Professional fisherman Dave Csanda will break down different approaches for catching smallmouth versus largemouth bass in live presentations Thursday and Friday at the opening of the 47th annual Minnesota Sportsmen's Show in downtown St. Paul.

Csanda, who lately has been heavily involved in the nonprofit group "Let's Go Fishing," which provides outings to older adults, the disabled and veterans, said he'll differentiate "when, where and how'' to catch each species. In a separate presentation, Csanda will coach anglers how to trigger walleye strikes with more aggressive techniques than traditional live bait jigging.

"Triggering strikes is different than tempting strikes,'' Csanda said.

Show hours Thursday at RiverCentre are 2-9 p.m. Hours Friday are noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, the show runs 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and on Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Adult admission is $9; kids 6-12 are $2.50; those under age 6 are free.

Mille Lacs hot

Walleye fishing has been good so far this winter on Mille Lacs, and ice-fishing houses are expanding farther onto the big lake.

"We're not catching just walleyes from the 2013 year class,'' said Kevin McQuoid of Mac's Twin Bay Resort on Mille Lacs. "We're catching bigger walleyes, too, and also fish in the 9- and 10-inch range, which is good to see.''

McQuoid said he has about 120 of the 160 houses his resort either owns or moves for clients on the ice. He's plowing roads over 16 to 18 inches of ice.

Northern pike fishing in the shallows also has been good this winter on Mille Lacs.

The Mille Lacs winter walleye limit is one fish between 19 and 21 inches, or one longer than 28 inches. Mille Lacs northern pike winter anglers and spearers can keep up to five fish, with one longer than 30 inches. But to keep the 30-plus-inch fish, anglers and spearers must have caught or speared two northern pike shorter than 30 inches and have them in their possession.

Anglers cited

Four of six Department of Natural Resources conservation officers on northern Minnesota duty last week reported tagging ice anglers for marijuana and/or drug paraphernalia possession while checking them for fishing-regulation compliance.

Conservation officers Ben Huener (Roseau); Nicholas Prachar (Baudette West); Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West); and Hannah Mishler (Baudette East) encountered and cited the anglers.