Ice Fishing – Significant Trip Tips

By Nick Simonson Fishing is a social sport; ice fishing even more so.  I can’t recall a morning after a hot (or not-so-hot) dawn bite that I haven’t stepped out of my shack to see who else was punching holes in the dark, ask how the fish were biting fifty yards away and shoot the [...]

Ice Fishing Essentials for Crappies

By Paul A. Nelson The best time to search for winter crappie spots is in the fall, when anglers can capitalize on the mobility of a boat and onboard sonar to cruise around marking spots mentally, preferably with GPS, too. Once the lakes freeze, though, assuming you didn’t conduct autumn reconnaissance, your tools are a [...]

Ice Fishing Tactics for First Ice

By Jason Mitchell We do much of our filming on late ice. We take a lot of our photos at late ice as well. The reason is simple, long relatively nice days on the ice where you can expect sweatshirt weather. When the sun begins to rot the ice, you can expect to get some [...]

Snap Shot Ruler Review

Now you can prove the big one didn’t get away! The new SNAP SHOT RULER easily attaches to any fishing line, grip, or scale and measures fish length vertically so there is less handling of your prized catch. Accurate and photo friendly, this innovative ruler is great for anything from catch and release measurements to [...]

Good North Dakota Fishing

By Doug Leier The late Dean Hildebrand was North Dakota Game and Fish Department director from 1996 through 2005 and he had a well-developed vocabulary of catch phrases and sayings. One description I heard repeatedly for years was his exclamation that, “We’re living in the good old days when it comes to hunting and fishing.” [...]

Sharing Fishing Success

Our Outdoors  - By Nick Simonson I had promised to take a coworker, Dane, on a number of fishing trips this past year, but it seemed as if fate was aligned against the idea of getting him exposed to the different niches of angling he wanted to learn about. Our muskie adventure in August was cancelled [...]

March in ND

By Doug Leier We’re each afforded our own perspective on the beginning of spring. Sports fans point toward baseball’s spring training, turkey hunters anxiously await the April 9 gobbler season opener, and you could fill up pages with other events or notable milestones that people consider as an unofficial arrival of spring The calendar, of [...]

Ice Fishing Tip Ups for Pike

By Ted Pilgrim with Tony Roach There’s something satisfying about setting a well-planed network of tip-ups across the icy expanse of a frozen lake. Strategically placed “fish-traps,” each rigged with a robust, frisky live minnow or intentionally motionless stinker like a herring to snare freshwater predators. Get a bunch of dudes together, throw a pile [...]

Vertical Ice Fishing

By Nick Simonson There’s an old Irish proverb that wishes good luck to the traveler by stating “may the road rise to meet you.” For anglers, especially those on the ice, it should be more like “may the fish rise to meet you.” Presentation is one of the key factors for consistently catching fish and [...]

Ice Auger Drilling

By Jason Mitchell When you look at some of the best ice anglers, there often is some strategy in how and where they drill holes.  Ice anglers might not be able to drift or troll but they can drill holes in a pattern and discipline themselves to fish the holes in a set time to [...]

Downsize Your Ice Fishing

By Nick Simonson As the seasons pass and I have become more adept at ice fishing and technology has bolstered my ability on the ice, I have drifted away from those species I once pursued primarily in winter. Walleyes and northern pike, though tops on the food chain, take a back seat these days to [...]

When The Ice Gets Tough

By Jason Mitchell There is something to be said for swimming down stream, pushing the ball down hill… the path of least resistance.  With fishing, we often have much more success by following these same basic principles like fishing when the fish are biting, fishing lakes that have good populations of fish and using lures [...]

Walleyes on Dead Stick Rods

By Jason Mitchell There are many environmental factors and conditions that can pin you down and keep you from making a lot of moves on the ice.  Extreme white out conditions, arctic winds, deep slush and heavy snow cover can slow down the mobility concept in a hurry.  There are situations where you can’t go [...]

Pierre Ice Fishing

PIERRE, South Dakota – Recreational variety and creative planning are shaping a unique event to be held next February in central South Dakota. The first-ever Winter Fishing Weekend (WFW) is scheduled for the weekend of February 4-5, 2011, presented by the Sports Committee of the Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce The main event of WFW [...]

Fishing Diary

By Nick Simonson There have been a lot of changes in my life over the past five years. I’ve lived in two states and three towns and have had six different jobs, with this one being the most consistent. In that time I’ve fished over 60 lakes and rivers, gaining some level of familiarity with [...]

Fishing Buddies

By Nick Simonson Of angling’s many positive elements, near the top of the list is that it is a great way to spend time with friends that are so close they might as well be family. My buddies and I try to make it a regular thing to meet up at the cabin, at someone’s [...]

Low Impact Ice Fishing

By Doug Leier The “Dog Days” of winter for some begin in December and aren’t officially over until the last drift of snow disappears from the shelterbelt. I know, Dog Days is generally a summer term referring to a lingering hot and humid period in August, but it also seems appropriate for a long stretch [...]

Fish House Spotters

By Nick Simonson Shantytowns are generally a bad sign. Economic downturns, natural disasters and tribal wars all come to mind when such a place is shown on the evening news. However, in the ice belt and points north, it is the sign of something good – a hot bite on frozen waters. While fishing a [...]

Keep the Ice Clean

By Doug Leier One of my biggest outdoors pet peeves is trash. Empty cans along the river bank or discarded chip bags floating near the dock, even if it’s just one, seem to steal away the peaceful serenity that draws most of us outdoors. Maybe to a fault, I carry extra trash bags along to make [...]

Trickle Down Techonomics

Our Outdoors – By Nick Simonson A post on the ice fishing forum of a website that I help moderate asked: “I paid $300 for an old sled shack and a Vexilar, did I get a good deal?” My response was as it usually is for these kinds of questions, “You’ll wonder how you ever [...]

Open Water Tactics in a Hardwater World

By Jason Mitchell I have often felt that it is much easier to learn a lake during the open water period. Structure and bottom contours can be broke down quickly when using a boat equipped with good sonar and GPS. Often during the winter (just like during the open water period) the sweet spots that [...]

Hottest Ice Fishing Gear of 2010

By Nick Simonson The ice on most northern lakes is now thick enough for anglers to safely haul out their toys thanks to a cold stretch at the beginning of the month. Though nighttime temperatures have been below zero, new innovations and advancements in tackle, gear and shelters are helping anglers heat up the early-ice [...]

Trolling on the Ice

“New Wave” Fish Finding Tactics on Ice By Tony Roach When you spend your winters guiding on a huge lake like Central Minnesota’s Mille Lacs, doing all the things it takes to find biting fish can test your resolve. There’s only one way to the fish – drilling lots and lots of holes. My guides [...]

Piggybacking Ice Spoons for Bull Bluegills

By Jason Durham Bluegill fishing is about balance. Each trip is a constant trial and error to figure out if the fish want a tiny speck of an ice jig – the flash, vibration and, meaty profile of a jigging spoon, or any presentation that falls in between. Each presentation has its strengths and weaknesses [...]

Ice Safety Tips

Mild Weather Hampers Ice Formation – Ice Safety Tips While November was kind to North Dakota’s hunters, unseasonably mild temperatures did little to help usher in the ice fishing season. Knowing this, winter anglers are encouraged to use caution and allow ice to harden significantly before venturing on state waters. North Dakota Game and Fish [...]

Artificial Ice Fishing Baits – Coming Alive

Clever ice anglers are successfully combining traditional live bait tactics with artificial approaches By Jeff Gustafson Times are a changin’. Used to be when we went ice fishing, our presentation always included a jig tipped with some type of minnow or hunk of meat, no matter what species of fish we were targeting. As the [...]

Mid-Winter Walleyes

By Dave Genz When the going gets tough, the tough go offshore. During a recent seminar, a fresh-faced, high-school aged kid asked me to summarize ice fishing in one piece of advice. That’s near impossible to do, of course, but in retrospect, I liked my off-the-cuff response: Avoid the crowds. I’ve caught a lot of [...]

Ice Fishing Tactics

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson More fun can be had on the ice this year than ever before, with a wide range of gadgets, rods, lures and electronics at your disposal, each trip can result in catches and a lot more fun. Here are some great ice fishing tactics I picked up on the learning curve [...]

Looking Ahead to Ice Fishing Season

As I put together the powerhead and the shaft of my auger, I took note of the extension that was still securely bolted into place from the previous season. And by “securely bolted” I mean rusted solid. I figured it was best to just leave the set-up as is, considering last year’s 40 inches of [...]

MarCum – More Power, More Performance

Through years of studying, fishing, and testing by engineers rooted in the heart of the ice-belt, a new leader emerges on the forefront of the ice fishing electronics market.  The result is the MarCum line of high-power sonar flashers that were designed from the ground-up, relying on modern principles of sonar and science. MarCum’s approach [...]

Walleyes at First Ice – Clinging to the Current

By Captain Pat Kalmerton You can take this one of two ways. Because I’m a fishing guide, you might think I’m all talk and keeping the good stuff to myself. Or, you might trust my experience and assume that you’re getting my A-game. Well, it’s some of both. I’ll be up front and offer honest, [...]

Scud: An Ugly Word for Freshwater Shrimp

By Brian Brosdahl       A system is only as good as the weakest link. That’s a profound statement and applies to everything from a football team to stereo systems. Think about it. Well, in fishing, it also pertains to the freshwater shrimp – or scud as they’re referred to on the ice. They’ll [...]

Ice Fishing for Panfish – The Right Ice Rods

By Jason Mitchell More ice anglers are discovering that the tip of the rod we are using has as much influence on our presentation as the actual motion we put on the rod while fishing. A rod with a fast tip for example will give the lure a distinct flash and pound that is more [...]

Approaching Late Ice

By Jason Mitchell Late ice patterns can vary. People often preach about fishing shallow. Others stress the importance of finding moving water. Late ice is often hailed as the best fishing of the year. The fish are supposed to be biting as well as they have all winter. Anglers eagerly await the last hurrah. The [...]

Finding More Walleyes Below the Ice

By Mark Strand Conduct your own search for walleyes, one of the prized fish of the Ice Belt. The conversation, for a brief time, sounds like we’re talking about the Internet. “We’re such an information society,” says Brian Brosdahl. Believe it or not, he’s talking about how to go out on the ice and find [...]

Redefining Rock Structure in the Winter

By Jason Mitchell Look for hard bottom areas to catch more fish this winter. Bars, points and saddles that are covered with rock are a good bet if you are looking for perch or walleyes. At least that is what I have been told. Walleye anglers in particular are infatuated with this structural element. Watch [...]

Ice Fishing – Answers to Viewer Mail

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson With the popularity of ice fishing growing each winter, it is no surprise that I’ve fielded many “where do I start” questions on both the sites I moderate and in general conversation. For many beginners, it can be a difficult and confusing sport but there are many resources to increase the [...]

Keeping Ice Fishing Simple

By Doug Leier The “Dog Days” of summer reference the hot, backside, waiting-for-autumn kind feeling we slip into about the middle of August. Doesn’t seem so bad right about now, does it? I associate August attitudes with under-appreciating the beauty of living in the Midwest. We have about three months of every season, providing a [...]

Perch Fishing on Devils Lake

By Jason Mitchell Finding and catching jumbo panfish can be a challenge, even on lakes where a good population of big fish exists. Ironically, the healthiest jumbo panfish Mecca’s are often bodies of water where catching these fish does indeed challenge the ice angler, demanding the right combination of mobility and finesse. The healthiest fisheries [...]

Early Northern Pike Ice Fishing

Ice Team If there’s a fish species that gets fired up for cold water, it’s the northern pike. Especially big ones, with distance between the eyeballs. If you’re a little fish, a big pike is your worst nightmare–but if you are an ice angler, a big pike can be your favorite dance partner. Big pike [...]

Timing the Walleye Bite

By Jason Mitchell Usually, ninety percent of the fish are caught during ten percent of the time we are actually on the ice. There are windows of opportunity. More often than not, the low sun of morning and or evening signal this opportunity. There is a prime time when everything happens so to speak. That [...]

It’s Wrong to Think About Ice Fishing Right Now

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson   It’s wrong to think about ice fishing right now. Especially since I reeled in two healthy, hard-fighting, late summer smallies from under one of my favorite bridges during lunch today. More so because I spent last night attempting to trace the flight patterns of mourning doves over a cattle pond. [...]

Early Ice Walleyes

By Jason Mitchell If there is a mistake that many anglers make, including myself during the first ice period, we are guilty of fishing too deep when targeting walleye. Granted, there are a lot of options at first ice with some of these options being both shallow and deep but if anything, I tend to [...]

Approaching Perch in the Month of March

By Bill Mitzel   Soon, it’ll be rotten out there. Not rancid like spoiled produce, but soft and dark nonetheless. I’m talking about the ice. It’s thick and resolute now, but it won’t last forever, actually, scarcely longer than a few weeks, less in some areas. Fortunately, though, ice fishing’s swan song is a cheery [...]

An Every Day Ice Fishing Adventure

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson   My brother and I set off a couple weeks ago to fish a local lake for perch. I had forgone a trip to Minneapolis due to the impending bad weather and figured we could kill some time before it arrived with some pre-frontal fishing, often recognized to be the best. [...]

25 Ice Fishing Tips for the Upper Midwest

By Bill Mitzel   We started out with some strong, quick ice in late November, with several days of below zero weather. Then, just when it looked like we might enjoy a “normal” winter in the Dakotas, the mild weather returned and ice thickness stabilized over most of the region from 9 to 14 inches. [...]

Ice Fishing Tournament Madness

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson   “I must be crazy,” I thought, huddled over the rapidly shrinking hole in the ice. The wind howled around me as I confirmed it, “yup, certifiable.” In all directions, 1,500 anglers did the same, burning heaters under their chairs at full blast, scooping their pre-punched holes and doing what they [...]

Ice Fishing The Old Fashioned Way

By Doug Leier I’ve always preferred the simpler means of enjoying fishing. At times you’d think I’m the only one without some kind of electronic depth finder, underwater camera or GPS to mark my hot spots. I know better than that. There are other low-impact anglers. During summer we call them hook-and-bobber types, which is [...]

Ice Fishing with Plastics

By the Ice Team   Many ice anglers of today understand that winter’s fish live in water at its clearest. In such conditions, fish tend to locate and choose prey based on visual evidence. That might sound like mumbo-jumbo, but it means that what your bait looks like is more important under the ice than [...]

When Perch Won’t Bite Through the Ice

By Chris Hustad   Here’s a scenario that I’m sure most ice fishermen will play out a lot of the times during the winter. You’re setup for some perch ice fishing, with a few fish coming here and there, but you’re seeing a lot of action on your bobber or fish displaying on your sonar. [...]

When Winter Settles In – Post First Ice

By the Ice Team   In a perfect world, you drill one hole and can’t get the bait down there fast enough. Every time it gets anywhere near the fish zone, big fish race each other to grab it. You don’t even have time to talk to your friend, who is right next to you [...]

Ice Spearing

By Doug Leier It’s December, and if there’s a transition time for outdoor activities, this is it. Deer gun season has closed, and while muzzleloader deer and many upland game seasons are winding down, another season has opened. The fishing community in 2001 marked the opening of managed ice spearing in 30 North Dakota waters. [...]

The Hottest Ice Fishing Supplies of 2006

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson (Part -1 & 2) Though the weather has been more like March, the holiday season is upon us. If you haven’t figured out what to buy your favorite ice angler for Christmas, it’s not too late. Each year brings more advancement in ice fishing gear and gadgets and there’s still plenty of [...]

Ice Fishing Stationary Mobility

By Ice Team Power Stick Dennis Foster This statement just doesn’t make sense, on the surface; particularly coming from a guy who is deeply committed to aggressive tactics while on the ice.  I’m an Ice Team “Powerstick” and will tout the virtues of Dave Genz’s proven philosophy of mobility on hardwater as long as anyone [...]

Ice Fishing Safety

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson     I  experienced a first last year, four times over. With the unstable cold-and-warm trend through late fall and winter, I managed to break through the ice four times; twice while upland hunting and twice while ice fishing. Early in the season, I was too close to shoreline vegetation, but [...]

The Ice Fishing Sonar Revolution

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson Is there anything as comforting on the ice as the whir and glow of a sonar unit? Inside the cover of a permanent shack, or jumping from hole to hole, flasher-style depth finders have been a boon to anglers for over 15 years. New developments in sonar technologies and recent offerings [...]

Ice Fishing – Fish it Through

By Noel Vick with Brian “Bro” Brosdahl Believe it or not, mobility on the ice has its pitfalls. For more than a decade you’ve heard and read about the criticalness of mobility. To competently and effectively catch fish on the hardwater, an angler must be mercurial as a gypsy and stealthy as a fox. These [...]

Icing Walleyes in April

By Mark Strand     Do you consider ice fishing in April crazy? Especially because a lot of people still regard ice fishing as a sport you reluctantly participate in while the ice covers your favorite lakes, people look at Dave Genz like he’s got to be nuts in April. By then, many rivers are [...]

Fishing with Spring Bobbers

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson     I  cannot recall how many times I have watched fish rise up on the Vexilar as I work my lure in the water column only to have the fish pause at my offering then head back to the bottom. Be it a small jig with a wax worm or [...]

Ice Fishing at Night

By Mark Strand During ice fishing season, the sun often sets before you can wrap up the workday. Because of this, an awful lot of people don’t even think about going fishing except during daylight hours on the weekends. If you can miss the boat when lakes are frozen over, you are missing the boat [...]

Bluegill Ice Fishing Tips

By Mark Strand Depending on where you live, ‘early ice’ can be a brief period right after the ice forms or an ongoing phenomenon as fishable ice comes and melts, comes and melts. In general, bluegills are good biters during this time, but you must locate them to be successful. No matter what you might [...]

Fishing on Thin Ice

By PJ Maguire When I was young my cousin Mark Hirschey used to joke that; “having to pay capital gains tax is the second worst thing that can happen when investing.” Over the years I have changed his saying a little to match my ice fishing adventures; “not catching any fish is the second worst [...]

Northern Pike Ice Fishing Tips

By Nick Simonson If you are tired of finicky panfish or walleye with lockjaw and the slow bite that the area has been experiencing throughout this unstable portion of the winter, turn to an old favorite to heat up the action on the ice. One of the most exciting fish to catch in our area [...]

Understanding Walleyes Under the Ice

Ice Team If we could see the way walleyes do, we would know them, through and through. There’s a reason we call ‘em ‘eyes. Those eyes are amazing. Positioned behind the walleye’s retina is a reflective membrane called the tapetum lucidum. This substance is exceptionally white, its purpose to gather, and reflect, light. Its potential [...]

Trophy Northern Pike Fishing in Early Winter

Ice Team If there’s a fish species that gets fired up for cold water, it’s the northern pike. Especially big ones, with distance between the eyeballs. If you’re a little fish, a big pike is your worst nightmare—but if you are an ice angler, a big pike can be your favorite dance partner. Trophy pike [...]

Largemouth Bass Ice Fishing

By Jerry Carlson of Ice Team       When it comes to winter time fishing, there is no question I spend most of my hours searching out crappies. I love the activity involved in catching these fish. I also enjoy the fact that I can be successful during the daylight hours without having to [...]

Sight Fishing – Ice Fishing With an Edge

By The Ice Team   Sight fishing is a subset of ice fishing gaining in popularity every winter, because it’s exciting and fun. To see the fish come in the hole, and study their reaction to different presentations, can teach you a lot of valuable lessons you can use even when you’re not sight fishing. [...]

Ice Safety Tips

By ND Game & Fish Anglers and trappers are urged to be aware of ice conditions before venturing out on frozen waters, cautions Nancy Boldt, boat and water safety coordinator for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. “Before going out onto a frozen lake, pond or river, it’s important to take safety precautions to [...]

Don’t Be “Late Ice” Late!

By Jerry Carlson The winter was already waning into the late stages when ice fishing friend, Dave Genz, gave me a call. Although we usually fish together a few days each winter, our schedules had been full and finding an open day that we had in common had been a challenge. In this case, our [...]

‘Twas the Night Before First Ice

By Nick Simonson Twas the night before first ice, and all through the lake, Not a fish had been stirring, not even a splake. The buckets were filled with my rods and my tackle, In hopes that the perch would like jigs trimmed with hackle. The tip-ups were strung with nylon and leaders, To deal [...]

Perch Ice Fishing – Catching Bottom Huggers

It was a call from outdoor writer friend, Ron Anlauf, which got the ball rolling. He had heard the perch were hitting on Mille Lacs, a huge lake in North Central Minnesota. Although I have pulled a lot of perch from this body of water, it has been a few years since there was a [...]

Catching Big Pike During the Late Winter – Trophy Northern Pike Fishing

By Karl Kleman You can take ‘em at other times, but Power Stick Karl Kleman likes; Late Winter for Monster Pike. One person’s complaint is another person’s call to action. Very early in his ice-fishing days, Power Stick Karl Kleman picked up on a familiar refrain coming from late winter panfish anglers. “When the sunfish [...]

Catch More Walleyes During the Day

By Dave Genz     Walleyes, as if you didn’t already know this, possess these amazing eyes. They feature a reflective pigment that helps walleyes see well in dim light, giving them a vision advantage over most of their prey, especially in those minutes when light levels change rapidly. So it is that walleye fishing [...]

Midsize Baits and Sundry Traits of the Midday Walleye

By Noel Vick   Dave Genz, admittedly, dislikes morning bites. Well…in reality, that’s not completely fair. He digs a buttocks-over-teakettle morning feed as much as the next guy. What he despises, however, is a bombastic daybreak that evolves into an afternoon of nothingness. Genz, in fact, has devoted a lifetime to finding fish at high [...]

Winter Crappie Tips and Tactics – Q & A Session

Crappies are one of the most frequently-chased winter fish. So it’s no surprise that the subject of crappies comes up constantly when the Power Sticks gather at sports shows. We put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) when it comes to crappie fishing, followed by solid answers, built from an informal poll of [...]

Our Outdoors: The hottest stuff on ice

By Nick Simonson “It’s that time of year again. Even though there is no snow on the ground, and just barely a glazing of ice on the Sheyenne River, it won’t belong until white is everywhere underfoot, and outdoorsmen make like holy men and walk on water in search of hot fishing action. In order [...]

Give Spear Fishing a Try

By Doug Leier The last time you tried something new, did you have a hint of apprehension, or at least a little adrenaline rush triggered by anticipation? Whether it’s a new recipe for venison or test-driving a used car, you never know exactly what to expect, until you try. While darkhouse spearfishing in North Dakota [...]

Spearfishing Through the Ice

By Jason Phillips Reminiscent of a scene on the coral reef in the Gulf of Mexico, I watched perch drifting against the bottom of the frozen lake. Subtle breaks in the lake floor, accompanied by a weed bed and an old sunken log were the coral in this picture. As I gazed down the hole [...]

Crazy for Crappies – Crappie Ice Fishing Tips

By Chris Hustad I  really don’t care where you live in the upper Midwest, you’re in driving distance of a quality crappie fishery. I’ve caught crappies in small ponds, large lakes, rivers and variations of the three. But finding and catching crappies on these systems can vary, especially during the time of day. Here’s a [...]

Where Were Ya Fishing?

By Chris Hustad For as long as I can remember, a man’s fishing spot was something to be respected. I have memories as clear as yesterday of our neighbor down the way, Bob. He was always the first one out in the morning, and the last one to come home in the afternoon, and I [...]

Big Water Walleyes

By Dave Genz     He’s been everywhere, man…he’s been everywhere. Travel? He’s done his share, man, Dave’s been everywhere…Erie, Ontario, Michigan, Huron, Bay of Quinte, Bass Islands, Saginaw Bay, Bays de Noc, Green Bay…yeah, he’s been everywhere, man, he’s been everywhere… It’s not one of those things they keep statistics on, so we really [...]

Gearing Up for Ice Fishing

Chris Hustad It’s that time of year, ice fishing season is upon us. Cold weather has started the freezing process a little bit earlier this year. Consistent cold temperatures and no snow are the ingredients for some thick, sturdy ice; just when we need it. It’s going to be a good ice fishing season this [...]

Ice Fishing for Pike

By Jason Phillips According to the weather forecast, March will begin with subzero temperatures which will extend the wait for the snow goose migration. We are in the midst of the spring snow goose hunting season but could be a month away from actually having huntable numbers of geese in the state! With an excess [...]

Standard Fishing Knot – The Palomar

This is a common fishing knot around the world. It is very easy to tie.This fishing knot can be used many different ways and is one of the strongest knots known. Very common with tackle, and is also used for flying fishing when connecting the tippet. With the braided line brands of today, it’s one [...]

North Dakota Map

Click on North Dakota Map for a larger image. North Dakota State Maps North Dakota Lake Contour Maps Extensive ND Game & Fish Map – NEW North Dakota State Wildlife Management Areas Map North Dakota PLOTS Map North Dakota Road Condition Reports North Dakota Road Construction Map North Dakota County Map Snow Line and Depth Maps MapQuest [...]

Getting Kids Hooked on Ice Fishing

By Doug Leier Much has been written on the means and methods to get kids hooked on fishing, and I’ve tested and tried the best of them. Honestly, it’s not that high of a mountain to climb to generate some lasting interest during warm summer days. On the other hand, convincing a youngster like my [...]

Spouse Ice Fishing Trip Tips

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson Fishing is a social sport; ice fishing even more so. I can’t recall a morning after a hot (or not-so-hot) dawn bite that I haven’t stepped out of my shack to see who else was punching holes in the dark, ask how the fish were biting fifty yards away and shoot [...]

Prepping for an Ice Season

By the Ice Team Here’s a toast to your best ice season ever. To help you get off to a good start, here are a few key things you can do. They’re all important, but in no particular order. Keep Your Line Prime One of the most important– and universally overlooked– things you can do: [...]

Free Fishing Log – Printable Fishing Log

Our Outdoors Nick Simonson “Putting together the fishing pieces of the puzzle” Fishing, no matter how good a person gets at it, is still the grandest puzzle of all. There are so many elements that have to be put into place such as weather, season, bait, lures, and so on. When looked at in hindsight, [...]

Deciding on Limits for Fishing Panfish

By Doug Leier One of the more enjoyable aspect of outdoors communication is the debate that sometimes surrounds current issues.  Should spinning wing decoys be limited?  Should deer hunters be allowed to hunt after sunset?  How do you define baiting, and should it be legal?  What about issues such as roadless areas on public land, [...]

Unlocking the Perch Fishing Limit Theory

By Nick Simonson A friend of mine in college, who was a part-time locksmith and adept at his trade was the first person to tell me the adage, “locks keep honest people honest.” It almost seems hard for me to believe that in the 1980s there were no limits, no controls, no locks on panfish. [...]

First Ice

By Chris Hustad     No matter how many times you ice fish, no matter how “tough” you think you are, you’d have to be a liar to say you’re not somewhat afraid the first time you step onto the ice each year. The same was true for me this year, when I ventured onto [...]

Fast & Easy Fish Cleaning Tips for Walleye, Perch, and Panfish

By Chris Hustad The fish cleaning techniques described here are nothing new, and is mainly intended for beginners. This process takes about a minute for each fish, depending on experience. The example shown is using a walleye, but can work all the same on perch, crappies and bluegills. On those crappies, you DO NOT need to [...]