Easy as an angler to get caught up with that tide and chase after the most popular girl in the class, but there are some incredible opportunities at top Midwest fisheries that often fly under the radar. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and such is the case of fish popularity. Walleyes, for example, are held in snob regard across the upper Midwest. Trout purists hold down the west, and everyone south of Des Moines, Iowa, is obsessed with bass. Overlooked species provide an extremely high quality fishing experience for what is often trophy caliber fish. In some cases, these overlooked top Midwest fisheries are just victim of geography - in that they would receive much more pressure and interest if they were located in a different region of the ... [ Pound this link... ]
Creating lake maps for walleyes just got easier
Larger, established bodies of water get a lot of attention from walleye anglers, but there are a few areas in the country that really stand out to me for having numerous small lake fishing opportunities that are top notch. Biggest challenge of finding good walleye fishing on some smaller bodies of water is finding which lake to fish. The reality is that for most small lakes, there are few good maps available. You might find that actually creating your own lake maps for walleyes just got a lot easier. Logging sonar data and creating your own map has long been possible but very time consuming with some fairly expensive equipment and some know how. One new piece of technology that is really going to change how we fish small lakes is actually a couple of Apps on your cell phone if ... [ Pound this link... ]
Bald eagles on spring migration back to Minnesota
Bald eagles are migrating back to Minnesota and may be seen in large numbers across parts of the state over the next few weeks, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. "Ice is breaking up along the rivers, so it's definitely time for folks to keep their eyes out," said Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer, DNR regional nongame wildlife specialist. "It all depends on the weather. It’s typical to see eagles coming through our area in mid-to-late March, as waters begin to open up and snow melts.” Only two states, Florida and Alaska, have greater nesting populations of bald eagles than Minnesota. In 2005, researchers estimated there were more than 1,300 active nests in Minnesota and that number has likely increased since. Fall migration typically occurs as lakes and rivers freeze ... [ Pound this link... ]
Catching pre-spawn walleyes in rivers
The first week of March features typical late-winter temperatures in the low 30s. Warm spring weather slowly increases the water temperatures, until the icy cold snowmelt hits the main stem of the river, causing water temps to crash back down. The water will stay cold until most of the snow is gone, allowing the soils to warm and either absorb the snowmelt, or transfer the soil's heat to the spring runoff. Pre-spawn walleyes respond to this burst of icy cold water in predictable ways. First of all, recognize that the fish don't move (or, don't move very far). Biology and instinct has driven them to position on or very near spawning areas, and those biological urges have not disappeared. Unless the dip in water temperatures is also accompanied by an unusual, dramatic increase in water flow, ... [ Pound this link... ]
Dropshot Rig for Panfish
“A dropshot rig is absolutely beautiful for putting a bait at the fish’s eye level—right where they’ve got no choice but to eat it.” Despite its 'advanced' connotation, the dropshot rig couldn’t be simpler. Think split-shot rig in reverse. As a softbait delivery method, the dropshot excels for bass. So it’s no surprise that small baits twitched and wiggled in new and tantalizing ways hold equal appeal for crappies, sunfish and big perch. If you can cast, you’re in. If you can tie a Palomar knot, you can master a dropshot rig. Amazing that such a versatile rig— this prefect presenter of soft plastics and livebait— would be so little employed by panfish fans. In reality, a dropshot rig can be as productive as a bobber and bait, or even a tiny jig. It’s even possible that the dropshot is ... [ Pound this link... ]
North Country Walleye ‘Meat’ The Precision Jigs
Methods like the jig and meat combo start to shine right about now, when cold snaps start getting measured in weeks and that first-freeze rush has kind of petered out. Walleye are still absolutely catchable using lures and jigs with more razzle dazzle, stroked quicker. But season after season, batting cleanup with a well-placed baitfish gets hotter and hotter the colder it gets. What's nice about these colder periods is they force me into moving around less and slowing my entire approach way down. How is that even remotely a good thing? For one, camping out on good spots really lends itself to being thorough, meticulous and maximizing what I'm doing. There's nothing better suited to soaking great structure than a baited jig. Use the cold and rougher travel to your advantage. Ma Nature ... [ Pound this link... ]
Ten Ideas to Cure the Winter Fishing Blues
For many fly fishing enthusiasts, this winter has been especially long and hard - and for others it always seems to be a long time before the start of the summer fishing season. Here are ten ideas to help shake off those winter blues and start looking forward to summer. Reward yourself with an early trip. Winter may be the off-season, but that doesn't mean you can't catch fish. Chasing steelhead on a winter stream can be an unforgettable experience and many fishing operations offer discounted rates during the colder months. Take a saltwater fly fishing trip, or it's a great time during the shoulder season to take a trip, when you have the water almost all to yourself. Attend a local fly fishing show. Winter and spring are great times to attend fly fishing shows and ... [ Pound this link... ]
Late ice crappie patterns
The last period of safe ice typically offers some of the best ice fishing of the year for panfish like bluegill and crappie. For crappies in particular, we often find fish shallow and the fish can often be fairly aggressive. Finding crappie is often a matter of connecting the dots; on most lakes and flowages, crappies will suspend out over holes and basins through much of the winter. Crappie will then set up in shallow protected bays, marinas and creek arms that have a few feet of water to spawn. There's patterns to locating them; we know where the fish were, and we know where they are going to be in less than a month, so the key is finding structure between points A and B. More specifically, look for soft bottom locations and, if you can find weeds present, ... [ Pound this link... ]
Trout streams of your dreams
Adventure takes many roads, and if you’re lucky, it takes you to trout streams, too! If you’re really lucky, you’ll get to share it with your children. Fathers often dream of big adventure with their kids, journeys that take them far from home while bringing them closer together. For many of us, though, work and obligations pile on, and before we know it, the child is grown. Outdoor writer and dedicated Southern trout fanatic Jeff Samsel is not letting that happen. On July 20, he and his 10-year-old son Asher will embark on a three and a half week long expedition that is sure to provide high adventure and plenty of memories. The Samsels are living the dream: throwing rods in the car and heading west, intent on exploring legendary trout waters together. Father Samsel is doing it right, ... [ Pound this link... ]
Tailoring lure presentation for successful ice fishing
The reality of lure presentation in ice fishing is that conditions are changing from day to day, and especially from year to year, and your methods will need to adapt to reflect this. The biggest mistake I have ever made as an angler is getting so confident in a particular presentation, mentality or location that I quit learning. When you encounter lakes that are in a forage slump, a live bait lure often reigns as king, and the reasons become more obvious when you watch these fish with an underwater camera, like the Vexilar Scout. What you see when using a camera while fishing for fish that have too much to eat around them, are that these fish are not as motivated. Typically when you watch a panfish hit a lure or jig, they peddle up to the offering and suck the jig ... [ Pound this link... ]