Photograph by Andrew Ragas Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Fishing-Headquarters Magazine Volume 2. Issue 4 Num. 10
July and August, 2012 Summer Edition
• Secrets of the Carp Mafia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 About the Fishing-Headquarters The Fishing-Headquarters began as a small homepage featuring a collection of photos and YouTube fishing videos. It even featured a small contingency of misfits and rebellious anglers who were tired of the internet elitism and racism expressed by other websites towards specific groups of anglers and species of freshwater gamefish. Formally established in January 2007, the FHQ was created for like-minded anglers to share the wealth of information, and enjoy the beauty in diverse fishing. This greatness as we presently know it is multi-species fishing.
• 100 Degree Walleyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 • Trash Fish Truths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 • Side Scan Sonar For Wingdam Walleyes . . 59 • Downsized Muskies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Designed and created by posessed and gravely obsessed angler, Andrew Ragas, the website has grown to a large world audience. Our basis as an online media platform is to drop the ego, and catch anything that swims and has fins. All fish are created as equals. Only to be pursued as opposites.
COVER STORY Important Biz Stuff http://www.fishing-headquarters.com info@fishing-headquarters.com telephone - 708. 256. 2201 Questions or Comments, and if interested in contributing or sponsoring, please contact Andrew Ragas at: andrew@fishing-headquarters.com Magazine layout and design by Ragas Media http://www.ragasmedia.com
Pictured on the Issue-10 cover is Fishing-Headquarters contributor, Jim Gronaw. Rather than showcase the best photos of the more popular bass, muskies, or other massive sport fish, we’ve elected to use a carp as our cover shot for the very first time. In this issue, Jim writes about his newfound love for bank carp fshing, and the unique anglers and their lifestyles that he’s met along the way. Turn to page 13 to learn about secrets of the carp mafia.
Fishing-Headquarters Issue-10 Being chief designer and editor of this online publication is an influential responsibility. Oftentimes, I receive e-mails, inquiries, and requests about contributions for our upcoming issues. I’m commonly asked,“What would you like for me to contribute? What do you want me to specifically write about?” Frequently, I will respond in ways asking them what their inspirations, and interests are. For instance, what knowledge do you have on certain subjects that others might not have? Andrew Ragas
Editor In-Chief, Designer, and Owner.
2012 Issue Releases Remaining Schedule
• Issue 11: September 5, 2012 • Issue 12: December 3, 2012
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When we boil it down to what it takes to become a contributor to FHQ, it’s the same levels of interest, engagement, and enthusiasm that makes readers want to turn our pages: Fishing is our calling, and not just an extracurricular activity. It’s no secret that ALL who have contributed stories during the lifetime of FHQ, beginning from issue-1 in late 2010 up until now, are all inspired, enthusiastic anglers who excel in their particular crafts and offer credibility, resourcefulness and expert information. Possessing all of the aforementioned qualities will, without question, get your names, faces, and knowledge into this still-growing publication. It is my pleasure and inspiration to give you a ninth issue of FHQ Magazine. We would like to thank our friends, anglers, and team of writers and website bloggers who have dedicated themselves to provide and contribute their knowledge, experiences, and content into this publication. Without their assistance, nothing like this would be possible. Copyright © 2012 Fishing-Headquarters. All rights reserved. The usage of articles, excerpts, photographs, and any reproduction of this material is strictly prohibited.
I S S U E 10 F E A T U R E D W R I
Andrew Ragas
David Graham
Contributed Photographs • David Graham • Matt Graham • Roy Vivian • Frank Weilnhammer Issue 10 Editorial Staff • Paul Ragas Layout and Design By • Ragas Media Designs Sponsors and Advertising Partners • Bearpaw’s Handpoured Baits • CB’s Hawg Sauce • Cortland Line • Dragin Bait Company • Go-Pro Camera • Heartland Outdoors • MC Custom Rods Inc. • Quantum Fishing • Ragas Media Designs • Sims Spinners Inc. • Solar Bat Eye Wear • Stankx Bait Company • Time on the Water Outdoors • TightLinz
Todd Wendorf
TERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
Jim Gronaw
Kenny Lookingbill
NEWS AND NOTEWORTHY TOPICS. Solar Bat launches new website for 2012. Solar Bat encourages every person to perform at the top of his game, whatever that game may be. If you fish, hunt, or play outdoor sports where the sun is always an obstruction to your game, a pair of Solar Bats is the answer to the success you strive for! Visit their updated website to order your pair of Solar Bats today! Use Promotional Code ARAGAS http://www.solarbat.com
Quantum To Unveil New Lineup of Reels at ICAST 2012. It’s such a secret that nobody knows what these reels are yet. Quantum Fishing will be introducing a new lineup of high-tech reels on July 11-13, 2012 at ICAST, which will be held in Orlando, FL. According to pro-staffers and field staffers, these new products are going to blow anglers away. http://www.quantumfishing.com
New Color Chart and Custom Colors available from Stankx Bait Company. KALAMAZOO, MI - In partnership with RagasMedia Designs, Stankx Bait Co. will be updating their color chart to feature more stock images in an all new high resolution dynamic format. Stay tuned, and visit the Stankx website and Facebook pages often for updates as this will happen anytime in July. http://www.stankxbaitco.com
GoPro Camera Wi-Fi Remote Kits: Record LIVE from your camera. Available for $99, The Wi-Fi Combo Kit enables remote control, live preview and playback on smartphones and tablets*, live streaming* to the web, and more. The Wi-Fi Combo Kit is compatible with HD HERO2 and Original HD HERO cameras. http://www.gopro.com Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Smallmouth Bass on the Fly Wisconsin River, Oneida County
SOLUNAR CALENDAR July 2012
August 2012
This fishing forecast is based on solar and lunar influences that cycle daily. The chart shows each hour of the day. For instance the hours with the higher rating, and days shaded the darkest have a greater combination of solar and lunar influence and thus indicate the best times to fish. This chart is a general recommendation and all data has been compiled by Weather & Wildlife.
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LEADING OFF.
Photograph by Andrew Ragas Fishing-Headquarters.com
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LEADING OFF.
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Photograph by Andrew Ragas Fishing-Headquarters | Page 10
CARP
About a year ago, I got hooked up with a bad crowd o I had been down on my luck for a while and it seem weren’t biting and one thing just led to another. It wa
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MAFIA
of fishermen at a local lake. Was bound to happen… med I just couldn’t shake the funk. No bluegills, cats as then that I got hooked on, you got it, carp fishing. Jim Gronaw Photograph by Jim Gronaw Fishing Fishing-Headquarters Headquarters | | Page Page14 14
SECRETS OF THE CARP MAFIA
Carp Mafia member, Mr. Bob, with a good un. Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Photograph by Jim Gronaw
By: Jim Gronaw
Fishing-Headquarters Contributor
I
had heard the stories, the tragic results and the many ruined lives that were in the mix of this worldwide calamity. The fish were bottom feeders, the men who fished for them were bottom feeders and those who had guts enough to admit they actually liked fishing for them were subject to ridicule and scorn. So be it…I was ready for the onslaught,
the shame, the jokes and whatever else came with the carp territory. Before long, I was hooked, addicted, I’d say, to hooking, playing and landing fish far bigger than the customary front-liners that all the outdoor writers write about. But who cares if they aren’t pretty? If you’re goin’ for poundage, carp are the way. But be careful…you, too, might just fall victim to the most popular freshwater gamefish, yes gamefish, in the world. The gang I fell in with was a shoddy bunch, and they deserved their reputation. There were secret conversations amongst them and closed-door meetings to determine where and when the next carp gig was going to take place. The first time I met the 74 year-old ‘Carp Father’, we’ll call him Joe, was in a local tackle shop, eyeing up doughballs and boilies. Although there was not a single other person in the shop, he spoke to me in hushed se-
crecy about the timing and planing of the next carp fling. I was both excited and cautious, knowing that I had somehow been ushered into the Carp Mafia. Why would they entrust me, a lowly outdoor writer, with such coveted info? You know those sorts can’t keep a secret! Still, I was allowed into the inner sanctum, the belly of the bottom-feeding beast, with highly confidential stuff. I realized then that, once I was in, I could never get out. I somehow quickly gained the confidence and favor of other chief Carp Mafia members, most of who were ‘cross-over’ rowdies from other realms of questionable existence. I began to feel weak and vulnerable, despite my acceptance. If the word got out about my association with the CM, I would likely lose my good standing in the community. My integrity would be jeopardized, my honesty questioned. But I quickly caved-in, stopped caring
Photograph by Jim Gronaw Fishing Headquarters | Page 16
SECRETS OF THE CARP MAFIA
Went carpin today and, as you can see, things got ugly... Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Photograph by Jim Gronaw
about ’proper-fishing’ and started chumming corn with the rest of the low-lifes. My scruples were gone, my life a shambles and my reputation shot. I didn’t give a carp…! As I fell deeper and deeper into this quagmire of questionable angling, I found that most of the carpsters were actually likeable, almost halfway decent chaps who had the same desires you and I have… mainly, the desire to catch big fish on a regular basis. This one was a policeman, that one was a retired schoolteacher, another did construction work and yet another actually volunteered for worthy causes. All leading secret lives as carp fishermen, dodging the insults while spodding corn in various areas of the lake to attract the overgrown goldfish. They had bite alarms, rod pods and used hair rigs. They used boilies for bait, employed weigh slings for big fish and kept their bait needles sharp. Their scales were certified and official, and their packbait was always a mix of secret concoctions that were sure to draw the fish. They weren’t into taking photos of their fish, unless it was a very big one. Whenever I went for the camera I got looks that would kill and expressions to die for. Be careful of recorded images, Internet info and never ask too many questions. This is the Carp Mafia. As my year-long carp adventure progressed, several matters of fact came to light. To my great surprise, carp anglers take better care of their equipment than just about any anglers out there. They are extremely resourceful and are constantly trying new rigs and baits to get the bites. Mafia members seemed to be quite sociable, and enjoy sharing many humorous stories about carping in the past. They like to eat… pizza and fried chicken and brats on
Photograph by Thad Cook
Photograph by Jim Gronaw Fishing Headquarters | Page 18
SECRETS OF THE CARP MAFIA
Photograph by Jim Gronaw
the grill…I can live with that. And, yes, they are secretive, especially to other carp anglers whom they might not approve of. Case in point…if an ‘outsider’ or non-Mafia member, fishes the area you chummed all week long to take advantage of your hard work, thus catching carp that you worked hard to draw to the area, then they are frowned upon. And why not? That’s just plain lazy and disrespectful. Who wants even ‘lower’ low-lifes muscling in on their cultivated hotspot? For that Fishing-Headquarters.com
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reason, several CM members’ spod corn at night, so they cannot be spied upon, and they do it in several different locations. Yes, big, dead carp have been found in the backs of some fisherman’s’ cars, complete with blow flies, stench and territorial warnings. Also, the serious carp freaks do it all year long, right through the winter. During the record warm winter of 2011-12, Mafia kingpin Mr. Bob banked well over 100 carp in January and February when ev-
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erybody else sat home and got fat, watching 250- pound bass anglers skate 2- pound largemouths through the water on 50 pound braid. How much fun is that? And something else is unique to the carpsters…they do it all night, the next day, and then all the next night. Set up camp and brace yourselves for a 24 to 48 hour carpa-thon, complete with sleeping cots, gas grills and the aforementioned pizza and brats. And, yes, funny stuff happens at night. People fall
in the water, lines get crossed and fish get tangled and untold tales of carping past are relived in a lively form, complete with bleeps and a little ‘coarse’ fishing language. But make no mistake…they catch big fish, and lots of them. The statement was made recently by one of the Carp Mafia members…’It gets lonely out here, when you’re the only one catching big fish, day after day’. Yup, it’s a vicious cycle. Once you’re in, you can’t get out.
The names have been changed to protect the innocent...a Carp Mafia member ‘at ease’.
Photograph by Jim Gronaw Fishing-Headquarters | Page 20
SECRETS OF THE CARP MAFIA As I fell deeper and deeper into this quagmire of questionable angling, I found that most of the carpsters were actually likeable, almost halfway decent chaps who had the same desires you and I have‌ mainly, the desire to catch big fish on a regular basis. This one was a policeman, that one was a retired schoolteacher, another did construction work and yet another actually volunteered for worthy causes. All leading secret lives as carp fishermen, dodging the insults while spodding corn in various areas of the lake to attract the overgrown goldfish. They had bite alarms, rod pods and used hair rigs. They used boilies for bait, employed weigh slings for big fish and kept their bait needles sharp. Their scales were certified and official, and their packbait was always a mix of secret concoctions that were sure to draw the fish. They weren’t into taking photos of their fish, unless it was a very big one. Whenever I went for the camera I got looks that would kill and expressions to die for. Be careful of recorded images, Internet info and never ask too many questions. This is the Carp Mafia.
Photograph by Jim Gronaw Fishing-Headquarters.com
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SECRETS OF THE CARP MAFIA Carp Mafia members hard at work pursuing the #1 gamefish in the world. To my great surprise, carp anglers take better care of their equipment than just about any anglers out there. They are extremely resourceful and are constantly trying new rigs and baits to get the bites. Mafia members seemed to be quite sociable, and enjoy sharing many humorous stories about carping in the past. They like to eat…pizza and fried chicken and brats on the grill
Photograph by Jim Gronaw Fishing-Headquarters.com
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SECRETS OF THE CARP MAFIA Jim Gronaw is from Westminster, MD, is 60 years old and has been published over 600 times in the local, regional and national level – First published at the age of 17 in Fishing World. Licensed freshwater fishing guide for Maryland – Maker of RiverCritter Hair Jigs, featured several times in the In-Fisherman – Does a lot of seminar work during the winter off-season. You can read more of Jim’s work at BigBluegill.com, and throughout the Fishing-Headquarters website.
Photograph by Jim Gronaw Fishing-Headquarters.com
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100 DEGR
Locate
Photographs by Andrew Ragas Fishing-Headquarters.com
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REE WALLEYES
Big warm water walleyes are possible during the heat of summer. e your nearest river system, find the current, and wade to fish in darkness. Andrew Ragas
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100 DEGREE WALLEYES
By: Andrew Ragas Editor In-Chief
andrew@fishing-headquarters.com
D
aytime fishing for walleyes on your nearest river system during the warm summer months often means seeking out the deepest pools you can access, long hours of patiently waiting for fish to bite, and excessive sun burns. In all my years of fishing rivers for walleyes, I have come to learn that the daytime hours are best spent by working on the day-job and living a normal lifestyle, while the evening and nighttime hours following sunset should, without question, be reserved for fishing. Most walleye fishermen usually associate the nighttime hours with both the spring and fall seasonal periods as fish are in the midst of their runs, present in more concentrated numbers, and are most vulnerable to be caught by waders at night. During these periods water temperatures are colder which offers more successful fishing and a predictable feed. However, nighttime fishing for walleyes during the summer can be just as good as fish will always take advantage of the dark to feed. Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Photograph by Andrew Ragas
I first discovered the mystique of nighttime wading for river walleyes during the summer of 2006. I recall it was hot and humid which also brought some occasional rainfall that greatly helped our Midwestern rivers. Due to the daily temperatures reaching averages of 85 to 100 degrees, daytime angling was not in my best interests. Looking back it seems as if both the fish and I avoided the sunlight together at the same times and then enjoyed each other’s company at night. Since then I have enjoyed tremendous nighttime success and it is my preferred way to fish for walleyes during summer. Walleyes are cool water species that are most active in low light conditions. The daytime hours of summer are usually the off-time for walleyes. In lower Midwestern regions such as Illinois, warm weather and humidity persists throughout much of summer. The same can also be noted for the walleye factory states such as Wisconsin, Min-
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nesota, and the Dakota’s. This all correlates with bright sunlight that consequently brings warm water temperatures that usually average anywhere from 75 to 85 degrees. Sometimes, the rivers and streams around my neck of the cornfield in Northern Illinois can get up to 90 degrees during the hottest days which are excruciatingly hot. Despite the hot days and warm water temperatures, everything comes out as soon as the sun begins to set. Both walleyes and prey fish species emerge to feed, and become the most active unlike at any other point of the day. Beating the Heat Most of the major river systems throughout the Midwest contain fishable populations of walleyes as they are either sustained naturally or receive stockings to supplement the fisheries. Despite stockings, I have found that certain river types fish
better than others and offer more wading options. In order to determine the walleye fishability of your river, there are a few things to keep in mind. Some factors to consider are depth, bottom composition, current flow rates, water clarity, and wade access to the good spots. For nighttime wading, the best walleye rivers I’ve fished are shallower, hard-bottomed with rocks and mid-gradient current, with depths and pools varying from 3 to 6 ft., and moderate clarity of up to 2 ft. Some rivers I have fished throughout the Midwest that possess these great qualities are the Wisconsin River and its wade accessed dam areas (its Central and Northern stretches), the Des Plaines River and its larger tributaries, and the Fox and Kankakee Rivers – all three are located in Northeastern Illinois. There are definitely plenty more rivers in the Midwest I’ve never fished, that contain fine fisheries themselves, including some that are potentially world class. Since wading is my preferred method, on the water safety and knowledge of location and presence of deep holes and underwater hazards is a priority. For these reasons it is best to scout your areas during the daytime because access areas and likely fish holding areas will be located without much trouble. Summertime Locations During summer, most walleyes will be relating to mid-river areas that have current and depth. These areas attract forage fish and contain higher levels of dissolved oxygen which reduces water temperatures by a few degrees. Specific areas I like to concentrate on are gravel bars that protrude from shore and
Photograph by Andrew Ragas Fishing-Headquarters | Page 32
100 DEGREE WALLEYES
Photograph by Andrew Ragas
extend out towards the main channel areas. These places are most likely to contain fish throughout the season as they have depth and form current, and are easily accessed by wading from the shallow upstream sides and casting directly into the deeper pools downstream. Other areas worth spending time at are the end pools and deep holes of rock and riffle runs, and downstream pools of dams. Last but not least, bottom transitions from mud and sand to rock and even wood will also attract fish providing that depth is greater than 3 ft. It is important to note that all of these preferred areas I target will have depths anywhere from 3 to 6 ft., hard bottom with moderate current, and in all likelihood contain Fishing-Headquarters.com
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walleyes. Besides habitat and river locations, moon phase plays a tremendous influence in my success of nighttime angling. As recorded in my logbook since 2006, approximately 75% of all my nighttime walleyes throughout the seasons have been caught while wading during the first quarter and full moon periods. In addition, most catches have taken place within the first two hours following sunset. The long extended periods of light brought forth by the moon prolongs fish feeding activity and stimulates nighttime migrations. Although the presence of moon rarely dictates whether or not to fish, it is interesting to point out how I have caught more fish
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while the moon has been visible and there has been an obvious transition from daytime sunlight to nighttime moonlight. Minnow Moves When fishing at night, I exclusively fish with medium sized minnow baits. Preferred sizes are 3 to 5 in. and some favorites are the F9 Floating Rapala, Shallow Shad Rap, and the XR8 Rapala X-Rap. Color choices don’t seem to matter but in some scenarios matching the hatch is critical, especially when there is a high presence and concentration of baitfish, and if the river has great water clarity. In these circumstances I use natural colors such as black/
silvers, black/golds, purpledescents, whites, and yellow perch. However, when colors don’t make any difference I have caught fish on unnatural colors such as hot oranges, yellows, and even pinks. Sometimes it pays to experiment. With minnowbaits it is important to make long casts. Retrieve the lure at a steady pace so that vibration and wobble is maximized, and the bait can be seen passing by fish. By doing so, fish will be triggered to strike. Besides the old reliable minnowbait, I have also caught fish on jig and plastics and smaller swimbaits. However, I tend to put all plastics on reserve and tinker with them until the fall when fish grow conditioned and are prone to be responsive to more offerings. As far as summertime gear is concerned, I tend to use lighter rods and reels that offer both power and sensitivity. Adequate gear is a 6 ft. 6 in. medium power, fast action spinning rod with a reel that can hold 6 and 8 lb. copolymer line. I use size 20 Quantum Catalysts that are spooled with 6 lb. Cortland Endurance, which is an abrasive-resistant and smooth-casting monofilament line. The gear I use is better suited for lighter applications such as jigging and swimming with plastics. With the lighter line I am able to cast for distance, and in several situations I fish in minimal snag areas that have nothing but open water current and a hard bottom with depth. The only instances in which I would use heavier tackle, such as a 7 foot rod of similar action with 8 lb. line, would be in the fall when fish are running in concentrated numbers, if fishing a larger section of river, and obviously when bigger fish are more readily available. Ever since I began fishing for
100 degree walleyes in June 2006, I have enjoyed catching several walleyes from a variety of Midwestern rivers. My largest nighttime walleyes in summer to date have been a good half dozen that have fallen in the range of 24 to 27 inches. Do the math. . . . these fish weigh a good 4 to 6 lbs. Imagine how much bigger and fatter they could be in the fall, and perhaps during the spring
spawn! With all that being said about fishing during the daytime for summer river ‘eyes as they will be hiding and in negative moods. Your only reward will be sunburn and sweat. It’s night-time, or no-time. Apply these facts to your home waters and I guarantee you will enjoy the same success as I have had over the course of the last five summers.
Photograph by Andrew Ragas Fishing-Headquarters | Page 34
M I D N I G H T
FLOATERS
M I N N O W S
SUSPEN
Rapala X
F9 Floating Rapala
Rapala Hu
Photograph by Andrew Ragas Fishing-Headquarters.com
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NDERS
DIVERS
X-Rap 08
Shallow Shad Rap
usky Jerk
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100 DEGREE WALLEYES
Photographs by Andrew Ragas Fishing-Headquarters.com
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100 DEGREE WALLEYES
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Trash Fish Truths “We as fishermen are as unique in our differences individually as the fish we pursue, and yet at the core of each fisherman there is a thirst for adventure, and the thrill of the catch which we all share despite our different philosophies and beliefs.�
Photograph by Matt Graham Fishing-Headquarters.com
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David Graham
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TRASH FISH TRUTHS
Photograph by Matt Graham Fishing-Headquarters.com
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By: David Graham
Fishing-Headquarters Contributor
A
s a multi-species enthusiast, I am frequently on the defensive in the continual debate between mainstream anglers and those who choose to pursue nearly all fish. It’s not difficult to understand; after all, anglers are arguably the most superstitious, boastful, misled, stubborn tale-tellers on the planet! Nearly every fisherman has his or her highly prized ‘spot’, secret baits, or rituals, not to mention the ‘lucky’ hat, or a special tattered, stained t-shirt, or some other nonsensical item or habit that he or she maintains are critical to the successful catch. However, the casual explanation of the reason for these lucky charms or rituals is generally accompanied by colorful tales of memorable angling trophies, which seem to grow each time the tale is repeated. As anglers, we get so absorbed in our own convictions about what is “right” and “what works best” that they become almost ‘legend’ as they are passed down over time to our closest friends and family. Therefore, when you place two unrelated anglers together, from different angling experiences, the competitive instinct emerges almost immediately, with declarations of what works best, what never works, and who has caught the most amaz-
Photograph by Matt Graham
angler by whom you are querying. Honest curiosity is one thing, but the premise of these “Why-do-youwant-to-fish-for-THOSE-fish” is packed full of pre-conceived notions. You just know the “helpful advice” you’re about to be pelted with is basically to let you know that the other angler is much smarter than you could possibly be. Not much reasoning with anglers like this. In fact, I’ve developed a few “quick talking points” “Whatcha fishin’ for?” when I’m asked what I’m casting “Are you SERIOUS? Why you for, something along the line of wanna fish for (fill-in the-blank, “Bass”, or “whatever is biting”, just to stop the stream of opinion I’m rough fishermen) that?” about to receive. Yes – I am intellectually capa“Don’t you know those are ble of providing the true and propTRASH FISH?” er answer to those silly questions. “Why do you fish for (____), However, there is insufficient time those are ‘trash fish’” to be direct with someone simply drifting by on a john boat. There is no harder head than Ah, yes … where to begin to converse with these opening ques- the hard-head of an “old fashioned” tions? Those kinds of questions Fishing-Headquarters | Page 466 speak volumes about the type of ing specimen of whatever species is being discussed. For ‘multi-species’ anglers, debate is imminent and simply comes with the territory. There is no shortage of fable-like myths, outdated notions, fabricated ‘facts’ and legend in all areas of fishing. Convincing any angler that he or she might be wrong is about as simple as nailing jello to a tree.
TRASH FISH TRUTHS
Photograph by David Graham
“Whatcha fishin’ for?” “Are you SERIOUS? Why you wanna fish for that?” “Don’t you know those are TRASH FISH?” “Why do you fish for them? Those are trash fish!” Fishing-Headquarters.com
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fisherman who has plenty of advice to give, but little interest in hearing how someone else might do it differently “At the core of all fishermen there is a thirst for adventure, and the thrill of the catch which we all share despite our different philosophies and beliefs.” Simply put, you just can’t rationalize with the irrational… leave out the science, leave out the facts, leave out all ecology, history, and state the obvious. Regardless of how different the angler’s ideas are from yours, one thing is unmistakably true for both of us: the ‘promised land’ is at hand when we get a sharp tug on the fishing rod and hear the sound of drag screamin – music to our ears!! “Why do you fish for carp? Carp eat bass eggs, they are nonnative trash fish from China!” A simple and honest response to this question could get you hours of lost fishing time, and generally nowhere with the angler making such statements. “A fish that grows over 4 feet long and excess of 50 pounds? “Why not!” generally shuts them up real quick. Avoid the idea of bass egg consumption etc all together… he ain’t changin’ his mind, but you describe to any fervent angler a fish in excess of four-feet in length and 50+ pounds and that angler’s mind will ‘missile-lock’ on your words… and generally grab his or her attention.. time to move in on those irrational fishing assumptions! Is that a careless way to handle a situation where someone is obviously in dire need of education? Meh… perhaps. What is the textbook long answer for these questions? Well.. I suppose it depends on
Photograph by David Graham Fishing-Headquarters | Page 48
TRASH FISH TRUTHS
Simply put, you just can’t rationalize with the irrational… leave out the science, leave out the facts, leave out all ecology, history, and state the obvious. Regardless of how different the angler’s ideas are from yours, one thing is unmistakably true for both of us: The ‘promised land’ is at hand when we get a sharp tug on the fishing rod and hear the sound of drag screamin – music to our ears!! Photograph by David Graham
the species being questioned. People have the right to question why we do what we do, and I reserve the right to avoid the question. In all honesty, there is nothing ‘wrong’ with anglers who choose to fish in a predominantly ‘species-specific’ manner. Why pursue those fish? Simple answer, I am bugged by this concept of what is the ‘Complete Angler’. The Complete Angler An angler is someone who pursues fish, and not just a certain type of fish. ‘Fish’ are creatures that encompass greater species diversity than any other class of organism with a vertebrate. It is not a term that acknowledges popular ideas and beliefs of the hapless angler who so often verbalizes them… or restricts certain species from the classification based on these ideas. Fishermen pursue fish – and thus, Fishing-Headquarters.com
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anglers who pursue ALL fish in my humble opinion are what I would consider a complete angler. Anglers who single-mindedly pursue largemouth bass, for example, are simply bass fishermen. Considering that there are somewhere in the range of 32,000 fish species, becoming a complete angler is virtually impossible, but it is an incredibly satisfying quest. Who is the better fisherman? An illogical question maybe, but if I had to assume based on how I define the term ‘fisherman,’ I would assume it is an individual who elects to pursue fish ‘boundlessly’… not restricting that pursuit with personal belief, superstition, or bias. As great a biodiversity as the aquatic ecosystem sustains, an anglers method of capture should be expected to reflect that… and oh the diversity. The ‘fish’ world includes predators, herbivores, and omnivores. I guess you could toss in filter feeders as well.
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Interconnected into these categories are different branches of consumers. You have salt and fresh, open water species, species that stay primarily in rivers, creeks and streams, warm water/cold water, deep water, and shallow water species and more. Understand that there are predators that move in schools operating as units launching highly organized attacks on schools of smaller forage species. Just the same, there are those that are entirely self sufficient, solo predators that may feed completely opportunistically or rely more heavily on cover, concealment, and camouflage. Understand that there are species of fish that grow close to 100 pounds, which may sustain themselves on creatures that are scarcely visible to the naked eye and those that feed entirely on plant matter. I could talk endlessly about the different waters, tactics, etc that are required to pursue all these fish.
However, what I intend to present is the fact that an angler who has dedicated himself/herself to successfully matching these variations of habitat, feeding patterns etc with artificial tactics of deceiving these fish by rod and reel should be able to take a greater amount of pride in what they have succeeded in doing as an angler than those who choose to dedicate all their time focusing on one, or a few species of fish… neglecting to acknowledge the opportunity presented by the full spectrum of species of fish they could otherwise chase. Is being species specific wrong? Absolutely not, as it has made some people millionaires. But to question why, with a predetermined notion that it’s wrong regardless of a given answer, an angler chooses to fish for ‘trash fish’ is just absurd.
Boundless Pursuit A non-species specific approach to angling by David Graham. David Graham is an extreme multi-species angler and featured columnist for Fishing-Headquarters Magazine. Follow his monster fish adventures at his blog:
http://www.fishing-headquarters.com/ boundlesspursuit/
Fishing-Headquarters | Page 50
TRASH FISH TRUTHS
An angler is someone who pursues fish, and not just a certain type of fish. ‘Fish’ are creatures that encompass greater species diversity than any other class of organism with a vertebrate. It is not a term that acknowledges popular ideas and beliefs of the hapless angler who so often verbalizes them… or restricts certain species from the classification based on these ideas. Fishermen pursue fish – and thus, anglers who pursue ALL fish in my humble opinion are what I would consider a complete angler. Photograph by David Graham Fishing-Headquarters.com
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TRASH FISH TRUTHS
Photograph by Matt Graham Fishing-Headquarters.com
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TRASH FISH TRUTHS
Is being species specific wrong? Absolutely not. But to question why, with a predetermined notion that it’s wrong regardless of a given answer, an angler chooses to fish for ‘trash fish’ is just absurd.
Photograph by Matt Graham Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Side Sca Photograph by Roy Vivian Fishing-Headquarters.com
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an Sonar
For Wingdam Walleye Fishing Kenny Lookingbill Fishing-Headquarters | Page 60
WINGDAM WALLEYES
By: Kenny Lookingbill
Fishing-Headquarters Contributor
A
dvances in fishing technology have come a long way in the past 20 years. One of the more recent innovations in fishing are side scan sonars. The technology has actually been in existence for more than 60 years, and was first used in US submarines. Companies such as Lowrance and Hummingbird began to develop units with this technology to go along with bottom scan in the 1980’s, but it hasn’t been until the last decade that it has really taken hold of the fishing community. I had read a lot about the technology, but was not exposed to side scan sonar until last spring while working with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. We were checking gill nets for hybrid striped bass and I was amazed with the resolution on the screen and being able to see individual fish trapped in the net. The possibilities of applying this sonar technology to different styles of fishing began to captivate my imagination. One day while fishing for walleye on the Mississippi River, Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Photograph by Kenny Lookingbill
my partner and I were fishing wing dams. The trolling bite was slow on the flats and we wanted to target larger fish that tend to congregate on the wing dams. For those of you who are not familiar with Mississippi River fishing, one of the major strategies, whether you are fishing walleye, largemouth bass, or channel catfish, is fishing wing dams. This form of fishing can be dangerous for boats and requires advanced boat control. While we were fishing, I suggested we start the kicker motor up and do a run parallel to the upstream side of the wing dam. What we saw on the screen opened up a whole new world for us. We ran along several wing dams and found a large variety of different structure including log jams, scour holes, even holes blown out of the wing dam. There were even fish being shown holding close to structure.
Applying Side Scan Sonar Finding out which wing dams hold fish and which do not is important for catching fish. Distinguishing good wing dams from bad holds extra importance to tournament situations, especially where the difference between a middle the pack finish and cashing a first place check is one kicker female on a wing dam. The pools of the Mississippi River have several wing dams to choose from and using this technology in pre fishing situations or even in tournaments on the fly can help pick out which wing dam to fish quickly for that money placing fish. Schools of baitfish can also be located with these units. FLW and AIM walleye tournament pro and fellow Fishing-Headquarters contributor, Roy Vivian, frequently relies on his electronics
for finding schools of walleyes relating to wing dams. In May 2012, he recently fished the FLW Mississippi River out of Red Wing, MN. Knowing that most of the 110 boats were going to be fishing pool 4, he and his partner decided to try finding some productive wing dams on pool 3. Until this moment, he had never fished pool 3 and with over 100 wing dams within the tournament boundaries it was a bit intimidating. According to Vivian, the river was at near record lows for that time of year and several wing dams were hard to see as there just wasn’t any current flowing over them. At the end of day 1 he caught a couple of fish in the 4-6 pound range. Both fish came on wing dams that had deep water in front of the dams, Fishing-Headquarters | Page 62
WINGDAM WALLEYES
Photograph by Roy Vivian Fishing-Headquarters.com
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good current flowing over the dams, and each was the first wing dam of a series of wing dams. Vivian thought he was onto something but wanted to make sure so he then relied on his Lund’s electronics. He used his Humminbird 1198SI in three key ways. First was using the mapping overlay which enabled him to identify the first two to three wing dams in a series knowing that the these dams were diverting the current out into the main channel and away from the wing dams below. Next, he drove up to each wing dam and changed to a dual screen, one side with the regular sonar (quickfire) and one side with side imaging. If the water in front of the wing dam was less than 8 feet deep he continued on to the next wing dam. If the water was 8 feet deep or greater, the boat was maneuvered into the trough, the area just in front of the wing dam that is scoured out from the dam’s effect on the water. If the bottom of his sonar screen was yellow, indicating a silt bottom, he would move on to the next wing dam. If the sonar screen was red then he would mark this wing dam with an icon due to good potential. The third step Vivian took was to then view the wing dam with the side scan. He searched for any irregularities of the dam such as blow out holes, logs or trees wedged on the dam, areas with more rock than other areas, and anything that created an ambush spot for walleyes. When he saw something like an area in the dam where some of the rock had been blown out (big trees floating down river in floods can cause these), he immediately looked to the water and saw what the current looked like at the surface. Sometimes it is easy to see on the surface, other times it is not, especially on
Photograph by Roy Vivian Fishing-Headquarters | Page 64
WINGDAM WALLEYES
Photograph by Roy Vivian Fishing-Headquarters.com
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days with a north wind. After identifying the wing dam, and determining whether it fit all of his criteria, it was fished. He concentrated on the areas of the dam that had irregularities which were identified with the side imaging. By using his Humminbird 1198SI, Vivian was able to eliminate unproductive wing dams. Out of the dozens of wing dams he scouted, he identified 10 specific wing dams in which walleyes were caught from, or felt he could catch big fish on during the tournament. After day one Vivian was in 12th place (out of 110) and only ounces out of the top 10. His largest fish of the tournament, a 27 inch walleye that weighed over 7 pounds, was caught on a wing dam that he did not catch a fish on during pre-fishing. However, because of the confidence he had with his Humminbird electronics, he was confident that it would hold fish. This wing dam held some nice fish, indeed. Technology Comes At A Price With this sophisticated technology comes price tag. Good units could be had for under $1000 but many of the top end units can go for thousands. The Hummingbird 998c SI is widely regarded as one of the top units on the market and retails for around $2,000 while the 1198 model retails for $2,800. The 998c has a large, 8” screen and can scan to 1,500 feet. The 1198C model has a 10.4” screen and 480 feet of imaging from side to side. However they have a more affordable model, the 798 CI HD, which can be had for $849. It has a 5” screen, but also still comes equipped with Dual Beam Plus technology which enhances resolution and enables an-
WING DAM SAFETY TIPS Always stay in the channel when on plane. Use your GPS or river charts which are available online from US Army Corps of Engineers. They mark out where wing dams are on the river. When exploring a wing dam, never approach a wing dam from the upstream side unless you know for sure how much water is over the top of it. Approach from downstream, this way if you do happen to hit the wing dam you are not stuck and you have the current to push you off of it. Use extreme caution at night or in windy conditions. The added chop on the water can hide the wing dam. If anchoring on the upstream side of the wing dam, be mindful of what is going on around you. The anchor could come loose at any point and you could flow right into the wing dam. Fishing-Headquarters | Page 66
Wingdam Walle glers to distinguish fish in cover. Besides Humminbird, Lowrance also has a variety of quality units such as the HDS series with models such as the HDS 5 which run from $650 to the HDS 10 which retails for $2,000. All HDS models are compatible to have both side imaging and down imaging with Structure-Scan which can be purchased separately for $599. At this writing, Lowrance’s top end unit is
the HDS-10 Gen-2 which sells for $2,300. All of these models come equipped with GPS, chart-plotters, and a load of other features to enhance the fish finding experience. The fishing industry has exploded with technological advancements in the past couple of decades and one of the most important has been side scan sonar. While I have applied it to a specific form of fishing in this article, it is very versatile
and can be used in a number of different multi-species fishing applications to help you become a better fisherman and be the key to winning a tournament. Many manufacturers produce units of varying price range. Whether you are on a budget, or strictly a “Lowrance guy”, you can definitely find the perfect unit for you.
Lowrance Structure Scan COMPATIBLE WITH ALL HDS UNITS. MSRP $599 Lowrance HDS 10 - Gen 2. MSRP $2,300
Lowrance HDS 5 MSRP $650 Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Lowrance HDS 10 MSRP $2,000
eye Electronics
Humminbird 1198 SI HD MSRP $2,800
Humminbird 998C SI HD MSRP $2,000
Humminbird 798CI HD MSRP $849 Fishing-Headquarters | Page 68
WINGDAM WALLEYES Finding out which wing dams hold fish and which do not is important for catching fish. Distinguishing good wing dams from bad holds extra importance to tournament situations, especially where the difference between a middle the pack finish and cashing a first place check is one kicker female on a wing dam. The pools of the Mississippi River have several wing dams to choose from and using this technology in pre fishing situations or even in tournaments on the fly can help pick out which wing dam to fish quickly for that money placing fish. Schools of baitfish can also be located with these units. Pictured is walleye pro, Mark Michael, with a walleye he caught while prefishing a tournament on the Illinois River. Mark is an accomplished tournament angler and one of Roy Vivian’s fishing mentors. The Illinois River is Mark’s home water and he knows it well even though he says that the Illinois River is not one of his favorite places to fish.
Photograph by Roy Vivian Fishing-Headquarters.com
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D OW N S I Z E D
A common muskie misconception is that downsized presentations work best for only early season fish. But in my boat, throwing downsized muskie snacks on a year round basis consistently catches fish. Photograph by Andrew Ragas Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Photograph by Frank Weilnhammer
Andrew Ragas
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DOWNSIZED MUSKIES
By: Andrew Ragas Editor In-Chief
andrew@fishing-headquarters.com
I
f you’re muskie fishing during spring and early summer, a standby piece of advice you’ve probably heard repeatedly and absorbed is that it’s necessary to downsize your baits in order to catch fish. During this season, as water temperatures remain cool and most common forage species are small in size, Fishing-Headquarters.com
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matching the hatch and fishing with smaller baits is most compatible with the early season feeding habits of muskies. Whatever the justification, downsizing by default is a common, wildly successful practice that is followed by many early season muskie anglers. While downsizing during the spring works wonders on fish, several anglers eventually pack their snack sized lures away in favor of oversized plugs and bucktails as soon as water temperatures warm, and summer fishing patterns emerge. While this is how many of us catch our fish as the fishing season progresses, it’s not entirely necessary. My fellow muskie anglers, you don’t want to make the mistake of completely putting away your downsized lures in favor of the larger hardware, plastic, and wood. The smaller baits used in spring and early summer will consistently catch muskies year round and, in
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some cases, have the capabilities of catching more fish than everything else. Why Downsize? From the season opener till closing time late in the year, I have found that many times a downsized presentation can make the difference between a futile outing and a successful outing. In many situations, downsizing can be the only thing that will catch fish. Regardless of weather, conditions, water temperatures, time of season, feeding habits and more, this is a practice that puts more fish in the boat for me than anything else. It has also produced many of my most memorable multifish days. I recall several outings throughout the 2011 fishing season that were otherwise poor with weather and not ideal for successful fishing in anyone’s book. One of these no-
Photograph by Andrew Ragas
table outings took place during the dog days of summer. This particular event made me acknowledge the power of small lures. It was a mid-August mid-afternoon on a dark water river system in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. My friend and I fished and floated the river on one of the worst, most nonideal days for muskies I could ever imagine. Air temperatures were near 80 degrees, bright sun without a cloud in the sky, and no wind. Water temperatures were a bit on the high side at 72 degrees, but otherwise normal for middle of the day in summer. After three hours and several hundred casts of not seeing a single fish with any larger profile lures, I pulled out my largest, heaviest bass flipping stick; a seven and a half foot Quantum Tour Edition rod with a 2 ounce rating paired with a Quantum Energy SS casting reel. For modern muskie standards, this would be light action, but sufficient enough for most downsized applications
Photograph by Frank Weilnhammer Fishing-Headquarters | Page 76
DOWNSIZED MUSKIES
Photograph by Frank Weilnhammer Fishing-Headquarters.com
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and able to handle all fish. Out of frustration I clipped on a hand-size 1 ounce chartreuse green double bladed flashabou spinner with fluorescent orange number 6 blades my friend Dan Sims assembled for me. This lure in particular is the easiest lure to cast and speed reel that I own. On the fifth cast to the shaded, wood-infested extreme shallows, a fish struck as soon as it landed. Following a brief fight, came into the Frabill one of the largest fish I’d end up seeing all year long; A 42 incher. Within 30 minutes, I caught another. And throughout the remainder of this unglamorous doggone day of summer, I’d end up seeing several more. At the time of this event, the small flashabou spinner I used was only a prototype. Since then, and several fish later, it’s now in full production as a downsized muskie offering from Sims Spinners.
Downsizing Situations Although I rely on small lures throughout much of the year, certain conditions require their use. Foremost are places with high fishing pressure. If I’m fishing a lake or river that sees a considerable amount of anglers on a daily basis, I often scale down because these folks putting pressure on fish are the ones frequently using large, over-size lures that most fish are likely uninterested in. I encounter this often on the more popular lakes I fish. When small baits are on their game, I have fun cleaning up on leftovers and the fish most people miss out on. Next, small baits shine as performers in shallow water, especially during bright conditions as they land in the water with minimal impact. This was the case during my mid-August river trip as previously mentioned. When fan casting and fishing in tight quarters, trying to
catch fish and not spook them as they are in the shallows, dead accurate casting with smaller bucktails and blades and ripping them back to boatside can’t be beat. It is thoroughly noted that downsizing is a must during cold fronts when fish are tight lipped. However, downsizing is a tactic that should be equally utilized during warm, high pressure days featuring bright sun and very little wind. These conditions are most prevalent during mid to late summer as water temperatures hit their peak and most lakes stratify. At these times, most anglers would likely search deep for suspending fish that are utilizing the thermocline as a cool water sanctuary. However, by thinking outside of the box, you wouldn’t believe the high activity levels I encounter from muskies remaining in shallower water. Burning blades, walking topwaters, and ripping shallow minnowbaits will trigger bites.
Photograph by Frank Weilnhammer Fishing-Headquarters | Page 78
DOWNSIZED MUSKIES From the season opener till closing time late in the year, I have found that many times a downsized presentation can make the difference between a futile outing and a successful outing. In many situations, downsizing can be the only thing that will catch fish. Regardless of weather, conditions, water temperatures, time of season, feeding habits and more, this is a practice that puts more fish in the boat for me than anything else. It has also produced many of my most memorable multi-fish days.
Photograph by Frank Weilnhammer Fishing-Headquarters.com
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SMALL BITES FOR BIG FISH
Small Bites to Catch Muskies I’ll be honest with you, I’ve never caught a musky on any giant plug or bucktail. In fact (besides live suckers), I don’t think I’ve ever caught a muskie on anything larger than 10-inches in my life! Since I began musky fishing more than five years ago, my fishing has evolved and been developed by throwing small lures. This is a program I still religiously follow. Preferably, I like throwing lures that are not even half as large as the ones most anglers frequently throw. Muskie fishing is a weird pursuit and most of the baits and lures designed for these fish are downright weird and silly looking. Let’s not forget they work. But with all weirdness aside, in my opinion, the weirdest thing to me about muskie fishing are the anglers who never turn to small baits, and how they are widely perceived as lures for little fish. I fail to comprehend why so few anglers choose to throw small lures. When 4 and 5-inch baits are the discussion, most muskie anglers won’t even acknowledge them, or ever consider using them. While muskie anglers cast large baits like robots, and retrieve Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Rapala Glidin Rap 12
Rapala Glidin Rap 12
them mechanically without many variations, large lures have a very limited range of retrieve options in comparison to downsized versions. In contrast, smaller lures open an entire world of diverse muskie presentations and are more fun for me to fish with. Downsized lures such as the Mepps Musky Killer, Blue Fox
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Blue Fox Musky Buck, Sims Double 6 and 7 Flashabous, Buchertail Shallow Raider, 6 inch ERC Jake, Rapala Glidin’ Rap 12, and Rapala X-Rap Walk are fun and comfortable to cast and retrieve. In addition, they are versatile in movement to be retrieved in many different methods.
Esox Research Company 6” Jake
Bucher Outdoors 6” Shallowraider
Mepps Musky Killer
Bucher Outdoors Buchertail 500
Rapala X-Rap Walk
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DOWNSIZED MUSKIES Advantage Agreements Fishing with downsized lures has its advantages. The biggest of them is that they’re easy to fish with for all day use unlike more popular, new age large musky baits such as Pounder Bulldawgs and double bladed Cowgirls with whopping size 10 blades. Most anglers don’t have the strength or patience to throw these whopper muscle-toning lures with oversize rods and reels, and neither do I. Unlike these large baits, downsized lures won’t wear you down as much. In addition, they’re easier to manipulate and perform various retrieve and figure-8 maneuvers. Unlike large lures, small lures readily respond to imparted action of the rod tip and any retrieve manipulations. With most of the downsized lures I use on my lighter casting set-ups, I can precisely control everything from speed to pauses, jerks and movements towards any direction, retrieve angles, and figure 8 motions. Besides ease of use, another advantage of downsized lures is seen in hookup rates. I cannot tell you how many large fish I lost in 2011 due to poor hook penetration with large lures. In comparison to the dozen of failed hook-ups with large lures, I logged two fish that were lost all year with small lures; a huge difference. When I patiently walk the X-Rap Walk along the surface, or burn the small Sims double flashabou, missed fish for me are pretty rare. With smaller lures like these, the smaller size and profile of the lure will not deflect fish away from their sharp hooks with the Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Photograph by Andrew Ragas
same propensity as large lures do. Whether fishing lakes or floating on rivers, there have been several instances in which I’ve raised uninterested fish to boatside, but couldn’t get them to commit to striking. Furthermore, I have had more instances in which fish couldn’t be encountered for several hour periods along with several hundred casts more. Moments like these make me realize that musky fishing isn’t always about throwing the large typical
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lures that fish may not eat. My philosophy is that for every follower or unseen fish, there is always a way to make the fish bite and to then catch it. Downsizing ultimately allows me to do this and a lot more. When it comes to locating and responding to the behavior of muskies, small lures will offer the angler a bigger bag of tricks with a greater window of opportunities, and increase his or her chances of catching.
Photograph by Andrew Ragas
Photograph by Andrew Ragas Fishing-Headquarters | Page 84
DOWNSIZED MUSKIES
Fishing with downsized lures has its advantages. The biggest of them is that they’re easy to fish with for all day use unlike more popular, new age large musky baits such as Pounder Bulldawgs and double bladed Cowgirls with whopping size 10 blades. Most anglers don’t have the strength or patience to throw these whopper muscle-toning lures with oversize rods and reels, and neither do I. Unlike these large baits, downsized lures won’t wear you down as much. In addition, they’re easier to manipulate and perform various retrieve and figure-8 maneuvers. >> Pictured is Gary Grenda with a 41 inch river muskie that was caught during a hot high pressure morning on June 7th, 2012. This fish in particular was teased by a boatside figure-8 with a Mepps Marabou. Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Photograph by Andrew Ragas Fishing-Headquarters | Page 86
DOWNSIZED MUSKIES
Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Although I rely on small lures throughout much of the year, certain conditions require their use. Foremost are places with high fishing pressure. If I’m fishing a lake or river that sees a considerable amount of anglers on a daily basis, I often scale down because these folks putting pressure on fish are the ones frequently using large, over-size lures that most fish are likely uninterested in. I encounter this often on the more popular lakes I fish. When small baits are on their game, I have fun cleaning up on leftovers and the fish most people miss out on. Small baits shine as performers in shallow water, especially during bright conditions as they land in the water with minimal impact. This was the case during my mid-August river trip as previously mentioned. When fan casting and fishing in tight quarters, trying to catch fish and not spook them as they are in the shallows, dead accurate casting with smaller bucktails and blades and ripping them back to boatside can’t be beat.
Photograph by Frank Weilnhammer Fishing-Headquarters | Page 88
DOWNSIZED MUSKIES
Photograph by Andrew Ragas Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Photograph by Kenny Lookingbill
Photo courtesy, Jim Gronaw.
THE FINAL WORD.
ADVERTISE WITH FISHING HEADQUARTERS. We’re not desperate, although acquiring real day jobs involving catching fish for a living would be nice. We just want to earn some benefits from our hours invested, and we would like to reward our designers and contributors for their damn good work. We want to compensate our contributors by offering them your gear and products, and promotional fishing trips for future showcasing and articles. All for your advertisement. Half a million website visits per year / 5,000+ individual E-Mag readers. Please let us help YOU, so that we can help ourselves! Fishing-Headquarters.com
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Fishing-Headquarters.com has evolved into an excellent and informative online resource for multi-species fishing in North America. We offer our several hundred members an interactive and multi-media website that allows the free exchange and promotion of fishing and all that encompasses it. Our website was established on January 1, 2007. Since our inception, we have drawn nearly 600 registered members and attracted several thousands of visitors who read and browse on a daily basis. In addition, we have reached yearly website page views of 5 million, and our homepage receives half a million visits per each calendar year. Among Google and other popular search engines, when searching for “Multi Species Fishing� and other related keywords, we are ranked among the top ten of all searches. This proves how we are continuously growing, and becoming more popular in the realm of sport fishing. Click Image to read copy of our 2012 Media Kit.
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September / October / November, 2012
Fall Issue • Swim Jig Bass • Fall Musky Suckers • Kayaking River Monsters • Sweet Carolina Smallmouths • Plus More!
Expected Release Date: September 5th, 2012.
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