Enjoy The Serenity on Lake Michigan
No Passport Needed on the Rainy
Hiawatha Beach, the Premier Resort on Leech Lake
Fishing the Big Lake - Welcome to Wigwam Resort
Fishermen's Wharf Offers It All
Ontario Shield Walleyes Will Make You A Better Angler
Lake Michigan: Locating and Landing Kings
Devils Lake: A Fishing Destination
A Bass Fishing Paradise on El Salto
FISHING THE MAGIC ON LAKE MICHIGAN
Enjoy The Serenity on Lake Michigan
By Jim Traeger
Fishing on Lake Michigan is one of the highlights of my summer. I have been going over to Lake Michigan for the past eight years and thoroughly enjoy the serenity and camaraderie.
This year we were fortunate to have mild winds and tremendous bites. So much so we decided to go twice. This year I brought my 16-year-old son Tyler. It was his first experience fishing for salmon in Lake Michigan.
It is very important to find a guide who is knowledgeable in fishing the lake and who has good boat manners. Bob Stawski with Windsor Charters is that type of captain.
On our second trip, we caught many salmon in the 18- 24 # range. Even though we did not limit out, we did have enough to fill our coolers.
Kewaunee is a great place to fish. Just east of Green Bay, Wisconsin, it offers a clean, cape cod looking atmosphere. There are many places to eat and happy captains to show you where the fish are. Bob has the know-how and the personality to make sure your fishing experience is a good one. Bob thoroughly enjoys what he does and is glad to have you there. His 25 years of experience makes him one of the most knowledgeable captains out there.
How did we do? Pictures are worth a thousand words. See reader pics or the August issue to see photos.
Apple River Camping
By Mike Hammer
It’s time to revisit, or visit for the first time, breathtaking camping along the Apple River in quaint Somerset, Wisconsin. Apple River Family Campground is now open in Somerset, a hidden jewel in the outlying Twin City area, a mere 10 minutes East of Stillwater, a 50 minute drive from Minneapolis.
Apple River family Campground opened to the public in June, on campgrounds that had been closed for a few years. Acquired this spring, new ownership with a new vision, created a new family camping atmosphere you are sure to love. With some hard work and some upgrades, they reestablished this site as the premiere place to be, a beautiful campground just waiting for your next family camping experience.
Now with over 100 river view campsites, 2 heated pools, volleyball courts, hiking trails. Apple River Family campground has most amenities every camper wants. Tube rental, for tube rides down the Apple River, is available. For those of you who have never experienced “tubing down the Apple River” here is your chance to enjoy this activity that is fun for the whole family. You will be drop-off upstream from the campground you will jump on a bus, for a 5 minute ride to a drop spot. There you tie together and enjoy a 2 ½ to 3 hr leisurely float down the river, and end up back at the campgrounds.
With Apple River Family Campgrounds emphasis towards family camping, this is the perfect spot for multiple families to get together, and enjoy each other’s company, plus maybe meet new families as well.
For even more fun while you are there, take the short 10 minute drive to the Star Prairie Trout Farm, same owners, for good deals on good times catching trout from their many ponds. Kids love it, and you don’t need to bring anything, they supply the equipment and bait, you catch the fish. The land the farm is set on is breathtaking just to walk through. Ask for directions at the campground.
While the summer heats up, cool off and enjoy a family outing in Somerset Wisconsin.
Call 715-247-3600 or email appleriverfamilycampground@yahoo.com for reservations
Salmon are King at Windsor Charters
By Rich Palmer
Fish like this are waiting for you on Lake Michigan!
It is well known that Lake Michigan is the premier Salmon fishery in the world, there is 22,300 square miles of surface area offering both Coho and Steelhead in both size and abundance. Lake Michigan is also home to giant Rainbow, Lake and Brown Trout. What you may not know is that this season is setting up to be one of the best in recent memory. So, how do you get yourself in on this action? The answer is short drive and a phone call away.
Bob Stawski is the owner and operator of Windsor Charters. He has been guiding people on Lake Michigan since 1986 and most of those people have been coming back each year for just about as long. Located just outside of Green Bay in Kewaunee Wisconsin, Windsor Charters has everything you need for a successful voyage. Bob is a Coast Guard Certified Captian that specializes in small groups of anglers. A three day trip for four fishermen is the ideal. He operates a twenty six foot Starcraft Islander that has been set up for some serious action. In fact all you need to bring along is a cooler big enough to carry home all the filets, that and a few personal items.
In a business where experience means everything, you will be hard pressed to find a guide more knowledgeable than Bob. He spends as much time in the water as anybody and from early June through September he is practically a fish himself. A typical excursion runs about seven hours a day and depending on what time the fish a biting the time may be split into a couple of runs out on the lake. About ninety percent fish hauled onboard are Salmon and of those about half are fifteen to twenty pounds. The biggest Salmon caught on Bob’s boat was a whopping thirty four pounder. I should mention that the other ten percent are not your average throwbacks either, unless you normally throw back Rainbows and Lakers.
If you’ve done it before or you are considering a first time outing, I would urge you to call Bob at Windsor Charters (763-300-7991) and get in on this legendary season.
By April Tesch
Fishing. Food. Tunes.
That’s just the mix we needed for a mini summer vacation.
My husband, Jeff, along with friends, Rory and Mandy, and OutdoorsWeekly.com staff spent a weekend in June at Moondance Jammin’ Country in Walker, Minnesota. We fished during the day and enjoyed live concerts at night.
Moondance has been a summer tradition for years in the Leech Lake area - with a country lineup in June and rock artists in July.
We stayed at the cleanest resort ever. Hiawatha Beach Resort and Houseboats is located on Leech Lake’s Steamboat Bay. Owner, Larry, and his family were so accommodating and all took wonderful care of us.
The resort has a lakeside dining room that is perfect for banquets, meetings, parties and receptions - and their kitchen staff is prepared to cater any event. The lodge offers guests a delicious, full menu restaurant. Did I mention our room was absolutely spotless?
The rainy and windy weather didn’t allow us to fish as much as we intended, but there were plenty of other things to do in the Leech Lake area. Shopping, dining, dipping in Hiawatha’s indoor heated swimming pool or relaxing in the hot tub.
However, we did get a couple days of fishing in and caught a mix of sunfish, crappies, pike and walleyes. Leech Lake is diverse and a fun body of water to fish.
The Moondance Jammin’ Country concert was fantastic. We had VIP access and were impressed with the hospitality of the Leech Lake area. Bill and Kathy Bieloh and staff organize an awesome show.
Hope to see you next summer in Walker for more fishing, food and tunes!
Moondance Jammin’ Country 2011 is June 23-25. See www.jammincountry.com
Moondance Jam Rock Concert info is available at www.moondancejam.com
To stay at Hiawatha Beach Resort and Houseboats, visit www.hiawathabeach.com or call 1-800-442-3224.
No Passport Needed on the Rainy
By Bob & Ginny Riege
Ginny holds the largest walleye caught and released on the Rainy River, April 14th.
Rivers are everywhere, and most of them have a good population of fish.
Most anglers live close to a river, therefore it's easy to get onto a good bite when the urge strikes you. In fact, some rivers that border states have no closed season on a variety of species. This enables the angler to get out and do some fishing even during the cold winter months.
One river that has always been a fascination of ours is the Rainy River.
The Rainy River actually has a walleye season that is open from March 1st to April 14th . You can keep 2 walleyes under 19.5 inches, everything else must be released.
The Rainy River is one of those border rivers. Of course it borders not a state but another country, Canada. The nice thing about fishing on the Rainy River is that you have all the trappings of a Canadian river or lake, but you don’t have to clear customs nor do you have to show a passport when getting off the river. Of course, you have to know where the boundaries are in order to fish in American waters. Therefore, we selected a guide to help us on the last day of walleye season before it closed this year. The date we selected was April 14th, but the area can be fished starting again on May 15th with the same result. The guide that we chose was Gonzo. You can contact Gonzo at 112 5th Ave S.E, Baudette, MN 56623 218-634-2781 or Tom@GonzosGuideService.com. Cell 218-244-2299. There are many boat ramps along the Rainy River from International Falls to Baudette. The three most popular are Vidas/Clementson, Frontier and Birchdale. These launch areas are usually packed on weekends and during the week if you launch early you should have good access and plenty of parking.
On the way to the launch site Gonzo described what type of structure we should look for while fishing spring walleyes. “Basically we want to look for barriers and breaklines along the river and we should find fish tight to the bottom.”
Other spots may be structure like gravel or sand bars, shallow rocky shoals near drop-offs, wave-washed points, deserted sandy bottom beaches, or bottle necks between two different land masses. Riprap is also good, particularly where current hits the rock, such as on a windy point with deep-water access, or near a culvert where fresh water is filtering through a rock causeway.
Feeder streams funneling into a river represent yet other spots which fisherman should check out. The mouths of these tributaries often turn into fishing gold mines, especially after a heavy rain-washes fresh food and fresh water into the river.
Depending on the force of the current and the water clarity, (according to Gonzo if it is muddy the walleyes do not bite) fish may be as shallow as a couple feet, or in the bottom of a washout hole, or river channel 15 to 20 feet deep. If the current is stronger than normal, the fish probably are hunkered in a slack water area. All anglers must learn that "current" sets the rules for location and presentation when fishing rivers.
When anglers learn this simple rule they can explore the tail out area behind a sand bar or in a depression in a long stretch of river channel.
Or they may find fish behind a "break or barrier" like a point or wing dam, or a log or group of rocks. A group of fish could be scattered on a big bar (flat) on the slack-water side of the river-the side opposite an outside river bend where the channel runs against the bank.
What I have just described to you are "breaks and barriers". A "break" is anything that will slow down or divert the current. Fish will be located behind such structure as rocks, wingdams, logs and stumps. A "barrier" is anything that will stop a fish from moving on, such as, holes or depressions in the floor of the river, rapids, or a breakwater structure for harbors, or the narrowing of the river into a channel.
When fish are on the move concentrate on these structures. Fish will usually lay in ambush waiting for food to swim by. Usually fish (and large ones) will be in the warmer water less than 12 feet deep, chasing baitfish.
With all of this in mind Gonzo went on to explain, “ We are going to be forward trolling with jigs. This will allow us to use both sides of the boat for a our lines and it will give a live bait presentation with a minnow and a jig hoping off the bottom.” “Usually, I like to drift fish, but to cover a lot of territory and to stay with these schooling fish we need to forward troll with the gas motor and occasionally, I’ll slip it in neutral, then into forward gear.” We selected Northland Super-Glo jigs in ¼ ounce orange, chartreuse, and red tipped with a minnow.
The result? In a little under 7 hours of fishing we caught/released 67 walleyes. The average length was 22 inches and our largest caught by Ginny, was 29.25 inches. This was the best one-day walleye fishing we have ever experienced. We are planning to go back, not only next year, but also this summer to the Northwest Angle to fish walleyes where no passport is needed.
For more information about fishing the Rainy River contact: Jenna Walton at Lake of the Woods Tourism P.O. Box 518, 930 W. Main, Baudette, MN 56623. (218)-634-1174 or (800)-382-3474. jenna@lakeofthewoodsmn.com.
Hiawatha Beach, the Premier Resort on Leech Lake
By Rich Palmer
Hiawatha Beach Resort is the premier resort on Minnesota’s third largest lake. Located in the Chippewa National Forest, Leech Lake is host to many species of fish. You will find a growing population of walleye, world class musky, crappie, perch, bluegill, and smallmouth bass. With 112,000 acres of water and nearly two hundred miles of shoreline to explore, Leech Lake has become a favorite destination among both anglers and pleasure boaters. The beauty of the lake is not just its’ size, as part of the Chippewa National Forest, over seventy five percent of the lakes’ shore has been left undeveloped. Regardless of the season, there are many opportunities for adventure in this sportsman’s paradise. Hiawatha Beach is your gateway to these exciting activities.
Hiawatha Beach Resort can be found eight miles north of Walker on Steamboat Bay. Having ninety years on the lake, the resort has become well established. The current owners, celebrating their fiftieth anniversary, offer deluxe accommodations in the new Hiawatha Lodge. The rooms at the lodge feature fully stocked kitchens and breathtaking views. The Hiawatha Lodge has a lakeside restaurant that serves delicious fare both inside the dining room as well as outside on the patio. There is a full service bar that compliments the lodges’ entertaining atmosphere. The Hiawatha Lodge is also home to a gift shop, swimming pool, hot tub, and banquet room. The Hiawatha Beach Resort has private cottages with all of the comforts of home available. There are also campsites available for those who wish to stay a little closer to the outdoors.
With a focus on family fun, the staff of Hiawatha Beach Resort is always helpful and friendly. The lake lends easy access to fishing, water skiing, and recreational boating. Hiawatha Beach has wide variety of boat rentals in case you can’t bring your own. They have well appointed fishing boats as well as luxurious pontoons and high end pleasure boats. For a real unique Leech Lake voyage Hiawatha Beach Resort offers houseboat rentals as well. Swimming and playing on the big sand beach in front of the Hiawatha Lodge has been a favorite activity for guests who want a day in the sun. The beach has a water trampoline, paddle boats, canoes and kayaks. There is a top notch children’s program that helps to ensure your kids will also have a memorable experience in the north woods.
So whether you are looking for a deluxe up north getaway or you are visiting the Walker area for one of the exciting festivals, Hiawatha Beach Resort has the amenities to take your vacation beyond your expectations.
Visit www.hiawathabeach.com
Fishing the Big Lake - Welcome to Wigwam Resort
By Rich Palmer
There is a legendary lake in northern Minnesota that has produced astonishing numbers of trophy Walleye, Sauger, Pike, Perch, and Sturgeon. On that lake there is a destination that has also become a legend. Wigwam Resort, on The Lake of the Woods and at the mouth of the Rainy River, is that destination. North of Baudette, on the southern shoreline of one of the worlds’ great freshwater fisheries, Wigwam Resort is truly a gateway to an anglers’ paradise. Lake of the Woods is a million plus acres of fishing heaven dropped into the pristine wilderness that is the north woods.
At Wigwam Resort they say “there are always solutions, never problems” and they operate accordingly. Your visit is a made to order custom package. You can enjoy a day out with a guide and a few friends on one of the resort launches. The nineteen and twenty seven foot fiberglass charter boats are captained by the some of the best guides on the lake. The boats are equipped with the right tools to make your outing a success. The guides from Wigwam Resort follow the fish and know what will trigger a bite under any conditions.
You might decide to venture out in your own boat and explore more of what the lake has to offer. If you decide to take a break from fishing there are many other things to do. Water sports such as tubing, skiing, personal watercraft rentals, canoeing or kayaking up the river can be enjoyed. Several festivals and community events are held throughout the summer. There is easy access to other activities such as golfing, swimming and hiking.
Wigwam Resort has been full service and hassle free for over seventy years. They have twelve deluxe cabins. Each cabin has a full kitchen, bath and plenty of room to rest. There are also fourteen modern rooms in the main lodge. With a large lobby and a massive fireplace the lodge has a real hunting lodge appeal. Wigwam Resort also offers camping and RV sites. The sites include water, electricity and showering facilities. The RV sites also include hook ups for cable television. All of the accommodations include dock usage during while you stay.
The lodge is also full service restaurant that serves what may be the best food on the lake. Featuring live music on the weekends and three bars at the lodge, one could argue that Wigwam Resort has become a hot spot for anyone staying in the area. You’re always welcome to come in for dinner and drinks, catch some entertainment or maybe just to see how the fish are biting. The friendly, knowledgeable staff at Wigwam Resort will help to take your adventure far beyond your expectations.
Visit www.wigwamresortlow.com or call 1-800-448-9260 for reservations.
Fishermen's Wharf Offers It All
It may seem odd for an angler to give up a favorite fishing spot and on a lake the size of Mille Lacs favorite spots can take a while to find. One of the best I have ever fished is Fishermen’s Wharf, though it may be a destination more than a “spot”. A great destination to visit any time of the year, Fishermen’s Wharf Resort is located on the south side of Big Point. This area of the lake is a known to produce and a trip to Fishermen’s Wharf gives you easy access some great action.
I have fished Lake Mille Lacs enough to know I had better get the help of somebody with an uncanny ability to put me over the fish. The guides from Fishermen’s Wharf are as good as they come and are happy to help. Known for trophy Walleye Lake Mille Lacs is host to Jumbo Perch, Northern Pike, Muskie, Bass and a multitude of panfish. Wether you’re interested in a private trip or decide to join an open charter, fish will end up in the boat.
Fishermen’s Wharf offers two outstanding charter boats. Both offer new fishing gear and feature state of the art electronics. The newest launch is the “Experience 2.0”, a forty six foot custom built Ercoa pontoon. Able to accommodate thirty six guests this boat is equipped with the tools to find fish in style including a BBQ grill, a stainless steel bar, and a full stereo. The massive stereo system is iPod compatible and can also serve up karaoke with wireless microphones. The “Experience 2.0” is even set up with the right gear to make video recordings of the trip. Of course the essential are all there as well, a restroom that also serves as a changing station, a wash station, rod holders, live wells and a 225 hp Mercury to get you where you want to be.
The same approach used to provide the “Experience 2.0” has been applied to the Supreme ice cabins at Fishermen’s Wharf Resort. These monster twelve by twenty four foot custom built cabins take ice fishing to a whole new level. Each cabin can easily sleep six to ten people and allow comfort that is second to none. There is plenty of room to entertain while keeping your line in sight. The cabins are furnished with a table and chairs, a television with built in DVD player, and an indoor porta-potti.
Boasting a full calendar of events, it seems that there is always something happening at Fishermen’s Wharf. Tournaments, contests and live music make up a fun filled weekly schedule. If you decide to stay for a while, there are rooms, cabins, RV sites and tent sites available. All are well kept and family friendly. Toucan’s at the Wharf is a nice little restaurant that serves great food and cold drinks. For all of these reasons I think you would agree that Fishermen’s Wharf Resort is the best fishing spot on Lake Mille Lacs no matter what the season.
For reservations, visit www.wharfmn.com or call 1-800-645-3693.
Ontario Shield Walleyes Will Make You A Better Angler
By Babe Winkelman
One of my favorite things to do is to catch big walleyes with a vertical presentation. Setting the hook on a giant bottom-hugging 'eye, directly under the boat, is one of the best sensations in the world. One of my favorite places to fish for walleyes is in the Province of Ontario, Canada.
So, when you combine my favorite fish, with my favorite presentation, along with my favorite Canadian shield lake destination- well, you have the recipe for the best day a person can have on the water!
And here's a big benefit to spending some time on a shield lake in Ontario:
No, it's not the amazing scenery that Ontario has to offer. No, it's not the classic Canadian shore lunches you can enjoy; with fresh walleye, fried potatoes and other delicacies. No, it's not the cozy north-country lodge experience that's waiting for you. Nope, one of the biggest benefits is that you'll return home from Ontario being a much better angler than you were when you left! Before I explain how this is possible, let me tell you what an Ontario "shield" lake is.
The Canadian Shield is a massive geological shield <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shield_(geology)> covered by igneous rock. That's rock created by volcanoes! Imagine - volcanoes in Ontario. The shield is old! It's amazing to look at the rocks now and think 'wow, that's Precambrian! It was part of a massive volcanic mountain waaay back before life even existed on this planet!
The shield has been long-eroded by glacial activity, which basically scours the landscape and gradually shaves down mountains. The result today is a lot of very rugged country, and thousands of pristine lakes with steep rock outcroppings above and below water. That rugged sub-surface structure is walleye heaven, because it provides great ambush locations and continuous points-of-contact for bottom-hugging walleyes throughout the entire water column.
When you arrive at an Ontario shield lake, the first order of business is to get a good lake contour map. If your GPS has a map chip for that lake, even better. One look at the map will immediately help you identify the key structures on which to focus, namely: points, humps, holes and saddles.
After you've identified these locations, take a closer look at them and highlight the structures that top out in shallow water (5-10 feet) and descend to deep water (30+ feet). Here you have an ideal situation, because a structure like this gives walleyes the ability to relate to bottom in any depth at which the forage exists.
When you get on the water, explore the chosen spots with your sonar unit. My Lowrance is my eyes underwater. So I run-and-gun, watching the screen as I cruise over promising structure. If I don't see fish in a spot, I don't wet a line. I move on. If I do mark fish, I note the depth and investigate the entire area at that depth to hopefully locate the highest concentration of walleyes. Then the fun begins!
Almost always I'll begin fishing with my #1 go-to bait: a jig tipped with a minnow or leech (or sometimes a crawler). If the fish are at a suitable depth where the boat doesn't spook them, I prefer to get right above them and present the bait vertically. This gives you terrific bait control, sensitivity and successful hookset percentages. If the fish are fairly shallow in clear water, then I'll present the bait by casting or long-line trolling with the Minn Kota. Orange and chartreuse jigs are good choices in shield lakes, but be prepared to experiment if the fish are tight-lipped.
As I mentioned before, these Ontario shield lake structures can be very steep. So if the walleyes are relating to a specific depth, say 22 feet, that zone of productive water on a steep drop-off is very narrow. Therefore, precise boat control is essential for staying in the strike zone. Add wind and/or current and fishing steep breaks on a shield lake will turn you into a boat-control expert in a hurry!
The reward for going to Ontario is dependable, non-stop walleye action if you do your homework, identify productive areas via mapping or GPS, and present classic walleye baits at the right depth. The vast number of shield lakes just across the US border is jaw-dropping! To find the ideal walleye fishery near you, and to get in touch with a lodge that fills the needs of you and your family, check out GoFishInOntario.com and you'll discover that the walleye trip of a lifetime is incredibly easy and affordable to achieve.
And when you return home, in addition to eternal memories, you'll have newfound fishing talents that will serve you well on any water.
Good Fishing!
Babe Winkelman is a nationally-known outdoorsman who has taught people to fish and hunt for nearly 30 years. Watch his award-winning "Good Fishing" and "Outdoor Secrets" television shows on Versus (VS.), Fox Sports Net, Wild TV and many local networks. Visit www.winkelman.com for air times where you live.
Lake Michigan: Locating and Landing Kings
By Garett Payne
Up until a few years ago I had always thought salmon were an ocean fish, swimming upstream in the fall to spawn then die, unless they became dinner for a fisherman or bear. Never would I have thought you would find them in the Midwest but, as I learned a few years back, this is very much true. Back in the 1960’s a fast growing predatory fish was needed to assist in controlling the alewife, an invasive fish from the Atlantic Ocean, who had invaded the Great Lakes by first bypassing the St. Lawrence rapids and the Moses dam then Niagara Falls via the new shipping canals. Alewives quickly grew in numbers because they lacked a predator. Natural resource officials decided on the Chinook (King) Salmon and in 1967 they were introduced into the waters of Lake Michigan. Salmon can be found in all waters of the Great Lakes.
At the beginning of October, I watch a local creek that empties into Lake Michigan, awaiting the salmon spawning run. It is an event that starts with a flurry of activity changing a peaceful, slow moving creek into chaos as it becomes overrun with Kings, all fighting to get upstream and answer nature’s spawning call. This is my favorite time of year as huge numbers of mature Kings gather in such small areas, even though catching one is not the easiest of tasks. The fish are no longer worried about feeding; their only concern is to reproduce and you must work to elicit a reactionary strike. Where I fish the water is shallow and you can see the fish so I pick one and continuously cast near it, hoping it will become agitated by the passing lure and prompt a strike. Also, once they have chosen an area to lay their eggs, casting near the bed usually elicits a response. I have found that a ¾ ounce Cleo works best in bright colors like neon orange and variations of chartreuse. After dark, a lure that glows produces very good results. I have also had good luck using the Rapala in Fire-tiger. As the mercury begins to fall and the spawning cycle slows I start using spawn sacks with good results, which will include an occasional brown trout. I’m sure there are other lures that yield good results but these are what I have found to produce the best.
The fall salmon run is an exciting time to put a line in the water. At first you think you hit a snag, then your pole bends and the drag begins to sing. “KING!” You exclaim as you begin to madly fight 10 to 30 pounds of fish. Fifteen to thirty minutes later, after your arms have begun to cramp, the beast begins to tire. As the “Oh my Gods!” from onlookers continue, your buddy grabs for the net signaling the fish has nearly given up. With a smooth and steady hand the fish is gently coaxed ashore as the “Ooo’s and Ahh’s” begin while you stand there exhausted, but in admiration of your prize. The fall salmon run in the Great Lakes provides an exciting time that everyone can enjoy, whether fishing or just there to watch. With rod and reel in hand and aspirations of catching the big one, remember - keep your tip up and good luck.
Devils Lake: A Fishing Destination
0110.jpg)
By Jerry Carlson
It has been many years since I first started hearing about the incredible fishing that was found on Devils Lake in North Dakota. Although I have hunted ducks in the area, it was only recently that I made my first winter fishing trip to this famed body of water.
When it comes to winter fishing on such a large lake, it only makes sense to start off working with a guide. Naturally, I contacted Steve “Zippy” Dahl from the legendary Perch Patrol.
Even though Devils Lake is known for its football shaped jumbo perch, Zippy told me the walleye fishing had been very good. Consequently, much of their guiding efforts were focused on catching old marble eyes. Since I had nothing against walleye, a date was set.
Once in Devils Lake, I had lots of questions for Zippy. First off, I wanted to know some history about the continued growth of the lake.
According to Zippy, the lake was only about 50,000 acres in the early nineties. Since that time, above average precipitation in both the winter and summer months caused the lake to swell to more than 160,000 acres. Anyway you look at it that is a lot of water!
As often happens when new water is added to old, the food chain exploded. With an abundance of fresh water shrimp and invertebrates, the stage was set for an incredible growth spurt in the size of the fish as well as the quantity. The stage was also set for the beginning of the Perch Patrol Guide Service (www.perchpatrol.com).
Currently, the Perch Patrol is in its twelfth year of service. The six member crew consists of experienced and dedicated anglers that work as a team to provide their guests with the best possible fishing. They also provide rods, electronics and ice houses.
In addition to formulating a group of quality anglers, the Perch Patrol has partnered with Woodland Resort (www.woodlandresort.com). This year round, full service resort features rooms, cabins, restaurant, bar, bait shop and rental ice houses. They also have the nicest, heated fish cleaning shack I have ever seen.
One of the unique aspects of the Devils Lake fishing experience is how they have marketed travel. According to Zippy, 70% of the customers they service arrive on the Amtrak Train that they commonly refer to as the “Perch Express.” Once in Devils Lake, the guides provide transportation to and from the resort.
And then, of course, there was the fishing. The first day started before sunrise in a heated two person portable ice house. Although the walleye were a bit lethargic that morning, we did catch several before we moved on to a perch spot.
Perch are part of the winter appeal at Devils Lake. Perch Patrol guide, Zippy Dahl, adds to his success.
Lucky for us, the perch were thick. For the first hour, we marked fish constantly on our electronics and caught perch as fast as we could drop a line. Although there were small fish mixed with the jumbos, we easily kept 20 quality fish to take home.
The next day was an opposite of the first. The perch were a little slow but the walleye bite was good. By mid afternoon, my partner and I had kept seven dandies.
Without a doubt, Devils Lake is an impressive fishery. Even through the 160,000 acre size sounds a bit daunting, the lake is broken up into enough bays that the size doesn’t seem so intimidating.
The future for the lake looks very bright. According to the guides, a recent walleye survey conducted by the North Dakota Game and Fish produced over 100 fish per net lift. That is impressive and part of the reason this lake is going to be a hotbed of activity for many years to come.
Without question, Devils Lake has become a fishing destination for anglers. With liberal limits and seasons that are open year round, it offers great opportunities for both frozen and open water fishing.
A Bass Fishing Paradise on El Salto
By Mike Yurk
More information can be found as well as how to contact both resorts through their websites at www.serenaresidences.com and www.cardonbassfishing.com.
|
WHEN YOU GO... |
|---|
The fish hit lightly which belied its size. I pulled back to set the hook and felt little movement. The fish surged off and my casting rod was bent in half. I was standing in the middle of the boat as the fish tore off.
Before I could tell anyone that I had a fish on I heard Jim at the front of the boat yell that he a fish. I head a splash from his direction as his fish surfaced. I heard Hono, our guide, chuckle.
Jim had just mentioned that he wanted Hono and I to each get a fish at the same time for the film he was taping. But instead it was Jim and I that got the double.
My fish stayed deep, pulling steadily against the stiff casting rod. I took a quick look over my shoulder to see Jim’s spinning rod bent in half as his fish rocketed out of the water, sun glistening on its dark green flanks.
The fights were stubbornly tenacious. It took a few minutes for Jim and I to get the fish alongside the boat. Jim got his in first and then I reached over the side to grab my fish and bring it in the boat.
Hono guessed that both fish weighed between three and four pounds. It is not often that you can get two fish like that on at the same time but apparently at El Salto this is a common enough experience by Hono’s reaction.
Photos were taken and the fish were slipped back in the water. On the next cast Hono pulled back sharply on his casting rod and by the arch his casting rod made it looked like another good fish.
The drag sang briefly on Hono’s reel by the time he got the fish turned and started towards the boat. A few moments later we could see a big fish darting away in the clear water. Hono reached over, lipped the fish and pulled it onto the boat. He weighed his fish on a scale and it tipped the marker to five and a half pounds. In three casts we had caught over a dozen pounds of fish.
This doesn’t happen often back at home but it seems to be a relatively normal occurrence in Mexico’s Lake El Salto which could be called nothing less than a bass fishing paradise.
This was day two of our Mexican fishing adventure for the Outdoors Weekly.com Fishing Team of Jim Traeger, Outdoors Weekly.com Publisher, Robert Briesemeister, and this writer. The day before we had fished on the Pacific Ocean and caught two sailfish. That adventure was chronicled in the December issue of Outdoors Weekly.com. We had been invited by Sergio Castro the owner of Serena Marina and Golf Residences in Mazatlan, Mexico to see first hand the fishing that they provide.
The day after our saltwater trip we had relocated to Cardon Adventure Resort, also owned by Sergio, sitting on the beach about an hours drive north of Mazatlan. Here they cater to those fishermen wanting to experience the awesome bass fishing found at Lake El Salto. Sergio and Omar Valdez began business at Cardon Adventure Resort in 2006.
With these two resorts Sergio has developed a most unique opportunity for fishermen. Together they provide a combined fishing adventure on both the Pacific Ocean for salt water fish such as sailfish, dorado, tuna and marlin and trophy bass fishing at Lake El Salto in the same fishing trip. Two different types of fishing adventures at two different locations are available through one company and they are willing to customize the fishing trip depending on the interests of the fishermen.
On this second day we were wakened at four in the morning. We ate our eggs with ham and pancakes that morning while listening to the sounds of ocean waves pounding on the beach yards away from the thatched hut were we dined.
Joining us for breakfast was Hono Elizalde, Master Guide. Hono and Omar have joined forces to furnish the best opportunities for Lake El Salto’s famed bass fishing.
A forty five minute drive into the Sierra Madre Mountains brought us down a gravel road to see the lake below. An orange strip of light in the chicken, potato salad with cold beer, soda and water. With the sun beating down all morning and temperatures in the 90s it felt good to sit in the shade, eat lunch and compare experiences with the other fishermen.
Lake El Salto is a 27,000 acre impoundment that was developed in 1985. In addition to bass it has tilapia. Not only is tilapia the main forage bait for the bass but is the focus of a major commercial fishing operation at El Salto. The lake produces 12 tons of tilapia a year for commercial fisherman, according to Hono.
Hono has been guiding on Lake El Salto for fifteen years. When he started he had two boats. “Now I have seven,” he stated.
Hono moved the boat into a large flat with flooded grasses on the edge. Tree trunks poked through the surface of the water around us. He pointed to one particular tree telling me to cast just beyond it. My fluke splashed about six feet behind it. I began to work the bait back, felt weight and instantly set the hook. It was a big fish and felt heavier than anything that had hit my bait yet. I set the hook again while furiously cranking on the reel to pick up the slack. I set the hook a third time and the fish surged off, pulling line off the drag. I turned the fish and started getting it headed toward the boat when it ran off again. The casting rod jerked as the fish took line off the reel.
“Big fish,” Hono said. He pulled out a net for the first time. Each time I was getting the fish closer it ran off again but soon had it next to the boat and Hono pulled the net up under the fish. The fish sagged into the mesh as the net cleared the water. It was the biggest fish of the day and it registered seven and a half pounds on Hono’s scale. We took photos and then released the fish. Hono and Jim and I exchanged high fives.
But we weren’t finished with that flat yet. Hono worked the boat back an forth along the shoreline where we flipped our flukes to the edge of the flooded grass.
Jim pulled back to set the hook and his spinning rod was doubled over. The fish tore off as line came off his reel. As he turned the fish it surfaced making a large swirl on top of the water. A few minutes later he pulled in another four pound bass.
The fish continued to hit and within the next hour we caught about half a dozen bass that were all about four pounds each. At one point I had fish swirl at my bait and I watched as the fish attacked the fluke on the surface. It is exciting to see a four pound bass hit your lure.
At the end of the day as he was motoring us back to landing, Hono guessed that the three of us had caught about seventy bass. We ended the day as we had started the day. A warm darkness had fallen and we were eating stuffed shrimp at the thatched hut while listening to waves crashing on the beach.
Where else but a bass fishing paradise like Lake El Salto could you catch seventy bass in one day with most of them running from two to four pounds with the promise of bigger fish. It was a great day of fishing.
Editors Note: More information on the resorts the Outdoors Weekly.com Fishing Team visited can be found on their websites: www.cardonresort.com for bass fishing at Lake El Salto and for salt water fishing on the Pacific Ocean at www.serenaresidences.com. To set up a trip for either ocean fishing or bass fishing at El Salto or to design a combination trip call them toll free at 1-866-241-4022 or contact them at reservations@cardonbassfishing.com.
By Mike Yurk
More information can be found as well as how to contact both resorts through their websites at www.serenaresidences.com and www.cardonbassfishing.com.
|
The Best of Both Worlds Where can you catch a seventy pound sailfish and a ten pound bass? The answer is in Mazaltan where two resorts have combined to provide a most unique fishing opportunity. |
|---|
It was a surreal moment. Bob Dylan was belting out “Like A Rolling Stone” from the boat radio as it was heading out into the Pacific Ocean. Behind us to the east the Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico and the city of Mazatlan were dissolving into the horizon. Looking out across the ocean to the west, the sea and the sky blended together in various shade of blue at the end of our vision. A gentle wind with the cool of the morning came off the ocean. It still was relatively calm as the last of the night gave way to a new day.
We were going fishing. There were five of us on board. Outdoors Weekly.com Fishing Team consisted of Jim Traeger, Publisher; Robert Briesemeister, and this writer. We were joined for our day of fishing by Sergio Castro, owner of Serena Marina and Golf Residences where we were staying and the captain of their fishing boat Luis Donato Velarde Beltran.
The day before the Outdoors Weekly Fishing Team had left our homes in Hudson, Wisc. It was still dark in the early morning and frost etched across the windows of our cars. Temperatures hovered at 28 degrees. Eight hours later we landed at Mazatlan, Mexico and were sitting at a pool sipping cold drinks. The temperature was a balmy 85.
Later that night we sat with Sergio and Jonathan Alarcon, Managing Director of the resort and ate curried mahi-mahi as the warm softness of a Mexican night descended on us.
“We have very good fishing all year long,” Sergio said. “We catch sailfish, tuna, dorado and perhaps even a marlin right now.”
Streaks of light crossed the horizon as our twenty six foot boat with twin outboards headed to a spot twenty miles out into the ocean. Sergio and Luis finally slowed down to put out trolling rods. We looked around. All we saw was ocean. Land had long ago disappeared from sight. They were using thick rods with large Penn reels and hundred pound monofilament. They were clearly expecting big fish.
Baits were teasers that looked much like huge tube jigs that we use for bass back home. Others had hooks baited with mullet, a large bait fish that they net for bait. The bait fish are about ten to twelve inches long. Big baits for big fish.
As we began trolling the wind started to pick up. The boat was rocking back and forth. The sun reflected off the water and danced over the waves. It was a pleasant morning. We talked with Sergio and Luis, drank water and beer and watched the ocean roll by. Occasionally we would see a brown shape in the water and as we got closer we could see that it was a huge sea turtle. Music came out of the radio. It was very festive.
Sergio and Luis chatted on the shortwave radio with the other boats. They reported that fishing was slow. One boat had a sailfish, another a dorado and one boat found a school of tuna and caught a few of those. But on the ocean anything can happen. You can go from having a nice boat ride to a having a huge trophy fish on the line within just a few seconds.
Suddenly one of the reels began clicking. Our complacency disappeared instantly. We were rigidly alert. Luis grabbed the rod. He waited for a moment or two and then pulled back to set the hook. There was nothing there. It was hard to be disappointed. Perhaps we had now found fish. Baits were changed and lines dropped back overboard.
Bob had pulled off his t-shirt and we three fishermen were soaking up the sun. For those of us coming from the far north warm balmy temperatures and bright sun in late fall is something to cherish and revel in.
We hear the noise of a reel clicking and we rush to the back of the boat. Luis has already pulled a rod out of a holder and is waiting. He pulls back on the reel. He hits it again and then again and turns looking at us. Line is peeling off the reel. He motions to Bob, handing the rod to him. This thick heavy rod is bent over and line is coming off the reel as if there is no drag. Far out in the ocean, behind the boat, we see a fish fly out of the water.
It comes almost completely out of the water, head and body shaking trying to throw the hook. It is a large sailfish and it’s sail like fin is completely flared.
The fish splashes back in the water sending a shower of spray high into the air. The fish dives as line peels off the reel. The fish stops and Bob begins to crank on the reel. Jim is setting up a camera to film the fight. I am helping Sergio and Luis to pull in the other rods. Bob is wedged into the back of the boat, butt of the rod tucked into his belly. Luis straps a fighting belt on Bob, making it easier for him to handle the rod. Bob gets back some of the line before the fish vaults out of the water, shaking it’s body, splashing back and diving.
But Bob is winning the battle and the fish is getting closer. We see it under the surface as it tries to pull a way but the line and hooks hold and now the fish is running sideways alongside the boat. Luis has gloves on and there is now an element of risk. These fish are big and powerful and that sharp sword has been known to do damage.
Luis leans over, grabs the leader and runs his hands down the line to the bill of the sailfish. Clamping down on the bill the fish goes wild alongside the boat as Luis is trying to get the hook out. Finally the hook comes lose and Luis relaxes his grip on the fish and it falls back disappearing into the depths that it came from. Luis estimated the fish to be about seventy pounds.
High fives are exchanged, a beer is opened, we celebrate. A few minutes later another reel begins to click. Luis grabs the rod and waits. He sharply pulls back on the rod to set the hook. He shakes his head to tell us that there is no fish there. But optimism is running high. We have had two strikes with one fish caught in just a few minutes. Things can change quickly on the ocean.
A half an hour goes by when Luis dashes to the back of the boat. We never heard the clicking on the reel but Luis’ experienced eye saw something far behind the boat. He pulls back on the rod, working the bait as it is teasing, enticing something far behind the boat that we can not see. He pulls back hard on the rod and does it two or three more times. He hands the rod to me and as I clutch the rod I see that line if rapidly pulling off the reel.
Behind the boat I see a sail fish erupt out of the water. It is pretty sight with the sun shinning off it’s gun metal flanks. The fish dives and I wait until the line stops peeling off before I start to crank on the reel. I feel a strong sense of energy on the other end of the line. The fish races off, pulling more line off the reel. I pull back and drop the rod tip while cranking furiously on the reel to get back line. I pull back, forcing the fish in my direction and then again drop the rod while cranking on the reel.
I don’t feel the weight of the fish any longer. Have I lost the fish? This can’t have happened. I start to reel as a fast as I can and after a couple of heart thumping moments I feel the massive weight of the fish again and feel relieved. The fish comes out of the water jerking it’s body, splashing down and diving again as line comes easily off the reel as if there isn’t a drag there at all. The fish is far behind the boat and I wonder if I will ever get it in. My shoulders begin to ache from the strain of the fish. I hold onto the rod without trying to reel as the fish races off to reduce some of the strain on my arms and shoulders.
I am wining and I can feel that. The fish does not run far and then I am starting to get the line back on the reel. But this time it is different and ten minutes later I see why. I am pulling the fish backwards. As I get it closer we see that the line had wrapped around the tail of the fish. Later Sergio explains to me that when the fish made its last dive it had probably gotten tangled in the line.
We pull the fish in that boat. It is also bleeding badly. We can not release it. Luis wrestles the fish across the deck and slips it into a large well where there are several bags of ice and closes the top. The tail of the fish hangs out of the top and Bob remarks that it isn’t often you see a fish that big that the tail is still sticking out of the top after they closed the top
An hour later we see another interesting phenomena. Far to our front we see the water seemingly boil. Our boat turns towards it and as we get closer we see that the water is teaming with dolphins. The are rolling on the surface and jumping out of the water. We enter into the huge pod of dolphins and they school around our boat, following and teasing us. They come close and then go away and comeback again, encircling the boat as we move, diving and rolling on the tops of the waves. Eventually they do disappear and again we are alone on the ocean. We look around. We see nothing but the ocean. High on the eastern horizon we see white puffy clouds. Those clouds are over land although we can not see it. The clouds over the ocean are light and stringy.
The boat turns toward land and our fishing trip is coming to an end. The one thing that we realize is that any day on the ocean is always an adventure.
FISHING THE MAGIC ON LAKE MICHIGAN
By Mike Yurk
As we cleared the breakwaters at Algoma, the boat began to roll in the waves of Lake Michigan. Behind us it was still dark in the early morning and lights sparkled from shore. Across on the other side of the lake a pink light was beginning to break on the horizon.
Shortly after we had passed Algoma’s lighthouse, the mates, Aaron and Kevin, began to put out trolling lines. By the time all the lines were out the pink on the horizon had disappeared into the gray clouds of day. A stout wind kept the boat rocking in the waves.
About twenty minutes after the last line had been lowered into the water a rod tip began to plunge and the trolling reel began to click off line. The first fish of the day was on.
I could feel the fish peel off line as it steadily ran out. Finally I stopped the fish, turning it and began to get more line back on the reel. The fish put on a strong fight with a couple of short runs by the time I got it alongside the boat so that Aaron could net it. It was a nice sized king salmon and it was dropped into the ice chest. It was a good start to the day.
There were four of us fishermen and we were fishing on the thirty two foot Fishin’ Magician II of the Fishin’ Magician Charter Service out of Algoma, Wisc on Lake Michigan. Our group consisted of Todd Yurk of Crystal, Minn; Damien Aguilar of Shakopee, Minn; Brian Hein of La Crosse, Wisc and myself. Our captain was Chris Anderson of Green Bay and the mates were Aaron Klatt and Kevin Olson both from Algoma. We were fishing in the end of September.
Within fifteen minutes another reel began clicking, signaling that another fish had hit. The fish took line out on Todd and he quickly turned the fish. The fish charged off again, Todd stopped the second run and within a couple of minutes he had the fish alongside the boat. It was another king salmon and was added to the first fish in the ice chest.
We were fishing with both spoons, stick baits and plugs. It seemed that the spoons were our best producing baits and Aaron and Kevin were constantly changing baits looking for the right color combinations.
“In summer we have our best luck with flashers and flies,” Chris explained. “Later in the season we do better with spoons and plugs.”
Chris has been a captain with Fishin’ Magician for a couple of years, he told me. Aaron, a high school sophomore, was just finishing his first year as a charter boat mate.
“I plan on being a captain,” Aaron said on his future plans.
The other mate, Kevin, had been working as a mate part-time for the last four years.
The day turned gray and even the water had a shinny slate color to it. A cool wind churned the surface of the lake and kept the boat rocking in the waves.
One of the outriggers snapped loose and Kevin handed the rod to Damien. The fish raced off but Damien got the fish turned and behind the boat we could see a splash on the surface of the water as the fish surfaced before taking off again. The fished flashed silver in the water just below the surface as Damien got the fish alongside for Kevin to net it. It was another salmon.
The Fishin’ Magician Charter Service is owned by Captain James Sullivan and Captain Tom Borowick. They have been in business together for over five years. They both have a lot of experience with fishing Lake Michigan. Tom has been a charter boat captain for the last six years.
“I have been fishing Lake Michigan for over thirty years,” Tom added.
Jim has been fishing the lake since he was a young boy.
“I started fishing Lake Michigan with my dad when I was four,” Jim said.
He has been in the charter business first as a mate and then as a boat captain for fifteen years.
Their charter service now owns four boats plus they lease two other boats.
“We can fish six boats,” Jim said.
Tom explained that they have two thirty two foot boats and two thirty six foot boats.
“We can take six people out on each of our boats,” Tom said.
Last year they purchased a condo that is right next to the marina so they can provide overnight lodging for two or three day fishing packages. Tom pointed out that they have seven units in their condo. They also have their own dockage and a separate office building on the water.
From their condo and marina overnight guests can walk to anyplace in town. “It is a heck of a convenience factor,” Tom stated.
Within a few minutes another trolling rod began to bounce as a fish stuck. The fish dove and Brian got the fish turned around only to see the fish run off more line with the reel singing. The fish grudgingly came to the surface where it splashed before it started run off again. It took a few minutes before Brian got the fish alongside the boat to net.
In a little over an hour we had caught four king salmon. By mid day when we headed the boat back to Algoma we had nine salmon in the ice chest. Although we had fished at the end of the season we had a good morning of fishing.
Although we are getting towards the end of summer there is still good fishing for another month yet. September can be a very good month for Lake Michigan’s salmon and trout.
“For the last couple of years we are seeing fewer fish in a day but the size of the fish are bigger,” Jim said.
“We are definitely seeing bigger fish,” Tom added. “Things are on the upswing.”
Tom also pointed out that they are seeing more bait fish now and that should provide more game fish as well.
More information can be found on Fishin’ Magician Charter Service on their website at www.fishinmagiciancharters.com. Captain Sullivan can be contacted at 920-304-3474 and Captain Borowick can be called at 920-487-2196.
© 2010 OutdoorsWeekly.com
