2010 Articles

September 2010

Pixel Fish or Live Fish? Find Bass and Walleyes Fast with Reality TV by Ted Pilgrim
It's a little amusing to consider the level of technology that's been applied to the humble pursuit of angling. For a quest whose only core requirements are a hook, line, bait and sinker, the addition of military-level gadgetry can at times leave you... [ read more ]

Schooling Yellow Perch by Dave Duwe
After Labor Day in Wisconsin, the kids migrate back to school. At this same time the yellow perch are also migrating from the main lake basin to the shallows. Perch will travel in schools throughout the day. Once you locate the schools they can ... [ read more ]

Where To Find'em In The Fall by Bob Jensen
When you go fishing, if you want to catch a fish, it's really important that you put your bait where a fish lives. That might sound extremely basic, but the most basic concept of fishing is to fish where the fish are. You can have the nicest boat i... [ read more ]

August 2010

A Hot Technique for the Hot Weather by Dave Duwe
During the heat of August, you may hear the term, the "dog days" of summer. However, I believe it should really be called the frog days of summer. Late summer is the best time to fish Largemouth bass on plastic frogs. Avid bass anglers have known ... [ read more ]

Fishing Wisconsin's Best Muskie Water by Ted Peck
"Kurt Schultz was one of those rare kids who learned how to cast before he could walk," veteran guide Bill Melanson said of his 30 year old protégé. "He was born to be a fishing guide and the Creator planted this young buck right in the middle of Wis... [ read more ]

Middle of the Summer Bass by Bob Jensen
It's summer, and fishing in the summer can be really good. Thing is though, fishing might not necessarily be good for the specie of fish that you want to catch. We might really want to catch walleyes, but in reality, in some bodies of water, the la... [ read more ]

July 2010

Dialing In Down Deep by Dave Duwe
When the dog days of summer get here, the fishing seems to get tough. But it doesn't have to be, if you know the right tips and tricks to dial them in when they're down deep. As the spawning ends and the water gets warm, most fish will head to the d... [ read more ]

Gulf Oil Spill Worse Than We’re Told by Ted Peck
Facing you own mortality is a tough bear to tussle with. If the Biblical allotment of three score and ten years holds water, I still have a good 10 years to fish. A lifetime of chasing fish all over North America has spawned several trips with ann... [ read more ]

Take Advantage of Fishing Opportunities by Bob Jensen
It's summer, and fishing in the summer can be really good. Thing is though, fishing might not necessarily be good for the specie of fish that you want to catch. We might really want to catch walleyes, but in reality, in some bodies of water, the la... [ read more ]

Up at the Crack of dawn with Wingdam Walleyes by Jarrad Fluekiger
As a child I remember waking up at the crack of dawn with grandpa tickling my toes saying "It's time to go fishing, time is a wasting." A quick orange and a bowl of Special K from grandma preceded a race to the car to see which grandkid would get the... [ read more ]

Why Kayak Fishing by Bill Schultz
It's mid-summer. You are on a clear water lake, working the shallows with a Booyah Buzzbait, looking for that trophy bass. All of a sudden, the calm surface explodes and flying from the depths is the biggest bass you've ever had on the end of your l... [ read more ]

June 2010

Channel Cats on the Prowl by Ted Peck
If you're one of those folks more at home in the great outdoors than a man-made environment, "cotton" raining down from cottonwood trees just before the Memorial Day weekend was a welcome sign. The parachuting seed signals catfish spawning is nigh... [ read more ]

Shallow Water Bass by Bob Jensen
When largemouth bass move into the shallows early in the fishing season, the action can be fast, it can be visual, and it can be some of the most exciting fishing you'll have all year. Here's how you can get in on this action. Depending on where ... [ read more ]

What’s in your tackle box? by Dave Duwe
No, it shouldn't include a credit card; keep that in your wallet. This question came up recently when a regular customer of mine, we'll call him Al, asked me why everyone has so much tackle, and I use so very little. He thought it would be a good i... [ read more ]

May 2010

Fishing Wing Dams by Ted Peck
Wingdams are one of the biggest fish magnets on the Mississippi River. They are also profound hazards to recreational navigation-and a source of curiosity in those who want to discover more about this magnificent fishery without the painful expense o... [ read more ]

For the Love of Muskies by Ted Pilgrim
Catch-and-Release lessons from a toothy-critter master - with Pete Maina Pete Maina has in his day handled thousands of big muskies. Ex-guide, lure inventor, TV personality, angler extraordinaire, Maina has worn many hats. Today, while he remain... [ read more ]

Invasive Species Regulation, Chapter NR40 by Dave Duwe
With the opening of the Wisconsin Fishing Season, anglers should be aware that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has implemented new rules and regulations associated with invasive species. Invasive species, both aquatic and terrestria... [ read more ]

Put Some Back by Bob Jensen
In the next few weeks, lots of anglers are going to take to the water in search of a tug on their line. And in those next few weeks, lots of fish are going to be caught. When we catch a fish, a decision needs to be made: Am I going to keep this fi... [ read more ]

What Happened to the Peacock Bass? by Bill Schultz
In 2009 I wrote two articles for Lake-Link on my experience fishing for peacock and largemouth bass from a kayak in the canals and small lakes just southwest of Ft. Lauderdale, in Weston, Florida. It was so much fun that when work took me back to ... [ read more ]

April 2010

Fishing A Transverse Current by Ted Peck
The slackwater/fast water interface frequently found in conjunction with a backeddy is a popular haunt of riverine walleyes in the spring. Locating one of these fish magnets is fairly easy. But orienting a boat or making a cast that puts your of... [ read more ]

Line Up For Walleye Fishing by Bob Jensen
It's spring in the Midwest!! The snow and ice are gone and the robins have returned. Open-water fishing isn't far away: In fact, a good number of anglers are already out on rivers chasing walleyes and on ponds, bays, and backwaters chasing panfish.... [ read more ]

The Deadly Drag by Brian "Bro" Brosdahl
Dumbing-down to a crawl dupes springtime crappies for panfish pros Brian "Bro" Brosdahl with Tom Neustrom "Slow and steady wins the race." I'm a disciple of the philosophy. In real life, the examples are countless. Consider the marathoner.... [ read more ]

The Water Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by Noel Vick
River expert Bill Plantan never leaves home without 'em: a full battery of prerigged rods and reels The world's a harmonious place when Bill Plantan slides his canoe inconspicuously into the flow. A morning fog masks his craft, its intentions... [ read more ]

Tips and Tricks from a Fishing Guide by Dave Duwe
There are tricks that can make a fishing guide seem like a better angler than the average fisherman. There are a range of skill levels in fishing, from a guy who fishes National Tour Events to the guy that ties an overhand knot to attach a hook to h... [ read more ]

Warm Water Walleye Lessons by Greg Bohn
Understanding how water temperature impacts walleyes is vital to finding fish early in the season. A difference of a degree or two can mean the difference between no fish and a 100-walleye day. Take the time clients asked Greg to guide them speci... [ read more ]

March 2010

Get Ready For The Best Ice-Fishing of the Season! by Bob Jensen
My favorite time of the year for ice-fishing is getting closer all the time. While I really enjoy early ice and its potential for fast fishing, there's just something I enjoy more about the final three or four weeks of ice-fishing. Maybe it's the... [ read more ]

Late Ice Crappies by Dave Duwe
The warmer weather of March means the end of another long Wisconsin winter. The ice is becoming soft and can be dangerous, so always use caution. The end of the ice fishing season does offer one big benefit; some of the best crappie fishing of the ... [ read more ]

Time For A New Boat? by Ted Peck
My tax guy tells me I need to buy a new boat every five years. This is the year. My 1860 VSD Lund was ever faithful. But it's time for her to go. With the Bush tax cuts set to expire the end of this year, I suspect many folks who fish for a living ar... [ read more ]

Trout thru the Ice - Just the Basics with Brad Bricco by Steve Ryan
The bend in the rod foretold the tale of the tape. This was not the pull of a walleye or even a pike for that matter. This fish had a purpose, which did not include making an appearance on the topside of the ice. Jenny fought the fish with all the... [ read more ]

Walleyes Come as No Fluke by Brian "Bro" Brosdahl
Brian "Bro" Brosdahl with Mark Courts Admittedly, I'm a meat and potatoes sort of guy. I'm eyeing the porterhouse steak on the menu long before the canary food, organic "meals under 500 calories". In fact, I'll take the whole right side of the m... [ read more ]

February 2010

Baiting Technique Turns Fish to Stone by Brian "Bro" Brosdahl
Creating "Medusa's Head" with maggots popularized by ice fishing pacesetter Brian "Bro" Brosdahl Warning to panfish everywhere: Don't look into her eyes, or at that living crown of writhing maggots for that matter. If you're lucky, it's Stoneheng... [ read more ]

Lure Action For More Ice-Fishing Action by Bob Jensen
It's that time in the ice-fishing season when we really need to start fine-tuning our presentations if we want to experience ice-fishing success. The easy ones have been caught, and the remaining fish have been pounded pretty good by this point of t... [ read more ]

Nonprofit Madison Fishing Expo Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary by Dan Durbin
The Madison Fishing Expo (MFE) will be celebrating its 25th year February 26th through the 28th with one of its largest shows ever with more speakers than ever before. Chuck Rolfsmeyer, President of the show, said they have come a long way in their... [ read more ]

Open that Door! by Ted Peck
Door County, Wisconsin has been one of my favorite fishing destinations for over 30 years. This is a place where you want to bring all the gear-from downrigger rods to perch jerkin' tackle-because the bite will always be good but finding the best act... [ read more ]

Top ice anglers test skills, electronics at the 2009 NAIFC Championship by Ted Pilgrim
Reluctantly biting fish and the need for well-tuned electronics…everywhere lakes freeze, these two themes figure largely into the schemes of ice anglers. So it was during the 2009 North American Ice Fishing Championship. Eighty-four of North Ame... [ read more ]

January 2010

Camera Or Flasher For Ice Fishing? by Ted Peck
There is no doubt electronics will improve your ice fishing success by at least 75 percent. Both an underwater camera and sonar flasher unit will help you put more fish on the ice. Which is better? Ask two old bucketeers what they think about ... [ read more ]

Hand to Fin Combat by Brian "Bro" Brosdahl
A proven pattern for hooking gargantuan pike during early ice Up above, I tiptoe across the frozen shallows maintaining a low profile. Stealth is a big part of the game. Down below, however, it's more like lions in the Coliseum tearing and tossin... [ read more ]

Hole Hopping by Dave Duwe
How can I catch more fish? This question has haunted some ice fishermen for years. The answer is really very simple, hole hopping. Hole hopping is aggressively moving from ice fishing hole to hole searching for the active, feeding fish. My favo... [ read more ]

Ice Fishing Ideas For Finicky Fish by Bob Jensen
Fish under the ice, just like fish in open water, sometimes get finicky. It seems that they just don't want to open their mouths to take the bait we have down there. Here are some ideas for getting fish to eat your bait when they don't seem to want... [ read more ]

Search And Destroy by Tony Roach
"New Wave" Fish Finding Tactics on Ice When you spend your winters guiding on a huge lake like Central Minnesota's Mille Lacs, doing all the things it takes to find biting fish can test your resolve. There's only one way to the fish - drilling lo... [ read more ]