What's New?
While much of the bass fishing world remains fixated on forward facing sonar and the new wave of baits built specifically for it, Z-Man’s ChatterBait® bladed jigs have been quietly powering one of the most consistent stretches of early season tournament success in recent memory.
The Michigan DNR is expanding its eHarvest digital tagging system to include most species that require a kill tag, offering a modern and convenient alternative to traditional paper tags for hunters across the state.
New Gear
They say spring fishing, like the season itself, is a time of abundance. Well, wait until they try Rapala’s new Snare 50.
Newsflash
Floyd Paints and ‘Glides’ into Big Bass
- Details
Sportsman Spotlight
Hometown: Union, Mich.
Occupation: Jayco construction
Favorite fish species and biggest: Largemouth bass, 7.2 pounds
Favorite Michiana lake: Long Lake, Union, Mich.
Favorite rod and reel: 8-0 Leviathon Rod and Shimano Antares DC
Hobbies when not fishing: Painting lures and being with family
If you only have one lure and why: Bury Basswood Glide bait, you can fish it most of year and I really enjoy doing it.
Best tip to give a new Michiana angler: If you want to gain confidence in a glide bait, work them like you do Chatterbaits. Reel it and put action in rod tip. Fish it like would a conventional lure and you will gain confidence once you start catching fish.
By Louie Stout
I have said for a long time that Michiana is blessed with a lot of talented anglers.
Floyd Wolkins belongs in that group – not just based on his skills with big baits – but his lure painting talents as well. He does custom painting for glide and wake bait companies who send him expensive baits to paint for their customers.
He’ll do 200 a month for Clutch and Willie Pete Glide baits on top of working a full-time job at Jayco. And that’s not all – anglers from throughout the U.S. send him baits to repaint or paint.
When he’s not painting, he’s fishing big baits on Michiana lakes. Last year, he caught three largemouth bass over 5 pounds and a 6-2. He’s landed two bass over 7 with big glide baits.
Wegner Talks Electronics, Finding Fish and Plow Jockeys
- Details
Sportsman Spotlight
Hometown: Angola, Ind.
Occupation: DH Mechanical and Facility Consulting (he owns it)
Favorite fish species and biggest: Smallmouth 6-15
Favorite Michiana lake: Clear Lake, Stueben County.
Favorite rod and reel: Shimano Vanford spinning reel and Dobyns Champion Extreme 742 rod.
Hobbies when not fishing: Spending time with wife
If you only had one lure and why: Mango Jig - I can swim it, hop it on the bottom and they bite it in cold water.
Best tip to give a new Michiana angler: I’m big on paying attention to the details. It’s always about the details. Pay attention to the little things around you, not what other anglers are doing.
By Louie Stout
Heath Wagner knows how to catch ‘em around the Great Lakes area.
The Angola, Ind. angler has won six Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) tournaments and won more than $77,000 over the course of 38 tournaments. But over the years, he’s been a serious threat during inland lake and river tournaments.
Due to business obligations, he sat out most of last year and primarily fished weeknighters, but his name still resonates with anglers throughout eastern Michiana.
He’s a frequent seminar speaker, recently became a licensed fishing guide and will dabble with that this season for both bass and walleye.
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