CATCH MUSKY FEVER!!

Aluminum Fishing Boats

2011-06-30T15:14:00.001-06:00

Aluminum Fishing Boats - How to Find the Highest Quality Fishing Boats Without Breaking the Bank

By Marcus Washington

Finding aluminum fishing boats is becoming easier and easier, because so many people are buying them that there are more available to choose from. These are becoming more widely used than fiberglass and steel boats, and you’re about to find out why.

Number one, they are lighter than either of these more traditional boats, which makes them quicker and more nimbler out on the lake, river or ocean you are going on.

They will not rust, which helps them keep their value a lot longer than the other boats mentioned. They usually have much less wear and tear overall on the body, which helps them keep their value much better than the other two boats listed.

I wouldn’t recommend you go to a dealership when looking for aluminum fishing boats, just because you can almost always save a lot of money by purchasing them used, and they are still very high quality.

Many people will only allow themselves to buy new, simply because they believe that buying used is a crapshoot. While you can get a lemon when buying used, if you know what to look for, you really don’t’ have to worry about it.

If you aren’t particularly knowledgeable about boat engines, which is the main thing you should be inspecting, I’d recommend you bring over a friend who is and have them take a look at it before buying. Is this more difficult than just buying it new from the dealership? Sure, but the amount of money you will save from taking this extra step is well worth the risk, in my book.

You can find high quality aluminum fishing boats either in your local paper or on eBay, although many people have reservations about buying it online, since they can’t actually see the boat themselves, and this is admittedly more risky.

When buying on the internet, you have to worry about either a dishonest person leaving out critical info about the boat, or someone who simply doesn’t know enough to catch a defect, and therefore you could wind up with a lemon. With that said, however, you can save a lot of money by purchasing online, so you need to decide for yourself if the added risk is worth the money you will no doubt save.

Another thing to consider is signing up for websites that have repossessed boats for sale, which can save you a tremendous amount of money when you know what to look for. With repossessed boats, the banks have essentially taken over a boat because somebody has defaulted payment on something, whether it be a loan, mortgage, etc.

Therefore, the banks have no use for the boat other than to get as much money as they can as fast as possible in order to pay off the amount needed, and they will be selling them at very cheap prices. I’d recommend you sign up for some of the sties that offers these as well, as you can save a pile when looking for aluminum fishing boats.

About the Author: Want to learn more about aluminum fishing boats? Check out http://www.internetfishingtips.com, a popular site that reviews fishing locations and equipment, and just about anything else related to fishing.

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MUSKELLUNGE

2011-06-28T13:21:00.001-06:00

Muskellunge

By Ronald Moody

Muskellunge, often simply referred to as muskies, are fast-becoming one of Maine’s premier game fish. With a reputation for being a fierce, hard-running fish, muskellunge offer anglers of all abilities a challenge seldom matched by any other species. Muskellunge are currently most prevalent in rivers in northern and western Maine, but are becoming more widespread following their introduction into several new water systems.

A typical muskellunge will grow to around 30-36 inches in length and weigh in anywhere between five and ten pounds. Larger muskies are not uncommon however, with fish regularly exceeding fifteen pounds in some of Maine’s more popular spots. Their bodies are long and slender with dark vertical bars on a lighter green or brown background whilst their mouths contain a set of sharp teeth an indication of their aggressive, predatory nature. Muskellunge look similar to northern pike, though can be distinguished by their typically lighter appearance and presence of seven or more (as opposed to the northern pike’s five) sensory pores under the jaw.

Muskellunge tend to spend much of their time in deeper waters before turning to the shallower, weedy areas in search of food. It is also strongly believed that the best time to land muskies, particularly trophy-sized, is either early in the morning or last thing in the evening prior to sunset. Muskellunge can be caught throughout the day, though the biggest fish tend to steer clear of the shallower areas throughout much of the day.

Due to the fast-running, aggressive nature of the muskellunge, a strong rod and line are essential for a successful catch. Many anglers prefer to go for a lightweight graphite or fibreglass rod coupled with 20-40 pound line. Even a relatively small muskie will put up a fight, which is why such a strong line is required. Crank or spinner baits are particularly effective for catching muskellunge, and both can be used with either a trolling or casting method. The colour of the lure is also important, and best results will be achieved by matching it with that of a local food source.

Muskellunge attract anglers from around the world to Maine’s rivers, and particularly good spots for the species include Baker Lake and the St John Watershed. The former is a world renowned spot, and it is strongly believed that there are few locations in the world that offer a better muskellunge fishing experience. Whether you are looking for a trophy fish or simply relish the challenge of a big, powerful fighting fish, muskellunge are ideal.

About the Author: Ronald Moody has been an avid fisherman for 40 years. He enjoys all types of fishing, but especially likes salt-water fishing; he has been all over the country practicing his hobby. He is the owner and operator of http://www.fishingzoo.com, a website dedicated to inform fisherman about Maine fishing

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How to Rig Suckers Fishing for Muskies

2011-06-27T15:18:00.003-06:00

By John Bette

Once the weather starts to change and water temps begin to drop, it is time to start thinking about fall fishing and live sucker baits. Live bait/Sucker fishing can be one of the most effective methods for catching Muskies during the fall season. It can make the difference between having a great day on the water or a bad day. I have experienced many days in the fall where we had no action or follows from artificial lures, yet wound up with multiple fish days when we had suckers out.

The first step in getting started with live bait/Sucker fishing is to have the right set up. For sucker fishing I prefer an 8-foot heavy fiberglass rod - one that has a lot of backbone for strong hook sets. One of the reasons we like to use glass rods is because in extreme temperatures a graphite rod can shatter and risk injuring anyone around. Also helpful is a good line counter reel for running the bait at accurate depths. I really like the Okuma Convector reels for this. As far as line goes, a good 80-100 pound test super braid like Hi Seas Grand Slam Braid. The super braids are good so you don’t have the stretch factor when setting the
Hulcano Harness by Stealth Tackle
hooks. The next key ingredient is a good quick strike rig. I highly recommend using only Quick Strike Rigs over the old single hook method because studies have proven that even though fish caught on a single hook have been successfully released, there is a delayed mortality factor involved. The last thing we want to see happen with a released trophy fish is that it ends up dying on the bottom of a lake somewhere. There are a lot of quick strike rigs available on the market, and which one to use depends on personal preferences for rigging. We have created our own Quick Strike Rig called the Hulcano Harness by Stealth Tackle, which was designed by myself and Musky Guide Mike Hulbert. We have a very high success rate with our harness. This rig was developed with not only fish safety in mind but the fisherman as well. We use a one treble hook rig with a small lip hook so that it is simple to rig. It is ready to go within seconds - not minutes - without having to tie anything or use a rubber band and rigging needle. This rig is made with only one treble hook because in most cases only one hook gets into a fish on a hook set. Any extra hooks are left swinging free and sometimes hook into the fish’s gills, or worse yet, in your hand while trying to unhook the fish. The Herbie Rigs, and Maina Rigs are also very effective and easy to use as well and offer a little different presentation and rigging. Take a look at what is out there and pick the one that best suits your needs.

Rigged Sucker
Once we have our setup, we are ready to hit the water! I like to run my suckers a couple different ways depending on the area of the lake I am fishing. I usually like to weigh the sucker down by clipping a bell sinker to the swivel at the top of the Rig, so that I can run them straight down above the tops of the weeds. You can also use a heavy rubber core sinker attached to your line just above the rig. The Okuma line counter reels come in handy for setting the correct depth. I am able to make the adjustments I need by checking the depth on my depth finder and seeing where the top of the weeds are so that I can set my bait accordingly. This also helps me if I am fishing open water where there are suspended fish. I can set my bait right at or above schools of bait or large fish that I marked on the screen of my depth finder. By using the line counters and knowing the depth you set your bait at, makes it easy to repeat the same exact presentation if you boat a fish at a certain depth. If possible I like to run multiple suckers. I will run one sucker straight down off the side of the boat and another under a large slip bobber a few feet off the back of the boat. I do not like to run them too far behind the boat because if a fish hits too far out it can be hard to get a good hook set in them. I prefer to be directly over the top of the fish when I am setting the hooks. Also, if the line is too far out from the boat, by the time you catch up to the fish and pick up the slack line, you risk giving the fish time to swallow the rig which could wind up killing it. While running the suckers close to the boat, there have been many times where we bring a fish up on a follow and it will break off and hit the live bait verses following and tuning back out to where it came from. It is a great method for converting followers into eaters.

The key with using quick strike rigs is making sure you don’t waste too much time from when the fish hits, until setting the hook. Thus the name "Quick Strike Rig". You usually never need more than a minute to 90 seconds get this done. Another great feature on the Okuma line counter reels is a loud bait clicker or alarm. If you have the bait clickers set when a fish hits, it will alert you immediately. I usually set my rods in the rod holders, with the bails closed and the drag as loose as it will go. Another option is to leave your bail open and have the reel in freespool mode. However, I don’t like doing this in case the reel accidentally gets closed. With the drag tight, the fish the fish will feel the tension when it hits and may let go of the bait causing you to lose your catch. By having the spool closed and the drag loose, you are leaving less room for error. I always double check my drag before setting the hooks anyway so for me this is the easiest way. Once the clicker goes off, the fish has taken the bait. I grab the rod from the rod holder, and work as quickly and calmly as I can to position the boat above or directly over the fish so that my line is straight down to the fish (reeling the line slowly in as we reposition over the fish). In the meantime my partner is usually clearing the other line or lines, moving things in the boat, and preparing the net. Once over the top of the fish I reel up all the slack line and put a little tension on it. There should be enough tension to feel the fish and feel when the fish is actually flipping the bait in its mouth. This is usually felt by a few small taps. Once this occurs, usually within a minute or so, it is time to set the hook. Re-tighten your drag so that it is locked down tight – you don’t want any line slippage. Reel down to the water and give it all you got! I don’t think you can set a hook hard enough. Keep in mind that in most cases you are using a 12-14 inch live sucker and in some cases even bigger. The fish has a firm grip on the bait and you need to be sure you can bury the hooks into the upper jaw of the fish’s mouth. When setting the hook, there are two things you want to happen. First, you want the bait to break free from the fish’s mouth. Second, you want good hook penetration into the hard upper jawbone of the fish. I cannot stress enough how important it is to set the hook as hard as you can and let the fight begin! A good rod will support your efforts, and you should not have to worry about breaking the rod. Hopefully, all of this will result in great big fish in the net. Having the proper tools out and ready (don’t forget the camera) will result in a great picture and a quick release!

As always, check your local rules and regulations before you begin live bait fishing. There are many different rules for different areas. What works in some areas may very well be illegal in other areas. There are laws regarding the number of lines you can run as well as boat movement while dragging live bait. These are two things to pay very close attention to when you are setting out to fish. Also, be sure to check the live bait regulations as far as transporting live bait. Hopefully, these words of wisdom will help you become a better and more effective sucker fisherman! As always please practice 100% catch and release, the future of our fisheries depends on it!

http://www.fishinfo.com/fishing-articles/article_550.shtml
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John Bette Stealth Tackle
John Bette is the owner of Stealth Fishing Tackle & Fishing Leaders providing the highest quality fishing leaders and sucker quick strike rigs on the market today. For more information please visit Stealth Tackle

Fishing Tackle - How to Know What the Best Fishing Tackle For Your Location

2011-06-27T15:13:00.002-06:00

Fishing Tackle - How to Know What the Best Fishing Tackle For Your Location Is

By Jimmy Harris

When it comes to being an effective fisherman, few components matter as much as your fishing tackle selection. You could be the best fisherman in the world, but without the right tackle for the fish you are fishing, you aren’t going to catch many fish-period.

On the other hand, you could be the worst fisherman in the world, but if you have the correct tackle for your area, you still have a shot at catching your fish.

As with fishing knots, fishing tackle is one of the fundamentals you need to master. So many people are so focused on technique that they completely forget about the fundamentals such as having correct fishing knots and tackle; this is just like trying to master the golf swing without knowing the right grip and setup. It just won’t work.

The number one thing you need to understand is that the lures are the most crucial aspect of your tackle, and the one you should pay the most attention to. This is what’s going to make or break your success.

What’s the best kind of lure to get? As with anything in fishing, it depends on what kind of fish you are going after, and where you plan on fishing.

You need to know this information before you get fishing tackle. Consider not only the variety of fish you are targeting, but what they will be eating in the area you will be. Try to get lures that mimic what they eat as much has possible, as this is much more likely to attract them.

If you don’t know what the fish in the area you will be fishing will be eating, call up the local fishing guides in the area, and ask what kind of lures they’d recommend. A pretty foolproof method, and one that’s virtually guaranteed to give you the correct fishing lures for your trip.

If you plan on fishing in the same area many times, then the best method to learn the right tackle to use is to go fishing with an experienced fisherman for your first several trips, and see what equipment they use.

There’s nothing like copying people who already have the skill you want to learn, as this is much quicker than attempting to learn it al yourself, which can take years of trial and error. So many people do this when they could cut a huge chunk of time out of their learning curve by simply modeling other top fisherman.

Now that we’ve gotten the most important aspect of your tackle out of the way, there are still some important things you need to consider, such as gear. Always purchase clothing appropriate to wear you will be fishing, and the season as well.

Where should you get your fishing tackle? Obviously, you can do so at your local fishing shops, but here is a much better method-buy them online.

You can generally save a lot of money using this method, as the selection will be wider and if you search enough, you will probably save about 50% or more off the typical retail price for comparable offline fishing tackle.

About the Author: Want to learn more about finding the best fishing tackle? Check out http://www.internetfishingtips.com, a popular site that reviews fishing boats and how to avoid getting ripped off when buying one. Also learn about Alaska Crab Fishing Jobs, and just about anything else pertaining to fishing.

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Learn The Facts That Can Help You Catch The Trophies

2011-06-27T15:09:00.002-06:00

Muskie - Learn The Facts That Can Help You Catch The Trophies

By Robert Benjamin

Muskie is the nick name giving to Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) which name comes from the Ojibwe word "maashkinoozhe" (ugly pike), although some citations refers the name is from the French "masque allongé" (long mask) a modified Ojibwe etymology. Muskie is a relatively rare, large and elusive freshwater fish of North America, more often found in Minnesota.

This fish is the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae, with 3 recognized subspecies: Chautauqua Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy ohiensis) - Tiger Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy immaculatus) - Great Lakes Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy masquinongy)

All the subspecies are present in the areas where muskie live, including the Great Lakes (region north to Canada), Chautauqua Lake, Lake Ontario, the Ohio River system, the Saint Lawrence River, Hudson Bay, and in the Upper Mississippi, generally preferring cold, clear lakes and large rivers.

Subspecies have also name variations, such as Wisconsin Muskellunge, Barred Muskellunge, Allegheny River Pike, Jack, Pike, Ohio Muskellunge, Barred Muskellunge, Ohio River Pike, and Unspotted Muskellunge, all of them lurking among weeds and floating plants, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

Shared preferences make northern pike, muskellunge and even the American eel occur in the same body of water, generally leading to incidents of interbreeding. Muskellunge eat fish, small muskrats and sometimes ducklings, thanks to their tooth-lined jaws.

Muskellunges are usually light colored with long bodies and dark bars running up and down, opposite of their close competitor, the northern pike, which can be identified by the light marks over their dark body. Body's colors vary from light green, silver and light brown.

Northern Pike have 5 or fewer sensory pores on the underside of their jaw, while Muskellunges have six or more. There are also a sterile hybrid of the tiger muskie and the northern pike stocked in several lakes in the Twin Cities metro region, easily identifiable because of their dark markings over a light background (similar to a muskie), but with rounded tail fins, like on northern pikes.

Muskies resemble Northern pike in behavior and appearance, with flat heads, elongated bodies, as well as dorsal, pelvic and anal fins set far back of the head. They grow as big as 2 to 6 feet (71 to 183 cm) and weigh around 66 pounds (30 kilograms).

Depending on their habitat, sometimes the marking of Muskellunges break up into spots, or is totally absent in turbid waters. In addition, the lobes of the tail fin in Muskellunge usually come to a sharper point than those observed of the northern pike.

There is a website that has great information on most species of freshwater fish. It has details that pertain to each species of fish such as habitat, spawning, eating habits, the best lures and baits and more, the website is called: Fishing Stringer, and can be found at this url:

http://www.fishingstringer.com

By Robert W. Benjamin

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

About the Author: Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25+ years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970's-80's.
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Fishing Rods For Your Type of Fishing

2011-06-27T15:05:00.001-06:00

Fishing Rods For Your Type of Fishing

By Robert Feuring

When you’re looking for to purchase fishing rods, you should know that it’s not a one-size-fits-all market. You wouldn’t buy a Ferrari if you just wanted to drive the kids to school and go to the grocery store just like you wouldn’t buy a Dodge Caravan for street racing. You have to know your purpose before purchasing the right fishing equipment for the tasks ahead.

Let’s look at some of the different types of fishing you might want to consider and how that might influence the purchase of your fishing rods.

Fishing Rods for Inshore Fishing

If you’re doing some inshore fishing, you need to realize what that means: working in shallow water and trying to catch fairly small fish. What you are going to look for in the fishing rods is one that will be heavy enough to pull in decent size fish but you want to choose one that is lightweight enough that you can cast it easily without causing your body to ache the next day.

You’ll probably want to look for either casting or spinning rods. These would also be good choices if you’re going to be doing bottom fishing, such as for catfish and other fish that stay close to the bottom of watery areas.

Don’t confuse these fishing rods with what you would need for inshore fly fishing. For that, you’ll still need to purchase fly fishing equipment.

Fishing Rods for Offshore Fishing

When you’re going to be doing offshore fishing, you’re going to want a rod that can handle whatever you throw at it. No matter what type of offshore fishing you’re doing you can expect to spend more the fishing rods you’ll need than you would for ordinary fishing equipment. For example, if you’re going to go trolling then you can expect to pay around $1,000. You may be able to find some cheaper options but you’ll want to shop around and pay attention to the quality of the item before you buy.

Bottom fishing is another example. While you can use the same equipment as you would for inshore fishing, you’d probably want something a little more substantial, especially if you are going to be hunting for big fish. These fishing rods are usually also heavier and less flexible than the ones used for trolling.

Fishing Rods for Surf and Pier Fishing

If you’re going to be doing fishing in the surf or off of a pier, you’ll probably want to look into some fairly specialized equipment. Surf rods are usually designed to help you cast further so that you can actually reach the fish. These rods can also be used for pier fishing as can most types of inshore fishing. However, you’ll want to still focus on choosing equipment that feels comfortable for you.

Looking for Specific Fishing Rods

One of the bigger challenges you’re likely to face is finding these fishing rods at your local store. Instead you should choose an online site like Sea Isle Tackle which has a larger selection to choose from.

About the Author: Fishing Rods Sea Isle Tackle has been proudly serving the saltwater fishing community for over 45 years. Since opening day in 1962, we have dedicated ourself to providing the finest fishing tackle and Shimano Reels the industry has to offer. Sea Isle Tackle has a great selection of Fishing Rods Accessories.

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2011-06-27T15:03:00.001-06:00

USA. Nature Vision moves into lure market

2007-07-27T05:25:00.000-06:00

The move into the lure market is a first for the Central Minnesota firm, which remains best known for its Aqua-Vu Underwater Viewing Systems. Far from strangers to the world of fishing tackle, Nature Vision President and CEO Jeff Zernov represented Lindy-Little Joe Tackle for many years, prior to co-founding In-Fisherman magazine in 1975.

Crazy Crank Lures are built using a super durable solid core resin that unlike wood or plastic, will not crack, leak, or sink. In addition, the lures cast like rockets and deliver a rhythmic yet consistent action, as well as a unique sound that's accomplished by through a hydro-dynamically designed head.

A mere five prototypes of the Rumbler topwater lure have accounted for over 60 muskies, including many by muskie fishing legends Doug Johnson and Dick Pearson.

"I am excited to place the Rumbler and Crazy Crank in the hands of a respectable organization with the capabilities to get the lures in the boats of many more anglers." says Crazy Crank creator Don Schwartz. "The Rumbler has piqued the interest of muskie anglers so fast that I just couldn't meet the demand on my own. This is a design and material that will change muskie fishing, and I think this move assures that the lures will get to the public before the imitations come along."

Fig Rig Rods…One Man’s Experience

2007-07-18T10:36:00.000-06:00

By Craig Sandell © 2007

In 2005, I wrote this article documenting the problems that I experienced with the Fig Rig rod that I used. In 2006, message boards have had entries from folks who have experienced similar problems. According to some of the chat, Fig Rig had a bad run of blanks that caused the problem...something that Fig Rig contends has been resolved. I would submit that it is not enough for a manufacturer to say that it has fixed the problem; confidence in a product can only be restored if, along with the cause, the manufacturer defines what 'corrective action' has been instituted to purge defective items in stock and ensure that safe guards have been put in place to prevent the problem from happening again. In addition, I have gotten first hand reports from Fig Rig users that they have had to re-attach their rod tip guide because it came loose during normal use...this would appear to indicate that Fig Rig has a larger problem than faulty blanks from their supplier. You will have to make up your own mind as to whether you want to trust your time on the water to a rod that has demonstrated a propensity to fail under the stress of Musky angling.

2007 Update
On 3/26/07 Musky America received a request via an Email from a person representing himself as Kevin Figgins requesting that we remove this article. Mr. Figgins was informed that the article was a factual account of problems encountered using the Fig Rig Rod. Musky America offered Mr. Figgins the opportunity to submit a rebuttal to this article...To date we have received no additional input from Mr. Figgins.
We have received another failure report from a person who indicated that he went through 4 of the 8 foot Fig Rig rods during the 2006 season. He indicated that when he contacted Fig Rig, he got the standard answer that they had a run of bad blanks and that the problem has been fixed...The person reporting the problem indicated that he went to using rods from different manufacturers.

In September of 2005, I participated in the Lake Chippewa Flowage Muskie Tournament. The whole experience was a great one and the event was very well administered.

I was fortunate to have won a Fig Rig 7’ medium rod as a door prize. Since all of my custom made rods are 6½’, I was anxious to see how this 7’ rod would perform for me on the water.

As soon as I got back to my trailer at Indian Trail Resort, I set up the rod with an Abu Garcia 5500 loaded with TUF line. I planned to use the rod as a Bucktail rod when I went to Phillips, WI to fish with my good friend Rob Meusec.

The next day, I was on the water casting a 1½ ounce Bucktail toward the deep edge of a weed line. As I was retrieving the Bucktail, a fish hit about 20 feet from the boat. I set the hook and much to my chagrin, the Fig Rig Rod that I had won and had high hope for, broke in the thick portion of the rod shaft. Well, I lost the fish as well as the use of the rod…I was not a happy camper.

When I got back to Indian Trail Resort, I was in the bar relating the sad story when another person at the bar piped up and said that he had a couple of friends who had also had their Fig Rig rods break on them.

I thought that this was something that the folks at Fig Rig should know about. I packed up the remnants of the rod and sent it to Fig Rig at my own expense, along with a note explaining the circumstance surrounding the failure of the Fig Rig rod…I did not ask them to replace the rod but I did encourage them to reassess their quality control and application engineering.

In early October, I received a new rod in the mail, along with an invoice of $25.00 for the shipping charges. They did not credit the $6.50 that it cost me to send the broken Fig Rig rod to them and provided no note expressing a concern that their Fig Rig rod had failed during the most elementary aspect of the Muskie experience…the setting of the hook.

I am sure that there are folks out there who have used these rods without having them break into pieces. Would I use this rod again?…in a word "NO". Like all of you, I spend a lot of time on and off the water working hard to locate and catch our Muskie friend. I am not about to take a chance that this same circumstance will happen again.

As a final observation, the Fig Rig rod had a Muskies, Inc. decal on it providing the perception that the rod is in some way endorsed by Muskies, Inc. If that is the case, I would encourage Muskies, Inc. to reassess its endorsement of the Fig Rig rod. If it is not the case, I would encourage Muskies, Inc. to petition Fig Rig to remove the Muskies, Inc. decal from their rod until such time that Fig Rig provides "cause and corrective action" regarding the failure of their medium 7’ Muskie rod.

Green Bay about more than Packers these days

2007-07-16T06:30:00.001-06:00

By DOUG NEWHOFF, Sports Editor

REEN BAY, Wis. â€” Residents of Green Bay probably arenâ€™t ready to start skipping Packer games for a day of fishing on the bay.

But there might be a few diehard fans at least considering it as an option.These days, the waters of Green Bay are making an equally indelible impression on anglers who enjoy the pursuit of walleyes, smallmouth bass, perch and even muskies. A body of water that was once as polluted as Ricky Williams' bloodstream is living the clean life and teeming with fish - especially walleyes.

"It's at an all-time best right now for both numbers and the size of the fish," said Don Kohl, who has lived in the area for the past 23 years. "It's just silly right now."

The Masters Walleye Circuit exposed the Bay's big walleye potential in 1998 when it first visited the area.

With the fish in a late-summer pattern of prowling the rocky reefs in the northern half of the bay, 196 MWC teams lugged 1,009 walleyes to the scales weighing an average of 4 1/2 pounds apiece. It took a two-day, 10-walleye limit of 68.40 pounds to win and 42.76 pounds to finish among the top 35 teams.

Three weeks ago, the MWC returned to Green Bay for the first time in several years. Participants discovered they didn't need to make a risky, 50-mile run to the northern reefs. These days, there are more than enough walleyes in the southern part of the bay to keep a boatload of anglers busy.

During the two-day MWC event, 184 teams weighed in 1,555 walleyes averaging 3.75 pounds apiece. Dozens of walleyes weighing between 8 and 11 pounds were caught. It took 56 1/2 pounds to win and a two-day catch of 40 pounds to make the top 50.

"It's funny because not that long ago, maybe 10 to 12 years ago, the south part of the bay was unexplored," said Kohl, a veteran tournament angler who is taking a year off from competitive fishing. "I think because of the combination of the population growing and fishermen getting better, the south half of the bay right now is every bit as good for big fish numbers as the northern half.

"Our biologists tell us we've had a number of good year classes. Four of the last five years have been just perfect conditions. And the food base in the bay is incredible.

"Some of it might have to do with the zebra mussels, too. Nobody wanted to see them in the bay, but say what you want, I think they have helped with the water quality. There has also been a lot of cleanup from the (paper) mills along the Fox River, and when you clean up the river, you clean up the bay."

During the MWC event, many teams of anglers reported catches of 40 to 50 fish a day while slow-trolling in-line spinner rigs tipped with nightcrawlers and using planer boards to carry their lines away from the boat. While those catches included drum, catfish, perch, smallmouth and the occasional muskie, most of the fish were walleyes. Most of the walleyes measured 18 to 22 inches in length, but almost every catch included a fish or two in the 28- to 30-inch class.

"It just blows my mind," said Kohl. "For the last 10 years in the bay, it's been commonplace for guys to go out and catch numbers of quality fish."

Perch fishing is nearly as popular as walleye fishing on the bay. Dozens of small boats can be found anchored up on almost every southern reef.

"It's back now, finally," said Kohl, noting that commercial fishing, angler harvest and predation from cormorants contributed to the decline.

"They've reduced angler limits and commercial harvest limits the last few years, and they're trying to control the cormorants. The perch population is showing the results. We have great numbers of 9- to 11-inch perch again with plenty of bigger ones out there."

The smallmouth fishery is one of the best anywhere, especially on the reefs and rocky shorelines in the northern part of the bay near Sturgeon Bay, Wis. Like the walleyes, they grow fat and sassy with fish up to 4 pounds common.

And along with the improvements in water quality and the vast forage base available, the muskie population is thriving.

"This has become a world class muskie fishery," said Kohl. "The last few years, it's incredible how many guys have started coming to the bay to fish muskies.

"There are numbers and size. There are a lot of 50-plus inch fish being caught, especially in the spring and fall, and it will only get better."

Of course, Green Bay faces threats to its fishery. Invasive species like zebra mussels and gobies are a concern, as are new fish viruses that are spreading throughout the Great Lakes.

However, there aren't many places that currently provide any better fishing.

"Overall, with the numbers of fish to be caught, it's an outstanding place to bring somebody just to catch fish," said Kohl. "It's not like you're going to go for hours out there and not get a bite. You will be busy reeling in something all the time.

"You can fish about any way you want and be successful. You can slip-bobber, jig, throw crankbaits, troll spinners, troll crankbaits, drift-fish ...

"And you don't need a big boat. If the wind kicks up, there are still plenty of places that are protected in the southern bay, plus the river, which kind of gets overlooked now because the bay is so good.

"We're pretty blessed."

Contact Doug Newhoff at (319) 291-1467 or doug.newhoff@wcfcourier.com

Record Muskie

2007-07-13T05:16:00.000-06:00

Video Link

A Mandan man reels in a record muskie.

Cory Bosch of Mandan was fishing all by himself on New Johns Lake north of Bismarck on July Third and caught a 46-pound-8-ounce muskie that measured 54 inches in length. Bosch says it was quite a fight to get the fish into his boat.

(Cory Bosch, Mandan fisherman) "...Back and forth and up and down. it would dive to the bottom and I'd slowly bring it up and it'd take five minutes every time I'd bring it back up. I'd try to land it and it would go back down. I didn't have a net. I had a small Walleye net but I didn't want to risk getting the hooks caught in the net. So I had to hand land it and every time I'd try to grab it under the gills, it would flop its head and go right back down to the bottom...over and over you know."

State Game and Fish officials had to take a sample of the fish to find out if it is a pure muskie or a cross between a muskie and a northern pike.

But either way, officials say the fish is a state record holder.

(Scott Gangl, Fisheries Management Section Leader) "We've stocked both pure muskies and tiger muskies, which is a hybrid between a muskie and a northern pike, into New Johns Lake. So we need to determine whether its one or the other. So the only way to do that definitively is by doing DNA testing and so we're taking a sample of DNA and we're sending it to a geneticist in Maine who did the last onethe last time we had a record."

If Bosch's fish is a pure muskiehe beat the old record by 8 ounces. Bill Wald of Washburn caught the last record holder also at New Johns Lake in 2003

Summer Is The Time Of Acute Musky Fever

2007-07-12T07:12:00.000-06:00

By Al Denninger

Musky Fever hits Hayward…Hundreds stricken…Tourists bring fever to area…No cure found, only temporary relief for victims…Only heavy doses of fishing can relieve this thing called MUSKY FEVER!!!

Summer signals the start of the hot action for the King of the Freshwater Fish. Musky are spreading out and more likely to be on main-lake spots. Weed beds are reaching for the sky, and the water-ah! The water temperatures are reaching a steady 68-74 degrees. Musky are putting on the feed bag. Big females are starting to show up; this is the time of the season when musky action is at its best. There’s more fish action now than in any other month. September might see more trophy fish, but late June through early July is when the real action takes place.

Below is a list of a few lakes to pound in the first few weeks of summer.

Lake Winter: Lots of good action on this body of water. It has produced some big fish. Purple Bucktails on sunny days and yellow on overcast are the hot ticket in June and early July—both sporting brass blades.

Chippewa Flowage: Bucktails are the best all around bait choice. Many favor fluorescent or green blades with black hair.

First work the weeds, concentrating on the edges. Key weed beds have deep water on two or three sides.

Surface baits are also a good choice. Creepers, Globes, Toppers and Water Thumpers are all in play.

Lost Land Lake is usually solid weeds. Fish the open pockets. This lake is usually clear, but can also be stained depending upon run off. Orange or purple Bucktails with gold blades are a good bet. Also, the Suick has been hot on this lake.

Teal Lake always has dark water, and a brass or copper-bladed Bucktail here seems to produce very well. For surface baits, globes, Hawg Wobblers, or water thumpers.

Spider Lake - Spider Lake produces well on Bucktails with silver blades.

You may also have good luck with Crane, Slammers, and Hi-Finn’s sidewinders with gold and/or silver prism tape added to the sides of these twitch-baits-using silver tape on clear water and gold on stained waters.

MAXIMIZE YOUR TIME ON THE WATER

After reading the first part of this article, you get the picture that Bucktails are the guides’ first choice, and with good reason.

Bucktails search the water fast. The more water you cover in your allotted fishing time, the more likely you’ll put your offering in front of an active musky.

Remember, these fish are active now; water temperatures are in the favorite range, and females have had ample time to recover from the rigors of spawning. Weed beds have matured enough as to have fish set up feeding patterns.

Many of these active musky will return to the same weed beds to feed. When you locate a large fish, note time, wind direction, water temperature, bait, etc. Try to return the next day to that particular weed bed at the same time using the same bait.

I have also found that fish seem to have a three-day feeding cycle. I’d enjoy talking to anyone who has noticed the same pattern.

TACKLE TIPS

The question of line comes up often: mono vs. braided vs. spectra.

No doubt about it, you’ll fool more fish on mono, but I dislike the stretch. I prefer Courtland Micron. The no-stretch factor is a big plus in burying the steel. The same can be said of lines like TUF line.

If mono is the route you want to go, make sure you spool up with 25-30 pound test. Knots wear fast under constant casting pressure.

For those anglers on Pig Patrol and for whom only 30 pound plus fish get your heart pumping, stick with Micron or spectra. Micron is pure white, but don’t let that keep you from trying it. TUF line is salt and pepper.

Most braided–line fishermen use black, but remember the old saying, "Use a black Bucktail, ‘cause fish can see black the best!" So why use black line?

Well, whatever your views on equipment, enjoy your time on the water. Enjoy as Hayward spreads the fishing fever.

Good luck and tight lines.

Michigan's Master Angler Pike

2007-07-11T11:16:00.000-06:00

So, you want to catch the biggest northern of your life without leaving our state? No problem. Just follow the evidence! (March 2007)
By Steven A. Griffin

DALE SPARTASThe open-water fishing fan of northern pike could get a bit discouraged after taking a close look at Michigan's Master Angler Award list. From lakes that have produced multiple Master Angler-class pike in the last few years, most of the trophy fish have come through the ice, not from open water. Tip-ups and spears did most of the work, not crankbaits and spoons.
But then, when the ice is gone, how many people really focus on pike the same way winter anglers do, with long hours. heavy tackle and single-species dedication? Those fish didn't just appear when ice sealed the lake, after all. That's just when they were caught in the fishing spotlight.
Let's hand it to the tip-uppers and thank them for their research, which points to a handful of lakes with big fish. And at the same time, let's not neglect those special waters that substitute huge numbers of feisty smaller pike for smaller numbers of big fish. Then you just have to sneak onto those lakes and others with rods stouter than usual, lines heavier than normal, tougher leaders and bigger baits.
Leave the bluegills, perch and walleyes to the tourists this season, and set your sights on the powerful pike in these award-winning waters.
HOUGHTON LAKEThis could be the Michigan lake most associated with northern pike fishing. At more than 20,000 acres, it's our state's largest inland lake, and anglers chase its northerns throughout every season.
Houghton is shallow, with an average depth of about 8 feet, and nothing deeper than 22 feet. It is incredibly fertile, producing bumper crops of almost all warm- and coolwater species, including northern pike. "It's just a fish factory," an admiring fisheries biologist once told me.
Match plenty of pike with a lot of fishing, and you get a fast-action water that will likely have you sorting through plenty of northerns to get a 24-inch keeper. It can be great fun, though, to tangle with all those pike.
Scott Cain, a Midland dentist who fishes many walleye tournaments, loves pike fishing on Houghton Lake. Sure, he makes pilgrimages to some of Canada's trophy-pike lakes, but what he really loves is fast action on pike of all sizes.
"The best 'action' spot in Michigan, bar none, is the Middle Grounds in Houghton Lake," Cain said. That's the 3-foot-deep flat spot in the center of the lake that is featured on almost any map. Cain said it's about 200 yards long by 200 yards wide. "You won't catch big ones, but a friend and I caught 116 pike by casting Beetle Spins in about two hours. None were legal size, but the action is unparalleled. It's better fished earlier in the season because it gets weed-choked fairly early, but if you take any kid there -- including big kids like us -- it is a riot."
Even though few Houghton Lake pike live long enough to stretch much longer than Michigan's 24-inch minimum length, a few lunkers invariably grow fat on the abundant forage. This lake gives up at least one 20-pound-plus pike every year.
The "South Shore Weedbed" -- just where its name would lead you to expect it -- is a longtime favorite location of many pike anglers. Floating stick baits such as Rapalas and Rebels will be pounced on here, and jigs tossed into the weeds will stir up action, too.
Other good pike haunts on the lake include the edge of the weedbed on the east edge of North Bay, along with the several weedbeds in East Bay. Wherever you fish on Houghton Lake, you can't go wrong working the deep side of any weedbed -- emergent or submergent -- you can find.
There's a public access site on each of the four shorelines, and bait shops, restaurants, motels and resorts just about everywhere you go. Get more information from the Houghton Lake Area Tourism Bureau at 1-800-676-5330, or go to the bureau's Web site at www.visithoughtonlake.com.
HIGGINS LAKETell people you're pike fishing on Higgins Lake and they'll tell you you're one lake too far to the north. Although they're connected neighbors, Higgins and Houghton lakes couldn't be much more different.
Houghton is shallow, warm and fertile. By comparison, Higgins is deep, cold and sterile. Houghton is a walleye lake, Higgins a trout hotspot. But Higgins, like Houghton, has northern pike, and it has some big ones.
The state's largest pike of 2005 in the caught-and-kept category was a Higgins fish, a 26-pounder that stretched 44 inches long. That person, David Stewart of Roscommon, put a second Master Angler Award pike from Higgins Lake on the list, too. And even though both of his pike ran into a winter spear, there's no reason you couldn't be just as lucky in the open water.
Thank the abundant food base -- especially smelt, whitefish and small trout -- for the hefty pike that come from Higgins. Maybe you should thank, too, the fact that few people target the toothy critters in open water.
This is not a lake with a lot of cover, so the pike have few ambush points. They do haunt weedbeds, though, including the relatively short ones along the steep dropoff from 10 feet to 25 feet that rings the lake. One of my biggest pike ever slammed a spoon I was jigging at the dropoff for perch at the north end of the lake. Hanging a live sucker or other tasty offering -- and make it big -- is a good bet, too. People will think you're on the wrong lake if you tell them what you're doing -- but a trophy northern just might tell you otherwise!
Access is easy at North and South Higgins Lake State Parks, and at a Department of Natural Resources public access site in the northwest corner. A State Park Motor Vehicle sticker is always required at the parks. In tourist season, a daily or seasonal fee is charged at the access site, too.
The Houghton Lake Area Tourism Bureau serves the Higgins Lake area with lodging and other information at VisitHoughtonLake.com, or 1-800-676-5330.
AU TRAIN LAKEThis Alger County lake about nine miles east of Munising produces big pike from its 830 acres.
The DNR's Jim Waybrant said in a "status of the fishery" resource report that area residents have cherished this lake's big pike and walleyes for more than 100 years, accounting for the early development of cottages around its northern and western shores. Much remains undeveloped, though, because the eastern and southern shorelines are mainly owned by the U.S. Forest Service, which operates a campground and boat launch just perfect for pike anglers.
Local folks have often complained that the lake grows so many suckers and draws in even more from Lake Superior that it damages Au Train Lake's fishing. Sucker removal efforts have had little effect on their numbers, though, and biologists aren't too concerned about them. Pike, walleyes and bass are all doing pretty well in the lake, where small but numerous perch provide plenty of chow.
The lake was surveyed in 1994, and again in 2002, and over that time the northern pike numbers and sizes increased dramatically. Pike made up almost 30 percent of the lake's predators by weight, and about 30 percent of them were keepers, meaning 24 inches or longer
"The increase in northern pike numbers and weight was significant," Waybrant said, "while the (lake's) walleyes and smallmouth bass remained relatively similar to their numbers in the 1994 survey."
Au Train Lake is fed by four streams, the largest of which is the Au Train River, which flows four miles to it from Au Train Basin, which is also called Forest Lake. It is worth noting that Au Train Basin put a dandy 44-inch-Master Angler pike on the list in 2005. Steven Ball of Skandia released the fish, so it could be out there for you, too!
It's also worth noting that Au Train Lake, although large compared with its neighbors, is relatively small as pike lakes go, so it gets quite a bit of pressure. Think about enjoying the battle, then releasing your pike, and then catching walleyes for dinner.
Get local information from the Alger County Chamber of Commerce at (906) 387-2138, or online at AlgerCounty.com.
SAGINAW BAYBirch Run's Don Bomba -- whose specialty is muskie fishing and who is an official of the Michigan Muskie Alliance -- also loves messing with pike. He calls Saginaw Bay, "a very, very overlooked fishery. Early in the year, until midsummer, I've had 20-fish days out there casting bass-sized spinnerbaits, and jigs with twistertails."
Chris Jeroue is a Midland angler who spends more days on the water than just about anyone else I know. Where would he fish for pike? "The best I can tell you on my pike experience," he replied, "is hitting Hoyles Marina (on Saginaw Bay's southwestern shoreline at Linwood) in the early spring and early fall. They get monsters over there. I've seen pike come out of the water and go after a perch that someone caught. I have had a nice perch bit in half over there."
Indeed. Last summer when I feasted on the bounty of Saginaw Bay's bumper crop of eating-sized walleyes, I learned to take enough crawler harnesses to replace the several that were sure to be bitten off by pike. Tying on a Dardevle, Rapala or other pike favorite would be a great way to take advantage of the bay's rich food supplies.
I've made a mental note to do what I can this year to protect walleye trollers' rigs and Chris Jeroue's perch -- and that's by removing a few big pike from the bay.
LAKES MITCHELL & CADILLACSome top pike waters are known for winter sport, some for summer action. Some get their names on the Master Angler list year after year, while others -- like these connected lakes -- show up in almost every weekly fishing report during the long pike fishing season.
These natural lakes have rich beds of cabbage and other vegetation that are perfect for growing Esox foods and sheltering the predators when they come to call. Lake Mitchell is the largest at 2,560 acres, while Lake Cadillac covers 1,150 acres, all of them within the Cadillac city limits.
Access is a breeze, with a public access site on Lake Mitchell directly off highway M-115, and another on the northwest shoreline of Lake Cadillac. Mitchell State Park, right on the channel between the two lakes, makes a perfect fish camp.
Get your fishing information from Pilgrim Village Resort & Fishing Shop at (231) 775-5412, or online at PilgrimVillageFishing.com.
ST. MARYS RIVERThe St. Marys River in Chippewa County is a great spot to launch a big-pike search. It's produced a half-dozen fish of more than 20 pounds (kept) or 40 inches (released), four of them in the open-water months of May, September and November. Oh sure, depending on the season, the fishing headlines from the St. Marys likely shout about trout, salmon and whitefish, and focus the attention on the fast water of the rapids itself. But whatever the season, northern pike are willing to tussle, especially in Ashmun, Izaak Walton, George, Waishka, Munuscong and Raber bays.
Pike -- and muskies -- find everything they need in the river and its bays, including weedbeds, abundant forage and clean water. Start prowling the bays' shallows in spring by tossing big jerkbaits, surface plugs and in-line spinners. When summer warms the waters, work deeper weedbeds by slow-trolling with big stick baits. In the fall -- the best season for big pike -- casting again moves to the forefront.
The St. Marys River in Chippewa County is a great spot to launch a big-pike search. It's produced a half-dozen fish of more than 20 pounds (kept) or 40 inches (released), four of them in the open-water months of May, September and November.
Access the upper river at Ashmun Bay Park or at Brimley State Park. Launch for the lower river at Belleville Marina, Munuscong River, Raber Township Park or DeTour Passage.
For more information, contact the Sault Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-657-2858, or online at Saultsmarie.com.
CROTON DAM PONDCroton Dam Pond, an impoundment of the Muskegon River in Newaygo County, is just the kind of place we were talking about when we launched this discussion about big, slimy pike. It has some trophy fish, but they mostly show up when ice-anglers set stout tip-up rigs or tend spears and decoys. But those fish were there before the lake froze over, too -- they just don't make short work of the nerves and gear of summer anglers stumbling upon them. Approach them like the trophy they are, though, and who knows what could happen?
Croton Dam Pond covers 1,380 acres, and stretches 14 miles end to end. Like many other reservoirs, it has plenty of white and redhorse suckers, and they're great snacks for growing pike. Jump into the action at access sites in the village of Croton.
For information, contact the Newaygo Area Chamber of Commerce at (231) 652-3068, or online at Explorenewaygo.com.
TITTABAWASSEE RIVER IMPOUNDMENTSDams stall this Saginaw River tributary four times, and each impoundment offers a great place to tangle with a pike.
"The whole Tittabawassee Chain -- Secord, Smallwood, Wixom and Sanford (lakes) -- is outstanding for pike fishing, with Sanford and Wixom kicking out the occasional 40-incher," said Esox specialist Don Bomba, while adding, "My best on Sanford is 44 inches."
"The whole Tittabawassee Chain -- Secord, Smallwood, Wixom and Sanford (lakes) -- is outstanding for pike fishing, with Sanford and Wixom kicking out the occasional 40-incher," said Esox specialist Don Bomba, while adding, "My best on Sanford is 44 inches."
These four backwater lakes have the typical pike features in abundant forage -- especially suckers -- and plenty of weedbeds, stumps and dropoffs.
First, moving downstream from Roscommon County, the Tittabawassee pauses behind Secord Dam. It forms a lake of about 2,000 acres, up to 40 feet deep. Access is at Bowmanville and Finkbeinder roads. Next is Smallwood Lake, about 300 acres of pike water.
Both of those lakes are relatively unknown. Not so with Wixom Lake, most of which is in Gladwin County. Wixom hosts bass fishing tournaments almost every weekend of the open-water season. Wixom Lake, where the Tobacco River merges with the Tittabawassee River, boasts an impounded arm of each river, with a combined surface area of just under 2,000 acres. There is a DNR public access site on the Tobacco side near Edenville.
Sanford Lake, lowest on the system, is about 10 miles long, covering just under two square miles. It has a maximum depth of 30 feet, with the vast majority less than 20 feet. Launch at Midland County's Sanford Lake Park near the dam, or upstream at Sanford Lake Marina.
DNR officials say all four lakes have plenty of northerns, with relatively low fishing pressure focused on them. All have rich weedbeds, and increasingly clear water, thanks mainly to zebra mussels. To top that off, they produce tons of redhorse and white suckers, which pike love to dine on.
"There are a lot of pike," said DNR biologist Kathryn Schrouder, "and I don't think they're utilized all that much."
* * *
In truth, pike are "underutilized" almost everywhere. Thirty-five of Michigan's 82 counties put northerns on the Master Angler Award list since 2004 -- from Berrien County in the southwest to Wayne County in the southeast, and from Baraga in the far north to Chippewa in the eastern Upper Peninsula. Nobody in Michigan is far from a lake in which lurks a northern pike. Catch 'em in the act this year, especially now that you have the evidence!

Finding Minnesota: Muskie Rampage Of 1955

2007-07-10T06:45:00.000-06:00

WCCO) Walker, Minn. On lazy summer days in Federal Dam, the tiny town where the legendary Leech Lake is formed, kids still cast their fishing rods from the docks. With lures of assorted colors and sizes, they're filled with eager anticipation, hoping to lure a lunker.Dan Tonga greets visitors with a warm smile. Under bright indigo skies, Tonga prepares to set off on another Leech Lake fishing charter. He now runs the charter business his parents started decades ago.Tonga tells his customers that it was weather much like the current spell of hot days that the greatest Muskie tale ever told unfolded, back on July 16, 1955."They say it was a hot, hot summer -- the dog days of summer. I guess the tulibees were dying all over the lake. It was dead fish all over the lake. And the Muskies, they just started catching them one after the other," Tonga reminisces.Fish that would normally be caught once in a thousand casts were biting at anything thrown their way."I guess anything that floated people were trying to get on and get out and get their fish caught," recalled the sage guide.More than 50 years later, vintage black and white photographs show record catches with dozens of huge Muskie hanging from long poles and being hauled about in wheelbarrows. They're scenes from long ago that Dan Tonga simply sums up as "very rare, very rare."Word of the aptly named "Muskie rampage" spread quickly around the region. Friends called their other fishing friends. WCCO Radio started doing daily Muskie updates. Soon, Leech Lake was alive with throngs of eager anglers."There's not many of them around to talk about it anymore," said Jerry Stewart, standing on Walker's city dock.Stewart also runs a charter and guide service on the lake and has caught his share of Muskie over the years. Usually, after spending long hours on Leech either trolling or casting for the elusive monsters. He's well aware of time it takes just to catch one."That was the Federal Dam run of 1955. It never happened again, that was a one time deal," Stewart said.Because of the heat that summer, the fish had lost their normal food source, the tulibee. They were extremely hungry and biting at practically anything cast their way.In the years since that record summer of '55, there have been other fishing frenzies. But nothing anywhere near the few hot days in July that turned Leech Lake into a Muskie legend.As Dan Tonga bemusedly examined the faded photos of dozens of huge Muskies, I joked that they appear to show just a normal day of fishing. He gave an infectious laugh, smiled and said, "Yeah, we catch them like that all the time!"Only in my dreams!

Video Link: http://wcco.com/local/local_story_190081750.html

In the spotlight: The muskie passion

2007-07-09T11:12:00.000-06:00

Such a quality is, indeed, a virtue when trying to hit the muskie jackpot
Sunday, July 08, 2007

Howard Wagner with a muskie caught and released in the St. Lawrence Seaway. Muskies can be distinguished from northern pike by dark patterns over a light background on their flanks and seven or more sensory pores under their jaws.

By Deborah Weisberg
Uh oh, look how flat that lake is," said muskie guide Howard Wagner, as we approach a boat launch at Lake Arthur on a sunny June morning blanketed with heat. "Let's go and get a banana split until the storm front moves in."
Wagner is joking, since banana splits are always part of his post-fishing ritual, and he is seldom one to kowtow to poor conditions. With no wind to break up surface water, sunlight is penetrating deep and muskies are likely hiding in cover.
He parks his truck, launches his boat and sets up 11-foot trolling rods, clipping a big, heavy Roso Perch Pikie with tangerine belly to one and a jointed Minteer Pikie in White Flash to the other. Both bear the bite marks of many muskies.
"Look how that wiggles," he said, as he runs the Minteer through the clear, still water.
Bait fish show up in 7 feet on Wagner's depth-finder.
"That means the light penetration is 7 feet down, so we'll run our lures at 7, 8 feet," he said. "Water is 79, almost 80, degrees. My favorite temperature for muskies is 80 and above."

The water was that warm at Lake Arthur a month ago when Wagner put a client onto a 53-inch muskie, a size seldom seen on local lakes. If muskies are the "fish of a thousand casts," as the old axiom suggests, 50-plus-inchers are the fish of a lifetime, especially in Pennsylvania where the state record -- unbroken in 87 years -- is 59 inches.
"I've caught them 54 inches, and I've heard of other people catching 54-inchers, in Pennsylvania," Wagner said, "but I've never seen documented proof of one bigger."
Wagner applauds the tighter muskie regulations implemented this year (one a day, at least 40 inches), but would like to see the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission go a step further by imposing a 50-inch minimum or release-only restrictions on select lakes. The best prospects for special regulations would be the Allegheny and Pymatuning reservoirs, he says, where, "they had the biggest muskies in the state 30 years ago, but over-harvest reduced the sizes on both."
Size is everything to muskie hunters, who sacrifice steady action for the prospect of a huge catch.
"I'd say muskie guys average fish on one out of four trips, although on days you catch them you'll probably catch others," Wagner said. "Here's how to look at it: people spend $5 on a lottery ticket every day, day after day, and don't win. But they keep taking a shot at the jackpot."
Wagner has hit the jackpot several times, including one year in the early 1990s when he released seven muskies of 50-plus inches on Tamarack and Conneaut lakes and on the Ottawa River in Canada.
"Tamarack in those days was a well-kept secret," Wagner said. "That was before it was drained. It's still a good muskie lake, but more for numbers, not sizes. Conneaut has changed so much with all the development and boat traffic. It has more pike than muskies now and may never come back in terms of really big fish."
Although Wagner guides locally , his own fishing is focused on lakes Erie, Huron, Michigan and Ontario, which includes the St. Lawrence Seaway. "There's rumors that Great Lakes muskies are approaching 70 pounds," he said. "Of course, without a photo, a catch is just a rumor. I always have a camera with me."
Four years ago, he caught a 55-incher near Buffalo Harbor on Lake Erie's New York side, and five years ago landed a 52-pounder in the middle Allegheny River, wading on a January day.
"I don't like fishing in cold weather," he said, "but I catch a lot of big fish in winter."
October through December is the best time to catch trophy-sized muskies, while mid-June to mid-July is ideal for numbers.
"Water can never be too warm," Wagner said, "since it speeds up the muskies' metabolism and makes them feed more often."
His favorite summer waters include Tamarack, Edinboro, LeBoeuf and Keystone Power Dam. "I like Pymatuning in August," he said.

Wagner fished for trout as a kid, then moved to bass, walleye and pike -- a progression common among muskie anglers. It was on a trip to Canada with his Freeport neighbor, Ralph Jones of the now-defunct Jona Mar Lure Co., that Wagner got sold on muskies.
"I watched one pull Ralph half out of the boat and said, 'That's the kind of fish I want to catch,' " he said.
He became a student of the sport and eventually opened the Fish Education Center at his home in Fombell, Pa. He spends more than 100 days a year on the water.
"The more time you spend fishing, the better you become, although there's always a little bit of luck involved," he said. "I think some guys really do have luck on their side more than others. And you've got to have a gut feeling, a sixth sense, about where the fish are, even on lakes you've never been to."
His favorite all-around trolling lure is the Creek Chub, jointed or straight, in 8-10 inches.
"You can run them fast, they have a unique wobble, and they have a little flash off the front lip that mimics a shiner, " he said.
When the Creek Chub Co., went out of business, Wagner bought as many of their lures as he could find, although he says today's replicas are better -- the lip and the wire harness that runs the length of the bait are now typically stainless steel instead of nickel-plated brass.

At Lake Arthur, we're fishing shad and perch imitations to match the local forage, although the Ferris Yellow Belly Red Bar Perch doesn't represent anything and often works well at Arthur, Wagner says.
We target the lake's three main points and zigzag across the submerged road and railroad beds Wagner remembers from before the lake was created.
"There's the old Route 422 roadbed. See how flat it is?" Wagner said, pointing to his sonar screen. "Muskies like to lie on ditches on either side of that road. I do a lot of open-water trolling -- no bays -- since they suspend off the bottom on those structures."
We troll 4-6 mph and take a lot of turns, which makes the outside lure speed up and the inside lure move slower. It is often this change in direction, Wagner says, that triggers muskies to bite.
Wind and other boat traffic pick up a little during the day, putting enough chop on the water to boost oxygenation. Mid-afternoon, Wagner ties on his "save the best for last" lure, an 8-inch black Pikie. Still, we end our trip without even a hint of a toothy predator.
"I don't know if muskie fishing attracts people with patience and strong willpower or [if it] teaches you that, but you need both because you can go so long between strikes," he said. "I know trolling all day is boring to most people, but for muskie guys it's a mind-set. You know you're going to be out here for so many hours, so you get into a groove. And the last thing I worry about when I'm out here is what I will or won't catch."
(Anglers interested in more on muskies can call the Fish Education Center at 724-452-4464, or visit Muskies Inc. at www.muskiesinc.com and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission at www.fish.state.pa.us. )

1-2 Punch For Flowage Muskies

2007-07-06T05:34:00.001-06:00

By Dave Dorazio, Field Editor

When I think about it nowadays, I had what most musky hunters would consider an interesting childhood. I grew up on my family’s fishing resort located on northern Wisconsin’s Chippewa Flowage. Muskies and musky fishing were a part of daily life in this environment, and this likely gave me a head start to becoming a musky angler.

As a “resort kid,” I got to know several of the old-time musky guides who fished the Chip. When I look back on it, many of the guides were the gruff, rough-hewn outdoorsman type, but they generally seemed to have time to answer many of my questions. And as an curious kid, I’m sure it seemed like I had a million questions!

As I recall, I was about 12 years old when a couple of the guides, Tony Bralick and Bruce Tasker, returned from guiding a party who were staying at our resort. I happened to be hanging around the docks when they dropped their clients off and, of course, I took advantage of the opportunity to further my musky education.

The conversation worked around to bait choices. Tony and Bruce agreed that a good rule of thumb for the Chip was “one up, one down, one black.” They went on to explain that “one up” meant one angler threw a surface lure, while “one down” meant the other angler threw an subsurface lure, generally a bucktail. “One black” indicated that at least one of the lures, if not both, should be black.
For some reason, this rule of thumb stuck with me. During the last 30 plus years that I’ve guided on the Chip, I’ve always tried to be sure to have one of my clients start the day with a surface lure while the other client used a bucktail. And, of course. at least one of the lures was black.

This rule seemed to have served me well. Over the years, my clients and I have caught a lot of nice fish on the Chip. The practice of starting the day with a surface lure and a bucktail seemed to help us key in on the pattern for the day. Many times, we’d end up with both clients casting bucktails or both with surface lures, but it was the routine of starting with one of each that showed us which lure seemed most productive.

During last winter (which seemed to last about 10 months) I got to thinking about the “one up, one down, one black” rule. The rule had become a standard principle to me over the years. I began to wonder if the rule was actually that solid, or if I had skewed my perception to believe that it was. How could I prove to myself whether the rule was valid, or merely a “rural legend.”

While surfing the Internet, I found that some of the resorts on the Chip had their musky charts on-line. I decided to see if I could gather enough data from these charts to either prove or disprove the rule. The two largest and detailed charts were from Indian Trail Resort and Deerfoot Lodge. I hoped that these two charts would yield enough information to help me out.

The charts from these two resorts listed a total of 288 muskies, from 30 to 51 inches, for the months of June, July, August and September. That averages out to nearly 2 1/2 muskies per day for that period. That seemed to be more than sufficient for my purposes.

Since I was personally interested in larger muskies, I tallied up the number of fish 40 inches or longer. The total of 40-plus-inch fish from both charts was 93 for the 4-month period. Of the 93 muskies, 38 (41 percent) were caught on bucktails and 48 (52 percent) were caught on surface lures. Seven of the 40-plus-inch muskies (8 percent) were caught on “other” lures. The “other” category included fish taken on Suicks, Reef Hawgs, and even a nightcrawler.

Therefore, bucktails and surface baits accounted for a surprising 93 percent of the muskies 40 inches or longer on these two charts. This seems to validate the “one up, one down” portion of the rule.
Again, as I was interested in larger muskies, I decided to take it one step farther. I counted the number of muskies 45 inches or longer registered. The total of 45-plus-inch muskies from both charts was 40 for this period. Of these, 16 (40 percent) were caught on bucktails and 22 (55 percent) were caught on surface lures. Only 2 of the 45-plus-inch muskies were caught on lures other than bucktails and surface baits.

Bucktails and surface baits accounted for 95 percent of the muskies 45 inches and longer registered on these two charts! I was convinced that “one up, one down” rule was well-founded.
As further corroboration, I happened upon a listing of the largest fish from the Chip during the 1998 season. This list included eight muskies, from 50 to 54 1/2 inches caught during the June through September time period. Of those eight muskies, two were caught on a bucktail, 4 were caught on surface lures, and the other two fell to a Suick and a rubber worm. This was additional validation of the “one up, one down” rule.

Does this mean that all I carry in my tackle box are bucktails and surface baits when I’m fishing the Chip? No, I still find that jerkbaits can be effective when the muskies are ignoring other lure types. I would hate to head out for a day’s fishing without a few Suicks and Reef Hawgs. However, I will admit that the majority of my fishing time on the Chip is spent throwing bucktails and surface lures. It’s a system that has worked for me for a lot of years, and it has statistical documentation.

As to the “one black” portion of the rule, I’m still not sure it can be proven The charts which furnished most of the data do not include lure color. While I’d never say that black isn’t a prime color for both bucktail and surface lures, I have been using a lot of other colors the last several years.

While this data was geared to the Chippewa Flowage, I’m fairly certain that the “one up, one down” rule will apply to other reservoirs similar to the Chip. I am also certain that these results can be replicated for any water. As long as you can find catch data for that water, you should be able to put together a presentation pattern that will help you boat more muskies. You should be able to correlate certain seasonal periods with lure types that are most effective for those periods.

Then you’ll be able to originate your own rule of thumb. But I bet it won’t sound as cool as “one up, one down, one black”!

MUSKIES 40 INCHES OR LONGER
BUCKTAILS 38 41%
SURFACE 48 52%
OTHER 7 8%
TOTAL 93

MUSKIES 45 INCHES OR LONGER
BUCKTAILS 16 40%
SURFACE 22 55%
OTHER 2 5%
TOTAL 40

Field Editor Dave Dorazio guides in the Hayward, Wisconsin, region. You can reach him at (715) 462-3885.

Three Must-Have Rods For Muskies

2007-07-05T10:31:00.000-06:00

By Joe Bucher, Editor Emeritus

Many of you Musky Hunter readers are old enough to remember the days when one all-purpose musky rod was the norm. A short, stiff, 5 1/2- to 6-foot pool-cue action was the musky standard, and nearly all of us had that one single rod. In most cases, this was the only rod that was offered in stores. While that same sport shop would offer a wide variety of lengths and actions in spinning or fly casting tackle, the “musky rod” was just that — one single rod.

It was not because there wasn’t a diverse selection of lures. While the musky department of yesterday couldn’t rival what is now available, there certainly was a complete array of lure styles and weights. Small, lightweight bucktail spinners, weighing no more than 1 1/2 ounces, were certainly the most popular in northern Wisconsin, but we also had plenty of 4 to 6 ounce heavyweights. Large wooden jerkbaits were even more popular than they are today.

So why the one rod? Well, for one, the rod industry certainly wasn’t going out of its way to produce a selection of rods to cover the wide range of lure weights and techniques. With the exception of St. Croix and a handful of others, few even offered a true complement of rods to handle lure diversities. Another reason was the retail industry itself wasn’t up to speed on musky fishing the way it is today. As soon as you got 35 miles outside of an area containing musky waters, the sport shops simply didn’t take stocking musky tackle with any priority.

Boy, that has certainly changed.

A third and decisive reason for this lack of rod selection in the past was certainly due to the materials used in large big game rods. While today’s graphite rods and their components are light but rigid, powerful and responsive, yesterday’s components were heavy and slow with no sensitivity. In order to attain proper action stiffness to effectively throw a larger 4- to 6-ounce lure, for example, fiberglass had to be beefed up quite a bit. This added weight. Rod weight slows down response and deadens sensitivity and promotes angler fatigue.

New technology along with the growing interest in musky fishing has spawned an industry today that now features musky rods with lengths, components and actions that rival a tournament bass angler’s repertoire. One can now literally buy a rod to fit every lure weight, and further refine his or her choice to fit individual height. And, these rods are built with the very best components right down to custom-designed rod blanks, as well as specialized reel seats. To go with this 21st Century selection of rods, reels are better than ever, and the lines we fish for muskies today are so superior to the products offered just 10 years ago that as a whole, the rod, reel and line are perhaps three of the most technologically-advanced items available.

The end result is a collection of outfits that enables today’s musky angler to perform at a much higher level. Less fatigue, far better castability, superior lure manipulation, fewer lost fish, and a host of other benefits are the byproduct of the new musky rod and reel combo. This is also a key reason why so many more anglers are giving the sport a try today. Certainly there are more places to fish for muskies today, but the tackle is far better now. This includes a great selection of rods. With that in mind, I thought it was high time I discussed three must-have rods which have made my total musky fishing experience much more pleasurable, as I’m sure it will for you, as well.

1. 6-foot-9 Heavy
Application: jerkbaits, glide baits, topwater zig-zag baits

Jerkbaits are such a big part of today’s musky arsenal, but they’ve always been a productive tactic. The main jerkbait rod of yesterday’s musky hunter was a 6-footer. Short by today’s standards, most of us had at least one of these in the boat not that long ago. The short 6-footer had its advantages. Its shortness made it easy to work big jerkbaits with a simple wrist action. It was also fairly easy to heave heavyweight plugs with little effort. And, a short rod with a fast action comparable to all the good 6-footers of recent past, kept extra weight out of the entire rod design making it easy to fish for long periods of time.

But, the short rod also had some noticeable drawbacks. The two biggest that come to mind are a lack of hookset sweep at longer distances, and a lack of overall rod bend during fish battle. Both of these factors usually meant a high number of lost fish after the strike — it is very hard to keep the line tight with a short stiff rod.

While a 6-footer might indeed work a jerkbait well, it can’t keep the line tight, and therefore the fish on after the strike. In order to keep a line taut and a good rod bend during battle, too much pressure is often exerted on the fish. The end result is usually a bent-out hook or a torn hole in the fish’s mouth, both resulting in a lost musky.

The other big drawback to the short traditional 6-footer occurred at boatside when a figure-8 procedure was needed. Rods less than 6 1/2 feet are simply too short for effective figure-8ing. Add a raised casting platform, common to most boats sold today, and the problem is compounded. Hence, the dawning of longer rods that were painstakingly designed to perform like the once popular 6-footer.

In the past, whenever length was added to a rod past six feet, the tip action either softened too much or the entire rod blank became a heavy, slow-action club. This is where modern technology came into play challenging rod makers to develop the right taper, yet maintain the rigid stiffness so critical to a good jerkbait action. This right action or “power” as some rod manufacturers prefer to call it, is now called “extra fast.”

Today’s best musky rod manufacturers have delivered on the demand and offer longer blanks that preform like a short 6-footer during the casting and jerking process, yet they bend correctly during battle. They also perform far better on short line hits at boatside. My favorite in this new grouping is St. Croix’s 6-foot-9 Heavy. A super extra-fast action rod that delivers on all fronts. It is one of my all-time favorite musky rods for tight wrist action snaps on minnowbaits and traditional jerkbaits, as well as the longer sweep-like pull that is preferred with many of the new glide baits.
But, I’ve also graduated to this rod for crankbaits and topwater lures in heavy slop where a short, pinpoint cast is more important.

This particular rod action is the most accurate casting rod I’ve ever used. If you are trying to “thread the needle” and drop a lure into open holes and pockets in slop, or are attempting to pitch a jerkbait accurately to muskies hunkered tight to brush, cribs or other woody cover, this is the rod for you. It is amazing how much more accurate a heavy, stiff extra-fast action rod is over longer models with more bend. The bend robs accuracy. Tie on your favorite topwater bait to two these two different rod actions and see for yourself. You’ll be amazed at how much more accurate the heavy extra-fast action model is. I would never even think of fishing the slop without it.

2. 7-foot-6 Medium Heavy
Application: bucktails, spinnerbaits, small to medium crankbaits

Still, the No. 1 musky producer overall is probably the bucktail spinner or an in-line spinner in some form. Open up any mail order musky catalog today and see for yourself how popular this lure remains. A cousin to the popular bucktail spinner is, of course, the safety pin-style spinnerbait. Spinnerbaits catch everything from bass to pike to muskies on any given outing, and more musky anglers are adding this fish catcher to their arsenal every year.

Both of these ever-popular lures are best fished on a longer rod that has some tip bend. The tip bend is essential for casting these lighter weight lures effectively. The 6-foot-9 heavy we just talked about would be a poor choice for this group of lures mostly from a casting point of view. And, while a 7-footer might be OK, experience has proven that a model that is at least 7 1/2 feet is even better. The additional six inches or so really makes a difference on casts with marginal weight lures. In fact, the 7 1/2-foot medium heavy makes casting the famed bucktail spinner a true pleasure. But, there are some other advantages to this rod that may not seem as obvious but are just as important.

When you choose a rod for any style of fishing, try to think of it from two perspectives. The first, of course, is to consider how the rod will cast and work a lure. But the second is to ponder how this particular rod will set a hook and fight a fish. Hooksetting and fish fighting are key elements to success in musky fishing, yet few consider this in their rod choice. It makes a difference in the overall amount of muskies you hook and land successfully.

If the rod doesn’t set the hook solidly, a bigger fish will surely expel the hook in short order. This can be a concern with longer rod actions that start pushing the 7 1/2- to 8-foot range. Many longer musky rods of the past were simply too soft and slow. They did not deliver enough horsepower when needed on the hookset. While a soft, slow action rod will certainly stay bent during battle and do an acceptable job of fighting a fish once hooked, if it doesn’t generate the proper energy needed to drive the hook home, it will all be for naught.

Today’s superior rod building techniques have once again solved this problem delivering a blank that is so perfectly suited for this specific application that I find myself using this rod probably more than any other. The right 7-6 blank has to be designed uniquely so it will maintain a rigid stiffness in the lower 65 to 75 percent at least, with 75 to 85 percent being more ideal. The section near the tip is where the bending should occur for both casting and fish fighting. This all has to be done without adding unnecessary weight near the middle and tip of the rod which creates casting fatigue and robs hookset speed.

One final advantage of the 7-foot-6 medium heavy is at the boat in the figure-8. Rods of this length are far superior to shorter versions when attempting to make a large figure-8 effectively on a following fish. It’s a real strain to work a shorter rod in a large figure-8 pattern, not to mention trying to keep a fish hooked once it hits. This is all easily done with the 7-6 medium heavy.

Like I said, I find myself using this rod more than any other, and like this action so much I actually keep two of these on my bow deck at all times — one rigged with an in-line spinner and the other with a spinnerbait. A third one rigged with a small 5- to 7-inch crankbait would not be out of the question. That’s how much I think of this particular rod action. It’s a winner in every respect. You will see me fishing with this rod for muskies on my TV show more than any other.

3. 7-foot-0 or 7-foot-2 Medium Heavy
Application: Topwaters and larger crankbaits and swimbaits.

In my opinion, this is the least critical of the three must-have rods. It has to be stout enough to throw the big stuff and set the hook well, but it shouldn’t be overly stiff on the tip action so it will perform well during battle. In this case, an angler of shorter stature might opt for a 6 1/2-footer, while a tall one might want something larger than the suggested 7-0 or 7-2. This is all well and good, and you should decide this based on your height and any personal preferences.

However, the fact remains, you need this specific rod action to accommodate the rest of the lures in your tackle box not already discussed.

Considering most of these are bound to be larger lures are in the 3- to 6-ounce range, the rod cannot mirror the action of the 7-foot-6 we just discussed. Instead, it has to have a bit more backbone with less tip action to handle the sheer weight of these larger lures. At the same time, it should also be less rigid, less stout than the previously discussed 6-foot-9, whose stoutness is primarily needed to work jerkbait-style lures.

It should have that perfect amount of bend or “give” that allows you to fight a big fish with more control. Keeping a tight line and consistent pressure on a big one after the hookset is the key here. Larger 3- to 6-ounce lures usually have larger treble hooks, as well. This means a thicker gauge metal on each hook with a larger barb surface area. All of this adds up to the need for more power in the hookset, yet solid consistent pressure once the hooks are driven home. A rod of at least seven feet in the medium heavy action will provide this for sure.

My personal favorite in this category has always been St. Croix’s Premier 7-2 medium heavy. This is an exceptional all around rod fully capable of casting 1 1/2-ounce bucktails as well as a 6-ounce swimbait. It’s definitely not a substitute for the 6-9 for jerkbait fishing, but if push came to shove, it could do the job. But, man is this a good crankbait stick. Great for working deep divers over rock humps and along weed edges. Great for trolling deep divers along rock walls in the fall, too. A top choice for many straight retrieve topwater lures.

Speaking of topwater lures, a rod that is a bit slower on the hookset is preferred here. You actually do not want to be that fast on the hookset on any topwater strike. While I occasionally use the 6-9 heavy for topwaters, I miss more fish with it simply because the rod responds too fast. If you have quick, jumpy, boxer-like reflexes, you’re going miss way too many muskies with a 6-9 heavy but will not happen as often with a slower-tapered medium heavy rod. The additional length combined with the action will result in a slower response on the hookset.

Swimbaits, the newest musky lure category, are large soft plastic lures that can weigh as much as six ounces or more. It takes a big rod to throw these lugs. After they hit the water, a slow steady retrieve with perhaps an occasional stop-go crank action will usually attract some musky movement. So quick, jerkbait-like rod responses are generally not necessary. But a long sweeping hookset with consistent pressure is critical to hookups. A longer rod of at least seven feet combined with a medium heavy action will provide this.

Rod Review
So there you have it. The three must-have rods as I see them. I hope I have helped you make rod choice a bit easier for future musky trips. Of course, you can always add more to accommodate special situations, but these three will more than do the job for you for most musky hunts.

Individual preferences still rule here, however. If you fish out of a small boat, or are of smaller stature, slightly shorter rod actions might be more to your liking. Conversely, real tall anglers might want these actions a bit longer. Fishing off raised casting platforms, common to most of the better musky boats today, might also dictate a slightly longer rod, particularly if you are taller.

However, I like these rod lengths and actions just as I described them. Most of the time I have these three must-have rods all up on the deck — right alongside me at all times. While I might have additional rods in the boat to accommodate special techniques such as jig fishing, I make a living with these three rods day in and day out. You are welcome to check it out for yourself at anytime.

Watch my TV show more closely. Look at what’s on my deck. The three must-have rods are always within grasp rigged with a favorite bait to handle any situation I might encounter on that day of musky hunting. I never leave the dock without them.

Joe Bucher is the host of the Fishing With Joe Bucher television show. He lives near Eagle River, Wisconsin.

First-Timer's Guide To Lake of the Woods

2007-07-02T14:05:00.000-06:00

By Tom Gelb

I started hunting muskies on Lake of the Woods about 25 years ago. My first impression remains with me today — almost every spot looks good!

Up to that time, my musky experiences had been almost entirely on small to medium size lakes in Wisconsin. Locating fishy spots was a challenge, particularly before sonar. But to explore a small lake and locate weeds, rocks, logs and points took a matter of hours and provided a good starting point to pinpoint musky locations. These spots were fished repeatedly and the winners eventually were evident.

But my first LOTW experience required a different approach as even a small part of the lake was larger than the lakes I’d fished back home, and as I said, almost everything looked good. To learn as much as possible in a short period of time, I fished as many spots as I could as fast as I could. I concentrated on weeds, rocks and points, using lures that could be fished rapidly in an attempt to locate active fish.

As my first few trips were in late spring and summer, bucktails were my primary fish-locating tool.If a spot looked really good, or a musky was seen or caught, that spot went on my list and was visited continually as I expanded my fishing area. In the beginning I was fishing almost entirely new spots every day with repeats representing a very small percentage of spots visited.

Even then, I would try to pre-plan my day and the areas I would fish, but always looking for desirable new spots as they presented themselves.

After years of exploring, a trip to LOTW now involves a detailed pre-planned milk run, every day. A few new spots are always included, along with old spots that look very good but have never produced. I have found that fish locations change, with hot areas turning cold and cold areas turning hot.

After years of fishing the same waters, I have classified spots that I fish in a few simple categories:

Super spots: Remains consistently productive with fish of all sizes seen and usually caught.

Good spots: Usually productive, but only an occasional super fish.

One upon a time: Spot has produced only super fish, but rarely.

Never: Looks great, but never produced

Don’t bother: I gave up! (Maybe you can get one here!)

Lake of the Woods remains one of my favorite waters to this day. The fishery is on the upswing thanks to a 54-inch size limit and numerous good year classes of fish, and it seems the lake is becoming more popular with anglers each year. With that in mind, let’s explore how a first-timer should attack this giant lake.

LOTW Through The Season

Early in the season, green cabbage weeds are a prime holding area. Look for cabbage in front of sand bays, in saddles between islands, in narrows between small islands and shore and of course at the mouth of shallow weedy bays. If rocks are present along with the weeds, all the better. As the season progresses, some of the same spots will remain good, but areas along rock shores, rock reefs, small rock islands, points and underwater bars will now hold active fish. Saddles between small islands even without weed cover can also be excellent. The best advice I can give is to keep exploring new places trying to understand where fish are and why they are there.

As the lake comes into bloom in late August, a good reminder is to use more hot colors to make your lure more visible as long as this condition exists. As the season extends later into fall, some spots may remain good, but with the fish locating farther off the structure or cover, but still adjacent to their summer haunts. Explore other areas, as some spots that did not hold fish early in the season may now be productive. It may take a season or so to understand seasonal movement to and from different types of areas. I don’t believe there is any shortcut to attaining this knowledge other than try and try again!

The point of all this is obvious: I fish my "super" and "good" spots the majority of the time. But it also means that the "never" and the "once upon a time" places are also fished and after years of fishing, a few eventually have become good producers but some still have not.

Spots change over time, becoming hot or cold for no apparent reason. I continue to work most of them, but at a lower frequency.

I have found daily weather conditions to be a most important determinant in connecting with big muskies in these waters. Cloud cover with frontal movement in low light conditions, and periods before and during a storm with a falling barometer and thunderstorm activity, are best. This is the prime time to attack fish recently spotted, super spots and particularly those spots that look good, but have never produced.

Trying a new spot, new lure, new color or new technique when weather conditions are very unfavorable (east wind, bright sun, etc.) proves nothing and can lead you to false conclusions. The time to try something new is when conditions are at their best. I also believe strongly that during each day there are key times that may increase fish activity — moonrise and moonset, moon overhead and moon underfoot — even with very poor weather conditions. Know when these key times occur when you go on the water every day. Don’t forget, with very poor conditions, always fish the best time of that day — sunset. Exploit these conditions — don’t let them exploit you!

LOTW Considerations

Fishing this lake over and over can create fishing patterns that on some occasions do not yield favorable results. Conditions not necessarily obvious to us affect musky activity and location, and always fishing the same way can result in missed opportunities. Here are a few suggestions that help in expanding your knowledge of these waters:

•On occasion, even under favorable conditions, muskies are absent or only small ones are evident on your best spots. When this occurs, try moving out from these spots toward deeper or open water. A place to start is about two cast lengths out from your normal (previously successful) position for fishing a particular spot. Start here and work your way parallel to your "normal" route as muskies may have moved out and may be suspended off, but adjacent, to structure. Another approach is to have one person casting to the "spot" and the other casting out. This may not be far enough away, but it’s an easy way to start. If you draw a blank, spend some time a little farther out.

Even with this approach, sometimes the muskies remain elusive. As a general rule, I have found weeds are usually productive right from the start of the season and will remain so through the summer. Deeper areas with rocks and particularly deep water points become better as the season progresses, and become great in the fall. But sometimes early in the season, the shallower weedy areas produce nothing or only small fish. When this happens, don’t overlook deeper rocky areas that you would consider fall spots. Fishing these locations in the early part of the season has saved the day for me on many occasions.

• Occasionally conditions develop that make areas that were previously difficult now fishable. Many bays have very extensive and very thick weeds. These areas have water depths of from three to eight feet, but are usually so weed-choked that they are impossible to fish. It is my belief that many of these areas hold fish most of the season up until the weeds start dying in the fall. These waters, with the depths shaded from the sun, provide an undisturbed pasture for many large muskies. The fish in these areas are usually only accessible when they occasionally venture to the open edge of the weeds. On a few occasions, I have experienced high water conditions that allow these waters to be fished. If water is high, be sure to check these weedy areas. There may now be 1 to 2 feet of water over the tops of the weeds. Move back in and fish over the tops of the now-submerged weeds. Also look for small open areas well back in the previously-unfishable area. Keep your eyes open for these conditions as some real giants can be caught.

• In most heavily-fished waters, observing schooling muskies is quite rare. But in LOTW, muskies will school almost any time of year. Two super fish hunting together have been observed on many occasions. These concentrations may be small packs containing from two to five fish and/or larger groups containing substantially greater numbers. Smaller packs are usually composed of similar-size fish while large groups are usually made up of mixed sizes from small to very large. Grouping of small packs or large groups have been observed as being both tight and loose. Two super fish may be hunting within a few feet of each other or as far as 100 feet apart. The point of this discussion is simply that if you see a super fish (or any fish for that matter) don’t assume it is alone. Another fish may be nearby and ready to hit. Don’t quit or move to another spot just because you catch or raise one. Work the location where the fish was seen and the areas adjacent to it before you depart. Current conditions must be somewhat favorable or you would not have seen the first one. You may have come across one of those rare musky concentrations. There may be more, so don’t run off without really working the area.

• LOTW muskies of all sizes relate to baitfish at various times. This can occur from early in the season well through the late fall.

Walleyes, perch and crappie fisherman provide excellent clues. Walleyes will follow schools of shiners, which sometimes are in great abundance.

Muskies definitely are attracted to these walleye concentrations. Watch for groups of boats walleye fishing and observe what they are catching. Muskies will feed on everything from cigar- to lunker-size walleyes. If I observe a group of walleye fisherman in an area for a few days and then on my next pass by they are all gone, I immediately investigate.

What caused those walleyes to depart? It could have been the movement of the baitfish, but it also could be a visit from Ms. Big. Casting the area or making a few trolling passes where the fisherman were can really pay off. If there is some closely related structure such as a rock bar or point, also give this a try. Similar situations can exist with very large and concentrated schools of shiners, crappies and perch.

• Always watch for fish concentrations on your locator when you are motoring from spot to spot and you may find your own musky feed lot.

However you locate baitfish, remember they are great magnets for big active muskies — they may help you locate a once in a lifetime musky concentration. Keep your eyes open for these conditions.

LOTW Presentations

There are literally hundreds of musky lures available that will catch big fish at one time or another in LOTW. Despite the vast availability of lures, I have narrowed down my selection to a relatively few. Over time, lures once on my list have been replaced by newer more modern designs.

The number of lures I currently use is less than a dozen with a few color options of each. Sampling my historical records and my memory, lures on my current list represent over 90 percent of total muskies caught and 97 percent of Ms. Bigs from LOTW in the last 25 years. With two exceptions, all of these lures have caught good fish in every month of LOTW’s open season.

For those of you who have not ventured forth on this vast fishery, I have tried to present a simplified approach to help you get started.

These suggestions only represent the tip of the iceberg. Conditions are always changing and flexibility is a must.

With time, you too will find your own "super" spots and "good" spots — they’ll be super or good because of the many muskies you will have caught.

Field Editor Tom Gelb lives near Conover, Wisconsin.

Our Top 5 July Muskie Lakes

2007-07-02T06:51:00.000-06:00

Our Top 5 July Muskie Lakes
Here’s a look at five of Pennsylvania’s top-rated summertime muskie lakes -- and how you can get in on the action this month. (July 2007)
By Jeff Knapp

July offers a variety of opportunities for Keystone State muskie anglers. Deep reservoirs, where muskies grow big but are fewer, offer one option. Small, shallow lakes offer exciting muskie action during peak times. And the larger rivers provide still more opportunities for July muskellunge anglers.

Here is a look at five top-rated muskie waters to check out this summer:

KINZUA DAM
Certain watersheds in the state have a history of producing exceptional muskie fishing. The Allegheny River is one of these, including the 12,000-acre reservoir known as Kinzua Dam.

Kinzua is a deep, clear lake with little in the way of shoreline development. Two “arms” feed the lake. The main arm -- the flooded portion of the Allegheny River -- extends well up into New York. The Kinzua arm, fed by Kinzua Creek, joins the main branch of the reservoir from the east a short distance from the dam. The lake attains a maximum depth of 130 feet at the dam.

Various shiner species provide a good forage base for Kinzua’s muskies. The lake also contains redhorse and other suckers, soft-rayed fish that muskies relish.

The lower portion of the lake, including the Pennsylvania section of the main branch and the Kinzua arm, tends to be steep-sided with quickly breaking shorelines. Flats are present and will show up on a good lake map.

In the New York section of the lake, things broaden and flatten just a bit, with extensive flats extending out from the old main river channel.

A great deal of artificial cover has been placed in Kinzua. This includes tire reefs, wood cribs and brush piles.

Muskie populations are not dense in any lake, and this is certainly true of Kinzua. The lake is slated for increased stocking by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, starting this year.

Though muskies are occasionally taken by casting, Kinzua is a trolling lake for most folks. By midsummer, the fish will likely be relating more to suspended baitfish than to physical structure. One of the best tips is to pick out an area and fish it well, rather than trying to fish the whole lake in one day.

There is no horsepower limitation on Kinzua, so expect recreational traffic, particularly on summer weekends. Anglers fishing the New York part of the lake need a New York license, as well as a permit from the Cornplanter Indian Reservation.

Primary boat launches on the Pennsylvania section of the lake include Elijah (in the Kinzua Arm), Roper Hollow and Webbs Ferry. A marina is found at Wolf Run, where the Kinzua and Allegheny arms meet. Landings are also available in the many recreational and camping areas, with additional ramps in New York.

For additional recreational information, contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at (814) 726-0164.

TAMARACK LAKE
If there were such a thing as a lake with lots of muskies, Tamarack would certainly qualify.

Tamarack is shallow, fertile and filled with cover, but this 500-plus acre water is more of a flooded swamp.

One of the best tips is to pick out an area and fish it well, rather than trying to fish the whole lake in one day.

A few years ago, Tamarack Lake was drained for maintenance work on its two dam structures. Since it was refilled, it has bounced back in fine form. The lake received stockings of both fingerling and adult fish. Currently, there are a lot of muskies in the mid to upper 30-inch range, as well as some over 40 inches.

Tamarack Lake is long and narrow. Much of the lake is 6 feet deep or less, though there is a deeper depression in the northern end of the lake near the dam. Both floating and submergent vegetation are heavy.

Lily pads line much of the shoreline. Milfoil is found throughout, though it hasn’t returned to the pre-drainage days, when it would make boat navigation difficult by summer.

There are plenty of stumps, both submerged and exposed. Muskies make good use of both the weeds and wood. During hot, stagnant weather, the lake often experiences a heavy algae bloom, which can hamper fishing efforts.

The primary forage base in Tamarack Lake is young panfish. Bottom-bouncing crankbaits that mimic these are productive, as are jerkbaits worked over weedbeds.

Tamarack Lake is limited to electric motors only. Several boat ramps may be found along Tamarack Drive. Two docks are suitable for larger boats.

For more information, contact the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-332-2338.

LAKE WILHELM
Known as an outstanding largemouth bass lake, Lake Wilhelm has quietly evolved into a quality muskie hotspot.

The centerpiece of Maurice Goddard State Park, Lake Wilhelm is long, narrow and fairly shallow. Maximum depth is about 25 feet.

Recent years have seen good levels of submergent vegetation in Wilhelm. Milfoil grows out to depths of about six or seven feet during years where sunny, warm weather occurs in spring.

Beaver lodges are common around the lake, as is other wood cover including laydowns and brushpiles.

Larger muskies are showing up each year, including fish in the 50-inch range. Food species include panfish and suckers.

Wilhelm is unique in that a portion of the lake lies in a state game lands. On that portion of the lake, only non-powered boats are permitted. Expect to find unexploited muskie fishing opportunities there.

A 20-horsepower limit is in effect on the remainder of the lake. Though some fish are taken by casting, most muskie hunters troll this lake, particularly during the summer.

Interstate 79 crosses the lake, making it easily accessible to anglers. Several excellent boat ramps are sprinkled around the lake. It also has a marina.

To obtain additional information on Lake Wilhelm, phone Goddard State Park office at (724) 253-4833.

SHENANGO
Another Mercer County water has been making news of late -- big muskie news, that is. During the past year or two, several muskies in the 50-inch-plus range have been taken from the lake.

A Corps of Engineers flood-control lake, Shenango is subject to fluctuating water levels. Winter drawdowns thwart any significant weed growth. But while the lake lacks weeds, it is replete with bottom contour (humps, ledges, channels, etc.). Sunken roadbeds and areas of riprap (much of it along causeways) add to the cover.

While the Mahaney Channel -- the reach of the lake directly upstream of the dam -- is narrow and steep-sided, the lake is primarily comprised of wider, gently sloping basins. There is a lot of interesting area to cover for the muskie troller. The lake experiences heavy recreational use during sunny summer weekends.

The primary forage in the lake is gizzard shad. Panfish are another menu item for the lake’s toothy critters.

Three major access areas -- Clark, Mercer and Shenango -- provide access to the lake. There is no horsepower restriction on much of the lake, though the portion upstream of the Route 846 bridge is limited to 10-horsepower motors.

Contact the Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-637-2370 for travel assistance.

LOWER ALLEGHENY RIVER
The lower Allegheny River, in particular pools 5 through 8, all have good muskie populations.

The river is impounded by lock and dam systems, and there can be a high level of boat traffic during the summer. The biggest factor is fair weather, which means stable water levels (not high and muddy) and good fishing conditions.

Pool 6 has the best shallow-water habitat. There are plenty of islands, mid-river humps and grassbeds. This is excellent water for casting to.

While good casting spots are available in the other three pools, much of the shallow habitat has been removed through dredging. In these areas, trolling may be a better tactic.

Along this stretch of river, boat-access areas include the Kittanning, Cowanshannock Creek and Templeton launches. No public access is available on Pool 5. Anglers must lock through from either above or below.

To get additional information on the area, call the Armstrong County Tourist Bureau, 1-888-265-9954.

The Evolution of Musky Lures

2007-06-29T07:35:00.000-06:00

by Randy Mead

I have only been Musky fishing since 1990 so I am not what you would call an old timer. But I have been doing it long enough to have seen the evolution of Musky lures and the flooding of lure types and manufacturers on the market. It seems that everyone is out to build a better mouse trap.

Today you have over one hundred different manufacturers to choose from and close to five hundred different styles or variations, not to mention the vast amount of color patterns available. Does that mean that you can’t pull out an original black Bobbie bait and not catch fish? No. The lure market has been inundated with products, making it almost impossible for someone new to the sport to have a clue where to start.

I remember when I started, it was pretty simple. Jerkbaits, you had to have a Suick, Bobbie Bait, Reef Hawg and maybe an Eddie Bait. Crankbaits, you had Crane Baits, Rapalas and Hartman lures (remember those). Surface lures, there were Topper Stoppers and Tally Whackers. Yea, there were probably a few more to choose from, but you had to have at least one of all of these in your box not to mention a black bucktail.

Now, there are so many lures out there, how do you know where to begin. Not to mention the fact that the average cost of a good Musky lure today is almost $20. Now taking that into consideration, look in your tackle box and count the number of lures that you have. Take that times $20 and go tell your wife how much that adds up to. I bet after that she wants to know where her diamond tennis bracelet is.

Do we really need this many lures to choose from. When I look in my own tackle box, I have over one hundred wood baits and countless bucktails. But when I stop and think about it, there are only a few that I use on a regular basis. Some haven’t seen water in years. But you know what, I continue to buy more, lures that I can’t do without.

The best is when you decide to try a new lake. So you get into town and stop at the local tackle shop to see what the hot lure is right now. And as it goes, it just happens to be the one that you don’t have so you buy it. For me, I get out there and end up throwing something I had in my box anyway.

Here is a question for anyone. Have there been innovations in lures where the lures of today are better and more productive than the ones of old? I don’t think so. I still catch most of my fish on the classics. Suicks, Bobbies, Cranes and bucktails. There are a couple of lures that came along shortly after I started that I will also throw into the “classic” category and they are the Bucher Depth Raiders and the Giant Jackpot.

Really, do I need five different colors of a Phantom? Do I need a Manta? Won’t a good old Reef Hawg do the same thing?

The other problem I have is that the quality of the classic lures has diminished. Suicks, Reef Hawgs and Bobbies are not what they used to be. Maybe this is why other lures become available. Suicks of today, it takes hours of tuning to get them to run right. Reef Hawgs, I don’t know what happened to them, but buy five and you might get one that works right. Bobbies, I don’t even bother. I just hope the old ones I have hold up.

I know that I used to always say that Crane baits are great, but they don’t hold up when you get a big fish and that it would be nice to make a lure that had the same action but was more durable. Well, along came Big Game and yes I bought one. Now I go out, what do I put on the line, my trusty Crane bait. It still works just as good as it ever did.

Our sport has grown immensely in the past fifteen years. Did anyone think that we would have a competitive Musky Tournament Trail available? More people are fishing Muskies than ever before. On the up side, the resource is better than it ever was. Thanks to organizations like Muskies, Inc. and Muskies Canada, the regulations have been changed to protect this fragile resource. It is only a matter of time before the World Record is broken. And it is the members of Muskies, Inc. and Muskies Canada that will be responsible thanks to the practice of catch and release.

As for now, I will continue to buy the next sure thing when it comes to lures. But honestly, I feel just as confident with the classics. A sucker born every minute.

All site content copyright of Musky Gods©

Reiter and Cummings Win PMTT

2007-06-28T06:46:00.001-06:00

Professional Muskie Tournament Trail
Published June 27, 2007

A full field of 125 teams competed in the PMTT - Mercury Marine's Summer Challenge - on the world renowned Eagle River Chain of Lakes in northeastern Wisconsin. Hosted by the Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce, this marks the sixth year in a row the PMTT has made this one of the stops on the tournament trail. Known for its exceptional musky fishing and always one of the top producers during each year for the trail, this year was no exception.

Under sunny skies with S.W. winds at 5-10 mph and air temps in the low 80's the muskies put on quite the showing as the anglers boated 43 during the two day event, with eight of them being forty inches or longer. It was really across the board as muskies were caught everywhere and on almost every kind of bait. There really didn't seem to be any one certain type of pattern going until everyone heard the post tournament interviews with the winners.

The team of James Reiter and Ric Cummings both from Vernon Hills, IL caught four muskies, all forty inches or longer, which is half of the eight muskies registered over forty inches by the entire field of 125 teams. While most cast traditional sized muskies baits at weed edges and chased baitfish pods over open water, Reiter & Cummings didn't.

After several days of pre-fishing they decided to downsize their baits and go shallower then most of the rest of the field during the tournament. While fishing on Cranberry Lake by the river that feeds from the Three Lakes Chain, they burned small bass size inline rubber skirted spinners through 2-4 feet of 74 degree water with spotty weeds. This turned out to be the hot pattern as they boated a 40", 40.25", 40.50" & 41.75" muskies and took home the first place hardware at the Mercury Marine Summer Challenge and a check for over $20,000.

Tyler Maney & Ryan bock were the only other team to register four muskies, two at 34" and two at 35" as they worked bucktails & jerkbaits on the weed edges. They moved around constantly in search of active fish as they caught all four muskies on four different lakes. Their run and gun technique was good enough for second place honors and a check for $5000.

Garth Darton & Jerry Willner both from the Eagle River area, were able to catch two the first day; 34.25" and 36" and one 37.25", the second on perch colored baby Depth Raiders on the deep side of the weed edges in Eagle Lake to land them the third place trophies and a check for $3,600. While John Steckel & Randy Machtan both from Marsfield, WI. boated two muskies with spinnerbaits working the rivers that connected Eagle and Otter lakes along with the big fish of the tournament at 42" to total $3,000 in their forth place efforts.

Rounding out the top five is the team of Matt Polman from the Madison, WI area and Brian Schaffer from Tomahawk, WI. They were successful enough to boat three muskies of 34.25", 35.50" & 35.50" on day one working jerkbaits off the deep weed edges on the southern end of Catfish Lake, but got skunked on day two. For their efforts they took home not the fifth place trophies and the prestigious Ranger Cup Award for an additional $1,000 for the top finishing registered Ranger Boat owner and a grand total of $3,100.

Present from Mercury Marine was Kevin Luebke, Manager Freshwater Endorsements. He talked about the long running partnership between the PMTT and Mercury and thanked everyone for running Mercury. Luebke also explained to the folks that Mercury was not only a sponsor of the PMTT but that they support all of musky fishing and are financially committed to making the entire sport of musky fishing bigger and better.

Tournament Director Tim Widlacki thanked all of the PMTT's sponsors, especially Mercury Marine for sponsoring the tournament and the Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce for hosting the event. In addition Ranger Boats, Farm & City Insurance Services, Musky Hunter Magazine, Heckel's Marine, Keyes Outdoors Television, Rollie & Helens Musky Shop, Wildlife Energy Drink, Extreme Muskie Expo's, Crash's Landing, Morehead Tourism Commission, Village of Antioch & the Antioch Chamber of Commerce and all of the associate and contributing sponsors. Please let these fine folks know that you appreciate their promotional efforts in support of freshwaters most challenging fish; and those extreme anglers who chase her on the first, best and only National Professional Musky Circuit the PMTT!

To obtain more information on becoming a member of the 2007 PMTT, results or to view event photo album, please visit them on the Web at www.promusky.com or call the PMTT at: 815-478-4351

PMTT Qualifier - Eagle River Chain Results

Surprising muskie adds to northern rivalry

2007-06-22T05:24:00.000-06:00

By BOB LAMB | Tribune Outdoors Editor

Gillette got sweet revenge Monday morning when he caught a larger northern. At least that’s what the men thought, until they were told Gillette’s fish was actually a muskie.

“You know, I think you’re right,” Wehrenberg told me as I snapped a few photos of Gillette holding a 44-inch, 22-pound muskie he caught from the Black River on La Crosse’s North Side.

Gillette caught the huge fish about a block from his condominium in South Lauderdale Bay.

Gillette, 64, caught two northern pike earlier in the morning, and then decided to motor back out in his small fishing boat just before noon. As Gillette was trolling with one fishing pole through a cut leading from the bay into the main channel of the Black River, he felt a tug on his 30-pound test braided line.

“I never made it out of the cut,” he said, adding that he was using a birch-colored Rapala diving lure in about 10 feet of water.

“I couldn’t get the fish off the bottom,” Gillette said. “I just tired him out and netted him. I just thought it was a humongous northern.”

Gillette quickly turned his boat around and chugged back toward the Moorings condominium boat docks. Gillette also called his wife, Joanne, and told her to call Wehrenberg so he could weigh and measure the fish.

“I think I was as excited as he was,” said Wehrenberg, who measured the fish twice and weighed it on two different scales. “And then it dawned on me as soon as you said it was a muskie.”

There is an open season for muskies from May 27, 2007, through March 1, 2008, on Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary waters. The daily bag limit is one each with a 40-inch minimum length, according to Dave Vetrano, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources fisheries supervisor in the La Crosse area.

Vetrano and Jordan Weeks, a La Crosse area DNR fisheries biologist confirmed Gillette’s fish was a hybrid “tiger” muskie, a cross between a muskie and a northern pike.

Vetrano said there actually is a fair muskie fishery on the lower Black River from North Bend and Melrose all the way down to the Black River in La Crosse, which feeds into the Mississippi River.

“It’s a dandy,” said Weeks, while looking at close-up photos of Gillette’s tiger muskie.

Weeks and Vetrano said “true” muskies, not hybrids, were stocked in Lake Neshonoc and also in the

La Crosse River last fall. More were stocked in the same locations earlier this spring.

While Gillette’s tiger muskie is certainly large, it’s not as big as the 47-inch, 35-pound “true” muskie taken from Jersey Valley near Westby in 1989.

“That fish was even fatter than this one,” said Vetrano, who believes that someone put that fish into Jersey Valley Lake. “It had 52 acres of food to eat all by its lonesome.“

Vetrano and Weeks said they hear occasional stories about anglers catching big muskies in the Coulee Region, but there are no photos or fish to prove it.

Gillette, meanwhile, is having a mount made of his muskie as lasting proof to Wehrenberg and the other two members of the neighborhood “Manhattan Club,” that Gillette is No. 1 when it comes to fishing.

“He’s been trying to beat me for four years and he finally did,” said Wehrenberg, who caught his large northern less than 100 yards from where Gillette caught his muskie.

Gillette, originally from rural Warrens, has a home in Arcadia in addition to his condo in South Lauderdale Bay. He started fishing when he was six years old and has caught a 110-pound tarpon, a 120-pound sailfish and a 24-pound peacock bass on fishing trips down south.

Gillette doesn’t fish a lot in the summer, maybe once every two or three weeks. He prefers to fish in the fall. He said he enjoys fishing for northerns, walleyes, bass and panfish, but not muskies.

“I can’t stand fishing for muskies. It’s no fun,” he said.

“However, I have to admit this muskie is the biggest freshwater fish I ever caught,” he said. “That’s part of the fun fishing around here. You never know what you’re going to catch.”

Vetrano, like others who saw Gillette’s muskie, was impressed by the size of the fish and where it was caught.

“Fish show up in the oddest places,” said Vetrano, a 30-year DNR veteran, who has spent all but three years in the La Crosse area.

“I always tell people that the more time I spend out here in the hinterlands, the more surprises there are and that I don’t know that much,” he said.

Bob Lamb can be reached at (608) 791-8228, or at blamb@lacrossetribune.com

2007-06-22T05:22:00.000-06:00

Muskie fishermen are always on the lookout for a magic lure that can turn the “fish of 10,000 casts” into a willing playmate.

They rush to the tackle store to buy every new bait on the market. Their boats are stacked with boxes and boxes of stuff. Not even they know everything they have.

But, Dave Ludington, a top muskie guide in Central Illinois, says just five lures will do.

“You just don’t need all these baits to catch muskies,” said Ludington, who focuses on Evergreen Lake and Spring Lake.

Here’s what he recommends for the complete muskie arsenal:

1. A bucktail works spring, summer and fall by creating flash and vibration to attract and trigger muskies in the stained and dirty water common to Central Illinois. They can be reeled fast to stay near the surface or more slowly to travel deeper. Though the walls of tackle stores are covered with every color in the rainbow, white and silver work well. Combinations of chartreuse, orange and black are good in dingy water or at night.

2. A 6-inch crankbait like a Grandma or Jake can be twitched to resemble a wounded baitfish and used both shallow and deep. Ludington likes rainbow trout or natural colors that resemble shad.

“Do you need a ton of them? No. I’m a firm believer tackle companies make more colors to catch fishermen, not fish,” he said.

3. A topwater bait like a Pacemaker by guide Ty Sennett can be retrieved across the surface at varying speeds. They work best when surface temperature is 65 degrees or higher.

4. A second topwater bait can offer a different look. For example, a Jackpot which slides from side-to-side.

5. A pin-style spinnerbait offers both flash and vibration and can be fished top to bottom, fast or slow. The pin-style spinner also can be jigged up and down below the boat or trolled over the top of weedbeds, on weed edges, over wood and along drop-offs.

“If you can only have one bait, this is the one to have,” Ludington said.

Stretch the number of baits from five to six by adding a larger Jake or Grandma for casting or trolling, he said. His clients earlier this week caught a 33-inch muskie trolling a Grandma at Evergreen. They also had another fish on, but lost it, and a follow from a 40-inch fish. Water temperature was 72 degrees.

Release tools are not a place to cut costs, he added. The proper equipment insures both your safety and the health of the fish so it can be freed to fight another day. A long needlenose pliers, jaw spreaders and bolt cutters are mandatory. A glove improves the odds of a safe release. Every boat should an extra-large net to keep the muskie in the water while you grab the tools and a camera.

Contact Ludington at (309) 663-2483.

Trophy tips

Jim Saric of Musky Hunter magazine and television show echoed Ludington’s suggestions during an appearance in Bloomington sponsored by the Central Illinois Muskie Hunters. Saric’s talk was on trophy tactics. With more than 100 muskies over 50 inches to his credit, he should know.

Saric’s list also begins with a bucktail to learn new water quickly. Use Colorado blades to run high in the water column and willowleaf to run deeper over rocks. Smaller blades run shallower and can be reeled faster and speed sometimes is the key to trigger strikes. Big blades, like the Double Cowgirls’ number 10 size blades, have produced big muskies. In pressured waters, flatten the blades to present something different to the fish. You can add plastic trailers, but don’t get carried away.

Vary the speed of the retrieve. Do a figure “8” boat-side after every cast.

Topwater baits are next on his list when muskies are located in shallow cover. Propeller-style topwaters are great for choppy water.

Soft plastic baits like the Bulldog are responsible for more top finishes in the Professional Musky Tournament Trail than any other kind of bait, Saric added. They seem to shine on pressured waters and during tough times, including during cold fronts.

Carp get-together

The Carp Anglers Group is hosting 16 get-togethers in as many states, including Illinois, on Saturday. The Illinois event will be at Montrose Harbor off North Lakeshore Drive in Chicago. Peg drawing is at 6 a.m. Fishing is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Details are located on the web at www.carpanglersgroup.com/cagiguide.html. Contact Sam Snow, at srstm@comcast.net or phone (630) 972-9906.

Tournament notes

Congratulations to Eric Varner and Dave Thompson of the Mackinaw Valley Bassmasters who qualified for the Illinois Bass Federation Nation’s 12-man Illinois state team. Their inclusion was based on the third-place finish at a qualifying six-man team event at Mill Creek. Their team also consisted of Tom Kaufman, Dave Fritts, Brian Koch and Bobby Evans Jr.

Scott Richardson is Pantagraph outdoor editor. Phone (309) 820-3227 or e-mail srichardson@pantagraph.com Read past outdoor and fishing columns or take part in online discussions at www.pantagraph.

Early Season Muskie Locations

2007-06-19T10:51:00.000-06:00

Muskie First
Published June 19, 2007

Mike's Extreme Guide Service
http://mikekoepp.com
rockinranger620@aol.com
Guided waters: Pewaukee Lake

Early Season Locations to me in Southeastern Wisconsin is spawning areas. I look to find post spawn muskies just outside of the actual spawning areas and in them. The first weeds that are outside of known spawning areas are key areas. This also applies to rivers or current areas where muskies move up into in spring and then come back out. Muskies will move around the weeds for food and cover. The weeds will hold everything they need at this time. Bluegills are on the way in to spawn, bass will be coming in soon with the gills, crappies just got done, and minnows are everywhere. This is the perfect place for the tired muskies to hang out and rest up while all the food is close.

While we are on the weed subject I want to also point out that certain weeds are better than others. Cabbage is the best in my opinion. Green weeds are second even if they are just milfoil. Rocks and gravel mixed in with green weeds is huge. North shore areas seem to get a jump start with green weeds over Southern shorelines but every lake is not the same. Key in on spawning areas on any lake and work out from there. Most muskies will not head out to deeper water without hanging around the food and cover for a while. Take advantage of this early Season Location while you can just like I have been for years.

Josh Borovsky
www.promuskieguide.com
joshborovsky@msn.com
Phone: (612) 508-2759

Waters guided: Lake Vermillion, Lake Mille Lacs and the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro area lakes

If the early season water temperatures are less than 60 degrees, my focusis usually on finding and fishing the warmest pockets of water I can find. Here's a laundry list of some of my favorite early season locations that tend to hold the warmest water:

A. Shallow Bays with a dark bottom (If in Canada fish the "blue" water bays on the map)
B. North end bays (warm up faster)
C. Creek or Stream Outlets
D. Coontail or any weed breaking the surface (cabbage toppers are great as well)
E. Dead Brown weeds don't necessarily bother me (On a cold spring the dead brown weeds will hold heat and also hold fish despite what you may read elsewhere)
F. Any structural elements (such as logs or rocks) adjacent to spawning sites
G. Wood Can be good too (especially during cold springs in which weed growth is behind)
H. On Canadian Shield Lakes I like rock walls way in the back of a shallow bay.

Some Other Notes from Josh:

A. If the water is 60 degrees or warmer, the night bite can be good on opening day.
B. I generally fishing depths between 0 and15 ft in general during the early season.
C. Don't rule out the open water. Several of the lakes I guide on offer a good open water bite with the fish stacking high in the water column.
D. Nice fresh green weed growth (especially cabbage) should always be investigated.

Norm Wild Jr.
Wild's Musky Guide Service
www.wildmusky.com

In northern Wisconsin, with so many lakes to chose from, lake choice is
nearly as important as location in the first couple weeks of the season. In
some years, especially if it has been a cool spring, lake choice can make or
break your outings. The first thing I look for is darker water. These
lakes will warm up faster and kick start the whole ecosystem. The second
thing I want in the spring is some moving water, so I am usually off to one
of the many "chains" that I fish in Oneida county. These chains or flowages are less affected by cold fronts and maintain water temperature better than a natural lake. The last factors, probably the least important, are depth and size of the lakes. I prefer a smaller shallower lake early in the season, again resulting in warmer water.

As everyone knows, weeds are a sure bet in the spring. Even in the earliest stages of the game however, I am still hitting the edges first, and I always start out on the deep edge. I am a firm believer that the bigger female fish spawn and nearly immediately move to their summer haunts, therefore, I am immediately checking the deeper edges. This has resulted in a higher average size for my boat in the early season, as opposed to catching the smaller males that will hang around the spawning areas. Another area I really like is the upcurrent end of neckdowns, such as the channel between two lakes on a chain or a thouroughfare. If these neckdowns have weeds or timber they are almost automatic. Points leading out of spawning areas are another must fish early on, and once again combine this structure with any weeds timber or rock and we will be taking pictures soon.

Howie Meyer
http://www.sevenislandsguideservice.com
Waters Fished: Lakes surrounding the Presque Isle, WI. Area.

I like to against the grain early in the season and point the boat right out into the middle of the big clear lakes of northern Vilas county.Its been my opinion and experience that many of the largest fish in the system will be out there at ANY given time.I dont downsize my lure selection,but will work the baits slower and work them over shallower rock bars and open water.

If the above noted pattern is not producing I'll head for one of my "Black-Lagoons",smaller lakes off the beaten track that contain and have produced big fish in the past.These fish typically dont see a lot of pressure throughout the season.I'll look for Inletting warm water areas and new weeds.I love tossing minnow type baits worked slowly and reaper tail type jigs on the "lagoons" early in the season.Both of these type of lakes have produced 30# fish for my clients in past seasons so I'm not about to give it up any time soon.HC "Howie Meyer Seven Islands Guide Service Presque Isle Wisconsin.

Larry Ramsell
Web site: www.larryramsell.com
email: larryramsell@hotmail.com

North Central and Northwestern Wisconsin lakes and rivers primarily in the Hayward/Park Falls area. Lake Vermilion in Minnesota.

What types of locations are you hitting EARLY in your muskie season, regardless of when YOUR seasonal opener actually occurs?

A) For the opener(s) where I fish (Michigan, Wisconsin and Ontario) I first target the spawning areas. Openers are set to begin after muskies have spawned, however in many instances spawning can overlap the opening of the season. If I don't find them there, then I will move to the first available structure adjacent to the spawning areas and progressively work my way towards the main basin of the lake if necessary.

If I'm on a Flowage lake, I will start in the shallow, mucky back bays on the north shores of the lake. On natural, sandy bottom type lakes I target the early weed growth from the break edge towards the shallows. For Canadian shield lakes I look for the darkest water in the system (which warms the quickest) and if present, target down trees along the rocky shoreline. Many of this type of lake is weed free for the most part, so the trees become their areas of choice.

Have fun and good luck...Larry Ramsell, Muskie Guide in NW Wisconsin and Lake Vermilion, Minnesota

Al Nutty
Kinkaid Lake Guide Service
www.kinkaidlakeguides.com
nutty4muskies@yahoo.com

No matter where you fish, start out your early season trip by looking for the warmest water temperatures you can find...since fish are cold-blooded creatures, they are drawn toward these areas like a magnet, (as are the baitfish they feed on!) This is usually along the northern shores of the lake, for most of our weather patterns have predominantly southwest winds, which pushes the warmer surface waters toward these areas.

Shallow bays warm the fastest, (less water volume in them,) and a sunny day over the dark bottoms really absorb the heat from the sun. Look for any submerged cover (stumps, fallen logs, or active weedbeds) as these items provide ambush points from which the muskies can attack their prey.

Then consider the water clarity...in relatively clear water (where the muskies are able to feed visually) I favor natural baitfish colored twitch minnows. If the water is more stained, switch to a lure with more color and sound (spinner blades or rattles) but in either case, don't overspeed your lure...remember that the water temps aren't that high yet, and this makes the fish less aggressive. Make your bait look like an easily captured target, and you'll do a lot better than if you burn your lure back to the boat!

I also keep in mind there the channel runs in relation to these northern bays, for some of the best early spring areas aren't very far from the main channel running through the area. If you have a large, extensive flat between the shallow shoreline areas and channel, consider trolling it with shallow running lures, making large, serpentine turns to cover as much of this 'featureless' water as you can.

Finally, keep a couple of other things in mind. Many times, even in the extreme early season period, you'll hear (or see) a musky feeding on the surface...topwaters will work during this period, but not if you work them too fast or aggressive...stay alert, and look for any sign of activity around you...it may be but a swirl, or baitfish jumping, or you may hear the fish as it strikes near the surface...take your time, and check it out!!

Corey Meyer
Email: muskymeyer@newnorth.net
Waters I fish: Chippewa Flowage

Fishing the Chippewa Flowage early season for me is from Memorial Day weekend thru about the next two weeks. Regardless of the spring weather we have had I always start to look for fish in the spawning areas first. When I say spawning areas I am looking for small bays and feeder creeks with warmer water than the main lake. Some of the bays are no larger than a standard two car garage and the really good ones will have areas in them with water depths of 8-12 feet deep. These areas are where I will concentrate my angling for opening weekend.

For the weeks following opening weekend I will venture out to points and flats immediately adjacent to the spawning areas as well as some main lake bars that have new emergent weeds, but all the time I am still going back and fishing the original spawning areas mentioned in the first paragraph.

A Hoosier lakes success story

2007-06-19T10:35:00.000-06:00

Muskie make a big impact

COMMENTARY

LOUIE STOUT

When Larry Stover bought the Tackle Box Shop in North Webster, Ind., nine years ago, there was only $50 worth of muskie tackle hanging on the wall.

Today, nearly $50,000 of muskie baits and tackle cover the small independent bait and tackle shop.

"Before muskies were stocked in our lakes, a previous owner closed every November because business was so bad," said Stover. "When the muskie took off, November became one of our busiest months."

That's what successful fisheries can do for a small town business, and Lake Webster, the Barbee Chain and Lake Tippecanoe in east central Kosciusko counties have been huge successes.

So good, in fact, that it has become a favorite stop for anglers from Wisconsin, a state where giant muskies are more prominent.

"They tell us that they can catch six fish a day here, whereas they are lucky to get six follows a day on their home lakes," said Stover, who works part-time at the shop he sold to Todd Sautter in February.

And it's not just Wisconsin anglers who are buying tackle and filling up nearby motels during spring and fall months.

"In 2005, we wrote fishing licenses to people from 28 states," noted Stover, "The majority of them came here to go muskie fishing."

It all began when the DNR, with help from the Indiana muskie clubs, began planting the prized gamefish in the early 1980s.

Prior to the development of Webster, Indiana had limited success with muskie stockings. But now, with Webster a Midwest treasure and the Barbee Chain coming on strong, biologist Jed Pearson is beaming.

"It's been a fabulous success and I don't think it will die," says the Division of Fish and Wildlife scientist who has nurtured the program. "It has a food source (shad) that can sustain the population -- baring disease."

Disease is a legitimate concern, especially with the introduction of VHS to the Great Lakes region. Muskies are highly susceptible to the virus that can be introduced to the water through livebait or other infected fish. Thus far, Indiana's inland waters have remained VHS free.

A disease at Webster would be devastating since the lake provides brood stock that biologists gather each spring and use to create offspring for stockings in 10 other Hoosier lakes.

With Webster off and running in the late 1990s, the DNR -- with help from muskie clubs and lake associations -- began to introduce the fish into nearby Barbee Chain.

They adapted well. So well, in fact, that two of the biggest fish (48 and 47 inches) caught during the renowned Hoosier Muskie Classic this spring came from the Chain.

"Barbee has come into its own and is where Webster was a few years ago," said muskie guide Vince Weirick of Warsaw. "The (fishing) pressure Webster has received the past couple of years has hurt it a little and now Barbee is elevating."

In fact, both Weirick and Stover think the Chain could supplant Webster as Indiana's premier muskie waters.

It consists of seven lakes -- Kuhn, Big Barbee, Little Barbee, Irish, Sawmill and Secrist -- with access to Tippecanoe Lake via Grassy Creek. The seven lakes cover about 850 acres and are interlinked with channels. And while pleasure boat traffic on Tippecanoe and Webster can hamper fishing, all but one of the Barbee lakes have restricted speed limits.

"I like it best because of the diverse waters," said Weirick. "You've got two gin clear lakes, two that are murky and the others are somewhere in between. They have different bottom compositions, good structure and weeds. And best of all, you don't have to put up with a lot of high speed boat traffic."

(For more information about muskie fishing Kosciukso County lakes, contact The Tackle Box (574) 834-2011 or visit www.vinceweirick.com

Muskie season off to a good start

2007-06-15T05:28:00.000-06:00

Some anglers report more, bigger fish
June 14, 2007

BY ERIC SHARP

FREE PRESS OUTDOORS WRITER

Fishing guide Jon Bondy of Windsor caught this 51-inch muskie in the Detroit River, deep-jigging with a large Bondybait lure he created for this technique

The opening days of the muskellunge season on Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River have seen anglers catching more fish than at the same time last year, and some big fish for this early in the season.

"It's better than last spring, but it's still a little slow" by Lake St. Clair standards, said Mike Pittiglio, who runs the charter boat Muskie Mania. "We were 4-for-9 one day, then 2-for-3 the next and then 1-for-2. The main problem the last two days was that the water was so flat and clear. There was no wind."

You want a chop and a little bit of cloudiness in the water," said Pittiglio, one of the most successful captains on the lake. "We've been getting most of the fish in Anchor Bay, right in tight in 7-9 feet of water. There hasn't been much happening on the Canadian side, but the winning fish in the first Michigan Ontario Muskie Club tournament (33.9 pounds) did come from the dumping grounds over there."

Pittiglio said he has been following the usual spring pattern of fishing smaller lures, 6-inch Lokis and Wileys, and added, "I haven't had any really big fish yet, nothing over 20 pounds, but other people have had a few over 30. That's good for the spring."

Among the giants reported so far was a 58 1/2 -inch monster with a 23-inch girth that weighed in at 38 pounds on a digital scale for angler Brad Nowak, manager of the Gander Mountain store in Grand Rapids.

Bob Wyffels, president of the MOMC, said the club's opening weekend tournament June 2-3 produced more fish caught than last year but fewer than previous openers, before a disease called viral hemorrhagic septicemia appeared and killed large numbers of muskellunge and other fish.

"The big fish are still there, but we're not seeing the numbers that we're used to. What we're not seeing as those mid-range, 35-40 inch fish. When a disease first appears, it's usually the old and the young animals that die, but this one seems to have hit mostly big, healthy fish in the prime years," Wyffels said.

Steve Jones, perhaps the most experienced muskie guide on St. Clair, was pleased both by the increased numbers of fish this spring, their size and the fact that "we aren't seeing any dead muskies floating."

"This is a slower time, anyway," he said. "If you land one or two fish, that's about par for this time of year," Jones said. "What's really pleasing is the quality of the fish. Last season, we had the best year for big fish over 48 inches I've ever seen, and this year looks like it's starting out the same."

The three winning fish in the MOMC tournament weighed 33.9, 31.85 and 31.65 pounds, Wyffels said. "Nice fish for this time of year. Even though our numbers may be down, Lake St. Clair is still best muskellunge fishery in the world. Where else do you hear people complaining that they're only catching four or five muskies a day?"

Windsor guide Jon Bondy also has had a good start on the Detroit River, where he practices a very different muskie technique -- deep jigging with big swimbaits.

"I use 8-foot rods with 80-pound braided line, and when you get a strike, it just about pulls your arms out of their sockets. I think it's the most exciting kind of fishing I've ever tried," said Bondy, who guides for bass, walleyes and muskellunge on Lakes St. Clair and Erie and the Detroit River.

"I got the idea about six years ago. I used to catch muskies on small jigs when I was fishing for walleyes, and I started wondering what would happen if I tried deep jigging with a bigger bait, something the size of the suckers that muskies like to eat," he said. "I couldn't find anything that fit the bill, so I decided to make my own."

The result is the Bondybait, a 9-inch, 7-ounce soft-bodied jigging lure with two big treble hooks, a spinner at the tail and 3 ounces of lead in the center that he sells for $14.95 U.S. on his Web site, www.lakestclairfishing.com.

"The whole thing weighs 7 ounces, but you need that weight in the current we fish," he said. "You let the boat drift slowly downstream while you jig the lure (keeping it off the snaggy bottom.) You try to keep a tight line, and they usually hit when it's dropping.

"Typically, we get about four a day. Today, we had two on and landed one. The best part of the season for this kind of fishing is the early part, from the opening day through about the middle of July. The last half of July and August are too hot. It gets good again in the fall, but at a lot time the weather is so bad then that you can't get out," he said.

Tim Elias of St. Clair Shores got quite a surprise when and fishing buddy Nick Dubber launched a canoe at Metrobeach Metropark on a recent evening and paddled onto the flat waters of Anchor Bay.

"There was no wind at all, so I decided to troll a red-and-white spoon to see if I could catch a pike or a walleye. I was sitting in the back of the canoe when it almost stopped dead and the rod bent way over. I though we had snagged some weeds or the bottom," Dubber said.

When he lifted the rod out of the holder and tried to free the spoon with a quick tug, the 10-pound line started zipping off the spool, and Dubber knew he had a big fish of some kind.

"With that 10-pound, I couldn't take any chances on horsing it in, so I let it run and just gained whenever I could for the next 15 minutes," he said. "It was a muskie and when we got it alongside the canoe I used a piece of line from Nick's rod to mark its length. We measured the line when we got back to shore, and it was a little over 51 inches."

Contact ERIC SHARP at 313-222-2511 or esharp@freepress.com. Order his book "Fishing Michigan" for $15.95 at www.freep.com/bookstore or by calling 800-245-5082. Pittiglio can be reached by telephone at 586-260-4068 or on the internet at www.muskiemaniacharters.com. In addition to his Web site, Bondy can be reached at 313-332-9813. Jones' internet site is www.fishpredator.com; his telephone number is 586-463-3474.

Ozark muskies are guide's giant obsession

2007-06-15T05:26:00.000-06:00

By BRENT FRAZEE The Kansas City StarPublished: June 14th, 2007

When Earle Hammond goes fishing at Pomme de Terre Lake, he focuses on the top of the food chain.
Your first clue? The lures he uses.

They're bigger than the fish most people catch.

"This one is only 9 inches," he said, holding up a Grandma crankbait he was soon trolling through the clear water. "But we'll troll baits as long as 13 inches.

"When you're going after a big fish, you use a big bait."

Spoken like a true muskie fisherman.

Hammond, like other muskie fanatics, lives in a super-sized world. You won't find any ultralight tackle in his boat. Everything's big - from the lures he uses to his rods and reels to the fish he pulls into the boat.

He has caught and released muskies as long as 42 inches at Pomme de Terre, a 7,800-acre reservoir in the Ozarks. But he still dreams of bigger and better things.

"I'm convinced there are 50-inch muskies in here," said Hammond, who runs the Pomme Muskie Guide Service. "That's what I'm after."

Hammond paused, then laughed.

"I'm one of those nuts who is obsessed with this," he said. "I fish almost every day for these things.

"Like everyone else, I go through long spells when I don't catch a fish. When you're a muskie fisherman, you learn the meaning of the word `perseverance.'

"But just catching one makes all that that work worthwhile. There isn't a fish I'd rather catch."

Nicknamed "the fish of 10,000 casts," the muskie has become the obsession of many a fisherman.

The fish patrols at the top of the food chain - known for its aggressive nature, savage strikes and legendary fights. It is a symbol of the Northwoods, where it is common in states such as Minnesota and Wisconsin.

But it also is a resident of a few reservoirs in Missouri, thanks to a stocking program by the Missouri Department of Conservation. And Pomme de Terre ranks at the top of that list.

That's where Hammond was fishing on a recent overcast, windy day - an ideal muskie day, as he put it. With an oversized bait tied to his line, he started trolling through an area in the Lindley arm where he had marked an abundance of baitfish.

Holding the rod, he could feel the wobble of the large bait as it cut through the water. When it stopped, his heart starting pounding.

"Big fish!," he said as the muskie started stripping line out of the reel.

The fish dug for the bottom, then came to the surface, jumped and landed with a loud splash.

It left a large swirl in its wake, then descended again. But it wasn't long before Hammond was guiding the 38-inch fish into an oversized landing net.

"Look at how fat that fish is," Hammond said. "That fish must weigh 20 pounds."

Seconds later, Hammond was easing the fish back into the water, handling it as though it were some rare treasure.

"They all go back," said Hammond, who has caught and released 60 muskies in the last seven years. "We emphasize catch and release."

For Hammond, that fish was the sixth muskie he has caught this year. His guide customers have landed six others.

Many of them have come while trolling huge plugs through areas where the locator indicates an abundance of baitfish.

But there are no guarantees. You never know when a muskie will hit.

"Just a couple weeks ago, I was trolling a big plug and I started reeling it in," said Hammond, 64, who lives in Urbana, Mo. "Right when I got it to the boat, it stopped. I thought at first that I was hung up on the back of the boat.

"But it turns out it was a muskie."

To any muskie fisherman, such tales aren't that hard to believe. Muskies are renowned for following a bait before finally hitting it at the boat.

"I've caught several fish just doing a figure-eight (with the lure) right at the boat," Hammond said.

Hammond, a former Kansas City area resident, has been fishing for muskies since 1968.

He got started when he saw a brochure for the Muskies Inc. fall tournament and decided to enter. He caught a small muskie that first time out, and was hooked when he saw a 44-inch fish landed by another fisherman.

That began a long obsession with muskie fishing. Hammond spent his career working in the canine unit for the Kansas City Police Department, patrolling with and training police dogs. But on weekends, he was often at Pomme de Terre, casting or trolling for muskies.

After retiring, he and his wife, Mary, moved to Pomme de Terre. And now they are enjoying a rural lifestyle, where the fish they both love to catch are never far away.

OZARKS MUSKIES

-WHAT: The muskie is known as "the fish of 10,000 casts." It is a true trophy, growing to sizes of 50 inches or bigger. It is aggressive and can put up legendary fights. But as its nickname indicates, it also can be unpredictable and hard to catch.

-WHERE: It is best-known in northern waters, such as Wisconsin, Minnesota and Canada. But it also is found in Missouri, where it has been stocked in waters such as Pomme de Terre, Hazel Creek, Fellows and Henry Sever lakes, and the Busch Wildlife Area.

-POMME DE TERRE: Pomme de Terre, in southwest Missouri, has earned national acclaim for its muskie fishing. The fish were first stocked in the Ozarks reservoir in 1966 to provide a new trophy fishery and to provide a predator to help control non-game species. Since then, Pomme de Terre has developed an outstanding muskie population. Though the fish don't reproduce in the lake, stockings by the Missouri Department of Conservation have maintained a trophy fishery.

-FISH OF 10,000 CASTS? Not at Pomme de Terre. A survey in 2005 showed that it took fishermen at the Ozarks reservoir an average of 11.6 hours to catch a muskie of any size and 31.5 hours to catch a legal fish (36 inches or longer). In comparison, it took fishermen 71 hours to catch a muskie at eight northern Wisconsin lakes and 91 hours in Minnesota waters.

-WHEN: There are two key time periods for catching muskies at Pomme de Terre. Most muskie fishermen look forward to early September, the first cool-down when water temperatures start to drop. That often triggers feeding activity among the muskies. But the period from mid-May to mid-June also can be good, especially for trolling.

-METHODS: During the spring and early- summer period, fishermen often troll with large crankbaits such as Grandmas or Believers. During the fall, casting is often more effective. Guides such as Earle Hammond use large bucktails, spinnerbaits, Super Shad Raps and topwater lures to catch muskies.

-WHERE TO FIND THEM: Big muskies are like many other gamefish: Find the food, and you have a chance of finding the fish. They often relate to cover such as stumps, brush and rocks. But they also will cruise flats, following baitfish.

-TACKLE: Big is the word. Hammond uses heavy-action rods, big baitcasting reels and 60-pound braided line.

No treble yell for Dolsen

2007-06-14T06:38:00.000-06:00

ONE TOUGH GUIDE | Muskie fishing is his game in north central Ind.

June 13, 2007
BY DALE BOWMAN Staff Reporter
LEESBURG, Ind. -- A Mustad treble hook had just pierced the flesh of his right arm, but Chae Dolsen nonchalantly said, ''Hand me the bolt cutters.''
I should mention the treble hook was attached to a Super Stalker lure, and another treble on the lure was attached to a lively 40-inch muskie, whose weight stretched Dolsen's skin like something on a perverse tanning board.

He snipped the hook in half, then unhooked the muskie in the net.

''At seminars, I say these bolt cutters are the most important tool, more important than the net,'' Dolsen said. ''People say, 'You paid $50 for bolt cutters?'''

All the while, the barb end of the hook remained in his arm. We took photos, measured the fish and Dolsen released it in lively fashion. Only then did he push the hook all the way out, dab the twin punctures with antiseptic and try to remember his last tetanus shot.

Are we not men?

Several months ago, Cary Gelfond of the Chicagoland Muskie Hunters chapter of Muskies Inc. told me to save June 9 for Webster Lake. For years, he has wanted to show off Dolsen.

One of the founders and often president of the Webster Lake Musky Club, Dolsen has guided for seven years on that unique clot of three outstanding muskie waters in north central Indiana.

Webster is the main lake and in a recent survey unbelievably topped six adult muskies per acre. Webster empties into Indiana's deepest natural lakes, Tippecanoe and James. Darrin Conley caught the Indiana-record muskie (42.5 pounds) from James five years ago. Minutes to the south is the Barbee Chain, where small lakes vary from gin-clear to stained.

In my world, it's the best muskie fishing we have, outside of a trip to Minnesota or Canada. This is not northern Wisconsin, where muskies are a fish of 10,000 casts (and discredited world records). Fish these Indiana lakes, and you expect to raise multiple muskies and have a reasonable chance of boating one or more.

Gelfond, a Northwest Side man who works catch-all for Waste Management, caught his best muskie (40 inches) from Silver Lake in Wisconsin. His best from Webster was 36 inches. One of our hopes was to top those marks.

Dolsen, a siding subcontractor, caught his best (50 inches) from Webster on a sucker on May 8, 2001, when a client canceled and Dolsen went fishing anyway. He suspects 50 inches is near the top end for Indiana muskies.

Saturday was a blue-bird day, and I expected tough fishing.

''It will be just a little tougher,'' Dolsen said. ''We'll have to troll a little more.''

We started on the Barbee Chain, where clients had boated a big northern pike that morning. He alternated between speed trolling (5 mph) and casting on Big Barbee, Little Barbee and Sawmill. We raised two muskies and saw others chasing bait.

After five hours, Dolsen moved us to Tippecanoe/James. As he trolled in 30 to 35 feet, he marked huge balls of bait, a good sign.

Then, at 4:30 p.m., in full sun with pleasure boats and personal watercraft zooming past on Tippy, the middle rod went off.

Dolsen was closest but tried to hand the rod to Gelfond and me. We were having none of it. I said, ''Just get the damn fish in.'' Gelfond leaned over and did a solid net job.

That's the magic of muskie fishing, minutes of pandemonium out of hours of nothingness. While being unhooked, the muskie threw a treble into Dolsen's arm.

In the aftermath, Dolsen said, ''The best bait used to be the 10-inch Jake. But I caught seven over 40 inches on Stalkers last year.''

We wanted to complete the trinity of waters, so we trailered to Webster (all three knots of lakes have free launches). Idling off, a kid bobber fishing a minnow from shore started screaming, ''A muskie, a muskie.'' Sure enough, he lifted his rod, and a fat muskie flipped in the air and was gone.

It was time.

But we fished toward dark. As the sun set, Gelfond put his rod away and simply watched.

''It sure is pretty out here,'' he said.

For Dolsen's four-man guide service, go to www.websterlakeguideservice.com.

Places and faces
Bullfrog season opens Friday in Illinois. Details are in the Midwest Fishing Report. ... As Boyd Duckett accepted his 2007 Bassmaster Classic championship ring last week, he said, ''Remember all those days I missed to go fishing, and you said I wouldn't amount to anything? Well, look at me now.'' Duckett was jabbing an assistant principal from his school days, one he ran over in 11th grade, which got him kicked out of school. ... Wisconsin will have regular updates on viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) at dnr.wi.gov/fish/pages/vhs.html.

Wild things
To carp fishermen and outside sorts who simply like seedy treats, mulberries are ripe across the area. South of the city, raspberries are ripening rapidly.

Stray cast
This baseball season reminds me of wading into a new stream at a Missouri bridge and finding unexpected mud, where each step sounds like a great sucking chest wound (backward or forward, the air goes out).

Fishing for muskies is his giant obsession

2007-06-11T06:58:00.000-06:00

Guide uses big baits to lure bigger gamefish at Pomme de Terre Lake.

HERMITAGE, Mo. | When Earle Hammond goes fishing at Pomme de Terre Lake, he focuses on the top of the food chain.

Your first clue? The lures he uses.

They’re bigger than the fish most people catch.

“This one is only 9 inches,” he said, holding up a Grandma crankbait he was soon trolling through the clear water. “But we’ll troll baits as long as 13 inches.

“When you’re going after a big fish, you use a big bait.”

Spoken like a true muskie fisherman.

Hammond, like other muskie fanatics, lives in a super-sized world. You won’t find any ultralight tackle in his boat. Everything’s big — from the lures he uses to his rods and reels to the fish he pulls into the boat.

He has caught and released muskies as long as 42 inches at Pomme de Terre, a 7,800-acre reservoir in the Ozarks. But he still dreams of bigger and better things.

“I’m convinced there are 50-inch muskies in here,” said Hammond, who runs the Pomme Muskie Guide Service. “That’s what I’m after.”

Hammond paused, then laughed.

“I’m one of those nuts who is obsessed with this,” he said. “I fish almost every day for these things.

“Like everyone else, I go through long spells when I don’t catch a fish. When you’re a muskie fisherman, you learn the meaning of the word ‘perseverance.’

“But just catching one makes all that that work worthwhile. There isn’t a fish I’d rather catch.”

Nicknamed “the fish of 10,000 casts,” the muskie has become the obsession of many a fisherman.

The fish patrols at the top of the food chain — known for its aggressive nature, savage strikes and legendary fights. It is a symbol of the Northwoods, where it is common in states such as Minnesota and Wisconsin.

But it also is a resident of a few reservoirs in Missouri, thanks to a stocking program by the Missouri Department of Conservation. And Pomme de Terre ranks at the top of that list.

That’s where Hammond was fishing on a recent overcast, windy day — an ideal muskie day, as he put it. With an oversized bait tied to his line, he started trolling through an area in the Lindley arm where he had marked an abundance of baitfish.

Holding the rod, he could feel the wobble of the large bait as it cut through the water. When it stopped, his heart starting pounding.

“Big fish!,” he said as the muskie started stripping line out of the reel.

The fish dug for the bottom, then came to the surface, jumped and landed with a loud splash.

It left a large swirl in its wake, then descended again. But it wasn’t long before Hammond was guiding the 38-inch fish into an oversized landing net.

“Look at how fat that fish is,” Hammond said. “That fish must weigh 20 pounds.”

Seconds later, Hammond was easing the fish back into the water, handling it as though it were some rare treasure.

“They all go back,” said Hammond, who has caught and released 60 muskies in the last seven years. “We emphasize catch and release.”

For Hammond, that fish was the sixth muskie he has caught this year. His guide customers have landed six others.

Many of them have come while trolling huge plugs through areas where the locator indicates an abundance of baitfish.

But there are no guarantees. You never know when a muskie will hit.

“Just a couple weeks ago, I was trolling a big plug and I started reeling it in,” said Hammond, 64, who lives in Urbana, Mo. “Right when I got it to the boat, it stopped. I thought at first that I was hung up on the back of the boat.

“But it turns out it was a muskie.”

To any muskie fisherman, such tales aren’t that hard to believe. Muskies are renowned for following a bait before finally hitting it at the boat.

“I’ve caught several fish just doing a figure-eight (with the lure) right at the boat,” Hammond said.

Hammond, a former Kansas City area resident, has been fishing for muskies since 1968.

He got started when he saw a brochure for the Muskies Inc. fall tournament and decided to enter. He caught a small muskie that first time out, and was hooked when he saw a 44-inch fish landed by another fisherman.

That began a long obsession with muskie fishing. Hammond spent his career working in the canine unit for the Kansas City Police Department, patrolling with and training police dogs. But on weekends, he was often at Pomme de Terre, casting or trolling for muskies.

After retiring, he and his wife, Mary, moved to Pomme de Terre. And now they are enjoying a rural lifestyle, where the fish they both love to catch are never far away.

“My wife always told my kids: ‘Don’t get married and don’t have a baby during the muskie tournament. Your dad won’t be there,’ ” Hammond said with a laugh.

Muskie from New River may set new record

2007-06-06T06:41:00.000-06:00

Shannon Hill caught the big fish on a Jitterstick plug after only four or five casts.
By Mark Taylor

The black Jitterstick plug was gurgling rhythmically across the surface of the New River when the attack came, the ferocious explosion echoing through the darkness.

Chris Snider wasn't the least bit surprised. The vicious muskellunge had hit his buddy Shannon Hill's lure. They always seem to hit Hill's lure.

"I call him Mr. Horseshoe," said Snider, a 33-year-old cable contractor from Christiansburg. "He just has that kind of luck."

Hill's luck rose to another level Friday.

That massive muskie weighed 45 pounds, 8 ounces, topping the state record by half a pound. Hill has already submitted his record application.

"I'm still pretty much in shock," said Hill, a 31-year-old heavy equipment operator who lives in Rogers.

Hill and Snider had the Whitethorne section of the river pretty much to themselves Friday evening, as few others had bothered to deal with the wet weather.

The men fished for bass for a while, then as darkness fell motored in their borrowed johnboat to an area where Hill had caught a 21-pound muskie on a Jitterstick two years ago.

They were optimistic but realistic. That's a must in the often trying sport of muskie fishing, when bites can be few and far between.

"Muskie fishermen tend to be solitary," said biologist Joe Williams, who helps manage the river for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. "They're extremely dedicated to the sport.

"They don't mind any kind of hardships. It doesn't matter."

Hill has caught about 15 of the fish in his three years of seriously pursuing them.

"Some days you'll fish all day and not get a bite," Hill said.

Some days it's better.

"Me and Chris got two in one day last year, within two hours," Hill continued. "That's the best we've ever done."

The New is Virginia's best muskie water, by far.

"It has a lot of fish," Williams said. "And it has a lot of big fish, 20 pounds and up."

The key is a combination of great habitat and abundant forage, including minnows for smaller fish and sunfish, rock bass and suckers for larger fish.

"One big muskie we checked had a 15-inch-long sucker in it," Williams said.

In 1989, Williams certified R.A. Underwood's state record, and has heard of fish in the low 40-pound range since then. One was a 43-pounder caught and released last year by New River muskie legend Alex Scott, who has clipped a fin on many of his hundreds of muskies to mark them.

"I figured there were bigger fish out there," Williams said.

Snider and Hill both started casting Jittersticks -- big, noisy plugs that mimic injured bait fish. The only difference was the colors.

Williams, who has turned into something of a muskie fanatic himself over the past few years, doesn't think the lure makes much difference.

"If a muskie is hungry and you throw a plug in front of it, it's going to eat it," Williams said. "If it's not hungry, it doesn't matter what you're using."

It didn't take long for Hill to find a hungry fish.

"On just the fourth or fifth cast, he unleashed on it and the fight was on," said Hill, who could tell immediately that the fish wasn't one of the eager smallmouth bass that are known to attack the big plugs. "I told Chris, 'This is a muskie, and a good one.' "

After a fight lasting five to 10 minutes, Hill finally had his catch next to the boat, and Snider deftly scooped the 53-inch-long fish into the net.

"He about pulled Chris out of the boat," Hill said. "I throwed my pole down and grabbed the net, too."

The men weighed the fish on a digital scale, which topped out close to 46 pounds.

A call to a friend confirmed that the record was 45 pounds.

Unable to find a set of certified scales that night, Hill put the fish in a barrel of water overnight.

"I didn't want him to dry out and lose any weight," he said. "I knew he was close."

The next day at Custom Meat in Blacksburg the fish hit 45 pounds, 8 ounces on a certified scale, and Williams and two Virginia game wardens inspected the muskie to confirm everything.

Williams said one of the fins appeared to have been clipped, leading him to wonder if it was the 43-pounder Scott released last year.

The fish was a female, and its stomach was empty, Williams added. In other words, it was one of those hungry fish that was going to hit the first plug it saw.

That lure just happened to be Hill's.

"I was just in the right place at the right time," he said.

Like usual.

Muskies could be an addiction

2007-06-04T10:59:00.000-06:00

The muskie season opened on Saturday, which means the entire 2007 open water season is now officially under way.

Muskie fishing is good in Minnesota. When it comes to sheer numbers and overall size structure of the muskies within our lakes, some argue that Minnesota is the best in the country.

I'm not a muskie fisherman and have no intentions of joining the growing number of other muskie anglers in the state. It's not that I wouldn't enjoy catching these big critters, but from what I've heard, once you start it's tough to stop.

I know quite a few good walleye fishermen who hooked their first muskie and quit fishing walleyes — and everything else for that matter. While I understand the addiction, I just don't want to be a part of it. I'm afraid of getting bit by the same bug and I'd hate to give up the walleye and panfish game.

While I have caught a few small muskies by accident over the years, there have been encounters with big fish that have left me with a respect for these toothy gators and an overall appreciation for their scrappiness and addiction among other anglers.

One that stands out happened on Cass Lake two summers ago. I was fishing a small piece of shallow structure for walleyes and visibly watched two giant muskies rolling on the surface, almost playing like dolphins.

Those muskies were in the back of my mind all night, almost intimidating with their size and presence. At no point did I put my hand in the water or get to close to the edge of my boat to net a fish. I've heard stories about these big boys and didn't want any part of losing a limb.

Anyway, just before sundown they disappeared for a long period of time. For the first time all evening, they were out of sight and out of mind — that was until I was reeling in a walleye about 17 inches long.

With one quick swipe near the surface, I saw a mouth and set of teeth open and tear the rear end out of that walleye. The Adrenalin rush was incredible, not to mention it scared the heck out of me. At that very moment I knew my ticker was in good shape.

That was enough fishing for me on this particular night. But I couldn't help realizing that this is what the muskie angler lives for on a daily basis.

I couldn't imagine having that happen several times on any given outing. Once was enough for me, which is why I'm sticking to other species — at least for now.

This is the opinion of Times outdoors columnist Glen Schmitt. Contact him at 253-5789 or by e-mail at glens@outdoornews.com.

Midwest fishing report

2007-05-24T10:35:00.001-06:00

May 23, 2007
FISH OF THE WEEK: History or heart? In our area, a largemouth this heavy is rare: Mike Furlong caught his 9-pound bass, 23 7/8 inches with a girth of 19 3/4, from Lake Zurich on April 21 with a jig-n-pig on 40-pound line and an 8-foot flippin' stick. . . . For heart, smiling Holly Bowen, 16, of Crete, with an 11-pound catfish caught with a worm and bobber from Lake Sara last week. E-mail nominations to outdoordb@sbcglobal.net.

NORTHERN WISCONSIN: Muskie opener: Muskie fishing north of Highway 10 opens Saturday. Minocqua guide Kurt Justice e-mailed, ''Unlike last year, this should be a good opener due to early spawn.'' In Hayward, Pastika's echoed that, suggesting some muskie may even be shallow in fresh weeds.

AREA LAKES: Decent: Bluegill should be moving shallower on all lakes by the weekend. Will County FPD reports Monee Reservoir has warmed to 67, and a 6-pound largemouth was reported. Kolar reported fairly typical largemouth behavior, moving in and off the beds with the weather, in DuPage (that holds true all over). In Cook, Skokie Lagoons are seeing the most effort for panfish and bass; action has been fair. Holiday advice for public waters: with shoreline activity, try secondary or deeper weed lines more than usual.

BIG GREEN LAKE, WIS.: Improving: Mike Norton said lakers remain good in 90-110 feet on a flasher and minnow near the bottom; ciscoes are biting in the top 25 feet over deep water. As water warms through the 50s, bass fishermen are working shorelines and bluegill coming to piers.

CHAIN O'LAKES AREA: Triangle reports bluegill, coming toward beds, are the best bite; Petite and Bluff best. Walleye are improving around the bridges, best on leeches or crawlers. White bass are very good in 8-12 feet; Marie, Bluff and Petite best. Catfish remain good on stinkbait or crawlers on Petite, Marie and Fox. Muskie are fair, early and late on jerkbaits or topwaters. Crappie and bass are fair.

COOLING LAKES/STRIP PITS: Maz- onia/Braidwood: Good multispecies action on cloudy days at Mazonia lakes, which are holding in the 60s. Braidwood remains relatively cool (70s north end, 80s south) with catfish most consistent. LaSalle: Decent catfish action, but rapidly warming water. Heidecke: Walleye remain the top species, both for trollers and casters; keepers take sorting. A few muskie coming again. On Monday, concessionaire Steve Anderson reported hybrids of 21 and 22 inches. Catfish are more active as the water warms through the 60s.

DELAVAN/GENEVA LAKES, WIS.: Decent: Delavan Bait and Tackle reports water warming into the upper 50s, close to where everything should break loose. On warm sunny days, bass are coming shallower on Geneva, too, and rock bass are going much better for family action.

DOWNSTATE: Rend: Guide Todd Gessner said crappie remain good with spawn about 3/4 finished and better fish in 6-12 feet, largemouth are improving as they come off the spawn and bluegill are bedding. Shelbyville: The lake is more than 3 feet below normal summer pool, and in the mid-70s. Guide Mary Satterfield reported lots of crappie (keepers take sorting), most in 4 feet on laydowns or rip-rap. Trolling will pick up some white bass and largemouth. Pat Glavin, director of the Midwest Musky Club, said both the main lake and spillway were tough for weekend muskie. Evergreen: Guide Jay Angel reported saugeye being taken in 9-12 feet early, then deeper later on crawler harnesses or jigging crawlers.

FOX RIVER: Western suburbs: Decent: Batavia Bait and Tackle reports decent action on walleye, smallmouth, carp and catfish. River is near normal, about 70 degrees, and should be in good wading shape for weekend.

GREEN/STURGEON BAYS, WIS.: Decent: When winds allow, smallmouth have been good and close to shore as the water warms toward 60.

ILLINOIS RIVER: Starved Rock Area: Fair: Cajun's reported decent catfish on liver or stinkbait, lots of drum and sporadic white bass (have to look hard) early morning or toward sundown. River is low.

KANKAKEE RIVER: Decent: River should be in outstanding shape (both depth and color) for weekend wading. Ed Mullady reported good rock bass all over, better catfishing in both states and smallmouth decent in traditional Illinois smallmouth waters.

KENOSHA/RACINE, WIS.: Decent: A faithful reader reported quick weekend limits of coho on Dodgers and flies in 45-50 feet at Kenosha; the WDNR reports decent coho south of Racine, too.

LAKE ERIE: Port Clinton: Decent: When weather allows, Rickard's reports, the best walleye are coming on bottom-bouncers and harnesses with the top spots being American Eagle shoal southwest of Kelleys and A-Can. Some perch starting off Catawba S.P.

LAKEFRONT: Chicago: Tuesday, several readers reported jumbo perch starting at Belmont and Diversey with the south winds. Henry's reported some perch starting behind McCormick and off Casino Pier, too. For boaters, coho were good from the Wilson crib to the R-2 over the weekend, said Capt. Mike Okoniewski; R-2 remains the most consistent for coho with a sporadic steelhead or king. Harbors are improving for largemouth and panfish around walls, piers and growing weeds. Waukegan/North Point: Capt. Bob Poteshman said mornings have been outstanding for coho 1-3 miles out of North Point, nearly all on Dodgers and flies. The Salmon Stop said outstanding coho continue through Waukegan to Great Lakes, varying from shore to 40 feet; and some days even casters with spoons are taking coho off the Waukegan piers. Winds made perch fishing tougher in that band from Waukegan to Highland Park in 50-75 feet, but Arden Katz reported good perch in 55 feet last weekend.

MADISON LAKES, WIS: Decent: D&S Bait reported bluegill are bedding on Waubesa, lots of crappie staging on weed lines (7-8 feet) on Monona and Mendota. Smallmouth are very good on Mendota in 7-12 feet. Muskie are fair on Waubesa. Fair walleye for mid-lake trolling on Waubesa and Kegonsa.

MENOMINEE RIVER, WIS./MICH.: Good: Despite yo-yoing weather, guide Mike Mladenik reported steady action for big smallmouth. He said muskie are moving and should only intensify.

NORTHERN WISCONSIN: Decent: Jerry Swarbrick reported some largemouth on beds and others staging, while smallmouth have already spawned on Red Cedar/ Hemlock lakes near Rice Lake with daily catches around 30, best on shaky-head jigs. Around Minocqua, Justice reported very good pike on chubs, walleye have been generally good (though he suggested thinking wood with weed growth behind schedule), crappies were held off spawning beds by the weekend chill but should be in now and bluegill are good in existing weed beds, best on warmer days or during afternoons. NOTE: Daily walleye bag limits increase beginning Saturday on 89 lakes in the Wisconsin Ceded Territory. Check signs or the revised pamphlet for specific lake regulations.

NORTHWEST INDIANA: Decent: Mik-Lurch reported smallmouth are in and out of bedding areas. Salmon are fair in 55-65 feet by the wreck. Perch are slow, some in 60-65 feet off Michigan City, but could improve with a second day of south winds. Lots of walleye being taken on leeches under lighted bobbers around Wolf Lake. Willow Slough slowed some, but bluegill remain good.

ROCK RIVER: Decent: TJ's Bait/Tackle said channel catfish continue strong on dipbait, while leeches are working best for walleye (good right now) and smallmouth (catch-and-release through June 15th). Large carp are good on corn or prepared baits. More big flatheads are being reported.

SHABBONA LAKE: Decent: Lakeside reports continued decent numbers of big bass (guide Jay Angel said topwater bite should start as they come off the beds); crappie are moving out of the shallows (keepers take sorting) and catfish are decent. Water warms through 60s.

WISCONSIN RIVER, WIS.: DELLS: Decent: River's Edge said smallmouth are going best with some walleye in the evening, crappie are fair. River is normal.

WOLF RIVER, WIS.: Fremont: Decent: Guide Bill Stoeger said it is mainly male white bass in the river, with flies on river rigs best along the rocks near Partridge. Trollers continue to do well on Poygan for walleye.

Dale Bowman

It's not an exact science

2007-05-24T10:33:00.000-06:00

Hunting muskie isn't easy, but Saric's over the moon for big catch

May 23, 2007
BY DALE BOWMAN Staff Reporter
SHELBYVILLE, Ill. -- After hours of trolling in loops and zigzags through the muskie hot spot in the cove at Lithia Springs, Jim Saric and Charlie Buhler had a whole of lot of nothing.
Suddenly Saric said, ''Moonrise is 1:30.''

Fish long enough for something as moody as muskies, and even scientists such as Saric, a geologist by trade, lapse into mystic ruminations.

Maybe that's the perfect definition of a fisherman: a scientist who slow-dances with supernatural mysteries.

In April, Saric invited me to Lake Shelbyville for a day of shooting for ''The Musky Hunter Television Show,'' the only muskie show on the air.

Conditions were tough, so tough I that expected him to withdraw my invitation. A weekend tournament had blanked. In two previous days of hard fishing, they had boated only one, not nearly enough for a segment. Add to that post-front conditions.

''There's still a good chance of catching,'' Saric promised. ''We just have to slow down, fish plastics and smaller minnow baits. I don't necessarily mean slower retrieve, just a more deliberate presentation.''

I had hours to wrap my head around that piece of fishing Zen. (It makes sense if you mull it over.)

At least it remained cloudy.

''If it was clear out and sunny, then it can be really tough,'' Saric said. ''Then you have to rely on the bite at dark.''

We started casting, then switched to trolling in the late morning. In the downtime, I gleaned an extraneous piece of fishing knowledge from Saric. With the water down, he pointed to downed trees on points.

''Notice the cold north wind pushes them to the south side of the points,'' he said. He said that holds true on most impoundments. He was right. And I never had noticed before.

Stuff like that makes the Deerfield man heir apparent to Spence Petros as Chicago's fishing master/teacher.

While Saric respects the pull of the moon, he also believes what his modern electronics show and the mathematical truths of patterns. In previous days, they marked schools of bait high in the water, so six trolling rods (outside shallow-running baits, inside deeper-running baits) were spread to cover the top 10 feet.

''But weather trumps the moon conditions,'' Saric said. ''The more of those factors you can control, the better off you are.''

Sure enough, less than 15 minutes after moonrise, as the water had warmed to 67 degrees, a rod went off and Buhler boated a 44-inch muskie that had hit a firetiger Salmo Skinner 20.

''The bar has been set at 50 inches,'' Saric said. ''People go all their lives without catching one of those. Every muskie is a great fish. I'll take a 44-incher anywhere.''

The catch set off an intense strategy discussion between Jim Lucy, an Emmy-winning sports cameraman from Schiller Park, and Saric. That ate into time when the natural fishing reaction would be to get quickly back into the zone where the active fish was.

''We set out to do a casting and trolling show,'' Saric said. ''We had all these great plans, but the fish dictate what happens.''

Tornado warnings popped all afternoon, but storms skirted us and we fished on. Two hours later, it paid off with an even more impressive 46-inch muskie on a shad Salmo Skinner 20.

''That's two fish with the same lure with approximately the same amount of line out,'' said Saric, who was doubly glad the fish came on lures from a show sponsor. ''So we know what we have to try to replicate.''

As Lucy zoomed in to get the release of the fish, he and his camera were splashed.

It was time. But we fished into the evening, casting for the final couple of hours. Both Buhler and I raised muskies that didn't finish. But Saric and Lucy had enough for a trolling show, just what the fish gave them.

The second season of ''The Musky Hunter Television Show'' will air locally on Comcast SportsNet beginning the first Saturday in January.

Turkey talk
As had been the trend all spring, the preliminary harvest in Illinois' 2007 spring turkey hunt was well short of the 2006 record. Hunters bagged 14,767 wild turkeys in the regular spring seasons, plus another 570 (a record) in the youth seasons to total 15,337. In 2006, hunters totaled 16,607 (16,086 in the regular seasons, 521 in the youth seasons). Forest wildlife program manager Paul Shelton suspects the drop was a combination of the record heat followed by record cold, coupled with more jakes, which gobble less, in the populations of toms.

Places and faces
Mayor Daley's Fishing Advisory Committee meeting has been moved back to McKinley Park Fieldhouse at 10 a.m. Thursday. ... Michigan confirmed the first inland appearance of viral hemorrhagic septicemia, the fatal fish disease that does not affect humans, last week in Budd Lake in Claire County. Wisconsin has confirmed more VHS cases in the Winnebago chain.

Wild things
My friend, naturalist Joel Greenberg, wants to document extreme cases of the emergence of 17-year cicadas, such as enough to require shoveling. Contact him at ckerchmar@earthlink.net.

Stray cast
In bass fishing, they're called reaction baits. Smart big fish leave them alone. (Public memo to Ozzie.)

Anglers need to conquer canoe trail

2007-05-23T06:43:00.000-06:00

Published: Tuesday, May 22, 2007
By Matt Crawford

They officially raised the curtain on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail last year.

The trail is a 740-mile waterway that runs through four states, making it possible to paddle from Old Forge, N.Y., to Fort Kent, Maine (with portaging required here and there).

It follows travel routes used by Native Americans and early eastern settlers and slices through what's known as the Northern Forest, the 25 million acres of (mostly) forested land that stretches acres across New York's Tug Hill plateau and Adirondack Mountains nearly all the way to the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. Nearly all of northern Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and some of southern Quebec lie in the Northern Forest.

Think of it as sort of an Appalachian Trail for paddlers, connected by a series of lakes, rivers, ponds and significant streams. All told, there are 22 rivers and streams, and 56 lakes and ponds that are part of the trail -- including Lake Champlain, the Missisquoi River, Lake Memphremagog, the Clyde River and the Connecticut River.

Kayakers and canoeing fans are rightfully excited for the trail, which is detailed in a series of excellent maps put out by Mountaineer Books. But for all the hype and enthusiasm coming from the Northeast's paddling community the fact remains that the canoe trail has already been conquered by an end-to-end paddler: Donnie Mullen, a former Maine Outward Bound instructor did it in 55 days in 2000. People are already on the trail this spring, paddling from one end to the next, looking to join Mullen in the history books.

What hasn't been done -- or if it has, it hasn't been documented -- is to fish the trail from end-to-end. My guess is that it would take more than 55 days to complete if you took the time to fish the whole way, but it might well be the trip of a lifetime.

If an angler/paddler started in Old Forge, N.Y. -- on the southwestern edge of the Adirondack Park -- and worked eastward to Fort Kent, Maine (in the northeast tip of the Pine Tree State) they'd be able to wet a line in some of the most prized and famous fishing spots in all of the Northeast.

On the western front, for instance, the tiger muskie fishing in the Fulton Chain Lakes would certainly kick the trip off on the right foot.

By the time the trip ended, a paddler would likely have experienced the best wild brook trout fishing in all of the United States in Maine -- including the mighty Allagash River where Henry David Thoreau wrote about the beauty of brookies in the mid-1800s.

And in the middle of a trip, an angler/paddler would have to be equipped with the gear needed to tame Lake Champlain's famous smallmouth bass.

It would seem to me the best way to paddle and fish the Northern Forest Canoe Trail would be by canoe, and if you took a canoe you'd need a fishing partner. And if you took a fishing partner you'd have to double up on the gear.

The gear, of course, would include fly rods, spinning rods, baitcasting rods, nets, stringers, tackle boxes, waders and fishing vests.

I'd guess that fly-tying materials would be optional, because you could always buy flies from local shops on the trail, and you'd still need space for camping, cooking and other long-distance paddling equipment.

Luckily, you could buy four of the five required fishing licenses on-line (New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Quebec doesn't sell fishing licenses on line), which would give you more time to be on the water and less time on land, standing in line.

And speaking of time, if I could find a summer to float and cast the canoe trail, I'd jump at the chance. Maybe there'd be a book deal in it all.

Matt Crawford is the Free Press Outdoors editor. His column appears Sundays. Contact him at 651-4852 or mcrawfor@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com

BOX: TRAIL INFORMATION

For information about the Northern Forest Canoe Trail call 496-2285 or log on to www.northernforestcanoetrail.org

Southern Wisconsin Muskie Fishing

2007-05-17T11:59:00.000-06:00

Memories can be made from a northwoods Friday night fish fry and loon magic in the morning, but sometimes spending your weekend closer to home can pay off in a big way! (May 2007)
By Ted Peck

The perspective on Wisconsin’s state fish has changed considerably over the past 15 to 20 years.

A generation ago, going muskie fishing meant a journey to the northwoods. The vision quest for a 50-incher included a Friday night fish fry in a supper club where walls were adorned with lunkers, loon magic in the morning and the pungent aroma of wet tamaracks. It was all about immersing in the north country. Muskie trips and deer camp were two Wisconsin institutions placed on pedestals that no man -- or woman -- dared put asunder.

Nowadays, muskies now swim in dozens of waters across southern Wisconsin. Muskies rule their watery domains less than an hour away from most downstate folks’ homes. Instead of hearing loons and smelling tamaracks, most of our fishing time is spent listening to jets overhead and vehicle traffic, and getting whiffs of diesel smoke. More often than not, there are lines at the ramp, and sometimes there are boats waiting their turn to fish a windblown point.
Muskies may still be the fish of 10,000 casts. But the taunting of Tallywackers and seduction of Suicks come in such a rapid progression that a 40-inch muskie living downstate has seen a dozen times more plugs and bucktails than her cousin Milly of similar dimensions living in northern Wisconsin’s Lac Vieux Desert, Teal Lake or the Chippewa Flowage.

With Wisconsin’s modern road system, we can be anywhere in the northwoods in five hours -- six hours tops -- even when road tripping from someplace “way down south” like Waukesha County. That’s a 10- to 12-hour round trip without wetting a line. The same amount of time spent on Pewaukee or Okauchee twitching a Jake or burning a bucktail just under the surface has all the ingredients for producing a torpedo wake and open-jawed strike right by the boat that makes our knees go weak.

Having to jam on the brakes and head for the ditch because some guy in a minivan from Illinois missed the exit for the Wisconsin Dells can create a similar adrenaline rush. But the sensory input of a big downstate muskie shaking her head to some double-trebled chin music is much more pleasurable than what could occur on northbound I-90/94. The best part is, you can show other softball dads the release of this 42-incher on your camera/cell phone at junior’s game that evening, and still make it to work come Monday morning without a red-eyed commute through deer country at night.

Our northwoods will always have the unrivaled ambience of pristine woods and waters. But your chances for getting that string stretched are as good or better close to where the lion’s share of our population pays primary dwelling property taxes -- the joy from which makes you want to set the hook hard, soon and multiple times.

The following is a look at some of our best waters for finding catharsis close to home for those who live in southern Wisconsin. Next month, we’ll tell you where you can catch a trophy muskie after your Friday night fish fry in the northwoods.

PEWAUKEE LAKE
This 2,400-acre Waukesha County muskie hotspot has led every category -- except loon music and tamarack aroma -- for years.
Muskie growth rates here are nearly double of those in the northwoods. There are more adult muskies per surface acre here than anywhere else in Wisconsin. Fifty-inch-plus Esox are caught every year, by both anglers and in Department of Natural Resources surveys. But by the time any Pewaukee muskie reaches 30 inches, it has seen pretty much every variation of every lure in Rollie & Helen’s catalog -- and tasted hooks on more than one occasion.

The only mystique in fishing these waters comes from the muskies themselves. Pewaukee is a very easy lake to figure out. The east end is essentially one big flat with a couple of offshore humps and an island. You won’t be alone probing the transition zone along Rocky Point or back in Taylor Bay. Conventional wisdom says this end of Pewaukee is a great place to kick off the season because the water is shallower and warms quicker. By mid-June, there is good weed development on Pewaukee, with the deep weed edges on the lake’s west end holding a large number of cruising fish. Most of the action comes at night on topwater baits.

I’ve never been a big believer of major and minor feeding times on inland waters, although offshore in Lake Michigan the influence is undeniable. Attempts will be made this year to be out on the water during these predicted peaks -- even if they come at noon on a sunny day. Something in that little fish brain defies logic. The moon’s influence may not be a key during daylight hours, but as long as your line is in the water, you’re a weapon.

Copious studies have shown there really isn’t rhyme or reason to color choice here. But baits with primarily black and a touch of fluorescent orange work well. There is also much to be said for muskie fishing here with bassin’ gear. You may not always want a steak, but there is always room for a cookie. Downsizing your presentation is an option to keep on the table.

Contact: Smokey’s Bait, (262) 691-0360.

OKAUCHEE LAKE
This Waukesha County fishery is half the size of Pewaukee at about 1,200 acres, and is generally considered second behind Pewaukee as a muskie producer. Although smaller, Okauchee has as much -- or more -- muskie habitat than the other popular downstate muskie lakes.

The logic of black/orange lures in smaller sizes also applies here. Muskies are at the top of the food chain, so they eat what and when they feel like it. Panfish will be relatively shallow and trying to spawn until about June 1. You can bet your last Lindy Tiger Tube that big “toothers” will be cruising in water just a little deeper than the panfish spawning areas.

Concentrate on water less than 12 feet deep with a bait capable of covering the entire water column. Lindy Tiger Tubes are a good choice, and so is a pulse bait called the Spit-Fire. This lure has a fat panfish profile and a big Colorado spinnerblade off the back end. There is one in my box in crappie pattern with several sets of tooth marks. If you believe in a particular lure, you tend to fish it a little harder. Looking at tooth marks every time you get ready to make another cast is great mental reinforcement.

Contact: Dick Smith’s Live Bait & Tackle, (262) 646-2218. BIRON FLOWAGE & LAKE DuBAY
Would you rather be in one of three boats casting for a dozen muskies, or in one of 50 boats throwing for 100 different muskies? These flowages on the Wisconsin River provide both scenarios.

My favorite muskie water in our entire state has the common thread of our namesake river running through it. If you have never fished the Wisconsin River below the Grandfather Dam, the King Dam below Lake Alice, or between Merrill and Brokaw, put these trips on your “to-do” list in 2007.

Waters of Lake DuBay are a stump-strewn minefield. For those who take the time to negotiate between them and can accept the certainty of at least one butchered prop as collateral damage, this flowage near Stevens Point has tremendous muskie potential.

Phil Schweik knows these waters better than anybody. Although there is considerable comfort fishing out of his boat, I pondered whether my Type-V Stearns automatic inflatable PFD would work as Schweik “rabbited” his way across this stained water at bullet speed. Coming down off plane and deploying the electric is always welcome. But don’t let your guard down for a single cast, because you won’t see these fish coming in the stained water, so most strikes are without warning.

The Biron Flowage around Wisconsin Rapids is a little easier to negotiate. You may even be lulled into a sense of being able to run willy-nilly without consequences. But right in the middle of all this tranquility is a boulder jutting up from the depths called “Lower Unit Rock” by locals like guide Dave Lutz.

Biron is virtually an unknown flowage in the Wisconsin River system. Boat launches aren’t very well marked. You can probe most of the promising water here in just a few hours. It all boils down to a question: How many 40-inch muskie strikes does it take to make your day?

Contact: Wisconsin Rapids Chamber of Commerce, 1-800-554-4484, or VisitWIRapids.com.

GREEN BAY
Great Lakes-strain spotted muskies are at the other end of the spectrum from Ol’ Snaggletooth dwelling under the dock on Piney Point on some unknown northwoods lake. There is so much water for these Green Bay muskies to swim in that a 50-incher may not see 10,000 casts in several lifetimes -- at least at first glance.

Because of the vastness of Green Bay, there is an extremely low density per surface acre for these fish throughout most of the fishing year. But early in the spring and very late in the fall, the odds of hooking up are good for persistent anglers. The DNR reports “good numbers of 45- to 50-inch fish in the system.”

For years now, the DNR has been dumping large fingerlings into Lake Michigan near the Menominee River to the north and Fox River to the south. Although these fish go prodigal and cruise the big water as they grow, DNR surveys indicate a definite return to tributaries at both ends of the open-water year. This is driven by the pursuit of food and comfortable habitat parameters.

Green Bay isn’t like Canadian lakes where myriad islands all hold the potential for attracting fish. This makes waters around protected harbors, offshore reefs, tributaries and inlets like Sawyer Harbor and Little Sturgeon Bay places to prospect for muskies. We are just beginning to write the book on muskie fishing on these waters. Right now, trolling is the most efficient way to put lures in front of Green Bay fish.

If there is an epicenter of muskie activity on this system, it has to be the water out from the Fort Howard paper plant on the Fox River. This is where many anglers trolling for walleyes find themselves hooked up with a muskie.

One area I have always wanted to fish seriously for toothers but haven’t yet because of both time and logistics are the waters up in Door County out from Peninsula State Park. An added bonus is that Chambers Island, the Strawberry Islands and several adjacent reefs hold huge walleyes in July and August. I only got up there once last summer. The biggest walleye to come into Pat Cavins’ boat was only 10 pounds. Two things have nagged at me since that trip. We lost two walleyes that would have probably weighed in the mid-teens, and I got bit off twice. This latter infliction could have only been caused by a fish of the Esox per
Since I am more of a walleye guy by design and the timing of this bite offers the highest potential for landing a whopper, summer ‘eye efforts here for the foreseeable future will be spent dragging Rapala Husky Jerks. But if you are a muskie fanatic, you could become the next Wisconsin fishing legend by trying this water.

Contact: Door County Chamber of Commerce, (920) 743-4456.

MADISON CHAIN
Maybe it’s just old-timers disease setting in, but I can’t ever remember the boat launches on this chain of natural lakes in the shadow of the Mad City ever being this crowded. After Memorial Day, it seems like every animal has escaped the Henry Vilas Zoo, mounted a personal watercraft and headed out to terrorize anglers.

A good place to see if this phenomenon will actually occur is from tiny Lake Wingra, which borders the zoo property. Wingra has more muskies per surface acre than any other Madison lake. It is also the easiest to fish because it is essentially just a big soup bowl. Lake Kegonsa doesn’t have much more structure than Wingra. On both lakes, casting topwaters and bucktails along the weeds is good strategy.

Structure and offshore weeds are more common on Waubesa just up the chain from Kegonsa. Fish over 40 inches are in the lake but seldom seen. However, if you just want to see your youngster catch a muskie, this is the best Madison lake to tangle with a mid-30-inch fish. Weeds around Hog Island at the north end hold fish essentially year ‘round, and ditto on the south end out from Goodland Park. The key is several springs that create open pockets in otherwise dense weed growth that appears about mid-June. These are muskie magnets!

On Lake Monona, the high-percentage spot -- at least around opening weekend -- is often close to the warmwater discharge off John Nolan Drive. This is especially true if water temperatures are still cold come opening day.

Lake Mendota has the best potential for giving up a 50-inch muskie, but there are plenty of bars, humps and structures to hide a fish of these dimensions in its 10,000 acres of water.

Where should you fish on the Madison Chain on opening weekend? The common thread that is the Yahara River is a key. And here’s a cryptic hint: Fish beyond the chain.

Contact: Ron Barefield’s Fishing Adventures Guide Service, (608) 838-8756.

BIG & LITTLE GREEN LAKES
These Green Lake County fisheries receive relatively low species-specific muskie pressure, but there is even more boat traffic here than on the Madison Chain once tourist season arrives.

Little Green is 466 acres, and it has both tiger and pure muskies. It warms much quicker and is easier to fish than Big Green, where most folks don’t have enough line on their reels to reach bottom in the lake’s nether reaches. The key to hooking up in May on Little Green lies in targeting transition zones where the lake breaks from about 13 feet into much shallower water. By June, these fish will lurk much deeper.

At first glance, Big Green is vast and daunting. But if you just target water less than 15 feet deep, virtually the entire lake is fishable in a long day. Come summer, though, Big Green is a tough lake to pattern. Trophy muskies swim here, and they no doubt relate to the rich cisco forage base cruising the depths. If you can find a big cluster of ciscoes on your electronics, drop a huge white jig in the general vicinity. You may catch a muskie or a lake trout.

Contact: Green Lake Chamber of Commerce, 1-800-253-7354.

OTHER WATERS
Those aren’t the only muskie waters in southern Wisconsin.

Aesthetics in Yellowstone Lake State Park are found by looking at the hills surrounding this 400-acre muddy lake. There are many muskies swimming here, but you won’t see ‘em coming. Toss lures that will tickle these toothers along their lateral line.

Then there’s Park and Swan lakes over by Pardeeville. Local anglers will tell you the muskie fishing is better in nearby Lake Puckaway. Don’t believe them.

Delavan Lake in Walworth County may be the best place in southern Wisconsin to tangle with a muskie while trying real hard to catch other species. Rig up for bass or walleyes, but have a really big net in the boat.

Boating that first muskie is a rite of passage for Wisconsin anglers. Being with a young “hook” when he or she realizes this benchmark is priceless. Waubesa, Silver Lake in Kenosha County and Twin Valley Lake in Gov. Dodge State Park north of Dodgeville are three waters where you can move from hero to legend status in the eyes of a young muskie angler. Take a kid fishing this year!

Find more about Wisconsin fishing and hunting at: WisconsinSportsmanMag.com

Fishing regulations get more complex every year

2007-05-11T06:19:00.000-06:00

There are 345 lakes with special rule provisions in 2007, up from 285 last year. That is why the DNR's fishing regulations booklet is must reading.

Doug Smith

Fishing regulations have become more common and complex over the years, and that's the case again for 2007.
A prime example: There are 345 lakes with special fishing regulations this year, up from 285 last year.

Perhaps more than ever, anglers need to be aware of the myriad fishing regulations. At 82 pages, the 2007 DNR fishing regulations booklet is a must-read for anglers. Pick up a copy at most sporting goods stores or bait shops, or you can see them online at the DNR's website, www.dnr.state.mn.us.

Here are some changes for this season, but, as always, see the regulations booklet for more details:

Muskie management

There's a 48-inch minimum size limit on 47 muskie lakes and connecting waters and two rivers; the lakes include Mille Lacs, Bemidji, Cass and Leech. The idea is to protect the burgeoning muskie fishery.

Daily-possession limits

To clear up any confusion, the DNR this year spelled out that the daily and possession bag limits for most fish species are the same. And that limit includes fish in a livewell, at home or at a resort. The daily limit is the number of fish an angler is allowed to take in one calendar day. Eating or giving fish away on the same day doesn't allow an angler to possess additional fish taken that same day.

Transporting fish

The DNR also has clarified its regulations on transporting fish. "Except on the body of water where taken, live fish may not be transported in a quantity of water sufficient to keep them alive unless the fish are bait or the person is authorized to do so by the DNR," part of the regulation states. There's much more, of course. The fish-transporting regulations take up more than a page in the DNR regulations booklet.

Spiny waterflea

New regulations also have been imposed this year restricting transport of water and bait on Minnesota-Canada border waters to prevent the spread of spiny waterflea, an invasive species that got into the Great Lakes in the ballast of cargo ships and has been moving inland. The regulations affect Rainy Lake, Namakan Lake, Rainy River and Lake of the Woods. They prohibit the transport of water and the harvest of bait for personal use and restrict the commercial harvest of bait from those waters, similar to zebra mussel-infested waters in Minnesota. The critters collect in masses, sticking to fishing lines, downrigger cables and anchor lines.

Midwest fishing report

2007-05-10T08:45:00.000-06:00

May 9, 2007
FISH OF THE WEEK: With the biggest crappie (11 inches) and biggest three-fish catches for bluegill and crappie, Jon and Deborah Schab of Niles took home three of the 12 trophies in Capt. Darrel Baker's Chain O'Lakes multispecies tournament/ seminar out of the Thirsty Turtle on Monday. They would have won four trophies, but Brian Demes of Palatine beat them on a tiebreaker for the biggest bluegill (9.3 inches). Send nominations to outdoordb@sbcglobal.net.

BRAIDWOOD TOURNAMENT: The sixth annual Exelon Nuclear's ''Fishing for a Cure'' tournament is Saturday, and it includes a kids derby. Fifty-six teams were registered by Tuesday. The top monetary prize is $2,500. But the real prize is this year's charity, which is CURE. Go to www.exeloncorp.com/programs/fishing.

AREA LAKES: Good: Bass are coming shallow on almost all lakes; some of the best fishing has been subdivision or farm ponds. In Cook, Skokie Lagoons has been receiving much effort, but catching has been fair for largemouth and crappie, a faithful reader said. ''Jimmy T'' Templin of FishTech said Beck has also been good. An estimated 36-inch pike was taken at Deep Quarry over the weekend; otherwise smaller pike are active in DuPage lakes, according to Kolar Bait.

BIG GREEN LAKE, WISCONSIN: Fair: Mike Norton reports lakers are good trolling with a flasher and minnow or spoon in 30-130 feet. Shoreline fishing is tough with cool water: try bluegills at Playground Park or cast County A bridge for white bass or browns.

CHAIN O'LAKES AREA: Good: ''You should get your tail up here because we are catching a lot of fish,'' Baker advised. Triangle said bluegill are good on ice jigs and waxies under small floats; Channel, Petite and Marie are best. Catfish are excellent on leeches or crawlers on the bottom; Fox, Marie or Petite are best. Crappie are fair, best in channel mouths. White bass are very good; Bluff, Marie and Petite are best. Bass are good, look shallow. Muskie are picking up after the spawn on gliding baits or topwaters early and late.

COOLING LAKES/STRIP PITS: HEIDECKE: With water in the mid-60s, just about everything -- hybrids, white bass, walleye, catfish -- are going, concessionaire Steve Anderson said. Muskie are tough. MAZONIA/BRAIDWOOD: Mazonia lakes are prime with waters in the 60s; Ponderosa is best for multiple species. Fishing low light (morning, evening or cloudy days) is essential. Braidwood has consistent catfish; north end is 70, south launch, 80. LaSALLE: Fish are more spread with warmer water, but the bite for hybrids, largemouth and blues continues good, especially for trollers.

DELAVAN LAKE, WISCONSIN: Fair: Arden Katz reported opening weekend bluegill were tough, but largemouth (up to 5-8) were outstanding, with best wacky-worming Senkos in the harbors. Water is only in the mid-50s. Launch fee (20 feet and under) is $10.25; season pass, $102.50.

DOWNSTATE: REND: ''To answer your question, 'It's time,''' said guide Todd Gessner before I asked Monday. Crappie are all over shallow; keepers take sorting, but numbers are very good. EVERGREEN: Mike Steffa reported crappie being taken in coves and shallower areas on small jigs and minnows. Saugeye are also doing well. SHELBYVILLE: Guide Mary Satterfield reported crappie are shallow and starting to spawn, fish cover like laydowns or underwater brush. Keepers take sorting. Water is in the mid-60s. Some white bass are on deeper edges. Muskie have been tough (no fish counted in the weekend tournament), though water seems perfect.

FOX RIVER: WESTERN SUBURBS: Expectant: By the weekend, levels should be good for the year's best wading for smallmouth. Catfish are improving with warming water.

ILLINOIS RIVER: STARVED ROCK AREA: Decent: Guide Buster Culjan said water is in the mid-60s and white bass are spawning; being caught in both the Illinois and Vermilion. Find the river shiners and white bass will be there. Jig and minnow, blade baits or 2- or 3-inch Gulp minnows are working. All ramps are open. Some catfish being caught on crawlers, cut shad or Sonny's. Spotty sauger on the Peru flats.

KANKAKEE RIVER: Good: Good spring levels should make for an outstanding weekend. Catfish are good throughout the river, including a 13.03-pound catfish caught by Bill Ramsey reported at Kankakee River Trading Post. Smallmouth have been decent, but should pick up dramatically, especially around islands and rock bars in the state park area, said Ed Mullady. Pike and largemouth have been good in and around Indiana bayous.

LAKE ERIE: PORT CLINTON: Excellent: Rickard's said walleye are excellent west of Greene and Rattlesnake, northwest of North Bass and south of Middle, all on bottom-bouncers and harnesses.

LAKEFRONT: Decent: CHICAGO: Smallmouth, shore and boat, have been solid, led by the 21 1/4-inch, 5-4 caught by Nick Leno last Wednesday from shore at Northerly Island. Capt. Mike Okoniewski said browns, coho and steelhead have been good on the lakeside of Chicago Light on Dodgers and flies (green/gold) or black/silver North Port Nailers, from the surface to 20 feet down. Shore perch have been spotty. WAUKEGAN: Capt. Jeff Miltimore said a good coho bite started shallow last Tuesday on Dodgers and flies from Waukegan to Great Lakes. When weather allows, perch continue good in that 50-75 feet range from Waukegan to Lake Forest. Salmon Stop said some coho are coming from shore on spoons; frozen roaches or herrings on the bottom on the slider rig are taking browns.

NORTHERN WISCONSIN: Opener: Wind changed some fishing opening weekend, but otherwise it was solid. Minocqua guide Kurt Justice said walleye were on a late post-spawn bite, so anglers had to search sometimes until late morning or midafternoon. Decent pike were in weeds in 4-6 feet. Crappie were good on windward wood and weeds; but wind slowed bluegill fishing a bit. Lots of big smallmouth (catch and release only now) reported, Justice released one of 5 1/2 pounds. If camping, be aware of dry conditions and fire danger.

NORTHWEST INDIANA: Decent: Mik-Lurch said perch are doing well at Gary Light in 40-48 feet. Otherwise shoreline smallmouth have been good as fish come in to spawn. Wolf Lake has some night walleye, and crappie are improving. Like other area waters, bass are improving on all lakes and ponds.

ST. JOSEPH AREA, MICHIGAN: Better: BJ Sports said fishing improved Monday with a mixed bag of lakes, kings, steelhead and a few coho in 80-130, down 30 to the bottom. River is slow, other than catfish.

SHABBONA LAKE: Decent: Lakeside reported some bass coming shallower; leeches have been good bait. Water is 61, likely to hit mid-60s by the weekend, which should bring crappie shallower. Catfish to 11 pounds, taken on livers. Muskie are fair, but a 44-incher verified last week.

WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN: White bass: Fremont guide Bill Stoeger said numbers of white bass are improving daily with water warmed to 56. Jig and minnow, river rig with minnows or flies are best; spinners should improve as water warms. Both this weekend and next should be near peak.

Dale Bowman

Spring Muskies

2007-05-09T07:20:00.001-06:00

Muskie First
Published May 4, 2007

Spring Muskies

MuskieFirst is pleased to present a set of 3 articles on early season fishing in the southern Wisconsin / northern Illinois-Iowa area. Professional fishing guides and regular MuskieFirst contributors Adam Oberfoell, Joel Michel, and Jeff Hanson each offer insight on how they approach early season muskie fishing on their favorite lakes.
Its interesting to note the differences and especially the similarities between the observations and tactics of these three top muskie fishermen. Hopefully it will make your early season forays more productive in 2007!

Northern Illinois/Iowa Adam Oberfoell

Spring is here again and its time to sort through your gear and hit the water! The long winter has made you very eager to set hooks into that first musky of the new year. You cant wait to throw all of the hot new baits you bought at the sport shows, but which baits should you throw? Where should you begin to look for early season muskies? Here is some information to help you narrow down your choices.

In northern Illinois and central Iowa you can get a jumpstart on the season, so this article will focus on the timeframe of mid-April to mid-May. By the time mid-April finally arrives, the muskies will usually be in the middle of the spawning cycle or just finishing up. The fish will still be in the recovery mode for a few weeks after the spawn. One advantage is that the muskies have probably not seen many baits over the long winter months so they are more likely to make a mistake.

The smaller males are the first to recuperate and they will be easier to catch than the larger females. You have probably heard the old saying use small baits in the spring. If you just want to catch a few muskies and you are not concerned with size, moving quickly with smaller baits is a good approach. This is because the smaller baits will generally get the smaller fish to move, and smaller fish are more likely to chase down a bucktail or faster moving bait.

If it is the larger muskies that you seek, you will want to refine your approach and tactics. The larger the fish, the more recovery time that fish needs from spawning. These fish do not want to move very quickly or very far to get their next meal. Begin looking for these fish in the warmest water you can find. The warmer the water, the more active the fish. I generally start looking directly outside the areas and bays were they have just finished spawning. Depths of 4-12 feet is a good starting point. If the lake you are fishing has some new green weeds coming up in the warmer water then you will want to probe the outside edge of these weeds with your casts. If you have no action there, begin to slide out deeper until you contact fish. I have had many days in the spring where I only contacted smaller fish by casting shallow. On those same days, I was able to contact the larger fish by sliding out to as deep as 15 feet.

Break lines consisting of sand and gravel can be good, especially if the lake is devoid of weeds. Timber can also be a great holding place for early season musky because the wood absorbs more sunlight and warms the water around it. The best wood will be near the backs of bays and near creek channels. Lures such as a Suick, with a straight dive and pause, are great choices here not only to trigger a fish but also to keep you from snagging the trees.

Pay special attention to areas where you are seeing baitfish; the muskies will be close by. Every year I like to go out pan fishing a few days before I can legally start muskie fishing. I cast small plastics and carefully watch the surface temperatures. When I start catching several crappies or bluegills I mark those areas with an icon on my GPS. These are usually the very first areas that I run to on opening morning and I have had great success in contacting muskies right off the bat.

I like to use larger baits that move very slowly at the depth at which I believe the fish to be sitting. Long pauses in your bait presentation are a huge part of early season success, and some good choices for this are jerkbaits, minnowbaits and soft plastics. One of my favorite baits this time of year is an 8 Jake. I like to add a casting sinker to the middle hook attached with a split ring. When fishing shallower water I use a 3/8 to 1/2 ounce weight and I use a 3/4 to 1 ounce weight when fishing deeper. This allows me to run the bait much deeper and the bait can be paused for a long time instead of immediately rising to the surface. This weighting system works well for a large variety of baits throughout the season and gets your bait down to fish that dont often see that particular bait. Many guys will drill holes in their baits and use epoxy to add weights; however, I prefer to use removable weights so that I can easily take the weights off to use the bait in shallower water again. I like to get the bait down to the desired depth and use short 12 to 18 snaps with the rod tip. You want the bait to appear injured so incorporate at least 4 long pauses during each retrieve. The goal is to make the bait appear as a big easy meal for a tired, lazy fish to catch. Another favorite of mine for early season is the 9 weighted Suick. I like to retrieve this bait with short 12-15 soft pulls. I keep the rod pointed down and give it a pull, then slowly reel in the slack and pull again. This gives the bait plenty of hang time when weighted correctly. Many guys think the Suick is too big to throw on opening weekend, but the fish have told me otherwise.

Please go through your boat before you hit the water for the first time this year. It is easy to forget to throw in the necessary release tools, camera, measuring devices, etc. after the long winter. Do a double check before leaving your garage to be sure your boat is ready for anything that the opening day can throw at you. Fish hard and enjoy being back on the water chasing this amazing fish that has haunted your dreams all winter!

Adam Oberfoell
Get The Net, LLC. Professional Guide Service
www.getthenetmuskyguide.com
608-220-3406

Southeast Wisconsin Joel Michel

The winter shows have come and gone again, and likely you have more new baits than you really need. Discussion boards have beat world record, size limit, and genetic issues to death. Hooks have been sharpened, reels re-spooled, and tackle boxes reloaded. That can only mean one thing: springtime is here and well soon be plying the waters with high expectations. Along with these high expectations comes a bit of effort if you hope to be successful and not simply depend on luck. There are things that need to be taken into account, and adaptation can be a huge asset this time of year. Here are a few things that have worked for me in the past when fishing the early season.
In the Milwaukee, WI area the season opens the first full weekend in May. I can usually expect to find water temps in the 50-55 degree range when I first hit the water. One thing I do before the season opens is to hit the water for a day or two in order to scout likely areas and see what is under all of the weeds that will develop in the next few weeks. This is one of the best times of the years to find your sweet spots in the areas you are fishing. Youd be amazed at what is under the milfoil that seems to take over our spots come late spring and early summer. Things Ill look for are rock piles, logs/cribs, and something that always holds fish when you find it: cabbage. We dont have much of it down this way, but when you find the areas that hold cabbage early, remember them, and concentrate on those areas. Once you discover these areas, mark them down carefully so that you can find them again. Scouting these areas will help you to find out why certain areas are holding fish, not only now, but as the season progresses.
In the spring, there is definitely a predictable movement of fish. They usually start staging outside of the spawning areas, and then as the water warms into the 50s, they move into spawning areas. After the spawn, the fish start transitioning out to main lake areas, and with the early warm weather of the past few springs, they can be in typical summer locations by late May. Most of the time, this movement of fish is not something that many fishermen consider when making decisions on what areas to target. By understanding these movements, it will help you to get an idea of where you should spend your time and increase your odds of success.
Once Ive picked my locations, Ill decide upon what presentations Ill be using. Since were focusing on spring tactics here, Ill go over a few presentations that have worked for me. One early season tactic Ill use is sucker fishing. Im sure most of us are familiar with fishing suckers in the fall, and spring is the same, just with a change in location.
Rigging your suckers and the way you lay them out in your set up, can make a huge difference in catching fish, or having idle suckers. I typically have 3-4 suckers out at a time during the first two weeks of the season. If Im using 4 suckers, Ill have 2 trailing behind the boat bobbers, and two straight under the boat. Im able to do this in southern Wisconsin because trolling is legal. In order to keep these baits separated, Ill use different length rods, similar to trolling. Ill use St Croix 76 MH rods for my bobber rods, and 72 MH rods for my down rods. I like the longer rods for the bobbers as they pick up the slack faster and keep good pressure on a fish, even if you set the hook away from the boat. All of these rods will have Abu Garcia 6500s on them spooled with 80# Power Pro line. I then use a 90# 7-strand leader that I will attach to my quick set rigs.
The rig itself is where attention to detail will pay off for you with more fish in the net. For my rigs in the spring I prefer small hooks and hardware so that easily spooked fish do not notice them. I use a single 1/0 Gamakatzu hook for my bobber rods, or two size 1 or 2 Gamakatzu trebles for my down rods. I tie these hooks to an O-ring, which I attach to the leader. Remember to keep your rigs small and you will catch more fish!
Now that we have our suckers rigged and ready, we have to finds some areas to fish. Typically in SE Wisconsin, Ill be fishing weed flats or bays that are used for spawning by the muskies. Ill start out casting shallow while dragging the suckers. The key to catching fish on suckers is to have them where they need to be. This requires a good idea of what you are fishing, and good boat control.
I keep my boat on the weed edge if there is one, and have my sucker down rods working along the edges of these weeds. That is where knowing what you are looking at on your locator will pay off big, more attention to detail. I will then put one sucker back as a tail gunner to catch fish that followed in to the boat. It is far enough behind the boat that a fish that followed, has forgotten about seeing me (which can be a scary experience), and will see the sucker floating by. My theory is, that fish was interested enough to follow and after the initial follow, it spots an easy meal, so even a neutral fish will grab the sucker. The other bobber rig will be positioned over the tops of the shallower weeds. I keep this sucker down about 2 feet with as little weight as possible. This one is hanging right over the weeds, and is positioned to catch the fish that dont chase our baits. With this set up, we are able to cover all of the water that we are fishing with our suckers taking up the slack when our baits arent triggering fish to eat.
The next approach I use is when I encounter larger bays or weed flats that have a lot of water to cover. That is when I will turn to trolling. These are bays or flats that dont seem to have any features that stick out that will hold fish. You can have some awesome days trolling these weed flats numbers wise, but you can also pick up some of the bigger post spawn females that are transitioning out of the bays. Ive found that this approach especially works when you are seeing a lot of fish following, but they arent eating. In this situation, trolling keeps these baits in the strike zone longer and you can throw in triggers by speeding up, turning, and by occasionally giving the rods pulls to twitch the baits.
The key to this pattern, as with any trolling pattern, is to keep your baits exactly where they need to be. The nice thing about SE Wisconsin is you can troll 3 lines a person. This allows you to cover a wider path of water. Since Im fishing water from 7 feet and shallower, I dont need to worry about covering too much of the water column with all 6 baits. Instead Im looking for which baits they are eating at any given time. There are only a handful of baits that I run this time of year, and the main thing that Im changing is the colors of the baits Im running.
Equipment wise, I select the same rods and reels as when Im casting. Im using 7 to 8 St Croix Premier MHs with Abu Garcia Record HCNs, loaded with 80# Power Pro. The benefit with these set ups is that I can spread my lines with the different size rods, and the Power Pro helps me know that the baits are running properly. My leaders in this case are going to be 2-3 foot long 100-130 lb. fluorocarbon leaders. Im confident using fluoro as Ive never had a bite off using this set up.
The baits I run this time of year depend on the height of the weeds, and I will adjust the baits as the weeds develop throughout the spring to stay just above them. I start out running glide baits and minnow baits. I always have 2 Slammer Drop Belly gliders running off the board rods. I like the Slammers because they have their own built in action, but also because every time you hit a wave or wake with the boards, it puts a trigger into the side to side action. With the gliders, its very important that you keep the drags tighter than normal on the reels. There isnt much resistance in the water from them and if the drag is set too loose, youll end up losing a good amount of fish something Ive learned the hard way and it isnt necessary for you to repeat! I put the gliders far enough from the boards so that one is running about 6 inches over the weed tops, and the other I have running about a foot to two feet down. One last point with the gliders is you have to constantly check them for weeds. On sunny days, its nice because you can see them running if the water is clear. On overcast days or in stained water, Im usually checking them every few minutes, especially if there are a lot of floating weeds. The more Ive been using this approach with gliders the past few years, the better the results are getting.
On the 4 remaining rods I am running, I use all minnow baits. I like to run Jakes and Lip Rippers for my down rods, and try to run these right over the weeds, so that occasionally they will rip through a weed. Again, its important that you have them running right over the weeds. This will get those fish that are sitting down tight to come out and grab the baits as they dont have to do much to get them. My two wash rods are going to be running on very short lines. Im talking having the leader right off the rod tip to maybe one rod length back. Im often using 7 Shallow Raiders and Shadraps for this. I also like to go with bright baits right outside of the wash. Ive had clients sit on the back corners of my boat and watch these baits get eaten. Talk about an excited person! When youre looking at a 40 plus inch fish jumping with 10 feet of line out after you saw it eat the bait, its hard not to get pumped up. Once you see this for the first time, youll realize trolling isnt boring.
The other advantage to trolling, especially early in the season, is you can quickly learn how things are setting up. In a year where the weeds are low, we will typically find clumps of weeds scattered about on these flats and bays. Ill mark these on my GPS, and come back to work them casting. Ill also make trolling passes taking these weed clumps, rock piles, and different weed types into consideration. In this case trolling is not only helping put fish in the boat, but it helps learn how the lake is developing as well.
This spring when you first get in the water, try to pay more attention to the smaller details. Know where you are working your baits whether you are casting, trolling, or running suckers. You will score fish from time to time without taking the small details into account, but youll notice your catching percentage goes up tremendously when you start to give them their due. Good luck!

Joel Michel
dancertails@yahoo.com
(262) 498-5644

The Madison Chain Jeff Hanson

Spring is finally here and I am more exited about this spring than I have been in a few years. We finally had a deep freeze this winter with over 20 of ice on Madison-area lakes. That really helps keep the water clear and kills off a lot more of the weeds. The last few years the big Madison lakes never fully froze, so on opening weekend of fishing a lot of the good spring spots were already weed-choked. This year all the traditional shallow stuff should be great.

The opener for musky fishing in Madison is the first weekend in May. Most of the active fish the first two weeks of the season are smaller males less than 40, but once the water starts warming the bigger girls start to show up. The entire Madison chain has a 45 inch size limit that has helped to improve average fish size over the last few years. More and more big fish are showing up, including some big tigers.

Lake Wingra:

Wingra is your best bet for action the first two weeks of the season. It has up to 4 fish per acre! Most fish are from 30 to 40, and mid-40 fish are rare. My log book shows it takes 200 catches to get one over 45 from Wingra. I have only put one over 45 in the boat during May on this lake. So if youre looking for action rather than size, Wingra is the place to go early in the year. Wingra is small, with less than 400 acres and most of it has less than 10 feet of water. The water is always dirtier than the rest of the chain. The fish can be anywhere and you cant throw a bad cast on Wingra.

Start out by trying real shallow, some of the fish will be right up against the shore. I have had good luck using small Grim Reaper or Roland Martin bass spinnerbaits with willow leaf blades in these areas. Black and silver is always a good color choice when its cloudy, and yellow/gold or black/gold works when its sunny. If the weeds are thicker in spots or if there is a cold front I use the musky-size Johnson silver minnow, with a double white twister on it. Clients always look at me funny when I pull that spoon out, but the fish on Wingra love them and theyll fish through the shallow slop with ease. Dont overlook topwater baits right from the start such as Musky Buster Skywalkers (Topwalkers) and Lee Lures Fishsticks. I have had the best luck with them under low light conditions or if its cloudy; color doesnt seem to matter when youre on top. Working them slow with a lot of splashing seems to get the most hookups.

Once you start working the deeper weeds, in the 4 to 7 foot range, Perch or firetiger Crane baits and 6 inch Jakes worked aggressively are a good bet. I also have had good luck with Bootails and Super Vibrax bucktails. Put on something thats black/silver or black/orange if its cloudy, yellow/gold or anything firetiger if its sunny. Dont forget to use jerkbaits too: Suicks, Reef hawgs, Bulldawgs and Small and Big Joes can be great, and the 8 or 9 inch models are not too big. Slightly larger lures seem to select for larger fish in the spring. Work them slow with long pauses. Any color combo of black, orange, yellow and firetiger is good.

If the weeds are getting crowded with other fisherman (a common occurrence on Wingra early in the year), dont be afraid to go right down the middle of the lake. Most of it is less than 10 feet, and the fish can be anywhere. Make sure you are throwing out of both sides of the boat to cover more water efficiently. On weekends you can only use your trolling motor. But during the week you can use your outboard at slow no wake speed so trolling can be done out here. A lot of fish are out in this open water chasing baitfish.

Night fishing is good from opener to ice up on Wingra. The first couple of weeks see fish caught on Hawgwobblers and the small B.S. Willy creepers after dark. Once the water warms up a bit more, Top Raiders, Lee Lures Choppers and B.S.Willy Globes and big creepers start working well. Black bucktails and Depthraiders take their share of fish at night also. Glow in the dark baits work well also in this dirty water.

Wingra is a great action lake. Multiple fish days are common so its great for beginners and kids and you dont need a very big boat.

Lake Waubesa:

Waubesa is a good size lake at about 2200 acres with a max depth of 40 feet. It warms fairly fast in spring and the water tends to be dirtier than Monona, but still very clear early in the year. Average size fish here is 37 inches, but it holds lots of musky over 40 and approaching the magical 50 mark. My personal best in May is 47 on this lake. It also holds big pike up to 40 who are cruising the weeds at this time of year.

Cloudy days are best the first two weeks of the season until the water warms up and gets more of a stain. Mud Lake and the entire Yahara River connecting Waubesa to Monona is a good place to look as well because it will be holding fish.

Both the north and south ends of the lake are good. The fish can be in less than a foot of water so dont be afraid to throw baits right up to shore. If you have two or more guys in the boat make sure you cast out of both sides one super shallow and one deeper - so that you can find the highest concentration of fish that day; they will move around a lot in the shallow weeds looking for an easy meal. If the water is clear make long casts, the fish spook easily in the shallows.

Small spinnerbaits and bucktails like a Rizzo Wiz or Mepps are good for covering water here. White and black hair or skirts with silver blades on cloudy days will get you bit; go with gold or brass blades on the sunny days. Topwater Skywalkers and Fishsticks can be real good in light rain or low light periods in this shallow water. If the fish have been active, B.S. Willy toppers, small LowRiders and Hawgwobblers can be great.

If you find that the fish arent very active, switching to slow twitched Crane baits or 6 Jakes in perch or sucker patterns will trigger strikes. Johnson Silver Minnows are good here under cold fronts also, look for the heaviest weeds to find buried fish.

Once the water warms up and the weeds in the shallows are up to the surface, start working the weed lines around the lake. Anywhere there are weeds musky will be in them. Larger bucktails like Bootails, Tandem Giant Killers and Super Vibrax have been good to me. If the water is getting green go to florescent blades. Make sure to make a few casts off the weed line towards open water, some of the bigger fish are cruising outside the weed line and thats how I caught my biggest May fish here.

Perch or firetiger 9 Suicks and 8 Bobbies work well here also. If fishing on the weed lines is slow try a weighted Reefhawg worked slowly or Big and Small Joes in white, yellow or black. Baby Depthraiders in perch or sucker take lots of fish also. Make as much contact with the deep weeds as you can, it will trigger more strikes.

If the fish have been active Topraiders and Choppers will be good right before dark or if its raining. After dark use Hawgwobblers or B.S.Willy Creepers and Globes worked slowly. Last year I had a client have a 49-50 fish hit a B.S.Willy globe at the boat. Unfortunately it ended up shaking the bait after a short violent fight, but I did learn a few new words that night. Depthraiders and Big Joes in black, white or glow with a straight retrieve can be deadly.

In late May trolling starts to be effective also. Small baits and speeds 3.0-3.8mph is the key.

Waubesa is a fun lake to fish with lots of spots, remember that in spring anywhere you find weeds is where youll find the fish. Avoid the crowds and fish less pressured spots.

Lake Monona:

Monona is a fairly big southern Wisconsin lake at 3300 acres with a max depth at 70 feet. It warms up slowly due to the large amount of deep clear water. Most spots you can see the bottom in 15 feet of water this time of year. The average size musky here is 38 inches with lots of fish over 40 inches. My best Monona fish in May stretched the tape at 48 inches. We have caught pike up to 42 inches in spring also. Cloudy crappy days are your best bet in May; add a little rain to the mix and its better yet.

A good place to start is Monona Bay; its water is the only stained water at this time, and it is also shallow and weedy. A lot of baitfish are in these weeds, so work the pockets and weed edges thoroughly. Small purple, white or black bucktails with silver blades work well. Go with gold blades if it is sunny and try some yellow hair.

Fast worked 6 inch Reefhawgs and Undertakers in perch or walleye patterns get lots of action. Under low light conditions Fishsticks will work, and natural patterned Crane baits and 6 Jakes get fish too. If action is slow, work spinnerbaits and Silver Minnows in the thickest weeds you can find.

Squaw Bay and Turville Bay are good spots for spring musky also. The water will be clearer than Monona Bay so unless its cloudy or a low-light period fishing can be tough. Youll end up with lots of follows but not many strikes. The mouth of the Yahara River and up into it can produce fish also, so dont be afraid to poke around in there.

There are stretches of shallow sand in the northern part of the lake; sight fishing can be effective here by using jigs, small Joes and small minnow baits. Make long casts so as not to spook the fish, and work the bait so it passes a foot or two in front of it.

Once the water warms up and more of the weed lines start to develop, fishing gets better. Now is the time to start using bigger baits. You cant go wrong with a black and silver Mepps Tandem bucktail or a Super Vibrax. Dont forget to throw an occasional cast off the other side of the boat because some big fish will be off the weed edge. Thats how we caught that four footer here in May a few years ago. Black and perch pattern 9 Suicks and weighted Reefhawgs will get lots of action from fish relating to the weeds, and Big Joes are a favored local bait of the local fish.

Surface baits start working better towards the end of the month. Hawgwobblers and B.S.Willy jointed creepers are good right before dark and into the night. Go back on the highest concentration of fish you saw during the day, and you can get some of them to eat after dark. If the fish have been hot, go with faster-moving Topraiders and Choppers. Depthraiders and Big Joes work well here after dark; keep a slow steady retrieve and you will get hit.

Monona is a great musky lake, it can be tough at times but the bigger size of the fish makes it worthwhile. A lot of people avoid it in May, so there is lots of room to fish. If you are having a hard time figuring out what to throw remember you cant go wrong with anything perch colored.
Good luck this year and if you would like to spend a day learning more on these quality musky waters, give me a call. This will be my eleventh year guiding on the Chain.

Jeff Hanson
www.madisonmuskyguide.com
musky@tds.net
608-848-3906

Musky Challenge (Southeast Wisconsin)

2007-05-09T06:46:00.000-06:00

Pewaukee Lake vs Okauchee Lake

With lots of hype already starting and ice fishing for game fish now over I was thinking about getting a Pewaukee Lake vs Okauchee Lake Opening weekend fun going. Total number of Muskie Inc points wins. This will make it equal in the large fish vs numbers issue. We will figure out something to make it an equal compitition between the lakes.

Smokey's Muskie Shop will hold it's anual Friday night party for everyone who would like to stop down and get the scoop on the lakes. There is rumors of a special treat that will happen. Food related. Stop down for some food, drinks and fun.

With Steve Worrall coming down and Slamr coming up to fish the opener I am sure we can make this a huge event. What are the actual odds of Steve being here to fish?

Battle of the lakes is started and we shall see what lake will come out as "Top Dog".

Well it's on!!!

Sign up on this tread. Post you name and lake. I will edit this post with the names. Please post partners name also.

Pewaukee Lake

Mike Koepp aka "Extreme One"
Bryan Sheaffer aka "B.Shaeffer"
Jason Smith
Bruce Fraser aka "Netman"
Mark Sankey aka "Sanks"
Tip Shepard aka "Shep"
Dave Jackley aka "davej"
John Arrigoni
Mike Phelps aka "ESfishOX"
Gary Wieliczka aka "Musky54"
Dennis Radloff
Craig Gierzak aka"Muskie24"
Bob Lehman
eric lazenby aka "esoxlazer"
Jim Dembiec aka "jdsplasher"
Lynn Dembiec
Gene Daul aka "Lunkerhunter"
Shawn aka "Mr BBQ"
Scott Allen aka "Magruter"
Matt Schroeder aka "Shredder"
Scott Dembiec aka " esoxsmd"
Rob Kurtz

Okauchee Lake

Joel Michel aka "Tuffy1"
Andrew Golden aka "Slamr"
Nikki aka "Slamr's boss"
Kevin Dunn aka "muskyhopefull"
Kevin Moore aka "mskygyd"
Joe Junion aka "Jomusky"
Mike aka "Eox2heart"
Ben Kueng aka "Ben Kueng"
Adam Cooper aka "COOPER"
John Johannes aka "JJ"
Rozanski
Draeger
Mike Warren aka "Muskies vs Mike"
Matt Wendell "The Dude"
Bret Johnson
Scott Gustin
Greg Martin aka"greg m"
Dewman

Fishing opener boosts area businesses

2007-05-07T14:39:00.000-06:00

'I've never seen a year as busy as this one'

By Kevin Naze
Press-Gazette correspondent

Jeff Toneys of Green Bay will be casting for Door County smallmouths today in preparation for the Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament in two weeks.

Toneys, a veteran employee at Pamp's Outboard in Green Bay, deserves the break. He and others in the boating and fishing industry have been swamped this week as anglers prepare for today's inland game fish and Green Bay bass season openers.

"I've been here 10 years, and I've never seen a year as busy as this one," Toneys said. "It's been busy since the boat show in February. This week it's accessories like oil, anchors, batteries, trolling motors, electronics, pumps — anything that has to do with their boat."

Toneys said those bringing in boats for service are going to have to have patience. "We're backed up two weeks," Toneys said. "It's like that all over."

Tim Dawidiuk of Howie's Tackle in Sturgeon Bay said with a favorable weather forecast, opening weekend should provide a dramatic economic boost for the entire peninsula.

"It's not just Sturgeon Bay," Dawidiuk said. "They fish smallmouths all the way to the tip."

Tim Landwehr of Tight Lines Fly Fishing Company of De Pere said the March and April catch-and-release trout season jump-started his business by two months. This weekend's regular trout opener provides another boost.

"It's a big influx of people gearing up," said Landwehr. "And it's not just trout. We have amazing fisheries for all sorts of game fish, and people are just discovering that now."

Landwehr said nearly 600 people have participated in Tight Lines' fly fishing schools the past seven years. "It's a lot of young guys and guys who might be retired and have a lot more time," he said.

Keane Lohmiller of Sunset Grill on Shawano Lake said opening day is the kickoff of his busy season.

"I'm anticipating a very big weekend," Lohmiller said. "The panfish and bass action could be the best it's been in years."

Fran Barbeau of Fathead Fran's in Howard is looking forward to his first opening day at his new business on Velp Avenue.

"With the price of gas, I think they might stay a little closer to home," Barbeau said. "Then again, it's tradition, like deer hunting, so all that might just go right out the window."

George Langley of Eagle Sports in Eagle River doesn't think high gas prices will stop anglers, either.

"It might hurt the more remote places, like Canada and northern Minnesota," Langley said. "But from Green Bay and the Fox Valley, we're just a half-tank away."

Muskie fever brings sweats of frustration

2007-05-05T13:23:00.001-06:00

Chester Allen
The Olympian

MAYFIELD LAKE — Four years ago, I saw a huge tiger muskie — it looked like a log — poke its long, toothy snout out of a weed bed and work its jaws like a dog chewing a bone.
The tail of a unlucky squawfish hung out of that muskie’s mouth.

While I didn’t hook a muskie that day, I vowed to land one — on a fly — before the end of that summer.

I had just caught muskie fever.

The list of numbskull moves that illness brought on is a long one. My first blunder was deciding to hook one of these fish on a heavy fly rod and a big streamer fly.

Just hooking a tiger muskie — which is a sterile hybrid cross between a northern pike and a muskellunge — is tough.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks just a few lakes with the sterile monsters, and each lake doesn’t get many fish.

Muskies get really big — 60 inches long and pushing 50 pounds — and biologists put them in lakes to whittle down overpopulations of carp, pikeminnow and suckers.

Carp, pikeminnow and suckers get too big too fast for trout or bass to keep their populations in check, but tiger muskies happily chomp away on big fish. Tiger muskies also have a sweet tooth for hatchery trout, but biologists believe they do more good than harm.

Anyway, muskies are called “the fish of 10,000 casts.” Using an 8-weight fly rod to chuck a five-inch-long fly made out of rabbit fur will leave your arm looking — and feeling — like a Cheetoh.

I know this because I’m sure I made more than 10,000 casts.

It took me about 23 hours of casting that wretched bunny fly during five different days to finally get a tiger muskie to follow the fly.

It was a warm September day, but my teeth began to chatter when that fish glided along behind the pulsating fly.

Of course, it then turned away.

I compounded my misery because I stubbornly used a pontoon float tube instead of a boat. I figured that a pontoon’s stealth would allow a close approach to the fish.

I think I was getting too doggone close to the fish. I’d get the fish following my fly, but it would then spot the pontoon — and my red, sweaty face — and ease away.

All of this made me crazy — crazy enough to keep going and going and going.

The sad fact is that I came down with a malady that resembled diaper rash during my muskie obsession. I didn’t pee my pants, but my neoprene waders keep me nice and dry and — yes — sweaty.

I bought my first pair of breathable waders right around then.

I finally hooked — and landed — a tiger muskie while casting small popping bug for bass.

Yup, my tiger muskie — all of 28 inches, which is a baby — came because I couldn’t resist casting for bass.

I was lucky that the muskie’s sharp teeth didn’t slice my leader.

I was afraid to land that fish — despite all the effort I put into catching it — as muskies are toothy, mean fish with ice-cold stares. I used pliers to release the fish, and I was glad it didn’t bite my leg.

Local guide Steve Kramer caught a few tiger muskies on 6-pound line and plastic bass jigs last year.

Maybe small is better than large for muskies.

Anyway, I see that Washington is about to get its first Muskies Inc. chapter.

Muskies Inc. which promotes muskie fishing — and was the first angling organization to promote catch and release — has more than 7,500 members.

My muskie craziness was temporary, but it looks like plenty of local anglers are beyond all hope.

Outdoors columnist Chester Allen can be reached at 360-754-4226 or callen@theolympian.com

Muskie fever brings sweats of frustration

2007-05-05T13:23:00.000-06:00

Fishing: Lake Shelbyville prospects looking up

2007-05-04T05:37:00.000-06:00

Apologies to Charles Dickens, but Lake Shelbyville has been the best of fishing holes and the worst of fishing holes for crappie fishing guide Steve Welch recently.

Welch of Monticello has been catching numbers of 10-inch keeper fish in the main lake, but water is too clear for great fishing action, he said. The fish spook too easily. At the same time, he knows the best places for crappie in spring are in the feeder creeks, which have been too dirty or too shallow to target yet.

That situation should change quickly. Early in the year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers keeps water flowing through the 11,000 acre flood-control reservoir to make room for rain runoff. But the flow is stopped on May 1, so the water level will rise now, and the water should calm enough to permit clarity in the creeks to improve, he said. Though he’s caught fish up to 12 inches in recent days, he expects that size to stretch to 13 inches and more this weekend.

“It’s getting good, and it will continue to improve,” said Welch, who won the Crappie USA qualifier at Shelbyville last year just before winning the regional event at Decatur Lake.

Welch has used two primary tactics. One is to cast 1/16th-ounce weedless jigs and Charlie Brewer Slider Grubs to shallow wood, count down four seconds to reach 4 feet down with his bait and to reel. The method lets him avoid scaring fish in the shallows and to cover lots of water fast. The other technique is to tight-line dragging larger ¼-ounce jigs on the bottom on drop-offs on the old river channels about 10 to 13 feet down.

Crappies are also taking minnows suspended below slip bobbers, but water temperature is in the 60s and they are active enough to chase baits, he said. When that’s the case, Welch sticks to faster presentations.

Best spots have been in the mid-lake region. But, don’t expect to find him there when conditions improve enough to permit him to target creeks.

“I’ll be in the creeks for a month,” he said.

Welch also has been catching crappies at Clinton Lake in the hot ditch casting blade baits against clay banks.

Phone Welch at (217) 762-7257 or (217) 840-1221. His Web site is www.lakeshelbyvilleguide.com.

Muskie site

Hook, Line & Sinker friend Duane Serck of the Central Illinois Muskie Hunters has launched an all-inclusive Web site to help Illinois muskie anglers. Guess the address. It’s www.illinoismuskies.com. He has a complete listing of lakes where muskies can be found plus names of guides and other important information.

Fishermen’s sale

Lake Shelbyville Muskie Club hosts a Fishermen’s Sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Shelby County Senior Center in Forest Park on 9th Street in Shelbyville. Admission is $2 or $5 for the entire family. Children under 12 are free.

Boat safety

The McLean County Department of Parks and Recreation will host an Illinois Department of Natural Resources certified Boating Safety Class from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 19. The class is free, but pre-registration is required. Visit www.mcleancountyil.gov/parks/eventdetail.aspx?EID=12 or phone (309) 726-2022, extension 221.

Tournament notes

Travis Boley and John McKinney won the recent Central Illinois Division of Fishers of Men tournament at Clinton Lake with five bass of 20.49 pounds, including big bass of 6.2 pounds. Terry Potts and Ian Estes were second with four bass of 15.21 pounds, including the second largest bass of 5.93 pounds. Bob Nelson and Jack Peplow were third. The next event is May 5th at Clinton Lake. Phone (217) 531-7798.

Tim Ehrhardt and Constantine Nitchoff won the Professional Musky Tournament Trail event at Chain ‘O Lakes in Antioch with two fish of 35½ and 38 inches. Visit www.promusky.com for more.

The Cabela’s King Kat tournament trail will hit the waters of the Mississippi River at Quincy on June 9. Phone (800) 978-4748 or visit www.seequincy.com.

Scott Richardson is Pantagraph outdoor editor. Phone (309) 820-3227 or email srichardson@pantagraph.com Read past outdoor and fishing columns or take part in online discussions at www.pantagraph.com/blogs.
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Midwest fishing report

2007-05-03T07:14:00.000-06:00

FISH OF THE WEEK: On a tough-bite Sunday, Axel Denk of the North Side caught a 16-inch yellow perch, unofficially weighed at 1 pound, 12 ounces. He caught it off the Montrose south rocks about 12:30 p.m. on a powerline. ... Alex Voog released a 22-inch largemouth with a 19-inch girth weighing 7 pounds, 10 ounces from a brush pile at Skokie Lagoons on Saturday. Jason Norris posted a photo at www.windycityfishing.com. E-mail fish of the week to outdoordb@sbcglobal.net.

WISCONSIN OPENER: Wisconsin's general fishing seasons open on Saturday for walleye, sauger and pike statewide. Muskie open in the southern zone (south of Highway 10) on Saturday, the northern zone opens May 26. Bass opens Saturday in the southern zone, while the northern zone (north of highways 77, 64 and 29) remains catch-and-release only through June 15. Weekend weather looks stable: nights in the 40s/50s; days in the 60s/70s. Outlooks below.

AREA RIVERS: Receding: Weekend levels should be better. FOX: River remains high and fast, but smallmouth are decent by shoreline pockets. Batavia Bait and Tackle reported a 40-inch-plus muskie caught and released around Batavia. ILLINOIS: Should drop below flood stage at LaSalle today and continue to fall rapidly through the weekend. KANKAKEE: The river should be fairly normal by the weekend in Illinois. Otherwise, catfishing has been steady throughout. With high fast water, smallmouth have been better at creek mouths and shoreline eddies.

BIG GREEN LAKE, WIS.: Opener: Third-generation guide Mike Norton expects an ordinary opener and suggested trolling or casting shorelines for a mixed bag of walleye, pike or brown trout. Panfish should be best in soft bottom areas that will warm quicker, such as Beyer's Cove. He has been having good success trolling for lakers with a flasher and minnow in 100 feet. Water is only about 40.

CHAIN O'LAKES AREA: Good: Bluegill are the best bite, according to Triangle. Arden Katz reported bluegill up to 8 inches are excellent in the channels, but you have to keep moving until you find the pockets. Small Rat Finkies (ice jigs are really important) with waxies or spikes under small floats were key. White bass are good in 10-15 feet with small minnows or spikes on slip bobber rigs to change depth efficiently. Big walleye are on the feed, leeches are probably the best choice on slip-bobber or Lindy rigs. As the PMTT tournament showed, muskie are fair shallow. Bass are coming shallow with warming water. Catfish are excellent on crawlers or leeches.

COOLING LAKES/STRIP PITS: LaSALLE: Water is warming rapidly: it was 83 at the intake Tuesday (which suggests the 90s in hot areas). HEIDECKE: Weekend walleye were good, said concessionaire Steve Anderson. Casters are using a 1/4-ounce or lighter jigs with small twistertails with a leech or crawler piece. Trollers are working too. Biggest reported so far was 29 inches. Biologists had their best sampling ever for muskie, the biggest topping 30 pounds. Catfish and hybrids improved; muskie slowed. BRAIDWOOD/MAZONIA: Especially on low light days, Mazonia lakes should be prime with water in the mid-60s. Braidwood is 72 on the north, 80 at the south launch. Closing is 8 p.m.

DELAVAN LAKE, WISCONSIN: Opener: Delavan Bait and Tackle expects an excellent walleye bite with cool water (low- and mid- 50s). Lots of bass being seen shallow, lot of northern in chasing the panfish. Panfish are sporadic with cool water; but crappie are decent in 6-8 feet. DBT will be open until 11 p.m. Friday and reopen at 4 a.m. Saturday.

DOWNSTATE: Crappie and largemouth are already shallow or coming up. EVERGREEN: Crappie improved, best north and west sides of Deer Island. Saugeye and muskie are tough. HENNEPIN-HOPPER: First public day is Friday. Site super Rick Seibert said a few largemouth are up. Annual memberships remain available at (815) 481-0778.

LAKEFRONT: Decent: Perch have been in and out (south or southwest winds are best) for Chicago shore anglers, but as Denk's catch indicated some have been quality jumbos. When weather allows, boaters continue to do well for quality perch from Waukegan to Lake Forest in 55 to 70 feet, Capt. Jeff Miltimore said. The most exciting bite for shore anglers and boaters has been catch-and-release smallmouth coming toward bedding areas; there has been action on faster presentations like crankbaits. Capt. Bob Poteshman said coho are showing up on the beach from Waukegan to North Point. Browns have been the most consistent bite for boaters.

MADISON LAKES, WISCONSIN: Opener: Gene Dellinger at D&S Bait said fishermen should expect cooler water than last year, but a typical opener: a night bite for walleye on Waubesa, Monona and Mendota; decent crappie on Waubesa and Monona; pike around the inlets; sporadic muskie on Wingra and Waubesa and catfish are good at Cherokee Marsh and the north end of Mendota.

NORTHERN WISCONSIN: Opener: EAGLE RIVER: George Langley of Eagle River Sports said walleye are decidedly post spawn on small shallow lakes; while deeper lakes like North Twin are mid or late spawn. Perch are spawned out. Most lakes are in the mid-50s and low. HAYWARD: Pastika's reported walleye in post-spawn situation, probably see a lot of fish come shallower, with some females deeper. Crappie will be shallow, probably pre-spawn. Bluegills are shallow. Bass should be shallow, too. In most cases, most lakes are near normal or low. Water is in the 50s, higher in the bays. Pike will be around weeds in shallow bays. MINOCQUA: Guide Kurt Justice said some surfaces are already in the 60s. All walleye are well past spawning, even some muskie are spawned out. Crappie are staging in shallows. Bluegills are active in 6 feet or less as water warms. With reports of incidental catches suggesting aggressive feeding, Justice suspects artificials could ''come into play a bit more'' than most openers.

NORTHWEST INDIANA: Mik-Lurch report good smallmouth at Pastrick and Gary Light or near any rocky shorelines or breakwalls. Trollers are mainly taking browns, a few lakers and few coho. Perch are decent at Gary Light in 44 feet; reports of good jumbos out of Michigan City. Largemouth, including one to 7 pounds, at Wolf Lake; where crappie are much improved. Willow Slough has good bluegill.

SHABBONA LAKE: Decent: Lakeside reported largemouth continue strong with two more heavier than 6 pounds, on Rat-l-traps. Crappie are starting to move, numbers are good, size fair. Catfish, up to 11 pounds, are improving. Water is near 60, so bass should be coming in to spawn.

WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN: Improving: A major school of white bass moved from Oshkosh to Winneconne and soon to Fremont. Guide Bill Stoeger said the first white bass should be spawning soon. With water in the mid-50s, the peak is probably more than a week away.

Dale Bowman

The Underwater Seasons

2007-05-02T10:55:00.000-06:00

Craig Sandell © 2006

During the course of the Musky season, every body of water undergoes changes in its water temperature as well as changes in the oxygen that is dissolved in the water. As the underwater seasons change, the Musky react to those changes driven by their need to eat and their need to breath. The successful Musky angler must tune into these changes. He/she must be prepared to be flexible with regard to lure selection as well as conducting a better evaluation of water and weather conditions. Late season fishing can be marked by drastic weather changes and dramatic changes in the condition of the water.

As the water begins to warm after the long winter months and as emergent vegetation adds oxygen to the water, Musky become more active and settle into their seasonal patterns.

For the greater part of the Musky season, most bodies of water are locked into the characteristic thermal distribution commonly referred to as the "summer thermal water pattern". The graphic shown here at the left demonstrates this summer thermal pattern. Water at the surface tends to change gradually in water temperature and tends to have higher levels of oxygen than the water layers beneath it. The thermocline is sort of like a buffer area between the warmer surface water and the cooler deeper water. The cooler deeper water tends to have the lowest level of oxygen during this period of time.

Musky tend to populate the upper water levels when they are active and the lower water levels when they are inactive. The hotter the top layer of water, the more likely Musky are to seek a comfortable temperature at greater depths. At these greater depths, they are less likely to be aggressively active.

As summer transitions to fall and the water looses its heat to the longer cooler evenings, the temperature difference between the thermal layers of the lake become less distinct. Most of the oxygen is still located in the surface layer of the water and Musky tend to be more active during this time. Typically this time is associated with late August and early September. Temperatures will vary depending upon the geographic location and the depth of the body of water so you should keep a close watch upon the water that you plan to regularly fish. The graphic at the right will provide you some perspective regarding this gradual shift in water temperatures.

Relentlessly, the seasons move on toward fall. The nights get cooler robbing the water of heat as the warming effect of the sun diminishes due to its lower position in the sky. The water temperature tends to equalize the temperature between the upper warmer and more oxygen rich layer and the cooler less oxygen rich lower layer. The thermocline is still in place but as you can see from the graphic at the left the water is on the verge of homogenizing into a uniform temperature distribution. This time is a prime Musky activity window but the window is very short lived. It is very difficult to accurately predict the exact time of this water temperature circumstance. You'll just have to trust to "luck" if you are trying to hit this period on the head.

Finally, the water succumbs to the persistence of the changing season and "turnover" takes place. The thermocline barrier disappears as the water temperature becomes uniform throughout the body of water. This is typically a very slow period for Musky activity. The blending of the oxygen rich upper water and the oxygen poor lower water causes the overall oxygen level to be less than what the Musky are used to having. The Musky require time to adjust to the new oxygen level as well as to the fact that they are "stuck" with a uniform lower water temperature. As you might suspect, this is not a good time to Musky fish. Every body of water will experience turnover on its own timetable so it is very hard to predict. If you plan to fish late in the season, you must "keep your finger on the pulse" of the body of water that you plan to fish.

The Musky soon acclimate to the changes in the water oxygen levels and the temperature. Around late September or early October the Musky put on their winter feed bag and take advantage of the seasonal movement of forage fish. This is typically the time when you have a better than average chance to tie into a 25 to 45 pound fish. This time of year, however, is not for the "fair weather" Musky angler. You can plan on the weather being wet, cold, snowy and generally miserable.

Hopefully, this article has shed some light on the mystery of turnover and its effect upon your chances to have a Musky encounter. As has been said in other articles posted on this website, Musky fishing has a large element of luck associated with any angler success. The best thing you can do is be prepared with as much information as you can muster about the water you are fishing and then trust in the "Musky Spirts" to favor your efforts.

NOTE: One should also remember that, depending on the spring warm up, pre-summer and Imminent-turnover are relatively the same water conditions.

ADVANCED HOOKSET TECHNIQUES

2007-05-02T10:39:00.000-06:00

By the Musky Guru
The Hookset is THE MOST important instant of time that occurs during the angling of a muskie.... If things dont go your way during hookset, there is no fight, no photo, no fish.

Some may argue that the hookset is over-rated, and that the best you can do is give it your hardest yank and hope she's hooked herself during the strike. If this is your belief , then power to ya...thanx for comin out. Your "strikes : boated" ratio is as good as it will ever be. I believe that theory could very well hold true for some; but not all of the time. And, if you are lets say, overly pre-occupied with placing all the odds in your favor when it comes to boating muskies, you begin to theorize and devise methods; perhaps unheardof, that could make a difference. Keeping in mind all that I have read regarding hooksets, I came up with 2 distinct techniques that I had never read anywhere before (which is the only reason why I write about it). I put my theories to the test on a daily basis in 2000 and found them to be quite effective and helped to improve the efficiency of my overall muskie angling. Experiencing this further demonstrated to me that the hookset is the defining moment of muskie angling.
The BASICS (when casting)...
RULE #0 (a given)
If your hooks aren't razor sharp, kindly step off the guru's boat.
RULE #1 (basic)
DO NOT set the hook until you FEEL the fish! Sounds easy, but this can sometimes take some degree of mental discipline....especially when surface fishing. You just cant go setting the hook at every splash you hear!
RULE #2 (basic)
Set em HARD!! The muskie's jaw-bone and jaw tissue is very tough. The fat hooks you are using must penetrate past the barbs. You do the math!
RULE #3 (basic)
Always set the hook straight up unless the strike occurred on the surface or during a figure 8. If the strike is on the surface, set it to one side. If the strike occurs during a figure 8, L-turn, or near-surface side-swipe; set at an upward angle contradictory to the forward motion of the fish. These hookset scenarios cause you, the angler to make split second decisions as to when and which direction to set the hook. This is why you must continually scan your peripheral vision while watching your bait during the retrieve so as to detect the direction of the fish.
RULE #4 (basic)
Always thumb the spool when executing a figure 8 or L-turn. Click freespool and plant your thumb firmly when there is one and a half to two and a half feet of line remaining at the end of your retrieve. It is neccessary to at least execute an L-turn if you lack the discipline to do full 8's after every cast.
RULE #5 (basic)
Use the "Bruce Lee 1 inch punch" technique of body movement. The idea is to generate the largest amount of energy in the smallest amount of time, and concentrate that burst of energy into the hook points at the end of your (braided) line. In order for you to generate more power , you need to use more of your body-weight. The more of your body you use, the more power you can potentially generate. A tightly executed series of precise body motions is needed to transfer or "whip" that energy burst to the hookpoints.
Some experts may disagree, nevertheless, those are the basics as I understand them. Now on to the advanced techniques...
Before I go on, it should be noted that experts still debate as to drag settings. Some prefer to have their drags cranked right down for the hookset, then click freespool and use their thumb to increase and decrease resistance (this requires reel proficiency and some degree of angling expertise) The angler may also then choose to lessen the drag setting while fighting the fish(some reels drag systems stick more than others). Another method is to set the drag to give slack for playing the fish and always thumb the spool during hookset. Then play the fish with the drag, or continue to thumb the spool, or a combination of the two. This method is popular among anglers who have experienced drag slippage and no longer trust the drag mechanism for a violent hookset. There are pros and cons to each method. I prefer the first method for two main reasons: #1 - My hookset reaction time is so fast, that I dont have time to put my thumb on the spool during mid-retrieve as I set the hook. As soon as I feel anything unexpected, my rodtip is 4 feet above my head. And, #2 - I prefer to thumb the spool when executing the second hookset. Which brings us to....
RULE #6 (advanced)
Always set the hooks a minimum of two times!! That's right, don't be afraid to set em twice...or even three times!! Six times might be over doing it a little. KEY - Use the "popping" technique for the second and successive hooksets.
Guru Technique # 1 : "POPPING" THE HOOKS
After the first hookset, it is second nature to begin reeling in rapidly and take up any slack quickly til you feel the weight of the fish (this could take anywhere from 0 to a few seconds). After a muskie strikes the lure, and he feels something isnt right, he head thrashes downstairs for "a bit" as his natural reaction. This is when I set the hooks a second time(and sometimes a third). As soon as I FEEL tension on the fish after the first hookset, I release the levelwind with my right hand, thumb the spool with my left, and give a sharp abrupt upward slap with my open right palm to my rod. I "pop" the rod (violently) just in front of the reel-seat on the cork area before the blank, being careful not to smack myself in the face with the rod (again) when doing so. You should aim for your (right) palm to end up a few inches to the left of your left ear. It is neccesary to practice or rehearse this motion as you will need to exert a fair amount of force during execution(there's no point doing it if you sissy-slap it!) and the rod could definitely end up in the vicinity of your face if you dont take the time to "memorize" the positioning prior to attempting the technique. Adding this technique to your arsenal will help improve your hooking percentage.
Guru Technique # 2 : "NEGATIVE ANGLE" RETRIEVE
This next technique is actually a retrieve technique that affects your initial hookset. The "Negative Angle" retrieve technique does not apply to all instances of casting. It does not apply in any instances where the bait requires a high rod tip retrieve technique (such as surface baits). For reference sake, lets say you're fishing a bucktail(or crankbait). Everyone knows you can "work" a bucktail (or crankbait) up and around and through weeds and stuff. For that you must raise your rod tip up and/or twitch it up, down, and around through the cover. However, when you dont have to do that, and your casts are straight simple retrieves, you should consider using a negative rod-angle in relation to the bait. Most anglers find a comfort zone when straight retrieving somewhere between 10 degrees and 50 degrees in relation to the bait (0 degrees occurs when your rod is pointing straight at the bait). You want to angle your rod in the "negative angle" zone during straight retrieves.
Why The "NEGATIVE ANGLE" ?
An obvious advantage is the ease of executing a smoother transition to the figue 8. The main advantage is this: When a strike occurs and you set your hooks from a negative angle, the rod-tip must pass the 0 degree mark. There is some slack created in the line when the rod-tip approaches and passes the 0 degree mark. This small amount of slack is just what you need to deliver the "Bruce Lee 1 inch punch". You can compare the forces at work to this example; hold a piece of string at each end between your thumb and forefinger on each hand. Create tension, then give a yank to one side with one hand. Then repeat the brain-smoldering experiment, only this time, give a little slack to the string with the hand you will be pulling a split second before you do so. (This demonstrates why we dont "push" nails into wood). The more slack you can create; the better for "tacking" the hooks in, however , with muskie fishing, you really cant afford to create too much slack (by dipping the rod-tip from a positive angle) before setting the hooks because it could be too late by then. Fish gone...bubbye. Your reaction to a possible strike must be as fast as humanly possible. This type of rod positioning "perches" you and sets you up for a fast hookset while creating the slack needed just prior to hookset for optimum penetration; all in one motion. Keep in mind this technique must be used with a lightning-fast hookset. Using this technique coupled with the 2nd hookset as described earlier will drive those barbs so far into the fish's yap, his dentist will send you a thank-you card!

Ehrhardt and Nitchoff Win Fox Chain PMTT

2007-05-01T10:32:00.000-06:00

Professional Muskie Tournament Trail
Published May 1, 2007

The 2007 season couldn't have started off any more exciting with the first qualifier of the year for the Professional Musky Tournament Trail (PMTT). Hosted by the Village of Antioch & the Antioch Chamber of Commerce on April 28th & 29th, 2007 with the Fox Chain of Lakes in Northeastern, Illinois being the destination. 120 teams from 15 different states competed for almost $45,000 in cash and prizes during the two day event.

The weather conditions were a little less then favorable with fronts rolling through all week leading up to the event, followed by high skies during the two days of competition. With SW winds from 10-20 mph and air temps in the high 70's, the anglers proceeded to register a total of 18 muskies during the two day event. Small baits worked through shallow water that was carrying temps into the mid fifties seemed to be the key.

The team of Tim Ehrhardt of Hinsdale, IL. & Constantine Nitchoff of Lemont, IL. fished shallow, 2 to 4 feet of water in search of active fish. After being skunked on day one, Ehrhardt & Nitchoff changed their presentation over to small walleye sized minnow baits and jerkbaits and caught two fish of 35 " & 38". "We down sized, went shallow and worked the baits fast and very erratic", stated Ehrhardt. Constantine continued, "We twitched and jerked the baits as erratic as we could to try and get the neutral fish into hitting". Their two fish were more then enough to capture the win and a check for over $18,000.00

In second place were locals Phil Gutmann & Ron Haynes who also worked the skinny water with small crankbaits to boated two fish both at exactly 35 " each, which gave them the lead after day one. Though they didnt register a fish on the second day of the event, their two fish were good enough for them to take second place, an extra $1,000 for winning the Ranger Cup and a total of $5,560.00 for the event.

Third place went to John Fisler from MN & Dennis Sweeney of Coal City, IL. who boated the biggest fish of the event. Their 46 inch fish that ate a spinnerbait was very fat and probably approaching the 30 lbs. mark. For their efforts they took home the third place trophies and a check totaling $3,784.00.

Fourth place was taken by the team of Chris Syslo & Steve Tescky who caught the day two big fish of 45 inches and a check for $2,780. Following next in fifth place were a local team, brothers Chris & Eric Burseth. They boated a very heavy 43 inch musky on a jig and took hook nearly $2,000 for their effort.

Jason Parsons of Ranger Boats was present to speak on behalf of the sponsor. "New model innovations, new facilities, Ranger Cup Program and long time relationship in support of and helping to grow the PMTT are proof positive that Ranger Boats is way more than just the best built fiberglass boat available today they are our partners in ensuring a brighter angling future for all of us", stated Parsons.

Tournament Director Tim Widlacki thanked all of the PMTT's incredibly fantastic sponsors, especially the Village of Antioch & the Antioch Chamber of Commerce for hosting the event. In addition Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine, Farm & City Insurance Services, Musky Hunter Magazine, Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, Heckel's Marine, Keyes Outdoors Television, Rollie & Helens Musky Shop, Wildlife Energy Drink, Extreme Muskie Expo's, Crash's Landing, Morehead Tourism Commission. Please let these fine folks know that you appreciate their promotional efforts in support of freshwaters most challenging fish and those extreme anglers who chase her on the first, best and only truly National Professional Musky Circuit; the PMTT!

To obtain more information on becoming a member of the 2007 PMTT, or to view event photo album, please visit them on the Web @ www.promusky.com or call PMTT Director, Tim Widlacki @: 815-478-4351

Fish Opener

2007-04-30T11:04:00.000-06:00

By Jim Lee
Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers

MINOCQUA — Barring unforeseen weather conditions, anglers can expect Saturday, opening day of the 2007 statewide fishing season, to produce walleye from some of the same shallows as a year ago.

"We struggled a little bit on opening day in 2006," said Kurt Justice, veteran fishing guide and owner of Kurt's Island Sport Shop in Minocqua.

"We finally found them in emerging green weeds and that's what we're going to be looking for this year. I expect to find spawned-out walleyes in less than 10 feet of water over new growth weeds. If the weather is overcast, they may be in the shallows all day. If it's bright sunlight, the best times to fish those spots will be right after daylight and in the evening."

Justice said walleye spawning is nearly complete and conditions for the opener appear similar to 2006.

A jig-and-minnow combination is the preferred early season lure choice. A jig weight of 1/16- or 1/32-ounce is best suited for slowly working a fathead or dace (slippery jack) minnow across debris-strewn lake bottoms.

"I'll also have leeches along," Justice said. "There are times when they can make a difference."

Muskie have spawned on all but the deepest northern lakes, Justice said, and walleye anglers can expect encounters with this actively feeding, toothy adversary.

Muskie fishing in the southern zone — south of U.S. 10 — opens Saturday, but anglers in the northern zone must wait until May 26 before muskie can be deliberately pursued, except on Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters, where the season opens May 15.

George Langley, a fishing guide and owner of Eagle Sports Center in Eagle River, expects the opening weekend will be about "normal" for northern Wisconsin.

"Walleyes on the Eagle River Chain of Lakes will have finished spawning a week or more before the opener," he said.

Perch anglers took advantage of warm weather this past weekend.

"Perch fishing was just excellent," Langley said. "Lots of people were out and lots of perch were caught."

In many cases, early May walleye are going to be found near shore in brushpiles, fallen logs and downed trees.

"If I had my druthers, my plan for opening day would be to do what we call 'hunt and peck,' fishing along the shore," Langley said. "I'd go from brush pile to brush pile and weed bed to weed bed looking for average-sized fish."

While walleye are the targeted species of most opening weekend anglers, northern pike, bass and crappie offer other options.

Bass fishing opens statewide Saturday, but it is catch-and- release in the northern zone until June 16.

"Crappies should be staging in 8-10 feet of water in the weeds," Langley said. "They can be slip-bobbered (using a minnow as bait) fairly easily, particularly in the evening."

Post-spawn walleye are moving out of the Fox River into Green Bay and down the Wolf River into the upriver lakes of the Lake Winnebago system. Warming temperatures will spur white bass spawning runs on the Wolf, Wisconsin and upper Fox rivers.

Jim Lee is an outdoors writer for Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers. He may be reached at 715-845-0605 or jlee77@charter.net

Illinois Muskie Tournament Trail

2007-04-30T11:03:00.000-06:00

Fishing competition rescheduled for June 2
The Illinois Muskie Tournament Trail event originally scheduled for April 14 at the Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area near Chandlerville has been moved to June 2.

The event was postponed due to weather.

The entry fee is $50 for a two-person team. For more information, call Bob Kerans at 423-0932.

MUSKIES AND THE FIGURE EIGHT

2007-04-26T10:46:00.000-06:00

By David Christian

Muskies can be one of the more stubborn of our aquatic friends, one of the techniques we use at Cave Run Muskie Guide Service to trigger strikes from these viscous fish is a move commonly called the “figure eight”.

This technique will trigger strikes from following fish right at the side of the boat with only a few inches of line out. It is very exciting to see a fish appear from the depths and attack a lure at boatside. Our fishing logs indicate that over thirty percent of all muskies are taken on the figure eight.

The figure eight is nothing more than ‘drawing’ a sideways eight in the water with your rodtip. The erratic action of the lure will give the appearance of a frantic baitfish trying not to be eaten. A muskie has followed the lure because it is curios and in a neutral mood, now that the lure has done something different it appears more realistic and triggers the final strike.

The proper figure eight begins as the lure comes in to the anglers sight, look a foot below and a foot behind the lure for a follower. As you go into the first turn of the figure eight it must be smooth and quiet as not to spook the muskie. Don’t stop the lure or the fish will turn away knowing it is not real. A smooth figure eight will continue into the second and third turns as you look for the muskie. If a fish was sighted continue doing a number of figure eight's in the water, I have captured muskies on the 10th figure eight, they will sometimes reposition themselves to get a better attack angle.

When muskie fishing it is required that you perform at least one figure eight at the end of every cast, insuring that there is not a fish following deep and out of your site. Thirty-percent odds are pretty good, don't give them to the musky.

Catch and Release Basics

2007-04-25T10:39:00.000-06:00

by Pete Maina

As esox anglers, we all know the importance of catch and release to the future of our sport. Good intentions alone don't make for successful releases. If the esox doesn't survive the release, wasted effort and fish flesh is the result. There is no complete substitute for experience. No doubt, the more fish you handle, the more efficient you'll be at it. However, even beginners that have a plan can be successful releasers. Sacred as these fish are to some of us, they're just fish. Realistically, it's not entirely necessary that the release be pretty as long as it's effective.
Release will usually be effective if you prepare for and practice the basics. The preparation part is the most important. Caring enough to prepare is the first step. Frankly, while out on the water, I still see an alarming number of blatantly mishandled releases. And these aren't incidental catches; these are folks who are specifically fishing for pike or muskie, and in many cases appear to be quite adept, mechanically. For the future of our sport, we need to be adept at release too.

Let's start with tools. Proper tools are an absolute necessity. I've handled over 3000 muskies and I'm not certain how many pike, but many. Take away my tools and I can't even hope to do it properly. The list of absolute necessities includes long-nose pliers (the longer the better) and quality hook cutters. Don't even think about chasing esox without these items in the boat, at a minimum. Strongly suggested additional items include a large hookout tool, large landing device, jaw spreaders, split-ring pliers and pre-sharpened replacement hooks. Two of each of the absolutes is advisable, just in case they are unintentionally bathed during the course of the day's angling.

A hookout tool is often real handy for getting into hard-to-reach spots (hooks that are well inside the mouth or even to the gullet). It can be hard to operate a standard pliers in such situations. The right type of large landing device would be strongly suggested to all but a few folks. Beginners definitely need one. There are a handful of folks like my good friend Doug Johnson (who has handled thousands of esox), who prefers to, and is successful in handling all personal releases at boatside without nets or cradles. For most though, a landing device is much safer and much quicker.

We'll get more in depth in future articles on landing devices, but there are three basic types that I'm aware of (and I know that trophy pike anglers in Europe have some too). There are cradle devices (basically two long rods or splints, with mesh between), the standard hoop landing net, and a hybrid of the net and cradle, Frabill's Kwik Kradle.

The most important consideration for landing devices is size and depth. They must be big enough to hold large fish; they must have coated mesh to minimize tangling, slime removal, and fin damage, and to prevent hook penetration. The mesh MUST offer enough depth so that the fish can be left in the water over the side of the boat. As much as possible, hook removal and measurements need to be done with the fish's head in the water. Undersized nets with untreated mesh should never be used.

Jaw spreaders can be very helpful in getting at hooks well inside a fish's mouth. The jaw strength of larger esox is incredible. With their jaws clamped shut, it's often tough to force them open with anything other than spreaders. I am aware that many pike enthusiasts are against spreader-use, because they often poke additional holes in fish's jaws. But getting the job done quickly is often more critical than the potential for punctures that will eventually heal (input from the readership is welcomed).

Popping hooks with cutters is advisable, in many cases, to speed up releases and make them safer for angler and fish. I seem to go this route with increased regularity, and strongly suggest it. Quality cutters should easily handle cutting 5/0 hooks. The long-handled Knipex cutters I use are far superior to any I've found; they're strong and get into tough-to-reach places best. Cutters should be used over pliers and hookouts in many cases. Split-ring pliers and pre-sharpened hooks in all standard sizes simply speed things up, and get that hot lure going again.

O.K., now I'll reveal a bombshell. The most important factor in survival (that many are unaware of or ignore) is that the head of the fish breathes in water. With few exceptions, stress is what kills esox. Stress is caused by several factors (including head out of water), but ultimately, minimizing the time between strike and release is most important, especially when water temperatures are high.
Even though I often hear stories of hooking causing death, with the exception of ingested live bait rigs (delayed expiration), mortality due to hooking itself is minute. Certainly eyes can be damaged, and fish will get hooked in the gills, and often bleed from the gills due to hooking and/or blows to the gill plate. None of these situations kill fish though. Quickly cut the hooks into pieces (make sure all pieces fall out), get the fish (including head) back in the water, and the bleeding will stop. As far back as I can remember, having all the tools mentioned, I've had only one fish die at the boat for every 400 muskies released.

On the downside, probably four fish per season experience eye damage, likely resulting in blinding in that eye (which won't kill them, but they'll likely never reach their growth potential). In many cases though, this is likely a direct result of excited anglers horsing fish. A combination of multiple-hook lures and excessive pressure on fish is often the cause of eye or gill hooking.

The way the battle with esox is handled can have a lot to do with the fish's survival. Realize that there is some gray area. But the goal is to land the fish as quickly as possible, yet avoid too much pressure, which would cause the fish to fight to its full potential for violence. An angler can have more control in battle than most realize. Steady, but not excessive, pressure results in the fish tiring fairly quickly, yet not getting extremely violent. A violent fight results in much of the battle being waged out-of-water, which significantly ups the odds of fish getting off or snagging themselves in critical areas. Use tackle that will handle the fish you are after. Although some consider it sporting to use light tackle, simply put, that will significantly lengthen the fight. A battle with an esox should never last much longer than three minutes. Truth be known, many battles last less than a minute. And that's good news for the fish.

Water Release vs. Landing Device This is a touchy subject, and Esox Angler welcomes others' thoughts... but here's mine. Inexperienced folks should handle all fish with some type of proper landing device, mainly because it will definitely be quicker and safer. One mistake often made, is attempting to put the fish in the device too quickly. Don't attempt this when a fish is still full of spunk, but just happens to be near boatside. It will be obvious when they start to tire; at this point lead them in head first and net or cradle them.

Leave the device and the fish in the water. The reason this is safer, is that free hooks (those not in the fish) will usually hang in the mesh. That's actually good, because the hooks won't be landing in hands or in other areas of the fish. Unless offending hooks are easily popped out via pliers, simply cut all hooks. If they are badly tangled in the mesh, in or near eyes or gills, or just buried deeply‹cut Œem. If the fish's head had been held out of the water by the mesh, at this point get it in the water and make certain the fish is upright. You are ready for release or photo and release.

Water release can be very effective and safe too... Debra Johannesson, good friend and great angler, recommends hand landing. This method has been very successful for her and some others; and she has some strong reasons to handle esox in this fashion. But it's my feeling that, for most, it should not be an exclusive method (we will continue dialog on this issue with expert anglers and fisheries personnel).

Whether the angler is experienced or not, multiple-hook lures offer strong potential for an unwanted connection between fish and angler. I've experienced it several times, and although it may help to boost the fish's ego a little, it's definitely an unpleasant experience for both.
Good guidelines for most to follow: Unless the fish is hooked on a single-hook lure, is intended to be released without photo, and it appears the single treble or single hook can easily be popped-out via pliers, a landing device may be the quickest and safest way to go. Remember that in consideration of all factors, faster is better.

Again, keep in mind that the head section breathes. Even though this fact may appear obvious, it seems to me it is largely ignored by many during release‹most notably with water releasers. I've witnessed many examples of folks who probably figure they are doing the noble thing, and it turns out much worse for the fish than a landing device would be.
First of all, the fish is fought significantly longer than it would take to get it in a landing device. Nearing the end of the fight, the fish's head is held out of the water. Upward pressure continues (head out of water) while the angler searches for and grabs tools... head remains out for varying lengths of time for the unhooking. I've seen this stage last as long as three minutes. Often the fish is just badly hooked and the angler is skittish dodging hooks and teeth, and/or the fish shakes every time an attempt is made.

A landing device immobilizes fish and usually pins the head to mesh. It's just plain easier and safer to cut hooks. On the other hand, many folks using landing devices don't seem to make certain the business end of the fish is in the water as much as possible either. It seems as though people are satisfied with 3/4 of the fish in the water, but if it's the part that doesn't breathe, it doesn't matter.

I also occasionally see folks put fish in a landing device and then bring the whole mess into the boat. Never bring any fish you want to release to the floor of the boat. They will inevitably make a huge mess flopping around, beating themselves up and stressing themselves to the limit. A dead fish is likely to be the result. Don't do it.

The basic keys to success are: proper equipment to minimize fight time, land the fish as quickly as possible, get the hooks out as quickly as possible, get that fish's head in the water immediately following hook removal. If photos are to be taken before release, keep the fish's head in the water until the camera person is ready. Then quickly lift for photos and release. Fifteen seconds is a good out-of-water rule for photos; don't go beyond it. At least a 1/2 a dozen shots can be taken during that time frame.

Be prepared and it will go well! Have all the tools mentioned. Have a plan in mind for who does what once a fish is on. How will it be landed? Will you cut hooks on all but the easy ones or cut hooks period? Keep its head in the water! Are the cameras ready and does everyone in the boat know how to use them? Do you know how to hold your esox?

The final one is huge. Too many people get out there with no idea of how they are to go about holding one of these fish when they get one. There are a few different ways, and the options are increased with small fish, but anglers fishing for large esox need to know how to get a jaw hold on a big fish. Certainly, if you've never caught one it's tough to practice, but know what you need to do when you get the opportunity. If at all unsure, have someone show you. Actually, a mounted fish is a great tool for this. It's very important to have a plan from start to finish.

How exactly to pose with a fish is a very arguable subject too. The basics though, are to support the weight of the fish, as evenly as possible, with the other hand‹whether it is a horizontal, vertical or semi-vertical hold. Most importantly though, obey the 15 second rule and get it done quick.

This is a subject that will be hammered on in every issue of Esox Angler. In-depth looks at all aspects of release will be covered. Expect to hear more specific info on such topics as fighting fish, landing fish, holding fish, how/where exactly to release, live/dead bait use, solo landing and release, trolling, slime removal and split fins. Any new important info will be shared. We are all still learning.

When you've fished for Muskies and Pike for as long as Pete Maina has, you learn a good deal about not only how to catch these toothy critters, but how to properly and safely release them as well.

Esox Angler Magazine Article Reprint
www.esoxangler.com

It's show time for muskie fishermen

2007-04-24T10:55:00.000-06:00

Chicago Sun-Times, by Dale Bowman

In some ways, David Cates is like any other muskie fisherman. He'll be at the Chicago Muskie Show at Harper College in Palatine from Friday through Sunday.

"And I'll have my checkbook with me and spend my money with some of the exhibitors," Cates said. "I never know until I get there. I look at my tackle box this time of year and there is nothing I need. But then I will walk away with a whole truckload. You can never tell. I caught the sickness some time ago."

As international president for the 7,00-plus members of Muskies Inc., Cates understands muskie fishing is a progressive illness. Cates, an attorney from Syracuse, Ind., and member of the Webster Lake Musky Club, illustrates the intertwining of professional and personal life that makes the Chicago Muskie Show special.

"This is the Rose Bowl quote, it is the granddaddy of them all," said Cates, whose lifetime trophy is a 48oe-inch muskie from Lake St. Clair.

It's a young grandpa. "As a lark" in 1995, Steve "Big Tuna" Statland and Lynn Shuster started thinking about staging the show, partly because of dissatisfaction with treatment of Muskies Inc. chapters at local shows.

From the first Chicago Muskie Show in January 1996, MI always has been central and has its own booth. And virtually all its officials come, including Cates this year. Based on show attendance, two local chapters, the Chicagoland Muskie Hunters and the South Side Muskie Hawks, receive part of the proceeds.

But the show has evolved into far more than a local draw. It has been copied around the country, yet retains its role as the premier gathering for muskie fishermen.

It was no accident that the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame made its ill-fated announcement on retaining Louis Spray's muskie as the world record the day after the show closed last year.

"Some members of Muskies Inc. are very concerned [about the world record], but that is not what we are about," Cates said. "We are about promoting the muskie fishery."

The cantankerous nature of that debate best illustrates why I long have said that muskie fishermen have the highest percentage of Type A and addictive personalities in the outdoor world. The only group close is waterfowlers.

Cates understands that.

"The most pressing [MI] issue is trying to get everybody on the same page," Cates said.

MI, which began in 1966, has as its mission to be "an active, service-oriented, non-profit organization for men, women and children with the single focus of improving the sport of muskie fishing everywhere the fish are found."

It takes an attorney such as Cates to parse that sentence into action in the real world. Even around Chicago, chapters have different interests and aims.

"One chapter may be interested in native stocking, others in stocking, others in youth and others in research," Cates said.

His job is to corral disparate interests to "promote and expand the muskie fishery." That's why Cates will be around the MI booth.

"As a collateral issue, it is difficult times for non-profit organizations," he said.

That's one thing even the great individualists of the muskie world should agree on. Do the right thing and make a check out to MI. After a year of backsliding, I promised Cates I will stop by and rejoin.

PERCH REGS: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will not change sportfishing regulations for yellow perch on Lake Michigan in 2007. The July closure of perch fishing for those 16 and older will remain in place.

PLACES AND FACES: A story from the Daily Union, forwarded by Ray Thompson, shows how far muskie fishing in Illinois has come. Brian Schanche and Matt Holleman stopped on Lake Shelbyville to fish for muskies last week while flying float planes, a Cessna 172 and a Piper Super Cruiser, from Minneapolis to Florida. If thinking of duplicating that, learn the regulations for landing on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lakes. ... Dave Nyquist of Indianhead Mountain Resort (www.indianheadmtn.com) wanted snow-starved Chicago skiers to know Indianhead received 89 inches through last week. Mainly because of lake-effect snow off Lake Superior.

WILD THINGS: The Green Bay Press-Gazette reported that a yearlong search for cougars (mountain lions) in Wisconsin was inconclusive.

"If cougars are not here, they're going to be here, and we should be thinking about how we are going to deal with their presence," said Eric Anderson, professor of wildlife at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Illinois has had at least two wild cougars in the plast six years with rumors of more. ... Climate change is the theme for International Migratory Bird Day (www.birdday.org) on May 12.

STRAY CAST: Thinking Boise State could play football with Florida/ LSU/USC is like saying a whitetail deer (undefeated here) could run with cheetahs/pronghorn antelopes/Mongolian gazelles; or (I can't help myself), thinking the Cubs will hang with the Cardinals/Tigers/ White Sox.

Hunters, anglers endorse favorite proposals at spring hearings

2007-04-23T06:35:00.000-06:00

By Jim Lee Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers
MADISON — By more than a 2-to-1 margin, muskie anglers at last week's fish and game hearings endorsed the mandatory use of quick-strike rigs and a longer muskie fishing season in southern Wisconsin.

More than 3,400 people attended the hearings, which are sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin Conservation Congress. The sessions, held in every county, allow public votes on proposed regulations governing hunting, fishing or trapping.

A quick-strike rig would be required when anglers are using live bait longer than 8 inches. A tool primarily of muskie anglers while fishing with suckers, it is touted as a way to increase the odds of releasing a muskie without injury.

Extending the muskie fishing season through Dec. 31 would apply only to waters in the southern zone, primarily south of U.S. 10.

Muskie and salmon anglers supported elimination of a maximum size for landing nets.

Results of the hearing will be presented to the Natural Resources Board at its May 23 meeting. Changes could be in place for the 2008 season.

Deer hunters supported requiring portable ground blinds on state lands to display at least a square foot of blaze orange visible from all sides and to require unattended ground blinds on state lands to contain the name and address of the owner.

Turkey hunters backed a DNR plan to reduce the number of turkey hunting zones to seven.

A proposal to prohibit the discharge of firearms on state lands outside hunting seasons was rejected by more than 200 votes.

Efforts to change waterfowl refuge areas on the Mississippi River were soundly defeated.

In other votes of statewide significance, attendees endorsed:

A Congress proposal to consider increasing open-water duck hunting opportunities and to extend Canada goose hunting in the Exterior Zone into December.

Allowing the use of slugs and buckshot for hunting wild hogs, coyote, fox and bobcat.

Requiring a background check for anyone seeking to become an angler education instructor.

Allowing the use of dogs in fall turkey hunting in Crawford, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Sauk, Vernon and Wood counties as an experiment.

Use of non-toxic shot in dove hunting was endorsed, but a related question asking if non-toxic shot should be required in all bird hunting (other than turkey hunting) on state lands, was rejected.
Jim Lee is an outdoors writer for Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers. E-mail him at jlee77@charter.net

Ohio’s Hotspots For Huskie Muskies

2007-04-20T10:59:00.000-06:00

Try these biologist-recommended lakes for your shot at a 40-inch Ohio Huskie Muskie Club qualifier in 2007. (April 2007)
By Jared Meighen

The muskellunge is often referred to as “the fish of 10,000 casts.” Patience is certainly a key element in muskie fishing. However, three major ingredients for success are location, location, and location.
Thankfully, muskie hotspots aren’t that hard to find in Ohio. When it comes to knowing where to find Buckeye State muskies, few are better versed on the topic than Elmer Heyob, the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s District One fisheries manager.
He had no trouble recommending five great muskie hotspots, but tempered his remarks with his forecast on Ohio’s muskie fishing this spring.
“Conditions for spring fishing are great,” Heyob said. “If you can find semi-clean water with vegetation, you’ll find muskies.”
He cautioned that unstable climatic conditions could negatively impact muskie fishing for the spring 2007.
No matter the weather, the continued stocking of advanced fingerlings and high catch-and-release rates should help in the quest for a Huskie Muskie. As of August 2006, 97 percent of muskies caught in Ohio waterways had been released, according to data from the Ohio Huskie Muskie Club.
Once an angler finds the right body of water, only a fraction of those 10,000 casts are needed to catch a trophy fish. Here are the top five bodies of water in Ohio for muskie fishing this spring:
LEESVILLE LAKELeesville Lake in Carroll County has been the pinnacle of muskie fishing in the Buckeye State for years and should be among the top lakes once again this spring.
Matt Wolfe, an ODOW District Three fisheries biologist, said Leesville Lake should produce a high number of fish this season.
“Leesville has led the state in muskies caught, year in and year out, for a long time now,” Wolfe said.
As to be expected, this great fishery comes with heavy angling pressure. Wolfe said that even in spite of this, anglers should still be pleased with the results of their efforts.
As of August 2006, anglers reeled in 289 muskies on Leesville. In 2005, anglers recorded 585 muskies on the lake. Through only the first eight months of 2006, 112 Huskie Muskies were recorded. Because these numbers are generated by anglers sending in scale samples to the ODOW, Wolfe said this might be only a fraction of the total number of fish caught on Leesville.
He added that a number of anglers have had great results fishing the large arm of the lake that extends north to south. However, the arm of the lake running west to east shouldn’t be neglected. Anglers can often find submerged patches of vegetation in these areas, which are muskie magnets.
In addition to natural submerged vegetation, trees have also been dropped into the lake for muskie cover, Wolfe noted.
On Leesville Lake, motors are restricted to 10 horsepower and two public launch ramps are available to accommodate them. Leesville Lake may be accessed from state Route 212 about two miles southeast of Sherrodsville.
For more information on Leesville Lake or to request a map of it, contact the ODOW’s Wildlife District Three headquarters at (330) 644-2293.

SALT FORK LAKEIf you’re looking to land a 50-inch muskie, Salt Fork Lake is a good place to start. In 2005, anglers landed four muskies that measured 50 inches plus, and two more were recorded through August 2006. While Salt Fork doesn’t have the state’s highest volume of muskies, August 2006 returns indicate that an incredible 37 percent of all fish caught on this lake were Huskie Muskie Club qualifiers.
Additionally, Salt Fork Lake in Guernsey County is expected to increase muskie yields this spring after completion of dam renovation and a return to normal water levels.
Biologist Heyob said next year will probably be the optimal year for fishing Salt Fork, and spring is a great time to hit the water there.
The best fishing may be found near the Old Stone House, the water treatment plant and Two Fingers areas. Also, anglers should fish around Cabin Bay and the Sugar Tree marina. Focus on areas approximately 4 to 10 feet deep. Woody structure is a plus.
Salt Fork Lake has no horsepower restrictions and features six launch ramps. The lake may be reached by following U.S. Route 22 six miles east of Interstate Route 77, or off county Road 35 running north and south between Cambridge and North Salem.
PIEDMONT LAKEEast of Salt Fork Lake on U.S. Route 22, Belmont County’s Piedmont Lake is home to some of the largest muskies ever caught in Ohio. The state-record fish, a 50 1/2-inch, 55-pound, 3-ounce monster, was reeled in on an April day in 1972.
In 2005, anglers pulled 176 muskies from the lake, and through August 2006, 82 fish had been caught, 10 of which were Huskie Muskie Club qualifiers.
Anglers should be aware that more than likely, the best opportunities to find muskies will be in shallow bays earlier in the season and around the dam area as the summer nears.
Piedmont Lake offers anglers approximately 2,273 acres of water and 37 miles of shoreline. There is a 10- horsepower limit at Piedmont. Boaters may choose from one of two public access points on the lake.
Piedmont Lake is one mile northeast of Smyrna, directly off U.S. Route 22.
For more information on fishing Piedmont Lake and/or Salt Fork Lake, or to request a lake map, call the ODOW’s Wildlife District Four office at (740) 594-2211.
CLEAR FORK RESERVOIRClear Fork Reservoir, in Richland and Morrow counties, consistently provides a high yield of muskies and serves as the ODOW’s brood stock lake. Recently, however, the number of brood fish has been declining.
In 2005, the ODOW began using leftover fingerlings to double-stock the lake to increase those numbers. The agency continued the double-stocking procedure in 2006, according to Ed Lewis, a District Two fisheries biologist.
Muskie anglers may find success on the lake by targeting the area around the confluence of Clear Fork Creek. North Bay is always a great site for muskies, too.
Clear Fork has no motor restrictions, but the ODOW has mandated an 8 miles per hour rule that is strictly enforced.
Clear Fork Reservoir may be reached by taking state Route 97 northwest of Lexington.
For more information on Clear Fork Reservoir or to request a lake map, contact the ODOW’s Wildlife District Two office at (419) 424-5000.

ALUM CREEK RESERVOIRThis promising muskie lake became more of a challenge last spring after January flooding washed debris into the reservoir. But barring further flooding this spring season, this Delaware County muskie hotspot should be back on top this year.
In biologist Heyob’s estimation, there should be an abundance of 40-inch fish swimming the depths of Alum Creek this spring. Also, 50-inch fish are not uncommon in these waters.
The 3,269-acre Alum Creek Reservoir is huge, and trolling tends to be the preferred tactic of most seasoned anglers. But there are opportunities to cast into weedy flats. Target waters in the 4- to 10-foot range and shallow tributary inlets.
Alum Creek lies one mile west of Interstate Route 71 on U.S. Route 36 and state Route 37.
For more information or to request a lake map, contact the ODOW’s Wildlife District One headquarters at (614) 644-3925.
JOIN THE CLUB!Anglers are encouraged to send in a scale sample of every muskie they catch in Ohio waters. The ODOW provides pre-addressed, postage-paid envelopes at the boat-launching facilities of most muskie lakes, or you can request envelopes by phoning Lewis directly at (419) 429-8371.
Simply remove four to six scales from one side of the muskie and put them into the envelope. Fill out the information on the front of the envelope and drop it in the mail.
This data will help fisheries biologists determine how well their stocking methods are working on each lake in the stocking program.
Anglers who send their first scale sample to the ODOW will receive an honorary membership to the Ohio Huskie Muskie Club for the remainder of the year in which they caught their fish.

Midwest fishing report

2007-04-19T06:38:00.001-06:00

April 18, 2007
FISH OF THE WEEK: With some trepidation, I'll give this a shot. As an example, Mike Lynch e-mailed photos of multiple big blue catfish from LaSalle Lake on Friday. The best went 39 inches. E-mail fish stories to outdoordb@sbcglobal.net.
SHABBONA LAKE WALLEYE NIGHT: The second annual walleye opener at Shabbona Lake is Saturday, when the park stays open until 10 p.m. Lakeside offers $100 for largest walleye weighed in, an additional $100 if it tops the lake record (9.9 pounds) and another $500 if it breaks the state record (14 pounds). On the first walleye night, a shore angler won last spring. Lakeside has some boat rentals. Go to www.shabbonalake.com or call (815) 824-2581.
AREA LAKES: Expectant: Largemouth and panfish should take off on all lakes and only improve in the coming week. Skokie Lagoons have been fair, but stable water conditions should help. Jimmy Templin of FishTech (the former Morton Grove Ed Shirley Sports) said PowerBait is the ticket for the remaining trout at Axehead and Belleau; and he expects other species to rebound quickly at Busse with warming weather. Kolar reported some trout continuing at Deep Quarry.
CHAIN O'LAKES AREA: Waiting: The water remains cold (40s), but fishing should really go when the water warms. Guide Darrell Baker said even with the cold water, he has been doing well on panfish. Arden Katz reported good keeper bluegills (Rat Finkies with spikes or waxies that he focused on very shallow water that warmed quicker) and crappie (minnow bite on the smallest float possible next to the warming seawalls). REMINDER: The annual Challunge on the Chain tournament is Saturday. Go to frvmuskie.com. Templin said muskie are going good, especially on bass baits like Rat-l-traps and Husky Jerks.
COOLING LAKES/STRIP PITS: LASALLE: The hot side warmed into the 80s, and fishing rebounded. Mike Lynch reported blues to 39 inches on Friday. Over the weekend, Jim Sajdyk reported he and two others caught 20 hybrids to 5 pounds and a bonus big blue in a three-hour stretch. They were trolling with crankbaits. By day's end, they had 25 hybrids, four drum and four catfish. HEIDECKE: In the cold water the past few weeks, muskies were the only steady bite. And some traditional hard-core muskie fishermen have been upset with the fishermen taking legal muskie of 36 inches. (Is it time to consider upping the minimum size on Heidecke?) Some water dipped into the 30s last week, but concessionaire Steve Anderson expects the fishing to rebound as the water warms back into the 50s. BRAIDWOOD/MAZONIA: Catfish and bluegill remain the steady bite at Braidwood. The Mazonia lakes should rebound as the water begins to warm into the 50s (can we dream of the 60s by next week?).
DOWNSTATE: Expectant: This is the week that fishing should bust loose across southern areas. EVERGREEN: Should expect crappie fishing to rebound as water warms back into the 50s. POWERTON: The plant is down, but trophy smallmouth fishing has been good if reports in the Peoria Journal Star of a couple of 5-pounders is any indication. HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Site super Rick Seibert said members started fishing Sunday. First public day is May 4. Memberships are available at (815) 481-0778.
FOX RIVER: Fair: The river remains high, but warming through the 40s. Batavia Bait and Tackle reported scattered walleye; smallmouth should improve with a likely warm-up in water. The no-wake restriction remains between Stratton and Algonquin dams.
ILLINOIS RIVER: STARVED ROCK AREA: Decent: Guide Buster Culjan said the river warmed back into the 50s, and some catfish are coming on crawlers and white bass are starting when the sun comes up. Some sauger are coming for those pulling river rigs, and a few have been caught from shore at Starved Rock.
KANKAKEE RIVER: Improving: The river is in good shape, and smallmouth should only improve with warming waters by the weekend. Ed Mullady said the area through the state park has been particularly good. There also are mixed walleye and smallmouth around Momence and Aroma Park. There also has been good walleye action below the Wilmington and Kankakee dams. Mullady said the 10-mile road area in Indiana has been hot, and largemouth going in most bayous.
LAKEFRONT: Decent: Park Bait reported some perch off the mouth of Belmont, and some coho and steelhead at Montrose. Shoreline smallmouth are taking off on the Chicago lakefront for boaters and shore fishermen. Boaters have had to work for salmon, browns and lakers. Capt. Jeff Miltimore said perch fishing had been good from straight out of Waukegan south to Lake Forest in 55 to 70 feet, mostly on minnows. NOTE: Mayor Daley's Fishing Advisory Committee meets at McKinley Park fieldhouse at 10 a.m. Thursday. CHICAGO SMELT: Hours on the lakefront begin at 7 p.m. Netters must be out of parking lots by 1 a.m.NORTHWEST INDIANA: Decent: Mik-Lurch said smallmouth are outstanding at virtually all the usual shoreline and discharge spots. Shad Raps have been surprisingly good. Perch are good at the first light out of Pastrick. Coho and browns are scattered. There are a few night walleye at Wolf. Panfish are picking up at Willow Slough.
ST. JOSEPH AREA, MICH.: Improved: BJ's said coho showed up Friday in top 20 feet in 20 to 60 feet from St. Joseph to Michigan City, Ind.
SHABBONA LAKE: Expectant: For Saturday's walleye night, see top. Otherwise there have been sporadic muskie, occasional big largemouth and some crappie.
WOLF RIVER, WIS.: Decent: Walleye are coming down from spawning.
Dale Bowman

MuskieFIRST Pro Panel - Rods and Reels

2007-04-18T10:37:00.000-06:00

Muskie FirstPublished April 11, 2007PRO PANEL QUESTION: WHAT STEPS DO YOU TAKE FOR PRE-SEASON GEAR PREPARATION? (focusing on rods/reels/lures)Vince Weirickhttp://www.vinceweirick.comvweirick@kconline.comWaters guided: Webster Lake, Tippecanoe Lake, Barbee Chain of Lakes, Upper LongRods:Check all eyes with a cotton swab.Run this around the inside of the eye to see if there are any cuts/cracks.If there are, the cotton should catch on them.Pay special attention to the last eye on the end of the rod.Line wraps almost entirely around this eye.Replace as needed.Reels:At the end of the season, I leave this to the experts and send my reels in to the manufacture to get a thorough cleaning. Some parts may be worn out, but the reel works OK. They will be able to tell more than I ever would.Lures:Besides the basic sharpening hooks, there are many more things to do. Sort through all your lures and take out the ones you don't use. Instead of selling them because they have not produced, why not modify them? Whether it be adding weight, changing color, bending the lip, adding a squirrely tail or anything else you can dream of.It is much cheaper to do modify a lure that has not produced for you than mess one up that has.Also check your split rings to see if they are bent; they are very easy to replace.Oil up your cutters and pliers. Joel MichelEmail: dancertails@yahoo.comWaters guided: SE Wisconsin (Okauchee, Oconomowoc, Pewaukee and others)I don't do too much out of the ordinary when it comes to pre-season gear prep.I make sure all of my rods are in good working conditions.I check the eyes with a Q-tip and make sure there are no cracks or anything of that sort by running a cloth down them. As for reels, I send the ones I know have problems to a buddy of mine who fixes reels.The ones that I know are OK, I clean with a Q-tip and some water. This gets the junk out of the cracks and places I can access easily. Then I take some of the reel apart and oil the areas I can without having to take the whole thing apart.After checking them over, I'll usually replace the line. If I have enough on the spool, I'll reverse the line to the side that hasn't seen action yet.What I'll do is take a reel I'm looking to spool, tie the line from the reel I'm reversing to the new reel, and reel the line on.With the super braids, that gives you a good two seasons of use out of a spool. If the line is low, I'll re-spool with new line. With my trolling reels, these all get new line.I use P line for these so it gets nicked and worn. I usually re-spool these a few times each season.I make sure the line counters are working and send any reels that need work to my reel repairman. I'm always tinkering with baits during the winter, so it's not necessarily a pre-season ritual.I'll check split rings on hooks to make sure they are not worn or weak.Check hooks to make sure the points are still good and that there are no defects on them.If they are, I'll replace and re-sharpen. If there were baits that were giving me problems, for example the hooks are tangling together, I'll look for ways to modify them if they are my better baits.Changing hook positions or numbers of hooks on baits, upsizing two hooks on a bait etc. I'll polish the brass and nickel blades on bucktails, or if it is not possible, I'll retie the shaft and put new blades on them. I'll also tie new sucker rigs up and leaders so I'm set for the season.It doesn't take much to make those, and when you're watching "The Musky Hunter," you can easily tie a bunch up while sitting there. Then I'll put together my trolling box, my casting box, and my everyday usage boxes for the early season.I break down each so that when I hit a certain lake, I know exactly what I'm bringing and what baits I need.I also make sure that my release tools are all in good working order.Give the Knipex a shot of oil in the joints, make sure that they are all stored where I can find them. Bob Devinehttp://www.chartertalk.comchartertalk@cego.caWaters guided: Lake St. Clair and Detroit RiverI go through all my gear. As a guide, you don't want to lose the fish of alifetime to something that was overlooked. I check the guides on my rods with a cotton swab. I also check reel seats to make sure they're secure and to find any possible cracks that my have occurred somewhere, some how.For reels, I make sure they are lubed and put fresh line on. Yes, braid can hold up for a few years, but can you take the chance??As for lures, I check for cracks, hooks that may need to be replaced, and this reminds me of what lures worked and when. It might possibly be time to pick some more that worked and check out the sports shows for any new items that may be coming out.I also chat with others and pick their brains, too! You can never know it ALL!Al NuttyKinkaid Lake Guide Servicewww.kinkaidlakeguides.comnutty4muskies@yahoo.comFirst off, for the rods, I check all the ceramic guide rings by swirling a Q-tip inside them.If it snags or leaves cotton fibers, take them to your local rod repair shop. Small cracks in the ceramic will cut braided lines like a hot knife through warm butter!!!For the reels, clean and lube them, and make sure you have backed the drag off to keep it from taking a "set." Put on new line as necessary.If any parts look worn, replace them (especially the levelwind pawl, the little dog tooth gear that engages the levelwind worm gear--this is the most common wear part on most reels.)For lures, replace any missing, cut or rusted hooks.Check the finish of the bait--I'm not worried that they look superb, but I don't want water soaking into the wood and ruining the action. This is more of an issue with balsawood than it is some of the heavier woods like maple. A quick fix that's fast and easy is to use the 2 part 5-minute epoxy (available at most hardware stores and Wal-Mart), stir up a small amount, brush it over the injured section of the lure and let dry for about 10 minutes.It's then ready to fish!!For the plastic lures I use, I check them to see if they're leaking (shake it, if you hear water inside, then it's time to work on it. Best way I've found is to freeze the lure overnight, then place it underwater in a sink full of warm water, turning it slowly until you find where the air bubbles are coming from.Then drill a hole to vent the water that's inside the lure. After it's drained (shake the lure until all the water comes out), patch this hole, and then patch the leaky area. I use the 5-minute epoxy for this, too. Also, sharpen the hooks, which gives you something to do while you're waiting to go fishing!!Mike's Extreme Guide Servicehttp://mikekoepp.comrockinranger620@aol.comGuided waters: Pewaukee LakeMy pre-season gear prep includes getting allmy reels looked at by a qualified, trusted reel repair shop. This is important because I need all my reels in perfect working order for the long season they are going to be worked through. Once they are all back, I change the line that needs to be changed. One trick I use is to reverse the line after the first season. The line on your spool halfway down has never seen the water or light, remove it and tie the used end on the spool and reel up the old line first, and the new unused line will be your line for the coming season. This will cut the cost of line because you only used half the line the first season, now you can use the second half the second season. Two seasons per super line spools. Mono and co-polymer line gets replaced a few times a season. I go over all my rods with careful attention to the guides. Inspection for cracked or chipped guides is very important. A careful examination with a magnifying glass will show you what your bare eyes can't. Take your time, and check each and every rod for damage. Cracks and chips in the glass will cause line failure from the bad guides.Lures are all hung up and sorted out every season. Split rings are inspected, and hooks are checked for damage. Replacing hooks at this time is best because when you need the bait, it's ready to go. Sharpen and sort out all baits by category: Top waters, gliders, jerk baits, crank baits, bucktails, etc. This way I know what I need to replace and what I have enough of.This is also a great time to get an inventory of what you have just in case something happens such as fire, theft or other unexpected occurrences. This gives you that list the insurance agent is going to ask for. I make sure to have an inventory of allmy baits, rods, reels and electronics from last year. Pictures and prices of what you have paid for each item in a listing can make your life a whole lot easier just in case something does happen.Tom Dietzwww.tomdietz.commuskyangler@woh.rr.comWaters guided: Caesar's Creek lake, Clear Fork lake, Alum Creek Lake and Leesville Lake in Ohio.In the off-season, I mainly focus on my reels, making sure they are properly stored (drags backed off to avoid crimping the washers) and oiled.I also put fresh Cortland Spectron on as needed to each reel.I store my rods out of bitter cold weather, usually keeping them in my heated garage to avoid any undue stress on the blanks.Not sure if there is any scientific data to back this one up, but it sounds good, and it's an extra precautionary measure I take to protect my investment.I also swab my eyelets with a Q-tip to make sure there are no nicks or cracks in those to avoid line issues next season. Winter is THE time to sharpen all hooks properly on both new and old lures, and replace rusted or over-sharpened hooks with fresh sharp ones.I also check all the split rings on my baits, making sure there are no fatigued ones, etc.I also inspect my lures for any cracks in the plastic (to avoid "leakers" or losing a fish the next season because of a hook holder pulling out).I replace my plastic trailers on my bucktails with fresh ones for spring. Corey Meyermuskymeyer@newnorth.netWaters I fish: Chippewa FlowagePre-season gear preparation starts at the end of the previous season. Do I have anything that is broken or in need of repair before the next season that I will need to have sent out to get fixed? If I have any equipment that fits this description, I will make a point of getting it repaired or replaced as soon as I can. If I have any lures that need to be re-wired or worked on, I will place them in a box and take that box in the house. As time permits over the winter, I will repair these as required. This keeps me from scrambling right before the beginning of the next season and from the possibility of not having something I need.With these items taken care of, I usually wait until sometime in April to begin the pre-season preparation process. This begins with checking rods and reels. I decide which line I will be replacing and which reels I will be turning the line around on. At this time, I will also grease and lube the reels. Then I will give all my rods a once over, looking for any loose guides, cracked inserts or anything else that needs attention.After this, my attention turns to lures. This is the most enjoyable part of the pre-season ritual for me. It begins by taking every lure out of the tackle boxes and laying them out on the front and sides of the boat. I separate them into three categories, topwater, bucktails and everything else. I look at what got thrown the year before, and any lures that did not get any water time get moved to another area of the boat. Then I will add any new lures to their respective categories. At this point, I will go through and sharpen the hooks on all the lures except the "not thrown last year" group. When sharpening, I will give each lure a once over to make sure it's in acceptable condition for the season, and if not, make any necessary repairs. After sharpening all the hooks, I fill the tackle boxes back up and take one more look at the "not thrown last year" group to make sure nobody there gets a reprieve and put back into the lineup, and if not, my lures are already for the season. I check my spare hook and split ring containers to make sure I have enough "stock" as well.Other miscellaneous pre-season items I take care of include spraying my rainsuit and fishing boots with camp dry, along with going through a small Rubbermaid container I keep in the boat with miscellaneous things like first aid items, head lamp with extra batteries, Polaroid camera, small pair of binoculars, aspirin, Advil, Rolaids etc. I also check to make sure the registration, insurance and outboard/trolling motor owners manuals are on board just in case.Once this container is re-stocked for the season, I am pretty much ready "gear-wise" for the new season.Todd ForcierForcier's Guide Service LLCwww.forciersguideservice.cominfo@forciersguideservice.comWaters guided: Petenwell Flowage and Wisconsin River system and Three Lakes Chain of lakes.Lets start with the rod: I like to remove the reel and inspect the rod, checking the reel seat, cork, rod, wraps. Then I take a cotton Q-tip and check all the guides. After inspection I'll clean the rod.I'll inspect the reel at all points, clean it up and check the line capacity, add or change if needed. It's been common practices to always back down the drag during the off-season. About every other year, I'll send them in for a check-up. Due to client abuse, I've had to send in for repairs during the season, so always make sure your back-ups are ready to go. As for line, I think most of us are using some type of super braid line. This type of line comes in various weights, but I'm guessing 80 lb. is a commonly used weight. Always keep a spool around for the reels that may need some additional line as the season goes. Leaders are another important item that makes the rod ready for use. Time and time again, I'll see clients go cheap on this item with a top-of-the line rod and reel. Good quality line and a $2 leader. There are several types of leaders out there, just make sure to have a GOOD one.The winter months are a great time to reorganize the tackle box. Maybe thin it out (bringing unwanted lures to the show's swap meet). You got the time to resharpen hooks. Make a wish list or needs list of lures. I also like to review my logs from the past year. Do research on any new lakes I've heard about and lakes/rivers I wish to explore.Josh Borovskywww.promuskieguide.comjoshborovsky@msn.comWaters guided: Lake Vermillion, Lake Mille Lacs and the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro area lakesRods: I inspect all of my guides visually and twist a Q-tip through them, looking for any nicks or cracks. Any suspect guides are marked with a piece of tape and replaced.Reels: I typically send all my reels back to the factory they came from for a cleaning and lube.A trained reel technician will usually replace any worn or weakened parts during the cleaning process as well.Lures: I have a "needs repair" pile, a "tweak/tune pile," a "swap pile" and a "repaint pile." I also spend time touching upbaits with clear epoxy and/or nail polish.Nail polish also works well for touching up the thread/ties of anything with bucktail, marabou or tinsel.This will help them hold up longer and prevent them from coming unraveled. I have also been known to shampoo bucktails on occasion(conditioner and all), followed by a thorough washingin no scent soap. What I can say, I'm a freak. Laugh if you want, but try adding some shampoo and conditioner to anold bucktail that is dried up or gunked up. It can really bring the breathing action back.Last but not least, this a good time to sharpen and/or replace hooks on your arsenal.Larry Ramsell Web site: www.larryramsell.com email: larryramsell@hotmail.comNorth Central and Northwestern Wisconsin lakes and rivers primarily in the Hayward/Park Falls area. Lake Vermilion in Minnesota.Rods: I check all glass rod guides for cracks (visual and with a cotton swab) and have those that are cracked replaced (in emergency situations during the season I will "remove" the entire guide from the rod). Cracked guides cut through line like a knife through hot butter. (I have lost some of my good lures as a result!)Reels: All reels are gone over and at the very least re-lubricated and the line replaced. Those that received the heaviest use often go to the factory or a reel repair guy for a complete check and replacement of worn parts. Lures: Hook sharpening and replacement is paramount before use again the next season. No need to skimp here, replacement hooks aren't that expensive and could prevent the loss of that "fish of a lifetime!"

Puffing Triggers More Muskies!

2007-04-17T11:08:00.000-06:00

This is a tremendous little tip for use with spinners-that is easy-and I really believe increases strikes. Whether in-line or blade-above-body types, most folks retrieve their spinners straight in. These are straight retrieve baits right?
Some folks will jig spinnerbaits, but in general, a speed is picked and the bait is brought in. Regardless of skirt material, I always "puff" a spinner on the way in. Basically, I go twice as fast on part of my revolution with the reel handle-on the front side as compared to the back. This way, the retrieve is always mildly erratic. The skirting material is always moving, and appears to be breathing. Try it.

Vote on outdoors proposals Monday at spring hearings

2007-04-16T10:54:00.000-06:00

Press-Gazette
The annual statewide fish and wildlife rules hearings are scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday in each county.

The sessions are sponsored by the Wisconsin Conservation Congress and Department of Natural Resources and allow hunters, anglers and trappers to vote on issues that may lead to regulation changes.

Among the hunting topics are proposals to reduce the number of turkey management zones from 46 to seven, establish a turkey hunting zone where dogs could be utilitzed and to require portable ground blinds on state lands to display at least a square foot of blaze orange visible from all sides during the gun deer season.

Among the fishing topics are proposals that would require muskie anglers using live bait to use quick-strike rigs and to extend the muskie season in the southern zone to Dec. 31 from Nov. 30.

Hearing sites in the area include:

Brown County — Green Bay Southwest High School auditorium;

Door County — Sturgeon Bay High School auditorium;

Kewaunee County — Kewaunee High School auditorium;

Marinette County — Crivitz High School auditorium;

Oconto County — Suring High School cafeteria.

In Pursuit of Opening Day skies

2007-04-13T13:54:00.000-06:00

By Justin Hoffman

Without a doubt, the musky holds the coveted title of freshwaters most fierce, and cunning, predator. A muskies appetite is voracious, its strikes can be bone jarring and it can attain massive weights. The old fable of muskies being the fish of “ten thousand casts,” however, holds no water, as early season may provide you with your best shot at connecting with quantities of fish, and the distinct possibility of a trophy of a lifetime. By learning where muskies can be found after they spawn, what lures and baits are most productive and the equipment and techniques to go with them, you can start the season off with a bang and match wits with this mythical creature.
Where to Begin Your Search
Musky begin to spawn in late winter as the ice begins to melt, usually in late April or early May, with the peak period occurring when the water temperature reaches 55 degrees F. Muskies will generally spawn in a number of specific areas in a lake, namely heavily vegetated back bays, tributary streams and marshes and bays. They will seek out water that ranges from two to three feet deep, in which the female drops her eggs in a haphazardly manner, with neither fish making any effort to build a nest. Although these spawning areas will generally be devoid of muskies once the season commences, knowledge of where these areas are on your given lake will hold clues to where the fish can be found.
Begin your search by pinpointing two or three of the largest, weediest back bays that the lake contains. The bigger these areas are, the better your chances will become, as larger areas will undoubtedly hold larger numbers of fish. A hydrographic chart is a wonderful tool for this “detective work”, but if one is not available, many hours on the water scouting will be your only other option. Once these prime areas have been located, it is now time for the second part of your search, which will be locating these post-spawn fish.
Locating Musky
Once the muskies have completed their spawning ritual, their time in the shallows will be short-lived. Soon they will retreat to deeper water in order to take advantage of better feeding opportunities. This water will generally be between six and 12-feet-deep, although, depending on the particular lake, this depth may vary slightly. Once these deeper water areas have been found, locating the solid structure that they contain will be the key to locating these post-spawn muskies.
There are several structure areas that consistently hold musky. Rocky points have become one of my most productive areas to fish, although they must contain a good mixture of cover to hold numbers of fish. As long as they are in close proximity to shallow spawning areas, and are found in that “magic depth,” muskies will surely be present.
Other areas to concentrate your efforts on are islands and saddles. Musky will seek out these structures due to the prey that they contain and the shelter they offer. Look for stones the size of pebbles up to the size of cars, or a number of different species of plant life, thrown in with some sunken wood. What this inconsistent cover provides is a greater variety of hiding spots for different sized prey, which, will in turn, attract the larger predators.
Stump fields, gravel shoals and expansive weed flats should never be overlooked, as each of these areas are also productive spots to search. When out on the water, try to fish all of these different areas of a lake, at different times of the day and in different weather conditions. By picking apart each one of these structures you will get a better idea of which ones are attracting the muskies the best, and which areas they prefer most.
Weather also plays a part in the feeding habits of musky. Overcast, rainy and windy days seem to provide more action, and the fish will become more aggressive under these optimal conditions. When the wind blows and howls I head to rocky points and islands every time. Wind and wave action stirs up the baitfish, which, in turn, causes the larger predators to begin to feed more actively. Wind-blown points and islands channel this activity into a more confined area, which creates the perfect ingredients to connect with a musky. Some of my biggest fish have been caught from these two productive areas during heavy winds, and although they may not be the most comfortable conditions to fish in, connecting with a heavy ‘lunge will make it all worthwhile.
Tackling Tools
Once you have identified the most productive areas on your lake to begin your search, it’s now time to decide what to throw at them. One thing to keep in mind is prey size. Baitfish during this time of the year will still be generally small, so it only makes sense to scale down your baits.
Also keep in mind that early season musky are in the process of moving from shallow to deeper water, eventually locating to their summer haunts. This means that you will want a fairly-fast moving presentation that allows you to cover a lot of water, in order to search out these fish. Considering these two points, your lure choices should be smaller baits that can be cast easily, and worked quickly, through reasonably shallow water. The three lures that I find most productive and easiest to use, during this time of year, would be bucktails, shallow running crankbaits and spinnerbaits.
Bucktails are my number one choice at the start of the season. They are easy to cast and work all day, with a minimal amount of fatigue. They have astounding hooking capabilities and also work well in figure-eight situations. Most bucktails I use during the early part of the year fall between four and six-inches long. White, brown and black are my standards for clear water, whereas yellow, red and lime have worked best in stained water. The key is to experiment with colours and sizes and let the fish dictate what it prefers.
Shallow-running crankbaits, or minnowbaits, are another dynamite lure early in the season. There are a number of different ways to work these lures, yet the most productive seems to be the “twitch and tease.” Slow, methodical twitches with a minnowbait through productive areas really agitates, and elicits, tremendous strikes from fish that might not otherwise chase down a fast-moving bucktail. Look for lures in the five to six-inch length, sticking to colours that mimic the present prey, such as sucker, perch and baby bass finishes.
Finally, spinnerbaits are the lure that rounds out my musky arsenal. This is an in-between lure that can be worked fast or slow, and has the capabilities to flutter, or helicopter down, into cover or beside weedlines. Look for spinnebaits in the size you would normally use for bass fishing, while experimenting with different sized blades, and skirt, combinations. These are your best choice if you want to work water that is a little deeper than what a bucktail is normally used in, and they can also be pulled through thicker cover more easily.
The type of tackle set-ups to use with these smaller baits can also be downsized. Any heavy action bass rod will suffice, as will a medium heavy musky rod. By using a lighter rod, you will be able to cast, and work, the lures more efficiently. Stick to rods between six and seven-feet-long, partnered with a quality bait casting reel. Spool up with at least 20-pound-test line if you are using monofilament, and the relative test strength if your choice is Dacron or one of the new “superlines.”
Early Season Techniques
The most important message that I can convey is to cover water thoroughly and quickly, to search out the active fish. Once you’ve located some fish, or had some follows, now is the time to slow down and tease them into hitting. This is what twitchbaits excel at.
Always perform a figure-eight at boatside to up your odds of connecting with a following fish. This technique only takes five to ten seconds of your time, and it could result in a bonus fish, or one that you didn’t even know was there. Look for differences in cover, or structure, which may draw muskies in. Try variations on retrieves, such as speed or direction, to tempt a strike from a waiting fish.
Lastly, perseverance is the key. Muskies are like no other species, as you are now dealing with a top predator of the food chain. Keep working different areas using different tools and techniques, and you will eventually find the keys that unlock the musky mystery.
Musky fishing during the early season is a time when fish can be found in predictable spots, while utilizing fairly easy-to-use baits and techniques. By following the techniques and tactics that were describes earlier, you’ll be on your way to a great season, and I can’t think of any better way to shake a case of “cabin fever,” than by battling nature’s most fierce, and revered, freshwater fish.

'Something special

2007-04-12T09:06:00.000-06:00

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The, by BOB RIEPENHOFF

For Tom Gelb, catching the musky of a lifetime was largely a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
The time was about quarter after 10 in the morning on Nov. 30, the last day of Wisconsin's 2006 musky season, and the place was an undisclosed lake somewhere in Vilas County.
"It was 11 degrees when I woke up," Gelb said. "I almost didn't go out."
It's a good thing he did, because Gelb ended up catching a fish that most musky anglers can only dream about - a musky that weighed in excess of 50 pounds.
Gelb, 71, has been musky fishing in Vilas County since the 1950s. He moved up north to Conover after retiring as vice president of marketing for Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee in 1997. Since then, he's had more time for musky fishing.
"I've caught a lot of muskies, maybe a thousand caught by me and my friends," he said. "You never expect to catch a 50. They're so rare."
Although motor trolling is illegal on all lakes in Vilas County and many lakes in Oneida County, there is a time-honored tradition of row-trolling for muskies in the north.
"I've been doing that for 25 years," Gelb said of row-trolling.
That morning, he launched his boat and had been trolling only about a half hour before the big fish hit.
"I was trolling two lines," Gelb said. "One was 24 feet down and one was 16 feet down."
The fish hit the shallow-running lure, a cisco-colored Depth Rader crank bait that Gelb had highlighted with some candy blue Harley-Davidson paint.
"Blue is a good color," he said. "I put a light dusting of blue over the cisco coloring. Who knows? It might have hit anything, but it hit that bait."
When the fish hit, Gelb hauled back on the oars hard.
"When you're row-trolling, you set the hook by rowing real hard," he said. "I brought in the other line and picked up the rod and started brining the fish in. I had about 70 feet of line out and it took some line."
At that point, Gelb didn't realize what he had.
"I've caught a lot of big fish," he said. "I didn't get real excited."
The battle lasted 8 to 10 minutes, he figured.
"When I got it in the net, it rolled on its side and then I saw that it was something special," he said. "The girth was huge. I tried to lift it in the boat and I couldn't do it. I just held the net with my leg and rowed to shore."
When he reached shore, Gelb measured the fish at 53 inches long with a 28 1/2-inch girth. Using those measurements, he did some calculations that put the fish's weight at 50 pounds or more.
"I decided, hell, I've got to keep it," he said. "The last musky I kept was in 1982."
Gelb tried to confirm the weight on his scale by stringing a 2- foot length of quarter-inch rope through the fish's gill and out its mouth, but he couldn't lift the fish all the way off the ground to make the scale work.
So he rolled it into his boat and took it to Eagle Sports, in Eagle River, where it weighed in at 51 pounds. Next, he took it to taxidermist Rick Lax, who put the weight at 51 pounds 6 ounces. Finally, he took it to the Conover Post Office, where the official weight was 51 pounds 2 ounces.
According to Steve Heiting, managing editor of Musky Hunter magazine in St. Germain, who helped measure and weigh Gelb's fish, the last confirmed 50-pound Wisconsin musky was caught 17 years ago. The fish, which weighed exactly 50 pounds, was caught by Robert Grutt from Big Round Lake in 1989. A 51-pound musky caught from the Flambeau Chain of Lakes in 1975 was the last one caught in Vilas County, he said.
"In Wisconsin, they're extremely rare," Heiting said of 50-pound muskies.
Gelb said he considers himself privileged to have caught the fish.
"A lot of people fish hard," he said. "They're just not at the right place at the right time. A lot of these big fish suspend out in deep water. You've got to be at the right spot where he's feeding for 5 minutes."
Gelb plans to have the fish mounted and put it on display somewhere so people can see it.

Send e-mail to briepenhoff@journalsetinel.com

Fishing: Lake survey finds muskies doing well

2007-04-07T16:53:00.000-06:00

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources netted a muskie at Evergreen Lake last week that topped 51 inches and weighed 2½ pounds more than the state record.

Illinois Department of Natural Resources biologist Mike Garthaus said the beast weighed 41.1 pounds. The current record from the spillway below Lake Shelbyville in the Kaskaskia River weighed 38½ pounds.

The Evergreen muskie was just one of several collected during the annual look at fish populations at the 900-acre reservoir in northern McLean County.

The survey, which also nabbed a muskie 49 inches long, was three days long instead of the usual four, so about 10 fewer muskies were counted than average. But Garthaus said that didn’t concern him as the ones he saw spanned several year classes and all of them were healthy.

“If I can get fish small through big, I know we are getting survival. That’s all I can ask,” he said. “Muskies are doing fine.”

Despite troubles with muskie survival at hatcheries in recent years, Evergreen Lake has been receiving its full share of fish. Indeed, it received extra fish last year.

Evergreen also yielded four saugeyes weighing more than the state record of 9 pounds, 10 ounces which the lake now holds.

Our friends at Evergreen Lake are posting weekly fishing reports at http://www.mcleancountyil.-gov/parks/parkscm.aspx?divid=1

Trout season

It’s a sure sign of spring when;

Robins return to the Midwest;

Rivers fill to the brim, and;

Trout season opens in Illinois.

The latter happens at 5 a.m. Saturday. To prepare, IDNR will stock more than 60,000 rainbow trout at 42 locations throughout the state. They include Miller Park in Bloomington; Lake of the Woods in Mahomet; Bureau County’s Hennepin Canal Parkway; the Illinois and Michigan Canal, Utica; Springfield’s Illinois Department of Transportation Lake and Washington Park Pond; and Clear Lake at Kickapoo State Park.

To keep trout, anglers must have inland trout stamps, which sell for $6.50 each. Sales of stamps cover the cost of the stockings. They can be purchased at IDNR offices in rural Clinton, Springfield, Chicago, Alton, Benton and Sterling or at www.dnr.state.il.us with a credit card or phone (888) 673-7648).

Trout anglers also must have a valid fishing license. Last year’s licenses expired March 31.

Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs acting director L. Tammy Duckworth reminds disabled veterans they can obtain a free fishing license by visiting one of the state’s 51 Veteran Service offices. A list of locations is available at www.state.il.us-/agency/dva or by calling (800) 437-9824.

Trout cannot be taken from the stocked sites before the season officially opens.

For more information on the trout program, call (217) 782-6424 or visit www.ifishillinois.org.

Club notes

Fishing guide Paul Center of Angling Adventures-Custom Rods speaks on reservoir fishing for saugeye and walleye to the PrairieLand Anglers today at 7 p.m. at the Bloomington Public Library. It is free and open to the public.

Professional bass angler Greg Hackney will speak at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Times Past Inn in Bloomington. Cost of the event sponsored by the Bloomington Normal Bass Club is $10. Kids under 16 are free.

Record crappie?

Brett Larson of Shabbona caught a new Shabbona Lake record crappie last month while ice fishing. It weighed 2.8 pounds and was 17 inches long. Aaron Meyers, who was with Larson at the time, held the former state record of 2.7 pounds.

Added drama comes from the fact the crappie might be a hybrid. If so, it would better the current state record. DNA tests are needed to be sure.

By the way, that same Evergreen survey that turned up the state-record muskie nabbed a crappie that tipped the scales at 1.9 pounds.

Tournament notes

Randy Cox of New Berlin and Greg Correll of Pleasant Plains won first place in the Springfield Crappie Club’s eighth annual Open Buddy Crappie Tournament on March 31 on Lake Sangchris.

Their seven-fish limit weighed 8.43 pounds. Neil Jones and Brian Plank were second with 8.4 pounds, including the first Big Crappie prize with a fish that weighed 1.72 pounds. Steve Reed of Washington and Dan McQuern were third.

The Springfield Crappie Club hosts open buddy tournaments April 14 at Clinton Lake, May 12 on Lake Shelbyville and July 21 on Mark Twain Lake in Missouri. Visit www.springfieldcrappieclub.com or call (217) 527-1861.

Larry Reece had big bass and won the Bloomington Normal bass tournament at Lake Sangchris on March 24. Credit for big bass went to someone else in last week’s Hook, Line & Sinker based on incorrect information provided to the newspaper.

Scott Richardson is Pantagraph outdoor editor. Phone (309) 820-3227 or email srichardson@pantagraph.com Read past outdoor and fishing columns or take part in online discussions at www.pantagraph.com/blogs.

New rules to fight Great Lakes fish virus

2007-04-07T16:23:00.000-06:00

By Todd Richmond
Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin anglers can no longer use imported bait unless it meets strict testing requirements and they can't move live fish from the Great Lakes or the Mississippi River under an emergency rule adopted Wednesday to contain an exotic virus that causes fish to bleed to death.

The Great Lakes states have been bracing for the viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus, which kills fish by causing massive internal bleeding. The virus poses no threat to humans, but wildlife officials warn it could wreak havoc with fish populations and commercial and recreational fishing.

Michael Staggs, director of the fish management bureau in the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource, said the Great Lakes has become home to some 250 invasive species. But the virus is worse than any of them, he said.

"It doesn't just show up there and compete with the native species. It kills a broad range of fish," Staggs said.

The virus has caused significant muskie and walleye kills in Lakes Huron, Erie and Ontario and probably has spread into Lake Michigan, where it could cause huge kills this spring, Staggs said. New York and Pennsylvania have adopted rules this year to contain the virus. Michigan is drafting similar measures.

Wisconsin officials fear the virus could spread to Lake Superior and into the Mississippi River through the Illinois River, which connects to Lake Michigan. From there it could spread to inland waters, endangering bluegills, trout, salmon, bass, muskies, northern pike, walleye and perch, according to the DNR.

The Natural Resources Board, which oversees the DNR, adopted the rule unanimously with little discussion Wednesday in a conference call. The measure will go into effect by Monday.

Under the rule:

-Possessing and using bait fish, including crayfish and frogs, from outside Wisconsin that haven't been tested for the virus is prohibited. Staggs said the state Department of Agriculture has been testing fish imported to Wisconsin by bait shops and bait wholesalers for the virus, but the rule is designed to stop individual anglers from driving to another state and returning with bait such as minnows.

-Possessing and using dead bait is prohibited except in Lake Michigan or the waters where the bait originated. The virus can survive in dead bait that has been frozen, Staggs said.

-Moving live fish and eggs from the Great Lakes and the Mississippi, as in live boxes or buckets, is not allowed unless tests for the virus are negative.

-Boaters must drain all water from bilges, ballast, buckets and live wells immediately after leaving the Great Lakes or the Mississippi - the first time the state has ever required that. Staggs said the virus can live in water for up to two weeks.

The rule will be in effect for 150 days. The DNR can then ask the state Legislature to extend it another 120 days.

Bait sellers fear the rule will force them to raise prices.

Dave Gollon, owner of Dodgeville-based Gollon Bait and Fish Farm, which imports bait from other states, said he might have to spend hundreds of dollars per test and he's fed up with the government's inability to stop invasive species from pouring into the Great Lakes.

"Everybody's going to end up paying the price again because of our government's failure to respond in an arena they should be," Gollon said.

"I think people will just have to be ready for the price of bait to go up," said Scott Gartner, owner of Bob's Bait and Tackle in La Crosse, which gets its bait from Gollon.

George Meyer, executive director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, told the board the regulations make sense.

"We understand that these restrictions will cause economic dislocations on the bait industry and that truly is unfortunate," Meyer said in a statement he read to the board. "However the ecologic damage and the economic damage ... requires the imposition of these restrictions."

Michael Sanger of Oak Creek, a Great Lakes fisherman and the Wisconsin delegate to the Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council, said he hasn't spoken with the council about Wisconsin's rules. Speaking for himself, he said the new regulations are no big deal.

"If it stops that virus from getting inland, it's probably worthwhile," Sanger said. "Everything is slow motion on saving the Great lakes. Every year there's two or three more invaders."

Staggs told the board no one knows how the virus arrived in the lakes. One possibility is through ballast water discharge from oceangoing ships, he said.

The sheer number of jurisdictions in the Great Lakes makes drafting standard regulations difficult, Staggs said.

Meyer urged the Natural Resources Board to consider a resolution at its April meeting calling on Congress and the state Legislature to adopt "strong" regulations requiring treatment of international ships' ballast water.

Thomas agreed to place the resolution on the agenda. DNR Secretary Scott Hassett said the agency already is pushing such a resolution to state lawmakers.

Minnesota's Chilled-Out Pike Waters

2007-03-29T10:54:00.000-06:00

Anglers are downright giddy about the improved fishing for big northerns in our state. But instead of sending you to where everybody else is going, you can laugh all by yourself on these waters. (March 2007)
By Ron Hustvedt Jr.

A 50-inch pike would be in the 35-pound range, far short of our state record of 45 pounds, 12 ounces, caught in 1929 out of Basswood Lake along the Minnesota-Canada border. Still, the thought that trophy-pike fishing is once again returning to Minnesota has many anglers downright giddy.
Some of the best lakes for trophy pike are Minnesota's big waters, such as Upper Red, Mille Lacs, Winnibigoshish, Vermilion, Minnetonka, Lake of the Woods and Leech. Each one is well known as having quality pike fishing, but for this article, we're sending you to less-pressured lakes with some unique opportunities. The next state-record northern may not be swimming in one of these lakes, but there sure are a lot of big pike that would even make Grandpa proud.
THE ARROWHEADMinnesota's Arrowhead Region has a lot of big-pike lakes, but many of them can be tough to access because of the ruggedness of the terrain or the fact that they do not allow motorized watercraft. But there is an exception to the rules in Cook County and near the cool town of Grand Marais.
The Gunflint Trail starts in Grand Marais and snakes through some of the best pike-fishing country to be found anywhere. On the way up the trail, Monty Montgomery of Buck's Hardware Hank in Grand Marais has a few favorite pike hotspots that are not to be overlooked.
"I really like Northern Light Lake and Elbow Lake because they are not your traditional pike lakes, but they are full of decent-sized pike in the 5- to 7-pound range," Montgomery said.
Both lakes are tea-colored, thanks to the tannins in the water from the bogs surrounding them. These dark and shallow lakes become filled with weeds in the heat of the summer but are awesome spring and summer locations -- which up in Cook County means most of May, June and maybe July. Perch are the main forage base in both lakes, so if you are using artificials, that's the color pattern to mimic.
Northern Light Lake is located about 10 miles up the Gunflint Trail and is basically a wide spot on the Brule River. Because of that, the access can be a bit iffy, particularly in the spring when the water is up.
"You might have to back up through a half-block of 4-inch water, but it is well worth it," Montgomery said.
He also said to focus on the headwater and tailwater sections of the lake, and on the points located off the channel. Fishing the river itself can also be good, particularly the deeper spots upriver from the lake. According to the Department of Natural Resources' area fisheries office in Grand Marais, Northern Light has a high population of pike, with an above-average number of fish larger than 25 inches.
Elbow Lake is Montgomery's second choice when fishing along the Gunflint Trail, and he said it produces a fair number of decent-sized pike in the 5- to 7-pound range. Elbow has a nice concrete ramp and dock, but it is rather rocky off the landing. You can also find northerns along the weedbeds lining the shorelines, particularly the one arm of the lake that is difficult to access.
"It's a good area to fish if you have a smaller boat because not everybody can get back in there, so the fish don't get a lot of action," Montgomery said.
Live-bait rigs tend to work the best on these lakes simply because the weed cover makes it tough to get a good trolling run going. Burning spinnerbaits and bucktails through the weeds is another tactic that will produce pike in these waters, though most anglers stick with live bait.
For additional information on these lakes, contact Buck's Hardware Hank at (218) 387-2280, or the Grand Marais Area Tourism Association at 1-888-922-5000. Information can also be found at www.grandmarais.com or at NorthernWilds.com.

BOUNDARY WATERSThe Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, also known as the BWCAW or "B-dub," consists of 1 million acres filled with about 1,000 lakes. The simple fact that these lakes have restricted access and usage creates the possibility for awesome pike fishing.
I've fished a lot of the lakes in the BWCAW and have found the average pike catch to far exceed the rest of our state. Most of the lakes are either too small or too infertile to support a state record, but there are some big waters where a record-setter is a possibility.
Basswood Lake is in the BWCAW, but there are motorized watercraft allowed on some parts of the lake if they are less than a specific horsepower. The same holds true on Saganaga and Seagull, where big northerns love to prowl. Even lakes adjacent to but still outside the BWCAW like Gunflint offer great pike fishing.
The toughest part about fishing these lakes is getting the entry permit to allow you to fish on them. Permits are available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning around the first of the year, but odds are that if you have a flexible schedule, you can go online now and still find a date and entry point open for motorized watercraft.
For information on the permit process, contact the BWCAW Reservation Center at www.bwcaw.org or 1-877-550-6777. Information on the area can be found online at CanoeCountry.com.
BEMIDJI AREAFor the past three years, I have fished in the Frank Schneider International Memorial Muskie Tournament, and I selected Lake Bemidji as my lake of choice. There are a lot of big muskies swimming in Lake Bemidji, but while they prefer to avoid my offerings, the pike have been more than willing to keep me smiling.
Each year, we averaged at least one northern an hour, and rarely did one measure under 25 inches. This past year was our best ever for pike, with a few 30-inch fish caught and one around 3 feet long. With plenty of deep water, lush cabbage beds, tons of mid-lake structure and ample food sources, there's no doubt Lake Bemidji can grow monster pike.
The cabbage is a great place to start because the pike can be found up in the middle of the beds or just off the edges. When the water is cooler, don't forget to fish as shallow as 4 or 5 feet; however, as the water warms, look for Esox along the deep edges where the cabbage stops abruptly at the dropoff to the basin of the lake. Live-bait rigs, casting artificial lures and trolling are all great tactics for these pike. Just remember to practice catch-and-release on Bemidji so I can catch them again!
Northland Tackle's Steve Ladany loves piking on Turtle Lake, where he owned a resort for 18 years.
"In the early part of the season, fish off the deep dropoffs where there's a good sharp drop from the shallows into the depths," Ladany said. "These are spots where the pike sit and wait for high-energy oily fish like tullibees and whitefish."
As the summer fades in August and September, try casting right up in the shallow cabbage locations.
For more information on the Bemidji area, go to VisitBemidji, or call 1-800-458-2223.

LAKE SUPERIORDuluth is a beautiful town nestled on the westernmost edge of Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world. The big lake's cold waters are not very productive for pike fishing, but where they meet with the St. Louis River, the fishing is outstanding. Known to some people as "The Harbor," the map name for these waters is St. Louis Bay.
"Pike are native to the area, and it might have declined a bit after we stocked muskies, but large northerns have always been common," said John Lindgren, a fisheries specialist for the DNR's Duluth office.
Lindgren said in the last three or four years, the DNR has seen more northern pike than normal, meaning the fishing this year could be better than ever. The St. Louis River is typically full of warm, dark water that doesn't meet most pike criteria for ideal habitat. Lake Superior is cold and clear, making it good for pike, but the lack of forage throughout the basin results in tough fishing. But where the St. Louis River meets Lake Superior, you have a pike dream come true.
Fishing St. Louis Bay and mouth of the river means combining lake-fishing tactics with river-fishing techniques. Northerns have been known to hang out along deep weed edges, as well as around bridge pylons and below wing dams.
Should the big waters of Lake Superior call you out into them, don't be afraid to try it -- as long as the waves aren't crashing in. Just be sure to take along a weather radio and a cell phone. Lindgren said muskies are caught all the time in the waters immediately outside the shipping canal, and it would make sense that some pike are swimming there as well.
For more information on the Duluth area, go to VisitDuluth.com, or call 1-800-4-DULUTH.
CHISAGO CITY AREAJust northeast of the Twin Cities metro area in the Chisago City Lakes are some of the best fishing opportunities around. Bass and panfish tend to get most of the attention around these parts, thus leaving thin competition for big northerns. Luckily for pike fans, most of the Esox here are anything but thin.
Brad Pusenka gives out fishing advice at Frankie's Live Bait & Marine in Chisago City, and he tells his customers they should try North Center and South Center lakes.
"Those are probably the two best lakes in the area for big pike throughout the year," Pusenka said.
Roger Hugill is the DNR fisheries manager for the area, and he said North Center and South Center have quality-sized northerns. "There's a 20- to 36-inch protected slot to help protect that quality size," he said. The quantity of quality pike is not super high, but Hugill said he works to keep the northerns in balance with the rest of the fishery so that the perch population remains stable.
Pusenka's favorite spots to fish are on South Center around Pancake Island and in front of Whispering Bay.
"I like to fish the bays and stay on the weed edges, just sitting back with a big sucker minnow and bobber," Pusenka said.
Another high-quality lake in the area that Pusenka fishes is Sunrise, which is located just north of Chisago City and close to Center City. Pusenka said Sunrise boasts a great early spring and fall bite. "This is a good lake as soon as the ice goes off for the biggest pike in the area," he said. Sitting along the edge of the cabbage weeds is a great way to find fish, as is throwing spinnerbaits and in-line spinners.
For additional information, contact Frankie's Live Bait & Marine in Chisago City at (651) 257-6334, or the Chisago Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce at (651) 257-1177, or or ChisagoLakesChamber.com

BRAINERD LAKES AREAMost likely, you've heard of the Brainerd Lakes Area, and more often than not, the best pike waters listed are Pelican, Gull and Whitefish. These are great pike fisheries, with Whitefish offering the best opportunity for a high-quality northern simply because of its size and reduced pressure compared with the other two lakes. But there are other options.
For a more "off-the-beaten-path" fishing experience for Brainerd Lakes Area pike, Jason Erlandson of Dave's Sportland Bait & Tackle recommended fishing Upper and Lower South Long Lakes. Located just southeast of Brainerd off Highway 18, these lakes are home to some trophy northerns.
"We run into a lot of pike on both Upper and Lower, and usually fish it during the early part of the season along the cabbage beds and deep weedlines," Erlandson said.
Tim Brastrup, DNR fisheries manager for the Brainerd area, said multiple 20-pound fish are taken from the lake each year by spear-anglers, but the lake keeps producing them because of a magnificent forage base of tullibees.
Brastrup also recommended fishing on Thunder Lake, which is located north of Outing on Highway 6. Thunder also has a healthy population of tullibees for growing big pike, along with plenty of islands and points in front of bays providing excellent ambush spots.
For more information on the Brainerd Lakes Area, contact the Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-450-2838, or go online to ExploreBrainardLakes.com. Dave's Sportland Bait & Tackle can be reached at (218) 963-2401.
* * *
Quality big-pike fishing won't return to the days of yesteryear without your assistance, so be sure to practice CPR -- catch, photo and release. Pay special attention to the rulebook as well because there are many lakes with special pike regulations these days. That list is also a great place to look for more suggestions on top Esox lakes to fish in Minnesota. And be sure to take Grandpa along to see what he thinks about our state's awesome northern pike fishing nowadays!

Catch and Release

2007-03-29T10:47:00.001-06:00

"Catch and Release" is the way to go. Learn it ... live it ... love it.

DEFINITION:

Sport angling for musky with the intent of releasing the fish unharmed back into the environment

Catch and release fishing for musky has become the trend of the sport over the last twenty years. This helps to ensure a healthy growing population of the species and increases the size of the fish in general. Much has been written regarding catch and release techniques. It is essential that you have the neccessary release tools on board and know how and when to use them. Some jurasdictions do not allow the use of certain release tools (such as the gaff). These tools and techniques are not only used to minimize damage to the fish while handing, but also to keep the angler safe. Even more important than the tools themselves is that the angler must possess the knowledge of how and when to pick up and hold the fish safely, making every effort not to wipe off any of the protective slime covering the fish. Dont keep the fish out of water longer than you can hold your breath. Get the photo quickly and ease the fish back into the water. Revival techniques should also be learned. The best teacher for this area of musky angling is experience. A hook in the hand will definitely make you learn all about it quickly.

Listed below are links to articles specifically addressing Catch and Release techniques

Wisconsin Muskellunge Waters: Catching & Releasing
Safe Handling Tips
Release Myths by Steve Wickens
Is Catch and Release old fashioned?
Catch and Release Article Index
Muskie Release Tips

The Figure-8

2007-03-28T06:45:00.000-06:00

"The Figure-8" is a natural phenomenon that can occur during musky fishing that does not happen with other fish species. Here's what it's all about . . .

DEFINITION:
The figure-8 is a technique used to trigger a following musky to strike an artificial bait at boatside. It is executed at the end of a retrieve by reeling the lure in to about one foot from the tip of the rod, then easing into a figure 8 or wide circular motion with the rod tip 1 to 4 feet under the surface.
Much has been written and documented over the years as to the effectiveness of this technique and slight variations of it. The change in speed and/or direction is perceived by the following musky as an escape method employed by preyfish. This sudden direction change puts the musky in a "eat or dont eat" mindset. This technique does not work 100% of the time...but it DOES work. It is especially important to execute figure-8s after every cast in low-visibility conditions such as stained water or night fishing.

Listed below are links to articles specifically addressing the Figure-8 technique
The Finer Points of a Figure 8 by Jason Smith
Boat Side Maneuvers by Scott Jenkins
Fine Tuning Your Figure 8 by Ralph Florio
Surface Bait Enticements by John Dettloff
Follows by Muskies 101
Figure 8 for Muskie by Gord Ellis
Triggering Trophy Muskies by Jim Saric

Musky Myths

2007-03-27T06:34:00.000-06:00

Musky MythsOver the years, many myths about the muskellunge have been spawned and continue to evolve. This is probably due to the voraciousness and huge size of this fascinating top level predator. Some of these misconceptions contribute to the greater misconception that muskie (and pike) are an undesireable species of fish to have in an ecosystem. On the contrary; State DNR's actually stock these fish in some lakes to control other populations that would otherwise cause irrepaireable damage.

General Misconceptions

Muskie destroy smaller gamefish populations.
There are rarely enough muskie to severely impact a gamefish population. Pike on the other hand can obliterate another gamefish poulation because of their tendency towards a larger population density.

Muskie dont feed in the summer because they lose thier teeth and get sore mouths
Put the bottle down! nuff sed

Muskies always hang out around weeds
They do like weedbeds but thats where the smaller ones hide out. The big girls are in the deeper cooler waters, often suspended in open water or hanging out by the rocks (especially in waters that have walleye)

Muskies dont bite at night
This myth has almost been eradicated. It is now pretty much accepted as common knowledge within the esox angling community thanx to the efforts of several pioneers. Joe Bucher, to name one.

I have seen the same muskie in the same spot several times
Muskies are always on the move. A spot is a spot. It offers the right combination of what a muskie likes or needs. He pilages it for awhile, and moves on. He may come back later, but chances are, the next fish you see in that spot is a different one.

Muskies are loners
I have personally seen muskies travelling in pairs. I have also witnessed groups of them densly populating large weedbed areas (in the spring)

Conservation authorities and Natives have netted many 100lb+ muskies
There has never been a documented 100lb muskie anywhere. All claims have been disproven. Musky Historian and expert Larry Ramsell has spent a lifetime of research into world record fish.

Muskies that are suspended just beneath the surface are sick
They're just chillin