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Recreation & Fishing

TROPHY FISH  NEW

NOT A TYPICAL YEAR!  (Scroll to bottom of page for article)

DINGY WATER TACTICS  

BIG FISH ARE NO ACCIDENT 

SELECTING THE CORRECT GEAR 

BENEFITS OF EXERCISE-REDUCE STRESS 

IT'S TIME FOR MARBLE EYES  

RUMBLE ON REDSTONE  

BENEFITS OF REBOUNDING

 

"Preparing Properly For Ice Fishing"

by Michael “LOBY” Lobenstein

Visit www.lobybaits.com for more tips



Hello again folks! Another month has zoomed by and now we enter December which typically provides us with our first ice fishing opportunities. As discussed in previous articles “caution” can not be stressed enough when discussing ice fishing and even more so during the “first Ice” period. Before we go any further, a warm, sincere “Happy Holidays” and “Merry Christmas” to all of you from us at www.lobybaits.com and the Lobenstein’s.

Being properly prepared for ice fishing has became a lot easier over the past decade with incredible advances in clothing, electronics, Rods and reels and portable shacks complete with lighting and heat which enable the ice fisher to be mobile and cover large sections of the lake, quickly checking with electronics for concentrations of fish, allowing the fisher to find fish and stay with the fish instead of waiting for them to come to you.

Finding fish with units such as “Vexilar” flashers has enabled fishers to make wise use of the precious time we have to spend on the lakes. The years of drilling a hole and hoping a fish swims by are over. In properly using a Flasher a fisher can actually shoot his transducer puck through the ice “without drilling a hole” and identify whether structure or fish are present as well as defining depth and identifying areas of depth changes and contour. All of these are critical factors in finding fish quickly. There are a number of these units on the market including VEXILAR, Nature Vision, Lowrance and Marcum. All these have their own claim to fame with Vexilar Flashers being the most recognized and reliable unit on the market today as well as economical cameras that shoot underwater such as “AQUAVIEW” to identify structure and view underwater activity as well as to just enjoy viewing the world which lies beneath the frozen surface. 

Prior to finding the fish however, if you plan to spend any time on the ice you must be dressed for the conditions. With the many portable lightweight shelters and heaters that are on the market, comfort can easily be attained. In many cases however, a good deal of time is spent being mobile and checking new areas where you are exposed to the elements for periods of time. Some great new cold weather suits on the market today offer water proof as well as wind proof materials with Kevlar and other thinsulate components which create a barrier between you and mother nature and the old hunting suits of yester year can not hold a candle to the advancements in this sector of the ice fishing market. Suits made by Strikemaster can be purchased for very reasonable dollars and can be viewed by going to www.strikemaster.com as well as outfitters such as Cabelas also make some fine outdoor products as well as other industry leaders and most of these items can be purchased locally at many of our area’s fine shops.

The money invested in a cold weather suit is worth its weight in gold. These are generally quite lightweight, durable and amazingly warm and oversized to allow layering so you can take off clothing once inside your shelter and settled in to fish and your portable heater, such as Mr.Heater’s “Buddy” heater turns your portable shelter into a comfortable paradise.

 

The new portable ice houses or Shaks are incredible. With the ability to manually pull them behind you with a rope or to attach and pull or mount on ATV’s to transport them as opposed to the old wooden structures that used to be a staple on frozen lakes across the north region and required considerable manual labor to get on the lake and then off again by the end of the ice season .
These portable house are made of windproof and waterproof materials as well are fire retardant, should an incident occur. The sizes of these shaks range from 1 person units in flip over styles mounted on plastic tubs to cabin style suitcase units that hold up to 6 fishers with weights and sizes that fit all fishers personal preferences. All of these can be set up in a matter of seconds or minutes and provide “remarkable” protection from the elements. www.otteroutdoors.com makes the finest portable shaks on the market although there are many other such as Frabill, Shappelle and Clam that produce excellent products and offer a price range and size to fit any budget. These units have easy access zippered doors, ventilation ports and adjustable seating arrangements to enhance comfort and are a must for the serious fisher. Long gone are the days of leaving your permanent house on the lake and having it freeze in and going through “back breaking efforts” to remove it at seasons end as well as the elimination of “theft” and “vandalism” which became a big problem with permanent houses left unattended at night and prime targets for opportunistic thieves and hooligans.

Look on sites such as EBAY, where you can save a lot of money when first transitioning into the new world of ice fishing equipment. Items such as Power augers, names like “Strikemaster” and “Jiffy” are excellent products to choose when making your purchase. These gas powered units allow you to quickly and effortlessly drill out an area you intend to fish without exhausting yourself with a manual hand auger, especially when the season grows long and the ice reaches depths of 25-30” or more of ice. These units will drill up to 100 plus holes on a single tank of gas and again a wide selection of these exist, from single blade units to 4 blade units which are reasonably priced and again can be found on EBAY or fishing sites such as www.lobybaits.com as folks upgrade from one unit to the next best thing on the market.

Live bait, long a staple of the ice fishing world, still has its place but has lost a huge market share to the new “plastics revolution” that has occurred in the past few years.

Companies such as Makiplastics which produces plastics that my company sells have mastered the ability to produce resilient soft, durable, scent impregnated baits that drive fish crazy. Eliminating the need to care for live bait is a huge advancement in the sport. Our plastics “mimic” the hatch that the fish are feeding on, and after quick stomach analysis of a fishes stomach, you know what they are feeding on and can present a nearly identical plastic offering to them. Makiplastics and LobyBaits offer 26 styles of plastics in an endless array of colors that are much more economical than live bait and enable the panfisher or walleye hunter the ability to utilize plastics in place of live bait and in the process increase catch rates dramatically and eliminate live bait mess in most cases, excluding pike fishers who use large sucker minnows or shiners, but even in those cases we have a few tricks in our arsenals to entice even those to bite by rigging with special lures and different plastic configurations. It is not uncommon to catch 45-50 pan fish on one piece of plastic as opposed to wax worms which freeze and die and storage concerns abound with live bait in general. To listen to a radio show I did on the “plastics revolution” you can go to www.catch-n.com and listen to catch-n radio, click on “loby’s plastics revolution” show and enjoy an hour of talk in regards to the advancement in the sport and it’s impact.

This months article was intended to give you some basic background on the phenomenal advancements that have made ice fishing more accessible to handicapped & the elderly as well as more exciting for recreational and competitive fishers alike. A reminder that our X-TREMEICE tournament on Lake REDSTONE will be the weekend of February 16th & 17th with a Kids/Family Clinic on Saturday morning at 9am-12 noon at the Pierce park access area along with product demonstrations and a free rod for each child who attends, as well as the 100 2-man field of ice fishing teams battling for the Redstone Panfish Championship on Sunday the 17th. Details and tournament registration information can be found at www.lobybaits.com or you can enter by clicking on the home page and automatically enter by using you credit card to enter, as well as picking up a registration form at various sports shops and gas /convenience stations in the area. This tournament fills fast & features some great area talent and is a great way to get exposure to some of the best regional ice fishers and see what’s new as well as have a chance to win part of over $10,000.00 in prize money. Local teams have done well in the past and X-TREMEICE looks forward to seeing many of the local teams competing again this year in the “Rumble on Redstone”. Hartje’s Farm, Home & Sports will be “The Headquarters” for the items you may need including lake maps etc. and are locate on US 33/58 just north of LaValle.

Till next month…be safe, be prepared…

and GoOd FishIn! LOBY
 

"Responsible Harvest"

By Michael “LOBY” Lobenstein
(Visit www.lobybaits.com for more tips)

Going fishing is about a lot of things, friendships, competitive events, recreational enjoyment, just to name a few. It also is about liking and in many cases “loving” to eat fish. With that said , “Responsible Harvest” and “Catch and Release” are common terms these days that have caused more than a few debates and differing opinions. With that said and to avoid a controversial debate as this article is not intended to be, regarding what species to release and which ones to harvest, let’s just say that depending on your palate, harvest only the fish you like to eat and will consume within the daily bag and possession limits imposed by your regulation pamphlet and the dept. of Natural Resources or less.

Cleaning your catch begins long before the knife or scaler touches the fish. To properly ensure your catch will be fresh and tasty, especially during warm summer months, a cooler with ice is a must to keep your catch cool and fresh. It also will make sure that fish caught early in the day do not begin to spoil if you are on an all day fishing trip. It should be noted as to NOT clean, cut or fillet fish as you catch them, should a game warden board your craft to inspect your catch you may be eating crackers and soup in the local clink as has happened to a few folks who chose not to educate themselves prior to trying this. Once you have protected your catch with ice during the outing and return to shore, there are various methods preferred by anglers to clean their catch.

These methods include filleting the fish , which basically eliminates any bones and removes belly fat where PCB’s tend to accumulate and are responsible for a majority of contaminants ingested from fish caught from waters where this may be a problem. If you are not sure of the waters contamination levels the D.N.R. website lists advisories for particular waters. Having said that, filleting any species I catch, walleye, crappie, bluegill and pike, is my choice of method to prepare my fish for consumption. Referring to your computer, should you be lacking filleting skills and by going to www.lobybaits.com or other fishing websites , you will find illustrated videos on proper filleting, in regards to PIKE which contain “Y” bones imbedded in the main fillet portions, you may “Google” “Y- bone in Pike removal” and find illustrative, easy to follow instructions on how to remove these. Basically a fillet knife is run vertically along the back bone and then slice at a 45 degree angle below that line, removing all of the bones, resulting in a clean fillet. Other fishers prefer scaling their fish or in the case of bullheads or cats, skinning them is their choice of preparation. Regardless of your method, it should be done with care to maximize the meat left to eat and not wasted on the carcass. Using a good, sharp fillet knife will help you accomplish this feat!!

  

After you are finished with your fish cleaning, make sure to use the leftovers properly, which can include rinsing and boiling the fish heads to make a great soup stock as well as cutting out the “cheeks” of each walleye, resulting in a quarter sized piece of delicious meat that is often regrettably wasted by unknowing fishers. Should those additional steps be unappealing to you, at the very least use the fish remains to place in your composter or in a large jar to emulsify and use as an awesome fertilizer component, organic in nature for your plants. I am a composter from many years back and every piece of scrap goes directly into my composter for use on my vegetable plants! Now that those steps have been established it is time for the storage and eating phase of fish harvesting. If you are not going to eat your days catch immediately, freeze your catch by placing them in plastic sealable bags or containers, filling them with half fish and the other half with water. The water covers the fish and freezes them in a block of ice, resulting in “no freezer burn” as well as maintaining maximum freshness. Should you choose to eat them promptly after cleaning which is the best course of action in my opinion do so with your favorite recipe. There are so many recipes to cook fish that range from “broiling”, the healthiest of methods, to deep frying, my personal “favorite”, as well as pan frying without using batters and mixes. All of these result in a delicious and nutritious meal. The key to properly cooked fish is to make sure that your oil in the case of deep frying is fresh and very hot, testing the oil with one piece of fish will let you know if it is ready as well as the “fry daddy” style fish cookers also have a red light that comes on when the oil has reached proper temperature. Remember to pat dry your fillets before dipping in batters or dry powder mixes, as water and hot oils do not mix well and can result in excessive “spattering” and burns. Fish takes very little time to cook, in the case of oil methods, a golden brown fillet will let you know you have achieved your goal in cooking expertise, as a general rule in frying fish or grilling and broiling, a minute and a half on each side per inch of fillet thickness usually will be sufficient, over cooking fish results in fillets breaking apart and a messy serving appearance.

Should you choose grilling on your charcoal or gas grill, which is also a healthy and great flavorful way to prepare your catch, invest in the “fish baskets” available at your local grill supply store. This enables you to place fillets in a double sided apparatus which closes as a two side basket, allowing heat and cooking to occur and easy turning for even cooking, without breaking up the fillets with a spatula. All these are great methods and “practice makes perfect” and when and if in “doubt” and you have access to the computer you can find great recipes and answers to your questions on fish preparation and cleaning procedures.

As stated above, www.lobybaits.com or the www.CountryTimeGazette.com offer recipes from time to time as well as procedures to help you along!

In closing this article it is “critical” to not over harvest fish species. Make sure you recognize that spawning fish such as walleyes and Bass as well as Bluegills and Crappies and all species should be released when the larger sized fish are caught, especially during the spawn. Maintaining your fish catch within the size regulations imposed by the Dept. of Natural Resources will help you decide which fish to keep and which to release. With that said , some self imposed restraint on your part will go a long way in preserving the health of our fisheries across North America. Place self imposed slot lengths on the species you target and let larger fish go that are the premiere spawning class fish, I personally impose a 2 or 3 walleye restriction on myself as opposed to the 5 that some waterways allow you to take, to help preserve the populations. In the case of bluegills and crappies the same rule applies, these large fish are the future of your fishing’ hole and must be released to perform their reproduction duties.

Eating your catch the day you catch it, is a good idea. The fish are at maximum freshness and it eliminates you having to worry about freezer burn and storage concerns and possibly wasted fish that get “lost” in the freezer, as fish should not be frozen for longer than 3 months before consumption, should they be, the phrase “fresh fish” has been rendered useless. Pickling fish is another great use and extremely tasty way to utilize your catch. Next month I will provide you with a recipe to try if you have not pickled fish before. In this case a very good friend of mine has it down to a “science” and has provided me with the “finished product’ on many occasions. A box of quality crackers and a jar of pickled fish, will have you saying, “Let’s go fishing”!!!

Until next month, practice selective harvest whenever possible and “catch and release” on the larger fish you catch. Harvest only what you need to enjoy a fresh meal or two , which also gives you a reason to go fishing again.

Until next months article…”GoOd FiShIn” and ”GrEaT EaTiNg”!

  

"Don't Miss It"

By Michael “LOBY” Lobenstein
(Visit www.lobybaits.com for more tips)

For diehard fishers across the region the first cool , crisp mornings with a hint of fall in the air signal the beginning of the fall transition period. This “transition” occurs in most northern areas between September 1st to the end of the month, depending on your specific location within the northern tier of states and undoubtedly offers some of the finest fishing of the season. Typically when speaking of lakes, a process known as “turnover” occurs. This is a process in which the warm summer waters literally turnover and become a uniform temperature as opposed to summer time when the surface water may be 85 degrees and the water below is substantially cooler. When turnover occurs in lakes it can be some tough fishing for a short period as the fish adjust to the dramatic change. Once the process occurs, it’s “game on” for hungry fish looking to add some poundage before the brutal cold months set in and slowing metabolism occurs. The turnover process is pretty much unique to LAKES and does not necessarily affect rivers in the same way as rivers tend to cool “gradually” as cooler fall rains enter the system over a period of time, coinciding with the cooler weather.

The fall “transition” also coincides with summer vacationers leaving their summer cottages as well as bow hunters and bird hunters hanging up the fishing gear for the season. The significance of this is profound, as it not only reduces congestion in navigating the waterways but also exposes you to less pressured fish that are on the “feed” and will take advantage of opportunities to feed unlike any other time during the year. This period also requires the fisher to make some adjustments as well. Those adjustments are numerous and very important to success on your outings and are both related to what the fish are relating to as well as to yours from a presentation standpoint and equipment as well as location and your personal comfort needs which change dramatically from your summer attire.

An entire book could be dedicated to the location aspect of the transition period as fish behavior changes. A “condensed” explanation of this would be that fish that were relating to cover or structure in shallow areas tend to vacate for the most part and relate to “deeper” feeding flats with even deeper water nearby. The biggest mistake made by fall fishers is not changing their location to coincide with the fish location shift. This however, does not mean that you will not experience brief “phenomenal” feeding periods in shallow areas on warm fall days when the sun beats down on those type of days. For the most part, you will experience great fishing during mid day as opposed to the early morning or late evening outings of summer you had grown accustom to…. By shifting to the first main break line or depth change and /or weed line next to deep water you will find hungry fish consistently. By fishing deep early in the morning and moving shallower as the day warms up you will be “following” the fish as they also move shallower to take advantage of the warming water and as the water warms so does the activity level of the fish.. Be alert to weed lines that remain green as others die off. Green weeds are emitting oxygen and dead ones are depleting oxygen levels which is pretty self explanatory as to where the fish would rather be located!

By understanding and “using” your “electronics” {locators} you will be able to quickly find large concentrations of fish and watch what they do as the day progresses and understand what they are relating to. Understanding that during the course of a fishing season certain hatches occur which are numerous and range from hatching insects to new hatches of millions of pin sized minnows and crawfish that allow fish many feeding opportunities. By fall, the food sources begin to become depleted and your offerings look very attractive to hungry feeding fish that have depleted their food sources dramatically and they will strike with a “vengeance” when presented with a feeding opportunity and also will “fight with vigor” once hooked as competition for food amongst them increases with each day, which will assuredly delight the fisher attached to the other end of the line. Choosing lures or presentations is as simple as matching the lure proportion to the size of fish targeted. In the case of large game species such as Musky and Pike, large sucker minnows or any artificial that mimics a large offering will most assuredly get you bit and the same hold true proportionately in regards to pan fish or bass for instance. “Slowing” down your presentations also is critical at this time of year to coincide with the slowing “metabolism” of the fish as the water grows cooler. Some experimenting will be required, but it will not take you long to figure out what the fish want. Then sit back and “hold on” for some incredible fishing! It is even more critical during this time of year to understand that even “novice” anglers can decimate an areas fish population as the fish tend to congregate and are susceptible to being caught and “catch and release” fishing or “Selective Harvest” can not be stressed enough during this period. As good stewards of the waters you fish, it is your responsibility as a “sportsperson” to be ethical and take only what you can consume for a meal or two. Situations where anglers take limits day after day are inexcusable and unethical, should you spot this type of behavior do not hesitate to call your D.N.R. Tip line and report such abuse of our resources to protect them from such violators.

From a comfort standpoint, “mother nature” can throw the book at you during this transition period. A 65 degree sunny morning can quickly change to “spitting rain” or even snow over the course of just a few hours. Being properly dressed and having extra clothing in a dry zip lock bag is critical during this period. Water-proof gloves for handling fish as well as a warm thermos of hot chocolate or coffee and some nutritional treats will help keep you comfortable and energized to enjoy your outing. Rain gear of good quality is also a must and should be taken with you on every outing. Maintaining your equipment is also critical. Reels that required “grease” for lubrication during warm summer months will now become “stiff” as the weather grows colder and will require thin “viscosity” lubrication such as “reel oil” to make them work smoothly. Before you oil them, make sure you clean the grease out of the reel first. Making sure your boat is properly maintained and in good running order is paramount. Keeping an eye on the nighttime temps which may be of freezing temperatures also should be noted so you can protect your bilge and live well pumps etc. from damage. Getting stranded in 38 degree weather and rain or winds can be a very dangerous situation during this time of year. By making sure the “checklist” we talked about in earlier articles is closely followed, could not be more “important” during this part of the fishing season and very well may help you avert a serious situation, one in which an issue such as “hypothermia” can become a reality in a matter of minutes. You “can not” take enough time to make sure this checklist is sufficiently in order as stated earlier in the paragraph!! ”Mother Nature” will be your biggest adversary on these fall outings and your preparation will allow you to also “transition” smoothly and proficiently into fall fishing as mother nature dictates, and “dictate” she shall !

Enjoy your fall fishing season, be prepared and be alert to weather changes. Take advantage of gorgeous fall canopies and a kaleidoscope of colors that the Autumn season has to offer. Be safe and take your family members out on “family” outings to enjoy the scenery. The crisp fall air will invigorate you and the incredible fishing will astound you. Until next time, enjoy your outings and as always...

“GoOd FiShInG” Mike “LOBY” Lobenstein
            

“Not a Typical Year”

 

 

by Michael “LOBY” Lobenstein

 

Visit www.lobybaits.com for tips

 

 

 

 

Greetings from the waters of Central Wisconsin folks! Another month has amazingly flown past and with the many flooded homes cleanup underway yet and areas affected by the floods still trying to get things back to normal as much as possible……… and“so goes the fishing”.

  

What we in the past considered  normal patterns, although somewhat reliable…….. have also been dramatically affected by the flooded rivers, lake and streams that we frequently fish and in many cases continue to be. A big part of fishing is adapting to the curve balls mother nature throws at you and adapt by modifying locations and presentations which has become a necessity this season, like no other in my recent memory. IN doing that we have enjoyed  some success on Walleyes, Musky, Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass but certainly “off the pace” from previous years.

  

The incredible rainfalls of early June and some subsequent ones have been substantial enough to change or delay typical patterns that in the past could be regarded as “money in the bank” tactics  implemented on our outings as tried and true  resulting in “no fail” success on the outings.

   

Watershed areas are still at their capacities and continue to drain into the river systems from many miles around. Small creeks flow into the Baraboo , the Baraboo into the Wisconsin and the Wisconsin into the Mississippi. The chain of events put in to motion as a result of the spring flooding, which was of unprecedented magnitude has and will continue to play a role in fishing patterns as well as being alerted to  conditions regarding waterquality  such as “Blue Algae” blooms have created problems in Lake Wisconsin as a result and these algae blooms which are dangerous to you and your pets health and are a result of fecal matter and other contaminants that were washed in to the water ways as a result of failed sewage treatment plants and sewage being washed into the lakes and rivers. Additional heavy rainfall will only further hamper the current situation. Should we return to normal precipitation and weather patterns in general, “tried and true” reliable fishing  patterns will also return.

 

As of right now we are fishing more secondary channels where current has been less of a factor and fish have also pulled off the main channels and taken residency in areas which typically would be dry or holding very little water at this time of a “normal” year. Finding structure on the main channels or heavy weed and grass beds has produced fish for us but not nearly at the levels we are accustomed to.  I have found during a fair number of outings on the Wisconsin River system that “dramatic” changes have occurred as a result of the

incredible rains we have received and this has literally redirected and reshaped the contour more so than ever witnessed by myself over the many years fishing this system and in some cases the actual flow that the river has taken for many years. The volume of water that  was  unleashed in Late May and June as a result of the floods move through river systems like a  spring house cleaning gone bad……..resulting in you looking for things you know were there and are not any longer.

 

This can be frustrating but also opens new opportunities as well as forces you to apply your knowledge and find the “new” patterns and as well “new” structure that has been swept downstream as well as new areas of sand and rock exposed by the “purging” of the system and mother natures ability to reshape a river systems contour with astounding ease !

    

Some area lakes still have some “no wake” ordinances in effect as well as landings and launch areas may have been affected by the flooding and a reminder to pay attention to “postings” at area landings is a wise piece of advice to pay attention to.

 

A silver lining to the flooding despite the incredible property damage caused and lives affected ……..was, Lakes that had been experienced “lowering” water levels over the past years such as “Dutch Hollow” have filled back to their original intended capacities and in doing so have flooded brush and new structure along their banks creating new fish holding structure which gives fishers new areas to implement “tactics” such as “skipping” Texas rigged plastics or working top water frogs or Buzz baits in and around flooded cabbage weeds and areas of coon tail weed and the newly covered brush and small trees which had been previously been high and dry in previous years.

Slowly things will return to normal on the areas lakes and rivers as well as folks so seriously affected by the floods and their lives also will slowly recover and a gradual return to some normalcy in their lives will as well. While that occurs, adapting to the environment and the cards it has dealt us makes us stronger people and better fishers as we have and continue to learn many lessons from the crazy weather we were and have been exposed to. Adapting to new conditions has been part of historical events since the beginning of time  and this year has certainly been no exception!

 

Until next month, enjoy your fishing outing with family and friends and remember to try and help clean up the waters you fish as enormous amounts of trash still litter bays and backwater areas such as plastic bottles, trash bags etc. It is all of our responsibility to pitch in and clean up the remnants of the great floods of 08’!

 

        GoOd FiShin’  To you all!!  

    LOBY