Effective winter patterns to consider trying for the season on selected streams predominantly include nymph patterns. The trout become lethargic in the cool winter moths and try to expend as little energy as possible. With water temperatures hovering between 34-40 degrees for most of the winter, trout will not chase their food down, but will suck it in as it floats by. That is why nymph patterns are so effective. Several nymph patterns are effective for southeastern Minnesota. The basic pattern is the scud, or freshwater shrimp in an orange or yellow color usually tied on a size 14-16 curved nymph hook. I usually use this pattern as my main nymph and tandem rig it with a dropper fly (the traditional two fly system). The scud is effective because of its color and appearance, not to mention ... [ Read More ]
Ice Fishing Microplastics – Zero In On ‘The Zoo’ Bite (Try It)
Downsize to ice fishing microplastics for more panfish this ice season by Scott Glorvigen In the 1990s we discovered the benefits of downsizing to 1- to 2-pound test and using Rat Finkies and Hornets for hardwater panfish. It was incredible—we began to experience unprecedented bites on tiny horizontal jigs while guys near us fishing minnows struggled to put fish on the ice. But it wasn’t good enough that we were catching lots of fish. Since I have a hard time accepting that fish eat just for the sake of eating, I had to find out why we were catching so many fish. It was odd. You’d catch a bunch, keep a few, clean them and find nothing in the stomachs. But I knew they had to be eating something. So I started cutting their bellies open, dumping the milky stomach contents into Mason jars ... [ Read More ]
Minnesota Deer Hunting Opener
Minnesota Deer Hunting Community - If You want to talk or get more info - Click Here please: The Minnesota deer hunting opener has hunters ready and eager to head out to the fields and forests for the firearms deer opener that gets underway a half-hour before sunrise on Saturday, Nov. 7. Here are some other reminders from the DNR for the Minnesota firearms deer season: Be sure to review new deer hunting regulations, permit area designations and boundary changes. Find this and more deer hunting information from the DNR. With nearly 500,000 firearms deer hunters in the state, the DNR encourages hunters to purchase a license early to avoid long lines and any potential system issues associated with the high sales volume. License agents where you can buy a license are located across ... [ Read More ]
Mallards In the Field
by Jason Mitchell Jason Mitchell hosts the outdoor program, Jason Mitchell Outdoors which airs on Fox Sports North and Fox Sports Midwest. Show times and listings can be found at www.jasonmitchelloutdoors.com. For many duck hunters, duck hunting is all about cattails and mud, ducks splashing on the water with a wet retriever shaking in the blind. Field hunting opportunities are not present everywhere but in the heartland of the Midwest; mallards routinely get conditioned to feed on waste grain, wheat, barley and other crops. Field hunting offers an exciting in your face perspective. In order to experience incredible field hunting where flocks of bowed up mallards are dropping down over the decoys, you have to be set up where the birds want to be. In farm country, there is no ... [ Read More ]
Ice Fishing tips for Walleye – Fish Posture and Strategy
Ice Fishing Walleyes by Jason Mitchell When you watch walleyes while ice fishing on an underwater camera, you can usually tell if that fish is going to eat just by how the fish is postured. Let’s take walleyes for example, walleyes that are in attack mode typically have a different posture… the fins are up and the back is arched. All fish including bluegills and crappie have that posture where they mean business. The fish are cruising and alert. These are the fish that make us look good as anglers and there are often key windows through the day where you get this activity. On the flip side, the fish that are not cruising that have their fins tucked tight to the body are much more difficult to catch. Not very often, but every once in a while I have observed mass migrations of fish ... [ Read More ]
First Ice Fishing Homework Starts Now
Hitting the ice at the start of the season is a new beginning. There are times where we find fish right where we thought the fish should be at first ice and there are times when the fish are not where you think they should be. Some lakes that were good last winter will not be good this winter and vice versa. Finding fish at first ice is a process of elimination. There are lakes I cannot wait to hit this winter but I truly will not know whether they are good or not until I start drilling some holes. Enhance your Edge on First Ice Fishing If there is one thing however that can greatly enhance your edge at first ice, my advice would be to watch fall bites closely. If possible, look at some lakes that you intend to ice fish during the fall. Not only can you get a really good handle of the size ... [ Read More ]
A Hit List Bear
by B-man715 Baiting season has been on for a couple weeks now, but only one of mine has been getting hit. This is in the no-quota area of Minnesota, where you can shoot two bears every year. I'm used to drawing one tag every eight years in Wisconsin!! He and one other bear have been coming in quite regulary, often times as early as 2pm. Go figure that two days before the season opens, my only hot bait goes stone cold......... This bait is nearly a half mile walk from the truck, which makes popcorn the logical choice (ever carry 5 gallons of cookie dough a half mile??? that dump is heavy!!) I figured another baiter had come in with a more appetizing offering. The heat had also kicked it up over the last few days too. Temps have been in the mid eighties. This was my logic for the bait ... [ Read More ]
Where Are Those Ring Necked Pheasants?
Ring-necked pheasants were first imported to America in 1881 from China, and they have since become among the hottest upland game birds of Minnesota. It's a grassland-dependent species mostly found in rural areas near grain harvests and grassy fields, like corn. Ring Necked pheasants can survive a comparatively broad variety of temperature conditions and eat grain, weed seeds and insects. Basic description Span: 20 to 36 inches, including the tail variability. Sounds: Ring necked pheasant roosters crow loudest in summer and springtime, particularly at twilight and dawn. Loud, fast beating of the wings that can be in the field generally follows a rooster's crow. Roosters additionally frequently cackle when they fly. Reproduction: Pheasants start mating in May and April. Hens lay ... [ Read More ]
The Panfish Assault: Operation Inline Spinners
by Matt Johnson Exploding through the water like a torpedo, the monster bluegill crushes the shiner minnow—a hearty meal that’s typically found on the menu of a bass. This is a common scenario that often goes unseen within our favorite bodies of water, abundant with panfish. See, panfish are kamikazes, and have been known to devour baits twice their size. If that’s the case, then why do we settle with small-profiled presentations when targeting these underwater bullies? We’ve been taught that when thinking about smaller fish, we must throw smaller baits, but that’s definitely not the case… Lures that we commonly use to target bass and larger gamefish also have their place in a panfish angler’s arsenal. Granted, we might have to downsize slightly, but the common practice of throwing ... [ Read More ]
Giant Bass Through the Stages of Fall
Bite windows for giant fall bass can be short and intense, but this has always been my favorite season for searching for out-size fish. Between the last phase of late summer and into fall turnover, giant bass can be found locating at variable depths on waters throughout the country. While shallow water impoundments find fish locating either in heavy vegetation or on inside and outside turns on edges of expansive weed flats, deep impoundments can offer a chance at giant bass that locate on and around on off-shore structures. During the first stage of turnover, off-shore haunts also offer topwater opportunities to boat quality largemouth and smallies. Many fish are suspending on forage pods out over main basins. During prime bite windows during the night and early morning hours, larger ... [ Read More ]