Spring on the Mississippi

SPRING ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER

My buddy, Paul Valle of Oakdale, Minnesota, had called me a couple of days earlier to see if I wanted to go fishing. “We’ll take my boat,” he tells me. It is mid-March and we will fish just below the dam on the Mississippi River, north of Red Wing, Minnesota. As far as I am concerned, the first time I am in a boat on open water is the beginning of spring. Although we both are old enough that we are drawing Social Security, we are as excited as boys as we motor to the dam. Paul confesses it has been a couple of years since he last had his boat out.

We have great enthusiasm for the day, but after several hours we have only one fish, a 19-inch walleye Paul caught. I don’t think I had had a strike. This could be discouraging, but it is spring now and we are fishing for the first time this year in a boat, so neither of us finds it even the least bit depressing. The opposite is true. It is good to be back on open water again and the weather is fairly tolerable. Paul and I have fished through some miserable weather, including an ice storm in the early days of the season. So, we are just enjoying the day and the weather, regardless if the fish are biting or not.

Suddenly, Paul pulls up on his spinning rod to set the hook. It is doubled over and line is coming off his reel. I bring in my line, dropping the rod to pick up the net. I wait as Paul fights the fish and then we finally see it in the murky water. It is a long shadow. I extend the net out as Paul leads the fish into it and I pull up on the net. A huge walleye sags into the mesh. It is 29 inches long and full of spawn. We guess the fish has to be ten pounds. Paul says it is the biggest walleye he has ever caught. I take a quick photo of it before Paul slides it back in the water. It is a heck of way to start the season.

In the middle of March, there are fishermen still fishing through the ice in northern Wisconsin. But not me. I am on the Mississippi River and it is the beginning of the first fishing season for me, lasting until the beginning of the bass and walleye season on the first Saturday in May.

I know many people are asking, “What about ice fishing?” I look at ice fishing as something to do between the end of the open water fishing on the Mississippi River in the fall until I can get back on open water in March. I used to be a big ice fisherman when I was younger, but now I only do two ice fishing trips each winter; one to Red Lake in northern Minnesota in the middle of January and the other to Lake of the Woods on the Minnesota Canadian border at the end of February. Essentially, winter for me is just waiting until I can get the boat back out on the river.

In early spring, the weather can be tough with snowstorms, ice and freezing temperatures. As spring progresses, the weather turns milder and is usually fairly comfortable by the time the regular fishing season starts. When fishing the Mississippi River early in the season, I dress like I am going ice fishing and over the years I have bought special clothing just for fishing the river early in the spring or late in the fall.

A week after my fishing trip with Paul, I wake to find two inches of snow on the ground, wet and slushy. I head back to the river with Dennis Virden, of Burnsville, Minnesota. When we get to the landing, I find slush had splashed up in the boat and was now frozen on the bow, trolling motor, windshield, console, tackle bag and outboard motor. As we motor upriver, we see a tree trunk sticking out of the water like a hand coming up, covered in snow. Snow clings to all the tree limbs and covers the ground. It is not nearly as cold as we expected, but still chilly with light winds.

I get the first sauger. Too small to keep, but a start nonetheless. The wind picks up and it feels colder. We move and try again. Nothing. Finally, we move closer to the bank where I find an eddy in about 28 feet of water. Shortly after we drop anchor I get another sauger. This one is a keeper and it goes into the livewell. I pick up two more sauger, but the fishing is slow in the snow.

Dennis yells he has a fish and then adds that it is a “big fish.” The fish races off, peeling line off the reel. The fish stops and Dennis tries to regain some line but the fish takes off again. This seesaw battle continues. I have the net ready. Dennis gets some line back and then the fish takes off again. The fish stays deep, making long, muscular runs. Finally, it gets closer and then we see a long, prehistoric looking silhouette in the stained water. It is a big sturgeon! It still takes awhile before Dennis gets the fish close to the boat for me to net it. I grab the net with both hands to pull it in the boat. We measure the fish before we take photos and release it. It is 41 inches long. We might not have caught many fish today, but the sturgeon sure makes up for it!

This spring is an anomaly. Normally, the river is high, many times overflowing banks and causing flooding. There have been a couple of years when the flooding was so bad the river was shut down to all boat traffic. Now the water is a bit higher than normal, but not nearly as high as we have seen in other years. The water is dirty from runoff with a strong current, as we expect in spring, but not anywhere near flooding. All that can change with late season blizzards or a couple days of steady rains, but for now the river seems unusually stable for spring.

Spring is a time of rebirth for the waters and land. Fish are spawning, providing another generation of fish. We see skies filling with birds. We hear yelping of snow geese and guttural honking of Canadian geese as they head north. We see strings of pelicans flying north as well. Eagles flock to the river.  They float on the current of the wind overhead, occasionally dropping into the river to grab a fish. We hear them chattering to each other in the trees and sometimes we see half a dozen or more eagles sitting majestic and regal in one tree. Their white heads and tail feathers contrast sharply against the barren trees and the dirty gray or bright blue skies.

In early April, Doug Hurd of Eagan, Minnesota and his grandson, Drake Castaneda, and I motored upriver to the dam. It was warm and sunny. Although the water was still a bit above normal, the current remained strong. We were fishing deeper water that day. It was tough to get our ¾ oz. jigs to the bottom without the current sweeping them away. We thought we had the anchor set.

We were fishing about twenty minutes when a gust of wind blew Drake’s hat off, riding the current downriver. As Doug pulled the anchor and I started the engine to race after his hat, Drake pulled up on his spinning rod and it was bouncing as a fish pulled back. Doug grabbed the net and a moment later netted a walleye. We measure it and it is too small to keep so we released it. We finally raced after Drake’s hat, scooping it out of the water.

We tried two or three times to get the anchor to hold but were unsuccessful. The anchor kept dragging. Finally, I pulled into a deep hole of about 25 feet of water only a couple of boat lengths from the rocky bank and the anchor finally held.  When it comes to walleye fishing, minor adjustments in bait color, depth, or boat position can mean a difference. We were hoping this would be the case in this spot since the boat was holding so well.

We had lunch and halfway through my sandwich I felt a strike. I dropped the sandwich as I set the hook. The fish put up a good fight but when I get it in the boat, I see it is a mooneye. A lot of folks consider them trash fish, but they put up a good fight and are fun to catch. Shortly thereafter, Drake caught a white bass. It seemed a little early to see white bass. A few minutes later, I get a sharp hit and when setting the hook, it feels like a good fish. Drake scrambles for the net while I get the fish in. It turns out to be 17-inch walleye. I checked to see if it is female and if it was I would release it since she would be full of spawn, but it is a male and goes into the livewell. By the end of the day, our faces are red from the sun and wind but we caught about two dozen fish, keeping seven, two walleyes and five sauger.

Although there are several areas on the Mississippi River north of Red Wing, Minnesota to fish, I normally fish just below the lock and dam several miles north of Red Wing. The lock is on the Minnesota side of the river and the dam is on the Wisconsin side of the river. Between the lock and the dam there is a rocky island. I do not know if the island was always there, or if perhaps the island was man-made while building the dam. I fish the dam side of the river. The current draws fish, but can have its drawbacks if it is too strong to either anchor your boat or get your bait to the bottom. If the current is too strong on the dam side, then I move to the lock side where the current is much slower. However, the fishing is also much slower on the lock side.

The secret to walleye fishing, no matter where you fish, but certainly on the Mississippi River, is to find what depth the fish are at. Since they hug the bottom, it’s important to get and keep your bait there. With the heavy current and high waters usually found in the spring, keeping your bait on the bottom can be a challenge. Many times, where the current is at its strongest, you seldom find bait fish. They just can’t withstand the current. Over the years, I find fishing close to shore works well. The current is not nearly as strong as in the middle of the river, so bait fish will be found there, which attracts bigger fish. It is also easier for our baits to maintain contact with bottom.

The weathermen on television said to expect rain and a couple of days later as I pulled out of my driveway with Doug and Scott Clark, of Hudson, Wisconsin, a light drizzle of rain splattered on the windshield. Motoring upriver to the dam, we anchored in 25 feet of water, about three boat lengths from the rocky bank. Temperatures were in the low 50s and the rain we expected had blown out, leaving light gray clouds, laced with blue skies. Strong winds made it seem colder than it actually was.

It didn’t take long to get the first strike. It was a small walleye that we released. Finally, I felt a harder tap on my line and when setting the hook, felt greater resistance. I pulled in a keeper sauger, which went into the livewell. From there we steadily got strikes.

It was early afternoon when Doug pulled up on his spinning rod and it was bent in half as a fish raced off. Scott dropped his spinning rod to grab the net and a couple of moments later Doug led an 18-inch sauger into the net. It was the biggest fish of the day. Doug reached in, grabbed the fish and pulled it out, but as he did so, we saw it oozing spawn. Doug twisted the hook out, slipping the fish back into the water.

Bigger fish full of spawn, like the one Doug caught, are the future of fishing. They need to be released. There are enough smaller fish to keep for eating. Let the breeders live to eventually replenish the fish we keep today. By the end of the day, we caught about half a dozen bigger fish, all full of spawn, which we released.

Late afternoon I felt a hard hit on my bait, and when I set the hook, I felt a solid weight as the fish took off. I turned the fish, but it kept pulling away, line slicing through the water as it darted off. It felt like a good fish and I yelled for the net. Scott grabbed the net about the time I saw the fish. The flat profile and silvery color identified it as a white bass and I told Scott I guess I didn’t need the net after all. As he dropped the net, he felt a tap and set the hook on a fish as it too raced away. By the time I hoisted my fish into the boat, Doug was netting Scott’s fish, a keeper sauger.

Another hour later we headed back to the landing. We had 11 fish in the livewell, and with the smaller fish, white bass and the bigger breeding stock, we guessed we released and caught over fifty fish.

There are any number of baits which work well for spring walleye fishing. Probably the most popular is simply a jig with a minnow. I use heavy jigs, normally at least ¾ oz. or sometimes a full ounce, so I can get the bait to the bottom. Color is simple. Anything with chartreuse works well. If that color doesn’t work, then I switch to gold. One of those two will always work.

My favorite bait for river fishing is a modification of the old Wolf River Rig. Tied on to a 3-way swivel, I have a foot long leader tied to a heavy jig and another foot and a half long leader tied to a plain hook with three chartreuse beads. Again, chartreuse is the key color.

Especially in the spring when the current can make it tough to fish, another productive bait is a simple bait rig. I use a 3-foot long leader with either a single hook and three chartreuse beads or a Gum-Drop floating jig by Northland. The leader is attached to a swivel. On the swivel, I attach a bell shaped sinker. Generally, I use this rig when my 1 oz. jig isn’t getting to the bottom. I start with a 1½ oz. to 1¾ oz. sinker. If the rig is still not getting to the bottom, then I add more weight. Once I get to three ounces, I stop and find a different place to fish, because that means the current is too strong for either bait fish or game fish to hold in such fast water.

It was late April and the regular fishing season was less than a week away. Scott called, asking if I would be interested in going fishing tomorrow. I told him I didn’t think so since I had some stories for Badger Sportsman to work on. After I hang up, my wife Becky said, “Go fishing. The weather is suppose to be beautiful, can’t you get your stories done later?” I thought about it for a moment, and she was right. I had a chance to go fishing, so why not take it. I called Scott back telling him he is a bad influence on my work ethic and I can go fishing. Scott laughed, telling me he will see me in the morning.

There are light blue skies with no clouds and almost no wind. There are not many fishermen on the water today. As we motor up to the dam, I see two bald eagles perched side by side on a branch. It makes me think of a husband and wife sitting together. We drop anchor and in the next half an hour we catch five different fish; a sheepshead, white bass, walleye, sauger and a mooneye.

We catch a lot of sheepshead, putting up a good fight, which is what fishing is all about anyway. I catch a white bass, which is one of the bigger ones I’ve seen. It was at least three pounds. We pick up the anchor and drift with jigs and minnows, catching a couple of fish. We work back along the bank, flipping blade spoons toward the shore. We are hoping to find white bass. They should be here this time of year, but we haven’t seen them yet in the numbers we normally expect. I flip my spoon against the rocky bank and about halfway back get a solid strike. The fish is fighting hard and I wonder what I have. As I get it closer, I see it is a 3-pound largemouth bass. The first of the year. It felt good to catch it and as I release it, I hope it is a good omen for the bass season starting soon. We go back to our original spot and anchor again.

We are almost out of minnows by the time we head back to the landing. We again caught about 50 fish. It has been a good day of fishing and my last day on the river for spring. In another five days, the bass season opens. It has been good fishing, with lots of great fishing buddies and fun times this early season. A new fishing season awaits me. I am looking forward to it, but I will be back on the Mississippi River in late fall for the last open water fishing of the year.

 

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Florence County Wisconsin

Florence County

Escape and explore outdoors with family and friends this winter

By: Wendy Gehlhoff

Looking for outdoor winter adventures or a cozy spot to come in from the cold and enjoy great food and great times with friends and family?  Look no further than Florence County, located in northeastern Wisconsin on the border of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Florence County has a population of only 4,500 and 195,193 acres of land under public ownership.  That means over 60% of county land is available to the public giving you endless possibilities for your adventure into the outdoors. With 28 locally-owned restaurants and family-friendly taverns, there is a wide range of food and atmospheres to choose from when you want to relax and refuel after your excitement outdoors.  

If you haven’t heard of Florence County, it may be because it’s so small; after all, there are no stop lights in the whole county.  Perhaps it’s because it isn’t on the main north-south highway routes.  No matter what the reason, now you know about Florence County and it’s time to explore this fantastic place with its friendly people and natural beauty.

Here is just a sampling of activities and events this winter:

Ice Fishing:  With 265 lakes and four major rivers, there are many places to fish.  Ice fishing up north is a social activity aimed at curing cabin fever as well as catching some fish to eat.  The most social form of this activity happens at ice fishing derbies.  For a small entry fee, participants have the chance to win prizes while having fun with family and friends and meeting many new acquaintances.

The Roadhouse 139 Ice Fishing Derby on Long Lake is February 4^th this year.  Long Lake is known for nice northern pike and panfish.  Leff’s Sports Bar is hosting their 6^th Annual Ice Fishing Derby on February 11. This derby allows fishermen to fish on Lake Emily or Keyes Lake.  The Homestead and Aurora Conservation Club sponsor the Pete “Toad” Church Memorial Ice Fishing Derby generally in January, but depending on ice conditions, it has been postponed some years.  Check out the ExploreFlorenceCounty.com events tab for the latest information.  This event is held on the Pine River Flowage known as an excellent smallmouth bass fishery.

Tip-up fishing for northern pike is a relaxing family activity.  Northern pike feed actively throughout the daylight hours, so you don’t have to brave the dark and cold.  And once you get your tip-ups set, you can sit back and watch them, or throw a football, play a game of badminton or snow-golf on the ice.  The best lakes in Florence County to catch northern pike through the ice are; Patten Lake, Twin Falls Flowage, Fay Lake, Seidel Lake and Sea Lion Lake.  If you are looking for a trophy pike, give Lake Ellwood or the Brule River Flowage a try.  There aren’t as many fish per acre in these two lakes, but the fish there are monsters.

If you are looking to jig for panfish, the better waters are the Spread Eagle Chain of Lakes, Sea Lion Lake, Twin Falls Flowage and Halsey Lake.  Or if you prefer walleye, Patten Lake and the Brule River Flowage are the hot spots through the ice.  So call ahead to make sure the ice is thick enough and then pack up your ice fishing gear, shanty or bucket and come join the fun.

Snowmobiles and ATV/UTVs:  Winter is a great time to enjoy rolling hills, miles of rivers and streams, tall pine and hardwood forests as you travel Florence County’s 160 miles of ATV and 180 miles of groomed snowmobile trails.  Many town roads are also open for snowmobile/ATV/UTV access to local businesses.  While traveling the trails, stop for a breathtaking winter picture at a scenic overlook or beautiful frozen waterfall.  ATV enthusiasts can also go off trail through sand dunes and mud at the 17-acre ATV park east of Florence just off Trail 2.  Trail passes and any required registrations are sold at the visitor center on the corner of US 2 and Hwy 70.  The visitor center is located on one of the main ATV/snowmobile trails and offers parking for those wishing to drop their trailers and go.

Florence County trails are known to be the best-groomed trails in the region thanks to the Blue Ox Trail Riders; the local ATV/UTV/Snowmobile club.  The club maintains the trails in Florence County and works hand-in-hand with Florence County, State of Wisconsin, Federal government and private landowners to assure continued availability of the trail system.  The members of the club are all unpaid volunteers and are responsible for grooming, brushing, signing and re-routes as well as all maintenance on the grooming equipment. The club owns and operates four groomers which maintain all of the snowmobile trails in Florence County. There are four trail coordinators that set up their own grooming schedules; so please ride safely and watch out for the groomers.  About 50% of the trail system in Florence County crosses private landowner property. Please respect their property and stay on the trail.  Visit BlueOxTrailRiders.org for more events, trail rides and other information.  Or why not donate $20 to become a single or family club member and support the club’s efforts.

Keyes Peak Hill Climb and Hill Cross:  Snowmobile enthusiasts should mark their calendars for February 11^thand 12^th when the MASTERS Circuit (Mid-America Snow and Terrain Expert Racers) will host the Wisconsin State Championship Snowmobile event at Keyes Peak on Hwy 101.  Saturday, February 11th features the Keyes Peak Snowmobile Hill Climb event.  Multiple divisions covering a variety of snowmobile sizes and styles will be running throughout the day.  The course travels through turns up the triple-X chute on the ski hill.  Until you watch them, you’d bet big money that nothing could climb this hill.  The Hill Cross event follows on Sunday February 12^th.  Viewers will be thrilled watching racers compete against each other on a course of man-made jumps.  A weekend pass costs $10 and kids under 12 get in free.  Gates open at 9 am with competition starting at 10am on both days. Concessions are available in the Keyes Peak Ski Lodge. Proceeds go to the Keyes Peak Ski Hill Committee to improve the hill.  For more info call 906-884-9101 or visit www.MastersRacing.net.

Keyes Peak Winter Recreation Area:   Keyes Peak Ski Hill is open Friday through Sunday and other non-school days.  It offers six downhill ski runs for beginners to experts plus rails and jumps for snowboarders.  New to the hill this year is an extreme skiing triple-X cut-out-run.  Keyes Peak also boasts one of the longest vertical drop tubing runs in the state.  For younger kids or those less adventurous, a beginner’s snow tubing run is located next to the bunny hill.  Keyes Peak is owned and operated by the county so the prices are a great value.  A single season pass is $100 and a family season pass is only $150.  Daily lift tickets range from $8-$12.  Rental equipment is available for a small fee too.

If downhill skiing or tubing isn’t what you are looking for, try snowshoeing the Chickadee Snowshoe trails that start and end near the ski lodge.  The packed trails are suitable for all snowshoe types.  This 2-mile signed trail system winds through tall pines and mixed hardwoods on a gently rolling terrain.  Or make your own route on the many acres of public land adjacent to the ski hill.

The gorgeous Keyes Peak Ski Lodge is constructed from large pine logs harvested from the property.  It offers games and concessions for visitors to warm up and fuel up before their next run.  The lodge is also available to rent for parties and weddings from April-November.  It features a full kitchen, hardwood dance floor, air conditioning and a new outdoor playground set to keep kids entertained.  For more information, contact Florence County Forestry and Parks at 715-528-3207 or during season the lodge number is 715-528-3228.

Family Winter Events at Keyes Peak:

Mike Roberts Memorial Ski Race and Lessons:  On Saturday, January 28 coaches from the Granite Peak Ski Team out of Wausau, WI are offering a ski instruction and ski racing day at Keyes Peak for kids ages 6-17 for only $10 per child.  This fee includes lessons, lift ticket and ski rentals and maxes out at $20 per family.  Thanks to the generous donation of time by these professional ski coaches, this event is the most affordable opportunity to expose your family to the joys of downhill skiing.  From9am until 11:30am coaches guide students in small groups through proper skiing techniques on the slopes. Then from 12:30 until 3pm these students have the option of taking several timed runs through a NASTAR type ski racing course where they will receive times that could qualify them for other racing events. All participants receive a medal and awards are given to the top three male and female finishers in many age categories.  All proceeds go to the Keyes Peak Ski Hill Committee to continue funding this great facility.

Keyes Peak Winterfest:  On Saturday, March 4th enjoy the last days of winter at Keyes Peak.  For only $15/person you and your family and friends can enjoy a whole day of skiing, snowboarding, tubing, snowshoeing and games. The price includes a lift ticket, rental equipment and the chance to take part in many fun activities. The event starts at 11:00 am and the lift ticket is good until the hill closing at 9:00 pm. This is a great family value and is often a warm, sunny day.  Activities include snow carving, snowshoe potato races, human bowling and guided snowshoe hikes on the Chickadee Snowshoe trails.  Make sure to try the fastest tube run in the region.  Helmets are provided.

Keyes Peak Recreational area is not only known for winter recreation.  There is a beach and boat landing on Keyes Lake with a pavilion for family picnics.  It is also home to a 12-hole disc golf course cut into the forest adjacent to the ski runs.  The #7 hole has a spectacular view teeing off from the top of Keyes Peak.  Or you can drive, hike, bike, ATV or snowmobile to the top of Keyes Peak for gorgeous sunsets any time of the year.  The most impressive view is in the fall when the blazing reds, oranges and yellows of Florence County hardwood forests cover the horizon.  Keyes Peak Recreation Area is located on State Highway 101 approximately four miles south of Florence.

Cross Country Ski Trails:  Another silent sport to try is cross country skiing.  Florence County offers three groomed cross country ski trails traveling through scenic forests and terrain.  The medium difficulty 2.5-mile Lake Emily trail is located just south of Keyes Peak Ski Hill on County Highway D.  The more difficult 9-mile Lauterman Lake trail is on Hwy 70 just eight miles west of Florence.  And the relatively flat 7-mile Hall’s Creek Trail is on LaSalle Falls Road north of County Highway C.  The Friends of the Wild Rivers and the US Forest Service host an annual Chili Ski-In event on Saturday, February 4^th.  Attendees to this event from 10am-2pm can ski, snowshoe or hike the short distance into the pavilion to enjoy free chili, hot dogs, hot chocolate, coffee and cookies.  

Winter Waterfalls:  If you love to take photos or need a destination for an adventure, why not snowshoe or ski into one of Florence County’s seven waterfalls on the Pine and Popple Wild Rivers.  These two rivers were designated as official Wild Rivers by the state back in 1965 and thus have remained undeveloped.  The geologically diverse rocky bluffs, evergreens and mixed hardwoods surrounding the rivers make for gorgeous waterfall pictures year round.  Winter can be especially breathtaking due to the frozen ice on the edges of the falls and the wind-whipped snow ridges and hollows.   The Wisconsin Wild Rivers logo signs will guide you to the waterfalls located off Hwy 70, Hwy 101, County Road C and County Road N.  The largest continuous falls is 22-foot LaSalle Falls on County Road C.  The 1-mile hike in is a great workout on snowshoes or cross country skis.

28 Restaurants and Family Friendly Taverns:

Florence County is known for its family friendly bar and grills, casual Northwoods supper clubs and even fine dining that’s affordable and intimate in an elegantly restored early 1900s home.  After a day outdoors, whether ice fishing, snowshoeing to a waterfall or riding the freshly groomed trails on your snowmobile, you can warm up, quench your thirst and enjoy warm hearty food with your travel companions.  If you strike up a conversation, you’ll likely meet some new northern Wisconsin friends during your stay too.  More detailed information about these businesses can be found in the Dining Guide at ExploreFlorenceCounty.com.

Florence County is located on US 2 east of Eagle River and west of Iron Mountain, Michigan. The county’s largest township, Florence, is the county seat and home to the visitor center at the corner of US 2 and Hwy 70. Visit ExploreFlorenceCounty.com  to view a recreation guide, lodging guide and dining guide as well as maps and brochures.   Materials are also available via mail delivery by clicking on the “Contact Us” page to submit a request.

Florence County might be small, but it is loaded with opportunity to escape the crowds and explore the great outdoors, while renewing your spirit and making new friends.  So why not escape, explore and renew in Florence County this winter? Plan your trip at ExploreFlorenceCounty.com or call the visitor center at 888-889-0049.

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Weekly Morning Trail Mix 2-19

Trail Mix

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Picking the Right Fish Locator

If You’re Looking For Electronics, It’s All About Visibility

By Gary Parsons and Keith Kavajecz

Winter has arrived, but spring will be here quicker than you think! If you are like us, when you’re not on the ice chasing walleyes, you are using this time to spool new line on your reels, reorganize tackle, and sort out all of the odds and ends that somehow made their way into the glove box of the boat over the summer!

The off-season also means it might be time to check out electronics options for anyone buying a new boat or anyone who is looking to upgrade their current sonar and or GPS unit.

When we first started fishing for walleye, our sonar was the “Green Box” and our “GPS” was using our eyes to triangulate a tree, a silo and a house to put our boat in the general area that we wanted to be. We marked “waypoints” by throwing out a marker buoy once we found a school of fish or a piece of structure.

We’ve come a long way since then, as advances in electronics have created efficiencies in locating fish and finding a spot on a spot. However, there are some very basic considerations to factor in when you are selecting a new unit 

Key sonar features

The first is having a color screen. Most electronics now come with color screens that show the bottom in yellow with a thin blue line. You can change these colors by selecting a different “pallete,” but for this article we will talk about the colors that show up on the default pallete for a Lowrance unit.

A strong sonar echo (hard bottom) shows up as a wide bright yellow area, while a softer echo (mud) will show up with red or blue intermixed in the yellow. The colors make it easier for you to distinguish fish from structure and the bottom. Often a walleye tight on the bottom will show up as a yellow bump, but just below the bump will be a thin red line showing separation – that’s a fish! On non-color units, it is hard to tell the difference between various shades of gray that represent the fish, structure and bottom.

Next, your unit should run with minimal adjustments straight out of the box. The bottom of the screen should be bright yellow and the blue line representing the bottom should be crisp. Bigger fish should show up as arcs surrounded by red with a yellow middle. If this is not the case, turn up the sensitivity to show a little bit of clutter in the water column. This should make the yellow appear sharper.

Finally, it is important to have a good chart scroll speed and ping speed. The faster the chart scrolls, the more pixels are turned on as the fish passes through the cone, giving you more detail about what’s happening below the water. This speed will also let you search faster but still show you the clues to tell you fish are present.

Key GPS features

Most units have the GPS built right in. In addition to saving waypoints, the GPS can help you follow contours to find fish that are relating to breaks and humps. While some units come with preloaded maps, you can also purchase a chip containing maps to insert into your electronics. For many lakes, these maps will help find great areas before you even get on the water. Look for sharp breaks close to deep water, feeding shelves and even expansive mud flats in the 20 to 30 foot range.

One reason to consider a higher end unit is that the computer processor inside the unit will update these complex maps on your screen much quicker. Plus if you want to scroll to different areas of the lake, the faster units will more quickly draw all the mapping contours.

One feature that is becoming more prevalent is the ability to control an electric trolling motor from the fish finder. The GPS functions on the Lowrance HDS integrate with the Motorguide Xi5 bow mount trolling motor. What does that mean to an angler? One example is for you to locate a piece of structure from the unit on your console that looks fishy – maybe a windblown point. With the Motorguide Gateway, you can move the GPS cursor just upwind of the spot then press a few buttons and tell the Xi5 to “Anchor at Cursor.” If the approximate positioning was not just right, you can also use arrows on the HDS unit to jog the trolling motor to just the right position.

Does size matter?

So how do you decide what size unit is right for you? That depends on your needs and your budget. The price of the unit within each series is dependent on the size of the screen and the processor needed to drive that screen. The transducer, sonar technology, and GPS technology are all similar from model to model.

If your unit is being used strictly for ice fishing, a Lowrance Elite 5 is a good choice because you only need to view one screen at a time. While you are jigging you can watch the sonar screen and when you decide to travel to another spot you can switch over to the GPS screen.

If you are putting a unit on the console of your boat to use while you are searching for fish, you will want to choose an Elite 7 or 9 or a Lowrance HDS 7 or HDS 9. This will allow you to run a split screen showing both the sonar and GPS at the same time.

You will need to go to a bigger unit if you want to be able to see multiple views of what is under the water by watching several windows on the screen at the same time. Some of these views might include GPS, conventional sonar, SideScan, DownScan, 3D StructureScan and one window might even have controls for the Xi5 Motorguide bow mount trolling motor. This requires a minimum of an HDS 9 or HDS 12. The option we use is to mount two units on the console – just so we can see all the data at a glance.

You also have to take into consideration how far away you will be from the electronics in your boat and how much you need to see from a distance. Are you usually at the console while trolling? Can you see the detail you are looking for when you are by the transom?

The second area on a boat that needs a unit is the bow. We recommend a minimum of an Elite 7 or HDS 7 (if you just want to split the screen with conventional sonar and GPS), all the way up to an HDS 12 (if you want to have more windows showing more data). Remember, it is all about visibility!

Once you have found the electronics that are right fit for your needs, take some time to view videos on the internet, read articles and talk to various pros at sport shows to learn more about how they use different features on their GPS and sonar in different situations. Before you know it, the ice will be breaking up, the ramps will be open and you will be prepared to find your Next Bite!

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Sawtooth Outdoor Products- Peep It

Check out Bowhunting.com’s ATA Show video on the Sawtooth Outdoor Products- Peep It! No need for serving just separate, line up the peep and shoot!

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Weekly Morning Trail Mix 2-5

Trail Mix

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An Underwater Camera You Say?    

By: Kyle Sorensen

With the temperatures dropping and the white stuff starting to fall, my blood gets pumping as I know the ice is sure to follow. We as anglers, go into anticipation mode. Getting the gear ready, checking the local bays and ponds for the first glimpse of ice, getting the gear ready, maybe making a new purchase (because it was on sale of course), getting the gear ready… getting my hint? 

The icefishing industry has been overloaded with a smorgasbord of various tools, gadgets and toys. Is this bad? Absolutely not, as long as you don’t overdo yourself and you know when, and how, to use your equipment. We could look into various pieces of equipment but with early ice season upon us, I want to cover some basic pros and cons of the ever talked about: underwater camera.

Do I Need One?

I am not going to tell you that you do but I am not going to tell you that you don’t. The choice is yours. After all, you are the one spending your hard earned money. The fact of the matter is, however, that any piece of equipment that helps you catch more fish than before is valuable, period. When I look into the positives of utilizing a camera, three main areas come to mind.

Species Identification

You might be already using a flasher/sonar unit. If you are, great! We have been there when you mark a fish but just can’t get a bite. You wonder what it is but you cannot say for sure. Yes, if experienced, you can make a very educated guess but I still come to find myself surprised once in a while. One incident of my error can be seen in the picture on the LEFT. I had a large mark show up on my flasher that appeared and disappeared, sometimes, very quickly. You might guess a curious ‘eye taking a pull or two at my lure; I did. To my surprise my walleye had turned into a northern pike.

This is a prime example of what a camera can be used for. What are those marks? Drop the camera down and find out for sure. Curious if the weed bed you are fishing holds gills? Look at the color intensity of the weeds and identify them. You can tell if they are emitting the oxygen which in turn can hold active fish. The options are endless.

If you have a flasher/sonar unit and are still learning it or you want to learn more about it, I would highly recommend you spend the extra time and utilize a camera and a flasher/sonar at the same time. You will begin to gather valuable knowledge of how different species act and react to your lure and what it looks like from the flasher/sonar standpoint. This is how I learned my flasher. Since doing so, I built the confidence up to “go it alone” and to keep the camera dry.

Presentation

A huge benefit of a camera system lies within this category. I use a term called presentation refining. The best mental picture I can give you would surround pan fishing. We have all seen how quickly a bay can fill with anglers on early ice. The obvious assumption can be this. When the fishing pressure hits, one can conclude that the vast majority of anglers are using a similar type of lure and bait. Does a teardrop with a waxie or spike sound familiar? This means that besides your location, the presentation you offer must be the one that works!

When I first made the leap and purchased my first underwater camera, I took it out as soon as the conditions allowed. I quickly learned what worked and what didn’t. I started by trying out various jigging presentations from hard erratic motions to barely “buzzing” the bait. I found some techniques to be unattractive and some techniques that offered almost a sure-fire hookup (notice on how I said almost). These principles can be transferred over to your lure selection. It is all trial and error but just make sure to learn by the successes and fails. You will indeed pick up pointers no matter which species you are targeting.

Stay Entertained

Let’s face it. We live in a society in which a lot of us have a low attention span. With this being said, I am one to be thrown into the vast majority. However, I have caught myself endlessly staring into the little screen of my camera unit. There is something about being able to actually see the fish on the screen and ultimately being able to pull it through that little hole in the ice. If a camera can keep my attention, just imagine how engaged a child would be? This will usually help with the “Daddy, I’m bored” moments and you would be surprised how many less “Daddy, I’m cold” statements you will hear.

This sounds great but?

I will tell you one thing; it’s hard to steer away from a camera once you have used one. Do I have one (a few) still? Of course I do and I use them when I need to. Two major areas of setbacks I have encountered are summed up in the following categories.

Mobility and the Hassle

Give me a good layer of ice and I’m out searching for walleyes on the vast waters of Lake Winnebago. I pack light (the bare essentials) and become very mobile. My shelter is pulled by my snowmobile and I move on a routine basis usually putting many miles on a day or until I find action. Moving as much as I do, frankly, means work. I like to minimize my travel time which involves less setup and takedown. Let’s face it, setting up a camera can take a little bit of time (especially when the camera head does not want to face that right spot it needs to). In retrospect, packing up the camera can sometimes burn too much time as well.

The Camera Appeal

Anyone who has a camera knows what I speak of when I say, “You can depend on the camera too much.” Whether you are waiting for the fish to get the hook perfectly in its mouth before setting the hook, or you tend to see yourself not presenting the correct presentation of your lure because it will be off the screen, you will know you are relying on the camera too much. Some have said that using a camera can scare fish away. This is probably one of the most talked about subjects when it comes to underwater camera usage. Does it? Maybe, but I know I have caught a variety of species while the camera is a foot from their bodies. I will say for sure, based upon my personal experiences on the Lake Winnebago System, my walleye catches seem to diminish while only using a camera. Maybe it could be that walleyes somehow feel uneasy with the 15ft cord and camera head hanging next to their meal? If I had to take a guess, I would say the following. Walleyes on this system, frequently, comethrough at a wide range of depths, so if your camera is close to the bottom, you are losing out on the rest of the water column. As I previously stated, I am very mobile. I think the more time I am burning by setting up, adjusting and taking down the camera means I am losing valuable time icing fish. Whether this holds true or whether the fish are just plain scared of the camera, I do not know for sure. I go by my statistics and they tell me no dependent camera usage while I am in search of walleyes.

Let me put this all together.

In all simplicity I will say this. I now mainly only utilize a flasher. However, due to a new advancement in underwater viewing systems I now carry a complete camera unit in my pocket. The mobility is unmatched for those questionable moments when you are unsure of weeds, structure, or species. If I am fishing gills in shallow water, I love utilizing a camera. If I am on the hunt for ‘ol marble eyes, I am flasher fixed. The question of whether or not you need a camera or to utilize your camera all depends on factors surrounding your style of fishing. The great thing about this industry is that we have a lot of choices in products from a variety of manufactures. Do your research, test a store model and see for yourself if an underwater camera is right for you.

Tight lines, Stay Dry.

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