Over the years I have seen just about everything when it comes to the way someone wires up a boat. From huge spaghetti messes to residential wire nuts holding wires together. Let’s just say there are a few boats that I am surprised haven’t had an electrical fire yet. The key with any gear on your boat is to protect it. It is an investment and you want to make sure that you can keep it up and running and in top shape. Whether that is your main motor all the way down to making sure your hooks are sharp. I suppose the point I am trying to get across is that if you are going to do something, then do it right. Recently I converted from manual downriggers to Big Jon Electric riggers. This was a very easy decision as cranking up a 10lb ball from the depths can get old. With the new Big Jon ... [ Read More ]
Avoid a Deadly Mistake For More Midsummer Walleyes
You Want More Midsummer Walleyes? There are lots of huge walleyes in more lakes than you know. There are instances when baitfish are suspended within the lake and those midsummer walleyes won't be far away in deep water. So you can get some deep pelagic walleyes but this article is about making it easy in a location many avoid or don't believe there are walleyes to be had in this location during midsummer. The warm water and extra light cause many to believe the walleyes aren't there. But there are schools of overlooked walleyes in shallow water because of this reasoning and lack of pressure due to that line of thinking. The yellow perch is among the primary forage species for walleyes in several of these lakes, the schools are inclined to follow the edge of the weeds. It is a time ... [ Read More ]
Bass fishing at night The Hunt For Giant Night Bass
Season within season, chasing giant large mouth and small mouth bass during night hours offers you the chance to increase your total numbers of the largest bass in any system more than 60% no matter where you fish. Brett's bass fishing at night In this piece, veteran trophy bass hunter and stealth night fishing specialist Brett Richardson, examines the predominant season with season aspects of targeting monster bass taking you through an entire season on the water. Migrations, Locations, weather elements, bite window increments, vertical post-front bassing and the stacking factor, zoning A-D column bass locating throughout the entire water column, along with calculating prime time pre- moon phase bite windows are all pieces of the puzzle to boat huge bass ... [ Read More ]
First Spring Bass Migrations – Giant Bass
Just weeks after ice-out (May in Northern Minnesota), or frigid open waters, the first spring migrations of giant bass begins. I’ve been following these first movements of giant bass for five decades, and specifically target the largest bass in any systems I fish during this time frame of initial migrations. Largemouth bass and Smallmouth bass annual movements take place from main lake basins to migratory routes, and eventually to secondary staging areas. Many anglers fail to realize the potential of the off-shore main lake basin program for early season giants. In states that have open bass seasons early in the year, or special catch and release programs, targeting these first initial big bass movements can bode well for boating some of the heaviest bass of the year. The instinct to ... [ Read More ]
Minnesota’s Lake Vermilion
This Northwoods gem offers world-class muskie fishing, plus great opportunities to catch walleyes, northern pike, crappie and more. The channel that separates Lake Vermilion's Ludlows Island from Lake Vermilion’s south shore isn’t terribly wide, but when you step aboard the classic wooden boat that shuttles guests to Ludlow’s Island Resort, you step into another world – a world strangely distant from modern day worries. A self-contained island resort with waterfront cabins connected by woodland trails, Ludlow’s has been operated by the Ludlow family for more than 70 years. Despite stretching over more than 40,000 acres, northern Minnesota’s Lake Vermilion seems intimate in most places because of the 365 islands and 1200 miles of shoreline that break up the lake’s clear but dark waters. ... [ Read More ]
Secrets to Spring Slabs – by Ron Anlauf
Taking on big slab sided crappies is a respectable challenge and can be a real gas when you put it all together. Catching early season crappies is simple and easy enough but we’re talking real slabs (those in the thirteen to fifteen inch and beyond range), and they’re not everywhere. But the fact is they do exist and they can be caught if you have a little inside information. When it comes to producing behemoth crappies less is usually more. The lakes that hold big numbers are more likely to produce smaller fish. Probably big enough to put in the pail and that’s perfectly fine, but were not looking for the run of the mill keepers here. Our target is the largest of the species and it’s the lakes that have fewer fish that harbor the real monsters. Some of the best include medium to clear ... [ Read More ]
How to prepare for upcoming fishing season
It’s April so you know what that means…Spring is here. Which also means, for a lot of anglers and states, the open water fishing season is right around the corner. I know some people have been finding fishable open water for several months here in certain parts of Colorado but for most locations in the Ice Belt the open water season will really take off in the coming month. This is the time of year where anglers develop what is known as “Cabin Fever” and they start dreaming of long rods, fishing from a boat, and casting lures - all the while catching some sun. My way of coping with Cabin Fever, other than fishing, is by organizing and preparing for the upcoming season. So Today I tell you How to prepare for upcoming fishing season? I do this in several different ways but here is my ... [ Read More ]
Getting A Grip On Transitional Bass
Getting A Grip On Transitional Bass When pertaining to giant bass in transitional modes, we need to take into consideration, not only the movements and transitions that bass make season within season. Daily transitions also occur throughout each season within season through the entire year. Lets first breakdown the seasonal transitions and then cover all aspects of variables that cause daily or nightly transitions within these stages of each particular season. The first seasonal transition occurs during the late Winter / Early Spring time frame, as the largest fish in the system migrate from Wintering areas in main lake basins following migration routes to eventual secondary staging zones. Consecutive fronts during this time frame create a scenario where giant bass will stall, ... [ Read More ]
Fishing Success Be a student
One of the keys to fishing success is to constantly be learning. This is true for each and every time you go fishing– you should leave the water with some type of mental note that you can apply to a future situation. Another big part of that constant learning is to force yourself to experiment with new techniques and baits. This can be a very difficult thing to do because for many anglers confidence plays a huge factor. A lot of anglers tend to do the same things and use the same baits each time out because it has worked for them in the past. It is easy to do something that you’re confident in; it’s not so easy to try something new. One of the ways that I try to shorten the learning curve is by leaving all of my tackle at home, except for the bait that I want to focus on. Doing this ... [ Read More ]
Weighty Tips for Fishing Ultra-Lite Crankbaits
by Mitch Eegan They glitter. Shine. Shimmer in the light. Minuscule minnows and young-of-the-year fishes are everywhere. Deep, shallow, swimming amongst the thickest cover, suspended high in the water column or bellied to bottom. The fact is there are more of these tiny tidbits swimming about lakes, reservoirs and rivers than any other species with scales. While there are still days the old adage “big lures catch big fish” holds true, the fact of the matter is the opposite is more often spot on. Over all, little fishes are what larger fish eat; the reality being all sizes and species feast on bite-size prey over the hefty ones every day. This premise drives the recent explosion of micro crankbaits hitting the stores. The devil is in their details - external scales, realistic ... [ Read More ]