outdoors

It happened again this week, I had to turn down another  fishing trip because I was already booked the first week in August.  How does an angler avoid that situation?  What's the best way to plan a guided fishing trip?  There are alot of factors, but the number one factor is to plan early so you dont miss the boat!

Calling to book a fishing trip with a fishing guide should be done as soon as you have decided that you are going to need a guide or want to try one. Never take for granted that the guide will be available.  A good guide will be booked months and in some cases a year in advance for certain weeks during the summer.  As a rule of thumb, June July, August and September always get booked first.  And of those months,-- believe it or not, Saturday can be the slowest day of the week due to resorts using that day as "turn-over" day.  I would say the most requested days for fishing trips are are actually week days because of the lodging schedules most resorts carry.  If I had to narrow it down further, monday  and tuesday are highly requested days because anglers want to learn some "tips" they can use the rest of the week on their own time--it's a smart move if your new to a lake or resort!   So my advice is if you want to fish on a tuesday, call ahead sooner than you think!   How soon is soon?

I always recommend 2-3 months in advance --especially if your window of fishing time is narrow.  A good example is you are sent on a  business trip somewhere and you have the afternoon off and you think you might want to go fishing for a half day.   Another reason is that you are having a family reunion at a resort and you want to hire the boat for the entire day so everyone can get for a little bit.  On the other hand, if you have a larger window of opportunity (a week long family vacation at a resort) its probably a little less crucial.  But again, if you want to hire a guide to get you on fish the first day of your stay--so you can have a good week of fishing in your own boat,  then I would say call 2-3 months in advance.  I knew last November I was going to Key West on a trip in Early March, so the minute I booked the flight, the next most important thing I did was book a chartered fishing trip.   Loding was last on my list, LOL.

The busiest month for a good guide is all of them,  many clients are surprised that they cant get a trip booked on a tuesday in October, a monday in May, or a thursday afternoon in July because the guide is already booked from the previous year.  Here's a way to look at it.   I take out 600 anglers fishing one summer and they all have fun.  And suppose 80% are able to go again next year and book when they get home or at the dock when the trip is done, that doesn't leave many openings for new clients--atleast for my personal boat.  

Well thats my short story on calling ahead to get a fishing trip arranged.  Sorry for the abrupt ending (again like a bad movie) but I m going ice fishing for the last time today.  I think I hear the trumpets in the back ground.  Today is definetly a bitter sweet day, the last day of the 2009/10  ice fishig seaon but the beginning of the 2010/2011 season--and the boats are ready!  Good luck and have fun--rule #1--have fun! www.minnesotaguideservice.com

I must say, I still think  the fierce fighting Northern Pike is a greatly under-rated sport fish...and extremely tasty on the table too!  Catching these brutes through the ice by using a good old fshioned tip-up rig is a sure way to get the kids (and adults) excited about ice fishing.    "Its like cathing a shark through the ice" says an excited  7 year old after watching his 5 year old brother perfectly hook and land "hand over hand" style the 3 lb northern  on  a tip-up rig.  Plus it's fun and simple..and thats the recipe for success.

Location! (always the most important factor in fishing) ..find a good shoreline weed flat (20 acres or bigger, full of cabbage/coontail weed  and  5-10 ft deep), a nice medium  break down to deep water (30 ft or more) , locate the main weed edge (somewhere around 12-20 ft deep) and your in business.  Set the line 2-3 ft off the bottom, hook a good strong medium sized Shiner minnow IN FRONT of the dorsal fine and keep the split shot a good 12 inches from the bait.  This allows the minnow to swim like crazy and attract the fish for you!  Also stay away from weighted hooks--they tire the minnow quickly--ever try to swim with 10 lbs around your waist?  A good hook is a number 2 size in either chartreuse or bright orange--both colors replicate perch/ bluegill patterns.  Bait?--Try 2-3 dozen medium sized  (easier for fish to swallow quickly) Shiners.  Yes I said Shiners--they will out fish sucker minnows three to one on most days.  How 'bout the tip-up?

Stick to the HT plasctic style for under $10 is a sure bet.  Never did like the wood "beaver damn" style.  The HT's are bullet proof and have a more sensitive flag tripping system than the older wood style.  Even the attack a walleye uses when inhaling the bait can't fool these new tip-ups.  Load the spool  with 30-40 lb test dacron or braided line.  Black line is easy to see on the ice and handles well.  I personally like to use Trilene 17lb XT line for the leader (which is 3 ft long.  I feel the minnow can swim much longer and more naturally than being attached to a steel leader.  Yes a fish or two may bite the line off, but the number of fish caught in general will be more than using a steel leader--so it's a fair trade off.  /Quick strike rigs work (that's a whole different story), but a a single hook will the job--and it's much easier to unhook the fish when you are in a hurry.  Speaking off unhooking fish, a "mouth spreader" and a good "forcepts" should be in your pocket to unhook the fish, many times the hook is not within reach and the fish will bite down on your forcepts when it can. 

Seeing the flag fly is part of the fun--and so is the anticipation of finding what's on the line when you arrive at the hole.  Although running to the flag is tempting--I suggest walking quietly.   To much noise from above can cause the fish to drop the bait.  When you arrive at the hole, gently lift the tip-up and set it on the ice, grab the line and pull slowly until tension (the fish) is felt and set the hook with a good long steady pull.  Hold one hand over the center of the hole and pull the line through your fingers and drop the line onto the ice as the fish nears the surface.  Ease the head of the fish into the hole and grab the fish by the back of the head and squeeze a bit to calm the fish.  Done, unhook and rebait and catch another.  

That's all there is to it.  The pike are still active this time of year and obviously the Vikings are not!  So there are no excuses, get out there and catch some tip-up northern pike!  Good Luck, Capt. Josh www.minnesotaguideservice.com