Come Experience Minnesota`s Nature in Grand Rapids

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Contents 2013 Open Water Edition
Page 3
Come Experience Minnesota’s Nature in Grand Rapids, MN
By Megan Christianson
Page 5
Early Crappie Creations
By Tom Neustrom
Putting blades to Mid Summer Walleyes
By Brad Hawthorne
Page 7
Lake Winnibigoshish 2013 Fish Population Outlook
By Chris Kavanaugh
Slip and Split Your Way to More Walleyes
By Jim Ernster
Page 9
Pike Fishing - The Way I Do It
By Kristilee Christensen
Page 11
Minnesota’s Lake of the Woods… Simply Epic!
By Joe Henry
Page 13
Leech Lake 2013 Fish Population Outlook
By Doug Shultz
Bro Does Jigs for Walleyes 24/7, 365 Days A Year
By Paul A. Nelson with Brian “BRO” Brosdahl
Page 15
Trolling, Snap weights, In-Line weights and Proper Planner Board Settings
By Marianne Huskey
Finding the Right Fish, A Tournament Anglers Perspective
By Stephen and Brenda Picht
Page 17
Here Kitty Kitty
By Ted Takasaki and Scott Richardson
Page 19
The Ultimate Reaction Strike
By Tony Roach
Early Season Panfish can be Boom or Bust
By Jason Durham
Page 21
Women of Fishing
By Ron Hustvedt, Jr.
Find the Spot…Where Walleyes bite!
By Jason Green
Page 23
Nighttime is a Great Time to be on the Water
By Bryan “Beef” Sathre
Page 25
Classic Patterns for More Bass
By Steve Mattson
Page 27
Spring, Summer, Fall (Winter)...Perch: A Fish For All Seasons
By Nik Dimich
Page 29
Pack your Rods and Head for Sunset Country
By Jeff Gustafson
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Come Experience Minnesota’s Nature in Grand Rapids, MN
By Megan Christianson
Grand Rapids has been a
favorite Minnesota vacation
destination for over 100
years. The area’s renowned
fishing lakes and beautiful
forests provide the perfect
backdrop for leisure and
sports adventures. Located
in NE Minnesota, just 3
hours - 180 miles north of the
Minneapolis/St. Paul metro
area, Grand Rapids is close
enough to be convenient,
but just far enough away
to provide you with a real
escape.
Grand Rapids
provides an experience filled
with outdoor adventures,
scenic beauty, preserved
heritage and vibrant arts and
entertainment.
The Grand
Rapids area has to offer a full
range of vacation activities,
countless attractions, events
and recreational opportunities
to meet everyone’s wants
and needs for a grand
getaway. Come experience
Minnesota’s nature in Grand
Rapids, MN.
The Grand Rapids area
offers a full range of choices
in overnight lodging. Lodging
properties
range
from
northern Minnesota resorts,
elegant, full-service hotels, to
intimate bed and breakfasts
and
economical
motels.
Grand Rapids hotels and
motels offer convenience and
close proximity to the area’s
attractions,
entertainment
and dining.
Whether you
choose in town with a
fireplace, or on Pokegama
Lake with a view, the area’s
B&B innkeepers provide
an intimate setting and
personal service for your next
getaway. From full-service
golf resorts, to family-friendly
resorts with activities, to
those specializing in serving
the
die-hard
fishermen,
the Itasca County resort
community offers something
for everyone. Looking for an
alternative to a resort? Try a
professionally managed lake
home. You’ll find the privacy
of having your own lake
home, but security of knowing
the home is managed by
professional
resort owners. If
you are looking
for a spot to
rough it under the
stars, the Grand
Rapids
north
woods area also
offers a variety of
campgrounds to
choose from. All facilities are
located within easy access
to the area trails and lakes.
So whether it’s room service
or toasted marshmallows,
there’s
something
for
everyone here in the great
north woods.
Home to more than 1,000
Grand Lakes, the Grand
Rapids area is a fishing
mecca for anglers in search of
crappie, northerns, walleye,
panfish, bass and perch. The
fishing season begins just
after the early spring warmup with the fishing opener
in May. There are 45 lakes
within 10 miles surrounding
Grand Rapids.
Itasca
County holds the highest
concentration of lakes per
county in Minnesota. Each
season presents a unique
fishing experience.
Itasca
County has lakes that range
in size of a couple hundred
acres to tens of thousands
of acres. There are lots of
services and businesses
ready to help guide you to a
great fishing adventure in the
Grand Rapids area. Check
out
www.visitgrandrapids.
com for a complete list of bait
shops and guide services to
help you find the fish. Come
experience some of the best
fishing in the state.
Visit our maps page
for helpful links to state,
county, city and recreational
maps. You’ll find links to
recreational maps for hiking,
biking, hunting and more.
Someone once said, getting
there is half the
fun. We think being
here is the most
fun. Grand Rapids
is mostly a driving
destination,
but
there are a few
options when it
comes to public
transportation. Our
transportation page will help
you identify those options,
find car rentals or the nearest
commercial airport. Because
the weather can impact your
trip in so many ways; from
what to wear, to how long it
will take to travel, we provide
you with a variety of weather
information sources.
Visit
Grand
Rapids is here to
help planning for
your next family
leisure vacation,
get together with
buddies or gals, or
couples retreat. At
visitgrandrapids.
com you will find
all kinds of helpful
information and
links to help you
plan your trip.
Visit our videos
page for a sneakpeek at some
of our favorite
area attractions,
festivals,
and
events. The videos are short,
download in a snap, and give
you just a taste of what each
is all about. Then, add them
to your trip itinerary so you
don’t miss out on any of the
fun. The area’s visitor guide is
packed with travel planning
information. The friendly
staff at Visit Grand Rapids
can mail a travel guide to
your home, or, if you just
can’t wait, a PDF download
of select pages or the entire
travel guide is available here.
Your next grand adventure
in Minnesota’s nature is
just a click away: www.
visitgrandrapids.com.
The
Visit Grand Rapids staff is
available help your vacation
planning at 1-800-355-9740.
UPNORTH • 2013 SPECIAL OPEN WATER EDITION
EDITOR:
Jason Green
SALES:
Jane Sundin
DESIGN & LAYOUT:
Cowduck Designs:
Brent Burich, Art Director
and Jason Green
CONTRIBUTORS:
Megan Christianson, Tom Neustrom, Brad Hawthorne,
Chris Kavanaugh, Jim Ernster, Kristilee Christensen,
Joe Henry, Doug Schultz, Paul A. Nelson, Brian “BRO”
Brosdahl, Marianne Huskey, Stephen and Brenda Picht,
Ted Takasaki & Scott Richardson, Tony Roach, Ron
Hustvedt, Jr., Bryan “Beef” Sathre, Jeff Gustafson,
Steve Mattson, Jason Green, Nik Dimich, Jason Durham
ON THE COVER: Kristilee Christensen
All rights reserved. Use or reproduction of
any information contained in UPNORTH’s
Publications is prohibited without
authorization.
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Early Crappie Creations
By Tom Neustrom
Have we exhausted every
feasible place to catch crappies
in the spring? I doubt it! There
are always places crappies hang
out that anglers seemingly fail to
think about. Time on the water,
and being a geek about chasing
big crappies in the spring, has
driven me to adapt and react to
situations that are beneficial in
different conditions.
When winter’s lock begins to
disappear I’m already plotting
my crappie directions and
going over maps of potential
locations. Depending on the
weather I always need to define
my potentials and not wanting to
sit at the landing on an ugly day
and say” They won’t bite today!”
Crappies, I’m talking those
slabs that people wonder if they
actually exist. Like all species,
crappies need to eat and when
the ice goes out some of the
biggest slabs of the season go
on the hunt, like when your nose
is dripping from the cold type
conditions. Many anglers get the
notion immediately that if they
catch a crappie shallow after the
ice goes out they are beginning
the spawning ritual. Wrong!
All species need nourishment
before the spawn and crappies
are no different. Attacking certain
bodies of water in search of big
crappies is dependent on when
the ice went out, the existence
of the monstro types we are
looking for, and the habitat that
may warrant certain locations.
Several veteran crappie
anglers that I know want some
type of deeper water available
early after ice out for the sole
reason of a deferment from
the shallows due to inclement
weather, cold fronts, and windy
conditions that may drive
crappies from the shallows.
Every early season crappie
article I have read always
defines the north end of a lake
the most identifiable location
and sometimes tastelessly
the only spot to catch early
season crappies. Another false
impression that can be turned
upside down, if the proper
habitat of mud, gravel, scattered
hard bottom, and old pencil
reeds to signal you are in the
game are not present, then keep
looking; otherwise fold your tent
and go home. Right!! Absolutely
not! Talk to panfish extraordinaire
Brian “Bro” Brosdahl and he will
share countless mega hours
on the water chasing ice out
crappies and the nature of what
makes them tick. Every situation
is different and he makes a living
trying and succeeding to out
think early season crappies.
With all said and done, I still like
a depth deeper than the flats to
corner fish that are affected by
weather changes. I have taken
some giants on 12-15 foot ledges
near these intriguing flats by trial
and error and using my 998 SI
Humminbird and Lakemaster
chip to track and find their
locale when the shallows are
void. Many times I will adjust
my Bird to Switchfire mode that
increases the sensitivity and I can
pick out small particles of minute
organisms that crappies are
searching for. This assists me in
acquiring increased knowledge
in positive locations while
understanding where crappies
are probably going to show up.
Just keep in mind crappies after
ice out are looking for groceries
and will adapt to several different
sources to nourish their systems
before spawning.
Small jigs and other favorites
are just the answer for crappies
that are in search of something
that is lesser in size and easy
prey. VMC Tinsel jigs of the Hot
Skirt variety can make quick
work of roaming crappies just
after ice out. Dress them with a
small minnow or chunk of Trigger
X and you’ll have em droolin all
over. When pitching shallow I
do prefer a small bobber(strike
indicator) and never let it sit too
long in one place. I many times
will target a stalk of last season’s
pencil reed or the edges of an
exposed brush pile. These areas
are good sources of food for ice
out crappies and I can fish them
quickly and efficiently. Many
times big slabs are loners, but
you may pluck a couple off each
small stickup. I keep on the move
until I contact fish. My MinnKota
101 Vantage and Terrova Bow
Mount with I-Pilot gives me
the edge when it comes to
slow methodical approaches to
these very spooky fish and gives
me a distinct advantage. My
I-Pilot allows me to coordinate
with my Humminbird 998 and
systematically dissect every inch
of water that I made my mind
feel a crappie was living waiting
for my bait to arrive.
When the weather alters my
plans by a cold front, increased
wind, or a sudden drop in the
barometer then you need to seek
the closet drop in depth and
many times these same crappies
will push out deep. Then I like to
cast a jig and minnow and let
it sink on a 5 count and start a
slow swimming retrieve. These
negative crappies will bite on a
slow soft step and will amaze
you at the aggressiveness of
the strike. I prefer a soft action
7 foot UL rod like the Tuff-Lite
or Spinmatic Series or DXW 7
foot light action from Daiwa that
gives me extreme sensitivity and
capability of casting small baits
the distances I need. Combine
these stealth rods with the new
Daiwa Aird 1000 or the Daiwa
Laguna 500 spinning reels with
four pound Sufix Elite and the
crappies will tremble. Sometimes
the bite is so subtle it’s hard to
react quickly and other times a
big crappie will blister you. Most
often when not using a small
bobber I will let the rod tip load
up gently and firmly set the hook.
Another little trick is adjustment
in the line and certain situations
that tend to alter what I do. I will
at times switch to Sufix Hi-Vis
Yellow to detect the slightest of
bites by watching the line twitch
then set the hook quickly. This
often times will increase my
numbers by putting the odds in
my favor.
Ice out crappies can be easy
to find with some of the tips and
tricks that we have mentioned.
Just remember that staying on
shore doesn’t put fish in the
boat. We all have to face several
different conditions when fishing
and learn how to fish all of them
to be successful.
Putting blades to Mid Summer Walleyes
By Brad Hawthorne
Precision and finesse is a
proven angle for mid summer
walleyes. Walleyes are sure
easy to catch come opener and
the following weeks. They are
predicable, eager to bite and
often inhabit the same areas
for days.. even weeks at a time,
but once mid season hits and
the water warm to summer
time temperatures the “roam”
is in play. Walleyes will go on
the prowl for more abundant,
sustainable, foods sources
once the water warms.
The easy pickings are
done in the shallows, now it’s
time. Move out to first break
structures in that 18-28ft or the
mid lake structures closest to
these first break areas in the
same depth and start looking
for fish. On Mille Lacs, Leech
lake and Lake of the Woods
you will find walleyes in these
areas constantly in June, July
and August.
Precision and finesse, is
the definition of spinner fishing
or “pulling blades” Spinners
usually perform best when
trolled at speeds of 0.5 to 1.5
mph. Precisely targeting the
deep sides of these areas can
and will put dinner on the table
and maybe that 28+ incher you
have been saving a place for in
the living room.
On to the spinners, we have
a ton of them on the market
today, some like to use a lot
of buzzwords to sell but the
fact remains VMC spinners are
my go to during mid season.
They have great light-catching
holographic foil with patterns
that mimic the random patterns
of baitfish, and high quality
matching beads. The blade is
far from a stamped out piece
of metal with a sticker on it,
the Hydro Flow vented blade
generates increased vibration
while providing true-running
action at any speed. An
interchangeable clevis lets you
switch blades without stopping
to retie while the VMC® hooks
simply wont let you down.
Each is rigged with 72” of
Sufix® premium 10-lb.-test
fluorocarbon leader.
These spinners provide a
pulse with the perfect rise when
pulled through the water, simply
put you won’t find a better rig
you can pull out of the package
and use repeatedly. Just like
your favorite Rapala.
When
spinning
these
mid-depth areas I employ
a technique called “Power
Spinning”, in short, pick the best
looking spot on the spot areas
and Precisely work them at 1.52.0 mph slowing down to .5-1.5
mph when fish are marked. This
puts the bait in there face fast
and lets you move on once you
have put the most active fish
out of the school in the box.
As for the weight I add 1oz
of weight per 10ft of depth,
so 30ft of water means 3oz
bell with 6”-18” off drop line
or when fishing on the rocks
or gravel the VMC Switch-It
bottom bouncer features an
easy-to-open snap connector
that eliminates the need to cut
and/or re-tie your rig when ever
you change depth.
So this summer after the
Walleyes leave the shallows
go “Power Spinning” work key
areas with precision and move
with out hesitation until you hit
the gold mine. You can check
out our “Power Spinning”
episode and many more on
YouTube at www.youtube/
HookedOnTheWaterIce
By Brad Hawthorne, Local Full
time Mille Lacs lake guide
651-271-8600
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DEER RIVER
MINNESOTA
Gas • Convenience Store
Car Wash • ATM • Propane
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Lake Winnibigoshish 2013 Fish Population Outlook
7
By Chris Kavanaugh
The fishing outlook on
Winnibigoshish in 2013 is pretty
favorable, once again. Annual
assessment netting completed
in 2012 continues to show a
healthy walleye population
along with increased catches of
yellow perch and northern pike.
Walleye: The catch of 9.6
walleye per net in 2012 was
the highest observed since the
Large Lake program began in
1983. The walleye sampled
varied in length from 8 to over
26 inches, and the average
length was 15.5 inches. There
was a good diversity of sizes
and it appears that most age
classes are represented. Yearclasses produced in 2005 and
2006 were very good, the 2007
and 2009 year-classes were
average while the 2008 yearclass was poor. Anglers are
likely to see many walleye in the
protected slot, as well as many
in the 13 to 15 inch range.
Northern pike: The catch
of northern pike in the 2012
assessment increased to over
10 per net. High catch rates
usually mean a smaller average
size, however, average length
in 2012 was about 21.5 inches
and the longest pike sampled
was over 34 inches and 20%
of the pike were longer than 24
inches.
Yellow Perch: Perch are
an important species for both
anglers and as a prey item for
walleye and northern pike. The
catch of perch is increased to
57 per net due to average 2008
and 2009 year classes. Data
from creel surveys indicate
that anglers will accept perch
shorter than 9 inches but prefer
perch longer than 9 inches.
Perch sampled in 2012 varied
from 5 to 11.5 inches and 10%
of the catch was longer than 9
inches.
The Lake Winnibigoshish/
Cut Foot Sioux lakes also
provide opportunities to fish for
other species. Black crappie,
sunfish and even bass are
found in the big lake, but more
so in Cut Foot. The lakes also
provide an opportunity to catch
a muskie. Few anglers actually
target muskies but some are
caught incidentally while fishing
for something else.
Anglers are reminded that
Winnie and connected waters
contain faucet snails and
recently zebra mussel larvae
were identified in the lake.
There have been restrictions on
the taking of bait from Winnie for
several years, with the discovery
of zebra mussels it is important
that all boaters do a thorough
job cleaning their equipment
before leaving Winnie so they
do not inadvertently spread
invasive species to other
waters.
In addition to the annual
netting assessment, Winnie also
has a creel survey conducted
two out of six years to measure
angling effort, catch and
harvest rates, and estimate total
harvest. The first year of the two
year cycle is now completed.
Summer fishing effort was
estimated at 492,300 hours,
slightly higher than observed
in 2006-07. The estimated
harvest was nearly 60,000
walleye with a total weight of
almost 69,000 pounds. Angler
catch rates for walleye, the
number of walleye caught per
hour, was 0.26. Harvest rates,
the number kept per hour, was
0.12. Anglers harvested about
one-half of the walleye they
caught. DNR creel clerks will
again be stationed at various
access points throughout the
summer of 2013. This survey
involves interviewing anglers
and recording information on trip
length, number of fish caught,
number harvested and also
collecting length data on fish
harvested. Your cooperation
with this survey is appreciated
and helps us gather important
information about the fishery.
Please feel free to contact
the DNR Area Fisheries Office
in Grand Rapids at (218) 3274430 or by email at grandrapds.
[email protected] if you
have any questions.
forget the fundamentals of time
tested performance. This can
be as advanced or as simple
a design as you’d like. Both
will be successful in adding a
little weight to your livewell this
spring.
A simple setup for this
application would be a 7
foot medium action rod and
a reel spooled with 6lb test
monofilament line.
Use a
medium to small size float that’s
just big and bright enough to
keep tabs on in the bouncing
spring-time waves. Tie on a #6
plain hook, place a split shot
one foot above your bait, cast
it out and let it wander. Small
gum ball or lead head jigs are
also applicable for anglers and
can take the place of a plain
hook. Medium to Large sized
lively leeches over a shallow
rock or sand structure will fool
any roaming walleye willing to
take a risk at a quick meal.
For those that wish to
somewhat
fine-tune
their
methods, and outperform
your fellow fishing partners,
try stepping it up a notch. Our
success has involved using a
longer medium-light, graphite
rod in the 8’-10’ range and
pairing this with a mediumto-large size spinning reel.
Shimano, Pflueger and Abu
Garcia all produce reels in the
medium class 5:1:1 gear ratio.
These setups will perform
flawlessly for both casting and
cranking in those early springtime fish into the net. The longer
rod allows you to incorporate a
long hook-set for fish that are
20-30 yds. away from the boat.
Line applications would include
using a product such as a “hivis” monofilament line coupled
with a 3 foot Flourocarbon
leader and marry the two with a
small barrel swivel. This combo
used with a 1/16oz Northland
Gumball jig or size (#8,6,4) plain
hook and a leech has proven
time and time again to be one of
the most productive methods
we have used. Spring walleyes
roaming over rock piles, weeds
or any type of shallow water
structure will find this method
to be simply too irresistible to
pass up.
Slip and Split Your Way to More Walleyes
By Jim Ernster
In the spring we are faced
with a host of challenges. One
day, we have great conditions,
some wind, feeding walleyes
and life is good. The next day,
mother nature comes knocking
on the door delivering a 20
degree drop in temp or blue
bird skies and the walleyes
develop the proverbial lockjaw.
When this happens, you can
stay in the cabin or adapt. The
choice is yours, but in LOA
country we adapt and fish on!
Two techniques we have come
to rely on involve nightcrawlers
and slip bobbers. While both
of these seemingly this buck
conventional wisdom when
jigs and minnows rule, the
simplicity of approach belies
their effectiveness.
Night and Day
The bite was great the day
before, the wind was rolling,
clouds were above and the fish
were snapping. Today, however,
it is clear, calm, cold and the
walleyes mood has changed.
Having been here before, we
know today is a day for the
unconventional and longlining
nightcrawlers will be the way
to go. The equipment needed
is simple, a light spinning rod,
with a fast tip, and a quality
reel spooled with monofilament
is the way to start. Bring all
of this together with a small,
#6 or #8 hook octopus style
hook; for weight we will go ‘old
school’ and simply employ a
split shot. Use a size that will
get you to the bottom but not
dig into the bottom too much;
start with #3/0 and #7 size split
shot and adjust as necessary.
Super plump crawlers are
also needed. Take your bait
store crawlers and put them in
quality bedding. When ready to
fish with them, take some out,
put them in a ziploc with a little
water and they will plump up.
A little air behind the collar and
you have a crawler no walleye
can resist!
Work the same structure that
you typically would in the spring
(sandy areas, shallow tapering
breaks, windblown points,
etc). A key to this program is
the monofilament line, which
will allow the crawler to float
slightly. The line can be as light
as 4 pound test all the way up
to 8 pound test. The tougher
the conditions, the lighter the
line needs to be. For example,
if left with bluebird skies and
no wind, 4 pound should be
the choice for the day.
If
you can mark fish before you
start, all the better, but it is not
mandatory. A lot of times fish
present will be so tight to the
bottom, they may not show up
on your locator. When making
your cast be sure to cast well
away from the boat, as far back
as you can. Once you get to
the bottom, it is definitely a
learning process to discriminate
between emerging weeds and
finicky walleyes. Hooksets are
free, so better to err on the side
of caution and set the hook!
This may mean laying into a
weed or two, but that’s OK. As
you develop a feel, you will gain
confidence and this will mean
more walleyes in the boat.
Slip for success
Quite possibly the most
underutilized, yet most effective
tactic for putting walleyes in the
boat each spring is one of the
most basic applications: The
slip bobber. The slip bobber
setup is something almost
every angler has in their tackle
box, yet rarely sees the light of
day. Often times, we get caught
up in rigging and jigging that we
When the spring deals you
tough conditions, conditions
that confuse or perplex most,
go unconventional to catch
fish. Longlining crawlers or
slip bobbering are simple yet
effective tactics will tempt
finicky walleyes into to biting.
An additional benefit is that both
of these are not merely spring
tactics, rather they can be
used all summer long, anytime
conditions get tough. Don’t let
the mother nature dictate when
you fish, instead get out and
show her a thing or two about
how to catch walleyes!
8
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9
Pike Fishing - The Way I Do It
By Kristilee Christensen
The fish I’m talking about
today is the northern pike, or
simply pike. They are found in
many lakes and rivers across
North America, in all sorts of
cover and lake structures. I fish
for and catch them in all these
places, and I’ll move and fish
from place to place when the
fish stop biting. I LOVE fishing
for pike, and I LOVE chasing
them!!!
There is so much technical
information out there on pike
fishing that when I read it,
it makes my head spin. The
question I always ask reading
these articles is “Where’s the
FUN here in trying to learn and
figure out new techniques that
simply work for you?” Truth is
that pike fishing is so simple
that any angler at any skill level
and any age can fish for them
and have a great time doing it!
I do watch other anglers
when I’m fishing so I can learn
and come up with different
ideas on how to catch fish. But
I like to keep it simple when I’m
fishing, and my way of fishing
is so different from what most
people do, and most of what
I read about. What I end up
with is a combination of simple
tackle that can be used in
many different ways, and the
fact is that it’s easy, and it
works for me, and I catch a lot
of fish! So let me empty out my
“tackle box” and I’ll show you
how I “git ‘er done”!!!
It might be easier to use
heavy bait casting gear to
wrestle with pike, but I love the
workout I get from my medium
spinning rod and reel! Many
women like to go to the gym,
but for me, that’s boring, so I
go fishing! What a workout!!! I
love feeling the slightest tap of
the fish on the rod I use, and
the fight that follows!
I use Fireline (brand name)
for all of my fishing, and steel
leaders for pike and walleye
because of their teeth. When
a pike heads for the weeds,
I’m able to pull it out without
breaking the line and losing
the fish and my tackle. I use a
palomar knot for all my fishing,
because it’s by far the simplest
knot to tie.The palomar knot
is an ‘old school’ knot that’s
been used for decades....just
ask any of the old timers...
they will show you the palomar
knot!
I love to present pike with
different but simple baits to
see what they will hit on! Some
days they just don’t want the
same old thing, and some
days on different bodies of
water, fish act differently, and
they hit on different baits.
During spring and summer, I
use 1/4 oz. jigs in a bright pink,
chartreuse, white or fire tiger
color. I also take two bassstyle
spinners, one in red/white and
one in chartreuse/white with a
single blade, 1/4 oz. size. Along
with those, I take two mediumsized spoons, one in fire tiger
and one in red/white. Spoons
are a traditional bait...I hardly
ever use them...but I still like
to keep them on hand when
fish may need more coaxing.
You just can’t go wrong using
these simple and inexpensive
baits!
When I fish with jigs, I’ll
often use worms...nice big
fat nightcrawlers! I hook them
through the head and down
the body, going just past the
‘collar’ of the worm. I push
the worm up the neck of the
jig until it meets the jig body,.
In my experience, this way of
worm hooking hides the hook
from the fish, and the worm
tends to stay on the hook
better. It also allows the worm
to ‘stretch out’ when the jig is
retrieved, enticing fish to bite!
Sometimes pike just don’t
want worms, so I switch to
something different. I often
switch to medium-sized pink,
white or chartreuse twister
tails, a plastic bait hooked to
the jig. These baits are hooked
through the top of the body
and right to beginning of the
tail. This lets the tail move
wildly, which makes pike go
crazy!!!
In the fall, I see other anglers
pulling in 4 to 5 pound pike
with spoons, jigs and spinners,
but I’m going after the big girls!
So instead, I use a live bait rig
with my colored frozen smelt.
Yes, I said colored smelt! I take
my frozen smelt, and about ¼
cup salt, and I put them in a
gallon-sized freezer bag. I add
a half of a big bottle of food
coloring to the bag and coat all
the bait. The basic colors I go
for are red, orange and green...
EXPERIMENT! In about 1 hour,
the frozen smelt absorb the
color. When I’m done, I put
them on ice in a cooler and
off I go! If I’m making them for
another day, I just put them in
the freezer.
It’s really simple but a little
messy to use colored frozen
smelt! Rubber gloves can help
some, but it’s hard to hook
them with the gloves, so bring
a towel! Start by hooking the
bait in front of the top fin so the
fishing line goes towards the
head of the smelt. I cast as far
as I can, casting softly because
I don’t want to lose my bait.
Again, I’m not using heavyduty
bait casting tackle...I use my
medium weight spinning rod
and reel.
Next, I watch for how pike
will bite the bait. If they bite the
tail off, I know my hook has to
go more towards the back of
the bait. If they bite the head
off, I put the hook towards the
head of the bait. That’s how
simple it is to adjust the bait
for how the fish are biting!
When I’m fishing for pike
from shore with a live bait rig,
I use an empty shotgun shell
as a strike indicator. After I
cast my line out, I set my rod
in the holder, reeling up just
about all the slack line, and
I slip the shell over the tip of
my rod. The slightest bite
will POP the shell in the air...
WOOWHOO!!!...it’s fish on!!!
I grab my rod, set the hook
and the fight begins!!! When
bringing in a pike, remember
that they have very sharp
TEETH and GILL PLATES,
so avoid putting your fingers
anywhere near their mouth,
and handle them cautiously
around their gills.
Northern pike often get a
bad rap…they are everywhere
and many times people catch
them when they are fishing for
other fish. People call them a
nuisance, but I call them FUN
and EXCITING!!!
10
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UpNorthSummerAd_Layout 1 2/15/2012 6:23 PM Page 1
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Where the famous Rainy River enters
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11
Minnesota’s Lake of the Woods… Simply Epic!
By Joe Henry
People travel from all over
the world to fish Lake of the
Woods.
What makes this
natural resource so special?
The question is, where do we
begin?
Lake of the Woods is
shared between Minnesota
and Canada. The lake is really
broken up into three different
areas or fisheries, the Rainy
River, Big Traverse Bay (the
big open water basin) and the
Northwest Angle.
First off, the Rainy River. The
Rainy River is our international
boundary line between the U.S.
and Canada. This picturesque
river flows 60 miles from Rainy
Lake straight west to the town
of Baudette, MN and then turns
north for another 12 miles until it
empties into Lake of the Woods.
Much of the fishing takes place
in a stretch from the mouth
of the river to about 30 miles
upstream. That is 30 plus miles
of a fertile, multispecies fishery
suitable for most fishing boats.
The author with a monster
walleye. LOW has the gene
pool, bait, structure and size to
produce trophy fish.
The River is famous for its
Spring and Fall walleye runs. In
the Spring, walleyes run up the
Rainy to Spawn. With a good
percentage of the walleyes in Big
Traverse Bay being concentrated
in the river, fishing can be epic.
The walleye season is open on
the MN side of the lake and river
until mid April, which lends itself
to opportunities for monster
walleyes as well as large
numbers.
In the Fall, the walleyes follow
the emerald shiners who run up
the river to do some spawning
of their own. This traditional
run lends itself to some great
fishing amongst the beautiful
Fall colors.
There is a nice resident
population of walleyes who call
the river home all year long,
which the locals know well.
Some folks who live in the area
have fresh fish all year long and
never hit the lake. Not a bad
place to call home!
Another fish growing in
popularity is the Lake Sturgeon.
Reaching weights of 100
pounds, these monsters are
very prevalent in the Rainy.
Anglers typically use a bit
heavier equipment to land these
dinosaurs but many a walleye
angler has spent their time
playing out these hard fighting
fish on walleye gear.
A typical set up for sturgeon
is a one ounce sinker with a
circle hook loaded with night
crawlers with a lead between
the sinker and hook of 6 – 12
inches. Cast out on the up
current slope of a hole and get
ready. Almost like carp fishing
and very exciting.
The Rainy also boasts strong
populations of northern pike
and smallmouth bass, although
most anglers don’t fish for them.
They are everywhere! Charter
Captains will complain some
days they cannot tune their
crank baits casting off the back
of their docked charter boats in
the river because the pike keep
hitting them.
The second section of Lake
of the Woods is the main lake
basin otherwise known as Big
Traverse Bay. This body of water
is about 20 miles north/south by
30 miles east/west. This is big
water loaded with fish. Millions
of walleyes and saugers call
this home. This is a 4 season
fishery. Fish are attracted to
the miles of “no man’s land” or
mud flats. Roaming schools of
bait fish and all sorts of critters
from crawfish, blood worms
and freshwater shrimp hold and
sustain large numbers of fish.
Resorts cater to both open
water and ice anglers. In the
winter months, thousands of
fish houses spread out across
the miles of ice that reaches
over 36 inches thick. Go from
a heated resort to heated ice
transportation to a heated fish
house set at 70 degrees and the
holes already drilled ready for
action. Anglers haul in walleyes,
saugers, jumbo perch, eelpout
and tulibees from the comfort of
a fish house or even sleeper fish
house.
The water is very clean.
Because of the feeder rivers,
streams and creeks flowing
from the south, the water gets a
“stain” or “tint” to it. This stained
water actually helps fishing.
Rather than having to go after
walleyes during low light hours
or at night, the bite is very good
throughout the day. This makes
for exciting days and certainly
helps with the sleep.
In March through the ice,
northern pike enthusiasts flock
to the big water. There is a
saying, “In order to catch a
trophy fish, you must fish trophy
waters”. Lake of the Woods
certainly fits the bill. Trophy pike
fishing on Lake of the Woods
is fantastic. Big northern pike
reaching over 40 inches are
prevalent and are staged in front
of spawning areas. This is the
one time of the year pike group
up, this fishing can be crazy.
The go to method is a tip up
with a live sucker minnow or a
dead smelt or ciscoe on a quick
strike rig.
The open water season goes
from April to November. Charter
boats catering to groups up
to 6 anglers line the docks at
local resorts. Licensed charter
captains take groups out
targeting walleyes. With years of
experience and by networking
with other captains on the
water, the days are typically
very successful reeling in good
numbers of fish. From jigging
to pulling crawler harnesses to
downrigging with crankbaits,
the basin not only holds millions
of fish, but trophy fish as well.
The third section of Lake
of the Woods is the Northwest
Angle.
Basically, you are
fishing amongst hundreds of
islands, reefs, eagles, bears,
deer and some of the most
beautiful scenery in North
America. Basically, this is like
the Boundary Waters Canoe
Area without restrictions. Some
resorts are rustic with log cabins
in the woods all the way up to
modern villas with high speed
internet. Regardless of your
preference, the fishing is almost
as good as the adventure.
Again, walleyes are the main
fare. Bring your own boat or
Most resorts and outfitters offer
chartered fishing. “Life is Good’
when everything is provided, in
some cases, even shore lunch!
hire a guide who can take you
around the MN side of the Angle
or 20 miles up into Ontario to
places the visitor would be
turned around 10 times over. No
doubt, this is truly an adventure.
Imagine boating amongst
hundreds of uninhabited islands
through God’s country while
headed to that special fishing
spot.
Maybe you will see
another boat today. You will see
eagles, deer and maybe even a
resident black bear swimming
between islands.
Enjoy a
fresh shore lunch on an island
prepared by your guide.
Besides
walleyes
and
saugers, jumbo perch, crappies,
northern pike largemouth bass,
smallmouth bass and muskies
will be prevalent.
Some anglers come to the
NW Angle for the untapped
musky fishery. Many musky pros
call Lake of the Woods the best
musky fishery in North America.
With a strong population of fish,
a variety of cover and the waters
loaded with bait, this is a haven
for the top of the food chain.
Every island, bay, weed line or
underwater rock pile could be
holding fish. With little pressure
and so many spots, if you have
been bitten by the musky bug,
LOW is a definite to get on the list.
The lodging on Lake of the
Woods can suit most everyone.
From hotel and lodge rooms
to cabins to beautiful log cabin
villas, there is a lot of variety.
Rustic or modern? Pool or
swimming beach for the kids?
Cook your own meals or let the
resorts make it easy or do both.
Certainly, there are many good
choices.
Although located in the north
woods of Minnesota where
there may be as many deer as
people, finding a variety of good
food is not hard to come by. A
fresh fish fry or two should be
on the list. There is nothing like
fresh walleye, fried potatoes,
beans and fresh bread. Some
resorts cook up your days catch
and provide all of the fixings.
Try locally grown wild rice.
Maybe some freshly prepared
prime rib, a homemade pizza or
a half pound burger basket. Top
it off with homemade ice cream
or some fresh raspberries and
blueberries.
Good times at The
Capital of the World
Walleye
In addition to the fishing
which brings most to the area,
there is a lot to do to mix it
up. Swim in the lake off of the
sandy beaches of Zippel Bay
State Park. Enjoy small town
America in Baudette for a day
of shopping. Notice the variety
and local flare at the many small
shops while you sip a latte
from a coffee shop. Check out
the history museum and the
renovated train depot. Take in
a round of golf or hit a bucket of
balls at Oak Harbor Golf Club.
A word of advice, when you
come up, bring your appetite for
fresh walleye, a good camera
and a hankering for adventure!
For more information on
lodging, fishing and other
activities at Lake of the Woods,
go to www.lakeofthewoodsMN.
com.
12
Lake Winnibigoshish Resort Area
LODGING DIRECTORY
Dixon Lake
1. Becker’s Resort
3
"Secluded Location, Open For
Great Fishing Winter & Summer"
800-348-1329 www.beckersresort.com
To Squaw Lake
2. Bowen Lodge
"Great Family Resort? Or Fishing Paradise?"
To Sand Lake
4
800-331-8925 www.bowenlodge.com
46
Cut Foot
Sioux
3. Dixon Lake Resort
2
"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
1
5. Four Seasons Resort
5
9
Wi
nn
46
8
Little Winnie
Ro
ad
2
6. High Banks Resort
14
11
9
ie
800-525-0457 www.fishingwinnie.com
13
Mississippi River
We
st
"New Ultra Deluxe Cabins Overlook
Mississippi River and Big Winnie"
6
Bemidji 30
12
miles
2
10
7
Bena
"New Owners, Spacious Lodge,
Bar/Dining Area, Open Year Round"
46
Grand Ra
pids 30 m
iles
2
Deer River
800-365-2560
www.highbanks.com
7. Denny’s Resort
10. Nodak Lodge
13. Tamarack Lodge
"Year Around Fishing on Lake Winnibigoshish,
Where Guests Become Lifelong Friends."
"Lots of Space, Great View and Year Around Fishing"
"Excellent Fishing, Winter Sports and Lifelong Memories."
8. Little Winnie Resort
& Campground
11. Northland Lodge
14. Winni-B-Gosh Dam Place
"Your Favorite Family Resort On The Fishermen's Favorite Lake."
"New Owners, Friendly Atmosphere, Great Food"
218-246-8202 www.goshdamplace.com
218-665-2222 or 218-256-2196
www.dennysresort.com
"New Pool, Seasonal Campground, New Cabins"
800-752-2758 www.nodaklodge.com
800-272-2338 www.northlandlodge.com
866-494-7325 www.tamarack-lodge.com
800-346-8501 www.littlewinnie.com
9. McArdle’s Resort
12. Big Fish Supper Club
"New Cabins, Harbor, Food, Launch Service & Guides"
"Home of the 65-foot-long, open mouthed muskie!"
800-535-2398 www.mcardlesresort.com
218-665-2299 www.bigfishsupperclub.com
World Class Fishing! Winter Sports! Family Recreation!
Visit our new website at
www.lakewinnie.net
13
Leech Lake 2013 Fish Population Outlook
By Doug Schultz
Ten years ago walleye
fishing on Leech Lake was
tough, even dismal.
Ten
years ago walleye and yellow
perch numbers dipped to
near-record lows, few small
walleye were caught, and
fewer were harvested. But
that was ten years ago.
Today walleye abundance
in Leech Lake has been above
average for six consecutive
years. Today all walleye size
classes are present and angler
catch and harvest rates have
returned to their historical
levels.
Today, the Leech
Lake walleye population has
fully recovered to its former
prominence. In addition to
a strong walleye population,
annual assessment netting
and other survey work
completed in 2012 shows
quality, healthy populations
of northern pike, largemouth
bass, and other species
frequently pursued by Leech
Lake anglers.
Walleye: The 2012 catch
of 9.4 walleye/net marks the
sixth consecutive year walleye
abundance has been above
average. Walleye sampled
ranged in length from 6 to
27 inches, with about 35%
of the net catch being within
the current 18-26” protected
slot limit. Anglers will be
encouraged to hear that an
above-average 2010 year
class was approaching an
average length of 14 inches
last fall, meaning these
fish will provide significant
harvest opportunities over
the next three years. Anglers
can also expect to see a large
number of walleye from 10 to
13 inches over the course of
the summer as another good
year class was produced
during 2011. Creel surveys
conducted during 2008-2011
documented an increase
in walleye catch rates by
walleye anglers while harvest
rates remained similar to the
pre-regulation era.
Northern pike: The catch
rate of northern pike in 2012
was 4.3 fish/net, down slightly
from 2011 observations. Pike
catch rates have historically
ranged from 4 to 6 fish/net
with sizes into the mid-30’s
commonly observed. Several
fish 30 inches and longer
were sampled this past year.
Yellow perch: Perch are
not only a favorite species
for anglers, but are also the
primary prey for walleye and
northern pike.
The perch
catch rate of 14.5 fish/net in
2012 is a decline to a nearrecord low. Causes of this
include poor year classes
during recent years, high
harvest by ice anglers, and
high predation by a very
strong walleye population.
All sizes of perch are still
present, and about 20% of
perch sampled were 9 inches
or longer.
New
Other species:
survey work conducted in
2012 showed a very highquality largemouth bass,
bluegill, and black crappie
populations with bass up
to 18 inches, bluegill up
to 10 inches, and crappie
up to 15 inches sampled.
Anglers can find these fish
in the vegetated areas of the
major bays. Reports from
muskie anglers during 2012
were extremely positive.
Traditional muskie locations
include the cabbage beds in
Sucker and Portage bays and
the rock structure in the main
lake.
Leech Lake is infested
with Eurasian watermilfoil
and other species, but has
yet to be designated infested
with zebra mussel or spiny
waterflea. All boaters are
reminded that they are
responsible for stopping the
spread of these and other
harmful species to new
waters. All boaters should
thoroughly clean their waterrelated equipment, drain all
water prior to transportation,
and allow equipment to dry
for at least five days before
using again.
The
DNR
anticipates
proposing a modification of
the current 18-26” walleye
protected slot limit to a
20-26” protected slot limit
(bag limit unchanged) for
the 2014 season. Goals of
this modification include
increasing walleye harvest
opportunity and reducing
predation pressure on yellow
perch. This proposal would
only move forward pending
positive results from the 2013
netting survey and public
input.
Public comment
will be solicited during fall,
2013 and a decision will be
made in November. Anglers
wishing to comment on this
proposal should stay tuned to
local media announcements
during summer 2013.
Bro Does Jigs for Walleyes 24/7, 365 Days A Year
By Paul A. Nelson with Brian “BRO” Brosdahl
Nobody likes a spot tail
shiner and a long shank jig for
walleyes more than Brian “Bro”
Brosdahl, veteran walleye guide,
tournament angler, product
designer, panfish specialist and
general all around ice fishing
guru.
If you ever got a sneak peek
inside one of Bro’s rod cases
during the winter, you would
see a couple of his Frabill “BroSeries” rods rigged with longshank jigs. To put it simply, there
isn’t a time of year or a situation
when Bro doesn’t consider
fishing jigs for walleyes.
What type of jig, how heavy a
jig, what type of live bait or what
kind of plastic to use with the
jigs, now those are the questions
that make Bro’s imagination run
wild.
If anglers got a look inside
Bro’s Ranger on opening day of
the walleye season, they would
see a rod locker filled with ultra
light and light action St. Croix
Legend Elite and Legend Xtreme
rods in 6’ 3” and 6’ 6” lengths.
The rods would be rigged
with Northland Bionic Walleye
Braid in 6 or 8 pound test,
tipped with Bionic Fluorocarbon
leaders in similar pound tests.
Most of the rods in Bro’s rod
locker would be rigged with jigs.
There would be a mixture styles
and colors in 1/16, 1/8 and ¼
ounce sizes. Bro usually prefers
multi-colored jigs in greens,
glows and blues.
One of the many perks of
being Bro is he gets to test new
tackle long before other anglers
ever see the stuff. When a new
lure really smokes the fish, Bro
gets to smoke them first.
Last summer Bro got to fall
in love with two new Northland
Jigs ahead of the masses.
The new Gami UV Jig has a
slim round head with a unique
double tapered keeper and a
super sharp Gamakatsu hook.
The Gami jigs are coated with
an UV Optical Brightener that
helps the colors stand out better
in deep or dingy water.
Another one of Bro’s new
favorite jigs is the Northland
Rock-it Jig, which has a
distinctive head design that
helps them stand-up on most
bottom surfaces. The Rockit Jigs are especially effective
on hard bottom, where the jig
design helps minimize snags and
maximize hooking percentages.
The special Gamakatsu hooks
are bent at a 10 degree angle, to
keep live bait and plastics at the
optimal hooking angle, which
really hooks the fish.
Bro’s rod locker in his Ranger
Boat during the summer always
has a few 6’ 3” medium action
St. Croix rods rigged with ¼
or 3/8 ounce jigs, tipped with
Northland Impulse Plastics. Bro
likes to rip-jig plastics both in the
weeds and on windswept rocks
during the heat
of summer. A
few of Bro’s
favorites
I m p u l s e
Plastics include
the jig Crawler,
Jigging Leech
and
Jerk
Minnow.
Bro’s
rod
locker in the
fall would have
rods rigged with
even
heavier
jigs in the ¼, 3/8
and ½ ounce
sizes. Bro likes
to use heavy jigs in deep water
so he can cast further and
pound the bottom harder. While
other anglers are trying to use
lighter jigs, Bro likes to strap on
the cannon balls and make a big
commotion on the bottom, so
more walleyes see his bait.
If anglers took one last look
around Bro’s Ranger, they would
see three Humminbird 1198’s,
rigged with LakeMaster map
chips and the new 360 Imaging
transducer. There would also
be a spot lock MinnKota trolling
motor in the front and another
MinnKota trolling motor fixed to
his outboard motor in back.
Bro’s Ranger is powered by
a 300 hp Evinrude outboard
motor, with a 15 hp HO
Evinrude kicker. Bro’s boat
always has several aerated
Frabill bait containers filled
with several different kinds of
live bait, a Frabill Conservation
Series landing net, a couple
of measuring boards and an
assortment of Frabill bait nets,
livewell nets and multi-tools for
unhooking fish.
If anglers would like to get
a look inside Bro’s Ranger
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a guide or look for him on lakes
like Leech Lake, Winnibigoshish
and Cass Lake, where he is
likely fishing walleyes with jigs
somewhere along the windward
side of the lake.
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Trolling, Snap weights, In-Line weights and Proper Planner Board Settings.
15
By Marianne Huskey
Over the last decade I have
spent hours upon hours trolling
the Great Lakes Region and
many inland lakes throughout
Michigan,
South
Dakota,
Wisconsin and Minnesota.
During the months of June,
July, August and September
most anglers are pulling crawler
harnesses
behind
planner
boards.
I use the Off Shore Planner
Boards with OR 18 (the black
clips) on the front of the board
and OR 16’s (the red clips) on the
back. Adding the Tattle Flags is a
must as well. The OR 18 or black
clips can be used for trolling
monofilament line or Berkley Fire
Line without having to wrap the
line around the clip.
Tattle Flags are an essential
part of walleye trolling. The tattle
flags help identify the short bite.
Without the flag you will not see
short bites that require you to
feed line out or to quickly change
the speed of your bait to entice
the walleye to bite.
The four pre-drilled holes
located on Off Shore Planner
Boards are also extremely
important for precise trolling.
These holes are designed as
tension settings for the tattle flag
spring.
I use the top two hole settings
when trolling with crawler
harnesses at speeds ranging
from 0.6 to 1.6 mph.
The next two or bottom two
pre drilled holes are for trolling
crank baits. I set my spring on
hole #3 for smaller crank baits
such as Berkley Flicker Shad #5
or #7 and the bottom pre-drilled
hole is for trolling larger crank
baits such as Matzuo Kinchou
Minnow #9 and #11 or Larger
Reef Runners.
With our planner boards
deployed and crawler harness
spinning behind we should be
asking ourselves if our baits are
running true.
In order to ensure your baits
are at a précis depth in the
water column we add a weights
system. The question is: In-line
weights or snap weights?
My rule of thumb is simple.
With a 2’ chop or less I will run
an In-Line weight. The weight is
connected to the terminal line
and then to the crawler harness.
Crawler harness leader length
range from 36” to 48” and are
tied with 17lb. fluorocarbon or
mono.
Using a 1oz weight at 1mph
to 1.2mph you can double the
distance to place your bait in the
target zone for that walleye bite.
Here is an example: Fishing
in 20 fow with the walleyes
suspended at 10 fow I will run
a 1oz. In-Line weight letting out
20’ of line and then adding the
planner board. Doubling the
distance or depth the walleyes
are in. This will allow my bait to
spin freely in the target zone of
10’ down at 1mph to 1.2mph.
When targeting walleye in a 2’
chop or more I always use snap
weights. Again using a 1oz snap
weight that will be attached to
my terminal line between 20’ and
30’ from the harness.
With snap weights I will
attach the harness directly to the
terminal line then feed out 20’ of
line and add the snap weight.
After the snap weight is attached
I will begin to use the line counter
to determine the depth in the
water column that the bait will
run.
Once again doubling the
distance. If the walleyes are
suspended in 10 fow I will let out
20’ of line after the snap weight
and then add my planner board.
When adding a snap weight
to monofilament it helps prevent
the surging motion with a 2’
chop or greater.
In order to ensure that you
do not lose your snap weight
try using the OR 16 (red clips)
by Off Shore Tackle. Place your
line behind the small pin located
between the clips. Even in
rougher water this will keep your
weight in place.
Marianne Huskey
“Huskey’s Guide Service”
www.mariannehuskey.com
Finding the Right Fish, A Tournament Anglers Perspective
By Stephen and Brenda Picht
Sitting around having a
cup of coffee the other day, a
fellow asked, what do you look
for when you go to fish a new
body of water for a tournament?
My instinct was to reply with a
facetious, “why, fish of course”.
But his question actually took
me aback a touch... I told him, it
really isn’t an easy answer. There
are many parts to it and every
aspect of it is as significant as
the rest!
There’s the deciding which
tournaments to fish, of course.
But it basically is a whole lot
of detective work that starts
months before we even head to
the tournament.
1st step in our work is getting
a Contour Elite Disc of that Lake
or River, if we don’t already
have one. For those of you that
don’t know what that is, it’s a
program that you use on your
home computer, or laptop, that
is similar to your mapping chips
for your graph. It allows you
to go and find good looking,
“fishy” structure from your large
screen monitored computer
without even being there. This
eliminates having to sit in your
boat in the garage with your
sonar unit turned on, scrolling all
over it looking at a small screen.
One of the great features of the
Contour Elite is the 3D feature.
It allows you to look at Points,
Humps, Troughs, Breaks, or any
Structure from a 3 Dimensional
point of view… Very cool!
2nd step is vocal. We call
local Bait Shops in the area
and talk to them. Ask lots of
questions, you’ll be surprised
at how candid most of the
people are… Seek out and talk
to local fisherman and guides.
Talk to the local Chamber of
Commerce and the Bait Shop
/ Sporting Goods Stores, they
are great sources of info for
identifying and locating those
folks… Talk to other Pros that
have fished that body of water
for a different Tournament Series
in prior years… Last year for
example, at the Angler Young
Angler Tournament, Good friend
Scott Glorvigen was visiting
with Brenda and I. He had heard
that we were going to be fishing
an AIM Pro Team Challenge on
the Bay of Green Bay out of
Oconto, WI. Scott happens to
know “just a tad bit” about that
particular body of water and
wasn’t going to be going over
there for the Tourney. So he sat
with me for a bit and shared
some of his knowledge of the
Lake. Invaluable information…
Visit with anybody you can that
may know something about
that body of water. The littlest
tidbit of info may be the “key”
that unlocks it for you…
3rd step is Paper Maps.
In the Technological World of
today, it’s an often overlooked
piece of the puzzle. We carry a
map with us at all times… Close
friends of ours have one of the
greatest paper map viewers
in the boat. It keeps their map
open, protected, and ready to
reference at all times. We will be
using that this year ourselves. If
you don’t have it with, you can’t
use it for reference when you
need it!
4th step is Obviously
Electronics! Our Lowrance
Graphs are the most valuable
tool for locating fish in our
arsenal! We use Lowrance HDS
Gen 2 8’s. We run two of them
on the dash side by side. I run
a Navionics Map Chip in one
and a LakeMaster Map Chip
in the other. There are always
differences in different Brand
Chips, and I use both in order
to find those differences. We
also utilize Lowrance Structure
Scan as part of our equipment.
It opens up a whole new world
of underwater viewing that
was previously unavailable.
The Down Imaging is fantastic.
On one of my dash mounted
Graphs, I run the regular Sonar
on ½ of a split screen, and
Structure Scan Down Imaging
on the 2nd ½. That allows me
two different views of the bottom
and one often shows something
the other does not. On the 2nd
HDS 8 on the dash, I run my
Mapping Main Screen. By the
day the Tournament starts, I
already know which chip works
the best for that body of water
and that’s the one I’m using in
that Graph.
5th step is documenting it.
We carry a notebook. We take
notes all day long. We carry
a Video Camera and Digital
Camera. We take Snapshots of
our HDS Screens when we see
something good. Then we have
the coordinates right there on
camera to reference to on our
maps and Contour Elite. We also
utilize some of the feature of our
IPhones. Both the Notebook
and Audio Apps. Sometimes it’s
a pain to write stuff down in a
notebook, so we audio record it
on our phones to play back and
document in the evening!
6th step is DO NOT forget
any of these steps everyday that
you are pre-fishing! I know that
sounds a little bit like “duh”…
But all too often we were
catching ourselves going back
to our motel at night, talking
about it, but not pulling out our
computer w/Contour Elite, or
our Paper Map. Or not stopping
by the Bait Shop or Sporting
Goods Store to check on the
fishing report for the day… That
doesn’t happen anymore. We
record and document every bit
of pertinent info throughout the
day now and go over all of the
previous day’s info as well. It
takes multiples of these steps
to determine a pattern.
And probably the most
important piece of advice is one
my Dad has told me forever…
Listen…!!!
People that are
catching fish like for other
people to know that they are
catching fish…
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17
Here Kitty Kitty
By Ted Takasaki and Scott Richardson
offers steady action, and fall is
good for big fish as they fatten
for winter.
No matter what the season,
location is the key. But first, a
word about tackle and bait is in
order.
Big catfish, like channels,
flatheads, and blues, are
chased by thousands of
anglers across North America.
There are even catfish that
grow to be hundreds of pounds
in the Amazon River Basin of
South America.
There are several good
reasons why the whiskered
beast is popular;
• Their range, which covered
much of the United States
naturally, has been extended
through stocking.
Most
anglers have access to the
lakes, rivers, small streams
and reservoirs which catfish
inhabit close to home
• They’re great eating
• They can be caught from
the bank or from a boat
• And, it takes simple tackle
to land them - a handful of
weights, some hooks, a few
floats, a sturdy rod and reel
and strong line
An added attraction is that
catfish won’t stunt no matter
how many there are. They’ll
keep growing as long as there’s
food. This means fishing for
catfish offers the opportunity
to catch big fish and lots of
them.
Popular
thought
says
summer is the time to catch
catfish. But, catfish can be
caught during any season of
the calendar, spring, summer,
fall and winter.
True, certain times of year
can be better than others.
Another attraction to catfish
is that they have one of the
longest pre-spawn feeding
periods of any game fish.
When weather and water
levels are stable, fish will set
up on predictable spots. This
can be a cat fight that lasts for
several weeks. Post-spawn
How it works
Catfish are heavily muscled.
Light line and limp rods will not
cut it when doing battle with
these brutes. Use long rods
with lots of backbone for good
hooksets. A muskie type rod,
20 to 30 pound TUF Line braid
and a heavy-duty reel are good
choices for flatheads.
The best rig is simple.
Thread an egg sinker or flat
pancake sinker onto the line,
then add a bead and tie on
a barrel swivel. Add a 25
pound fluorocarbon leader.
The stronger the current the
shorter the leader should be.
Tie on a circle hook of 2/0 or
larger and you’re set. Circle
hooks are best because the
point winds up in the corner of
a fish’s mouth more often than
not. No gut-hooking and you
can release the fish you don’t
want to keep.
For fishing on flats, use a
large Thill Center Slider float,
balanced with an egg sinker,
and add a circle hook. Set
the depth so it just ticks the
bottom.
Catfish are omnivorous
which means they eat will
crawfish, hellgrammites, fish,
even wild grapes and cotton
from cottonwood trees.
They often live where water
is murky and light is scarce. As
a result, nature has provided
them with keenly developed
lateral lines for sensing
vibrations in the water and
a highly-developed sense of
taste, with taste buds spread
over their bodies.
Best bait for channel cats is
fresh cut bait to allow the flavor
to permeate the water. Simply
fillet the sides of shad or other
large baitfish and pierce a fillet
with the hook close to the
edge to insure the hook point
is exposed. They’ll also take
a variety of baits manufactured
to give off odors, such as
cheese bait and blood bait.
Dip baits spread on dip worms
also are great at times. Rig
them on a three-way rig or a
simple bottom rig described
above.
Flatheads want their dinner
alive.
Where legal, catch
bluegills and suckers and use
them on big hooks. Tail hook
them on big sinkers if you want
them to stay put. Lip hook them
on a slip-bobber rig if you want
them to cover a larger area of
water.
Check conservation
laws. Most states require that
live bait comes from the lake,
river or reservoir you’re fishing.
Bait up, cast to your target,
put the rod into a rod holder
and watch the tip.
Location
Streams can be divided into
holes, riffles and runs. Where
to look? Holes are often the
best spots in current oriented
areas.
When actively feeding,
channel catfish will move
up to the upstream side and
feed at will on dead or sickly
minnows and crayfish moving
downstream in the current.
Anchor upstream, cast your
bait to the hole and wait 5 to
10 minutes. If nothing, move
on to the next. In high water,
check the current breaks, like
fallen logs, along the shore.
In larger rivers, catfish in
early spring follow baitfish
into feeder creeks where the
water warms first. Look for
neckdowns, rapids and other
obstructions, such as bridges.
Fish the downstream sides.
Fish will migrate with
baitfish to the main river as the
water warms. The cats will then
move back into the tributaries
to spawn when water reaches
about 70 degrees.
After
hatching, small catfish stay in
the streams. But, adult fish
move back to the main river
and seek out holes at mid
depths, often on the outside
river bends and especially
in spots that feature cover.
They’ll also set up on the
outside edges of wingdams.
Radio
studies
show
flatheads love the hottest
water they can find, even in
the 90s. It’s unlikely you’ll find
them in the strongest current.
Night fishing, especially for
flatheads, can be awesome.
Scout the area in daylight for
hazards. Keep the floor of the
boat free of clutter and take
several sources of light along.
Blue catfish reside primarily
in big rivers of the Mississippi
Basin. Resort to big 3-ounce
weights, 7/0 circle hooks and
cut bait for blues.
Catfish are great food. But,
remember to practice selective
harvest. Biologists have found
many small fish in specific
areas of big rivers with heavy
commercial and recreational
fishing pressure.
All big fish are a popular in
many systems, but catfish are
one of the biggest and are truly
fun to catch.
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19
The Ultimate Reaction Strike
By Tony Roach
One of the most overused
terms in fishing today is
“reaction strike.” It seems like
every time you turn around,
someone else is talking about
a scenario in which a fish
has been almost magically
stimulated to bite. The truth, of
course, is that fish strike baits
for one primary reason—to
eat. As anglers, we’re in the
persuasion business—doing
things with presentation that
allure fish to bite when they
otherwise wouldn’t. It’s actually
a pretty apt description for the
role of a lively baitfish.
I could make an awfully
convincing case for the
supreme
reaction
strike
triggering power of a live
minnow, such as a golden
shiner or a creek chub, for any
species, including bass and
trout. But for now, I’ve mainly
got walleyes on the brain—a
fish that’s so fond of eating live
minnows that you sometimes
wonder why anglers neglect to
use them during much of the
season. We’re talking about
a critter so delectable that it
actually fishes itself. Get one
swimming and darting in front
of sets of big marbled eyes
and let the minnow take over
from there.
Live minnows exhibit two
critical characteristics that
make them totally inimitable
among other baits or lures:
organic random movement
and instinctive flight response.
In the presence of predators,
live baitfish use a set of natural,
random escape maneuvers.
These moves represent the
most effective strike triggers
in existence. Often, walleyes
(and other species) simply will
not ingest a bait until they’ve
examined it for extended
periods. Without all the little
shakes, twitches and retreat
signals performed by a live
baitfish, you simply will not get
bit.
Which brings us back to the
currently hallowed “reaction
strike.” Assume for a moment
that a true reaction strike is
one that occurs only because
a fish has been stimulated
or just plain provoked to
bite something it wouldn’t
otherwise bite. You can do this
at times with a crankbait—
adding jolts of speed while
trolling or when the Rapala
caroms off a rock or stump.
You can use other lures to
entice strikes, too—jigging
spoons that descend with
partially random actions, or
jig-softbait combos ripped and
suddenly paused at arbitrary
intervals. Even a lively leech
writhing on a jighead beneath
a float often draws a powerful
reactionary response from
otherwise uninterested ‘eyes.
Yet among big walleyes,
nothing—absolutely nothing—
stirs up craven desires to
chew like a spirited, tailkicking baitfish. Much of my
profession revolves around
big walleyes. Not just because
my clients and I like to catch
them, but rather it’s because
I often need one or two big
ones for a tournament kicker,
or need a couple mammoths
for a magazine article photo.
When there’s real pressure
to produce a horse, I nearly
always find myself reaching
into one of my aerated Frabill
baitwells for a 6-inch creek
chub or a mega golden shiner.
Doesn’t matter whether it’s
spring, summer, fall, or even
if every other angler is using
little jigs or whatever else. Big
minnows get big bites.
When I buy a batch of mega
minnows at the baitshop,
questions
and
sideways
glances from fellow patrons
always amuse me. Mostly, they
want to know what the heck
I’m fishing for with those giant
minnows? Usually people
don’t believe I’m using them
for walleyes, assuming instead
I must be after pike, catfish or
even muskies. In spring and
summer, most fishermen buy
little “jig tipper” minnows—2
and 3-inch fatheads, shiners
or chubs they believe are
more manageable for fussy
walleyes. And even in the
fall, when anglers finally start
thinking about big minnows,
I still usually have my pick of
the biggest animals swimming
around in the tanks—mega
6 to 8-inch creek and redtail
chubs that others view as pike
bait.
If only they could hop into
my Lund in May or June.
I’d hand them a rod and let
them feel the thrill of these
baits getting smashed by a
big walleye. Almost nothing
in fishing is so exciting as
feeling a heavy fish rip yards
of line from your spool. The
anticipation of finally setting a
hook into what will likely be a
real heavyweight . . . it fires me
up to think about it, even now.
There are a few tricks to
presenting big minnows, of
course, but success mostly
boils down to precision boat
control. Big walleyes often
live and linger in select zones
on structure. You’ve got to
learn the art of the ‘hover’;
using your boat as part of the
presentation to position your
minnow in select fish zones
for extended periods. Clearly,
not all boats are created
equal—it’s a major reason
why the top anglers in the biz
have fished from Lunds for
so many years—Al Lindner,
my uncle Gary Roach, Mark
Martin and guides like Tom
Neustrom. There are design
elements engineered right
into these vessels that make
them superior platforms for
presenting baits to walleyes.
Things like IPS hulls and reverse
chines aren’t just fancy terms
meant to impress people.
They really do enhance your
ride, stabilizing and slowing
your drift in all conditions. And
I kind of like the fact that the
big captains chair in my Pro-V
feels like a recliner, providing a
comfortable place from which
to feed hefty walleyes big
minnows.
Go with simple rigging—
sliding bullet sinker, an
InvisaSwivel for line-twist
management and neutral
buoyancy, a 3 to 10-foot
fluorocarbon leader and a
snelled #2 hook, such as a
Northland/VMC Roach hook.
Just nip the hookpoint into the
bait’s mouth and out through
one of its nasal openings. This
method does no harm to the
minnow, which will reward
you with unending tail-kicking,
walleye alluring movements.
You’re about to learn a whole
new meaning for the term
“reaction strike.”
panfish.
Panfish will enter and exit
slender channels that open
up into auxiliary bays not only
due to a propensity to locate
warm water and food, but
also because of predators.
Northern pike, muskies, bass,
not to mention snapping
turtles, loons and other
aquatic birds can cause the
shallow water panfish to
disperse. Though they may
not travel far, once they are
put on high-alert, a bluegill
or crappie’s attitude toward
eating temporarily changes.
Now we approach midto late May. The panfish
are quite enthusiastic about
gobbling up recently hatched
insects and though you will
still find fish in those shallow
water bays, you can also
locate hungry bluegills and
crappies on the outside of
those areas, just beyond the
channels or bottle-neck areas
that provide access to the
back-water areas. Yet don’t
expect the fish to be there for
long, the reproductive process
has already beckoned or will
soon.
Male
bluegills
and
crappies work hard in the
reproductive endeavor. They
are the workers that clear the
oxygen inhibiting silt from the
bottom to create a relatively
clean nesting area, about the
size of a dinner plate. Once
the female has deposited her
eggs, the male guards the
nest until the fry hatch.
But
now
what
is
considered a “predator” to
panfish changes.
Though
large gamefish are an eternal
red-flag, other creatures like
crayfish, perch, salamanders,
bullheads and rock bass are
the predators too. Not
Continued on Page 23
Early Season Panfish can be Boom or Bust
By Jason Durham
Early season panfish can
be boom or bust. Immediately
after the ice melts from the
lakes, panfish are typically
difficult to find and somewhat
lethargic;
appropriately
so since their underwater
environment switches from
a darkened state capped by
ice and snow to a brighter
situation coupled with rapidly
changing water temperature.
Environmental factors such as
wind, rain, rapidly changing
air temperature or even the
splash from a lure introduced
to the water from an angler
all can influence early season
panfish attitude.
Even as humans, we’d
have an adaptation period.
Oh yeah, we do, it’s called
daylight savings time. Equate
your change in operation
once we adjust our clocks for
spring. The impact is even
greater for fish once they
switch from ice to open water.
In the earliest periods of
spring, two factors greatly
impact panfish location. The
first is water temperature and
the second is the availability
of food.
Fish gravitate toward warm
water areas during spring to
feed and assist in their final
stages of egg development
before spawning.
Yet
crappies and bluegills don’t
automatically know that an
area has warm water and
food before arriving, so
they are constantly moving
until they discover the right
environment.
Shallow back bays, arms
and channels of a lake offer
the best opportunity to catch
early season panfish. And a
presentation very similar to
what you’d use for ice fishing
is best in the earliest portion
of the open water season. A
tiny jig like Northland Fishing
Tackle’s Hexi-Fly tipped with
a waxworm entices even the
most persnickety panfish to
bite. Incorporating a Lite-Bite
float allows the bait to sit in a
precise spot and remain in the
strike zone. Usually spring
crappies and sunfish situate
in the lower half of the water
column. This isn’t always the
case, but that’s where anglers
should begin in their pursuit
of early season open-water
20
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21
Women of Fishing
By Ron Hustvedt, Jr.
Fishing is just one of those
things that everybody likes to
do. Once you get the bug, it
stays with you. Young and old,
rich and poor, men and women
all enjoy fishing.
But look at your average
fishing catalog or magazine
and you aren’t going to see a
lot of women. It’s not that they
aren’t out there on the water, it’s
just that they have been largely
overlooked by the industry.
Half of the population of the
planet is female and there are
millions of women anglers in the
United States. Thankfully, the
fishing industry has figured this
out and a lot of thanks is due to
some dedicated women anglers
who kept pushing for a more
prominent place.
“Fishing is such a fun sport
and there are so many different
levels to it but I think that there’s
more that can be done to show
how many women are out
there,” said Marianne Huskey,
a highly successful tournament
angler and fishing guide based
out of Green Bay, Wisconsin.
In June of 2012, Huskey
became the highest placing
female in a Pro-Am walleye
tournament. She then went on to
make international tournament
fishing history.
In August of 2012, Huskey had
amassed the most points over
the course of the Anglers Insight
Marketing tournament circuit
making her the Angler of the
Year—the first time a woman
has won that title in any species
tournament circuit competing
in the Pro-Am format against all
males.
“I always say, ‘It’s not what is
on the other side. It’s the climb.’
I’ve been on the climb for four
years and I’m not at the top just
yet, but this sure feels good,”
Huskey said. More details on
her accomplishments and guide
service can be found at www.
mariannehuskey.com.
While Huskey has been
fishing her entire life, competitive
angling is something newer to
her. “The first tournament I did
was with an outdoor club and
I asked a female friend to do it
with me because nobody else
wanted to,” she said.
What does it take to get more
women involved in tournament
angling?
Huskey
believes
more women need to be
invited to participate by current
tournament anglers. “I’m going
to be doing a mentor program
this year for tournaments around
Green Bay by asking a different
woman angler to fish with me for
each one,” she said.
Competitive
angling
is
just like any other sport, she
said. “You have to have the
competitive edge in your blood.
It’s either there or its not there.”
Clearly there are many more
women out there with that edge
than are participating in the
tournament circuit. They key
to getting them involved is as
simple as an invitation
Huskey
extended
an
invitation to women interested in
participating in a World Walleye
Association event on Lake
Winnebago over the Mother’s
Day weekend. “It’s a special
women walleye weekend with
seminars and instruction on
Saturday with a fishing derby on
Sunday,” she said. Visit www.
worldwalleye.com for details on
this event.
One can never underestimate
the power of an invitation to fish.
“I’d gone my entire life without
hunting or fishing, I thought
they were boring, and then I
was invited and I caught a big
fish—it got me hooked and now
I just want to go and go and
go—I’m a fishing maniac,” said
“Kamo” Kristilee Christensen, a
promotional angler who spends
part of her year in Minot, North
Dakota and the other part in
northern California.
That invitation to fish came
only two years ago. Today she
is working with companies like
Clam, Stoney Ridge Custom
Rods and Vexilar in the fishing
industry and Hornady in the
hunting industry. “I’m doing this
for pleasure and if it turns out
to be a business that would be
great but women have to get out
there in the outdoors,” she said.
Christensen did not grow
up around hunting or fishing
and it wasn’t until she had a
grandchild that she decided she
better start. “My grandson is
four years old and he has been
fishing already with a five and a
half pound and a seven pound
trout to his name,” she said.
Something Christensen is
passionate about is convincing
hunters and anglers that every
catch, every kill, is a trophy.
Big bucks are nice but a doe
that feeds the family is also a
trophy. An eight-pound bass is
phenomenal but a two-pounder
is just as much fun to catch.
“Fishing
and
hunting
companies have to know that
without Average Joes like me
out there the industry wouldn’t
have enough interest. Likewise,
there are a lot of great hunters
and anglers out there who
are unknown and should be
recognized for their skills,” she
said.
The outdoors have quickly
become an essential part of
Christensen’s life and she
hopes so many others, men
and women, will make the same
discovery. Learn more about
her on her website at www.
kamokristilee.com. “Fishing and
hunting are a complete stress
reliever for me. I go alone, with
other hunters and don’t forget
to get the kids out there too.”
Even though her own children
have yet to take up hunting, she
wishes they would and hopes
that more people get into fishing
and hunting as a family.
Women in Minnesota can
participate in a DNR program
known as Becoming an Outdoor
Woman (BOW) and they can
learn from a women’s workgroup
called “Women Hunting and
Fishing in All Seasons.” That
group has a website located
at www.womenhfs.org and
it has articles and videos
featuring women sharing their
experiences in the outdoors.
more important than gobbling
up a 1/16th-ounce chartreuse jig
tipped with a shiner minnow.
So when the walleyes don’t
bite on opening day, realize that
it’s a correlation to spawning.
However, that’s considering that
your location was perfect and
your presentation was exactly
what they wanted. Don’t assume
the walleyes aren’t biting if you
feign ignorance and spend
your time in 95 feet of water,
blaming your in-success on the
conditions.
Around
spawning
time,
walleyes require a few vital
resources. First, since walleye are
broadcast spawners, meaning
they distribute their eggs into the
underwater environment versus
building a nest and depositing
them in a singular location,
current or wind is necessary to
combine the female’s eggs with
the milt of a male. And the female
must lay her eggs on clean gravel
or rubble so the eggs are aerated.
Silt or muck would suffocate the
150,000-300,000 eggs that a
mature female could potentially
produce.
This doesn’t sound like a big
deal, until we second-guess
ourselves after the spawn. Think
about it, the female walleyes have
just accomplished their most
Continued on Page 25
“Women in Minnesota have a
lot of opportunities and a lot of
interest but we are working hard
to provide them with the tools
they need to get outdoors,” said
Becca Kent, an active member
of Women HFS and also the
chapter
coordinator
with
the Minnesota Deer Hunters
Association.
This writer challenges all
UPNORTH readers, men and
women, to invite others to
partake in fishing and hunting
with them this year. It doesn’t
matter who you bring with but
remember that when you take
somebody out there, if you want
to get them into the sport, make
sure you do it right. The future of
the outdoor sports, the outdoor
industry, and conservation of the
resource, depends on growing
the number of people involved.
Find the Spot…Where Walleyes bite!
By Jason Green
I love you like crazy! I follow
you around and sometimes you
act like I don’t even exist. Other
times you give me plenty of
attention. What’s the deal??
It’s true that so many anglers
solely chase walleye. Hooking
up with a nice eater-sized walleye
or the trophy of a lifetime is a
common goal.
Sometimes
walleye give you plenty of play,
bite after bite, as soon as you
can get your bait to the bottom.
Other times it feels as if the lake
has been fished out and no fish
of any species reside in the body
of water.
Two things; First, the lake
probably hasn’t been fished out.
Second, the walleyes don’t hate
you. The situation is simply a
result of location and their current
stage before, during or after the
reproductive process.
Early in the fishing season,
meaning near the Minnesota
walleye fishing opener or after the
ice out dates in neighboring states,
walleye are primarily focused on
spawning. Their gestation period
begins long before the females
disperse their eggs so once the
time has arrived to reproduce,
walleyes focus more intently on
laying eggs versus eating your
leech, crawler or minnow. Even
if you’re in an area where walleye
are abundant, the middle of the
spawning period and just after
creates some difficulty for anglers
to land their expected number of
fish. During those time-frames,
walleye’s have something much
22
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Nighttime is a Great Time to be on the Water
23
By Bryan “Beef” Sathre
Despite what a lot of
anglers might think, not
everybody gets out on the
water the morning of the
fishing opener. Is it the end of
the world? No way! In fact, as
most anglers already know,
the best fishing is still yet to
come.
One of the best times to
be out on the water, is that
time period after most boats
have gone in for the evening.
Nighttime is a great time to be
on the water, especially if you
were stuck in the office rather
than the boat on that sacred
fishing opener morning.
Fishing at night in May and
early June is an under-fished
time period that can reap
large benefits for anglers who
try it. Night fishing is a ton of
fun and best of all you don’t
have to compete for the best
locations..
With all the crowds on the
lake during the walleye opener
and Memorial Day weekend,
walleye can be pressured
from their traditional haunts
during the day. Move into
those places near dark and
most of the boats are gone.
A note of caution: night
fishing is not recommended
for the ill-prepared. Anglers
who fumble around during
the daytime are likely to have
a disaster at night.
Night fishing requires a boat
without too much clutter,
lighting that is hands-free,
and a life jacket should be
worn at all times. If you’ve
never fished the lake before,
be sure to have a good map
and don’t just rely on your
GPS. Mapping software is
another great tool, but there
are hidden rocks even on
lakes with detailed mapping
technology.
Some anglers like to tape
a flashlight to their landing
net but most prefer to wear a
headlamp. A good headlamp
runs around $20 and must be
easily turned on and off.
Getting on the water before
the sun sets is best if you can
do it because you can get set
up while there’s still daylight.
Not only that, but the night
bite begins before the sun
sets so consider it getting out
there early.
Just make sure it’s legal
to do on your chosen body
of water. Mille Lacs has a
tremendous nighttime bite
but it’s closed throughout
most of May and partway into
June. Even though you can’t
fish Mille Lacs at night, it’s
still worth fishing right up until
the 10 p.m. shutdown time.
Locations
Walleye like to move from
the depths up to the shallows
at night, especially during
this time of the year. A large
flat with emerging weeds is
a great location, especially if
it’s adjacent to an area with
current such as a channel or
narrows. Try trolling the seven
to 12 foot depth range with a
shallow-running Rapala just
ticking the tips of those freshgrowing weeds.
Inside turns of underwater
structure can be especially
good in depths ranging from
a few inches deep on down to
12 feet of water. If you arrive
before dusk, start at the
deeper locations but once
night settles in go shallow.
Tactics
Livebait rigs with or without
spinners are great for fishing
the lowlight period as the sun
is setting. A leech, minnow
or crawler will each work but
it’s always best to have each
along with so you can key in
on the most productive lure.
Nortland Fireball jigs tipped
with livebait are also quite
effective.
A jig tipped with a
Northland Impulse artificial
bait is also very effective and
can be easier at night when
checking the condition of
your bait is not as easy. The
scent given off by the Impulse
baits attract walleye that
more drawn to scent during
low-light periods.
Crankbaits are not to be
overlooked, especially once
the sun has set. A shallowrunning or countdown Rapala
minnow
is
effective
when longcast
over
shallow flats
at
night.
Clackin’
minnows,
raps
and
X-Raps are
also
great
options.
Longlining
these same
lures
while
using
the
e l e c t r i c
trolling motor
or a controlled
drift with a driftsock are also
quite effective.
No boat? No problem!
Another great thing about
nighttime fishing in the spring
is that you don’t need a boat
to get to the walleye, you just
walk out there and they’ll
come to you. Many anglers
in boats find themselves in
depths of two to three feet
of water, which anybody
with waders will tell you is an
accessible range of water.
It’s a lot of fun to be out
there in your waders and
I’d say it’s a more rugged
experience than fishing from
the boat. I’ve gone wading
numerous times on both Cass
Lake and Lake Bemidji and
had tremendous success. I
still prefer to be in my boat
but wading out to a shallow
flat at night is a surreal
experience. You have the
stringer tied to your waders
and your minnow bucket is
tied to you as well—if you get
a good bite then back up and
get ready for a real in-thewater battle.
My favorite method is to
pitch a Fireball jig tipped with
a shiner up into a shallow
point or flat that is adjacent
to deeper water. Some of my
favorite locations on Lake
Bemidji are Diamond Point
and the fishing pier by Lake
Irvine. On Cass, I like the area
around the channel that flows
into Pike Bay.
Safety
is
extremely
important with this scenario,
however. I always wears a
lifejacket while night fishing
with waders and take along
a powerful flashlight. You will
have boats out there with you
and if somebody wants to
cruise over the shallows at
a higher speed you need to
be able to signal to them that
you are out there just as you
would if you were in a canoe
or kayak.
24
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25
Classic Patterns for More Bass
By Steve Mattson
presentations that win big
tournaments every year and
continue to make hero’s of
young and old.
I like catching bass with
lures with treble hooks. Truth
be told, I like catching them any
way, any place, and any time.
But crankbaits, topwaters and
jerkbaits have always held a
special place in my heart for
good reason. When you use
them at the right time and the
right place they can be literally
magical. But don’t get me
started on jigs because I could
go on for a long time about
them too. Bass, both large and
smallmouth are opportunistic
feeders and will take advantage
of almost any easy meal. They
do have a favorite though and
that happens to be a crawfish
for both species. Naturally
any presentation that looks
like a crawfish is a target when
dropped into key locales.
That’s why it’s hard, very hard
to not be using them all year
long.
Early season bass fishing
can really be fantastic, both for
numbers and size. Especially
when you dial in a few key
Match the water temp
The great thing about early
season is the lack of cover
really opens the water up to
many presentations. It also can
shrink down bodies of water
as you can focus on just the
areas that have cover whether
it is brush, old vegetation, rock
piles or man-made cover.
When water temperatures
on lakes, rivers and reservoirs
are still low but starting to warm,
it is tough to beat a jerkbait.
Bass have been accustomed
to exerting little effort to get
their meals. They are also
getting prepared to spawn and
will generally feed well prior to
it. Medium to big sized lures
offer a big meal to a bass, as
long as it is easy to get. With
low water temperatures fish
don’t have a high metabolism
so anything that presents itself
as vulnerable gets smashed.
A jerkbait does just that. It
looks like a big wounded meal,
dodging and sashaying in the
water column. Largemouth
and smallmouth both cannot
resist these baits and year after
year across the United States
and Canada they produce
great catches.
It is critical to match water
temperature to the speed of
your retrieve. How you bring
the lure back to the boat is
called the cadence and with
jerkbaits it typically involves
a jerk, jerk pause. Using your
rod tip you pop the lure about
six inches for each jerk and
then let it pause motionless.
Suspending model baits work
the best because they literally
remain in the same place.
Floating models like the original
Rapala can work too, but they
are typically used in warmer
water as they tend to be closer
to the surface which requires
more energy than the fish
typically want to exert early on.
Baits like the Rapala XRap and
Husky Jerk have been favorites
for a lot of professional anglers
like Mike Iaconelli and Jeff
Gustafson. The jerk, jerk pause
retrieve really makes the bait
appear to be disoriented as it
pops one way then the other
way. And the fish key in on this.
The Rapala Scatter Rap is a
unique new lure that has a wide
scoop lip design that imparts a
random sashay retrieve when
simply reeled in at a slow pace.
This gives the angler the ability
to impart a random cadence
by simply reeling the lure in.
Always remember that the
success of these baits require
you to pause the bait. Fish
will see and follow the lure but
they almost always hit the bait
during the pause.
Jerkbaits or the ScatterRap
should be used to slowly
cover key areas water. Fish
them slow but effectively near
breaklines, brushpiles, rock
piles and main lake points. As
water temperatures rise, fish
these baits faster for continued
success throughout the warm
water periods.
Scour the key stuff
Jerkbaits produce so well
that it’s really hard to put them
down. But often times they
won’t get all the bites and
sometimes they simply can’t
work effectively on the cover
the fish are in or near to. This
is when the astute anglers will
use jigs. It is an early season
one-two punch that is simply
unstoppable.
Just like you need to fish
slow with jerkbaits, you also
need to fish slow with jigs.
Additionally, lighter jigs will
often times produce more bites
then heavier ones in shallow
water. The lighter the jigs are
the slower they fall and they are
also a smaller profile. Quarterounce and three-sixteenth bass
jigs are good choices to use.
Whether you flip or cast them
make sure they are in a good
locale and give them a little
time to soak. Casts to good
locations are often rewarded.
The three-sixteenth Jungle
Bug from Northland is a perfect
bait to pitch around docks,
shore stations, rock piles,
brush piles and any vegetation.
The quarter-ounce Jungle Jig
is also a fine lure choice. Use
small beaver style baits or
chunks to adorn the jig. The
Trigger-X Flappin Grub works
good if you trim off a good
portion of the body and it is
important to keep the profile of
the bait small and clean.
Be easy on the trolling
motor. When there isn’t a lot
of cover nor activity in the
water in early season, the fish
can spook much easier. The
stealthier you can be the more
success you will have. This
is where being able to drop
your lure in key locations with
little commotion can make the
difference between catching a
fish or catching nothing. As the
water warms and cover grows,
you can get away with a little
more noise.
As you prepare for your next
trip, be sure to have these two
presentations on the ready.
Both of them have and will
continue to catch their fair share
of smallmouth and largemouth
bass all you need to do is keep
firing them out into the water.
Just remember to keep the
baits wet and moving slowly.
Early Season Panfish can be Boom or Bust Continued from page 17
because they want to actually
eat the male standing watch
over the nest, but because
they’d enjoy devouring the
eggs.
Both bluegill and
crappie are known to bite
and pursue fish that are larger
than themselves in an attempt
to protect their offspring.
Crappies are the first to
spawn and unfortunately it
puts the species at great risk
for angler harvest. Spawning
crappies are usually easy to
find huddled against pencil
reeds,
cattails,
stumps
and bulrushes.
Spotting
their nests doesn’t require
sonar, but rather a good
pair of polarized sunglasses.
Once identified, a male or
female crappie on its nest
is usually pretty easy to
catch.
A simple jig and
crappie minnow delicately
placed upon the saucer
sized clearing usually grants
a strike. The unfortunate
situation is that anglers often
become caught up in their
success and fail to release
the large females that are
imperative to future crappie
numbers. Big fish have the
genetic code to produce
additional large crappies
and interrupting that rhythm
undoubtedly impacts future
crappie generations.
In
other words, be very mindful
of what you harvest.
Bluegills
or
sunfish,
whichever you choose to call
them, spawn a few weeks
after crappies. To find their
spawning territory is even
easier than searching for
spawning crappies, since
their small, circular nests
don’t
necessarily
have
to be positioned against
vegetation.
Sometimes
bluegills will establish nests
in the shallow water near a
shoreline and literally remain
in open territory. Anglers
simply need to find light
colored circles in a tight-knit
group in somewhat shallow
water; usually less than 6
feet.
A small float and jig are
the perfect combination
for spawning bluegill, since
you want your jig to sit right
above the fishes nest. Yet
just like crappies, catch
and release is imperative
to the future development
of large bluegills. If you’re
looking for a fish dinner,
mid-sized fish are perfect,
while the biggest bluegills,
male or female, should be
immediately released.
Now the calendar turns
toward June and eventually
July and August. This is a
very exciting time to fish for
panfish since crappies and
bluegills position themselves
along the weedlines, along
the vegetative drop offs
and flats. A 1/16th ounce
Northland Mimic Minnow
Fry tossed along these areas
off catch crappies, bluegills
and the occasional bass,
northern pike or walleye and
the system is very simple.
Cast the jig using light line, 4
or 6lb test and let the jig fall to
the bottom. With a semi-taut
line as the bait falls, watch
where your monofilament,
fluorocarbon or braided line
contacts the water surface.
Even the slightest indication
of movement involves a
hook-set and you’ll get
accustomed to the “tick” of
the line announcing the nice
crappie, bluegill or otherwise
that’s on the end of your line!
26
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Spring, Summer, Fall (Winter)...Perch: A Fish For All Seasons
27
By Nik Dimich
The two most sought after
fish in northern Minnesota are
the walleye and its close, slightly
smaller, cousin the yellow perch.
Most fishermen who not only
fish a lot, but also eat fish often,
know that perch, like walleyes,
and no matter how cooked, are
culinary delights. Perch also
have a fishing season that does
not close.
In addition to their savory table
fare excellence, as coldwater
fish, the smaller cousins are
also exceptional fighting sport
fish. Because perch are at the
top of the food chain for larger
predatory fish, they have the
ability to strike and fight like larger
fish. They are also tenacious
fighters when fished with light
action rods with downsized two
or four pound monofilament
that can turn a slow fishing day
into day of action on the water.
This is especially important to
remember when taking kids
fishing. Nothing can ruin a kid
from fishing more than a slow
day searching for walleyes.
The same goes for a shore
lunch. A walleye empty live well
doesn’t eat well. Wieners are
poor frying substitutes for fish
no matter how you try to sell
them to the kids. Remember,
most guides and fisherman who
love to eat fish know how tasty
perch fry up. The same goes for
that special family and friends’
evening fish fry. Trust me on this.
People of all ages will not only
enjoy catching these fish but
eating them as well.
So, how do you get these
fighting delicacies? First of all
consider the water and time of
year. When looking for perch
on big water, for instance, on
big lakes like Lake Winnie or
mid-sized lakes like Bowstring,
Pokegama or Ball Club, there
are certain things you must do at
certain times of the year to target
perch, especially jumbo perch.
Where and when you catch these
fish depends on the season.
There are three main times for
soft water: spring, during the pre-
spawn and spawn; summer, as
the water warms; and fall, when
the water starts to cool again.
It all begins just after ice-out
with the pre-spawn in spring and
progresses right into the spawn.
This usually occurs up north
from April-May (earlier as you
go south) when the water temps
reach 45-52 degrees. As perch
spawn, they will stay in and
around rocky/gravel structure,
where female perch will lay eggs
in long strands that attach to
vegetation or other clingy-type
structure.
When fishing perch during
the spawn and early openwater spring months, key areas
to focus on are underwater
points leading to deep water,
rock structures around these
underwater points and edges of
weed lines where mud bottoms
hold different larvae that provide
feed and cover from predators.
Also in the early spring, perch
will look for gravel and small
rock structure to feast on small
crayfish and other forage. While
searching for perch in shallow
water structure (depending on
the wind) keep moving with your
trolling motor or drift across each
piece of structure pitching and
jigging live minnows. A 1/32–1/8
oz Northland Fireball or Gumball
Jig will produce perch. Lindy also
has a number of good perchproducing jigs. Check with your
favorite bait sporting goods
store.
As summer progresses and
the water begins to warm, perch
will move to shorelines and midlake flats and bars. When this
transition occurs, pay attention to
your gps and sonar units, noticing
any depression or hole in these
flats that will collect different
forages of plankton and algae for
perch to feed on. A live minnow
or a piece of worm or small leech
on a jig will garner attention and
attract hungry perch. When on
the shorelines, focus on structure
like underwater points that
funnel to deeper water. These
are feeding zones for many fish,
perch included. To target perch,
look to the inside turns on the
deeper sides and soft spots to
hold these fish. When the water
temps really start warming in
late July and August most perch
will be close to or right in heavy
weed vegetation. They will be
in there for oxygen and cover
from predatory fish. Finding
perch in or around heavy weeds
during this time is a virtual lock.
Catching them, however, can be
tricky. When they are negative be
patient and try lots of jigs in lots
of spots. Always keep in mind,
however, if fish bit all the time,
there wouldn’t be any left.
When the water temps start to
cool in the fall, perch will migrate
back to shoreline structures of
rocks and gravel and weedline
edges. This pattern will mirror
their spring pre-spawn and
spawning patterns. Perch will
be in 5-7’ depths so cruising
these shallow water structures
and keeping up with the fish is
imperative. Keep moving with
the schools.
As a side note, perch are the
only Minnesota game fish that
have a possession limit. You are
allowed 20 daily per license and
40 in possession. Remember,
however, take only what you
intend to eat. Good luck perchin’.
For a great fishing outing
please contact fulltime four
season fishing guide Nik Dimich
at his website: fishall4.com
or like his fishing facebook
page at Dimich Outdoors. He
understands the value of a day’s
fishing through all four seasons…
Find the Spot…Where Walleyes bite! Continued from page 19
difficult annual activity. Through
the latter years as a walleye
reaches maximum maturation,
otherwise known as old age,
spawning could potential result
in mortality due to stress, a
compromised immune system
and several other factors.
Immediately after spawning
concludes,
female
walleye
require some time to rest. Yet
after that period, they’re ready to
eat. That’s why spring fishing can
be phenomenal one year and the
opposite the next. Weather and
water temperature plays a major
role in spring walleye activity.
Unfortunately our fishing success
is dictated by Mother Nature.
But again, that’s assuming we’re
finding the correct location and
offering a bait that’s enticing.
In the early season, anglers
must call upon the background
information they possess in their
minds, not necessarily what
sonar can provide. Since early
season walleye are often located
in very shallow water, actually
seeing a fish target on the sonar
is difficult. If you’re only in a few
feet of water, the area that is
actually visible and identifiable on
your sonar probably doesn’t even
span half of the width of your boat.
So you will experience situations
where you’re catching plenty of
fish, but you never actually see
one on the sonar display. This
doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t
use your sonar/GPS unit in the
early season. But it does mean
that you’ll have to use some
of that biological background
information to discover the right
location for walleye. Not to
mention, quickly marking the
waypoint where you experienced
your greatest success on the GPS
is undoubtedly beneficial. And
often times that same information
is beneficial for future seasons
as well. Once you discover
spawning territory, locating early
season walleyes, even during
a spring season when Mother
Nature isn’t so cooperative gives
the angler an advantage.
Now spring has passed and
the summer bite has started.
There are highs and lows to
your success. And some days,
the feeling that the fish simply
evaporated from the lake gnaws
at your ego. Realize this can be
attributed to conditions such as
barometer, wind, and cold-front
conditions, but there’s a greater
likelihood that your simply not in bite somewhere on a lake. In always the answer. Use the
the right area. Using information tournament scenarios and under technology you have in your
you already possess regarding the worst conditions imaginable, boat as a guide, but don’t forget
season walleye migration is a someone can still take over the to access the information and
good place to begin. But if you’re field of competitors and catch instinct you have as an angler to
continually unsuccessful, it’s fish. Luck? Maybe. Being in the help you be successful on the
definitely time to make a switch. right place at the right time? Yep. water.
During the summer months I wish I could provide a simple
anglers commonly migrate formula for you to catch walleyes
toward deeper water to locate every time on the water…but Jason Green Is the Owner/
active walleyes, but sometimes I can’t. Yet keep this in mind; if Editor of UPNORTH And A
they go against common-sense the fish aren’t always where you Proud Member Of The Northern
For
and actually inhabit very shallow thought you’d find them—move! MN Guides League.
water. Ever caught a walleye in Past success is an indicator More Information Go To www.
7 feet of water in the middle of of great fishing areas, but not upnorthinc.com .
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Pack your Rods and Head for Sunset Country
29
By Jeff Gustafson
As an angler that has
been fortunate to grow up
on the shores of Lake of
the Woods, I have it pretty
good. I have a boat launch
about 2 minutes from my
house. Within a 5-mile boat
ride I can catch world-class
musky, pike, bass, walleyes,
lake trout, crappies and
several
other
species.
Where else can you do that?
As another open water
season approaches, it’s time
to plan your dream fishing
trip. The Sunset Country
Region where Lake of the
Woods is located offers
endless opportunities with
regards to the type of fishing
trip that you want to take,
whether you want to do it
yourself, rent a cabin, fly in
to a remote lake or really
rough it at a five-star lodge,
you can do it all here. Let’s
take a quick look at some
“can’t go wrong” options for
trips to Sunset Country.
Gussy’s girlfriend August Collinson
with a nice smallmouth
The beauty of traveling to
the Sunset Country region
is that for most folks in
the mid-west, they can get
here within a days drive.
For anglers that want to
do it themselves, they can
trailer up their own boat
and access all sorts of
waters across the region.
Many of the big lakes like
Woods, Rainy, Eagle, Lac
Seul and the Winnipeg River
are charted very well so
navigation is easy.
There are also thousands
of lakes and rivers that have
public boat access but the
lakes are not charted so
you must use caution when
navigating. If you plan to
make yearly trips however,
this is not a bad idea because
with the aid of GPS you can
save trails and fishing spots
and build on those every
year. There is no shortage
of rocks in our Canadian
Shield lakes though so if you
do venture out on a body
of water that you have not
been to, go slow and learn
routes as you go. If you are
planning a do-it-yourself
trip you are probably a
competent angler so I don’t
need to tell you to look
for walleyes on main lake
humps during the summer
months or to look shallow
for early season bass or
muskies. Once you decide
where you want to fish there
are countless resorts that
will have cabins for rent or
you can find a hotel in any of
the communities across the
region.
The beauty of renting a
cabin from a resort is that
the owners of these places
usually have more fishing
knowledge of the lakes
that they reside on than Bill
Belichick has on opposing
teams playbooks.
They can tell you where the
best areas of the lake are to
catch a pile of smallmouths
on topwater baits throughout
the season or where the
best deep holes are to catch
big lake trout during the
summer.
A discussion with the camp
owners before your trip can
also be beneficial in figuring
out the things that you need
to bring for the cabin like
towels or sleeping bags
and more importantly what
type of lures and fishing
equipment that you’re going
to need to catch fish. If you
have never stayed at a fishing
resort or camp before the
camaraderie around these
places during the summer
is so cool - you can expect
to have a great time hanging
around these places during
the evenings as well. If you
only have a limited amount
of time and want to catch as
many fish as possible over
the course of your trip then
you might want to consider
a fly-in adventure to one of
the many resorts or outpost
Dusty Minke holds up a healthy
Lake of the Woods walleye
camps across the Sunset
Country Region. Flying into
a lake guarantees that you
will be in a remote setting,
most likely fishing for
walleyes or pike that have
never seen a lure before.
That means that fishing is
going to be good!
A few things to consider
if you’re planning a fly-in
trip are what you’re going
to pack. Since you must
pack light, it’s a good idea
to make up a couple of
small tackle boxes and
only bring good, quality
lures and tackle. Leave the
sentimental stuff at home
and bring the stuff that you
know is going to catch fish.
If you’re walleye fishing, a
box of jigs in different colors
and sizes and a box of
plastic tails to tip your jigs
with is all you need to bring.
If your chasing bass, bring a
box with topwater baits and
crankbaits and another box
full of jigs and plastic tails in
case you are faced with cold
front conditions.
Over the years I have
guided at several top-notch,
five star quality resorts
across the Sunset Country
Region, both fly-in lodges
and drive-to places on Lake
of the Woods and Rainy
Lake. If you want take a
fishing trip where every
amenity is taken care of for
you, there are plenty of great
places to go.
These
places
will
provide the boat, motor,
fishing
equipment
and
knowledgeable guides that
will put you and your group
on fish.
One trend that has been
popular at these types of
resorts for several years
has been corporate trips
where employees or special
customers are brought on
these great fishing trips as
rewards for good work or as
a thank for their business.
My experience has been that
these trips work out great
for everybody involved so if
you are thinking about a way
to reward your employees
or your customers consider
taking them on a worldclass fishing trip.
As I mentioned earlier
I have grown up fishing in
the Sunset Country Region
and let me tell you, our
fishing opportunities are
not comparable to anything
else in North America when
it comes to the endless
options that are available.
I get to travel across North
America to fish different
locations and at the end of
Gussy releases a nice musky
from Lake of the Woods
the day there is no where
else I’d rather hit the water
than here at home in Sunset
Country!
For
more
information
visit
www.
ontariossunsetcountry.ca
Jeff Gustafson is an
FLW Tour pro, fishing and
hunting
guide,
outdoor
writer,
fishing
promoter
and television show host
(Fishing with Gussy) who
resides in Kenora, Ontario
on the shores of Lake of the
Woods.
30