Fishing the June Boom

Every year, the first weeks of June see some of the fastest fishing of the season.  This season, with a warm early spring, the affect has been accelerated.  What species are we talking about you may ask?  The simple answer is that it doesn’t matter.  Whether you like gills in the shallows, or walleyes on the breaks, anything and everything that swims seems to have a favorable disposition this time of year.  As water temperatures warm, lakes, ponds, and rivers become veritable factories, churning out increasing productivity with each passing day.  From the bottom up, biologically speaking, varieties of vegetative growth spur phytoplankton and zooplankton to rapidly reproduce, and drive invertebrates, terrestrials,  and minnow species to the feast.  The fish we target are not far behind, with the exception of a few species that are actively engaged in the spawn.  Bottom line – fish are establishing summer patterns, and actively feeding amongst the array of developing food sources.  Demand is high, yet supply in terms of food resources are just getting into gear.

The sportsman’s dilemma then becomes a selection process of determining which bites to fish among the embarrassment of riches that presents itself.  I’ll describe a few of my favorite bites to target during this time period, in the hopes that even if weather, fishing funks, or particular systems aren’t producing that species, you’ll have more than enough other options to try-out.  No matter what species you’re after however, think aggressive.  Now is not the time for minutia and finesse tactics.  Cover water, find fish, and go right at them.

Nesting Gills – I hesitate to mention this one, as the negative impacts to bluegill fisheries by high-grading the largest bluegills in the system during this time of year are well documented.  Still, responsible angling for these beauties can be enjoyed, specifically by cruising shallows with polarized sunglasses while looking for the tire-sized depressions often made in large groups by the ever-so-important males.  My favorite way to target them is to cast a weightless #8 or #10 VMC hook with a chunk of crawler under a clip-on pencil bobber.  Should the bobber elevate off the water even slightly, you know you’re being bit, and the slow fall of the unweighted setup really does the trick even in heavily pressured waters.

Trolling for Walleyes Two Ways – Crankbaits put behind the boat and trolled at various speeds will really pull fish aboard during this period.  It’s an ultra-efficient method for both finding AND catching fish, but depending on the depth the fish are scattered, you may need to come at it from two different angles.  The first, when fish are in 8-10 FOW, either on overcast or windy days and earlier in the season, long-line #5 Shad Raps in Gold, Perch, Crawdad, or Firetiger patterns.  Experiment between 80, 100, to 120ft. of line or more behind the boat to dial-in the combination for when you’re fishing.  The second type of trolling that can produce fast action during this time period is leadcore trolling.  We’re not talking about dredging the 30 foot depths yet, but often, using leadcore in depths of 15 -25 FOW will more effectively keep the bait near bottom where the walleyes are.  My favorite baits on leadcore are the #5 Jointed Shad Raps in similar colors as above.  If you don’t have a leadcore setup yet, take the plunge!  It’s not as scary as it sounds and solves many of the problems of traditional weighting systems.

Cottonwood Seed Largemouths – A great phenological indicator of great bass activity annually seems to be the flying fuzz from cottonwood trees.  I can think back to many memorable bass outings on small ponds and southern Minnesota lakes that included a fair dose of picking the fur off of your line.  Keep it simple and fish top-water lures like buzzbaits, frogs, or Skitter Pops for maximum enjoyment.  Fish will very readily strike heavy plastics fished in a variety of depths and means as well, so if fishing with a partner, divide and conquer in terms of bait selection. 

Jerkbait Smallies – As water temps warm and fish activity increases, no species seems to respond as well as smallmouth bass.  On the front end of this time period, smallies are pre-spawn, with some of the males just starting to think about nesting.  At this point, they’re shallow, and eating a variety of prey, but will display some aggressive behavior towards stickbaits, slash-baits, or any neutrally buoyant bait worked quickly.  At its peak, this bite really turns on with X-Raps and similar slash-baits being worked extremely quickly.  “Ripping it like an idiot,” as it has been described to me, is not too fast to work these baits when the bite is prime.  The curiosity of a smallmouth is piqued, and its territorial nature demands an exploratory jaunt for what is making all that noise.  Fish will hit on the pause, and often already be hooked up as you go to make your next “slash.”     

These are broad bites, and dozens of other patterns are developing in a dynamic fashion during this time of year.  One gives way to another as fish begin to establish a more consistent pattern, so don’t be alarmed if it’s here today, and gone tomorrow.  Alas, it’s just like the fall hunting season, which comes and goes far too quickly, but it’s something to be thoroughly enjoyed when it’s hot.  That “get it while you can” seasonality of these pursuits adds to the allure of each and every one of these patterns, urging me to get out and fish as much as I possibly can during this period.

Work the Bird, Don't Let the Bird Work You

The bird hunts you as much as you hunt it!

The title is a well-traveled phrase created by turkey legend David Hale of Knight and Hale Game Calls, which highlights so succinctly a common calling blunder in the turkey woods.  It’s a study in human nature, and mother-nature, all wrapped up in an often-repeated scenario that happens every spring.  Turkey hunter calls and gets a response from a gobbler.  With glee, turkey hunter pours on the calling, delighted with the response and more often, enthralled in the sound of his or her own yelps, clucks, and purrs.  The bird approaches, but more cautiously, as incessant yelping becomes both louder and prouder, thus pinpointing the location of said turkey hunter.  The gobbler, now quiet, finds the most open and visible spot to strut and display just out of range.  This lasts for only so long, and eventually the tom retreats to whatever it was he was doing before. 

To better understand the interaction, think in terms of turkey radar.  The tom is up on some ridge (a.k.a – his backyard) minding his own business, when a hen sounds off.  Immediately he responds with excitement, thinking the entire time, “Now where is she at – sounds like the corner of the field edge where I eat clover about 200 yards from here?”  While I doubt that toms understand yardage the way we do, I know from watching them approach so many times that they have a pre-determined spot in mind. 

This location could be the actual spot you’re calling from, or an area that they’re used to hearing from and intercepting hens, but one thing is for certain, the more you call, the more they KNOW where you’re at.  An old gobbler’s radar works like a series of rapidly closing concentric circles, with him tightening the noose each time he hears from you.  After your first series, he’s got you pinned down to a 50 yard area.  By the time your box call is smoking your you’ve got a blood blister on your striker hand, that bird knows you down to the tree.  That’s a blow-by-blow account on how the bird “works you.”

Now that we’ve identified the problem, here’s a heavy dose of solutions.  The first being to call more patiently, and more to attract him, rather than to scratch the natural itch we all have to plainly do anything it takes to hear him gobble one more time.  So often we call to elicit a gobble, rather than to punch a tag.  We grow nervous after not hearing from him in 5 minutes, so we “check-call” hoping to get an update on his progress as he makes his way nearby.  This check calling is effective and often required, especially if you’re in a bad setup, covering a large expanse, or otherwise exposed.  The trick is to do it quietly, rarely, and variably.

Speaking of varying your calls, this most often means steering the direction of your calling.  This can be tough with a box call, easier with a slate, and easiest of all with a mouth call.  With a diaphragm, you can throw the sound, and many times I’ve steered a tom around obstacles or more towards my position effectively by throwing my calls the direction I’d like him to come.  Don’t think you can get a tom to zig zag his way through the woods on command?  I didn’t see it captured in video form until Denny Gulvas did it on his DVD – “Challenging Pressured Gobblers,” where Denny demonstrates the technique quite well.  You can even turn around, pointing your calls the other direction, mimicking a hen that’s tired of the waiting game and is leaving town, ready or not.  This trick works best in a blind where you have free range of motion without being seen, and is a phenomenal way of breaking loose a hung-up tom.

Another trick is to call more quietly, or switch to non-verbals like leaf scratching.  While scratching can be easily pinpointed, a bird often needs to be within range to hear it well.  Just like it’s easy to find your buddy when he’s honking the horn on the truck, turkeys can more easily pinpoint your location when the sounds you’re making are loud.  Quiet down and match the tone and noise of the woods you’re hunting to more effectively get those birds to close.

In my mind, the best way to work a bird then is to keep him guessing, never letting him know your exact location.  Of course there’s always outliers.  I’ve spoken at length and hunted with guides and championship callers that never shut up.  They blow a call constantly and it only improves their success.  That said, they can sound like a flock of turkeys, yelping more convincingly than the real thing and projecting the symphony across a wide-range of vocalizations.  They do so with mouth calls and throw the sound around the woods.  If you can work a call to their level of proficiency, the more power to you.  For most of the rest of us however, fewer, well-placed calls that pique a tom’s curiosity into having them close the distance, leaves you more likely this spring to work the bird, rather than having him work you.

Targeting Mille Lacs Spawning Smallmouth – Should it be Legal?

The cat is officially out of the bag. Mille Lacs Lake, a vast and varied fishery of more than 130,000 acres in central Minnesota, is arguably the best trophy smallmouth water in the world. For years it has been in every top-10 smallie list that outdoors writers can scribe, and has been the focus of countless TV, video, photo, and fishing media events. While lake-hype may be alive and well with countless “hot” destinations both coming and going, the fervor surrounding especially the quality of this lake’s fish is very real.

Take into account the bags of fish pulled day-in and day-out for the Bassmaster Elite’s final event of the 2016 season. Despite a cold-front mid-tourney and some rougher water to contend with, Mille Lacs gave up more big smallies than any other event in Bassmaster tournament history. Consumate Pro, 7-time angler of the year, and smallie-genius Kevin Van Dam said it best when he wrote, “I’ve never seen so many big, old smallmouth in one lake.”

FISHING THE SPAWN – HISTORY LESSON

To Brad Hawthorne, long-time guide and Mille Lacs Lake resident, it’s ascent to greatness is not by accident. “We’ve enjoyed a 100% closed bass-season (no catch and release) until nearly the end of May for decades,” says Hawthorne, who describes the annual smallmouth spawn in Mille Lacs being nothing short of “epic.”  “I’ve encountered certain sections of the lake where beds are stacked for nearly a mile of shoreline.”  Hawthorne’s upcoming YouTube video series titled “Smallmouth Chronicles” focuses on the lake and its brown bass, detailing ways to catch fish during the entire season without initially targeting them on their beds. Hawthorne states, “There’s always a bite for big bass here that doesn’t include visually pitching to individual bedded smallmouth.”

As Hawthorne notes, in 2015, a statewide catch and release bass season was created during the traditional early May gamefish opener. Historically in Minnesota, the bass season was closed until the end of May with prevailing thought being that these fish needed a respite from angling pressure during a time where especially smallmouth are quite vulnerable to being caught. Given that both largemouth and smallmouth are nest dwelling species that adapt well and thrive in a variety of lakes and rivers, the decision was made to increase opportunity due to the burgeoning popularity of bass fishing in northern waters.

IS MILLE LACS DIFFERENT?

The focus then becomes the statewide regulation and its effect on a single fishery like Mille Lacs. Regarding bass spawning vulnerabilities, MN DNR fisheries consultant Al Stevens mentions that, “On an individual fish, there’s an impact, but on the population level, we can’t see any impact.”  Research nationwide seems to support the idea that on a gamma scale, overall regional populations of bass are unharmed by catch and release angling during the spawn.

While this may hold true regarding the vast majority of bass lakes in the state, is Mille Lacs an outlier that requires more protection based solely on the fact that it may be the single-most popular water in the state?  Enough fishing pressure could mean that targeting smallies on beds would potentially hurt the spawn, thus the fishery in the future. How much harm is debatable, certainly, but commonsense would dictate that it certainly doesn’t help?     

CATCH AND KEEP

There may be bigger fish to fry…err…release, indicates Jim DaRosa, Mille Lacs smallmouth guide and founder of the Mille Lacs Smallmouth Alliance, who supports catch and release regulations both spring and fall given proper handling of the fish. “Our group is focused on angler education, and ‘freeing the fighter’ as a slogan for greater catch and release awareness.”  Of greater concern to the Smallmouth Alliance are regulations that allow for the catch and kill of smallmouth bass. Before 2013, Mille Lacs was a “one-over” lake, meaning anglers could keep only one Smallmouth Bass, and it had to be 21”es or greater to do it. However, starting in that year, anglers could keep up to 6 smallmouth under 17”es, with only one over 20”es. Since then, regulations have been modified to allow only 3 fish under 17”es with only one over 21”es, but DaRosa considers this catch-and-keep regulation to be the Alliance’s #1 priority. “Fish on Mille Lacs can spawn well into June, leaving them vulnerable after the May 27th catch release season lapses, and we believe strongly that these fish under 17”es are the building block for tomorrow’s true trophies.”  While not opposed to selective harvest of smallmouth, the Mille Lacs Smallmouth Alliance is concerned that decisions are being made based on socio-political pressures, not good science.

FOCUS ON THE FUTURE

Long-time guide and Mille Lacs lake guru Tony Roach voices the same conservation concerns regarding the catch and keep of smallmouth, but also prefers not to fish for them when shallow and visibly guarding nests. “Most of my bites are active presentations for post-spawn fish, so I don’t drop a jig on a bed when I don’t have to,” state’s Roach. Similar to Hawthorne, Tony prefers fishing many of the other smallmouth patterns that involve either pre-spawn fish or bronzebacks that have worked past the short post-spawn funk immediately after moving from their beds.

For now, the legality of fishing for smallmouth on their beds in Mille Lacs, or any Minnesota lake is not in question. Bass season on Mille Lacs and statewide opens May 13th for this year, with a combined possession limit of 3, and all bass 17-21”es being immediately released, whether caught from a bed or not.

What is in question are the implications that targeting spawners may have for the best trophy smallmouth water the nation has seen. While the science may be clear when speaking of broad areas regionally or otherwise, it’s difficult to predict what a dramatic amount of increased pressure may do to the health of the lake’s smallmouth population. In the wake of national media attention and increased popularity from greater distances, no one truly knows how targeting these shallow bass at the peak of both their size and vulnerability may affect successive generations of Mille Lacs Lake Smallmouth.

There exists a sliding scale of opportunity versus resource concerns that lies at the heart of this issue, and while not all stakeholders may agree on targeting spawning fish on beds, nearly all agree that catch and release fishing for smallmouth bass regardless of season, is a cause worth supporting. All three guides interviewed for this article are catch-and-release only, all year, for Smallmouth Bass, which is a point worth noting whether you support targeting them during the spawn or not.    

Of Toughness and Turkeys

On a recent youth hunt in Wisconsin with my son Isaac, I was yet again reminded of the overall toughness of the wild turkey.  His bird came to the call as one of a group of five, looking and acting no different than the others.  Well after the shot, high-fives, and congratulations, came the revelation that its breast-bone was completely split in two.  Though a head shot, the chest area of the tom looked like it had been through a meat grinder.  The breast-bone itself was rough and ground down, and there were many colors, clotting, and other signs of infection.  Whether by a car or other accident, this bird was surely on its last leg, though it didn’t act as if it had a scratch.  Not that I needed a reminder of their tenacity, but I’m always amazed at the will of nature and resiliency I see in these critters. 

My first encounter with a wounded gobbler was only a few years into my introduction to turkey hunting.  I was nestled under some flowering cherry trees along a small field edge that butted up against an oak ridge the birds loved to roost on.  All-night thunderstorms gave way to a sunny morning, and the birds above and behind me were eager to greet the day.  First a few hens pitched over my head and down into the field below me about 100 yards away, and then 3 toms eventually touched down, coasting into the field after completing a “J”-shaped flight to properly survey their landing zone.  From the moment those toms hit the ground, there was no doubt who was boss.

The lead tom stayed tight to an old scratchy-throated hen that wouldn’t stay quiet.  The two subordinate birds were not allowed to strut, and each time they pushed the group, the boss gobbler turned around and grabbed them by the neck skin.  His punishment was visible at that distance, and sure looked painful!  Eventually the loudmouth hen had to saunter over to teach the sharp jenny I was trying so hard to be, a good lesson.  Big tom followed, and went down at 25 yards.

His spurs were over 1 ½”es, and his beard was the longest I’ve taken at 11 ¾”, but his body was destroyed and a gaunt 19lbs.  His tail feathers were shredded from someone who obviously shot him in the rear end while in full strut, and the back half of the bird was literally green with infection.  How this tom had the vigor to repeatedly fight off two different suitors to protect his right to breed, all while being mortally wounded was my first lesson in how stout a turkey can be.

Though there are many more gun hunters in the woods, I’ve seen as many or more turkeys suffer the effects of a poorly placed arrow.  While I’ve never seen an arrow sticking out of an alive, wild bird, I’ve been witness to a broadhead recovered from the breastbone of a turkey harvested long after the initial wound.  I’ve also encountered a dying turkey with an arrow wound from nearly a month prior.  I’ve even had to grab a shotgun to take down a bird I personally put an arrow up from its hip through the chest area.  Countless other times I’ve been witness to birds that were completely pin-wheeled, shot through the center to never be recovered.

Turkeys can take a lot of heat.  Gun or bow, it’s amazing what they can survive, and even thrive through.  That said, my aim in writing this is to implore everyone to take very seriously the responsibility that comes in purchasing a tag.  I’m a big proponent of increased opportunity in terms of season length, weapon choice, and overall flexibility, but I often wonder if this increased convenience allows us to be a bit too lazy or unprepared? 

For gun hunters, the ability to walk up and buy a tag should a free weekend and plentiful turkeys present themselves, might mean that you don’t make the time to pattern your gun to check for performance past 30 yards.  For archery hunters, perhaps increased opportunity to hunt multiple zones or time periods draws former gun-hunters and those less proficient with a bow towards that archery opportunity?  These are a few real scenarios that I’ve seen take place just this year, but I stop short of trying to characterize this as common or the norm among turkey hunters, no matter their weapon of choice.

Still, in looking back at all the tough-turkey experiences I’ve had over the years, I can’t help but highlight the importance of practicing with your weapon of choice.  For a gun hunter, leftover pheasant load and a full choke doesn’t always work past 25 yards, and for an archery hunter, deer accuracy plain doesn’t cut it.  Not to mention, turkeys move their body constantly, which at times can be overcome by the speed of lead shot, but certainly cannot at distance by an arrow.  Just as important is the shot choice itself, as turkeys deserve the best you can give them.

Usually it’s the middle of winter when the wind is howling and the temperature dips that I think about the coming spring’s tom clutching to a tree limb for dear life.  They endure, and can live through a whole lot more than you might think.  Nature can be tough on them, which is why they demand your respect and “A”-game when you hit the woods this spring.    

Taking a Better Fish Photo

Oh the disappointment.  You just caught a monster, and your buddy running the camera found a way to make a massive fish look small, blurry, and blown-out overly-bright.  The hours and waited days of anticipating a great shot that speaks for itself, are suddenly broken by an image that begs explanation, excuses, and sometimes even expletives.  The aim of this article is to help you never be “that-guy.”  It’s not for photographers, promoters, or pro-anglers, it’s for EVERYONE.  You don’t need a high-end SLR camera or big-dollar glass to take a great photo, and you don’t need to be an expert.  At some time in your fishing career, someone will shove a camera in your face, or make you be on the taking end of the shot.  Here are some tips that can help anyone to properly honor the experience, whether you’re posing with the fish, or punching the shutter.

Preparation truly is the key to great fish pictures.  Big fish come quickly, at unexpected times, and are most often released in the boats that I fish out of.  These factors put un-ready anglers at a distinct disadvantage, and create the temptation for quickly devised and delivered snapshots that most often will leave you wishing you could do it over again.  Of course, the health and vitality of a trophy fish you plan to release holds the utmost importance, which is all the more reason that a bit of planning goes a long way.  When the fish does come, it’s often best to keep it in the net, in the water, and out of the boat, especially for larger predator species.  Good nets aren’t as hard on fish-fins, and keep the fish from injuring itself on harder and less-forgiving items inside the boat. 

Keeping your fishing vessel in order is top priority for a number of reasons, but also leads to a better fish picture.  A boat that’s free of clutter keeps the process rolling smoothly, and prevents random and distracting objects from getting a chance to ruin a good shot.  It’s also good to designate someone in the boat as a camera person, particularly if they have an interest in it or are detail-oriented individuals.  This person is in charge of the camera, stowing it, and knowing where it is.  That way, when you get a great photo fish, everyone knows their role in the process. 

Even if you’re not fishing trophy-waters for upper echelon species, know your tools.  Increasingly, our cameras are our cell phones, but no matter what your weapon of choice, make sure you know and understand the controls.  With the ease of digital transfer these days, if your friend is taking a picture of you, let them use both their phone and yours.  Chances are they’ll know their own far better and produce more appealing results, even if their camera’s capability is less than your own. 

If you’re holding the fish, your job is to make the photographer’s job easy.  Make sure your clothing is on straight, is clean, and you’re not holding, wearing, or otherwise have on your person anything that might take away from the shot.  That includes beverage cans, cigarettes/cigars, and bulky or “loud” clothing with a great deal of text on it.  Look presentable, and care about your appearance by quickly changing into a different hoodie, hat, or jacket should you need to.  Smile and look the part of a happy angler, even if some of the shine has already worn off and this is old-hat to you. 

If you’re taking the shot, you’re the quarterback.  You call the plays, make the big decisions, and at times need to take control of the game and call the shots.  Your eye is what’s seeing that which will ultimately be a long-lasting memory, so your view is the one that counts most.  Be decisive and tell your subject exactly how you would like the fish to be held.  Use your words, and take your time.  Your ability to direct the person with the fish will often determine how well you preserve the moment, and rushed, non-specific motioning and hand-gestures only confuses the situation.  Seconds matter to a released fish, but time slows down a bit here, and as long as you’re prepared and ready, you often have more time than you think. 

Take photos from multiple angles and positions, as well as zoom levels.  Get a face and fish-head only shot, then back up to get the whole enchilada.  Make sure to fill the entire frame of your view with the fish and the angler.  Scenery is great, and you can work in good backgrounds, but the focus should always be the fish.  Set your focus on it.  Snap a million pictures, especially if your format is digital.  There’s no penalty for more photos except the seconds it takes to delete a few here and there.  Be flattering to your friend’s appearance.  Think of yourself in the shot, and what you’d be proud to show everyone you know.  At this point, have the subject hold the fish in a different manner and recreate those same variations with that hold.  If you perform this process quickly and correctly, the fish has been out of the water less than a minute.  My goal is to not make that fish hold its breath any longer than I can.  Get the fish back in the water, and while your angler is reviving it, get a great release shot.  Often, those sequences are some of the best photos taken.         

Be prepared, take the time to do it right, and know your role no matter which end of the camera you’re on to turn the fish of a lifetime into a memory that lasts for generations.