Sportsman Spotlight
Hometown: Chesterton, Ind.
Occupation: Railroader
Favorite fish species and biggest: I don’t even know anymore. I just got into saltwater fishing and so I target anything that’s bigger and stronger. Top 3 biggest - Bass 8 1/3 pounds, blue catfish 80 pounds, and King salmon around 30 pounds.
Favorite Michiana lake: Lake Michigan, there’s so much to learn out there and something different to chase.
Favorite rod and reel: Not dedicated to any, but Shimano and St. Croix rank among his favorites.
Hobbies when not fishing: I like hosting a garage fish fry on Friday with family and friends.
If you only had one lure and why: ¼-ounce homemade jig. It works just about anywhere.
Best tip to give a new Michiana angler: Don’t overcomplicate things and don’t be afraid to turn electronics off and go by what you feel at the moment; don’t try to see fish to catch them. Just go fishing.
By Louie Stout
Phil Duracz is a no-nonsense guy. He just loves to catch big fish and doesn’t care what they are or where he’s fishing for them.
Want more proof? He currently holds the Indiana whitefish state record and previously held the burbot state record. Both fish were caught from Lake Michigan.
But you might find him in saltwater fishing for giants, on the river fishing for catfish – his biggest is 80-pounds – or trolling for salmon, a fish in which he’s landed 30-pounders.
Now, if you’re a snob bass fisherman who would never think of fishing for those fish, Duracz is one of you, too. He has caught 8 pounders and is always a threat in the South Shore Open Bass Tournament, which he and his partner won two years ago.
Want more? He and fishing buddy Clint Marler have won the Anglers Choice “Choice Division” four of the past five years.
“About the only time I go bass fishing is to fish tournaments,” says the 42-year-old angler, who is brother to another Michiana tournament angler, Lee Duracz.
Here’s a Q&A we did with him:
MON: Your advice to anglers is to turn off electronics and just go fishing. Does that mean you don’t use forward-facing sonar (FFS)?
DURACZ: My buddy has it, but I don’t turn it on unless I’m desperate. I fish best without it because I’m more focused on what my bait is doing and not what I see on the screen. Until I start getting beat by the scopers, I don’t feel like I need it. When I see marks on my Vexilar while ice fishing, and if I’m missing bites, I turn it off and start working my bait at that depth. I’ve found the bite is harder when they’re not feeling that transducer on them, especially on heavily pressured lakes. The FFS is no different.
MON: You’re an amazing Lake Michigan angler. You’ve caught walleye up to 11 pounds and smallmouth over 6 pounds out there as well as the two state records you held, and, of course, big trout and salmon. You do it from a bass boat or similar inland boat. What is it about Lake Michigan that you like?
DURACZ: It’s a different beast than the inland lakes that are all about the same. There’s always something different out there to chase. I can fish out there from November through March, when there’s no ice. I’ll fish from St. Joe up to south Chicago, depending upon the season.
MON: Were you disappointed when your burbot record was broken last year?
DURACZ: My fish was beaten by a perch fisherman. Frankly, I’ve beaten my record several times but not the new state record. I’ll keep working at it.
MON: What do you like about fishing for burbot?
DURACZ: It’s something new and different. I started fishing for them the past 5 years or so. They fight decently, they’re a really neat fish and the window for catching them is short lived. That makes it more exciting. The little ones are good to eat, a sweet tasting meat. But I release the big ones.
MON: You talk a lot about the moon phase and how it affects fishing. Elaborate on that.
DURACZ: The bigger the moon, the more fish are vulnerable, but it may not be a good bite during the day. A waxing moon is better in general for any kind of fishing, but if you’re chasing a trophy be on the water five days before a full moon and 5 days after. Night fishing is better closer to a full moon compared to daytime fishing. If the moon is out and I can go fishing, I go. If no moon, I rarely go night fishing.
MON: What’s the key to smallmouth fishing now?
DURACZ: I look for warmer water spots, but as the year progresses, they can be in water from a few feet to 70 feet. If the thermocline is deep, the fish will go wherever they want. You will find schools in different places. My favorite baits on Lake Michigan are a drop-shot or a Ned rig.
MON: What lures help you catch some of the other Lake Michigan fish?
DURACZ: I catch a lot of burbot on a heavy P-Line spoon. My walleye come on a big Husky Jerkbait or a blade bait. Whitefish will bite a small jigging spoon.