Fishing Tips

Tricky Identification

Identifying a saugeye from a walleye or a sauger is no easy task. Saugers are primarily big-river fish and there won't be too many walleyes and saugeyes crossing paths with it. The real problem lies in distinguishing the saugeye from a walleye. Saugeyes are the hybrid between walleyes and saugers that are commonly stocked into shallow lakes. They grow fast and within three or four years can be 15 inches long or so, and though usually produced under artificial hatchery conditions, the hybridization can occur naturally as well. They're a lot of fun to catch and taste great on the plate.

Saugeyes have markings on their sides that resemble saddles, similar to the sauger, but may have some white pigment on the lower part of their tail in combination with dark bars on the dorsal fin membranes. Walleye don't have the saddle markings on their sides, have white pigment on their tails and sport solid shading on the dorsal fin membranes.

Rolling a Worm for Rainbows

Fishing for rainbow trout means fishing with finesse. Many anglers specialize in dry or wet flies, spawn sacs and other creative but sometimes expensive methods of catching these beautiful fish. But even with the help of modern fishing technology, there isn't much that beats rolling a worm for rainbows.

Simply thread a small or medium-sized earthworm onto a tiny trout hook on line no thicker than 2- to 5-pound test monofilament line. Line any thicker will spook these wary fish. You won't need any weight except for a tiny sinker a foot or so above the hook.

Toss the worm into current and let it roll down into the dark depths of a hole in the river bottom. The hole should be bordered by an undercut bank, overhanging tree or tree roots, or a drop-off created by the current washing around a rock or a log. Any trout that is in the hole knows how to work the current for food that might be swept into the hole, so let the worm drift freely. A trout that is the least bit interested in a snack will readily take the earthworm with little problem.

Use fresh worms that are lively enough to attract the attention of the trout. You may have to change worms frequently. Make certain that you are silent on the bank, using gentle footsteps that will muffle any vibration. Peeking into the water can kill the bite in a heartbeat as rainbows can be spooked easily.

Don't Give Up on that Fishing Hole

Many anglers make the mistake of trying a river spot that looks promising and then abandoning it when it fails to produce. What they don't know is that what may have been a dead section of river can tomorrow be a hotspot.

Smaller river fishing intensely affected by rainfall and far more dependent on the flows and water levels than are lakes. A rainstorm will raise a river as much as a few feet and completely change the nature of a given stretch of river overnight. What that means to the wise angler is that he needs to treat it like a new spot.

A particular hole may hold a couple of carp and a bullhead for weeks with little sign of anything else. A gully-washer that nearly overflows the banks can go through with the result that this same hole in the riverbottom is now filled with scrappy smallmouth bass, rock bass and big sunfish. Another gully washer in a week or so can move these fish downstream and bring in the catfish.

Skamania are Making a Name

Steelhead anglers in Indiana and Michigan are pretty much limited to runs upriver starting in May and ending in October. A lot of good angling can be had but its really not the end of the story. The skamania strain steelhead are the exception. The adventuresome among them will begin heading upstream to spawn with the majority following in June. They'll stay upstream in the holes, undercuts and tangled wood clear up through the next spring before drifting back downstream to Lake Michigan. Flies, in-line spinners, spawn and small crankbaits all take these bruisers that can easily top out at 12 pounds, or more.

Skamania are powerful fighters with strong runs, hard hits and thrilling action. This up-and-coming gamefish is definitely worth the drive to tangle with if you live in the midwest.

Trotlines for Big Cats

Trotlines with one end attached to the shoreline allow the baits to rest at differing depths. When a channel cat takes one of the doughballs, note the depth and start concentrating baits where the channels are feeding. Lines are particularly effective where streams flow into the lake.

Tuning up a lure that's tracking to the side. If your crankbait isn't tracking straight, use a pair of needle-nosed pliers and carefully make this adjustment. If the lure is tracking to the left, gently bend the tow point or lure eye to the right. If it tracks to the right, bend it to the left. Then cast it out to see what happens. It may take a few tries but you'll get it right back on track and will get the most wiggle and vibration out of the lure. Its interesting to note that at times, you may actually want the bait to track off-center a little. This can allow you to retrieve right up under a log rather than next to it and give a wary fish a sight it isn't used to seeing.

A trotline can be an excellent way to catch a snapping turtle. You may get a nice surprise when you check your line to see if any catfish have decided to take the bait.