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December 18, 2013

Indiana DNR Notes of Interest

NORTHERN INDIANA

Patoka> Biologists continue to monitor the state of cisco (Species of Special Concern) in Indiana lakes. From 2012-13, staff have sampled 22 of the 45 lakes known to have had ciscoes in 1955. Data suggests just 7 of those lakes still have cisco populations.

> Black crappie consistently ranks second or third in our (northern Indiana) angler preference surveys.

> Biologists have been working to standardize ~250 June glacial (natural) lake fish surveys going back to 1985. These standardized datasets will allow them to quantify and trend various metrics.

> In 2013, district biologists conducted a muskie survey, four largemouth bass surveys, four status and trends surveys, seven standard surveys, 14 vegetation surveys, a river survey, a cisco survey, a wiper survey, four walleye surveys, and one summer creel.

Eel> Pine Lake in LaPorte was stockjed with walleyes.

> There were three reports of pacu being caught from Cedar Lake in Lake County. These are the tropical fish commonly (and erroneaously) claimed to be piranha.

> 2013 produced a near‐record summer and fall steelhead run on the St. Joseph with over 7300 steelhead being counted at the South Bend fish viewing window.

> Over 3400 trout and salmon caught by Indiana anglers this year have been examined, collecting valuable data for the federally‐funded Mass Marking program.


SOUTHERN INDIANA

SMB> In August, a public meeting was held at West Boggs to discuss the timeline of the 2014 renovation plan. Biologists have began assessing private ponds in the watershed for threats to the success of the project. To date, 78 of the 148 ponds identified in the watershed have been checked and no undesirable species have been found.

> Bass sampling occurred on the Flatrock River as part of a statewide black bass management plan. Smallmouth bass as large as 19 inches were collected.

> Biologists also collected bass from the East Fork of the White River. Bass tournaments are a weekly event throughout the summer in this stretch. The survey will act as baseline catch data for monitoring the (new) protected slot size-limit. They collected 56 spotted bass from 3.0 to 13.3 inches inlength, and four largemouth bass from 9.3 to 14.8 in total length.

> A Sullivan Lake creel survey was completed at the end of October. Data includes angler creel stats, a fish community survey, and largemouth bass and channel catfish surveys.

> Did you kow there are American eels in Indiana? Though not overly common, there were several reported in the state this year.

Tag> Vegetation surveys at Salinda Lake, Hardy Lake, and Pride’s Creek Lake were carried out. Electrofishing samples at Huntingburg Lake for saugeye and Patoka Lake for walleye were also completed. Bryant's Creek Embayment had a general survey done to assess the fish community, and a shovelnose sturgeon survey on the Wabash River was also finalized.

> Trap netting at Hardy Lake was done to help assess a possible crappie length limit in the future.

> A lot of time was spent collecting and tagging bass for this years tag reward study. This study covers three river systems which include the West Fork White River, St. Joseph River and the Eel River. A total of 406 bass were tagged throughout these three rivers. Tagging began in June, and already they've had 11 tags reported, and most of them have been returned.

> Indiana's urban fishing project from this year is being evaluated. Preliminary creel results for the nine urban lakes surveyed from April to August showed over 24,000 anglers that fished more than 44,500 hours. The total catch of all urban fishing program lakes was over 11,000 fish, of which ~6,000 were harvested. Bluegill and catfish made up 85% of the total harvest in these urban areas. The most heavily used areas were Garvin Pond and Diamond Valley Pond in Evansville, Terre Haute’s Dobbs Park Pond, and Krannert Lake which is located in Indianapolis. Fishing pressure was highest in the months of May and June and went down after stocking of catfish stopped in early June.

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December 17, 2013

Bass Pro Shops December Fishing Tips

CHOPPY WATER

Did you ever wonder why choppy water usually makes walleye fishing better– especially during bright, sunny days?

Much has been written about how walleyes react to light. In general, they are more active during periods of low light. Also a surface chop diffuses light.

On the sunniest of days, a slight chop will decrease underwater light intensity at least a little bit, and that is going to make walleyes more active. It might even cause them to use shallower water longer, and that will increase your fishing options.

So when you’re planning your next walleye trip, check the weather forecast. If it’s going to be sunny and breezy, your chances of catching fish are going to go up.


BEING DIFFERENT

Don’t be afraid to change baits when fishing slows down.

Giving bass a new look is sometimes all it takes to put several of them in your boat.

Say, for example, you fish an area that is holding good fish and you catch one or two on a crankbait. Before moving on, work the area again with a crankbait that has a different action or maybe one that will run a little deeper or shallower.

Also, don’t be afraid to try lures that aren’t supposed to work under certain conditions (i.e. a buzzbait in the middle of a cold front). That different look can be enough to coax a few more fish into striking.

Every time you present a lure that looks different, you give yourself a chance to catch fish that wouldn’t respond to other baits you’ve fished. Sometimes, being different is all it takes.

LOGBOOK

A fishing logbook will help improve your odds as a fisherman. Logging your trips won’t guarantee you success on every outing, but it will definitely increase your chances of catching fish during every season of the year.

A logbook helps you begin to notice patterns in bass movements and behavior related to water conditions, food supply, weather, type of lake, time of year and time of day.

Information that should be in your logbook includes site, date, time, weather, temperature, water clarity, water conditions, barometric pressure, lake level, how you fished, depth, lure (type, size, color used and presentation), number and size of fish caught, plus anything else you think that could be helpful down the road.


WINTER FISHING TIPS

Unlike in summertime, water in the winter in deep lakes doesn’t always get colder as you fish deeper. Water is heaviest at 39.2º Fahrenheit and sinks. So if you can’t find fish in the colder upper levels, try dropping a bait down into the “warm” water right on the bottom.

Cold fronts turn fish off like a switch, but they can also go on a feeding binge just before the front hits. Watch the weather reports and be there when it happens.

There is one key to cold weather or wintertime fishing. Two words but one key – slow and deep. Just keep fishing deeper, and slower, until you find them.

Fish don’t hibernate in the winter so wrap up warm and get out there and go fishing.

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October 28, 2013

Monday Morning Fishing News Roundup

Purdue Bass Fishing Club gets recognized in their local paper:

Purdue’s Bass Fishing Club participates in at least three fall tournaments. The students involved get the opportunity to be a part of what the club describes as a “real bass fishing tournament atmosphere.”

 

Central Indiana kayak angling is growing, including the tournament side of things:

I am unbelievably impressed with our local kayak fishing community. Kayak fishing is a fairly new and growing sport in this area, and as such the community is not well established. This event was the first of its kind in our area.

 

Bass tagging is completed on the St. Joe River, and results are encouraging: 

STJOE“We collected some of the best smallmouth I’ve ever seen in a river,” said Hoosier biologist Neil Ledet who headed the project. “We saw a few in the 18-inch class, a 20-incher and several other nice fish.”

 

The walleye fishery on the same stretch of river is also taking off:

“We’ve always been able to catch 6 or 8 sublegal and maybe one legal fish (15-plus inches),” noted Ukele. “But this season has been different. One week this summer, I was catching 8 to 10 keepers and 6 non-keepers. It’s been fantastic all year.”

 

Indiana's Mark Dove is headed back to the Bassmaster Classic for the third time:

Dove will be making back-to-back appearances at the Classic. He went last year as the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship overall winner, and he’s going back in 2014 as the Northern Division champ. He also qualified once before in 1997.

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September 22, 2013

Something Is Always Biting Somewhere

You just have to find 'em. Got to spend a few hours today fishing with buddy Jason Snyder. Had a tough cold front to deal with, and a stronger than expected breeze to deal with initially. Fish were pretty scattered and not grouped up well. We hopped from spot to spot, finding one area with a few small pods of crappie roaming along a secondary break that we beat on for a while. Also came across another group that were inhabiting a shallower main lake flat with scattered wood. When the wind unexpectedly died, we switched up to a more finesse presentation with lighter hair jigs and picked up another dozen more. Lots of good eaters in the mix today, with a few bonus fish. Got a couple of largemouth, half a dozen gills, and another half dozen white bass. Jason scored the best bonus fish of the trip with this nice walleye, while I nabbed big crappie for the day. Tough fishing, but enough action to stay busy, and good company.


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August 12, 2013

September Fishing Tips - Bass Pro Shops

TRANSITION TIME

September is often the time of year when baitfish transition from deep to shallow water and bass often follow and so should you.

Clumps of baitfish can be located by sonar. Look for pieces of isolated shallow cover with baitfish nearby; these areas will often hold bass. Exactly how shallow depends on the lake; 15 feet is often a good depth, but that’s not a firm rule either. Creek mouths, drop-offs, points, channels, rock piles, and irregularities in a weedline are good producers. Places with current are attractive to bass as well. Bass may be well-fed, in which case you will have to agitate them into biting.

When you come to an area that you believe holds bass and baitfish, start by covering a lot of water with a fastpaced lure. This will catch most of the more active bass, as well as give you an idea of what specific spots within the overall area hold the most fish. Use a buzzbait when you see bass breaking the surface or when the surface is rippled but not choppy.

Kevin VanDam is a member of the Bass Pro Shops® National Fishing Team

 

CRANKBAIT WALLEYE

When in doubt about what bait to use in the fall for walleye, it’s never a bad idea to imitate their main prey. In the fall, that's minnows. And one of the best minnow imitators around is the crankbait.

You can cast and retrieve a crankbait, or troll it behind the boat. Whatever you do, don't move it too fast.

Walleyes are feeding in the fall, but they're a little sluggish as the water cools down.

Tie on a crankbait with a slow and wide wobble, which will appear to a walleye as an easy meal.

If walleyes are suspended, cast or troll your crankbaits so they run at the same depth–or just above the depth–the walleyes are holding.

If they are in shallow water, use a crankbait that dives a little deeper than the depth of water in which you are fishing. This will cause the crankbait to root around the bottom and act in an erratic fashion as you retrieve it.

Gary Parsons is a member of the Bass Pro Shops® National Fishing Team

 

CRAPPIE HUNTING

While most people are thinking about the upcoming hunting season, fall is an excellent time to think about crappie fishing.

As the water cools, crappie will begin to move from their deep water summer hangouts to relatively shallow water at about 6 to 12'.

Fall crappie can be very aggressive. Try using jigs as you drift along drop offs and try different depths until you find them.

The best time to go fishing in the fall is just prior to a major cold front because you can find crappie very shallow filling their stomachs.

As the front passes, expect crappie to move back off the bank, possibly as far back as their deep water drop off. If you're finding it hard to entice crappie to bite, try minnows. When crappie get tight lipped, generally a minnow will be enough to trigger them into biting.

Bill Dance is host of "Bill Dance Fishing"

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July 02, 2013

Bumper Crop for Indiana's State Hatcheries

WalleyeWhat a difference a year makes. During last year’s record spring heat and prolonged drought, Indiana’s state fish hatcheries struggled with their annual assignments to produce fish for stocking public waters. This year the cooler spring conditions have been ideal for hatchery operations. Walleye fingerling and hybrid striped bass (wiper) production is off the charts.  Production for largemouth bass, channel catfish and the walleye-sauger hybrid (saugeye) has also gone well.

Some walleye lakes are stocked each year with newly hatched fry in April and others receive 1-2” pond-reared fingerlings in June. All the fry and fingerling sites were successfully stocked this year and over 500,000 fingerlings were released into Lake Monroe near Bloomington. 

“This is the first time in the past 13 years that the stocking goal has been surpassed at Monroe,” says Dan Jessup, manager of the state’s Cikana Hatchery at Martinsville.  “It’s been a great fish production year so far.”

Future fishing also looks bright for Indiana’s hybrid striped bass anglers. Most hybrid striped bass sites received double stockings and surplus fish were released into the Ohio River near Newburgh.
 
The following stockings have been successfully completed:

Walleye Fry

  • Brookville Reservoir (Franklin and Union Counties)
  • Cagles Mill Reservoir (Putnam and Owen Counties)
  • Patoka Reservoir (Orange, Dubois and Crawford Counties)
  • Bass Lake (Starke County)
  • 

Walleye Fingerlings

  • Lake George (Lake County)
  • Lake of the Woods (Marshall County)
  • Kokomo Reservoir (Howard County)
  • Pike Lake (Kosciusko County)
  • Oak Dale Dam (Carroll County)
  • Lake Shafer (White County)
  • Lake Monroe (Monroe County)
  • Summit Lake (Henry County)
  • Eagle Creek Reservoir (Marion County)
  • Prairie Creek Reservoir (Delaware County)
  • Lake Maxinkuckee (Marshall County) 
  • 

Saugeye

  • Sullivan Reservoir (Sullivan County)
  • Huntingburg Reservoir (Dubois County)
  • 

Hybrid Striped Bass

  • Lake Freeman (Carroll County)
  • Nyona Lake (Fulton County)
  • Cedar Lake (Lake County)
  • Lake Shafer (White County)
  • Worster Lake (St. Joseph County)
  • Lake Monroe (Monroe County)
  • Shadyside Park (Madison County)
  • Hardy Lake (Scott County)

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June 24, 2013

Interesting Ohio River Fish Stats

ORMost Indiana bassers have spent some time on the Ohio River, both good and bad, I'm guessing. It can be a pretty stingy place at times, and even in good times, isn't all that great. But there is a lot more to the river than the several hundred miles that border our state, and a recent study revealed some interesting fish observations.

The Ohio River is 981 mile long. The river begins in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers and flows in a west–southwesterly direction, joining the Mississippi River near Cairo, Illinois. It has been studied quite a bit over history, but one of the first reasonably detailed accounts of Ohio River fishes was provided by a gentleman named Constantine Samuel Rafinesque, who in 1818 traveled the length of the river and described over 20 new species. What might be most surprising to some, was at that time, the river was fairly clear and was dominated by hard substrates except in its lowermost reaches, with shallow-water areas being common in the summer. The most famous shallow-water area was the “Falls of the Ohio” (near Louisville, Kentucky), where Rafinesque spent much of his time during an exploratory trip in 1818.

It's kind of hard to picture the Ohio River as clear and shallow running, as most of us have only ever seen it since the system of locks and dams were put in place. These structures provide commercial navigation through maintenance of a 9 ft. deep channel for the entire length of the Ohio River. These dams have transformed the once free-flowing river into a continuous series of impoundments, and subsequently altering the fish community. There are 20 such lock-and-dam structures on the Ohio River, and most of them have been in place for 40–50 years.

Researchers measured several different physical variables including water temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), specific conductance, water depth, substrate type, water quality and instream habitat. They then used a series of fishery analysis done concurrently over the entire stretch of the river, and looked for trends in fish populations. Interestingly, these variables explained little of the patterns documented throughout the river in the study, with a couple notable exceptions - more on that in a minute.

First, a quick reference for those not familiar with Ohio River mile markers and locations to give you an idea of locations:

  • Tanner's Creek - River mile 493
  • Markland Dam - River mile 531
  • McAlpine Dam - River mile 615
  • Cannelton/Rocky Pt - River mile 721
  • Smithland Pool/Golconda - River mile 902

As you can tell, most of Indiana's stretch borders the lower half of the river. Keep that in mind as you read the following findings, broken down by categories.

Category 1 (no trend) -Three species, common carp, gizzard shad, and largemouth bass, exhibited no longitudinal trend (in other words, they were found equally disperesed throughout the entire river). The gizzard shad, which is perhaps the most common fish in the river, comprised 40% of our electrofishing catch and was most commonly collected at CPEs of about 160 fish/mile throughout the length of the river. Common carp, though much less abundant than gizzard shad, were also collected at similar rates over the length of the river.

Category 2 (most abundant in the middle reach of the river) - Sauger, longear sunfish, and skipjack herring were most abundant in the middle river segment (river mile 300–600). For example, longear sunfish showed a distinct peak around river mile 497 and were less abundant in both the upper and lower reaches of the river.

Category 3 (more common in the upper half of the river) - Spotted bass and bluegill were much more common in the upper half of the river. For example, catches of spotted bass from river mile 51 to river mile 450 were typically 12 fish/mi, but in the lower half of the river catch rates were only 2.5 fish/mi.

Category 4 (more common in the upper third of the river) - Smallmouth bass were significantly more common in the upper third of the river.

Category 5 (consistent decline from upstream to downstream). Flathead catfish, freshwater drum, white bass, and hybrid stripers were all more numerous in the upper reaches, with populations declining as you traveled further downriver.

Category 6 (like category 5 but with an increase near river mi 945) - This category included channel catfish. Channel catfish catch rates were 8–24 fish/mi upstream of river mi 248, declined to a minimum of 2.5 fish/mi at river mile 745, and then increased to about 5 fish/mi at river mi 945. The measures all peaked at the upstream end of the study area, reached their minimums at river mi 745, and rebounded at river mi 945.

Category 7 (increase from upstream to downstream) - One of the few fish to "buck the trend", striped bass actually increased in numbers the further downriver you went. Similarly, blue catfish were fairly common near river mi 945, rare to common in the lower half of the river, and essentially absent from the upper half of the river.

Earlier in the post I mentioned some notable exeptions. Tourney anglers might want to take note of this neat fact. The numbers of smallmouth bass and spotted bass found were all directly related to percent cobble/boulder, and were inversely related to percent silt. So though the trend didn't hold up well across the entire river study as a whole, locally, whenever they found various rocky bottom areas in a stretch, they would find the spots and smallies. The more silt and mud in the stretch of river, the less of these two bass. That little tip should help eliminate a lot of water when searching for either of these two fish.

 

** Longitudinal Variation in the Ohio River Fish Community. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. Greg Seegert, Joe Vondruska, Elgin Perry, and Doug Dixon

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June 18, 2013

The Fish Equivalent of "Man Overboard"

A recent study provides greater detail on what we already knew was happening, that being the flushing of our stocked walleye through reservoir dams into the rivers below. This study was carried out on Rathbun Lake, Iowa.

Researchers captured walleye in the spillway below the dam and then tagged them and returned them back into the lake. Over the course of the nearly 2 year study, more than 4,000 walleye were tagged and returned. Estimates of fish that made it back down into the river spillway during that time were 26%, or more than a quarter of all the lake's estimated walleye. This number didn't take into account normal mortality rates, so combined loss of walleyes between the two factors is probably much higher.

Researchers did find a few interesting details about the loss;

  • Since walleyes are known to congregate on rocky dam faces of reservoirs during the spring spawning run, researchers expected to find most of the walleye being flushed through the system at that time. However, models indicated that there was little support of this hypothesis. Instead, mean daily discharge rate was the most influential parameter affecting walleye escapement.
  • Just because they are releasing some water though, doesn't mean the walleye get flushed. The act of discharge itself seemed to have little effect on escapement during periods of lower flow, but escapement increased exponentially as flow rates increased.
  • Fish released further distances from the dam tended to have a greater likelihood of staying in the reservoir.
  • Similarly, walleye length was also an important factor related to escapement probability. It has been suggested that older, and presumably larger, fish have lower escapement rates, and nearly three quarters of the walleye captured in the tailrace and returned to the reservoir measured 12' or less.

Of course, you might also ask what other fish might be getting flushed through our dams and into the rivers below. While it is likely that a few fish from most all species end up outside the reservoir, an older study of a small reservoir with a drop box spillway, similar in design to those on lakes such as Waveland and Glenn Flint, suggested that escapement might be highly species specific.

That study comprised of a typical midwestern fish population found that nearly all escaped fish were either largemouth bass or bullheads. Very few other fish species were ever captured. Largemouth bass went over the spillway during the day, and bullheads went through overnight. Again, timing made a big difference, as most fish seemed to escape during periods of high flow. However, these fish went in groups. You'd get a large number captured over a short period of time, and then despite continued high flow for a short period, no more fish would be captured, suggesting that schools of fish in the immediate area got flushed out and that it would then take a while for the next group to move into the area to potentially get flushed during the next high water event. As an estimate of the total bass population though, these escaped bass represented as much as 1/3 of the entire lakes population.

Similar to the walleye study, most of the bass and bullheads were small. The majority of all the bass caught going through the spillway were between 4"-7". Fish were also observed to easily be able to hold against the current if they chose to, so researchers aren't sure if the fish chose to "go with the flow" . Regardless, both studies reach a similar conclusion in that it's the youngest fish that tend to be lost, and the greater and more prolonged the discharge, such as during very wet springs, the more likely the chance of having lost gamefish fromthe system.

 

** Estimating and Evaluating Mechanisms Related to Walleye Escapement from Rathbun Lake, Iowa. North American Journal of Fisheries Management; Michael J. Weber, Mark Flammang & Randall Schultz
__________________________________________

** Loss of Fishes over the Drop Box Spillway of a Lake. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. William M. Lewis, Roy Heidinger & Mark Konikoff

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June 07, 2013

The Increasing Catch-and-Release Ethic

ReleaseKind of building on yesterday's post mentioning catch regulations, today's study examines the rates of catch-and-release on various fish species in northern Wisconsin lakes, an area where you might expect to see more harvest than release. Using an angler diary survey to determine effort, catch, harvest, release, and reason for release during the 2011 open-water season, the study included information on 5,007 fishing trips taken by 652 anglers. These anglers visited 279 lakes spanning 5 counties.

As you might have guessed, angler effort in northern Wisconsin was approximately twice as great for muskie, walleye, and panfish than for northern pike, smallmouth, and largemouth bass. However, true to the saying of being a fish of 10,000 casts, the overall muskie CPUE (catch per unit effort) was the lowest among targeted fish with just one muskie caught for about every 14 boat-hours of effort. In fact, the median trip value was zero. Those that were caught were largely released, as the observed catch-and-release rates were 99.3% when targeted and 100% when not targeted. This rivals even the most dedicated bass release rates in most areas of the country.

Overall CPUEs for walleye and northern pike were approximately two boat-hours per fish. One smallmouth bass or largemouth bass and over four panfish were caught per boat-hour. Muskie, smallmouth bass, and largemouth bass had the highest angler-specific catch-and-release rates; nearly every individual captured in these categories were released (99, 97, and 97%, respectively). Anglers, however, harvested approximately 14% of captured northern pike and 33% of both targeted walleyes and panfish. Walleyes and panfish were released at a significantly lower rate than any other fish species in the study, and in some cases (walleye), might have been higher if regulations hadn't been in place (15 inch minimum length limit on some waters).

The "problem" in this scenario is that harvest can be beneficial to the condition of largemouth bass (and other fish), and even improve black bass fishery quality (i.e., maintain large fish in the population) in areas where growth rates and population productivity are low. High catch-and-release rates in such fisheries potentially negate the need for, or benefit of, length-based and bag-limit harvest regulations as a means for managing the quality of bass fisheries. Researchers from this study even go so far as to raise the question as to whether alternative management strategies, such as having mandatory harvest of largemouth bass, may be necessary to reach certain management goals on some waters.


** Catch-and-Release Rates of Sport Fishes in Northern Wisconsin from an Angler Diary Survey; North American Journal of Fisheries Management; Jereme W. Gaeta, Ben Beardmore, Alexander W. Latzka, Bill Provencher, and Stephen R. Carpenter

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May 14, 2013

Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World Fishing Tips

KVDBASS LURES

Bass don’t strike a lure because they think it’s cute. They strike it because the artificial appears to be something worth eating. A few carefully selected lures that imitate crayfish or some kind of forage fish will take bass in a variety of situations.

Whatever lure you select, it must be “fishable” in the area you cast it to. Be sure to have lures for use in heavy weeds, moderate cover, and open water.

Retrieve speed is another crucial factor. Aggressive bass will run down a fast moving lure, while bass in a negative mood require a slow presentation. Colors, rattles, and scent are far less important than retrieve speed.

Select a handful of baits and work them until you develop confidence. Purchase other lures as you realize what you need in specific fishing situations.

Kevin VanDam is a member of the Bass Pro Shops® National Fishing Team


Other_ThingsOTHER THINGS

Besides your rod, reel, and a few lures, there are several must have accessories every successful angler needs.

Line-clippers should be carried on a lanyard around your neck or on your belt. Use them and save your teeth.

Long-nose pliers will assist in removing hooks while reducing possible injury to you.

Hook sharpening tools are a must. Hooks become dull after banging into rocks and getting stuck in wood. A lot of fish are lost because of dull hooks. Sharpen them before every fishing trip and even during.

Another necessary item is a pair of polarized sunglasses. These allow you to view underwater objects in the shallows, which you normally would miss due to the sun’s glare on the surface. Get quality glasses with maximum UV-ray protection. Your eyes will thank you later in life.

Larry Whiteley is host of the award winning “Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World®” Radio


WalleyeTIPS FOR WALLEYE

Some great fishing for river walleyes can be had right from the bank by fishing eddies where you find holding spots where the current swirls back on itself behind an obstruction. Simply start on the downstream side of the swirl, then take a step or two upstream and cast. Keep repeating until you’ve covered the entire eddy.

Catching walleyes is rarely difficult; finding them is. On a strange body of water, you would be better off taking one day just to scout the lake, using electronics to locate fish or likely cover. Once you put in your scouting time, you’ll fish more efficiently and effectively.

Don’t fish memories. Walleyes could be literally miles from the point that you caught a limit last year or last week. Walleyes aren’t loyal to areas, only food. Once you recognize that, your success will improve.

Gary Parsons is a member of the Bass Pro Shops® National Fishing Team


HoustonKIDS FISHING EQUIPMENT

The big fishing tackle us adults use can be difficult for kids to use. Ultralight push button or spin casting are ideal and much more durable than those cute little cheap combos.

These downsized rigs are easy for small kids to hold and are relatively tangle free. Best of all, they make even a small sunfish feel like a whopper.

Starting a child right means using decent, functional tackle. Anything less performs poorly and invites discouragement. Find an ultralight combo with a soft tip which means easy casting and a reel that handles 4-pound test line well and has a smooth drag. The price is usually around $30 which isn’t too bad either. Most important from the youngster's view is that it works, it fits, and it’s fun.

Now go find a place where they can catch a mess of perch or bullhead catfish and you’ll have a kid hooked on fishing.

Jimmy Houston is host of “Jimmy Houston Outdoors”


DanceBIG CATS

If you want to catch heavyweight fish in freshwater, you need to take up flathead catfishing.

Trophy-size fish are usually caught after dark because that’s when the big flatheads feed. Shallow feeding flats above and below a hole, or the inside turn of a river bend, are ideal.

Place your bait at the head or tail of a hole just where it starts to deepen. The deep-to-shallow transition area along a shoreline flat is another prime stretch. Flatheads will cruise these areas all night looking for something to eat.

Commercial baits, nightcrawlers, chicken livers, and all sorts of homemade concoctions will catch flatheads.

A bruiser flathead can strip gobs of line before you can turn it but if you keep the fish from reaching cover and your tackle is strong enough, you will have outsmarted one of freshwater fishing's finest trophies.

Bill Dance is host of “Bill Dance Fishing”

For more tips, log onto basspro.com and click on News & Tips

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