The Rod and Rifle Rag has been featured in the In-Fisherman magazine, June 2012 issue. In-Fisherman is the world’s foremost authority on freshwater fishing. The Rag is listed in the Staff Noteworthy & New, new and unique fishing stuff, section on page 16. Thanks TB!

Prez. @ Davis J. Hennes, LLC

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Along with the walleyes, and other fish, come the fishermen. Every good lake, stream and river is fished continually from opening to closing of the season. Is it any wonder the fishing can be tough?

Dealing with pressured walleyes is perhaps the biggest challenge angler’s face. There is one thing than can help you catch more walleyes, it’s to be flexible and experiment. Walleyes can get turned off to certain fishing methods. What was good two years ago may not be the best now.

One theory is walleyes get conditioned to certain techniques. Evidently they see too many of their buddies chomp down on a particular lure and slowly struggle away to the surface. Another theory is that certain walleyes are very vulnerable to a fishing technique, while others aren’t. Eventually most of the “easy” ones are caught until they are all gone.

Regardless of the reason, it does pay to try new presentations and lures. So many times a little change can mean the difference between getting skunked and a nice stringer of walleyes. Here are some things to experiment with that may work and help you catch more walleyes this year:

DOWNRIGGERS

Downriggers are trolling devices that allow you to troll a lure at a precise depth. They were made popular by salmon fishermen on theGreat Lakes, but I thought the idea would work for small lake fish as well. I first started using downriggers for trout in managed lakes years ago, and they worked great. So I tried them on walleyes and they worked equally well. Since then downriggers have become very popular up on The Lake of the Woods.

Walleyes that feed over reefs pose a problem for jig and live bait rig anglers, reason is that you almost have to have a tackle shop in the boat with you to keep up with the number of baits you lose due to snagging.  Although, a downrigger you can work a lure right over the rocks and appeal to any walleyes foraging over the reef.

Most astute walleye anglers are familiar with walleyes’ habit of holding in deep water during inactive periods and moving up on flats and bars during feeding periods. What better way to work a lure precisely over the bottom than with a well placed downrigger weight?

Downriggers permit you to closely troll the borders and inside turns in weed lines. Then because they keep your lures tracking straight behind the boat, downriggers work perfectly for trolling precisely around points and little irregularities in the break line. But one super way of using portable ‘riggers is to work individual fish you may see on your locator. Attach your line to the downrigger weight so the lure will run about twenty- or thirty- feet behind the ball. Then keep a sharp eye on your locator for any walleyes. When you spot a fish, quickly raise, or lower the ball so the lure will run right by the fish’s nose. The extra long distance that the lure is running behind the weight will give you the needed time to change the lure’s depth. You’d be surprised at how many times this little maneuver will result in a bucking rod tied to a bulldogging walleye.

WALLEYES IN WEEDS

Over the years it has become increasingly evident that a large portion of our walleyes live in weeds. That idea runs contrary to the belief that walleyes only inhabit deep water structures with rock and gravel bottoms. But walleyes do like weeds, and you can catch many of them by fishing along weed edges.

You may find walleyes using weeds more and more all the time. Consider that many of our lakes are being stocked with walleye fingerlings. These fish are raised in ponds until they are several inches long and then released into the lakes. The shallow ponds these fingerlings are raised in often have thick weed growths in them, and the small walleyes use the weeds for cover. So what is going to happen the minute the fingerlings are dumped in the lake? Likely they will head for the first sets of weeds they can see. Also, if there are plenty of forage minnows there, the walleyes may spend their entire lives in the weeds.

The trick to catching these walleyes is to find weeds like pondweed or coontail, they are near water at least ten feet deep. Walleyes will not usually be in weeds surrounded by expansive shallow water. Cast lures like jigs tipped with live bait, or even spinner baits, past the weed edge and let it settle down into the weeds. Retrieve the lure so it stays near the base of the weeds. If you feel it hang up on a weed, and you will, just snap it loose and continue reeling it in.

Another technique is to wait until dusk and “long line” troll a floating minnow bait over the weed beds. As darkness settles, big walleyes often move up to the weed tops to feed. Let out enough line so the lure just skims over the weed tops. It isn’t rare to let out up to 100 feet of line. Again, weeds adjacent to deep water will be more productive.

BE OPEN MINDED

A final idea to harvesting more walleyes is not a method, but a way of thinking. Never become dependent on one walleye fishing technique or area. I don’t know of one method or spot that continually produces walleyes, yet so many anglers rigidly stick to them. Keep up to date on new fishing techniques written up in magazines, newspapers and online or demonstrated on videos, TV and online. Pick up some of the new tackle demonstrated and keep it in your tackle box. After all, trying new ways to catch walleyes is part of the fun and can mean the difference between going fishless and being on the bragging board at the bait shop.

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The Rod and Rifle Rag, The Sportman’s Journal has been sent to some as a complimentary gift. The feedback has been very constructive so far, with us looking forward to ’11 and make some tweaks to the product.  Check out the store side of the website for the Rag as a little something for yourself or as a gift!

I’d like to congratulate my uncle and cousin, Terry and Derek, with a successful harvest this year. Nice work guys!

Prez. @ Davis J. Hennes, LLC

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This is an exciting time of year for us here also, at Davis J. Hennes. The Rod and Rifle Rag, The Sportman’s Journal, is so close to being distributed and able to purchase online. The Blog side of our website, www.rodandriflerag.com/, is ready to take a serious hit after this weekend. The Rag community of hunters out there in the great American wilderness telling us about the stories of their hunt. Can’t wait to hear some tales of success, maybe some failures and some comical experiences.

Prez. @ Davis J. Hennes

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Today I got out into the great American wilderness and did some grouse hunting. Now that great American wilderness, near Pillager, MN which is a beautiful place, has civilization somewhat close. The day was another beauty. Temperature was approximately 45-50 degrees with abundant sunshine and a little breeze from the N-NW. I didn’t get the early morning hunt, which I would have preferred, because of some morning obligations. The time was around 11AM when I was geared up and out on the logging road in search of the Ruffed Grouse. This particular logging road is no stranger to me, since I’ve been hunting in that particular area for over 20 years. Yet, it always is a changing landscape. The surrounds are oh so familiar, but with some minor tweeks that lead you to ponder why does that look a little different. The walk was at a slow pace, stopping every so often for a couple minutes to listen in and scan for movement. This leads to a slight off the road scamper every once in awhile also. Since I do not have a hunting dog, this method is one I find effective.

Shortly into the walk I come across some remains of bone, not human I think. Some creature/animal must have gotten a little hungry and pounced on another for a tasty meal, such is the way of the wilderness. The relaxing smell of Fall is settling in, the leaves rustling of leaves in a slight breeze and utter peacefulness. One of many reasons we fellow hunters love the outdoors. As my eyes are surveying the woods, I spot a dark round object in a tipped over pine tree. My eyes dial in on it. The object is a porcupine climbing up the tree, ever so slow and almost gracefully. That captured my attention for awhile. The hunt continued, until I came across some more remains of bone. A trend is starting to develop I thought, no worries because thats where it ends. No more were spotted the rest of the hunt.

There were a few periodical stops for some photo opportunities of the Rod and Rifle Rag in the outdoors, the background was just to tempting to do it.  By this time my shooting stick was itching to get some lead out.  Since I hadn’t came across a grouse to shot at yet, I just threw some out in the woods for pleasure. The shooting stick reloaded and fired fine, had some issues last season and had it into the gunsmith. That made me happy since I’m planning a Pheasant hunting trip at the end of the month and don’t want to have to take into a gunsmith this time of year in fear of not getting it back in time for that trip. Time went by without any worries, spent hunting and gathering thoughts. The grouse were not there for me today, but a great fall day was and I utilized it.

Prez. @ Davis J. Hennes, LLC

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P.S. Never saw that kid again….

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