 8 HOTEL
320 W. SIOUX AVE
PIERRE, SD 57501
(605) 224-1617
COMFORT SUITES
240 N 27TH ST
(605) 642-3003
BEST WESTERN STURGIS INN
2431 JUNCTION AVE
(605) 347-3604
TRAVELERS INN MOTEL
E HIGHWAY 212
WATERTOWN SD 57201
(800) 568-7074
DJP FARMS LLC
37801 213TH ST
WESSINGTON SD 57381
(605) 458-2694
TRAVELERS MOTEL
320 MAIN ST W
WESSINGTON SPRINGS SD 57382
(605) 539-1440
RIVERSIDE ACRES
1527 41ST ST.
EDGERTON MN 56128
(507)442-4114
FREE
LISTING
Get your listing in for
FREE by emailing your
information to:
customerservice@
aberdeennews.com
Mention ODF Lodging
in Subject Line.
O
ne of the most difficult aspects
of photography is dealing with
the lighting in different situations. Everyone knows the
golden hour in the early morning or evening is ideal for photos, as it provides soft, even light. But what do you do
when you’re fishing on a 90-degree day and you catch
a monster at noon when the sun is at its peak?
Try a Filter
If you are shooting with a DSLR camera, one of the
easiest ways to capture and maintain vivid colors in
your photography – even at high noon – is with a
polarizing filter.
A polarizing filter can remove a lot of the harshness
between shadows and highlights. Filters will also
reduce intense reflections even on seemingly nonreflective surfaces. Polarizers work well for maintaining a deep blue sky and they are extremely useful for
shooting in wooded areas.
A polarized filter is a camera accessory consisting of
an optical filter that can be screwed onto the front of
your lens. Filters modify the images recorded. A polarized filter does not affect light, but it does affect the
direction light filters in through the lens and ends up
reducing reflections, therefore maximizing color.
Simple Tricks
Mounting your flash is another option to try. When
you’re photographing people midday, uneven shadows
can be overcome with the use of fill-in flash. In order
to accomplish this use a mounted flashgun on top of
your camera and bounce the flash toward the sun to
avoid overexposing with direct flash.
Another simple trick for photographing in direct
light is to face your subject toward the sun to avoid
harsh shadows. Have them close their eyes, count to
three and have them open right before you take the
photo. This allows you to illuminate your subject with
the light but avoids squinting.
Sometimes you just might have to make your own
shade if you really want to avoid harsh shadows. Find
trees or buildings. Make shade with an umbrella or
even a piece of foam board – whatever’s accessible.
You can even find translucent panels made for filtering
the sun, toning it down.
If you’re shooting in manual mode on your camera,
“Sunny 16” is the rule that
says to set your aperture to
16. ISO should be at 100
and try 1/100 or 1/125 for
a shutter speed. This
makes for ideal lighting
conditions under the sun.
of post-processing your photos you don’t have to
worry so much about posing the shot on location
because you’re able to fix harsh shadows on the computer when you get home.
Programs such as Lightroom, iPhoto or other
photo-retouching software allow you to adjust the
exposure, fill light and highlights until you reach perfection. When I know I’m going to post-process a photo, I shoot into the sun and brighten the subject in
post-processing. This way I don’t have to fight overexposed highlights or worry about side shadows and
squinting.
If you’re really looking to show off that monster
catch or 30-pointer and you’re fighting the sun, use the
above tricks to get the most our of your photography
and preserve your bragging rights.
About the Author: Amy Thorne is a professional photographer from Dell Rapids, S.D. For more information and to
book her photography skills for senior pictures, family photos,
weddings and more, go to www.ajofotografi.com.
Post-Processing
If you have the capability
The saturation created
from a polarized filter is
quite impressive. Filters
allow you to darken the sky,
reduce reflections and dim
the glare on water and foliage while increasing the contrast and saturation.
Keep in mind that polarizations are best achieved at
90 degrees to the sun. This
means when you’re using a
polarized filter, you’ll
receive the most color at a
right angle to the sun’s position.
Polarized filters come in a
variety of sizes and can be
applied to multiple lenses. If
you are considering purchasing one, do your research
and pay a little extra for
quality. You won’t regret it.
SD-1606905R
IT’S
FISHING
SEASON
HOME OF THE LARGEST GUN
SELECTION IN EASTERN SD
FIREHOUSE?
BUY $5 IN FISHING TACKLE
AND RECEIVE A
FREE SCOOP OF MINNOWS!
850 S. Hwy 281 • Aberdeen, SD 57401
605-225-2737
SD-1603107R
www.sodaksports.com
SD-1606895R
We have everything
you need for
hunting and fishing
from firearms,
ammo, knives,
fishing rods, bows,
& apparel …we’ve
got you covered!
Call 605-765-9500
FIREHOUSE DINER

for your Camping Convenience!

Transcription

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