It’s simple math really: Zero eggs equals zero fish for future stocking programs.
So, the spring walleye and steelhead egg collections by the Michigan DNR are critical components of the strategy for maintaining world-class fishing opportunities in the Great Lakes State.
Nearly fifty years have now passed since the first paddletail swimbaits splashed down in U.S. waters, the earliest designs having likely originated in France. Today, paddletails have almost singlehandedly rewritten the rules of soft plastics engagement. Fans of catching bass, crappie, walleye and inshore slams nearly always cast these ingenious tail-driven baits, each version capable of different retrieve speeds, actions and the almighty thump.
Abu Garcia has added a new model to the Zenon spinning selection with the Zenon X.
This new model fills the gap by offering the flexibility to fish lightweight finesse style baits while also providing the power to handle heavier baits when needed.
By Louie Stout
Andy Buss considers himself lucky to have been able to compete and get a check - in the Bassmaster Elite on Lake Erie after being caught in a dangerous storm.
When Andy Buss launches his bass boat on big water this spring, you can bet hes going to be a little more watchful of the weather.
Thats what a near-death experience will do to you.
Hell remember Sept. 19, 2015, the day he and partner Josh Stalcup shrugged off Lake Eries shaky weather forecasts and darkening clouds to focus on catching fish.
Buss, of North Liberty, and Stalcup, of Mishawaka, were practicing that day for a Bassmaster Northern Open bass tournament at Sandusky Bay.
There were strong winds forecast, but it wasnt too bad when we launched so we ran to Pelee Island 20 some miles out, recalled Buss, a teacher at Ulrey Middle School in Walkerton. My plan was to head back to Sandusky when the wind came up.
They fished around Pelee for a couple of hours with minimal success and then ran to a rocky shoal about 5 miles northeast of the island.
Once they started fishing, Buss noticed rain clouds coming out of the west, but figured a little rain wouldnt hurt. The waves were only 2 to 3 feet high, nothing he hadnt battled before in his 20-foot Nitro Z-8 bass rig.
And then the storm hit like a hurricane. A wall of torrential rain battered them unmercifully and those 3 footers turned to 8 footers.
We had to try to get back to Peelee, he said. I knew we were in trouble.
By Louie Stout
The hint of spring has a lot of us thinking about open water fishing even if its still February.
Theres nothing like preparing early, which includes restocking the tackle boxes with those new baits that we just KNOW are going to produce big fish this coming season.
It doesnt matter whether youre a river steelhead fisherman, a big lake troller, panfish angler or nutty bass fisherman, we all have a fascination for new ways to trick fish into biting.
Connect With Us