When it comes to business these days, having the latest and greatest smartphone is a no brainer, but can these high tech gadgets really improve your fishing success? Well, I say yes, and you might be surprised at the multitude of things you can do with your smartphone as it relates to fishing. From contour maps to high definition GPS, to something as simple as taking a picture, the smartphone is one handy tool.

I would like to highlight a handful of the most useful apps that I have found and tell you a little about them. For reference purposes, the smartphone that I am currently using these on is a Motorola Droid X though Verizon. Most, if not all, of these apps will work cross platform on devices such as the IPhone, Blackberry, as well as other Android based phones.

To begin with, one of the most basic but useful functions is the camera/video device on the phone. These are no longer your grainy blurry flip phone pics of the past, but rather, high megapixel, high quality still photos and video. Matter of fact the Droid X will capture video in 720p HD! I’m not sure if it is quite up to snuff to replace a good quality digital still camera or something like a Flip Video yet, but, it’s very close and it a pinch will preserve the most cherished memories for you in digital format.

The very first App I would recommend having is the Navionics Mobile Lake Maps. This app will show the depth contours for all your favorite lakes, just like having a standalone GPS for creating old waypoints and trolling contour lines, all with the portability and ease of it being on your phone.
Even more great features of the app are
- Wind Overlay
- Show GPS location and POI on Google Maps
- Friendlier chart information retrieval
- New brighter and clearer interface
- Twitter sharing and new sharing interface

The most comprehensive features available:
-Record/Save tracks, routes
-Capture geotagged pictures of your adventures
-Access the largest database of specialty marine POIs available
-Search marinas and specialty marine POI, with just one click to call
-Check tides & currents, moon phase, sun/moon rise/set

Price will vary depending on the specific map you order, but for the map I purchased (US LAKES NORTH) it was approx $12. IMO, it’s a must have.

Now that you’ve found your favorite spot using the GPS and contour functions of the Navionics map, it’s time to catch some fish! Have you ever wanted to have a documented log of your catches with very specific details about the weather, location, size, bait used, etc? I know I have, and an in fact have tried to do it on a Microsoft Excel form. It’s a lot of work and a real pain in the behind. Well, the agonizing details of the paperwork and transfer, is a thing of the past with a new APP from the folks at FishNotes. Fishnotes is a community connected fishing application created by Jimmy Houston for those of us that love to fish and want to catch more of them. FishNotes takes Jimmy’s 31 years of professional fishing success and captures the same information he uses to find big fish and more of them. With an emphasis on speed and automation, in as little as 5 seconds FishNotes will collect all the critical fishing conditions so you can stay focused on getting your hook back in the water to reel in the next big fish. When being connected to your fishing buddies is important, FishNotes will automatically create a custom Fishing Report that will connect you directly to FaceBook, Twitter and YouTube with the Instant photo’s and Video’s integrated inside of FishNotes allowing you to share that big fish experience while you are still on the water! Engineered for extreme conditions; FishNotes works in Freshwater, Saltwater, rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. Fly Fishing, Bass fishing, Trolling, Walleye, Trout, Carp, Salmon Fishing including fishes like Redfish, Snook, Shark, Tarpon and fishing in the open ocean. It will function for any type of fishing and in any location even without a signal. Directly connected to a backup server, your catch information is instantly preserved so your fishing experience is never lost. If you lose your phone, drop it in the water, or upgrade you will always have your data. It captures Weather Conditions built in Tide Tables for Deep Sea Fishing Enthusiasts GPS Exact Fish Catch Location Plotting of Fish Catch Locations on MapPhoto and Video Integration. Over 1400 Species preloaded for easy selection of Fisherman’s notes about each catch. Logging of Species, Size and Weight, Water Type, Temperature and Depth. Automated backup to server of all dataWeb integration with FishNotes.com for viewing from PCIntegration with YouTube, Twitter, Facebook as well as Email and SMS capabilities. You know the great part? It works exactly like it says! I’ve had a chance to play with it a lot, and it’s amazing how simple it really is to log your adventure. It’s another must have for the fisherman and this is going to save me a ton of time. Plus, I know my data is always secure on their server. The cost of this app is currently $12.99

So, now that you are on the water, how about a little relaxation? What better way to do that than to listen to a few tunes by your favorite artist. No more fumbling around with a cheap FM radio trying to fine tune a static filled station, only to have the boat rotate and have to do it all over again. With the Pandora app on your smartphone, that is all a thing of the past. Simply input your favorite artist to “create” a station and Pandora will do the rest for you! The app has a thumbs up and thumbs down option (similar to TIVO) to assure you that it will continue to play your favorite music all night long. On a personal note here, I would highly recommend a small pair of battery powered speakers, not only enhance the sound, but also conserve battery life on the phone. Pandora always comes fishing with me and best of all, it’s free!

So you’ve found your spot, you’ve caught and documented your fish, listened to some good music, and now there appears to be some dark clouds rolling in. How much time do you have? Is it going to storm bad? Are there any warnings for my area? All these questions and more can be answered by a few clicks on your smartphone. There are hundreds of good weather apps out there, but my favorite by far is MyCast. To me the radar is the most important thing to have in a weather app, and I have yet to find a free option that can rival the definition and quality of the MyCast radar screen. The app allows you to set multiple locations and switch between them to give you and up to date status in your area. Along with all that, you can find all the current and historical data, as well as highly detailed hourly and weekly forecasts. This app is currently $3.99

Another app that is very helpful, especially for finding those hidden gems “off the grid” is Google Maps. For those that have used it on the PC, it is the exact same thing, except in the palm of your hand and mobile. Want to find that backwater lake that is untouched? Simply bring up the Google satellite image and let your phone take you right there. It’s as simple as that. Maybe you’ve wondered about creek inlets, or areas of current. It’s as simple as browsing around on the screen to find those points of interest on the lake, and with the satellite view, you are seeing an actual picture of the area. I also like to use this app for visually “pre-fishing” areas of rivers that I am unfamiliar with. You can find wingdams, creeks, barge channels, backwater areas, and also tons of man-made structure simply by bringing up a satellite image. It’s one of the best tools out there, and this one is also free!

Last but not least, here is a fun one to surely impress your partners after the sun goes down. Take a look up in the sky and start asking questions about the stars. Chances are that he/she will be able to pick out a few well know constellations and stars, but what about planets and such? With a couple of smartphone clicks and the Google Sky Maps app, the answers are all right there. Sky Maps uses your GPS location and overlays an entire map of the sky. Simply hold your phone up like taking a picture and line up the stars on the screen with the stars on the sky! It’s real time, so it will move as you move. I have the same exact response every time I use it, “Wow that is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen”. It is a fun one to have on the boat for sure. Keeping with the Google way, it’s also free.

These are just a few select apps that not only have my own stamp of approval, but I think will also make your time on the water, not only more productive, but also more efficient and enjoyable. If you are a fisherman and on the fence about picking up one of these high tech gadgets or maybe a little scared or intimidated by them, I say jump on over, the water is great!!

Apply Your Phone – Watch This

I’m blown away every trip. It has far exceeded my expectations. Don’t seem possible, this much change in one year.

ND hospitality is what makes a resort a community. A place you can walk in a stranger and feel at ease. When we stopped, the lake store was closed. I was busy noting the hours of operation and didn’t notice Cal leaving his lawnmower to come over and see how he could help. Told you, ND hospitality, you’re gonna like it here. Brendles Bay is dead center of the hottest bite on Sakakawea.

You will also like the fishing. Limits are normal right now. What is not normal is fish measuring just a bit less than 20 inches and weighing 3.4 pounds. What have these gals been eating? Other day I was out with some clients. It was suggested the small fish we just landed was only around 14-15 inches. I suggested more so we measured it. 17, and that was the smallest. Ya, Sakakawea has turned around.

It ain’t all a bed of roses yet. We need more fish to make it a little easier to locate fish and expect consistency. Also we have thousands of acres of flooded vegetation that is all but unfishable. But, thousands of acres of nursery habitat ain’t all bad. I so underestimated the turnaround for this season.

Dog Days be gone, this is Sakakawea! I have been fishing in 12 feet for several weeks. Now that we have a week of hot August weather on us water is up to the high 70’s. Conventional thinking has us out in deep water. Not! Ya, I know, go deep is the wisdom from the tackle and bait shops. It’s tradition! Too much of what we have come to understand about walleyes didn’t come from walleyes.

Let the fish do the talking. If they are talking in 9 feet then listen. For several years we have had low water on Sak and while there is always a deep bite in August there is also a shallow bite. Move back into the creek arms where water is high 70’s and the green is floating on top. Sometimes the water has that not too pleasant smell of rotting vegetation. Now just a little bit further in and put in the lines.

You can live bait, spinner, and lindy this stuff till arthritis locks your sockets. If you want action get out the jointed shad baits. Next, put on the speed. I normally give it 3 mph to start. Often I only have 20 feet of line out. Right now I’m in 9-10 but have done this as shallow as 5. You will want the drags set light or you will haul the fish right to the top before you get’r slowed down.

So what are walleyes doing in the hot tub? My guess is enjoying an evening meal. White Bass, Perch, Spottail Shiner are all on the menu. I have noticed several Perch in my livewell from seasick Walleyes. Ya, I know, listen to the walleyes. I did, that’s why I have 2 of the 4 cranks out in Perch. The other two are Firetiger. Water color is off back in the goo so I use bright colors.

If a creek arm happens to have a discernable creek channel left, it may be good to try and mark it out. I don’t necessarily fish the channel but running across it and having the cranks break free at the edge seems to trigger strikes. Past years I have fished directly in the channel when water out of the channel was only 3-4 feet deep. The 8 foot channel seemed to hold the fish. It’s tuff staying in a 20 foot wide channel but the effort is well worth the loaded livewell.

Numbers of fish may be better in other areas but year class seems to always be older in the hot tub. Most are 20 inches with a normal day causing your conscience to refuse to drop the bigger ones in the livewell. Writing this reminded me of a big northern we caught a couple of years ago. Remember that 20 feet of line at 3 mph. It was spectacular. A questionable bonus is the Norwegian Browns’. Caught two so far this season. Ya know you gotta fish when you have to dig down for grit just to hold ’em up for a picture.

When this bite ends I will have to re-learn walleye fishing. I do the same thing every day. 9-10 feet, jointed shad baits, 3 mph, smile ear to ear. Fishing this easy makes me look good. Maybe that’s why I keep coming back. Join me if you can and do your part in helping these eager walleyes fulfill their purpose in life. The frying pan.

Click Here & then Click the HD Icon in the Player to watch in HD

Less than a week later, on Saturday, July 30th, Jason Feldner added to the Lindy Spinners accolades with a victory at the FLW Walleye Tour stop on Devils Lake in north central North Dakota. Feldner, who owns Perch Eyes Guide Service and Lodging (www.percheyes.com) on the west shores of Devils Lake employed the new Lindy Crawler Harnesses in Fathead, Perch and Bluegill colors.

Alternating colors as cloud cover came and went overhead, he topped the field by slightly over two pounds. “The hooks and the line (14 lb. fluorocarbon) held up to not only the walleyes, but also the pike that you have to sort through on Devils lake. Their durability was key because I was not wasting time retying, it was as simple as unhook a fish and get back in the water” said Feldner after claiming his third major title on his home water.

The Lindy Spinners and Crawler Harnesses will be available at major retailers as well as local tackle shops in the coming months. For more information, visit www.lindyfishingtackle.com.

There are several species of Foxtail and also Canadian Rye, grassy weeds you need to be aware of if you are a dog owner. You may not know what Canadian Rye or foxtail is or be unaware of the danger they pose to dogs. Please be aware that these seeds do kill dogs and make many sick enough to require surgery.

Canadian Rye image below:
They grow rapidly during the winter/spring rains, and then dry out in the summer months.

As these grasses mature, a seed forms at the top of the stalk. The foxtail seed resembles a fox’s tail, hence the name given to the grass. Canadian Rye looks similar to foxtail with a more wheat head look.

When dog owners talk about “foxtails or Canadian Rye,” they are actually speaking of the seed portion of the grass.Once canadian rye/foxtail grasses dry out, the seed detaches easily and sticks readily to clothing and fur. Canadian rye/foxtail seeds can enter a dog’s body in a variety of ways and once they enter, they act like an animated fishhook: the seed continues to move forward through the dog’s body, and because of tiny barbs, cannot move backwards.

It’s most common for a canadian rye/foxtail seed to enter a dog’s body through the skin, nose, ears, paws, genitals, and eyes. Cases have even been reported of canadian rye/foxtails being lodged in male dogs’ urethra. One vet I spoke tomentioned how a canadian rye/foxtail seed found in a dog’s lung was believed to have entered initially through thedog’s paw!

Canadian rye/foxtail seeds are tenacious, and can be deadly.

The “seedlings” are physically built to burrow. While some animals do not have difficulty with the plant (horses can eat them with no side effects), and people seem to be able to remove them easily, dogs appear to have the most severe reactions to them.

Foxtail image below:
The outsides of the “seedlings” contain a bacterium with enzymes used to break down vegetation. This bacterium also allows the seedling to burrow into a dog along the tunnels of pus created by the enzyme. In fact, Dr. Amezcua informed us: pus and these seeds go hand in hand.

A foxtail or Canadian rye seed can literally go anywhere in the dog. For example, they have been found inside the brain, anal glands, eyes, ears, jowls, feet, spinal cord, lungs, and vagina.

Canadian rye/foxtail seeds are relatively small, so detecting them once they enter a dog’s body can be difficult. Vets usually rely on telltale symptoms such as head-shaking, paw licking, swellings on the body, or sudden and continuous sneezing.

Canadian rye/foxtail seeds in the ears, nose, and eyes are very serious and can ultimately be life-threatening if they are not treated promptly. If a canadian rye/foxtail seed has been inhaled and lodged in the nasal cavity, the dog will sneeze repeatedly and violently, sometimes even banging their nose on the floor with each sneeze in a futile attempt to dislodgethe seed. It is often possible to sedate the animal, locate the seed with an otoscope, and remove it using special forceps, if rushed to the vet after the initial symptoms appear.

If a canadian rye/foxtail seed is lodged in the paw or under the coat, a lump will usually form that is painful to touch.Depending on how deep the canadian rye/foxtail seed has traveled, they can usually be removed surgically.

When a canadian rye/foxtail seed get into a dog’s eye, they will usually paw at the eye and the eye will water. Even if you can see a canadian rye/foxtail lying under the eyelid, don’t try to remove it yourself! There’s a good chance that you may not get it all. Keep your dog from pawing at their eye and get to a vet immediately, preferably a veterinary opthomologist.

If your dog gets a canadian rye/foxtail in their ear, they will usually shake their head violently. If you suspect a canadian rye/foxtail, get your dog to a vet immediately.

The best way to handle canadian rye/foxtail problems is to prevent them or treat them early.

To prevent canadian rye/foxtail injuries:

• If possible, avoid canadian rye/foxtail infested areas – especially during the dry season.

• Thoroughly brush and inspect your dog’s coat if it has been romping through tall, mature grass. Run your hands over their coat and look for canadian rye/foxtails. Dogs with long hair are particularlysusceptible to canadian rye/foxtail seeds.

• Look into your dog’s ears. If your dog has floppy ears, lift each ear and inspect.

• Immediately examine your dogs paws (in-between toes and paw pads), neck (under the collar),tail/anus, and underarm areas after walks in areas with canadian rye/foxtails.

• Remove any canadian rye/foxtails that are sitting on the fur.

• Remove any canadian rye/foxtails from your property and tell your friends & family who own dogs.

Going at “High Speed” for walleyes on Devils Lake is a productive method to get the agressive eyes snapping. Go on a high speed chase for Devils Lake shoreline walleyes can seem crazy.

Watch as Greg Schoneck of NDlive goes pulling cranks at 3 mph plus in Browns Bay. GPS location included.

Watch in HD at HSOshow.com: Click Here to watch this in HD – (Select the HD icon on the player)

___________________________________
Greg Schoneck for ND Live
701-720-0447
Guiding on the Missouri River
Devils lake
Sakakawea

Today’s angler can still find the old “Five-o-Diamonds” spoon that his grandfather stocked in his tackle box. Some things never change.

Walk through a tackle shop today, though, and one sees pegs filled with a plethora of artificial lures that make sense. They are far better imitations of real forage than the lures Grandpa used. However, despite life-like shapes and scent-enhancement, artificials will never exactly replicate live-bait in terms of action. Action, the key characteristic of life, despite research and development in labs and lakes near you, has not been replicated to perfection. Sure, Shadlings catch limits of fish too and are convenient to use. The difference between these lures, however, and the bait in the tanks and in the refrigerators (over in the corner) is obvious. The lures on the pegs are deceased!

Anglers, including myself, are certainly buying and using more artificial bait than ever before . . . for a variety of species, to include walleyes. Personally however, whether I’m fishing for a few eaters with my family or competing in a walleye tournament, live-bait is the real deal . . . and in most cases, cannot be beat.

Guides’ Choice

Ever wonder what professional guides use for bait to put walleyes in the boat on a daily basis?

National Fishing Hall of Fame legendary guide, Tom Neustrom fishes walleye factories, Lake Winnie and Leech Lake, along with numerous smaller lakes in north-central Minnesota. While a jig and minnow combination is his go-to presentation for much of the season, he rarely hits the water without leeches and crawlers loaded in his Lund. Neustrom catches roughly 70% of his walleyes on live-bait and incorporates special products from the Frabill company to keep it alive and healthy. The Aqua-Life Bait Station for example, keeps minnows sassy and saves on the bait bill.

Mille Lacs, Minnesota guide, Tony Roach, spends in excess of 100 days per year in his office . . . also a Lund, guiding customers to walleyes. Live-bait accounts for approximately 80% of the walleyes landed by Roach and company. Drifting around midlake structure with Roach Rigs and leeches is a winning combination on Mille Lacs.

Al Maas has guided on Minnesota’s Leech Lake for over 40 years and is a member of the Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame. Of all the walleyes that come aboard his Ranger, Al reported that about 90% fall for live-bait. That percentage has remained consistent for Maas over the years. Crawler harness spinners, adorned with nightcrawlers, are killer on midsummer Leech Lake walleyes.

Another guide with an affinity for live-bait is Marv Koep. The Minnesota Hall of Fame angler operated famous Koep’s Bait Shop in Nisswa, MN for many years. Koep made a living selling bait to anglers and keeping area guides supplied with bait. He’s since sold the shop but continues to guide some regular customers. On the ends of their lines? Minnows, usually. Koep has a reputation of being a no-nonsense guide who often targets walleyes but entices a variety of species simultaneously. Whether using jigs or live-bait rigs, he has long been a fan of the redtail chub as it puts walleyes, pike, and bass on the hooks of his clients. For these veteran guides, some things never change.

Bait-Shop Beat

The smells, sounds, and sights inside a baitshop never change either. Upon entrance into my neighborhood shop, Taber’s Bait in Bemidji, MN, a big whiff of mixed aromas from minnow water and crawler flats kicks the olfactory sense into “walleye drive”! The sound of gurgling aerators, the “pfffff” of the oxygen hose, as owner, Ron Bostic bags yet another dozen shiners and gives up-to-the-minute fishing reports – sweet music to an angler with a day off.

Like shops across the country, live-bait is Bostic’s business. Ron is often in the back, grading minnows and cleaning tanks as he tries to balance inventory with demand. He emerges from the back when the door alarm goes off, indicating that a customer has entered the building. He towels his hands dry, and says, “What can I getcha?” In addition to bait, anglers can expect Ron to give them a pulse on the local bite, whether they want it or not. Most want it. Ron talks to guides and hardcore anglers daily and is an angler himself, getting out when time allows. Hours? Let’s just say, “early bird sells the worm.” He often extends his store hours, both early and late, during busy weekends.

Local anglers expect Taber’s to have redtail, shiner, sucker, and fathead minnows on hand, in addition to leeches of various sizes, and crawlers, too. Bostic does not see the demand for live-bait dropping off. In fact, he sees the opposite trend. “People continue to want quality bait and they want a variety of bait,” says Ron.

In most natural lakes and rivers, live-bait remains the most effective year-round presentation for catching walleyes, and most fish species for that matter. When I was a kid, my dad let me have a token Five-o-Diamonds spoon in my tackle box. I rarely used it however. I was taught to put a lively worm, leech, or minnow on the jig below my bobber. Dad knew that was my best chance for action. It was . . . and still is.

Pete Maina has in his day handled thousands of big muskies. Ex-guide, lure inventor, TV personality, angler extraordinaire, Maina has worn many hats. Today, while he remains a zealous hunter of the big green fish, his real crusade is a message of placing fisheries first.

“No one is handling more muskies each and every day than we, the anglers,” states Maina from his home in the muskie-rich region of Hayward, Wisconsin. “Not biologists, not lakeshore associations, tackle salesmen or legislators. Fishermen play such a huge role in actively determining the health of our muskie waters—in essence, we’re the real managers of the fishery.

Maina continues: “If it’s good for the fish, it’s good for the fisherman. What’s happening with our muskie waters is proof enough. We really owe ourselves a collective pat on the back. Attitudes on catch-and-release have vastly improved. Our muskie fisheries are largely in great shape. In many waters record-class fish aren’t just a dream, they’re a realistic goal for any hardcore angler. That’s because catching and releasing muskies properly works; if it didn’t, fishing wouldn’t be nearly so good today.”

Still, despite great strides in catch-and-release fishing, Maina believes anglers continue ignoring two essential practices for safe, healthy releases. “Preparation, along with the use of proper release tools are key. Most of us labor for hours studying the things that help us catch fish. We’ll spend big money on rods, reels, electronics and lures, but neglect buying the proper release tools.

“Just as important,” Maina offers, “is the planning and execution of a solid muskie release plan; a premeditated strategy that helps you safely, quickly return muskies to their habitat. Doing this throughout the season goes far toward sustaining a healthy muskie fishery. That means more and bigger fish available for everyone to catch.”

The first part of a release plan, Maina says, is assembling a “conservation kit”—a collection of tools that ease the unhooking and release process, while also assuring the health of the fish. “Start with a premium fish landing device. I don’t think there’s a better net for landing and releasing muskies than Frabill’s Kwik Kradle. It’s really a net-cradle hybrid—an intelligently crafted design—that simplifies the landing process, as well as facilitating easy unhooking and measuring of fish.”

The Kwik Kradle, a completely original concept in large landing nets, couples a unique “open” hoop design with a specialized padded, knotless netting material. “The soft, treated netting offers the most tangle-free solution I’ve seen—it’s easy on fish, prevents them from rolling in the netting, and it seems to last forever. Plus, the net is easy to use if you’re fishing alone.”

While this all sounds good, Maina mostly judges a net’s merits by fish pictures. “I see a lot of photos of muskies with net damage. Some nets tend to scrape and cut the skin of muskies; this is usually caused by rough mesh material or nets that let fish thrash and roll. During the years we’ve used the Kwik Kradle, I have yet to see net damage on fish in our photographs.”

Maina also likes the fact that the net acts like a muskie ‘holding pen.’ “My first priority is to separate the fish from the lure, then to be certain that the fish’s head is in the water and breathing properly. I’ve got all the necessary tools at arm’s length. Slip the fish into the cupped hoop, and let her relax inside. Its weight is fully supported by the Kwik Kradle’s flat bottom panel. I can easily reach in with a longnose pliers and grab a hook, or use a Knipex to cut deeply imbedded hooks or hooks planted in sensitive areas (eyes, gills.) For inside-the-mouth hooks, I’ll employ a good set of jaw spreaders, too, which can save your hands, your lure and the fish. A set of split-ring pliers can come in handy to replace cut hooks on lures.”

Hook removal aside, he cautions that two of the biggest stressors for muskies are warm water temperatures and big waves. “Hot water contributes greatly to delayed mortality of fish that are already stressed from fighting and release. When surface waters exceed 70-degrees, fish handling should be minimized. Meanwhile, big waves stress fish further because it’s harder for them to maintain their equilibrium at the surface. Time spent photographing and measuring fish in these scenarios should be kept short.”

Although the current trend in gauging muskie and pike size is to measure length and girth, Maina offers a compelling alternative. “In Europe, where giant pike are repeatedly caught-and-released, the standard procedure has long involved weighing fish in a ‘weigh sling.’ The benchmark for sizing European pike—even for released fish—isn’t length, but weight. It’s the most accurate measurement of true size we have.

“Same thing should apply to muskies. It’s popular now to take length and girth measurements, plug them into a formula, and estimate the fish’s weight. But why? Doing all the things necessary to take accurate length and girth measurements takes time and effort; often requiring the fish to be out of the water and handled extensively; this where a lot of damage is done to fish.”

“Nowadays, some of the better anglers I know aren’t so worried about the exact size of the fish. A safe release is more important. Still, if you’ve got a fish that’s tickling record size, consider a method by my friend, Georgian Bay guide Johnny Dodson. He uses a cradle to weigh fish with a handheld scale. It’s faster, much easier on the fish and infinitely more accurate.” With the fish safely inside the mesh, you can even hang a scale right on the landing net’s hoop and weigh everything (ultimately subtracting net weight). Or you can quickly transfer the fish from the net into a damp Frabill Musky Cradle. Attach a scale to the middle of both poles, and weigh. The Musky Cradle even includes a built-in 60-inch measuring stick, if a quick in-water release is desired.

Maina offers a few additional comments on preventing damage and assuring safe releases. “Right now, for instance, we’re developing a new series of big game hooks for Mustad that feature reduced barbs. By reducing the barb size on large single or treble hooks, you can minimize potential damage to the fish. Reduced barbs hold just as well, yet make boatside unhooking chores easier. Simply file a three-sided knife-edge from barb to hook point, shaving down barb size by half or more.” It’s another positive move in the name of fisheries first.

“Something retired Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Chief of Fisheries Lee Kernen once told me sort of puts things in perspective. Kernen said, ‘There simply aren’t enough trophy muskies alive for each angler to keep one as a personal trophy.’ I’ll take this one step further, and say that even if only 1 in 100 muskie fishers wanted to keep one, there still wouldn’t be enough big ones swimming out there.

“Muskies can be one of the meanest freshwater predators swimming—it’s part of why we cherish catching them. But once they’ve been caught, they become one of the wimpiest, most fragile fish. Getting people excited about fish health should be the goal of the next generation. Because the bottom line is, you can’t catch fish that aren’t there. Lucky for me,” Maina jests with a grin, “I know a lake or two where the fish and I are on a first name basis.”

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Platinum $3150 *Discounts of $50 & $100 for on time deposit and on time final payment
Gold $2150 *Discounts of $50 & $100 for on time deposit and on time final payment
Silver $1150 *Discounts of $50 & $100 for on time deposit and on time final payment
Bronze $2150 *Discounts of $50 & $100 for on time deposit and on time final payment

CAN YOU HELP FAMILY ORIENTED OUTDOOR PEOPLE

such as Vacationers-Travelers-Farmers-Hunters-Anglers-Boaters-Auto Enthusiasts-Photographers-Homeowners-ETC.?

Then we can teach you how to increase your customer base.

With almost 5 million visitors last year, RIGHT NOW, in this economy, not only can we help keep you afloat, we can help you thrive & GROW – “we know how to reach your market.”

According to an independent audit firm, with 44% of our visitors enjoying an annual household income over $100,000 you can bet a number of them will be interested in spending their money with you regardless if you are HotSpotOutdoors/Iceleaders sponsor or not. We can teach you how. Our number of unique visitors grew by over 30% last year. We’re still growing at that pace. Imagine your business accomplishing this level of growth or more. In this economy we did not raise our already low prices. So with our amazing growth an already great value just keeps getting better and more powerful for you to take advantage of.

Here’s a tip that can help you, “NO outdoor site in our geographic region gets even 20% of the traffic we enjoy. Best of all, almost all of those who visit elsewhere spend most of their time here, viewing and enjoying the HotSpotOutdoors community. Spend some of your time in this large,vibrant and growing community. It’s so easy and it can pay off handsomely- for FREE even.

We offer web site creation services based on a powerful and dynamic Content Management System. Once your site is built, and you become familiar with how it works you can easily update it with new information, pictures, even video, eliminating the expense of having a web-designer take care of your site. We also have an in house award winning pet photgrapher. Click Here for more website creation or Click Here for pet photography info.

If you would like to place your own ad immediately – Click Here please.

If you are looking for marketing information, special deals or video advertising options please fill out the contact form below.

All information provided is confidential,
Please fill in the information completely and check for accuracy.
[contact-form]Feel free to call us:
Phone-(320) 300-4210.

Another satisfied client says:

Thank you all for the new clients I have had as a direct result of your marketing! Have a great day with the friends and family!
GO VIKINGS! ~ Ace

So why not save money and get in front of all of our HSO-IceLeaders enthusiasts right here in one place. Use your money wisely and save it, by using it in one place, right here at HotSpotOutdoors. You would be smart to invest your money in promoting your business to get in front of 99% of the folks who visit an outdoor community in our region. Don’t settle for less than 20% with anyone else. There is no doubt HSO/IL is your best value. HSO is even better when it comes to page views and amount of time your potential customer base spends here.