Wisconsin Walleye Fishing Tips

Are you catching good numbers and big walleyes in Wisconsin? Whether you are or are not, one thing stands. Having all of the secrets of walleye fishing at your finger tips will help you catch more and bigger walleyes on a consistent basis. Knowledge is the key to successful walleye fishing.

Wisconsin is a great state for walleye fishing. To me it's a troller's paradise. Rivers, off colored flowages, Green bay - all of these places beg for dynamic crankbait presentations. Then you have many other places to fish as well. Koshkonong, the Mississippi, Winnebago, Lake St. Croix, Long Lake, or the sumo sauger factory - Lake Wisconsin. This list hardly scratches the surface for what Wisconsin offers for walleye fishing. Let's dive right in and look at some basic methods to use for cranking shallow walleyes in the spring time in shallow off colored lakes or flowing tributaries used for spawning.

10 or 12 foot trolling rods out the side and 7 footers out the back will make shallow water trolling a snap. In shallow lakes you want to watch that 8 or 10 foot basin contour. Choose shorelines or rocky points where a deeper basin contour line sweeps up nearby. You may be trollling in as shallow as 2 or 3 feet deep so be sure to use the electric for stealth. Don't worry, during the early spring period you'll be using spinner speeds of 1 to 1.3 to work cranks along the banks. Cover water and keep those baits constantly tickling the tops of the rocks. The entire process of finessing crankbaits along feels more like your trolling jigs or live bait rigging at a fast speed. The only difference? Big walleyes!

Use these basic cranking strategies this spring and I'm certain you'll find the fish catching power of a crankbait works like no other method. You can also visit our website for many unheard of secrets and tactics for walleye fishing Wisconsin's waters.

Sport Fishing Holiday Destination Fit for Non Anglers - Nature Tour at Plummer's Arctic Fishing NWT

It was one incredible week! Plummers Arctic Fishing Lodge tucked in the northeast part of Great Bear Lake, in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Almost nine (9) years have passed, yet I can transport myself back with all the sights, sounds and feelings as if it were yesterday. My recollection of that Plummers experience is as vivid as the hundreds of photographs and video footage captured during this dream working vacation. The hospitality, the gourmet meals and the unending attention to detail exhibited by Chummy Plummer and his staff at the Great Bear Lake Lodge provided the rooted harmony that balanced the sometimes overwhelming awe of nature that constantly and completely surrounded us. Mother Nature reigns supreme in this Arctic wilderness. People are insignificant participants in the daily cycle of life in this true north.

This 'up close and personal' touch with nature makes Plummers Great Bear Lake a must-go-to Nature Vacation destination. A rustic destination that has now been discovered for its "not just for anglers" amenities. Ideal for capturing first-rate photographs. And perfect enough for President George Bush, Senior, along with a few of his closest Canadian friends, to visit every summer.

Visiting remote Canada, north of the Arctic Circle, in late August was one of those 'planets-all-lining-up' opportunities. Accompanied by my business associate John, our week long adventure leaves memories as crisp as the early northern morning air. And what better way to start our morning than hearing a Plummer's staffer call out "Coffee gentlemen." A carafe of steaming coffee placed outside of our door accompanied our 6 am wake-up call each day. That first coffee of the day set the pace for the short walk to the lodge dining building and for a 'whatever your heart desires' breakfast.

Just flying to The Great Bear Lodge is something in itself. We flew out of Winnipeg, Manitoba on a Boeing 737 Jet, first landing at the Great Slave Lake Lodge on a gravel runway and then on to the Great Bear Lake Lodge, once again landing on a gravel runway! The jet had special flanges behind the front wheel to prevent stones from being ejected into the jet engines. It is something else to look out the airplane window to the rear of the plane as it lifts off and seeing a cloud of dust coming off the runway. Once airborne, it sure looked like some good ol' boys were rippin' up a gravel road below us!

The fishing on this Lake is nothing short of THE BEST. Great Bear Lake is the eighth-largest lake in the world and fourth largest in North America. Awesome! Incredible! Some o f the world's largest lake trout have been reeled in on Great Bear Lake - 72 lbs . Seventy-two pounds makes this fish over 140 years old! It's sport fishing only at Plummers. All catch and release. Plummers practices strict conservation rules, so there will be plenty of fish to catch for centuries to come.

For every two anglers there is a guide assigned for the week. He or she takes care of operating the boat (18 foot aluminum), determining the best location to fish each day, preparing the fresh fish lunches on one of the hundreds of islands (now there's a culinary treat!) and any fishing tips/tricks. John and I were not preoccupied with fishing and so we turned our attention to aggravating our guide, a young University of Manitoba student named Kelly. And we drove him to the limit; asking him all sorts of stupid questions. We did have some coaching from a few of the Plummer's staff on the top 'best stupid questions' to ask, so we mixed them in with our earnest questions:

"So how many pounds of potatoes do they go through in a season at this lodge?" (Stupid)

"How many trout do you figure are in Great Bear?" (Stupid)

"How big is this lake anyway?" (Earnest)

"How much Red River Cereal do they go through in a season?" (Stupid)

"Who is that lady that drops the coffee carafe at our door each morning?" (Stupid)

"How many gulls do you think are on this lake?" (Stupid) Gulls, nature's garbage disposal crew, always showed up when the guide was finished cleaning the trout for lunch.

"How cold is this water?" (Earnest ) If you are wondering, 42- 45 degrees Fahrenheit is the correct answer.

John and I arrived at Plummers with only our clothing and camera equipment. No need to bring any fishing gear of your own. Plummers equipped us with all the rod, reel and tackle gear we needed. They did a great job because, as novice anglers, John and I caught over 40 fish between us! An activity that we never tired of was enjoying the afternoon Northern Sun and scouting out the many islands that dotted 'The Bear'. Much to our guide Kelly's chagrin, we really weren't there for the fishin' - we were the sightseer type of tourist that comes to Plummers. The solitude afforded us with the gentle rhythm of the trolling boat and the anticipation of when we would see the next eagle, or caribou or musk-ox on 'The Bear' shores was just the ticket to help two hardworking executives from the big city of Ottawa, Ontario to unwind.

We became known to other guests at the lodge as the two 'anglers' to stay away from! Perfect! Come to think of it, we always had fishing places completely to ourselves. Bob Izumi was filming a show for his "Real Fishing" TV series at the same time as our visit. Even he didn't seem the least bit interested at my elation that I had snagged what our guide said was the smallest trout he'd ever seen - less than 1 pound 'soaking wet'! Kelly said the lure weighed more than my prize catch! Now there is fishing talent I don't often forget to boast about! John was on the opposite end of the scale from me as far as being a sports fisherman. He did capture, and I mean capture, a trout that was the size of a dog - a 34 plus pounds! Wow! Ya gotta see the pictures!

I went camera crazy here! Images of fishing in the 9 p.m. dusk light, casting right off the lodge's shore. Wolves near the camp, caribou that hadn't been seen this far south of the Arctic Circle so late in the summer season! The ultimate trip within the trip was our fly-out to the Tree River Camp, Nunavut. This camp consisted of eight (8) tarpaulin-roofed, stilted bunk houses and a cook house in the middle of 'no where north'. Flat tundra and low bush were contrasted by mountainous visas that could only be described as a "black grand canyon", moon-like terrain. We were on the Canadian Shield. Tree River itself is edged with hardened mud river banks where arctic squirrel-gopher-like creatures known as 'sik-sik' were housed in borrows within the river banks. The camp cook, Carol, and her helper, Mary, treated us to a incredible dinner of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. To top off this sumptuous meal we had ice cream and cake for dessert. Did I say we were in a remote camp on the Arctic Ocean? Sure felt like the Ritz!

We unsuccessfully tried our hand at Arctic Char fishing. Enough of that story! With our guide Kelly we continued with our boating down the Tree River river to touch upon the shores of the Arctic Ocean. We stood next to an authentic inukshuk, saw weather bleached caribou bones, ate some not-so-sweet blueberries and walked the bluff at the mouth of Tree River. We scanned the Arctic ocean waters and could see a sliver of land on the horizon. Victoria Island maybe?

A desolate yet primitive beautiful land in August, we imagined how harsh the winter climate must be to those living here in Canada's north. No time for those chilly thoughts now! The late August sun was warm; perfect for standing near the cliff shore while watching seals play in the mouth of Tree River below us. At that moment we felt as though we were a small speck in the northern universe. I'm certain it was the solid black rock of the Canadian Shield beneath our feet that kept us from being swallowed up by this "Arctic Vortex". Everywhere I turned there was a photo to be taken. My Canon EOS A4 'photo-exercised' through 20 rolls of film that trip. I scanned these pictures and share some of the best ones with the world. Go to Flickr.com and search on "plummers arctic fishing".

Returning to our base camp at Great Bear, we fished a couple of more days and then continued this incredible nature trip with one more memorable experience: we jumped into the frigid Arctic Circle waters of Great Bear Lake. Good news! We did receive a special Plummer's tee-shirt for our stupidity to brave this dunking. Printed on the tee-shirt is " I was Stupid enough to Swim in the Arctic Circle". Yes, in our finest dress of long red underwear we jumped off the wharf at the Plummers Lodge into the 43 degree Fahrenheit water! For the record, at that temperature everything shrinks! To this day, my tee-shirt is proudly displayed in our family room.

Plummer's Arctic Fishing is one of those destinations you should put on your must do list. "GREAT FISHING OUR CLAIM, MOTHER NATURE OUR FRAME." What a perfect way to experience the beauty of Canada's north. Take your whole family on a trip of their lifetime!

Fishing When It's Cold Outside

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Have you ever went trout fishing when it's cold outside? If you have you know that it's a little different than trout fishing when the weather is more tolerable. The last time I went trout fishing, it was 39 degrees outside, and after catching a trout and subsequently releasing it, my hands became so cold I thought I was going to have to shoot myself just to stop the pain!

Cold hands is just one of the problems that occur when we are fishing when it's cold outside. In this article, I'm going to discuss some tricks and tips to help you not only stay warm, but also catch more fish when the weather isn't cooperating like it does during certain times of the year.

Staying warm is a key to fishing when it's cold outside. Not only your hands, but also your body. That's why layering is so important. I realize you've heard this about a million times, but it's still true. You can always take layers off, but it's much more difficult to add them when you're already cold. I'd always rather be too warm than too cold.

The first tip is concerning your bait or lures. The rule when the weather's cold is this: upsize or downsize dramatically. We either want to use very large lures/bait or the opposite end of the spectrum, very small bait/lures. Many Ice fishermen realize this (as you may know). The basic reason is this: fish are cold blooded, and as water temperatures cool, the fishes metabolism slows down. As the fishes metabolism slows down, their inclination to feed is less. Therefore they want to expend as little energy as possible getting food. Thus, eating big meals so they don't have to get food as often, or small meals that are east to catch.

The bottom line is that cold weather means fishing is normally more difficult. Another great tip is to make sure that you're fishing when the fish are the most active. What do I mean by this? There are certain times of the day and month that fish are more active (thus feeding) than others. These times of the day and month are tied directly to the moon phases and the weather. So understanding how the weather and moon affect fishing is of the utmost importance to any angler, especially in cold weather.

Let's go back to our hands for a moment. The scenario I started this article with is no fun at all, and one of the best ways to avoid a situation such as it, is to wear a quality pair of fingerless gloves/glove liners. If you fish like I do, you need the use of unfettered fingers when fishing, yet your hands need protection from the elements. This is why quality fingerless gloves are such an important part of my fishing repertoire during cold weather.

The bottom line is that fishing during cold weather simply means that the rules have changed a little bit. All you have to do is vary your approach a little bit, and you'll be fine. Try one or all of these tips and your cold weather fishing excursion will be much more comfortable and successful.

Salmon Fishing Tackle

Like the hunter with his gun, or the pugilist with his glove, fishing has its tackle. A best friend, a prized possession, the relationship is much like Tiger Woods and his True Temper Dynamic Gold Driver. A reciprocated coexistence with both ends benefiting each other's facility: Woods with his precision swing and the trusty driver converting the force to several yards.

The angler with his skill is expressed on the tip of the line. Some are good in presenting the bait, fine tuned jiggling and mooching. Others are good in choosing appropriate decoys, lure, color and scent combination that is irresistible to a certain fish. Other's smell the fishes a hundred yards distant, paying even the minutest details in underwater growth and crevices.

The salmon angler is expressed with his salmon fishing tackle. Not just any tackles, it must be intended for the specific game. A stout graphite construction rod will be too stiff for the soft jiggling intended for the river trout, and the fly tackle intended for blue water fishes might be too stiff for the soft and deft touch intended for the Chinook.

So get your salmon fishing tackle. Remember, salmons require specific salmon fishing tackles to trick them into biting. Not an all around tackle for every situation but a salmon fishing tackle optimal for a specific fishing art.

Here are some good ideas for any salmon fishing tackles.

Fly Fishing Tackles

While landing a tarpon on a fly requires above human skill and dexterity, landing a Chinook on a fly CAN be done. In fact it has been done a countless time. Use a double handed rod is the best and it should have a relatively long rod around 10 feet. And this rod should have ample power especially in the butt section to effectively handle even a 10 pound freaking Chinook. Compensate choosing your salmon fishing tackle with your strength, or you may risk losing lifting strength. Remember, the longer the rod, the heavier will it be on landing a salmon.

The Airflo SLS Fly Rod Special at GFS: http://www.gofishingshop.co.uk is a mean 10ft fly rod that should be swift enough to deliver the snag but robust to handle a King salmon on the line, provided the line won't snap.

The Winston LT Fly Rod is also one salmon fishing tackle that comes highly recommended. Soft tips are so essential for deft handling and Winston LT Fly Rod is prevalent with them. Care to take a look? It's available at: http://www.tcoflyfishing.com

Salmons are among the fish species that have remarkably sensitive sense of smell, so throwing them just about anything won't work at all. Use a strong smelling cured salmon roe is one of the best baiting technique. Since salmon roe can be quite a rare find, you can substitute them with smelt or minnows.

Fishing Directory for Fishing World Wide Water

Fishing has surpassed all other hobbies as the number one outdoor event that captures our time and money. Fishing categories can usually be disseminated with the use of a fishing directory. There are four major methods of fishing and all have adamant endorsers who seldom cross over to the other three. Cane pole fishing, spinning, bait casting and fly-fishing are the four most used methods worldwide.

Fly-fishing is the newest trend and requires the most practice and talent. With a fly fishing rod, a fly fishing reel and fly line you can add your bait which is called a fly that has a very small hook for trout. There are flies that land on top of the water and don't sink called dry flies. There are flies that are designed to travel underwater like a swimming insect that are called wet flies. There are larger lures for saltwater fishing and tournaments for the largest fish caught on a "fly". The use of a good fishing directory can yield fly fishing tips, fly tying techniques, gear and manufacturers.

Cane Pole fishing is the most primitive of the 4 methods using a single pole made of bamboo with a line tied to the end and a hook. In most cases this was our first experience of fishing, catching blue gills and bream. Cane poles are inexpensive and sometimes homemade using other materials at hand. Cane poles have also been improved to be a two-piece rod for easier storage and transporting. A red and white bobber added to the line increases the entertainment as we wait for the bobber to disappear and the line to race through the water. Antique bamboo poles have a subcategory in the best fishing directory.

Spinning reels with accompanying rods are as much a favorite to some as General Motors are to some automobile owners. A classy open face reel that has a bail that initializes the casting of the line and lure. Spinning reels are less likely to have a backlash that ends in line tangles. The spinning rod and reel can be used on saltwater and fresh water. The fishing industry has also developed micro-spinning reels and rods for small fish and more action for the fisherman. Most of the hundreds of manufactures of reels have separate categories in a fishing directory.

Casting reels are the foundation of mechanized fishing reels. The reels have been designed as small as a thread spool to the huge size of a small basketball to accommodate deep-sea fishing behemoths of 1000-pound fish. The disadvantage is a casting reel has a tendency to tangle the line. This cuts down on fishing time and amount of fish caught. Some professional fishermen have mastered the casting reel preferring it to the spinner. Websites featuring parts for casting reels and professional repair shops list their sites in the best online fishing directory.

Tuna Fishing Tips to Catch More Tuna

Tuna is a great fish to catch especially in sport fishing or in one of your boating adventures with great buddies. Although it may be challenging to catch tuna, learning some tuna fishing tips and having a little patience will eventually help you in catching more tuna.

Here are some tuna fishing tips you might want to learn.

- Know where to find tuna in a particular season. During summer months, you may find them near the surface as they usually feed on bait fishes near the surface of the water. During colder months or in winter season, you can however find tuna on the deeper parts of the water.

- Keep in mind too that tuna bites better in low lighting, so it is best to go fishing late in the afternoon or early morning, although you can still have fun going fishing at any time of day.

- Trolling is a popular method of tuna fishing where one or more fishing lines with branch lines having baits is drawn at the rear of the boat. Aside from baits, you can also pick a lure that is effective in attracting tuna. Generally, the larger the lure, the larger the fish you can catch, but of course, it does not always follow. Try controlling your speed at 5 to 9 miles per hour when trolling for tuna and get better results.

- Another helpful tuna fishing tips in tuna fishing is to watch out for seabirds taking a dip or diving into the water and be watchful of signs of their presence. These areas may have groups of baitfish that can also attract groups of tuna. Schools of tuna will also create ripples in calm seas and may create dimple water in slightly rough seas, so take note of these little hints of their presence.

- If you are aiming for yellow fin tuna, keep in mind that they prefer warm waters although they can withstand cooler waters as well. If you want to find these types of tuna, go for deep sea fishing as they are often found in deep waters usually a hundred feet below.

- Another way on how to fish for tuna is chumming, where you can attach a chum in the stern of the boat and allow it to spread in the waters to attract baitfishes and tuna fishes itself. One important tip to keep in mind in chumming is not to overfeed the fishes but just to entice them with the chum. Try chumming the next time you go out tuna fishing and you will most likely enjoy a good catch after a day's adventure.

Catching a tuna - whether they are the large types of the small ones can be an exciting an exhilarating experience. Aside from remembering some tuna fishing tips you can use, keep in mind too that the tuna can be a fighter fish and you may need enough strength to control a tuna caught in your fishing line. The tuna can yank your line off the reel and it may take some time to put it on the boat, but when you successfully do, you will eventually feel the excitement of tuna fishing.