Your Fishing Escape

Quick clip of a 7+ lb kentucky lake channel catfish caught on a bluegill hook while fishing for redear (shellcracker) sunfish.

kentucky afield

Lake Fork is considered one of the best lake to fish in Texas. The lake’s underwater structure, cover, and great vegetation make Lake Fork the perfect fish habitat for Crappie.

Another reason fishing is good on Lake Fork is the amount of time and effort put into it by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Division. Lake Fork officially opened for fishing in 1980, but was stocked with fish for a number of years before then.

Black and White Crappie

Black Crappie are known by a variety of common names, such as Black Crappie, Papermouth, Black Papermouth, Specks, and Black Sunfish. The scientific name is Pomoxis nigromaculatus.

White Crappie are known by a variety of common names, such as White Crappie, White Perch, Sac-a-lait. The scientific name is Pomoxis Annularis.

You can identify black crappie by closely examining their bodies. . The bodies of Black Crappie have a deeper, darker color, and are covered in spots of blotches of black. You can tell the difference by tracing these blotches. Black Crappie’s spots will be randomly placed, while White Crappie will have vertical bands of spots. The most noticeable characteristic is the dorsal fins, Black Crappie with have either 7 or 8.

Crappie are one of the few fish that are a suitable catch for all ages. Your four year old daughter as well as your eighty year old mother can enjoy fishing for and catching Crappie, simply because they are able to do so. Crappie do not hit hard when taking bait, and put up little struggle when being reeled in.

Lake Fork’s current regulation on black and white crappie all crappie under 10 inches must be released…daily bag limit of 25. Lake Fork’s current regulation on black and white crappie caught from Dec. 1 through the last day of Feb., there is no Minimum Length Limit, daily catch can equal 25 in any combination, and all crappie caught must be retained.

Planning a Vacation to Lake Fork

Requirements

While pretty much everything you need for your fishing vacation can be rented, there are a few things that you are required to have, and obtain on your own.

Anyone fishing during the vacation must purchase a fishing license. Fishing licenses can be picked up at various locations such as bait shops, convenience stores, department stores, outdoors and wildlife stores, and you may even obtain it online if you see fit. There are exceptions for the fishing license requirement, such as age, so be sure to check into this.

The requirements for keeping fish you catch vary by season and area. To make sure you do not get into any trouble, you may want to obtain a pamphlet detailing the size regulations for each type of fish. Typically you will receive this when you apply for you fishing license. In the event that you do not receive this pamphlet, they are usually available wherever fishing equipment is sold.

Probably one of the most important things you need to obtain is a proper first aide kit. When fishing, you can be miles from the nearest person or place, so having a couple of items on hand is essential. Accidents such as a small prick from a hook or cut from a fish simply requires a band aid and antibacterial ointment. Small prepackaged first aide kits are available.

Geneva Lake is the largest lake in Wisconsin at 5,262 acres, 2.1 miles wide, 21 miles around, and second deepest lake in Wisconsin, at 135 feet deep.

Lake Geneva Vacation

Crappie are one of the few fish that are a suitable catch for all ages. Your four year old daughter as well as your eighty year old mother can enjoy fishing for and catching Crappie, simply because they are able to do so. Crappie do not hit hard when taking bait, and put up little struggle when being reeled in.

If you are considering a vacation on Lake Geneva, you will have several options available to you.

Requirements

While pretty much everything you need for your fishing vacation can be rented, there are a few things that you are required to have, and obtain on your own.

Anyone fishing during the vacation must purchase a fishing license. Fishing licenses can be picked up at various locations such as bait shops, convenience stores, department stores, outdoors and wildlife stores, and you may even obtain it online if you see fit. There are exceptions for the fishing license requirement, such as age. If a child 15 years old or younger will be fishing with an adult, then no license is needed.

The requirements for keeping fish you catch vary by season and area. To make sure you do not get into any trouble, you may want to obtain a pamphlet detailing the size regulations for each type of fish. Typically you will receive this when you apply for you fishing license. In the event that you do not receive this pamphlet, they are usually available wherever fishing equipment is sold.

Probably one of the most important things you need to obtain is a proper first aide kit. When fishing, you can be miles from the nearest person or place, so having a couple of items on hand is essential. Accidents such as a small prick from a hook or cut from a fish simply requires a band aid and antibacterial ointment. Small prepackaged first aide kits are available.

Accommodations

No matter the size of your family, Lake Geneva has rental accommodations that will suit your needs.

For a small vacation, there are an abundance of local hotels in the area. Each hotel has it’s unique features, so be sure to check into each one.

For a larger or more themed vacation, you may want to consider renting a local cabin, cottage, or house. These homes often offer a number of amenities such as: fully furnished units, lake views, docks and piers, and recreational areas. The prices, sizes, and amenities vary from home to home, so make sure to research what would be best for you.

Enjoy the tranquil and peaceful environment of Watts Bar Lake at Lighthouse Pointe, a growing community that offers beautiful views of the river in a boutique community setting. Lighthouse Pointe is one of Knoxville’s first boutique communities, a place to rest, relax, and escape from the cares of the world and enter a welcoming and distinctive neighborhood instead.

Watts Bar Lake is located between Knoxville and Chattanooga, and attracts millions of visitors each year. Fishing, swimming, camping, and boating are just a few of the outdoor opportunities available on this scenic lake in Tennessee, and both cabin and cottage rentals are a valuable choice for regular visitors. Now the residential options at Lighthouse Pointe make a trip out to Watts Bar Lake even more simple.

Just a short drive from the city center of Knoxville, Lighthouse Pointe on Watts Bar Lake is a welcome escape from stress and a fast-paced lifestyle. The community offers a neighborhood atmosphere with walkways and green landscaping. The homes scattered throughout the area are built with deluxe amenities and easy access to the main community areas. An outdoor kitchen, observation deck, and a private beach are just a few of the benefits of staying and living at Lighthouse Pointe.

Both families and singles can enjoy the safe, gated community on Watts Bar Lake. Lighthouse Pointe is the perfect place to enjoy a waterfront home, and each home has easy access to all of the community amenities as well. Sit back and enjoy the sunset with friends and neighbors at the RiverWalk; this is the place to take a break and make use of the dining deck, stone fire pit, or just enjoy a cool beverage with friends. The RiverWalk is the most distinctive attraction at Lighthouse Pointe, and makes a visit or stay here very unique; life at Lighthouse Pointe is simply lakefront living at its finest.

Each home at Lighthouse Pointe at Watts Bar Lake is located inside a gated entrance, and the main boulevard leads out to the Lanai Overlook. With plenty of parking at the river-walk, it’s easy to travel around the resort and neighboring communities. A clubhouse within the resort is the ideal spot for parties, events, and get-togethers; decorated with timbers and a stone fireplace, the club house is yet another setting to enjoy the venue as a group.

Landscaped jogging trails and nature walks are located nearby and these cover the banks of Watts Bar Lake. Residents can enjoy the sunrise with a gorgeous view of the lake, and then head back to the club house for refreshments and relaxation. Boating and fishing options are also available, and Lighthouse Pointe has easy access to both.

A visit to Watts Bar Lake isn’t complete without a trip to the coves and small islands scattered throughout the region. Staying at Lighthouse Pointe makes it easy to take part in a water adventure with local guides, and those who prefer land-based explorations may enjoy a scenic drive from the community grounds to the local towns and cities instead.

Outdoor adventures and luxury clubhouse amenities are readily available at Lighthouse Pointe. A tranquil escape to nature awaits at this luxury residential community that will soon become a highlight of Knoxville and Tennessee.

Author: John Neilio

http://profishingblog.com/index.php

If you’re looking for fantastic perch fishing action, Lake of The Woods in Ontario, Canada is the place for you.  Yellow perch are delicious to eat, fun to catch and alive and well in Lake of the Woods.  There are 14,582 islands which have rocky outcroppings and underwater shelves, where perch and walleye thrive. Not only is there great fishing but the lake is very relaxing with beautiful scenery and much wildlife.

Lake of the Woods borders Minnesota, Ontario and Manitoba. It has approximately 65,000 shoreline miles. It is 90 miles long and 55 miles wide. A great place to get onto Lake of The Woods in Ontario is at Sioux Narrows. This little town has plenty of lodging in resorts, cabins and campgrounds. You can transport your own boat, rent a boat or go out with any number of guide services available. There is also another unique way to fish the lake, which is by houseboat.

Floating Lodges offers several different size house boats to rent for the week. These house boats are modern and are totally self contained, motorized base camps. All you have to do is load them up with your supplies, tow your boats or rental boats and drive them out to one of the numerous designated landing sites on the many islands of the lake. Because the lake is so vast with so many islands, a GPS unit with a map chip of Lake of the Woods is an absolute necessity to find your way out, fishing, and find your way back.

A great way to find concentrations of perch is bottom bouncing with a crawler harness.  Use a bait casting reel, equipped with a flipping switch, spooled with power pro line and a medium action rod, so you can feel the bottom and the slightest nibble on your line. The bottom is full of rocks and boulders filled with snags, so the better control you have the more rigs you’ll save and the more fish you will catch. Some of my favorite islands to fish are Cliff, Chisholm, Bath, and Gull.

Work the shorelines starting in 10 to 12 feet of water and progressively move out with each pass to 40 feet. This method will produce lots walleye and some yellow perch. You can mark the perch spots with GPS or with a rock or tree on the shore. Go back to these spots and drift or anchor and send down a jig head. Late June into July crawlers or worms work great. You can also jig or use slip bobbers over reefs and structure which protrude up from 60 feet to 20 or 30 feet deep. Search out these areas and drift or anchor over them. This method will also produce a lot of walleye, however if you’re patient you will find perch. By marking the perch, producing spots with GPS or on your maps and return to them each day you can catch perch in good numbers.  If there is too much wind you can find protection on the leeward sides of thousands of islands. For more information visit http://profishingblog.com/index.php

Good Luck and good fishing

Author: John Neilio

http://profishingblog.com/index.php

If you’re looking for fantastic nonstop walleye fishing action, Lake of The Woods in Ontario, Canada is the place for you. There are 14,582 islands which have rocky outcroppings and underwater shelves, where walleye thrive. Not only is there great fishing but the lake is very relaxing with beautiful scenery, pelicans, eagles, loons and many other wildlife.

Lake of the Woods borders Minnesota, Ontario and Manitoba. It has approximately 65,000 shoreline miles. It is 90 miles long and 55 miles wide. A great place to get onto Lake of The Woods in Ontario is at Sioux Narrows. This little town has plenty of lodging in resorts, cabins and campgrounds. You can transport your own boat, rent a boat or go out with any number of guide services available. There is also another unique way to fish the lake, which is by houseboat.

Floating Lodges offers several different size house boats to rent for the week from 40 feet to a 60 foot double decker. These house boats are modern and are totally self contained, motorized base camps. All you have to do is load them up with your supplies, tow your boats or rental boats and drive them out to one of the numerous designated landing sites on the many islands of the lake. Because the lake is so vast with so many islands, a GPS unit with a map chip of Lake of The Woods is an absolute necessity to find your way out, fishing, and find your way back.

These houseboats can easily sleep a group of 8 guys or more, several couples or family groups. It is not uncommon to run these houseboats out twenty miles or more to find more secluded areas to fish. Some of my favorite islands to fish are Cliff, Chisholm, Bath, and Gull. Most islands have under water shelves of shallower water around them before dropping off to 60 feet or deeper. If you have a GPS map chip or a lake map you will see all the structure, excellent for walleyes.

Start in 6 to 12 feet of water for casting or trolling crank baits. As you move out into 20 to 30 feet, try some my favorites, such as bottom bouncers and crawler harness.  Use a bait casting reel with a flipping switch so you can easily control your depth, spool it with Power Pro or Fireline with a medium rod, so you can feel the bottom and the slightest nibble on your line. The bottom is full of rocks and boulders filled with snags, so the better control you have the more rigs you’ll save and the more fish you will catch.

Working these shore lines will produce large concentrations of walleyes and some yellow perch. You can mark these spots with GPS or with a rock or tree on the shore. Go back to these spots and drift or anchor and send down a jig head. Early in the summer minnows and leaches are a good bait choice, but late June and into July crawlers work great.

Any pro will tell you the windward shores are the best bet for catching fish, however if there is too much wind you can find protection on the leeward sides of thousands of islands. The protected sides of these islands will produce all the walleyes you can shake an ugly stick at.

Good luck and good fishing.

Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin is a popular lake for walleye lake fishing. The depth of the water is at its peek with only twenty feet. The other areas stay around fifteen feet deep. The weed growth and some underwater reefs make this the best lake in Wisconsin to try your hand at walleye fishing.

Some of the anglers on this lake are using a jig with a night crawler or a plastic twister tail. They are fishing right out of the weeds over by Kelly’s Point and Fraction Island. The recommend way to troll is using the back troll method with a night crawler and a spinner.

The thing to keep in mind when fishing a big lake like this is that every area is going to call for different types of bait. If you fish the open water, you want to use a slow troll. You will want to use a planner board with long rods with baits such as Shad Raps, Wally Divers and Thundersticks. In Lake Winnebago, anglers find anything with the color blue works the best.

Blackduck Lake in Minnesota is a well-known lake for some great walleye lake fishing. During the summer and winter, you find that this lake has some great fishing for everyone. The abundance of walleye is amazing. You can just sit by the shorelines and hook some nice sized walleyes. Keep in mind that the development of homes around the lake hampers the fishing in those areas, therefore, you need to fish the unpopulated areas of the lake. Up there in Minnesota, they just use a night crawler or a minnow to hook the big ones.

Lake Erie is a well-known lake for walleye lake fishing. Whether you are on the Michigan side, the Pennsylvania side or the Ohio side, you can enjoy some great fishing on Lake Erie. If you fish for walleye when the season begins, you will find more walleye around the sandy beaches and in shallower waters. This is typically after spawning. Use a bright colored minnow jig and you will have a nice catch for the day. As the season progresses, the walleye start moving into the deep waters where you are going to change your habits and your bait.

Lake Gogebic in Michigan is a well-known lake for walleye lake fishing. For an inland lake, this is one of the more popular lakes that has a large walleye population. The walleyes hide in the weeds and rock structures under water. After spawning, you can find more than your share of walleye in some of the bays on the lake. The most popular bay is Bergland. The walleye hang out around the new weed growth and are ready to strike. The standard bait can be used as the walleye are striking anything since they are hungry after spawning. During the summer months, you can use a quarter ounce jig with a minnow to hook a walleye. They hide in the deeper water by the weeds and rock formations.

Devils Lake in North Dakota is a real hot spot for some walleye lake fishing. Most anglers on Devils Lake like to fish the trees where they say you can catch some nice sized walleyes. However, they do not sit and fish in one area, they do a slow troll and use a Shad Rap, which is minnow colored. The best weather conditions seem to be cloudy and if you have a slight drizzle it can be some awesome walleye fishing. If it not unusual to hook some twenty inch walleye in about fifteen inches of water.

The walleye are probably best known for their large eyes that allow them to see very well even when it’s dark and the sharp teeth located in their jaws and the roof of their mouth. They are a nocturnal species of fish so the best results usually come with night fishing but this doesn’t mean this is the only time you can catch walleye. You can get some really good results on overcast days as well. The walleye are normally a dark yellow to green color with a white underside. They are equipped with two sets of dorsal fins, one of which has spines and the other has approximately twenty soft rays. They can also grow to some fairly decent sizes.

The walleye is a native fish to Lake Ontario in New York and it is one of the most sought after species in this area. In fact, Lake Ontario is considered one of the hot spots found in New York for walleyes. Lake Ontario is actually the smallest out of all the Great Lakes but many people still compare it to Lake Erie because they are close to being the same size when it comes to length and width. However, the main difference is that Lake Ontario is much deeper, which means that when it comes to volume it holds four times as much water, making it the prefect home for the walleye.

The walleye are not very cautious eaters meaning they will strike at your bait regularly. The problem is that they are known for being short strikers. In other words, they will hit your line and take your bait very often without being hooked because you didn’t even notice they were there. This is a common problem that makes it difficult for many anglers to catch walleye. However, the tips listed below will help you overcome these obstacles and have more success when you go walleye fishing.

Tips on How to Fish for Walleye

As mentioned above walleye are notorious for taking the bait and leaving you to wonder what happened. There are a couple things that you can do to prevent this from happening to you. Normally, the walleye virtually inhales the bait and surrounding water but if anything happens to spook the fish or interfere with this natural process he will not take the bait all the way. This means that you will get a very short strike that you can barely feel or he will move on without trying to take the bait. Your job is to find ways to prevent anything from interfering with this process so the walleye will completely take the bait and you will have more opportunities to catch more fish.

To accomplish this it is recommended that when trolling in choppy water you go with the waves because you need a little slack in your line when fishing for walleye. A very small amount of slack will help prevent the walleye from being scared away before you have the chance to catch him. It will also help you to know when you have a bite because the line will tighten. However, don’t leave too much slack or it will defeat the purpose and you will not have much luck.

Product Description
Waterproof lake fishing map. The map includes depth contours, bottom structure, fishery information, GPS points, and much more. Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees is GPS rated as the second best lake in the state for bass tournament success, and number one in average bass weight and winning weight. The largest population of paddlefish in the world swims in this water and attracts people from all over the globe…. More >>

Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees Fishing Map

Product Description
Waterproof lake fishing map. With depth contours, bottom structure, boat ramp locations, fishing info, GPS points, and more. Striped Bass are the most sought after fish in the lake. While the average striper is 8 to 12 pounds, 20-pounders are common and there are some in the 30-pound range! Also available is the Lake Cumberland West fishing map…. More >>

Lake Cumberland East Fishing Map

Product Description
Waterproof lake fishing map. With lake-bottom contours, boat ramp locations, known fishing spots, and more. Part of a 3-map set covering the entire lake. Lake of the Ozarks is one of the Midwest’s most productive fisheries. National, regional & local bass tournaments have added to the reputation. It is recognized as the nation’s most developed lake…. More >>

Lake of the Ozarks Southeast Waterproof Fishing Map

Crappie fishing is what you are planning. There is plenty to do and see throughout the country when it comes to crappie fishing. If you are one that is looking to enjoy Kentucky lake crappie fishing, the good news is that there are a number of great places to get started. Before you begin your plan for catching crappie, start by grabbing a map and laying out your goals. The fact is, you will want to plan how to hit just about all of the areas within this great state that offer excellent crappie fishing for anglers. Here are some tips to help you, but know that there are plenty of other great locations to fish than the Kentucky lake crappie fishing we list here.

Kentucky is well known for providing anglers with great slab crappie fishing all year long, so choosing two top lakes in the state in which to fish for crappie is a daunting task to say the least. As is always the case, the perfect fishing hole is largely a personal preference, and each angler is entitled to his or her own opinion. Known as the Bluegrass State, Kentucky is known for several lakes and other bodies of water that consistently produce terrific, record setting crappie fishing all year long. The depths and techniques are what varies, not the abundance of crappie, because anglers statewide can easily find crappie to catch whenever the urge to bait a hook and hit the water finds them.

Kentucky Lake and Barkley Lake are arguably two of the very best crappie fishing waters in Kentucky, if not in the whole country. These tributaries are located in southwestern Kentucky, and are well known for the consistency of their crappie catches each and every year. These lakes have a huge black and white crappie population. The sizes of the papermouths regularly pulled from Kentucky Lake and Barkley Lake is amazing as well. Catches of two pounds plus are not uncommon, and tournament fishermen are consistently required to catch two pound fish in order to place well in the local tournaments.

Black crappie in Kentucky Lake tend to move into the shallows much sooner than white crappie do, which allows anglers to fish different depths longer, depending on whether they are after black or white crappie, than some other popular places do. Recent studies showed they were moving into the shallows as early as March, so adjusting your techniques accordingly should prove to increase your catch in these areas.

Crappie fishing is always best in March through May, but after a little bit of a lag, you will find plenty of fish again in the autumn through the winter months of the year. Most of the crappie seem to be caught in the deeper water areas. Many anglers actually prefer the months of June, July and March for crappie fishing in Kentucky Lake, and bringing in 30 keepers in the ten plus inch range is certainly not uncommon!

As is always the case when fishing for crappie, fish with the smallest hooks possible to avoid tearing the fragile mouth of the crappie. Normally an eight or ten works well, as do gang hooks. Reel your catch in slowly, using a gentle pull and reel combination technique. Net the fish to bring it in as soon as you can. Even light weight rod and reel combination rigs seem to work well when fishing for crappie.

For Fishing Charters, experience Lake Erie which on the north boundary you will find Ontario which is the Canadian province, the South you have the states of New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania and the west side is Michigan state. Lake Erie is the tenth largest lake in the world which is also home to a vast variety of species of fish. There are many fishing opportunities here, plentiful enough for both commercial and also sport fishing. You will find more fish produced here for actual human consumption that all the Great Lakes put together! Fishing Charters for Lake Erie are in very high demand, they are burning hot.

Of all the Great Lakes, you will find this the most southernmost, so it is the warmest and also the most productive. The place is diverse in the type of habitats such as: reefs, rocky island shorelines, major tributaries, and deep water flats which are in abundance for Sport Fishing in Lake Erie.

If you wish to go out on your own boat fishing you will find a list of marinas and ramps which serve as good access points named in the Division of Wildlife’s Lake Erie Fishing Guide. If you don’t own a large boat or you are not too familiar with the Fishing Charters or feel comfortable enough, Lake Erie can look after an individual or a group’s needs regardless of what skill level you are at. The crews on these fishing charters are staffed with fishermen who experienced or professional so that you feel comfortable while being taken through the waters. The region is well known by the charter captains who keep in constant contact by marine radios. You will be taken to the hot spots for your particular interest of species of fish, for a good haul. Many people throughout the United States love to come over to this region to get an experience with one of these fishing charters.

Lake Erie, is a popular attraction for the Walleye fishing so you will find many anglers and fishing charters for this specialty. You can catch a 10-12 pound Walleye in the Summer months, a real big catch. As the Lake Erie is shallow in comparison to the other Great Lakes, it makes for a good habitat for the reproduction and existence of the Walleye. No wonder it is known as “The Walleye Capitol of the world”. The lake also plays host to the yellow perch which are found in high quantities.

Many people seek an experience in the five-pound fighting bronze back small mouth Bass. It is quite a challenge to pull in this particular fish which are like a bullet coming out of the water as they do an aerial dance to try and break free. All Winter long from November through to March the Lake Trout and Steelhead fishing is an attraction that is popular in the Niagara River.

You will find a resourceful of fishing charters, that fish along the fishing areas of the Lake Erie. If you search online there are many charter trips to look at which is full of information for your interest in planning your experience here.

Product Description
Waterproof lake fishing map. With lake-bottom contours, boat loading locations, fishing information, and much more. Lake Erie is the 4th largest of the 5 Great Lakes and the 12th largest freshwater lake in the world. Walleye are the main attraction in the Central Basin as the population has rebounded yet again in recent years. Smallmouth bass and yellow perch offer additional angling opportunities…. More >>

Lake Erie Fishing Map: Central Basin – East.

Lake Dardanelle Arkansas Fishing Map

The jangling of the telephone sliced through the darkness, shaking me to my core. It was 4:30 a.m., and in the handful of instants before Ken could pick up the phone on his side of the bed, I imagined every possible disaster in the book.

“Who is it?” I mouthed, unable to stand the suspense a moment longer. “Northwest Airlines….” he lip synched to me in return. And so, our vacation began. For months, we had been planning it – our return to Alaska after a two-year hiatus. And now, the recording on the other end of the telephone was telling us our flight had been canceled because the Duluth Airport was socked in by fog. “Oh, noooooo…..” I moaned into my pillow. I quickly reemerged, however. “Let’s get in the car, drive to Minneapolis and catch it there!” I cried. We leaped out of bed and scrambled around in the darkness – resolve quickly taking over for despair. Twelve hours later, we found ourselves circling over the tree-covered hills, dramatic ocean flats and snow-capped mountains surrounding Anchorage. It was like coming home again – our fourth trip to a land we’d grown to know and love ever since our son, Jason, first moved there to attend college in Fairbanks.

We made a quick trip to the market for supplies to replenish the pantry at the fishing lodge Jason now operates on Lake Creek, and we arrived at Rust’s Flying Service on Lake Hood shortly before 5 p.m. with our four big duffel bags and five boxes of groceries. A group of tourists who had just returned from a flight seeing trip to Mount McKinley seemed impressed by our mountain of gear. “You’d think we were going out caribou hunting for weeks, wouldn’t you?” I commented with a grin to no one in particular. We went into the office and checked in for our float plane flight and then returned outside to await our departure. An older woman from the flight seeing group tentatively approached me and asked shyly, “Are you really going caribou hunting?” “No,” I laughed, “we’re actually going out to our son’s fishing lodge.” “Oh, darn!” she replied, looking disappointed. “I was so impressed to think that you were actually going caribou hunting!”

It wasn’t until the next morning, when we were finally knee-deep in the middle of Lake Creek in our hip waders that I finally began to relax and let Alaska truly began to seep under my skin and rid me of all the stress and tension of the days and weeks leading up to that moment. Before I was even ready for it, a silver salmon hit my line. “Mom, mom, let him run with it!” yelled Jason. “And don’t forget to keep your rod tip up or he’ll break it right off!” No matter how often I’ve done it before, I always seem to have that “breaking in” period where I forget everything I’ve been taught – and simply panic. And as quickly as it began, my “battle” with the fish was over as he broke loose and darted away. It wasn’t long, however, before another one hit my line. At this time of year, the salmon are preparing to spawn, so they hit the bait more out of anger and distraction than hunger, and they put up a mighty fight when they get hooked.

My line zinged almost continually as the silver salmon made run after run with it, and finally he managed to cartwheel his entire length above the surface of the water. “Man, oh, man,” I yelled. “This is living!” Remembering at last my carefully-tutored instructions of a couple of years ago, I patiently worked the fish until I got him far enough up toward shore for Jason to ease him out of the water.

The 8-pound salmon was solid muscle and in the early throes of turning the tell-tale scarlet of the spawning season. Intending to release him, I wanted first to have my picture taken with him. I handed my digital camera to Jason, and he carefully transferred the fish into my eagerly waiting grasp. “Now, Mom,” Jason cautioned, “be careful not to squeeze him too hard, but keep a firm grip so he doesn’t get away from you….”

I wrapped one hand around the base of the fish’s tail and gingerly slipped the other just under its gills, keeping him low to the water. And then, as I looked up into the camera lens and turned on a dazzling smile, the fish gave one mighty twist – and got away.

Part II

The bone-chilling cold of the morning was warring with the sleep-inducing warmth of the big quilt that engulfed us. The skies had cleared overnight, and the temperature had dipped below freezing, coating the grass and the front porch of our little cabin with a brittle coat of frost. Though it would have been easy to give in to the beckoning of our warm covers, the thought of the thermos of hot coffee that I knew would be waiting out front on the porch railing was too strong to resist.

I gingerly crawled into jeans that were as cold as the outside air, dragged a sweatshirt over my head and darted outside to grab the waiting thermos and the thick mug that accompanied it.

I knew that my son, Jason, probably had been up for hours already and I marveled at how all things come full circle…. Later, we walked up to the main lodge, where Jason was frying hash browns generously laced with onion on the grill in the kitchen. Off in another corner of the grill was a mountain of eggs scrambled with thick slices of sausage. Breakfast is definitely one of the high points of the day at Wilderness Place Lodge, and after one sniff of its delicious aromas, there was no turning back! We pretty much inhaled our breakfast, however – eager to set out on our planned trip to a salmon creek known as Eight Mile, up the mighty Yenta and Skwentna rivers. We were soon zooming up the Yenta in one of the lodge’s flat-bottomed jet boats, bundled up to the eyebrows against the icy morning air. For a time, I felt as though my eye sockets were freezing – until we rounded a bend in the river and were greeted by the full panorama of the Alaska Range in bold relief against the brightening morning sky. It took our collective breaths away, and we forgot all about being cold.

At last, we arrived at our destination – a sand bar just at the confluence of the Skwentna and Eight Mile. We beached the boat, threw the anchor ashore and disembarked with all of our gear.

As the morning sun began to warm us, it was a day unlike few others – and the silvers were biting! Silver salmon are fighting fish, and their acrobatics and reel-smoking runs make stream fishing for them as exciting as any fishing I’ve ever encountered. One minute the line is casually drifting through pockets of calm water along the shoreline, and the next, the brawny fish hit with spine-tingling aggression and proceed to give you the wildest game tug-of-war you’ve every played!

And though we did battle with so many of them our arms were aching by the end of the morning, we only kept three of them – one to eat for dinner that night and two to take back and smoke over a slow-burning alder fire in the smoker.

Before heading back to the lodge, we decided to stop and hike in from the river to the Skwentna Roadhouse for lunch in the warm, homey kitchen of the old two-story house located in a small clearing in the woods. The roadhouse, like so many others scattered across Alaska, is meant as a stopping-over place for remote travelers in the Alaskan wilderness. This particular one also once served as a wintertime boarding house for children whose families lived in areas too isolated for them to get to school every day. It also plays host to race spectators during the famous Iditarod Sled Dog race each year (the Skwentna Post Office across the river is the race’s first official stopover).

The couple who has owned and run the roadhouse for the past 40 years has been trying to retire for the past several years so they can fulfill their dream of living on a sailboat off the coast of Baja California. But alas – they have been unable to find a buyer and so they run it still.

Part of the ritual of stopping there is sitting around the big kitchen table and “shooting the breeze” with them for a while before ordering your food – no matter how empty your stomach is. When we mentioned we were from northern Minnesota, the husband, John, commented with a grin, “Wow – as if I couldn’t tell from the accent!” “Whoo-ee, Joyce,” he guffawed to his wife, “maybe we should put on the ‘Fargo’ tape while these folks are here…!!”

Information on Wilderness Place Lodge may be found online at:

Maligne Lake secrets revealed………….

One of Alberta’s most popular, but unforgiving lakes is Maligne Lake located in Jasper National Park. This lake has some of the best rainbow and brook trout fishing found in the country…..if you know the tricks. An average sized rainbow weighs in at around 2 to 2.5 pounds with consistent 4 to 5 pounders. The brook trout fishery is incredible. Averaging at a pound and a half, you get consistent 3 to 4 pounders and one fish was weighed in at an incredible 12 and a half pounds. This was years ago, but the gentleman who caught this monster still hangs around at the boat ramp just waiting to tell his tale and pull out the old photo album.

There are many ways to fish for these two trout species, but we’re going to concentrate on one specific technique and that’s trolling sinking fly lines. Very rarely do you hear, or read, about trolling sinking lines, but this technique has proven to me to be the most productive ways of fishing many mountain lakes, none more so than Maligne Lake.

Maligne Lake is 5,479 ft. (1670m) above sea level in the Canadian Rockies thus it can be frozen right into the beginning of June. The first three weeks to one month after ice out and the last few weeks of September is primetime if you want to see some real action. Being so high in the mountains you have to be prepared for the climate. I’ve fished blizzards in the first week of August and days when one minute you’re in fleece pants and rain gear and five minutes later shorts and a t-shirt, then right back again. I always recommend you dress in layers with some good rain gear on board. Then you’re prepared for anything.

Since there is gas motor restrictions on this lake you need to get yourself an electric motor. There a several places in town that rent this equipment and provide rental boats on many of the lakes in the park. You can rent freighter canoes which are long, sturdy canoes that cover water a lot quicker than the aluminium boats available, but either will do for day trips. Since this is a very large lake you can only cover a limited amount of water if you’re just day fishing. There are campsites available along the lake should you wish to camp for a night or two. If this is the case you will be in for a treat as this is one of the more beautiful lakes in the world the further away from the dock you venture (this lake is 23 km long).

Set up:

First off, get yourself a fly rod. It doesn’t have to be a fancy outfit and you don’t even have to know how to cast. Trolling is far and away the most effective way to locate active fish on Maligne Lake due to its immense size. You can use anywhere from a 5 weight up to a 7 weight rod. I always preferred a 9 ft. 7 weight set up. It’s sturdy enough to pull a variety of baits. Minnow baits are some of the top producers and if you use too light of a rod retrieving your line to check your presentation can be quite the battle even without the fish on the other end.

There are some reels that have some advantages. Multipliers and large spool reels certainly come in handy. A multiplier will increase the retrieval ratio, so for every turn of the reel your spool will turn twice, or three times. A large spool reel means the diameter of the spool is greater than normal spool size and will in turn increase the amount of line gained per reel rotation. When trolling fly lines there is a lot of slack created by water resistance and the higher the gear ratio the better if you’re not used to fishing with this equipment.

Line is important. The line, combined with boat control, is the most key component to this technique. This doesn’t mean you need the proper brand of line just the proper “type” of sinking line. There are six different types of full sink fly line, type 1 being the slowest sinking (shallowest running) to type 6 that is the fastest sinking (deepest running). Using type 1 you can troll just under the surface to type 6 where you can effectively fish from 15’ to 20’ depending on your trolling speed.

For leader material do not go out and buy pre packaged tapered leaders. Since you are not casting there is no need for the tapered line, in fact it would be counter productive because you are using a lot of lures that create water resistance and the thin tip would not be strong enough. I recommend you buy a spool of fluorocarbon line. I use 8 pound Vanish, but any fluorocarbon will do the trick. Fluorocarbon is completely invisible under water and has less stretch than monofilament which I find advantageous in setting hooks. Long leaders are important. If you’re using lures instead of flies tying a swivel into the leader is a must. I like about 12 ft. leaders with a swivel about 9 feet away from the lure. One other thing that I like to use is the slip-on leader loops. This helps guide the leader through the eyes of the rod instead of some knots that can get caught up and potentially break the line. They’re very easy to put on and can save you some headaches if you’re just getting started. The staff at the local tackle shop is always happy to help with your set up and point you in the right direction.

There are a wide range of flies and lures will work with this set up, but remember the line is a sinking line and it is not necessary to use fast diving lures with big lips. An assortment of flies: streamers, leaches, shrimp patterns are all very good. For lures use the lightest gear possible. Minnow baits are the most effective; Flatfish being the most consistent, with Rapalas and Hot Shots coming in a close second. In the years I guided on this lake I can count on one hand how many times I used something other than flies (shrimp, or a brookie pattern streamer) and/or a Flatfish. Those two types of flies and an assortment of flatfish always produced. Even on those famous frustrating mid-summer Maligne days.

Getting a portable fish finder is very beneficial. This is a very clear lake for the most part and this tends to push the fish down to the 10’ – 20’ range. There are times when the runoff from the mountains clouds the lake with silt and I find they spread out a little more and you have to work at different depths to locate the active fish. It’s not as important to pay attention to the fish being marked on the screen, but knowing your depth is very important in a successful day on the water. For the most part I try never to leave the range of 10’ to 25’ of water. Being a successful fisherman means you know how to play the percentages. There will be fish all over the water column from one foot up down to well over a hundred feet, but the highest percentage of fish that you can effectively fish for should be within range of the equipment listed above, if worked properly. If you don’t have access to a fish finder a good map will do, or just stick to the shore and keep an eye out for shallower water. Being a clear lake for the most part it is relatively easy to spot the drop offs and keep your lines out of trouble.

Technique:

“Ripping” flies is one of the most consistent techniques for picking up active fish. To do this you will want a nice long fluorocarbon leader, no need for a swivel down to your fly, all on your type 6 sinking line. These fish love big flies! The best fly in my box is a #2 double shrimp pattern. Followed by a brook trout streamer, or a leech pattern, but anything big (#2 – #6) will do on most days. The key to ripping is exactly what it sounds like. Let your line out until the backing, keeping the trolling speed a little higher than what you might be used to and repetitively jerk the rod as hard as you can. Most people don’t jerk the rod as hard as they should. This is another benefit of the heavier 7 weight rod; it makes this motion a lot easier on the arms. Essentially, this will make your fly almost swim through the water like a jerk bait and you get a lot of impulsive strikes.

Ripping flies can be very straining on the body. Your forearms and back get a big workout, so if you want a break, or are just interested in relaxing on the water bring a good selection of flatfish, hot shot’s and rapalas. I find you catch more fish on lures as opposed to flies, but the fast pace ripping is certainly more interactive and the fish really hit hard.

If you’re just getting used to fishing this way always check the action of your lure at the side of the boat before you lower your line so you know how to gauge the speed for your troll. For example, flatfish are designed to have a lot of action at a very slow rate of speed, so by trolling dead slow you achieve the perfect action, that you will notice on your rod tip, and be able to get deeper than lures that require faster action. So, when you want to get to some deeper fish with your type 6 line troll dead slow with a flatfish, kwikfish, or hot shots and you can effectively fish at around 20 ft. Rapalas, or the more streamlined body baits need a little faster speed and should be running around 10’ – 18’.

I’ve found that early in the season the first third of the lake is the most productive; up about the five mile mark. Mid summer I spend more time around the 4 mile to 9 mile marker. And later in the season when the brook trout start to spawn the far end of the lake in front of the major creeks like Warren and Coronet.

Early season, when the ice comes out the first bay, aptly named “home bay”, is some of the best fishing in the lake and easily accessible. Home bay is one of the most consistent spots on the lake year round and often overlooked by the guides who just want to get down the lake to make the trip more of an adventure for their clients. At the top end of the bay (outwards to the lake), on the right hand side of the channel there is excellent fishing. There is a very abrupt drop off with the odd boulder pile that you can see on most days from about 7’ down to 15’ – 30’ at mid channel and into the next bay, and then troll straight down the channel for 100 metres or so. This is called “rainbow alley” to the locals. Watch out for the tour boats that seem to get in the way constantly. Ripping double shrimp patterns and a slow troll with a flatfish, or hot shots will do the trick. Try zigzagging over the drop off slightly changing your boat speed so as to vary your depth and lure action.

Mid-summer concentrate a little further up the lake. I like Trappers creek, Leah creek, Upper Maligne River inlet and 5 mile point. These are the most proven spots on the lake and fairly easy to find for newcomers because that is where the guide boats usually are working. Working points, drop offs and creek outflows are all where you want to target. Anyone of them down the lake can hold fish.

Late in the season, it’s worth it to go down the lake, past the narrows and famous Spirit Island to the “far end”. This is one of the most scenic locations I’ve had the pleasure of fishing in my life and find it almost spiritual. You are in what feels like uncharted territory past the tour boats and the capabilities of most visitors to the lake. Stunning mountains that run straight into the lake and glaciers so close you could walk up and touch them. This is your playground late in the season. If you do want to plan a trip down the lake I recommend you plan a multi-day trip. There are campsites both at the narrows and the far end of the lake at Coronet Creek. It is definitely worth it, some of my fondest memories are from trips down the lake for days at a time.

Try getting right up close to the creeks as there are some very abrupt drop offs and pull the usual flatfish, or break out the flies and start ripping. Pre spawn these brookies will school up right in front of these creeks in astounding numbers and sometimes you can see large numbers of them rolling around.

Getting used to the way the lines follow the boat is also very important if you want to work a lake properly. Sinking lines have much greater water resistance due its greater diameter and don’t cut the water nearly as quickly as monofilament. For example, when you make a fairly sharp turn the line will swing more with your turn and follow the path of the boat instead of cut across water and thus stalling your lure. This allows you to work your bait more accurately. To within a few feet you can estimate your depth and where behind the boat your fly, or lure, is running. Boat control is absolutely crucial when working deeper structure and you can actually work the lines to ride right up a drop off or sink down, whatever the case may be. So, if you’re trolling in 20’ feet of water and you see that the bottom is rising, all you have to do is gradually speed up so your line is elevated by water resistance caused by the speed of the boat. The reverse is also true when you come to a drop off slow right down and let the line sink with the bottom and speed back up when your line is deep enough. This will put more fish in your boat and you’ll find a lot fun out of concentrating on the bottom and trying to work it properly. Some of my bigger fish have been caught this way.

No matter the time of year you visit, if you find even one fish, work the area again. Several times even. Often when you find one fish there are others in the immediate area. Try coming in from different angles and at different depths. I’ve seen what was easily over forty fish come out of one small area in under an hour by a couple different boats repeatedly circling the area. After working the lake for a while and getting a good feeling about the fish behaviour I would never leave an area immediately after catching a fish. Every single spot that produced a fish got at least one or two additional passes. Sometimes you don’t get a follow up fish, and sometimes you don’t have to leave the spot for hours and are consistently catching fish.

Don’t get me wrong there are lots of ways to catch fish and I wouldn’t presume to say this is the only way to catch fish on Maligne Lake. Many anglers are very successful casting chronomid patterns to a strike indicator, some do well trolling wabler’s to flies, or lures, with spinning rods. But as former guide on this lake the only way I would fish, day in and day out, is trolling my sinking lines. Remember, it is always good to check in at the local tackle shop and get up to date information and help with the proper set ups. I know the guys at On-line Sport and Tackle on Patricia St. will be happy to help point you in the right direction and set you up with whatever rental equipment you may need. And remember to try this technique out on your local lakes as it is one of the best ways to produce large numbers of fish, even on some of the toughest days.

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This book, the first in a series, is designed to help anglers catch more and bigger fish in Lake Tarpon, Florida. The authors–professional tournament fishermen and outdoors writers–share tips, technipues and some close guarded secrets about catching trophy fish, especially largemouth bass, on the lake. The guide provides a wealth of informations about the lake, its fish, and the surrounding resources available to anglers. Of particular value are up-to-date map… More >>

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