More than 40 years ago the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, in an effort to create structure for fish and create artificial habitat within Heart Butte Dam (Lake Tschida) in Grant County, sunk some old car bodies into the reservoir.

As you might expect, the practice of using car bodies for building fish habitat was short-lived, but the need for creating habitat in some waters did not go away. Eventually, discarded Christmas trees became a more natural and available element for adding to lakes that needed additional spawning and escape structure.

Building fish habitat can produce healthier fish to enjoy again and again.

Over a couple of decades numerous North Dakota lakes including Elsie, Spiritwood, Williams and Moon in the southeastern part of the state, and even larger reservoirs such as Audubon, Lake Ashtabula, Pipestem and Jamestown Reservoirs, got artificial reefs in an effort to boost fisheries production during a time of prevalent drought. Since then, as the state recovered from drought starting in the mid-1990s and numerous new lakes were created from flooded wetlands, use of artificial reefs has been scaled back.

Construction of these projects is time-consuming for Game and Fish staff and local wildlife and fishing club members who volunteered thousands of hours for reef projects at their local lakes.

Research on those projects showed the effort was generally worthwhile but results were often short-term. Many artificial habitat reefs enhanced fishing and/or natural reproduction of sport and forage fish, as well as provided cover for 10 or more years. Depending on the lake, however, artificial reefs may not provide any benefits, and they are not a quick fix in lakes where benefits would occur.

And, experiences over the last 10 years emphasize that natural fish habitat – a combination of water and plants, bottom structure and depth – is more productive than artificially placed  habitat. However, some bodies of water have little structure, and adding artificial habitat may be the only way to enhance a fishery in the long term.

Periodically I get questions about the old Game and Fish tree reef program, and thought it might be beneficial to looking at the issue from a couple of different angles.

Artificial reefs can attract fish and therefore increase angling success in areas where fishing is poor, even though fish populations are healthy.

Tree reefs can provide spawning habitat or escape cover, not only for game fish like perch and crappie, but also for forage fish like fathead minnows.

Artificial reefs are ideal projects to involve local anglers or wildlife club members in an effort designed to yield local benefits and/or ownership.

We caught many crappies over beds of Christmas trees in the wintertime, great stucture for crappies

And here’s a few other considerations:

Artificial reefs are labor intensive and benefits are not always predictable.

If artificial habitats are placed in lakes where they are not needed, they could increase fish production to the point of overpopulation for some species.

If water levels recede in lakes where artificial reefs exist, exposing the trees or tires, the material is unsightly. Reef-tops could also become boating hazards.

If a reef works in one area, public perception is that it will work in all areas. People may assemble and install reefs without Department approval if they think it will help their lake, or they may,with good intentions, leave Christmas trees on a lake on their own.
Citizens who construct reefs on their own, or leave trees on frozen lakes (where the tree will wind up on shore after the ice goes out) could be subject to a littering violation. These situations are easily avoided by involving a local fisheries biologist in any prospective reef project.

Like many of you, I’d enjoy more fish and bigger fish. But the reality of establishing habitat is similar to that of stocking of fish — it’s not as simple as dumping fish or trees into a lake and hoping for the best.

We’re better served to assess the potential of each individual fishery and apply the best possible recipe for maintaining and enhancing its potential.

Leier is a biologist with the Game and Fish Department. He can be reached by email: dleier@nd.gov

A good pair of polarized glasses can help you see things you might have missed otherwise

In cooler waters of May and June the shallows can seem almost bare. Nothing but the occasional waterboatman or roaming bluegill disturbs the water bordering shore. Then as summer peaks, it seems the shallows are suddenly alive and teeming with small fish, as if they exploded out of nowhere! This big bang of forage sets the table as fish feast in preparation for the lean times of late fall and winter.

By observing what is in the shallows of your local waters and imitating the available forage, you’re one step closer to a successful late-summer fishing trip. Whether trolling, casting or using the fly rod, baitfish imitators are go-tos during this time of plenty.

Troll on

A wide variety of crankbaits on the market in dozens of color schemes will help you nail down the pattern that fish prefer in your area. I recall a few summers back on my home water of Lake Ashtabula, ND, the conditions were just right to support a massive crop of yearling white bass that by August had reached a length of three inches. As a result, silver, chrome and blue Storm Thundercranks and Rapala Shad Raps were effective lures when trolling for walleye. Few of the fish caught contained anything other than the silver forage fish in their bellies.

In the waters of Detroit Lakes, MN a similar hatch of bluegills occurred the following season. A dominant forage fish for both the walleyes and bass of Big Detroit, bluegill patterns paid huge dividends when offered up on Rapala DT-6 model crankbaits for night fishermen trolling for walleyes and for largemouth anglers casting around structure and weedlines.

Cast of Thousands

When baitfish do stack up in the shallows or move out to open water in late summer, casting their imitators can result in some frenzied action. Take for example those same schools of white bass from a few years ago, now grown up to around 14 inches in length. As minnows and young-of-the-year perch move out from shore, it isn’t uncommon to see schools of white bass feeding ferociously near the surface. Cast Rapala Countdowns and Originals, insert head jigs with silver-fleck crappie tubes, or white jigheads paired with chartreuse, clear/flash or white three-inch curlytail grubs from a distance for exciting fishing. The same goes for lakes with healthy crappie populations targeting minnows.

You may even start to see baitfish scattering across the surface as summer progresses. This is usually in response to predators moving through the area in search of food. To imitate a school of fleeing baitfish, nothing tops a multi-bladed spinnerbait such as the Terminator Clear Water model. Burn them under the surface for reaction strikes from bass, and as the heat of summer wanes, pike.

On the Fly

Many great minnow patterns have been adapted to the traditional pursuit of fish on the long rod. As fly anglers expanded the pastime to bass, pike and other warm- and cool-water fish, the patterns presented to these predators had to change. Some staple streamers in your box for predators should be minnow patterns in order to capitalize on the summer feeding period.

Flies like the Clouser minnow, krystal bugger, Mickey Finn, black-nosed dace, EZ-perch, and Puglisi’s perch and bluegill patterns help fly anglers match the hatching baitfish in their waters. Minnow streamers aren’t just for warm and cool water fish like bass and crappie – big brown and rainbow trout are keying in on baitfish at this time of year too. Weighted flies will get a floating line down a couple of feet, but if you’re finding baitfish out deeper in your local lake, use an intermediate sink line, such as a Type-III, to get your offering in the strike zone faster and to keep it there.

The basics of baitfish being the primary forage at this time of year rests on one theory: more bang for the buck. That is, predators want as much food as they can get while expending the least amount of energy to get it, and hordes of baitfish provide an easy and calorie-filled meal for big fish to eat, resulting in net energy gained and stored for the future. As a result, at this time of year, the best bang for your buck will be lures in baitfish patterns to trigger the late summer gamefish you pursue…in our outdoors.

Bass fishing tips for lunker bass involve getting in deep and getting them out

Slop, gunk, or matting, call it what you will, but by this time in the summer, the combination of weed tops and surface vegetation has sealed off water access for shoreline anglers and limited the area that boat anglers can work. But those anglers who overlook this green gobbledygook could also be passing up some stellar opportunities at tangling with monster bass.

Hit the junk

Simply put, Largemouth bass love the shade that floating mats of vegetation provide on hot summer days. Think of these shoreline weed beds as a restaurant with an all-you-can-eat buffet that sits under an awning along the busiest street in town. Not only is there shade from the elements, but there is also enough food to keep the prepare-for-winter binge cycle going.

Once an area filled with matted weeds is discovered, check for surrounding structure to locate the prime “spot-on-a-spot” to fish. If a creek channel or a point is nearby successful fishing is likely, due to the daily travel routine of bass.

Weapons for weeds

“Fear no fish” is the G. Loomis’ rod company’s motto, “fear no mess” should be every slop angler’s motto. Casts deep into the gunk, or even up onto the surrounding shoreline guarantee that those fish hanging at the shallow edge of the slop will sense your lure.

Of course, getting the lure back to the boat can be a challenge, making weedless rigging of the utmost importance. Selecting a weedless surface bait is key.

First and foremost on the list of surface baits is the Scum Frog. This lure has proven itself time and again, and is extremely weedless right out of the package. The dual hook stays tucked next to the body of the bait and the frog’s soft form and wispy legs make it look natural on the water.

Another excellent choice is any number of bass tubes available. Texas rigged with a worm hook from size 4/0 down to 1/0 depending on bait size, these lures provide streamlined weedless presentations, even in the thick stuff. Experiment with a variety of soft plastics such as lizards, worms, frogs and grubs in lengths from three to eight inches, depending on the size and voracity of the bass you are fishing for.

Make it creepy

Once the lure is rigged right and ready to go, find a weed-covered area along a channel or near a point with varying degrees of cover available. Look for slop that has thick green mounds of weeds, matted weed tops and a few open holes throughout.

Cast the bait towards shore, aiming for where the water meets land. The idea is to hit the shoreline and be able to pull the bait into the water from shore. Don’t be surprised if a fish swirls within a few feet of the water’s edge. Bass are well known for holding shallow.

Keep moving the lure slowly across the surface in a retrieve-pause-twitch style. Sometimes the strikes will come on a fast movement, other times a boil results from the lure hanging motionless overhead.

Hit the holes

Not all weed mats are created equal. The ones that are usually the most productive have gaps and holes in their ceilings. These are perfect feeding areas for fish. Twitch a tube or a frog and bring it to the far edge. Pause it on the edge of the hole then move it into the opening and let it sit still. Be patient, some fish wait a while before committing to the bait. If no strike occurs, pull the bait across the gap and twitch it again with a subsequent pause.

Hard hooksets

By far, the most exciting aspect of this style of fishing is watching a bass explode through the weeds to attack a bait. When that water boils, feel for the fish for a split second, then set the hook, HARD! First the hook must go through the plastic of the lure then into the fish’s mouth. A quick snap just won’t do it.

If setting the hook wasn’t a big enough challenge, the weeds will be. The largemouth will dance and jump, but when that thick cover is there, ol’ black stripe is heading down.

After a positive hookset, keep the rod high and the line tight because once that fish gets into the weeds and begins to wrap the line around the stems and roots of the plants, the going gets tougher.

A medium rod at least 6′6″ in length is a minimum mandatory piece of equipment, along with a powerful reel lined with at least 12-pound monofilament. Superlines work even better with increased abrasion resistance and their ability to cut through weed stalks.

The misses and lost fish are part of this kind of angling, and should be expected. However, the explosion on the lure and a positive hook set are a rush to remember.

So when all of those other fish have you down as the temperatures go up this summer, a trip to bass water is in order. While there, don’t forget to search the slop for some of the biggest lunker bass that can be found…in our outdoors.

The spinnerbait is one of the most popular bass fishing technique of all-time.

The first step I took as a fisherman was from catching sunnies off the dock to casting for bass along the docks. It is true that bass are a sunfish, so in theory this is a logical step. Most of my friends, like me, first started serious fishing for bass and then transitioned into walleyes and other freshwater game species found in the upper Midwest.

Early in the year, bass can be found in shallow hard bottom parts of many lakes. These are the spawning beds that the bass use. Bass can be caught in these areas by casting many different types of presentations. I have had the most luck using white or chartreuse spinner baits with fast retrieves. The hard bottoms of these locations are key for finding fish; a good spot to start is sandy bottoms or bulrushes and often times where they transition into soft bottom.

Once the water warms up the bass will move into deeper, cooler water. Under normal conditions in the Midwest this should occur in early June. Bass can be caught in 6-10 feet of water casting shallow diving crank baits and spinner baits. Small spoons and live bait presentations can work well too.

Through July, bass can still be found shallow early and late in the day, but will move deeper as the sun rises. These fish can be fished using the same methods. I have had excellent luck catching largemouths with leeches while walleye fishing in the dog days of summer. In fact, some would argue that live bait presentations might be the best way to catch bass. Longtime guide Marv Koep of the Brainerd Lakes area swears by fishing with redtail chubs in 8-12 feet of water. The largemouth bass, after all, is in the Panfish family, and I do not know of a better way to catch panfish than with a bobber.

Recently in late June, I traveled to Lake Mille Lacs on a fishing outing with friends. They each caught big smallmouths using live worms while walleye fishing. They were the two biggest smallies I have ever seen at 17 and 18 inches respectively. Both fish were released, both to insure future fish populations and to comply with Mille Lacs regulations (only one fish over 21 inches may be kept).

White Spinnerbait

Schools of Largemouth bass that contain larger fish are most commonly found in deeper water. The exception is that some bass seek shade under docks and boats. Bass find these places to be ideal for eating bluegills as well. I have found casting spinner baits into these areas is the best approach. Spinner baits are the most versatile lures on the market; you can fish them deep or shallow, and they don’t usually hook up on weeds or docks. My buddies and I refer to this approach as “Bass-mastering it.” If you pay any attention to the bass fishing circuit, the well-known Kevin Van Dam has been using spinnerbaits successfully for years. He’s been known to live and die with spinnerbaits some tourneys all over the country, and it’s paid off enormous dividends.

On lakes with softer bottoms, lily pads also provide shade on sunny days for Largemouth bass. Spots where the lily pads end and drop offs begin are good locations. During the day try casting weedless spoons and top water lures into the lily pads. The key with top-water is to have a very slow retrieve. If you bring a top-water lure over the drop off make sure to really slow it down once the lure has moved past the weeds. You want to give the bass the impression that the lure ventured into some place it shouldn’t have.

Rattle-Trap

If you don’t have success in the lily pads, go back along the same shoreline and fish the drop off. I like casting crankbaits that dive quickly like the Rapala Fat-Raps and Rattle-Traps. Cast the lure on the edge of the lily pads so it cranks down the drop off on the first part of your retrieve. Different colors work in different lakes during different light conditions. A good color to start with when using crankbaits for bass is crawdad, but don’t be afraid to experiment. The rule of thumb is to use brighter lures in darker water such as chartreuse, fire tiger, orange and red. And for clearer water use natural colors such as blue and silver. It’s also important to have an assortment of lures that match the local forage base.

In northern Minnesota, smallmouth casting the same lures along rocky drop offs can catch bass. These spots can be identified by steep shorelines. This is where the smallies go to feed on crawfish. For lure color my first choice always depicts that and it rarely fails to put on fish when present.

During mid-day and later in the summer, Smallmouth bass can be found around rocky humps. These humps can be found anywhere from 15 – 25 ft of water depending on the lake and weather. I cast or drift with ¼ to 1/2 oz jigs tipped with minnows for these fish. By doing this I often catch walleyes too.

Fishing is all about mastering patterns. If you are not having any luck casting in the shallows, try switching colors or presentations. If that does not work try different depths and different cover. When in doubt go back to fishing basics and try a slip bobber and a leech. A struggling leech in the strike zone is often too tempting to pass up.

Some species such as largemouth and smallmouth bass have a higher percentage of catch and release then most species

A dead-weight tug on the end of my line signaled that the largemouth bass under the dock was indeed hungry. I swept the rod back and the four-pound fish rocketed up out of the water. She battled every foot of the way to my hand.

I reached down, tweaked the hook and felt it stick in the armor of the fish’s cheek. Realizing the barb on the 3/0 Mustad Ultrapoint hook had done its job, I pulled out my pliers, crushed the barb flat and slid the hook out of the gaping mouth of the late-summer largemouth.

Catch and release is a fun and effective way of preserving the resource on any water. However, simply hooking and releasing fish is not the only facet of the practice. There are many other areas anglers should focus on for a successful experience. What follows are just a few tips to help anglers successfully practice catch and release.

1. Go barbless

A growing trend which originated in trout country is the use of barbless hooks. These hooks do little damage the mouth of a fish and make it much easier to release. If you can’t find barbless hooks, smash the barb flat with your pliers. You will find that most fish still stay hooked when properly played and they swim off with far less pressure on their jaws and mouth.

2. Wash your hands

No, you don’t need to use soap or scrub for 20 seconds, but before handling a fish or lifting it up for a photo, make sure you give your hands a quick dunk in the water. By doing so, you reduce the amount of friction that dry hands put on the slime coat of a vulnerable fish. If you don’t plan to photograph the fish, unhook it while it is in the net or the water.

3. Needlenose power

Perhaps the most effective tool in catch-and-release fishing is the needlenose pliers. A decent model runs around five dollars and can last for seasons, presuming you don’t drop it in the river. The long pliers can reach hooks that are back in the mouth and in other tough-to-reach places. Furthermore, the extra prying power is a welcome advantage when releasing fish. For smaller fish like bluegill, try a forceps or hemostat to aid in hook removal.

It's important to know how to properly release fish or there's no point in doing it at all

4. Limit your hooks

 

 

 

Lures with six or nine hooks running up and down them can pose a problem for releasing fish. Oftentimes hooks on the back of a minnowbait will land in the mouth, while the others will snag the eyes, gills and head. Not only do multiple hooks damage these vital organs, but also the removal of the trebles takes longer. That time out of the water poses a risk to the fish. Try using single hooked jigs or lures with fewer hooks when the situation allows for it; or eliminate one set of trebles, which also helps reduce snagging on bottom structure.

5. Cut ties, if necessary

When it comes to big fish like muskellunge and pike, bigger baits work best. Be prepared to part with some of your stickbait’s hooks if the moment calls for it. If a hook is buried deep in the maw of a big esox, use a hook cutter to set the beast free. Cut the metal as close to the flesh as possible. The hook fragment will be forced out of the animal through time and the fish suffers less stress at boat side.

6. Check your net

When fish can’t be lipped because of their teeth or must be landed with a net due to their size, make sure your net does little or no harm. Purchase a mesh cradle when pursuing big fish like muskies and use a rubberized net for other fish like walleyes, trout and bass. A good model is the Tangle Free Rubber Net from Frabill (www.frabill.com). The non-collapsing rubber net prevents unnecessary damage to the slime coat of a fish.

7. Pick your battles

Nothing is more exciting than a bulldogging pull of a bass or the drag-squealing run of a monster northern pike. But fighting a fish for too long can cause irreparable damage from lactic acid build up. Just as when your muscles ache the next day after a hard workout, fish suffer the same problem. But this acid build-up can kill fish. Limit the fight time to help the fish survive.

8. Know when to say when

Blood in the water is never a good sight. If a fish is gill hooked, bleeding or injured badly do not release it. There’s no sense in wasting the resource be responsible and know when a fish should not be released.

9. The thirty second rule

Take a deep breath. How long can you hold it? Thirty seconds is about the average. Now imagine you’re a fish. Along those lines, think of how long that fish can stay out of the water without oxygen. Try to limit the time a fish is exposed to the air and out of its natural environment. Have a buddy ready with a camera and keep the photo session brief.

10. See them off

When releasing a fish, be gentle, do not toss the fish back into the water. Cradle the fish in your hands and slowly move it forward in the water or hold it facing the current. This moves water over the gills and helps the fish recover. Feel for the fish attempting to swim off. Hold it near the tail until it pulls away. If you see the fish go belly up a few moments later, refer to tip number eight.

By following these points, C&R anglers can help ensure that their preferred method of fishing continues creating opportunities for others…in our outdoors.

Stinger hooks can make a big difference in the amount of missed fish over an entire season

In one of the best Simpsons episodes, Moe uses a punch-absorbing Homer to relive his glory days as a boxer. But when Homer ends up having to fight the heavyweight champion, the all too Tyson-like Drederick Tatum, Moe searches through his bag of tricks to find the weapon that will help hapless Homer defeat the champ.

In the office of his bar – a converted women’s bathroom – Moe pulls out his secret weapon, a boxing glove which he has dubbed “The Stinger.” His old-school glove is wrapped in rusty barbed wire and Moe looks at it wistfully and says to Homer, “Dat ain’t legal no more.”

Luckily for anglers a different kind of stinger is legal…in most waters.

The stinger hook has quickly become an effective way to stop short-biting fish from robbing different lures of their baits and helps to increase positive hooksets. There are a number of stinger and trailer hooks employed by anglers in all realms of fishing, whether it is an extra hook on a crawler harness or a trailer on a spinnerbait. What follows is a look at how, when and where stinger hooks can help anglers.

Stinging Jig

Early season fishing usually results in light-biting walleye stealing minnows from the hook by a simple pull on the baitfish’s tail. The cold water makes for lethargic fish and they will not usually chase after an active presentation. Thus, weak-biting walleye need to be stung.

Attaching a two- or three-inch stinger hook to a standard walleye jig will help hook light biters. These rigs can be purchased at most tackle shops in single- or treble-hook varieties. Single-hook stingers are great for weedlines and for larger minnows, preventing foul-ups on vegetation or the line. Treble-hook stingers work well in sandy or rocky areas and provide that extra hook up percentage many anglers require.

Select a minnow that matches local forage and runs about one-and-a-half times the length of the stinger rig. Bury the stinger hook as far back on the baitfish as possible, usually in the area where the fish’s tail meets the body. Work the set up as you would any early season or post-frontal presentation, and feel free to set the hook earlier than if you were fishing without the stinger.

Multi-hook rig

The concept of a crawler harness, whereby a crawler is speared on three separate hooks behind a spinner and some beads, has become a standard presentation across the upper Midwest. This multi-hooked rig means more hook-points, and hopefully more hook-ups when trolled behind a bottom-bouncer or rock-runner.

Many times, while out fishing, a single hook spinner with a leech or half of a nightcrawler is sufficient. However, if light-biting perch, or picky walleye are encountered, another hook might be just the thing to land those fish.

Trailer Hooks help ensure a good hookset

A great in-the-field addition to any spinner is an extra hook. When fishing spinners with number 4 or number 6 hooks, a great add-on is another hook that is one size smaller, such as a number 8 trailer. The key is to have a hook that is similar in shape to the front hook to avoid any fouling of the set up, and for that all-important angler confidence that comes from a uniform-looking rig.

Using 8- to 10-pound monofilament and a clinch knot, attach the stinger hook to the main hook on the spinner. Clinch knots work best as they are incredibly strong and easy to tie in cramped spaces. The improvised rig can withstand several dozen fish, and its position is adjustable on the main hook to fit the size of the bait added to it. Now when a bait-stealing perch tries to take the crawler by the end, a stinger will put that fish in the boat.

Trailer hitch

Even the worlds of bass, pike and musky angling are not without their stinger hooks. Most spinnerbaits for bass and inline spinners for big toothy fish come equipped with a secondary hook. Especially in the case of hard-mouthed members of the Esox family, a second set of trebles aids greatly in hook placement.

For bass anglers, a second hook can be added to a spinnerbait to turn short-strikers into tournament-winning fish. Purchase a few hooks of the same bend and size of the spinnerbait hook, perhaps getting them one size smaller. Run the eye of the trailer hook over the spinnerbait hook and hold the trailer in place with a small piece of rubber tubing. This second hook will help with short striking bass but be sure the skirt and the blades are not fouled by it. If that is the case, reposition the hook or trim the skirt for a smoother retrieve. A spinnerbait is a great all around lure that can be employed shallow or deep; the trailer hook just adds to the appeal.

Think of these stinger- and trailer-hooks as the barbed-wire on your presentation. They deliver a one-two punch that will have all fish trembling before you, the undisputed champion…of our outdoors.

Submerged trees attract fish at most times during the year

 Bank sloping trees that have fallen into the water, known as lay-downs, attract fish throughout the Midwest. Long-time anglers are keenly aware of the value of immersed trees. The primary cover choice of freshwater fish is, in fact, submerged wood.

A lay-down is a tree that has fallen into the water and is somewhat if not totally submerged. The fall may be natural—resulting from erosion, rot or wind—or caused by human activity. Lay-downs undeniably attract fish.

Why Fish Seek Cover

When the weather warms, predatory fish often swim under overhanging trees and bushes. From the day fish hatch, they are continually tested on their ability to survive. They need cover to avoid being devoured by larger fish, fish-eating birds, aquatic mammals and other predators. Even with excellent cover, nature takes a toll. Adult fish use cover to protect their nests, so that they do not have to guard all sides of it.

Many fish find feeding easier when they use a lay-down. A submerged tree provides cover for large numbers of baitfish. Hungry fish can hide in the branches to ambush dinner. Fish also use cover to escape predators.

Kinds of Cover

Trees and bushes ideal for North Dakota fishing purposes are those that have lead-in cover, such as weeds and lily pads, so that fish can move in and out relatively unseen. Trees that extend out into deep water provide fish an escape route, when needed. Trees with foliage on them provide more cover for baitfish to hide in, and therefore will likely attract hungry freshwater predators. Newly-flooded trees, with small branches intact, oftentimes make better cover than do older trees, many of whose branches may have, over time, rotted away.

Water depths are crucial to a lay-down’s attractiveness, and to the seasons when fish are most likely to use them. Shallow trees are popular to scurry around in, particularly in the spring. Mid-depth lay-downs (extending into ten to fifteen feet of water) are best from spring to late fall.

To determine how far a tree extends into the water, look on the bank for a tree with approximately the same sized trunk as the lay-down. When you spot one roughly the same size, look at the height of the standing tree in order to make comparisons. How far into the water would it go, if it fell?

Lay-downs also provide bank anglers with excellent shoreline fishing opportunities. Use an extra-long pole to reach out and drop jigs into the branches of a submerged tree.

Some bank anglers use a jig to vertically fish a thick lay-down. Jig size depends primarily on the type of action one desires. Ultra-light 1/32-ounce jigs have a slow fall and enticing movement, while 1/8-ounce jigs can penetrate most foliage. They’re also easier to free when hung up on a limb. A 1/16-ounce jig makes a good compromise. Try fishing all three sizes to determine which works best for you.

Using slip bobbers around flooded timber has become one of the most reliable ways to catch walleyes on Devils Lake

Minnows are ideal for fishing lay-downs, particularly those located near a riverbank or lakeshore. A minnow rig should include a float and heavy sinker. When fishing in deep water, use a slip-float to facilitate straight up-and-down minnow placement. A heavy crimp-on sinker keeps a minnow from swimming far and possibly hanging up on limbs.

Cover is as important in water that is flowing as it is in still water. Boulders, logs, bridge pilings or any objects that break the current and create eddies attract hungry fish. If you can find a North Dakota fishing location with all these elements together, you more than likely have found a hotspot.

Finding a Lay-Down

Finding a fallen tree with limbs sticking out of the water is not difficult. One discovery method is to simply motor along a lakeshore or riverbank looking for obvious limbs and a trunk. A second method for finding lay-downs is to again motor along a bank, but look for less obvious signs, such as part of a trunk above water, but with no exposed limbs. Another good indication of a lay-down is a partially or fully exposed root.

The third method is time-consuming, but often the most rewarding. Begin by slowly motoring about 30 feet from a bank. Watch for telltale signs of a treetop under water. Scan the bank for any trunks or roots just beneath the surface of the water. Also, stumps on a bank that are hard to spot because of undergrowth are oftentimes good indicators of fallen trees. Due to less fishing pressure, these difficult to spot lay-downs can be, I have found, very productive.

Factors to Keep in Mind When Fishing Lay-Downs

Wind can at times make boat-handling a real problem. Always anchor or tie onto sturdy, exposed limbs. Strong winds can cause fish to seek the down-current side of cover. Rising or falling water may move fish up or down, or closer to protective cover. Sunshine oftentimes leads fish to move to shadier portions of a lay-down.

Some anglers struggle hard to try and find fish under overhanging bank-side trees or around lay-downs, and eventually conclude that no fish are there. Wrong. Good-size fish are often around but simply won’t bite what anglers are offering them. Why?

If you were to observe a row of trees in the water on a popular fishing lake on any given day, you would, more than likely, see an endless procession of boats approaching. Each angler would use what he or she considered to be the ‘right’ fishing approach. Many would pitch or flip this or that lure. To cover a partially submerged tree more quickly, some anglers will throw bait around the outside edges, thereby seeking to entice a fish to strike. Every so often a person hooks one; however, many don’t.

Have all the fish gone? Have they all been caught? No. It’s because many anglers fish basically the same way. A particular location may well be an ideal spot (at least in your mind) for fish to hang out. But imagine, if you can, a fish swimming under a partially submerged tree seeing the same presentation of the same lures, repeatedly. How many times will the creature be attracted before concluding that maybe it should not go after those same old (and, perhaps, in the fish’s mind, suspicious-appearing) lures?

Different approaches to fishing lay-downs should be tried, depending on how aggressively hungry, fish are at a particular time. Oftentimes, fish are hanging out in and around a particular lay-down, but they may be in different fishing modes. By employing different angling methods, you increase the odds of catching fish.

If fish are active, I use an unweighted crankbait. Work around the outside of a lay-down first. Submerged trees around the perimeter oftentimes hold several fish. When I work from the outside inwards and from the surface downwards, I increase my chances of catching fish.

Some anglers try and get super close to a lay-down. But when they reposition their boat using a trolling motor, anglers oftentimes send a blast of water right under a lay-down, thereby spooking fish.

I fish lay-downs using a 7-foot-long medium-heavy action spinning rod, with the reel’s drag set tight, spooled with 10-pound test. This line casts well, has no stretch, and is so sensitive most anyone can feel just about anything on the line.

I pull up to a lay-down, cut off the outboard, and approach ever-so-quietly from some distance away, with the trolling motor on low. An almost inaudible purr, I have found, spooks fish far less than when you have the motor on a higher setting and keep hitting it in staccato-like bursts.

Initially, I keep some distance away from the lay-down and cast around the outside, underarm, so that the bait lands ever so gently. I let it settle for a second or two. Then, I move in closer and cast the bait and again let it settle.

This batch of submerged trees outside of Fargo offers good fishing throughout the open water season.

At times, I skip the bait, just like you would a stone, into the lay-down, targeting likely looking fish holding spots. Using this technique, I can oftentimes get into hard-to-reach places near the back, which places may hold lunkers. Because many anglers do not try to get a lure into such places, few fish lurking there are caught.

With practice, baits can be skipped 40 feet. They should carry just enough weight to skim the surface. Learning how to skip baits isn’t difficult. Most anglers can become proficient after an hour or so of practice.

Some anglers scoff at this technique, arguing that skipping baits across the water scares fish away. However, I have found the opposite to be true. One thing that causes fish to attack food is the so-called ‘scared baitfish’ action. If you have spent much time on the water, you have undoubtedly seen baitfish jumping off the surface, trying to escape predatory fish that are chasing them. Skipping baits mimics this action and causes hungry fish to look up by getting their attention.

Remember: the key to catching fish from under partially submerged trees is to zig when others are zagging. You must get bait in to where the fish are. It is possible to stay well away from a lay-down and skip bait 30 to 40 feet, right into the back, where few anglers can (quietly) reach, and the fish aren’t aware of your presence. Thinking and fishing differently from other anglers can oftentimes reward a person with a sizable catch.

Fishing older lay-downs involves dealing with a main trunk and limbs. Casting and vertical jigging are ideal ways to present tempting baits. An older lay-down that is almost totally submerged may not receive heavy fishing pressure and for that reason is likely to be one of the more productive fishing holes.

For a newer, clearly visible lay-down having many limbs, I use a straight up-and-down vertical presentation. Vertical tight lining a jig is an excellent way to penetrate fish hiding spots and present them with bait.

Should a hooked fish wrap itself around a branch, don’t try and force it out. Instead, open the reel’s bail arm and let the line go slack, thereby taking pressure off the fish. If a fish thinks it’s free, it will oftentimes swim out from an obstruction within seconds. When it does, close the bail arm and haul the fish out.

Laydowns offer great structure for all species of bass

I  am particularly fond of using lay-downs when fishing for smallmouth bass. The smallie is a member of the black bass family. It prefers lakes and streams with cool, clear water, a gravelly or rocky bottom, and scant vegetation.

All bass are spring spawners, with nest building occurring in mid-May when water temperatures are in the high 50s and low 60s. Spawning smallmouths are found in areas with gravel and boulder bottoms. In the summer, they will stay in deeper water than largemouths because they like the cooler temperatures. Look for smallmouths along rocks near drop-offs.

Several methods may be used to take smallmouths, including fly-casting with floating bugs, and trolling or casting with a plug or spinner. The most common and successful method is still fishing with live bait such as worms, minnows, and crayfish. Fall brings them back into shallower water, which awakens a drive to eat and put on weight for long North Dakota winters.

In North Dakota, weather fluctuations and temperature changes signal the arrival of spring. Right before waters warm is an ideal time to fish for bass, crappie, walleye, northern pike and panfish.

Anglers often find finesse tactics to be highly effective in catching fish. Many different kinds of freshwater fish fall for loud, splashy displays and may bite out of fear, surprise or anger when jigs suddenly interrupt their naps. However, at other times, weather conditions and fish disposition may require a lighter touch.

“You are not usually looking for a reaction bite; it is more subtle than that,” notes professional guide Henry Pitchford. “A fish is apt to carefully inspect a lure before inhaling it. Unlike a reaction strike, where something goes by fast, with finesse fishing, an angler is just dangling a lure in front of a creature’s nose; after a while, the fish can’t stand it anymore.” The objective is a blend of vulnerability and subtle annoyance.

Fishing lay-downs calls for experimenting; even seasoned anglers spend considerable time fishing lay-downs without getting a strike. But the rewards, both nutritionally and emotionally, can be great. Once fish have been located, and provided you understand the basic principles behind fishing lay-downs, the action oftentimes can be excellent. Plus, fish frequently will stay in the same general area, or at least the same depth, for several days. And do keep in mind the adage: “Give me a fish, and I will eat today; teach me to fish [lay-downs] and I will eat all my life.”

Author with first smallmouth of the year

What a surprise! A stretch of warm spring days shook winter’s chill off some bronze scales and more than a week earlier than last year, I landed my first smallmouth bass. There’s no better time than now, during the prespawn, to search for big brown bass for some spring catch-and-release fun. By doing the math, anyone can see that C&R fishing works to sustain a great river like the Sheyenne, and the numbers all add up when it comes to smallmouth fishing. Take these numbers, for example.

200,000 – The amount the winner of the 2005 Bassmasters Classic received. Kevin VanDam won the Pittsburgh, PA-based tournament by patterning some diminutive smallies using a chrome-colored Smithwick Rogue on the Allegheny River system. His final day, five-fish limit weighed only 4 pounds, 13 ounces, but those fish netted VanDam the victory over Aaron Martens by two ounces, and earned him his second Classic title and a hefty paycheck.

15,000 – The upper estimate of what a mature, female smallmouth in the prime of her life can produce in eggs each year. On the average, female smallies produce two- to three thousand eggs per pound of body weight. In a good year, ten percent of those eggs will develop into young of the year smallmouth bass.

316 – The number of items on Ebay related to smallmouth bass and smallmouth bass angling. From crayfish flies to Al Agnew prints, the worldwide online marketplace is not immune to smallie fever.

181 – The number of fish catching colors produced by the Gary Yamamoto bait company. Yamamoto, a professional angler and lure maker designs many popular baits including lizards, crawfish, grubs and the legendary Senko. Yamamoto produces proven bass catchers in just about any color combination under the sun, and a four-inch Senko is one of his favorites for summertime smallmouth.

55 – Springtime sunshine helps raise water temperatures to a level of 55 degrees Fahrenheit, stimulating adult male smallmouth to spawn. These fish use their fins and tails to dust out small depressions in shallow shelves, rocks, and shoals to lure females to bed on. Once mating is complete, the male will remain with the fry until they are of sufficient size to survive on their own. Smallmouth bass are one of a select few North American fish to exhibit such parenting skills, as pike, walleye and perch abandon their eggs shortly after depositing them.

11-15 – The weight of the all-tackle world record smallmouth bass in pounds and ounces, caught by David L. Hayes in 1955 on the famous Dale Hollow Reservoir which straddles the Kentucky-Tennessee border. Hayes’ fish was photographed, weighed, kept and mounted; and was deemed the world record at just a shade under 12 pounds. Yet mystery still surrounded the actual figures associated with the fish. A person working near the dock where Hayes brought his fish in stated that Hayes had altered the weight of the fish by adding lead shot to it. For decades the fish stood as the record holder, until the sworn affidavit of the dockworker surfaced in 1996, casting shadow on the record. The IGFA suspended the Hayes smallie as the record, until after a decade of investigation, and no facts along with the shady nature of the affidavit, the record fish was reinstated earlier this year.

16 – The minimum length, in inches required for a smallmouth bass to qualify for the NDG&F Catch and Release Club. Fish should be measured and properly released in front of a witness while on the water. Certificates are awarded to conservation-minded anglers along with their choice of a patch or decal.

15 – It takes a river such as the Sheyenne fifteen years to raise a smallmouth bass from egg to 18 inches. Smallies in riverine settings are often more slender and more colorful than lake-dwelling members of the species, grow slower and usually weigh considerably less because they constantly use energy to survive in the current.

6 – The number of times two friends and I landed the same 19-inch smallmouth bass on the Sheyenne River in the months of May, June and July in 2003. Smallmouth bass are ready takers of artificial baits and can be caught and released with ease, preserving the opportunity for months and years to come. These fish are very territorial and will go right back where they came from if released.

5-15 – Is the weight in pounds and ounces of the current North Dakota state record smallmouth bass. This fish was caught in the fall of 2003 by Roger Haugen of Jamestown. Coming from Spiritwood Lake, this monster bronzeback is representative of what kind of fish result from clear gravel-bottomed lakes in our region.

1 – Though smaller than largemouth bass and less popular in the region than walleye, the bronzeback still remains number one in this angler’s heart and a popular choice to catch and release this time of year…in our outdoors.

Standard carolina rig

The Carolina Rig is a technique that has been around for quite some time. It is used to cover an area quickly to find out what kind of structure you are fishing. Personally, I have put this technique on the back burner for the last number of years, but as of the last season, I put it back into action and it really paid off. In fact, I used it enough that it had earned me (4) top 4 finishes, and (3) big fish awards. This article is going to help you, step by step, explain the setup of this technique, types of baits to use with this, and places where to fish using this technique.

First, we will cover all of the components that are required for getting this rig set up. The first component is the weight. After assessing what type of structure and depth you will be fishing, decide how much weight you are going to need. The way to look at it is, get away with the lightest weight possible; usually throw between a ¼ to ½ oz weight, unless you are fishing deep water, then look at the ¾ to 1 oz weight. There are a variety of weights to use for this, egg sinkers, bullet weights, weights with rattles in them, and so on. They come in different composites, lead, brass and non-lead. A bullet weight is a more common weight for ease of getting through vegetation. Since a lot of the states are getting away from lead, use the brass or non-leaded weights.

The next component that goes onto the line after the weight is the beads. The beads come in either plastic or glass. The glass beads are faceted, which means that they are not round, but have many flat sides to them. Usually there are two beads put onto the line after the sinker. Most anglers use the glass faceted. Some anglers think that using colored beads makes a difference, but it really comes down to personal choice. Using the two glass beads in line makes more of a clacker noise when the weight and the beads bang together, as opposed to the plastic beads. With the noise from the weight and beads, it represents the clicking sound that the crawfish makes.

3 simple ways to outfit a carolina rig

So far, on the line, we have the sinker followed by the two beads. The next component is a swivel that is tied onto the line. Usually with this rig, we would use the crane swivel for this in the black finish. The purpose of the crane swivel is to keep the twist out of your line, for the leader end, as well as to keep the sinker and beads in a fixed position. For the swivel size, usually stick to the smaller versions like the 20 to 30 pound rated range. There are manufacturers in the industry that offer a pre-rigged version, called the Carolina Shortcut; Bass Pro Shops offers this as well as many others.

So up to this point, the rig consists of having a weight threaded onto the line, followed by two beads. Then, with the end of the line, we tie on the swivel. Now that we have the main components rigged up, we will get to the business end of the Carolina Rig.

Now, it comes down to what type of cover you are fishing; what mood the fish is in, and this will dictate how long of a leader you will need. From the swivel that is tied onto the line, we will then tie on a Fluorocarbon leader. By using a Fluorocarbon leader it gives the bait a much more natural look as the fish don t see the line like some Monofilament lines. Usually the main line is of heavier weight poundage; anywhere from 12 to 30 pound test, depending on how much abrasive cover you are fishing. For instance, weed cover will let you get away with 12 pound test, but if you were fishing rock cover, then we would look at 20-30 pound line. From the swivel, we tie the leader on and which is a lesser line weight. The line weight for the leader is anywhere from 8 to 15 pound test, try and get away with the lightest possible line that you can.

The lighter the line is, the more naturally the bait darts from side to side, moves up and down, and falls more naturally to the bottom. This is where we need to pay some attention to the line length with the bait that we are using. The leader can be as short as 12 inches long and can go to as long as 4 feet. The shorter the leader is, the faster the bait will fall and the longer it is, the more natural it will look. Usually the length would be between 24 and 36 inches. Tie the hook to the end of the leader, usually the hook will be a 2/0, 3/0 or 4/0 hook. Use a heavier gauge hook; otherwise if you use a thin-wired hook, there is the possibility of straightening the hook and losing some big fish.

The bait that goes onto the hook can be any variation of baits that are out on the market. There is a plastic bait company by the name of BearPaws Hand Poured Baits that offers a wide range of plastic baits. They offer baits like BearPaw Grubs, Lazy Sticks (senko style), Slick Sticks (finesse worm), Grim Reapers and Shad baits. They have just come out with some new bait that consists of 5-1/2 Salamanders, large 7-3/4 Kodiak Whip worms and the 4-1/2 Grizzly Stick, which is a creature bait. All of these baits come in a wide variety of colors, BearPaws baits are offered in over a 100 different color variations. All of these baits are hand poured and individually trimmed and packaged at a great price. If you haven t tried hand poured baits, you don t know what you are missing. Hand poured baits are more durable, have a more lifelike feel to the fish, have scent baked into each one and have a natural buoyancy that works great for Carolina rigging.

A simple view of the carolina rig. Experiment with different line lengths in-between the swivel and the hook.

The creature bait craze is running wild right now and it is always a great choice for this technique. The BearPaws Grizzly Stick creature bait consists of two curl tails off of the tail end of the bait and has two side appendages also. The main body consists of the zipper concept and with this design; it displaces a lot of water and creates a disturbance in the water column that draws the fish to the bait. Another great bait that they offer for this type of a bite is the 5 1/2 inch salamander, which has the great buoyancy from being hand poured. If there is a tough bite going on then switch to a subtler bait of the 4 or 5-inch Lazy Stick, the 4 or 6 inch Slick Stick or the 4-inch Shad. Any of these are finesse baits and offer the subtle action that is required for the tough bite.

Now that we have the Carolina rig setup and a few baits picked out to fish with, we will now look at places and presentations to use this in. This rig is really used to pick apart structure, as it gives the fisherman a lot of information back to them as it is being fished. The weight transmits vibrations back to the angler s hand and with that they can tell if they are fishing sand, rocks, mud, weeds, etc. This presentation is used as search bait, as it can cover an area fairly quickly and when an area has been found that is holding fish, you are able to slow down and fish it as slowly as the need warrants.

This presentation is used mainly to cover large expanses of an area with little vegetation and sand or rock bottom. But, as anglers are using it in heavy vegetation, this is giving the bass a different look at the baits that follow. As it is coming through the weeds, the buoyancy of the BearPaws Hand Poured Baits allows the bait to float either high in the weeds or above them as it floats and slowly settles towards the bottom. After casting the rig out you will slowly drag it back towards the boat, with a lifting or side motion of the rod tip. With a 3 foot leader the bait flutters above the bottom and it slowly falls back down and that is when the bass strikes. As you start to move the bait, be prepared, because many times you may not feel the fish pick it up and when you go to move it, there is weight there. With a side sweeping hook set you will hook another bass.

Mainly this rig has been fished on deep structure, but recently more people are using it to fish in water as little as 1-2 feet deep. It gives a different presentation to the shallow water fish that are use to seeing jigs and plastics fished Texas style. By fishing this shallow, the bait will have a very erratic action and is enticing to them. You will be able to crawl this over wood cover, but would recommend shortening the leader to maybe a foot long or a bit more. This allows the bait to free fall better, but with a shorter leader it doesn t get as tangled in the wood like a long leader would. The shallower presentation will also allow you to get away with a much lighter weight for a softer presentation into the water after the cast. You will be able to use a weight between 1/8 – 3/8 oz.

If you haven t tried the Carolina Rig before, you don t know what you are missing. You are able to cover water quickly with this technique and you are able also to fish it slow. You can fish it very shallow or as deep as you need to. There are a variety of baits to use with the Carolina Rig and they will allow you to fish to what ever mood the fish are in. Bigger baits with rolling curly tails and body appendages are great for the quick and aggressive bites. As opposed to the subtler 3-5 inch finesse baits for the very finicky fish. Whatever the mood is or whatever the structure you are fishing, you should always have one rod ready with the Carolina Rig.