Flagship Fishing by Chad Cox

$3,003 Frabill Gear Giveaway

pg. 27

Oil Spill Update • Managing Shad • Shop Smart: Chest Waders OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2010

ISHERMAN NOR T H

AMERICAN

Waters Unfamiliar

Learn To Crack The Code

2011

Tackle & Gear

FISHINGCLUB.COM

Fishing Myths Debunked Member Story:

Fish More, Spend Less

FishingClub.com

Big-Bait Pike• Night-Shift Cats

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NORTH AMERICAN FISHING CLUB

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of Consumers Digest Communications, LLC, used under license. Silverado and Crew Cab are registered trademarks and Chevy is a trademark of General Motors.

Champions 2010

The Real Story Behind The World-Record Blue Cat

Make A Difference DONATE a buck to Wildlife Forever, without

GET the details on what happened the night Greg Bernal caught his 130-pound blue catfish on the Missouri River.

GET THE TRUTH

Michael Gallingan & Stuart Wells |

Oshkosh, WI

Congratulations, Michael and Stuart!

Ofﬁcial sponsors

Thousands of walleye anglers competed in qualifying tournaments across North America, but only 250 two-person teams earned invitations to the 2010 Cabela’s National Team Championship tournament on Lake Winnebago in Oshkosh Wisconsin. Michael and Stuart proved they were the best of the best by winning the 2010 NTC title. From everyone at Cabela’s, and everyone who fished the NTC finals, we’d like to express our sincere appreciation to the people of Oshkosh, Wisconsin for the fine job they did as our host community.

For full tournament coverage, visit

masterswalleyecircuit.com

7 6 5

Become A Facebook Fan

JOIN the NAFC editorial staff and fellow Club members on legendary Mille Lacs Lake, Jan. 8, 2011, for a day of fishing, camaraderie and a lot of fun.

Yeti Vs. 500-Pound Wrestler SEE what happens when strongman Bald Mike takes on an invincible Yeti. The results are guaranteed to surprise and impress you.

JOIN your fellow Club members on the NAFC Facebook Fan page to share fishing stories and photos. Don’t forget to do a little bragging!

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spending a penny, just by subscribing to Fishin’ Informer, the NAFC’s free enewsletter.

What Triggers Bass To Feed? WATCH the “Doc Talk” video in which fisheries biologist Dr. Hal Schramm outlines the reasons bass get hungry.

SEE THE VIDEO

Show Off Your Catch

Pennaz’s Pointers

Double Your Odds: Click & Win

ENTER the NAFC’s Outstanding Catch Contest and get the recognition you deserve for your fishing skills. You may even win one of the valuable prizes given away each month.

FOLLOW NAFC Executive Director Steve Pennaz’s fishing blog on the Versus Network website. You never know where he’ll go, or what he’ll have to say.

ENTER the NAFC Click & Win contest through Fishing10.com and get TWO chances to win great fishing gear. That’s right. Click once, and get entered twice—every day.

REASON to visit Fishing10.com... See Next Year’s Fishing Tackle CHECK OUT videos highlighting some of the hottest fishing gear that tackle manufacturers introduced for 2011 at the giant ICAST show in Las Vegas.

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Departments

Open Line

Oil, Redfish And Invasives by Steve Pennaz

VOLUME 23 • NUMBER 6

Shop Smart

Critical Equipment For Wade Fishermen

Features

by Mark Hicks

Research Update Shad Conundrum

by Dr. Hal Schramm

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2010

Beating Lake X Forget the tired tactics—adopt fresh approaches to establish killer patterns on new waters. by Steve Pennaz

Sporting Vehicles

Two-Timing ATVs by Bruce Smith

Reality Check It’s time to bust fishing’s most pervasive myths and put those who tell them in their place. by Hal Schramm

Fish More, Spend Less An innovative NAFC member finds an economical way to stay on the water longer. by NAFC member Rodney Orr

Gear Guide 2011 Your inside track to the best tackle for the coming year. by NAFC Staff

35 41 Regular Features 10 14 17 22 24

Top Fishing Times Member Letters NAFC Almanac Fishing Adventures Fishing Q & A

27 54 55 60 62 65 68

NAFC Gear Giveaway NAFC Member Guide Fishing Club Journal Field Test Reports Field Test Preview Member Photos

Last Cast

Cover: Attacking new

$3,003 Frabill Gear Giveaway

pg. xx

Oil Spill Update • Managing Shad • ShopSmart: Chest Waders OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2010

waters isn’t easy, but it makes you a better angler.

ISHERMAN NOR T H

AMERICAN

Steve Pennaz shares strategies to decipher new lakes faster, starting on page 30. Photo by Bill Lindner Photography, blpstudio.com.

Unfamiliar Waters Learn To Crack The Code

2011 Tackle & Gear

Fishing Myths Debunked Member Story:

Fish More, Spend Less

FishingClub.com

Big-Bait Pike• Night-Shift Cats

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NORTH AMERICAN FISHING CLUB

ISHERMAN NOR T H

AMERICAN

EDITORIAL VOLUME 23 • NUMBER 6

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2010

Now On FishingClub.com

Kurt Beckstrom Editor Ryan Gilligan Managing Editor Karen Jackson Administrative Assistant

ONLINE Tony Capecchi Online Editor

GRAPHICS/PRODUCTION Mark Simpson Executive Art Director Shawn Bjonfald Art Director Donna Holzinger Assistant Art Director Paula Reddy Production Director Erin Nielsen Production Coordinator

Holy Cats! NAFC Web Editor Tony Capecchi has been enjoying the nightlife with Brian Klawitter, a catfish and sturgeon guide who passes on big bass and bruiser walleyes in favor of what he calls “ugly” fish. As you can see by this photo of a 30pound flathead, Klawitter’s night-shift tactics pay dividends. See more photos, read about their adventures and pick up some pointers from the accomplished river rat.

How A Champ Dissects A New Lake Bass pro Alton Jones formulates his new-lake attack plan by looking at the recent weather history. Learn his next crucial steps in this exclusive video.

Every Angler’s Dream Come True Most anglers have at some time or another dreamed of using their know-how to create that perfect new lure, then patenting it, producing it and seeing it become the next big thing. Watch videos of small companies that did just that and made a big splash at the recent fishing industry trade show.

Wonder Waders

Big-Bait Pike

Get more Shop Smart information on great chest waders in every major price bracket.

Guide Steve Scepaniak reveals which supersize lures have caught the lion’s share of his 40-plus-inch pike.

Travel On The Cheap Do you have an off-the-wall trick for taking dirt-cheap—but productive—fishing trips? Share and compare notes by visiting FishingClub.com.

FISHING10.COM

World Record Blue Cat

GET the details on what happened the night Greg Bernal caught his 130-pound blue catfish on the Missouri River.

■

FishingClub.com

Electrifying Upgrades Learn more about fishing-friendly accessories being offered for Polaris’ new electric-powered Ranger EV.

FISHING ADVISORY COUNCIL Hal Schramm Boyd Duckett Greg Yarbrough Bill Dance Shaw Grigsby Kelly Jordan Steve Pennaz Ryan Gilligan

Joe Balog Brian Brosdahl Kevin VanDam Buzz Ramsey Keith Kavajecz Ted Takasaki Kurt Beckstrom Pete Harsh

ADVERTISING: (800) 688-7611 Steve Clow V.P., Print, Digital & Sales sclow@namginc.com Rich Sundberg Asst. V.P., Group Publisher rsundberg@namginc.com Kelly Gohman Associate Publisher kgohman@namginc.com Northeast Non-Endemic Laura Fleckner Sr. Advertising Manager lfleckner@namginc.com; (646) 862-3906 Midwest Non-Endemic Jack Mott (312) 346-3070 jmott@namginc.com Detroit Automotive RPM Associates (248) 705-9634 jay@rpmassoc.com Southeast Non-Endemic MediaOne North America (770) 466-5702 jimreagan@att.net West Non-Endemic Mike Nelson Outdoors (503) 968-2304 m.nelsonoutdoors@verizon.net L.A./Orange County, CA Import Auto & ATV Allman/Marvil Inc. (310) 994-2536 dmarvil@allmanmarvil.com Direct Response Smyth Media Group (914) 693-8700 stephanie@smythmedia.com

CLASSIFIED SALES Mark Swanson Account Executive mswanson@namginc.com

ONLINE ADVERTISING Tim Hamill Strategic Accounts Manager (231) 360-6434 thamill@namginc.com

North American Fisherman

NAFC Top Fishing Times

NORTH AMERICAN FISHING CLUB

TOP FISHING TIMES

Steve Pennaz Executive Director Andrea Meester Asst. V.P., Member Services Doug McDougal Member Benefits Director Karl Kleman Field Test Editor Kim Miltimore Sr. Member Benefits Rep.

Top Fishing Times are applicable for any time zone. Times listed are daily major periods and offer the best potential for excellent fishing. The periods closer to the new and full moons are strongest.

NORTH AMERICAN MEDIA GROUP

Bill Miller V.P., Media Development & Production Rich Sundberg Asst. V.P., Group Publisher Steve Pennaz Asst. V.P., Television & Outdoor Media

8:30-10:30 8:54-10:54

12:30-2:30 12:54-2:54

9:18-11:18 9:42-11:42

1:18-3:18 1:42-3:42

4:30- 6:30 4:54-6:54

10:06-12:06 10:30-12:30

2:06-4:06 2:30-4:30

6:06-8:06 6:30-8:30

12:30-2:30 12:54-2:54

5:18-7:18 5:42-7:42

6:06-8:06 6:30-8:30

10:54-12:54 11:18-1:18

6:54-8:54 7:18-9:18

1:18-3:18 1:42- 3:42

6:54-8:54 7:18-9:18

NA 12:06-2:06

3:42-5:42 4:06-6:06

11:06-1:06 11:30-1:30

2:54-4:54 3:18-5:18

Apogee –Oct. 18 Perigee–Oct. 6

6:06- 8:06 6:30-8:30

FRIDAY

NA 12:06-2:06

SATURDAY

3:42-5:42 4:06-6:06

10:06-12:06 10:30-12:30

THURSDAY

7:42-9:42 8:06-10:06

2:54-4:54 3:18-5:18

9:18-11:18 9:42-11:42

WEDNESDAY

2:06-4:06 2:30-4:30

8:30-10:30 8:54-10:54

TUESDAY

7:42-9:42 8:06-10:06

MONDAY

SUNDAY

O C T O B E R 2010

4:30-6:30 4:54-6:54

5:18-7:18 5:42-7:42

New Moon Full Moon

LIGHT—A.M. BOLD—P.M.

NORTH AMERICAN MEMBERSHIP GROUP Bryan Ellis President, CEO Tony DeFrance President, Marketing Kate Pope CFO/Sr. V.P., Finance Tim Carroll Sr. V.P., Brand and Business Development Laura Burkholder V.P., Member Development Michael Graves Director, Internet Technology

NORTH AMERICAN FISHERMAN TV

Bill Miller V.P., Media Development & Production Steve Pennaz Asst. V.P., Host Brad Hadsall Lead Producer Terry Boeder Producer Jeff Carter Producer Lonnie Garland Producer Phred Nelson Producer Jeff Breitenstein Producer Anne Dulian Production Coordinator

SPONSORSHIP SALES

Rich Sundberg Asst. V.P., Group Publisher Kelly Gohman Associate Publisher

FishingClub.com Tony Capecchi Online Editor Steve Clow V.P., Print, Digital & Sales sclow@namginc.com

10:42-12:42 11:06-1:06

4:18-6:18 4:42-6:42

5:54-7:54 6:18-8:18

11:30-1:30 11:54-1:54

5:06-7:06 5:30-7:30

6:42-8:42 7:06-9:06

NA 12:42-2:42

1:54-3:54 2:18-4:18

7:30-9:30 7:54-9:54

1:06-3:06 1:30-3:30

2:42-4:42 3:06- 5:06

8:18-10:18 8:42-10:42

1:54-3:54 2:18-4:18

10:06-12:06 10:30-12:30

3:30-5:30 3:54-5:54

9:06-11:06 9:30-11:30

SATURDAY

1:06-3:06 1:30-3:30

9:18-11:18 9:42-11:42

FRIDAY

NA 12:42-2:42

8:30-10:30 8:54-10:54

THURSDAY

5:06-7:06 5:30-7:30

7:42-9:42 8:06-10:06

WEDNESDAY

6:54-8:54 7:18-9:18

TUESDAY

11:30-1:30 11:54-1:54

MONDAY

SUNDAY

N O V E M B E R 2010

2:42-4:42 3:06-5:06

NA 12:06-2:06

Visit the NAFC Website at: FishingClub.com Enter your last name, member number from your magazine shipping label and your e-mail address to gain access.

We Support:

4:18-6:18 4:42-6:42

American Sportfishing Association

9:54-11:54 10:18-12:18

3:30-5:30 3:54-5:54

5:54-7:54 6:18-8:18

MEMBER SERVICES Visit the NAFC website, FishingClub.com. Enter your last name, member number and e-mail address to gain access. If you have questions, email:

memberservices@fishingclub.com

Apogee –Nov. 15 Perigee–Nov. 3, 30

New Moon Full Moon

LIGHT—A.M. BOLD—P.M.

Mailing address: P.O. Box 3401, Minnetonka, MN 55343. Call: NAFC Member Services Department, (800) 843-6232, 7:30–8 Monday-Friday, 8-4:30 (CST) Saturday. Please include your member number on all correspondence.

All times based on Hannon’s Moon Times.™ To order Doug’s 2010 Moon Clock Calculator visit moontimes.com, or send $9.95 plus $3.75 shipping and handling

FishingClub.com

per order to: Moon Clock, Dept. NAF, Box 724255 Atlanta, GA 31139. GA residents add sales tax.

Publications Mail Agreement Number: 1415042 This magazine is printed on paper that uses post-consumer, recycled fiber.

North American Fisherman

OPENLINE

Oil, Redfish And Invasives

have a dear friend in Louisiana who lives to chase bass and redfish when he’s not designing and building lures. Several years back I had an opportunity to join him at his family’s camp on Pecan Island, not far from Lafayette; a trip that ended with me gaining a much deeper appreciation for the Louisiana marsh. I visited Barataria Bay and then the Mississippi River Delta near Venice on later trips, and my relationship with the Gulf Coast and its people grew even stronger. Hurricane Katrina was the first of a one-two punch to hit the area, but it was Rita that destroyed my friend’s camp and nearly him, too. He shared with me photos of the storm’s aftermath, and all I could do was stare in horror at the images. What my buddy didn’t share, at least until a couple years had passed, was how much that hurricane affected him personally. And now, he and others there are living through one of the worst oil spills in history. Earlier this year, when the BP well was still spewing crude into the Gulf, my thoughts were admittedly less on the environment and more on the people who rely on the Gulf to make their living…and for their spiritual well-being. And although I didn’t share it with my buddy, I was deeply concerned about him. While the experts still can’t say exactly what happened to most of the millions of gallons of crude that poured into the Gulf, most agree that it’s out there (see “Oil Spill Impact,” starting on page 17). Only time will tell if natural degradation and human clean-up efforts were enough to allow redfish and trout to continue to spawn, and ducks and other water birds to thrive. There are some who believe all Americans deserve some of the blame for this spill. I find that offensive.

is proud of his son’s ﬁshing ability.

is proud of her ability to replace their boat if something happens.

New NAFC Television Series We are launching the first of four half-hour shows on invasive species, their impact and methods of control now in place in the Great Lakes. There has been a lot of press in recent months on Asian carp and their march toward the Great Lakes. But few realize there are already more than 170 other harmful invasives established in the region; species that are having an enormous negative impact. I invite you to learn more about what species are, or are becoming, established in the Great Lakes, how they got there, and what methods have or will be implemented to control them. “Silent Invaders,” produced in partnership with the NAFC’s non-profit conservation affiliate Wildlife Forever, the USDA Forest Service, Versus and the EPA, airs weekly Sundays at 7 a.m. EST on Versus, Nov. 28 through Dec. 18.

Great Bear Lake Great Slave Lake Tree River www.plummerslodges.com

800-665-0240 12

FishingClub.com

As always, let’s keep an Open Line. TOTAL LOSS REPLACEMENT. You love teaching your kids a thing or two when it comes to fishing. The one thing Progressive can teach you is how quickly we can replace your boat if it ever gets totaled. Protect what you love. Call 1-800-PROGRESSIVE, go to progressive.com or call an independent agent.

Steve Pennaz Executive Director

PROGRESSIVE.COM

P.S.—October and November are two of the best months to catch giant fish! My advice? Postpone winterizing your boat until the last-possible minute! North American Fisherman

Underwritten by Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and its afﬁliates, Mayﬁeld Village, OH. Total Loss Replacement coverage is subject to policy terms, and is not available for all boats and coverage selections. Available in most states. 10D00085 (05/10)

MEMBERLETTERS

Lapsed Angler Returns I returned to fishing in 2010, after a 39year absence from the sport. Until this year, the last bass I’d caught came to the net when I was in high school. The busy life that followed kept me away, but now I’m delighted to be back. What’s made my reintroduction to fishing so fun is the world of great information out there for guys like me. Ryan Gilligan’s July/August/September article, “Fine-Tune Flippin’,” was a perfect example and a fascinating read. It completely opened my eyes to the options available in flipping presentations. Thanks for your help in getting me back into the sport! Member Rob Black High Point, North Carolina Gilligan responds: Welcome back, Rob! We’re glad to hear the Club’s made your return to the fold easier and more productive. Now that you’re back, we ask only one thing: pay it forward. Introduce someone new to the sport that gives you so much enjoyment.

Fishin’ Informer I subscribe to many magazines, and so when renewal notices begin appearing at year’s end, it’s typically difficult to determine which to re-up and which to let go. Not for North American Fisherman, however. It’s easy to justify continuing my Club membership. Recently, the factor that’s tilted the balance so strongly is the Club’s Fishin’ Informer enewsletter. Even after I’ve finished reading an issue of the magazine, I can still learn more about new tactics, innovations and tackle. Plus, the newsletter is a regular reminder to enter for Gear Giveaway prizes! Thanks for providing an abundance of information in multiple forms of media. Member Dennis Skiver Portland, Indiana Club responds: That’s an excellent point, but you missed one important detail: Fishin’ Informer is a free part of your NAFC membership! All you have to do to take advantage of the benefits 14

FishingClub.com

you mentioned and more is to sign up at FishingClub.com.

MEMBERPHOTO

Spoons Still Shine I really enjoyed reading Steve Pennaz’s July/August/September Open Line, “Don’t Pity the Spoon.” We anglers seem to forget that the old tried-and-true methods and lures often work at least as well as newer gimmicks. Steve’s words inspired me to re-visit some of my favorite old spoons. Keep up the good work! Life Member Bill Wilson Cookeville, Texas Club responds: Don’t forget the saying, “what is old once was new.” Just as anglers would be wrong to write off lures like spoons because of their age, it’d be equally damaging to dismiss other tackle as a “gimmick” simply because it’s new. Case in point, the NAFC staff recently got a sneak peek at the fishing industry’s 2011 products at its annual convention. We saw some truly revolutionary line, lures, rods, reels, electronics and much more, and we’re confident the tackle will help members catch more and bigger fish. Get the lowdown on page 45 of this issue.

Bull’s Eyes Dave Csanda’s article “Bull Run” (July/August/September 2010) was excellent, but it omitted one key lure style: Small crankbaits. They target big fish, and the little guys leave them alone.

Life Member Edward Piotrowski caught this 21-inch largemouth bass while casting a Smithwick Rogue on New York’s Ballston Lake.

Fish them in early morning around weed edges—twitch them slow and easy near the surface. When the day warms, speed your retrieve and get the bait down farther in the water column, mixing in occasional pauses. The ’gills slam it. Member Tim Felsinger Sheboygan, Wisconsin Club responds: Fantastic tips! Thanks for sharing them with the Club. We actually published a comprehensive article on fishing cranks for big bluegills a few years back; check out Dan Johnson’s “Crankin’ Supersize Sunfish” in the April 2008 issue. We’ll also post the story as a Web Extra for this issue—to access it, just visit FishingClub.com today. ▼

Send A Letter, Get A Lindy X-Change Jig Kit! Have a comment on an article, a fishing issue or North American Fisherman magazine as a whole? We want to hear about it! If we print your letter, you’ll receive a Lindy X-Change Jig Kit, which contains 10 1⁄16- and 3⁄8-ounce heads, 20 1⁄8and 1⁄4-ounce heads, 20 No. 2 hooks and a tackle box. Email comments to editors@fishingclub.com, or send them via regular mail to NAFC Member Letters, 12301 Whitewater Dr., Minnetonka, MN 55343.

North American Fisherman

NAFC Almanac NEWS

TACTICS

RESEARCH

SHOP SMART

Angling On The Edge Winner Announced

Pole Position Crappies

Shad Conundrum

Wade Fishing Equipment

FishingClub.com: Your online source for even more news, techniques, travel tips and gear reviews.

OIL SPILL IMPACT

Only one thing is certain; there are more questions than answers by Noel Vick n many ways, when British Petroleum’s Deepwater Horizon rig burst into flames and disgorged millions of gallons of crude into the Gulf of Mexico, it was like setting a time bomb without knowing when or if it would explode. The oil is there, but the visible signs—miles of oil-covered shorelines, rafts of dead fish, oil-soaked waterbirds—are largely not. Thus, we’re left making educated guesses as to what the long-range impact will be. Some of the effects have been immediate. For one, coastal Louisiana is a recreational fishing ghost town. Commercial shrimp boats just recently got clearance to trawl once again. And in some places, the oil did land on marshy shorelines. Ben Weber, Coastal Conservationist for the National Wildlife Federation in Louisiana, has seen the devastation firsthand. On an air-boat excursion through the inner marsh at Pass a l’Outre (east of the Mississippi Delta) the fisheries biologist literally watched the slick float free of the marsh, only to settle again and suffocate it. “The incoming tide lifted the oil out of vegetation,” he explains. “Then, when it went back out, the oil collected in ponds where workers soaked up everything they could.”

So where are the redfish, trout, black drum and flounder that typically reside in the resource-rich marsh? “We aren’t finding dead fish,” says Weber. “I suspect they’ve relocated, probably nearby, because infusions of oil in the marsh can be very isolated.” For the time being, perhaps adult fish haven’t paid the heavy price. But Weber’s concern looks further into the future. “The oil is finding its way into the top few inches of sediment, where the food-chain starts with crustaceans, crabs and other forage types. Fish can run now, but they can’t hide forever.” Weber cites another recent encounter, this time in offshore waters. “We were doing daily recon and came across a slick that was miles long and about 100 feet wide. It’d formed along a current break where debris and floating vegetation tends to collect, forming a canopy that attracts baitfish and gamefish.” What astounded Weber was that fish were using it like natural cover. “Baitfish were ducking underneath while flying fish sailed right into the stuff. Hardtails were there feeding on them, too.” continued on page 20

North American Fisherman

BILL LINDNER PHOTOGRAPHY

As of press time, many Gulf marshes like this one looked pristine. But with millions of gallons of oil still unaccounted for, and the long-term effects of oil exposure unknown, experts suspect the fragile ecosystem and the fisheries they support are far from safe.

FishingClub.com

NAFC Almanac SHOPSMART

Critical Equipment For Wade Fishermen Your guide to gear you need—at a price that fits your budget by Mark Hicks

hest waders that keep the wearer comfortable, dry, and in some cases warm, are critical equipment for anglers who prefer to enter the fish’s world to stalk trout, bass, panfish or pike. Like anything else, though, they vary in quality and cost, and there’s no one type that will be the perfect choice for all fishing situations. Depending on where, when and how often you’ll use them, you may be happy with a basic set

$100 & Under Few companies offer the heavy, puncture-prone rubber waders I grew up with. Waders that laminate rubber or some other waterproof material to a nylon shell are lighter and more durable than those I wore in my youth. And RedHead Classic Series II Bootfoot

that’ll come with substantial change from a hundred dollar bill. Or, you could shell out several Benjamins for a pair you can live in for weeks at a time. Shop Smart will help you figure out which style best suits your type of fishing, so you can get what you need to fish comfortably and successfully without leaving an excessive amount of green on the sales counter.

they’re a great choice for fishermen who wade occasionally in warm to slightly cool waters. Their shortcoming? They can get clammy and offer little insulation from the cold. Coleman’s Bantam Weight 2-Ply Nylon/Rubber Chest Wader with cleated rubber boots falls into this category ($62.99). Also consider Pro Line’s Proliners 32401 ($79.95). This wader features a stretchable 3-ply material that Pro Line claims is more abrasion resistant than canvas or nylon. The rubber boots have 200 grams of Thinsulate. Light, flexible, neoprene waders don’t breathe, but their superb insulation keeps you cozy in cold water. Thin neoprene waders, 3.5mm and under, are more tolerable in warm temperatures. If the water isn’t too deep, you can roll the chest portion down to let heat escape. Companies that offer booted neoprene waders for under $100 include Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Columbia and Pro Line. An excellent buy is Bass Pro Shops’ Redhead Classic Series II Brown Neoprene Bootfoot Waders ($99.99).

$100 to $200

At the upper end of this category, waders like the Classic Series II don’t breathe, but can provide enough insulation to deflect a chill.

■

FishingClub.com

Stockingfoot waders generally cost more than booted waders made with similar materials because you must add $40 to $200 for wading boots, which lace up for a more secure, comfortable fit and better stability. Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Caddis, Coleman, Columbia, LaCrosse and Pro

Frogg Toggs Canyon Bootfoot

Breathable waders let moisture escape, which keeps you cooler when it’s hot and warmer when it’s cold. Breathables are also light, flexible and durable. “It’s important to wear synthetics under breathable waders because they wick moisture away from your body,” says Shane Hare, who manages waders for Cabela’s. This includes apparel like synthetic long underwear and fleece pants that transfer water vapors from your body to the wader where its breathable capability can work their magic. Booted breathables are available from Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Coleman, Frogg Toggs, L.L. Bean and Orvis. Frogg Toggs’ nicely priced Canyon Bootfoot ($139.95) has a snag-resistant taslan nylon shell. Many companies offer stockingfoot breathable waders priced to keep your outlay under $200 with wading boots. Examples include Deluxe Breathable Stockingfoot Waders from Caddis ($99.99), and White River Fly Shop’s Dogwood Canyon stocking foot ($79.99).

waders’ seams. A good example is Simms’ new G3 Guide Convertible ($399.99). Five layers of Gore-Tex Pro Shell fabric surround the legs from the mid-thigh down with three layers elsewhere. The dense shell fabric defies punctures. Convert it into a waist-high wader by rolling down the

At the mid-range, Frogg Toggs breathable DriPore C3 makes these waders comfortable to wear. Quickrelease shoulder straps make them easy to shed in an emergency.

Line are among the companies that offer booted and stockingfoot neoprene waders in this price range. Consider thicker, warmer 5mm neoprene for cold environments. At this level, you should also expect reinforced knees that ensure longer wader life, such a those featured on Cabela’s 5mm Neostretch Neoprene Brown Chest Waders ($124.95). North American Fisherman

North American Fisherman

Harmful invasive species like mudsnails and whirling disease parasites can hitchhike on boots,

Simms G3 Guide Convertible

Eco-Clear Wading Boot waders and other wading gear. Trout Unlimited and other organizations have established policies that encourage wade fishermen to clean and dry their equipment between trips. Furthermore, the state of Alaska adopted a phaseout of felt-sole boots, which commonly transport harmful organisms, by January 2012. Vermont is considering a similar move. The Clean Angling Coalition was formed just to address this problem, and has issued guidelines for keeping invasive species in their place.

$200 & Over Since the high end of this price range exceeds $400, fishermen that practically live in the water face a dilemma. Do you buy less costly waders every two or three years, or shell out for a top-shelf wader and hope it saves money in the long run? It’s a question only you can answer for yourself. Most neoprene waders in this price category are made for hunters. They are typically booted, heavily reinforced in high-stress areas and have a supertough camouflage outer layer. If you both fish and hunt, they’re likely exactly what you need. However, breathables dominate highend waders designed for fishermen. They are offered by many of the companies already mentioned, plus Chota, Patagonia, Redington and Simms. Considering the rather considerable costs, be satisfied with nothing less than the best materials available, layers of reinforcement, a comfortable fit and a long, leak-free life, especially in the

Learn To Wade Clean

Expect more insulation and extra features with more expensive waders. The G3 Guide quickly converts from chest- to waist-waders, for example.

chest portion and zipping it into a band around the waist. Waist-high waders are available from several manufacturers for anglers who fish shallow water only. A feature you may appreciate in a chest-high wader is a waterproof front zipper for bathroom breaks. Caddis’ new All-In-One Breathable stockingfoot wader ($199.99) has an integrated jacket that stores in a back pocket and can be slipped on in seconds. Sweet. Get complete details on all of these chest waders by clicking on Web Extras at FishingClub.com.

1. Inspect your gear for visible signs of foreign material—plants, mud, sand—and remove it. 2. Clean your equipment with water at your fishing site, or at home. Make sure rinse water does not enter another watershed. 3. Dry gear thoroughly, even the hidden spots in seams and folds. Manufacturers have embraced the movement, and are designing equipment to minimize the threat. White River Fly Shop’s new EcoClear wading boot ($89.99) is among the latest. Its soles, made from walnut shells and a dynamic rubber compound, shed unwanted organisms. For more information, click on Web Extras at FishingClub.com. —Kurt Beckstrom

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NAFC Almanac From North American Fisherman TV

OIL SPILL IMPACT continued from page 17

he Berkley Braid knot, submitted by Clay Norris of Spirit Lake, Iowa, meets its third challenger, the Cheek knot, in this installment of North American Fishermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Knot Wars series. Submitted by Richard Cheek of Memphis, Tennessee, the Cheek has the hallmarks of a strong and durable fishing

knot, but it can be a bit challenging, especially during the draw-down. To find out which of these two outstanding knots moves on to the championship round, turn to page 56 of this issue. Or, click on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Videoâ&#x20AC;? tab at FishingClub.com for detailed animated tying instructions for both fishing knots.

Berkley Braid Knot 2

Berkley Braid Knot Current Champ 1. Double the line, then run it through the hook eye and up the main line. 2. From the top down, make eight wraps around both lines, then thread the loop through the gap between the hook eye and the last wrap. 3. Wet the knot and tighten by pulling on the main line, tag line and loop.

Cheek Knot 1

Cheek Knot Challenger 1. Thread the line through the hook eye and run it up the main line before doubling back to form a loop. Run the tag end back through the hook eye in the opposite direction of the initial insertion.

Though there were no signs of dead fish, he says, exposure to the crude is certain to have long-term effects. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sampling tissues from fish exposed to the oil, and testing is getting underway. In no way are we out of the woods yet.â&#x20AC;? From a fisheries perspective, questions outstrip answers. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll happen when offshore pelagic breeders like tuna and bonito drop eggs in subsurface oil? And the trout that spawn at the lip of the delta, their young free-floating in the surfâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;can their fry survive a brush with oil? So far, a swift Mississippi River has pushed contaminated water away from the shore. But when it drops, will more oil creep shoreward? Or, what will happen when a tropical storm, or worse, a hurricane makes landfall? The â&#x20AC;&#x153;missingâ&#x20AC;? oil could suddenly surface and throw a blanket over the marsh and the livelihoods of thousands of coastal citizens. As it stands, the primary consequences are wrapped in questions that will only be answered with the passage of time.

Stands Stands an an impressive impressive 13â&#x20AC;? tall! Far above the misty river valley, the American Eagle stands apart, powerful talons anchored to the rocky heights while his keen eyes scan the red rock canyons. Suddenly he rises on enormous wings into the morning sky, soaring with a kingly majesty above unspoiled wilderness, guardian of all the wild rushing beauty that passes beneath his wings.

a towering tribute to the American Eagle The vigilant majesty of the King of the Sky is beautifully expressed in the new â&#x20AC;&#x153;Canyon Guardianâ&#x20AC;? sculpture. Standing a magniďŹ cent 13 inches tall, this three-dimensional treasure captures the eagle with mighty wings raised at the moment of takeoff. The mountain-top adventure continues in artist Ted Blaylockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thrilling panoramic portrait of the eagle soaring above the canyon.

limited edition â&#x20AC;Ś order now! Strong demand is expected for the hand-crafted hand-painted limited edition, so act now to acquire yours at the $69.99* issue price, payable in three installments of $23.33 each. Your purchase is backed by our 365-day money-back guarantee. Send no money now. Just mail the Reservation Application today!

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Show Off Your Catch

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2. Wrap the tag end around the double line and through the loop four times. Wet the knot and pull slowly, alternating between the tag end and main line. 3. With the knot seated, pull hard on both the tag end and main line. Lines Used During Testing: 14-pound Berkley TransOptic 15-pound Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon, 14-pound Trilene FireLine. 20

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NAFC Almanac

Rebound Salmon California

FISHINGADVENTURES

Sacramento River, CA—

Black Warrior River, AL—The stretch of the

Black Warrior in westcentral Alabama features some of the best fishing for big spotted bass in the nation. Catching a 5 pounder is a real possibility. The upper 50 miles are the most productive, especially within a few miles downstream of Bankhead and Holt lock and dams. Outdoor

Walleye Factory South Dakota ’eyes, with a better-than-average shot at fish topping 10 pounds, are the hook for anglers on this prairie paradise, which has swelled to more than 27,000 acres in recent years. Note: areas of the lake within the Waubay National Wildlife Refuge are off-limits to open-water fishing, but fair game in winter. NAFC Member, guide and Cabela’s Masters

Salute To Stripers Pennsylvania

Walleye Circuit angler Jason Coester, (605) 265-0261; Webster Area Chamber of Commerce, (888) 571-7582;

MARK MCQUOWN

Sportsmans Cove, (605) 345-2468.—Dan Johnson

(814) 658-0060.—Darl Black

Ivie Envy Texas

LARRY HODGE

Lake O.H. Ivie, TX—This 20-year-old Lone Star lake is on a serious trophy tear, having produced (as of press time) one-third of all Texas Sharelunker largemouths (13-pound minimum) turned into the program in 2010, including a 16.08-pound lake-record giant. With timber tangled throughout, it’s a dream water for jig fishermen, but you’d better bring a big stick! Elm Creek

Bold Bronzebacks Vermont Lake Champlain, VT/NY—Famed for its summer bass fishery, Champlain continues to give up smallmouths through fall. As water temperatures dip into the 40s, 3- to 5-pound bass stack up on rocky flats and reefs—some as deep as 27 feet—by early November. AdirondackChamplain Guide Service, (518) 963-7351.

The Soo Line Michigan St. Mary’s River, MI/ONT—The scenic St. Mary’s at Sault Ste. Marie pours out a divine bounty of fall walleyes, and October’s prime time. Troll spinners over the weeds in eight to 10 feet. Plus, the Soo offers a legendary fall salmon run—you can catch the tail-end of it in early October. NAFC member and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit angler Dave Atkinson, Wild Bill’s

Waubay Lake, SD—Big numbers of eater

—Lawrence Taylor

Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau,

Feist of Feisty Fish Guide Service, (707) 540-2381.—Dan Bacher

Alabama, (334) 242-3486.

Raystown Lake, PA—When water temperatures drop below 50 degrees on Pennsylvania’s famous striper lake, the big fish turn on. Located primarily in 20 to 40 feet of water over flats, stripers are taken by trolling long minnowbaits; casting swimbaits produces fish holding in creek arms.

For the first time since 2007, anglers can fish fall-run chinooks on the Sacramento: Oct. 9-Dec. 12 from 150 feet below the Lower Red Bluff Boat Ramp to the Hwy. 113 Bridge; and Oct. 9-31 from the Deschutes Road Bridge down to 500 feet upstream of Red Bluff Diversion Dam. Backtroll Kwikfish and Flatfish, back-bounce roe, or anchor-fish with spinners. Scott

Bait and Tackle, (906) 635-5556; Sault Ste. Marie Convention &

Prairie Walleyes Manitoba

Visitors Bureau, (800) 647-2858.—Dan Johnson

Dauphin Lake, MB—

Walleyes are big and abundant on this vast, fertile reservoir. A breeze can make boating tough on the windswept lake, but pick the right day and stick near the mouths of the Turtle, Valley and Vermilion rivers. Troll a large, whiteblade spinner rig or long-line a No. 7 perch Shad Rap. Manitoba Tourism, (800) 6650040; guide John Boyd, (204) 638-8659.—Gord Ellis

Eagle ’Skis Ontario Eagle Lake, ON—During fall, trophy muskies—including tigers—strap on the feedbag and hunt lake herring and whitefish on this clear, 68,000-acre lake. Troll 10-inch Jakes and Believers over deep humps, or cast silver-and-black Eagle Tail bucktails over windswept reefs. Muskie average 30 to 42 inches, but many fish topping 50 are caught each fall. Temple Bay Lodge, (800) 369-3474; guide Jeff Moreau, (807) 755-5672.—Gord Ellis

JEFF MOREAU

Warrior Bass Alabama

High-Country Smallies Nevada

357-4776.

South Fork Reservoir, NV—Here’s the place to battle Nevada’s largest smallmouth bass—best of all, it lies entirely on public land, which means all of its shoreline is fishable. The state-record 5-pound, 7ounce smallmouth was taken here in 2001 and bass average over 16 inches long. South Fork State

—Jeff Samsel

Recreation Area, (775) 744-4346.—Dan Bacher

—Darl Black

Village, (325)

North American Fisherman

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NAFC Almanac FIT4FISHING

FISHINGQ&A

Frog Pause Q: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m addicted to fishing topwater frogs, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had issues with hooking up. How long do you wait after the initial strike before setting the hook? Member Dave Riemenschneider Kingsley, Illinois

A: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned that when a bass busts a hollow floating frog, such as the Spro Dean Rojas Bronzeye, or a solid-body bait like the Strike King Rage Toad, it usually holds the lure in its mouth and swims with it quite a while before realizing itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fake and dropping it. So, you can drop your rodtip like you would for a plastic worm, then hammer them. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait until you feel the weight of the fish, as many anglers advise. Rather, just make sure you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t set the hook on the initial splash. As a rule of thumb, I delay a half-second or a second, and that alone seems to greatly increase my hookups.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Shaw Grigsby

Exercise: Neck Stretches

Industry Q& A

by Troy Lindner

Which Weight? Q: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard some anglers recommend using heavy jigs to maintain bottom contact, while many pros advise using as light a jig as possible. Which is correct? What other factors should I consider when selecting the right jig for the conditions?

Life Member Greg Dauer Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

A: I choose jig size based on the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conditions and how I plan to present my lure. When fishing vertically, use the lightest jig that lets you drop the jig to bottom, then lower the rodtip a bit more and see the line go slack. Start light and slowly increase weight as needed until your jig handles in this manner. When drifting or dragging a jig, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more critical to have enough weight to get the bait down to the bottom and stay there. Watch your line angle as it trails behind the boat. The ideal is 45 degrees; if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more than that, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re fishing too light. The Lindy X-Change Fishing Jig System allows you to quickly change jigheads ranging from 1â &#x201E;16 - to 3â &#x201E;8 -ounce weights and figure out the right size without constantly retying.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Jon Thelen, Lindy Pro Staff

Todd Huckabee says light penetration dictates how deep crappies hold in pole timber.

FishingClub.com

Hold your fishing rod behind your back while pushing your thumbs down and back. Make sure your shoulders arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lifting up toward your ears or rounding forward, as this could increase the tightness and pain you already have in your neck muscles. As you perform the exercise, you should feel stretching in the front and sides of your neck. Stop and reset your arms and shoulders if you feel pain in the back of your neck or backs of your

Keep the rod level across the back of your hips.

Keep your arms as straight as possible as you push down and back with your thumbs.

shoulders. Turn your neck up and away as shown in the accompanying photo for 20

to 30 seconds on each side. Repeat this two or three times per session.

Troy Lindner has established successful careers as both a personal trainer and professional bass angler, and is sponsored by Rapala, Fishouflage, Global Safe Haven and Fit 4 Fishing. Fit 4 Fishing is provided for general information only. Consult your physician or physician or health care professional before performing any new exercise. The author and publisher cannot be held responsible for any injuries that may occur.

POLE POSITION CRAPPIES

Most anglers take a simplistic view of deep submerged wood coverâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;fishermen just target timber, expecting crappies to always be around it. However, Oklahoma guide Todd Huckabee evaluates wood cover on shad-based lakes with a more critical eye. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Exactly which pole timber stands will hold good-size crappie is a function of

ereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great, easy exercise you can H do right on the water the next time you start to feel your neck getting tight.

Keep the shoulders level by pulling them back and down.

Gently turn your neck up and away from the opposite shoulder. Maintain this position while looking up and away.

both water clarity and water level,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For crappie to be present, there have to be shad. Plankton-feeding shad will only be where wood has algae growing on it. And algae will only grow where sunlight hits the timber.â&#x20AC;? That means that on very muddy or dingy lakes, such as Oklahomaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eufaula, light penetration may only be a couple feet, confining shad to the upper reaches of any wood cover. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Crappie and shad suspend at a particular level within pole timber stands based on light penetration rather than the total depth of the water. If the upper

portions of the trees are close enough to the surface, then algae will grow and shad will come; crappie will move in a couple feet below the shad.â&#x20AC;? Huckabee also pays close attention to reservoir level changes, because higherthan-normal levels will put some timber stands too far below the surface to grow algae. â&#x20AC;&#x153;An area that has a hot bite one year may not hold fish at all during the same time the following year if the water level is a bit higher than normal. Should the water level drop, bringing wood within range of light penetration, it will take a couple weeks for algae to grow, attracting baitfish and crappie.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Darl Black

North American Fisherman

WINS Sen. Ted Stevens: QUIET HERO FOR ANGLERS MEMBER Labrador Adventure!

American anglers lost a tireless advocate for fishing and the conservation of some of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most pristine places with the passing of former Sen. Ted Stevens, who died in a floatplane crash in Southwest Alaska on Aug. 9, 2010. The longest-serving Republican U.S. Senator, the native Alaskan and decorated World War II pilot was responsible for some of the most influential legislation affecting recreational fishing. Stevens worked diligently to allocate conservation dollars to protect fish and wildlife in his region, among many others. Wildlife Forever, the non-profit conservation branch of the NAFC, worked closely with Sen. Stevens and The Conservation Fund to permanently conserve the world-class fishing of Alaskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Agulowakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s River. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our members want us to find exceptional areas to conserve and make open North American Fisherman

to public access for fishing. Their Wildlife Forever contributions helped buy the 80-acre Native allotment at the head of the Agulowak River,â&#x20AC;? says Wildlife Foreverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s president and CEO, Douglas Grann. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They might not have known they partnered with Ted Stevens, but their personal conservation legacies are forever linked with his.â&#x20AC;? Perhaps the most enduring conservation legacy of Stevensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; long career in the Senate was the passage of the Magnuson Stevens Conservation and Management Act (MSA), which, for the first time, codified the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ocean-fishing policy. Enacted in 1976 and amended in 1996, the Act aided in the development of the domestic fishing industry by phasing out foreign fishing, assuring U.S. fisheries would be managed scientifically for the benefit of sport anglers and commercial interests alike.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;J.R. Absher

The results are in for the Labrador Angling On The Edge Sweepstakes. Member Matthew Stevens of Greenwood, Indiana, was selected in a random drawing of all contest entrants as the winner of this trip of a lifetime. Stevens will accompany North American Fisherman editor Kurt Beckstrom on a seven-day all-expensespaid fishing adventure to Coopers Minipi Lodge in the wilderness of Labrador, Canada. There, he will fly fish for worldclass brook troutâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;some of which hit the 10-pound mark. The approximate total value of the trip is $10,000!

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NAFC Almanac

Don’t Miss Your Chance!

Shad Conundrum

WIN PART OF

These vital forage fish present surprising management dilemmas

by Dr. Hal Schramm had are the dominant forage species for gamefish in waters S throughout the U.S. Obviously, good shad populations benefit sportfishing, so it makes sense to manage shad. The question is, how do we do it? The shad species of concern are gizzard and threadfin shad. Both feed low on the food chain, and their abundance is positively related to water fertility. But not all waters have the high nutrient levels needed to produce the rich plankton that supports large shad populations. Artificial fertilization, which works well to increase production in farm ponds, has not produced desired results in infertile reservoirs. Further, river-run reservoirs with short retention times often do not support a lot of shad. Even though the water may be rich in nutrients, the quick passage of water through these systems prevents the development of the dense plankton populations needed to support shad abundance.

Reproduction Factors Good shad populations start with the bountiful production of young. Missouri fishery researcher Paul Michaletz found gradual increases in water levels produced greater abundance of juvenile shad. Warmer spring water temperatures were also conducive. On Lake Texoma, Oklahoma fisheries research biologist Jeff Boxrucker found high and stable water levels during and after the shad spawn (which occurs when water temps hit 65 to 75 degrees) often benefited shad recruitment. He reasons that inundating the broad flood zone of the giant Texas-Oklahoma border lake mobilizes nutrients that fuel plankton growth. 26

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GEAR GIVEAWAY $3,003 October/November 2010

RESEARCHUPDATE

EXCLUSIVE NAFC MEMBER BENEFIT

Maintaining high water levels allows maximum plankton production that, in turn, passes on to the young shad. Size Matters A lot of shad doesn’t necessarily mean a lot of forage for sportfish. The shad must also be small enough to be consumed. Gizzard shad, for example, grow quickly in most waters, often reaching 8 inches—too large to be eaten by gamefish—by age 2. Managers, therefore, are most concerned about “age-0” shad. Michaletz found that young shad were more abundant but larger in eutrophic than in mesotrophic Missouri reservoirs. Not surprisingly, largemouth bass and white crappies grew faster in the mesotrophic reservoirs with slower-growing shad. Unfortunately, the known factors that affect the production of shad—lake fertility, precipitation and temperature—are out of managers’ control; and the primary purposes of most reservoirs rarely allow manipulation of Since threadfin shad water levels just to benefit fish. are smaller and inhibit And in highly eutrophic waters, the abundance of toogizzard shad often achieve a high large-to-eat gizzard biomass of large, old fish that proshad, managers have duce few young—lots of shad, but introduced them to no useable forage. many fisheries to In a research project on small provide a large forage Texas impoundments, we were able base for gamefish. to reverse this cycle with high-density striped bass stocking. In some Midwestern states, managers achieve a similar result with fish toxicants. Unfortunately, the results usually last only a couple of years and the involved expense and labor limits efforts to small waters.

Enter Online At: FishingClub.com …

Or by mail. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Making a purchase will not improve your chances of winning. See official rules at FishingClub.com. Submit your entry at FishingClub.com or send your name, member number (if available), address and phone number, on a postcard to: Gear Giveaway, CRID #3931, P.O. Box 3428, Minnetonka, MN 55343. Entries must be received between 10/1/10 and 11/30/10. Drawing will be held on or about 12/10/10.

Frabill FXE Stormsuit Frabill tapped the expertise of legendary angler Al Lindner when developing this extreme-conditions rainwear. The result is a suit with a tough, windproof, waterproof shell that actually breathes. Plus, sealed seams and a DuPont Teflon fabric protector coating bring even more to the table to keep moisture completely at bay. The jacket’s fully adjustable, oversized hood is vented and sports a visor with an internal wire that lets you shape it to fit your face. Large chin flaps and an adjustable collar further seal out the elements. The bibs boast wide, bunker-style gear straps with tough cam buckles, a reinforced tool pocket, several oversized pockets, articulated padded knees and an exclusive “waterproof crotch” design. Both garments feature quality YKK zippers and are available in two color options: russet and terra (shown).

WIN A Frabill Stormsuit!

NAFC members will be among the first anglers anywhere to use Frabill’s elite FXE Stormsuit ($429), the newest, most advanced rainwear on the market. Frabill has teamed with the NAFC to award a complete suit to seven lucky winners. Enter online or via mail by the deadline. To learn more about the Stormsuit and other Frabill products, visit frabill.com.

Threadfin Connection Threadfin shad only grow to 6 inches and offer a solution to the “too-big-to-eat” syndrome common with gizzard shad. Where established, threadfin shad also tend to suppress gizzard shad. To cash in on these desirable attributes, managers have introduced threadfin shad into many waters. However, prolonged water temperatures below 45 degrees wipe out threadfin populations, so this management tool is limited to Southern waters and those receiving heated effluents. Managers have a few tricks for producing good shad populations, but these strategies don’t work everywhere. Because good fishing often depends on shad populations, biologists will continue to look for effective ways to manage them. ▼ Dr. Hal Schramm is a biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, Mississippi Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, and professor of Wildlife and Fisheries at Mississippi State University. North American Fisherman

IN PRIZES!

North American Fisherman

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CebcXe_l fXVheX T__ VTeZb! CbjXe JTZba \f T eXZ\fgXeXW geTWX`Te^ bY 6[elf_Xe :ebhc ??6!

Beating

by Steve Pennaz

Forget the tired tactics—adopt fresh approaches

ecently, Hal Schramm and I pulled up to the ramp on a lake neither of us had ever fished. Rather than immediately dropping the boat in, however, Schramm pulled to the side and parked. Using my iPhone, I called up the lake on the Web and shared what I learned with the bearded Research Update columnist for this magazine. “Here we go, Schrammer,” I said before relaying information from the little screen. “Lake size, 561 acres. Maximum depth, 59 feet. Water clarity, 1.9 feet.” “That information must be old,” he replied. “I can’t see six inches into this pea soup.” “The lake does hold good numbers of largemouths,” I continued, “and the size structure is impressive with decent numbers in the 15- to 19-inch range. And the forage base is solid—gobs of golden shiners, small bluegills and crappies, 30

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too. Thoughts on a starting place? He considered the information with the knowing look of a leading fisheries biologist who has a world-class understanding of fish—knowledge gained through both field study and with a fishing rod. “Poor water clarity is going to limit weed growth to shallow water,” he said. “Since bass are the target today, I recommend we check out the outside weedline first and see what happens.” His thoughts echoed mine exactly. Clear Thinking Over the years I’ve read at least a couple hundred articles on how to fish new water. Most start by recommending that you begin your search with a good lake map and a visit to the local bait shop. Then, there is the typical call to cover a lot of water. Good information? Of course! But I’ve yet to read one that North American Fisherman

to establish killer patterns on new water covered one of the most vital pieces of the puzzle: water clarity. Today, more than at any other time in history, we are seeing extremes in water clarity, from super-clear waters infested by zebra mussels to those choking on phosphorous and excess organic matter. There is a giant difference in how you should approach a lake with a secchi disk reading of 25 feet and one that checks in at a foot or less. Water clarity is the primary factor in determining things like maximum depth of weed growth. In some waters, the outside weedline may end at just six feet, while in others it may run to 30 feet or more. That’s important info when you’re targeting species that relate to weeds. Clarity can also influence timing. Clear lakes can be tough during bright midday hours, and I have yet to fish a lake with poor visibility that supported a great night bite (Have you? I’d like to hear from you.). North American Fisherman

Forage is also one of those important factors that tend to get swept under the rug, but it’s another key when you are attempting to find fish on a new lake, or even on one you fish regularly. It seems to influence fish location more often in Southern waters, particularly when shad are abundant, but it can influence waters in the North as well. To oversimplify things, consider there are only two main types of forage: those that relate to bottom or cover like weeds (perch, crayfish, bluegills) and those that roam open water (shad, smelt, ciscoes, insect larvae, etc.). Knowing the forage base gives you another piece of the puzzle, and the more pieces you have, the better your decision-making will be. And that’s one of the best reasons to fish new waters—it forces you out of your comfort zone and requires you to look at things more strategically than when fishing your home waters FishingClub.com

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BILL LINDNER PHOTOGRAPHY

Lake

“Getting that first bite is key. It’s the first indication that you are doing something right.”— Steve Pennaz

On The Water Finding a starting point is more difficult on a large body of water than it is on a smaller lake, river or reservoir. On big water, one tactic is to narrow down

the search to a single area, and then break it down. Pick a flat or point, a creek channel or rock pile, and use the information learned when fishing each spot to develop your pattern. When you discover what is working, that technique can usually be transferred to similar areas throughout the lake. Savik takes a slightly different approach. “I always start a new body of water on the inside turn closest to shore,” she explains. “I’m looking for the deepest water near the bank. If I don’t get bit on the turn or on the way out to the point, I head for another spot that looks similar. If that doesn’t work, I know the fish aren’t on the inside turns or points.” Getting that first bite is key. It’s the first indication that you are doing something right, both locationally and with your bait selection. Nearly as important is the second bite. It validates the first. The third bite means you are really on to something, but may still need to tweak things like color, action and other

But we fished a long stretch of it with several baits and never got a bite. We moved shallow to concentrate on docks. Schramm landed a 12-inch bass on the third dock, so we hit more. But 20 docks later it was obvious they weren’t the ticket either. We moved even shallower and hit the inside weedline, the weedline that I too often neglect. Almost immediately, we landed a 3pound bass that took a jig/Chigger Craw combination. That fish proved to be the one that unlocked the secrets of Lake X that day. As we continued to work the shallows, we noticed two things about the places that consistently produced fish: There was a mix of vegetation types. Cattails plus two other types (cabbage and

“The best information is the stuff that helps you quickly eliminate water.”— Karen Savik aspects of the presentation. Last year, on a trip that was taped for the Club television show, Schramm and I fished a new lake with the sole purpose of building a pattern on camera. It didn’t start out well. The lake we selected by blindly jabbing a finger at a map had a well-defined deep weedline, usually a good bet for largemouths during mid-summer.

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rare for largemouth bass to ignore it; it’s also a good bait for covering lots of water. “I do know that both large and small fish like a small jig, because most crayfish

BILL LINDNER PHOTOGRAPHY

that you know well. Karen Savik, like any successful touring bass pro, is an expert at fishing new waters because just about every lake on the tour is new to her. Over the past 20 years Savik, who is a regular host on “North American Fisherman-TV,” has fine-tuned her approach to new lakes, including her use of contacts. She believes local anglers and bait shops are valuable sources—but not just for developing a winning pattern. “The best information is the stuff that helps you quickly eliminate water,” she says. “It’s honest information because it is general information; they are not giving up any secrets. When I go to a reservoir with loads of creek channels I ask which areas I should ignore because there is no use spending time there. If you check out a few sources and get the same answer, it makes it easy to eliminate unproductive water. It’s all about how you ask the question.”

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northern milfoil) was good. Cattails plus three other types (cabbage, northern milfoil and anything else) was much better. Areas closest to deep water shined—even if we were 50 yards from the breakline! The more we learned, the more quickly we caught fish. We stuck with jigs and Chigger Craws, but found that color did make a difference. Black-and-blue was good; green pumpkin was better. The lure Savik likes to search with is a simple swim jig. According to her, it’s North American Fisherman

“Poor water clarity is going to limit weed growth to shallow water.”— Hal Schramm aren’t all that big,” she says. “My tip is to tie on a jig you can swim through weeds and pretend it’s a spinnerbait. “When fishing depths from zero to six feet, use a ¼-ounce jig; from six to 10 feet, use a 3⁄8-ounce; and when you back off the weedline use a ½ ouncer. Just cast it out, count it down. Or, where the bottom is clean, let it sink all the way and just crank it back,” Savik says. “It is an unbelievable way to find fish.” Ryan Gilligan, North American Fisherman Managing Editor, is a fan of using today’s electronic maps as a starting point before he actually begins fishing. “I start wide looking for an overall picture,” he says, “but since I spent a day with sonar guru Dr. Bruce Samson I’ve learned the important of zooming way in on key structure. It’s amazing how much detail you can discover in just minutes of careful map study. You’re suddenly able to focus on the spot-on-aspot. You’ll eliminate the need to fish tons of empty water.” Kurt Beckstrom, Editor of this publication, often fishes lakes that have yet to be mapped. In these waters, he uses topography from the area to point on potential hotspots. “Topography can offer clues to what’s underwater even before you turn on the sonar. “If there is nothing but rolling plains leading up to the lake I know it’s likely I’ll be searching large flats for fish,” he says. “If there are steep breaks on shore, I’ll be looking for fish in smaller, more distinct places. Knowing this also helps me select baits that are best for both situations.” North American Fisherman

The Search So how long should you work a spot before moving on? There are no set rules; however, one of the biggest mistakes anglers make is sticking with a spot or presentation too long. You don’t want to be changing locations or lures every five minutes, but if you spend a half-hour straining a spot with a particular lure and don’t catch fish, it’s likely best to switch things up. That’s one of the problems with relying on outside information. I don’t know about you, but if a trusted source tells me that a particular spot and presentation are producing but I go there and struggle, I’m apt to stick with the program too long. Some anglers may even figure the fish aren’t biting and go home. Tournaments have taught me that even in the toughest conditions fish will bite somewhere on every body of water. It’s up to me to find those fish and trigger that bite. For Savik, the size of the structure she is working dictates the amount of time she sticks with a presentation. “I don’t put a specific time limit on it,” she says. “If I start on a gradual point near shore, I work to the tip and the around it in hopes that I catch some fish and develop that pattern. This might take me 30 minutes, it might take me an hour, but I want to make sure I cover the spot.” Savik reminds anglers that fish can

gather in one small section. “I can go a half-mile and not get bit, but then hit a spot and catch five fish,” she says. What she doesn’t do is commit the cardinal sin of leaving fish to find fish. “If I find a spot that has fish on it, I stay there until I catch every fish willing to bite,” she says. “If I’m looking for bigger fish and I’m just getting 2pound cookie-cutters with a jig-andtrailer, I try something bulkier or bigger, like a 10-inch worm. I’m always trying to upgrade.” There always seems to be spots that look great on paper and they might even look better on the sonar, but you can’t get the fish to bite. Don’t rule out such locations. Fish don’t feed all the time, so make it a point to go back to promising spots multiple times during the course of day to see if you can get them to go. And then there are days when you try everything in your box and just can’t figure it out. Those days happen to everyone, even the pros, and on familiar bodies of water as well as unfamiliar ones. The difference is on the unfamiliar water is that you wonder what you’re doing wrong, when in fact you might be doing everything properly. The timing might have just been terribly wrong due to variable weather or water levels. My worst nightmare is that I get out to a new body of water, drop in the boat, grab a rod and catch a fish on the first cast. When that happens I might as well pack up and go home. At least for me, whenever I catch a fish on the first cast it’s usually the only one I’m going to catch that day. Call it Murphy’s Law, crazy superstition or the fishing gods playing tricks, but that first-cast/first-fish jinx is a hard one to break.

Pro angler Alton Jones starts by looking at previous weather patterns when researching a new body of water. Check out his video at FishingClub.com. FishingClub.com

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by Dr. Hal Schramm

ish are important to me, and they have been good to me. I’ve taught fisheries classes and done fisheries management research for more than 30 years. I’ve fished since I can remember and, yes, I’m a hardcore angler.

For reasons I can’t entirely figure out, I’ve been compelled to learn about fish—their biology, how populations and fishery systems work, and how to catch them. In my day job as a biologist I seek and share facts. As an angler and a writer, I seek and share facts.

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For example, one afternoon years ago, my students and I were working on some fish we had collected from a Florida lake. We had set up our table under a shade tree near the ramp, and spread before us beneath a growing swarm of flies was a variety of fish, many of which were large crappies. Just then, a local fishing guide, clients in tow, came over to see what we were

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dead fish on a board. And I’ve found this concept applies to dealing with the fishing world as a whole: there are fishing facts and there are fisheries facts. Professional biologists get their facts from carefully reviewed, scientific reports and technical publications. Anglers’ sources, however,

up to. He picked up a rather plain, light-colored crappie, displayed it to his

tend to be magazines, television shows, and

clients and said, “This is a white crappie.” He then grabbed a large, darkly col-

the spoken word of fellow anglers.

ored fish from the table and proclaimed, “And this a black crappie!”

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paid) authority—the fishing guide. I was just an “academic” with a bunch of

But for as much as I’ve learned through my work, one of the most important things I’ve acquired has more to do with perception than any research project.

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“black crappie” espoused by the respected (and

In that moment, I learned an important lesson: The perceived legitimacy of a piece of fishing information is often determined by who offers it. In this case, I knew the lake had only black crappies, and males of both black and white crappies become darkly colored during the spawn (females don’t change

I’ve found that thinking of them both as facts—albeit from different types of sources— makes life a lot more fun (and less painful) since you can avoid statements like “you’re wrong,” that are sure to endear you to your friends.

color). Despite these facts, it’s unlikely that anything I could have said to the anglers

So, let’s take a look at some fishing facts

would have trumped the conspicuous difference between the “white crappie” and

I’ve heard anglers repeat, along with pearls of wisdom from outdoor writers and famous anglers. Then we’ll compare them to what

ILLUSTRATIONS BY GRAPHICS PLUS/JIM HAYNES

North American Fisherman

fisheries biologists have to say. FishingClub.com

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Fishing Fact: Bigger lures catch bigger fish. Fisheries Fact: I think the angler data are sufficient to conclude that bigger lures do catch bigger fish, and one study on largemouth bass found a significant positive relationship between bass size and lure size. In that particular study, however, the bass were stunted and starving, and the floating Rapalas used for the experimental fishing were almost as big as most of the bass. In other words, the study bass didn’t have much choice but to hit the large lures. Except for sharks, fish swallow their prey whole and usually headfirst. Therefore, a predator can consume a prey fish with a body depth that’s less than its mouth width, and in turn, a bigger predator can obviously consume bigger prey. Because smaller fish can’t engulf large lures, bigger lures are often considered “big fish baits,” but is that because they

Fishing Fact: Northern pike stop biting in the

winter (some claim the summer) because they lose their teeth.

Fisheries Fact: For the record, I thought this downright silly concept died long ago. Turns out it hasn’t entirely vanished, as Club staffers recently fielded questions about this claim from several different sources. There are many reasons for not catching fish, but fishing in the wrong place is high on the list. I have caught large pike suspended off structure in summer on some lakes—certainly not “typical” pike habitat. And that might explain why anglers struggle to catch fish during certain periods: The fish are where you aren’t. Fact is, although fish lose teeth periodically, they’re constantly replacing them. At no time is a fish left toothless. The myth is not restricted to northern pike, however. An article in 1891 in the New York Times chronicled so-called “toothless” Atlantic salmon several weeks into their freshwater

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FishingClub.com

catch more big fish or only big fish? Small lures have accounted for many trophy northern pike, muskies, bass and walleyes, and I am repeatedly amazed when I catch a 20-plus-pound redfish on a ¼-ounce jig spinner. So, how big is too big? Largemouth bass and pike can consume deep-bodied forage, like sunfish, as large as about one-third their body length; they can swallow slender-bodied prey up to half their length. Maximum prey size for walleyes and smallmouths is a little smaller. Laboratory studies of food consumption by northern pike, largemouth bass, and walleyes all come to the same conclusion: When offered a spectrum of sizes of forage, the predators select prey well below the maximum size they can consume. Thus, the consensus of the biologist community is that predaceous fish are opportunists—if potential prey is close, fits down their throat, and they can catch it, it’s dinner.

spawning migration. According to the story, the fish feed little near the end of their migration, so teeth weren’t needed. Ridiculous as it might be, this flawed concept became so established that even today, toothy salmon returning to the ocean are erroneously said to sport “breeding” teeth—an entirely new set of teeth that replaced those that had, according to the fishing fiction, fallen out. The truth is that the mucosal lining of the mouth swells in Atlantic salmon at spawning time, covering the teeth. The swelling subsides when the fish complete spawning and return to the ocean, and the teeth are again apparent. By the way—with few exceptions, fish teeth are for holding prey, not for chewing or biting off chunks of it. Teeth are not even essential for feeding by most fish. Interestingly, recent research has suggested that n-3 fatty acids reduce periodontitis (gum disease and related bone loss) and tooth loss in humans. The best source of n-3 fatty acids? Fish oil!

North American Fisherman

Fishing Fact: The fall bass bite is strong because fish are “fattening up” for winter.

Fisheries Fact: Bass—or any other fish—aren’t bears, and they don’t hibernate. Fishery researchers have found that largemouth bass start storing energy as fat rather than as protein when the water temperatures drop, but there is no evidence that they experience significant weight gains to store ener-

Fishing Fact: Fish stop biting after a cold front. Fisheries Fact: I can’t pass up the chance to assault this, the mother of all excuses for not catching fish. I’ve had poor catches after a cold front, but also great ones. Some anglers blame the cold-front syndrome on barometric pressure change. Except for events like hurricanes and tropical storms, pressure usually ranges from about 29.2 inches of mercury to 30.4 inches. Do the math and you’ll see that even a “severe” change in pressure is only a swing of about 4 percent. Can fish detect this? Probably. Any fish with a swim bladder has a built-in pressure-detecting organ. Water is heavy stuff, and atmospheric pressure increases one atmosphere for every 33-foot increase in depth. Thus, the 4 percent increase in pressure equates to the same pressure change a fish would experience moving about 16 inches deeper in the water column. That said, it’s a safe bet that the “discomfort factor,” which I’ve read in more than one article, isn’t what changes the fish’s behavior. After all, if a fish really wanted to experience a constant pressure, it would simply move up in the water column to adjust for the increased pressure following the cold front. Interestingly, many anglers insist fishing deep is the way to go after a front. Might be, but if maintaining a constant pressure is important to the fish, they should have moved up in the water column from where they were before the front passed. Other anglers claim it’s the weather that usually follows a cold front—cooler temperatures, bluebird skies, strong north winds—that turns off the bite. They reason the tem-

North American Fisherman

gy for a long winter fast. I think the hot fall bite is, first, a function of the water temperature dropping into bass’ optimum temperature range of 75 to 80 degrees. Then, as the water continues to cool, shad move into shallow water in coves and on flats. The bass follow and often make their presence and appetite apparent as they repeatedly maraud the shad near the surface. Shallow, active, often-visible bass make for easy fishing.

perature plunge brought on by a winter or spring front can be as much 30 degrees. The flaw in this reasoning is that fish live in water, not air. Water certainly cools when the air temp plummets, but not as much as people think. Sure, your temp gauge might say the water cooled 3 or 4 degrees, maybe even 6, but such figures probably compare afternoon, pre-frontal surface water temperature to morning, postfrontal surface temperature. In other words, you’re not comparing apples to apples. As for bluebird skies, the theory that a change in light kills the bite doesn’t hold up, because light intensity changes from dawn to dusk every day, bluebird sky or not. But there might be something to the added UV light. Although most UV light is filtered in the upper few feet of the water, a few studies have suggested that fish may use UV for feeding. Do fish care about wind? Those in shallow water on the windward shore may if 2- to 3-foot waves are crashing into their home, but it shouldn’t negatively affect other fish. Wind actually generates slight currents, which can concentrate plankton along windward shores that, via the food chain, attract the predators anglers seek. It’s hard to conclude a post-front wind is a negative factor, except it makes casting and boat-positioning more difficult. Finally, I think back to a two-year study in which I measured food consumption of adult largemouth bass held individually in tanks. On any given day, five to 10 bass were swimming in tanks with bluegills. Cold front or not, a day didn’t go by that at least one bass didn’t eat a bluegill.

FishingClub.com

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Why Fish Attack I

have little doubt that when a walleye bites a minnow, a sunfish hits a worm or a trout sips a fly, the act has to do with feeding. But is that the case when any fish hits a lure that bears little resemblance to real food? Come on, these are smart predators. Do you think they can’t see that treble dangling from the lure? I’ve watched bass bully sunfish in tanks and then swim off.

Fishing Fact: Sunlight hurts walleyes’ eyes. Fisheries Fact: Let’s get rid of the pain aspect of this concept. If sunlight “hurts” walleyes’ eyes, why are so many walleye tournaments won by anglers fishing shallow, clear water? These fish are not squinting, and pain is not an issue. The biological literature says walleyes are negatively phototactic, which means they swim away from light. Nice to know, but why? The walleye’s pearlescent eyes result from a light-reflecting structure in the back of the

Fishing Fact: A fish feeds only when its

stomach is empty.

Fisheries Fact: We know the converse of this is false. How many times have you caught a fish with a bulging stomach or a prey fish’s tail sticking out of its gullet? Obviously, fish sometimes continue to feed with a full stomach. Fish feed when they are hungry. So what is hunger—or what triggers feeding? When food is digested, organic chemicals like proteins, fats and carbohydrates pass into the bloodstream, and these compounds fuel the fish’s metabolism. In time, this energy is used up. Centers in the brain monitor select energy compounds like fats or sugars, and when they drop below a certain threshold, the brain essentially sends the message, “I’m hungry, find food.” In colder water, metabolism is slower so fish feed less often.

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FishingClub.com

I’ve seen them head-butt a jerkbait with their mouth closed. Follows and short strikes are the rule in pike and muskie fishing. Considering all this, I’m beginning to think we catch a lot of fish on lures not because we tricked them, but because they are mean or like to play with novel items in their environment. Maybe a bigger, gaudier toy is more fun.—HS

eye—the tapetum lucidum. The structure serves to intensify the limited light entering the eye, and is common to many other nocturnal animals, including domestic dogs and cats. The walleye’s night-vision eyes and their bottom-mimicking camouflage give them a deadly advantage over prey fish that see best in bright light. In clear lakes, fishing deep during the day, or maybe tapping the night bite over shallow weedbeds or flats, makes perfect sense; but walleyes are not restricted to the twilight zone. What ultimately dictates where walleyes are effective predators is the location of their forage.

But energy is still used, and eventually the brain detects low energy levels and sends the message to feed. The important question, which I can’t address because I’m not a fish psychologist, is what triggers a fish to strike a lure—especially one that doesn’t look much like real food? And that brings me to my final thoughts: Biologists don’t have all the answers, especially for questions that revolve around why fish do what they do. What’s more, anglers will believe what they want to believe. For the “black crappie-white crappie” believers—those who trust biological explanations generated by someone who’s simply caught a few fish—I suggest fishing at least two days after a cold front when fish have empty stomachs. To catch trophy fish, use a big, very soft bait that won’t hurt their toothless mouths. And go at night if you’re chasing ’eyes.

North American Fisherman

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mong the many definitions for the word “bum” in Webster’s Dictionary is: “one who devotes time to a recreational activity.” That’s me. I’ve spent more than enough days and nights pursuing my activity to qualify as a hardcore “fishing bum.” In my home state of Michigan, for example, I take at least one and as many as three overnight fishing trips per week. What’s more, during the past five years, I’ve made extended trips to Florida to chase tarpon, dorado and other saltwater species,

twice staying for a month at a time. No, I didn’t hit a lottery jackpot. I broker used autos for a living, which allows me to spend time on the water, but by no means makes my bank account flush. How do I do it? By becoming a “recession-proof fisherman.” I’ve developed a strategy that lets me fish when and where I want with minimal cash outlay. During my most recent trip to the Miami area, for example, I was gone 34 days and didn’t spend a dime on accommodations.

by NAFC Member Rodney Orr

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North American Fisherman

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My methods are simple and can save a small fortune for any angler over a lifetime. And though most fishermen probably won’t carry it to the extent that I do, they can certainly adapt these ideas to help cut costs on local trips over just a few days, or for lengthy stays far from home. Be advised, though, that little of what you’ll learn here is relationshipfriendly. In other words, the concept of catch-and-release applies to my marriages as well as my fishing. Cutting Costs I started muskie fishing in 2000, and by 2001 I was pretty well obsessed. Soon I was fishing about 70 days per year and growing tired of the one-hour drive to Lake St. Clair, Michigan’s muskie Mecca, and back home again. So, I decided to trade in my Ford Explorer for an F-150 pickup, and installed a bed cap and mattress. The move let me sleep comfortably overnight during my ever-increasing forays to marinas and boat launches, while saving me the $120 I’d otherwise spend on rooms and fuel during a typical trip. If you’re a fisherman, chances are you already own a pickup or van as a tow vehicle. If not, you can get a decent used one for a few thousand dollars. A new cap will cost around $1,000, but you can find them used for much less. Throw in a paint job that matches your vehicle and it’ll still be a lot less than a new one. Two years ago I upgraded once more. I gave the pickup to my daughter and bought a silver 2007 E-150 van. Though I’d rather drive the truck on an every-day

Tips From A Fishing Bum A

s you begin to substitute a van or pickup for a motel room, you’ll no doubt come up with your own ways to enhance comfort and convenience. Here are a few I’ve learned over the years that will get you started: 1. If tinted windows are legal where you live, I recommend them. After baking in the sun much of the day, I’m usually ready for a break before heading back out for the evening bite. Tinted windows allow more privacy and keep the inside of the van cooler. 2. If you’re a light sleeper like me, invest in a sleep mask and shooter’s ear muffs or foam ear plugs. They may be uncomfortable at first, but the tradeoff is well worth it. 3. Where nighttime restroom visits are impossible, improvise. The veteran fishing bum’s solution is a 35-ounce, plastic coffee creamer bottle with a screwon lid. It has plenty of volume, and the wide opening is target-friendly. 4. Always have an extra set of vehicle keys handy in case you lock them inside. Let’s just say I learned this the hard way.

basis, the 40 to 50 nights per year I spend in what I’ve come to call “The Silver Suites” make it the only way to go. And though it may sound Spartan, living out my van is far from “roughing it.” I have most of the creature comforts from home at my disposal, including a 12-volt, portable color television and a laptop PC. A TV dinner tray allows me to dine while comfortably reclined in the driver’s seat. Another valuable addition is a remote-start unit. With it, I can start the vehicle from the comfort of my bed to run the heater or air conditioner. An auto shut-off feature kills the engine

after 15 minutes if I happen to doze off. Finally, a jump-pack battery booster is a must. Mine has a 12-volt receptacle that powers a portable fan when I simply want some air flow through my living quarters. Plus, it will start the van or boat in the event of a dead battery. A van presents many other comfort advantages over a pickup bed. First and foremost, I can lock myself inside. I’ve never encountered anyone looking for trouble, but locked doors and a cell phone offer peace-of-mind. It’s also much more insect-proof. I can recall one miserable night when the mosquitoes were really out of control back when I was using the truck. After that, I began to spray repellent around the outside of the tailgate and stuff the gaps along the sides and bottom with towels from the inside. Obviously, it’s much easier to keep bloodthirsty pests at bay from inside a van.

system is to locate a marina or launch area that has restroom facilities and allows overnight stays in the area you like to fish. Preferably it’ll offer access to a restroom and shower because, believe me, the whole experience is a much more pleasant for you and those around you if you can shower up once in a while. In Canada, for example, I park my van at the marina where I keep my boat. In the morning, I can step out of the van and be on the water in a matter of minutes. There’s no traffic to fight and no drive time from a hotel every morning, which means I can sleep an extra half-hour or so. Staying at a marina also gives you access to power. In November and December, in Michigan, I can plug in my little electric space heater and stay toasty even on nights that drop into the teens. Good public relations is a key element in my fishing trips. I’ve gotten to know the marina operator very well over the years, and have no problems staying where I launch. It’s no different from getting to know the owner of the resort or fish camp you visit. They get to count on repeat business from a good customer, and in turn, are eager to help out if small problems arise. It doesn’t hurt to offer fresh fillets once in a while. Now, say your travels take you somewhere without a marina or launch with

FishingClub.com

North American Fisherman

recently towed my Starcraft FishMaster 196 to Florida and went fishing for a month. The boat, 125-horsepower Mercury outboard, trailer and fishing gear together weigh about 2,500 pounds, and it cost approximately $850 in fuel to pull the rig to Miami and back home, roughly 2,800 miles. I leave the shrink wrap on the boat during the southerly trip, and I believe it helps boost my mileage. While I was there, I kept my boat in dry storage at the marina for the month—$214, and spent about $700 on boat fuel. I mainly drift fish for tarpon, which is fairly easy on the gas bill. But I do have to search for them, and usually chase them after hooking up. Weather permitting, I’ll also make trips offshore to the blue water for dorado, tuna and king mackerel. I prefer to fish live bait; crabs ($1.75 apiece) and shrimp ($3 per dozen), which can add up. Total cost for the month was about $150. Food costs are also something I try to keep in check. You can forage off the dollar-menus at the fast-food chains and stay within reason, but more often I go to the deli at the local major-chain grocery store. With the company’s “customer reward” card, I can take advantage of daily specials and all the other discounts. The food’s good and reasonably priced. Total for the month: $500. All in all, my month in fishing paradise cost approximately $2,400. About what you’d pay for three or four days of fishing at a Canadian fly-in lodge, or maybe a week of Florida fishing—if you had to fork over for a hotel bill. Me—I’d rather spend way more time on the water.—RO

running water. I’ve found I can park my rig without any problems in a lighted parking lot of a 24-hour business. During my trips to Florida, I park in the lot of a major all-night pharmacy in a safe area. Granted, it doesn’t solve the running-water problem, but I can still strike a blow for comfort and cleanliness by using my membership in a national health club. The one I belong to has locations all over the country, and I’ve made good use of it during my shortand long-range trips for years, for shower access and to use the weight room. If you don’t want to make a long-term commitment, many health clubs, includ-

Most of each day member Rodney Orr is away from home is spent on the water. He sees little sense in spending money on a room he’d use for only a few hours each night. ■

Orr takes with him most of the comforts of home, including a miniature television.

Finding Places To Stay All anglers have their preferred target species and favorite fishing destinations they visit year after year. The key to my

Costs For A Month-Long Trip

ing small privately owned clubs, offer inexpensive trial memberships and day passes. Passes typically run around $10, and if you’re planning an extended trip to an area, a one-month membership is worth the price, especially when you compare it to the $120 to $250 per night you’ll spend on a room. Now that you’ve learned the secrets of a real “fishing bum,” you can look forward to a lifetime of angling adventures done comfortably, and without a hefty credit card bill. I just ask two things: First, please use some of the money you save to help someone; we’re truly blessed when we help those in need. Second, if during your travels you happen to come across the Silver Suites, stop and say hello. I’ll be in room E-150. Always E-150.

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Hardbaits

Jigs & Rigs

Rods

Rapala Clackin’ Minnow

Lindy Spinners

G.Loomis NRX Bass Rods

Pinnacle Perfecta Series A unique Double Helical Construction (DHC5) process gives Pinnacle’s new series of 15 rods their low weight, high sensitivity and brute strength. Each has Fuji New Concept Alconite Guides, a Fuji reel seat premium, and all are built around a critical bass presentation. $159.99-$189.99; (888) 547-9998.

Rapala hit a homerun in 2009 with its Clackin’ Rap, a rattlebait with a single-BB housed within a cylindrical chamber mounted perpendicular to the bait’s centerline. The result was a sound that fish of all stripes had never heard, and the response was tremendous. Rapala designers borrowed the same rattle and applied it to a couple new hardbaits for 2011, including the Clackin’ Minnow. It casts a long distance, throws a hard-flashing action, and calls fish in with its distinctive sound. $13.99.

Spro BBZ 2.5 NAFC Life Member Bill Siemantel transformed lure-making when Spro introduced the BBZ hard swimbait he designed a few years back. Since then, the revolutionary lure has spawned progressively smaller cousins, the latest being the BBZ 2.5. It has the same amazing swimming action as its predecessors—only in a 2½-inch package perfect for smallmouths, trout, crappies and a wide array of other species. $14; (770) 919-1722.

Bomber Real Craw Model A

Lots of anglers fish spinners and ’crawler harnesses assuming the worm is the draw. Not so—the guys who cash checks after tournaments say the blades and beads are the clincher, as they’re what create the illusion of what fish are really looking for: the telltale flash of their primary forage species. That’s what Lindy’s pro staff had in mind when they sat down and designed its line of 12 new spinner rigs. The blade-bead combo for each is built around a specific forage species. The premium hooks and fluorocarbon snells help ensure that big ’eye makes it into the boat, too. $2.99; (479) 782-8971.

Picture a Bomber Model A—only backwards. That’s the

Gene Larew HardHead

Real Craw 4A. To amp up the realism, Bomber designers flip-flopped the pattern, removing the standard eyes from the front

Bass Pro Tommy

and dropping red raised eyes onto the back. Plus they gave it the

Biffle designed this cool jig

texture of a real crayfish. Bomber offers it in seven colors to match geographic and seasonal differences in coloration. $4.69; (479) 782-8971.

around the tournamentwinning tactic he calls “bottom bugging.” The HardHead’s football-shaped head, loosely

Strike King HC6XD Silent

joined to a worm hook with a loop wire, lets a rigged

Although they’ve been pretty tight-lipped about it, more and more bass

plastic bait swim freely as the head ticks bottom on

pros are telling us they’re abandoning hardbaits with rattles on high-

a slow retrieve. $5.49; (918) 949-6291.

ly pressured waters because fish have become so conditioned to them. The HC6XD deep-diver is Strike King’s answer to

It’s hard to imagine a rod that’s lighter and more sensitive than a GLX. But here it is. Loomis engineers married high-density carbon with “nano silica” resins to create a blank that you’ll swear weighs about as much as a Styrofoam cup. Meanwhile, they boosted the strength 20 percent and made the blank more impact resistant, which is good when you consider they start at $450. Loomis offers them in 13 casting and spinning models designed around specific bass presentations. All feature G.Loomis’ Hybrid Guide System and skeletonized reel seats that let you keep your finger on the blank at all times. $450-$500; (877) 577-0600.

Fenwick River Runner The six sticks that make up this series are designed around fishing trout in streams and small rivers, but we see them as great fits for panfish and finesse smallmouth applications, too. The graphite blanks are topped with Sea Guide titanium-frame, single-foot guides. $129.95; (877) 336-7637.

Baitcasting Reels

Fishing Lines

Quantum Smoke

Sufix 832

Beyond the fact this is a lot of reel in a moderately priced package, the really impressive thing about the Smoke is its nine-position cast control system, which lets you dial in the braking to precisely match your presentation and the conditions. Quantum offers it in a 100 (6.2 ounces) and 150 model (6.8 ounces). It features aluminum sideplates, and the resulting rigidity minimizes gear grind and sloppiness. $199-$219; (800) 588-9030.

This braid is made up of an industry-leading eight fibers, and those strands are woven together 32 times per inch (counts for most other braids number only in the teens). This is all a fancy way of saying it’s smoother, rounder and more manageable. One of the eight fibers is made of Gore (think Gore-Tex rainwear) material. This makes the line slick and hydrophobic, which increases abrasion resistance and casting distance. $19.99 (100-yard spool).

Spiderwire Fluorobraid

Daiwa TD Zillion Type R

Blakemore Pro 2.0 Roadrunner

This reel is all about speed. Its 7.3:1 ratio

Roadrunners have been tearing up everything from

and high-tensile brass alloy main gear

sunfish to stripers for decades. This cool expansion

team up to rip in 32 inches of line per crank.

tivity of braid, with the sinking properties of fluoro.

Blue Fox Vibrax Bullet

to the line features a brass wil-

To support this kind of winding power, Daiwa gave

It has high tensile strength and—unlike traditional

Casting tiny spinners any distance can be like throwing tissue paper into

low blade, twice the

the gear teeth a helical cut and packed in 11 high-

the wind — the Vibrax Bullet fixes that. It’s 30 percent heavier than the

marabou as the original,

performance ball bearings. $399.95; (562) 802-9589.

original Vibrax, which means you’ll cast it farther and get

crystal flash, prism eyes

this emerging “silent bait” trend. $5.99; (901) 853-1455.

down to deeper, bigger fish. $2.99-$4.49.

and a larger hook. $3-

Woven with high-density fluorocarbon and Dyneema, this line offers the low stretch and sensi-

Pinnacle Optimus XLT

$3.50; (334) 567-2011.

Pinnacle calls it the “X-Bone.” In English, it’s a car chassis-like frame that distributes stress equally to four points on this all-new reel. The

braid—quietly slides through guides. $19.95 (125-yard spool); (877) 502-7743.

Northland Bionic Line Northland’s Bionic series takes the headache out of choosing line that fits your fishing with three formulations, each specifically designed to fit

Canyon Plastics Hollow Body Swimbait Jig

internal components are made of Duralumin, which Pinnacle bills as a

Here’s the ultimate jig for fishing a hol-

also sports a QuickFlip Button—it lets you

the packaging’s Kwik-

If it weren’t for the treble hook dangling from its tail, you’d be hard-pressed to

low-body swimbait. Slice a small slit

flip or pitch with a simple push,

Spool line slot lets you

pick the Live-Forage Casting Spoon from a lineup of real fish. That’s because

down the rear third of a bait’s back

as well as engage the gears

easily fill reels while

Northland used printing technology it’d been perfecting for two years to impart

and slip this inside—without dis-

instantly without turning the

leaving the spool in its

ultra-realistic HD Fish-Photo-Image patterns onto the bait, along with the two

torting the shape of the lure’s

handle for fast hooksets.

box. $4.99-$6.99; (800)

head and throwing off its

$199.99; (888) 547-9998.

SUN-FISH.

Northland Live-Forage Casting Spoon

other new lures in the Live-Forage line. $5.99-$10.99; (800) SUN-FISH.

super alloy 20 percent stronger and 70 percent lighter than brass. It

bass, panfish or walleye fishing. It’s also offered in specialty sizes like 3-, 5- and 7-pound test, and

action. $4.95; (800) 770-0575.

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North American Fisherman

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Accessories Frabill FXE Stormsuit Frabill teamed with fishing legend Al Lindner and SnoSuit designer Chris Leonard to create this extreme-conditions rainwear. It’s lighter and softer than you’d expect such a durable, waterproof garment to be, and it’s got all the bells and whistles—sealed seams, DuPont Teflon fabric protector, Aquaguard zippers, and a big, fully adjustable hood with a reinforced sun visor. The bibs have wide gear straps with cam buckles (which are much easier to adjust and tighten), several oversized pockets, and articulated knees with padding. For male anglers, they even have a unique fly design that lets you take care of business a little easier. $429; (800) 558-1005.

DuraSafe Coupler Connect Plus Protect This sweet coupler system makes it easy to hook a tow vehicle to a boat trailer—just back into the ballpark and the guides steer the coupler into place, preventing damage to the vehicle or trailer. Like all DuraSafe products, the Coupler Connector Plus Protect system features a programmable lock, which lets you set it to match your tow-vehicle key. $49.95; (866) 544-5615.

Rapala Touch Screen 50-Pound Scale

Marine Equipment, Electronics

Terminal Tackle

Softbaits

Trokar Lazer TK Magnum Swimbait Hook

Yum F2 Shakalicious Worm

Minn Kota Talon

Swimbaits pull big fish, but hooksets can be tricky because you need to really hammer the hook home to punch through all that plastic. TroKar built this hefty piece of steel around such swing-for-the-fences hooksets. It also has enough gap to let the bait get out of the way. Like all TroKars, the TK 160 Magnum features an exceptionally sharp point. $11.99; (720) 941-8700.

Shallow-water anchoring systems have quickly gone from being virtually unknown oddities to standard features on the boats of serious anglers. Minn Kota’s Talon represents their first major evolution. Unlike its predecessors, the Talon is electro-mechanical, not hydraulic, which means it’s quieter, easier to install, and faster to stow and deploy. It also has more anchoring force, an auto up/down feature and can be operated from the control panel or wireless remote. Its Rough Water mode keeps the spike securely locked to bottom in waves that might jar loose other systems. $1,299-$1,449; (800) 227-6433.

Sébile Soft Weight System There’s a good reason the Sébile Soft Weight System took the top spot for best terminal tackle in the ICAST New Product Showcase — it’s really cool. The gummy tungsten weights are easy to add,

Here’s a touch-screen digital fish scale that keeps track of the day’s tally, whether you’re fishing a tournament, or just keeping track for a friendly wager with your fishing partner. The water-resistant scale stores and displays the weights of up to eight fish, your current bag, and even the air temperature. You also get eight culling tags. $54.99.

Costa Del Mar Jose 580P Costa’s 580 glass lenses are the gold standard of

identical visual quality in a lighter, more impact-resistant, and cheaper package —580P lenses. The polycarbonates are offered in 18 of Costa’s frame styles, including the new Jose, named for legendary saltwater angler Jose Wejebe. Across the board, they run about $60 less than comparable 580 glass lenses. $179; (800) 447-3700.

Gill Coast Jacket And Trousers Breathable “2-Dot” fabric, fully taped seams, a double front storm guard and sealed cuffs make the Gill Coast jacket both waterproof and comfortable. The accompanying trousers feature a reinforced seat and knees, zip-up legs and a full-length front zipper. The waist is also semi-elasticized to help keep water from seeping in from above. $169 (jacket), $145 (trousers); (770) 945-0564.

Humminbird’s 597ci

along the shank of the

HD Combo now has a

included hooks. And that means you can custom-

640V by 640H display

weight a softbait to cast easier, fall at a specific

on a 5-inch high-defi-

speed, or have a different posture in the water.

nition color screen.

$7.75-$10.75; (325) 437-8103.

Gulp! Shad Guts It’s not the sexiest Gulp! bait that Berkley engi-

Koppers Live Target Hollow Frog

neers have developed, but it’s certainly one of

The North American Fisherman staffer in ques-

the most unique. Gulp!

tion shall remain nameless, but let’s just say

Shad Guts

someone at Club Headquarters physically

deliver on

jumped back when they lifted a stack of papers

their name

off their desk to see this bait lying underneath.

when it comes

Yeah, it’s pretty realistic. Not surprisingly, this

to appearance,

long-legged hollow frog took the honors for best

and the scent cer-

soft lure at the ICAST New Product Showcase.

tainly matches.

$11.49; (888) 231-4448.

Catfishing and artificial bait haven’t historically gone hand-in-hand, but this may change that, especially for bank-bound anglers who don’t want to carry around a bucket of stinkbait or dead shad. $5.99; (800) 237-5539.

Aggression pheromones essentially tell bass it’s

Bullet Weights Mr. Crappie Troll Tech Series

Mann’s HardNose Jelly Worm Over a half-century has

time to inhale fleeing baitfish, and its large pro-

passed since Mann’s first

file and huge thumping tail move tons of

Bullet Weights sought the guidance of crappie guru

Original Jelly Worm came off

water. Rig the 6-inch creature on a

Wally Marshall to design its all-new Mr. Crappie

the line in 1956. This next-gen bait has

Texas or Carolina rig, but don’t

Troll Tech line of slab-

all the same attributes that made the original a

be afraid to experi-

specific weights

legend, plus one: the HardNose. As a result, it

ment with other

Lowrance Elite-5 DSI

and rigs. Included

stays on the hook better and stands up to

applications.

are the Crappie

more fish before you need to replace

$5.49.

Rig, Swivel Egg

it. $3.99-$4.99; (800) 841-8435.

When it comes to

and Swivel Torpedo sinkers, and

electronics, the

Crappie Casters—all are designed around

greatest new prod-

tightlining, spider rigging and vertical presenta-

Big Bite Flying Squirrel

Johnson Beetle Shad

ucts often aren’t the

tions. $2.50-$9.99; (800) 872-0131.

Creature baits continue to explode into truly

There’s hardly an angler on the continent with-

ones with the latest

new body styles, and

out a Beetle Spin or two in their tackle box.

technology—they’re the ones that have made

Big Bite Baits’

Now, the Beetle Shad gives all of us an

HD features GPS-based speed and water temp, a single SD card slot, and a built-in UniMap of U.S. coasts, lakes and rivers. It’s also compatible with both LakeMaster and Navionics cartography. $569.99; (800) 633-1468.

Irish Setter KVD Drift

last year’s tech affordable to the average angler.

Any angler would like to be in Kevin VanDam’s

That’s what Lowrance did with its new Elite-5

shoes. Now we all can—sort of. KVD Drift fish-

DSI. The affordably priced depthfinder/GPS fea-

ing shoes from Irish Setter are about as close as

tures Lowrance’s DownScan Imaging, a brilliant

most will get, but they dry fast, and the non-mark-

color display, smart automatic fishfinder modes

ing PodGrip outsoles channel water out from under you as you step,

and simple, intuitive operation. $649;

which means you’re less likely to take a digger on a wet gunnel. $89; (888) 738-8370.

(800) 324-1356.

FishingClub.com

tion anywhere

gave its entire 500 Series. In addition, the 597ci

pany found a way for anglers to experience nearly

■

reposi-

The change is part of a face-lift the company

clarity and protection. This year, however, the com-

remove and

Humminbird 597ci HD

Shaky-head fishing is all about creating lots of subtle action. That’s why the Yum F2 Shakalicious Worm will rule. In addition to the slender, tapered body, its ring of short tentacles at the head constantly shimmy underwater. The F2 part of the name refers to what Yum calls “Ferocity Squared,” an all-new scent that Mississippi State University tests showed was 30 percent more effective than others on the market. Yum is offering six other baits in the F2 line. $4.69; (479) 782-8971.

Invizaswivel

Flying Squirrel is

alternative softbait tailor-made for these ven-

case in point. It’s built

erable panfish lures. It’s actually one of several

invisible and won’t rust or

on a thin body with floating

Beetle-themed softbaits Johnson introduced

corrode. Plus, the Fluoro-

tail section legs that stand

this year. $1.29; (800) 237-5539.

Clear material self-lubricates

up when the bait comes to

Here’s a swivel that’s virtually

and won’t damage rod guides. $4.99 per pack; (904) 273-7200.

North American Fisherman

Trigger X Big Moe The Big Moe brings a lot to the table. Its Ultrabite

North American Fisherman

rest. Big Bite offers it in 10 colors. $4.49; (877) 222-7429.

FishingClub.com

■

FISHING10.COM

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Combos

More Gear Online

Tackle makers unveil gear for the upcoming year at the giant ICAST show every summer. Check out videos showing some of the best.

Spinning Reels Abu Garcia Revo This spinning incarnation of the Revo series features a reel stem and spool that are three times stronger than graphite, yet half the weight of aluminum. And it’s all thanks to what Abu engineers call NanoShield plating, a coating that’s about as thick as a coat of paint, but resistant to corrosion, abrasion and cracking. The Revo also brags 11 bearings, a stainless steel mainshaft and hardware, a sealed Carbon Matrix Drag, one-piece aluminum gear box and Everlast Bail System. $249.95; (800) 228-4272.

Shimano Stella FE

Wright & McGill Skeet Reese Spinning Reel

There’s high-end,

Skeet Reese helped Wright & McGill make the

and then there’s

Victory a reel that could hack it for a weekend war-

real high end. The

rior as much as a touring pro. For less than what

Stella FE is the latter.

you’ll pay to fill your truck’s tank for a fishing trip,

It features Shimano’s X-Ship double-bearing-sup-

you get an aluminum body, 10

ported pinion gear, and the result is a handle that

bearings, infinite anti-

practically turns on its own. Add in a magnesium

reverse, a machined-

frame, 14 A-RB bearings and premium Shimano

aluminum handle, an

standards like the Propulsion Line Management

anti-twist line roller and more.

System. $699.99-749.99; (877) 577-0600.

$119.99; (720) 941-8700.

Kayaks Hobie eVolve Hobie’s made ’yak-fishing even more accessible with the eVolve system. It integrates a Torqeedo electric motor with two separate mounts; one slips into the MirageDrive pedal well and the other fits onto any Hobie Twist And Stow rudder. A remote throttle control also indicates charge status, distance remaining, speed and power consumption. A 230-watt lithium manganese battery powers the system for up to eight hours at 2 mph. Amazingly, it weighs just 6.6 pounds. $1,899; (800) HOBIE-49.

Pflueger Apprentice Combo This combo is perfect to bridge the gap for a young angler who’s outgrown their kids tackle, yet isn’t

quite ready to graduate to the big league. The IM-6 graphite rod and quality Pflueger reel are perfectly balanced, and the split grip gives it the look and feel of a high-end adult setup. The handle is slimmed down to better fit the hands of a younger angler. $59.99; (800) 554-4653.

Tackle Storage Plano FTO Hydro-Flo Tackle is made to be used in water, not to sit in moisture that’s collected in a tackle tray. That’s the thinking that went into Plano’s FTO Elite series Hydro-Flo storage systems. Along with a layout that makes tackle incredibly accessible, the contents are protected by water-resistant materials, and an element cover with easy-attach magnetic buckles. The truly innovative ideas at work here are angled trays and a perforated base that lets water flow right out the bottom of the bag. $139.99-$199.99; (800) 226-9868.

Flambeau T4 A lot of tackle goes into the relatively small footprint of Flambeau’s T4 Multiloader. It measures 10.7x 13.7x12 inches, yet holds five TuffTainer compartmented boxes, all of which

Sea Eagle Fast Track 3855

feature corrosion-inhibiting

This inflatable ’yak features an outside drop stitch keel in the bow and a large skeg in the stern that

Zerust dividers. An impact-

team up to limit lateral movement when paddling. This results in greater speed and straighter tracking with less effort. Although it’s an inflatable, it retains so much rigidity that an angler can stand and cast from its floor. $1,353-$1,559; (800) 748-8066.

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North American Fisherman

SPORTINGVEHICLES

Two-Timing ATVs

FISHING10.COM Join your fellow Club members on the NAFC Facebook Fan page.

Polaris Ranger EV Arctic Cat TRV 1000 Cruiser

by Bruce Smith haring the fishing experience is what the latest two-up and side-by-side ATVs are all about. When it comes to all-terrain transportation for two, you can go two-up (one behind the other) and sideby-side. I’ve been testing one of each lately and both have their strengths.

New two-man ATVs make getting you and a fishing partner to backcountry waters easier than ever.

Arctic Cat TRV 1000 Cruiser My current two-up test machine is Arctic Cat’s TRV 1000 Cruiser, which is not your run-of-themill quad. Not only does it safely and legally carry two people, it does so at speed and with comfort. The 1000 in its name refers to the displacement in cubic centimeters. You’ve heard of 800s—this would be the 1000, 951 to be exact, in the H2 V-Twin. How much power is enough? For me, big torque and arm-stretching acceleration are just what’s needed to give a recreation machine true versatility. The same machine that can handle sticky mud and deep ruts with two riders can also blast up hills. That’s what displacement can do for you. The TRV 1000 Cruiser is also loaded with features such as heated driver and passenger handgrips, a locking travel case, a windshield with handlebar-mounted mirrors, aluminum wheels and a Warn winch. It has a twoup seat with cushioned back and integrated footrests. The double A-arm front suspension and fully independent rear suspension deliver 10 inches of travel and 10 inches of ground clearance. A new allLearn more about fishing-friendly accessories for Polaris’ new electric-powered Ranger EV. Click on Web Extras at FishingClub.com

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encompassed electronic 2WD/4WD/Differential Lock switch on the right hand control makes going in and out of 4-wheel-drive or diff lock easier. Polaris Ranger EV The Ranger EV is a re-designed version of the 400 with a bank of batteries under the seat where the gas engine usually lives, along with a 48-volt high-efficiency AC-inducted electric motor. Going the AC route maximizes performance and provided engineers with more parameters to design the best possible drive modes. The design includes a three-mode switch, which controls how the power is delivered from the batteries to the drive train. In high, the throttle is set up more aggressively. In low range, power is optimized for torque while regenerative braking is increased when off the throttle, which helps keep speeds in check when under heavy load or on steep terrain. Polaris put the big-torque power of the new electric motor through a new transaxle while retaining the proven Polaris drive shaft to the front end. This means Ranger EV owners benefit from the same OnDemand True AWD, 2WD and VersaTrac Turf modes found on other Polaris machines. Fishermen will appreciate electric power when quietly leaving camp in the wee hours. Simply leave it plugged in during non-use and the EV is always ready to go. Admittedly, it has a few drawbacks compared to its gas-powered bro. It weighs more, costs more and offers less driving range. But for those who see the advantages of electric out-weighing the drawbacks of gas, the new Polaris Ranger EV is the way to go. ▼ North American Fisherman

NAFC Member Guide Your Benefits, Contests, News And More Outstanding Catch Award Update The results are in for the April, May and June NAFC Outstanding Catch Awards! In April, Anthony Zonetti (right) of Stevensville, Maryland, took the most votes for the 24-inch rain-

Journa FISHING CLUB

Official Newsletter of the North American Fishing Club

Hit The Ice With Fellow Members! Connect With The Club

The NAFC editors and staff invite Club members to join them for an exciting, informative and fun day on the ice, Jan. 8, 2011. Reserve your spot today!

bow trout he caught on the Little Patuxent River; the voter selected at random was Fred Johnson of

Contact Member Services

Redding, California.

If you need help with any aspect of your Club membership, please contact us.

Cudahy, Wisconsin, Life Member Bill Hegyi (left) won in May with the 21-inch smallmouth he pulled from Big Bearskin Lake; the voter winner

VISIT the Club Website www.fishingclub.com

was Marty Wilkins of Boise, Idaho. In June, a 52-inch muskie earned the win for Mathew Unger of Muskego, Wisconsin; Andrey Dembitsky, of Staten Island, New York, was drawn as the winning voter. All six participants will receive a $100 prize package from Plano, including a 1085 Pro Latch Line Spool Box and a 4672 Guide Series Tackle Bag. In the months of October and November,

EMAIL the Club memberservices@fishingclub.com

CALL Member Services (800) 843-6232 WRITE to the Club NAFC P.O. Box 3401 Hopkins, MN 55343-2103

anglers will battle for an awesome selection of Sébile lures valued at $100 each. As always, the member whose catch receives

Please include your member number when you write, email or call the Club.

the most online votes at the close of each month will receive a prize, along with one voter selected by random drawing. For more information on the contest, or to enter your Outstanding Catch, go to FishingClub.com. Be sure to include your full name, member number, fish size, body of water, and the lure and method used when you enter. Incomplete entries will not be eligible.

Request Your Free Directory The 18th edition “Fishing Resource Directory” is now available—best of all it’s FREE. The helpful trip-planning reference lists guides and charter services that have received a 75 percent or greater favorable rating from NAFC members who’ve used them. It also features contact information for NAFC FIN Affiliates you can call for up-to-date fishing information from around the country.

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Double Your Odds: Click & Win

ENTER the NAFC Click & Win contest through Fishing10.com and get TWO chances to win great fishing gear. That’s right. Click once, and get entered twice — every day.

To receive your free directory, visit FishingClub.com, or e-mail MemberServices@fishingclub.com.

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tart out the New Year by sharing an ice fishing expedition with your fellow Club members and the NAFC staff! The Club will hold its inaugural NAFC Ice Fishing Fest, presented by Cabela’s, on legendary Mille Lacs Lake, a 90-minute drive from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jan. 8, 2011. Steve Pennaz, Kurt Beckstrom, Ryan Gilligan, Doug McDougal and others will be on hand during the entire event. Kevin McQuoid, well-known walleye pro and owner of Mac’s Twin Bay Resort, will act as host. Participants will stay in one of the resort’s deluxe (and warm) on-ice cabins, located on a well-plowed ice road a few miles offshore from Isle, Minnesota. For $275, you will receive two nights’ lodging, Friday evening and Saturday meals, ice-fishing seminars and on-ice instruction from top anglers. Fishermen can also make arrangements for a room at a nearby hotel on shore if they prefer. This is an event for anyone who wants to try ice fishing for the first time, as well as for seasoned hard-water anglers who want to experience the newest ice fishing equipment and discuss techniques with some of the best ice anglers in the country. And, of course, it’s a great way for you to get to know and enjoy spending time with other Club members! If you don’t have equipment, don’t worry. We’ll set you up with everything you need except warm clothes and a bedroll (assuming you opt to use on-ice accommodations). If you want to bring your own gear, you’re encouraged to do so. To reserve your spot in this exciting event, contact Mac’s Twin Bay Resort at (866) 670-8709, or visit macs@macs twinbay.com. Join the NAFC editorial staff, So embrace winter—we’ll see you on Jan. 8, on Mille Lacs Lake for a day of fishing, and a lot of fun. the ice! ▼

North American Fisherman

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What Do You Think?

In a recent FishingClub.com poll, we asked Club members who they trust most when seeking accurate information on fisheries. Here’s how participants responded: State/federal fisheries biologists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37% Private fisheries managers . . . . . . . 6% Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37% Books/magazines/websites . . . . 20%

PollQues October/November Poll Question

Club Headquarters will be running several polls on FishingClub.com in October and November. One of the questions we’ll be asking NAFC members is:

What are you not willing to do in order to live the “fishing bum” lifestyle and afford more out-ofstate trips? A. Sleep in a van/truck B. Eat off the “dollar menu” at fast-food restaurants—daily C. Use a coffee creamer bottle as a nighttime restroom D. Sacrifice a marriage Go to FishingClub.com today to weigh in—visit often, as new polls will be posted regularly.

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he Berkley Braid knot has come out on top of its third-straight challenge, besting the Cheek knot across the board in all line categories. While the Berkley registered average break strengths of 19.82 pounds with nylon mono, 19.69 pounds with fluoro and 17.36 pounds with braided line, the Cheek came in at 19.27 pounds, 15.97 pounds and 13.95 pounds, respectively.

In the next issue of North American Fisherman, we hold the championship round between the Berkley Braid knot and last year’s overall winner, the Fish N Fool knot. ▼

FISHING10.COM See what happens when strongman Bald Mike takes on an invincible Yeti.

lifememberspotlight lifememberspotlight

Life Member Honor Roll

Name: Eric Boley Hometown: Kemmerer, Wyoming Life Member Since: 2004 Annual Days On The Water: 60-70 Favorite Species: Cutthroat trout Best Catch: 41-inch lake trout Top Waters: Flaming Gorge, Green River Quote: “I think the cutthroat is a survivor. I admire it so much that I completed the cutt slam, which requires catching all four cutthroat subspecies, here in Wyoming!” 56

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Challenge 6 Winner: Berkley Braid

$30 Value

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Bobby McConnell Rick Noel Dean Rueschman Kenneth Bishop James Stockslager David Rhinehart Randy Pierce Frank Lushia Mickey Scrivener Ronald Pollock James Armstrong William Nugent Brian Quick Richard Plummer Yardley Wilson Melvin Williams Harold Sturgeon Richard Smith Lee Eaton Ronald Dunton Greg Akard Mark Tolliver Jeffery Davis Robert O’Quinn Tony Krische Everett Rochelle Gary Kotvis Christoph Reber

North American Fisherman

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Amish mantle and miracle invention help home heat bills hit rock bottom Miracle heaters being given away free with orders for real Amish ﬁreplace mantles to announce the invention that helps slash heat bills, but Amish craftsmen under strain of early Christmas rush force household limit of 2

Save money: only uses about 9¢ electric an hour; so turn down your thermostat and never be cold again By MARK WOODS

Universal Media Syndicate

(UMS) Everyone hates high heat bills. But we’re all sick and tired of simply turning down the thermostat and then being cold. Well now, the popular HEAT SURGE® miracle heaters are actually being given away free to the general public for the next 7 days starting at precisely 8:00 a.m. today. The only thing readers have to do is call the National Distribution Hotline before the 7-day deadline with their order for the handmade Amish Fireplace Mantle. Everyone who does is instantly being awarded the miracle heater absolutely free. This is all happening to announce the HEAT SURGE Roll-n-Glow® Fireplace which actually rolls from room-to-room so you can turn down your thermostat and take the heat with you anywhere. That way, everyone who gets them ﬁrst can immediately start saving on their heat bills. Just in time for winter weather, portable Amish encased fireplaces are being delivered directly to the doors of all those who beat the deadline. These remarkable fireplaces with patent pending technology are being called a miracle because they have a stunning fireless f lame that gives you the peaceful f licker of a real fire but without any flames, fumes, smells, ashes or mess. Everyone is getting them because they require no chimney and no vent. You just plug them in. The Fireless Flame® looks so real it amazes everybody

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How It Works: The HEAT SURGE miracle heater is a work of engineering genius from the China coast so advanced, you simply plug it into any standard outlet. It uses only about 9¢ of electric an hour on the standard setting. Yet, it produces up to an amazing 4,606 BTU’s on the high setting. So watch out, a powerful on board hi-tech heat turbine silently forces hot air out into the room from the vent so you feel the bone soothing heat instantly. It even has certiﬁcation of Underwriters Laboratories coveted UL listing. It also comes with a limited full year replacement or money back warranty less shipping plus a 30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee. OH and FL resident transactions require the remittance of applicable sales tax. Sorry no shipments to MA and CA residents. LISTED: E322174

Hot air only comes out of the top vent The hi-tech silent heat turbine takes in cold air

N GENUINE AMISH MANTLES MADE IN THE HEARTLAND OF OHIO: Everyone wants to save money on heat bills this winter, so entire Amish communities are working from the crack of dawn to build these real wood fireplace mantles to last forever. The Light Honey Oak mantle is a real steal at just two hundred ninety-eight dollars because all those who beat the order deadline by calling the National Hotline at 1-866-815-7110 to order the fireplace mantles are actually getting the hi-tech imported Fireless Flame HEAT SURGE miracle heaters for free.

because it has no real fire. So what’s the catch? Well, soft spoken Amish craftsmen who take their time hand building the mantles have a process that forces a strict household limit of 2 to keep up with orders. “We can barely keep up ever since we started giving heaters away free. With winter just around the corner, everyone’s trying to get them. Amish craftsmen are working their fingers to the bone to be sure everyone gets their delivery in time for Christmas,” confirms Frederick Miller, National Shipping Director. “These portable Roll-nGlow Fireplaces are the latest home decorating sensation. They actually give

you a beautifully redecorated room while they quickly heat from wall to wall. It’s the best way to dress up every room, stay really warm and slash your heat bills all at the same time,” says Josette Holland, Home Makeover Expert. And here’s the best part. Readers who beat the 7-day order deadline are getting their imported hi-tech miracle heaters free when encased in the Amish built real wood fireplace mantles. The mantles are being handmade right here in Ohio in the heartland of Amish country where they are beautifully hand-rubbed, stained and varnished. You just can’t find custom made Amish man-

tles like this in the national chain stores. That makes the Light Honey Oak mantle a real steal for just two hundred ninety-eight dollars since the entire cost of the miracle heater is free. This free giveaway is the best way to slash heating bills and stay warm this fall and winter. The HEAT SURGE Roll-n-Glow Fireplace gives you zone heating and all the beauty and warmth of a built-in fireplace but rolls from roomto-room so it can also save you a ton of money on heating bills. Even people in California and Florida are ﬂocking to get them so they may never have to turn on their furnace all winter. And since it uses

only about 9 cents of electric an hour on the standard setting, the potential savings are absolutely incredible. “We are making sure no one gets left out, but you better hurry because entire com munities of A m ish craftsmen are straining to keep up with demands. For now, we are staying out of the large national retail

How to get 2 free heaters The National Toll Free Hotlines are now open. All those who beat the 7-day order deadline to cover the cost of the Amish made Fireplace Mantle and shipping get the HEAT SURGE miracle heater free. A strict limit of 2 per household has been imposed. Since some home woodworkers want to build their own mantle piece, they are letting people get the imported miracle heater alone for just $249. Or, with orders for the Amish made mantle you get the miracle heater free. Use the map below to locate the weather zone you live in and call the Hotline number for your zone.

Frigid Zone: 1 Cold Zone: 2 Frost Zone: 3 Claim Code: FP12408

EVERYONE LIVING IN THE

N ON THEIR WAY: Early Christmas orders have turned country roads into pipelines to the big city delivery system. Everybody wants a ﬁreplace that comes fully assembled with a handmade Amish mantle in Light Honey Oak or Manor Cherry ﬁnish and gets delivered by truck right to your door. All you do is plug it in.

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stores in order to let readers have two per household just as long as they call before the deadline,” confirms Miller. It’s a really smart decision to get two right now because for only the next 7 days you get both miracle heaters free. That’s like putting ﬁve hundred bucks right in your pocket and you

can save even more money on your monthly heating bills. “Everyone’s calling to get one but those who are getting their Christmas shopping done early are surprising the whole family by getting two. So when lines are busy keep trying or log onto amishfireplaces.com. We promise to get to every

call. Then we can have a delivery truck out to your door right away with your beautiful Heat Surge Rolln-Glow Fireplace,” Miller said. “You’ll instantly feel bone soothing heat in any room. You will never have to be cold again,” he said. N On the worldwide web: www.amishfireplaces.com

Rolls anywhere to throw an instant heat wave with no chimney, no vents, no wood and no smoke

N EASILY ROLLS ANYWHERE: This is the portable Roll-nGlow® Fireplace that easily rolls from bedroom to living room to keep you warm. No vents, no chimney and no tools. Just plug it in.

N SAVES ON BILLS: Everyone can get low bills and stay warm and cozy. The Roll-nGlow Fireplace saves a ton of money and makes your front room look like a million bucks.

N SAFE FLAME: The Fireless Flame looks so real it fools everyone but there is no real fire. That makes the flame window safe to the touch under the watchful eye of a parent. It’s where the kids will play and the cat and dog will sleep.

N FREE: Get this $249 miracle heater free. It is being given away free to all who beat the 7-day order deadline for your choice of the Light Honey Oak or Manor Cherry finish Amish Mantles. The free heater comes already encased.

fieldtested You can become a Field Tester!

and approved

TOP RATED CATEGORIES: EASE OF USE, QUALITY, APPEARANCE

Simply complete a Field Test Profile form,

This box keeps lines untangled and organized, while holding up to five 1,000-yard spools. Feed-through holes in the front allow anglers to fill reels without removing spools from the box. Contact Plano Molding Company at (800) 226-9868; planomolding.com.

toll-free at (800) 843-6232.— Karl Kleman, Field Test Editor

Total number of NAFC members

OVERALL RATING 7.6

Plano XL Line Spool Box

available by clicking on “Member Benefits” at FishingClub.com, or by calling the NAFC

5 0 4 who tested products for this issue

PRICE: $11.95

Rating: 1-poor — 10-excellent

James Mantalas, Bloomington, MN: “The best feature is the clear material—it lets you easily see the spools.” Lee Hemze, Brooklyn Park, MN: “It looks great and works a lot better for spooling than a shoe box!” TOP RATED CATEGORIES: DURABILITY, QUALITY, EFFECTIVENESS

PRICE: $39.99

OVERALL RATING 8.6

Berkley TEC 9X MultiPliers These pliers are made of Berkley’s exclusive TecTanium steel, plus they’re nickel-plated and titanium-coated for superior corrosion resistance. They contain nine built-in tools, including a barb-masher, crimper, jig eye cleaner, wire/line cutter and split-shot pincher. The spring-loaded tool features a non-slip handle and belt sheath. Contact Pure Fishing at (800) 237-5539; berkley-fishing.com. Russell Leech, Indianapolis, IN: “I like the soft, spring-action handle, and the different size crimpers make the tool very versatile.” Kyle Wright, Milwaukee, WI: “This heavy-duty tool is built to last. The jig eye cleaner and the soft-grip handles are the best features.”

TOP RATED CATEGORIES: EFFECTIVENESS, DESIGN, VERSATILITY

PRICE: $69.99

OVERALL RATING 9.2

Schrade Four-Piece Camp Set Schrade’s four-piece Camp Set features a saw, as well as drop-point, clip-point and skinner-style knife blades. Each mounts onto the set’s rubberized, interchangeable handle. A quick-release lock lets you easily swap out the blades, making it a versatile tool for any fishing task. The set also includes a sheath. Contact Schrade Knives at (800) 251-0254; taylorbrandsllc.com. Austin Bock, Burnsville, MN: “I recommend this set because of the innovative design, value and versatility. The rugged design makes it great for fishing and camping.” Nathan Joiner, Newburgh, IN: “I was really surprised by how easy it was to switch blades—and all were sharp right out of the box.” TOP RATED CATEGORIES: QUALITY, ACTION, EASE OF USE

TOP RATED CATEGORIES: DESIGN, EASE OF USE, APPEARANCE

PRICE: $169.99

OVERALL RATING 8.7

The lightweight Arbor 7430 is perfectly designed to handle braided line. It features an oversize machined-aluminum spool, a reliable Sure-Click aluminum bail, and eight stainless steel bearings. It also has instant anti-reverse, and a smooth, sealed, carbon-fiber drag system. Contact Pflueger at (800) 554-4653; pfluegerfishing.com.

The Spot 2.0 Satellite GPS Messenger is 30 percent smaller and lighter than Spot’s original unit and offers enhanced tracking and messaging modes. It acquires GPS coordinates to map your location via home computer, sends “check in” or “help” messages, and you can use it to quickly contact 911 in case of emergencies. Contact Spot at (866) 651-7768; findmespot.com.

Robert Bius, Parkton, NC: “I recommend this reel for its quality, durability and high-quality appearance.” Brent Huskey, Smithville, AR: “The reel is well-balanced for wobble-free operation, and the gold accents add a classy look.”

Don Head, Kingston, ON: “I recently traveled to Afghanistan and Hawaii, and was able to track my movements and share the live tracking with family and friends. It’s extremely useful and versatile.” Frank Andrekus, Zion, IL: “It certainly gave my wife peace of mind when I’ve been fishing by myself in poor weather. Plus, it lets me look at my track and get GPS positions for reference.” PRICE: $29.99

OVERALL RATING 8.8

CRKT Lake 111 Zytel Folding Knife This utility knife features a razor-sharp edge and a patented lock-back safety, making it virtually impossible to accidently release the blade. Its “basket-weave” textured handle and pronounced finger choil and pommel provide a secure grip. The knife is equipped with a removable belt clip and custom denim sheath. Contact Columbia River Knife & Tool at (800) 891-3100; crkt.com. Philip Jablonski, Belleville, MI: “I like the fact it has such a secure locking mechanism.” Randy Beck, Antioch, CA: “The textured handle maintains a solid grip. I also like the secondary lock, sturdy sheath and solid construction.”

FishingClub.com

OVERALL RATING 8.9

Pflueger Arbor 7430 Reel

Spot 2.0 Satellite Messenger

TOP RATED CATEGORIES: EASE OF USE, DESIGN, EFFECTIVENESS

PRICE: $79.95

North American Fisherman

TOP RATED CATEGORIES: EASE OF USE, QUALITY, EFFECTIVENESS

PRICE: $17.99

OVERALL RATING 7.9

Smith & Wesson CH Fillet Knife The CH fillet knife features a 6-inch blade constructed from surgical stainless steel. It features an impact-resistant, non-slip rubber handle, as well as a Kryton sheath and belt clip. Contact Schrade Knives/Taylor Brands LLC at (800) 251-0254; taylorbrandsllc.com. Mac Alred, Hot Springs, AR: “The knife is easy to grip thanks to its large handle and soft grip. I like the contour of the blade, and the hard case is well constructed.” Doyle Baer, Saint Helens, OR: “I filleted 65 fish and the blade did not have to be sharpened! The grip is also very good.”

North American Fisherman

FishingClub.com

fieldtestPreview

•

These are a few of the products being tested by Club members. Look for results of approved products in upcoming issues, or at FishingClub.com.

Dead Down Wind Odorless Hand Sanitizer Easy Bite Strike Indicator The Easy Bite Strike Indicator fits onto virtually any fishing rod and is fully adjustable and highly visible. Its balanced system lets anglers see both positive and negative (upward) bites—even in low light—thanks to the glow tip. It accommodates jigs up to 3⁄8 ounce in size. Contact Easy Bite LLC at (414) 416-8313; easybite.net.

Odorless Hand Sanitizer ($2.99/2-ounce bottle) kills 99.9 percent of common germs with a low-alcohol formula that reduces impact on good bacteria. It minimizes odors such as cigarette smoke or gasoline, is easy to use on the water, and it’s recommended by the CDC for use when soap and water is not available. Contact Dead Down Wind at (888) 486-8339; deaddownwind.com.

Haber Vision Mallorca Metal-Frame Sunglasses

Learn with Penn Foster Career School In just five months, you can have the training you need to begin a career as a professional Gunsmith. Get the skills you need to work in a gun shop, start your own repair business, or custom-make ammunition, and restore valuable T NOW! antique firearms. AC You’ll cover important topics such as:

Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpener The Work Sharp ($70) is designed to hone fillet and serrated knives, as well as a variety of common tools. The sharpener uses two precision-angle sharpening guides; a 40-degree guide for fillet knives and other thinner blades, and a 50-degree guide for thicker outdoor knives. Contact Darex, LLC at (800) 597-6170; worksharptools.com.

Irish Setter Wilmont Jacket This ribbed knit jacket ($89.99) is waterproof and includes front zippered pockets, as well as interior glove and scarf pockets. The outer shell is bonded with polar fleece for water resistance, warmth and durability. Contact Irish Setter Apparel at (800) 665-3369; info@richlu.com.

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Plano FlipSider Tackle System Perfect for jigs, spinnerbaits and rattlebaits, the FlipSider ($9.99) features 18 individual compartments to prevent tangled hooks. Compartment rows flip up for easy access. Contact Plano Molding Company at (800) 226-9868; planomolding.com.

North American Fisherman

• • • •

How to accurize, repair, and customize Fitting and finishing stocks Restoring antique firearms Design, function, and installation of scopes, sights, and safeties

S SAVINEGR OAVFAFILABLE Penn Foster Career Services, which include access to job searches, tips on interviewing, information on preparing a cover letter, and resume building with the help of a Certified Professional Resume Writer.

• Establishing a retail gun business; sales and services; types of ownership; licensing requirements

To start today or to request FREE information

1-800- 572-1685 ext. 6763 Or visit www.PennFoster.edu

… and much more.

Call

Affordable and Convenient Your tuition covers all learning materials including textbooks, study guides, learning aids, professional-quality tools, and instructor support. And, we offer 0% APR financing and customized payment plans to meet any budget. All your learning materials are delivered directly to you and you can study online, in print, or a combination of both. You decide which method suits your learning style and how quickly to complete your coursework. And you can interact with other Penn Foster students through our online community, including social networks, blogs, and discussion groups.

Online enter ID# ADMS9ZT

Or, mail this coupon today. •

Send me FREE INFORMATION on one of these exciting career training programs! No obligation. Choose ONE only.

■ 25 GUNSMITH MECHANICS

Accredited Penn Foster Career School is nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). Penn Foster Career School and High School are regionally accredited by the Commission on Secondary Schools of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Career Services Current students and graduates are notified — through their personal message boards — of job openings submitted directly to Penn Foster by employers from around the country. Graduates of Penn Foster can take advantage of

Dept. ADMS9ZT 925 Oak Street Scranton, PA 18515-0700

•

Yes! 72 04 55 06 14 33

Appliance Repair Auto Repair Technician Diesel Mechanics Electrician HVAC Technician Motorcycle Repair Technician 89 Small Engine Repair

BUILDING TRADES 104 Carpenter

205GE

These sunglasses ($245) feature a rimless design and HaberLite polarized lenses for the highest level of protection from UV radiation, blue light and impact. The frame is crafted from Ti-64 flash-hardened Beta Titanium, with Griptor on the temple tips. The glasses come with a two-tone hard case and microfiber pouch/cleaning cloth. Contact Haber Vision at (800) 621-4381; habervision.com.

384 Furniture & Cabinet Maker 145 Home Remodeling & Repair 151 Plumber

FINANCE & BUSINESS 15 Home Inspector 70 Small Business Management

TECHNOLOGY 54 AutoCAD® 79 Electronics Technician

27 PC Maintenance and Repair 83 Web Page Designer

HIGH SCHOOL 07 Penn Foster High School

OTHER EXCITING PROGRAMS 102 Landscaper 58 Private Investigator 31 Professional Locksmithing 22 Wildlife/Forestry Conservation

Name _______________________________________________Age_______ Street _______________________________________________Apt. # _____ City/State _______________________________________Zip____________ Phone ( )____________________Email __________________________

•

Journa FISHING CLUB

Introducing

The Havalon Baracuta Pro Fillet Knife With Quik-Change Blades â&#x201E;˘

â&#x201E;˘

Email Us Your Photo! Submitting Member Photos is easyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;just email high-resolution photos to editors@fishingclub.com. Include your member number, name, hometown, fish size, body of water and lure used.

memberphotos 1. Life Member Cam Kerkenbush of Potosi, WI; 45inch muskie; Banana Lake; live sucker.

Never Lose Your EDGE For Advertising Information Call Mark Swanson at (800) 688-7611 ext. 7105 E mail: mswanson@namginc.com

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2. Life Member Dennis Keltos of North Bergen, NJ; hybrid striped bass; Lake Hopatcong; live herring. 3. Life Member Timothy Solem of Maplewood, MN; 29Âź-inch walleye; Lake Despair, Ontario; jig.

New

4. Life Member Jesse Pendergrass of Rochester, MN; brown trout; Root River; nymph. 5. Life Member Dave Lowery of Dover, DE; 49 1â &#x201E;2-inch muskie; Lake of the Woods, Ontario; Double Cowgirl. 6. Member Mike Dulian of Coon Rapids, MN; smallmouth bass, Mille Lacs Lake; Rapala Shad Rap.

Havalon Baracuta-EDGEâ&#x201E;˘ UĂ&#x160;5â&#x20AC;? blades UĂ&#x160;Overall length 11â&#x20AC;? UĂ&#x160;Black zytel handle with rubber grips UĂ&#x160;Includes 5 additional blades FREE

7. Member Chris Russell of New York, NY; 46-inch striped bass, Atlantic Ocean. 8. Member Mike Johnson of Elkhart, IN; 32 1â &#x201E;2 -inch steelhead; St. Joseph River; in-line spinner. Member Robbie Nelson of Chesterton, IN; 44-inch northern pike; Lake Roderick, Ontario; gold Dardevle.

NAFC HOT SHOT awards are the Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way of recognizing excep-

tional Member Photos. Winners are chosen by the NAFC staff and receive a free lure package from the Club. For tips on taking the best possible photos of your catch, go to FishingClub.com.

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arry in your car trunk and be ready to fish in just four minutes!

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Summer Address P.O. Box 128 Nestor Falls, ON, Canada P0X 1K0

Winter Address 106 South Drive Babbitt, MN 55706

Lake of the Woods

Housekeeping Plans & American Plans offered Excellent fishing for Muskie, Northern, Bass, Walleye, Lake Trout and Crappie Boat Rentals as well as Guide Service Available

Toll Free in US & Canada (877) 226-1211 email: whitefishbaycamp@yahoo.com

www.whitefishbaycamp.com

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North American Fisherman

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Journa FISHING CLUB

masterswalleyecircuit

Fiedler And Schilling: Oahe Champs! Mobridge, SD— South Dakotans Corey Fiedler and Chad Schilling trolled their way to victory on Lake Oahe

against more than 80 other anglers in the Cabela’s MWC West Division season opener May 8-9. The pair brought 26.56 pounds to the scale, good for a $10,200 payday that included a $9,000 first-place check, a $500 Cabela’s gift card courtesy of the circuit’s Cabela’s Angler Cash awards program, a $500 Lowrance HDS bonus, and $200 Oxygenator U2 bonus. “It’s both a dream come true and a shock,” says Schilling. “MWC anglers are remarkable—any one of the 44 teams could have won it.” Like many of their competitors, the winners pulled crankbaits on leadcore to tempt bottom-hugging walleyes. Corey Fiedler and Chad Schilling trolled up 26.56 pounds of Lake Oahe walleyes to claim first place.

Schilling credited their Lowrance HDS sonar with StructureScan for revealing walleyes tucked into the remains of flooded cover. “They were in what’s left of the brush from last year; we could see the fish with StructureScan. It was amazing how often we’d mark a fish, troll past it and get smacked,” he says. Close behind in second were Brian Woodward and Rick Walter, both of Casper, Wyoming, with 25.38 pounds. They took home $4,200, plus a $500 Cabela’s gift card for being the top-placing Berkley Premier team. Nebraskans Jeff Gottbreht and Mike Clark finished third with 22.12 pounds. They also dominated the big-fish honors, taking first both days in the Big Fish Pot. In all, the pair pocketed $3,560 for their efforts.

Sobieray And Gushow Rule Erie Sandusky, OH— A 39.82-pound Day 2 bag propelled Ben Sobieray and Craig Gushow from sixth place to the winner’s circle at the Cabela’s MWC Eastern Division stop on Lake Erie out of Sandusky, Ohio, June 18-19. The team trolled ’crawler harnesses with clown-pattern Northland Fishing Tackle Baitfish-Image spinner blades 1.3 to 1.4 miles per hour. Using Lowrance HDS electronics, the pair followed the walleyes as they moved up and down in the water column, suspending their rigs just above the fish using planer boards and 1-ounce in-line sinkers. “We were as shallow as 30 feet and as deep as 50 in the course of the tournament,” says Gushow. “In the mornings, the fish were up high and went deeper as the day passed.” Besides the $12,600 first-place check, the team earned a $1,000 Ranger Cup bonus and $500 Cabela’s Angler Cash 66

FishingClub.com

award, plus $500 Lowrance HDS and $200 U2 Oxygenator bonuses. Ohioans Mike Knippenberg and

Ryan Buddie finished second with 75.50 pounds worth $5,900, plus a $500 Berkley Premier Team bonus. Pennsylvanian anglers Conrad and Jamie Grubbs, placed third with 71.77 pounds— good for $3,800 along with a $300 Berkley Premier bump. Ben Sobieray and Craig Gushow caught 39.82 pounds of walleyes on Day 2 at Sandusky, pushing them from sixth to first place. North American Fisherman

Cabela’s MWC And NTC Meet On ’Bago Oshkosh, WI— All eyes were on Oshkosh, Wisconsin, June 5-6 when 362 two-person teams faced off on the legendary Lake Winnebago system in a dual tournament of world-record proportions. The Cabela’s MWC qualifier and National Team Championship ran concurrently and offered more than $350,000 in combined cash and prizes, including a pair of Evinrude E-Tec powered Ranger Fisherman 619 boats. When the dust settled on the MWC side, Wisconsinites Greg DeKalb and Joe Ebel captured top honors and a $27,060 first-place paycheck with 10 fish weighing 28.63 pounds. “It’s an unbelievable feeling to win an event like this against so many great anglers,” says DeKalb. “It’s something I’ll cherish forever.” The pair pulled ’crawler harnesses with hammered copper blades 1.2 to 1.3 mph over Winnebago’s mud flats. “We got our fish both high and low in about 19½ feet,” Ebel says. For the NTC portion of the event, Michael Galligan and

MWC anglers Greg DeKalb and Joe Ebel (above) captured top honors and a $27,060 first-place paycheck on Winnebago. Michael Galligan and Stuart Wells (right) took the NTC title, $30,000 and a new Ranger 619 with 26.24 pounds.

Stuart Wells, both of Oshkosh, were crowned NTC champions with a 10-fish limit weighing 26.24 pounds. They were awarded $30,000, plus a Ranger 619. “It’s unbelievable,” Galligan says. “I don’t have any words for it.” The team pitched Northland Weed Weasel jigs tipped with a half-nightcrawler or leech to weeds and rocks

along the shoreline. “We caught our biggest fish along rocky banks, while the average fish were in the weeds,” Galligan says. The Wisconsin team of Dan Zwick and Tony Kobringer nabbed second with 25.44 pounds worth $12,500, plus the second Ranger for being the highestplacing Ranger Cup team.

Cabela’s MWC 2010 Schedule MWC Central March 27–28—Spring Valley winners: Kevin Dahl and Steve Stack June 5–6—Lake Winnebago winners: Greg DeKalb and Joe Ebel September 11–12—Bays de Noc; Escanaba, MI

MWC West May 8–9—Lake Oahe winners: Corey Fiedler and Chad Schilling August 21–22—Devils Lake; Devils Lake, ND September 18–19—Waubay Lake; Webster, SD

MWC East April 17–18—Detroit River/Lake Erie winners: Steve and Dan Bodinger June 18–20—Lake Erie winners: Ben Sobieray and Craig Gushow August 6–8—Saginaw Bay; Au Gres, MI

World Walleye Championship October 14–16—Mississippi River; Prairie du Chien, WI

For details visit masterswalleyecircuit.com

Tournament Sponsors

North American Fisherman

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LASTCAST

“SEE WHAT I SEE.”

“I still needed a kicker. HDS with StructureScan sonar showed this isolated rockpile that everyone else missed, then I used TrackBack to mark a waypoint on the high spot. After a long cast to my new money spot, I stuck this big ‘ol pig. Now that’s how you ﬁll out a limit!” Throwback: He thumbed silk line wound around a knucklebuster reel to cast a wooden plug; we race across waters under GPS guidance and nonchalantly fish tackle made of materials that put men onto the moon. Despite PHOTO BY RICHARD OXLEY/WINDIGO IMAGES the differences, we share the same passion for chasing a fish like this.

North American Fisherman (ISSN 1043-2450) is published 7 times a year in Feb., Mar., Apr., May/June, Jul./Aug./Sep., Oct./Nov., and Dec./Jan. by the North American Fishing Club, 12301 Whitewater Dr., Minnetonka, MN 55343-9447, as its official member journal. To become an NAFC member, send $18 annual dues to: NAFC, P.O. Box 3401, Hopkins, MN 55343-2101. For a Canadian membership, please send $36 Canadian funds (including 5% GST) for annual dues. Eighty-four percent of each year’s dues is for annual subscription to North American Fisherman. Periodicals postage paid at Hopkins, MN and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to North American Fisherman, P.O. Box 3401, Hopkins, MN 55343-2101. Canadian Post Publication Mail Agreement No. 40063731. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: North American Fisherman, Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5. Email: returnsIL@imex.pb.com. Canadian GST registration number: R131271496. Copyright 2010, North American Membership Group Inc. All rights reserved. Produced in U.S.A. Volume 23, Number 6, Issue 150.

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North American Fisherman

– Shaw Grigsby, Bassmaster Elite Series Angler, TV Host

CHANGE Y O U R VIEW.

Sub surface dog walking is ˜ extremely dangerous. Do not try at home on real dog. The X-Rap SubWalk takes walking the dog to a whole new level, right below ®

the surface and into the feed trough. Built with the same great

side-to-side

action as the SkitterWalk ,

the Sub Walk

is uniquely designed

and weighted to sink

3 to 6 inches before it

sashays and glides

fish into a frothing

frenzy. It’s as aggressive on

in-shore bass and

stripers as it is on saltwater game

fish like

snook, tarpon and redfish. Reflective

to match and unique

forage fish. Lateral tail fins to provide stability glide. SureSet feather

treble hook to prevent a fish Houdini act.

Watch the new X-RAP SUBWALK in action at: rapala.com/how2TV

And weighted precisely to cast like a bullet even in nasty crosswinds. So take the dog for a Walking-the-dog action just below the surface, triggers the attack instinct in ﬁsh.

walk and watch the pooch get pounded.

rapala.com