Muskies on the Brain?

Are you one of the crazy fools that devote June through December to a slimy green colored fish with a bad attitude?  Welcome to my world.  It's time to eat, sleep and breathe muskies.  Are you ready for battle?

Every year my mind gets cluttered with muskie junk.  Is there a hot new bait?  A hot lake that I just have to fish?  Do I have any new goals this year?  Where should I start?  What lure will I use?  I could go on and on.  I've shared a few conversations with other muskie dudes - clearly I'm not alone.

Until we hit the water, it's all just a guessing game.  It's not like any of us actually know what to expect until we cast our big baits.  Even then, it will take a few hours, maybe days, to get things straightened out.

Here are some muskie thoughts on my brain as I think about the "official" opener.  They are in no particular order...

Don't burn out... It's a long season.  I've watched a bunch of my friends get all jacked up in May, fish like crazy until mid-June and give it all up because of a tough spring bite.  Sometimes the early season can be tough.  That's the reality of muskie fishing.  If there was a month to fish muskies 7 days a week, I wouldn't pick June.  As a general rule, it only gets better throughout the season.  Be patient and stick it out.  A good month of September can make you forget about a bad June.  Make sure you have the gas to stay in the game until fall.

The right lake at the right time... It seems that some lakes are better than others at specific times of the year.  For my boat, Minnetonka seems to start out slow.  Why?  I don't know, it just does and I've accepted that.  But, the beauty is that June and July can be dynamite on other lakes, so I move around.  Don't be afraid to try new lakes until you find active muskies.  When you hook up, make a note of it and use that success to your advantage.  Muskies are creatures of habit.  Odds are good that you'll be able to repeat your success at the same time period for years to come.  Muskie fishing is 90% about being in the right place at the right time.  You could be fishing the right lake, just the wrong time.

Starting out Small... I believe it's a myth that you have to start throwing small muskie lures early in the season.  I may be wrong in telling you to leave your small baits at home on the opener, but I have had some of my best luck early in the season on Pounders and big blades.  I've read a pile of articles on this, and it seems everyone has a different opinion.  All I can speak about is my facts.  In the past 10 years, most of my early season muskies have come on big baits.  The bigger the better.  Theory #1 - All of their forage is at least 1 year old.  Muskies are use to eating larger offerings in June.  Theory #2 - After the spawn, there seems to be a few weeks of heavy feeding.  During this time the muskies seem to favor a big meal to help them bulk up in their attempt to recover from the spawn.  Give 'em what they want.

Fishing open water... I have had some good results fishing open water the first few months of the season.  Muskies can disappear from structure and will literally cruise the main basin gorging on bait fish.  I'm still learning good techniques to catch these fish, and I don't have all the answers.  I can simply recommend that you give it a shot.  And I will say, 45 minutes of open water trolling isn't an honest effort.  Give yourself 2 or 3 full trips and you'll be amazed.  Trolling big flashy baits at speeds of 3 to 5 mph is a good way to get started.

What are the best hours to fish?... Obviously the answer is "whenever you can."  But, if you can choose your hours, I have found some to be better than others.  All of our Minnesota muskie lakes are pounded.  The fish seem to have us fisherman patterned.  Most of us get off of work and then hit the lake around 6 pm and fish until sunset..  For this reason I've found the afternoon/evening to be the most difficult time to land a lunker.  The best times in my boat year in and year out have been the first hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunrise.  Then, sometime around 10 am there always seems to be a good push of activity.  In the evening, I seem to score the most strikes the first hour after sunset.  Because my livelihood depends on it, you can bet that I'm keeping tabs on every strike and fishing accordingly.  These have been the top 3 time periods in my boat for the past few years.  They are not stupid creatures, and it pays to be there when they want to eat, not when we want to fish.

What's the best lure to throw?...It's good to mix things up, but I believe that it is even better to get completely dialed into a single lure.  To the point that you run the bait without giving it any thought.  It should be instinctive.  The reason for this is simple.  Muskies eat when they want to.  On most lakes they probably see hundreds or thousands of fish swim past them daily.  Many of them are easy meals.  If you don't believe me, stick a camera down on your favorite muskie spot and watch the schools of bait fish swim around the muskies.  I believe that most of our success is directly related to the exact time that the lure crosses their path.  If they are ready to eat, I don't think the color matters much - they will eat.  I also believe that every lure in your tackle box looks like food to a muskie.  Sure there are triggers and some baits are better at a certain time, but ff you can work a single lure correctly when that fish wants to eat, your odds go way up.  It's better to be good at one thing than decent at a bunch.

Figure eight is your most important tool...With the high amount of pressure that Minnesota muskies receive, the figure 8 has become the difference maker.  It's the difference between a follow and a fish in the boat.  In my boat alone, the figure 8 has accounted for over half the muskies boated during the past few seasons.  At times, reaching over 75% of my fish.  Do it every cast, and put some love into it.  Wide sweeping turns while raising and lowering the bait in the water column will trigger more strikes.  The goal is to make your lure look like a wounded fish/creature trying to escape.  If it's just flopping around the surface, the muskie will laugh at you and swim away.  If I quit doing a good figure 8, I might as well go home.  It's that important.

Long fishing poles... Why are the new super long poles important?  I'm talking 8'6" to 9'6".  If you want to do a proper figure 8, you will need a long pole.  If you want to cast big heavy lures, you will need a long pole.  If you want to fish all day without the wear and tear on your body, you will need a longer pole.  If you want more leverage during battle, you need a longer pole.  I firmly believe that people that swear by their 6'6" and 7 footers simply haven't thrown an 8'6" or 9 footer yet.  Once you do, you will never want to go back.  The longer pole lets you fish with less wear and tear on your body, which in turn allows you to fish more effectively.  If you don't wear down as quickly, you will be ready for the moment of truth.  All of your casts really amount to only 1 or 2 per day.  It's important to be ready.  Plus, if 3 out of 4 fish come on a figure 8 and a longer pole allows you to do a better figure 8, then the facts speak for themselves.  It's just another difference maker in a sport that needs it.

Proper release tools...This might sound elementary, but our sport depends on proper catch and release.  If you aren't prepared you will regret it.  Bring a big net with a deep basket.  Also, a long-nosed pliers and hook cutters. Leave the fish in the water until the hooks are out and then have the camera ready before you take it out of the water.  Don't hold the muskie vertical, it kills them.  Don't lay them on the floor to flop around, this may also kill them.  Lastly, don't drag them backwards in the water when you are reviving them.  It drowns them.  Sorry, this is my only rant, but it's so important that it needs to be mentioned.

Looking at the current conditions, I'd say that the muskie bite should be good on the opener.  The spawn should be completely wrapped up and hopefully the fish are putting the post-spawn feed bag on.  Water temps have cooled in the metro to the mid to upper 60's.  The weed growth appears to be ahead of schedule, so all indications are that you will catch a muskie on the opener, or you won't!  Anything else would be too ridiculous to predict.  I wish you the best of luck this year and hope to see you on the water.  Until the first muskie strikes, keep on livin' the dream!

Walleye's Gone Wild!

If you like walleyes, you better not wait.  The bit is on!  Lake Minnetonka is loaded with fish and they are chomping right now.  Big ones, little ones and everything in between.  Last week was the first full week of the 2012 season and it didn't dissapoint.  I made four trips out on the local pond and each trip gave us big walleye smiles.

The most deadly weapon last week was a jig and minnow worked along the milfoil edges.  Second was a Rapala cranked along the same weedlines.  Lastly, we had several walleyes fall victim to a slip bobber with a leech. All of these tactics worked, it just depended upon the preference of the angler. 

On Lake Minnetonka, it seems that the early season walleyes are most active under 10 feet of water.  This year is no different.  I have yet to fish deeper than 7 feet of water.  The best bite is early and late, but the right areas will kick out fish throughout the day.  One interesting note is that we have been catching bigger fish during the high sun.  Why?  That beats the heck out of me.  All I know is that it's a good problem to have and nobody has been complaining. 

Of the four trips last week, one stands out most.  I had the chance to take a father and son out for their first attempt at Tonka walleyes.  The goal was to learn how to fish walleyes.  Mission accomplished.  Together they put a whooping on 'em.  As fast as I could re-bait the hook, young Jackson was setting the hook.  He caught his first walleye ever, followed by many more.  Heck, the 9 year old phenom landed 4 walleyes before his dad even caught one.  He ended the night with the first fish, the most fish, and the biggest fish.  It was a special night on the water.  One that really makes me enjoy my job. 

Thank you to all that have made the first week so memorable.  2012 is going to be a year to remember.  Until the next fish strikes, keep on livin' the dream!

The 2012 Governor's Fishing Opener in Waconia!

Over the past decade my fishing career has been a roller coaster ride.  For the most part, it's been a ride that continues to climb with very little falling.  I have said this before and I'll say it again, God has spoiled me beyond my wildest dreams.

This past week was another new high.  I had the opportunity to guide our Governor, Mark Dayton, for the official 2012 Governor's Fishing Opener on Lake Waconia.  Receiving this honor was humbling, exciting, challenging, scary and rewarding all at the same time.

While it was cool to guide the Governor, I will always remember the efforts that went into the event.  That, and the support from my friends, family and the community of Waconia.   It was over the top.  It seemed that every human being in Waconia had a permanent smile on their face.  Being a part of that smile brings me incredible joy.

We lined up over 100 fishing hosts to personally escort over 300 guests on the water.  It was chaos, and it was good.  For a few days Waconia was the hottest city in the Midwest.  Our efforts and the Governor's presence were the lead story for every major news station in Minnesota at 5, 6 and 10 pm - both Friday and Saturday.

Because of our location near to the Twin Cities, we drew a record amount of media attention.  Explore Minnesota tourism claims that we raised the bar to a level they haven't seen in 65 years. 

It seemed that everybody wanted the scoop on what the Governor was getting himself into.  Because of my role as his guide, I had the chance to appear on every news station in our market.  I learned that live TV is an art and those news reporters have serious talent.  I didn't see any of my footage, but I'm sure I looked like a goof.  Either way, it was an adrenaline rush.

Along with the TV crews, we also drew in many radio stations, newspapers and magazine publications.  Again, I had the chance to share my story and my love of Waconia with them all.

Most of the event was a blur, but I'll try to sum it up.

Thursday night we piled over 100 fishing hosts into Island View for a steak dinner.  I was able to share my knowleadge of our fishing opener plans and prepare the hosts for the chaos that was about to hit.

Friday morning Lola's was a buzz with live tv crews and radio shows.  After 4 hours of interviews I finally lost my voice.

We threw a community picnic in the park and served over 4,300 free meals.  The entertainment was wild andit seemed everyone enjoyed the fun.  Governor Dayton arrived at 4 pm.  At that time he gave a press conference and really put the pressure on his guide - me.

Fast forward through more chaos and we find ourselves at the In Towne Marina at 11:00 pm.  With my donated sponsor boat already in the water, the suspense built.  Governor Dayton arrived and he purchased his fishing license.  A friendly crowd greeted him and sent me great words of encouragement.  At a quarter to midnight, we set sail into the darkness - hoping and praying to land a fish.

I was hopeful, yet cautiously optimistic about our chances.  In all my years of fishing Waconia at midnight, I had yet to get skunked.  Still, I knew the curse and the elements that we were up against.  I took him to a spot that I had pre-scouted Wednesday night.  At that time there were plenty of walleyes waiting.  I could see them with my own two eyes. 

At the stroke of midnight he threw out his Rapala. Cast after cast he came up empty.  With his headlight shining we watched walleye after walleye swim below our boat.  In two feet of water the eyes were glowing all around us.  He and his guests thought it was cool to see them below.  With all the attention on us, I found it frustrating.  At 2 AM we had enough.  We were skunked.

A few moments of shut eye and we were back at it.  8 AM we joined the crowd at Lola's for breakfast, prayer, national anthem and a sweet send-off.  We jigged minnows, trolled Rapala's, even threw out a slip bobber and leech.  He had about a dozen bites but when the dust finally settled all we had to show for our efforts was a bluegill.  Not the way that either one of us wanted to finish, but we both were ok with it. 

We reported back to shore about our catch and received many chuckles.  A few more interviews and a walleye shore lunch and the Governor was gone.  What took us 4 years of planning passed in a blink of an eye.  That night we celebrated our efforts with a big celebration dinner.  We gave away a boat, talked fishing, shook hands and gave hugs.

I've done many neat things in my short life, but this one just might be the coolest.  Our community came together and bonded in ways I've never seen.  In total we had over 300 volunteers working together to make it possible.  Over 100 fisherman/women stepped up to take out over 300 guests.  Thousands took part in the festivities and Waconia's colors shown on nearly every tv, radio and newspaper feature in our state.  It surpassed all my expectations. 

Sunday night the dust settled and I was ready to catch a walleye.  I took my lovely girlfriend with me and for the sake of curiousity, we repeated the exact same steps that I took with Mark Dayton.  I threw anchor in the exact same location.  I handed Sarah a pole and I picked up the same one Mr. Dayton used.  Darkness fell on us and it was instant action.  Sarah set the hook and landed the first walleye of the year.  A dandy of a walleye at that.  I took 3 casts with Mark's Rapala and I too hooked up.  To make sure it wasn't a fluke I casted again.  Within 5 minutes I had another.  We laughed at each other, pulled anchor and went home.

The next morning was more of the same.  10 walleyes came in the boat with ease.  Fishing can be funny sometimes.  I guess the man just wasn't meant to catch one.  Truth be told, I'm ok with that.  The 2012 Opener was a thrill ride that I will never forget.  Thank you to all that made it so memorable.

I will post more pictures when they become available.

Until the next walleye strikes, keep on livin' your dream!

Guiding The Governor

I received a call from the state of Minnesota the other day.  A friendly voice asked if I'm ready for something big.  I said, "I'm all in."  Then, she followed by saying that Governor, Mark Dayton, would like to fish with me on the opener.  I don't recall my exact response, but I think it was something like, "I think you have the wrong number!"

Seriously?  How cool is that?!

I'm extremely humbled and grateful for this opportunity.  There are so many anglers in my home town that are willing, able and deserving of this honor.  Somehow I feel unworthy.

Growing up as a young fisherman, I remember thinking about how cool it would be to guide the Governor on the opener.  I remember watching the news one year at the end of opening day.  Al Lindner was talking to the camera about his adventure guiding the Governor.  At the time, I remember thinking...some day I want that to be me. 

By the grace of God, "some day," is now less than two weeks away.  I'm at a loss for words.  I still don't think it has hit me.  On May 12, I will do my best to represent my hometown of Waconia, Minnesota.  My good friend, guiding mentor and fishing partner, Matt Peters, will take the honor of guiding our Lieutenant Governor.  Together, we hope to make our home town proud.

If I play my cards right, you'll be reading a story of how the Governor caught his walleye on opening day.  That, and a picture of the big catch!  In my years of guiding I've felt the pressure to perform many times.  I think this time it will hit a whole new level.  At the moment I'm still at peace about the big day.  That may change.

I'm still in awe of how this whole thing has evolved.  Four years ago I sat down with Kellie Sites, president of the Waconia Chamber.  We talked about a plan to entice the Governor to our home town.  We formed a team, then sent a proposal to Explore Minnesota Tourism.  It took a few tries, but a year ago we got a call saying that we'd been chosen as the host community for 2012.  I won't bore you with all of the details, but after 12 months of intense planning we now have a few hundred volunteers and several days of activities set in stone.  I am proud to be a part of this team and I'm excited for everything to unfold.  We have so much to be proud of.  For myself, just being a part of this team would be enough.  The chance to guide our Governor is like the icing on this incredible cake.

The Governor's Fishing Opener is a tradition in its 64th year.  It is not about politics.  It is about celebrating the tradition of fishing in Minnesota.  This year, it's about celebrating Waconia and the people that call it home.  It's only the second time it's been held in the metro.  The event spans 3 days.  It starts with a fishing host dinner on Thursday evening.  Friday is basically an all day party.  Then, Saturday we get down to the business of fishing.  Some of the festivities are open to the public.  If you want to attend, we'd love to have you.  www.destinationwaconia.org will give you the details. (p.s. everything is FREE!)

Here's to the Governor catching a trophy!  Until then, keep on Livin' the Dream!

Let the River Run...

Who needs spring when you can jump right to summer?  Considering we fished in T-shirts on March 5th, Ma Nature seems to be giving us a break for all the cold seasons we've endured.  What does this sun tan weather in March mean for the fishing?  It means that you can just about throw everything out the window and start over.

On a normal year we would have been catching walleyes in the normal spots on the Mighty Mississippi - not so much this year.  No moisture meant we had no run-off.  No run-off means no current.  No current means the fish don't have to relate as tight to specific structure and current breaks.  It also means that the water is clear, which means the night bite is in effect.  All things that are NOT typical when the water rises and turns dark - on a normal year.

In a handful of outings on pool 2 we were able to catch fish every time out.  We never had the big number days that we have grown accustomed to and we never found the true giants.  I'll be the first to admit that my knowleadge of the river is still in the learning stages.  I fished new areas and techniques looking for the big bite, but never broke the 5 pound mark.  I wouldn't call it a dissapointment just a learning experience. 

A neat highlight from pool 2 came when Ryan Pederson landed a very rare specie.  It's called a Blue Sucker and its on the DNR's rare specie list.  This fish can only survive in water that is clean, so this is a good sign for our river system.

Of all the things I have learned while fishing walleyes on the river, one rule still holds true.  Large walleyes tend to feed on the shallow flats.  Anything over 20 feet is just too deep.  Bigger walleyes seem to prefer depths from 5 to 15 feet.  If I am fishing deep holes then I can expect plenty of sauger, and walleyes under 20 inches.  This rule is almost always true, and this year proves it again. 

This year the feeding windows have been short with the best bite occuring after sunset.  We've caught some nice fish, but during shorter feeding windows you aren't allowed to dial in on the pattern like you can when they bite all day long.  Hence less numbers for most anglers.  Plus, the lack of current has allowed the fish to spread out over larger areas.  Our best action has been on jig and minnow or jig and ringworms, but even that hasn't been great.

To mix things up I also fished pool 3 for the first time.  Fishing new water is always an exciting time for me.  I dig the challenge of new fish, new water, and new structure.  By the time our 4 hour trip was through, we had found a school of walleye and sauger using a small shallow flat.  Mixed with the eyes were a pile of bass.  We hoisted fish until we ran out of bait.  Then we switched to ringworms and continued catching into the darkness.  The best part?  No other boats in sight.  I'm not saying pool 4 is over-rated, I'm just saying that there are always other options if you're willing to leave the pounded trails.  Pool 3 is a good one.

Next up, the Governor's Fishing Opener is coming to town!  Who will be the guide?  By the grace of God, it just might be me.  We should know within a week!  Until then, the panfish are biting in the shallow lakes and the walleyes are biting on the river.  Get after 'em!