ISOutdoors | September 2015

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August2015 2015 SEPTEMBER

PLANTINT TIME

101

ALL YOU NEED YOUNGSTERS TO KNOW ABOUT TEACHING

BOW HUNTING ELK TO FLYFISH

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September 2015

CONTENT all you need to know about bow hunting elk autumn season lake erie walleye float hunting bushytails

COLUMNS hitchhiker big game bass fishing

publisher Brock RAY

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All You Need To Know About

Bow Hunting

Elk

If a bow hunt for wapiti is in your dreams,

this is a must read.

by Brock Ray

Before I got the elk hunting bug, I had the whitetail hunting bug. I thought that was bad, but after one western elk hunt, I had two passions. I dearly love hunting big whitetail bucks, but

I am enthralled with elk hunting. In fact, it is a blessing that I live so far away from the Rockies, lest I become a fulltime elk bum. In my opinion elk are America’s premier big game species, and there is no more satisfying way

to challenge these big boys than by bow hunting.

Elk are a large member of the deer family that includes the whitetail, muley, caribou and moose. Once common from the Atlantic to the Pacific, by the 1880s, elk herds where primarily found only in Rocky Mountain states such as Montana, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico.

Thanks almost wholly to the efforts of the Rocky Mountains Elk Foundation, today these animals are at record highs in those states where hunting has been offered for the last century, but also are now found in high numbers in eastern states such as Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Tennessee. While elk

hunting has returned east of the Mississippi River, the western states will long be the most logical elk hunting destinations.

One of the great benefits of bow hunting for elk is that in most places archery only hunting seasons occur not only before the rifle seasons, but also often coincide with the rut of these animals. During the mating season of the elk, which depending where you are runs from September through October, big bulls beacon cows to their temporary harem herds by calling to them with a tinny sounding whistle that brings the hair up on the back of my neck. Hunters

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use calls to mimic interloping bulls as well as the chirps of nuptial cows. It is the greatest off all times to be hunting in the mountains.

Many western states such as Colorado allow hunters to purchase elk archery hunting licenses, as opposed to quota draw license that make nonresident hunting during the rifle season a bit more constraining.

There is plenty of state and federal national forest and Bureau of Land Management property open to the public. However, it should be noted that the easier the access that is available to such public lands, the greater the hunting pressure is and the lower your chances are for filling your elk tag.

Unless you are along with some pretty experienced elk hunter and willing to get “back of beyond� on public land to hunt, your efforts are not likely to be rewarded.

Newcomers to elk hunting are encouraged by me to find an outfitter who will help them through their first couple of bow hunts for elk. Every state has dozens of such business men in

Levi’s and ten gallon hats, who know their hunting areas and understand the behavior of the elk found on these properties. Some outfitters offer hunts on difficult to access public lands (and there are lots of such properties bounded by private ranches), while others provide hunts exclusively on private ranch lands. Costs vary between $1,200 on the bargain end, to three times or more on really prime tracts where you may be the only hunter for miles around. Shop around at sports shows where elk outfitters have booths.

Before booking a hunt, take time to check out their references too so that the prospect of unpleasant surprises are minimized.

Unless you live in the West, beginning bow hunters more or less have to begin

their archery hunting hobbies by hunting elk, I recommend to my fellow easterners to get a couple of successful whitetail hunting seasons under their belt. When you are in a tree stand and a ten-point buck makes you almost wet your pants, odds are that a roaring, snot-slinging 1,000 pound bull will evoke much more serious body function control problems.

This is why you hear so many stories of misses of these Yugo-sized targets. It takes mental maturity for most of us to elk hunt at the level that we whitetail hunt.

The bow you use for whitetail hunting will suffice nicely for western elk hunting.

Most experienced elk archery hunters recommend at least a 60-pound draw, and most of them pull a 70-pound draw bow. While most eastern whitetail hunting shots are 20 to 30 yards, with 40 yards being a long shot, it is often quite different when bow hunting for elk. Average shots are often 30 to 40 yards, and 50 to 60 yard shots must be anticipated. If you can group well at 40 yards, consistently making 50 to 60 yard shots is matter of altering your practice shooting regiment to master those

longer ranges.

Lastly, if you are an eastern living at near sea level as I do, you must get yourself into the best physical condition possible.

This can rarely be done in two weeks, or even six weeks for most hunters. I start conditioning by biking, swimming and weight lifting at least 10 weeks before a hunt. Your only chance at a trophy bull might require quickly crossing a steep ridge bobby-trapped with fallen timber.

A hundred yards of this can wind you if you are not prepared for such rigorous activity.

Bowhunting for elk is the apex of American bow hunting. Elk have never been more plentiful, nor have the opportunities to bow hunt for these animals been as great as it is today. My only warning is that the elk bug is not only contagious, but once you get it, you may have it for the rest of your life.

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Autumn Season

Lake Eri

ie Walleye

by Buck Wilder

Few freshwater fisheries on the continent edge of the trenches in Erie. The eastern can be relied upon for year round action basin extends from Erie to the eastern comparable to the flourishing walleye edge of the lake in Buffalo, New York. fisheries in the Great Lakes. A remarkable The western basin is generally shallow. comeback story on par with the return The central basin is deeper, with depths of the wild turkey and whitetail deer, averaging about 60 feet, and the bottom walleye fishing on the Great Lakes has is generally flat. The eastern basin is never been better much deeper than the in than it is today.

During autumn a central basin.

Opening Day may be Autumn fishing lot of Lake Erie’s the most anticipated patterns change date circled in red on walleye do not significantly once the everyone’s calendar, water temperatures but in terms of fishing approach rivers and get below 55 degree F. fun, autumn can stream mouths, but While admittedly the be just as fun and rather often remain two major peaks of productive. catching season are now Lake Erie is the 11th history, walleye are still offshore through largest lake in the in feeding mode. Trip October. world by surface area. planning is a bit tough, It is the fourth largest as autumn weather and the shallowest of the five Great conditions vary widely from wonderful Lakes. It is 241 miles long, 57 miles wide to nasty, winter-like conditions. Autumn at its widest point, has a surface area of walleye fishing patterns are quite 9,910 square miles, and has 871 miles of similar to those of early spring. The shoreline. It is divided into three “basins” prime locations are at the mouth of - eastern, central and western. The large streams and rivers entering the western basin extends from the west end deep shoreline cover. Both places offer of the lake to about around Cedar Point, predictable walleye movement during Ohio. The central basin extends to the this time of the year.

Early through mid-Autumn is a prime time to motor your boat up from the mouth of feeder rivers to catch walleyes that have moved into these waters. In such flowing waters these fish like to locate at the heads of the pools, around bridge pilings, docking areas, and riprap. Once in river environments, walleyes bite predictably at this time of year.

During the most of the best walleye fishing is found considerably offshore, in the trenches to the west, and at the mountain to the east. During autumn a lot of Lake Erie’s walleye do not approach rivers and stream mouths, but rather often remain offshore through October.

At times they are more difficult to locate than at other times, which often make this a frustrating time to weekend anglers.

Some of the most spectacular autumn walleye fishing at this large body of water occurs is triggered by approaching cold fronts. Such ideal conditions for catching autumn season walleyes may come only twice or three times during this season. To make the most of

these conditions, watch forecasts and be prepared to go on the lake a step ahead of the approaching cold front. If you are lucky enough to encounter an approaching cold front during the three days surrounding the full moon and the three days surrounding the new moon, you can plan on a fish fry for the end of the day.

This time of year, more than any other, walleye like big bait. Large live minnows are a solid choice for catching these fish anywhere you can locate them. Use a small hook instead of a large one so the walleye swallow the bait without feeling anything unusual. Crankbaits are also effective for walleyes right now in rivers and lakes.

If you too are hooked on Lake Erie walleye fishing, don’t store your tackle yet. Autumn is a great, under-rated time to fish the world’s best walleye hole.

float hunting

bushytails Drifting a stream gunning for bushytails is most enjoyable squirrel hunting.

by Don Kirk If you are looking for smashing fun this month, then consider floating a stream lined with trees full of squirrels. Just about any size small river to large stream that will lend passage to a john boat or canoe

can be floated when you are hunting for squirrels. You want water that is lazy float ride in a canoe or john boat.

I recommend streams that are narrow enough that the limbs of stream side oaks and other trees join at midstream.

These limbs form unbroken arches that enable squirrels to easily scamper back and forth from one side of the river to the other. Such bank to bank canopies are the hallmark to all great float hunting streams, and odds are you have a few

such small rivers and big streams near where you live.

Float hunting for bushytails is a social event akin to sharing a waterfowl blind.

Conversation is permissible as you drift, as is sipping coffee and laughing.

Squirrels typically are very plentiful along small rivers and big streams.

They also are largely under-hunted, and certainly unsuspecting of water borne hunters. The biggest challenge is keeping up the large number of these

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not-so-wary grayish targets you will see racing long the edge of the water, over the top of the stream on limbs, and up and down trees. Odds are you may be the first human a squirrel has ever seen that was not driving a tractor.

For reasons of safety, your favorite rim fire rifle is not a wise choice when float hunting for squirrels. Shotguns ranging between 410 and 12 gauge are recommended for this type of shooting.

Your background changes continuously as you progress downstream on a typical float trip. From a practical standpoint,

scatter-guns are a considerably more practical choice than a .22 rim fire rifle.

When making a float hunt for squirrels, again for safety reasons, only one person shoots at a time. The shooter positions in the bow of the john boat or canoe shoots, while the second person seated in the stern paddles (shooting from a craft under power by an outboard or electric trolling motor is illegal in most states).

Tactics are pretty simple, and largely dependent on the size of the small river or large stream being float hunted.

When drifting with the current at larger flows, strive to drift along one side of the creek. This is especially true when rounding bends, where you want to be on the inside bank to avoid detection until the last possible moment. We have draped canoes with camouflage netting, and drift hunted in bare aluminum canoes. So far we have not found that concealment is an element. The same is true of wearing camouflage. In my opinion it is not needed, although having said that, I must confess that we typically wear it.

The first order of business in making a float trip for squirrels is finding a suitable stream for drifting. I recommend getting a few good maps, then making a call to a local wildlife officer. While float hunting squirrels is not common in most areas, most wildlife officers know their counties well enough to give tips on the best potential float trips in their area. A great source for planning a float trip is one of the state map atlas publications offered

by DeLorme Mapping Company. These highly detailed atlases’ not only show all floatable waterways, but also show rural routes where you can launch and take out a john boat or canoe.

If you do not know the water well you plan to float waters you have never explored before, avoid making your first drift trip after a heavy rainfall, or when such inclement weather is pending. Also, do not plan long trips as log jams and dead falls can easily turn a two-hour float into an all day safari. Personal floatation devices are essential, and of course telling someone of your plans in advance of your departure is common sense.

One of the quickest lessons you will learn is that once a squirrel is shot and it falls in the water, these animals do not float. Bring along a dip net to retrieve your “catches.” Laws vary from state to state regarding float hunting. Generally if a waterway can be floated, it is fair game to hunt along without getting land owner permission. However, if you have to retrieve game, different rules can apply. State game lands and national forests have floatable streams where trespassing is not an issue.

If you try a float hunt for bushytails, you may very well quickly discover this is one of the most fun ways to hunt these popular small game animals.

The Secrets To

Great Guided Big Game Hunting

by Bob Foulkrod Sooner or later, every hunter takes a serious look at going on a professionally guided big game hunt. Even the most stubbornly independent archers must enlist the services of a professional

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outfitter/guide if they want to hunt anything in Canada, Mexico, or Africa.

If you want to hunt for dangerous game such as grizzly bear in Alaska, or bighorn sheep or Rocky Mountain goat, you must first make arrangements to do this at least once accompanied by a professional outfitter/guide.

Before delving into the how’s and why’s of arranging a great guided big game hunt, let’s get all of the terminology in order. Many times outfitter and guide are used interchangeably, but they are two very different, but closely related items.

Typically, an outfitter is the business end of a guided hunting operation. He’s the fellow who books hunters, makes deals for leases and hunting concessions on public land, secures the necessary permits, and owns the equipment and horses. An outfitter may or may not be in your hunting camp, and he may or may not guide hunters. In Africa, outfitters are called professional hunters, or PH’s. In the southern states, outfitters are often known as lodge owners.

The guide is usually an employee or partner of the outfitter. He’s your “guide” on the hunts, the fellow who helps get the horses ready, perhaps cooks, makes

camp, helps you find your animals, and usually helps take care of your trophy.

Contrary to what many hunters think, a guide is not a bond servant placed in a hunting camp solely to cater to their needs. The best way to get the most out of a hunting guide is to share camp work with him just like you would with any hunting partner you might be on a hunting trip with.

Some outfitters are small, one- to fiveman operations, who specialize in hunting for one to three species of big game. On the other end of the spectrum are a handful of rather large outfitting businesses, such as those specializing in caribou hunting in northern Quebec.

They may have several camps, and during hunting season employ 50 or more people to ensure that their operations run smoothly.

Many times outfitters do their own booking and marketing, but many of the better-known big game outfitters rely on booking agents to take care of this. Typically, a large booking agent, such as Bass Pro Shops, handles big game hunt bookings for scores of individual outfitting businesses. The plus side of using a booking agent is the various outfitters’ operations have usually been thoroughly checked out, and meet a standard the booking agent takes pride in telling prospective hunters about.

Getting burned is the worse thing hunters fear when dealing with booking agents and outfitters. Like any business, the big game hunt business has its share of exceptionally good outfitters, mediocre outfitters, and not-so-great outfitters. Luckily, the good outfitters vastly outnumber the others. The reasons are simple. Outfitting and guiding hunters is not a business that

will make anyone rich. It is a labor of love for most of the people in the outfitting business. Sure there’s a sprinkling of crooks and lazy outfitters, but these are the exception.

This is not to say you should not do your homework and check out any prospective outfitter you might be interested in booking a hunt with. Initial contact usually results in you receiving a brochure outlining who the outfitter is, where he hunts, some of his past successes, as well as the dates and costs of the hunts he offers. Avoid any outfitter who does not willingly furnish you a reference list consisting of some of his past clients, plus his state guide/outfitting license number (and if applicable state or province outfitter association number).

Naturally, you will check at least a few of the names appearing on the list of past successes as references. However, bear in mind that even the most reputable

outfitter will list his most successful, and therefore happiest, customers. One thing I always do when checking out an outfitter is ask if the fellow on the reference list has names and telephone numbers of the other hunters who were in camp when he was there. Sometimes the not-so-lucky hunters can provide you with a more balanced appraisal of the service provided by the outfitter, the quality of the big game found in his hunting territory, food, condition of the equipment, and other questions you need to know.

Also, make a call to the state or provincial wildlife agency and corresponding outfitters association. The last thing you need is to find yourself in a hunting camp which is under surveillance.

Sure, it’s a long shot, but when you are spending $2,000 or more, plus investing a week or two of your time, it’s worth the time and effort to get a clean bill of health for your outfitter.

Outfitters have a set rate for various types of hunts ranging from “fly-bythe-seat-of-your-pants” spike camps, where you are dropped off and are responsible for everything from your own food to game care, to plush one-

on-one guided hunts where fine wine is served with every evening meal. It is considered bad form to dicker on the price, although you are entitled to know as much as possible about what services are and are not covered in the price you pay. Key questions to ask include; who is responsible for all on-the-ground transportation and lodging incidental to the hunt, care of trophies and meat, and other possibly hidden charges.

Experienced outfitters usually have all this information in their brochures, but never be embarrassed to ask questions about anything not clear to you.

Under the best circumstance a hunt with an outfitter is a pleasurable experience where you have a great time, everything runs smoothly, and you bag the trophy you’ve dreamed about for years. However, guided hunts are never sure things, even when you are the best and have the best outfitter and guide.

Reputable outfitters never guarantee a kill, but only guarantee to provide you with the best possible service and opportunities within their power. Keep this in mind, and remember, hunting is just that, hunting, and you will have a great time on your guided hunts.

Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis Colts Kicker

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But It Isn’t a Crankbait Lake!

Right?

By Chuck Bailey (courtesy of www.crankbaitcentral.com)

Established in 1938, Western Bass Club is the oldest bass club in America, which is surprising considering it is located in the Northwest, near Seattle Washington. But it’s my bass club, so when I announced my intention to create a website called Crankbait Central, it was only natural to ask the guys on WBC’s forum, (WesternBassClub.com), if they had any recommendations of “master crankbait fishermen” I might interview.

When John Sewell’s name was suggested I was surprised to discover he lived only two hours away on Silver Lake, near Castle Rock, Washington. Which is strange, because everyone knows that “Silver Lake isn’t a crankbait lake.” Right? Compared to some of the larger deep-water reservoirs in eastern Washington, Silver Lake is a small basin lake on the west side of the mountains that is sometimes described in tourist websites as a “marsh”. Nestled in a scenic mountain valley, this beautiful 2,996-acre lake reflects what is left of Mt. St. Helen in the background. But best of all, this unique shallow water lake has largemouth bass, big ones.

Several decades ago the lake was filled with vegetation; at least three types of lily pads, and half a dozen varieties of aquatic weeds. It was a bass fisherman’s heaven; where weedless jigs, plastic worms, and spinnerbaits ruled. I remember warmly a number of “50 bass before noon” days.

And then… came the grass carp. Shoreline property owners, swimmers, water skiers, and trout fishermen convinced the state to fill the lake with a species of grass carp that could “help keep the vegetation from choking the lake”. The carp were genetically altered so as to be unable to reproduce. The plan looked safe enough at

first, but someone thoroughly misjudged the ratio of “fish to acreage” formula, because within a decade almost every form of submerged vegetation was wiped out. Only one species of lily pads has managed to survive the onslaught of these voracious consumers of vegetation.

And while this shallow basin lake has changed, the fishing routines and habits of the local majority of bass fishermen have not. When bass clubs from around the state come to Silver Lake to have their tournaments, it is plastics, jigs, and spinnerbaits that are the weapons of choice. Because after all, everyone knows - “Silver Lake isn’t a crankbait lake.” Well, some forgot to tell John Sewell because this local legend has been quietly fishing Silver Lake with crankbaits for decades.

After meeting him at the Silver Lake Resort on a beautiful September day, we loaded our gear in his boat and he shared, “I have been fishing crankbaits in this lake for 25 years, even before the grass carp had done their thing.”

“But back then, I would fish cranks in the lily pads. The milfoil would grow right up to the outside edge of the pads and stop.

But in the center of the pads, we could run a crankbait through it.” Did that mean

John threw cranks just in the open areas?

“No, we threw them right smack in the lily pads, and also around the pad edges.

We used to hammer them.” As we idled away from the resort, John remembered how his crankbait techniques were honed years ago as a young man when he used to fish Cold Creek Sough, on the back water soughs of the Columbia River. “It was full of milfoil, but we fished it with crankbaits.”

It’s where John developed his fondness for rocks. “We would seek out and target the few and isolated rocks because milfoil didn’t grow on them.”

John had just finished maneuvering the boat around the log-booms that protected the resort’s docks, when he turned the key off and lowered the trolling motor. Then he handed me a tiny crankbait while pointing to the lake’s two islands. He continued, “Even when Silver Lake’s milfoil was heavy, the islands, with their rock wing-dams were always good for crankbaits. They still are.” When I asked him if all shallow basin lakes had spots like that? He chuckled and said,”Well, the funny part about it is, even when a lake is choked with weeds to the surface, you can still use a crankbait. You can use a topwater. I’ve caught more 8 pound bass on the original floating Rapala in black and gold than most people could

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even dream about. And that was true back in the days when the milfoil was so thick it wasn’t funny. We would just throw the balsa bait into the pockets and ‘twitch’ it.”

But the crankbait John handed me was not a long minnowbait. As I opened my snap to attach the tiny lure to my line, I asked him what the bait was. “That’s a ¼ ounce Cordell, Big O. Later I might have you throw a square 1/5 ounce Bomber because I have them in brighter colors for when the sun gets brighter. Those two lures basically do the same thing; both run about three feet deep, and they don’t get trapped up in the rocks – which is where we will start.”

Hoping the bass would soon reveal their color and size preferences, John chose to tie on a Tennessee Shad colored Bandit, 100 series. (He would later change to a Perch pattern as the day went on). With his first cast, the small Bandit landed among the shallow rocks at the edge of the shore. It quickly became clear why these two smaller baits were being used.

They deflected easily and floated up fairly quickly when caught on the rocks.

I asked John to explain the size selection in more detail. “There’s an old adage ‘Big baits catch big fish, and little baits catch all fish’. So these smaller baits catch both big and little.” “And... in this lake I also try to ‘match the hatch’. The most abundant and

easiest-to-catch forage right now is this year’s hatch of crappie, perch, bass, and carp. You even have bullfrog tadpoles of the same size. They’re all fair game. Fact is, bass eat everything – big and small.”

I was also curious about John’s strategy for the day. “Rocks. Rocks and docks. Find some rocks, find some scattered cover.

Because if you’re going to run a crankbait and the bass are up in the shallow rocks – they’re feeding.” The majority of the “rocks” John was talking about were located on northern shores, and were dispersed in only six inches of stained water. Our boat, a comfortable cast away from the

shore, rested in only 2-3 feet. Obviously the shoreline taper was negligible. Little wonder most bass fishermen never picked up a crankbait here. To throw a common “full size” diving crankbait, with its large bill and hooks, into this rock strewn shoreline would be frustrating and futile. But surprisingly the little crankbaits bounced through the rocks with ease. And if they did get caught and stalled, slack line permitted them to float up to freedom.

For the remaining second half of the article, visit www.crankbaitcentral.com

Which foods could be

dangerous for my dog?

or unintentionally) to dogs. This list is, of course, incomplete because we can not possibly list everything your dog should not eat.

Alcoholic beverages Can cause intoxication, coma, and death.

Avocado The leaves, seeds, fruit, and bark contain persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.

Cat food Generally too high in protein and fats.

By Drs. Foster & Smith Some foods which are edible for humans, and even other species of animals, can pose hazards for dogs because of their different metabolism. Some may cause only mild digestive upsets, whereas, others can cause severe illness, and even death. The following common food items should not be fed (intentionally

Chocolate, coffee, tea, and other caffeine Contain caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea and be toxic to the heart and nervous systems.

Citrus oil extracts Can cause vomiting.

Fat trimmings Can cause pancreatitis.

Fish (raw, canned or cooked) If fed exclusively or in high amounts can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death.

Marijuana Can depress the nervous system, cause vomiting, and changes in the heart rate.

Milk and other dairy products Some adult dogs and cats may develop diarrhea if given large amounts of dairy products.

Grapes, raisins and currants Contain an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys. There have been no problems associated with grape seed extract.

Moldy or spoiled food, garbage Can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting and diarrhea and can also affect other organs.

Hops Unknown compound causes panting, increased heart rate, elevated temperature, seizures, and death.

Mushrooms Can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death.

Human vitamin supplements containing iron Can damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic to the other organs including the liver and kidneys.

Onions and garlic (raw, cooked, or powder) Contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Cats are more susceptible than dogs. Garlic is less toxic than onions.

Macadamia nuts Contain an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscle.

Persimmons Seeds can cause intestinal obstruction and enteritis.

Pits from peaches and plums Can cause obstruction of the digestive tract.

Raw eggs Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.

Raw meat May contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

Rhubarb leaves Contain oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems.

Salt If eaten in large quantities it may lead to electrolyte imbalances.

String Can become trapped in the digestive system; called a “string foreign body.�

Sugary foods Can lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes mellitus.

Table scraps (in large amounts) Table scraps are not nutritionally balanced. They should never be more than 10% of the diet. Fat should be trimmed from meat; bones should not be fed.

Tobacco Contains nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous systems. Can result in rapid heart beat, collapse, coma, and death.

Yeast dough Can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.

Xylitol (artificial sweetener) Can cause very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which can result in vomiting, weakness and collapse. In high doses can cause liver failure.

Side Hookers — They Were Once The Rage Among Lure Makers

by Don Kirk Today they appear odd and out of place when we look at them, but years ago attaching treble hooks to the sides of lures was regarded as standard practice.

Old time lure makers were as peer driven, as are their modern counterparts. If you look at the lines of lures made from one large company to another in the 1920s, you find many similarities in much of their lines. Everyone made at least one lure that mimicked a mouse. Everyone made a frog imitator. Additionally, everyone made at least one of the so-called sidehook baits, which while some, were made for surface fishing, most were not and were called “underwater” minnows.

Today most collectors call these lures

“side hookers,” in reference to their unique design which included a trailing hook located on the rear of the bait and one to two treble hooks located on the flank or sides of the lure. Those with one treble hook on each flank are called three-hookers, and those with twin attachments on their flanks are called five-hookers. While rare, there were even a few of these hook-some baits made with a twin trebles hook arrangement on their belly for a total of seven treble hooks or a porcupine-like total of 21 barbed points.

While it is clouded in controversy, James Heddon, founder of the famed Heddon lure making empire is credited with making the first wooden fishing lure.

Starting in the early 1880s, he is believed to have whittled a series of prototype frogs. By early 1900s he had founded a company that made bait called the Underwater Expert, which had three trebles--one on the tail, and one on each side. Over the next fifty years, the

Dowagiac, Michigan based company made no fewer than four dozen variations of lures that had side-hook style arrangements.

In those days lure making from wood lacked the sophisticated diving bill technology that enables modern lure makers to easily design baits that can be cranked 10 to 15 feet beneath the surface. Making surface or “top water” plugs from wood was easy, as the primary construction material naturally floated. In order to get the socalled side-hook underwater minnows to depths where bass, walleye and pike lurked, early lure makers like Heddon drilled small “pencil eraser-sized” holes in the belly of these baits. These were filled with lead. Two was the usual number drilled, but three and four belly weights were not uncommon. Some baits, such as the Heddon Artistic Minnow, had an external weight that could be removed to make it surface bait.

It did not take long for the success of James Heddon’s side hooker lures to

attract a bevy of imitators, if for no other reason than the fact probably 80 percent of the old time lure makers were located within 100 miles of each other along the Great Lakes. In 1908 Adolph Arntz introduced the Michigan Life Like, a side hook lure with a flexible sectional tail. In 1904 J.C. Holzworth introduced his own Expert Minnow.

Pflueger, which dated back to the late 1800s as a maker of metal and hard rubber lures, wasted little time in joining the side-hook rage. In fact, there is considerable evidence that the company’s 5-hook Wizard Wooden Minnow that dates back to 1902 was actually the first of the side hookers.

Pflueger made no fewer than two dozen different side hookers.

Shakespeare, another pioneer of early fishing tackle located in Kalamzoo, Michigan, actually did side-hook arrangement on its allaluminum Revolution Minnow as early as 1897. The company was making wooden sidehookers on its vaunted Rhodes Minnow in 1902. By the time these style of lures fell from grace in the eyes of anglers.

Shakespeare had marketed almost five dozen different side-hook style lures.

South Bend, one of the very few companies from that era that is still in business today, began marketing sidehook baits in 1910 under the Worden name. Between then and the mid-1950s, this Indiana-based maker of a wide variety of tackle from rods and reels, to lures and nets, made almost a dozen different side-hook style lures. Introduced in 1918, the famous Moonlight Dreadnought side hooker today is one of the most prized of all old baits.

Moonlight, which later became PawPaw Bait Company made almost a dozen side

hook underwater minnows. PawPaw later only made one.

Of course not all side-hook baits hailed from Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. The Charmer Bait Company of Springfield, Missouri began marketing its barber-poll looking side hookers in 1912. Winchester, a company best knows for its firearms manufacturing, but which also made everything from rollerskates and sausage grinders, also made fishing tackle. The Connecticut-based company made several side-hook baits, which are highly collectible today.

Creek Chub, which formed in 1906 was a late comer to the world of side hook lures, making only two, the models 1800 and 1900, and then only for a few years. Their Pikie Minnow had a decent medal

diving lip that is used even today. Off the hundreds of millions of baits made by Creek Chub--over 80 million pikies were made-only a few thousand of these were ever made and sold.

Because of the nature of the underwater minnow, which was basically designed for trolling in deep water such as Great Lakes, the vast majority of these baits were sold in the north. In 15 years of lure chasing in the South, I have found perhaps 75to-100 of these baits in “the field,� i.e. old tackle boxes. Most of these were brought south by snowbirds migrating here to retire. However, there is one application for side-hooker lures old timers, especially in Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, are found of recounting.

It was called jigger-pole fishing. Archie Philips, host of a popular TV show told me about it, and I have talked to other older men familiar with it. Using a 10-to-12 foot long cane pole, they would attack 4-to-5 feet of line to it, then tie on a 5-hooker.

The lure was dropped beside a stump

and danced like an old wind-up jigger to entice strikes. These old timers liked the side hookers because if a bass launched to strike, it nearly always impaled itself somewhere.

Side-hook lures are almost always old, usually 70 to 80 years old, and rarely less than 50 years old. The lure makers took great pride in the materials and workmanship of their wares. Their value?

When I first began collecting and going to lure meets, you could find decent, well-worn side hookers for $5-to-$10.

However, today even beaten up side hookers are worth $30-to-$50 and nice ones that are fairly common fetch $100to-$300. Truly rare ones bring $1,000to-$3,000 and the rarest ten times that amount.

Broken Arrow Lodge and Outfitters Alder, MT

Broken Arrow Lodge and Outfitters located near Alder, Montana is a premier western hunting destination. Owned by licensed outfitter Erwin Clark, his operation is located in southwestern Montana’s hunting region 3. One of the state’s top spots for elk, nearly half of Montana’s entire elk kill comes from

here. His hunts occur within a 15-to-20 mile radius of the lodge where the local herd is not migratory.

Clark’s remote hunting territory is surrounded by three mountain ranges in the Beaverhead National Forest. Hunts occur at elevations of between 7,000 and

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and 10,000 feet above sea level in a wide variety of terrain ranging from moderate to rugged with 50% timber coverage.

This sprawling area is chock full of elk, deer, moose, antelope, and black bear.

Clark’s guides hunting guides have been hunting big game here years and are very knowledgeable about the area’s big game.

Rifle and bow hunts, either guided or unguided, and on foot, horseback, or 4-wheel drive are offered. Package options include, elk hunting outfitters, whitetail and mule deer hunting, and antelope hunting outfitters. Montana’s bow hunting season runs from September through mid-October. Clark offers thrilling archery elk hunting for rutting bulls are most vulnerable during the bugle season. The spine chilling sound of the bull elk bugling, horns rattling, elk cows calling, and close

range encounters possible while archery hunting.

Montana’s big game rifle hunting runs from mid-October to the end of November. Clark offers world class elk hunts occur during the first week as the elk are still vulnerable and undisturbed.

The season’s fourth and fifth weeks usually have snowfall to bring the game down to lower elevations for easier hunting access.

Fully guided elk hunts include the assistance of experienced guides and the opportunity to hunt on horseback in one of the best Montana hunting sites. With a fully guided elk hunt, you may

purchase an outfitter sponsored guaranteed elk license. Your first night is spent in the comfort of his mountain hunting lodge.

Hunt all the first day while the gear goes in on pack horses from a different location and time, then you arrive at the camp that evening. Hunt all week staying in camp and then after hunting Friday, you stay at the lodge Friday night and depart Saturday.

Clark also caters to hunters who enjoy the experience of camping out and hunting on their own. Our turnkey drop camp is perfect for unguided 7-day outfitted elk hunts. He packs you in on horseback on Saturday and set up your tents and equipment in one of his prime Montana hunting sites. The campsite we use is only accessible by foot or horseback. The following Saturday, we pack you back out on horseback.

For more info visit www.brokenarrowlodge. com; or contact Erwin Clark at Broken Arrow Lodge and Outfitters; P.O. Box 177; Alder, MT 59710; telephone 800-775-2928 and 406842-5437.

Broken Arrow Lodge and Outfitters P.O. Box 177, Alder, MT 59710 800-775-2928 and 406-842-5437 www.brokenarrowlodge.com

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