Excuse me? Finessing an aggressive fish, huh? I suppose you’re wondering what that even means and why I’m titling this article in a manner that would contradict itself. Well, believe it or not, even aggressive-natured fish need a little coaxing at times. So just how do we identify the aggressive fish that need to be teased with finesse applications? That’s a very fair question. I look to my Vexilar flasher. It’s amazing what your electronics will tell you. You can see when fish crash the bait only to halt upon impact, moments before striking. This tells me we’re dealing with aggressive-natured fish, but the offering didn’t seal the deal. Sometimes it’s because the bait is too large, not the right action, looks awkward, it could be a number of things. Me, I turn on my finessing aggressive ... [ Read More ]
Dreams of Building My Own Wheeled Fish House
Forget the intricacies of this years Vikings team. What Minnesotans really want to know is the best way to build the best ice-fishing house. And if you want the best, you've got to be thinking about building a wheeled fish house. Are you the type of person who is constantly thinking the best way to construct the next one? Like many - maybe most - fish houses on Minnesota ice, your perfect house is on wheels. That way you can fish, say, Gull Lake one day and run up to Leech the next and Lake of the Woods the next, much like using the comforts of your boat for walleyes and panfish. Or Deer hunting, duck hunting or, dare I say, the family camper. Retail, a wheeled house might go for about $6,000 to $50,000 - less, perhaps, if bought in the off season. With a few carpentry skills and ... [ Read More ]
Winning Walleye Crankbaits
Searching for the best ways to use walleye crankbaits? Look no further. The advantage of trolling crankbaits for walleye is twofold. You can cover a lot of water and swipe through large areas, and you can also trigger fish that might not respond to some slower and subtler presentations. On so many bodies of water, we see a transition that gains intensity as fall transcends into summer where crankbaits seem to trigger more fish, especially if you are looking for big fish. Crankbaits are not the answer for every situation, but trolling hard baits shine whenever the locations get big. Basins are an obviously big locations, but so are a lot of the contours and locations that hold fish each fall. The first step I like to do when attempting to dial in a trolling strategy, is identify the ... [ Read More ]
Lessons Learned From the Lake Commandos
What happens when you dump two expert anglers on unfamiliar water and tell them to conquer it … and each other? A Texas buddy of mine and I pulled up to a bar that started in 19 feet of water and topped out in 5. We were both fishing a Carolina rig, and both using a Berkley Chigger Craw for bait. So why did he catch five bass in the next 10 minutes while I remained skunked? It’s hard not to be fascinated with the factors that affect fishing success. And as much as one tries to break things down to key elements such as bait selection, speed, location, color, etc., the more frustrating it can be—the number of possible combinations is endless. When we launched Lake Commandos our goal was simple: to highlight the thought processes successful anglers use when developing effective ... [ Read More ]
marine battery charger |No Time for Downtime
No Time for Downtime by Ron Anlauf There is no fun to be had when equipment malfunctions or breaks down, especially when you’re trying to spend some quality time on your favorite body of water. It’s even worse when you’re miles from anywhere and there’s no immediate help available. Unfortunately it happens but a lot of the problems can be avoided with a little preparation and upkeep. One of the more common issues includes power or the lack there of. Without it there’s no way to start today’s bigger engines and a jump from a charged battery may be the only way to get going. You might be able to jump from a trolling motor battery if you have cables along. Or maybe pull a battery and replace the dead one but you better have a few tools ... [ Read More ]
The Perfect Turkey Hunting Plan
I love to turkey hunt but, for me, sitting for long periods is a challenge. When I first started turkey hunting, I’d hunt in the same spot until about nine o’clock and then head home. On the way home, I’d see toms strutting everywhere. Through observation, I soon realized something was wrong. Since this time of 'enlightenment', I've developed a solid turkey hunting plan that is carried out in phases. The plan has worked very well for me and hopefully it will for you too! The key to the plan is, each phase of the hunt consists of the time of the day that typically corresponds to certain turkey behaviors. I hate wearing a watch, but when I am executing my hunting plan, I use the clock on my cellphone to keep me on track, work my hunting phases, and remain disciplined. If I get bored or ... [ Read More ]
Walleye Fishing – Early Season Blockbusters
Some of the earliest open water walleye fishing opportunities occur each season on river systems and flowages or bottle neck areas that open up because of current. Open seasons and open water are necessary and there are so many good early season fishing opportunities. The Mississippi River, Rainy River, Fox River and the Missouri River all come to mind. Each of these fisheries are drastically different with different terrain features, different forage and ultimately different fishing strategies. While there are differences from one fishery to the next, there are also many similarities. The beauty of fishing rivers is that fish location does get dictated by current… or a lack there of. Across the board on a variety of river systems, we find ... [ Read More ]
Better fishing thanks to MN DNR musky study
The MN DNR musky study involves collecting information and studying musky populations; measurements are recorded, sex of the fish is identified, and an electronic tag implanted in the fish is scanned, before it is returned to the lake. One day, it could take an angler's lure and provide a long-remembered thrill. This process allows the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to make well-informed decisions about how to stock musky and manage harvest. “As anglers head into the musky season that began June 4, they are enjoying opportunities that came about largely due to research-based management,” said Don Pereira, fisheries section chief. “Better information can lead to better fishing in a state that’s already a renowned musky fishing destination.” The DNR studies musky in a ... [ Read More ]
Minnesota state park bike trails offer tune up stations
Purchased as part of the Pedal Minnesota (www.pedalmn.com) initiative, which strives to make Minnesota the “Bike Friendly State”, Minnesota state park bike trails are available at several state parks and trails. The stations are equipped with basic bike maintenance tools, including air pumps. Funding for most of the stations was made possible through a grant from the Federal Recreational Trails Program and matching state funds. One station was purchased by the Gateway-Brown’s Creek Trail Association and another by the Preston Community Foundation and the Preston Tourism Board. “These stations are a convenient amenity on our trails,” says Andrew Korsberg, DNR state trail program coordinator. “They make it easy to pump up tires or do some light maintenance on your bike while out on a ... [ Read More ]
New rules for Mille Lacs bass could attract more tournament action
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources today announced a change in fishing regulations that could see more Mille Lacs bass tournaments coming to the area. The rule change, announced today by DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr, will allow anglers to sort bass that are shorter than 18 inches, and keep the largest fish – a rule change that is essential in securing national bass tournaments. Anglers on other lakes in Minnesota already can sort bass that they catch. But currently, anglers on Mille Lacs Lake cannot sort fish they have kept by releasing a smaller fish from a livewell and replacing it with a larger fish. The rule change announced today will allow anglers to sort smallmouth and largemouth bass before reaching their possession limit of six fish. The no-cull rule will remain ... [ Read More ]