April Departments

SuperUser Account — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:52:30 GMT

Click on the PDF link to read about Andrew Johnson's journey to trout greatness in "Go-For-Broke Brook Trout."

2007 Catch & Release Contest Winners!

SuperUser Account — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:12:20 GMT

The 2007 NAFC Catch & Release Contest was unique from all others before it. Like the previous contests, huge prizes and bragging rights were up for grabs—this year, the prize packages topped $10,000 worth of the finest rods, reels lures and more. And, as in all prior competitions, NAFC members proved their tremendous fishing skill, entering almost 2,000 worldclass fish from across the continent. Where 2007 differed, however, was that it was the first contest to be decided almost entirely by an online member vote. When all of the entries were assembled at Club Headquarters, the NAFC staff whittled down the entries to 25 finalists and put them on the website. From there, the choice was up to you. When voting closed and the smoke cleared, 10 of the original 25 finalists came out on top, and each of those anglers will receive one of the fantastic tackle packages. If your catch didn’t make the finals, or wasn’t chosen as one of the winners, don’t get discouraged. The 2008 contest is off to a roaring start. Click here for 2008 Catch & Release Contest rules.Meet the Winners... Click on photos to enlargeAlex Hall is no stranger to the top spot in the Angler of the Year race. His 170 total points sealed the deal again in 2007.Angler of the Year - Alex Hall 40-Fanatical Colorado angler and NAFC Life Member Alex Hall once again took the Angler of the Year title at the close of the 2008 Catch & Release Contest. He pulled off this amazing repeat victory by entering 100 fish from eight different species, which earned him 170 total points. His nearest competition, Bill Hegyi, lagged 46 points behind. For his feat, Hall will receive a transferable Life Membership and a commemorative plaque. Runners Up Bill Hegyi26-inch brown trout Lake Michigan, Milwaukee, WI Shane Dugger22-inch brown trout So. Holsten R., TN George Chrisman35-inch tarpon Big Pine Key, FL James Golla43-inch northern pike Innoko River, AK Billy Grotton20 1/2-inch smallmouth bass Moose Lake, Augusta, ME 2007 Catch and Release Entries (PDF) Grand Prize WinnersEric Austin 40-inch northern pike; Mohawk River, NY; Terminator spinnerbait Randy Beamish 23 7/8-inch brook trout; Nipigon Riber, ON; fly fishing a streamer Doug Chute 24-inch smallmouth bass; Upper Niagara River, NY; Berkley Goby on drop-shot Marlin Coulombe 51-inch lake trout; Great Bear Lake, NWT; trolling AC Plug Dennis Davis 46-inch striped bass; Atlantic Ocean off Beach Haven, NJ; live menhaden David Harrison 53-inch blue catfish; Nickajack Lake, TN; cut bluegill on bottomTom Miller32-inch walleye; Fox River, WI; casting Cotton Cordell Super Spot Dennis Musgraves38-inch steelhead; Situk River, AK; Jerry Garcia glow-fly Paul Noles27 3/4-inch largemouth bass; private lake, TN; jig-and-Strike King 3X trailer Anthony Sanders17 3/4-inch crappie; public pond, Ohio; live minnow under float Youth WinnersIn addition to the Angler of the Year race and members’ choice grand prize, anglers age 15 and under could also win big in 2007, in a prize division just for them. The six lucky kids whose names were drawn at random will each receive a Plano 3364-20 tackle bag, which features four 3600 series ProLatch StowAway utility boxes, four spacious zippered exterior side pockets, two mesh side pockets, a comfortable molded handle, shoulder strap. The box comes stuffed with line, lures and more courtesy of the NAFC. Cory Brown, Beaumont, CA Carson Dicicco, Watsonville, CA Alastair Merkel, West Point, NY Andrew Schuknecht, Tallahassee, FL Alex Teller, Charlotte, NC Ethan Wagner, Minersville, PA Alex Teller22-inch largemouth bass private pond, NC Alastair Merkel 15-inch crappie, Popolopen Lake, NY

Web Connection May-June 2008

SuperUser Account — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:36:06 GMT

ADVERTISER, WEBSITEAbu Garcia, Abugarcia.com All Star Rods, www.allstarrods.com Ardent, www.Ardentreels.com Bass Pro Shops, www.basspro.com/spin3 Berkley, www.berkley-fishing.com Cabela's, www.cabelas.com Cotton Cordell, www.CottonCordellLures.com DR Power Grader, www.DRpowergrader.com Eagle Claw, www.eagleclaw.com Evinrude, www.evinrude.com Fenwick, www.fenwickfishing.com FireLine Crystal, www.berkley-fishing.com G3 Boats, www.g3boats.com Garmin, www.garmin.com Geico, www.geico.com Gorilla Glue, www.gorillatough.com Gulp! Alive!, www.berkley-fishing.com Honda Marine, www.hondamarine.com Marine Formula STA-BIL, www.sta-bil.com Mercury Marine, www.MercuryMarine.com Minn Kota, www.Minnkotamotors.com New York Mint, www.newyorkmint.net Nitro by Eagle Claw, www.nitrobait.com O. Mustad, www.mustad.no/slowdeath Plano, www.planomolding.com Progressive Insurance, www.progressive.com Rapala, www.rapala.com Rock 'n Runner, www.blakemorelure.com Spam, www.spam.com Seaguar, www.seaguar.com Stauer, www.stauer.com Suzuki Marine, www.suzukimarine.com The Sportsman Channel, www.TheSportsmanChannel.com Rancho Shocks, www.gorancho.com Tohatsu, www.tohatsu.com TroutKrilla, www.YUM3X.com Ugly Stick, www.shakespeare-fishing.com U.S. Navy, www.navy.com/eod Versus Country TV, Versus.com

Web Links May-June 2008

SuperUser Account — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:12:58 GMT

Fishing Adventures Columbia River shadhttp://wdfw.wa.gov/outreach/fishing/shad/shad.htmHudson River stripershttp://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/26024.htmlhttp://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.htmlhttp://nyfisherman.net/hudsonriverguides.htmlLeech Lake walleyeshttp://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/showreport.html?downum=11020300http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/areas/fisheries/walker/leech_update_10122007.pdfSam Rayburn Reservoir basshttp://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/sam_rayburn/http://waterdata.usgs.gov/tx/nwis/dv?referred_module=sw&format=gif&period=31&site_no=08039300 Fishing ToolsScientific Anglerswww.scientificanglers.comPfluegerwww.pfluegerfishing.comCabela’s Inc.www.cabelas.comG.Loomiswww.gloomis.comSagewww.sageflyfish.comOrviswww.orvis.comSporting VehiclesARB USA:www.arbusa.com Eaton:www.eaton.com Auburn Gear:www.auburngear.com 4 Wheel Parts Wholesalers:www.4wheelparts.com Reider Racing:www.reiderracing.com Drivetrain Warehouse:www.drivetrainwarehouse.comSpinnerbait Secretswww.thelongshank.comJigs & ‘EyesNorthland Fishing Tacklewww.norfish.comLindy Legendary Tacklewww.lindyfishingtackle.com

Fishing Q & A May-June 2008

SuperUser Account — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:54:57 GMT

Q. In June, I fish largemouth and smallmouth in clear water in the Northeast. What types of spots should I fish and what type of tackle should I use in that clear water?Life Member Edward Rigsby Hillside, New JerseyA. By June, bass in your area should be postspawn, and entering their early summer patterns. Often, small bass will retreat to deep structure while big females hang around spawning areas to rest up. To find them, look for rocks (smallmouth) and emerging weeds (largemouths) as well as man-made structures like docks and swimming rafts.Use a bait that can be worked slowly, yet has plenty of action; jumpbaits like Zara Spooks, Frenzy Walkers and Skitter Walks, as well as suspending cranks and weightless worms are all good choices. Also try a downsized jerkbait. In clear water, I recommend 8-pound fluorocarbon line or low-vis monofilament – green or clear.Rapala’s Mark Fisher showed me this early-morning dock pattern, which is effective while bass roam nearby sand flats. Approach the dock from the east, staying offshore so your shadow doesn’t reach the fish. Cast a small, shallow-running crank, like a size 5 Storm SubWart or size 9 or 11 Jointed Rap, tight to the dock so it splashes down behind the fish, which typically face toward the sun. Make the fish turn to see what it is; they’ll often strike as the bait swims past.Dan JohnsonQ. I recently started fly fishing, and I’m a little confused. What is the tippet? And how does a tippet work?Member Lee Gault Meridian, IdahoA. It’s easy to get confused, but the tippet is an extra section of line tied to the end of your tapered leader. It’s sold in spools and is available in various diameters and strengths. The material is commonly super-limp monofilament, but tougher, abrasion-resistant tippets can be used for dealing with heavy cover, weighted flies or toothy fish.Tippets are valuable for two reasons. Number one, they save you a lot of money because you can change flies many times without cutting into your expensive tapered leader. Second, a tippet lets you go to an even lighter line than the end of your hair-thin leader – perfect for casting micro-flies like midges and small caddies imitations.A supple, low-diameter tippet will fall slowly and lay in small curves atop the water, leaving slack for the fly to drift naturally.I almost always take the time to use a blood knot or surgeon’s loop to attach a tippet. The only times I don’t are near nightfall or during a furious bite, when I have to change leaders quickly and time is limited. With a little instruction and practice, you can also learn to tie your own leaders and tippets, which saves a lot of money.Dan Johnson

Fishing News May-June 2008

SuperUser Account — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:20:39 GMT

Stratos Boats Unveils "2X Double Your Winnings" Contingency ProgramMURFREESBORO, Tenn. (April 16, 2008) – Capitalizing on the enormous popularity of team tournaments across the country, Stratos Boats recently announced the new 2X Double Your Winnings contingency program. Designed to reward Stratos owners with serious cash, the program will run from April 15 to December 31, 2008 and will double first-place tournament winnings from any qualified tournament, up to $10,000. With no signup fee or membership dues to pay, the Stratos 2X Double Your Winnings program is available to owners of any 2007-2009 model Stratos boat and makes no restrictions on individual models or motor pairings. In fact, with the Stratos Boats 2X Double Your Winnings program, anglers simply fill out an affidavit within 30 days of a first-place finish in a qualified tournament and Stratos Boats will double the winnings by matching the first place prize, no matter how many qualified tournaments an angler might win in a year.For more information on the Stratos Boats 2X Double Your Winnings contingency program, or to find a list of qualified tournaments and download a copy of the affidavit, go to www.stratosboats.com. Support Sought For Angler-Friendly MPA ProposalAlexandria, VA—Sportfishing’s trade association, the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), and the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans (PSO), are asking anglers around the country for help in supporting Proposal 2XA, as the preferred alternative when California considers the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) along its North Central Coast.MPAs are marine reserves that are closed to recreational fishing, and have been the source of great friction among government officials, conservationists and sportfishermen in other areas where they’ve been established, including elsewhere in California.Proposal 2XA, according to PSO and ASA, is designed to enhance local fisheries populations, most specifically groundfish (rockfish) and roundfish (lingcod, cabezone, greenling), the very species that will benefit most from MPAs. Yet, it calls for them to be placed in areas where they will have the least impact on recreational anglers.The Marine Resources Protection Plan, which the PSO originally proposed in October 2007, is the foundation of Proposal 2XA. The proposal strategically establishes MPAs to achieve broad-based conservation of marine resources while minimizing unnecessary closures to recreational fishing, thus ensuring that sustainable recreational activities will be available to the public now and into the future. A Blue Ribbon Task Force, formed under California’s Marine Life Protection Act, will meet April 22 and 23 to vote on which proposal to forward to the California Fish and Game Commission (FGC) as the “preferred alternative.” Both the ASA and PSO are asking anglers to send a letter to the Blue Ribbon Task Force , asking its members to endorse Proposal 2XA and forward the proposal to the FGC.Lowrance Announces Free Digital Map OfferTulsa, Okla. – Lowrance, a world-leading brand in marine electronics since 1957 and GPS navigational systems since 1992, announced today a limited-time, free digital-map promotion. Individuals who purchase a color Lowrance LMS sonar/chartplotter combo or 5” color GlobalMap® chartplotter from an authorized Lowrance dealer between April 10th and July 7th, 2008 will have a choice of a free plug-and-play Lowrance Fishing Hot Spots® PRO or Lowrance LakeMaster® ProMaps mapcard, or a Lowrance NauticPath™ USA coastal chartcard — redeemable with a mail-in coupon and proof of purchase. A $99 product value, mapcards and chartcards appeal to both inland and offshore boaters, and offer rich detail to help maximize the functionality of their Lowrance systems and get the most out of every boating excursion. “With wide coverage areas and detailed contour information, our maps are the perfect complement to our LMS and GlobalMap lines,” said Gordon Sprouse, director of marketing, Lowrance. “This offer provides significant savings to our customers and gives them a free gift they can really use.” Lowrance LMS sonar/chartplotter combos and color GlobalMap chartplotters are available at authorized Lowrance dealers and distributors throughout the United States and Canada. The free digital map mail-in coupon is available upon request at participating retailers or online at www.lowrance.com. For more information on this limited-time, digital-map promotion, the LMS and GlobalMap products, or the entire line of Lowrance marine electronics, please visit www.lowrance.com or call toll-free 1.800.324.1356 in the USA or 1.800.661.3983 in Canada.Mann’s pro sets all-time 4-day weight record and wins $100,000Eufaula, AL – Paul Elias shattered the records books with his win at the Bassmaster Elite Series Falcon Lake, Texas tournament. When the scales stopped Paul’s 4-day total weight was an astonishing 132 pounds 8 ounces for 20 bass—just over a 6-½ pound average per fish. The weight eclipsed Steve Kennedy’s prior record of 122 pounds 14 ounces from California’s Clear Lake in 2007, a record that many thought would never be broken. Elias is best known as a deep-structure crankbaiting specialist. True to form, he caught the majority of his key fish on a Mann’s 20+ crankbait and back-up Carolina-rigged 12-inch watermelon-red Jelly Worm.“I had the best day on the water that I’ve had in 32 years of tournament fishing,” said the 56-year-old, Laurel, Miss., resident. “‘Ol Homer’, my nickname for the 20+ that I used is actually a color (chartreuse with green tiger stripes) that Mann’s custom painted for me in the late 80’s. This particular color has never been a regular item or appeared in Mann’s catalogs, but it has always been one of my go-to baits for big fish.” RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (Friday, April 4, 2008) - True to the spring break spirit, there is one group of college students that has been spending its get-away time on the water, but doing so in bass boats instead of in the stereotype beach party setting. The group is college anglers and they have been busy taking full advantage of recent spring tournaments being held especially for them. The latest event was the Arkansas Tech University College Bass Invitational held last weekend on nearby Lake Dardanelle. It was filmed by Careco Multimedia and will air this fall as part of the BoatU.S. National Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship (NCBFC) series on the Fox College Sports network.With 89 anglers, representing 19 schools and involving a total of 46 teams, it turned out to be one of the largest college tournaments held to date in the young but rapidly growing sport of collegiate bass fishing. While many of the participants were from Arkansas and surrounding states, several teams also traveled farther including the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Purdue, Alabama, Nebraska, Eastern Kentucky and Murray State, also from Kentucky.The success by nearly all of the teams over the two-day event, held on a Friday and Saturday, served as proof that these college students were here for the competition and not a big spring break party.The Northwestern State University (La.) team of Jeff Rich and Nathan Fields finished top of the class with an impressive total weight of 37.24 pounds for 10 bass. The second place Murray State team of Dan Langhorn and Don Winters also weighed a five fish limit on both days for a total of 35.06 pounds."This was an awesome tournament," said Fields after the win. "Recent rains had the water high and muddy, but we found some really good fish. We caught 20 or so on red Rat-L-Traps the first day, including three in the 4-5 pound range. On the second day, a cold front hit with high winds and rain that kind of messed things up. We made a long run as our time was running out and ended up catching three big fish, including a 6.3 pounder, in 22 minutes on V&M tubes and jigs, before having to rush to weigh-in."Rounding out the top five spots were, 3rd place - Purdue's (Ind.) Aaron McAlexander and Alex Lowe with 34.82 pounds, 4th place - Stephen F. Austin's (Texas) Kendall Wieczyk and Ben Newsom with 31.8 pounds, and 5th place - Arkansas Tech's Chris McKinney and Joey Potts with 31.19 pounds. Each of the top 26 teams had final weights of more than 10 pounds.While the competition is more about the school rivalries and warming up for the national championship later in the year, there were some prizes earned by the top finishing clubs and anglers. First place was awarded a check for nearly $600 to take back to its club, and second and third place also won cash prizes. Merchandise awards were items from Abu Garcia rods and reels, Berkley line, Sperry Top-Sider sport shoes, Costa Del Mar sunglasses and others.The final roster of participating schools and the number of teams from each included: Arkansas Tech with six, University of Arkansas with six, Ouachita Baptist University (Ark.) with three, Stepen F. Austin with four, Northwestern State University (La.) with two, University of Louisiana - Lafayette with one, Murray State (Ky.) with three, Eastern Kentucky with two, Purdue with three, Wabash College (Ind.) with one, Alabama with three, Kansas State with three, Pittsburgh State (Kan.) with one, Drury University (Mo.) with one, University of Illinois with one, Nebraska with one, Wisconsin-Whitewater with one and Oklahoma with one.In this and most college bass fishing formats, a "team" consists of two persons fishing from the same boat. One angler can fish alone when circumstances affect a partner's participation, pending approval by the tournament director."This was our third annual event and each year they just get bigger and better," said Christy Austin, an adjunct instructor at Arkansas Tech and the faculty advisor to the school's fishing club. "We're fortunate to have so many people that believe in the program and work hard to make it a success, including this year's club president Joey Potts." Robert Chandler, executive producer of the NCBFC for Fox College Sports, said, "The amazing response from Arkansas Tech has shown the nation the unbelievable level that college fishing has achieved with Fox College Sports' unwavering support to take college fishing to the next level."Another spring collegiate tournament was also recently held on Lake Belton in Texas to coincide with that state's spring break schedule for many of its universities. It, too, was well attended. Winning at Belton was the Texas A&M team of Justin Rackley and Kenny Stuart."Both the Arkansas and Texas spring tournaments were wonderful events with lots of support from the respective communities and public," said Mike Hastings, representing Careco Multimedia. "Even the mayor of Russellville really got into all the excitement while attending registration, and came back for the take-offs and weigh-ins on both days. College bass fishing is fun stuff for everyone concerned."Many of the same teams from the Arkansas and Texas events will also compete in the 2008 NCBFC scheduled for this fall on Texas' Lake Lewisville. The NCBFC is made possible by support from BoatU.S., BoatU.S. Angler, Cabela's, Ranger Boats, Yamaha, Garmin, Costa Del Mar, Pioneer Beef Jerky, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Fenwick, Anglers' Legacy, Stearns, EGO Nets, Sebile, American Rodsmiths, Aviva Fishin' Buddy, Biosonix, Bill Lewis Lures, Gene Larew Lures, Nemire Lures, Sperry Top-Sider, Power Pole, City of Lewisville, Sneaky Pete's Marina and Fox College Sports.For more information about college bass fishing and other upcoming regional tournaments, visit www.collegiatebasschampionship.com.Twenty-five fish daily limit takes effect July 1 in Lake Erie waters west of Huron COLUMBUS, OH - Lake Erie anglers fishing in Ohio waters west of Huron will face a reduction this summer in the daily bag limit for yellow perch, following action by the Ohio Wildlife Council on Wednesday. Beginning July 1, the daily bag limit for yellow perch will drop from 30 to 25 fish per angler, but only in waters west of Huron. The daily bag limit will remain at 30 fish per angler in Ohio waters from Huron eastward, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. In additional action, the wildlife council: 1) Approved a reduction in the statewide daily bag limit for muskellunge from two fish to one fish. 2) Allowed access to several lakes owned by the Division of Wildlife to motorboats greater than 10 horsepower as long as they operate at idle speed. These lakes include Knox Lake in Knox County, Lake La Su An in Williams County, Oxbow Lake in Defiance County, and Rupert Lake in Vinton County. 3) Allowed 10-horsepower motors on Greenfield Lake and Rockmill Lake in Fairfield County, and Zepernick Lake in Columbiana County.

Win a FREE Guided Fishing Trip to Lake of the Woods!

SuperUser Account — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:52:17 GMT

Win a free guided fishing trip and two-night stay at Zippel Bay Resort on Minnesota’s Lake of the Woods—a world class fishery for walleyes, pike and smallmouths. Entering is easy, fast and free!All you have to do to enter the contest is submit your best walleye tip. SCROLL DOWN TO ENTER! Tips can be as short as one sentence, and should not exceed 250 words maximum. Feel free to describe when and where your fishing tip works best, as well as how you execute the tip. If possible, explain in one sentence why your technique catches fish (i.e. “Trolling big crankbaits at high speeds in summer catches walleyes because it excites walleyes and triggers reaction strikes.”)Tips will be judged on creativity, quality of explanation, and how helpful the tip is to the average angler. The tips do not need to be high-tech, difficult or well-written. Preference will be given to well-explained, succinct tips. You must include your name, number, e-mail address, hometown and favorite species to catch.The winning individual and one guest of his/her choice will receive a free two-night stay at Zippel Bay Resort. They will share a one-bedroom housekeeping cabin, fully furnished with linens, utensils, microwave, fireplace, satellite TV, deck and air conditioning.The winner and guest will also receive one full-day guided fishing trip on Lake of the Woods with licensed guide and Zippel Bay Resort owner Nick Painovich on a 30-foot charter boat. All necessary fishing gear and tackle will be provided, as well as a free box lunch. The total prize package is valued at $410.Contest entries will be considered from April 10, 2008 through June 30, 2008. The winners will be notified by July 15, 2008.This prize does not include tax, transportation, additional food or any other unforeseen costs, which needs to be paid by the winner. All submitted tips might appear in North American Fisherman magazine or on fishingclub.com.The winner and his/her guest must redeem their prize after Sept. 1, 2008 and before Oct. 15, 2008, when the season closes at Zippel Bay Resort. This is prime-time fall fishing on Lake of the Woods; look for active, hungry walleyes. The winner must work with Nick Panovich and the Zippel Bay staff to schedule the trip. Zippel Bay Resort will make every effort possible to accommodate the winner’s scheduling requests, but Zippel Bay Resort will have the final say on dates, based on availability of cabins.A full-day guided fishing trip typically lasts nine hours, unless the guide decides the day needs to be cut short or cancelled due to weather or unforeseen circumstances. In the event of bad weather or unforeseen circumstances, the guide has full discretion to make any decisions about the fishing outing.Lake of the Woods is a pristine body of water between Minnesota and Canada, with 65,000 miles of shoreline, 14,000 islands and one of the world’s top walleye fisheries. Zippel Bay Resort, run by Nick and Deanna Painovich, is the only resort on scenic Zippel Bay. The resort’s spacious cabins are modern, clean and comfortable. Guests may use the resort’s complimentary canoes, kayaks and paddle boats to unwind after a day of fishing.Visit www.zippelbay.com for more information on Zippel Bay Resort. To talk with Nick, the owner and head guide, call 800-222-2537. Fill out my Wufoo form!