Fishing Mar 30 2008

Winter is fading away and spring is definitely here and open water comes along with that as well and that is where we headed. Very nice to be on open water once again and we took the kayak out to our favorite crappie pond. The air temp was 39 degrees and throw in a light breeze, but just being on open water kept me warm as the excitement of catching fish again had taken hold.

When fishing out of the kayak I generally fish ice style while using the flasher over the side. I use my ice fishing rods and fish vertically underneath the kayak and watch the flasher for when the fish go through. Generally I paddle around the area that I am going to fish and watch the flasher until I start marking fish. Drop the anchor to hold my position but the wind always plays games with me as it will turn the kayak around the anchor so one minute you are over fish and the next you are off again.

Started fishing where we had left off from the ice season, but wasn’t marking too many fish and would keep moving after a few minutes. There was some activity near the bottom of the lake but after catching a few perch that was all that was down that low. Really wasn’t marking many suspended fish, until one of my moves the screen on the flasher lit up. Quickly dropped the anchor and lowered my bait and a couple of jiggles later and the first crappie was in the boat. The school of fish hung there for a few seconds longer and they left and were never seen again.

Moved around the lake to try and get out of the wind but the winds on this lake are always switching directions and this makes it tough. All said and done I had caught a handful of perch and that one crappie. The bait that was used was the Loby Baits Maki in a bubble gum color and the durability of this bait allows you to catch numbers of fish on that one bait. Since the wind was picking up I decided that I might as well head home as the fish were not in the cooperating mood. Once the temperatures raise the water temps some more, we will be back to search the shorelines for these big crappies that live in this lake.

BackWoods Sportsman OutDoors
http://www.backwoodssportsman.com/

Battery check

Many anglers across the north are beginning to pull their boats out of hibernation and getting them ready for the open water season. Hopefully most anglers keep up with checking and charging their boat batteries throughout the winter season and that way they don't have battery issues come spring time. By trickle charging those batteries throughout the winter months, this prolongs the life of these batteries and makes spring start up so much easier. If your batteries take water, now is the time to check their levels and make sure that the water is at the level that it is suppose to be at. Water levels to low, will strain the battery and dramatically shorten the life of that battery. If they were stored in the basement or garage, make sure to wipe them down as a battery with a lot of dust and dirt on it will shorten the life as well. Make sure that when storing the battery that never put it onto a concrete floor as this is another thing that takes the power out of the battery. Spring is here and by checking these little things, that first outing onto open water is made a bit easier.

BackWoods Sportsman OutDoors
http://www.backwoodssportsman.com/

Tackle Inventory

As most anglers are gearing up for the upcoming open water season, now is the time to pull out all of your gear and start going through it. Rods/reels need to be taken apart and lubed and oiled as well as the old line stripped off of the reels. Tackle needs to be gone through to see what is missing from your usual items that need replenishing. Also with the crankbaits, take a look at the treble hooks as there are times they are rusting and if that is the case, they need to be replaced. If you go through your stuff now, the stores are being stocked and your favorite items are all there as once the weather warms up, the shelves will definitely be picked over. As you are going through your tackle as well, that excitement of open water fishing over whelms you and gets you pumped for another great season of fishing.

BackWoods Sportsman OutDoors
www.backwoodssportsman.com

Life Jacket Time

As the waters in New England are opening and anglers and families start pulling out their canoes and kayaks, now is the time to check those life jackets to make sure that they properly fit your children. Make sure that the zippers and buckles are all functional as well as verifying that the weight limitations are still being met. In Massachusetts, canoe and kayak users are required to wear their life jackets at all times through May. The waters are just coming off of ice conditions and very cold and hypothermia is still very possible if in the water for any length of time. Children should be wearing their life jackets at all times no matter what the season as it only takes a second for them to fall off of the boat into the water and if they have their life jacket on, getting them back safely into the boat is made much simpler. Every year the manufacturers come out with nicer gear and make them more comfortable for the kids to wear. Set a good example and teach your kids that wearing a life jacket is a good thing and the adults should be wearing theirs as well. Life jackets do save lives but only if they are worn so dig them out and make sure that your kids have the properly fitted life jacket so that they may enjoy their times on the water.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors
www.backwoodssportsman.com

07/08 Ice Fishing Season Recap

Here is our recap of the 07/08 ice fishing season



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHvUpg5T2d8



BackWoods Sportsman OutDoors

http://www.backwoodssportsman.com/

A new season is born

Here in New England we are in that limbo mode right in between ice fishing and open water fishing but this coming weekend we will be back on open water chasing crappies once again. This is allowing us time to catch up on things and get ice gear put away while getting the open water gear ready for another season approaching. Our first trip is going to be in the kayak and we will be fishing with our ice gear as this is a simple way of catching fish and with the kayak we will be fishing over the top of fish that we find. We use this approach in the fall as well as the spring and have paid off very well for us. This type of fishing is just like ice fishing as we have the flasher transducer hanging over the side and paddle until we find the fish. Then anchor up and lower the bait down to the fish and the rest is history after that. Since the weather hasn’t warmed the shallows much yet we target deeper water and the schools of fish are in search of food and getting ready for the upcoming spawn. We will be targeting our big crappie pond first and see if I can continue on with the size that we had left off with a couple of weeks ago. As more ice melts on other area lakes and ponds we will start using the big boat to get out there and chase after multiple species of fish. Panfish will be the target first and as the water starts to warm we will switch over to bass and start searching for smallmouth and largemouth and try to beat last years sizes. I have a few things up my sleeves to try this season and hopefully things pan out and we will definitely be doing videos as we go along as well. For the videos this open water season, I will be concentrating quite a bit on a bait per outing type of theme and this is going to force me to stay with that particular bait and adapt to what is going on at that time. I know that I am looking forward to getting back on the open water and sad to see the ice go, but now is time to start fishing a whole new world again and see what is working and not working. I am excited to get my son out there again as he is pumped to get on the water and keeps asking when we are going to get the big boat out. So stay tuned and hopefully we will be showing you some of these beautiful big New England fish and try a little saltwater as well…

BackWoods Sportsman OutDoors
http://www.backwoodssportsman.com/

Open Water Soon

Since this spring has finally come and the lakes and ponds are on their way to being open water once again, time to go through the fishing gear and get ready for another season of fishing. Many of us haven’t looked at our fishing rods and reels since last fall and now is the time to get them out and clean them up. Stripping all of the old line off and getting ready to load new line is always on the list as fishing with old line could cost you that fish of a lifetime. Also the reels need to be taken apart, cleaned and lubed as the gears and moving mechanisms need this to prolong their life and for them to work properly. Rods need to be looked at for nicks and possible areas that are potential for breakage and the eyes definitely need to be looked at and replaced if they are worn out. By going through our equipment and making sure everything is clean and in working order, then when that day comes that we are on open water, we know that our equipment is going to function the way it is suppose to and this doesn’t cost us that fish that we have been waiting all winter for.

BackWoods Sportsman OutDoors
http://www.backwoodssportsman.com/

Exploring Spring

In the New England area we have spring trying to show itself but snow keeps creeping in to prolong the start of spring. But if you were to take a look around you will definitely see the signs that spring is coming and won’t be long before it is finally here. By letting your kids explore around the yard and taking walks in the parks and woods, they will get a good idea as to what spring is like and about. While watching the animals and birds going about their busy day while getting ready in making nests and searching for food is an exciting time. Looking around one is able to see new growth in the flowers that may be starting to come up as well as the new buds on the trees and bushes are getting fully formed. Spring is like a new beginning and letting your kids do some exploring and searching will give them a greater satisfaction of what it is like to see things starting all over again for the new season coming ahead.

BackWoods Sportsman OutDoors
http://www.backwoodssportsman.com/

Fishing Mar 16 2008

I wanted to get out and fish our best crappie lake and we had checked the ice on Friday and there was 6-7 inches at that time. Upon arriving there on Sunday I noticed that there was an open water channel through the middle of the pond and wasn’t about to try getting out on that. I checked two other lakes in that area and they were in the same condition, unsafe.

Finally made it back to our backup pond and there was around 9 inches of ice there but the first 4 inches is all honeycombed and soft. Hoping that the bite was going to be better because of the late season I had punched a number of holes in varying depths and proceeded to fish. First hole produced a nice sunfish right away and figured that this was going to be the way the day was going to go. Well it didn’t take long and a number of holes later I was right back to having to really work at getting the bites going.

Over the course of a few hours I had drilled at least 60 holes over a good 1/3 of the lake and varying the water depths from 8 feet out to 19 feet. The best action was in the shallower waters but the size was nothing to write home about. Anything of size was in the deeper water and ended up going back to where I had started to see if I could find anything better. The baits that were used were CKOutdoors T.H.E. Jig and also used the Loby Baits Maki. The bite was somewhat of a light bite and a number of times you didn’t even known that they had the bait in their mouth.

I was hoping that this was going to be one of those days that the bigger fish start showing themselves as we are getting towards spring and their activity will start picking up. But, lately this seems to be the norm and working to catch fish is getting to be a regular thing. This ice season is now in the books as the next outing will be on open water. We had a great season and one of the longest ones that I can remember and I was fortunate to be able to travel to MN and ice fish there as well. I have learned a lot over the course of this ice season and I am already pumped for next ice season as I am not ready to give it up yet.

Check out the latest accompanying video on the home page at:

BackWoods Sportsman OutDoors
http://www.backwoodssportsman.com/

New Sponsor

We welcome CKOutdoors as our latest sponsor

CKO is the home to T.H.E. Jig

T.H.E. stands for Totally Hot Everyday. We've been tying this quality downsized hair jig for over a decade. Because finesse fishing is so deadly T.H.E. Jig is one of those go to baits the discerning fisherman have in their tackle box that they hold in high regard for when those pannies are tight lipped. Go to the link for T.H.E. Jig to see the stories that have been documented from several fishing forums. T.H.E. Jig........if it's wet.....it's catch'n fish!

http://www.ckoutdoors.com/

BackWoods Sportsman OutDoors

http://www.backwoodssportsman.com/

New release baits from BearPaws Hand Poured Baits

New for 2008 Bearpaws Football, Pigskin Shakee and Tilt & Shakee Jigs. Made of the finest quality hooks gives you the punching power required for a solid hookset. Many sizes are available to match all conditions.

All our jigs are painted with the most durable powder paint and heat cured for that extra paint strength.

Check these new baits as well as the full lineup of BearPaws Hand Poured Baits at:

http://www.bearpawshandpouredbaits.com/


BackWoods Sportsman OutDoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/

Kids - OutDoors - what a combo

As the ice season starts to wrap up, depending in which part of the country you are located, there will be a little lag time before open water season takes hold. During this time and to keep your kids interested in the outdoors, spend some time walking through the woods either in the many park systems that our country offers or the woods behind the house. By exploring the woods and prairies that are all around us, this gives our kids another appreciation as to what the outdoors has to offer them. By looking at animals, birds, bugs, plants and trees, there is a vast amount of curiosity as well as learning that can come from these adventures. By bringing a compass along with us this is another exercise in learning how to use tools to find our ways through the outdoors. As spring develops in all areas of the outdoors, so does new life and with that a new beginning for all that Mother Nature has to offer us. Always keep an eye on our kids while in the outdoors as these areas are vast and the little ones can get lost very quickly. By showing and telling those about the dos and don’ts of being in the outdoors this will make them a well rounded person and also a person that can appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.

BackWoods Sportsman OutDoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Fishing Mar 7 2008

March 7, 2008

The weekend was coming fast and making the decision as to when to hit the ice again was going to be a tough one. Friday looked to be the best day as there was little wind, sunny skies and low 40’s for temps. Friday night and all day Saturday was going to be heavy rains and local flooding coming through and Sunday after the storm we had 40mph plus winds all day. So by going on Friday we had picked the better day weather wise.

My son had half a day at school and I left work early to pick him up. I had recently ordered an Austin Custom Rod for him since he is getting heavy into ice fishing and low and behold we got home and there on the doorstep was his new rod. Couldn’t have timed that better and after seeing his new rod he was ready to get to the lake and see how this rod works against the fish.

After our walk through the woods to get to this particular pond, we were greeted with open water on this shoreline and had to make our usual walk around a good part of the lake to get to the shoreline that is in the shade. One thing about this pond is that the times that I have fished there this winter there hasn’t been one other angler out there and this day was no exception. We get to our first spot and notice that the surface ice is honeycombing and drilled a hole and we had 2 inches of this honeycomb and 4-5 inches of clear solid ice under that.

Wasn’t long and my son had his first fish on his new Austin Custom Rod and the bait that was tied on was T.H.E. Jig in the char/black combination. This color combination for this lake has been very good for us so I usually have that tied on his rod. After that fish it went back to normal for this lake as they don’t congregate in a certain hole and you have to keep moving and looking for active fish. Luckily the ice isn’t that thick anymore and I am able to drill numbers of holes in our search.

We moved out to 20 feet of water and this seemed to be much more productive than the 16 feet that we were trying. Wasn’t long and the Vexilar screen lit up and my son’s rod started to jiggle a little, he reared back on that new Austin Rod and I could tell right away that he had a good one on. He was reeling as hard as he could and then as the sinker came out of the hole and right after that a 14 inch slab crappie followed. This thing was huge and I had never seen one that big out of this lake and for him to catch it, that just made my day and watching his excitement was priceless.

We kept moving around and we would catch one here and one there but I couldn’t catch anything of size and this day was his day for catching nice fish. Baits that we used were Loby Baits and T.H.E. Jig. We kept a few for a meal and these cold water fish taste so good at this time of year. The bite definitely died off after the few hours that we were out there and we had decided to call it a day. Unfortunately I have a feeling that this may be our last trip to this lake as the shoreline on a good portion of it was open and with the few inches of rain we had with very high winds that followed, I think that this lake is on its way to opening up. We have one other lake that I am hoping we get out on once more and within a week or two I am figuring that all ice will be unsafe to venture out on and then look forward to the open water season.

BackWoods Sportsman OutDoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

BWS OutDoors latest video Ice Fishing March 7 2008

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsK2TRGCmIA

BackWoods Sportsman OutDoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Honeycombing

We were out checking lake conditions yesterday and the thaw as of late and rains as well are having a major effect on our ice conditions. With the coming rain storm tonight into tomorrow, this will end ice fishing on a number of the lakes that we fish. The top surfaces we noticed yesterday are honeycombed down about 2 inches and solid ice after that. This ice season I have never used my spud bar so much as this is becoming my most important piece of equipment that I own as of lately. I would highly recommend bringing a spud bar with you if you are going to be venturing onto any ice as the conditions are changing by the hour. The lake that we are going to fish today will be the last time for this ice season and I only have a couple of other ones that may go another week or so, pending on next weeks weather. We have been fortunate to have such a long season this year and will remember all of our outings very well, but open water is right around the corner and a whole new ballgame is in town once again.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Watch your Step

Another very eventful week of weather here in New England as summer like conditions has made an impact on our ice conditions. Rain has followed as well and the winds are blowing all of this warm air across our ice covered lakes. With the potential of heavy flooding rains this weekend, the ice conditions in our area are starting to wear and erode fairly quickly and safe travel once again needs to be heeded. The top of the ice is honeycombing and mushy and your foot goes through this with ease for a couple of inches until you hit the solid layer of ice. Under that, the ice is still solid but with the next couple of day’s weather, that layer will go deeper and the ice is going to be getting softer. Shoreline access on some lakes already is fading away and the shorelines with all day shade will possibly be the hardest ice for getting on the lakes and ponds. Now is the time that we need to watch our small children and family pets if this weather continues like this and makes the ice conditions unsafe. We have been fortunate to have a long ice season this past year and we have taken full advantage of it. But it is a sad day when we need to think about retiring our ice fishing gear for another year and hopefully this is not that last weekend.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Fishing March 2, 2008

This New England weather is a none stop roller coaster into this later part of the 2007-2008 winter ice season. We had another very weather changing week and this is definitely putting the fish into a funky mood. This time of year we should be experiencing the start of late ice season and aggressive fish should be following. But with the weather fronts that keep coming through every few days, the hit and miss of hitting a good bite is getting to be the resemblance of gambling.

The week consisted of spring like weather followed by decent amounts of rain as well as plow-able snow accumulation as well. Throw in a few fairly cold nights to firm the ice up once again and each day brings along with it a new conditions that the fish have to relate differently to and this is affecting them as much as us.

With high winds in the forecast we already knew that the bite today was going to be tough and one that we are going to have to work at if we are going to catch anything at all. The ice is getting thicker every time that we come to this lake and this reassures that a power auger is in our future for next ice season.

My son is enjoying his first ice season very much and joins me again today and with the tough bite I was curious as to how he was going to handle it. He started off by catching a nice sunfish on T.H.E. Jig in the pink/purple color in 15 feet of water that was 5 feet off of the bottom and unfortunately that was the only fish that he would catch for the day. Being the bite was so off he had more fun venturing and playing along the shoreline and on the ice that he was very content doing that.

There was one area that held fish consistently but they would come up to look at the bait and then would drop back down. We were changing bait colors, sizes and depth of water fished and seemed to be a consensus as to their mood that they were lookers and not takers. Towards the end, the fish started getting a little more active and the bigger fish were coming from not far below the ice. But after 2-3 hours of not much action he was ready to head out and the fish weren’t coming in fast and furious so we left on that note.

What I had learned as time progressed was that the color scheme wasn’t that much of an issue but it was the size of the bait. The fish that I finally did start catching were all caught on the 1/100 oz T.H.E. Jig and they were not inhaling it either as it was right on the edge of their top lip. These fish were much higher off of the bottom and at least 10 feet up which we haven’t seen like that on this lake before. Thankfully for my electronics we are able to work the fish at the depths they range and without that, on a tough day as this, there may not have been any fish caught at all.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Latest video from Mar 2 2008

BWS OutDoors Fishing Mar 2 2008

Latest video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mllF3zuhG8

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

KIDS on Ice

Getting kids into fishing can be very trying at times and keeping their interest is the biggest part of a successful day. We are finding that getting them interested in fishing is a little easier in the winter time on the ice as opposed to open water fishing. With spring coming the days are getting much nicer out there and much more enjoyable for everyone that fishes on the ice. Make sure that the ice conditions are safe before doing any venturing onto the ice with younger kids and yourself as well. The fish may be a little more active as the sun is getting stronger and the world under the ice is coming more alive as each day passes. By letting the kids try ice fishing at their own pace makes for a much better day on the ice for everyone. If the fish are not biting or there is a slow bite, let them play around on the ice and there are many games that can be played there as well. Then they will come back and try fishing once again and hopefully the bite will be better and they start catching fish to peak their interest. By letting the kids dictate how the day goes will make for a memorable and also a fun day on the ice and they may surprise you and want to go again next weekend.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Spring weather

As the calendar has been flipped over to March, New England weather follows along with this just as well. This past week is no exception as we have had summer like temps, rain filled days, plowable snow conditions and now strong high winds. But no matter what Mother Nature is going to throw at us we are still going to get out there and enjoy the outdoors. We are planning on hitting the lake today for some ice fishing but are going to be doing something’s a little differently. We usually concentrate on the deeper holes of the lakes but now that we are getting towards late ice we are going to change things up. We are going to fish much closer to shore today but the areas that we will be at have a steeper shoreline. This area the shoreline drops into deeper water fairly quickly and fish use areas like this more and bigger fish as well. Why they use these areas is because they can move up into the shallower waters to feed and then if the conditions change they are able to move back to the deeper water for more comfort. Finding these avenues that they use to do this is the key to a successful trip and this is what we are going to be looking at doing today. Until next time good fishing and enjoy the outdoors.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Stock up now

As our winter fishing season is approaching the end of its time, thoughts start turning towards warm days and open water fishing. Fishing tackle companies have come out with wide arrays of new tackle items and should be another fantastic year of fishing. Now is the time to look through your current tackle inventory and see what needs to be replenished for tackle items. Many fishers are not into the open water mode yet and the tackle shelves are still full with the new tackle and also all of the old reliable tackle that we use on a consistent basis. Take advantage of purchasing your tackle now while everything is plentiful and that way when the open water season is upon you your tackle will be ready to go. While going through your current tackle pay close attention to those treble hooks on your lures and make sure that they are not all rusted up as if they are then they will need to be replaced. Nothing like getting out there on the water in the early season and opening that tackle box for the first time after winter and finding that those lures with hooks are unable to be used with the conditions they are in. The day of open water are going to be here soon and now is the time to get those boxes, rods and reels ready to go.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Fish Moving

As our winter ice season is getting towards the end and the days are starting to warm, late ice is right around the corner. What this means is that the fish’s activity is going to start picking up as their feeding habits are going to start increasing with the longer days of light. As well the fish are going to be getting into a mode for the upcoming spawn that will be happening and this will increase their appetites as well which means hungry fish look for bait. Many of our locations that we have been catching fish in are in deep water up to 20 feet and as the spring approaches this may change to a shallower bite. With the snow melting away from the ice and the sun’s rays getting through, the weed growth will start once again and start supplying that fresh oxygen that the fish haven’t had much of lately. But adding shallower water to your hole drilling, this may increase your odds of catching fish and the sunfish especially will be moving up soon. These are great areas to take your kids to as they won’t have to deal with the deep water and having a lot of line down the hole. Putting kids onto active fish is the best way to get them hooked on fishing and this makes for a great day on the ice. Spring is around the corner and open water follows as well, but the best times for ice fishing are still coming so be prepared and enjoy these waning days of this winters ice season.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

You get what you pay for

The fishing industry has flooded the market with so many different items for the angler in their pursuit of catching fish. A portion of it is to catch the eye of the angler as opposed to actually catching fish. But it always comes down to one thing and that is you get what you pay for and this is about the quality of that product that you use for fishing. In particular this is very true when it comes to fishing rods and reels. There is such a wide selection of the items that it can and will boggle the anglers mind as to which is the best suited for them. It comes down to what the angler can afford and with that, buy the best quality product that you can within those boundaries. If you do any amount of time on the water, you will be rewarded with many years of use of these items if you buy the better quality of items. They work more smoothly and are built much better than the lower grade products, and this will give you a very reliable item. Stay within your means at all times but research and purchase the best items that you can and you will be much happier in the long run.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Introduce Kids to the OutDoors

The studies are showing that activities in the outdoors are on the decline and this is in part from that parents are either to busy or not wanting to participate in outdoor activities. With the winter season in full swing and as well that it will be winding down soon, now is the time to get your kids out and do some ice fishing. I have been fortunate the last while that my young son wanted to try ice fishing and now he loves it and wants to go all the time. Introducing kids into the outdoors cannot be forced down their throats either and needs to be something that they want to do and ask to do. Ask them if they want to go out and do these activities, but do not force them into it as that may back fire as well and will you never be able to get them out there again. By getting them out into the outdoors this will pull them away from watching TV and also playing video games. More and more kids are falling into these traps and instead should be concentrating these efforts into learning and exploring the outdoors.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Fishing Febuary 24, 2008

With the snow storm that moved in Friday into Saturday morning this made for some very interesting adventures out onto the ice. My son wanted to head out with me once again and I think that I may have a fishing buddy that will possibly be going on every adventure going forward. We arrived at the lake with bluebird skies, not much wind to talk about, temps a little above freezing and the whole lake to ourselves. Of course since it had been warmer earlier in the week, this had soften the shoreline access and with the new 10-12 inches of fresh snow on the ice, we had to walk around part of the lake, with my son in tow, to be able to get onto the lake. Since there were no wind and moderate temps we were able to get away from bringing the fish house along. We enjoy sitting on the ice much more and enjoy the outdoor experience instead of sitting inside. We arrived at the first spot and got setup and wasn’t long and David had the first crappie lying on the ice and I think that I was just as excited as he was when that first one came through the hole. When he is able to get a fish through the hole, this really reassures him that he can do this and enjoy himself doing it. Wasn’t long and we were off drilling more holes and searching for fish but every move took work between the two of us to get setup in all of the new snow. We were working water depths from 16–20 feet of water and there wasn’t any particular depth that they were really concentrated on. Of course he had caught the biggest fish of the day once again at 12 inches in length and was caught on T.H.E. Jig. The baits that we used were the Loby Baits Polli and also T.H.E. Jig. The fish were caught suspended off of the bottom typically around 5-9 feet off of the bottom as anything that was marked near the bottom was very inactive. The bite was a very tough one and we were only able to catch 6 fish through the holes but they were all nice fish at that. I am really enjoying taking my son out onto the waters and so glad to see him enjoying himself so much. It was his idea to go out with me fishing as I have learned over time not to force them into doing things like this. I know that I will always look forward to our next trip together as I had enjoyed similar trips with my father and grandfather when I was his age. To be able to instill the outdoors into our kids when they are this young, this will ensure that we have a generation that will carry on the true spirit of the outdoors into future generations.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Latest video from Feb 24 2008

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Fishing Febuary 19, 2008

Here in New England at least in Massachusetts, our school systems take two weeks off during the winter months, one in February and the other in April. My son wanted to go out and try ice fishing once and this was the perfect opportunity at getting him acclimated to the ice and fishing through a hole. He does very well in the summer months but never showed much interest for going out in the winter until now.

We decided to spend some time close to home so if he didn’t care for the ice fishing experience then we could get home fairly quickly. We went to the lake that I frequent quite regularly and had a good feeling that this lake would give him action to keep his interest peaked. After getting everything unloaded you could see the excitement in his face and also his step and as was pumped to get out and try this thing we call ice fishing.

We get out to the first spot and drill a couple of holes and then the explaining of equipment and things that he can touch and not touch especially when it comes to the auger blades. After getting the Vexilar going and explaining to him what he was seeing he actually seemed to understand that the green he was seeing was his bait and the red that was around it was the fish he was trying to catch.

I rigged him up with T.H.E. Jig as well as my lines and we proceeded to fish. The first location wasn’t showing any action and I decided to drill more holes a little ways away. As I finished drilling the holes I turned around and looked at David and he was fighting a fish that he had caught all on his own. The smile that he had on his face when that fish came out of the hole was priceless and one that I will be remembering for quite sometime.

Since now he was hooked on ice fishing he caught a few more from that hole and when the action slowed down he wanted me to drill more holes over there and that is what we did. He started getting the hang of setting the hook and also how to jiggle T.H.E. Jig to entice the fish into biting. The action started slowing some and so did his interest so he did like any other boy and ventured around a little on the ice.

Then the highlight of his day was to have a snack out there on the ice and this was a big moment for him as he thought he was so cool sitting there eating and fishing. We moved a few more times searching for some fish and as the afternoon wore on, so did the cold front that was coming through. The temps were dropping and the wind was picking up speed but he was a trooper and didn’t want to leave at all.

We were out there over 4 hours and he still wasn’t ready to go but the bite was getting none existent and you could see that his interest was waning. So he decided that it was time to go home and play in the backyard for a while, but he is definitely looking to shaping up to being his father’s son. He is hooked on ice fishing and wants to go again this weekend and I may now have a new buddy to take along with me fishing.

One thing that I have learned over the years is that you cannot push these kids into doing the things that we enjoy doing thinking they will as well. I want them to come to me and tell me that they want to go and try these things out so that way their interest is their doing and not me forcing them to do something that they don’t want to. I have found over the years that if you rush kids into these things they take a disliking to those activities and don’t want to do them at all as they grow older. I look forward to many more days on the ice with him and watch that excitement grow in him over the coming years.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Latest video from Feb 19 2008

Here is our latest video from fishing with my son on Feb 19 2008, enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxFueOshIn8

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site: www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Fishing February 17, 2008

Always seem to pick the wrong day weather wise to go out fishing but when other things need to be done there is nothing that can be helped. We ventured back to the lake that we have been frequenting the past couple of weeks in search of the elusive bigger crappies that live in those waters.

Since it has been a little warmer and raining some as well, the ice conditions were not bad other than being very slippery on the surface. Of course there was another storm front approaching with rain for the evening. What we had to deal with was high winds up to 30 mph that didn’t allow us to setup any type of wind break so we had to sit in the wind. Thankfully the temps were somewhat mild and were bearable but made it tough to watch the line for those light biters.

We concentrated mostly in 20 FOW and found the crappies were suspending up to 5 feet off of the bottom. Apparently with the approaching storm, this has triggered the fish into biting and bigger fish than we normally catch. After catching a few fish we were right into the 13 inch crappies and were able to catch a number of these before the bite died off. There wasn’t any sunfish caught at all and usually there is always a mixture between the two species.

The bait that we were using was the Loby Baits Micro Flei in the pink color and we have been using this particular piece of plastic for the last couple of outings. This goes to show the durability that these baits are made from and why plastics are fantastic. This was the only bait that was used as they were keying very nicely onto it.

As the winds persisted the bite started to dramatically drop off and after drilling more than 20 holes they were reluctant to bite very aggressively. This particular lake the shoreline was finally frozen solid once again but with the coming warm temps and rain, this may hamper our opportunities of fishing here again. This lake turns the big fish on when late ice starts and now is the time to get out there and find these bigger fish.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Latest video from Feb 17 2008

Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS)

Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS)

VHS is an infectious disease of fish. There are several strains of VHS that affect fresh and salt water fishes. The strain of VHS that is currently present in the Great Lakes is a strain most closely related to one that is found on the Atlantic coast. VHS affects several different species of fish, including sportfish. Some of the affected species include: Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy), Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides), Freshwater Drum (Aplodinotus grunniens), Round Goby (Apollonia melanostomus), and Walleye (Sander viteus).

Read the rest here

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Latest video from February 10, 2008

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Fishing February 10, 2008

If you are not familiar with New England and the weather that we have here, all you need to do is to wait five minutes and it will change. With the news that a major cold front was going to be coming through in the afternoon we hit the lake in the morning looking for a good bite back on the pond that has some good slab crappies.

Upon arriving the sun was shining and there was a light breeze blowing but off in the distance you could see the cloud bank coming. After drilling a few holes it wasn’t long and the fish were biting and hitting the ice while using the Loby Baits pink Micro Flei we were able to locate and catch some good sized sunfish but average crappies.

As the morning wore on so did the weather and this really was the story of the day. Once the cloud bank arrived overhead the winds started picking up and it started to sprinkle. Thankfully I had brought my Otter fish house as the rain became fairly hard and consistent. The rain continued for about half an hour and let up and so did the wind.

Then there was a noise coming from the adjoining woods and as I set my house back up the gail force winds hit and with all of the snow it was a white out conditions and there were times that I had to do all I could to keep my house from moving across the ice from the force of the wind. This went on for about half an hour and once that blew over the sun came out and the winds died down and it was like nothing had happened.

Usually don’t get weather like this extreme from one to another but here in New England this is fairly common throughout the year. The fish were still biting but had slowed a little so we switched over to T.H.E. Jig and worked those finicky fish into biting. Most of our fish came from 18-20 FOW and were suspending 2-5 feet off of the bottom. Towards the end we were fishing one hole that had numerous fish activity in it and when they would bite we missed them but they all felt heavy. Not sure but this may have been that school of 13 inch plus crappies that we were looking for but unfortunately were not caught.

The shoreline at this lake has firmed up over the last couple of days but still unable to walk on it and we had to walk around a part of the lake to get on. Monday we are looking at 10 degrees and high winds and this will definitely help in keeping the ice there and firming the shoreline up that we may head out there again on our next outing to search for these crappies.

A video recap is following in a day

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Ice softening

If you are an angler in the New England area you probably already know that the ice conditions out there are getting fair as each day passes. We were on a lake last weekend and had to walk around part of the lake to be able to get on as the shoreline had open water where we wanted to get on. We are going to go and check this lake once again here in a couple of hours and see what it looks like if we can get out there again this weekend. We have been having fairly mild temps and a lot of rain as well and now the last day or so the snow has come in and has covered everything over again. This weekend especially could be problematic for getting on some of our lakes and caution needs to be taken at all times. Play it safe out there and if the lake that you want to go on looks iffy, go try another lake as there are plenty of waters around to get on safely. Enjoy the weekend and hope that everyone catches many fish.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Latest Video February 3 2008

Here is our latest trip put to video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQbO0yTHsNI

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Fishing February 3 2008

With the warming temps and the rains that we have been receiving our ice is starting to take a toll and making things a little interesting. We decided to head to a pond that is known for having large crappies and this was going to be our focus for this trip. Upon arriving at the waters edge there is something going on as this shoreline that we get to first almost always has open water on the edges and is open once again. Have to walk around a part of the lake to get to a place that the ice is safe enough to set foot on.

Since this pond has some big crappies in the 13” and bigger class we decided to stay out in deeper water and search for suspending fish. After drilling a few holes we started catching a number of nicer sunfish on T.H.E. Jig and they were coming in fairly regularly. We had to down size to the smallest jig as the fish on the Vexilar would hover around T.H.E. Jig but at times showed no interest what so ever. Since the crappies weren’t coming in we forged on and drilled more holes in our search.

At this point we switched over to the Loby Baits micro flea in the pink color and the crappies started gobbling this bait up. We were catching more crappies than sunfish and that is what our quest was for this day but the size wasn’t what we were looking for and catching 10-11.5” fish fairly regularly. We decided to move out into deeper water and this is when we started connecting with bigger crappies. These fish were in 20 fow and were suspending anywhere from 17 feet up to 14 feet. These fish that were suspending were more aggressive than the ones that were lower towards the bottom. We were able to catch a bass as well and this fish came in and slammed the micro flea and gave the Austin rod another workout which it handled the fight very well.

All in all it was a good day out on this pond but we never did find those 13 inch plus fish that we were looking for. With the weather being warm and a light breeze all day the ice is getting worn and the top layer is definitely softening up here and we need to get some cold nights once again and freeze things over nicely. From the times that we have been to this pond we usually don’t catch numbers of fish but on this outing we caught a number of fish and the crappies were good fighters. We will be back again soon as the search for those slab crappies will continue.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Downsizing

As we move into February and the ice season is in full swing, the fishing is getting tougher with winter weather playing a major role. This time of year fish are still being caught but many anglers are having to have to work harder at catching their favorite species of fish. The anglers that are having better success are the ones that are employing the downsizing methods to their fishing strategy. By downsizing we are talking about micro baits that are used and there are days when these baits are the only thing that the fish want and are finicky to even bite these. By micro baits we are talking about jigs that are very small with examples of 1/60, 1/80 and even 1/100 oz sizes. These resemble micro organisms and at this time of year this is what the fish are feeding on. Micro plastics are another bait that is shining these days and between these two offerings, this should put more fish on the ice for you. These very small jigs may not be at your favorite tackle shop and there are a number of companies on the internet that sell these. Downsize and catch more fish this winter season and try something that most of the other anglers either don’t know about or don’t want to fish a bait that small.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Fishing January 27, 2008

This day was one of those days that were going to test you in every way possible once getting to your fishing spot and the walk before. The previous day was gorgeous with high sun and mild temps but projects around the house had dominated that day and we were unfortunate to be able to take advantage. So Sunday arrives and we wake to a snowstorm with gusting winds to 35mph.

We arrive at the lake, one that we usually only fish a couple of times a season, and there is between 1-2 inches of fresh snow on top. If someone wanted to make a home video to send into one of those TV shows, this one would have done well. Since there was a fresh coating of snow the footing that we had was never really there. The ice surface was very slippery and while pulling our portable house along with us I had fallen to the ice at least 15 times before getting to where I wanted to fish. As I sit here and type this report my right knee is still in a good amount of pain as well as one of my elbows. There were a couple of times that I laid there on the ice wondering why I continue but I wanted to fish and made my way to that area.


We concentrated on a deeper hole of the lake and punched a number of holes looking for active fish. What we were finding were a number of dead holes and finally one produced a couple of small sunfish for our efforts. I had decided to work my way towards shore as I was contemplating walking the shore back to avoid another round of slamming myself to the ice. As we worked into a little shallower water the last couple of holes started producing and started with a pickerel. After getting that fish out of the area the bigger sunfish started coming in and there were a handful of nice ones caught.


With the winds and snow howling outside and not much action happening inside of the house we decided to pack it up and head out. Most of our fish came in 10 feet of water and were caught on a green/black T.H.E. Jig worked ever so slowly and the smallest jig that I had along with me. These fish were very inactive and fortunately the last hole that we drilled there were some active fish to save the day. This lake has numbers of these bigger sunfish and that is what we were looking for but with the cold snowy front passing through the area, I have a feeling that most anglers out there had a tough day as well.


One piece of equipment that I need to purchase this week before going out again next week is a good set of boot cleats as I am not going to put myself through that punishment again. We as sportsman put ourselves through some very tough and demanding situations to do what we truly love to do. It takes dedication and sometimes a little craziness to keep getting out there and going but when that day comes where everything falls together, those are the days that we live for. Would I do it again and the answer will always be yes as my wife asked me that when I came limping and hobbling into the house.


Here is our latest video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=LCOAGj7wcgU

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Our latest Video Jan 28, 2008

Panfish fishing through the storm

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Cold Temps Making Ice

The weather as of lately here in New England is being very favorable for the ice anglers out there and cooperating with ice forming. The temps lately have been very cool especially at night and lack of snowfall is helping immensely. The warm weather and rain that we had received a week ago or so has taken most of the snow cover off of the ice and this is allowing the cold to take hold. Some area ponds still need to be watched as the shorelines were opening with the warm weather and still be unsafe to navigate onto. Bringing all the safety equipment along is always encouraged and letting people know where you are at is getting to be standard practice. We are still enjoying time on the ice and are finding good ice where we have been and will be trying a new body of water again this weekend. Be safe out there and enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer but also be aware of what and where you are walking and be safe to enjoy another day out on the ice.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Dead Sticking Panfish

As the winter months are progressing further along here that is bringing along high pressure days more frequently. This in turn makes the fish a little tougher to catch as the bites are more finicky and also very light hitting the baits that we offer them. Until we start seeing the spring thaw anglers are going to have to work a little harder to being able to put fish on the ice but we are starting to see a technique that is starting to pay off on these high pressure days. What we are talking about is dead sticking which is just like it sounds. Instead of giving any type of action to the bait, just leave the bait sit there motionless and this is attracting fish. Once you notice that the fish are hovering around your bait then you may want to put a very minimal action to it and usually one of those fish is going to grab the bait. Then there are times that just letting it sit there they will attack it as well. Play around with this technique and see what you can get to work for you and this may help you put some fish on the ice when others either are having a tough day or not getting bit at all. Adjusting your fishing methods to what the conditions are is what is going to make a mediocre day into a fruitful day.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Wildlife Activity

Have you ever noticed on days when you are in the field that sometimes the wildlife activity is either very active or none existent. Weather plays a huge role in how much activity are in the wildlife that we seek. It has been mentioned that you are able to look out your window and be able to gauge if this will be a successful day or not. If you have bird feeders in your yard those are good indicators that you could use to determine if there will be activity while you are out. Most of us are not able to pick our days that we take to enter the field and have to take whatever mother nature throws at us, but if we have a little idea as to the activity that is happening around us then we can adjust our plan accordingly and still make it a successful outing. Fish are going to be doing the same as well and many folks say to watch the bird activity around your favorite body of water and this will let you know how the day will be going. If there is a lot of activity then most creatures are going to be active but if you are not noticing much activity things may be tough and you will have to work a little harder to have an enjoyable day. The next time you go into the field take a look at what is happening around you and see if these things are as we describe.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Fishing Video for Ice Fishing

Click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7wsARCrKuk

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Fishing January 19, 2008

Finally to be on the ice once again as the weather and conditions here in New England do and will change from day to day. While we were in MN for a week the weather here was in the 60’s and that melted a lot of the surface of the ice as well as opening up the shorelines on many ponds. We heard many reports that folks were using long board planks to get out onto the ice and after having another 12 inches of snow we had decided last weekend to stay off of the ice and wait for more favorable conditions.

We ventured out onto our favorite winter pond this day and with the spud bar in hand and the ice picks around our neck we found very favorable ice for our latest ice fishing adventure. The total ice thickness was around 12 inches with the top layer of 6 inches of frozen snow and the rest being hard ice. The thickness that we had now was thicker than we have had all winter and we should be set now for the rest of the winter with the cold temperatures coming in this week.

Since the snow has melted from the surface of the ice, this made for easy travels around searching for our fish today. Drilled a few holes right away and concentrated in depths from 13 – 18 feet of water. On this particular pond this area that we fish is the deepest hole of the lake and we always figure that there are going to be concentrations of fish here and usually are never disappointed at that.

Our game plan for this day was to fish for crappies and sunfish but at the same time we were going to jig for some bass as well. Upon dropping the transducer of our Vexilar down the first hole we were marking fish and dropped the Chubby Darter down and a couple of jigs later had the first bass on ice. Unfortunately since this fish had hammered the bait and taken it fairly deep we easily worked the hooks out and quickly released this bass back into the water unharmed. We tried a little more with the Chubby Darter but were more focused on searching for panfish and concentrated our efforts more towards them.

The plan that we generally use is drill around 20 holes in a circular pattern and once that is done then we will start hole jumping until we find active fish. As time goes by we generally find that there are only a few holes that are very productive and that were this case this day as well. The fish that we were marking were suspended from 3 feet to 9 feet off of the bottom and if we were to see the higher fish those were of a much bigger size. We had caught a number of fish but a majority of these were in the 4 – 6 inch range and we haven’t seen this many small crappies in this location ever.

After weeding our way through a number of fish we were able to bring home a few for a small fish fry and they were greatly appreciated on the dinner plate. The fish that were caught were caught on the Loby Baits Mousi in the white color and also others were caught on a yellow/orange T.H.E. Jig which we are finding as a popular color on this particular pond. The lift method was used on all of the fish that were caught and if they were reluctant to bite after working them for a few minutes then we would move onto the next hole.

We had figured that the bite would be much easier than it was as a small storm front was going to be coming through the area and the temperatures are falling as well. But that didn’t seem to matter as the fish were there and fish were caught but the numbers of fish that we did catch were worked for and were not going to come easily. Now that we are getting our ice forming more firmly these days this is going to open many more avenues for us and start looking for more reports from us and we are going to start venturing to lakes and ponds that haven’t been visited yet this winter.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Ice safety

This is getting to be an old record lately around here in New England but we want to keep these thoughts on everyone’s mind this ice season. The ice that we had form early in the season had started out very clear and hard, but with all the snow that we have received this winter has melted and there is a layer of frozen snow/slush. Then came along the few days in the 60’s with a rain as well and what that did was melt the surface fairly well as well as open the shorelines also. Now we have received around another 12 inches of snow the other day on this weaker ice and snow/rain in a couple of days coming again. Luckily the cold weather is starting to come back but if you are venturing out to do some ice fishing, be very cautious and check the shoreline and all ice that you may walk on to making sure that it is strong enough to support you and your equipment. We have been talking about this scenario almost the whole season so far because the ice is ever changing and with the weather that we have been getting, this is not helping matters at all. Spud bar, life jacket, ropes and ice picks are standard equipment that needs to be taken along and you should not be out there without any of this equipment. Have fun and enjoy your ice outing but keep in mind that safety is number one and always should be and use that safety equipment and we all want to see everyone being able to fish another day.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Fishing MN January 9, 2008 with recap

Today was going to be a rest and travel day and being on the ice for 5 straight days was starting to take its toll on my back and I could definitely feel all of that fishing. Later in the afternoon I started my travels back towards the cities and met with a couple of friends before getting to my aunt and uncles as I spent the night with them. Very early morning flight on the next day had me back in New England by noon and the last numbers of days are all of a memory now that I am going to be carrying along with me for quite some time.

After looking back on my trip I had met a number of old friends met a load of new friends and will definitely be trying to get out with all of them upon my next outing to MN once again. I am already starting to plan my next years ice trip and I know that I will be in the same areas seeing the same folks that I had the pleasure of fishing with this year, but will be adding a stop in Wisconsin the next time around and fish with the Loby Baits gang over there on Redstone Lake. I tried to figure out how I could possibly get there this time around but the drive was going to be to long and I know that next time I will fly into Milwaukee and catch up with Loby and his crew for those outstanding days of fishing that they have over there. This was a very good trip and the days always go by way to fast but again I want to thank everyone that I met along the way for their hospitality and was a joy fishing with all of you. I am looking forward to doing it again next year.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Fishing MN January 8, 2008

Dad and I decided that we were going to go and fish the lake that I fished earlier in the week for crappies again but with the conditions that we had we were never able to get there and fish it. Since we had to walk and had no other means of transportation out to the fishing spot, I was trying to find a location on the lake that we could park and walk but with the very dense fog that we were having, made it impossible to find that location. We ended up at a connecting lake and tried there for an hour and the fish were not biting there. The fog was lifting so we loaded the gear and headed back to find that other location and still were unable to find it and unfortunately never got back to the crappie honey hole. Went back to the homestead and I fished there the rest of the afternoon but the sun was out once again and the bite was tough but was able to put together another meal for the freezer and that was a goal that I wanted to do for my parents.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Fishing MN January 7, 2008

Since I had been traveling around the state the last three days I decided to stay and fish my parent’s lake and was nice to be able to walk out the door and start drilling holes. Across the bay there is a point that comes out and after finding that and drilled a number of holes to locate the break line and had holes in depths from 5 feet out to 26 feet. We found out that the best depth’s that were holding fish were from 8 feet to 16 feet with 12 feet the best. Today the bite was the best again when the clouds were around as later in the afternoon the bite dropped off dramatically once again. We were able to catch numerous sunfish and later in the day the crappies starting showing themselves and a few of them were caught as well. It was amazing at the number of northern pike that I had caught as I had a back to back battle with two pike on two consecutive drops of the line. These were all great battles and on the ultralite gear and 2 pound test line that I was using, this was a little nerve racking getting them in. we were able to get fish in the freezer and I know that mom was especially happy at seeing that. Was nice being able to fish with my dad for a change as this was something that we haven’t done in a number of years as well, this was some great times that I am going to remember for a long while.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:
www.backwoodssportsman.com/

If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:

outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com

Fishing MN January 6, 2008

This was another early rise morning as this day was going to bring me to Big Sandy Lake in the McGregor area and a day of fishing with internet acquaintances and meeting many new people as well. The meeting place was at CrappieKeith’s house and man was there a number of people there to shake hands with. Shaking hands for the first time with Dave ”Hoggie” Hoggard and “CrappieKeith” Keith Nelson was something that I have wanted to do in quite some time and finally was able to get that chance. Also, the gang from WhereIFish.com had been there with Keith for the last few days and was truly a joy meeting all of you as well. We loaded and headed for Big Sandy and met up with another member of Catch-N Shannon “SandBurr” there with his kids and crew and a number of handshakes once again were put out and was great meeting all of you as well. Were moved out onto a narrows area on Big Sandy and everyone started drilling holes on a break in that area. With cloudy conditions and a light breeze this proved very productive until midday when the sun decided to poke out and slow the bite dramatically. Everyone was catching fish with whatever techniques they were using and many varieties of fish species were hitting the ice, walleye, northern pike, perch, crappies and whitefish were being caught. This day was one of my most memorable as I had met and fished with so many people in one day that goes to show me that ice fishing is so much more fun and we are able to share that time with more folks as opposed to open water fishing. At the end of this day Keith and I had done a Catch-N Radio show with Hoggie and hopefully other anglers are going to be able to get information from that. Again, this day was really the highest highlight that I had from the whole trip and look forward to doing this again next year.

BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors web site:

www.backwoodssportsman.com/
If you have an outdoor related question that you would like to "Ask BackWoods Sportsman Outdoors", send those inquiries to the following e-mail address and we will be glad to post a response for you:
outdoors@backwoodssportsman.com