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April 2015

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Although fishing season is in full swing, there’s a great alternative of how to effectively put more fish in your boat. Have you ever wondered how to fish for a certain species of fish, but feel absolutely overwhelmed of what, where, and how to fish for them? One of the best ways to get started is by contacting a local fishing guide, getting on their boat and asking them as many questions as you want. At a local area near you, there is always a myriad of fishing guides who will show you the ropes of fishing for a particular species of fish. These guides are extremely professional and have the utmost passion for fishing. Not only do these guides have fun with their jobs, but you can often find them between trips…fishing. Try fishing deeper during this time of year. Richy Harrod of

The Northwest Outdoorsmen and I went fishing recently on Lake Chelan in central Washington and the majority of the Kokanee caught were at 125ft. I’ve heard however, that they have even been caught at 200ft or deeper! Sounds fishy? We trolled around for quite some time before we dropped our gear deeper, but the results of those rod tips dancing were very fast. We were using a Mack’s Lure Double D™ Dodger, with a hot pink glow Cha Cha® Kokanee Squidder, tipped with a couple kernels of corn on each hook.

The bottom line to fishing Kokanee this year is to be creative. Even though you have to do this during peak season, it especially holds true when you can only find one. But where there’s one, there’s usually more. This season of Kokanee fishing is going to be tremendous! Take your time and dress warm; it’ll make dinner taste that much better!

The Importance Of Fishing GuidesBy Lance Merz

Since I began working for Mack’s Lure, I’ve been very fortunate to learn from some of the best fishing guides in the Pacific Northwest and continue to “pick their brains” of what works best for a certain type of fishing. My mentor, Bob Loomis (sales and marketing manager of Mack’s Lure) has taught me the ropes and has taught me some very good lessons along the way. The best way I learn is to talk about it, then get my hands on it, then go out and do it myself. Bob and other fishing guides have done this for me, and I’ve been pretty successful with putting more fish in my boat. There’s an old saying that holds true in the lessons that Bob has given me: “You can lead a Horse to water, but you can’t make them drink.” The purpose of this saying is relative when it pertains to fishing because you can either take their advice or not, it’s completely up to you. I can assure you however, when Bob or other fishing guides talk about fishing, I listen!!

Fishing is not like hunting. Normally when fishing, when you ask someone of how they caught their fish, they will be the first ones to tell you what color they were using, what bait worked the best, their trolling speed, water temperature, weather conditions, how deep they were fishing, etc, etc. If you ask a person where they got a buck or

The author with a 2015 Kokanee caught at Lake Chelan in Central Washington.

Mike Roth with Team Take Down Guide Service.

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Bruce Warren with Fishing For Fun Guide Service.

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bull, they will give you a very vague description of how and where they filled their tag. That’s the beauty of fishing!! Most fishermen (or women) are more than happy to tell you what works best for them.

Fishing is a preference; what works well for one person, might not necessarily work for another. Using a fishing guide however, gives you a baseline of how to fish. Once you have booked a trip, chances are you’ll be able to pick up on some great techniques or different riggings to use to more effectively catch fish on a consistent basis.

Although I have had numerous mentors who have taught me how to fish, I can think of some guides who helped me in the right direction as well. The first guide is Bruce Warren of Fishing for Fun Guide Service. Bruce is a Salmon and Steelhead fishing guide who is based out of Puyallup, Washington. I can remember that we were fishing at the mouth of the Deshutes river on the lower Columbia river when I was on his boat. We were fishing for the Fall Chinook in a technique called “hover fishing”. It’s a simple way to fish; you have a weight on your mainline and underneath, you have a bait of egg roe that is tied on to a snelled hook. To top it all off, at the top of the hook is a .8” Mack’s Lure Smile Blade. As we were all fishing on the boat, Bruce afforded me the opportunity to Captain the

Finesse Vertical Jigging The Sonic BaitFish™

(SBF) For Ice-Out Bass and Crappie

By Captain Pete RoskoAlthough my ice-out experiences

have primarily been limited to Lake Erie marinas, this technique is highly effective for most species anywhere in protected freshwater. Here’s what I look for to maximize my success with the SBF…

Marinas and docks, in protected

waters, are prime habitats that enable me to successfully vertical jig a 1/10 oz SBF. Prime structures are metal docks with moored boats to absorb the sun’s warming rays. Combine this with 4 to 6 feet of quiet water. By early afternoon, on a sunny day, this warmer water acts as magnet for game fish. Even a couple degrees of warmer water pockets can attract large numbers of fish.

I vertical jig the 1/10 oz SBF

tight against any vertical structure that enters the water. The closer to land is usually better because of the warmer land mass. Larger structures (metal or wood posts supporting docks) hold more radiant heat and attract more fish. Remember, most of these fish are fairly sluggish from the cold water. Jig accordingly with short twitches and holding the SBF still (dead-sticking). Experiment with your 1/10 oz SBF by attaching the snap to the nose, or the back. Never snap-jig in this cold water environment as this will spook fish. Most of the time, I will fish with only a tail hook in place. However, the advantage of a top-of-the-back line/snap attachment permits the use of a nose and tail hook to maximize the hooking efficiency. Fine wire treble hooks, attached with #1 light or medium split rings work best to secure the hook(s) to the SBF.

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Mack’s Lure is pleased to announce that customers can now use their PayPal account to purchase from the Web site!

boat and boy let me tell you…it was hard work!! There are so many variables that a guide must take into consideration. They really do have a lot going on at the same time.

Although they are working for a living, they are sharing their experiences with you the entire time and teaching you; sometimes without you even knowing about it. I wish I could tell you every guide that I’ve fished with over the past few years, but I can help steer you in the right direction. If you go to the Mack’s Lure website, there is a page that is dedicated to “Pro-Staff”. This means that these local guides and tournament fishermen (and women) are the top dogs in the industry. Booking a trip with them certainly means that you’re going to learn a thing or two. All of the Pro-Staff are firm believers in Mack’s Lure products and use them on a consistent basis.

So the next time you want to learn how to fish for a certain species, whether it be Salmon, Steelhead, Walleye, Kokanee, Trout or Panfish, seek out a fishing guide and you’ll be glad that you did!!

-end-

Jeff Witkowski of Darrel and Dad’s Guide Service.

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You’ll find experienced anglers all over the place using bucktail jigs for a variety of sports fish in both salt and fresh water. These Mack’s Lure Rock Dancers are available in a variety of sizes and skirt colors.

Stan’s Space

You Better Learn To Dance A JigPart 3 of 5

By Hall-of-Fame AnglerStan Fagerstrom

Like the heading of this current column series says: “You Better Learn To Dance a Jig.”

Let’s assume you’ve read a number of the reasons why I selected that headline in my last two columns. You’ve read about nationally known anglers who say bucktail jigs are very likely one of the most efficient lures an angler can tie on his line.

Let’s also assume you’ve accepted what the experts are saying. That’s why you’ve got yourself a selection of the Mack’s Lure Rock Dancer® bucktail jigs and you’re ready to go. You’re asking where you should go to try them yourself.

Let me make a suggestion in this regard. Now that you’ve got those Rock Dancers forget all about heading for a lake or stream and find the nearest swimming pool to

which you can have access. It’s my contention you see, that you can learn more about how to handle a bucktail jig when you can see exactly how it’s performing down there under the surface.

And don’t just limit your time on the pool to observing that jig all by itself. Try tipping the jig with a plastic worm or grub. What happens as it falls? Does the combination do anything special as it falls if you twitch your rod tip a bit? What does it look like down there on the pool bottom? Which worm or grub seems to have the most enticing action?

That swimming pool is gonna teach you a heap in a hurry. You’ll find you have a whole lot more confidence when you do get out there on your favorite lake or river. Where you do your actual fishing will be one of the primary factors in determining the approach you’ll be wisest to take. Another equally important consideration will be the fish you are after.

I’ve a skilled fishing friend whose approach when he’s after bass is one commonly used darned everywhere. “Once I find appropriate cover,” he says, “I get my Rock Dancer Jig down into it with the least possible disturbance. I let the lure fall straight down. If I don’t get bit as it falls, I just let the jig settle on the bottom for about 10 seconds. Then I bounce it up about 5 to 7-inches with a slight flip of my rod tip. If

Jigs have long been a favorite lure for Columbia River walleye anglers.

Glow white or glow chartreuse are great finishes for this ice-out fishery as most baitfish are pale in color. I do not recall ever adding scent or bait to the SBF to achieve consistent high levels of success. “Run & gun” until you locate active fish. Once you locate a productive spot, I find that same spot will consistently produce every season as long as no major structural or environmental changes occur.

My usual spinning outfit rigging includes 6 lb test braided mainline with two feet of 6 lb fluorocarbon leader attached to the mainline with a double uni-knot with no swivel. I always have a wide bend snap attached to my leader to maximize the lure’s action (especially in warmer water) and for quick lure changes.

As always, be safe on the water

and handle your catch & release fish with loving care. Thank you for subscribing to the Mack Attack and join us next month for the May issue. Pete

Try using a smaller Sonic BaitFish™ to more effectively catch fish.

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Mack’s Lure Sonic BaitFish™

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I’ve caught enough bass to know what one of them usually does when hooked. This one was acting different. When I finally got it up to the boat, I was surprised to find it was a channel catfish that ran between three and four pounds.

We moved on down the shoreline and less than ten minutes later, I nailed another of those Fool Hollow cats. This one felt like it was about twice the size of the first. It finally threw my jig and grub back at me. Like Bobby Loomis says, “get one of those bucktail jigs out there in front of a hungry finned predator and it’s going to take a whack at it.” I hadn’t even known those channel catfish were in Fool Hollow Lake.

You won’t of course, use the same approach with a bucktail jig if you’re after salmon or steelhead. And there’s more than one tactic that some of the top Pacific Northwest anglers are using successfully with their Rock Dancers for the migratory species. If you’re planning a fishing adventure into the Pacific Northwest, these are techniques you need to know about.

I’ll be detailing a couple of them in my next column.

. -To Be Continued-

Use of Rock Dancer bucktail jigs gives a variety of tactics to employ in their search for fish. I work the steelhead I have on here in close to the bank.

Cookin’ Your Catch

Salmon Patties

Original recipe makes 4 to 6 servings.

Ingredients:• 1 (14.75 ounce) can canned

salmon• 1 egg• 1/4 cup chopped onion• 1/2 cup seasoned dry bread

crumbs• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:1. Drain and reserve liquid from

salmon. Mix egg, onion, bread crumbs and salmon together.

2. Make into patties. If mixture is too dry to form into pat-ties, add reserved liquid from salmon.

3. In a frying pan, heat olive oil. Place patties in pan. Brown on each side, turning gently. Drain on paper towels and serve.

Let’s Eat!!!

I still don’t get a hit, I then hop it along the bottom for a couple more feet. If nothing happens I then reel on in and cast to a different part of the cover.”

I’ve caught both bass and walleye using a similar approach myself. As I quoted my friend Bobby Loomis saying earlier in this column series, bucktail jigs appeal to darn near every predatory fish that swims in either salt or freshwater. Bobby is the Sales and Marketing Director of Mack’s Lure and believe me he does know his fishing.

I had what he told me brought home to me once morning when I fished Arizona’s beautiful Fool Hollow Lake for bass. Fool Hollow Lake is located in the White Mountains just a short distance west of the city of Show Low.

I knew going in that this lake is stocked annually with trout and that it also has a scattering of bass, walleyes and panfish as well as a few unwelcome pike. It was bass I was after on the morning I’m talking about. I was brand new to the lake but knowing that bass often just can’t leave a jig alone if you get one where they can see it and then work it properly once it gets there.

We moved along one shoreline that was filled with rocks. I expect that figured in my decision to eventually tie on a Mack’s Rock Danger jig with a plastic grub trailer. I flipped that combination up into a shaded opening next to a big rock and---wham! Fish on!

More and more Pacific Northwest salmon and steelhead anglers are using Rock Dancer Jigs in their search for these migratory battlers. Look below the jaw of this fish and you can see the Rock Dancer that got it.

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Question of the Month

Have a question? We’d love to an-swer it! Contact us at MacksLure@MacksLure.com if you have a ques-tion you would like to see featured!

Q: I was watching a fishing program called Anglers West TV and they were using an item of yours that took the lure out to one side, or the other, of the boat. It looked like a dodger or flasher and it obviously wasn’t a planer board. What exactly is it? I troll for sand, white, hybrid, and stripped bass. Would you recommend trying it for that type of fishing?

A: You are correct it is a patented dodger called the Double D™ and it does have options to take it out to two different settings on either side

This beautiful Walleye was caught by Richy Harrod using the Smile Blade® Spindrift® Walleye on Banks Lake in Central Washington.

www.MacksLure.com

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Kokanee Killer® Single Series

The Kokanee Killer® combines a Glo® Hook with the Wedding Ring® spinner to create a deadly combination for kokanee. It has also filled many a stringer with rainbows, browns, perch and bluegill. Order the Kokanee Killer (16200) which is a great lure for kokanee! Order through the month of April and receive a 25% discount on the lure by using code:

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If you have video’s to share, we’d love to see them!! Send your video links to: MacksLure@MacksLure.com.

Video of the Month

Trolling AttractorsCheck out the trolling

attractors that Mack’s Lure has to offer. Not only does it show the attractors, it also shows them in the water catching fish!

of the boat.I believe it would work fantastic as I have fished it back in Kansas for Wipers with great success. The extra flash, along with the stop and go action it puts in your bait, definitely helps trigger bass to attack. The side planning feature was not only useful in spreading our lines, and thus widening the amount of water we were fishing, but it also allowed us to troll some lures right next to the shoreline when we wanted to.

Photo of the Month