Remember the old saying, “Hook Line and Sinker”? If you want to catch more walleye off the bottom, add a bobber to the mix. Your hook up rate will increase if you get your bait (live or artificial) off the bottom. But, yes, you still have to start deep. OK so how do I do this? Well here’s the answer. Tie about three feet of line AFTER your sinker –(1/4 to 1/2 oz depending on conditions). At about one foot past the sinker, tie on a bobber large enough to lift this three feet of line, hook, and bait off the bottom. Dress your hook with worms, minnows, leaches, grubs…whatever you choose. Those big bottom dwelling “wallies” will see the bait better when it is moving around off the bottom. Then hook up and hang on!

speaking of line: Here’s a brand of line worthy of consideration. While we do NOT endorse products, we have recently learned that when many pros go fishing… and they DO NOT have a line sponsor… they select the P-Line brand. The Xtra Strong Co-polymer line offers a thin diameter, soft, supple fishing line with improved casting distances. This creates a more natural presentation of lures and baits and also an increased line capacity on reels.

As for ice out and when we can all go fishing: Usually around May 10th…about 75 days from now. It depends a lot on the weather between now and mid April. It has been a warm winter here. We have had good snows, so lake levels should rebound from those low water conditions of August and September of ’05. We hope the break up is early too, so we can get out to our camps and lodges to get them ready for you.