Baits and Lures you Need for Ice Fishing

 

This article in its entirety can be seen in the January Issue of "The Iowa Sportsman" Magazine, click below for the online version of the entire issue.

CLICK HERE

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Ice fishing opportunities are increasing across the state of Iowa right now, and there is no better time to go out and give it a try.  What was once a simple sport of drilling a hole in the ice and sitting on a five-gallon bucket has turned into a high-tech world of endless possibilities.  Thirty years ago, there were a couple of companies that made ice fishing jigs, and they all looked very similar, today there are so many choices it may leave you a little cross-eyed.  Let’s explore the endless choices ice anglers have in the modern-day world of ice fishing.

One thing that hasn’t really changed much in ice fishing is the two basic offerings you can drop down the hole to entice your targeted species.  Anglers typically choose a jig, or a spoon.  These two types of baits have served ice anglers well since the beginning.  I don’t see any changes to these two lures when it comes to ice fishing.  Jigs are typically known for bluegills, crappies, yellow bass and perch, while spoons are used for bigger fish, such as large crappies, bass and walleyes.  This is one misconception many ice anglers have today, spoons are for EVERY species of fish living under the ice.  The sooner you gather up the many different sizes of spoons available on the market, the more fish you will be catching.  Let’s dig into these two different lures for ice fishing, as well as live bait and plastics.

JIGS: Gone are the standard jigs of yesteryear, a trip to any local tackle shop or a Scheels will have you mesmerized by all the different colors and sizes of jigs.  The color patterns seem to be endless, as well as different sizes for these small baits.  Like any tackle box, your ice fishing jig box should have a variety of colors and sizes.  Each seasoned angler has their favorites, and until you find your favorite for the water you fish, have a good stock of the basics for sure.  Blacks, whites, reds, greens and gold will cover most situations very well.  Jigs also come in many sizes, and two different metals: lead and tungsten.  The tungsten jigs will be much more expensive due to the extreme measures it takes to make them compared to a lead jig.  Both work great, and at times lead will be better than tungsten, and sometimes tungsten is better than lead.  A good rule of thumb is if you are fishing less than ten feet of water, a lead jig is a good choice, if you are deeper than ten feet, a tungsten jig may produce better.  The theory of this is all about the fall rate of each jig.  The same size lead jig will fall slower in the water column than a tungsten jig.  If you find fish under the ice, sometimes they want that slow fall and slow rocking motion of a lead jig.  Fish in shallow water can spook when dropping a jig on them too quickly.  It may be hard to believe that there is much difference, but the fish and the waters in West Lake Okoboji will prove this point time and time again.  If you are fishing deeper water, the tungsten jig will fall quicker and get down to the fish much faster than a lead jig of the same size.  If you are “fishing fast” on the ice, a tungsten jig will help you do that.  Jigs come in two different styles, a horizontal jig and the less popular vertical jig.  The jigs are as their name indicates, the horizontal jig rests side to side, while the vertical jig stays in the upright position.  The horizontal jig gets used much more by anglers, however on those tough days, give a vertical jig a try, they look completely different in the water and sometimes the fish want something a little different.  Jigs will catch all sizes of fish, but typically are chosen to target bluegills, crappies, yellow bass and perch.

SPOONS: Like the jig, the spoon has developed into a huge array of choices for anglers in the past couple of decades.  Today, all the larger tackle companies have a spoon on the market as well as some smaller tackle makers too.  The shape and sizes of spoons vary from company to company as do the many different color patterns designers have come up with.  Again, like the jig, anglers have their favorite styles and colors that they will try.  Spoon colors really do touch every color of the rainbow and the patterns are truly spectacular.  When selecting a spoon, the size can be as or more important than the actual color.  Many times during the ice season, the predator fish are feeding on a particular size of bait.  If your spoon matches that size, you are going to have a wonderful day!  Use your flasher to see how the fish react to your spoon and make changes if they are not biting.  Perhaps a smaller, larger or different color would be better.  Common colors all anglers should have in their spoon box include white, glow colors, red, green, gold and silver.  Like the jigs, spoons will catch every species under the ice, when in doubt, give them a try!

BAITS: No matter if you are fishing a spoon or a jig, tipping it with live bait or a plastic is a must.  There are days when fish are aggressive and an unbaited spoon catches fish, but those are not the norm.  Adding a waxworm or spike to your jig will give it a bigger profile and add much needed scent to your lure.  I always carry both kinds of live bait, as some days they really want a waxworm, while some days they really want spikes.  Live bait can be tedious to keep alive and having to bait your hook often isn’t a lot of fun under freezing conditions, however some days it is a must.  I will always try plastics on my jigs too.  Some of the larger plastics can help slow down the fall of your jig and adds a lot of action that live bait does not.  Using plastics on really cold days can help you to fish a little faster as you won’t be changing your live bait out.  The main thing with plastics and the live bait varieties is to change things up and try different combinations.  If you are looking to get some plastics for the first time, these three colors are “can’t miss” for your time on the ice: white, red and motor oil.

Ice fishing is a great way to spend a couple of hours, or a couple days enjoying the winter season here in Iowa.  The sport has really grown in the past decade, and with that growth so has the baits and lures we use to enjoy our time.  If you have a good variety of jigs, spoons, live bait and plastics you will surely fool some winter fish in the upcoming months.

2022/23 First ICE

 It has finally arrived, the ice fishing season has started here in Northern Iowa!  As many of you know I love fishing 12 months of the year, but each and every year there is something special about that first time walking on the ice.  This occurred December 10th in Northern Iowa for my friends and I.  It really is like Christmas morning pulling up to the lake with anticipation.  All four of use were anxious and ready to get the year started.  After a huge cold front in late November, followed by a warming trend, it seemed like the day would never come. 

The four of us took to the ice after going over some safety items.  Even though there were a few people on the lake, David led the way with a spud bar.  I brought up the rear with a rope and flotation device in my sled.  The ice was good everywhere we went that day, however the first time out should be a wake up call to anyone.  No ice is SAFE ICE, proceed with caution... always!  We quickly found our first spot, which was a channel break.  We drilled out the section and the Vexilars went to work finding the active fish.  We found fish near the break and also on the flat.  It was a fast paced first couple of hours with crappies and bluegills cooperating.  Jigs and spoons were used evenly throughout the group, and I am not sure one was preferred over the other on this particular day.  I do know that spoons were less likely to get bit by smaller gills, which is typically the case.  A few bass came to the ice as well as one large catfish, that was quite a battle for Mike, but he played it out perfectly!

The first trip is always one to test out equipment and make sure things are working properly for the, hopefully long season ahead.  I was able to put to test the new Dead Meat Midnight Rod by Clam.  I was using the 36in model made of fiberglass.  This model is just like the original Dead Meat Rods but a different color rod and tip coloration too.  It performed like advertised, and when paired with a Quantum SmokeS3 reel, the day was flawless.  

Testing out new equipment, spending time with some friends, and catching some panfish for a fish fry...needless to say it was an awesome day on the ice!  Thanks for joining me Dan, David and Mike.

Auger Review: Which is best for Your Situation?

The world of ice fishing has changed so much in the past twenty years that some do not even recognize the sport anymore. Gone are the days of a couple of poles, a handful of jigs, a five-gallon bucket and a hand auger. Today’s ice angler has as much or more than anglers fishing from a boat. Multiple poles are rigged up, rod lockers, electronics and power augers are standard to most anglers on the ice. The one standard piece of equipment, without it ice fishing would cease to exist, the ice auger has changed the most over the past couple of decades, and has left today's ice anglers with many choices to fit their style of fishing.
You could say the ice auger is the most important tool of ice angling, however most anglers do not give much attention to them. Obviously, everyone needs one to get the day started, but which one is right for you? Perhaps you own several of them and use them for different reasons. To say there is one perfect answer for what you should spend your money on would not be just. Let’s dive into the topic and look at the pros and cons of each type of auger; hand auger, gas auger, propane auger and battery power, and drill augers.

Hand Auger: The only benefit to a hand auger is the price. Many companies make a hand auger version, which is exactly that, you use your hands to operate the auger to drill the holes. It is great to start out with, and if you don’t move a lot while ice fishing you may not need anything else. If you are dredging yourself and gear out on the ice in the middle of winter, you are probably more than capable of drilling a hole in the ice with a hand auger. However, the amount of energy and time it takes throughout a long day of fishing can and will wear you down. This is the biggest deterrent for anyone using a hand auger. They take too much time, and ice shouldn’t be a workout!

Gas Auger: The gas-powered auger really changed the game of ice fishing about twenty years ago when more and more showed up during the winter. More and more people started using gas augers, which at the time was the next evolution of augers on the ice. There are still gas-powered augers out there, you can hear a few fire up across the lake on any given day. They offer anglers a chance to drill dozens and dozens of holes on the lakes and rivers they fish each day. The overall weight of a gas auger was overlooked because of the cutting power it possessed. Cutting through two feet of ice is never a problem with these powerful augers, a huge benefit to these machines. Leaking gas lines and gas tanks seem to be a common theme when dealing with gas powered augers, as well as always having the oil and gas mixed ahead of time. Another downfall of the gas-powered auger is the weight of the machine. If you are pulling your gear out on the lake and have a long walk, you may think twice about buying a gas-powered auger in today’s world. If you have a small vehicle to pull your ice fishing items such as a snowmachine or four-wheeler, then it really doesn’t make any difference. Gas spilling and leaking onto ice shacks and clothing are also another reason anglers have looked to other methods of drilling holes in the ice.

Propane Auger: In the early 2010s the gas-powered auger got some competition. Jiffy and Eskimo came out with a propane powered auger that uses the small 1-pound propane cylinders. These augers have plenty of power without the mess of gasoline and are a popular substitute for gas engines on the ice today. Lakes in the lower half of Iowa rarely see/hear a gas or propane auger due to the lack of ice that grows beyond 18 inches. However, in the northern half of the state where the ice will be nearly two feet thick for a month or more, these augers shine. These augers excel when the ice is thick, and a 1-pound cylinder will have your drilling holes all day long. The downfall, like the gas-powered augers, is the weight. You do not want to be lugging either of these power augers too far on the ice unless you have a machine to haul them in. In my mind the propane augers are much better than the gas options simply because they are clean, and you do not have to worry about gas or anything leaking. These types of augers are a great option when the ice grows thick.

Electric Augers: Several years ago, another version of the ice auger was brought to the market, the electric auger. Again, technology has made everything in our lives easier and this is just another example of that. An electric auger uses a lithium battery to power a motor to turn the auger blade just as in the gas or propane auger. They look very similar, but the electric augers will weigh quite a bit less. This makes it easier to tote around by hand and hop from hole to hole drilling out a section of ice to look for your favorite fish. Lithium batteries are not cheap, nor are the specialized chargers to recharge the battery, so the price on these augers is really the only “con” there is. They are a great cutting tool for the angler that walks on out on the ice or has a machine to pull your gear. These augers have gotten more and more popular the past few years, especially in the northern part of the state where the ice reaches over 18 inches for a large part of the ice fishing season.

Drill Augers: Last, but certainly not least, actually quite the opposite as these are the most popular auger in the state of Iowa currently. The drill auger has literally taken over as the number one choice of augers on the ice. Most families have a nice drill, yes the same drill you would use to drill a hole to hang a picture in your house, which makes this the most affordable “power auger” you can buy. If you already have a drill powered by lithium batteries then you only need to buy the actual auger part. There are many companies that sell their best version of this ice auger and all vary a little bit. By using your drill, you simply attach the auger to your drill like a drill bit. You tighten it on and suddenly you have an ice cutting machine! These are by far the lightest version of any power ice auger you can buy. If you do not own a 1/2inch, 18volt drill, then this may not be the best buy for you, as you could buy the before mentioned electric auger for about the same money as a new drill, batteries and auger combo. Prices vary from company to company and store to store so that is something to consider when buying. There are a couple of downfalls with this auger; you do need to use common sense when operating them. You cannot leave your drill on the wet ice, or in the snow, and you also need to pay attention to the drill so you are not overworking the motor and burning it up. Another downfall with the drill augers is the number of batteries you may need. If you drill less than 50 holes per day in a foot of ice, this auger is ideal, however if you are drilling 50 holes in 2-feet of ice, you are going to need a lot of batteries. Overall, there is a reason that most ice anglers use this method of drilling holes in the ice; simple, low cost and lightweight is hard to beat.

Another consideration: If you are looking into purchasing an ice auger for the upcoming season there is one more thing that you must look for. No matter what auger you chose, many models will come with a metal auger or plastic/composite auger. This will affect the overall cost of the product and the overall weight as well. If you are traveling on the ice with a machine it really doesn’t matter, however, if you pull your gear on the ice, you will want an auger with a plastic or composite auger. The actual operation of the auger is no different, but the weight and ability to move around the ice quicker and more efficiently is a night and day comparison.

The season is upon us, do everyone in your fishing party a favor by sharpening those blades. This will make your work easier and keep your equipment running for many years. Be careful out there, always travel in a group, have a rope, flotation device and ice picks ready, and I hope you never have to use them!

Indee Bass Club Annual Year-End Awards

Coach Reed/Cal Sweeney/
Ranger Reed/Jackson Beatty

The Indee Bass Club held its Year-End Banquet recently to hand out some final awards and to look back at this historical season.  2022 brought many accomplishments for the students and the club as a whole.  The group started the year by taking 3rd Place at the Iowa High School Bass Team Championship at Pleasant Creek Lake.  In September, club anglers Justin Schmadeke and Hunter Patton won the Iowa Bass Nation State Championship in the High School Division, at the same event Jackson Beatty and Gable Eddy won the Junior Division Championship.  The same event saw Carter Cameron claim the Biggest Bass of the State Tournament.  In early October, the Indee Bass Club won the first ever Iowa High School Bass Club Battle at Lake Delhi, competing against the Cedar Falls Fishing Team.  It was a great year for the Indee Bass Club, one worth celebrating!

The annual awards banquet saw many bass club families come together for a fun evening of looking back at the many opportunities the students of the Independence area had this past year.  Each month, from April through October there is an event planned by the club’s volunteer coach, Todd Reed.  Any student in grades 7-12 can participate at no charge at these events, which is made possible by the club sponsors; Colony Plumbing Heating/AC, Klever Concrete, Bank Iowa, Buchanan County Wildlife Association, Scheels, Hank’s Live Bait and Tackle, Quantum Rods/Reels, The Rod Glove, X-Zone Lures, and Hot Rod Baits.  These events offer students a chance to get out fishing with friends and adults to learn about bass fishing, the laws of fishing and how to take care of our resources.  The club was able to give away over $2,000 worth of fishing gear to students throughout the year at the club events.  At the awards banquet there were still four more year-end awards to give out.

The Big Bass of the Year was caught by Carter Eddy.  He caught the 4.54-pound largemouth bass at the Pleasant Creek Lake tournament.  He caught it on a spinnerbait.  This bass is also the new all-time club record for largest bass ever weighed in.  Carter received a plaque to commemorate this accomplishment.  

The Angler of the Year awards were the final three awards to hand out for the night.  The Angler of the Year is given to students that accumulate the most points at each of the four club events.  If a student finishes a tournament in first place, they receive ten points, a second-place finish is awarded nine points, third place gets you eight points and on down the standings in one-point increments.  The points are calculated in all four events and awards are given to the top three anglers each year.

In third place this year was Freshman Cal Sweeney, he also finished third place in 2021. When interviewed, Cal had these things to say about his year: “I believe going to all the tournaments really helped even though I did not get a limit at all the tournaments, the points gathered throughout the year added up.  I like to use swim jigs, crankbaits, and plastics.  My favorite rod/reel combo is one that I won last year and one of the club tournaments. It is a Quantum Accurist rod and bait caster reel.  My best tournament of the year had to be the Pleasant Creek Lake tournament with Hunter Sherwood.  We had lots of fish in the boat and overall was a great day to fish.”  When asked about what character trait helped him earn third place in the Angler of the Year race, he said, “I think patience helped a lot with fishing, not only when you are not catching fish, but also on cold days when you sometimes have to fish slowly.”  Cal had a great year, weighing in bass at each of the four events, he finished in 6th, 3rd, 2nd and 5th.

Coming in at the Runner-Up spot in 2022 was 8th Grader Jackson Beatty.  Jackson spends a lot of time fishing throughout the season, which no doubt helped him to great finishes.  Jackson says,” Going out and finding patterns in fish and what depth, bottom, and structure they are in or hanging around is fun.  The most successful lure this year for me was the tube jig. Having that crawdad imitation is a good option in any structure or bottom.  My favorite rod/reel combo is my 7'3" heavy rod paired with a Shimano Curado.  My favorite tournament this year was the state tournament in September on the Mississippi River. That day was good for numbers and quality which is critical for a big bag.”  When asked about his most important character trait to be successful on the water, he didn’t hesitate, “The trait that helped me this year on the water was my determination. Some days fish will come right away, and some days fish won't come until an hour left in the tournament.”  Jackson finished the season with finishes of 7th, 1st, 6th, and 1st earning him the 2022 Runner-Up Angler of the Year.

The 2022 Angler of Year is Freshman Ranger Reed, he finished Runner-Up in 2021.  This angler has been very consistent in the past three years, never finishing below 5th place.  When asked about his recent successes he shared the following, “You have to fish all of the tournaments and you have to place high in the tournaments. If you do not catch any keepers, you get 0 points for that tournament.  You must avoid that at all costs.  This year I used a Wacky Rig and Spinnerbait to catch keepers.  I also used a lot of other baits when practicing.  My favorite rod/reels are Quantum Rods and Reels.  I liked the tournament on Lake Delhi the best, even though it wasn’t our best finish.  I like it over there in October because the lake is really scenic, and I learned a lot at that tournament about where the fish were living.”  When asked about his best character trait, “I always tried my best and never gave up. My partner for every tournament was Carter Cameron, he always tried his best and never gave up too.  You have to just keep working at it and your goals will come true.”  Ranger had finishes of 2nd, 2nd, 5th and 4th earning him the 2022 Angler of the Year award.  

This concludes the 2022 Bass Club season, a huge thanks to the sponsors of the club and the captains that are a vital link in getting kids out on the water during the events.  Students will continue to meet once a month to plan for 2023 and learn more about the sport of bass fishing.  Please find the Indee Bass Club on Facebook, Instagram and their webpage for more information and pictures.

I LOVE FALL Fishing

October and November, when timed correctly can be the best fishing an angler does all year long.  This translates for bass, walleye and panfish.  I have grown to love this time of year and use every chance I get on the weekends to soak it up.  I typically go for bass during this stretch, as I know I will get my fill of panfish once the ice season starts. 

Bait selection this time of year is critical, and will "make or break" your day on the water.  Water temperatures in the fifties and high forties are ideal for jerkbaits and crankbaits.  Understanding the mood of the fish will allow you to match that mood to the speed of your lure.  When things get colder or the current weather does not have them biting a crankbait, then it is time for a tube, or smaller, slower offering.  Let the bass tell you what speed your lures should be going, and you will have a great day!

Gear Links: IMA LURES  QUANTUM Rods/Reels  SCHEELS

Indee Bass Club Lake Delhi Tournament

The student members of the Indee Bass Club voted in Lake Delhi late last winter to be part of their yearly schedule. The past two seasons the event was a hit with many fish catches and to no surprise it was the top vote getter to be placed back on the tournament schedule for 2022. Fall is a great time to fish the lake as the boating traffic is much less than the summer months. Anglers and captains knew quickly during this tournament that things were not going to be as they were in the past. Fishing turned out to be pretty stingy on this day, but that didn’t stop the Indee Bass Club from writing some more records and learning more about this great sport of bass fishing.

The event took place on October 9th from 1pm - 6pm. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, partly cloudy and temperatures in the seventies. This tournament was like no other tournament that has ever taken in place in the state of Iowa. It was the first ever "Bass Club Battle" between two different schools. The Cedar Falls Fishing Team, led by Coach Carter Moore met up to take on the Indee Bass Club, led by Coach Todd Reed. At no other time in the history of school bass fishing in Iowa has this taken place. The Indee Bass Club had nine boats on the lake, while the Cedar Falls Fishing Team brought 6 boats to the Battle. Each boat would weigh in their fish separately, but the team competition would combine the top three boats from each club to decide the winner. The traveling trophy will be here in Independence for the winter, as the Indee Bass Club defeated the Cedar Falls Fishing Team by the score of 14.51pounds to 3.01pounds. Experience of the lake helped the Indee Bass Club anglers and captains to capture the first ever High School Bass Club Battle.

Jackson and Gable are the Delhi Champions

Here are the details from the Indee Bass Club side of things, as this was a stand-alone event for the bass club as well. Carter Dauth led things off as the first angler to weigh-in. He brought up a big smallmouth bass weighing in at 2.50 pounds. He was fishing with his dad during the event, and he ended up in sixth place with that fish. Coming in at the fifth-place spot was Remy Ressler and Cal Sweeney. Remy reported catching that big largemouth on a squarebill crankbait. Dan Sweeney was the captain of that boat. In fourth place was the team of Ranger Reed and Carter Cameron. They had three keeper largemouth bass that weighed 3.41. They reported catching the keeper on a Hot Rod Baits custom bladed jig and wacky rigged stickbaits. Todd Reed was their captain. Rounding out the "Scheels Top Place Winners" were Cam Wilson and Kyle Beatty in third place. They had three largemouth bass and a smallmouth bass that weighed 3.98 pounds, Dave Wilson was the captain. This pair caught their fish using Ned rigs around wood structure. Coming in at the second spot was Justin Schmadeke and Hunter Patton. They had three keeper largemouth bass that weighed 5.09 pounds, thanks to Justin's Hank's Live Bait and Tackle Big Bass of the Event that weighed 2.98 pounds. They reported catching their fish under docks by skipping senkos as far as they could cast. The Delhi Champions were Jackson Beatty and Gable Eddy, captained by Randy Toale. This pair caught five keeper largemouth bass weighing 5.44 pounds using Hot Rod Baits tubes in the black and blue color combination around docks.
All 16 anglers that took part in this event went home with some fabulous prizes, The top three placing teams took home trophies and Scheels Gift Cards/swag, others were randomly drawn for prizes that included 4 rod/reel combos, shirts, hats, line, and dozens of baits. A huge thank you to the great sponsors of the club, they include: The Buchanan County Wildlife Association, Bank Iowa, Klever Concrete, Colony Plumbing/Heating/AC, Quantum Rods/Reels, Hot Rod Baits, The Rod Glove, X-Zone Lures, Scheels of Cedar Falls, and Hank's Live Bait and Tackle of Waterloo.

Justin's BIG BASS 2.98#

This event concluded the 2022 Indee Bass Club fishing season. They have an awards banquet scheduled for anglers and family members later this month to award some end of the season trophies. The club meets the first Friday of the month at the Jr/Sr High School at 7:50am in Room 220. All students from Independence in grades 7-12 are welcome to attend. Students learn about fishing techniques, proper gear set ups, the laws of the DNR, how to be stewards of the resource, and meet kids who have the same passion about the great sport of fishing. If you know of a student that enjoys fishing for bass, please forward this information on to them. The club can be found on their website, Facebook and Instagram, Coach Reed can be reached with any questions or sponsor information via email: treedbass@yahoo.com

The Meaning of Fishing and Cheating do not mix

The fishing world has gotten a lot of attention lately, mostly negative.  I am sure everyone that has clicked over to read this has heard of, or has seen the footage from the "walleye cheaters".  If you haven't, to sum things up quickly...a pair of anglers thought that stuffing about eight pounds of lead sinkers and other items in the stomach of walleyes before the weigh in was an acceptable way to carry themselves.  They ended up wining the event, which would have paid out about $30,000.  It was big regional tournament, and they have won many times before too, it wasn't their time in winning an event.  The tournament director took notice of the walleye and the weights did not seem to fit the length of the fish.  He started to feel around on the stomachs of the fish and felt some oddities.  He then cut them open in front of the anglers/cheaters showing the illegal substances and the police were called.  Things are in the process of charging the men with theft/felonies, and just today their boat and tackle were confiscated by the Ohio DNR.  

So this is what fishing has become, just lie about your fish, break rules on purpose and physically cheat everyone??? Do anything to get fame/fortune by catching fish while cheating?  I have been fishing tournaments for about 30 years, the rumors of cheating have always floated around the fishing circuits, but does it really happen?  I am here to say, that yes it happens.  This national story has slapped the tournament scene right across the face.  Not just for walleyes, but bass too.  Dozens of people have asked me about the "walleye cheaters" in the past week or so, it is a black eye on all tournaments; big or small.  

The older I get, the more
this poster makes sense

All of this has really got me thinking at nights when settling in for the evening.  Why would someone do this?  Mostly it is probably about the fame, wanting to be the best, prove to people that they are better than someone else, and being a champion.  The money is probably secondary and just a bonus to building the anglers' egos.  While most cheaters get away with their tricks, these two "walleye boys" will most likely be going to prison and have a felony on their record for life.  They have truly ruined their lives, possibly their employment and who knows how their family and friends will treat them in the future.  I really hope the law pushes everything at these guys, as I am pretty sure that this was not their first time lying to competitors and tournament directors.  

Moving forward...does this whole incident teach people in the fishing community?  Yes, I believe it does, however for the bad.  99% of tournament anglers would never do anything like this, however I know (because I have been in events where cheating took place) the other 1% who have no morals now have one more way to get an advantage.  Call me a pessimistic old man if you like, but if you have been around the game of tournament fishing, people will burn their best friend for a couple hundred bucks or less.  It's true and it is the ugly part of competitive angling.  

Before this bass season took place I sat down and looked at a lot of different bass tournament schedules, including my kids' schedules who are both between 10-16 years old.  I decided that tournaments would take a back seat this fishing season.  I feared that I would really miss them and drive me a bit more crazy than I am already...here I am on October 12th and I can honestly say I am glad I didn't miss the important things.  I still fished a few tournaments, hosted 5 youth tournaments, had a lot of fun with friends, had some top placings and continued to learn about the game of fishing, which I love even more than tournaments...always have.  I may have found a good balance and a good number of tournaments, but who knows what next year will bring with the schedules.  To all still reading this blog, I hope no matter what you enjoy about the sport, to keep loving it and pass it on to the next generation.  The love of the outdoors is always there, and our kids need to know that.  Enjoy this beautiful fall weather, ice fishing is only about 6 weeks away.

Indee Bass Club Sweeps Iowa Bass Nation Youth State Tournament

 

The Indee Bass Club had an awesome showing this year at the Iowa Youth Bass Nation State Championship which was held on Pool 10 of the Mississippi River near Marquette, Iowa.  The tournament is divided into two different divisions, the Junior Division, for all teams in 7th/8th grade and the High School division for the older students.  Forty-Nine teams in total gathered for this annual event hosted by the Iowa Youth Bass Nation and President Shanda Heath.  The Indee Bass Club won the Junior Division, the High School Division and captured the Big Bass of the Tournament.

Many anglers took to the water on a cold, wet and windy Saturday to try and find locations that the river bass were feeding.  Largemouth and Smallmouth bass can be weighed in during this event, with the goal of each team to have 5 keeper (14 inches or more) bass to weigh-in.  Each team of two students can fish anywhere on the river they want, as long as they are back by the check-in time at the weigh-in site.  A captain, or adult is in each boat to drive and to keep the kids safe as well as coach them throughout the long day.  Saturday afternoon was the annual meeting for this event, it was great to see all 49 teams and about 100 kids all excited for the tournament day, even though they were stuck under a pavilion as the rain continued.  Boat numbers were handed out, some goodie bags for all participants and some brief reminders about the rules.  The meeting concluded and anglers set off to a night of nervous sleep before the biggest event of the year.  

Sunday morning rolled around, and the weather was much improved, no rain and partly cloudy was the forecast, a very nice September day on the Mississippi River.  Anglers, Captains and boats were put into the river to wait the takeoff well before dark and the anticipation was growing.  The event would last about nine hours with a start time of 6:30am and most anglers having to check back in by 3:30pm.  Captains drove the boats in all different directions once the tournament started, there is roughly 30,000 acres of water on Pool 10 of the Mississippi River so there was plenty of room to spread out the 50 boats for the students to fish.  When anglers and captains came to the big river on this particular weekend, they found the water levels a bit below normal.  This is typically a good thing in the fall as it can concentrate groups of bass into small areas on the river.  Once you find one bass this time of year, you are sure to find several more not that far away.  However, this was not a usual middle of September weather pattern, which threw the Mississippi Bass for a loop.  A big cold front swept in Friday evening dropping daytime highs of mid-80s to daytime highs of mid-50s, the first of such a cold front this fall.  It certainly did not make fishing easy for these young anglers, as the weigh-in would show.

Captain Andy Sommerfelt/Gable Eddy/Jackson Beatty

The Junior Division, which consisted of 13 teams started the weigh-in process at 3:15pm.  As mentioned, each team, or pair of anglers is allowed to bring their five biggest bass to the scale, while making the 14-inch minimum length limit for each bass.  The 2022 Junior Championship went to the Indee Bass Club anglers of Jackson Beatty and Gable Eddy, along with their captain Andy Sommerfelt.  This duo of 8th Graders brought in a limit of five bass that weighed 12.17 pounds.  The champions reported catching about 10 keepers on the day around sandy points.  They used topwater baits, crankbaits and soft plastic lures to catch their winning fish.  Colton Cameron and Carter Eddy with their captain Cyrus Butters also competed, however they were not able to bring a keeper to the scale.

The High School Division included 36 teams of anglers.  The Indee Bass Club was represented very well as five different teams took part, all bringing bass to the weigh-in.   Placing in 21st Place was Cam Wilson and Kyle Beatty with Captain Dave Wilson.  They were able catch their fish using topwater baits near sand drops and rocky shoreline to bring two keepers to the scale that weighed 3.41 pounds.  Hitting the top half was Cal Sweeney and Remy Ressler, they placed 16th with three keeper bass weighing in at 6.10 pounds.  Coming in at 14th was the family team of Hunter Weepie, Logan Weepie and their Captain Chris Weepie.  They had three keeper bass that weighed 6.15 pounds.  The team of Ranger Reed and Carter Cameron placed 6th with three keepers weighing 7.94 pounds.  This team also captured the Big Bass Award for the tournament as Carter brought in a 3.84 pound Largemouth Bass to the scale.  Swim jigs, crankbaits and spinnerbaits were the key around rocky shorelines for this pair of Freshman. Finally, the 2022 Iowa Bass Nation High School Champions; the team of Justin Schmadeke and Hunter Patton, captained by Eric Johnston.  This Indee Bass Club team brought in a limit of five keeper bass that weighed 12.18 pounds.  They concentrated on fishing weeds in the current with swim jigs and frogs.  They also caught a few later in the day with lipless crankbaits above the weed lines.  This duo also won the State Junior Championship in 2018.

Justin Schmadeke/Hunter Patton and Captain Eric Johnston

The Iowa Youth Bass Nation sends the top two teams from each division to the Bass Nation National Youth Tournament.  This tournament will take place next summer.  It is quite an accomplishment to fish against this many teams and come out at the top of the list, congratulations to the teams of the Indee Bass Club, as they will have the opportunity to represent the state of Iowa at the 2023 Bass Nation Youth National Tournament.   

The Indee Bass Club is made possible by the many great sponsors it has; Buchanan County Wildlife Association, Colony Plumbing, Heating and Cooling, Bank Iowa, Klever Concrete, Cedar Falls Scheels, Hank's Bait and Tackle, Hot Rod Baits Bass Series, The Rod Glove, X-Zone Lures, and Quantum Rods/Reels.  Many more pictures and details can be found on Facebook, Instagram and the bass club website: INDEE BASS CLUB

Carter Cameron: BIG BASS 3.84#

2022 Iowa Bass Nation Youth State Championship

Each year for the past couple of decades, dozens of youth teams have come together to test their bass fishing skills against other kids from all over the state.  This year the Bass State Championship was held on Pool 10 of the Mississippi River near Marquette, Iowa.  The tournament is divided into two different divisions, the Junior Division, for all teams up to 8th grade and the High School division for the older students.  Clubs that participated in this event included: Cedar Falls Fishing Team, Basskickers, Eastern Iowa Bassmasters, Independence Bass Club, Iowa Youth Fishing League, Johnston High School, West Delaware, and the Dubuque Bass Club.  Fifty teams in total gathered for this annual event hosted by the Iowa Youth Bass Nation and President Shanda Heath.  

Many anglers took to the water on a cold, wet and windy Saturday to try and find locations that the river bass were feeding.  Largemouth and Smallmouth bass can be weighed in during this event, with the goal of each team to have 5 keeper (14 inches or more) bass to weigh-in.  Each team, two students can fish anywhere on the river they want, as long as they are back by the check-in time at the weigh-in site.  A captain, or adult is in each boat to drive and to keep the kids safe as well as coach them throughout the long day.  Saturday afternoon was the annual meeting for this event, it was great to see about 100 kids all excited for the tournament day, even though they were stuck under a pavilion as the rain continued.  Boat numbers were handed out, some goodie bags for all participants and some brief reminders about the rules.  The meeting concluded and anglers set off to a night of nervous sleep before the biggest event of the year.  

Junior Division BIG BASS

Sunday morning rolled around and the weather was much improved, no rain and partly cloudy was the forecast, a very nice September day on the Mississippi River.  Anglers, Captains and boats were put into the river to wait the takeoff well before dark and the anticipation was growing.  The event would last about nine hours with a start time of 6:30am and most anglers having to check back in by 3:30pm.  Captains drove the boats in all different directions once the tournament started, there is roughly 30,000 acres of water on Pool 10 of the Mississippi River so there was plenty of room to spread out the 49 boats for the students to fish.  When anglers and captains came to the big river on this particular weekend they found the water levels a bit below normal.  This is typically a good thing in the fall as it can concentrate groups of bass into small areas on the river.  Once you find one bass this time of year, you are sure to find several more not that far away.  However, this was not a usual middle of September weather pattern, which threw the Mississippi Bass for a loop.  A big cold front swept in Friday evening dropping daytime highs of mid-80s to daytime highs of mid-50s, the first of such a cold front this fall.  It certainly did not make fishing easy for these young anglers, as the weigh-in would show.

The Junior Division, which consisted of 13 teams started the weigh-in process at 3:15pm.  As mentioned each team, or pair of anglers is allowed to bring their five biggest bass to the scale, while making the 14-inch minimum length limit for each bass.  In third place was the team of Colton Willging and Finn Boyle, their captain was Jeff Willging.  The Dubuque Bass Club anglers brought in 4 bass that weighed 8.35 pounds.  In second place was the team from the Eastern Iowa Bassmasters, Avery Schmitt and Maddox Hanson weighed in 5 bass that weighed 11.60 pounds, they were captained by Adam Schmitt.  The 2022 Junior Championship goes to the Independence Bass Club anglers of Jackson Beatty and Gable Eddy, along with their captain Andy Sommerfelt.  This duo brought in a limit of five bass that weighed 12.17 pounds.  The champions reported catching about 10 keepers on the day around sandy points.  They used topwater baits, crankbaits and soft plastic lures to catch their winning fish.  The team of Brayden Miller and Ryder Shaw, captained by Bob Rinderknecht from the Eastern Iowa Bassmasters club brought in the Big Bass of this division, it weighed 3.63 pounds, a true river trophy.

The High School Division, which included 37 teams of anglers were similar to the Junior Divison.  In fifth place was the team of Kaden Dorman and Brady Schumacher captained by Mike Dorman.  The Iowa Youth Fishing League partnership weighed in 4 keeper bass that weighed 8.21 pounds.  In fourth place was the West Delaware team of Keegan Waugh and Blake Recker, captained by Aaron Robinson.  They had a five fish limit that weighed 8.52 pounds.  In third place was the Cedar Falls Fishing team of Kael Moore and Lane Weichman, captained by Carter Moore.  They caught four keepers that weighed 9.90 pounds.  In the Runner-Up spot was the Eastern Iowa Bassmaster team of Jacob Lange and Shane Lochner, captained by Jason Lange.  They had a limit of five bass that weighed 10.73 pounds.  The 2022 Iowa Bass Nation High School Champions are the team of Justin Schmadeke and Hunter Patton, captained by Eric Johnston.  This Independence Bass Club team brought in a limit of five keeper bass that weighed 12.18 pounds.  The Indee Bass Club also claimed the Biggest Bass of the tournament, Carter Cameron and Ranger Reed, captained by Todd Reed brought a 3.84 pound largemouth bass to the scale to claim top honors, as well as a sixth place finish.  Cameron reported catching that river monster on a spinnerbait.  

49 Boats in all competed in the 2022 State Tournament

The start of the weekend may not have begun like many of the young anglers wanted, cold, windy, and rainy weather, but there were many smiles to go around at the Sunday weigh-in.  Anglers were greeted at the weigh-in with sandwiches and drinks to refuel after a long day of fishing.  The Iowa Youth Bass Nation sends the top two teams from each division to the Bass Nation National Youth Tournament.  This tournament will take place next summer.  It is quite an accomplishment to fish against this many teams and come out at the top of the list, congratulations to the teams of the Eastern Iowa Bassmasters, and the Independence Bass Club anglers as they will represent the state of Iowa at the 2023 Bass Nation Youth National Tournament. 

High School Champs~~~~~JR Division Champs~~~~~HS Big Bass

Summertime Smallies

Locating Hot Weather Smallies In Iowa

The tug on the line and in the next instance a miraculous jump above the water...smallmouth bass.  This is always the first image in my mind when someone says smallmouth bass.  They are no doubt the most exciting fish that swims in our waters of Iowa.  They are known for the jumps, dives, long runs and huge topwater blasts.  All of these reasons make them a favorable fish to chase after all over the state.  Spring and Fall smallmouth bass act very similar, but in the hot days of summer when water temperatures climb over the eighty-degree mark they act very different.  I hope these tips and baits will make your summer days of smallmouth bass fishing some the best you have ever had.

The most abundant areas to start looking for summertime smallmouth bass isn’t very far from where you live.  The many interior rivers of the state hold very good populations of smallmouth bass, and some pretty good sized ones too.  The best thing to do is to take a look at the rivers in your area, grab a Sportsman Atlas and find those areas that have public access.  Whether you are on shore or in a small boat, you can catch smallies not far from where you are located.  Smaller rivers offer smallmouth bass their favorite food, crawfish.  Typically in smaller rivers the diet of a smallmouth bass will almost entirely be made up of crawfish, minnows make up the rest of the diet when available.  Crawdads spend their lives in two basic areas of rivers, tucked into rocky shorelines and/or buried in the muddy banks.   These areas are great to look for summertime smallies, most likely you will find both of these main shoreline structures along the swiftest of water flow.  This may not be the typical place you would look, but it should be during the hot days of summer.  You simply cannot fish too much current when looking for small river smallmouth bass.  

Now that we have the location of where these smallies will be spending their August days, what can we throw at them to entice some bites?  We need to go back to their food source, the crawdad.  Nothing imitates a fleeing crawdad better than a crankbait.  These baits dig down into the rocks, rattle their way past fallen trees, and are irresistible for smallies waiting in the current.  Another great bait to use is a small jig with a chunk trailer.  This bait can move much more slowly along the rocks and muddy banks while looking like the next meal for a smallmouth.  Depending on current weather patterns the fish may want something faster or slower, having a few crankbaits and jigs is always a great start to building your small river tackle box.

Indee Bass Club Pleasant Creek Lake Youth Tournament

July 30th was the day anglers from the Indee Bass Club met at Pleasant Creek Lake near Palo, Iowa for the third event of the year.  The first two events took place on "home" waters, right here in Independence on the Wapsipinicon River.  Pleasant Creek Lake made for an awesome venue for the kids to test their fishing skills at this nearby state park.  

Mother Nature was very kind to all participants, the day was sunny and temperatures were in the eighties, not bad for the last week of July.  The bass were cooperating too, so well that the anglers and lake broke the club record for the number of bass weighed in.  Anglers were able to bring in 31 keeper bass in the six-hour tournament!  That wasn't the only record broken on this day either.  The anglers also set a record for the most weight brought to the scales; 53.96 pounds.  

The Indee Bass Club is open to any student in Independence in grades 7-12.  Sixteen students signed up for the free event, which is made possible by the sponsors of the club: Buchanan County Wildlife Association, Bank Iowa, Colony Plumbing/Heating/AC, Klever Concrete, Cedar Falls Scheels, Hank's Bait and Tackle, Quantum Rods/Reels, The Rod Glove, X-Zone Lures and Hot Rod Baits Bass Series and Coach Todd Reed.

Pleasant Creek Lake is known for being busy and stingy lake for fishing, however the population of bass in this lake is one of the best around for local lakes.  During the event, only one team struggled to bring in a fish to the scales.  Coming in 7th place was Hunter Weepie and Preston Tatro, they had one keeper bass that weighed 1.92 pounds.  In 6th place was Gable Eddy and Jackson Beatty, they had five keepers that weighed 4.58 pounds.  Fifth place went to Ranger Reed and Carter Cameron, they had five keepers that weighed 6.76 pounds.  Outgoing Seniors Jackson Toale and Dalton Hoover came in fourth place with five keepers that weighed 8.55 pounds.  Third place was another pair of seniors, Teegan McEnany and Caleb Weber, they had a limit of five keeper bass that weighed 9.38 pounds.  Second place went to Cal Sweeney and Hunter Sherwood, they had five keeper bass that weighed in at 9.82 pounds.  The winners on this day were a duo of 7th graders, Carter Eddy and Colton Cameron won their first ever event with a five bass limit that weighed 12.95 pounds.  This impressive weight included the Hank's Bait and Tackle Big Bass of the tournament, a 4.54 pound largemouth bass that Carter caught.  That big bass was another record that was broken at this event, congrats to all the anglers that took part in this record breaking tournament.  A special thanks to boat captains as well; Dave Wilson, Cyrus Butters, Dan Sweeney, Chris Weepie, Todd Reed and Landry Jones.

Following the weigh-in, trophies and the Scheels Top Performers prizes of hats, rod sleeves and gift cards were given away to the top three teams.  All in attendance were treated to hot dogs and chips provided by the club and prepared by Julie and Clay Cameron.  The conclusion of the event ended with a random drawing, rods/reels and tackle were given to all students in attendance.   

The event was one to remember for sure, three different club records were re-written, a nice cook-out and over $700 worth of prizes and awards given to the students of the Indee Bass Club.  The club has many pictures and full results listed on their website, Instagram and Facebook page, just search out Indee Bass Club on those platforms.

Four Seniors took part in their last opportunity
with the Indee Bass Club:
Caleb Weber/Dalton Hoover/Jackson Toale/Teegan McEnany

Hot Rod Baits Bass Series Stop #2- 12-Mile Lake

 

The second and final stop of the 2022 Hot Rod Baits Bass Series took place at 12-Mile Lake near Afton, Iowa.  This 600+ acres lake is a bass fishery, producing many 15+ pound limit bags week after week with some getting over 20 pounds.  The weather was stable for the anglers and the bass were biting!

Water temps for the weekend were hovering around 81-85 degrees throughout the lake, some anglers reported a slight thermocline in areas of the lake.  Water clarity was great and the water level was typical for the middle of summer.  It set up to be a great event to cap off the 2022 series.

The seventeen teams took to the water at 5:30am for the eight hour event.  Temps were great to start the day with clouds moving in and out all day, ending with sunshine for the weigh-in.  Teams scattered all over the lake, from the dam to the silt dam and from shallow points and flats to deeper drop-offs.  Fish were as scattered as the anglers throughout the day and the lake held the seventeen team field just fine.  The weigh-in ended with eight teams over the 15-pound mark, and one over 20 pounds.  Collecting the last money spot at 5th place was Steffen and Williams, they had 16.81 pounds.  In 4th place was Kulow and Arnold, they caught enough for 17.33 pounds.  Third place went to the Pool 9 winners Rudy and Berquist.  They weighed in 17.71 pounds.  IN the Runner-Up spot was Heim and Paulsen, they had 18.54 pounds.  Bates and Sellers brought home the 12-Mile Lake Championship with a limit weighing in at 22.40 pounds.  This was anchored by the big bass of the event that weighed 6.68 pounds, a true brute!

12-Mile CHAMPIONS:  Sellers/Bates 

This year was an odd year for the series, the first event located at Spirit Lake was canceled in May due to impending weather.  After the points were added up for Pool 9 and 12-Mile Lake we had a familiar Team of the Year.  Justin Heim and Andrew Paulsen claimed the $500 bonus and plaques for the 2nd time since fishing the series they also won it in 2017.  They placed 2nd in each of the two events this year.  They had the same amount of points as Rudy/Berquist but had a little more total weight for both events, making Rudy and Berquist the Runner-Up in the Team of the Year points race.  They collected an extra $200 for their efforts.  Coming in 3rd place for the Team of the Year was Donnelly/Christensen, taking home a bonus $100. 

Another great year of tournament fishing on the Hot Rod Baits Bass Series, we will be back in 2023 with a new schedule, announced around the month of December.  For complete results and more information about this series that pays out OVER 90% of entries please visit the WEBSITE HERE.

2022 TEAM OF THE YEAR
Andrew Paulsen/Justin Heim

Make sure and Pack the Frogs

The dead of summer always calls for a few things when searching for bass. Current in river systems is one of them, the other is a hollow-bodied frog.  This is the time of year that I rarely hit the water without an Optimum Baits Furbit Frog tied on.  There are many good frogs on the market to purchase, however I have fallen in love with the Furbit Frog.  The hook-up ratio with this frog is the best I have ever seen.  Some of those great results is no doubt the rod/reel/line setup I throw the frog on.  I choose a 7 foot Med/Hvy Quantum Rod, paired with a 7.2:1 gear ratio Quantum Smoke Reel with 60# braided line.  

All of these components make the combo and the frog work perfectly together to get the bass out of the heaviest of cover.  Whether it be low-laying tree limbs or through a thick mat of grass, this combo gets it done.  

Frogs come in all different colors, however I feel that the cadence of the frog is more important than the color on most days.  Change up your twitches and pauses until the bass tell you exactly what they want on that particular day.  

A close-up of the Optimum Baits Furbit Frog in a mat of duckwork  The heavy weight, located under the hook shank provides incredible hookup ratios and keeps those hooks down in the water column.

Hot Rod Baits BASS SERIES Stop #1- Mississippi River

Pool 9 Champs: Brett Rudy/Drew Berquist

June 18th: The first stop on the Hot Rod Baits Bass Series landed the 17 teams on Pool 9 of the Mississippi River near Lansing, Iowa.  The water conditions, like most of the time on the big river were changing.  Recently the river was several feet high, and leading up to the event was dropped to around the 9.5ft level, leaving it about a foot higher than normal.  The pool was definitely dirtier than expected when anglers made their way to practice.  Weed growth on the river has not taken off with the recent high water levels leaving the current to flow and disrupt the banks and bottom of the river creating the less than typical cleaner water.  Recent thunderstorms also were around the area midweek causing areas around creek to become turbid as well.  With all this facing the anglers, anticipation of who would catch the biggest five biggest bass amongst the competitors ran high.  A lot of money, bragging rights, and valuable Team of the Year points were on the line and many anglers made the most of their time on the water.

Tournament day greeted the anglers with cool weather, fifty degrees made the morning prep and ride to the first locations a cold one.  However, that didn't last long as the sun popped out and started warming things quickly that day.  It was a great day fish, mild winds all day long and no precipitation.  Anglers had 8.5 hours to find the biggest five bass that they could before bringing them in to the 2:00pm weigh in.  In fifth place at the event was the father/son team of Travis and Cyrus Butters.  They had 4 smallmouth and 1 largemouth bass that weighed 12.29#.  Fourth Place went to Kevin Christensen and Keith Donnelly, they had 1 smallmouth and 4 largemouth bass weighing 13.26#.  Reaching third place was Todd Reed and Dan Sweeney; they caught 2 smallmouth and 3 largemouth that weighed 14.35#.  In the Runner-up spot was Justin Heim and Andrew Paulsen, they had 5 smallmouth weighing in at 15.01#, they also had the Big Bass for the event, a beautiful smallie that weighed 3.25#.  The Champs; Brett Rudy and Drew Berquist had 2 smallmouth and 3 largemouth bass that weighed 15.13#.  It really shows the caliber of anglers in this series with those big weights at the top of the leader board under challenging river conditions.

• A quick data summary of the weigh-in: 
• 59 total bass weighed in, average of 3.5 per boat.
• 32 Largemouth Bass and 27 Smallmouth Bass
• 144.28 Pounds of fish weighed in and released alive, which averaged 2.45# per bass
• It took an average of of 2.46# per bass to get "in the money"

Congrats to all the anglers who found fish during this event, especially the 10 teams that weighed in a limit of 5 bass.  The next event is at 12-Mile Lake in the middle of July.  This event will decide the Team of the Year due to the first event being canceled due to weather at Spirit Lake. 

Complete results can be found on the website here:  June 18, 2022: Pool 9 Results

Do BIGGER Baits Catch Bigger Fish?

 

There are many myths always being talked about in the world of fishing.  One of them that has always intrigued me is the "bigger baits" concept.  Touring pros, guides and anglers at the top of their game often preach about how bigger baits will catch you bigger fish.  I will side with this hypothesis most of the time, however as any angler knows, on those really tough fishing days, finesse baits must be used to get a bite.  I love experimenting with new baits, different styles and colors.  The past few years I have really started to experiment with bigger baits.  IMA Lures is a company that makes all types of crankbaits and topwater lures.  They have become my go-to hard topwater bait for many reasons; the designs are unique, the colors are spot-on for any situation and the hooks are razor sharp.  They are worth looking into if you have scrolled through their website.

This spring I have been experimenting with the "bigger baits = bigger bass" hypothesis.   One bait in particular that I have put a lot of casts into is the IMA Little Stick 135.  It is a 5.5 inch topwater walking bait, that spits water.  This large bait, weighing in at 1 ounce have caught my biggest fish each and every time on the water this spring when being used.  The action it provides is like no other bait I have ever seen.  The color selection is fantastic, three treble hooks including the back one wrapped in feathers and the hookup to landing ratio has been 100%, which is pretty rare with topwater baits.  This bait is large, needless to say with the title to this blog, and it sure catches the bigger fish.  

One thing to keep in mind with larger baits is your rod/reel/line setup.  When I first experimented with this big bait last year, my setup was not correct at all, it was very hard to throw with accuracy and get a lot of distance from it.  As mentioned it weighs in at an once, you need a to keep that in mind, typical bass baits are 1/4oz or 3/8oz.  This spring I have found the perfect the setup for this bait.  A Quantum SmokeX combo in the 7foot 2inch Med/Hvy Power with a Fast tip.  I spool the Quantum SmokeX baitcast reel with 15 pound monofilament line.  This whole setup seems to fit the bait perfectly, it helps me to make long, accurate casts, the line is very durable, and allows some stretch for those violent bass attacks on the bait.  

Can I say for sure that bigger baits will always catch you bigger fish...no, have I seen it make a difference up against regular sized bass baits, YES it sure has a more than one occasion this spring.  Enjoy the water, and as always let me know if you have any questions on the items talked about on this blog.

Quantum SmokeX Combo

Take a Kid Fishing

Fishing is in full swing, and there is nothing better than a special fishing trip with a child.  It doesn’t matter if the child is 5 years old or 15 years old, that child has dreams of catching fish and having a good time with a special person.  I have had the chance to take dozens of kids fishing in the past decade, and a few adults that don’t get out much too, both are very satisfying and fun.  No matter the age, you will need to take certain steps to ensure you are introducing them properly to the sport of fishing. 

         To have an enjoyable time fishing with a youngster you need to focus on certain things that probably aren’t important on a regular fishing trip with an adult buddy.  Whether you choose a niece/nephew, grandchild, neighbor or your son or daughter, these simple steps will help you both have a good time fishing. 

The first thing you need to do is homework.  I know school will be out in about a month or so, but rarely does luck lead to catching fish.  There are certain reasons why fish are in certain locations.  A good place to do some research is the bait shop.  They speak with dozens of anglers each week and tend to know what species is biting and baits that work bestt.  Another good resource is the DNR website.  Each
Thursday they offer up tips and areas that are doing the best for fishing action.  Probably the best way to get some information is to talk with someone that you know that fishes often.  They might be able to give tips and even share a secret spot with you.  By doing some research, hopefully you will decide on the best place to go fishing.  Keep in mind that in the summer months, it is best to fish during the morning and evening hours, leaving out the middle part of the day. 

        

        The second thing to consider when taking children fishing is to make it a short trip.  There are plenty of lakes and ponds in all parts of the state that you will be able to catch some fish at.  Don’t overlook those public ponds inside the city limits, they often hold a lot of scrappy fish, perfect for kids.  Long rides in vehicles have never been a favorite of kids, so you wouldn’t want to start your fishing trip with one.  Try to make the entire experience around three or four hours.  You will be able to keep them active and excited about fishing for that length of time, if you stay out too long, they may never want to go again.

         Next, kids just want to catch fish.  Of course everyone wants to catch that huge fish every time they go fishing, but that doesn’t happen very often.  When it comes down to enjoying yourself, it is all about the catching.  If you and the child are catching fish they will soon forget about that dream of landing a huge one.  Make every effort to help the child catch fish, even if you might have to set the hook and let them reel it in.  Their entire goal is to catch fish, help them in any way to achieve that.

         This might be the most important part of a kid’s day on the lake or river; snacks and drinks!  Have plenty of these ready, they make for a great distraction if the fish aren’t biting very well. Anyway, who doesn’t like Pringles and a pop while fishing?

         Kids like to learn things, especially what they enjoy, so make the trip educational.  Teach the kids the proper terms of the tackle you are using, names of fish, what to call the bait or lures, and even explain to them what types of structure you are fishing.  The more they know the more they may become interested in fishing and a chance to make it a hobby in their future.

         When taking a child with you on a fishing trip, try and make it as positive as you can.  You know they will get snags, you know they will spill their pop or juice and need another one, you know they will ask at least 20 questions and you know that they will probably get a hook in you.  When these things happen, handle them as best you can and keep the mood light.  When the child does something good, make sure and tell them.  Whether it be a good cast or putting the worm on their hook just right, kids love to be told they are doing something right.  It will make them feel good and give them the confidence they need to try again and do it right.

         A day fishing with a youngster can be more than catching fish.  Make it a total outdoor experience.  Look for nature around the body of water that you are fishing and point it out to the child.  Things that could be pointed out are birds, small mammals and amphibians like turtles and frogs.  Kids will enjoy looking at the nature around them and allow them to concentrate on something other than their bobber for a while.  By taking a look at your surroundings you and the child will make it a true outdoor experience.

         Everyone loves a good picture; so don’t forget to take a camera.  Hopefully you will get a great shot of that youngster holding up their catch.  This will make for a great memory and might be treasured for a long time by them.  When taking outdoor pictures near water, make sure the camera is pointing away from the sun, water in the background will only make the picture look better.

         Finally, the most important thing is to take the proper safety precautions.  Sunscreen and a hat should be worn to protect the skin.  If out on a boat, all children under 14 years of age must wear a life jacket at all times, this might be a good idea if you are fishing on a bank that is close to the water too.  Safety should always be on your mind when taking a child near water, so keep them in sight throughout the day.

         Have fun out there and get a kid fishing as much as you can!