Sport's Outdoors Blog

Mid Winter Ice Report

2013-02-08T18:35:37Z

Lots of ice on area lakes. Just stay out of channels and areas with moving water.

The fishing has gotten a little slow in many of my favorite areas. Some have gotten too much pressure, some lost important weed growth, the list of reasons for a slow bite can be long. I decided to scout some new water this week in hopes of finding some better action for client trips and an annual guys weekend trip I have coming up. I stayed close to home but drove the truck to areas I had never ice fished before and that had no signs of other guys fishing. Areas that I know well from summer time.

First hole I drilled was spot on what I was hoping to find. A deeper weed edge with healthy weeds. I dropped the camera and immediately had a dozen gills staring at me.

While sitting in the drivers seat of my truck, I dropped a Custom Jigs and Spins Majmun tungsten jig through the slush and started catching blue gills right away. Will enjoyed reeling a few in from his car seat. Then I got a hard hit and drag started flying off my reel. This Largemouth pushing 3 pounds was a serious test for my 2 pound ice line.

I let her go and caught a few more gills before driving off to look for more new water. It was nice to go to new areas that I thought should hold fish and catch em. Especially since no one else was in the areas.

Here are a few more pics from recent outings.

Will waiting for a pull.

Henry with a little northern in the house.

Korey with a nice 36" Tonka toothy.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sport

Denali Anglers Prep for the Classic

2013-02-06T23:27:41Z

Denali Anglers Prep for the Classic

It's been an embarrassment of riches for the Denali pro staff lately. Along with several high finishes in triple-A level events and numerous smaller tournaments, Denali anglers won a Bassmaster Open and the Co angler side of the FLW Championship. It was the former victory that created another first for the company; Pete Gluszek's berth in the 2013 Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake in Oklahoma.

The good news didn't stop there, as shortly after Gluszek's win, Denali staffers earned two more berths into the Classic field. North Carolina's Hank Cherry qualified by winning the Southern Open on Smith Lake in early October and Nebraska's Jared Knuth got his golden ticket by winning the central division's berth at the Federation Nation National Championship held later that month.

A Classic berth means a lot to an angler. Not only is it a shot at $500,000, but it also gives an angler the chance to become forever cemented in the annals of tournament fishing history. That fact is not lost on each of the Denali anglers, and it seemed like a good idea to see how they have been preparing for the big event, and what state their nerves are in as they get ready for the Super bowl of bass fishing.

Pete Gluszek

Gluszek was able to spend six days on the Oklahoma Lake prior to the off-limits period. "I spent the majority of my time just getting to know the lake and breaking it down by structure type. Essentially, I was locating and recording which areas of the lake have which characteristics. Whether that is bottom composition, water clarity, a depth change, or man-made structures like brush piles, I now have a pretty good idea of where I need to head if I'm looking for specific factors."

He noted that though the conditions are certainly going to be very different, having the baseline knowledge of how the lake sets up will allow him to be much more efficient once the limited official practice time starts, saying "If I see that they are relating to dirtier water, or staging in pre-spawn areas, I'm not gonna need to spend a bunch of time running all over the place looking for that type of water, I'll already have a pretty good idea where to find it."

Though his focus during pre-practice wasn't on fishing, he did in fact spend a few hours at the end of the trip fishing and was thoroughly impressed by what he saw. "I didn't fish much, but the little bit I did showed me what this lake has to offer as far as quality. I've never in my life caught fish that were so stuffed with food and had such big bellies. They were absolute footballs, and I think that's gonna make this Classic even more exciting."

Since this isn't his first rodeo so to speak, (he qualified for the 1997 and 1999 Classics) Gluszek doesn't feel too intimidated at all by the stature of the tournament. In fact, he thinks his experience in past tournaments will definitely help him, with the added advantage of being an underdog. "One of the things that I think is gonna help is not having to deal with some of the spectator traffic that some anglers will have to deal with. Also, it's nice having that underdog attitude. I've been an athlete all my life, so being an underdog is something that I can really use to motivate myself."

Hank Cherry

Hank Cherry has long been known as an instinctive angler. That's because his best finishes have often come when he limits his pre-practice and just trusts his instincts. Now he's not saying he thinks practice is a bad thing; it's just that to him, practice more than a couple days can sometimes do more harm than good. "I've just seen conditions change so much between an early scouting session and a tournament that it's rarely the case where you find something that actually holds up during that off-period."

For that reason, Cherry decided to forgo making a trip to Grand before the cutoff and he isn't too worried about it hurting his chances, saying "I've had most of my best tournaments when I didn't take a bunch of pre-practice time. I think it helps to start my practice without any preconceived notions about what to expect. I'd rather just get on the water and deal with the conditions that are actually there for the tournament, than have to worry about what the weather and fish are doing the whole time between trips."

Cherry cites his ability to find fish that suit his style as the key to his success in the Classic and doesn't plan on doing anything too wild once he gets to Oklahoma. "I'm not gonna go out there and do something I'm not comfortable doing, so if I spend my time looking for fish that suit my strengths, I won't need to worry about becoming uncomfortable. Only one person can win the Classic, so I'm gonna pick up a Jig, Jerkbait, and Crankbait which are things I'm already very comfortable with, and just go fishing."

He feels that his lack of pre-practice will also help him mentally, by preventing him from getting caught up fishing memories, or places the fish were in earlier months. "My main focus is going to be to make good decisions, fish my strengths, and not be afraid to do poorly, which I think sometimes prevents anglers from making the decisions they need to win."

Jared Knuth

Though Knuth is the least heralded member of the Denali team to qualify for the derby, he definitely has the most experience on the Oklahoma impoundment. Grand lake is only about six hours from his Wahoo, NE home and Knuth has fished approximately 30 tournaments on the lake over his career. He considers himself pretty comfortable with how the lake sets up; a fact that didn't stop him from spending an additional 15 days on the lake prior to the cutoff, time he spent mostly just "idling around and looking".

Being familiar with how the lake sets up, Knuth really focused on marking lot of new structure during his pre-practice, including some unique stuff. "They had a flood a few years back on Grand, and I was able to mark several sunken boats, docks, and rubble that weren't even there in years past. Off the wall structures like that could really make a difference if the fish are still out deep."

Mentally, Knuth isn't letting his lack of top-level tournament fishing get to him. "Qualifying was the hard part" he continued, "I'm really feeling as prepared as I can be. I'm not fishing against the other anglers, just the fish and all I need to worry about is getting five bites a day. If I concentrate on that, and fish cleanly I don't think the stage will bother me too much."

Almost There

There are still a few weeks left before the start of the 2013 Bassmaster Classic, and indubitably all three Denali anglers will be working hard, preparing tackle, and studying maps all the way until it's time to depart for Tulsa, but they won't actually get a chance to fish until the first of two and a half practice days.

Gluszek, Cherry, and Knuth are in an enviable spot. Each has a 1 in 53 (1.8%) chance of becoming the next world champion, something that most bass addicts around the country can only dream about. Although their individual preparation plans may have been slightly different to this point, it seems they each feel pretty comfortable with their chances. Here's to hoping that one of them can figure out the Grand Lake bass to the tune of $500,000 and a place in the record books.

Happy New Year and A Quick Ice Update

2013-01-23T17:25:06Z

New Years Greetings and Quick Ice Report

IN OTHER NEWS

Ice Fishing Tournaments

There are plenty of fishing contests coming up over the next couple weeks.

Renegade Bassers are having Ice Fest on Coon lake this saturday. http://www.renegadebassers.org/ for details.

Fishing for Life will be hosting Holes for Heroes on Medicine Lake in Plymouth in two weeks. http://2013holesforheroes-eorg.eventbrite.com/ for details.

There are plenty more to choose from. Do a Google search for Ice Fishing contests in your area and get out there. They are usually very affordable, Family friendly and often give away great prizes.

Ice Report

We have been out on the ice all over the midwest. Conditions vary however so make sure you check local conditions before driving on ice. With very cold weather lately, most all lakes will be safe but remember to avoid any areas that may have current. The bluegill bite has been a little slow but patience will help get you some fish. Low water levels n many area lakes may also afect your favorite holes. Use your electronics and be willing to move around a little bit and ou sould be able to relocate the fish. Norherns are still eating sucker minnows and big shiners. Set up a few tip ups while searching for active pan fish.

Tonka Gills

Will and I have been out on tonka a few times. As you can see Will enjoyed a friends big wheel house and was happy to reel up a few sunnies. He spent plenty of time abusing our minnows as well.

The Tip Ups were active and we brought home one 23" northern. Stay tuned for a video I shot on how to clean a Northern without Y bones.

Little Bay de Noc Perch

I took a trip over to the UP of Michigan and spent a few days chasing perch out of Lindbergh Cove Resort. Lack of snow cover and a large pressure crack close to shore made getting my dads 2 man permanent shack where we wanted it a little challenging. Once we got setup though we started catching perch. We setup not more than a quarter mile from the resort on a sand flat in about 14 feet of water. The ones we caught were not jumbos but the action was steady and the ones we kept tasted awfully good. Wigglers probably produced the most bites.

A Quick Thanksgiving Note

2012-12-02T02:38:58Z

The Boat is all tucked away and the ice is just starting to form on area lakes. Duck Season is closed now and deer season is essentially done as well. I get pretty depressed this time of year. All I can really do is plan my next trip and reflect on the last season.

Thanksgiving was a week ago but I would like to take a moment to thank all my sponsors that helped make my summer fishing season a great one. I got some help from a couple new sponsors this year and if you read my past posts you know I put their products to good use.

The ima Skimmer has became my favorite topwater and accounted for some quality smallmouths in several tournaments this year.

ima Skimmer http://imalures.com/lures/

I used the Optimum Double Diamond as a swim jig trailer, on an alabama rig, as well as a trailer on a Mad Bass Shaking Mad Jig. It can also be fished all by itself on a wide gap hook. This is a very versatile bait to have in your boat and it is offered in a ton of colors and sizes.

Optimum Double Diamond http://optimumbaits.com/OB2/

At the beginning of the season I sold all my Shimano rods and filled my rod locker with Denali rods.
I never looked back and love the rods. My rosewood dropshot rod landed plenty of tournament fish for me when the bite got tough.

Along with these new sponsors, I was very happy to help launch a new shopping cart for Mad Bass Custom Baits and was super excited to use some of the new baits they put out for this past season.

On my trip home for Thanksgiving/deer season last week, I was able to have a couple beers with Johnny Lindberg of Lindberg's Cove Resort. Little Bay de Noc was giving up some monster Walleye on a night bite and guests at the resort were taking advantage of the mild weather to catch them.

I want to thank these sponsors and especially, my family, for all the support they gave me throughout the 2012 season. I look forward to a great 2013 season. If you would like more information about these companies or products feel free to drop me a note or follow the links in the post. Christmas is right around the corner so get that fisherman in your life a few new lures or a new rod.

Sport

Hard Water Season is Almost Here.

2012-11-07T14:59:44Z

I put the boat away last week and wont be seeing it again till April. It is always a sad day when I put it away, so to soften the blow I stopped at a popular bank spot and managed a quick smallie on the first cast and lost another a couple minutes later. It was just me and Will so I snapped a quick shot with my phone before letting him go.

This guy hit a Mad Bass tube first cast.

The first annual Hard Water Expo is coming up in a week or so. It will be held out at the National Sports Center in Blaine. I believe it is being organized by the same people that ran the Bass expo last spring. For a first time show the bass show was really good so I would expect this one to be pretty good as well.

See ya there.

Elite Series Marshall Report (Lacrosse WI)

2012-10-27T03:07:28Z

This past summer I was lucky enough to get the time to marshall for the Elite series events in Wisconsin. I got a great draw every day and figured I would give a little run down on what I saw and learned.

Day one of Lacrosse I was paired with Russ Lane. Russ was a heads down fisherman like many of these guys are, so conversation was limited. Thats not too big a deal for me since I spend most days with a 5 year old girl that has no real off switch. Lets just say I probably needed the quiet time.
Russ locked up into pool 7 and shared a back water area with several other anglers including KVD, Scott Rook, Bernie Schultz and a few others. He was working a frog over a milfoil/duckweed mat and flipping back to missed fish or bigger open pockets. He missed plenty of fish like you would expect with frog fishing but managed a nice limit. One fish came as KVD laughed at him for missing a blow up on a frog. Russ quickly pitched back in with a soft plastic and caught the fish. KVD pulled up his trolling motor and we never saw him the rest of the day.

Day two in Lacrosse found me in the boat with Aaron Martens. Aaron was in second place after day one and it was easy to see why as he caught 5 fish on 6 casts and had a limit in the boat while we could still hear the other competitors taking off. He spent all day within a mile or two of take off and had a magic little school of 2-3 pound fish all to himself. He was dropshotting a robo worm and could call his shot on every cast. I love to drop shot as any one who has fished with me can attest so to watch Aaron do it was a real treat.

Aaron Martens works some bridge pilings during River Rumble

One interesting thing I picked up was he does not tie a palomar knot for his drop shot. He ties a double uni knot instead. Aaron also said he had been working on a new hook that was stronger than other thin wire drop shot hooks on the market to allow for easy hook sets while eliminating hook straightening. I look forward to trying those. Aaron was very willing to share what he was doing with me and was very gracious to the crowds that swarmed his boat as soon as we pulled out for weigh in.

Day three I drew Dean Rojas. We made a good distance run toward the bottom of 8 and again started fishing a magic little spot with no other competitors around. The spot had current flowing over a wing dam or levee and Dean worked back and forth pretty much all day throwing his frog into the current and bringing it back. Largemouth would come up and crush the frog. If things got slow he would switch to a crank bait or chatter bait but any time he got to calm water the frog did the work. Just like day one misses were not rare and I had to keep my head on a swivel and duck when the bronzeye came flying my way, especially early when the bite was best. Again it was a real treat watching one of the best at a technique do his thing.

Hanging out during weigh in and checking out all the anglers rigs was almost as much fun as spending the day on the water. It is obvious that some of these guys want to see who can have the biggest least fuel efficient trucks.

Ish Monroes rig (above) could drive over my wifes car without slowing down.

All in all a great time. I will post up a report of Green Bay in a few.

Sport

http://imalures.com/

http://denalirods.com/

Duck Report (late october)

2012-10-27T02:15:17Z

Fall is in full swing now. My bass boat is due to be put away for the winter next week and although that is always a sad day, I look forward to doing some hunting and the upcoming Ice season.

Local ducks hung around much longer than I thought they would this year. Woodies were on my pond up until about 4 or 5 days ago. A hunting buddy in Michigan shot a nice mixed bag out on Little Bay de Noc a week or so ago that contained a teal. Sure sign that the migration is still young.

A couple days ago I did see two hen shovelers on the pond. Hopefully the cold front we are currently in will bring down a few more flight ducks. The local mallards have grown pretty smart on where they get shot at and where they are safe.

I will be getting out this weekend so I will let you know how we do.

Happy hunting
Sport

Fall or Winter?

2012-10-12T14:06:45Z

It is cold this morning. Ice over most of the pond in my back yard. Not very good news if you have a bass tournament tomorrow (like I do). Good news if you are a duck hunter as ducks will be moving looking for open water.

I made a reservation for the Skeeter to be stored somewhere other than my garage this year. The boat gets put away November 1. It is sad but will leave more room for ice fishing gear this winter.

I have been out both fishing and hunting with some success in both.

Spear looking for more ducks after harvesting a nice redhead. We also bagged a big honker. I bet it weighed 25 pounds.

Sarah is 48 inches tall now. You cant quite tell but this goose was just a couple inches shorter than her.

Fishing buddy Steve Brummer got himself a boat. We took it out for a few hours the other day. Will had a blast even though air temps and water temps were both around 50.

Get out there and have a great fall everyone.

Sport

Taking Advantage of a Quick Outing With My Boy.

2012-10-04T04:55:19Z

The weather has been unseasonably nice. It hasn't rained in as long as I can remember and the sun shine every day along with changing color of tree leaves calls an angler to the water. I gave in to the call the other day for just a couple hours. It was actually the first time for Will and I to go out just the two of us. I had him and his sister out a couple times this summer but never he and I alone. He turned two last month and the ever present risk of him deciding to take an unplanned dip is always in the back of my mind while on the water.

My plan was to just let the sun get up and then get out and hit a few docks. Hopefully catch a few nice fish and then get home and pack for a family trip. As I launched a couple guys were coming in. They said the bite had been good in the morning but had slowed. Figures, I wait for the sun to get up and I should have gone out early. Water temps are falling but weeds are still fairly healthy. I hit a stretch of good docks and got only one tap. Obviously not working I flipped into an isolated patch of pads and managed a decent largemouth. Will assisted in reeling the fish in and helped with the release.

I ran out of time shortly after that but took Will for another quick ride around the lake and enjoyed the fall colors before loading the boat.

Sport

Great deal on optimum 7" minnow

2012-09-18T13:44:29Z

I found a great site a few weeks ago. They buy up overstock and discontinued baits and then sell them at a steep discount.
Today you can get a great deal on an Optimum bait. They are also selling some Gander brand jigs and more. Check it out.
http://www.overstockbait.com/Optimum_Wooden_Lures_p/7-ob.htm

I have a few tournament recaps coming soon. Stay tuned.

Sport

Late Summer Bite is Good

2012-08-29T19:27:11Z

The weather at night is starting to cool down but the fishing is still pretty hot. I got reports of good fish being caught back home on little Bay DeNoc from resort owner John Lindbergh of Lindbergh's Cove Resort.
http://www.lindbergscoveresort.com/

He sent me a quick pic from the water the other day I figured I would share. A nice 4lb LIttle Bay De Noc smallie.

.

If your still looking for a place to spend the upcoming holiday weekend, Hook up your boat and give John a call.

Check out all our sponsor links to the left. We recently updated them.

Thanks
Sport

Denali Pro Staffer Wins Forest Wood Cup Co-Angler Title

2012-08-17T15:34:42Z

Congrats to Tim Dearing, a retired Air Force colonel and fellow Denali prostaffer, on winning the FLW cup co angler title. Tim was drop shotting a Robo worm, one of my favorite ways to fish.

Here is a link to read more.

http://www.flwoutdoors.com/bassfishing/flw/tournament/2012/6746/forrest-wood-cup-lake-lanier-co-angler-headline/153974/dearing-delivers-in-forrest-wood-cup-win/

June on Alexander and Shamineau

2012-07-30T15:48:50Z

We had two club tourneys on these lakes near Cushing MN last month. I was excited to get out since I had very little time on the water during the spring and I have had some great days on Alexander in the past. Alexander also has smallmouths in it which adds to the fun.

Both tournaments started out great. On Shamineau I had a limit in the boat in about 20 minutes throwing a weightless ring fry around shallow cover and a jig around reeds. Alexander was about the same with a limit in the boat in 15-20 minutes off the first spot we started. Again I was throwing one of my hand tied jigs on 17 pound floro with my Denali Custom Flipping stick.

Weights were not real big but everyone caught a limit which is always nice for a club tournament. Big fish on Alexander came out of my boat but unfortunately not from me. It only took around 11 pounds to win. My single digit weights were good enough for middle of the pack finishes. I weighed one nice Smallmouth though that I pulled off a dock. That is always pretty fun.

After these tournaments it was a quick turn around till I took a ride on the mississippi river with the elite series guys. That report to come.

Sport

Denali is Offering Free Shipping

2012-07-17T19:41:54Z

Wanted to let you all know about a pretty good deal going on right now over at the Denali Rods website. They are offering free shipping on orders over 200$. That is just a couple Jadewood rods or maybe a single Rosewood and a t-shirt. I know I hate paying shipping so if you have been in the market for a new rod, here is a chance to save on shipping. The new swim bait rods are getting good reviews!

I was out over the weekend pre fishing for upcoming tournaments and put my Denali rods to good use. This 4 pounder slammed one of my hand tied jigs right away in the morning and the Jadewood Custom Flipping Stick pulled him right out of the cover.

I know I have been slow to post lately. I have to get a report up about marshalling in Lacrosse and Green Bay.
Stay tuned.

Sport

Sponsor News and Lots to Share

2012-06-19T14:06:58Z

It has been very busy on the fishing front for me. There is so much to tell that I am going to combine a few into one.

Congrats to Rob Melendez from the great state of Illinois on winning a sample pack of MAD BASS Custom Baits during our bait give away last month. Rob is a BASS Federation guy so I know those baits will get some use. We will be having more give aways soon. Stay Tuned!

I have great news for guys looking for a great reason to invest in a long, heavy stick. Denali Rods now has a multipurpose 7'11" Heavy available. How can a 7'11" be multipurpose? It was prototyped and tested for three main techniques. It is perfect for throwing the A-Rig that has taken the bass world by storm. The length helps get the rig out there and the heavy action will handle the weight of those rigs. This rod is also perfect for the swim bait fan. Those get pretty heavy too! Of course a rod with these dimensions will allow for an angler to flip heavy cover all day long. I assume these rods would also make a fine frog rod when fishing in the slop.

Check out these new rods available in both Jadewood and Rosewood models. They are available for the first time today!

Some exciting news for me personally is that I have joined the Optimum and Ima baits Field Staff.

Optimum is often associated with the big swim bait movement that is so well known out west. They have plenty of smaller offerings however that can help everyday anglers catch fish from Bass to crappie, northerns and trout. If you have been intimidated by big swim baits but would be interested in some smaller bait options, don't be afraid to check them out.

Ima originates from the first three letters of the word “imagination”. One look at the bait line up and you will know plenty of imagination went into them. These cranks are full of unique design features. From quiet to loud, shallow to deep divers, there is plenty of fish catching options to choose from.

I am very excited to help let people know more about these baits. Take a look for yourself.

I will post up some tournament reports in a bit.

Thanks!
Sport

Last chance for free baits, MN opener and a few other notes.

2012-05-31T05:03:34Z

I spent the Holiday weekend camping with my family in South East Minnesota. Although it was the bass opener in Minnesota, I spent a little time casting a small Panther Martin into small riffles in the creek running through the campground. Results were good and a couple Browns in the 13-15 inch range put a good bow in my ultra lite rod. I grew up catching brookies in northern michigan and was able to catch plenty of cutthroat when living out west. I have caught very few browns so that made the trip fun. Since I was knee deep in running water and by myself, I wasn't able to get any photos of the fish. Maybe next trip.

I did get a chance to catch a few bass a couple weeks ago. We took advantage of a strange rule that allows catch and release fishing north of duluth before the rest of the state opens. I took several Denali rods and caught a few prespawn smallies. No big ones but fun to get things started with hard pulling smallies.

The Jadewoods are in at Denali now and available for order so get them while supplies last. Check http://denalirods.com/ for details.

Tomorrow is the last day for the Mad Bass Baits give away. Place an order at www.madbassbaits.com and be automatically entered. You can also be entered by going to the mad bass facebook page and leaving a quick comment about the baits. There has not been as much response as I had hoped so chances are good to get your name drawn if you can get in before the end of tomorrow.

I will be pre fishing this weekend and will get an update up early next week.

Sport

2012 13th Annual Crappie Tournament on Prior Lake

2012-04-25T16:52:26Z

The Prior Lake Hooksetters are putting on their annual event on the lake this weekend. This is a great way to get the kids out for a few hours and enjoy some time on the water. Each boat gets free minnows and the Hooksetters have done a great job of getting sponsors to help with grab bag prizes.

You can take as many kids as you like in a boat but only two adults. Each boat will weigh ten crappies. All fish that appear to be releasable will be released to catch again next year. Cost is $30 per boat with payouts going to top places and big fish. There is also a raffle with more prizes to be won.

7am-9am Registration at Captain Jacks on Sunday (4/29/12)
Blast off will be at 9am and weigh in will be at 2pm.

Should be a great event and the weather folks are calling for a fairly nice day for this time of year so grab the kids and dust off the boat. You could win some great prizes and the kids are sure to have a blast.

Check out the Hooksetter facebook page for details and questions.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Priorlake-Hooksetters/100001793771656#!/people/Priorlake-Hooksetters/100001793771656?sk=wall

Sport

New Mad Bass Baits Web Site and Bait Give Away

2012-04-20T19:11:00Z

The guys over at Mad Bass Custom Baits have been busy this spring updating the website to include some new items for the 2012 season and to incorporate a shopping cart for easy ordering of baits. In the past you had to contact them through email or by phone but now when it is 11:00 at night and you realize you are running low on tubes or finesse worms you can just pull up the site and use your credit card to order a few more packs.

To celebrate and encourage everyone to check out the new site, I am offering a sample pack give away. Place an order through the site between now and May 31st and you are automatically entered to win a 10 pack of some proven Mad Bass baits.

You can also be entered to win by going to the Mad Bass Facebook page and putting a comment up there. Tell us which of the new baits for 2012 you are most excited about or like and you could win another 10 bait sample pack.

Winners will be drawn at random June 1st and will be notified by email when they win. I will send the baits out within a few days after that so you can start using them to catch some big ones.

Go check it out at www.madbassbaits.com

Thanks
Sport

Joke for the day

2012-04-13T16:09:56Z

A pretty good one sent to me by John at Lindberg's Cove. I thought it was worth sharing with all my fishing friends. Enjoy!

Marriage Counseling:
After 35 years of marriage, a husband and wife came for counseling. When asked what the problem was, the wife went into a passionate, painful tirade listing every problem they had ever had in the years they had been married. On and on and on: neglect, lack of intimacy, emptiness, loneliness, feeling unloved and unlovable, an entire laundry list of unmet needs she had endured. Finally, after allowing this for a sufficient length of time, the therapist got up, walked around the desk and after asking the wife to stand, embraced and kissed her passionately as her husband watched with a raised eye brow. The woman shut up and quietly sat down as though in a daze. The therapist turned to the husband and said, "this is what your wife needs at least 3 times a week. Can you do this?"

'"Well, I can drop her off here on Mondays and Wednesdays, but on Fridays, I fish."

Denali Rods Team

2012-04-10T13:43:16Z

I was contacted a while back by a fellow Mad Bass Custom Baits pro staffer and told about these great rods being made by a smaller company down in Arkansas. I looked into them and was excited to try them out. I contacted them and talked back and forth a bit and decided to get on board. I am very excited to have joined the Denali Pro-Staff.

Denali means "the Great One" in Athabascan, a widely spoken indigenous language of North America. A great name for a great rod company. They haven't been around that long but they have gained a large following `quickly and are selling rods as fast as they can make them. One of the
things that attracted me to Denali Rods was the complete line of rods. From entry level rods priced under 100$ to technique specific high end rods with cutting edge features, Denali has
a rod for every anglers need.

Another unique feature found only in Denali rods is a stabilized hardwood fore-grip. This foregrip allows better sensitivity and transmits the subtlest bite to the anglers hand. This concept isn't new
if you are a believer in fishing tungsten weights. Many rod makers have done away with the fore-grip in order to achieve this sensitivity at the sacrifice of comfort. This leaves your hand gripping a small metal ring that rarely fits your hand and usually the harsh edges and threads underneath. These hardwood grips provide the comfort to flip heavy cover all day or shaking a small jig while still maximizing sensitivity.

If you are looking for a new rod or two this season, you owe it to yourself to check out Denali . A new supply of Jadewood should be available next month.

Sport

Spring Time To Do's and Gear Tips.

2012-04-03T19:46:43Z

Spring came quick this year and I am scrambling to get things ready for the open water season. Tackle organization was put off all winter when it should have been done and now is getting rushed through. My reels are all currently being cleaned and lubed by my reel guy who always does a great job. He is also fixing a few minor problems with a couple.

Last weekend the big Northwest Sportshow was in full swing in Minneapolis. I spent a couple hours walking around and looking at the latest gear. After looking at new rods I came home and looked into a website I had seen advertised recently.

www.buy-a-better-rod.com is a fuji site that talks about five tips to buying a good rod. I figured it was gonna be generic and push fuji components but it wasn't. The information is great. I have had problems with rods not performing as advertised in the past and have never had anyone tell me these things. It largely relates to spinning rods but also touches on bait casters. One of the best and simplest ideas mentioned in the tips is to bring the reel you plan to put on a rod with you when buying a rod. I like this idea and think everyone might consider bringing the planned rod to be used when buying a new reel as well. If you dig into it a little you can get some very technical information about guide placement. If you work on your own rods it is a read you should look at.

Thats it for now. I hope to get the boat out of the garage soon. I also anticipate some news from sponsors in the next few days so stay tuned.

Sport

Little Fun On the Ice

2012-03-05T05:12:00Z

I haven't been out much at all this winter. Family obligations as well as a very warm winter made it difficult to get out as much as usual. I was very happy however when I was asked to take out a corporate group just over a week ago. I jumped at it and called a few fishing buddies to help me with the work that these kind of events require.

The group was about 14 people from all over the country and one or two from even further. Many if not most were first timers but all were game and willing to try. Add a case of beer and a bottle of whiskey and I knew we would have a good day.

I got out 2 days before hand and found bluegills and a few northerns on a weed flat in 8-10 feet of water. We setup in that area the day of the event and of course the fish had moved. We tracked them down in 12-14 feet and pretty soon had everyone catching at least a couple fish. Big ones were hard to come by but that is how mid winter fishing can be.

All in all a great day and a great group. I look forward to getting out with them next year. Below are a few pics from the event.

    First fish of the day for a first time ice angler.

'
    "Pucker up"

    Nothing to this ice fishing!

    "Good Times on Ice"

Thanks for visiting!
Sport

Swim Bait Intro and Tips Video

2012-02-04T23:41:43Z

At one of our last Gopher Bassmaster meetings, a member of our club put together a presentation on swimbaits. Dave has been fising these baits for years and has gained much knowledge on this way of catching fish. I brought along a video camera and captured the talk and fiured I would post it up here for others to enjoy.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/HnqWxhaAnkY?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Thanks to Dave for sharing his Knowledge as well as the Richfield American Legion for the meeting space.

Sport

Ice is on its way

2012-01-19T18:10:23Z

A lack of cold weather (along with a few other issues) as kept me off
the ice this winter. As I write this today however it is -6 degrees at
noon with the sun shining. That will make some ice. I hear the warm
weather as had the bite going pretty well but guys have to drag
portables out. I need a good 12-14" to get the diesel and wheel house
out so hopefully by next week.

The Great Worm Hunt

2011-06-14T14:44:20Z

As a boy growing up in Michigan, We used worms for bait when chasing just about any species of fish. In the spring a river near my home was host to a spawning run of suckers. They provided hours of fun for me and my friends. If we weren't trying to snag them with big treble hooks, we would get them to eat a big gob of worm. The brook trout in that stream fell for fresh dug worms as well. Perch would take a double hook rig baited with worms in Lake michigan during their spawning runs in lake Michigan, Walleyes on spinner rigs, bluegills, etc. If the ground wasn't frozen and we were going fishing, we probably had to dig a few worms first.

I got good at finding these simple yet very important creatures. It was rare that one of the standard spots wouldn't produce a good ice cream pale full of slimy brown gold. The leaf piles under the eaves of the garage or the tool shed were always an easy place to start. Move the leaves and get to the wet ground and there they would be. Sometimes a stick would be needed to scratch up a little earth if it hadn't rained in a week or more. A keen eye was needed to differentiate between a worm and a wet stick but I mastered the skill. Replacing the leaves back on the pile ensured future hunts would be successful.

From there you could always count on the slightly less pleasant, large pile of dog poop behind our bird dogs kennel. This location provided some of the fattest worms but was most likely responsible for the women in our family never touching a worm during a fishing outing. (Although the women in my family loved to fish, it is hard to tell a leaf pile worm from a dog crap worm) There were several tricks to hunting this spot too. Most important was that worms are rarely if ever found directly in the pile. Even they must not be able to handle the pure fecal power. Instead you had to use a shovel and dig at the very edge where the poop meets the topsoil. Here a couple shovels of dirt could be over turned and broken up to unveil a trove of wiggling beauties.

Now when you were away from home and had to find a few worms for a last minute trip or maybe had run out during a hot bite, there are some standard locations one could look. Tipping over the logs used as seats around a fire pit always has potential, as did turning over large rocks. Soil type of the area however could have a great affect on success rates. Rocks on a sand beach dont have worms under them. Worms aren't really the beach type I guess. I was also scolded by a young native boy for attempting this technique on a trip to Belize. Apparently Scorpions, Snakes and other mean critters like living under things too. Safety tip for you.

This past spring I had cabin fever something terrible. The weather was nice enough but seasons were still closed here in the north country so I couldn't hit the water. It had rained during the day so I decided to teach my daughter one of the most fun ways to catch the biggest worms. Sarah loves worms and regularly collects them off the driveway following a storm. This night however, we were taking a more direct approach. She was allowed to stay up past bedtime and armed with a flashlight and plastic cool whip container, we hit the front yard. Watching a four year old in princess PJs diving on a night crawler as it shoots back down its hole in the grass is a priceless sight I would recommend to any father who has a daughter. We had a blast. The worms won most of the time but Sarah and I did manage to outsmart a few. If you have never tried to catch a worm using a flashlight at night you would be shocked at how fast they are and although they have no eyes, they can tell when you shine the light on them. You need to pull slowly as Sarah found out once or twice or you will find yourself holding half a worm. Once we had scared all the worms in the front yard back down, It was time for bed. I got a big hug and had to promise another worm hunt soon. A promise I gladly made.

I dont use live bait very often anymore. Worms made from plastisol make up most of my arsenal these days. I will always have a place in my heart though for the wiggly little guys and I am guessing the fish will too.

Mad Bass Releases New Website

2011-04-22T17:37:00Z

Mad Bass Custom Baits has released a completely new and updated website this spring to help customers learn more about their baits and help you catch more fish.

New to the lineup this year are a few baits I am very excited about. The Mad Stix are a stick worm bait that is going to be a solid fish producer. It is slightly fatter than many of the other senko style baits on the market and will appeal to a slightly larger bite.

The Mad Creature is a flipper bait and will pull double duty both as a jig trailer and a flipping bait. Both of these soft plastics are available in standard colors as well as several that can only be found from Mad Bass.

Dont forget to check out the hard baits as well. The crank baits have been completely redesigned for the 2011 season.

Check out the new site it has a great new look (especially the pro staff page of course). If you want to get your hands on some of these baits, let me know and I can help you get the ones you need for that next trip to the lake.

Sport

Ice Fishing With the Kids Video

2011-03-13T11:49:00Z

Winter is hanging on strong so I bundled up the kids and got the fish house hooked up to the truck again this week. It is a fair amount of work taking a baby and a 3 year old out, but it can be lots of fun. Luckily the fish have started to go into the spring feeding frenzy. They were hitting much better than a couple weeks ago when they were in the dreaded doldrums. The warm snap we had a week or so ago also seems to have chased most other fisherman off the lake so we had the whole thing to ourselves.

We used 1/64 oz jigs with small plastics and wax worms to get these gills going. 2 pound line spooled up on ultra light rods rounded out the rig. We do have spring bobbers on the rods but you could watch them hit by looking down the hole, or as you will see, just watching on the camera. The bucket of fish made for a nice fish fry.

This is my first real attempt at editing our videos. The video itself is mostly of the back of my head but Sarah lays the charm on thick when she knows the camera is rolling.

Enjoy!
Sport

2011 Classic Time

2011-02-18T00:53:00Z

I dont consider myself a pundit but figured I would put in my two cents on the upcoming big event that starts the season of bass fishing off.

With new BASS ownership taking over last Nov, this event will be the first for the three man team. It doesn't sound like Logan, McKinnis, and Copeland have changed too much for this event but one change I am interested to watch is the Emcee. Dave Mercer takes over the Microphone at this years classic. Dave has his own show on WFN, "Facts of Fishing". I like the show and I think the funny man should do a good job. Although he can be a character, he does know fishing and isn't just a joker like say a Fish Fishburn.

I notice Mike and Mike will not be broadcasting from the take off this year. Cutting back the limited TV coverage the event already had with the departure of ESPN isn't too surprising. Every year they try to put more coverage online so I guess hard core fans will have to continue to get the best info there. Surfing around the Bassmaster.com site I didn't see if they will be streaming the weigh in. ( I found it an hour after this post of course @ http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/tournaments/classic/live/index) A shame if they didn't since the one hour recap show never does justice to the event. Check ESPN2 listing for show times.
http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/news/story?page=bassmaster_TV_schedule

My picks... Should be a good one. No clear favorites jump out at you when you look at the field. I think a less known guy could realize his dreams this year. KVD never dominates in the river tournaments. Lots of people Like Hackney as a "local" guy but the locals rarely win it.
Maybe a federation guy can pull it out this year. The kid from Idaho is hot and reportedly spent lots of time practicing.
Give me Tommy Biffle, Stephen Browning or Edwin Evers (who is quietly coming off a good year last season) as my top picks.
We will see how I do.

Sport

Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo

2011-02-14T16:08:00Z

I heard about this event and figured I would share. Looks like it might be a fun way to kill a few hours this Spring.

Sport

We are thrilled to announce that Tom Helgeson’s Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo will continue this year on April 1 - 3 at a wonderful new location -- The National Sports Center in Blaine, MN.

As you may have heard, Great Waters founder Tom Helgeson died in November after a brief battle with cancer. His absence left a huge hole in the Midwest fly fishing community.

Thanks to the help and encouragement of his countless friends, we are continuing the expo in the Twin Cities.

We have been overwhelmed and heartened by the enthusiasm and support to continue the expo and build on his legacy.

The managers of the National Sports Center have proven to be exceptional hosts and partners who will help the expo grow, thrive and ensure it remains the epicenter for fly fishing adventure, education and environmental stewardship in the Midwest.

We are busy booking exhibitors and planning the kind of educational, adventurous and interesting programming you have come to expect. We are close to finalizing arrangements to bring in several big-name fly fishing personalities who will add sizzle to the show. Stay tuned for regular e-mail updates and check greatwatersflyfishingexpo.com for more information. Gary Borger & Brian O'Keefe will be featured presenters at this year's Expo.

From now on, a significant portion of the proceeds will go to a Tom Helgeson legacy foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to protecting and preserving the moving waters of the Midwest.

Now we need your help. Please come to the expo (National Sports Center staff secured a special discount for Great Waters guests and exhibitors at nearby hotels) and tell your friends who love the sport -- or who want to know more about the sport -- to come see the finest fly fishing manufacturers, shops and guides in the Midwest. It’s guaranteed to deepen your appreciation of the sport and the environment.

We look forward to seeing you at Tom Helgeson’s Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo on April 1-3 at the National Sports Center in Blaine.

New SportSmithFishing.com Release

2011-01-02T04:55:00Z

Happy New Year!
I have had an extremely busy fall and overall end to 2010. A new Baby, home improvement projects and a little time hunting have taken all of my time the past 3 months. I have managed to spend a little time completely redoing my main home page. Please take a few minutes to jump over there and check it out. To be honest it is not completely done yet but I am tired of sitting on all that work and figured what better day than Jan 1 to release it. Click the link below to check it out.

www.SportSmithFishing.com

I also wanted to take a moment to thank my sponsors and all those who helped make 2010 a succesfull year on the water. That includes all of my faithful readers (You) as well. I look forward to working hard to ensure 2011 is even better.

Thanks again!
Sport

Fall Lunkers

2010-10-12T02:21:00Z

With unseasonably high temps it was more like a July evening on the water than mid october. I have been cooped up in the house taking care of the new little guy and working on projects around the house. Tonight I took dad and Sarah out for just a couple hours of dock skipping on a lake right by my house here in Maple Grove.
The water temps were still 67-68 deg. Crazy warm. Water skiers were out as we hit the first dock. It didn't take long. The fish were way up under the remaining docks but if we got a ring fry or hand tied jig under there we usually got bit. We landed 8 or 9 fish with the smallest about 2 1/2 pounds and several around 4 1/2. We lost a big one each when we got our 17lb flouro sawed off. They were big and wanted nothing to do with getting pulled out their homes. Pretty good night for a quick little "get out of the house" trip. Below are a couple pics.

This 4lb plus fish hit a hand tied jig and chiggercraw trailer.

Another 4lb plus fish. This one on a weightless ring fry.

More to come on how the summer tournaments worked out for me. Stay tuned! (better late than never)

Sport

Next Generation

2010-09-24T00:40:00Z

I have to apologize for my infrequent attempts to provide content to my site. It has been a crazy summer culminating in the birth of my son William Robert Smith last week. 9lbs13oz and 22 inches long he is a keeper in anybody's book.

Those interested in some pictures of the little guy can go to the following link and enter the following password.

Link: http://www.myfirstdayphotogallery.com/gallery/mgh091810awilliam-953489
Passcode: MGH091810aWilliam

Keep an eye out for updates on my August fishing as well as the Minnesota Federation TOC.
Sport

July Fishing, Fun and Beyond

2010-07-29T01:07:00Z

In late June I took a trip with Sarah up to our lake place and spent 3 or 4 days prefishing for two July tournaments in the Alexandria area. We spent a considerable amount of time driving around MIltona and Ida. Both are large lakes and both have a good population of Large mouth and Small mouth. The weather was not great so several times we sat in the truck waiting for storms to pass or slept in to wait a storm out. We still managed a few fish and put together a bit of a game plan.

This 4 pounder took a senko under a dock. Picture taken by Sarah. Pretty good for a three year old.

Sarah posing nice from the front deck with a rainbow in the background.

We left Alexandria and repacked our bags to head over to Michigan for the 4th of July. It was great to spend time on my childhood waters with my boat and just fish for fun. I managed to help my niece catch her first largemouth by throwing senkos around some weed patches. She was excited and we managed a couple pics (grandmas camera though).

One morning I went out and used a nice antique bamboo fly rod and managed a 14" large mouth on a popper. It was everything I could do to land that fish on a buggy whip like that. Awful lot of fun.

I had told my parents I would take them hunting for trophy Small mouths on Lake Michigan while I was home. Mom usually gets stuck at home with Sarah when Dad and I go out to fish so it was her chance to get out with us and maybe catch a nice one. We got up at 4:30 one morning and headed to the Garden Peninsula. The wind was howling at 6:00 in the morning making it a little too rough to venture out on the big water. We worked around the protected bay and did manage a few fish.

This toad crushed a spook walked over a steep break into 20 feet of water first thing in the morning. Unfortunately we couldn't find any more big ones. The wind got even worse so we called it quits by mid morning.

After catching a few more largemouths back at the cabin, passing on a few tips and tricks to the family, getting wet on the jet ski, and spending a few days on Mackinaw island, we headed back to Minnesota to prefish some more for Miltona and Ida.

More to come.
Sport

May & June recap

2010-05-11T17:28:07Z

It has been too long since I posted. Life has gotten in the way. A new baby on the way, new hardwood floors in the house, grand parents visiting.....The list goes on. It all ended now though as the first several Gopher tournaments of the year are done.

We hit the mississippi river and attempted to catch a few in May. Although the season here in minnesota was still closed, the river is open year round so with the early spring we had, everyone hoped fishing would be good. Of course the 60-70 degree days we had all of april turned to 40 degree days in May.
I had a bad couple quick practices and not very good tournaments to go with them. I am not a fan of the river and that was probably in the back of my mind as well which never helps. I managed 4 fish one day and one fish the next. Believe it or not that was good enough for a middle of the pack finnish both days. I will need to make a real effort to get out and practice next year if we go back to that water.

With the season officially open Memorial day weekend, I spent a few days at my lake place near Alexandria. The fishing on my lake was pretty good and I managed a few 3-4 pound fish from shore. A couple casts in the morning and a few more at night was the extent of the effort but fruitful all the same. Swim jigs caught the majority of my fish for me but dead sticking soft plastics also accounted for a few nice fish. One evening my fishing buddy and I stood ankle deep taking turns catching bass and northerns from the shore. There is something special about catching fish from your own dock or stretch of shore.

We spent one afternoon out on Lake Ida. The large mouths were shallow and hungry. We caught fish on Mad Bass tubes, jigs, shaky heads and more. We kept a few small ones for dinner and were very surprised to see they had not yet spawned. That may have explained the bite we found. My wife and daughter both managed a few fish. It was great to get out and have a look at the lake since I would be fishing a tournament there in July and be back there a few more times this year.

June had me fishing Sylvia/Twin and Sugar lakes outside the west metro. It was nice to sleep in my own bed between events. I had pretty good practice with Sarah on both lakes and figured I had a good chance to finish high in both events. I managed a 3rd place finish on Sugar by throwing my drop shot with a Mad Bass Natures Tongue on it.

This little bait has become my go to drop shot plastic. Sylvia/Twin was a classic case of a bite being off. I had found fish shallow in practice but they were just gone come race day. Everyone agreed they were off and the vast majority of fish caught were deep. I didn't adjust quickly enough and didn't have enough deep water to fish so I landed in 10th place on the day with a small limit. The 2 days showing were good enough to move me up into 6th place on the season however.

I will post up a July recap shortly.
Sport

Minnesota DNR 2010 Hunting Survey

2010-03-17T03:56:00Z

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is collecting input from the public regarding proposed changes to hunting seasons in 2010. Take a few minutes and be heard. Follow the link below to participate in the survey and to learn more. (It doesn't take too long.)

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/sminput.html?gosurvey=Take+The+2010+Public+Input+Survey