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 ]
Pitching Crank Baits for Walleyes
Pitching or casting crank baits into shallow water is one of the most enjoyable ways to fish for walleyes early in the season. Some lakes like Devils Lake in north central North Dakota are notorious for producing shallow patterns where anglers routinely cast crank baits but these patterns can be effective well beyond Devils Lake. Casting crank baits into shallow water not only allows you to cover massive amounts of water, shallow fish are often utilizing some of the warmest water available in a system and are typically aggressive so shallow fish typically respond well to crank baits. Not to say that fish deeper wont respond to crank baits because they will but in my mind, fish that are percolating in that warm water tucked in close to shore when the water temperature across the lake is ... [ 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 ]
Summer Windows For Out-Size Bass By Brett Richardson
The late summer period, just about two weeks prior to turnover, have produced multiple trophy largemouth and smallmouth summer bass for my fishing partners and I for more than 50 seasons. Chasing off-shore giants during the latter part of the summer season has been quite rewarding. The largest bass in the system can be locating on main lake basin forage in various parts of the water column, or by pounding crawdads on pelagic humps, ledges and basin channel depressions as the hot weather period is just about ready to start to change. Big bass seem to sense the oncoming seasonal change and slight variance in water temperature preceding the start of the first stage of turnover, and gorge themselves for approximately a 2 week time frame. Looking back at our meticulously kept logs and data ... [ Read More ]
When to feed and not feed line when Lindy rigging
What separates Lindy rigging from other walleye presentations is the use of a sliding weight. A jig has the lead molded onto the hook, a split shot rig has the spilt shot weight pinched securely on the line, a bottom bouncer has the leader tied directly to the trailer wire. The sliding weight on the Lindy rig can be used to let the fish run. I use the words “can be” because there are many days on the water when rigging, where you do not have to feed line. Let me back up and explain rigging to those of you unfamiliar with rigging. Again the key component to a rig is that the fishing line slides through a hole in the weight. So when a fish bites and you feed line to the fish, the line glides uninhibited through the weight, and the fish feels the weight far less than if the weight was ... [ Read More ]
Minnesota Fishing Reports Clubs – St Cloud, MN Area Lakes & Rivers
Are you looking for up to date fishing reports in your area? Are you looking for a great spot to fish? Do you want to know how to fish that lake and what to use in the next week? We have assembled a top notch team who provide you up-to-date and good St. Cloud, MN area fishing reports for you in our Minnesota Fishing Reports forums. Even better for you, they have more and even better detailed fishing reports for you in our new Minnesota Fishing Reports Club. In the new Minnesota Fishing Reports Club, we include a few predictive tips too! The Fishing Report Team lets you know how to prepare for your fishing trip, what to look for and what we would do in the next week or so - in the area YOU WANT TO FISH. If you don't see what you are looking for, just ask and we will ... [ 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 ]