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Field Tester Blog

Musky Topwater Fishing

Written by Administrator

Wednesday, 22 July 2009

Ricky Strahl, Contributing TB2G Field Tester

Your boat glides along the edge of the weed bed, or maybe you are wading along the shoreline of your favorite lake. You see an opening in the weeds, launch your scumfrog or jig and pig or chug bug into a clear spot, wait, jiggle it and WHAM! The water explodes, weeds are flying everywhere and just as quickly, your line breaks and you are left wondering what just happened. You probably just encountered a pike or a musky.

All too often a musky or pike will hit when fishing for another species, usually bass. Ever wonder why so many bass fisherman treat the musky with more than their share of contempt? Both fish are top of the food chain predators, both like to wait in ambush points - docks, rocks, over hanging trees, lillypads. And both are looking for an easy meal.

Topwater muskies have to be one of my favorite patterns. Whether walking-the-dog, buzzbait or prop bait, the action is incredible. What makes it so darn special? Just like tossing the bucktails and crankbaits, muskies still like to follow and size up the meal. Now you have your bait chugging or plopping or plooping along and you see a bulge in the water behind your bait, sometimes even the rear dorsal fin and possibly the part of the tail is sticking out of the water making it look like Captain Nemo has the Nautilus on target. And then, the explosion - or sometimes the musky changes its mind and drifts off, or sometimes they merely drop deeper for the follow. In any case, don't forget the figure-8 - yes, even with a walk-the-dog like a jackpot or viper, that fish will just as often come out from under the boat and smash the bait on the eight! I don't know they lose interest, sometimes your bait goes over a weed or a stick and the musky gets to lazy to follow - heck IT IS A MUSKY, WHO KNOWS!! Reposition the boat, wade a few more steps, change the angle and fire it in again! Now we are hunting.

How much water do you need to fish topwater? I have caught muskies every place I have caught bass using topwater, from 1 foot to 15 feet of water or more. Cover is important, but don't just toss at weeds and wood, you can throw adjacent to the rocks or weeds over deep water and still be successful. Where it is allowed, you can troll the prop or buzz baits in the prop wash and be successful.

Weather can be factor, like any other pattern, lower light increases the muskies confidence, they will come further out from cover, be more willing chase and eat the bait. Wind breaks up the surface of the water and also increases their confidence, and reduces the chance the fish will see you standing in the boat looking like a big gorilla waiting to pounce! Do you think on the follow when your buddy is pointing and jumping up and down that MAYBE the fish gets distracted? When you see the fish, don't think she doesn't see you, the key is keeping her attention on the bait, stay stealthy, and impress on your fishing buddies to do the same.

So, is it only early morning, late evening, rainy or windy weather that topwaters work? Nope, anytime, anyplace these are a critical part of the arsenal. As the summer progresses, there is always a topwater rigged and ready in my boat. Which bait? I like them all, tail props, spinning heads, buzzbaits, chuggers and poppers, walk the dogs. The real reason, they are fun to throw! You get to practice hitting the target, if you get tangled in weeds, pull harder - you will be surprised how many times that produces the strike when the bait pulls loose; and when they strike, IT IS EXCITING!! Water explodes, wait to feel the weight on the line, set the hook and hang on!

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Everyday guide to panfishing

Written by Administrator

Monday, 20 April 2009

Want a real fish eating treat? Don't like eating fish that are "fishy tasting"? Well, nothing is better than a skillet full of freshly caught panfish fillets; simply coated in flour with salt and pepper and fried in butter or light oil. Uummm, so good!!!! This article explains some characteristics of several different panfish (bluegills, perch and crappies) and techniques on how to best catch these fish. Panfish are the most widely distributed of North American fishes. Almost all warm-water streams, lakes and ponds have one or more varieties of panfish, making them an ideal target for fishing, especially when introducing fishing to young and old anglers alike. One of the top reasons panfishing is of such interest is that not a lot of skill is needed, or expensive tackle required.

Bluegills: Bluegills are olive green on the back with lighter-side coloring, and have between five and nine vertical stripes, bluish cheeks, and a gill cover with a dark flap. Bluegills prefer clear quiet water, and feed during all four seasons; even during the hot summer months. Bluegills tend to remain close to shore, and are most active during dawn and dusk. Look for weedy areas, 5 to 15 feet deep, and open spots between lily pads, emergent or sunken stumps. During the heat of the day, look for shaded areas such as under docks, floating rafts, or deeper water. During evening hours, bluegills will move to shallower water. When fishing for bluegills, use light tackle, with 2 or 4 pound monofilament line with an ultra light rod. This sort of tackle will add lots of excitement to the fishing experience. Bluegills bite on most anything. If live bait fishing, use a bobber or float with a number 6 aberdeen hook, tipped with night crawlers, worms, crickets, or small grubs. An aberdeen hook provides a longer shank with a small bend on the bottom which is more easily removed out of the fish than a shorter shank hook. For artificial lures, try small spinner baits, micro jigs, small soft plastic baits and small tube jigs. Most any color will work with white, chartreuse, and yellow top favorites. Another technique is to use a small casting bobber with a panfish popper or fly attached 2-3 feet behind. These casting bobbers are adjustable by adding water so they can be caste long distances. After casting over or along the edge of the weed bed, simply pop or jig your lure back to you, low light times are excellent for this form of top water action! Bluegills will school together, so when you catch one, stick around - more are surely ready to be caught too!

Yellow Perch: Yellow perch have olive green backs, white belly, and sides marked with broad vertical stripes. Perch will tend to be found in areas of natural structure, such as weed beds, submerged timber, rock beds, deep water islands, and other similar areas where weeds, lake plants, and submerged objects can be found. Perch prefer these areas since this is where their preferred forage will reside: small fish, water creatures of various kinds, worms, crustaceans, and insects. Where weed beds are scarce, perch will reside in deeper water. Perch prefer shallow water in evening; deeper water with the coming of dawn. Spawning in spring along shorelines, but with warmer weather and water, prefer deepest water they can find provided enough oxygen is present. Perch will school together by size, with bigger perch together in deeper water; smaller perch together in shallower water. Perch are not picky eaters, and if they are active, can be caught using a variety of techniques. If live bait fishing, use a bobber or float with a number 6 or 8 hook, tipped with small minnows, night crawlers, wax worms, or grubs. Slip bobbers are ideal for still fishing to adjust bait depth. Also try small jigs (1/64 ounce or 1/32 ounce) and hooking minnows through the tail since they'll provide more action. If using artificial lures, try small spinner rigs with a worm or minnow on the hook. Small jigging spoons that create action and flash also make a good choice. If the lake you are fishing has large mud flats, don't forget to try trolling small to medium size crankbaits. Perch can have voracious appetites, often taking a bait that is nearly as large as they are. This approach also has the potential for hooking up with the perch's larger cousin, the walleye - after all, perch look as tasty to the walleyes and pike as they do to us!

Crappies: Crappies are darker in color, with mottled sides. They have a large dorsal fin and have earned the nickname 'papermouth' because without delicately setting the hook, you will tear the hook out of their mouths. The best crappie fishing occurs in April-une, and late fall. Mid-June crappies will head to deeper water, 25-30 feet, but may come shallow from dawn into early morning, 5-8 feet, and feed near the surface. Look for crappies among stumps, weed beds, reeds, sunken islands, and gravel areas. While fishing stumps and weed beds, try using a slip bobber with small lively minnow or night crawler. In deeper water, look for bottom weeds. Fish these deep weeds with a sinker and a number 5 hook tipped with a minnow right near the bottom. A weighted jig will work as well. If fishing deeper water 25-30 feet and not getting strikes, raise the bait depth by adjusting the slip bobber a couple of feet and try this depth for a while. Repeat this process until you find the fish. If night fishing for crappies, try shallower water since crappies will move into the shallower cooler water to feed. Try a bobber tipped with small minnows; or jigs tipped with small minnows, small tube jigs in dark colors, and small plastic baits. As the season progresses, try slow trolling beetle spins and twister tail jigs. Key areas include deeper water adjacent to where you found the crappies in the spring, the mouths of bays, deeper water off incoming streams and creeks or along steep rock walls and submerged timber. Once you pick up a couple of crappies, mark the spot and use the slip bobber or vertical jigging technique. Again, these fish are very social, if you find one there are sure to be more.

Fishing for panfish doesn't require any special experience or technique and therefore is a great way to introduce kids to the world of fishing. The action is usually quick and exciting, helping to keep their attention. If you don't feel like cleaning all those fish, we still recommend bringing a bucket to let the kids save a few. The fish will provide entertainment for the kids and let you fish longer. Once you are done, you can introduce your young fisherman to the release side of 'catch and release'. Remember, take only what you will eat and let the rest go for next time. Check out the panfish kit in the TB2G store. This kit is a great way to get someone the basic tackle needed to get started enjoying the sport of panfishing!

Tight Lines,

TB2G Staff

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Gearing Up for Spring

Written by Administrator
Monday, 09 March 2009
Pre-Season Tackle Tune-up At long last, opening day 2009 has arrived. Up at the crack of dawn, I'm first to hit the water and to reach the local favorite hot spot. Reaching into my tackle kit, I tie on my favorite lure. A nice long cast, followed by a steady retrieve. Darn, nothing. Second cast, still nothing. Third cast with a bit faster retrieve. Wham - Fish On! Big Fish!! It's a fighter; might even be that big fish I lost last fall. Bring her in slowly, no horsing her in, and.......BINK! What? No way! My line snapped?? I knew I should have spent time tuning up my gear! Arrghhh!!! Might this experience sound familiar? The experts here at Tackle Boxes 2 Go know the importance of tackle maintenance and the role regular tackle tune-ups play for a successful fishing outing. All too often this is overlooked, and can result in missed opportunities to land a trophy fish. To be successful, we encourage all anglers to closely review their gear, making sure it is ready for your opening day outing. Now's the perfect time to dig out your rods, reels and tackle boxes for cleaning, inspection, repairing and replacing your 'must have' items - especially for those anglers looking forward to opening day May 2009. Rods Your fishing rods are often overlooked critical items since if they need repair it usually requires someone with the expertise and experience to do the task with a quality outcome. It is especially important to inspect each line guide to ensure the insert is still present and not overly worn by excessive line abrasion. Also check closely for cracks in the guides. A cracked guide will easily cut your line, and you'll end up losing a favorite lure, or worst yet, that wall-hanging trophy. Pay special attention to the tip guide because when reeling in your line, the terminal tackle (i.e. O rings, swivels, or lures) is often pulled hard into the tip guide insert which eventually will damage or dislodge it. To clean guides, use a small amount of rubbing alcohol and gently wipe each guide to clean thoroughly. For expensive rods, your best repair option might be sending it directly to the manufacturer for repair. Local tackle shops might also be able to handle necessary repairs. Reels Pull out all line and check closely for abrasions. Replace any worn or tired line. Thoroughly clean and lightly lubricate all moving parts. Check carefully for worn parts such as gears and washers associated with the drag system and replace as necessary. Drags will lose their effectiveness if you don't loosen the drag after each time out, so after fishing, be sure to lighten your drag a few notches. Also, we suggest you save the user�s manual that comes with your reel and follow the directions closely for proper care for best long term results. Tackle Remove all tackle from your tackle box. Closely inspect all lure and jig hooks for rust, correct bend and sharpness. Repair hooks that can be repaired, replace hooks that need replacing. Have a good quality hook sharpener and sharpen all hooks. Toss out any items and lures that are broken and can't be effectively repaired. Do an overall inventory and replace your 'must have' items with the quantity needed. Now is also a good time to remove your seldom or never used tackle and replace it with new exciting items that you've read about and have wanted to try. But be wary: too much of a good thing is not a good thing! Having more of anything that you don't need just adds messiness and undesired weight to your tackle box. Keep your excess inventory in containers back home and replace following each outing. Consider organizing your lures by type, and keep organized in clearly labeled plastic divider cases. Ancillary Items Check your landing nets for holes and repair or replace. Check battery operated equipment (i.e. headgear lights, aerators, locators, etc.) and replace dead or almost dead batteries. It is also advisable to always pack spare batteries. Why chance ruining any fishing opportunity because you neglected your tackle maintenance? Taking time to do these important pre-season maintenance tasks will result in a more trouble free fishing experience, while keeping Murphy's Law at bay. Best of luck on the water! - TB2G Staff Comments (3)

Ice fishing for panfish

Written by Administrator
Saturday, 27 December 2008
Ice fishing tips for panfish: Ice fishing can be a daunting process if a fisherman doesn't know what to look for, which lures to use or when the fish are most likely to bite. This Tackle Boxes 2 Go helpful hint is aimed at finding and landing schools of panfish, like, sunfish and crappie. The best time to land large sunfish is early ice, when the ice is only about 5 inches thick. The biggest sunfish that you will find will be within a foot of the bottom, while smaller sunfish will be suspended several feet off of the bottom. While searching for panfish look for tips of emergent weeds, such as bulrushes projecting above the ice. Sunfish normally are located by these weed groupings early and late in the season, but move to deeper water mid-winter. Early morning and late afternoon is the best time for angling, sunfish seldom bite after dark. Crappies inhabit deeper water then other species of panfish and tend to suspend higher off the bottom between 15-20 feet. Like sunfish, crappies are most active early in the ice fishing season and are normally in the same places you would find them in the spring and summer time. When fishing for crappies you want to look for low visibility water areas. This is due to the fact that crappies are more sensitive to light than other panfish. Crappies tend to get very active two to three hours before a snowstorm and are most active on overcast days. On lakes that have little snow cover look for patches of snow to drill your holes, the snow acts as a blanket keeping out light which is a crappies ideal feeding habitat. Night time is the best time to fish for crappies. They usually peak during the two-hour period after dusk, and start to become extremely active again just before dawn. (Remember, always be safe on the ice. Allow for at least 5" of ice before you venture out.) Comments (1)