O
UTDOOR CONNECTION
SECTION C MARCH 1, 2014 ESTHERVILLE NEWS
STORIES, ADVICE AND INFORMATION FOR OUTDOOR LOVERS
ESCAPE to Florida
Walking the beaches and learning a little history BY STEVE WEISMAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
L
ittle did I realize when I booked flights for my wife and myself last Aug. 25 just how ready we would be to “escape” to Florida when Sunday, Jan. 26 finally arrived. However, as often happens when we travel, there were some tiny glitches along the way that could have turned into major situations. With Alberta clippers rolling through every couple of days, it was kind of like playing a little Russian roulette to pick the right day to be able to fly out of Minneapolis. We were set to depart at 6:30 a.m., so we had to stay the night before in Minneapolis. Friday had been windy and roads not so good, so we were glad that Saturday, even though cold, was a good driving day. That night 3-4 inches of snow fell, but the winds remained down. We knew there was a narrow window to get out with another blizzard expected to hit by early afternoon. Luckily, I had printed off our boarding passes and checked in our bags the day before. That meant only having to drop off the baggage and move on to security. Half walking and running (as much as a 65-year-old can run), we came to security checkpoint #1. “Are you Delta priority?” we were asked? “No,” The Delta official responded with “Oh, you will have to go to checkpoint #6!” Another 5 minutes gone, and we still had security to go through…40 people ahead of us. It was now 5:30! Not bad, we made it through (so we thought) in 15 minutes-5 minutes to get to boarding! Stop, not quite so fast. As we picked up our belongings, one of the security guards grabbed my wife’s carryon bag and said, “Please step over here ma’am. We have to go through your bag.” Oh boy! Security went through the bag, and still something triggered the alarm. So, they took it back through the machine. Finally, they discovered it: a bag of Chia seeds. The machine for some reason scanned it as a liquid! It was now 5:50 and boarding time…Lumbering along with our carryon bags we made it Gate 6 just as priority boarding began. We checked in and the flight attendant only smiled as I told our story. Yes, we still had enough time to even get to the bathroom one last time before the 3-hour flight to Atlanta, and then on to
See FLORIDA on Page C6 Sunsets like this abound at Sanibel. Photo by Steve Weisman
SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2014
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
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Taking on the challenges of the backcountry During our recent twoweek trip to Florida, my wife and I enjoyed some sunny, warm weather that helped us forget about the cold and wind of northwest Iowa. During part of our trip, we spent three days with our son’s inlaws and our good friends Dick and Jan Pautvein. Iowa natives, who enjoy living on West Okoboji in the summer, Dick and Jan head to the Marco Island area when the winter weather hits! Well, Dick and I knew the gals would want to shop (not on our bucket list), so I decided we should find a guide and check out the fishing. After a lot of searching, we chose Naples Back Country Fishing with Cap’t. Kevin Merritt (www.naplesfishingcharters.net) for two days of fishing. A well-known backcountry fly fishing instructor, US Coast Guard Master licensed captain and a noted national speaker, we found Merritt willing to share all he could about catching fish in the Back Country and sharing the remarkable ecology of the region. Each morning we met Merritt at the marina in Goodland just a 15 minute drive from Marco.
New Ball Game For Iowans who fish the lakes of the Midwest, backcountry fishing is a whole new ball game. If you want a good place to get lost, fishing the Mangrove islands is just the place. After a short idle out of the marina area, Merritt opened up the throttle and cruised into a true maze of islands, winding in and around and out…Dick and I were lost already. Each bay, each shoreline-well, they kind of looked alike to us. To Merritt with his 16 years of guiding experience, not one was the same and each offered a different fishing opportunity. This was espe-
cially true since each day Merritt has to adjust to the rising and falling tide to both locate the fish and to also stay clear of suddenly appearing
STEVE WEISMAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
and disappearing bars! To us, the only visible similarity was that each island was a stand of mangroves. These trees, which defy logic, are able to thrive in the salt water by taking oxygen from the surrounding air. Bunched together, their roots provide a woody base that becomes covered and then open to the air with the tide that rises and falls. These roots become a perfect protective lair for a wide range of fish. The trick is getting the bait under the canopy of mangrove branches to the fish stacked beneath the branches. It was our guide’s task to help two “newbies” learn the ways of the backcountry and how to present a bait that a fish would like! Tackle Our tackle included long rods and big spinning reels spooled with heavy braided line and a 2-3’ piece of monofilament leader to which Merritt tied either a jig head, hair jig or plain hook. To the plain jig head we threaded on a Gulp! plastic tail, to the hair jig a piece of fresh shrimp and to the plain hook a lively fresh shrimp. Those were the arsenal, each used at a different time and in a different way. We threw the jig/plastic early in the morning as the tide slipped away. Merritt
The author with a young goliath grouper.
Captain Merritt prepares to help Dick Pautvein land his black drum. Photo by Steve Weisman
used his trolling motor to keep us out and away. Our goal was to flip it right to the base of the Mangrove roots, let it hit the bottom and then hop and bounce the jig back toward us. Merritt told us to set the hook hard when we felt the strike. “You gotta hit ‘em with hate!” In other words, my short hookset for walleyes had to be replaced by a cross-their-eyes hookset. This hard hookset also disorients the fish for just a second or two, enough time to reel fast and pump the rod. If you don’t the fish will bury the jig in the tangled mess of roots. On my third cast, I could see why. Something popped the jig and sent a jolt right to the reel. My soft little hookset meant a five second fight and “See you later!” Merritt repeated, “You gotta hit ‘em
with hate!” I reeled up and tried again. A few casts later and I felt another pop. This time I set the hook and the fight was on. “Set it again,” said Merritt. In other words, don’t be a wimp! So, I did and a nice snook became airborne. It ended up being a 24-inch snook, but boy was it a freight train. Not quite in the keepable slot, we took a quick picture and let it go. A while later, bam! This one ripped off several yards of line before I could really get a good hookset. Pump and reel, pump and reel. Gain some ground, and then the fish took off on another decisive run. Suddenly, limp line…whatever it was had straightened the hook. “Not enough hate,” I mumbled to myself. Our guess was a big
red or snook! So it was throughout the two days, a veteran of the backcountry trying to educate us on the go, so to speak. Each day I would estimate we caught at least 30 fish, and we kept track of the number of species: 15 in all! No, most of them weren’t keepers or they were in the closed season or they were totally protected. Still, we were able to keep enough fish for a good evening meal at Snooks seaside restaurant the evening of the second day’s action. Our supper included redfish, speckled sea trout and silver trout. The silver trout action was interesting. It was early afternoon and the tide was almost at its lowest, when Merritt stopped over a shallow flatnot relating to really any Mangrove island. How did he know to stop? He had a feeling. Well, 20 minutes later we had boated 12 silver trout. For a while, it seemed that every cast with a black hair jig and a piece of shrimp triggered a silver attack. It was here that I caught the strangest backcountry inhabitant of our trip. We saw a
shadow below the boat and there it was-a small hammerhead shark. Off it went toward the school of silver trout. A minute later I sent my jig toward the school, let it drop to the bottom and then began my jig/hop retrieve to the boat. Halfway in, bam, a vicious hit. I struck back with “hate” as Merritt said, and the fight was on. Five minutes later, there it was thrashing at the boat: the hammerhead shark. Only 25 inches or so, it was still a trophy to me! Even though temperatures were mild, in the low 70s in the morning, warming to the low 80s during the day, this was still the winter time and kind of the off season. Nothing like being here in the spring and early summer and then the fall noted Merritt. Yes, there are bigger and more fish to be caught, but then that’s when I love fishing and hunting in northwest Iowa. So, at this point, I had to decline the offer. However, it was definitely worth the trip, and I know I’ll contact Captain Merritt, when we do head back another time.
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HIGH SCHOOL ARCHERY STATE TOURNAMENT SET FOR TODAY IN DES MOINES Congratulations to Chris Amdahl, an Estherville Lincoln Central (ELC) sophomore, who qualified for the NASP Iowa State Archery tournament that will be held in Des Moines on March 1st at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center Ballroom. He joins archers from 33 schools across Iowa to compete in the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Amdahl archery in schools program state tournament. This is the culminating state event and will feature individual and team competition for elementary (3rd-5th), middle (6th-8th) and high school (9-12) students. The state competition, which begins at 9 a.m., is held in conjunction with the Iowa Deer Classic. To qualify for state, Chris had to
compete in a minimum of two certified NASP (National Archery in the Schools Program) tournaments and shoot a combined score of 524. Chris has been one of our top archers all season and he keeps improving with every tournament. In early February he shot 275 at the Spencer Archery Tournament. For comparison, at one tournament a perfect score is 300. In late February he shot 278 at the ELC Tournament, for a combined state qualifying score of 553.
The future The ELC and North Union (NY) Archery Clubs have a number of up-and-coming archers that will help the teams vie for a spot at state next season. Madison Mack (ELC) has been greatly improving tournament-to-tournament over the season. She’s placed in the top three archers at every tournament and placed as the number 1 girl for 5th grade in the final tournament of the season. Griffin Hoyer, also
an ELC 5th grader, has been showing improvement. He placed in the top three for his division and took 1st for 5th grade boys. Also leading the force for ELC’s team for the 2014 season will be Logan Frederick, Chase Bonner, Cole Anderson, John Leon, Reed Jensen, Kali Zufall, Michelle Amdahl, Kallie Dalen, Marshall Zufall, Paige Stoliker, Joseph Amdahl, Ivy Joy, Adian Zufall, Alexis Zufall and Braden Schroeder. We need to recognize the ELC seniors that stepped up to help get the archery club going in Estherville. Shawntel Schwidder, Rachel Bates, Reese Vedder, Alex Murillo, Thomas Bortvit, and Kyle Marks showed a lot of improvement and leadership throughout the season. Their encouragement and support of the younger archers did not go unnoticed and was greatly appreciated by the coaching staff! The NU Archery Club had a short season this year. They prac-
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BY JENNA POLLOCK EMMET COUNTY NATURALIST
ticed for one month and participated in one tournament, but there are a lot of great shooters returning next season. Lane Evenson is a seventh-grader that fell just short of placing in the top three for the middle school division. Caleb Rasch shot well but also fell just short of the top three boys in the elementary division. He did rank 2nd out of 5th grade boys. Blaine Griese, Mercedeez Griese, Noah Goche, Shaylynn Walker, and Tristan Teachout shot very well at the tournament and will be back for the 2014 season! We’re also proud of our youth archer from Graettinger-Terril, Tyson Olson, who ranked in the top three for 5th grade boys in the elementary division. Congratulations once again to all the archers for a successful first season of archery in Emmet County! We’re excited and already gearing up for the 2014-2015 season set to begin in December. We will be hosting a number of shoot-
ing events in the off season for our archers. If you have a child in grades 3-12 that may be interested checkout the Emmet County Conservation facebook page for a list of upcoming events. We want to thank parents, grandparents, volunteers, and sponsors for helping make this season a success! This program would not be possible without the collaboration of the Estherville Lincoln Central School District, North Union School District, and the Iowa DNR. We also need to thank the Spencer Archery Club and coaching staff for their support and assistance hosting the ELC tournament. We are planning a BAI (Basic Archery Instruction) certification course in Emmet County. If you’re interested in volunteering to help coach, please contact Emmet County Conservation at emmetccb@yourstarnet.net to learn more. And last, but certainly not leastGOOD LUCK at STATE, CHRIS! We’re proud of you!
SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2014
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
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Battling non-native bird species BY WENDELL HANSEN BIRD HAVEN
It's hard to believe that our winter is almost over and nesting season is almost upon us. In mid-March the Wood Duck, Bluebirds, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker and the WhiteBreasted Nuthatch are looking to nest. And in April we have the Purple Martins, Tree Swallows, Downy Woodpecker and BlackCapped Chickadee doing the same. What do all 10 birds have in common? All of them are native birds that are cavity nesters and will also nest in a nest box. All of the birds mentioned above are in danger and under attack from non-native and invasive species. The European Starling (EUST) and the English House Sparrow (HOSP) are also cavity nesters. When I first got into birds, I had that idea that all birds had a right to life and a bird was a bird. I put up nest boxes and feeders all over the yard. I was proud of all of the nesting birds (up to three broods per box), and the huge flocks of birds at the feeders were eating over 50 lbs. of seed a week. Then my wife gave me a Purple Martin house as a Christmas gift. I had that martin house put together on Christmas day and had to sit and
just look at it until spring. In the meantime, I did a lot of research on Purple Martins. To my horror, I found out that the birds I was so proud of were one of an invasive species that kill our native birds. Some of the web sites that I found had some very graphic photos of what the European Starling and House Sparrow can do and are capable of doing. Like breaking eggs, killing the young, killing the hen while she is sitting on eggs, building the nest on top of living young, dragging the young out of the next box or cavity and dumping them on the ground still alive. The more research I did, the worse it got!! Ninety percent of what I read said the best way to get rid of them was kill, kill and kill some more! That was one thing I did not want to do. Having always been told don't believe all you read or see, I thought there just had to be a better way than killing a bird. My plan was to just pull the nest and the European Starling and House Sparrow would leave and nest somewhere else, or I would just trap them and take them out to the country and turn them loose. That first spring my martin house went up and I was lucky; I got one breeding pair of Purple Martins.
Then the sparrows tried to move in. I pulled nest after nest; the sparrows could almost build a nest as fast as I could pull one. Trapping and removing them to the country was no good since all I was doing was dumping my problems on some one else. Ok, next bright idea: let the sparrow lay a few eggs, then go in and break them. My way of thinking was, "I'm not killing a live bird, just breaking a few eggs". That’s when I found out about sparrow revenge. The sparrow blamed the martins for their loss and went into the martins’ nest and broke two of the five eggs that the martins had laid. That was the last straw. I killed the sparrows and went around and cleaned out all of the sparrow nests out of my nest boxes. As time went by, I found out the more House Sparrows that I trapped and killed, the more my BlackCapped Chickadees,White-Breasted Nuthatch, Downey Woodpecker and Tree Swallow populations increased. My old martin house had 16 cavities that were 6x6x6, and they were filling up fast. Time to expand! Some of my research said that if the cavities were bigger; like 6x6x12 the martins could and would lay a bigger clutch of eggs. There would
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lings I trapped and killed, the more my Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Red-bellied Woodpecker and Purple Martin populations increased. In all the years that I have been trapping and shooting both European Starlings and House Sparrows, my native songbird populations have increased beyond my wildest dreams. Any of my readers who've been out to Bird Haven can attest to the success of my trap and kill program. If you haven't stopped yet, please make the trip! We'd love to show you around our site! I know that trapping, shooting and killing of non-native species is not for everyone. If you are unwilling, or unable, to monitor your nest boxes to prevent starlings and sparrows from nesting, then please do not put up any nest boxes at all. For every one who would like to learn more, please visit the website www.sialis.org. This webpage deals with both active and passive means of managing House Sparrow (HOSP) populations. House Sparrows are deadly and difficult, but there are ways to manage them. The EUST and the HOSP are nonnative invasive birds that are not protected by the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act. They are fair game!
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also be more room for parents and young. The longer depth of the nest cavity made them safer from owl attacks as well. I put up a SS36 gourd rack and a T-14 with much bigger compartments and the Purple Martins loved it! And so did the European Starling! At first, all I did was pull the starling nest, and they responded by simply moving into a new compartment. Then I started to find dead Martins with their heads caved in. Back to do some more research and look up some of the old photos that I had seen and compare them to what I had found. It was true, the Starlings had killed my Martins. The Latin name for the European Starling means sword beak. The starling will grasp a bird by the head or beak with its feet and then use its beak like a sword stabbing the other bird about the face, head and neck. I have learned that the European Starling will take over any cavity that has an opening of two inches or more from almost every bird there is. I have seen where the starlings have even taken over two Wood Duck nest boxes and then made nests right on top of the eggs. When the starlings started to kill my martins, that meant I went to war on them, and, as before, the more star-
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SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2014
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE SOIL
Stewardship Tip:
GAS
BY JOHN H. WILLS CLEAN WATER ALLIANCE COORDINATOR
Some people call the ground we farm and garden-dirt. For me, though, that dirt is more than just the ground we walk on; it is soil. Soil is made up of air, water, decayed plant residue, organic matter, and minerals. If you affect one of those components you alter the entire system either in a negative or a positive way. It isn’t hard to improve soil health. First and foremost we should have as little disturbance of the soil as possible. With no or little tillage on your garden or on agricultural fields we will see improved soil health and if we couple that with a cover crop that provides ground cover and the soil surface covered with residue year around the soil will start improving its health automatically. Landowners who manage their land in a way that improves soil health have received increased production of their land, increased profits for their crop and natural resource protection. Of course as the Clean Water Alliance Coordinator, I am all for protecting our water. The best way to make our water clean is to do something that also helps the landowners. It is a win-win situation and who doesn’t like it when everyone wins. The bottom line is that in a few months as farmers and gardeners head out to raise crops those who have healthy soils will receive financial benefits and everyone else will receive environmental benefits. Who
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SPILLS
BY BEN LEAL RECYCLED FISH PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Taking care of the soil is good for both farmers and the environment. doesn’t like that? Franklin Roosevelt’s statement that “A nation that destroys its soil destroys itself” is as true today as it was 75 years ago. Many nations in history have declined because their soils were destroyed, and they were no longer able to produce the foods they needed. So, how do you begin to protect your soil? Keep it covered, do not disturb it, use cover crops and develop a soil health management plan with the help of your local NRCS office.
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Unfortunately, even small gasoline spills can have an adverse affect on the environment and our fish. When we handle gasoline, to fill our cars, our lawnmowers, our ice augers, or our boats, we need to exercise extreme caution and adhere to the following procedures: n Use only approved gasoline storage containers with a proper spout for pouring n Store gasoline in a proper container with a tightly closed cap n When fueling power mowers, boats, augers, and all other recreational equipment always use a funnel and/or spout to prevent spilling or splashing n Do not dispose of gasoline down the drain, into surface water, onto the ground, or in the trash n Buy and use fuel in the season purchased Iowa anglers are enjoying a fantastic ice fishing season so far. As you make your way out to the ice take time top off your auger before you hit the ice for the day. This will prevent any incidental spills out on the ice that will eventually end up in the water system. After you’ve punched a few holes through the ice and are preparing to set the auger down for a bit, take time to ensure that the tank is facing up. This will help prevent any fuel from leaking through the breather valve in the tank lid. If you are going to store and use gasoline, you should be prepared to clean up any spills. Have the materials on hand and be prepared. Cover a spill with kitty litter and let it sit for twenty minutes to fully absorb the gas. If you don’t have kitty litter, you can use sawdust or baking soda. In addition to absorbing the gasoline, the kitty litter will absorb any fumes. Sweep up the kitty litter and place it into a container that will not generate sparks. Label the container and take it to your local hazardous waste recycling center. Check with your HAZMAT center for the types of containers that they recommend (find your local center at earth911.com) and for any additional procedures that they require. Tight Lines! Editor’s note: Each month the outdoor page will feature a column by Recycled Fish, a nonprofit organization founded by Teeg Stouffer in 2003. Originally a Catch and Release education organization, it is now a national movement of anglers who live and promote a lifestyle of stewardship both on and off the water.
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SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2014
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
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Florida trip includes stop at Broadway Palms Dinner Theater FLORIDA Continued from page C1 Panama City.
Winter storm Leon Through this all, we still made it to Panama City on time at 2:48 p.m. and met our good friends, Bill and Diane Elling. We were safely in the Panhandle away from winter. Well, for two days, that is. Temperature was lower 60s on Sunday and lower 70s on Monday, while our family back home grumbled about -15 below, strong winds and late school starts. Oh no…then came Tuesday night’s forecast for Panama City: Winter storm warning with lows in the upper 20s, one inch of snow and ice accumulation…and possibly late school start or maybe even no school! By Wednesday morning, the forecast became reality. Ice laden palm trees shuddered in the 27 degree temperatures, 20 mph north wind and depressions in the sandy beach held pockets of snow. Temperatures inched back into the mid-40s by Thursday. Still, with a biting north wind, it was still “NO” when it came to walking on the beach.
On the road again Luckily, we didn’t try to leave on Thursday-Interstate 10 was blockaded off for 210 miles because of ice on the road! Finally, we headed south and west on Friday toward Singer Island on the Atlantic coast, and temperatures slowly began to climb…first 40, then 50, then 60 and finally low 70s. Our destination was the Marriott Vacation Club’s Oceana Palms. After we checked in, the first thing we did was take off our sweaters, long sleeves and jeans and slip into short sleeve shirts and shorts! What a view! Our two-bedroom condo was on the 14th floor with an oceanside view that was awesome. From our deck, we could look out over the Atlantic Ocean, while at the same time view all of the activity in the bay. At this height, 14 floors up, we even had flocks of brown pelicans soar “below” us! Very unusual to look down at a flock of birds!
The living area and both bedrooms had the same panoramic view of the ocean. The good news, our deck was to the north side and with the covered deck we never had to fight the sun. From pools, to whirlpools, to game room, to boutique, to sports bar, to the market to immediate access to the sands of the Atlantic Ocean, the Oceana Palms had everything we could want.
Looking from the waterside in It is so difficult to see what an area is like from a road, especially when you have the Atlantic Ocean and its many harbors on the other side. As long as we were right on the coast, we wanted to experience the life. So, the first thing we decided to do was to take a luncheon cruise on the Majestic Princess Cruises (www.majesticprincess.com). A two-hour luncheon cruise, this gave us the opportunity to learn more about the Intracoastal Waterway and to take photos of historical landmarks and exclusive estates, including those of Jim Palmer (former Oriole pitcher and hall of famer), Rush Limbaugh (talk show host), Rod Stewart (singer) and even the estate of former business tycoon Bernie Madoff. It was both relaxing to bask in a little sun and to see all of the water activity going on. It was truly another world! Tuesday morning the Ellings headed north to Crescent Beach, while we headed southeast toward the gulf.
On to Marco Island Next up, a three-day stay with our son’s inlaws, Dick and Jan Pautvein, who spend the summer traveling between Des Moines and West Okoboji and the winter months on a golf course near Marco Island. Several of our friends from northwest Iowa live in the Marco area, so the first day was spent touring the area and seeing where they reside. Dick and I also spent two days fishing the backcountry, while the gals spent their time checking out several shopping opportunities. With daytime temperatures in the low 80s, subzero temperatures became a distant memory! Mild evenings and waterfront dining
A scene from South Pacific – Gonna Wash that Man Right Out of My Hair.
concluded our visit to Marco.
The last leg of the journey Fort Myers and Sanibel Island are two of my wife’s favorite Florida destinations. So, what better way to end our Florida visit than to spend four days at Mariott’s Sanibel Harbour Resort and Spa. An ocean view room on the 9th floor gave us a panoramic view of the bay and the causeway heading to the islands of Sanibel and Captiva. The resort, which is located on 85 acres, is as all-inclusive as guests desire including a world-class spa, a wide range of water activities, six dining options, four pools and a great walking trail. We found it to be the perfect way to unwind and, yes, prepare for the sub-zero temperatures at home. One of my wife’s passions is walking the beaches of Sanibel in search of the perfect shell, or should I say shells. However, for my wife, it’s a daybreak type of thing. You know, you have to be the first on the beach to get the best of the best! Aside from kicking back and enjoying the amenities of the Sanibel Harbour Resort, we had two-must-do activities: visiting the Edison and Ford Winter Estates Estates (www.edisonfordwinterestates.org) and enjoying the dinner and performance at the
Broadway Palms Dinner Theatre lowed by the timeless musical classic, Rogers and Hammerstein’s (www. broadwaypalm.com). South Pacific. The show premiered Edison and Ford in 1949 and swept just about every Winter Estates award possible. Its popularity has The names of Thomas Edison and continued over the past 65 years, Henry Ford are synonymous with twice made into a movie (1958 some of the greatest inventions in and 2001), followed by the 2008 American history. To us, visiting Broadway revival, which again the estates was like taking a time won several rewards including machine back to the early 1900s. Best Musical Revival. The grounds and buildings have The story-line? Who could say it been preserved just as they were better than the Broadway Palm during the times of Edison and release itself: South Pacific spins a Ford. Using an audio wand, my romantic tale of love and loss on a wife and I listened to the history of tropical naval base during World each stop on the grounds that War II. Two couples fall in love included the family winter homes and their happiness is threatened by and outbuildings, gardens and lab- the realities of war and by their oratory, as well as a museum full of own prejudices. Considered by exhibits that showcased inventions many as one of the finest musicals and family life and historical pic- ever written, the score includes tures. such musical theatre gems as Some It was really an amazing visit to Enchanted Evening, I’m Gonna learn more about these famous Wash That Man Right Out of My American inventors. Visiting about Hair, This Nearly Was Mine and the experience as we toured the There is Nothin’ Like a Dame. ground, we wondered what Edison With a tremendous cast, a wonand Ford would think of the over derful orchestra and a south pacific 220,000 visitors each year. stage setting, it took only few lines, and we were quickly transported to Broadway Palms this idyllic isle and immersed into Dinner Theater What better way to spend the last the lives of the characters. evening of our stay than to enjoy a The show brought smiles to the meal and performance at the both of us as we reminisced over Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre. the songs we had heard when we The 448-seat venue was the scene were children so, so many years for a fantastic dinner buffet fol- ago.
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ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
C7
Electronic device advice on the ice Genz talks electronics for modern ice fishing BY MARK STRAND Since the days that Dave Genz tinkered with using early flashers in the same hole he was fishing out of, there have been many years of electronic revolution and evolution. So where does that leave us, as ice anglers? We sat down with Genz, on a rare break from his “fish pretty much every day all winter” program, and asked how he uses the latest electronic devices to help him find and catch fish through the ice. He spends more time out there than anybody. He travels farther than anybody. He has a technical and creative mind. We hope you pick up some ideas by studying his system. Q: There have been a lot of advancements in electronic equipment since you started modernizing the sport. As a practical matter, what is the state of the art, in your mind, when it comes to ice fishing electronics? Genz: I use a GPS all the time, with the map chips. I have a quality lake map in there if itʼs available for the lake Iʼm on at the moment. Thatʼs what lets me find the places I want to drill holes and start looking (for fish). I seldom use a handheld GPS, because I find I struggle to look at a small screen and locate where I am and see the big picture. So I like a larger screen, maybe 5 inches or so. I would even take a larger one, but it gets impractical to carry it around. I mount my GPS on the dash of my snowmobile. Then I can navigate easily while Iʼm driving across the lake. On the dash, I actually have three devices mounted – the GPS, a Vexilar (flasher), and a (underwater) camera. One of my favorite positions for fishing is sitting on the seat of the snowmobile, and wearing Ice Armor lets me sit there (outside) on most days. The auger is on a rack on the front, and Fish Traps are mounted on racks on the front and back. It truly is my winter bass boat, the latest version of what I had in mind even in the early days. I keep another Vexilar, rigged in a Genz Box, so I can hole hop or use it inside of a fish house. Thatʼs my system.
Q: How do you use the GPS? How do you decide where to drill holes? How do you then look over spots, so you know whether to stay or keep moving? Genz: One of the big things is to find depressions in flats. Sometimes itʼs only a couple feet deeper than whatʼs around it, or maybe itʼs 5 feet deeper. On those huge flats, those are the key areas. This is where those new maps, with the 1-foot or 5-foot contours, really shine. In a bay or on any big flat, I want to know where the deepest parts are. Thatʼs where Iʼm going to drill some holes. And it helps me find the weedbeds, so I can find the green weeds. Just finding weeds from the summer isnʼt enough, because they might all be brown and down. Q: So you find the depth you want to check. How do you discover those other things, such as the state of the weeds? Genz: You have to drill holes. It still comes down to drilling holes. I use the camera to look for weeds, and see what shape theyʼre in. Q: And you look for fish with the camera? Genz: Not usually. If I see fish on the camera I donʼt look away, but the flasher is still the best tool for catching fish through the ice. When youʼre fishing multiple holes, itʼs so much faster to go hole to hole and drop the (flasher) transducer down there and read instantly everything thatʼs down there. Q: Youʼve also said that, even when youʼre using a camera that you like the flasher to be running at the same time, largely because it sees farther out to the side. Youʼve called it the early warning signal. When you see fish show up on the flasher, then you shift your gaze to the camera screen to watch the fish arrive at the bait, so you can study its reaction to the presentation. Do you like using the flasher when searching for fish because it sees farther out to the side than a camera typically does? Genz: Thatʼs part of it, but again it comes down to speed. When you have a whole lake to check out, you donʼt get it done if you take time to lower the camera down every hole. I also adjust the Vexilar depending on what Iʼm doing.
In addition to noticing the eye-popping bluegill that Dave Genz is holding, check out his setup, as described in this article. The gear is a big part of Genzʼs Winter Fishing System. He mounts a flasher, GPS, and underwater camera on the dash of his snowmobile, and often fishes seated on the sled. When he sets up a Fish Trap or kneels on the ice, going hole to hole, he uses a second Vexilar rigged in a Genz Box, as shown at lower left. davegenz.com Q: So you use the camera quite a watch the jig on the flasher and Q: What do you mean? Genz: I love the new 9-degree bit, to see whatʼs down there with camera together, and you realize transducer. Itʼs naturally a narrow your own two eyes, but you tend you can see the worms squirming beam transducer, but itʼs designed not to use it when youʼre in high on your hook. You wonder why the so that when you turn up the gain, speed search mode. Is that accu- line of your jig is fluttering (on the flasher), you look at the camera youʼre reading the lobes of the cone rate? angle. (The sonar signal) is not just Genz: The flasher is by far the screen and see the worms are a straight upside down cone. When number one tool. If I could only moving down there, and realize you you turn it up, you can read those have one, it would definitely be my can actually see that on the Vexilar. lobes, so it lets you see farther out Vexilar. The GPS is amazing tech- You see fish come in on the flashto the side, even though itʼs a nar- nology, too. It cuts down the er and then watch them on the amount of time it takes to locate camera, and go back and forth row beam transducer. When Iʼm in search mode, I turn fish. Then the Vexilar cuts down the between the two and you really get the gain up, so I can see a wider time it takes to catch fish, and prob- a sense for what it means to underarea (in practical terms, this means ably makes the difference between stand the mood of the fish by you have the potential to see more catching the fish and not catching it. watching it on the flasher. Iʼve fish, out farther to the side). When Q: What about the idea of using a always called the Vexilar my mood Iʼm in fishing mode I turn the gain camera and flasher together? Do indicator, because I could tell what kind of reaction I was getting from down, to decrease the amount of you still do that? side coverage. Then you know fish Genz: Yes, and itʼs fun to do. the fish, depending on how Iʼm jigare close by you when they show Another thing that does is helps you ging it. Thatʼs still the same, and itʼs up on the display. learn to read your flasher. You one of the most important skills you can have.
SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2014
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
C8
Late season ice fishing tips BY BOB JENSEN
The days are getting longer, and, although you might not believe it, it’s going to get warmer. History would indicate that it’s going to get warmer. March is almost always warmer than February, even in years that include a Polar Vortex. Longer days and warmer temps this time of year mean that some really good icefishing is soon to come. Here are some ideas for finishing the ice-fishing season successfully. Even through the ice and snow, fish seem to be able to sense a change in the seasons. They instinctively know through their relationship with Mother Nature that it’s time to start thinking about spawning, so, under the cover of ice, they start to head in the direction of where they will spawn. They don’t just take off and go there; they take their time and leisurely head for their spawning areas. As they travel, they like to eat. Walleyes, northern pike, perch, crappies, bluegills: Most fish that live in the
To see all the newest episodes of Fishing the Midwest TV, visit
FISHINGTHEMIDWEST.COM Also visit FACEBOOK.COM/FISHINGTHEMIDWEST Midwest will be getting hungrier and easier to catch right now. You don’t want to completely abandon the areas you’ve been fishing all winter, but you need to keep in mind that those off-shore humps and such that were holding fish for the past two months may start drying up. When they start slowing down on the off-shore spots, you need to start moving to keep up with the fish. There will still be an early-in-the-day and a late-in-the-day bite, but on a lot of bodies of water, the bite has the potential to be pretty good all day. Not all lakes, but some lakes.
Try different things on the ice during the late season and youʼll have more fishing success. Photo By Bob Jensen
1907 18th St. Spirit Lake
www.greatlakesmarineservice.biz
This time of year you need to keep moving until you find the fish. Try different depths, different structures, just keep moving until you find fish activity. When you find them, sit on them until they move, then you move too. That’s the key to icefishing year ‘round, but perhaps more under late ice. Remember that the fish have seen lots of baits by now. If you’ve got something on the end of your line that’s been working, keep using it until the fish tell you they want something else. Then go to a different color or a different size or impart a different action on the lure. If you’ve got a bait that hasn’t worked all year, give it a try. Maybe the fish will decide that it looks pretty good to them now. Last thing: Don’t try to extend the season
too far. If you’re not sure if you should be on the ice, you probably shouldn’t be. If no one else is out there, you shouldn’t be either. Keep an eye on current conditions. If it starts to get really warm during the day, you should head for shore. Several years ago our group went out on the lake in our trucks and didn’t pay enough attention to the warming conditions. As we headed back to shore at the end of the day, the ice had broken up and pulled away from the shore. We had to drive in a couple feet of water on the lake bottom for about one hundred yards. Exciting, interesting, memorable, but once was enough. Be safe, be mobile, be creative, and the next few weeks of ice-fishing could be memorable for you in a good way.