Innholdsfortegnelse for August/September 2023 i In-Fisherman

Magic Cooler Magic Products Live Bait Coolers, with insulated injection-molded body and sturdy metal handle, keep livebaits active and healthy. In 9- or 13.5-quart sizes. Includes a bait net and Magic’s Aerobait Quiet Air II two-speed aerator—$59.99 (9 quart) and $69.99 (13.5 quart), magicproducts.com Low-Light Lens A low-light lens from Fin-Nor, the Lateral-Line Low-Light (L4) is a high-contrast design to maximize visual acuity during dusk, dawn, and cloudy weather. L4 lenses maximize visible-light transmission by enhancing contrast without color distortion, and without compromising polarization and vision clarity. The lenses have a high-contrast copper lite lens base with a blue mirror finish. Frames are light weight, allow maximum airflow, and are available in eight popular options—$199, fin-nor.com Deck Boot AFTCO Ankle Deck Boots are designed to deliver comfort, with a…

Any freshwater forage, from invertebrates to panfish, can be cropped down, suffer poor year-classes, or simply disperse. When it happens, whatever creature depends on that prey has to seek a new grocery outlet. Fish must adapt to changing forage options on a regular basis. ¶ Switching forage generally requires a change of scenery, however. The prey often inhabits different areas, at different depths with different substrates, or around different types of cover. ¶ Walleyes are no different. When they need to change forage, they typically need to move, eliciting “here today, gone tomorrow” comments from local anglers. These events can take place almost any time. But wherever you fish—lakes, rivers, reservoirs, or the Great Lakes—late summer is a time of change. Vegetation starts to wilt, water temperatures drop. In northern…

In August, both the weather and fishing for blue catfish on rivers and lakes heats up, whether from boats or from shore. But the peak summer bite is often a waiting game—waiting for blues to finish their spawn and focus again on feeding. “I spent years sitting out there trying to figure it out,” says legendary catfish angler John Jamison. “After the spawn, from the third week of June through the end of July, can really test your patience. Things start to pick up the last week of July, and by the end of the first week of August, it’s on. Blue cats start feeding and you can really get after them in late summer into early autumn if you know where to look.” Jamison lives in the Kansas City…

I have zero control over what pops up on my phone’s Internet browser because I refuse to log in to my account. I also don’t know my username or password, making my stance against Internet tyranny seem a tad less defiant. As a result, I’m bombarded with updates on the Kardashians and a staggering array of “reality” TV shows. I now understand why using toothpaste and pumping gas are such a challenge for so many people these days. On rare occasions, the algorithm collating and analyzing my browsing history converges on something I choose to read. Happens about once every three months. “Doggone Best Bait for Dog Day Cats while Fishing with your Dog” was the title of the blog. Or something equally provocative. I admit to skipping some parts,…

Not so long ago, the status-quo lure option to jig for pike was a plain jighead tipped with a livebait or, more likely, a plastic trailer. Jigheads were of the ballhead or stand-up variety, and soft plastics were curlytail grubs or reaper-like in style. Add a few bucktail jigs to the mix, and you pretty much had the bases covered on the jigging scene. Then a few anglers also began using double-thick Dardevle Rok’T Imp 1¾-ounce spoons and big bladbaits, worked both horizontally and vertically. At that point, the flood gates seemed to open as lures intended for bass, walleyes, and trout entered the scene. Add in the profusion of skirted jigs designed for largemouth bass, and a parade of paddletail swimbaits intended for both bass and walleyes, and today’s…

Everyone wants to catch big fish. Sure, that 3-foot-tall angler squeals when they catch their first few fish that might be only 4 or 5 inches long, but give them a little time and a few bigger fish. All anglers, young and old, novice or veteran, get excited about big fish. And panfish anglers aren’t an exception. But how big is big? And what are the chances of catching big panfish? And maybe most important for the hardcore panfish angler: where do you look for big panfish? Let’s break it down. How Big Is Big? Really, a big panfish is what you think is big. But since we are scientists, we like to play with numbers. The table “How Big is Big?” shows minimum lengths in inches for In-Fisherman Master…

To me, lake contour mapping is the single greatest advancement in fishing technology. Sure, forward-facing sonar has changed the game, but you still need to know where to start and what depths and structures fish are relating to. Gone are the days of triangulating a weededge or rockpile. The ability to place waypoints along structure and depth contours is invaluable to catching more fish. Regardless of the brand of mapping you use, a variety of applications therein increase angler productivity. The ability to get the most out of your mapping data starts with unit navigation and on-the-water functionality. And time on the water is the single best way to learn how it all works. Several mapping programs are available to anglers, depending on the brand of electronics. Some mapping systems…

■ C.J. STRIKE RESERVOIR MOUNTAIN HOME, IDAHO White Sturgeon » The ultimate bucketlist trip for many anglers, with monstrous fish running up to 9 feet, and multiple-fish days common at this easily accessible reservoir in southern Idaho. Contact: Jones Sportfishing, 208/669-1569, jonessportfishing.com. Rob Neumann ■ POTHOLES RESERVOIR CENTRAL WASHINGTON Walleyes » The fishing just gets better as September rolls into fall on this body of water just south of Moses Lake, Washington. Smallmouths are an option, too. Contact: Guide Shelby Ross, potholesfishing.com; lodging and more at mardonresort.com. David Harrison ■ SAN FRANCISCO BAY CALIFORNIA Lingcod » The coastal waters beyond San Francisco Bay offer outstanding late-summer action for great-eating battlers to 20 pounds and sometimes 30. Contact: Capt. James Smith, 510/417-5557, californiadawn.com. Cal Kellogg ■ EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK FLAMINGO, FLORIDA…

It’s an unfortunate fact—even the most careful anglers eventually make an insurance claim on something fishing related. Given mother nature, the odd hours we play at, and even just Murphy’s Law, if you haven’t called an insurance agent on behalf of your boat, motor, or gear, you likely will. Some of us have had the good fortune of being pleasantly surprised by a full replacement or fix after paying our deductible, while others have been shocked that the premiums they pay didn’t cover them in certain instances. Such was the case when a B & B crankbait box was lifted from my boat at a busy access more than 20 years ago. At the time, there was nearly $1,500 in retail value cranks lost, though my boat insurance (or any…

We were into the sixth hour of our annual drive north. We started in Des Moines at the crack of dawn, and without complications we would arrive at our Sioux Lookout hotel before dark. I was using a tattered mesh scrubber with a flip side squeegee to smear insect goo around the van’s windshield. “That really works well,” the policeman said, noisily sipping a Big Gulp as I tried to improve our visibility. “You could do a better job with a paint roller,” the banker said. “Your comments help a lot, guys,” I said. The Minnesota insects were harder to remove than price sticker glue off a Christ -mas candle jar. “Aunt Lucy would use a flame thrower to burn that slime off,” Doc said. “No,” the kid said, “she’d…