The Future Looks Good...

I remember when I first started fishing.  It was an addiction from the word go.  I recorded every fishing show on tv and read everything that had the word fish written on it.  When I hit the water, I busted my tail for every bite.  If it was time to leave I would stomp my feet and cry.  I was never ready to go.  Yeah, those were the days.  In the past 24 years, not much has changed.

Last night I was brought back to where it all began.  Meet young Eli Mau.  A future star in the fishing world.  He's the kind of kid that reminds me of me.  A true fishing addict.  If it swims, he wants to catch it.  His favorite television shows all have fish as the star.  Same story goes for his magazines.  If he has his choice, you'll find him at the lake.

When we hit the water last night, he threw on my polarized glasses and it was all business.  He checked my depth finder to make sure I had him on fish.  Next step was to set his bobber according to the sonar.  Where to hook the worm?  He already knew.  When to twich the bait and when to let it sit?  Yep, he made that part look easy.  When that bobber sank, he was ready for action.  A monster hookset would follow that would make any grown angler jealous.  And to think, he's not even 10 years old.

As the night drew on things only got better.  When the action slowed, Eli reminded me that he was after crappies.  Not pesky bluegills.  He said, "I can catch these from shore.  I think we should move."  Without hesitation I followed his command.  A quick boat ride indicated that he was right. 

Eli found a new school of fish, and he proceeded to show each of them who was boss.  Bluegills, perch and eventually the motherload of slab crappies!  Some of them pushing a pound.  As darkness fell the action only increased.  Every cast resulted in a new fish and a new fight.  

Some might have called it perfection, but not young Eli.  See, he had school the next day and that part wasn't cool.  We had to leave and he was not a happy camper.  I can't say I blame him.  Truth be told, if it wasn't for his dad, I think we'd still be out there.  Catching one, after another, after another.  I think the future looks good.  Thanks to one star in the making!  Until next time keep on livin' the dream!

Game On Walleyes!

I'm convinced the season never closes in Minnesota.  There are big fish to be hooked 365 days a year.  In my opinion, the walleye opener in 5 days simply means there are more places to get it done.  If you are a fishin' fool like myself, then you've probably already hooked a few marble eyes. 

The Mighty Mississippi has been giving them up all winter and spring.  The only thing that slowed it down was mother nature's flood.  The Rainy River is always a good April option.  Walleyes and Sturgeon make it a double sweet trip.  The Mississippi is now back in her banks and so is the bite.  Pools 2 through 4 never close.  Adding to the list, our border waters are now fair game.  The season is open my friends, in fact it's in full swing!

This past Saturday I celebrated another 2011 fishing opener.  This time it was my St. Croix river opener.  Funny thing is, I was late to the party.  Walleye dudes had been hammering them for the past week.  This is the 3rd year that I've fished that stretch of water, and every year I walk away more impressed.  When it comes to quality sauger and eyes, it's hard to beat the Croix.  Rumors of the hot bite were true, and it didn't take us long to fill our box.  Our method was simple.  Jigs tipped with minnows or plastics.  Honestly, they both caught 'em well.  The secret was finding the fish.  And, judging by all the boats catching 'em, it wasn't much of a secret.  Neither was the bait.

I realize the significance of the Minnesota opener in a few days.  Like you, I am growing restless.  I'm just happy that we never had to stop catching walleyes to wait for it.  If you are looking for a quick fix to your walleye blues, I strongly suggest you head to a border water this week.  The cool water temp has these fish on a feeding rampage.  Get out there and rub off the dust before the opener hits.  You won't be disappointed.   Until the next season opens, keep on livin' your dream!

Shadzilla Muskies...

Every angler wants an advantage.  In muskie fishing, this takes on a whole new meaning.  The smallest details make all the difference.  Whether its a longer rod, a high speed reel or particular moon phase, everything comes into play.  As a diehard angler and fishing guide, I am willing to try anything that may put an extra fish or two in my boat.  Anything!

The past few seasons I have been searching for a particular swimbait that would give the fish something they haven't seen.  No blades, no topwater plopping.  I wanted the lure to have good action, and the ability to retrieve at high speeds.  The problem was this.  I kept running into lures that would blow out sideways when I picked up the pace.  They just wouldn't run true.

That was until I found the Shadzilla.  it's a new soft bodied swimbait made up in Canada.  I called the owner (Mike) directly and asked him if these lures run true at high speeds.  He assured me that they did and I purchased 2.  The rest is history.  On my fourth cast I picked up the speed and ran it past a known fish.  A large fish.  In the middle of that cast I experienced a strike that I haven't seen in years.  The 50 incher t-boned the bait with such recklessness that it scared me stiff.  There was no follow or advanced notice.  She came out of nowhere and crushed it.  To make the story better, it was high noon on a calm sunny day.  No moon phase in sight.  It was a pure reaction strike.

Was it a fluke?  Not a chance.  The next day I hit the water and made two casts on another known fish.  Again, I was scared straight.  The muskie flew out of nowhere and smoked the bait sideways.  These fish were attacking without any hesitation.  I remember looking at my buddy in the boat and his eyes looked like they were ready to explode.  I hadn't seen this kind of response since the cowgirl was introduced.  It was awesome!  The fish had no hesitations and wanted it bad.

The key ingredient was speed.  It's no secret that muskies react to fast moving objects.  The faster the better.  Plus, many of these fish have been conditioned to our bucktails, bulldawgs and topwaters.  I was excited to finally have something to burn that didn't have blades on it.  Swimbaits have been around for years.  This high speed technique was purely something different.

The rest of the fall proved that the muskies were also excited about the bait.  I didn't spill the beans on my new approach last year because I wanted to enjoy it with my clients and buddies.  Truth is, it brought back memories of my first years chasing muskies.  When you found a fish, they would eat.  No follows.  And, we caught fish on it until the ice locked us tight in November.

As this muskie season approaches, you may want to throw this lure into your bag of tricks.  If you have the willpower to burn it, I believe you will put a few more fish in your bag.  I'm not 100% sure, but I think the only place in the US that carries the Shadzilla is Big Wood Musky Lures.  The owner of this website is Kyle Knock.  He's a great guy and will hook you up with what he has.  Just know, that it isn't easy to get your hands on these baits.  Mike can't build them fast enough.  So there you have it.  My favorite lure for 2010.  I hope it serves you well as we enter another season of Monster Quest.  Until then, keep on livin' your dream!

On The Road...

Life is funny.  Or, maybe I just think so.  One day I am standing in 4 feet of snow, and the next day the grass is green and I'm hiding from the sun.  I've been a travelin' fool these past few months.  It has left me with stories to share and pictures to show.  As a producer for Ron Schara Productions I am sent to many of the countries pretty places.  We capture an outdoor moment and put it to tv.  Most recently, I've been assinged as the producer of a new show for a Pennsylvania company called FOXPRO.  This show has pretty much taken up most of my life.  In 5 months I have been to 13 states, one different country, and knocked out a full season of shows.  For this very reason, you have not been reading any fishing reports.  Until the past few days, I simply have no fishing stories to share. 

Monday morning I returned from the Saskatchewan snow drifts in time to hit the Mississippi river.  This is always one of my yearly highlights.  The river opens enough to slip in a boat and the walleyes are running.  Early reports indicated the bite was on.  Two hours after the airport cleared my luggage, I verified the reports first hand.  We plucked about 20 walleyes that afternoon and about 50 the next.  Not much for size, but you won't hear me complaining. 

If my first two days home is anything like the next, it's gonna be good!  Until then, here are a few pictures that I have taken in the past few months.  I hope you enjoy them.  It has been a blessing to be able to take so many (ps. find me on facebook if you would like to see more).  Life is good!  God is good! Until next time, keep on livin' the dream!

Below Cold...

Once it drops to a certain temp, it's just cold.  You can count the numbers below zero, but it really doesn't matter.  As far as I'm concerned, -10 is just as bad as -20 or -30.  I have accepted the cold and decided to face it head on.  After all, I claim to be a tough Minnesotan.  I may as well back it up with some action. 

To cure my winter blues, I bundled up and hit the ice.  My quarry?  The mighty walleye, great white tip, or marble eye.  Whatever you call 'em, I enjoy pulling them through a hole.  To up the mystique, I've taken my minnows to the river.  It's my new passion.  Over the past 3 winters, I've become obsessed with learning new water and new stretches of river.  There is always something happening on the river.  They are big, small and in between.  Plus, you always have a chance at a random roughy or two.  The winter lul from oxygen depletion, never sets in.  And, as the spring spawn approaches, the big females put on their feedbag.  So when you step back and think about it, the river is a no-brainer. 

I'm pretty sure you can catch them on every river in Minnesota.  After three years, I've located a few areas that I like to frequent.  The more I fish these stretches of water, the more I enjoy the fine details that go into a successful outing.  Things like using the current to my advantage.  By drilling my holes at 45 degree angles downstream I can slide a fat fish into the hole and let the current guide his head.  If I play the current correctly, I can drill a hole downstream and still use my vexilar to read the jig.  Like all fishing equations, it's the small things that matter.  I've also accepted that if I fish 10 new areas, I will likely fail 9 times.  It's just that when you put in your hard work and find that magical spot, the results will often look something like this....

Which is exactly why there is no such thing as too cold to fish in Minnesota!  Until the water warms, keep on livin' your dream!