DOUGLAS COUNTY

Frisch: Board Games for Walleyes

Mike Frisch — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 23:00:00 GMT

ALEXANDRIA — Planer boards are fishing “tools” that can add to a fishing day’s success. Boards, as they are often called, work by letting out some type of lure, often a crankbait, attaching the board, and then letting out more line, which takes the board and lure off to the boat’s side. This presentation option is very popular in states where multiple lines per angler are allowed because it allows anglers to spread lines and cover lots of water searching for active walleyes. Minnesota’s one line per angler law keeps some anglers from using boards, and that is probably a mistake.

On a fishing trip a while back, for example, three of us were trolling the basin of a central Minnesota lake with crankbaits, catching an occasional walleye. Our catch rate went up quickly when we attached lures to planer boards and let the boards out 75 to 100 feet from the boat’s sides. Why? Probably because we were covering more water and putting our baits in front of more fish with each trolling pass.

Later in the day, our sonar unit began showing fish up higher in the water column. We adjusted by letting fewer lines out, which kept our Hornet crankbaits higher in the water column, and, again, our catch rate went up, particularly on the two baits fished behind boards. Why? Probably because the boat’s presence was spooking or pushing the fish up high in the water column off to the boat’s sides, putting them in perfect position for the approaching boards and the crankbaits trolled behind them.

That particular fishing trip, we used Off Shore OR12 planer boards with Tattle Flags. We simply let out the amount of line we wanted, attached the board to the line by simply putting the line in two pinch clips and then set the board in the water and let more line out. The board’s design took the board and our bait attached to it away from the boat.

The board moved smoothly across the water with the Tattle Flag riding high, when suddenly the flag would go down, “tattling“ on a walleye that had our bait. A slow, steady retrieve to a partner who removed the board and then more retrieves often lead to walleye gold.

A key component of this style of fishing is, in fact, in the retrieve. First, no hook set is needed because a fish that bites a crankbait usually hooks itself and additional pressure only serves to increase the odds the hook pulls out. A slow, steady retrieve also minimizes additional pressure. When the board comes to the boat, a partner removes the board while holding the line and the landing angler reels to the line in his partner’s hand. This process keeps the line tight minimizing slack line and lost fish. Another important part of the fish landing process is the use of the right rods. Long rods with moderate action do a good job of keeping walleyes hooked. We’ve been using the Speed Stick trolling rods with good success for the past several years.

The Tattle Flags are important because they not only make it easy for anglers to know when a walleye is hooked, but they also alert anglers to the presence of smaller fish or weeds, which can sometimes be dragged for long periods of time without an angler even knowing when not using flags. Not only do they add to the efficiency and catch, but using Tattle Flags is fun because it’s almost mesmerizing to lock in on a flag and then suddenly be snapped into action when you see a “flag down.”

Flag down means fish on, and the landing fun begins. If you want to experience more fish landing excitement this summer, give planer boards a try as they can increase your catch and fun rates. As always, good luck on the water and remember to include a youngster in your next outdoors adventure.

Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series. Visit

www.fishingthemidwest

.com to see more fishing tips and view recent TV episodes as well.

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Frisch: Summer Bass on the Flats

Mike Frisch — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 23:00:00 GMT

ALEXANDRIA — Lots of Midwestern bass anglers, this one included, like to fish the deep or outside edge of the weed line utilizing spinning gear and “Ned-Rig” style baits. Ned Rigging the deep weed line is, in fact, a favorite technique of lots of fishing guides who prefer this fishing method for its simplicity and the number of bass and other fish species often caught. At times, however, the bite can be better, especially for big bass, by fishing up on the flat and penetrating the heaviest weed clumps. Here is a look at some tips if you decide to go to battle with the big bass that often inhabit the flats during the summer.

Late and early in the day, or cloudy, windy days, will often find numbers of bass prowling the weed edges. When the sun is high and the wind lies flat, that’s a prime time for big bass to pull up onto a flat and bury themselves in some of the thickest, nastiest vegetation available. When that is the case, I dig out a flippin’ stick, tie on a big jig, and start making short pitches to heavy weed clumps searching for fish.

Sometimes, especially on large flats, the search can go quite some time without a bite, when suddenly several bass are caught in succession from a very small area. When that happens, I try to identify what made the productive area “fishy.” Maybe it was a very dense patch of weeds, a change in weed type, or a small opening in the weeds that held the fish. Another indicator might be water depth, as often identifying a particular depth range where the bites come from can help narrow the search, especially on flats with gradual depth tapers. Whatever the case, I thoroughly fish a productive area, trying to maximize my bites, and then move on searching for similar spots that yield similar results.

My jig presentation for this fishing style utilizes a big, skirted bass jig with a soft plastic trailer. I prefer a 1/2-ounce black and blue Hack Attack Jig if the water is somewhat off-colored, utilizing the same jig in Okeechobee craw if the water is a bit clearer.

I tip the jig with a similarly colored Rage Craw and pitch it out ahead of the boat, let it settle in, and hop or shake it a couple of times before reeling up and repeating. Often, the bite comes on the initial drop or shortly after, so I don’t spend too much time working the bait before reeling up and making my next pitch.

The Hack Attack’s unique design works great for penetrating heavy vegetation. Another important equipment consideration when fishing heavy cover is the rod, reel, and line being used. A heavy-action flippin’ stick and high-speed baitcasting reel spooled with heavy fluorocarbon line work great. I use a Custom Lite 7 1/2-foot fast-action, heavy power rod paired with the 8:3.1 gear ratio Custom Pro reel. This setup gives me the power I need to haul big fish from heavy cover and also lets me rapidly retrieve line when quickly searching for bass. Spooling with 20-pound CONTRA fluorocarbon line completes my setup.

If horsing big fish in your boat is a goal this summer, consider visiting the flats on your favorite lake and utilizing some of the tips just provided. Odds are good you will tangle with some big bass and have some big fun.

As always, enjoy your time on the water, and remember to include a youngster in your next outdoors adventure.

Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series. Visit

www.fishingthemidwest.com

or follow Fishing the Midwest on Facebook for more “fishy” stuff.

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In 1923 'bad booze' tragedy, a deadly standoff involved machine guns, ammonia and fire

Travis Gulbrandson — Tue, 13 May 2025 18:00:00 GMT

ALEXANDRIA, Minn. — It had happened before.

Lydia Larson arrived home to find her husband, Edward, drunk.

Following an argument, Edward Larson threatened to kill his wife and children, and commit suicide.

By the time a 12-hour standoff with police had ended, three people were dead.

It was the evening of Oct. 20, 1923, in Alexandria.

According to what was reported later by the local papers, Edward Larson was known for indulging in "periodical sprees," which sometimes required Mrs. Larson to seek help from the neighbors.

After taking her two children to their grandmother's nearby house at around 7:30 p.m., Mrs. Larson went to the home of Jacob Ley and asked for his help in quieting her husband, which he had done on several occasions.

This time, however, Edward Larson was in no mood to be calmed.

Depending on which newspaper is doing the reporting, Ley either tried to speak to Larson and was rebuffed, or nothing at all was said.

Regardless of which version is true, there is no dispute about what happened next.

Edward Larson shot Jacob Ley, who stumbled back to his home and died shortly thereafter.

Police Chief Clead Olsen and Patrolman Jerry Callahan soon arrived at the Larson house, finding Larson in a bedroom with a rifle pointed at their heads.

The Alexandria Citizen News reported that Larson then snapped the trigger of his gun at the men, but either the gun was not loaded or the cartridge failed to explode.

"I could have shot Larson then, and might have beat him, but I thought I would get help and take him alive if possible," Olsen was quoted as saying by the Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. "I believed he was drunk, and eventually would get his senses together and give himself up when he realized what he had done."

Sheriff Emil Lundeen arrived as Olsen and Callahan were leaving the Larson house, and after they explained the situation to him, he informed them that he would handle the case.

Within a half hour, 16 men, some of them members of Company L., Sixth Minnesota Infantry, had been sworn in as special deputies and were assigned to locations on three sides of the house.

Shortly thereafter, around 8 p.m., Larson fired two times from the north window of the house, and once from an east window.

"Although the bullets came uncomfortably close to some of the spectators, nobody was injured, fortunately," the Alexandria Citizen News reported.

The Minneapolis Sunday Tribune added that two machine guns from the National Guard armory were procured at this time, and the machine gun crews took up positions 100 yards from the house.

Additionally, two two-gallon jugs of ammonia were procured, and while Larson was in the rear of the house, they were thrown into one of the rooms.

Larson then kicked out the glass in a window in the front of the house and the gunfire began again.

The electric wires leading to the home were also cut, leaving Larson in darkness.

At about 10:45 p.m. the Alexandria Citizen News reported that the men opened fire on the house, some bullets striking the ground, some tearing off brick and shingles on top of the building.

Shooting continued for some time, when calls were heard for help, as well as the moans and cries of a wounded man.

One of the men, William Ramsden, had on his own initiative crawled into the line of fire and was shot and mortally wounded. He had intended to snipe Larson.

Firing was stopped, and he was taken to St. Luke's Hospital, where he died, but not before absolving the other men of blame for his injuries.

No sign was seen of Larson. By this point, approximately 300 rounds had been fired.

After waiting for two hours, the men discussed whether they should approach the house or continue to wait.

Ultimately, it was decided to light the house on fire.

At 4 a.m. some burlap sacks were gathered and stuffed with hay and soaked with kerosene. The sacks were placed inside the house at a point Larson could not see if he were alive, and they were lit.

"The fire burned slowly for half an hour, and then quickly spread through the building," the Minneapolis Sunday Tribune reported.

After the fire had burned for more than an hour, the men began the process of extinguishing it with a hose.

The fire was under control by 6 a.m., at which time they searched for Larson's body, which they recovered at about 6:45 a.m.

"It is believed that (Larson) had been hiding in the small attic room beside the brick chimney, and that his body had fallen through to the lower floor when the flames ate away the structure," the Tribune reported. "The body was burned beyond recognition, and one leg was fractured. It was impossible to tell if he had been shot to death before the fire, but that was the general opinion."

The funerals of the three men were held within the week, and the local papers took the opportunity to write about the dangers and evils of "bad booze."

There was also a fair amount of discussion as to how the situation could or should have been handled, and on this point the Park Region Echo wrote an editorial.

"Hindsight is better than foresight, and sitting comfortably around a steam radiator it is easy to say how the hunt for Eddie Larson should have been conducted last Friday night — when not confronted by the crisis, and not shackled by responsibility," the editorial read. "Hundreds of such plans have been built up in the past week in Alexandria, some good and some bad. The worst of all is the suggestion that 'We will have to get the Klan in here to stop this violation of the prohibition law, which caused all the killing.'

"This is as much as to say that democracy is a failure; that the only way to enforce law is to tear down the whole structure of law and replace it with mob rule."

The editorial emphasized that there are officials who will enforce the law, rather than the public taking the law into its own hands.

"The person who must hide behind a bedsheet and work in the dark to enforce the law is not a good citizen," the editorial read. "He is not a bit better citizen than the bootlegger. Both of them are law-breakers, and if there is any difference at all it is in favor of the bootlegger, vile as his trade is, for he breaks only one law; the Klansman breaks them all."

The Douglas County Historical Society contributed to this report.
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Frisch: Early season bass

Mike Frisch — Fri, 09 May 2025 13:00:00 GMT

ALEXANDRIA — Largemouth bass can be found in lots of lakes, rivers and ponds across the country. In the southern regions of bass country, it's already midseason for bass catching, but in the Midwest, the bass action is just starting. In fact, in some states that have an open and closed season for bass fishing, the legal season for catching bass is just starting. Here's how you can take advantage of the outstanding fishing for largemouth bass that can be found across the Midwest.

The first thing to consider is that much of this early bass action will be in shallow water. Whenever you're fishing in shallow water, for any species, you must be quiet. Fish in shallow water are very spooky, so any loud or unusual noise, and any movement will spook them. Shut the outboard off before you enter the area to be fished and move in slowly with the electric motor. Keep the power on the electric on low: Move in slowly and quietly, and avoid giving the electric motor bursts of power.

You'll also want to make long casts, especially in clear water. Again, if you make long casts and stay away from the bass, you'll be less likely to spook them.

Lures that enter the water quietly will be productive. A lure that lands on the water quietly attracts bass, while a lure that splashes down loudly will spook them, especially if it lands close to the fish.

A real winner for bass in the spring is a stick-style plastic worm rigged wacky style. Wacky rigging is simply hooking a worm right in the middle. You use a larger-sized hook, about a 2/0 size, for a five-inch worm. You don't use any weight, as you want the worm to sink slowly. Cast the worm around rushes, docks, trees lying in the water, or anything that provides the fish with some cover. Bass like to be around stuff, especially when they're shallow.

This wacky rigged worm is a pretty light bait, so some anglers like to throw it with spinning gear. As for the fishing line used, we prefer using a braided line of 15-pound test mainline with a 12-pound test fluorocarbon leader tied in. We use the CONTRA braid in yellow as that line is very visible, allowing us to see hops and twitches in the line that indicate a fish is biting. CONTRA fluorocarbon is our choice for the leader as it is low vis so the fish don’t see it.

An Ocho worm doesn't have much tail action, which makes it perfect for wacky rigging. Plus, this eight-sided lure reflects like creating fish-attracting flashes. Cast it out, let it sink a bit, then start a twitching retrieve. You might want to let it rest on the bottom for a second or two, and sometimes an even longer rest is good, but most of the time you'll want to keep it moving. In colder water, give it light twitches; as the water warms, move it more aggressively. Experiment with colors, but in clear water, start with watermelon seed.

Right now is an outstanding time to be on the water. The weather is usually nice, and the bass are biting, and that creates a wonderful afternoon of fishing.

Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series. Follow Fishing the Midwest on Facebook for more “fishy” information or visit

www.fishingthemidwest.com

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Frisch: Shallow water walleyes

Mike Frisch — Fri, 02 May 2025 13:25:00 GMT

ALEXANDRIA — Walleyes are often thought of as a fish that inhabits the depths, and there are times when most of them will be found in deep water. However, there are other times, more than you may think, when you can catch walleyes shallow, being eight feet or less. Here are some ideas for taking walleyes in shallow water.

Walleyes spawn in shallow water, water so shallow that sometimes their dorsal fin will be above the surface of the water. After the spawn, they move into the mid-depths to recover from the rigors of spawning, or maybe they stay in the shallows and just don't eat much. But a few days after spawning has ended, walleyes will get active in the shallows. This is when they get easy to catch.

Look for shallow walleyes wherever the shiners or other baitfish are spawning. Shorelines with small rocks, areas with vegetation starting to come up, and points related to shorelines. These areas will all hold shallow walleyes early in the season, and there are lots of ways to catch'em when they're in these locations.

Crankbaits, slip-bobber rigs, live bait rigs – they'll all catch shallow walleyes. But the anglers who catch walleyes most regularly are probably throwing a jig tipped with either a minnow or plastic.

When the walleyes have just recovered from the spawn, they'll be most susceptible to a jig and minnow combination. In some bodies of water, the walleyes will eat a jig tipped with a fathead minnow. In other bodies of water, a shiner on the back of a jig will be far more productive. We almost always have shiners and fatheads in the boat.

We’re hooking the minnow to an eighth-ounce stand-up style jig almost all the time. The stand-up design of a jig enables us to pause the retrieve, but the jig stands up, remaining in full view of the fish. A round head jig lies flat on the bottom at rest, making it harder for the fish to see.

As the water warms, the walleyes become more susceptible to a jig and plastic presentation. Where a couple of days ago we were crawling the jig/minnow along the bottom, with the plastic, we'll be snapping it pretty aggressively or even swimming it on a steady retrieve. Walleyes in warmer water will eagerly whack a jig and plastic combo that is moving quickly along the bottom. Many of the strikes will come as the jig is gliding back to the bottom after it has been snapped. A jig tipped with a Rage Swimmer is tough to beat. Fish the jig and plastic with eight- or ten-pound test CONTRA fluorocarbon line, dropping to six-pound test when fishing the jig and minnow.

Walleyes can be found in shallow water year-round in most lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, but you should look for them in the shallows, especially in late spring and early summer. Make long casts, keep a low profile, and be quiet. If you do these things, you'll find yourself catching walleyes shallower than you might have imagined.

Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series. Follow Fishing the Midwest on Facebook for more “fishy” information or visit

www.fishingthemidwest.com

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Frisch: The spring crappies progression

Mike Frisch — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 16:00:00 GMT

ALEXANDRIA — If you’re an eager angler like me, you can’t wait for ice-out to head for your favorite crappie lake to wet a line in open water for the season’s first time. Those just-after-ice-out trips sometimes produce good fishing, but at other times, the fish seem to be nonexistent. The fact is that as the water warms and the weather stabilizes during spring, the crappie bite usually gets better.

Most crappie anglers know that finding the warmest, shallow water during spring up until the spawn is usually key. Warming waters, usually shallow waters, show the first signs of open-water life and draw hungry crappies. Shallow, dark-bottomed bays are classic early season spots, as are boat channels, marinas, and other shallow spots that warm quickly.

Just after ice-out, the crappies will invade these areas looking to feed, particularly on warm, sunny days. The appearance of a spring cold front, however, often sends these fish scurrying off to deeper waters where the water temperature is more stable. As spring progresses and water temperatures continue to rise and the weather moderates, crappies spend more and more time feeding in the shallows.

Finding spring crappies involves staying on the move and searching various shallow spots. I’ll often hit several spots during a fishing day, keeping an eye on the temperature gauge on my sonar unit in the boat when going from spot to spot. Shore anglers, though more limited in mobility, often do well this time of the year, too, as shallow areas that hold fish are often accessible from the bank now.

Small panfish jigs tipped with crappie minnows and fished below bobbers usually produce fish, particularly when they’re finicky. Recently, I have become a big fan of a small hand-tied feather jig called a Mr. Crappie Shoo Shiner for my crappie fishing. This jig produces action that finicky crappies seem to love, and it comes in a variety of “fishy” colors. Pitching it in and around shallow cover often produces crappies — though bonus big bluegills eat it too.

Bobbers and jigs go hand-in-hand for spring crappies, however, a cast and retrieve approach can also yield good catches on some days and can be a good “search” presentation as well. For this method, I’ll rig a Mr. Crappie ShadPole on a small jig, cast it out, and slowly retrieve it back.

Regardless of whether you’re fishing with a bobber or cast and retrieving fish, using your trolling motor to quietly approach and work potential fishing spots is usually important now. Shallow, spring crappies are notorious for being spooky and avoiding excess noise that may easily scatter these wily fish will probably up your catch.

Spring and crappies go hand-in-hand, especially as the season progresses and the weather stabilizes. Following some of the tips just provided can, in fact, probably help you capitalize on the hot mid-spring crappie bite this season.

As always, good luck on the water, and remember to include a youngster in your next outdoor adventure.

Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series. Visit

www.fishingthemidwest

.com to see more fishing tips and view recent TV episodes as well
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Frisch: Catch more fish

Mike Frisch — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 21:00:00 GMT

ALEXANDRIA — As a fishing TV show host and fishing educator, one of my “jobs” is to help people find and catch more fish. With this in mind, I am constantly researching and experimenting with cutting-edge fishing techniques, staying on the lookout for the latest in technological gadgets, and keeping a watchful eye for good bites that materialize across the Midwest. This process has revealed some suggestions that I think can be useful for other anglers looking to “up their game” this fishing season.

See the fish, catch the fish

For years, hardcore anglers, walleye anglers in particular, used their “down-looking” sonar units to search for “marks” on those units’ screens that indicated what appeared to be walleyes below. When found, a marker buoy was pitched near the marks, and the fishing began.

That process still works – though marker buoys have been replaced with electronic marks on a GPS screen. To really “be in the game” now, however, anglers need to take advantage of the various sonar technologies available that “look” forward, off to the sides, and around the boat. Many of today’s top tournament anglers, for example, are catching money-winning fish using these technologies. Anglers who don’t use Forward Facing Sonar, as it’s called in competitive fishing situations, are often left in the dust.

I must admit that I am still learning this game, but found it enlightening recently to “see” fish out away from my boat, pitch baits to them, and catch them at times. Simply put, the underwater world and its potential for producing fish is a lot bigger than what we used to see when we focused mostly on what was below the boat and ignoring, or maybe better said “not knowing,” what was ahead of and around the boat.

Fish the Ned Rig

Much of my bass fishing when guiding over the years involved throwing what were then called “jig-worms.” These were 4-to-7-inch plastic worm-style baits threaded on light (often 1/16- to 1/8-ounce) jig heads. We’d slowly work down deep weed lines in good bass lakes, casting and slowly working the baits along those weed edges. We’d catch bass, northern pike, and the occasional walleye.

Several years ago, however, smaller plastics fished on similar jigs came to the forefront, known as Ned Rigs. These baits are often in the 2-and-a-half-to-3-inch size range, making for a much smaller, more finesse-style bait. And, they work. Clearer waters and increased bass fishing pressure on many lakes appear to be, in fact, ideal conditions for fishing them.

The past several summers, a bunch of largemouth and smallmouth bass have fallen victim to a plastic bait called a Ned Ocho fished on 1/8-ounce jigs by my fishing partners and me.

If you like feeling the tug of a fish pulling back, a Ned Rig fished on the deep weed line will probably produce bass, northern pike, panfish, and maybe even a walleye or two.

Fish “smallies”

For whatever reason (I suspect clearer waters to be the cause), smallmouth bass populations have expanded and exploded in many lakes. That’s a good thing because smallmouth bass are extreme fighters and acrobats that are flat out fun to catch.

Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota has developed into one of the premier smallmouth lakes in the world. There are, however, expanding populations in a bunch of other lakes, both big and small, all across the Midwest. The good news is that a stop at a local bait shop may be all it takes to find lakes with good smallmouth fishing as it seems anglers are more willing to share details about their good smallmouth catches than they are to give up where the good walleyes are being caught, or details on big crappies.

Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series. Follow Fishing the Midwest on Facebook for more “fishy” information.

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Frisch: Up your fishing game

Mike Frisch — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 02:00:00 GMT

ALEXANDRIA — Even though I have been fishing for 50-plus years, I hope each fishing season is better than the ones that came before it. In order for that to happen, there are some areas of my “fishing game” that need my attention if I am going to be a better and more successful angler than in the past. Here is a look at ways anglers can improve their fishing skills.

Sonar skills

One part of fishing that is constantly changing is the technological revolution occurring when it comes to sonar. Sonar units and their capabilities get better every fishing season and to be the best angler possible, it’s essential that an angler evolve with sonar. I try to get in the boat every year with anglers who are better with sonar than I am. I then watch and try to learn from my observations and put those observed skills to use on my own.

In the absence of learning from being in the boat with another angler, we can also develop skills in modern sonar use by watching the various YouTube videos that are available to anglers as well. Watching and learning and then trying to put those lessons to use in our own boat is another way to develop skills with modern technologies.

Regardless of where the knowledge comes from, staying abreast in the latest technologies regarding sonar use and then putting them to use in your boat is one important way to be better at finding fish. Being a better fish finder as an angler means more fish around your bait which hopefully leads to more fish in the boat!

Casting accuracy

As a multi-species angler who loves bass fishing, I have developed skills at flipping and pitching my baits to effectively present them to fish. During the long winters we experience in the Midwest, however, my skills often deteriorate. For that reason, I keep a couple of my favorite flipping and pitching rods in the house during winter and occasionally take them out and practice. I have found that a few minutes a day a couple of days a week spent flipping and pitching a jig with a bent-over hook at a coffee cup or two helps keep my casting accuracy sharp and helps me be ready for the coming season.

New equipment

Using the latest in fishing gear is another way to be a better angler. For example, when skipping and pitching jigs or Texas-rigged baits for bass, having rods and reels designed for those techniques often helps an angler “be good” at those presentations. For example, Lew’s has a new reel on the market called a Custom Pro with a Paramag ITB braking system. The name is not important, but what is important is that the cast control on this reel is top-notch. I had a chance to sample it last fall and can say this reel casts baits a great distance while enabling maximum cast control. I will be fishing with several of these new reels this season because maximum casting distance while being able to control where my bait ultimately lands should keep me around more fish and lead to more bites.

After all, getting more bites is one way to have a better fishing season than the last! Enjoy your time on the water and remember to include a youngster in your next outdoor adventure.

Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series on Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, and FanDuel Sports. Visit

fishingthemidwest.com

to see TV schedules and all things Fishing the Midwest.

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Frisch: Getting Ready for Spring

Mike Frisch — Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT

ALEXANDRIA — March can be a bit of a difficult time for this open-water angler. The weather is starting to turn for the better, so I am very anxious to be in a boat. Yet, lakes across the Midwest are still ice-covered, meaning my boat and this angler are still on the sidelines. Nevertheless, there are some things that I, and we all, can do to get ready for when ice is off the lakes.

Tackle preparation

One thing that I work on all winter that really ramps up in March is cleaning my tackle boxes, taking tackle inventory, and restocking the boxes. I go through each of my couple dozen tackle boxes during the offseason. The first thing I do is empty each box, clean it, and then reorganize the tackle in the box. During this process, I have a notepad and pen and write down what tackle I am short of that needs replacing. I get that tackle on order.

Not only do I note and eventually acquire the tackle I am short of, but now is also the time that I note what I want in new tackle products. Every year new lures catch my eye and now is the time when I order those lures and then get them stocked into either an existing tackle box or dedicate an entire new box to the freshly acquired items. Spending time with these projects now means that I will have clean, reorganized, and fully stocked tackle boxes for the coming season.

Rod and reel preparation

Not only do I spend time with tackle now, but I also give attention to my rods and reels. I try to clean reels in the fall before putting them away for the winter. Now, however, I check each of my fishing rods and the eyelets on them for breaks or cracks and replace any that are damaged. Nothing is more frustrating than losing a big fish, or any fish for that matter, to a cracked rod eyelet that cuts the line while a fish is being battled. I run a Q-tip through the inside of each guide to check for cracks or breaks and then take them to the local bait shop where they can replace any broken guides.

Line preparation

Tackle preparation and rod and reel maintenance are important parts of my offseason routine. The other thing that I do now is to strip the line from all my reels. Once the existing line is off the reels, I like to re-spool some – but not all – of my reels

I only re-spool those rods that I will be using this coming spring. The rods that get only summer use (some of my bass fishing rods, for example) will get a new line closer to when I will use them. I like to wait until closer to the use date for the spooling line to prevent the line from developing memory from the reel spool. The fresher the line, usually the more manageable the line so I like to wait until close to when I am using a rod and reel to spool fresh line on it. When it comes to fishing lines, I have been using the CONTRA lines in recent seasons. They are available in monofilament, fluorocarbon, and braid and I have good success with all three options being strong, yet very manageable too.

Here's wishing you good success this coming season. Enjoy your time on the water and remember to include a youngster in your next outdoors adventure.

Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series on Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, and FanDuel Sports. Visit

fishingthemidwest.com

to see TV schedules and all things Fishing the Midwest.

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Frisch: Simple still works

Mike Frisch — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 16:15:00 GMT

ALEXANDRIA — The sport of fishing seems to be in a sort of continuous technological revolution as boats/motors, electronics, and all the other gear we use to find and catch fish just keep getting better and better. Certainly all this “gadgetry” often makes finding and catching fish more efficient, but it is still important to remember that fishing can still be a simple sport.

Bob Jensen, longtime host of

Fishing the Midwest

television and a top-notch multi-species angler, and I were on a fishing outing several summers ago with Bob’s nephew that I will never forget because it served as such a good reminder to how keeping it simple can still lead to good fishing and good times spent on the water. Bob, his nephew, Sam, and I were moving down a weed line throwing “search baits” for bass. Our search baits consisted of spinnerbaits and crankbaits. These lures did a good job of allowing us to quickly cover water and pick off aggressive largemouth bass relating to the weed line. When a school of fish was found, we would catch several fish on those lures and then, when the bite tapered, we would slow up and pitch jigs tipped with various soft baits to tempt a few additional bites from each school. A simple jig head tipped with a small worm usually resulted in several more largemouths.

When that bite slowed, we would simply move up the weed line. A comment made during that fishing day further reinforced the simplicity of this fishing approach. Upon finding one active group of fish I made the comment, “I wonder why these fish are here?”

To which, Bob simply shrugged his shoulders and said, “They gotta be somewhere.”

It’s important to remember that while formulating “on-the-water strategies” and “adjusting to varying conditions” and the like is important, there are times when simplicity rules as well and that day was a good reminder.

Last summer I was on the water with Shane Gesell, an expert angler from Alexandria. The plan was to use Forward Facing Sonar to find and catch walleyes. Three hours into our day, we had one walleye to show for our efforts. Shane said, “Let’s go across the bay and see if the crappies that were there last week are still there.”

We made the move, rebaited our rods with small Shoo Shiner feather jigs, and added a slip-bobber to our lines - a simple presentation. Shane’s first cast resulted in “bobber down” and the action stayed fast for a couple of hours as the crappies really liked the Shoo Shiners.

On the way home I commented to Shane, “All the fancy electronics and other equipment and we resort to a simple feather jig under a slip-bobber.”

“Yep, and it still works,” was Shane’s comment.

Simple still works. Keep that in mind this summer and your catches will probably go up.

Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series on Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, and FanDuel Sports. Visit

fishingthemidwest.com

to see TV schedules and all things Fishing the Midwest.

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