Hey Gang, there are changes in the works and I wanted you to have some lead time on them.
First, and most importantly, the weekly fishing reports which have been posted on the baitshop blog will be moving to this site this fall. I'll probably start double posting them here as well. I'll keep posting the reports, but as of October 1st or so, you'll need to come here to get them.
Second, I'm in the process of putting together some content for another fishing related blog run by fishing pro Doug Cavin. We're still working out the kinks (well I am anyway) and there will be more news on this in September.
Finally, fall fishing is just around the corner. Judging by the weather, I assume that that might be a short corner. If you are looking to hit the water for some action this fall, I will have availabilities, but as I'll be working on my dissertation, I suggest that you contact me sooner to make sure you can have the days you want.
CT
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Shannon's First Fish.
Here's my son Shannon with the first fish he caught all by himself. Over the years I have helped many people catch lots of fish. I have guided people to trophy bass, musky and walleyes. I helped my dad to catch the biggest northern pike of his life. Personally I've caught a bass over 10lbs, a 48 inch musky and a 30 inch walleye, but watching him hook and reel in this potato chip sized bluegill was among the proudest moments of my life.
CT
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Two baits for right now
Two Baits for Right Now.
As summer winds up, I usually find myself relying on two baits to produce fish. Our lakes have a plentiful baitfish supply by this point of the year, and I see no reason not to play along. With the crawfish molt over, gamefish will once again turn their attention towards baitfish. As the photocycle gets shorter, this change in attention gets more pronounced.
Therefore I recommend two lures that you should always have at the ready this time of year. Both are easy to use and will catch a variety of fish. The first is a lipless crankbait. There are tons of these baits on the market, and most crankbait manufacturers have a model available. Personally I like to stay traditional, and like the Bill Lewis (Rattle-trap) or the Rapala version (rattlin-rapala).
A lipless crankbait is an easy bait to fish. Cast it out and reel it back in. Its tight wiggle and small size easily imitate the baitfish that most predators are chasing. As for color, I like to keep it simple. On cloudy days I’ll throw a bluegill or shad colored bait, but if its sunny, I like to go for lots of flash and will rely on a chrome or gold. Casting lipless crankbaits along the outside edges of weed-beds is an amazing way to catch a variety of fish. I’ve caught bass, walleye, northern pike, muskie and even channel catfish with nothing more than a cast and retrieve approach. One tip, when reeling in the bait, try to keep your pole at a 90 degree angle to the bait, it’ll be easier to detect strikes and follow through with a hook set. Tip #2: if you’re reeling the bait, and you feel it stop, set the hook. If it’s a fish, you’ll have them, if it’s a weed, changes are you’ll get a bite when you rip the bait free.
The other bait I recommend is a spinnerbait. Again I like to keep it simple, and tend to stay with white or white and chartreuse. Although they are very effective, I prefer not to use willow leaf blades, preferring instead to go with a Colorado or Oklahoma blade. On cloudy days I’ll use a bait with a painted or silver blade, but on sunny days I go gold. I don’t use a trailer hook very often, but I usually use a twister tail grub to add some bulk to the bait.
The approach is simple, throw it out and reel it back in. Look for clumps of weeds, and make multiple casts along the edges or over the top of submerged weeds and hang on. Pike strikes of spinner baits can be vicious. Bass and Muskie will also chase them down.
Keep it simple. Cast these baits out near weed edges, and reel them back in. I’m not promising that you’ll catch a giant, but you’ll certainly have a chance to catch some quality fish.
As summer winds up, I usually find myself relying on two baits to produce fish. Our lakes have a plentiful baitfish supply by this point of the year, and I see no reason not to play along. With the crawfish molt over, gamefish will once again turn their attention towards baitfish. As the photocycle gets shorter, this change in attention gets more pronounced.
Therefore I recommend two lures that you should always have at the ready this time of year. Both are easy to use and will catch a variety of fish. The first is a lipless crankbait. There are tons of these baits on the market, and most crankbait manufacturers have a model available. Personally I like to stay traditional, and like the Bill Lewis (Rattle-trap) or the Rapala version (rattlin-rapala).
A lipless crankbait is an easy bait to fish. Cast it out and reel it back in. Its tight wiggle and small size easily imitate the baitfish that most predators are chasing. As for color, I like to keep it simple. On cloudy days I’ll throw a bluegill or shad colored bait, but if its sunny, I like to go for lots of flash and will rely on a chrome or gold. Casting lipless crankbaits along the outside edges of weed-beds is an amazing way to catch a variety of fish. I’ve caught bass, walleye, northern pike, muskie and even channel catfish with nothing more than a cast and retrieve approach. One tip, when reeling in the bait, try to keep your pole at a 90 degree angle to the bait, it’ll be easier to detect strikes and follow through with a hook set. Tip #2: if you’re reeling the bait, and you feel it stop, set the hook. If it’s a fish, you’ll have them, if it’s a weed, changes are you’ll get a bite when you rip the bait free.
The other bait I recommend is a spinnerbait. Again I like to keep it simple, and tend to stay with white or white and chartreuse. Although they are very effective, I prefer not to use willow leaf blades, preferring instead to go with a Colorado or Oklahoma blade. On cloudy days I’ll use a bait with a painted or silver blade, but on sunny days I go gold. I don’t use a trailer hook very often, but I usually use a twister tail grub to add some bulk to the bait.
The approach is simple, throw it out and reel it back in. Look for clumps of weeds, and make multiple casts along the edges or over the top of submerged weeds and hang on. Pike strikes of spinner baits can be vicious. Bass and Muskie will also chase them down.
Keep it simple. Cast these baits out near weed edges, and reel them back in. I’m not promising that you’ll catch a giant, but you’ll certainly have a chance to catch some quality fish.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Golden Lake
Bob had so much fun on Monday, he wanted to go back out today. We wanted to chase some bass on Golden Lake, but the weather wouldn't cooperate. The pike however were a different story.
We caught and released more than 20 pike between 15-32 inches today. Here's Bob with one we caught before the rain made us put the camera away.
CT
Monday, August 17, 2009
Silver Lake
Here's Bob with today's nice bass from Silver Lake, one of 25 Largemouths we caught on today's guided trip:
Weekday and Weekend Trips are available. Call 262-893-2183.
Weekday and Weekend Trips are available. Call 262-893-2183.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
On the water in August....
Trips are available for bass, walleye, panfish, catfish and musky. Give me a call 262-893-2183.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Announcement
I will be contributing to another fishing blog starting August 1st. Details will follow. In the meantime, stay tuned to the shop's blog for fishing reports.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Fishing Time Ahead
I've been busy with exams this summer, but I'll be on the water heavily during August, September and October this fall.
In the meantime, stay up to date with fishing reports on the baitshop blog.
In the meantime, stay up to date with fishing reports on the baitshop blog.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Let's go fishing
The water is finally up to seasonal temperatures, and we have some great fishing weather ahead. Let's go catch some fish.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Maybe its not catch and release but that they're getting smarter.......
Nine-spined stickleback share the human ability to copy each other's behaviour if it's to their advantage.
They're small in size but big in mind: sticklebacks display a remarkably human-like intelligence when it comes to searching for food, according to scientists in the UK. By comparing their own experiences with the behaviour of their fellow fish, the sticklebacks are able to improve their success rate.
The discovery of this sophisticated type of social learning in sticklebacks, known as a "hill-climbing" strategy, suggests that such cognitive tricks might be more common among non-human animals than previously thought.
The study also shows that big brains like humans' might not be the only way to produce a cumulative culture within a species.
"Small fish may have small brains but they still have some surprising cognitive abilities," said Jeremy Kendal from Durham University's anthropology department. "Hill-climbing strategies are widely seen in human society whereby advances in technology are down to people choosing the best technique through social learning and improving on it, resulting in cumulative culture. But our results suggest brain size isn't everything when it comes to the capacity for social learning."
Kevin Laland of St Andrews University, who also took part in the study, said: "Nine-spined sticklebacks may be the geniuses of the fish world. It's remarkable that a form of learning found to be optimal in humans is exactly what these fish do."
In the experiment, reported in tomorrow's issue of the journal Behavioral Ecology, scientists caught 270 nine-spined sticklebacks from the Melton Brook in Leicestershire. The fish were placed in a tank with two feeders, one of which supplied a lot more food than the other, known as the "rich feeder".
The fish that learned to prefer the rich feeder were then allowed to watch their fellow fish feeding in a separate test but, this time, the two feeders had been swapped. After watching for a while, the observers were allowed to choose a feeder for themselves and around 75% were able to work out from their observations that the feeders had been switched.
Lots of animals learn from their more experienced peers to gain skills such as hunting, foraging or evading predators.
"But it is not always a recipe for success to simply copy someone," said Kendal. "Animals are often better off being selective about when and who they copy. These fish are obviously not at all closely related to humans, yet they have this human ability to only copy when the pay-off is better than their own. You might expect this ability in animals who are closely related to humans. In the case of the nine-spined stickleback, they have most likely adapted to their local ecology."
They're small in size but big in mind: sticklebacks display a remarkably human-like intelligence when it comes to searching for food, according to scientists in the UK. By comparing their own experiences with the behaviour of their fellow fish, the sticklebacks are able to improve their success rate.
The discovery of this sophisticated type of social learning in sticklebacks, known as a "hill-climbing" strategy, suggests that such cognitive tricks might be more common among non-human animals than previously thought.
The study also shows that big brains like humans' might not be the only way to produce a cumulative culture within a species.
"Small fish may have small brains but they still have some surprising cognitive abilities," said Jeremy Kendal from Durham University's anthropology department. "Hill-climbing strategies are widely seen in human society whereby advances in technology are down to people choosing the best technique through social learning and improving on it, resulting in cumulative culture. But our results suggest brain size isn't everything when it comes to the capacity for social learning."
Kevin Laland of St Andrews University, who also took part in the study, said: "Nine-spined sticklebacks may be the geniuses of the fish world. It's remarkable that a form of learning found to be optimal in humans is exactly what these fish do."
In the experiment, reported in tomorrow's issue of the journal Behavioral Ecology, scientists caught 270 nine-spined sticklebacks from the Melton Brook in Leicestershire. The fish were placed in a tank with two feeders, one of which supplied a lot more food than the other, known as the "rich feeder".
The fish that learned to prefer the rich feeder were then allowed to watch their fellow fish feeding in a separate test but, this time, the two feeders had been swapped. After watching for a while, the observers were allowed to choose a feeder for themselves and around 75% were able to work out from their observations that the feeders had been switched.
Lots of animals learn from their more experienced peers to gain skills such as hunting, foraging or evading predators.
"But it is not always a recipe for success to simply copy someone," said Kendal. "Animals are often better off being selective about when and who they copy. These fish are obviously not at all closely related to humans, yet they have this human ability to only copy when the pay-off is better than their own. You might expect this ability in animals who are closely related to humans. In the case of the nine-spined stickleback, they have most likely adapted to their local ecology."
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Sounds Like a Good Problem
Largemouth bass overpopulating many lakes
By Associated Press, Posted: Jun. 13, 2009
Spooner - Wisconsin wildlife officials say bass catch-and-release might be working too well.
The Department of Natural Resources says a mail survey of bass anglers found they kept only 550,000, or 6%, of the 10 million bass they caught in 2006. In contrast, state anglers kept about 2.2 million of 7 million walleye caught, or about 30%.
DNR fisheries biologist Larry Damman in Spooner says high minimum size limits coupled with catch-and-release has resulted in many lakes with overabundant, stunted bass populations in which few largemouths ever reach legal size.
Fisheries managers want anglers to harvest more bass in northern Wisconsin, especially in Polk and Washburn counties, to keep population numbers in balance and improve growth rates.
By Associated Press, Posted: Jun. 13, 2009
Spooner - Wisconsin wildlife officials say bass catch-and-release might be working too well.
The Department of Natural Resources says a mail survey of bass anglers found they kept only 550,000, or 6%, of the 10 million bass they caught in 2006. In contrast, state anglers kept about 2.2 million of 7 million walleye caught, or about 30%.
DNR fisheries biologist Larry Damman in Spooner says high minimum size limits coupled with catch-and-release has resulted in many lakes with overabundant, stunted bass populations in which few largemouths ever reach legal size.
Fisheries managers want anglers to harvest more bass in northern Wisconsin, especially in Polk and Washburn counties, to keep population numbers in balance and improve growth rates.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Hot Bites Right Now
I like to pass on good info when I have it, and I have a couple pieces of it right now.
1.) Trolling bite: Koshkonong. Pulling cranks and stickbaits is producing a mixed bag of walleyes, whitebass and pike.
2.) Fowler Lake: The stocked trout are biting very good. They are suspended in the deep basin, but you can find them with your electronics.
3.)Lake Kessus: Crappies are biting, big time. I don't think this will hold up as this news came to me late, but you might want to give it a go.
1.) Trolling bite: Koshkonong. Pulling cranks and stickbaits is producing a mixed bag of walleyes, whitebass and pike.
2.) Fowler Lake: The stocked trout are biting very good. They are suspended in the deep basin, but you can find them with your electronics.
3.)Lake Kessus: Crappies are biting, big time. I don't think this will hold up as this news came to me late, but you might want to give it a go.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Spotted Musky Improvement Plan
From the DNR
MADISON – The 1,100 fingerlings that made the road trip from Ontario, Canada, to their new homes in three northeastern Wisconsin lakes are among new efforts this spring in the decades-long quest to restore a self-sustaining population of the Great Lakes strain spotted musky to Green Bay.
These young fish will eventually serve as broodstock for Green Bay.
Taken as eggs from Georgian Bay and later certified disease free, they were raised in the small, Sir Sanford Fleming College hatchery in Ontario, Canada and stocked into Elkhart Lake, Sheboygan County, and Anderson and Archibald lakes in Oconto County.
The $59,000 project, funded by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, money from the Fox River environmental restoration settlement, Musky Clubs Alliance of Wisconsin, Muskies Canada and Titletown Chapter of Muskies Inc., is aimed at increasing the genetic diversity in Green Bay’s spotted musky population, which in turn will yield healthier fish, according to fisheries biologist David Rowe.
“Greater genetic diversity helps to protect a population from changes in their environment,” Rowe says. “If all the fish have the same genotype, they are all likely to succumb to the same illness or an environmental change like a warmer climate. If there is a great amount of diversity, the changes that impact some fish will not affect all fish in the population. This means the population can better adapt to changing conditions, and then they pass those stronger traits on to their offspring.”
The three receiving the Canadian fish have a 50-inch size limit to protect them, giving DNR multiple years to collect eggs before the musky would be vulnerable to harvest, according to Rowe.
A $200,000 grant from the Natural Resources Damage Assessment that resulted from the Fox River environmental settlement will allow the DNR to stock the Ontario-raised strain of musky into the recently established brood lakes for the next four years, which will continue to increase the genetic variation and abundance of the re-established Green Bay population.
Spotted musky are native to Green Bay, but the population collapsed in the early 1900s due to over-fishing, pollution and habitat destruction. Thanks to stocking efforts that began in 1989, the population in the bay is older and larger than ever, according to Rowe.
“The musky have grown fast in Green Bay’s waters,” Rowe says. “We estimate the population in the lower bay somewhere between 5,000 to 10,000 musky and just this spring we handled about a dozen fish larger than 50 inches in our nets.”
Even though the musky population has been revived and anglers are finding opportunities for trophy fish, biologists, who have been looking for signs of natural reproduction for 20 years, are just now starting to see hopeful results.
“Last fall, for the first time, we collected two, unmarked fingerling musky in the lower Menomonie River,” Rowe says. “We know from genetic analysis that these two had the same genetic markers as the adult fish from Green Bay, meaning they are Great Lakes Spotted muskies, and the first evidence of natural reproduction.”
To help determine why the DNR hasn’t seen more spotted musky reproduction, fisheries crews have begun a two-year study funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act Program and several musky angling clubs including; Dave’s Musky Club, C&R Musky Club, Winnebagoland Musky Club, M&M Musky Club, Titletown Chapter of Muskies Inc., and the Between the Lakes Chapter of Muskies Inc.
This spring 20 female musky were inserted with miniature radio transmitters when they were captured during DNR fyke-netting. When those females spawn and expel their eggs, the transmitter will also drop, pinpointing their spawning location. This information will allow biologists to identify the area and see if there are any problems that might be hindering natural reproduction such as habitat degradation, poor water quality, or invasive species.
MADISON – The 1,100 fingerlings that made the road trip from Ontario, Canada, to their new homes in three northeastern Wisconsin lakes are among new efforts this spring in the decades-long quest to restore a self-sustaining population of the Great Lakes strain spotted musky to Green Bay.
These young fish will eventually serve as broodstock for Green Bay.
Taken as eggs from Georgian Bay and later certified disease free, they were raised in the small, Sir Sanford Fleming College hatchery in Ontario, Canada and stocked into Elkhart Lake, Sheboygan County, and Anderson and Archibald lakes in Oconto County.
The $59,000 project, funded by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, money from the Fox River environmental restoration settlement, Musky Clubs Alliance of Wisconsin, Muskies Canada and Titletown Chapter of Muskies Inc., is aimed at increasing the genetic diversity in Green Bay’s spotted musky population, which in turn will yield healthier fish, according to fisheries biologist David Rowe.
“Greater genetic diversity helps to protect a population from changes in their environment,” Rowe says. “If all the fish have the same genotype, they are all likely to succumb to the same illness or an environmental change like a warmer climate. If there is a great amount of diversity, the changes that impact some fish will not affect all fish in the population. This means the population can better adapt to changing conditions, and then they pass those stronger traits on to their offspring.”
The three receiving the Canadian fish have a 50-inch size limit to protect them, giving DNR multiple years to collect eggs before the musky would be vulnerable to harvest, according to Rowe.
A $200,000 grant from the Natural Resources Damage Assessment that resulted from the Fox River environmental settlement will allow the DNR to stock the Ontario-raised strain of musky into the recently established brood lakes for the next four years, which will continue to increase the genetic variation and abundance of the re-established Green Bay population.
Spotted musky are native to Green Bay, but the population collapsed in the early 1900s due to over-fishing, pollution and habitat destruction. Thanks to stocking efforts that began in 1989, the population in the bay is older and larger than ever, according to Rowe.
“The musky have grown fast in Green Bay’s waters,” Rowe says. “We estimate the population in the lower bay somewhere between 5,000 to 10,000 musky and just this spring we handled about a dozen fish larger than 50 inches in our nets.”
Even though the musky population has been revived and anglers are finding opportunities for trophy fish, biologists, who have been looking for signs of natural reproduction for 20 years, are just now starting to see hopeful results.
“Last fall, for the first time, we collected two, unmarked fingerling musky in the lower Menomonie River,” Rowe says. “We know from genetic analysis that these two had the same genetic markers as the adult fish from Green Bay, meaning they are Great Lakes Spotted muskies, and the first evidence of natural reproduction.”
To help determine why the DNR hasn’t seen more spotted musky reproduction, fisheries crews have begun a two-year study funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act Program and several musky angling clubs including; Dave’s Musky Club, C&R Musky Club, Winnebagoland Musky Club, M&M Musky Club, Titletown Chapter of Muskies Inc., and the Between the Lakes Chapter of Muskies Inc.
This spring 20 female musky were inserted with miniature radio transmitters when they were captured during DNR fyke-netting. When those females spawn and expel their eggs, the transmitter will also drop, pinpointing their spawning location. This information will allow biologists to identify the area and see if there are any problems that might be hindering natural reproduction such as habitat degradation, poor water quality, or invasive species.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Tuesday Night Big Bass League
Tonight's prediction: I'll take the over. No question about it.
There's going to be a ton of fish brought in tonight, but somebody is going connect with a large fish on or near a spawning area. Tonight could be the night somebody breaks the 6lb barrier this season.
I was almost dead on last week, but I'll venture the winning fish will be between 4.5-5lbs and anything below 4lbs won't be anything but a point fish this week.
Good Luck,
CT
There's going to be a ton of fish brought in tonight, but somebody is going connect with a large fish on or near a spawning area. Tonight could be the night somebody breaks the 6lb barrier this season.
I was almost dead on last week, but I'll venture the winning fish will be between 4.5-5lbs and anything below 4lbs won't be anything but a point fish this week.
Good Luck,
CT
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Now is the time
...to get out. Fishing will be fantastic the next week to 10 days.
I have some openings if you want to get out.
CT
I have some openings if you want to get out.
CT
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
BBL: Week 1
Ray and I got off to a rocky start, but I put us on a working pattern by 7:15 and he ended up catching the winner a 4.58lb largemouth.
I didn't bring in a legal fish, but had one of my best nights of musky fishing ever. I caught one, had two more hooked up and had a follow from a high 30's fish. Everything was chasing a black and blue jig and chunk.
CT
I didn't bring in a legal fish, but had one of my best nights of musky fishing ever. I caught one, had two more hooked up and had a follow from a high 30's fish. Everything was chasing a black and blue jig and chunk.
CT
Monday, May 4, 2009
In the shop....
Eric's fishing a WABTA tournament in Madison this weekend. As a result, I'll be working in the shop Saturday from 5am until Noon.
Stop by and say hi!
Stop by and say hi!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
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