Weekly Morning Trail Mix

Trail Mix

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WILD GAME RECIPE OF THE WEEK!

BBQ SMOKED TURKEY WINGS

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE VERSION 

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Spin-n-Glo’s: Invading the Midwest for Walleye 

By Captain Pat Kalmerton 

When fishing the Midwest for walleye there is always a “must have” in every angler’s arsenal.  However, those “must haves” are changing ever so rapidly it is hard to keep up with what is new on the market yet actually works. Sometimes there are those hidden jewels that have been around for years that maybe couldn’t be found in your area, therefore, you would have no idea what they are or if they work.  

I am co-owner of a business, out of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, named Wolf Pack Adventures. We guide salmon fishing charters on Lake Michigan, walleye fishing charters on Lake Winnebago, as well as the Bay of Green Bay, up into the tip of Sturgeon Bay and travel all over the United States chasing the elusive walleye. When your means of survival and putting food on the table for your family depends on putting fish in the boat, we are always looking for the next “must have” lure or technique.  

A few years ago, while I was packing and doing research on Lake Winnebago for a walleye tournament, I was studying the lake maps provided on Lake-Link and reading forums. I ran across a person talking about a lure that had wings that spun at the slowest speeds and did not drop into the rocks, due to its floating body. He was crushing fish on this lure as the bottom walker was dragging through the rocks. He could run these on his extra rods while jigging rock piles.  

This intrigued me to the point that it became an obsession. I was going to find these come, “hell or high water.” The more I talked about them, the more people became intrigued as well. What in the world are these things called? I got on the Lake-Link forum and found out who was talking about them and messaged him. He sent me pictures, told me they were called Spin-n-Glo’s, but I still could not find them. That tournament was over, and then I was doing my research on the Bay of Green Bay for the next upcoming tournament and, again, here is a person talking about these Spin-n-Glo’s.  

BINGO!!! SPIN-N-GLO BY YAKIMA BAIT COMPANY! This is a company from Yakima, Washington that has been around forever. This is a lure people have been crushing fish on out west for years but it just has not come across the plains due to tight lipped secrets. LET THE SECRET BE KNOWN…. THESE THINGS WORK! Spin-n-Glo’s come in bulk bodies and then can be rigged however you wish, or can be purchased pre-rigged with the Bottom Walker or Rufus Special, a blade combo spinner with a tandem hook design, in a variety of colors and sizes. 

I ordered a bunch and started playing. To no surprise, I started catching more money fish, and here is why. When trolling any weeds or rocks, and using bladed meat rigs, you need to be trolling fast enough so that the blade creates enough tension or drag to keep from falling to the bottom and getting gunked up by weeds or hanging up on rocks. With the Spin-n-Glo I can be completely stopped, if I wish, and have no worries. This bait floats, keeping your bait up and off the bottom at all times.  Not only that, but it spins so freely. Let’s say I want to jig an area or rip cast…. this bait can be drug behind also fishing by using a Bottom Walker with desired lead, and your set.  

It runs differently though. When first trying these Spin-n-Glo’s, I used my average lead lengths and it wasn’t as productive as I would have liked. Here is why…. it floats. I shortened my lead to keep my bait in the magic striking area and caught more fish. When running lead core, shorten your lead because your Spin-n-Glo’s will ride up on you.  

 

Do yourself a favor, if you are fishing the Midwest and put some of these in your boat, or better yet, in the water….you will not be disappointed! 

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The Loop Knot

Do you know your knots? Check out the loop knot and catch more fish!

 

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Grillin’ Time

By: Mad Dog

Merrill and I have been grilling as a team for 33 years now. We have seen, heard and grilled it all! We have seen many changes in the grilling industry and the way meats are harvested. Let’s go back to 1952 when gloriously colored, 22 ½ inch charcoal grills hit the scene. That’s how it all started. Three layers of coals, a full can of lighter fluid and the CAVE MAN’S HOTTEST HEAT MACHO MAN GRILLER WAS BORN!   (Better known as carcinogen man).

He was ready to take on the most delicate duck breasts and lean medallions of venison. Then charcoal grillers quickly learned about low and slow to save their meal and their marriage. Next, we started banking two piles of coals on the bottom grate, let them get good and gray and placed a large bear roast, whole duck, wild turkey or a large slab of salmon above in the center. Put the hood down and the world had a convection oven. Turkeys and roasts in 12-18 minutes a pound, whole fish in minutes are tender and juicy – it was a wonderful world!

In the late 70’s and early 80’s, the gas grill companies tried their best. They had S burners, H burners and single burners. Grillers understood the value of fast, easy and economical gas grilling, but the wheel had to be reinvented. Cheap burners, lava rock and grease fires, not to mention the number of strap backs, large tenderloins of venison, salmon fillets and whole ducks burnt to a crisp, crunchy, blackened *#@!# mistake!   Thanks goodness by mid to late 80s the gas grill companies got rid of the H, S, and single burners. They created 3, 4 and 5 burner gas grills with the ability to grill indirect using convection style cooking as mentioned earlier with the charcoal cooking. Wild turkeys, whole pheasants, roasts of bear and venison grilled low and slow in the gas grill. I just want to mention, you 2-burner gas grill owners…you’re okay. You can brown venison, steaks, salmon and pheasant breasts on one side where there is heat, move to the side with no heat, put the hood down and relax. With whole fish, wild turkeys and wild game roasts, you can also shift to the side without heat, lower the hood and relax. 80% of our grilling is done that way. Brown the meat to get the grill flavor and then move the meat over to where there is no heat. Did I mention please get an 8 ½ x 11 inch aluminum pan and place under the top grate on the side where there isn’t heat?   Fill it halfway with water and it will evaporate to add moisture back in to your cooking. To go a step further, white wine, red wine, beer, apple or orange juice, diced onions, garlic and bay leaves can be added to that drip pan instead. Oh man! You just became a GRILLOLOGIST!

Do you remember the good ol’ days when you used to buy a rib eye steak and it was 50% fat? We were in heaven! Now there is a conspiracy out there! The pork, beef, lamb and poultry association, they’re all trying to make us meaner, leaner, fighting (or in this case hunting) machines! I have to do is take one look at Merrill and see it’s working …NOT!   You harvesters of wild game and fisher people, your cuts of meat are as lean as any on this planet. Thus, special care needs to be taken to both prep the meat and the grill. First rule of thumb, if you put meat on the grill dry it comes off the grill dry (almost as dry as Merrill’s humor). 100% of wild game and fish need a light coating of oil (85% of all cuts of meat). When you lightly coat wild game and fish with oil before grilling, they brown up beautifully, hold their natural juices and flavors as well as the griller introduced flavors of marinates and rubs. This also keeps them from sticking on the grates of the grill.

Salmon, trout, and walleye fillets all can be grilled. Scale, leave the skin on, brush with oil, season as desired, preheat grill on high, turn down to medium heat and place fillets, skin side down, directly on the grates of the grill and lower the hood. Large slabs of salmon and trout are done in about 15 minutes. The fillets bead white on top, which is the natural juices being pushed upward as the fillet cooks. At that point, the fish should be firm to the touch and done. If you cut your fish into 2 inch steaks with the bone in, set grill to medium and use direct heat. Next, oil the steaks, season and brown 1 to 2 minutes per side. Move them over to the side of the grill with no heat. Put the hood down and treat them like little roasts. Grill indirect for about 12 – 20 more minutes. Whole fish are wonderful on the grill too! Squeeze fresh lemon in the cavity and around the whole fish. Oil the fish inside and out and season well. Set the grill for indirect heat and place fish on the grill on the side where there is no heat. Put the hood down. Average size whole walleye need about 40 minutes of total cooking time. After the first 20 minutes, work a spatula under the fish and gently turn over. Grill for another 20 minutes.

If you want to grill whole wild turkey, duck or pheasant, season, add a little onion, garlic and basil in the cavity and grill indirect 12-18 minutes per pound. Tent the bird the last half hour to keep the moisture in.

A quick little lesson on venison: Sirloin tip, bottom round, and top round roasts all need to be oiled and seasoned well. I like to oil the roast and rub it with jarred garlic, dried basil, rosemary and a little seasoning salt. Grill using indirect heat, 18 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer for desired doneness. For venison steaks, oil, season and grill over medium direct heat until desired doneness.

Get rid of the macho attitude. Remember low and slow. Happy Grilling!

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Weekly Morning Trial Mix

Trail Mix Time!

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Weekly Morning Trail Mix

Trail Mix

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The Opener

By: Holly Hanson

It wasn’t until I moved to the Northwood’s of Wisconsin, in my early 30’s, that I learned about the significance of the “fishing opener.” Having grown up in Fond du Lac, WI I don’t recall having any specific time to start fishing or stop fishing. Well, “Up North” it’s a big deal! I would start the week of, getting rods and tackle cleaned and ready to go. My fishing mentors, who were “locals,” having grown up in the Northwood’s, knew all the ins and outs of the area. I was very fortunate to have been taken under their wings.

The festivities would officially start with a Friday night Fish Fry at Bosacki’s Boat House. Later, we’d spend the next few hours getting our rods and tackle ready for the official start one minute after midnight, with walleye being our target fish. Then, at 11:30 pm we’d head back to Bosacki’s to fish off their pier. After an hour or two, we’d head home for a short snooze. I don’t recall ever catching anything, but I think it mostly was about the ceremony of it all. That and when asked, we could proudly say we fished right from the start.

At 4 am we’d rise again, grab our trout gear and off we’d go to the “secret lake.” It was a race to get there to beat any others to the prime shore spots. It was a very exciting time. Still within the dark of morning, we’d quietly unload our rods, tackle, small cooler and thermos. Waders or hip boots were optional. Two other staples I carried in my pockets were Swisher Sweet “woodies” to ward off the gnats and of course a few pieces of Lake Tomahawk beef jerky to ward off my tummy rumbles guaranteed to kick in an hour into the morning.

So, off we’d go through the woods to the lake, speaking and laughing in whispers. Inevitably, our trek to the lake would be halted due to someone’s rod or line getting tangled in the brush. Much of the time it would take the help of others under the light of a head lamp to untangle the mess. Tempers would sometimes flare over this because it would delay getting to the shore, which could mean not getting the good spots, even amongst each other. Once reaching our spots we’d impatiently wait for the legal time to fish.

Dawn would slowly gain on the darkness one shade lighter with each move of the minute hand. The air cool and heavy with mist lay thick across the glassy water surface. Breaking the quiet stillness, were peepers ringing their hypnotic cadence, a distant robin and more loudly, a pair of loons exclaiming their irritation with our intrusion to their nesting place.

“What time is it?” I’d whisper as loud as I could, not wanting to cast too soon for the official 5:27 start of Trout Season. “5:24,” Tami would whisper back. My eyes could now see the opposite shoreline and begin to make out others who clearly beat us there. The smell of their campfire smoke wafted to my nose reminding me of the savory jerky I had in my pocket making my mouth water followed by stomach’s first hunger pain. I knew better than to indulge in a piece, because at any minute I’d need to be making that first cast thus needing both hands to fish.

I could hear the whistling wings of a pair of ducks whiz past somewhere near, but still lost in the fog. My mind drifted back to last fall standing in a cornfield goose hunting and hearing the same sound. Suddenly, the button click of a Zebco 33 Classic snapped me out of my pleasant memory, signaling it was game on! Tami, the only one with the watch would get the jump on the fish. I could hear the splash down of my clear bobber after my cast, but had no idea where it landed due to the fog. I began to slowly turn the handle on my rod keeping my line taught to feel any bite. And there it was! The tap-tap-tap of the first hungry trout. With a quick hookset, the surface of the water erupted with the very thing I had been waiting for all week. FISH ON! Off in the distance I heard my other pal, Tess, cuss at me for being the first to hook up.  

Just then my first catch finally revealed itself with a leap into the air. It was a beautiful brookie, writhing and rolling to get free. If I wasn’t careful, it would! Quickly I suppressed it, remove the hook and measure it against the legal length marks I made on my cooler lid. With a joyful smile, I placed it into the cooler and added another red worm to my hook to cast off again. The sun was now forcing its light through the trees, the fog beginning to lift. The irritated loons took off across the water surface, fighting gravity to become airborne. It would take them 3 laps around the small lake to get enough height to clear the trees. I watched in amazement at their size and grace, a little sad in knowing it was likely our company that ran them off in search of a quieter place to be.

And, so it went for the rest of the early morning, the hushed enthusiasm of my fellow anglers and the sound of splashing trout. This moment in time forever frozen in our minds and hearts.

As the sun rose higher, there became fewer splashes from trout. Our hungry bellies would finally convince us to give up and head to the little café down the road where there was hot coffee and bacon. Over our breakfast we’d share our stories of what took place on our piece of shoreline that morning. We also planned for the afternoon’s fishing. On Sunday we did it all over again.

For years this is how it went for the opener. Some openers it was really cold. Some it would be raining. Others it would snow then rain. Once, I smartly planted a hook into my index finger. I said nothing, ripped it from my stretched out flesh and kept fishing. Another time I fell over backwards in my waders, filling them. I scrambled to shore with the 14” brookie still safely in my net. It now hangs on my wall as a reminder of that time and place. (Editor’s note: See page 52 to read about the best way to preserve your trophy for the taxidermist.) We endured it all, and all for the love of fishing. It’s these memories we hope to be able to recall when we’re no longer able to get to the good spots.

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