The Outer Edge

Catching Snapping Turtles Midsummer

2011-09-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

A lotof my fishing holes are garbage right now. The shallow spots are full of scummy weedy water, and the bathtub warmwater has most gamefish scattered. Thisis a time of year I like to take a break from “fishing” and do some “turtling.” Snapping turtle season is open (here inWisconsin at least) and their meat is as tasty as any fish.

Commonsnapping turtles are quite abundant in Wisconsin, and not many people targetthem. This makes them easy to find andeven easier to catch. I catch them withhook and line the same way I would for catfish. As I’ve learned many times by accident while catfishing, turtles arecrazy about liver and cutbait. Just rigup the bait near bottom, and wait for a mountain of weight to start pulling onthe other end. Snappers are most activeat night, but if you can find the deep hole they are spending the day in, theywill eat.

Snappersare completely aquatic this time of year, but they love to sit on thebottom. Look for them in rivers andstreams as well as small ponds. Oftenturtles will inhabit areas of warm, stagnant water where other fish cannotsurvive, making them the sole predator. My best places are small rivers in 5-10 feet of water.

Thedangerous thing about catching snappers is handling them after you catchthem. The jaws on a bigger snapper, a30-40 pounder, can take off a finger. Make sure to keep your hands away from the head at all times and lift itby the tail or the back of the shell. When cleaning a turtle to eat, it is typically best to remove the headcompletely. Still care must be takenaround the head because a reflex bit is still powerful enough to take off afinger.

Thefight of a turtle on a spinning rod is as extreme as any fish you will catch inWisconsin. It’s a great fight and makesan even better meal. Late summer is theperfect time to get out and cash in while the snappers are hungry. Happy turtling!

The Most Underrated Freshwater Fish

2011-07-14T18:12:00.000-07:00

Everybody has had their run-ins with Bowfin, commonly referred to in some places as Dogfish, and although it is unwarranted, they have acquired quite a bad reputation. A lot of people have been known to kill every Dogfish they catch, and this is really a terrible shame. In fact they are one of my favorite fish to catch.

With rock hard scales and razor sharp teeth, they are a beautiful example of a streamlined predator. They sport numerous color phases throughout the year, including bright mint green and baby blue. Other shades vary from black to brown to gray, depending on the water color and surroundings. A Bowfin’s true claim to fame is that it can supplement its oxygen intake by taking gulps of air. This allows Dogfish to occupy warm stagnant water that other predator fish are unable enter, and in some cases cross minor land barriers.

Due to their aggressive nature people assume Bowfin are responsible for eating all their favorite gamefish. In reality Bowfin along with Gar are the top predators of young carp. Most of a Bowfin’s diet comes from young carp and dead fish and animals they find. Bowfin are ferocious predators and have been known to launch themselves out of the water to snatch frogs or small mammals. Also they are scavengers, and have been known to indiscriminately devour any dead carcass that they might find in the water. With these kind of eating habits, gamefish and larger panfish are at the bottom of the menu.

Their aggressive nature provides an incredible angling experience. Their ferocious attacks will literally destroy your poorly made lures, and their fan shaped tail gives them the ultimate propulsion in the water. If you hook into one, it’s going to be a good ride. Dogfish will jump, change direction, and make screaming power runs to fight you. Pound for pound they put up as good a fight as a smallmouth bass. Keep in mind that Dogfish average 20-30 inches (a monster could be over 40) and your tackle will truly be put to the test.

Finding Bowfin is an adventure in itself. They frequent river systems and large bodies of water, typically in shallow structure. Often they are located in warm backwaters where other predator fish cannot survive. My favorite Dogfish holes require a walk through the woods to small rivers and sloughs thought to hold nothing more than carp and panfish. Despite the hike, getting back there is always rewarding. Bowfin will attack any lure you throw at them and usually they are present in good numbers.

After the struggles of finding them and enduring the fight, I proudly let each fish return to the muddy sloughs they came from. Bowfin have a mushy, fishy, nasty smelling meat with no value as table fare. All the better because then they can be returned to roam the carp breeding grounds and control the carp population.

Looking for a change of pace?...especially in the heat of summer when fishing slows down? Try a Bowfin expedition. It may be a little extra work, but when you find them you will be rewarded with a fight and an experience of a lifetime. Good luck fishing!

10 Tips to Catch More Catfish

2011-06-22T20:48:00.000-07:00

Everybody wants to know how to catch more catfish. Here are a few tips to increase your odds and guaranteed to get you more action.

1. Fresh Bait is Best

Catfish thrive on their keen sense of smell. The longer your bait sits in the water, the more its scent will disperse. On a lake it’s not too necessary to change your bait, but on a river it is crucial to replace baits often as the scent is washed away with the current. This is important so you to get more strikes after the scent is washed out of the bait.

2. Provide a Variety of Bait

Catfish are a gluttonous fish, but sometimes they can have clear preferences to what they like. For example, one day they might be devouring cut bait, and the next day they won’t touch it. I like to keep at least two different types of bait out at all times. Spawn sacs of eggs, live minnows, cut bait, stink bait, frogs, and worms are all productive baits for catfishing, but nothing will be the best bait every day. Experiment and change it up once in a while to see what is most productive.

3. Use the Local Bait

Are you fishing in a river littered with shad? Then cut up golden shiners will probably be a top bait for catfish in the area. Similarly, in areas near a swamp full of frogs, frogs just may be the meal of choice. In essence, match the hatch, and if they are picky give them something they are comfortable eating.

4. Keep Your Hands Scent Free

Catfish have such a fine nose that contaminants on your bait might be enough to deter them. If you are handling gasoline, lantern oil, mosquito spray, etc. you may want to avoid touching your bait. I prefer to let my fishing partner handle all the unnatural scents, while I take care of all the bait. In fact I often forego mosquito spray just to keep myself scent free.

5. Check Your Bait Often

A common mistake catfishermen make is to toss out the bait and leave it until pickup time. Often at the end of a fishing trip it is realized that the bait had fallen off or was stuck in the weeds. I check my bait often so I always know my bait is presented perfectly.

6. Try the Shallows Flats at Night

It may surprise a lot of people how shallow catfish feed at night. I have witnessed 30+ inch catfish cruising less than a foot of water, and bank fishermen routinely catch fish on lines placed 3 feet from shore. When the catfish aren’t biting it may be because you’re fishing too far past them.

7. Dim the Lights

Catfish love to feed at night and are sensitive to light. It’s nice to have a campfire or a lantern for light, but this might send the shallow catfish scattering. When catfish get finicky, it may even be best to avoid pointing flashlights towards the water at all.

8. Be Quiet

A loud voice or loud music can spook catfish the same way bright lights will. The quieter the better.

9. Skip the Stringer

If you plan to keep a few, forget about using a stringer. Catfish swirling around and splashing in the water can do nothing but deter the catfish from your area you are trying to catch. Pack a cooler and lots of ice for a quieter way of storing a few catfish.

10. Use a Setline (Where Permitted)

The ultimate way of passively fishing, setlines allow you to set up a number of baited hooks on a line that you can let sit all night and day. Make sure it is legal in your area first, and they usually have to be checked daily. Some places have restrictions to setline use since it is such an effective fish catching method.

These ought to help. Even if you only wish to incorporate one of these tips into your catfish routine, you are setting yourself up to catch more catfish. Good luck catfishermen! If you have any extra tips you would like to share, please leave me a comment.

Fishing News: Potential walleye world record? - FLW Outdoors

2011-02-01T15:53:00.000-08:00

Catch and Release world record walleye caught.

Fishing News: Potential walleye world record? - FLW Outdoors

Huge walleye caught through the ice. Big enough to be the state record if it was caught in Wisconsin. Oh Saskatchewan and its giant hogs. Also heard on another site it was caught on 4 lb test. Amazing.

Is Using a Gaff for Ice Fishing Ethical?

2011-01-19T13:57:00.000-08:00

Bringing the gaff along ice fishing has become tradition in many areas of the ice fishing world, particularly when targeting Northern Pike. This dates back decades ago to the days when ice fishing was purely a meat hunting sport. Many ice fishermen today still take comfort in the fact that they have a sharp metal hook on a stick to snag a fish at the hole, ultimately increasing their catch rate.

However, for every person who believes in using a gaff, there is another one out there who is firmly against the use of a gaff. Every fishing website has a message board somewhere with people arguing over whether it is right or wrong to use a gaff.

My nephew's biggest walleye of the season so far at 25''

I am proud to say that I do not use a gaff, nor do I ever plan on doing so. If I catch a big pike, chances are I will release it. I do not see any reason to put extra holes into its mouth before letting it go again. Also accidents happen, and it is not easy to hit your target when it is a thrashing Pike. Often when I watch an attempt at gaffing a northern, I observe some damage to the gills, likely meaning death for that fish. I have also already observed poor gaff attempts hitting the line and snapping it, resulting in a lost fish with a hook in its throat.

Some will say that with precision, a fish can gently be gaffed and returned to the water with just a tiny puncture in its lower jaw. First of all, this statement comes from the 5% of gaff fisherman who actually understand the proper way to use a gaff. Most people talk confidently, but seem to just hack away when caught up in the moment. Secondly, if a Northern was subdued enough already where you could “gently” gaff it, the gaff probably was completely unnecessary.

I am confident that I can play out any fish, regardless of size if I am properly equipped. I do not think a gaff is necessary and I have no use for it. I view gaff usage as a crutch, used by those who do not have the patience or knowledge of how to properly play out a fish. If the fish is that wild that you need to gaff it to get it in, you need to reconsider your approach. Let it run a few more times and tire itself out. This will make it much easier to land, without the gaff, and hook removal will go a lot smoother.

This view on gaffs is shared by many. A lake I primarily fish pike out of and encounter a lot of gaff fisherman has a 40 inch size limit, meaning almost all fish gaffed need to be released. I consider this a shame because I see many fish gaffed and returned to the lake with unnecessary wounds. I find it kind of irresponsible to gaff a fish that you do not intend on fishing unless you are an expert with the tool.

If you use a gaff, that is your right. I may be opinionated sometimes, but I understand that people are going to do things I disagree with once in a while. Many folks still use gaffs, depending on the region. Leave a comment and let me know what your opinion on gaff use is and why. Also how common is it in your region? Thanks for reading!

Keeping Your Hand Auger in Great Operating Condition

2011-01-16T12:42:00.000-08:00

Until recently I have never been a fan of hand augers. The only experiences I ever had with them involved dull blades and profuse sweating as I struggled to drill my holes. I’ve even seen a brand new hand auger unable to last a single season on the ice. Once I reached my tipping point, I swore off hand augers and opted for the power auger at all costs.

Recently I met a friend who used hand augers all the time for their light weight, reliability, and convenience. Shockingly, his hand auger cut through the ice like butter. Even more surprisingly the auger was almost 10 years old! His secret was that he took care of his hand auger like his own child to keep it running smoothly. Now I am using hand augers again with confidence thanks to my friend’s advice, which I will share with you.

1. Start with a quality hand auger- If you buy the cheapest auger you can find, you will run into problems. Spend just a little bit more on an auger with proven quality and you will thank yourself later.

2. If your blades are dull replace them- Factory sharpened blades are very sharp and easy to keep sharp with proper care. Once they become dull, they will only become dull again soon after each new sharpening. Save yourself the hassle and replace bad blades.

3. Never re-drill an old hole- Re-drilling an old hole seems like a good idea, but the jagged edges of the holes are notorious for chipping and dulling auger blades. Spend the extra 20 seconds and drill a new hole next to the old one.

4. Be gentle with the blades- Do not bounce the blades to knock ice off. Do not hit the blades with anything metal to chip the ice off. If the auger freezes up, set it next to a heater to thaw. Even easier is to store the auger upside down when not in use to the blades don’t ice up.

5. When you are not using your auger, put the blade guard on it- This will prevent anything from falling on the blades and damaging them.

6. After every use, wipe down the auger- When you bring it home for the day, take it inside the house and let it thaw. Use a rag to dry the blades off completely.

7. Oil the blades before storing- A little oil on the blade will keep oxygen and moisture away and prevent oxidation that occurs during long periods of storage.

Following these 7 rules will keep your blades sharp and ensure that you get the highest quality of use out of your hand auger. As you can see, the best way to make your hand auger stay sharp and last longer is by taking measures to prevent damage or excessive wear on the blades. Good Luck, and feel free to comment with any additional tips you may have for the list.

Ice Fishing Etiquette Part 4: It All Comes Together

2011-01-11T19:54:00.000-08:00

Part 4 of the mini-series on Ice fishing etiquette

Last week I went out fishing with a friend in what I would call a worst case scenario situation. I was bringing a friend out ice fishing for the first time to a very small spot, and it turned out to be an absolute zoo. I thought there would be no way I would get through the day without ruffling a few feathers. Even more, I did not believe I was going to get through the day without some joker sending my blood pressure sky high. Luckily, a little ice fishing etiquette went a long way that day, and I had a decent day of fishing.

I arrived at the landing around 11:00 after deciding to sleep in, and I was shocked to see 20 vehicles already parked in what I thought was a little known spot. From the beginning I knew that by being last out to the spot, I was entitled to nothing.

The first thing I did when I got out there was scan the area. The entire spot was a bayou on the river with total area about the size of a football field. I stopped by a nearby fisherman for a friendly chat, and to get the details. The scoop I learned from his was that the fish were biting heavily, meaning I did not need to be exactly where I preferred to catch fish. I was thankful that the other fisherman was courteous enough to give me an honest report, and I was nice enough not to impede on his space.

I moved on. Rather than drill too close to other tip-ups, I tried to find a place where I could cover good area without crowding anyone. Unfortunately, I could not do it because it was hard to see the tip-ups in the snow. I set my gear down and walked on foot. I needed to make a decision: drill what I considered too close to another person, or go home.

Suddenly another fisherman called out to me, “Over here!” Down at the end of the bayou there was a little room. I had never fished down there since it was very shallow and far from the main river. The other gentleman told me a guy was catching fish in that area the other day, and even pointed out exactly where he was catching the most fish.

I set up several tip-ups and was less than enthused with the spot I was in. There was only one foot of water under the ice, and I knew most of the bayou was 5-10 feet, but soon the flags started flying. My friend and I caught over 20 Pike that afternoon. They were all small, but it was the first time my friend had ever gone ice fishing, and he had a blast.

We would have caught more fish and bigger fish in the better areas of the bayou, but I would not have been able to squeeze in there without angering someone. I am thankful for the other men who were courteous enough to give me some honest information to ensure that I could catch fish anyways. I probably would have gone home if it wasn’t for them. My friend had a lot of fun, I had a good time, and the people who were out before us got to fish their rightful spots without anybody crowding them. All thanks to some good ice fishing etiquette. Thanks for reading!

Ice Fishing Etiquette Part 3: Not Being The Moron

2011-01-11T19:19:00.000-08:00

Part 3 of the mini-series on Ice fishing etiquette

When you are out fishing, the first step to maintaining courtesy on the ice is by practicing it yourself. If everybody practiced common courtesy when ice fishing, there would never be any conflict. Not only do you take yourself out of the equation, you set a good example for others to follow. Even if you think you practice the purest form of ice fishing, without irritating anybody else, you might still want to read ahead because you may be surprised.

When setting up near others, it is crucial know your surroundings. If you are the first person to a small spot, you have every right to place your tip-ups in any way you wish. If there are already others out there, you must realize that you are now playing second fiddle. If it is a small spot your best bet may be to pepper the outside with tip-ups. Obviously any closer than 15-20 yards is uncalled for. If you can’t fish it effectively, go somewhere else. It’s better to try a lower percentage spot than to get too close and piss off the fisherman who rightfully earned first dibs on the high percentage spot. On a very large lake with a lot of spread out structure, there is no reason to even set up within 40 yards of someone else.

Simple rule: if you didn’t drill that hole, don’t fish out of it. Unless you know the person who drilled that hole left the area, gave you permission to fish out of it, or hasn’t been using if for a long long time you should just drill your own hole nearby. An older man will drill all his holes for the entire day and warm his hands up in the shanty before he comes back to fish out of it. When he comes back to see some guy with a tip-up in that hole already he will not be a happy camper.

When fishing a new spot know the rules and the customs. If it is customary to release the larger fish by the regulars, don’t be a hog by keeping the big females. Read up on the regulations as well, since nobody likes it when people don’t know the laws for the lake they are fishing.

Keep the noise level down. Fire up the drill one time and punch just about all your holes at once. It annoys people and scares the fish when you drill 3 or 4 holes every half hour. If you have a radio, the entire lake doesn’t need to hear it. If you have a dog, make sure it doesn’t bug other fisherman, set of their tip-ups, of take any of their gear. If you are in the shack, keep an eye on your tip-ups and make sure you get to them soon after they are set off. Little things like these may seem like everyday nuances of ice fishing, but some people are easily annoyed by things like these.

By keeping others in mind, you can avoid making other people mad at you. By keeping everybody friendly towards you, it makes a day on the ice more enjoyable and preserves the camaraderie of fellow ice fishermen. When everyone is your friend on the ice, it makes experience better and also helps to catch more fish. Do your part, and we can install a sense of common courtesy amongst all ice fisherman, and it is a beautiful thing when it all comes together. See Ice Fishing Etiquette Part 4: It All Comes Together for the final chapter of the ice fishing etiquette series.

Ice Fishing Etiquette Part 2: Dealing With Morons

2011-01-11T19:12:00.000-08:00

Part 2 of the mini-series on Ice fishing etiquette

When ice fishing you will encounter many people you think less than kindly of. Some people are not trying tick you off, but just don’t know any better. Some people think they own the lake and will do whatever they want, even if it means showing no courtesy to you or other ice fisherman.

When a person has their tip-up field set up, they have established that area. Provided your tip-ups cover and average area and are not spaced too far apart, other fisherman should give you your space. If your tip-ups are close together, their tip-ups should be no closer to any of your tip-ups than the distance yours are spaced apart. If you have a very large spread set up, it is reasonable for them to set up inside of it, but no closer than 10 yards from any of your tip-ups. Also, they should see what is par for the course. If it is a very tight knit area, then it is okay to set up closer. If it is a large lake with no discernable structure, there is no reason for them to get anywhere close to you at all.

Unfortunately, people will frequently set up within your spread or way too close to you. The best way to prevent this is to let them know you think it is a good idea to stay spread out before they get too many holes drilled. You can say it nicely while also implying you don’t want 2 tip-ups so close together. The sooner you let them know, the better the chance of them listening to you.

You will encounter people watching you with binoculars on the larger lakes, and set right up on top of you after they see you catch fish. There is a reason binoculars are referred to as “Illinois Fish Locators.” The best way to prevent the leeches is to walk to your tipups, and hold fish close to the ground next to your body. Binoculars fishermen are constantly scanning for people running and raising fish in the air. Keep your successes hidden and they won’t even bother to fish by you.

Everybody has the right to fish and enjoy themselves on the ice. Although frustrating, people around you might be keeping large or small fish that should be released, but if they are legal it is their right to do so. If it is a spot you frequent and newcomers are keeping a hog-pile of fish full of eggs, don’t be afraid to give them a stern talking to about catch and release. Even if it is legal, they could still learn a lesson about preserving our future by releasing egg-laden females. If they are keeping illegal fish, definitely confront them. There is no room on the ice for people who keep illegal fish.

The same applies to snowmobiles, 4-wheelers, and trucks. They have the right to drive anywhere on the ice they wish, but if they are driving too close to people or shacks, it is a dangerous, illegal situation that needs to be stopped. Believe me; if they are annoying you by speeding past your shack and tip-ups, they are doing the same to dozens of others.

When people are crowding or bothering you, you can resolve a lot of dilemmas with a quick, well-meant confrontation. Once confronted, people are alerted to the situation and become more aware of courtesy to others on the ice. If you do not confront them, they will think they can get away next time too and bother some other guy. Thanks for reading and helping us to retain a sense of civility on the ice. See Ice Fishing Etiquette Part 3: Not Being The Moron for the next installment of the serious and how to practice proper ice fishing etiquette.

Ice Fishing Etiquette Part 1: Why We Need It

2011-01-11T18:46:00.000-08:00

Part 1 of the mini-series on Ice fishing etiquette

Fishing is meant to be about having fun and catching fish, but sometime people can be just plain inconsiderate. Sometimes they are just being jerks, and they know it. Sometimes other fisherman are just ignorant and do not even know how much they irritate the people around them. Whatever the case, I like to believe that everyone should follow ice fishing etiquette.

Ice fishing is different than open water fishing in several ways that make things more interesting from a standpoint of having “a spot”. Multiple tip-ups allow you to cover more area than you could ever cast with a rod. Also the ability to remain stationary on top of the ice allows you to hunker down on top of a good spot and hog it from others. This causes more conflicts to arise than during the open water season.

During the open water season, a good rule of thumb is that when you approach another boat, you are too close if you could cast into their boat. This rule of course only applies if you are both actively fishing and targeting similar species. During the ice fishing season, it is harder to judge. There are less weeds and it is easier to get directly on top of a spot, meaning more people in a smaller amount of space. Reason needs to be followed when fishing around others.

All ice fishing is stationary. (With the exception of hole hopping, but this is still minor.) A boat can drift past a spot and work an entire shoreline. Ice fisherman need to pick a spot and stick with it, making “the spot” that much more important. A boat can pull anchor and move to the other side of the lake in minutes. An ice fisherman may take a half hour or more to load up their gear and drive around the lake to a new spot. Ice fishing requires more commitment to a spot, making location that much more critical.

When you go home after a day of boat fishing, you can’t leave your boat out on the lake saving your spot for you. Funny enough, when you go home from a day of ice fishing, you can leave your shack guarding your spot until you return. When the importance of having a good spot is that much more important during the ice season, a shack hogging a good spot can be another cause of conflict.

During the ice fishing season, the spots get smaller, the people get closer, and it becomes more time consuming to set up in a spot to attempt to catch some fish. This can be trying times for fisherman, especially when some people are catching fish and others are not. For this reason, a little ice fishing etiquette is necessary to maintaining the peace. See Ice Fishing Etiquette Part 2: Dealing With Morons for the next installment of the series and how to practice proper ice fishing etiquette.

Is it Safe to Drive on the Ice?

2011-01-07T20:32:00.000-08:00

Is it safe to drive on the ice? That is a tough question. Is it ever 100% safe to drive a car or truck on the ice? No. Driving a vehicle that weighs several thousand pounds on a layer of ice is never 100% safe. There is always the hidden danger, and you take that risk every time you drive your vehicle on the ice, but with the right safety precautions you can be 99.9% safe.

The most obvious thing to check is ice thickness. For a car you want at least 8 inches of solid clear ice before you drive on it. For a full sized truck you want at least 10 inches. Of course you can always push your luck, but you are only risking your life and your vehicle.

Before you even head out to the lake, know where all the springs and inlets are located. Springs will weaken the ice significantly. Ice can be 24 inches over still water, and 3 inches over a spring 15 feet away. If there are springs, do not drive there. Inlets and outlets create a lot of current where they meet the lake. This current under the ice causes the ice to be much thinner, especially early or late in the year, or after a heavy rain.

Pressure cracks are another important factor you need to be prepared for. If you have to cross a crack somewhere, always get out and investigate the situation. If you have a car, you may not be able to cross such a crack without bottoming out. If the crack is too wide or unstable, find an easier place down the line to cross. The cracks may change slightly every day, so never take it for granted that you can cross in the same place 2 different outings. Always check.

Lastly, you cannot always predict a bad spot in the ice, so prepare for the worst. Never wear your seatbelt while driving on the ice, and always leave your door unlocked. If it is warm, leave your window rolled down while you are driving. A few extra seconds could save your life.

Be safe out there this year everyone. It saddens me to see people die on lakes I fish every single year, due mainly to ignorance. Be informed and play it safe.

Catching Pike When the Action Slows

2011-01-04T16:39:00.000-08:00

Early ice, late ice, and many occasions in between can provide great fishing for Northern Pike. However there will be a few stretches in the middle of the ice fishing season where the Pike are difficult to catch. This happens to everyone and even the best guides have days where they cannot put a single Northern on the ice. Luckily there are a few tips you can use to increase your chances of catching a few more Pike on the slow days.

· Raise or lower your minnow. Usually I set my minnow up about three feet above bottom. If the Pike are not biting, I will change my depth. I will either raise my minnow up to 2 feet below the ice or lower it down to 6 inches above the weeds. This is a subtle change that can make a big difference.

· Downsize your minnow. A big golden shiner is a tasty treat, but when Northerns are picky they prefer something smaller. Go with a smaller golden shiner and you should get more strikes from lethargic fish.

· Head to deeper water. When all else fails try finding a weed edge that’s a little bit deeper. Even when Pike are not on a feeding rampage, they will be following the baitfish. Typically the bait will stage a little deeper after a strong front moves through.

· Change your terminal tackle. If your leader is too thick, it can scare wary fish. Downsize your leader to a lighter test to make it less conspicuous. Make sure your leader is long enough that the fish cannot see your main line either. Use a similar strategy for hooks. Use a smaller hook to keep your presentation looking natural.

The next time things are not working out when you are ice fishing for Pike, try a couple of these ideas. Some days it doesn’t take much to trigger a few more bites, but when the fishing slows down it could be the difference between a skunking and a success day of Northern Pike fishing. Good Luck.

Ice Fishing on the River for Walleyes

2010-12-29T18:31:00.000-08:00

River fishing can be phenomenal in the spring, summer, and fall, but it is often overlooked in the winter. Under the right conditions, walleye fishing can remain great well into the winter. As a matter of fact, today I went out on the Wolf River in Wisconsin and caught myself a limit of walleyes in just one afternoon.

Safety is the most important thing when fishing on the river. Early in the year, fishing on the river is flat out dangerous. It’s best to wait until there is a firm coat of ice over the entire river before you venture out there to catch walleye. Even in the middle of the winter you need to be observant of which side of the river has more current, because areas with more current will have less ice. If trying out a new area, bring a friend and some rope just in case.

Moving on to catching fish, choose your spot carefully. It is hard work for fish to swim into fast current; so naturally, slack current areas hold more fish. Make sure some current is present, because walleyes look to this current to find food. Usually areas above big eddies or the edge of an inside bend will be walleye magnets.

For bait, bring along a bucket of minnows. How you choose to rig them up is your decision. A jigging spoon with a minnow head usually produces fish. Jigs tipped with whole minnows always work great. If you can find a way to rig a minnow with a plain hook, that would work too. A three way swivel rig is a good way to do this, depending on the current.

There are two ways to jig for the walleyes on the river. One way is to use a heavier jig and try to jig close to vertically. The other way is to let your jig get swept 40 feet downstream and to slowly jig it back. Switch between methods and remember what the fish are biting on. Sometimes one method will work better than the other.

Hopefully this will give you more options of where to catch walleyes this winter. This year when your favorite lake slows down and the fish stop biting, try walleye fishing on the local river for a change of scenery. Good Luck.

Preserving Our Future With Proper Hook Removal

2010-12-28T19:41:00.000-08:00

The release of the fish we do not need to eat is important in keeping our fish populations healthy amid increasing fisherman pressure. Sadly, a lot of fish caught in the winter die even when released due to poor handling during hook removal. This diminishes everything that catch and release advocates strive for. Northern Pike are hit especially hard during the winter since they feed aggressively all winter and tend to swallow the hooks. Fortunately this fish mortality is preventable with a few tips.

1. Get to your tip-ups quick- If you are using a treble hook, you don’t need to wait much longer than a walk/run to a tip-up. Reduce this time and you will have less swallowed hooks.

2. Always have tools ready- A long needle-nosed pliers and mouth spreaders are must-haves every time you are at the hole to catch a fish.

3. Move Quickly- When releasing a fish, your time is limited in cold weather. A minute out of water for any fish is okay, but five minutes out of water in cold weather can freeze the slime and kill the fish. Get the hook out ASAP, and if you need to take a picture limit it to 1 or 2 quick photos.

4. Learn how to remove a swallowed hook- Every hook can be removed. Never cut the line and leave the hook in the stomach. A big treble hook will NOT dissolve, and can starve a fish to death by blocking it from swallowing. To remove a swallowed hook, pull on the line until the eyelet is visible. Reach the pliers to grab the eyelet and twist the hook one direction at a time to free each barb one by one. Reach the pliers through the gills if necessary. Often this is the most direct route and simplest method to remove the hook.

The future of our fish populations is up to us, and it is a shame for fish to die that we don’t intend on keeping. If everybody remembers a few of these tips to hook removal this ice fishing season, many accidental mortalities can be prevented.

Thank you for reading this and taking an interest in proper fish handling. If you have any more tips to add, feel free to comment.

Finding Perch in the Winter

2010-12-25T18:55:00.000-08:00

Perch are probably one of the tastiest freshwater fish you can catch in any lake. Getting into a school of perch ice fishing can be a lot of fun, too. Catching them through the ice is not often a difficult affair if you are properly prepared and have a solid gameplan. However, you can’t catch any perch ice fishing if you don’t know where to find them. If you know generally where the perch are going to be, then half of the battle of catching the fish is won before you start.

Shallow Bays: If it is early in the year, this is the first place you should look on most lakes. Late in the fall, anglers do very well catching fish out of shallow bays and along points adjacent to shallow bays. This trend usually continues into winter, and provides fantastic ice fishing for perch in the beginning of the year.

Late in the winter, perch congregate to these same shallow bays. Perch spawn almost immediately after ice-out, and when the ice goes out late they are known to stage near spawning locations in shallow water. This is usually the popular place to go at the end of the ice fishing season.

Also, you should keep your eyes on these shallow bays midwinter. Perch are known to roam in big schools looking for the food. If perch are nowhere to be found, it’s worth taking a look in this area, as they are known to move in and out of bays all winter in chase of food.

Mudflats: After the early part of the winter, perch settle back off of the first drop-offs and occupy the mudflats for most of the winter. Mudflats are full of bug larvae and insects which perch love to feed on. These areas are often large and intimidating to tackle, but they hold fish. Finding structure like rock piles, cribs, reefs, or weeded areas can sometimes be useful in narrowing down places to fish. Use a flasher to find out if perch are approaching your baits. If the fish aren’t present or biting, move. You may have to move several times. At any given time, a lake has schools of hungry perch somewhere. You need to move around the mudflats until you bump into them.

Deep Basins: This is the most difficult area to fish, but if you love eating perch, this is sometimes the only place to find them. Normally, perch rarely suspend, making them easy to find in the water column. However in the middle of winter, they will suspend anywhere from 10-40 feet off of bottom in the deepest water in the lake, 40+ feet. This makes them difficult to target. Drilling many many holes and using a flasher to find fish is absolutely necessary. It is also helpful to have friends along to team up and help with the search. It’s a lot of work, but it will sometimes be the only way to produce fish in a given lake.

Perch fishing is easy when they are in the shallow bays. Take advantage of this when you can because when they move deeper, they spread out and get tougher to find. When winter perch pass the first drop-offs and head to the mudflats, they are more dispersed, but with enough patience and effort you can still get into a pile of them rather easily. When they head out to suspend over the deepest water in the lake, perch are tough customers to even find, but they are still there for the taking if you can get on top of a school. Hope this helps! Good luck finding those winter perch!

Catching Perch Through The Ice

2010-12-25T18:27:00.000-08:00

Catching perch through the ice can be a fun adventure. Perch are nomads, meaning they roam all over in search of food and do not remain in one area for long. They are known to be aggressive at times yet super picky at others, sometimes on the same day. The right bait, presentation, location, and methods might make the difference between a limit of fish and getting skunked.

It is always important to have a variety of bait along since you never know what perch will be hungry for on a given day. I always make sure to bring small fathead minnows, waxworms, and spikes. A minnow is always a good choice to use unless the perch are locked in on consuming bug larvae. Waxworms and spikes mimic the natural grubs that perch feed on. Sometimes they will be hungry and prefer a jig tipped with 3 or 4 waxworms. Sometimes they will be picky and only will bite at a single spike. This is something you need to play around with until you catch several fish.

For tackle, everybody has their own preferences. One of my all time favorites is a small jigging spoon with a single minnow head attached to the hook. The flash from the jigging spoon often attracts perch into the area, and if they are aggressive they will bite. If they don’t want to bite that, I always have another more passive presentation handy that they will devour. A minnow on a tiny treble will often draw the strike. If not, I use a glow jig with a waxworm on it. Somedays the jigging spoon gets all the strikes, but usually it is the less aggressive approaches that actually catch the fish.

In shallow water, sometimes you can see the fish down the hole. This makes it easy to see what the fish are looking at and if they are interested in what you are presenting. In deeper water, a flasher is a must. This is a necessary tool which gives you the ability to see how the fish are reacting by means of a sonar readout display. With a small amount of observation, it will be apparent if the fish prefer certain baits or jigging tactic. These keen observations in fish behavior can make all the difference in a day’s catch.

It is common to encounter an area where you are not getting bites or not marking any fish. A hard and fast rule is this: If you do not mark a fish, move after 20 minutes. If you are catching small perch and no keepers, move no later 30 minutes. If you mark fish but cannot get a bite, move in 40 minutes. This ensures that you are not wasting time. If there are no perch in your area, you need to find them. If you can’t catch nice perch, you need to find a different, bigger school of perch. If you can’t catch any perch even though you mark them, you still need to find a different school fish that will bite.

Schools of perch move a lot so sometimes it is tough to stay on an active school. When the fish are biting it is important to get your bait down in the strike zone as much as possible to capitalize. Most importantly, you need to give them the presentation they want. This article gives you a good start, but no advice can beat real experience. Get out and try as many techniques and locations as possible to get a feel for what the perch on your lake prefer. Good Luck!

Fluorocarbon Leaders for Ice Fishing

2010-12-24T20:49:00.000-08:00

If you aren’t already using them, you’re missing out. Fluorocarbon leaders have become widely more popular the last several years. They are simply the best choice for your leader material. Every night I lie awake at night, thinking about all the giant fish I missed 10-15 years ago due to broken leaders. Of course that would have been totally preventable had fluorocarbon leaders been available back then. If you are currently using other leaders, I will tell you why you need to change.

Beautiful sunset over Lake Vieux Desert

Some people use monofilament leaders. They claim that they look the same as a fluorocarbon leader and are much cheaper. So why are they not interchangeable? Fluorocarbon has much better resistance to abrasion and cutting. Northern Pike have razor sharp teeth. Their teeth will cut monofilament like a hot knife through butter. Fluorocarbon is much harder to cut. When I have a 45 inch Northern Pike of a lifetime on my line, I will be glad I paid the extra nickel per leader to give myself the best ability to land that fish.

Wire leaders will never cut, so why not use that? The answer is visibility. Wire leaders, no matter how thin, stick out like a sore thumb. Northern Pike are very aggressive sometimes, but the big fish are still smart enough to avoid a minnow with a big piece of wire attached to it. Also, the stiffness of the wire leader impairs your minnow’s ability to swim and look natural in the water. Fluoro leaders are nearly invisible, and a 25lb test leader is still limp enough to allow your minnow to swim freely.

Superbraids are very strong and very thin and have also come a long ways in recent years. They are so thin that an 80+ pound test superbraid can still be so thin that it is difficult for fish to see. Great leader material right? Incorrect. Superbraids are made of many smaller strands, which tend to “catch” onto a sharp object much better. A Northern Pike will slice through a 100lb superbraid like it is a spaghetti noodle. You could have the strongest braid out there, but all braids cut way too easily. They are great for the main line, but terrible for leaders.

Fluorocarbon is just superior to the other types of leaders. It is very hard for fish to see, yet it is strong and resistant to cutting. It does cost a little more though. A good spool of 300 yards will cost about $20, but if you make 300 leaders out of that spool over time, you will be paying less than 10 cents per leader. The brand you use is not very important, but a fluorocarbon leader is key if you want to catch more Pike and stop getting bit off.

Catch Northern Pike Ice Fishing

2010-12-24T17:58:00.000-08:00

The Northern Pike is one species of fish that maintains a high metabolism throughout the winter. This makes them very hungry and aggressive throughout the winter when most species of fish refuse to bite. In fact, if you like to catch large Northerns, winter is the best time to do so. In the summer, the biggest Pike hang out in deep water where they are impossible to find. In winter they head for shallower weeds and become much easier to target.

Northern Pike are simple enough to locate in the winter if you can find the weeds. Target water less than 15 feet deep, particularly in the 5-10 foot range. Don’t be afraid to go too shallow. If there is a foot of water, a Pike will sometimes swim there in search of food. Pike will roam the weedbeds all day long, so don’t be afraid to spread your tipups wide apart to cover the most area.

Your tip-up setup is very important. Use a heavy braided line to fill your tip-up spool, and make sure it is full because Pike love to grab a bait and run. MOST IMPORTANT TIP OF THIS ARTICLE: Use a fluorocarbon leader, 25-35 lb test. Fluorocarbon has low visibility, and a high resistance to abrasion. Go with a 25lb leader if you are confidant in your ability to land a big fish without breaking off. If you are less confident or just beginning, use 30 or 35lb test. With practice, you should almost never break off a Northern when using a fluorocarbon leader. As far as hooks are concerned, make sure it’s strong enough to hold up in a Northern’s mouth, but keep it small enough to be inconspicuous.

For bait, I’m the most confident using golden shiners. Some people prefer suckers or chubs, but a golden shiner gives off the most flash will not stop kicking until they’re a Northern Pike’s dinner. Late in the year, dead smelt are also a popular choice. Dead smelt have so much oily scent that big Pike can’t resist devouring them. Check your fishing regulations for smelt because some states are implementing new smelt handling laws.

Northern Pike ice fishing is about as simple as it gets. Just throw your bait down the hole and sit back for the flags to start flying. Pike fishing can be fast and furious, and on a good day you may never get to sit down. Most importantly is to put your time in and find the patterns out for your lake. I hope this article helps you in your Northern Pike fishing quest. Thanks for reading and good luck fishing!

Run and Gun Walleye Fishing

2010-12-21T18:28:00.001-08:00

Sometimes, walleye fishing is not easy. On lakes with roaming schools of fish, you might not be able to set up in one spot and hope to catch fish. If the walleyes in your favorite spots are not feeding, this method may be the way to go. Some lakes do not have the structure to hold fish to one location, and finding them is not as simple as looking at a map. With a little motivation, you can put yourself on top of limits of walleyes that many people overlook by using a simple approach: Run and Gun.

Run and Gun Lakes: The ideal lake for applying this technique will hopefully be a large lake containing expanses of water without much structure; possibly mudflats home to roaming walleyes. A lake with a daytime walleye bite is also recommended because it’s a lot easier to move around on the ice during the day. A healthy population of fish is always a plus, especially with this technique because even if a lot of the walleyes are not feeding, you can find the hungry ones.

Equipment: The first necessary item I suggest is a vehicle. Moving is necessary, and a truck or 4-wheeler saves you valuable time and energy. Also bring several tip-ups, a jig rod with a jigging spoon, and a sharp auger that can drill holes in a hurry. Grab a pair of binoculars and a bucket of walleye shiners and you are ready to roll.

Runnin’ and Gunnin’: The concept is simple, yet most people are too lazy to do the work to find the fish. The first thing to do is get away from the crowds. Usually by the time the crowd forms on a roaming school of walleyes, the fish are long gone. Next, set up a very wide tip-up spread. Most people don’t know what “very wide” means. Think of a very wide spread and multiply it by 10. (As a reference, I have had six tip-ups cover the length of a mile! Bigger is better. This is a giant search tactic.) It’s best to bring a buddy or two along so you have plenty of tip-ups to cover area. Once your tip-ups are set, get out your jig rod. Some days the jig rod will outfish the tip-ups, so you might as well jig to pass time.

Set your watch! Be diligent. If you go an hour and a half without a bite, pick up all your tip-ups and move to an entire new area. This is the hardest part since nobody likes to pick up and reset all over again in the cold, but this is how you catch walleyes. You need to find them before you can relax. Once you start getting bites or catch a fish, concentrate your tip-ups. Get rid of the giant spread and pepper holes around the tip-up getting the action. Then you can stick it out and reap the rewards of your hard work.

Sometimes it only takes two moves. Sometimes you have to move six times before getting a bite. A full day of Run and Gun walleye fishing almost always results in success. It takes some work, and a little luck, but this method will surely put fish on the ice while everybody else is being lazy. Keep in mind it does take the right lake to perform this method, but if you can pull it off you can catch more walleyes ice fishing.

Ice Fishing: Find the Walleyes

2010-12-20T19:21:00.000-08:00

When it comes to catching walleye, location is key. Nothing is more fun than running to tipups at night when the walleyes are hungry, but when fishing new water, finding them 90% of the battle. Knowing how to find the fish in any given lake is the secret to spending less time wondering where the fish are and more time catching walleyes.

First: Find the weeds! Weeds are the most important key to catching walleyes on the typical lake. Walleyes love to hang out in the weeds and this will be your most productive areas in most lakes. When finding weeds, the greenest leafiest weeds are the most desired.

Once you find your patch of weeds, set up camp. It is important that every hole you fish out of has the potential to catch fish. Look down the hole, put an underwater camera down, or drop a jig down. Make sure that the hole you are fishing out of has weeds nearby, but nothing that your minnow can get hooked into. Sometimes a good weed edge 6 feet away is not good enough. Get your presentation as close as possible because sometimes the lazy winter walleyes will not veer too far from their cover.

More key structures to look for are rock bars, humps, and points. These are the obvious structures usually easy to see from a map. The rocks and changes in depth attract baitfish, which attract hungry walleyes. These structural locations are usually common walleye hotspots year round.

Mudflats can be the dark horse of walleye fishing hotspots. Most anglers key in on the weeds and rocky points and forget that the right mudflats are full of grubs which present an all you can eat buffet for hungry walleyes. When it comes to finding walleyes on a mudflat, setting up is anybody’s guess. Usually mudflat walleyes are likely to be active and roaming which helps. However, be prepared to move a time or two if the fish are not biting. Tip: Find the perch. Often the mudflat perch are feeding on the same grubs that the walleyes are.

Now if you can combine these together, you will have it made. My ideal spot is a rocky hump covered lightly in cabbage weeds, bordered by a thick weedbed, a sharp point, and a mudflat. That is definitely a combo you’re not going to find in most lakes, but if you can combine multible beneficial features into one spot, you will be likely to catch fish.

Finishing up, I want to stress the importance of finding new water. Even the best spots are less effective when fifty other people also know about them. In lakes with lower populations, a spot can become ineffective with less pressure than you would think. So if you get the opportunity, sometimes it pays to search for the smaller spot to escape the pressure.

It’s tough to sum winter walleye fishing up in one blog post so I’ll add comments below if I think of some more tips to add. Feel free to share comments with any questions or anything to add. Thanks for reading.

Tip-up Rigging to Catch More Walleyes

2010-12-18T16:39:00.000-08:00

When ice fishing for walleyes, it is crucial to have your tip-ups set up properly. You can be in the perfect spot, with perfect conditions, the perfect time of year, but if your tip-ups are not set up properly you could be missing out on fish. Before you head out to the lake next time, you should make sure your tip-ups are perfectly prepared to give you the best chance to catch fish.

Most important is your leader. Use a heavy duty backing on your tip-up spool, but the last two feet of line should be a lighter less conspicuous leader. NO STEEL LEADERS. Walleyes have too good of eyesight and the heavy leader is not necessary. Use a fluorocarbon leader. It has very low visibility and is abrasion resistant. Ideal size is 6-10 lb test. When fishing near thick weeds, targeting bigger walleyes, or if you are not too experienced, use 10 lb test. If fishing an area with little outside structure and you are confident in your ability to play out a bigger fish, you can opt lower with 6 lb test line. Bonus Tip: Inspect your leader every time out for nicks and frays. You can eliminate break-offs with a two minute inspection every time out.

When it comes to hooks smaller is better, but you still want the hook to be strong enough to hold up to a head-shaking walleye. Size 10 is the preferred size for many, but some prefer size 8 or 12 also. Size 12 is preferable when the fish are finicky because the light weight and low profile is less noticeable to picky walleyes. Place a split shot about 8 inches above your hook to keep your presentation near bottom. Bonus Tip: When using multiple tip-ups, consider using a tiny jigging spoon in place of a hook.

Don’t forget the accessories. A single glow in the dark bead might be the extra pizzazz it takes to coax a walleye into biting. Typically smaller beads are best, in red or green colors. Experiment with it. You never know what the hot bead arrangement of the day will be on your given water body.

Finally, make sure your tip-up is well lubed. You want to set your tip-ups at the lightest possible setting. Walleyes through the ice can be especially sensitive and will not hesitate to drop a bait if they feel tension.

By using these guidelines to set up your tip-ups for walleyes, you should be able to catch more walleyes ice fishing this season. Thank you for reading and feel free to respond with anything you may have to add.