Friday, March 22, 2013
Minnesota Musky Guide Jeff Andersen and along with Jason Mitchell Musky Show
Leech Lake Area Musky Guide Jeff "Jiggy" Andersen filmed a musky show with Jason Mitchell with Jason Mitchell Outdoors last summer.
Check out the awesome action.
Book a Guided Fishing Trip with Leisure Outdoor Adventures Fishing Team at www.LeisureOutdoorAdventures.com We are providing guided fishing trips on many lakes including the Brainerd Lakes Area, Gull Lake, Whitefish Chain, North Long, Pelican along with the Leech Lake Area.
Be our friend on FaceBook at Leisure Outdoor FaceBook Page
Call 855-LOA-HOOK to book your guided fishing trip.
Friday, March 1, 2013
What Makes the thought of the upcoming "Open Water" season so special?
As we approach the upcoming spring season, I often wonder: "What makes the upcoming open water season so special to Minnesota fisherman"?
Trudging through knee-deep snow to favorite perch or panfish areas often leads an anglers mind to wander towards spring. Jig fishing in shallow open water under a mid-May sunrise, or a possible trip one month away to the Rainy River for post spawn walleyes. These images replace the the current vision of red and green flashes on a Vexilar, right in front of their eyes.
For some anglers, its the thought of using new items for the first time. The first test ride in their new Lund, or dialing in their new electronics they received for Christmas. A new telescoping net stretched out for the first time of the year, with imaginary high-fives following right on cue. A freshly spooled reel paired with a brand new jigging rod, just waiting to be matched against anything that steps in its way.
A faint smell of two-stroke oil from an idling outboard tied to the dock enters the nose, and for once it's not from their ice auger. Popple trees and grasses blooming replace icicles in the nose. A cup of coffee from Dad's mug in a cup holder is a familiar scent from every opening morning since you can remember.
Sounds of a screaming drag enter and take over the gust of wind blowing snow across the frozen sheet of ice they currently stand upon. A north breeze pushing waves against the shoreline, or that first flight of geese returning from their vacation all give anglers the sounds of excitement they havent heard since the last walleye they pulled through 24 inches of ice weeks ago. New life is back in the Northwoods after a period of time where it seemed not much existed.
As I think about the reasons mentioned above, I realize everyone has their own reasons for what makes the upcoming open water season so special. Fisherman from across the state start dreaming of the season that is to be as soon as the long month of February nears end. New products, smells, sounds, or warmer weather; it all relates back to a tradition that is carried into every spring, almost like a religion.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Vexilar FL 22 HD
This winter we have been busy moving fish houses, scouting new spots, and catching an awful lot of fish through the ice. When it comes to finding fish, reading structure, and figuring out what is below the ice I can honestly say we would be blind without our Vexilars. Many of us on Team LOA have been using the FL 22 HD and it has been an important tool in our ice fishing success and here is why....
With the evolution of the ice fishing industry in the last ten to twenty years, anglers across the country have become better and better at putting fish on the ice because of technology such as improved augers, GPS systems, ice shelters, lures, and the list goes on and on. But in order to separate yourself and become one of the “best” at what you do or what are you are chasing under the ice, it comes down to one piece of technology that has been tried and true since it first came out, and that is the flasher. It is a piece of technology that can simply tell you the story of what lies beneath that sheet of ice you are on. Let me explain why.
Vexilar flashers have been around since 1960 and since then have been pioneers in the flasher industry. Within the last year one of their flashers has emerged as a ice fishing tool that encompasses many of the features that can help you unlock the mystery under the ice and that is the FL-22HD.
The Zoom Feature:
The ability to utilize the unit’s zoom features, both in 6 and 12 foot options,and in combination with the ¼ inch separation has been a recipe for putting fish on the ice. The zoom feature is something that if you haven’t fished with it before you are missing out. Having the ¼ target separation literally allows you to see if that walleye has its lips near your jigging spoon or lure. Being someone who fished with an FL-8 for years, once I switched to this feature, I was blown away how much clearer of a picture it gives you of the fish’s mood and reactions towards your jigging cadence. Having the ability to also switch between 6’ and 12’ allows you to also be versatile and focus in on those suspended fish, whether they are walleyes cruising, crappies suspended, or even tullibees.
The Flat Screen and Depth Range Features:
The unit provides a flat screen three color LED display featuring red as strong targets, orange as medium, and green as weak targets. Because of the six ten foot increment display, you are able to effectively match your depth range, which increases the resolution resulting in a crisper image of your lure and the mood of the fish towards it.
Tri-Beam Transducer:
The feature that separates it from any other is its Tri-Beam transducer. This transducer has a toggle switch mounted to the Vexilar casing that allows you, the fisherman, to switch between an 8/12/20 degree cone angle. What this gives you is the option to be able to fish a wide array of water depths and yet adapting to what is beneath the ice giving you the best possible cone angle to fish within the water column. This unit really shines if you are shallow water angler. Having the ability to have a large cone radius in shallower water simply allows you to pick up schools of fish sooner.. As a group of ice anglers at Leisure Outdoor Adventures, we find ourselves hunting fish of all species in the winter from walleyes to crappies, and this often times means cutting holes throughout the water column. This simple tool allows us to hone in on schools of fish better and yet constantly adapt to the fishes movement and patterns.
Durability:
If there is one thing as an ice fisherman you need with any of your equipment that is durability and the confidence your equipment is going to hold up to what mother nature has to throw at you. The flashers produced by Vexilar come with various options for the flasher to be mounted on such as the Genz Pack, Pro Pack II, or Ultra Pack. All are made with plastic meant to hold up to the ice, slush, and wear and tear equipment takes through the winter. Another key feature is the amount of battery life you get when using these units. Under the right conditions and with proper care and maintenance a Vexilar battery can last up to 30 hours without a charge, which simply gives you the peace of mind to fish harder or to know you can sit in that fish house for a weekend and not have to worry about running out of juice.
This cutting edge technology has allowed our team now has the capability to adapt to any conditions and depth changes below the ice. You can’t go wrong with this product and what it offers. For more information, go to www.vexilar.com.
**Helpful Vexilar Advice**
If you are marking and working a fish on your Vexilar and it backs away and goes back towards what looks like the bottom, it is actually more than likely that fish backing away from the lure off to the side of your hole and leaving your cone angle. Take this into consideration when trying to trigger that fish into biting.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Lake of the Woods Giant Pike Guide Trip
Leisure Outdoor Fishing Guide and big pike specialist Mike Crawford has been up on Lake of the Woods chasing monster pike. If you have ever wanted to catch a trophy pike through the ice this is a trip for you! Contact us at 855-562-4665 (LOA-HOOK) for complete details.
Make sure to check out the videos below!
Here is Mike's latest report:
The bite is on for giant pike.... I just arrived home from a few incredible days of fishing them on Lake of the Woods with some great friends, and wow, what a few days it was! We began fishing a deep water flat Thursday afternoon and it wasn’t long before we had our first giant of the year on the ice. A massive 44 incher that just couldn’t resist a Bigtooth Tackle fluorocarbon rig. From there, the bite was on! Over the next couple days, fishing was on fire and we were able to catch and release 12 more giant pike over that magical 40” mark, including many more between 36”-40”. Lucky for us, not only were the giant pike hungry in the deep water, but so was everything else, as we managed to catch a bunch of walleyes and a few bonus jumbo 13” perch. When targeting fish like this, remember the number one key is bait. The area we fished was loaded with bait and this was probably the reason so many big fish were in such a small area. Days like this are not uncommon on Lake of the Woods, which is why I spend the majority of my time and effort out there chasing these giant fish. Here are the photos!!!
Jeff "Jiggy" Andersen
Book a Guided Fishing Trip with Leisure Outdoor Adventures Fishing Team at www.LeisureOutdoorAdventures.com We are providing guided fishing trips on many lakes including the Brainerd Lakes Area, Gull Lake, Whitefish Chain, North Long, Pelican along with the Leech Lake Area.
Be our friend on FaceBook at Leisure Outdoor FaceBook Page
Call 855-LOA-HOOK to book your guided fishing trip.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Leech Lake Fishing Report
Wow, what a busy weekend for LOA and the town of Walker. The last 10-14 days have been jam-packed with rentals, guided trips and just plain old fashioned winter time fun. As far as the fishing, here is the most up to date report we have:
Walker Bay - Fishing has been very good for walleyes in Walker Bay. Shoreline breaks and mid lake "humps" in 24-29 feet have been best. The Sand and Cedar point area has been kicking out a few walleyes, along with some perch and an occasional pike. Hot lures have been a Gold and Red Macho Minnow, or any simliar spoon that has glow or flash. Make sure you bring your Vexilar, as most fish have been hugging the bottom pretty tight.
Cloudy days have provided an excellent mid day bite accompanied by your typical morning and evening prime time hours. The high pressure system that moved in mid week along with the colder temps didn't seem to affect the fishing very much at all. Ice conditions have improved in the bay and we are finding a consistent 12-13 inches of ice almost everywhere we have traveled. Most are still moving around on ATV's and small vehicles, but some full size truck traffic is starting to show up as the week progresses.
Main Lake - the best perch action has been found in the Grand View flats area as well as around Goose Island in 9-12 ft. The main perch bite is still a ways off, but people are finding enough to sort through and keep for a meal or two. Walleye action has been decent during the morning and evening hours in these places as well. Gold Macho minnows and Flyer Spoons have been working best for walleyes, and small spoons in glow Red or Green have been the go-to for perch. The majority of people have been accessing the lake through "The Shores of Pine Point" resort. Ice conditions on the main lake are very good, with most places reporting 14+ inches of ice. The little amount of snow we have has allowed anglers to travel off road to hit all of their favorite "hot spots". Looks like we may have some coming this weekend, so stay tuned for further reports on travel conditions.
We still have fish house rentals available. If you would like to rent a house or spend a day on the lake with one of our fishing guides, give us a call at 855-LOA-HOOK and book your next memory!
Walker Bay - Fishing has been very good for walleyes in Walker Bay. Shoreline breaks and mid lake "humps" in 24-29 feet have been best. The Sand and Cedar point area has been kicking out a few walleyes, along with some perch and an occasional pike. Hot lures have been a Gold and Red Macho Minnow, or any simliar spoon that has glow or flash. Make sure you bring your Vexilar, as most fish have been hugging the bottom pretty tight. Cloudy days have provided an excellent mid day bite accompanied by your typical morning and evening prime time hours. The high pressure system that moved in mid week along with the colder temps didn't seem to affect the fishing very much at all. Ice conditions have improved in the bay and we are finding a consistent 12-13 inches of ice almost everywhere we have traveled. Most are still moving around on ATV's and small vehicles, but some full size truck traffic is starting to show up as the week progresses.
Main Lake - the best perch action has been found in the Grand View flats area as well as around Goose Island in 9-12 ft. The main perch bite is still a ways off, but people are finding enough to sort through and keep for a meal or two. Walleye action has been decent during the morning and evening hours in these places as well. Gold Macho minnows and Flyer Spoons have been working best for walleyes, and small spoons in glow Red or Green have been the go-to for perch. The majority of people have been accessing the lake through "The Shores of Pine Point" resort. Ice conditions on the main lake are very good, with most places reporting 14+ inches of ice. The little amount of snow we have has allowed anglers to travel off road to hit all of their favorite "hot spots". Looks like we may have some coming this weekend, so stay tuned for further reports on travel conditions.
We still have fish house rentals available. If you would like to rent a house or spend a day on the lake with one of our fishing guides, give us a call at 855-LOA-HOOK and book your next memory!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Walleyes and the Vikings!
Well yesterday as I was sitting in the truck on the way up north to the famed walleye factor we call Upper Red Lake, I was torn whether I should be sitting at home getting ready to watch the Border Battle between the our beloved Vikings and the Packers or putting the hurt bag on some Red Lake walleyes. Then it dawned on me why not catch walleyes,enjoy Paul Allen on the radio, and enjoy both worlds. Mission accomplished!
We arrived to West Wind Resort, paid our $10 road fee, and set out to find some walleyes for the frying pan. The lake had a solid 15-17" of ice everywhere we went. When we stopped and got bait, the cashier asked us if we are going to go and join the other 3000 fish houses on Red Lake. I kind of laughed, but when pulled out onto the ice, I realize he wasn't kidding, now there wasn't 3000 houses, but there was a small city out there. Now I am not one to fish amongst the crowd so we headed out about three miles and veered away from the masses. The driving conditions are great on the lake right now, allowing you to travel all over the lake. Obviously be aware of pressure ridges and ice heaves, and when you stop in ask the resorts.
We found the area we wanted to go and set up for the morning. It couldn't have been two minutes after we got set up, Jim Ernster said "fish on" in my Jason Mitchell Thermal X, which by the way is one of the best two man portables on the market because of its durability, fishable space, and its full thermal protection from the cold and wind, which was a big part to our success on Upper Red. Throw in the ability of the Thermal X with the use of our new Portable Buddy Heaters from Mr. Heater (View Website Here), which are easy to use, pack up nicely and tight, and keep you and and your hands warm making fishing much more enjoyable. If you don't own one of these heaters or have never tried one you are simply missing out on the comfort they provide anglers on the ice across the country.
From that point on the five of us worked through and sorted through quite a few fish. We finished the day with our five limits of great eating sized walleyes and a few bonus pig perch thrown in. The action was decent and it was enough to keep us busy in the portables and allowed for enough bantering back and forth. We had to make a few moves, but ultimately the hard work paid off.
The fish were not responding very well to the jigging spoons. The fish that did take the spoons, had to be enticed and coaxed. Remember to keep them chasing and focus in on our cadence. I found as the day went on that a subtle jiggle and inch or two pull away from the fish is what got them to hit. Also constantly switching up spoons, colors, and sizes often times got that reaction bite. The Jason Mitchell 28" Walleye Rod was the ticket and has enough sensitivity to feel that slight pull or change in your cadence when a walleye hits your lure. As the day went on though, the dead sticks out produced the jigging spoons. The jigging spoons brought them in and often times they would hit our dead sticks that were either a plain hook/split shot or glow jig. Now you tell me, what is more fun than watching your bobber disappear down the hole? :) Our best action came in about 10-12' of water. Another thing to not overlook is utilizing pressure ridges and ice heaves as ambush locations for fish. These often times provide a change of light under the ice, but also a place for predators to trap bait fish. This is something to we put to good use, but use caution, park away from them, and check the ice where you want to fish before setting up.
Our best bite ironically enough started about 2:00PM and lasted well into the Vikings game! So listening to the Vikings and catching walleyes became a reality this day and an awful lot of fun. At one point, I heard "AP all day" from Pablo's shelter and a whole lot of screaming.
Here is a picture of Matt(MVP for the day) and our buddy Pablo with a nice batch of walleyes and posing next to a mower that Pablo painted a few years ago.
A day trip well worth it! Walleyes on the ice, the Vikings won, beat the Packers, and are in the playoffs! More importantly memories were made!
The fishing on Leech Lake has also been very good, with many limits of walleyes being caught and some perch starting to show up. We have permanent houses on the lake, guides busy finding the hot bite. For any of your ice fishing needs in the Leech Lake and Brainerd areas be sure to give us a call! (855-LOA-Hook (855-562-4665)
Until then
SKOL VIKINGS!
We arrived to West Wind Resort, paid our $10 road fee, and set out to find some walleyes for the frying pan. The lake had a solid 15-17" of ice everywhere we went. When we stopped and got bait, the cashier asked us if we are going to go and join the other 3000 fish houses on Red Lake. I kind of laughed, but when pulled out onto the ice, I realize he wasn't kidding, now there wasn't 3000 houses, but there was a small city out there. Now I am not one to fish amongst the crowd so we headed out about three miles and veered away from the masses. The driving conditions are great on the lake right now, allowing you to travel all over the lake. Obviously be aware of pressure ridges and ice heaves, and when you stop in ask the resorts.
We found the area we wanted to go and set up for the morning. It couldn't have been two minutes after we got set up, Jim Ernster said "fish on" in my Jason Mitchell Thermal X, which by the way is one of the best two man portables on the market because of its durability, fishable space, and its full thermal protection from the cold and wind, which was a big part to our success on Upper Red. Throw in the ability of the Thermal X with the use of our new Portable Buddy Heaters from Mr. Heater (View Website Here), which are easy to use, pack up nicely and tight, and keep you and and your hands warm making fishing much more enjoyable. If you don't own one of these heaters or have never tried one you are simply missing out on the comfort they provide anglers on the ice across the country.
From that point on the five of us worked through and sorted through quite a few fish. We finished the day with our five limits of great eating sized walleyes and a few bonus pig perch thrown in. The action was decent and it was enough to keep us busy in the portables and allowed for enough bantering back and forth. We had to make a few moves, but ultimately the hard work paid off.
The fish were not responding very well to the jigging spoons. The fish that did take the spoons, had to be enticed and coaxed. Remember to keep them chasing and focus in on our cadence. I found as the day went on that a subtle jiggle and inch or two pull away from the fish is what got them to hit. Also constantly switching up spoons, colors, and sizes often times got that reaction bite. The Jason Mitchell 28" Walleye Rod was the ticket and has enough sensitivity to feel that slight pull or change in your cadence when a walleye hits your lure. As the day went on though, the dead sticks out produced the jigging spoons. The jigging spoons brought them in and often times they would hit our dead sticks that were either a plain hook/split shot or glow jig. Now you tell me, what is more fun than watching your bobber disappear down the hole? :) Our best action came in about 10-12' of water. Another thing to not overlook is utilizing pressure ridges and ice heaves as ambush locations for fish. These often times provide a change of light under the ice, but also a place for predators to trap bait fish. This is something to we put to good use, but use caution, park away from them, and check the ice where you want to fish before setting up.
Our best bite ironically enough started about 2:00PM and lasted well into the Vikings game! So listening to the Vikings and catching walleyes became a reality this day and an awful lot of fun. At one point, I heard "AP all day" from Pablo's shelter and a whole lot of screaming.
A day trip well worth it! Walleyes on the ice, the Vikings won, beat the Packers, and are in the playoffs! More importantly memories were made!
The fishing on Leech Lake has also been very good, with many limits of walleyes being caught and some perch starting to show up. We have permanent houses on the lake, guides busy finding the hot bite. For any of your ice fishing needs in the Leech Lake and Brainerd areas be sure to give us a call! (855-LOA-Hook (855-562-4665)
Until then
SKOL VIKINGS!
Monday, December 17, 2012
Area Ice Conditions - 12/17/2012
Friday, November 30, 2012
First Ice Findings
LOA guides Jeff "Jiggy" Andersen and Chuck Hasse spent a little time over the past few days in search of finding some fishable ice in the area. After a few cold nights, a scouting mission or two, and a few phone calls they each had plans set in place to head out on their first frozen water adventure of the new season.
With not too many local options to choose from, Jeff and his good friend Jason Mitchell packed up for quick trip to Devils Lake, ND with hopes of getting their fill of super-sized jumbo perch. It wasn't long after arriving, and they struck gold. Limits of 11-12" with an occasional fish over 13" thumped the ice all day long, along with an occasional "bonus" walleye from time to time. What a great way to start the season, hitting the century mark on pig Devils Lake Perch! Immediately following, they jumped in the truck for the long drive ahead to make their appearance at the St. Paul Ice Show. Stop in and say "hi" if you see them. You can see and hear more of Jeff's report below:
Meanwhile, closer to home, Chuck set out on Leech Lake to chase some Walleyes under the full moon. It's very much worth noting that Leech Lake is a little unusual as far as first ice from other area lakes. Walker Bay still remains wide open as of now, but the main lake has been ice covered for the better part of a week. After checking the ice, enough 4-5" clear ice was found to make their way out to one of Chuck's favorite early ice spots. As the full moon peeked itself from the horizon, the walleyes turned on with a vengeance. Many nice slot fish and eaters were pulled from the holes over the next few hours. They ended up leaving with enough marble eyes for a good size meal, and a few picture fish as well. Here's a few highlights from the first ice trip from Chuck...
Please keep in mind, no ice is safe ice....no matter what the conditions are. The MN DNR recommends a solid 4" of clear, solid ice before venturing out by foot. 6+ inches is recommended for atv or snowmobile traffic. Its also a very good idea to bring a buddy when you make those first few trips of the year. LOA always takes all precautions when making that first ice trip of the season.
With not too many local options to choose from, Jeff and his good friend Jason Mitchell packed up for quick trip to Devils Lake, ND with hopes of getting their fill of super-sized jumbo perch. It wasn't long after arriving, and they struck gold. Limits of 11-12" with an occasional fish over 13" thumped the ice all day long, along with an occasional "bonus" walleye from time to time. What a great way to start the season, hitting the century mark on pig Devils Lake Perch! Immediately following, they jumped in the truck for the long drive ahead to make their appearance at the St. Paul Ice Show. Stop in and say "hi" if you see them. You can see and hear more of Jeff's report below:
Meanwhile, closer to home, Chuck set out on Leech Lake to chase some Walleyes under the full moon. It's very much worth noting that Leech Lake is a little unusual as far as first ice from other area lakes. Walker Bay still remains wide open as of now, but the main lake has been ice covered for the better part of a week. After checking the ice, enough 4-5" clear ice was found to make their way out to one of Chuck's favorite early ice spots. As the full moon peeked itself from the horizon, the walleyes turned on with a vengeance. Many nice slot fish and eaters were pulled from the holes over the next few hours. They ended up leaving with enough marble eyes for a good size meal, and a few picture fish as well. Here's a few highlights from the first ice trip from Chuck...
Please keep in mind, no ice is safe ice....no matter what the conditions are. The MN DNR recommends a solid 4" of clear, solid ice before venturing out by foot. 6+ inches is recommended for atv or snowmobile traffic. Its also a very good idea to bring a buddy when you make those first few trips of the year. LOA always takes all precautions when making that first ice trip of the season.
If you would like to get out on the ice with one of our LOA guides, give us a call at 855-LOA-HOOK
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