Photograph by Andrew Ragas Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Fishing-Headquarters Magazine Volume 4. Issue 3 Num. 19
June & July, 2014 Summer Edition
• The Drop Shotter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 About Fishing-Headquarters The Fishing-Headquarters began as a small homepage in 2005, featuring a collection of photos and YouTube fishing videos. It even featured a small contingency of misfits and rebellious anglers who were tired of the internet elitism and racism expressed by other websites built by uneducated nonangling entities towards specific groups of anglers and species of freshwater gamefish.
• Eye Surgery: Staying on Top This Summer . . 25 • Graham’s Grass Carp Breakthrough . . . . . 39 • The Smallmouth Bass Late Night Show . . . . 55
Formally established in January 2007, the FHQ was created for like-minded anglers to share the wealth of information, and enjoy the beauty in diverse fishing. This greatness as we presently know it is multi-species fishing.
• Interspecies Tactics and Techniques . . . . . . . 67
Designed and created by posessed and gravely obsessed angler, Andrew Ragas, the website has grown to a large world audience. Our basis as an online media platform is to drop the ego, and catch anything that swims and has fins.
• Muskies: The Dangers of Chasing Tail . . . . . 89
• Musky Forage Specificity and Lure Choice . . 77
• Tackle Technician Early Summer Reviews . 103
All fish are created as equals. Only to be pursued as opposites.
COVER STORY Important Biz Stuff http://www.fishing-headquarters.com info@fishing-headquarters.com telephone - 708. 256. 2201 Questions or Comments, and if interested in contributing or sponsoring, please contact Andrew Ragas at: andrew@fishing-headquarters.com Magazine layout and design by Ragas Media http://www.ragasmedia.com
The challenges offered by grass carp in an angling capacity are plentiful and undeniable. Anglers seeking to challenge themselves should froth over the idea of a fish that can grow to triple digit weight, but keenly aware enough to spook at the vibration of their footsteps along the shoreline. Turn to page 39, as David Graham has unlocked the passage into catching these challenging fish.
Fishing-Headquarters Magazine, Issue 19 Another summer season is here at FHQ and we’ve been busier than ever FISHING. Is that a bad thing? It could be, especially when we’ve already delayed the release of this issue by almost two weeks! Our team is busy in their craft, traveling for the summer months, catching fish, and being the influential, up-and-coming voices in today’s world of angling.
Andrew Ragas
Editor In-Chief, Designer, and Owner.
2014 Issue Releases Remaining Schedule
• Issue 20: September 8, 2014 • Issue 21: December 1, 2014
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Everything we do at Fishing-Headquarters centers on our love of multispecies fishing and the ongoing process of educating ourselves and to catch more fish. In order to accomplish this, we’ve released yet another diverse issue for you. In issue 19, we’re focusing on interrelated tactics that work and reciprocate well together for bass and muskies. We also share observation and cutting edge tactics from MUSKIES magazine editor, Adam Glickman, and possibly a new system for scoring summertime trophy smallmouth by yours truly. Along with tips and tricks to help you catch fish and diversify your angling approach, we also share a unique personal narrative by Cory Allen. We encourage you to especially give that one a read. With great pleasure, I introduce to you issue 19 of Fishing-Headquarters Magazine. We’re all about showcasing fin and new up and coming anglers at what they do best. In this issue Joseph Alfe from Chicago Illinois, and JP Bushey from Ontario Canada, make their online magazine debuts. In closing, I would like to thank our team of writers, friends, and all contributors for allowing us to make this one again possible. We welcome and encourage all anglers with a story to join our annually growing team and its online rotation. Copyright © 2014 Fishing-Headquarters. All rights reserved. The usage of articles, excerpts, photographs, and any reproduction of this material is strictly prohibited.
I S S U E 19 F E A T U R E D W R I
Joseph Alfe
Cory Allen
JP Bushey
Issue 19 Editorial Staff • Paul Ragas Contributed Photographs • Wesley Allsbrook • Johnny Amato • Steve Gilbert • Bob Peterson • Jacob Priegel • Nate Tessler Online Contributors • Joseph Alfe • Brian Pentecost • Tyler Uteg Layout and Design By • Ragas Media Designs Sponsors and Advertising Partners • Bearpaw’s Handpoured Baits • Camp Narrows Lodge • CB’s Hawg Sauce • CAST Crew 312 • Cortland Line Company • Dragin Bait Company • Dynamic Lures • Freedom Tackle Corporation • Go-Pro Camera • GNUGEN Lures • Quantum PT Fishing • Ragas Media Designs • Stankx Bait Company
TERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
Adam M. Glickman
David Graham
Robert Conley & Robert Fuchs
NEWS AND NOTEWORTHY TOPICS. The International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, better known as ICAST, is the world’s largest sportfishing trade show annually hosting 10,000 members of the global recreational fishing industry. ICAST is produced by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the sportfishing industry’s trade association, which looks out for the interests of the entire sportfishing community. ICAST is the premier showcase for the latest innovations in fishing gear, accessories and apparel and is the cornerstone of the sportfishing industry, helping to drive recreational fishing product sales year round. Here is a showcase of new product introductions by Fishing-Headquarters sponsors and advertising partners for the 2015 season.
July 15 - 18, 2014 Orange County Convention Center 9990 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819 www.icastfishing.org
New For Fall 2014: Freedom Tackle Corp’s, Freedom Minnow The Freedom Minnow will give you the edge whether you cast it, jerk it or even vertical jig it. The erratic side-to-side action maximizes flash providing a slow free fall and a sound that fish cannot resist. Fish will attack the lure with a vengeance. For a sneak peek visit their homepage at
www.freedomlures.com
Quantum PT Introduces the Iron PT Spinning Reel The guys at Saltwater Experience are goin’ big for the 2015 season! Protected by Quantum’s SCR Alloy to safeguard against corrosion, the large spooled Quantum Iron is usable for both freshwater and saltwater environments. Modeled off the Energy model spinning reels, the Iron will be available in sizes up to 50. www.quantumfishing.com
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SOLUNAR CALENDAR July 2014
August 2014
This fishing forecast is based on solar and lunar influences that cycle daily. The chart shows each hour of the day. For instance the hours with the higher rating, and days shaded the darkest have a greater combination of solar and lunar influence and thus indicate the best times to fish. This chart is a general recommendation and all data has been compiled by Weather & Wildlife.
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LEADING OFF.
Interspecies Tactics and Techniques In the muskie world of late, the battle cry has been “Go big or go home,” and for sure, supersizing your baits has accounted for the deluge of supersized fish being caught in recent years. But like any tactic, it is not a one size fits all panaceas. There are times and places where bigger isn’t better. There are times when downsizing can produce fish when nothing else can, even big fish too. In this article, Joseph Alfe makes his FHQ debut inducing us to cross the species barrier, and to consider using bass baits, techniques, and tackle to entice muskies when the going gets tough. Page 89 Photograph by Joseph Alfe Fishing-Headquarters.com
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In June 2014, at the Youth Conservation Alliance event on Big Round Lake in Hayward, Wisconsin, Alfe’s interspecies tactics helped 10 year old Olivia Swenson catch this 46� muskie while flipping docks for smallmouth bass. Tap tap. Bang!
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LEADING OFF. The Godfather Of Northern Wisconsin Smallmouth Bass Management Pictured below with a 20.75 inch smallmouth is our friend, and the man who’s helped shape our Northern Wisconsin smallmouth bass lakes into the world class trophy fisheries they are today, Steve Gilbert. As DNR lake manager for Vilas County Wisconsin, Steve oversees all regulations and progressive lake management practices throughout the county. We credit many of the big fish we catch to conservation, catch and release angling ethics, and largely to Steve himself for his hard work in managing and maintaining these fisheries. Thank you, Steve! To learn about a favorite smallmouth tactic of ours, consider night fishing for summertime tophies. Page 47
Photograph by Steve Gilbert Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Photograph by Andrew Ragas
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THE DROP SHOTTER A Practical Guide By Robert Conley & Robert Fuchs Cover Artwork by The Bassassins Fishing Headquarters | Page 14
THE DROP SHOTTER key players are high visibility of the lure and most important a lower chance for annoying snags. The lure is dancing hypnotically right in front of the predators faces, the obviously easy snack can hardly be resisted by the laziest of beasts. On those dog days when the old lock jaw syndrome rules the waters, the drop still seems to be able to conBy: The Bassassins vince the tightest sealed lips. Fishing-Headquarters Contributors Fish relate to cover and structure so with the lower chance for hang ups, the drop shot can go places where most techniques just can’t, hence the higher rate of success. Rocky or muddy bottoms, boulders, over hang, sunken trees or heavy weeds you name it, the drop likes them all. Of course there are plenty of other techniques that allow you to fish snag free and they are all great. However most have their place and time and none combines it all in to one.
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Long thought of as a finesse technique but often misunderstood, it’s a multi species – go to – super hero.
Over the years this simple rig has produced countless fish, often in the trophy range and has established a solid pole position in our arsenal. Tried, tested and succeeded on a multitude of water bodies and a large variety of species, under all kinds of conditions. From shore and boat during fall, winter, spring and throughout summer, it always produces. With all the glory and mystery surrounding this presentation, lets shed some light on this topic and explore why, when and how to drop shot. The basics are simple, a suspended bait which is held to the bottom by a weight, it’s that easy. This serves multiple purposes, Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Another major advantage is the low cost of the rig; hooks, weights and some good leader material are next to nothing. They can easily be replaced, fast and on the go. With a little practice a drop shot can be tied within seconds if the need arises. We make it a habit to always have a few prepped over a morning coffee because some days can be worse than others and you might just run out due to some heavy wear and tear. Not just toothy critters like pike and walleye do damage to the leader. Over time bass will take their toll on the tensile strength too. Frequent inspection and replacement will save the embarrassment when a trophy fish gets away at the net because the line was just too compromised when push came to shove. Its versatility derives from the many kinds of delicious treats this rig delivers for any hungry critter
Photograph by The Bassassins
down in the deep. Anything tastes better when it’s dropped, from a worm or minnow to any imaginable soft plastic. Dead or alive, they are all wanted and with this said the choice of what to use is often hard and confusing due to its variety. In case of doubt, start at the bottom of the food chain. No heads will ever turn away from a tasty worm or a succulent minnow. Crayfish and leeches are also on top of any predators menu, again the idea is to deliver an easy meal that is too
good to pass on. Either fresh bait or their fellow soft plastic imitations will catch equally as good. Perhaps if the fish undergo a lot of heavy pressure or are simply just skittish, a natural bait will most likely be more convincing. Our experience has shown that the right presentation of this technique is the ultimate game changer. Speaking of which, a variety of maneuvers can be executed with the drop. It can be fished horizontally from a boat, through ice, from a pier
or a bridge - straight down it goes. It can be trolled or dead sticked but in our books it really shines when its cast. Most important is to keep that steady bottom contact so the lure is always suspended nicely. The line can get some slack every now and then allowing the bait to flutter downwards like an injured fish. Remember the littlest twitch with the tip of the rod lets the bait come alive. Fishing Headquarters | Page 16
THE DROP SHOTTER
Photograph by The Bassassins Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Photograph by The Bassassins
As for speed, the drop shot generally enjoys a drop and pause than move and pause again presentation. Moving it a few feet after each stop will help to cover more water quickly. Most bites usually occur on the pause and are faint, simply because it is an easy target and doesn’t need much effort. However exceptions make the rule so don’t be surprised if a big northern or bass hammers the shot like it’s a contest. Jigging the rig is just as effective especially if the fish are biting aggressively during peak feeding times before a storm or simply are really on fire. A little understanding on how fish behave will decide what presentation will be more suitable. The Build The epic Palomar knot is the heart of this operation with an added twist, the bottom tag is left on for the weight to be attached. Using a 6-8 lb mono or fluorocarbon leader
is recommended due to the lower visibility. In general circle hooks in size 1 are a good bet like the ones shown by Kamakazi. We prefer the “beak” type as the tip bends inwards a little and makes it almost impossible for even the feistiest small mouth to escape during a vicious battle. If bigger craws are used, one can also tie it with an eagle claw style hook. As for weights, anything goes really, whatever holds it down; adjust weight and size by depth and current. Always try to go as light as possible but still being able to maintain good bottom contact. If an area has a lot of snags from rocks and such we prefer split shots as they tend to slide off easily and can be replaced fast and cheap without losing the whole rig. We found over the years that drop shoting is a great way to introduce people to fishing because it is so simple and easy to use. Once the basics are understood it seems to
come more natural to explore other techniques that are more specific to certain species and conditions. Once you know how to drop shot the wacky rigging, pitching and flipping and so on will be adopted fast as the foundation on how to fish, where to fish and what to fish are already established. For most of the pros having just one rod in the boat is a big no no and the benefits of multiple rods, each rigged a certain way are tremendous. In real life though, when we take people out fishing, we won’t ask them to bring the whole tackle store. All we need is one rod, one setup and we’ll have a whole lot of fun. Happy dropping!
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THE DROP SHOTTER
In case of doubt, start at the bottom of the food chain. No heads will ever turn away from a tasty worm or a succulent minnow. Crayfish and leeches are also on top of any predators menu. The idea is to deliver an easy meal that is too good to pass on. Either fresh bait or their fellow soft plastic imitations will catch equally as well. Perhaps if the fish undergo a lot of heavy pressure or are simply just skittish, a natural bait will most likely be more convincing. Our experience has shown that the right presentation of this technique is the ultimate game changer. From shore and boat during fall, winter, spring and throughout summer, it always produces. Photograph by The Bassassins Fishing-Headquarters.com
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THE DROP SHOTTER
Photograph by The Bassassins Fishing-Headquarters.com
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If you are seeing our work for the first time we are Rob Fuchs (Basstard) and Rob Conley (Smooth). Two best buds from Ottawa, Ontario that spend every free moment on the water all year long. Whether it’s wading the rivers or braving the ice, we always stay passionate and dedicated in pursuit of the biggest and meanest Ontario has to offer. To follow our adventures or see more of our work please check out www.thebassassins.com or www.facebook.com/TheBassassins.
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EYE SUR
STAYING ON TOP THIS S
Apply an ice-jigger’s mentality and put specialized jigs right in the thick of things all summer. Large, deep structures on big water call for vertical fishing with surgical precision. Fishing-Headquarters.com
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RGERY
SUMMER
By JP Bushey
Photographs by Jim Gronaw
With precision boat control and the right tools, deep jigging can be highly efficient. Rock-solid hooksets typically lock fish up for keeps in the roof of the mouth when you’re directly on top of the action. This fish crunched a brightly coloured 1/2oz Precision Jig I was snapping aggressively in 28 feet of water on Georgian Bay.
Photographs by JP Bushey Fishing Headquarters | Page 26
EYE SURGERY
By: JP Bushey
Fishing-Headquarters Contributor
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By mid-summer, the bulk of the jigging I do for walleye is vertically. The water is typically from twenty five to forty feet deep and usually very exposed to wind. Bottom content ranges from fairly gentle, ‘transition-type’ areas to sharp, rocky features. Considering what’s involved, heavy, compact presentations that fish accurately become one of the best choices for feel and control in these tight spots.
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Lures from 5/8 to a full ounce or more are generally larger than most are used to using, and typically reserved for fishing around moving water. Big jigs are a big-water staple for me, and once you start looking at the fishing conditions and what’s needed to make walleye bite, they make a lot of sense. Jigging is slow-paced overall. The best areas are typically confined, with walleye using very specific zones. Big water usually means big spots. Fishing individual shoals measuring an acre or more in size isn’t uncommon. Once fish show up on sonar, the focus then turns to dropping lures directly on top of them. In some cases, pods of fish can be dotted all over the same general structure. You can pick a few off one area before sliding on top of the next and starting all over on a new school. Precise boat control and good sonar work make up two-thirds of the puzzle. Piece number three involves an efficient method of not only triggering walleye to bite, but efficiently ‘staying on them’ while you work them. There’s no better method for targeting small areas in deep water than vertical jigging. And the heavier the jig, the faster and more accurately you can use it. Just like through a hole in the ice, you can use your bait and the sonar to see how fish react, then feed it right to them. The technique is actually very similar to ice fishing.
out. Why is this important? For one, heavy jigs are a lot more prone to hanging up on bottom than lighter ones are. Being able to walk up and over the bottom, as opposed to dragging along it--with more line out and at a greater angle-- is critical. It’s Becoming One With Your amazing how easily you can work Weight big jigs through bad rocks when you stay directly on top of them, vertiHeavy jigs fished on thin, sen- cally. Line tests from 15 to 30lb are sitive superlines or braids really are ideal. And of course, you get excelthe ultimate in feel and efficiency. lent feel with short lengths of noThe package gets down fast, and stretch line, straight under the boat. you’re able to stay on target with I started jigging with Maxima’s new the least possible amount of line Braid 8 this time last summer, and
Photographs by JP Bushey
love it. It’s limp, extremely thin and had all kinds of dead-pull strength. When the wind’s up and you’re battling to stay on a spot the size of a tennis court, having to break off and re-tie jigs will frustrate you fast. Once you’re set-up correctly, expect to put lots of miles on a single jig before losing it. They get down and stay down. You’ll fish effectively and for long periods of time. A good basic set-up matches superline or braid with about four feet of fifteen pound fluorocarbon tied off to a tiny, Fishing-Headquarters | Page 28
EYE SURGERY
Oversized jigs not only allow you to get deep and stay deep, they also appeal to big water walleye that are used to selectively feeding on large baitfish. This Precision Jig and five inch UV Reactive Mister Twister looks more like a pike or lake trout offering, but big walleye love it. Don’t be afraid to bulk up, down deep. inline swivel. High-visibility mainlines are really nice. You can see the angle of your line and where your jig is laying relative to the boat very easily. You’ll feel every rock, pebble or patch of soft bottom. These changes are worth noticing, and can be exactly what holds walleye. Bites are crisp, and setting the hook is normally just a matter of a firm lift. This is definitely a presentation where no-stretch lines shine. Efficiencies Of Scale Walleye over firm to hard bottoms show up very well on a good sonar in twenty to forty feet of water. GPS/Sonar units are critical for pinpointing individual groupings of fish. Take it a step further and toss out a marker buoy just off to the side of the action for a quick, visual Fishing-Headquarters.com
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reference everyone in the boat can relate to. Your plotter will periodically bounce around and ‘lose you’ when you’re working at low speeds in small areas, and having the buoy out makes getting back on your spot basically instant. Big water usually means lots of areas to check. Good areas tend to hold walleyes you can jig over year after year, and these are the places to begin poking around. If they’re not showing up, idle around spots until you find them. With GPS waypoints and mapping, you can run on plane for miles, pull up directly over key spots and start fishing with virtually zero downtime. This kind of technology puts you at a huge advantage for jigging. The pace is slow enough as it is. Having to hunt around really cuts down on your efficiency. Zoom in on your plotter as you near the target. You’ll
July / August, 2014
be on the money fast. There’s really no point in stopping and setting up a jigging pass if you’re not marking fish. Cruise your structures, and only begin slicing them apart after your electronics tell you to. Innovations like MinnKota’s i-Pilot and Spot Lock allow you to hover over hot zones, letting you focus on feel, rather than driving. Along with a sonar/plotter combo, this might the most key tool for vertical jigging. I take plenty of fish from anchored positions all summer, too. You can actually comb big sections of structure in windy conditions while anchored. Paying out rope gets the boat swaying in an arc, letting you ‘fan jig’ a big area under complete control. Dressing Up For Work
Photograph by JP Bushey
Tipping with a range of baits and dressings helps cover more of the spot and tests what walleye like best. You can actually watch fish and how they respond to what you’re doing, using your graph. Where I do the bulk of my jigging, the most productive zones are from right on bottom up to about four feet above it. Fish that won’t take down low can sometimes be teased up before hitting. A walleye’s ‘upper limit’ for chasing changes all the time. Some days, they’ll put on the brakes after only foot or two. Really active fish can come a lot further, sometimes grabbing the jig before it reaches bottom on that first drop. Plastics and biodegradable baits have a really solid ‘closing ratio’ on fish we get to chase. Their vibrations and colour has to be a big reason for this, along with the way they smell and taste. Big jigs are loud when they smack the bottom, and displace lots of wa-
ter overall. In deep water, I’ve always felt that sound and disturbance are important. Gord Pyzer has written on this for years. Heavy jigs really give walleye something to find and hit. Gord’s a real pioneer in the ‘big jig, big walleye’ game, taking huge fish on pike or lake trout-sized baits all season. Tipping jigs on bigger bodies of water is just as important as on smaller lakes or rivers. One of our sleepers lately has been a big, fiveinch Mister Twister curly tail in UV pearl white. It’s a grub with enough meat to tip a big spinnerbait. On a 3/4oz head, it probably looks a lot like a smelt. The profile is long and slender and the tail gives off a good shimmy. Not exactly what most would think of trying, but a great shape for fish that are used to eating fully grown smelts. I actually like buying plain, un-painted heads poured on quality hooks and air-
brushing them myself over the winter. Two-tone jigs in complimentary colours have always worked well for me, in combinations like purple/silver, orange/chartreuse, pink/ white and lime/chartreuse. Sometimes plain, unpainted lead is just as good. You don’t see them around as often, but metallic jig heads can be hot, especially gold. With larger plastics and bulked up live minnows, having the big weight is only half of it. The hook is critical. A long shank and big gap is perfect for and a big gap and shorter shank matches well with live bait. Leeches, full or half nightcrawlers and a variety of minnows all work. In deep water, most days it’s hard to beat a four to six inch chub or sucker, if you like live bait. Meatier grubs like Mr. Twister’s five incher are safe play, most of the time. ForkFishing-Headquarters | Page 30
EYE SURGERY Tools of the deep jigger’s trade. Thin, sensitive braids work together with compact, water-cutting jigs. These 5/8 and 1/2oz Precision Jigs offer several advantages, from their tapered, snag less profile to a keeper barb that locks down your plastics. Baitcast reels that feature a flippin’ switch allow you to follow the bottom with a push of a button. This old Quantum Accurist and 6’6 St. Croix have been in my rotation for many summers, and still rake up walleyes from deep structure all summer long.
Photographs by JP Bushey Fishing-Headquarters.com
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tailed bodies in the ‘finesse minnow’ shape are historically great lures on big bodies of water, too. Today’s scented, salted or biodegradable lures are perfect for vertical jigging. I’m still not sure what it is about UV reactive soft plastics, but I’ve seen them beat out regular plastics many times, in deep water. In the clearer waters I fish most often, jigging aggressively on bright days is a situation where they shine. Even down in twenty five and thirty-plus feet of water, they’ve got that something extra. I’ve used Mister Twister soft baits for close to thirty years with consistent success. I’d say that’s a pretty solid track record. They’ve got a new, hot pink with white inlay that’s begging for a few deep snaps on my shoals this summer. Transporting live minnows is definitely a hot button issue where I fish, but there are clearly days when they’re what the walleye want. I’ve got an old, 10’ Frabill seine net that I roll up in a rod locker in the boat. I fish with my young sons regularly, and dipping out a bunch of shiners from a bay 200 yards from where we’re fishing is fun and rewarding. All the ones we don’t use get released right back into the water. That’s about as ‘lake-friendly’ as livebaiting gets, in my opinion. A variety of jighead shapes work for staying vertical in deep water. For me, the Precision Jig from B Fishin Tackle just makes the whole routine easier. The head has a tapered shoulder, almost like a bell sinker, with a wire keeper barb tucked in behind, for securing rubber trailers. Many days, we’re popping jigs off nasty rocks or snapping them to get fish reacting. That barb makes a huge difference, keeping trailers sitting and moving the way they should. They paint process used is phenomenal. You can put
hundreds of hours on these jigs with no chipping. And you’ll get to test that longevity, too. These are the best jigs for walking through bad rocks I’ve ever used. I’m still working walleye with a 5/8oz from August of 2013! They just don’t hang up. Having to retie takes a presentation that’s slow enough as it is and basically grinds it to a halt. A durable, no-snag jig makes this whole package hum. They come in some fantastic colour patterns, too. That keeper barb is great for tagging live nightcrawlers, too. Details Are The Difference Makers
Jigs with the line tie set at 90 degrees are best for fishing up and down, and hundreds of them available from big companies and basement guys alike. Regardless of the dressing, heavy jigs sit with a nosedown attitude on bottom. Whatever’s attached to the back end stands up, for the most part. A big minnow anchored in place, fighting the little lead ball, is as easy as it gets for a walleye. Plastics flap around nicely, too. Throw in a few slow lifts or sharper snaps between long pauses and you can trigger walleye in almost any mood, once you’ve found them. The longer the free-fall, the harder the jig hits and the more your
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EYE SURGERY
Finding and fishing walleye in deep water takes a lot of homework, patience and mechanical practice. These are a breed of walleye that grow big and typically see a lot less pressure than their buddies on shallower structure or in cover. One of the keys is training yourself to only drop jigs into the highest-percentage zones. This walleye took a big jig after I’d idled around a shoal for 20 minutes looking for the school. She was all over it the second it thumped bottom on my first drop of the morning. Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Photographs by JP Bushey
trailer will stand up. This also protects your hook point from wear. I stuff my pike and muskie tubes with up to six ounces of lead for the same reasons when fishing rough bottom. Wind makes any style of fishing tough, let alone precision vertical jigging. It’s usually what dictates what you can or can’t do. But when conditions allow, targeting walleyes on deeper structure at off-peak hours with the right set-up can be very effective. When there’s a good chop I won’t hesitate to get the bowmount pointed straight into the wind and fish the biggest jigs in the box. Once I get over top of the activity, the bait gets into the wheelhouse fast. I can see it on my graph, and feel exactly what’s happening. Jigs are cheap, and you’ve probably already got the rods and reels needed to do it. With the heaviest weights, a baitcast setup very similar to a bottom bounc-
ing combo works well. Casting reels with the ‘flippin’ feature let you feed line and follow the bottom one-handed. Shorter rods keep lures as close to the transducer cone as possible. Lengths of six to six and a half feet work best for me fishing out of a deep “V” boat, where the gunnels are considerably higher off the water than on a bass boat. And just to be clear, lead head jigs aren’t the only play in these situations. You’ve got options. Heavy, compact jigging baits like the Jigging Rapala and spoons like the Williams Bully or Mr. Champ also work. Ice baits like Lindy Slick Jigs, Blue Fox Foxxee Minnows or Badd Boyz are perfect. Crafted mainly from lead, these baits fish up and down very well, and normally come with over-sized hooks. Tipping with today’s high-tech plastic and biodegradable baits becomes
a bigger part of the walleye fishermen’s attack every year. With the explosion of gobies in many fisheries, live baits can be expensive and time-consuming to use. Plastics are perfectly suited to jigging’s version of ‘power fishing.’ If you’re seeing good marks down deep this summer, try experimenting with bulked up jigs. Deliver them on target as accurately as possible, from directly overhead. It’s hands-on, very direct and walleye like it. By all means, have someone using natural bait and another using plastic. Fish slower and gentler with bait, and move plastics more often and more abruptly. Bonus species routinely include giant smallmouth bass, jumbo perch and some very big pike. Nothing wrong with that! Fishing-Headquarters | Page 34
EYE SURGERY
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JPBushey is a multi-season, multi-species writer from Barrie, Ontario. Northcentral Ontario’s ‘big water’ is where he spends his time, including Georgian Bay, Lake Nipissing, The French River and The Bay of Quinte. He does speaking engagements, manufactures lures and takes pride in helping people improve their fishing success. You can follow his fishing adventures on Facebook at The Bushey Angle, and on the web at www.thebusheyangle.com
Photograph by JP Bushey Fishing-Headquarters | Page 36
Photograph by The Bassassins
GRA
All too often I think there is an overemphasis on predatory species by anglers. I believe that an angler’s pursuit should encompass all feeding types to include omnivorous and even herbivorous species. Herbivorous species in particular offer a truly unique challenge to anglers. Enter, the grass carp.
FISHERY BREAKTHROUGHS
GRASS CARP Photographs by David Graham Fishing-Headquarters.com Fishing-Headquarters.com
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July July / / August, August, 2014 2014
ASS CARP FISHERIES BREAKTHROUGHS By David Graham By David Graham
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GRASS CARP The challenges offered by grass carp in an angling capacity are plentiful and undeniable. Anglers seeking to challenge themselves should froth over the idea of a fish that can grow to triple digit weight, but keenly aware enough to spook at the vibration of their footsteps along the shoreline. They are a fish that has enormous power, but will feed on baits no bigger than a single kernel of corn.
By: David Graham
Fishing-Headquarters Contributor
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All too often I think there is an overemphasis on predatory species by anglers. Admittedly, I reserve personal preference towards predators, however, I believe that an angler’s pursuit should encompass all feeding types to include omnivorous and even herbivorous species. Interestingly enough, many of our nations largest freshwater inhabitants sustain a diet comprised of the tinyest organisms and even plant matter. Herbivorous species in particular offer a truly unique challenge to anglers. Enter, the grass carp.
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Photograph by Wesley Allsbrook
The grass carp is a predominantly herbivorous member of the Cyprinidae (carp) family. It is believed that the grass carp is native to northern Vietnam, more specifically the Amur River, though it has been artificially transplanted to many countries around the world. Unlike their more mainstream cousin, the common carp, grassies have elongated torpedo-like body structure. Their mouths are situated on the front of their face (terminal mouth) unlike the suckerlike mouth of a common carp. They also do not have barbels or ‘whiskars’. Because of this, grass carp will feed at most all water columns almost ex-
clusively on plant matter. Much to the delight of any trophy angler, grass carp grow extraordinarily quickly. Grass carp have been caught in excess of 80 pounds by recreational anglers, and documented in excess of 100 pounds by other means. This places the grass carp in a special class among North America’s ‘giant’ freshwater trophy fish (although they are non-native). Grass carp scarcely live to be older than ten years, averaging between five and nine years of age. Given their propensity to grow to enormous size in such a short period of time, it is clear that grass carp possess a massive diet. A young grass carp
can grow over a foot in length just between spring and fall under the right conditions. This is because of their insatiable desire to feed. Grass carp can eat up to three times their own body weight in a single day. Because of their propensity to rapidly feed on vegetation, grass carp are a pupular and economically friendly means to control invasive plant matter. They have been stocked artifically around the globe for this purpose. Most grass carp are sterilized prior to artificial introduction into any ecosystem. Grass carp were originally inFishing-Headquarters | Page 42
GRASS CARP troduced to the United States in the early 1960’s, though they are believed to accidentally escaped an experimental fish farming station in Stuttgart Arkansas in 1966. Since this time they have been widely spread via authorized, illegal, and accidental introduction to nearly every state in the country. Grass Carp Challenges I have been familiar with grass carp since fishing really became my primary passion. I fished regularly for grass carp from the comfort of my own backyard while living in Arkansas on a neighborhood pond some 13 years ago. It was then that I encountered a freshwater fish exceeding 40 pounds for the first time, and ive been hooked on the unique challenges offered by grass carp ever since. Since moving to South Carolina I have found that the grass carp on the Santee Cooper are plentiful, and grow especially large. In 2006 I captured a grass carp in the shallow flats of Lake Moultrie that tipped the scales at over 60 pounds! The Santee Cooper introduced grass carp to the lakes in the late 1980’s, stocking 100,000 of the fish annually through 1992, and continuing to stock thousands of fish each year ever since. The Santee Cooper is a man made lake which was originally constructed to produce hydro electric power via dams and power generating stations. The Santee system has also become one of our nation’s premiere fishing destinations, fueling the local economy all the more. The lake is also pupulated by an invasive plant known as Fishing-Headquarters.com
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July / August, 2014
Photographs by David Graham
hydrilla. Hydrilla is a fast spreading invasive plant which can strangle out native plant species, but also can cause thousands of dollars in maintenance for the Santee’s dams as the plant matter passing through turbines and machinery accumulates and slows water flow. For the state this is money lost. Grass carp offer the most cost efficient method of eradicating the invasive plant without introducing harmful chemical. Left unchecked, hydrilla will inevitably result in a loss of native aquatic plants, fish kills, and degraded water quality. During its peak, hydrilla had
infested some 45,000 acres of the 156,000 acres of surface water on Lake Marion alone. As a result, hydrilla clogged marinas and fish camps which restricted boat access and general usage of the lake. Not without controversy however, many recreational anglers who specifically target the Santee systems abundant bass populations will argue that though the grass carp have effectively held back the unwanted hydrilla, they have also eaten native plants and depleated the natural ecosystem utilized by our native freshwater species. It should be noted that in the Santee system and most all other
lake and river systems in the United States, grass carp are introduced sterile and unable to reproduce. In the rare instances in which a fertile grass carp is introduced, it has been found that they most often fail to successfully adapt to their environment due to the strict elements of their successful reproduction. Baits and Techniques Painfully underrated, these behemoths grow massive and fight entirely too hard to go much more unnoticed than they already do. Fishing Headquarters | Page 44
GRASS CARP
Their enormous size, strength, and propensity to go airborn during battle should stimulate the mind of any angler seeking a first rate war. Grass carp can be encountered in most any environment with plentiful vegetation. There is little pattern or challenge to locating carp, as they most often graze in no particular order or direction much like cattle. Finding a grass carp is the easy part however. They have huge lateral lines and are especially weary fish. I have personally found grass carp to be among the most easily ‘spooked’ species I have ever pursued. To ‘sneak up’ on a grass carp is painfully difficult and I have found that in more natural environments (lakes and rivers) a single clank on the side of an aluminum boat will send massive carp scattering a hundred plus yards away. This is disruptive to any sort of pursuit of the carp themselves, Fishing-Headquarters.com
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but to my anguish I have had many a great day pursuing other species spoiled by areas heavily populated by the ever cautious grass carp. Because of their indirect and sporadic approach to feeding, I have found that fish attractants are probably the most convenient method to consolodating a group of grass carp to catch by artificial or natural baits fished in a ‘sit and wait’ method. Having recently become aquainted with members of the USCarpPro staff, especially ‘Paylake’ mastermind and CarpPro co-owner Keith Cisney, a crash course in prebaiting and pack bait methods has lead to a significant spike in my own success catching grass carp by rod and line. A typical and effective mix of prebait I have recently used with great success is a blend of the following ingredients: Canned corn, oats, rabbit feed or other cattle cubes/pellets,
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and bird feed. All ingredients are submerged over night in a cooler of water with scents added, usually some fruity blend of Rod Hutchinson flavors and Banana Nut Crunch liquid. The mix of ‘chum’ or prebait may be laid across an area I typically see especially populated by grass carp a day or two in advance, or in some cases early the same morning of the intended fishing trip. I will key in on shallow sandy bottom flats adjacent to weedy shore lines and iscolated ‘grass beds’. A sandy bottom is not necessary, but helps in the visual pursuit of the fish as their dark olive or brown bodies contrast well with the lighter colored bottom. I may lay down an entire cooler load of pre-bait before spending an hour or two in the general area pursuing other species while I wait on the surrounding grass carp to locate the
The grass carp rig used is some variation I picked up from my friends at Pineyside Lake, the primary paylake of CarpPro. It is similar to a carolina rig in which a barrel weight is fixed to the main line above a barrel swivel which one or two ‘snells’ are attached. I generally utilize two snells, one for a free hook, the other buried inside of a ball of ‘pack bait’. The pack bait concept is simple, serving almost as a small personal amount of prebait or attractant. It is designed such that it breaks down over a short period of time under the water, creating a small pile of food under or around the immediate area of the actual bait. The baits I have had great success with are nothing more than puffed corn. A simple and effective compound of packbait is a mix of three cylindars/containers of plain dried bread crumbs (like Panko), to two cans of cream style corn.
Photographs by David Graham Fishing Headquarters | Page 46
GRASS CARP easy meal. It has been my experience that grass carp usually move in loose pods or schools, and a single fish will generally make a ‘pass’ over or around the prebaited area several times before inevitably being accompanied by another, and another, and so forth. I prefer to a shallow area in which I can visually determine and confirm the exact moment the fish decide to stop over the prebaited area to feed for my own confirmation, and so that I can actually watch individual specimens move towards my baited hook. This makes for an especially exhilirating form of ‘sit and wait’ fishing. Once grass carp begin to actively feed over a prebaited area, they are scarcely frightened away for more than ten minutes, and because of this I may fish as close to 30 feet from the active feeders if properly concealed by some surrounding vegetation or structure. The actual rig used is some variation I picked up from my friends at Pineyside Lake, the primary paylake of CarpPro. It is similar to a carolina rig in which a barrel weight is fixed to the main line above a barrel swivel which one or two ‘snells’ are attached. I generally utilize two snells, one for a free hook, the other buried inside of a ball of ‘pack bait’. The pack bait concept is simple, serving almost as a small personal amount of prebait or attractant. It is designed such that it breaks down over a short period of time under the water, creating a small pile of food under or around the immediate area of the actual bait. The baits I have had great success with are nothing Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Photographs by David Graham
more than puffed corn. A simple and effective compound of packbait is a mix of three cylindars/containers of plain dried bread crumbs (like Panko), to two cans of cream style corn. I will poor these ingedients into a bucket or tub of some sort, and gently mix them together without squeezing packing or balling it up inside of the tub. I may also add flavors to the pack bait itsself. Or other ingedients like the birdseed, corn meal, soybean meal etc. Properly mixed, the pack bait can be balled around a baited hook firmly enough to stay on when casted, but loose enough to break down properly under the water. This method can be fished tight
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lined in deep water, or visually. In my most recent efforts to catch grass carp I have opted to cast these bait balls into waters no deeper than 3 feet, allowing me in most instances to actually see the ball break down and observe fish passing over and feeding on it. In years past I found that generic methods of catching carp with corn, bread, or cheap dough baits was hardly fruitful in the pursuit of grass carp. They are a particularly difficult fish to coax into a bite outside of the confines of some neighborhood pond or farm pond. Prebaiting an area seems to be a must. Grass carp can and have been captured with fly anglers using arti-
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GRASS CARP ficially tied flies mimmicking mulberries and grasses as well as mobile nymphs and other patterns mimmicking small aquatic life forms. This is a testiment to the fact that grass carp will, at times, feed opportunistically on small life forms. The challenges offered by grass carp in an angling capacity are plentiful and undeniable. Anglers seeking to challenge themselves should froth over the idea of a fish that can grow to triple digit weight, but keenly aware enough to spook at the vibration of their footsteps along the shoreline. They are a fish that has enormous power, but will feed on baits no bigger than a single kernel of corn. This unique member of the carp family may not be as prominent as its more ‘common’ cousin, but I am certain that anglers may find their worth goes far beyond their usefulness as a means to control blooms of unwanted vegetation.
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Photographs by David Graham
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Painfully underrated, these behemoths grow massive and fight entirely too hard to go much more unnoticed than they already do. Their enormous size, strength, and propensity to go airborn during battle should stimulate the mind of any angler seeking a first rate war. Grass carp can be encountered in most any environment with plentiful vegetation. There is little pattern or challenge to locating carp, as they most often graze in no particular order or direction much like cattle. Finding a grass carp is the easy part however.
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GRASS CARP
Boundless Pursuit A non-species specific approach to angling by David Graham.
David Graham is an extreme multi-species angler and featured columnist for Fishing-Headquarters Magazine. Follow his monster fish adventures by visiting his blog:
http://www.fishing-headquarters.com/boundlesspursuit/
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Photograph by Wesley Allsbrook Fishing Headquarters | Page 52
During the dog days of summer on many north country lakes, big smallmouth bass become creatures of the night. When nighttime calls, and most anglers are asleep, the fish go nocturnal and feed.
LATE NIGHT SHOW WITH SMALLMOUTH BASS Photograph by Andrew Ragas Fishing-Headquarters.com
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By Andrew Ragas
With Johnny Amato
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LATE NIGHT SHOW
Photograph by Andrew Ragas Fishing-Headquarters.com
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By: Andrew Ragas Editor In-Chief
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andrew@fishing-headquarters.com
Photograph by Johnny Amato
It’s the middle of summer. The daytime surface temperatures on my favorite natural lakes and flowages is hot. Water temperature is at its seasonal peak, sometimes warmer than bath water. Due to these conditions, daytime angling for the coolwater smallmouth bass is a struggle and often a kick in the butt. When dealt with the adversity of the dog days of summer, the best strategy I’ve learned is to sleep or work all day if needed, then launch the boat late and fish later. The dog days of summer triggers a late night feeding binge. Deep dwelling gamefish species retreat from their mid-lake open water locations and cool water sanctuaries, encroaching shoreline areas and littoral zones in search for prey. On the many natural lakes and flowages I fish, smallmouth bass undertake this short-distance movement to feast on the abundance of rusty crayfish and unsuspecting preyfish and insect hatches. During a nocturnal period when most anglers think smallmouth bass go dormant, loud surface topwaters and vibrationemitting hardbaits score gargantuan fish that are feeding heavily to retain their weights. The late night
show begins. The Late Night Show Beginning in mid July and lasting throughout August, a unique feeding window emerges on some of my favorite northern lakes. Lasting anywhere from four to six weeks, depending upon region and climates, I’ve observed more big bass feeding at night rather than daytime. Triggering this feed are consecutive warm, humid, windless nights with air temperatures warmer than 60 degrees. Moon phase and light levels can play a role also, though it’s a minor factor. During these prime conditions, the late night show
fishes best on lakes with rusty crayfish infestations as it’s an easy food source and crayfish themselves are most active at night. On the clear and dark water lakes of northern Wisconsin, trophy hunters are beginning to take notice of this nighttime feed. Like me, fellow smallmouth aficionado, Johnny Amato, theorizes that successful smallmouth angling at night greatly correlates with crayfish locations and their activity levels. Knowing that crayfish are actively feeding at night makes sense that smallmouth would, in turn, be feeding on them. Amato, 40, a guitarist and music teacher who predominantly trophy hunts the clear waters of Forest County, Wisconsin, has caught smallmouths at night up to 21 inches. “The night bite seems to begin slowly sometime during postspawn, and greatly picks up as the summer progresses. Late July into August is the peak season, and it’s usually effective until mid to late fall when water temperatures take their first plunge,” says Amato. The dog days are difficult for Fishing Headquarters | Page 58
LATE NIGHT SHOW
Photographs by Johnny Amato Fishing-Headquarters.com
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obvious reasons, and that’s often due to hot temperatures and lethargy. On the hot sunny days, if you are hot, the fish likely are too. “I’ve experienced many slow summer days where the fish turned on and fed ferociously as soon as the sun went down. Big, inactive smallmouth that are sitting on their deep rocks all day have to feed eventually, and during the nighttime hours they can be on the prowl much more comfortably without the sun beating down on them. They can also use stealth to sneak up on unsuspecting crayfish in the dark,” Amato explains.
Downed Wood
Late Night Locations Nighttime feeding locations will vary according to the prey species populating the lake. “It’s not so much as what smallmouths favor, but it’s more what the forage favors. They are going to go where the food is,” Amato affirms. “For instance, if all the crayfish in a lake were populated on one single sandy flat, smallmouth would follow them there. If it was a weedy mud flat, they would follow them there too. At night they are ultimately going to go where the food is.” On our northwoods lakes that are populated by them, rusty crayfish make up 60% to 80% of the smallmouth’s diet. There are so many present that fish can eat whenever they want. Because this after dark summer pattern is influenced by crayfish movements and location, shallow water environments in depths between 5 to 10 feet are the most ideal starting points. Usually, these shallow depths encompass luxurious crayfish cover such as laydowns and downed wood, fish cribs, gravel, and rocky shoals. “It’s these shoreline flats with habitat that are
Laydowns
Shoreline Flats & Extensions Fishing Headquarters | Page 60
LATE NIGHT SHOW the best night spots,” says Amato. He also adds, “A few of these flats extend out, quite far, into the main lake. Fish will roam the entire expanse of the flat at night, not just the shorelines.” Besides shorelines and their extensions, the pattern may work on shallow rock and boulder filled mid lake structures. On my lakes, however, they are usually a hit or miss. Amato, however, has enjoyed success on them. These mid lake structures have been so hot at night for him that by the time he concludes his outings he often fails getting over to his shoreline spots. “Whether fishing shoreline flats or mid-lake structures, you can be getting no bites at all, thinking fish aren’t present. Then all of a sudden a monster strikes. You might make that same cast 20 times and finally catch it on the 21st cast. That’s just how smallmouth can be. They tend to move around a little more at night. Coverage of feeding areas and some persistence pays off,” Amato reveals.
imitations receive the most cracks at fish. I start each night on habitatrich shorelines and main lake flats that are known crayfish and smallmouth feeding grounds. I meticulously cover these areas by power cranking, fan-casting with loud rattling crankbaits such as the Rapala Crankin Rap 05 and KVD Square Bill. As my most successful nighttime smallmouth lures to date, I have found these crankbaits to possess the loudest rattles and widest, most compact vibration. Both properties are critical to triggering strikes at
Ragas’s Power Fishing Picks
Rapala Crankin’ Rap 05
Late Night Techniques At a nocturnal period when most anglers think smallmouths go dormant, loud surface topwaters and vibration-emitting hardbaits score gargantuan bass that are feeding heavily. Although 50 miles of lakes and highways separate mine and Amato’s home lakes, we have independently settled on similar presentations to catch smallmouth. We both agree that vibration-rich crankbaits, noisy topwaters, and crayfish Fishing-Headquarters.com
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night. For my power cranking approach, I put the traditional flexy crankbait rod and low gear ratio reel aside and fish with 7 ft medium to medium-heavy Quantum Tour Edition casting rods paired with Quantum Catalyst and Tour Edition PT reels with 6.3:1 and 7.3:1 gear ratios. This power gear is spooled with 10 to 14 lb Cortland Endurance monofilament and Camouflage copolymer lines. Amato also does a lot of power cranking at dark, but often with lipless crankbaits such as the Bass Pro Shops XPS brand. “I simply
Strike King KVD Square Bill
Rapala Skitter Prop
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Rapala X-Rap Pop
Photograph by Andrew Ragas
fan-cast a shoreline area, from left to right, or vice versa. Keeping mental note of where any big logs or boulders might be during daytime, I’ll usually be casting within 25 yards from the shoreline, parallel to it.” With the lipless crank, Amato employs a slower retrieve with occasional twitches, keeping the bait within an inch off the bottom. His biggest bites of the night often come after a twitch. Because lakes fish differently and conditions don’t often repeat themselves on a nightly basis, it’s important to have a variety of baits ready. “Besides the lipless crankbait, I will often switch back and forth
between a tube jig, topwater, and shallow diving minnowbait. I usually have all four rigged and ready on my rods,” says Amato. “If one bait is getting most of the strikes, I will continue using it.” Topwaters and surface baits, longtime bass fishing staples at night, are popular for smallmouths. They are hard to beat when surface activity is prevalent, and insect hatches take place. When the hatch is on, insects land on the surface and get stuck, often getting eaten quickly. Some favorite walk-thedog baits I’ve enjoyed fishing with are the Rapala Skitter Walk and Zara Spook. Additionally, prop baits such as the Rapala Skitter Prop and
Amato’s Diverse Tricks
Rapala Floating Minnow
Bass Pro Shops XPS Rattle Shad
Heddon Zara Spook
Heddon Torpedo are great options. Lastly, poppers such as the Storm Chug Bug and the new Rapala XRap Pop are very effective also. For topwaters I use the same rods and reels as I do with my power cranking approach. For topwaters, Amato likes the Zara Spook or a floating Rapala and Rebel Minnow. With the Spook, Amato uses a 6 foot medium heavy spinning rod because “It’s easier for me to walk-the-dog while keeping the rod tip pointed downward.” Meanwhile with a floating minnowbait, he uses a 7ft medium fast action jigging rod. “With the rod tip pointing upward, I lightly shake the bait so it vibrates below the surface, and then pause it.” In the water, this resembles a dying dragonfly or minnow that can’t swim anymore. “It’s a very deadly technique,” he confesses. Besides fishing with noise and vibration, a jig bite can continue after dusk. When this develops, “Just keep throwing it,” Amato insists. Snags are an inconvenience after dark, but if he’s still getting consistent pick-ups with the Chompers Tube and Twintail, and Yum Craw Tube, Amato keeps jigging into the night. “Smallmouth have very good eyesight and they can see and sense the jig on the bottom well into the night,” says Amato. “I will usually switch off, making a few casts with each to see which gets hit first. The first strike often dictates what I will use for the remainder of the night. However, If I’m seeing a lot of fish feeding on the surface, I will throw the Zara Spook more.” Be The Night Owl
Chompers Ultra Pro Tube
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LATE NIGHT SHOW
Photograph by Johnny Amato Fishing-Headquarters.com
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When night fishing, we usually can’t see our surroundings and don’t have any visual targets other than what memory tells us and our fish locators and chart plotters display. Unless the fish are jumping nearby and ripples are seen under the moon lit sky, we are ultimately relegated to blindly casting to our suspected targets. Daytime scouting of your nighttime spots, whether it be through mental memorization or simple lake mapping, are at the forefronts to nighttime angling success. What’s nice about mine and Amato’s northwoods lakes is our night spots usually aren’t too far away from the dock. “Often times, on most lakes, there are plenty of great spots within a football field or two away from the launch. If something goes wrong, you don’t want to
be miles away,” says Amato. Scouting and special planning is important if you want to be as nocturnal as the hungry smallmouth bass are, says Amato. “Often when I’m moving from one spot to another, I’ll move close to shore to memorize its structure, which is the key for night fishing. I’ve been doing this for such a long time now that I feel I know my home lake and most of its shorelines very well.” Safety at night is also important. If it’s windy, Amato and I won’t bother to fish at night. Wind makes it more difficult to fish topwaters, and it impedes ideal boat control. “It’s harder to see, and harder to keep your line running in tune with your baits,” says Amato. The key to successful night fishing, answers Amato, “Is to make shorter casts. No need to bomb casts at night, that’s
just asking for trouble and possibly a shoreline accident with either you or the boat.” As a night owl requirement, we recommend taking all safety precautions before launching the boat at dusk. Always wear your life jacket or PFD, keep navigational lights running at all times, and only bring the necessary gear needed so that hook accidents don’t happen and excess gear doesn’t get damaged from boat clutter. During the dog days, you can wake up at dawn like everyone else and be off the lake by late morning. Or you can be the night owl who fishes late and stays later when the biggest fish in the lake are feeding on easy prey. The decision by now is an easy one. Be the hunter at night and catch (and release) that mid-summer trophy.
Photograph by Andrew Ragas Fishing Headquarters | Page 64
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In the Muskie world of late, the battle cry has been “Go big or go home,” and for sure, supersizing your baits (and the tackle needed to handle them) has, in my opinion, accounted for the deluge of supersized fish being caught in recent years. But like any tactic, it is not a one size fits all panacea. There are times and places where bigger isn’t better. There are times when downsizing can produce fish when nothing else can, even big fish too.
Interspecies Tactic
Bass T
By Joseph Alfe
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By: Joseph Alfe
Fishing-Headquarters Contributor
Too often though, to a hardcore muskie angler, downsizing means throwing something other than a magnum sized Medussa. In this article, I’m not talking about using smaller muskie offerings. I am inducing you to cross the species barrier, and to consider using bass baits, techniques, and tackle to entice muskies when the going gets tough. There is a saying on my home water of the Illinois Fox Chain, and
that is “If you want to catch big bass, go muskie fishing, and if you want to catch muskies, go bass fishing.” The next time you are struggling on the water, consider stopping and talking with the guys in the bass boat. Ask them if they have had any bite offs, follows, or missed fish. You may not only be surprised to hear how much action they have been getting, but on what baits they have been getting the action on. I have gotten muskies on everything
cs and Techniques
Tactics for Muskie
from stick baits to buzzbaits, but a few baits stand out as consistent producers. Baits Last year, and so far this year, with a few exceptions, my biggest muskies have fallen to bass sized offerings. Here is a collection of baits that I always carry with me in my “muskie panic box,” and they have saved the day for me numerous times: Jigs. Muskies love jigs. We have all heard the stories of monster muskies caught by Walleye guys. I saw it myself while competing in the 2006 PMTT championship, held on my home waters of the Fox Chain in November of that year. Conditions were tough; a fatal combination of bluebird postfrontal conditions and chocolate milk stained water. On day two, winners Kirk Allen and Brad Swenson, from
Photograph by Joseph Alfe
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INTERSPECIES TECHNIQUES
In June 2014, at the Youth Conservation Alliance event on Big Round Lake in Hayward, Wisconsin, Alfe’s interspecies tactics helped 10 year old Olivia Swenson catch this 46” muskie while flipping docks. Minnesota, noticed deep marks in 25 foot depths that would not respond to traditional baits. Down went a rubber skirted jig with and plastic trailer, and three fish later they were cashing a check. Especially early in the year, swimming a bass sized jig can tempt lethargic fish. Just this year, at the Youth Conservation Alliance youth event
on Big Round Lake in Hayward, Wisconsin, I put 10 year old Olivia Swenson on a brute of a 46” muskie flipping docks for smallies with a 3/8 Oz. Legio Fulgor jig and craw trailer. Tap tap. Bang! Slashbaits. Muskies looove slashbaits. We know this, because we all have them in our arsenal. Magnum sized Grandmas, Jakes,
Legio Fulgor Jig
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Cranes, Custom X’s and such, but do not overlook the smaller cousins of these legendary producers. Favorites of mine are the venerable Rapala Husky Jerk and X-rap. In spring, one of these is always tied on. Muskies just can’t resist an erratic, suspending slashbait. Rip. Rip. Pause...Wham! X-Raps in particular have saved many an outing for me. Case in point was a bluebird bright September morning and several hours of no follows. I finally put the muskie rod down and picked the spinning rod loaded with an XRap and headed to a nearby gravel bar, one which we had just finished throwing several styles of muskie baits at. Two casts later, I was unhooking a beautiful 42” Tiger that could not resist the seductive slash bait, our only fish that day. Think
Photographs by Joseph Alfe
big fish ignore small slashbaits? Consider that Ken O’Brien’s 65 pound Georgian Bay behemoth ate a Rapala in 1989. Tennessee guide Cory Allen recently lost a giant, a possible 50 pound class fish on… wait for it…an X-Rap. Chris Taurisano of T-Bone guide service keeps his clients happy by throwing smaller baits such as Rapala Husky jerks and other small baits year round. Last year, he guided a client to a 49.75” Fox Chain brute on a bass sized in-line spinner. Vibrating Jigs. Not the ridiculous big ones, I’m talking bass sized, up to ½ Oz. Bass crush them with abandon. Pike annihilate them, and muskies? Muskies hate them so much they just simply pound them. So simple, a child can use them. Cast out, reel in. Last year, I had my 11 year old daughter Makayla out with me. Makayla is an ac-
complished muskie angler, but this morning, she was content to let me to all the work. The morning was unproductive, with no fish seen. After daybreak, it grew dead calm and sunny, and I was ready to pack it in. I picked up the spinning rod that had a Molix Lover tied on, hoping to at least catch the White Bass that were surfacing all around. A few
casts later, the Lover stopped dead in it’s tracks, halted by a fat 43” fish. 20 minutes later, Makayla was netting a stout 45” fish for me, another victim of the Lover. I like the Molix Lover and the Nu-Tech versions of the Chatterbait because they both employ stout, sharp hooks, and have crazy, vibrating actions. Rapala X-Rap
Nu-Tech Chatterbait
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INTERSPECIES TECHNIQUES From his 2013 season to now, plus or minus with a few exceptions, Alfe’s largest muskies have fallen to the bass sized offerings illustrated in this article.
Photograph by Joseph Alfe Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Wakebaits and Squarebills. This is my secret weapon. Fat bodied, bass sized crankbaits and wakebaits are simply irresistible for muskie. If faced with a flat calm morning or evening, and fish are up shallow, I reach for a fat wakebait. My favorites are Rapala’s DT Fat 1, and Koppers jointed Live Target Bluegill. I dress the rear hook with Chaos Tackle Killr Tails to create a bit of bulk and additional action. A slowly moving, subtle action on the retrieve frequently produces a bulging wake behind the bait as a muskie closes in for the kill. On rocks, sand and gravel bars, or areas of brush and timber, fat bodied squarebill crank bait such as a Strike King’s KVD 2.5 bounced off of cover is a deadly presentation for Muskies.
Rapala DT Fat 1
Strike King KVD 2.5
Tackle This is important. I know that in writing this, I will probably incur the wrath of the “Muskie Police” you know, that cadre of self appointed, internet based Muskie anglers that jump all over anyone not taking every possible effort to not hurt the fish! Please. I know I will hear the argument that, by golly, you Communist, light tackle will overly strain the delicate and rare muskie, and you will kill fish! You murderer! Relax. First of all, today’s bass tackle is pretty stout, and big rods and 100# test line is not in play for handling the fish, but rather the giant lures we throw. Moreover, when hooked on your 8’6” pool cue rod and whale sized terminal tackle; muskies react entirely different than they do when hooked on lighter gear. If you can’t handle a muskie, even a big one, on light gear and get it in relatively quickly and with control, you may need to consider additional education. The nice guys at Musky
Hunter Magazine or In-Fisherman and even Fishing-Headquarters Online Magazine can point you in the right direction. When throwing jigs or wake baits, I use an Airrus 7’3” Flipping rod, in extra heavy, extra fast power and action. This is more than adequate to land even the biggest muskies. When throwing slashbaits and chatterbaits, I prefer spinning rods, and my Airrus 7’2” Medium Heavy, Fast action rod will quickly whip a muskie into submission. On the flipping stick, 50# Sunline FX2 braid gets the nod, and on the spinning rod, I favor 15# FX2. As always, leaders are important, but most guys use way too heavy leader and snap, which kills lure action. I like Spro 25# Titanium leaders, or I make my own from multi braid, flexible tie able nickel titanium wire from Knot-2-Kinky. These light wire leaders are more than adequate for muskie, and won’t kill the action of the bait.
I am by no means, suggesting that you give up big baits and heavy tackle. For certain, they are the way to go to entice big fish 90% of the time. But, when the weather turns bright, or cold, or both, and you struggle to even get a follow, consider breaking out the panic box of bass sized baits and gear. Feeling the “tic tic” of a muskie picking up a jig will tune you into that “not quite right” feeling that translates to a muskie picking up your Medussa. Learning how to delay your lightning quick strike to allow the muskie to eat that wakebait will translate into more hooked fish the next time you fish a Top Raider. Learning how to finesse muskies will make you a better muskie fisherman, and put more fish in your boat. Especially on days that you thought you never had a chance. Fishing Headquarters | Page 72
INTERSPECIES TECHNIQUES Alfe is by no means suggesting that anglers give up big baits and heavy tackle. For certain, they are the way to go to entice big fish 90% of the time. But, when the weather turns bright, or cold, or both, and you struggle to even get a follow, consider breaking out the panic box of bass sized baits and gear. Learning how to finesse muskies will make you a better muskie fisherman, and put more fish in your boat. Especially on days that you thought you never had a chance.
Photograph by Joseph Alfe Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Joseph Alfe, a resident of Northern Illinois, has spent his whole life in pursuit of angling and outdoors knowledge. As a Pro Staffer and brand rep for various industry and outdoors companies, he promotes and shares products that he believes in and that can make you a better fisherman and outdoorsman. For him, it’s all about education. Knowledge is great but you have to be able to get it across in a way that people can understand and be entertained by. Joe’s true passion is bringing relevant and fresh fishing industry news and techniques to his readers through his promotional website, www.anglerZconnection.com Fishing Headquarters | Page 74
MUSKY FORAG
and Lu
By Adam M. Glickman
Photograph by Adam M. Glickman Fishing-Headquarters.com
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GE SPECIFICITY
ure Choice
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MUSKY FORAGE
Photograph by Adam M. Glickman Fishing-Headquarters.com
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By: Adam M. Glickman
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Fishing-Headquarters Contributor Photograph by Nate Tessler
Often, I have wondered just how forage specific muskies actually get. Muskies, like any predator, are certainly opportunistic, but it would be foolish for the angler looking to maximize results not to attempt to tune in to specific forage tendencies that arise throughout the year. Trout fishermen have successfully used this notion for decades if not centuries, “matching the hatch” and what not. Certainly any musky angler who has been in the sport for a while has noticed occasions where one angler using one lure has got all the action when one or two other anglers in the same boat come up with squat until they switch to the same or at least a similar lure. Are these instances about “matching the hatch” or are they just the occurrence of a certain lure’s characteristics matching up with the muskies’ mood of a particular day. I can’t say for sure. Most times in musky fishing there are too many variables and too little success to come to any real conclusions. Solid theories and best educated guesses are about as good as it gets in my opinion. What follows in this article will be things that I have observed in my fishing, various food chain observations, but mostly muskies relating to certain forage and presentational choices that I am pretty sure have made a difference. Fishing Headquarters | Page 80
MUSKY FORAGE
FROGS In years long past, I used to throw a lot of rubber frogs for various species (often I wonder why I don’t so much anymore). During that period in my fishing history, I noticed at certain times during the year muskies would absolutely be tearing after my frogs and at other times they wouldn’t even give them a look. Years later and a little frog migration knowledge wiser, I realize that leopard and other large frogs hibernate off shore in the soft bottoms of lakes in about 10’ of water. In spring when temperatures in shoreline bog and marsh areas are conducive, droves of frogs move through shallow gamefish “strike zones”. In early fall just before these areas become too cold again, they migrate back through the same areas again to their wintering areas. It was at these times that the muskFishing-Headquarters.com
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ies (and greater concentrations of everything else) were destroying my hollow rubber offerings. The answer to why is obviously simple. All the gamefish, muskies included, are in tune to specific smorgasbords of nutritious tasty animals. In this case my presentation was a dead on match worked directly through the
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killing fields of a veritable frenzy. All predatory fish, from muskies down to minnows, have an uncanny ability to show up at the right times, work an opportunity until it is done, and move on to the next thing quickly and seamlessly. The survival process of an animal in the wild is an amazing thing.
FIRE TIGER Over the past several years I have been extensively targeting river muskies during spring when muskies concentrate heavily below dams and other natural migratory obstructions. Fishing for numerous muskies concentrated in a small area has allowed me to experiment some to see if color really makes a difference. Of course, I have not been able to fix all of the variables, but I have learned a lot. In years past, even though I did have my favorite colors, I took the stance that lure color made little if any difference. However, fishing concentrated muskies has changed my mind. Crappie fishermen, for instance, can often quickly tell if one color of the same type of jig is taking more strikes than another simply because they are often targeting such a high volume of fish. When targeting concentrations of spawn and prespawn muskies, I have noticed that they really respond well to a fire tiger pattern. It is possible that they are aggressive at this time and that all the bright colors within a fire tiger pattern trigger aggression strikes better than other patterns. I can’t be certain, but what I can be sure of is that on more than one occasion I have caught a dozen muskies or so on a fire tiger Manta Hang 10 in a few hours. In between strikes, I switched to different patterns in the Hang Ten and couldn’t take a sniff. These experiences were as uncanny as they were eye opening and educational. Needless to say, I now realize that color can make a huge difference. I don’t think most cases are quite as extreme, but I always heavily consider the color of the lure I am throwing. I certainly give color more consideration than I used to when selecting lures I bring.
Photograph by Adam M. Glickman Fishing Headquarters | Page 82
T HUES K M L AY KFEO GR A M GE
Photograph by Andrew Ragas
BLUEGILLS I don’t get out fishing with my dad as much as I used to or would like to. Typically when we get out these days we try to catch a meal of panfish, walleye, or catfish. Back in my early 20’s though, I couldn’t wrap my brain around fishing for anything but muskies. So when my dad and I fished together he would soak bait for whatever was biting while I threw for muskies. On one such outing, we were fishing a clear water chain of lakes in northern WI. It was late summer and we were targeting weeds in 20-25’. Dad was catching a lot of bluegills and some of the deeply hooked smaller fish were not making it back to the depths on the release. There was getting to be quite a few struggling on the surface. Some would dive down a bit on occasion and float back up. I was looking for follows Fishing-Headquarters.com
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behind my lure when I noticed a nice musky about 8’ down eyeballing the slick of doomed bluegills. I did a deep figure 8 as close to the fish as I could get and promptly spooked it back to the depths. I quickly made the best live bait rig I could, grabbed a big lightly hooked bluegill from my dad, rigged it up, and lowered it till it was out of sight and just above the deep weeds. It took a minute for the bluegill to get eaten, and I caught a 44” musky. An hour later doing the same I caught another 40”. The next spring on the same water, I learned that I could pull a few brightly colored males off of their nests and use them to catch muskies lurking shallow weed edges just outside of large spawning colonies. I found that the presentation worked best when the sunfish were the most tightly concentrated
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such as the spawn or during late summer when they suspended over deep sand grass in tight schools. Some days artificial lures would takes strikes when worked in conjunction, but often all was ignored except the rigged panfish. Blugills were not the only game in town for the muskies; as yellow perch, walleye, small pike, and white suckers were abundant. It just seemed that at times the sheer numbers and concentration of the bluegills was too much to pass up.
CISCOES Concentrations of forge really seem to be a reoccurring theme, frogs and bluegills are two examples already mentioned, ciscoes are another. When ciscoes spawn
just before freeze up on clean sand and gravel breaklines of main lake points, reefs, and islands; just about every musky in the lake relates to a dense school of these nutritious pelagic fish. Muskies push them into the sides of steep breaklines in order to snap them up more effectively and presentations fished close to these natural barriers often get snapped up as well sooner or later. Matching the hatch can work, but something that stands out amongst the frenzy also has its merits. A big white sucker rigged and hung in the zone often gets pounded. In this case, it seems like being in the right predation zone trumps closely matching the fish that drew the muskies in in the first place.
Photograph by Andrew Ragas
This HDS screenshot depics the thickness of cisco schools during their November spawn. Livebait sucker rig is being deployed into the school.
GIZZARD SHAD Another highly nutritious pelagic fish that muskies love are gizzard shad. The gizzard shad only exists in a few waters in WI and MN, but it is often a primary forage in the reservoirs of IA, IL, and IN. Large adult gizzard shad (10-13� long) spawn when the water is 65 F, which usually occurs sometime during May in these states. The shad can often be seen splashing around in rocks and gravel on mainlake points, islands, and jetties. Often, they are in so shallow that their sides are literally touching the shore. When this aggressive spawning activity is found, muskies are seldom far behind, and excellent action can be experienced. A key trigger for presenting lures in this scenario is getting the lure as close to shore as possible so it best mimics the frantic nature of the spawning forage.
Steve Peterson with a November muskie caught from a cisco based lake. Photograph by Bob Peterson Fishing Headquarters | Page 84
MUSKY FORAGE
Adam’s Honest Musky Adam Glickman, 33, has musky fished since 12. Born and raised in Northern WI, but currently residing west of Minneapolis MN, he fishes heavily throughout the musky range and travels the country in search of quality fisheries whenever he can. Adam is a field editor with MUSKIE Magazine, and has put hundreds of muskies in the bottom of the net. Visit Adam’s website dedicated to musky fishing information, education, and multimedia at:
http://www.honestmusky.com
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LIVE BAIT AND PRESSURED MUSKIES
dad and I each caught the same fish doing this. He caught her in 2011 when she was 51 ¼”. I caught her in 2012 at 51 ¾”. Heavy jaw scarring gave her identity away. We did not cause this scarring. She had I moved to a small community been caught at least once or twice west of Minneapolis in 2006. The before my dad caught her, and had local metro area musky waters are been sadly mishandled. We caught excellent resources. They are full of her in November each time from the fast growing muskies and the catch same general area. and release ethic is very strong so muskies get very big. They are also heavily pressured though, and most EXPERIENCE IN big fish have been caught at least THE FIELD once or twice and are very tough to trigger a strike from. Often, during fall it comes down to the scenario The process of understanding forthat artificial lures of any type are age and lure preferences of muskies often very low percentage, while is a continual process. Practice will carefully presenting large live white never make perfect, but improvesuckers can be gangbusters. Work- ment will constantly occur with ing these natural presentations of- experience. Paying close attention ten 20-40 yards from the boats is to everything that can be observed enough to overcome the weariness within the aquatic environment and of these beasts when literally noth- especially the way muskies respond ing else is working. It’s very spe- to lures and other fish is about all cific, but it works and some muskies one can do. Time on the water is the just don’t seem to get wise to it. My only way to improve.
Photographs by Adam M. Glickman Photograph by Chris Willen Fishing Headquarters | Page 86
If there’s something that unnerves me more than anglers who follow reports and hot tips to their next fishing destination, I have yet to find it. It’s not so much that I fault people for wanting to pursue muskies successfully, sometimes in some of the only days a year they get to, it’s more the psychology behind it. Treading the steps of others not only degrades the angling experience as a whole, but will most undoubtedly result in a very lackluster triptych at the end of the journey.
Musky Water Monogamy
THE DANGERS OF
CHAS Photographs by Cory Allen
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SING TAIL
By Cory Allen
Cory Allen, with 50.5� Melton Hill, Tennessee Muskie caught while trolling with the Chad Shad.
Fishing FishingHeadquarters Headquarters | | Page Page90 90
CHASING TAIL
By: Cory Allen
Fishing-Headquarters Contributor
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There is no shame in expounding upon the knowledge set by those forefathers of fishing, but all too often I see how the common angling mind works: Read a report, see fish are “biting”, see what fish are “biting on”, and then follow like a horse on a treadmill with a carrot hanging in front of it. People think they’re getting somewhere, even if they do eventually get the carrot, but what progress has been made? I have a different approach in my methodology. For instance, waters are like women. Each on characteristic, with subtle complexities and nuance to be studied, explored and appreciated. Some are more idiosyncratic than others; some are pretty dumb and Fishing-Headquarters.com
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“easy” (I don’t call St. Clair “The Brothel” for no reason). Anyone can walk into a house of ill repute and walk out with a smile. It’s those that would actually get a smile out of such thrills that I find ultimately destructive to the sport of musky fishing. This constant following the leader of the few figureheads leaves the masses often in states of Thorazine comatose states, drool dripping as they like the gruel from the spoons shoved down their throats, instead of waking up and thinking for themselves.
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Let me tell you a story. It’s a bit self indulgent but illustrates my point. It wasn’t but a few months matrimonial implosion caused me to consider a very sudden life change, a change of scenery. I had my choices, with each one of them considering the presence of musky. I had guided and fished Rock Island Tennessee for several years, and while puzzles still remain to be solved, I knew from my experience that my palate was left in wanting for finer fair. In Tennessee, just down the road about an hour, there was a lake virtually
53� Melton Hill musky caught by Regional Biologist for the TWRA, Jim Negus, while fishing with Cory Allen. According to Negus, this specimen is the largest length recorded in Tennessee muskie fishing history. Caught in winter or early spring, it’s a no-doubter new state record!
Photographs by Cory Allen Fishing Headquarters | Page 92
CHASING TAIL
Photograph by Jacob Priegel
untapped in its wealth of “off-shore” structure, and analytically left bereft of study. I knew there were big fish in there, I had studied its capabilities from afar for quite some time, and knew that there was more to this reservoir than met the eye. I took a risk, going into a relationship nearly like a blind date that I was moving in with off nothing more than her online profile. But the curves on a topographic contour map don’t lie; and Melton Hill truly was 36-24-36 musky water. I knew going into this it was a lifetime commitment, but one that would bear fruits perpetually and beyond my imagination. Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Here we are 13 months later. With limited resources and time, I have 14 muskies over 50 inches in my boat, with nearly that many alluding capture. But the best part about it is they were all but a couple caught from areas that were off the beaten path, uncharted areas. There are fewer things more treasured to an old school spoonplugger than the delight of being a modern day cartographer, and plotting the lairs of dragons on the parchment. Did I choose my battlefield based on knowing where all the mines were? No. I mainly chose it for the challenge. That challenge has made
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me an angler now that can take the characteristics of this virago, look at another lake, immediately recognize the subtle similarities and know exactly how she likes to be touched. The building of angling muscle lies in the exercise of the mind. As the late great Arnold Jacobs taught in his revolutionary studies on musicianship and the physical aspects concerning, everything we do is rooted in the mind’s perception of what it is, not so much in what it’s static reality may be. The human mind and body are enormously complex machines designed for simple use, and that transfers over
Jacob Priegel, associate partner of the Tennessee Valley Muskie Authority, is all smiles and with a thumbs up with his 51 incher, boated over Memorial Day Weekend.
Photograph by Cory Allen Fishing Headquarters | Page 94
CHASING TAIL The TVMA is accepting guide trip bookings throughout the 2014 season. They are licensed and insured, and knowledgeable in every facet of the game. You can find their information on the web and Facebook, and they look forward to spending a memorable day on the water with you.
to any study, angling included. If you spend your entire angling career following the paths threaded by others, all you’re doing is interacting with nature on a “takea-number” level. You’ve pioneered nothing in your own perception. You haven’t learned, only duplicated very simplistic commands. Basically you’re copying other people’s homework instead of learning the formulas yourself. Of course, me being who I am, what article is complete without mention of the pioneer of the art of aquatic interaction, Buck Perry. His studies in “Spoonplugging,” once Fishing-Headquarters.com
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they are comprehended will literally illuminate the text of any information you obtain through angling whether it be personally or vicariously. In other words, take it back to formula. Don’t wait for someone else to show you how and what to do. As Buck was famous for quoting, “You should’ve been here last week is too late.” Success in angling lies in the analysis of the moment, creatively consuming conditions and not limiting one’s self to the dogma of species specific tactics. Don’t just fish to catch fish, go fishing to learn, expound, create your own theories, hypotheses, test them
July / August, 2014
and then determine your course of action by the outcome. We are all biologists and scientists whether we realize it or not, and every time we wet a line we are introducing variables to an environment and creating stimulus both negative and positive. Once you grasp this, you are well on your way to becoming the entirely unique and specialized angler you were born to be, assimilating knowledge from all around you and grafting it into your own unique style. Don’t pick a water for its ease, pick your waters for the challenge. You don’t pack on muscle by lifting 20 ounce coke bottles.
Photographs by Cory Allen
Steel is forged and made malleable in fire. Yet, in this passion, there is still yet an intimacy we gain with nature, something primordial and dating back to time immemorial that brings us back to the water’s edge. It is our Lewis Carroll “looking glass” and more often than not staring into the abyss, it will stare right back at you. When this reality becomes fluid with understanding, you’ll begin to see this is not a battlefield after all, but a dance floor. Let the fish tell you the steps. Don’t try to dictate, and when you synchronize with the rhythm set by nature then it won’t matter what water you fish, for what species, or at what time. You’ll never be lost for long.
Fishing Headquarters | Page 96
CHASING TAIL We are all biologists and scientists whether we realize it or not, and every time we wet a line we are introducing variables to an environment and creating stimulus both negative and positive. Once you grasp this, you are well on your way to becoming the entirely unique and specialized angler you were born to be, assimilating knowledge from all around you and grafting it into your own unique style. Don’t pick a water for its ease, pick your waters for the challenge.
Photographs by Cory Allen Fishing-Headquarters.com
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CHASING TAIL
Cory Allen, 28, of Oak Ridge, Tennessee is the founder and lead guide of Tennessee Valley Muskie Authority - the most comprehensive fishing resource and guide team in Tennessee. Cory’s specialty is casting and trolling for muskellunge on the reservoirs and river systems of the south. Allen’s team of guides fish the waters throughout Tennessee, guiding on a year-round basis, and offer their clients a wide variety of boat and wading trips. Book your 2014 summer and 2015 winter fishing adventure by visiting:
http://www.tennesseevalleymuskieauthority.com
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Photographs by Cory Allen Fishing Headquarters | Page 100
Photographs byAndrew Andrew Ragas Ragas Photograph by
Photograph by David Graham
TACKLE TECHN SUMMER 2014 DOES YOUR COMPANY OR BRAND HAVE PRODUCTS FOR US TO USE AND TALK ABOUT? SEND YOUR INQUIRIES TO INFO@FISHING-HEADQUARTERS.COM
GNUGEN Lures Live Minnow By Andrew Ragas The perfect bait for vertical jigging and finessing smallmouth bass and walleyes. The GNUGEN Live Minnow’s slender body, twin tail, and colors will drive fish into a feeding frenzy when you place the lure in its strike zone. These minnows come in preferred single or two-tone colors, in select patterns. The Pro Team Live Minnow is best used with traditional drop shot, Carolina rig, hooked on with our Pro Team Spinners, or better yet, with a stand-up drop shot variation for an irresistible action. Available in the 4” length and sold in 10-pack resealable bags. Pro Team plastics are unscented so anglers are free to add their own favourite fish attractants. $5-10 gnugen.com
Llungen Lures Nutbuster Jr. By Andrew Ragas The newest addition to the Llungen line, the Nutbuster Jr. is a smaller version of their heavier Tandem Nutbuster. The Jr. weighs a slightly over 1 ounce and is the perfect bait for anyone looking to target muskies and pike in weeds, and big largemouth bass. Built with the same quality and components anglers expect from from Llungen, this downsized spinnerbait catches fish from the thickest of vegetation and heavy cover. Perfect for late holding big fish. The Jr’s come stock with a Kalin’s Mogambo grub to add to the appeal and profile of the bait. Replacment grubs are availble also. From $14.99 llungenlures.com Fishing-Headquarters.com
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NICIANS
Gear recommendations, reviews, insights and news (mostly new) from contributors & friends of Fishing-Headquarters.
ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR BRAND’S PRODUCTS! STORMR UV Shirt By Joseph Alfe
Many UV clothing options look generic or obnoxious, but the Stormr has a clean, athletic look to it. Constructed of a micro fiber material, the shirts are very airy and comfortable to wear. They are generously cut so as not to restrict movement, but they are still trim looking. Seams and printed logos are of high quality. The Stormr UV shirts are available in long or short sleeve, and in both men’s and women’s versions. Since then, I usually opt for the long sleeves to maximize sun protection, and in conjunction with a good UV hat like the Stormr and a UV neck buff, one can fish safely and comfortably on even the hottest days. As a bonus, the Stormr UV shirt makes an excellent underlayer when it’s cold, increasing its usability. Good looks, quality construction, comfortable UV protection. And affordable too. $39.95 stormrusa.com
Read full review at fishing-headquarters.com
THKO Wake Bait By Tyler Uteg If you read one of my other reviews, you should know that I’m a huge fan of the custom painted baits coming out of TH Kustoms The owner, Trey Harpel, does some amazing paint jobs on a variety of quality hard bait blanks. In recent months, Trey has outdone himself and created a wake bait that flat out catches fish. It’s built with an Omega Custom Tackle jig skirt on the back, and it’s already put in some solid work on Kentucky Lake, as well as some other well-known fisheries. I finally had an opportunity to throw it last week and my second cast netted me a 21” walleye. While that wasn’t what I was after, it’s been known to catch some monster smallmouth and largemouth as well. If you’re in the market for a great Summer wake bait that the fish haven’t seen, and can be painted to your specifications, drop Trey a line and get ready for some exciting results. From $16-20 threeltuningandcleaning.com Fishing Headquarters | Page 104
TACKLE TECHN SUMMER 2014 DOES YOUR COMPANY OR BRAND HAVE PRODUCTS FOR US TO USE AND TALK ABOUT? SEND YOUR INQUIRIES TO INFO@FISHING-HEADQUARTERS.COM
Trigger Happy Comfort Grips By Tyler Uteg Loren Jenkins, of Trigger Happy Comfort Grips, just came out with a new and improved product for those suffering from Tendonitis, or general finger pain from the hard trigger grips on their fishing rods. Previously models occasionally fell of the trigger grip, but not anymore. The improved grip now features a circular band that goes around the rod behind the trigger. In and of itself, it’s a massive improvement, not to mention that the new ribbed version goes a long way to help absorb shock and reduce finger fatigue. As far as this angler is concerned, I think this is one of the greatest products to come out this year, and if you suffer from any hand pain while fishing you should definitely give this product a try. It’s available at Tackle Warehouse, or directly from From $6.99 to $7.99 triggerhappycomfortgrips.com
Kalin’s Crappie Scrub By Andrew Ragas Made popular on John Gillespie’s Wisconsin’s Waters and Woods television program, the Kalin’s Crappie Scrub catches crappies silly. Fish it like our good buddy Rob Manthei does, by itself on a jig, or beneath a slip float. You will catch fish as effectively as our friends on television do! The 1.75” Kalin’s Crappie Scrub comes in your favorite Triple Threat color and you will love the tantalizing action from the double paddletail Crappie Scrub. Rig it on your favorite panfish jig and the Crappie Scrub will do all the work for you. Available in packages of 10 or 100 From $2.89 unclejosh.com
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NICIANS
Gear recommendations, reviews, insights and news (mostly new) from contributors & friends of Fishing-Headquarters.
ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR BRAND’S PRODUCTS! Dave’s Tangle Free Steel Weights By The Bassassins We have had the pleasure of using Dave’s Tangle Free for the past two years now. Their constantly rotating swivel and slippery plastic coating allow these weights to ricochet off its surrounds. When the weight does get hung up a quick tug in one direction or the other will spin the weight allowing your bait to stay in the strike zone - ultimately allowing you to catch more fish and spend less time retying. Dave offers a wide range of sizes and styles which ensures you have no reason not to make this your go to weight when on the water. These weights have saved us both time and money for that alone we will always be Tangle Free. Happy Dropping!!! From $4.49 to $6.49 davestanglefree.com
Dynamic Lures Travado By Andrew Ragas The Dynamic Lures Travado short lip suspending jerkbait is great for shallow presentations and fish holding off breaklines. Where it excels best is for early season smallmouth bass when water temperatures are steady at 45 to 55 degrees and fish haven’t moved up shallow yet. It comes in ten color styles, and is available in 4 inch lengths, and weighs 3/8 oz. Use this lure as a search bait to find where those schools of fish are located. The Travado can be cast or trolled with great success. With great suspending action the TraVado is a great choice to use when targeting smallmouth bass, but can also be used effectively for walleyes, northern pike, trout, and salmon. FHQ’s favorite color for big smallmouths is the ghost fish (pictured). $8.95 dynamiclures.com Fishing Headquarters | Page 106
TACKLE TECHN SUMMER 2014 DOES YOUR COMPANY OR BRAND HAVE PRODUCTS FOR US TO USE AND TALK ABOUT? SEND YOUR INQUIRIES TO INFO@FISHING-HEADQUARTERS.COM
Dynamic Lures J-Spec By Andrew Ragas The Dynamic Lures J-Spec is the Ultimate 3 inch jerkbait. Available in 8 color styles and at 5/16 oz., this stunning lure is the prime example of innovation. Professionally designed with an action and feel that has been tested and proven time and time again. Its unique size and shape produce an erratic action that triggers aggressive bites. With great suspending action the J-Spec is a great choice to use when targeting smallmouth bass, but can also be used effectively for walleyes, northern pike, trout, and salmon. FHQ’s favorite color for big smallmouths is the ghost fish. $7.95 dynamiclures.com CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO
NICIANS
Gear recommendations, reviews, insights and news (mostly new) from contributors & friends of Fishing-Headquarters.
ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR BRAND’S PRODUCTS! Quantum Iron 300PT Baitcasting Reels By Andrew Ragas We’ve been going big and strong for our musky fishing in 2014 with the new Quantum Iron PT. A big reel for a big job, the Iron PT reels feature massive line capacity on a lightweight aluminum frame, Quantum’s famous ACS adjustable centrifugal cast control, and a multi-layer SaltGuard corrosion protection. Available in four models, with varying 31 and 34 inches per turn, 24lbs of drag, and 12 ounces weight, the Iron PT is suitable for most musky applications with our favorites being topwaters, glidebaits, jerkbaits, pull baits, and bucktails with size 9 blades and less. On any musky rod, the Iron is perfect to fish baits weighing under 6 ounces. $199.99 quantumfishing.com
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Photographs byAndrew Andrew Ragas Ragas Photograph by
Photograph by David Graham
THE FINAL WORD.
We’re not desperate, although acquiring real day jobs involving catching fish for a living would be nice. We just want to earn some benefits from our hours invested in promoting our sport and its related businesses. Our objective is to then reward our designers and contributors for their damn good work at six times per year. We want to compensate our contributors by offering them your gear and products, and promotional fishing trips for future showcasing and articles. All for your advertisement. Half a million website visits per year / 10,000+ individual E-Mag readers. Help us so that we can help YOU.
Haven’t made up your mind yet? www.fishing-headquarters.com/media-kit/ Please contact us at:
andrew@fishing-headquarters.com
Fishing-Headquarters.com
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July / August, 2014
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By: Robert Conley
Fishing-Headquarters Contributor
Photograph by Rob Wendel
September, October & November, 2014
FALL ISSUE Expected Release Date: September 8, 2014.
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Photograph by Bob Peterson