Frank Schneider Memorial Muskie Tournament

2013 Frank Schneider Memorial Muskie Tournament

On September 6,7, and 8^th over 500 anglers competed for the top prize in the Frank Schneider Memorial Muskie Tournaments on 20 different lakes in Northern Minnesota. 

LOA Guide Jeff  “Jiggy” Andersen, his brother Joe Andersen and friend/fellow musky guide John Hoyer competed. The tournament is an individual tournament, which allows you to fish with as many anglers in one boat as you choose.   The team ran a  fully prepped Lund 2010 Pro Guide powered by 200 hp Mercury Verado.

The trio started the morning off with John catching a 41 incher 20 minutes into the tournament.  Joe later in the morning then caught two muskies back to back, which were 42.5 and 44 inches.  After the morning bite slowed guide Jiggy Andersen made the call to transition to a different location, which proved to be the right call as Joe set the hook on a beautiful 47 incher.  After day one Joe was sitting in second place.  “I’m blessed to be able to fish these waters on a consistent basis and understand with changing conditions, you as an angler, have to also make adjustments” Guide Jiggy Andersen.

Day #2 the bite had slowed with calm winds as there was only 9 total registered muskies caught out of the over 500 musky anglers.  Joe was one of them with a 40.5 incher.  The trio also boated 2 short fish measuring 36 and 38.5 inches.  Joe moved to first place in the tournament.

Day #3 clouds came and the wind blew.  “We knew the bite was going to be game on and felt Joe needed another fish to take home the gold.”  Said fishing partner John Hoyer.  The anglers failed to convert three good opportunities and did not land a musky for the shortened day.

Despite their failed efforts at catching a musky the final day, Joe took home first place in one of the largest musky tournaments in musky fishing. 

“It’s a huge honor to win such a big event!  I just sat in the front of Jiggy’s boat and casted where he told me to.”  Said champion Joe Andersen.

“We made on the water decisions as a team, mistakes as a team, and ultimately Joe came home with the win!  In reality with the bites and lost fish, all three of us should have been in the top 10 but, that’s musky fishing!”  Explained previous champ and renowned fishing guide Jeff “Jiggy” Andersen 

The anglers used a new prototype bucktail made by Bigtooth Tackle called the JUICE Series of Musky Bucktails.  "It was amazing to see how these muskies chowed this bait even in tough conditions!" Said Champion Joe Andersen.  Click Here to See more about this winning Musky Bucktail! 

Top Three

1^st Joe Andersen 42.5, 44, 47, 40.5

2^nd Tony Sommerfeld 50, 49, 44

3^rd Stephan Nielson 52.5, 47

Boat Control

All Around Boat control

With the brisk North winds cool water temps are just around the corner.  Yes!  The fall bite will soon be upon us and that means hungry walleyes.  A key factor to catching deep midlake or strong wind swept shoreline walleyes is “spot on” boat control.

“Getting There”
Where beastly winds blow, hawg belly walleyes will follow.  However, getting there can be tricky.  Sure, you can go Ricky Bobby like and just go straight on into the teeth of the wind and take the pounding that comes with it.  But, a better alternative is to quarter into the waves.  The idea here is to go at angle so you can still stay stay dry but reduce the pounding you and your fellow anglers take.  Boats do make a difference and a Lund is tough to beat in big waves; I’ve actually seen waves turn and run when they see a Pro-V hull headed their way.  So much of driving in rough water is a little ebb and flow and the power of a Mercury Verado combined with it’s instant throttle response will  allow you to conquer the waves.  LOA Guide, Jeff “Jiggy” Andersen, says, “It doesn’t matter what species you are fishing if your bait isn’t where they live, you can’t catch them.”  He relies on the Lund 2010 Pro Guide powered by 200hp Mercury Verado Tiller.  “A combination that allows me to fish effectively in all conditions!”  says Jiggy.  

“On the Spot.”   
No better way to tame waves and put fish in the boat than to backtroll.  Rigging, jigging, rippin Jiggin raps, all presentations work when backtrolling.  When sitting over a school of fish or sliding over a few feet to find where they moved, backtrolling keeps you safe.  To enhance our backtrolling, we pair our Lund/Mercury boats with Whitecap Splashguards to create the ultimate backtrolling machine.  No matter if it is using the big tiller Verado, the stout 101 MinnKota Vantage, or a 9.9HP Mercury Kicker motor, Whitecap Splashguards are custom fit for unparalleled performance!  LOA Guide Toby Kvalevog states  “I love rigging big minnows on midlake structure.  Targeting inside turns, transitions, etc and there are days if my bait is off by a foot we aren't catching em’.  Backtrolling offers me the precision I need while allowing me to be mobile as well.

Beastly winds will be there in your pursuit of the fish of a lifetime or just going after some eaters.  Utilizing boat control to get there and stay on the spot will help separate you from the crowd!

Leech Lake Fishing Guide Report

Leech Lake Fishing Report 

The traditional fall jig and minnow bite is in full swing on Leech Lake. Look to wind driven points such as Pine, Hardwoods and Ottertail to put keeper fish in the boat. For bigger fish, try checking the humps and shoreline breaks in Waker Bay in 21-27 feet with bigger minnows. Perch are starting to show themselves as well. The Walker Narrows, Sand Point and Grand View Flats are all kicking out perch as well as a few walleyes throughout the day.

Musky action still remains very strong. Fish are starting to show up suspended over deeper water with a few fish still remaining in the main lake reefs. Suicks, Bucktails and bulldogs are all producing action. Topwater baits have been showing and catching fish as well. 

Many like to spend the fall in a treestand or in a duckblind, however, right now is one of the greatest times of the year to get in on some walleye action. Not to mention, the possibility of a trophy fish of a lifetime!

Leech Lake Fishing Report

Despite the fluctuating temperatures fishing has remained pretty steady. Water temps have been up and down, but look for the fish to start showing signs of their early fall patterns over the next week or two.  Bigger minnows have been taking walleyes in Walker Bay rigged over shoreline breaks and shallow humps; 19-23 ft of water has been best during the mid morning and early afternoon hours.  

There are some fish still being caught in the shallow sand and remaining weeds in the morning and evening hours with leeches and crawlers.   The jig and minnow bite will start to take off as the water cools back down closer to that 65 degree mark. Bigger perch are starting to show themselves in shallow water and will become more consistent in the weeks to come.   

Muskie action has remained very steady in the area with fish showing themselves quite regularly. Bucktails burned over the weeds and topwater baits over the rocks have been the best bet during mornings and evenings.

August Fishing Report

With the water temps cooling some over the past ten days we have seen an increase in walleye action on Leech Lake.  Fish are starting to show up a little more in concentration again like they were back in June.  Rigs and leeches and crawlers are taking fish on the main lake. Working these at fast speeds of .8 to 1 mph in some cases have been enough to trigger a active bite.  There have been no real special spots as of late other than your traditional wind blown points and flats.  Keep an active watch on your Lowrance unit, mark fish, then work the area over until you find some active fish willing to cooperate. 

Bigger minnows, Leeches and artificial baits are still the best bet in Walker Bay.  Edges of rock piles and saddle areas have been the best bets, while the green weeds in shallower water should still produce for a couple more weeks.  With the late spring, we may be lucky enough to get an extended weed bite into the middle or end of August. 

The panfish action over the last couple weeks has also been HOT!  Crappies, Bluegills and a few renegade perch have been caught all over the area.  Now is a great time to get out and chase any of your favorite species and enjoy the last bit we have of a quick summer!

We have been putting clients on some pretty nice fish lately, no post would be complete without a few pictures of course!

 

 

 

 

 

Check out the Leisure Outdoor Adventures Fishing team and all we have to offer for your next guided fishing outing at www.leisureoutdooradventures.com  We provide premier guided fishing trips on Leech Lake and the Brainerd Lakes Area.

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Call 855-LOA-HOOK to book your next fishing trip of a lifetime!

Mid July Fishing Report

With the mid July temps soaring, and water temps rising, fish have begun to transition to their typical mid summer patterns.  It seemed like we would never get to this point only a couple months ago, but like it or not its here.  This blog is going to concentrate on one specific tactic we have been using to put keeper fish in the boat during these dog days of summer, the Slip Bobber approach.

Basically, we like to keep it simple. The key is to find fresh, green cabbage in shallow water where bait fish are holding and water temps are cooler.  Many times this is a spot you would figure these areas look like something that would be a good location to throw a bucktail for a Muskie, or even see a Muskie hanging out. Areas within the area to key on would be any transition, depth change, or school of bait fish.  Many times the fish will not be IN the cabbage, but holding just outside on a transition area, waiting to ambush. Most places that have held fish are larger and longer stretches of cabbage. These seem to hold more bait fish, and in return hold more walleyes.

Tackle consists of a simple Wing-It slip bobber, plain hook with a split shot, or small jig head.  Either of these tipped with a leech of medium size works well.  The nice thing about weed fish, is you don't need the super duper ultra jumbo leeches in order to coax a walleye into biting.  A simple medium leech will do the trick, and also allow for the fish to take the bait much quicker.  On calm days I prefer a plain hook, which allows the leech to swim around and give the bait some action that normally a wave would provide for you.

Often times seeking out these places is a lot of trial and error, but finding your new honey hole in the middle of nowhere can be pretty rewarding. If you don't find fish in the first five to ten minutes, move 50 yds and try a new area within the spot. Spot lock on our Minn Kota I pilot's have been a huge bonus for this tactic, allowing us to stay mobile while staying put. Using the anchor feature pointed in towards the wind, it will hold the boat in one spot, then allowing with a push of the button to move small distances at a time. This eliminates the need to drop an anchor, or two and save time while actively fishing.

Slip Bobber fishing has stood the test of time.  There is nothing quite like watching a bobber sink below the surface on a early summer morning.  This is a great approach for introducing young kids to walleye fishing.  Who knows, it may just be your next best approach to tricking those sometimes finicky "summertime" walleyes into your livewell!

Leech Lake Fishing Guide Report

David Badger with a Giant!

I am happy to report that the bite is OUTSTANDING this year with no signs of slowing any time soon. Leech Lake continues to amaze my every day with its diversity of sized walleye. Ever year class from 12-30 inches have been caught with plenty in the 13-18 range that are keepers with the 18-26 inch slot. If we had to go with a single technique right now, it would be Spinners at .8-1mph. The fish are really keying on crayfish in the rocks and sand right now. 12-18ft of water on most wind blown points are holding fish of ALL SIZES. Crayfish and perch color blades work well, if you haven't check out Jolly Roger Tackle's line of spinners, they are tough, durable, and simply catch fish. When pulling these blades, having longer rods can really pay off when you have calm conditions and want to get your bait out away from the boat.  We typically like to use theJason Mitchell Pro Walleye Series 8'6" telescopic rod or the 10'6" Pro Walleye Series rods to do this.  If not pulling blades, pulling a lindy rig with a slow death hook and crawler would be our second choice to catch these fish.   The speed at which you present these presentation is key, so pay close attention to how fast you were going when you are catching fish

Guides Freed and Ernster were out doing some scouting and found back to back 29" and 28" walleyes in 5 minutes.

Although not known for Smallmouth, Leech has yielded 6 smallmouth this past week on various rock piles. Being we don't target bass alot on Leech, our team of guides is confident that with some time, a angler could dial in on them pretty well. 12-18 fish were caught while trolling for walleye on the 10-12 ft rock ledges.

Northern Pike are loaded in the cabbage beds in Sucker and Portage bays. Lots of 30-34 inch fish caught with spinner baits and trolling spoons over the tops of the weeds.

There have been good reports of largemouth bass and panfish being caught in Boy, Steamboat, and Headquarters Bays as well.

If you are wanting to hit the water with us give us a call at 1-855-LOA-HOOK and be sure to check us out on Facebook.  We are ready to roll this July.  We hope to see you on the water!

Check out some more pics from the last week of fishing

Shame Imsland with a 25" Leech Lake Walleye

Toby with another Leech Lake Monster!

Linelle and Elex McAndrews with their morning catch

Mark Kirschner with a Brute!

Jack Davis with his 1st Walleye Ever

Tutts Bait and Tackle Lake Mille Lacs Fishing

Our production team has been busy shooting photos and videos!  Check out a recent commercial our team put together for Tutts Bait and Tackle on Lake Mille Lacs.

http://youtu.be/kYEieub-sDA