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 ]
4 Bass fishing tips – Bass on a Tightrope
Bass on a Tightrope - Bass fishing tips by Matt Johnson We make mistakes as anglers, and oftentimes it’s those mistakes that make us better. We try certain tactics, tie on certain baits, fish certain spots, and sometimes no matter what you do things don’t seem to go your way. Don’t get discouraged. Bass fishing can be a game of “walking the tightrope,” where sometimes you have no choice but to focus to stay on path. Understanding that there are situations where you need to buckle down and take things slow in order to achieve a result can be the difference between falling off the rope and making it to your goal. So slow down, take a deep breath, and focus on the little things produce that big outcome. 4 Bass fishing tips Boat position can make all the difference. If I had to pick ... [ Read More ]
Ignite a new passion for the sport: take a kid fishing!
Want to take a kid fishing and introduce them to the joys of your favorite sport? You can make sure that everyone has the first of many great days out by taking care of a few simple things before you hit the water. “A lifelong interest in fishing can be ignited or extinguished in a few introductory fishing trips,” Ledermann said. “And let’s face it, kids have plenty of competing ways to spend their time these days. That’s why it’s so important to have a game plan before heading out.” Remember that it's going to be far less fun for everyone if the kid is cold, hungry, insect-bitten, bored, frustrated, or beholden to an adult who can’t put down their own fishing rod. “Fun and safety are the most important considerations while bringing kids fishing,” said Jeff Ledermann, angler ... [ 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 ]
Catch the early season Rainy River walleye bite
Winter’s demise signals the beginning of an annual rite of spring, as schools of pre-spawn walleyes surge upstream into rivers across the Walleye Belt. Although the water is cool and fish location often changes day by day - even hour by hour - savvy anglers can enjoy some of the year’s best fishing, especially where rivers flow into larger bodies of water, such as the Rainy River at Lake of the Woods or Detroit River at western Lake Erie. In these situations, these Rainy River walleye from the main lake gather at the river mouth in late winter, then move upstream toward spawning areas as the ice recedes, boosting the river’s walleye population to its highest point of the year. I typically start my search at the river mouth and work my way upstream, checking channel edges and a variety ... [ 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 ]
Get the Net!
Netting a fish must be a coordinated effort; done right, it means sweet success and high-fives all around. Part of that success is choosing the right net for the job. Anglers should consider the type and size of the fish they expect to encounter to pick the proper net. Elements to consider are hoop diameter and size; handle length and composition and net bag depth, color and composition. A net that’s perfect for one type of fish may be totally inadequate for another. Bass anglers should consider Frabill’s new line of Conservation Series nets. Conservation Series Frabill nets are designed with safe catch and release in mind. All nets feature 100% knotless mesh netting, eliminating injuries commonly caused by sharp knots. Knots also tend to scrape away the slime layer on fish, which can ... [ Read More ]
Tick protection: creepy crawlies giving you the heebie-jeebies?
It's about more than just that skin-crawling sensation when you feel those little insect legs creeping up inside your pants or down your neckline; ticks and other biting insects can pose a real health concern. Addressing biting insect and tick protection as part of your hunting and outdoor activity prep is vital to avoid a multitude of diseases. Throughout human history, mosquitoes carrying disease have killed way more people than any war or natural disaster combined. And even with our modern medical technology, we're still not out of the woods yet. In my home state of Michigan, ticks currently carry Lyme Disease, as well as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tularemia, and Ehrlichiosis to name a few. Mosquitoes carry the West Nile Virus in the US as we speak. In Africa, Malaria spread by ... [ 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 ]
Go Small or Go Home
Modern day society continues to push the mentality of doing things “big” and bold. “Go big or go home” is no longer just a term used on the sports field, but also rather in the office, at the factory, or even in the classroom. We are wired to take things to the max and “push it to the limit.” But what about fishing? Or better yet, what about those first few weeks after ice-out when the panfish are still in “ice mode” trying to find their appetite? “Go big or go home” might send you off with the latter, but “go small or go home” could be the ticket to an amazing day on the water. So what does “ Go Small or Go Home ” mean exactly? For me, it means keeping you ice fishing tackle with you when you first hit the open water scene. When you sit back and think about it, you just finished ... [ Read More ]