Pro Fisherman Jason Feldner cranks the trees to nail big reservoir walleye. He has special tools to allow you to pinpoint these babies. by Ron Anlauf Late summer reservoir walleyes can be a tough nut to crack but it doesn't have to be that way. Not if you're willing to put a road trip to a big western reservoir like Sakakawea andLake Oahe in North and South Dakota in your monthly planner. Red hot summerwalleye action is waiting for those that make the trip, especially if you get pointed in theright direction and why we tapped Humminbird Pro and full time guide Jason Feldner ofMinnewaukan, North Dakota for a little help (OK; a lot) for some help. Location is by far the most important piece of the puzzle when it comes to reservoir walleyes. Jason on the "where": "You can basically ... [ Pound this link... ]
My Obsession IS GROWING (Late Summer Trophy Gills)
by Jim Uran These bluegills have become sort of an obsession of mine, I sit at work and count down the time to when I can wet my line again. Scrolling through Google Maps wondering which out of the way pond may hold a few surprise sunfish. Looking through the good old Minnesota DNR Lakefinder website checking out the lake surveys, looking at the cycles of the population in a given lake, wondering which times of year are best to find a true trophy bluegill, trying to see if there is some sort of science to this new found madness of mine AKA bluegill fishing. We all have heard tales from some of the elder fishermen in our familes, the hub cap sized bluegills that inhabited our lakes were plentiful back in the "good ol' days". Today it's a different story, there are just as many tight ... [ Pound this link... ]
Super Summer ‘Eyes by Ron Anlauf
When the walleye action slowed down late in the summer many anglers thought the fish lost their teeth. It made sense; some of the walleyes that were caught had red looking gums and there had to be a reason for the lack of success. Even though it sounded good the old wives tail wasn’t accurate, in fact walleyes keep of feeding and downright heavy at times. It’s just that they do it where most haven’t gone before, out in the middle of nowhere. Those that stick with what they know and are afraid to try something new are the ones that need an excuse for poor results (been there done that), but if you’re willing to give the great unknown a try you might be surprised by what you’ve been missing. By mid-summer; walleyes that have been holding on deep humps, reefs, and even transition lines will ... [ Pound this link... ]
Slip Bobber Tactics for Walleye
Slip Bobber Tactics for Walleye ARE Extremely Effective When Done Correctly by Jason Mitchell For some anglers, the thought of using slip bobber tactics for walleye seems like a boring concept. Akin to watching paint dry on the side of the barn. Throw the bobber out, let the bobber sit and wait… and wait until a fish swims by. While you can just sit and stare, you can also fish slip bobbers with a much more aggressive mindset and if you fish slip bobbers correctly, you are hustling and adjusting the entire time until bobbers start getting dunked. Slip bobber tactics for walleye can be so incredibly effective because of the precision involved. You can stick or drift through the "X" for long periods of time and let good live bait do the work. A lively ... [ Pound this link... ]
Clear Water Walleyes – Clearing Up Late Summer Walleyes
Pro Fisherman Mark Courts had to adapt to nail giant clear water walleyes. by Ron Anlauf Things change, that’s the way it is. There usually isn’t much you can do about it either, except maybe adapt. When it comes to clear water walleye angling there have been plenty of changes, including water that has been getting clearer and clearer. Some of it has been good and due to more diligent efforts to clean up the environment like restricting agricultural runoff and limiting drainage from leaching septic tanks all of which can add to a lake’s fertility and produce more algae blooms and reduce visibility. The bad has been the spread of invasive species like zebra mussels which filter nutrients from water and can sterilize a system and limit the amount of forage available to plankton which ... [ Pound this link... ]
“CRANKTIMIDATION” Cranking ‘Eyes with Authority
Slam dunk crankbaiting techniques for busting the backs of summer walleyes (Crank-tim-a-da-tion): A fearfulness of crankbaits. Lacking the confidence to trust bodybaits. To be utterly intimidated by hard-bodied lures. Ex: “Tom suffered from cranktimidation, not having the confidence to employ the lure even when the fishing conditions were ideal for casting or trolling a crankbait.” Seems we’re always hearing the term “confidence bait.” It’s the lure you throw with your chest pumped and head full of self-assurance. Might be a jig. Perhaps a spinner and crawler dragged almost pompously along the bottom. Maybe even hanging a leech under a slip-bobber with your chin held high. You’ve hooked walleye after walleye on the technique over the years. It’s the first outfit that hits the water…no ... [ Pound this link... ]
Spring Time Panfish.
Spring Time Panfish My favorite time of year is quickly approaching. The time when the Red Wing Black Birds start arriving, when the call of the Loon greets my morning, and the chill of the crisp morning air hits my face as I launch the boat on to one of my favorite crappie waters. YES, I love chasing springtime crappies! Typically they are eager to bite if you put in the time to pattern them at this time of year. I usually start my open water fishing within 3-4 days of the ice melting off my favorite lakes. Shallow, dark bottom bays will attract the ‘bugs’ and minnows…and the crappies and ‘gils will follow as they are interested in putting on the feedbag before the spawn. A few people have the misconception that the fish are spawning during this early period, because when they clean ... [ Pound this link... ]
Great sturgeon fishing to follow rapid spawning
Spawning has been rapid, as anticipated, and this should promise some great sturgeon fishing when season opens later in the year. Today (April 18) was a big day for our fisheries crew on the Winnebago System. We had three crews working to tag sturgeon below the Shawano Dam and we were able to handle 700 fish. This was especially a productive day because we also collected and fertilized eggs for multiple sturgeon restoration projects, which significantly slows us down compared to just collecting and tagging fish. - Ryan Koenigs, sturgeon biologist, Oshkosh. Sturgeon spawning During mid-April to early May, Lake Sturgeon travel upstream to their spawning grounds, giving the public a prime opportunity to see these ancient ones up close. Sturgeon spawning is ... [ Pound this link... ]
In The Zone For Vertically Stacked Bass By Brett Richardson
The first migrations of the late winter / early spring can be interrupted by multiple fronts and high wind conditions. This scenario forces migratory smallmouth and largemouth bass to be stacked vertically throughout the water column, as both groups of big fish and solitary giants make their way toward secondary staging locations. Many trophy bass hunters experience good results with slower horizontal presentations during this early time frame until fronts arrive. The stacking bass factor seems to elude many, as bass tend to have a miniscule strike zone and are suspending. These groups of fish can be located in various depths through the water column and generally in neutral to negative mode. Throughout the decades, I've seen this scenario every season and have made a habit of locating ... [ Pound this link... ]
Spring Canadian Bear Hunting; an incredible cast and blast adventure
While spot and stalk is an option for black bear hunting in some western States and Provinces where there is more open range for spotting, the heavily timbered Canadian Shield typically requires baiting sites. Canadian spring black bear hunting in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan offer an outdoor overdose for hunters and anglers. Long days are often combined with close proximity to incredible fishing with evenings and mornings capped off with bear hunting. It's the ultimate cast and blast experience if you love to both hunt and fish. Hunters typically wait in tree stands over the site, which is really conductive for archery. Baiting the perfect location with barrels of frosting and other sweets however doesn’t necessarily guarantee that a bear will visit. Bears ... [ Pound this link... ]