Once we have decent ice and are no longer limited to fishing shorelines, mobility becomes a key component in our level of success as we are now able to fully explore every nook and cranny of the lake. As with most things, having a tried and true system in place not only keeps thing simple and organized, but also contributes heavily in keeping a good attitude and that definitely equates to more fish on the ice. The first order of...

First ice is nearly here-and that can mean only one thing…ice fishing!  The first forays onto hardwater, in my eyes anyway; stirs up something deep in the soul akin to a religious experience.  There is a direct correlation, as after all, we as mere mortals are indeed walking on water.  Not God-just God like, as we once again gingerly place our feet onto the beautiful playing field the creator has so generously laid before us in full...

Species Specifics BOLD IS BETTER THAN BASHFUL when it comes to the use of livebait to tempt big walleyes. I use a straightforward system that relies on large, lively chubs presented below tip-ups to tempt big fish. Big wall­eyes are finely tuned feeding machines that do their best to fill their bellies quickly, which is why they find it hard to resist a big chub. Retro system? Yes, but it works, especially when you fine tune the...

Here’s an educated prediction about what to expect when going afield this year. ► by Dennis Foster Created 8/24/2011 Despite what even longtime South and North Dakota residents would consider the very protracted and snow-filled winter of 2010/2011 the overall expectation for the numbers of pheasants we can expect this fall looks to remain somewhere between good and downright phenomenal. While it is possible we may see a slight reduction...

What I relate here has been extracted from years of experience on expansive reservoirs such as those on the Missouri River—most notably Oahe—but applies on any large waterway with long stretches of relatively shallow structure, breaking sharply into deep water. I focus on the second half of the open-water season in most of the walleye belt, once hot weather sets in for good, up until the leaves start to turn. Ever notice that although...