August 2009
Episode 31
Duluth Muskies
Air Date: August 1st & 2nd, 2009
Location: Duluth, Minnesota
Guide: Dustin Carlson & Pete Brzezinski [651-323-8800 | northlandmuskieadventures.com]
We are finally on a muskie trip with our friend and muskie expert, Pete Maina. This year we are somewhere new, northeastern Minnesota. Minnesota has a lot of well known muskie water, and this new area that we are introduced to adds to the great muskie water that Minnesota has to offer.
Dustin and Pete of Northland Muskie Adventures guide us today. They know the water very well, and take us around to some very small spots that take some very precision boat control. Working around weeds, and casting into them with all different kinds of baits. The fish of 1000 casts always makes you day, if you put in the time on the water.
Episode 32
Bass by the Islands
Show Date: August 8th & 9th, 2009
Location: Washington Island; Door County, Wisconsin
Guide: Pro Guide & Charter Captain Dale Stroschein [920-743-5731 | wackywalleye.com]
We are fishing the islands of Door County, Wisconsin this week. There are six islands that are included in the small and large mouth bass season that runs from July 1st till March 1st. Those islands are Washington, Detroit, Plum, Pilot, Hog or Rock Islands. The regulations state that you must be within a ¼ mile of shore, which is no problem for us, since we are fishing the shorelines. We are in an average depth of 2-7 feet, and trying all types of “search engines” to search out these trophy fish. Dales search engines include crank-baits, spinner-baits, and the wacky-worm on a bass hook.
Dale has us on a spot that is known for trophy fish, and not numbers. No worries though, we catch plenty of trophies on our daylong tour fishing primarily Washington Island. We love to catch bass, and it’s especially cool when we’re in 3 feet of crystal clear water. We hunt around for “black rocks,” and when we cast toward them, they start moving and we end up with a fantastic fighting bass on the line!
Episode 33
Big Green Lake
Show Date: August 15th & 16th, 2009
Location: Green Lake, Wisconsin
Guide: Pro Guide Larry Smith [920-361-4996 | walleyeguide.com]
This week we do something a little different with our guide and friend, Larry Smith. We are on Big Green Lake, near Ripon, Wisconsin. Larry is guiding three of us today, His Dad Bob, his son Sawer, and us. Big Green Lake is the deepest inland lake in the state of Wisconsin, with a maximum depth of 237 feet. That maximum depth allows this lake to be a great habitat for lake trout, which is what we are targeting today.
Lake trout can be a blast to catch, especially when you’re pulling them from these depths. We are fishing in 50-80 feet of water using a jig and night crawler. We are vertical jigging, keeping our jigs right on the bottom. We also move to shallow water, and fish the weeds for pike. Moving slowly with the bow mount, in anywhere from 12-20 feet of water. We are fishing the tops of the weeds using a slip sinker with a chub on a circle hook.
Episode 34
Smallies Up on the Bay
Show Date: August 22nd & 23rd, 2009
Location: Chequamegon Bay; Ashland, WI
Guide: Charter Captain Jim Hudson [715-779-5833 | fishchequamegonbay.com]
Taking a drive up to the northern part of Wisconsin, you’ll find Lake Superior, and some fantastic fishing. If your lucky, you’ll find yourself in a boat with charter captain Jim Hudson. Jim takes us onto Chequamegon Bay out of Ashland Wisconsin, to catch some monster small mouth bass. The fishing king, Tex Maina, Pete Maina’s Dad, also joins us for some non-stop fishing action.
We are working sharp break lines, anywhere between 15-30 feet of water. Jim has us trying live and artificial baits, to see what works best. Often times it will vary from day-to-day as to which baits will work best, and on this trip that becomes very apparent – very fast. In the front of the boat John and Jim are working hard casting spinners and the wacky worm on a jig. In the back of the boat, Tex is relaxing with a sucker minnow on a circle hook. Using a Lindy sinker, he is dragging the sucker right on the bottom.
Working ‘smarter, not harder’ Tex is out-fishing the artificial lures and baits with live bait 10:1! We forgot our Frabill net, so Jim and John take turns hand-landing Tex’s fish. Thank God we only fished a half day the first day. The second day is role reversal day, and we find the Berkley wacky worm doing all the damage.
Ashland and Chequamegon Bay are a great combination for great fishing, in fact Ashland is hosting a bass competition on September 19-20, 2009. Called “Bass Kickin’ on the Bay,” the competition features a $10,000 tagged bass, among other great prizes. If you want more information on this even give the Ashland Chamber of Commerce a call at 715-682-2500, or visit www.ashlandbasskickin.com.
Episode 35
Montréal Muskies ‘09
Show Date: August 29th & 30th, 2009
Location: St. Lawrence Seaway; Montréal, Canada
Guide: Pro Guide Marc Thorpe [450-433-4784 | marcthorpeguiding.com]
It’s that time of year again folks! We are up in the Montréal area on the St. Lawrence Seaway, with guide and friend Marc Thorpe. As per usual, we are targeting the great muskellunge, and Marc has us on the spots that produce big fish. Marc has made this body of water famous for big fish, and usually in big quantities – in other words, he’s spoiled! That is a good thing though, as we get just a sample of what can be had all summer long on this wonderful fishery.
Marc likes to mix things up to make sure that his customers get the great esox experience that their there for. We start out casting, working what seem to be endless weed-lines; all along we’re thinking, “You never know when Mr. Muskie is going to make your day.” The seaway has hundreds of miles of prime muskie water, water in which Marc has boated over 800 50”+ muskies.
Intertwined with the casting, we troll to take a break, but it’s really no break at all! We land some monsters trolling too!
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