Drift Paddles are Necessity for Michiana Wind

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Published: 09 November 2015

By Louie Stout

Drift Paddles are necessity for Michiana wind.

There’s a saying in fishing that “wind is your friend.”

A breeze blowing across the water stirs things up, breaks up the sunlight and gets fish – especially predator fish – actively feeding.

But the wind can be a curse, especially here in the Midwest where it can blow hard and come on unexpectedly.

As a bass fisherman, I like to fish windy flats and points, especially this time of year, but sometimes the wind makes it difficult to control the boat properly.

Drift socks can slow your drift. They’re basically funnel-shaped nylon bags that you toss into the water and attach with a rope to your boat. The bag catches water and that slows you down.

But I’ve come onto a better solution, one that requires far less effort and is more versatile - Power Pole Drift Paddles.

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Trout/Salmon Returns Have Biologists Concerned

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Published: 28 October 2015

By Louie Stout

Trout/salmon returns have biologists concerned.Some weird stuff is going on with trout and salmon this fall and St. Joseph River anglers are likely to suffer from it.

Biologists are deeply concerned. If you’ve been fishing for steelhead, you probably are, too. Only 632 Skamania steelhead have passed through the South Bend ladder. And they are puny.

The problem isn’t just here, but lake-wide for most salmonids.

King salmon, for example, are almost non-existent in rivers and streams. Indiana usually relies on Michigan kings for brood stock, but the return has been so bad up there that Hoosier fish managers had to drive to Wisconsin to get what they could.

“It’s the worse fall run I’ve seen in 25 years,” said Bodine Assistant Hatchery Manager Bob Bell. “It’s a very, very bad situation that we hope will turn around.”

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