2020: MY FISHING YEAR IN REVIEW

 

Good Lord 2020 has been a whirlwind. 

From the dark clouds of Covid pandemic, to the unprecedented hurricane season, to the closures of stores, restaurants and social distancing, there wasn't a lot good to say about the year.  A dark cloud hung over everything and it seemed like it would never disappear.

Friends and family, teammates and co-workers... we all knew/know someone who has lost someone this year or at the very least was sick with Covid.    

When a person stops to think about how everything-society and culture- changed and what we''ve lost, not only is it sobering, its downright depressing.

It was with this thought in mind I started thinking about my year in particular.  Instead of focusing on negatives, I  wanted to highlight the positive aspects of the life I lead now.   It most certainly had its ups and downs, but the ups outweighed the setbacks as my life has finally begun to truly follow the path I've tried forcing it along for decades.  

I would be remiss if I first didn't bring to the forefront, the very person who made all of this possible in every sense of the word...a very loving and supportive drop dead gorgeous wife who allows me the freedom to fish every day I wanted to and there was no way I couldn't have had a year like this year without her understanding and support.  She is amazing and while I tell her this everyday, I don't think she realizes how much I really mean it.

I don't think she necessarily approves of my fishing all the time, but she certainly has no qualms about eating any of the fish I bring home.  I have made a standing offer of taking her along on any trip I go on, but she doesn't care to fish, just eat them.    Additionally, she is not a huge fan of any trip I go on where it takes 4 hours or more just to get to with the exception being to Pactola.

So is it a win-win situation?  Maybe, but I will say I do miss her an awful lot while I am away.   She's damn near perfect....just that pesky not liking fishing part...

Anyway...lets get to the core of this post.

So for some statistics.  I kept track of a lot of things this year once I got going.  Played around with the idea of keeping track of a lot more items, but eventually narrowed it down to these.  

I was going to post what seemed to me to be "peak or optimal hours" on the waters I fished but decided I really didn't want any more people down there fishing during "happy time" lol... so here goes...

2020 stats

• Fished 187 days in a row
• Fished 257 total days
• Average trip Time: 2.41 hours (Trips/hours=average trip time)
• Total hours -700+ hours
• Totaled 290 trips
• Average Fish per trip 7.067137  (2000/290)
• Average Fish per day:  7.782            (2000/257)
• Miles Traveled. 3000+
• Used 2 miles of monofilament to spool and respool my rods (11 330 yd spools)
• Roughly 2000+ fish caught
  
• 15 different species of freshwater gamefish

As a result of those stats, the following result statistics came into focus:

•  41 Master Angler/Proud Angler Fish  Catch and Release-(Nebraska or South Dakota)
• 14 master Angler Rainbow Trout (20+") -Pactola
• 1 Chinook (31" )                                      -Oahe
• 7 White Bass (17-18"")                            -Lake Sharpe
• 2 Smallmouth Bass (20")                         -Oahe
• 1 Northern Pike (38")                               -Oahe
• 2 White Crappie (16")                              -Skyview
• 13 Largemouth Bass (20-21 5/8")            -Skyview
• 1 Saugeye (26")                                        -Gavins Point tailrace
  
  

So whats this all mean?  It means persistence pays off.  I'm in no way anywhere close to being a "pro" in any sense of the word.  I know at least a dozen or more guys that could fish circles around me on any given day...I'm just persistent to the point of being ridiculous.   I just wore the fish down into mercy biting my baits.

All kidding aside, lets look at all this from a numbers standpoint. The stat I am most proud of:  The Master Angler catch

I came up with a nice way of figuring out an average between MA catches.  Days total fished /MA=255/41=6.22 trips per each MA fish.  Thats just an average.  

In real life, things didn't work out that way.  I found big fish at least a few times a month but I can guarantee you it was not every six trips.  And when I did find them, the trend was that I caught more than one...in effect it boosted those numbers up quickly.  

Sidenote:  All but 4 of those MA fish were taken from the shoreline.  Absolute fact! And the Largemouth and Crappie MA's came out of the aforementioned city lake.
 
I came close a bunch of other times throughout the year.  And for this I kept track of fish that were within 2 inches of a catch and release MA.  

• Near Miss MA/PA-Catch and Released (Fish within a 2" margin for a C&R MA)
• 32 Largemouth 19-19 7/8 inches                   -Skyview
• 42 Largemouth 18-19"                            -Skyview
• 1 channel catfish 28"                                -Skyview

75 fish that were just short of MA status. All released to grow more over the year.  All out of one lake.  Albeit a lake I spent about 90% of my available time fishing because it was incredibly close.  

Looking over those stats, I'm  happy.  Ecstatic.  Those numbers are freaking incredible.  Its been the best year I have ever had fishing.  And its already got me thinking how to up my game and numbers for 2021.

I did change a few things up, made an effort to master a few new techniques, but the key to all this was simply tenacity.  In my way of thinking, more time on the water meant more opportunities to put my bait/lure in front of more fish, thus increasing the big fish count considerably.  Was there skill involved?  Probably a little.  I would attribute that aspect of all this more to knowing what to throw when and where, understanding what type of water I am fishing and where to start looking.

But there is some more info I am willing to divulge, primarily, the top five lures I used to catch fish all year.

#1  BERKLEY GULP  MINNOWS AND VARIOUS JIGHEAD SIZES

So this came as an absolute surprise to me but numbers don't lie.  The simple combo of threading a Gulp minnow onto a plain round ball head jig scored over 50% of my fish for the year and managed to accomplish this in only 4 months.

To be clear, there was no clear cut retrieve that out produced any others over the long term.  There were also no clear cut  locations or time periods that outproduced others. Indeed, as the season progressed it became painfully obvious the fish wanted variety.  Also, fish in every body of water I visited found this combo tempting.  I caught a ton of fish on this no matter where I went.  

The combo also produced 5 of the Master Angler Largemouth Bass and over 2/3 of my largemouth 18-20".  Impressive enough for me to make sure I had a rod rigged and ready to go each time I hit the water.  Impressive enough to make damn sure I will have a rod rigged up  with this and ready for 2021.

This marked the first year I seriously made an effort to include this technique in a meaningful way in my arsenal.  Don't make the mistake of thinking its simple jig fishing.  Nothing about fishing it the way I did this year was easy.  It was down in the trenches  eating mud brutal, but it was obviously worth it. 

#2 BERKLEY FLICKER SHAD

2020 is the year that will go down for me as the year I finally became a firm die-hard believer in the magic of the Flicker shad.  

This bait was a prime producer over the course of the year but fizzled out midseason with the availability of forage.  That said, I caught some seriously big fish on these lures.  This lure was responsible for my personal best walleye, which I popped out of Chamberlain SD. 

Their hunting action was nearly unmatched by all but one lure.

Retrieve speeds obviously varied per water temperature and color selections and preferences changed almost daily, but once the fish locked in on it, this bait was exceptional.  So much so, I have purchased about 50 of them over the course of 2020.  Bigger channel catfish pounded the hell out of this bait, smashing at least 4 into total un-usability.

I will say this.  I really questioned the way it ran through the water when I first started to use them.  Seemed too erratic, but that shad profile being what it is,  is a huge dinner bell for a lot of fish and as a result, popped me quite a few walleye this year.

#3 STORM HOT-N-TOT

Absolutely one of my favorite crankbaits.  This is the one lure I made reference to in the Flicker Shad portion.  I caught some absolute pigs on this bait. The way it hunts in the water is more aggressive than the Flicker shad and it offers a chunkier yet similar sized shad profile.  You can really feel it thump on a steady retrieve and its a proven (4 years straight) producer.

There were certain colors that worked best for the lakes I fished, but water clarity was ultimately the deciding factor.  Natural colors dominated this year for me with the bait.  

I used this from shore, from the kayak, from the boat....I cast it, trolled with it and drifted with it...it performed exceptionally well a good chunk of the year, with the exception of the Summer and Summer peak periods. I do not go anywhere anytime without having at least 1-2 of these baits with me.

#4 JOINTED RAPALA

The Venerable Rapala #11 or #13.  Quite possibly the epitome of jointed lures, its action often duplicated but never matched.

 Honestly it put more bass in my hand than all the other lures except the Berkley Gulp Minnow.  Slayed a few bigger Channel catfish on them this year too, including a 28 incher, A 26" and a 25".  

The only downside I had with this was its success rate was sporadic throughout the course of the season and seemed to be successful on only 2 of the bodies of water I frequent.  

The jointed Rapala has been around for a very long time, and the reason for its longevity is that it works.  If it didn't you wouldn't see it on the store shelves.  Another must have lure when ever and where ever I go.

#5 JOINTED SHAD RAP

Another lure from Rapala that gave me some big fish sporadically throughout the year.  With it I did manage to catch a lot of 18-21inch walleye, but there was no consistency to its success.  It was feast or famine, due in large part to the nature of flatland/lowland reservoir walleye

The shallow version definitely outperformed its deeper brother for me and it only seemed to be a twilight lure, meaning almost all the fish I caught with it were in that magic time between sunset and full darkness.  

In years past, this lure has been exceptional for me.  2020 saw it as performing well enough to get into the top 5, but not nearly as productive in situation it should have exceled in.  Now whether that come down to my color choices is a topic for further discussion.  

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

• MISTER TWISTER SASSY GRUBS IN PEARL COLORS
• NED RIGS
• BOGSTALKER GRUBS (CUSTOM COLOR FOR 1 LAKE)
• SENKOS
• SALMO HORNETS
• MOXIES
• HUSKY JERKS
• RATTLING ROGUES
  
  

Starting next year, I am thinking I might start keeping lengths  and possibly weights on everything I catch.  Should also keep track of color patterns, lure types, water temps etc to see if I can get some more definitive patterns to emerge.  

It ought to be a more interesting year, as I plan on trying to cut down the shore fishing and get more boat fishing in, especially during the colder parts of the year from October to first ice.  

Looking ahead, you will  see me expanding my range and fishing different lakes and different classifications of reservoirs and water bodies.  You will also see me targeting new species and hopefully being successful at it.  And along those journeys, I will strive to detail how and what I did, and why I chose to do it.

I'll be putting more emphasis on techniques I've chose to ignore in the past like bottom bouncing, dipsy diving, etc.  The reason is that since I have ignored them, I need to now learn how to use them to ascertain their potential application to the bodies of waters I do fish.  Or that they are boat-centric and I am still getting the hang of fishing with my Tracker I've affectionately named "The Mistress" or "High Plains Drifter."

There will also be a sharper focus on some aspects of live bait fishing even though I am not a big live bait fan.  Hate trying to keep bait alive or lugging it around with me when I'm shore fishing.  Total pain in the ass.  But with focus upon total improvement comes sacrifice. Like the old saying goes...No pain no gain.

From the blog standpoint, I want to begin to incorporate a bunch of new items, but only as time allows.  My overall goal is to help people catch more fish or at the very least, inspire them to get off the couch and catch spend more time outdoors. Suggestions could be helpful and much appreciated.

One thing I have always embraced was that life is or at least should be, about adventure. The level of adventure can and should vary depending on finances, health and/ or passion for the sport.  Every outing should be looked upon as a blessing and cherished as a memory.  A simple outing can turn into the adventure of a lifetime.  That's the beautiful thing about the outdoors and on the water.  You never know what the day is going to bring

Keep those lines wet, those hooks sharp and the fish afraid.

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BOGSTALKING AND THE FORGOTTEN ART OF HIGHLY MOBILE ANGLING

If anything this year has shown me as a shoreline angler, it is the absolute need for mobility.  When the fishing slows down, its time to move.   But a lot of people don't get it...they'll sit in the same place for hours and wait...and wait....and wait...

Not me...There are only so many hours in a day and life is too short to waste time waiting for fish to come to me to bite. No sir. 

 If I find myself in that situation, its s time to kick it up a notch and bring the heat..

Call it spot hopping, puddle jumping, or a bayou boogie .., for me its always been Bogstalking .

The overall premise of Bogstalking is all about searching for active fish, pinning down their location and searching for anymore active fish in the area before moving on once they stop hitting your presentations. No need to waste much time trying to coax neutral or inactive fish into biting.  

This also isn't about trophy fishing or lunker hunting, although you will find over time Bogstalking that you will run into far more bigger fish than you would have sitting and waiting for them to come to you.

It isn't just a warm water technique.  I use it year round albeit it, aggressive in terms of fish behavior is a relative term that changes throughout the day and season.  

Throughout my travels, I've come across a few anglers who have adopted this angling lifestyle on their own terms and are extremely successful at it.  

I have mentioned my friend Sheridan a few times in the past and for good reason.   He has taken Bogstalking  to a whole new level; stalking the shorelines almost every day of the year, he has become an apex predator of sorts along the shores of Lake Sharpe and Oahe, catching limits of fish, primarily walleye,  in all manner of ungodly extremes of weather and temperatures.  He has raised Bogstalking to an art form, taking it even further than I have ever been able to. He has set the bar high and relays his success through social media.

I used Bogstalking just last week on a night trip to the Missouri River below Gavins Point dam.  I knew from past experience up there this time of year can be feast or famine if you are fishing from shore.  

This trip around proved no different.  But this time I had prepared and done my homework and went up early to get started combing the shoreline.  I opted for what I've been hearing in some recent fishing reports, a barometer of true activity from guys who are out almost every day along the entirety of the Missouri River system.  I fished areas normally not highly pressured and eventually found my active fish...all the result of Bogstalking. It took hours to comb the shoreline but when I found them it was in a very non-descript little eddy off the main current.  A spot I normally might have walked by.

One point I really want to immediately clarify about Bogstalking is that for an angler, looking for aggressive and active fish doesn't necessarily translate into fast aggressive retrieves.  Sometimes just slowing down beyond the norm can be the ticket.  A jig can be fished slowly and yet as aggressively as any jerkbait and sometimes draw in more fish and provoke them to strike.

Bogstalking is also about finding new spots, holes or areas that are bypassed by others simply because they don't look fishy enough or don't raise the proverbial "stop and fish this spot" signs.

Key point to always remember...Our eyes aren't especially suited to see any real depth into stained water (-the norm where I typically fish) so while we might think we have a general idea of what lies below, often we are are being mislead about our ability to read water or what think we are seeing.   Our minds direct us to move on and "ignore".

Keep in mind that spots do change from one year to the next for all manner of reasons. The fish will always adapt.   Someone may plant a few brush piles in the area, the primary weed type may change, the weeds may thin out...there are a host of spot changing events.   The hot spot last year, may or may not be as hot the following year.  Stalking and actively fishing from the shorelines helps identify these little nuances and allows you to make adjustments.

Walking long lengths of shoreline necessitates packing light and only taking what is necessary.  This is key to a more enjoyable experience.  Why lug a huge tackle box around a lake if there is no need to do so?  Especially when the bulk of your fishing is going to probably going to be you using a select few lures.

I typically use my Cabelas club bag as a pro tempore stalking bag.  Its big enough to accommodate a few trays of lures, a stringer, forceps, clippers and a few cans of soda.  All that will only weigh a few pounds if that.  Packed correctly, there is hardly any weight to it at all and I am geared up to walk miles with little to no discomfort.

But what to take for lures?  That is the rub right there isn't it?

Part of knowing what to take is to do your due diligence on seasonal factors affecting the water your fishing.  Water temps, cover, structure, available forage, looking over topo maps for key areas, prevailing weather patterns, water body type etc etc...you get the idea.  

But for those of who aren't quite grasping what I am implying, here is an example...

I am currently moving towards more removable Plano trays and organizing and labelling them by the standard Calendar developed by In-Fisherman and by species type.  

I base the selections filling those trays on water temp, fish type obviously, and the areas I will be looking for or fishing.  When I decide to hit the lake and fish for walleye or bass, its often just a simple matter of  taking a few  trays out of the bag and adding new ones.  You might think this all sounds like overkill but I am  telling you, organizing your tackle this way eliminates a lot of unnecessary baggage, headache and/or mystery.  It is worth the effort.  

The more you know, the better you can prepare and hone down what you are going to take with you.  And as I have stated in a previous article, (Failing to Plan is Planning to fail), the better you plan, the better your success rates will be in general.

There are other challenges you will come across.  

No matter how well you plan, you will come across areas where you will wish you had brought something else that might help you fish the area better.  That is normal and something you need to make note of for your next trip out.  

You might also come across areas of rip rap which tend to be a little hard to maneuver through, especially in the dark.  The last thing you want is to try and wind your way through that maze of sharp shifting stone while trying to maintain your balance with a tackle box that weighs more than a toddler. Try that and you will likely get hurt. A light source is definitely a must.  I prefer headlamps rther than lanterns or flashlights but do what works best for you.

You will likely come across areas that might not necessarily be holding a lot of fish now, but through your past angling experiences, you'll recognize might be the best place to fish in a few days, weeks or months.  You will come across areas that hold a lot more fish than you suspected and yet will be overlooked.  Time and experience will guide you if you let them.

If you aren't actively stalking the shorelines at least several times a season, you aren't maximizing your opportunities to pop fish, learning or discovering  seasonal habits or taking advantage of adding more spots to your go to list.  

We as anglers tend to get stuck in certain ruts and go to the same spots over and over and over...regardless of times of year.

Dont get me wrong. Some bodies of water don't necessarily have a lot of options available for shoreline fishing.  This is when the little things you find on your spotting trips during the day can translate into bigger and more fish at night. 

Every lake has community holes, like I have mentioned above.  Fish do adjust to the level of angling pressure in many ways.   Getting away from the crowds, even just a little bit or fishing off hours can put more fish on your stringer. 

Observation, continual fishing education, time on the water and awareness are the four cornerstones of sustained success.  Proper gear, thinking outside the box, and a sense of adventure through Bogstalking can and will help pave the way to greater opportunities than you imagined.

Keep those lines wet, those hooks sharp and the fish afraid...

NIGHT SHIFT IN THE ARCTIC OR JERKING AROUND THE ICEBERGS

Without fail, I typically find myself the only guy at the local lake fishing after Halloween.  Usually its before even that.  If I do see someone else fishing, they almost always call it quits as the sun sets and the cold comes calling.  Something about those first chilled autumn breezes and lots of anglers shrivel and retreat back into their winter dens.

The ones who do stay and fish near me after sunset don't seem willing to brave much past 7 pm, regardless of how much I iterate that the fish don't typically move into the shallows until after that the first part of fall.

So far this fall I can't count the number of times one of these guys has picked up their gear, made the short trip to their vehicle and loaded it up and before they are even out of eyesight, I'm setting the hook into some gravel lizards or bass.

Make no mistake.  Night fishing in freezing weather is almost always a little sucky no matter how well you dress.  I cannot say its fast paced or even action packed most of the time.  No.  Recalling my military service years,  night fishing in the cold is more akin to forced long marches across grueling terrain.  Its a grind, mentally and physically.  Numb stiff fingers, frosty cheeks, feet like ice blocks, heavy clothing hindering movement.  Throw in some freezing rain, snow and a nice stiff 20 -30 mph wind and you got yourself a literal suck-fest.

But the fish are still biting.  Really they are. 

These days, I'm not much of a live bait kind of guy.  Know it works and could probably save me some time fish-wise, but trying to keep it fresh and alive is not a hassle I even want to consider.  Heresy to most walleye guys but  its not very cost effective from my point of view.  Nor do I want to sit on shore and try to watch a rod tip at night with any amount of wind blowing.  I'd sooner watch paint dry.  

Nope.  I'll stick to the jerkbaits, long minnow baits, jigs and shad raps.  Throw in a few blade baits and some plastic moxies and I'll be a happy angler.  Keeps me active and focused and it makes it easier (but not impossible) to ignore the cold.

Right now, a day after Thanksgiving, the lake still hasn't froze up yet, but the temperatures are getting closer to that fateful and utterly inevitable day.  Maybe another week or two and I'll be scrounging for open water to fish during the daylight hours.  

In the meantime, I'll keep prowling the shorelines for "biters".  Hunting for active fish that have almost forgotten the pressure they had put on them during the warmer months.  

I use the word active fish but its relative to the season.  Active in this case means fish willing to hammer a jerkbait or jig without much cajoling.

Under the cover of darkness is the best time of the day to really pull in some big fish. I've found over the last few years that the adage is certainly true.  Throw in the colder months and fish trying to fatten up for winter and there are definitely nights that will make you forget about the cold.  

So if you do decide to venture into the icy darkness of your local fishing hole, here are some definite things you must consider.

• Make sure to venture into the area doing the daylight hours.  Make some casts to identify snags and other structure and orientate yourself to know where they are at.
• Dress warmer than you need to.  Once the sun drops, so does the temperature and usually pretty fast.  You're also on the waters edge and any wind is going to cut through your clothing pretty easily.
• Use a headlamp.  Forgot about lanterns.  This is stealth guerilla style fishing.  And when you do use your headlamp for something, make sure your back is to the water to prevent its light from shining out over the water. .  Why?  The water has already started to clear due to the cooler temps, the plankton and algae have nearly disappeared.  Any lights that are nearby, the fish have become accustomed too.  Anything out of the ordinary or unusual will send them back into the depths and your fishing spot for the night is compromised.  Note however, this is not usually a problem fishing rivers.  Moving water refracts light differently and you can get away with it in my experience
• Hand warmers of any type are a godsend.  You haven't lived until you've tried to tie good knots with frozen fingers. Good times....good times...
• Heavy or warm waterproof boots.  The ground is usually frozen or close to it.  Standing on it in the darkness can numb your feet quicker than you realize.
• Be prepared for long stretches of no action....none...zip...nada.  When these fish come in, its usually in a short quick lived spurts.
• The moon can affect their behavior, especially its brightness during the fall.  The air is crisp and so is the moonlight.  I've usually had better luck this time of year when the moon is non-existent.  Especially fishing jerkbaits.  The fish seem to home in on the rattles better.
• Grow a beard.  Seriously.  They help keep your face warmer.  
• Travel light.  A few rods, a stringer perhaps, maybe a net.  You don't need your whole tacklebox.  A few removable trays in a small lightweight duffle-bag is really all you need.  Figure out what you need to fish the areas you choose and then minimize as much as you can.  
• Be prepared to clean your rod tip of ice build-up.  Its going to happen and will hamper your casting ability.  As my friend Sheridan pointed out, use rods with large eyelets especially on the rod tips.  This helps prevent the ice from building up so fast.

No doubt many of you have read the articles on wading at night in the fall for big walleyes.  I won't disagree that its an  extremely effective tactic, but its not something I am willing to do.  

I am older now and my balance is crap.  The last thing I want or need is to slip or fall over and have my nuggets immersed in a cold bath of lake water and then having to get the waders off and making my way back to the warmth of my truck. before I get hypothermia.  

I urge caution when considering that option.  Especially if you have little knowledge of the areas you intend to fish.

All in all, night fishing in the fall is very rewarding.  Especially when your effort pays off.  The fish tend to be bigger and thicker, and when they do bite, they are not usually shy, they tend towards aggressive.  

Above all, be safe, use prudence and be stealthy.  The fish are there.  Closer than they have been all year.  All you got to do is brave the cold and go out after them.

FAILING TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL

So I have a ton of things on my mind going into the holiday season.  Not holiday shopping because I'm pretty sure Lana and I both have ours done already.  Thank heavens because as much as I love Christmas, don't think I'm risking this Covid-blizzard anymore than I have to.

My thoughts are starting to turn the direction of lure creation again. As well as a lot of research into salmon fishing, downriggers, walleye and trout behavior, trip planning and some other minutiae most of which no one but me wants to understand anyway. 

I look for natural baitfish patterns and try to put my own creative spin on them and try to plan when and where I plan to use them.  Matching the hatch so to speak.  Not always a great option, but as I've learned over the years, those patterns stay fairly consistent. 

I'm a firm believer in planning.  Lure creation, research and trip planning are no different.  Its the planning aspect of angling in general I feel gets lost in the excitement of getting on the water.  When anglers don't feel the need to do some homework on new waters before they even get into their vehicle and drive to it, the odds of a "skunking" increase greatly.  And really who needs that?

So here I segue towards the meat of this little article.  Don't know about some of you, but I'm pretty damn happy when plans come together, especially on a lake I've never fished before.  While the trip might be amazing, for me it loses a little luster if I go and get skunked.  Scenery and camaraderie don't fill up the frying pan or send your heart racing as line peels off your reel.

Think of each trip, each lake as a puzzle.  In order to successfully complete that puzzle, it would be helpful to have all the pieces.  

Now having all the pieces before hand is never going to happen to most anglers.  I've been fishing for

almost 50 years and I'm still waiting for it to happen.  

But what does happen is that I take the few pieces I have, put them together and extrapolate several possibilities to try and complete it.  In other words, to catch nice fish.

Here's where it should get interesting for folks.  

Failure is usually looked at in a negative manner.  Indeed, the whole premise of this article is to encourage people to plan to avoid failure.  But sometimes, no matter how much we may plan, conditions happen which make failure a certainty.

This is where we all have two main options:

• Roll with the failure and forget about it
• Analyze the failure and try to learn something from it

The first option, for me, is unacceptable.  I'm a result-orientated person when it comes to angling.  I keep very few but I love catching a bunch of them. I,m also an opportunist and failure is an opportunity to improve my "end game".  Not going to let that pass me by.

So, with that in mind, I understood fall and spring were the worse times of year for me even though they are typically noted as being the best times to catch big fish.  They are usually close to shore and accessible to shore anglers.  But there are some drawbacks to these seasons. 

 For spring fishermen, most of us are coming out of that winter "funk" and getting on fish can and often does take some doing.  You may have a few honey holes you've found over the years and know just exactly what choices you have regarding presentations and if fish are going to be there or not.   Still doesn't mean you have all the pieces, but its a fair start.  But what if the options you decide upon net zero fish? Refer back to option #2...

I can tell you from experience, especially when it came to walleye fishing, that I had to ask myself some hard questions about what I was doing, where I was doing it, what I was using and a whole slew of other questions.  I basically had to retrain my way of thinking to find the correct "mode" and I am still not sure I've totally got into the groove.

So after the last few skunkings last year I opted to get serious for walleye and salmon seriously this year. 

I dug up old articles dating from the late 60's through today from my fishing magazine archive, did my research, analyzed my particular lakes of choice and made some decisions on what to use where and when.  This was another reason for the continuous days.  I needed to see and to learn the hard way, to verify results and failures because Im a firm believer in experience being the best teacher.

End result?

I did catch more walleye than I ever have out of a lake I hadn't caught a walleye in for almost 14 years.  Got me a 25 incher, a 23, a bunch of 21's and a host of smaller keepers and unders.  Had some really good days at Oahe and Chamberlain.  Not too shabby but still plenty of room for improvement.  

The salmon.  I put 2 in the boat , lost 2 chinooks at the boat, and popped a 30 incher from shore..  Not exactly the results I was hoping for but still better than the year prior so it is improvement.  

Why the difference?

Lots of reasons.  For starters, the days I can salmon fish are fewer and farther between given the distance I have to travel to get to the fishery.  Second,  there aren't exactly a lot of articles pertaining to fishing salmon on the upper Missouri Reservoirs.  There are some applicable methods used on other fisheries but not much.  The Dakota reservoirs are not the great lakes or the Pacific Northwest coast.  Additionally, the guys that are successful tend to be a little tight lipped.  There were a lot of days spent fishing for salmon with "zero" at the end of the day...a bitter pill to swallow especially when you drive 5 hours one way to fish for them.

Contrast that with the trove of walleye information available on the Dakota reservoirs and reservoirs in general to those who want to learn to be more successful by angling pros.  

And still I plan. Month after month, if I am not out on the water or crafting lures, I'm digging through that archive of information, pouring through older notes, putting together multiple strategies and then ultimately putting them into action to see how they work.

Bottom line?  Put in a bit more effort and you'll see your success rates on the water improve.  Time and experience are the best teachers but observation and research are your best friends.  Use them all to your advantage.

See you on the water