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Home , Bait fish, Casting (fishing), Putcher fishing, Rig (fishing), Walleye fishing

THE SONIC BAITFISH™ FOR BOTTOM BY JOHN KRUSE | MACK’S LURE PRO STAFF

I stopped by the Mack’s Lure spring, we found ourselves shop and spoke with President Bob close to shore in 30- to 60-feet of Schmidt and Sales Director Bob water. Loomis.

Schmidt had fished this area before and suggested using some one-ounce Sonic BaitFish™ (SBF). He had great success catching rockfish with these lures Last year I got the opportunity them vertically, just off the bottom, to go fishing with Tom Burlingame, with the line tied to the nose and a This time around the rockfish were owner of Excel Fishing Charters, for hook on the tail end of the lure. Bob not on the surface, but they were rockfish and lingcod out of Neah Loomis also recommended the SBF. suspended in the middle of the water Bay, Wash. Our destination, the Specifically, he suggested using column all the way to the bottom. Pacific Ocean just off shore from the a 1/2 oz. lure to target fish on the I initially fished the lures provided northwestern-most point of the lower surface and a 1 oz. lure for fish on by our guide, but eventually got a 48 states. We had an incredible day the bottom. His suggestion, chance to tie on a Sonic BaitFish™. catching limits of rockfish in 25- to out and slowly working the lure to Casting out I had several hits as the 90-feet of water and I was amazed make it flutter as it sank from the lure fluttered down and if I didn’t hook to see rockfish throughout the water surface. up right away when I was halfway to column and a number of yellowtail “ the bottom, I found that I was more rockfish were literally boiling to the likely going to be hooked up in a surface. I FOUND OUT IN A HURRY THAT I WAS hurry jigging the Sonic BaitFish™ just GOING TO BE HOOKED UP IN A HURRY off the bottom. This got me thinking that targeting JIGGING THE SONIC BAITFISH JUST these bottomfish at the surface “ We caught multiple species of would be a whole bunch of fun and OFF THE BOTTOM. — JOHN KRUSE rockfish, as well as sculpin and with another trip planned for 2019 I greenling fishing a white Sonic decided to do just that. As for casting out, his advice was BaitFish™ 1 oz. and I have no doubt I to figure out which way the boat was could have caught a limit in no time drifting and cast a good distance into if given more time! the drift (similar to casting upstream while stream fishing) to maximize Oh well, there’s always next year the time the lure woulud stay close and I’m looking forward to seeing to the bottom once it reached there. what else I reel up next spring fishing out of Neah Bay! It turned out both pieces of advice were spot on! When I went out with Special thanks to Excel Fishing Excel Fishing Charters again this Charters and the Inn at Neah Bay.

MACKSLURE.COM Page 1 GARY’S FISHING CORNER bottom lure, as mentioned earlier. PRODUCT RELEASE The big advantage to the Shuttle Hawk™ system is, that after it’s released, it will plane back to the NEW BALL TROLL surface so you can reset it without bringing your up. There’s a video on MacksLure.com (link below) for a better understanding on how to use the Shuttle Hawk™ and it comes with an Ultra Release™ and a stop, as well.

Now, after setting my second rod, I like to add a drop line to my stacked DOWNRIGGER FISHING FOR rods. A drop line is basically a 3-foot TROUT & KOKANEE leader with a lure on one end and a BY GARY MIRALLES snap swivel on the other end. I like to use the Hum Dinger® or spinners like WENATCHEE, Wash. — Mack’s the Scorpion™ or a Wedding Ring® Lure, Inc., manufacturer of popular Targeting lakes during the summer for this particular setup. downrigger products such months can be rewarding. However, as the Shuttle Hawk™ and Ultra fishing deep water required special Take your snap and attach it to the Release™ recently released the Ball equipment. Leadcore, weights line going down to your second rod, Troll™. and divers can help you get to the then toss it back behind in the water. depths required to catch fish, but The second lure will slide down to the “We are happy to provide a consistency can be an issue. middle of the bow on the line due to product, which is used as a trick of pressure of the water. the trade for many fishing guides,” are obviously the said Mack’s Lure President Bob most proficient way to work the So, now we have the entire Schmidt. “The Ball Troll provides lots thermocline effectively. They put thermocline covered with a total of of flash and action without the drag you at the exact depth you require, six lures in the water. The fish can’t of the attractor being in-line when and with downriggers, you can fish escape this setup. you reel in the catch.” multiple rods and lures. The Ball Troll, which has been field- Here’s a typical set up with two tested fishing for trout, kokanee, downriggers, two fishermen, and salmono and many more species two rods each: throughout the country, is a long rotational flasher, designed to snap A typical thermocline for trout and to your downrigger ball. kokanee is 20- to 60-feet. With that in mind, I would run one downrigger at This 26” troll is made of large 60-feet and the second downrigger nickel willowleaf blades and high at 55-feet. I would also run a second UV beads, which will attrack fish rod on each downrigger, typically from further away by combining a 10-feet abvoe the bottom set. That tremendous amount of flash and would put the stacked rods at 50- vibration, bringing fish right up to and 45-feet. your gear. The high UV blue beads and red tubing, combined with the When stacking, I use the Shuttle premium willowleaf blades, is proven Hawk™ because it is by far the to attract fish. easiest and most productive way to stack two rods. What is the Shuttle The Ball Troll also includes an Hawk™, you ask? It’s a downrigger Ultra Release™, a simple, ultra-light release carrier. Attached to your downrigger release, which includes downrigger cable, the diver takes a tension screw adjustment to fit the your release, line and lure down to thickness of your line and can be set a preset stop placed on the cable, MACK’S LURE SHUTTLE HAWK™ light enough to relesae on even the usually about 10-feet above your CLICK TO VIEW VIDEO smallest of fish. Now for sale online. MACKSLURE.COM Page 2 was in Cortland where I invented about trolling in a hurry! I feel this SONIC BAITFISH™ (SBF) the Crippled and the Erie technique is the nearest thing to how Shiner, a main competitor for the is approached. Basically, TIPS & TECHNIQUES Erie Dearie. But, that’s a story for when casting micro metal jigs over a another day. rocky reef, or any other anatomical structure, your success is based on To this day, I respect Bob Hammer how well you learn how to approach for making that call to me because its particular architecture. The single he was on the competing weight- most critical mistake made is losing forward spinner team. The contact with your lure when working information he shared with me, it through structure. Without feeling during that phone call, dramatically your lure bouncing against the changed how I fish metal jigs to this structure, the lure is moving more day. The Crippled Herring was the horizontally instead of vertically. first of three metal jigs that I have It’s the vertical drop of the lure that created. The other two are the triggers most strikes. Work the lure Kandlefish and the Sonic BaitFish, a with a short rod lift, then short rod CASTING SMALL METAL JIGS hybrid of the Kandlefish. drop followed by a 360 degree turn TO LAKE ERIE ROCK PILE of the spinning reel handle then A few days after that April repeat this sequence. Basically, a BY CAPT. PETE ROSKO | SBF INVENTOR call in 1988, I was fishing on Bob bottom bouncing rhythm is created. Hammer’s boat. Instead of drift- Last May, I was Lake Erie drift fishing casting weight-forward spinners, we with a good friend of mine by the The first half of my 82 years of were casting 1/6 oz gold Crippled name of Ray Steidel. fishing was spent trolling. . By casting small, light- The difference then, compared to weight metal jigs over Lake Erie’s today, is the rod was held by our shallow western basin rock piles, hand and not by a rod holder. We it was almost a walleye on every caught more fish by working the cast. That is what got Capt Bob so rod. It was the drop back of the excited! The design of that metal rod that triggered strikes, similar jig caused the lure to swim, flutter, to the fall back of today’s metal glide and vibrate as it was being jig. When jigging, almost all strikes slowly bottom-bounced through the are on the fall. In those days, we snaggy structure of those rocky reefs trolled Flatfish, June Bug Spinners, and rock piles. That type of structure Shysters then worm harnesses. The attracted fish for not only spawning harness with a small gold propeller but also for year-round foraging. blade was deadly for walleyes, bass That same 1/6 oz gold Crippled and muskies. We made our own Herring was also responsible for one harnesses primarily because the of the largest smallmouth bass ever ones on the dealers’ shelves were caught in Lake Erie. too heavy and stiff and were lifeless in the water. Sadly, Rapala discontinued that size almost ten years ago. It was early April, 1988 when I Fortunately, Rapala’s loss is Mack’s I was casting 1/4 and 1/3 oz Sonic received a phone call from an Lure Company’s gain. The features BaitFish exactly as described in this excited Capt Bob Hammer. Bob was that made the Crippled Herring so month’s report. Ray was fan-casting a 6-pack walleye charter skipper successful were enhanced with the a spinner worm harness. It did not based out of Port Clinton, Ohio. He design of its Sonic BaitFish. take Ray very long to notice that also was a member of the Erie Dearie the Sonic BaitFish was out-fishing Fishing Team. The Erie Dearie was a Fast-forward to present time. his spinner. But, Ray never changed weight-forward spinning lure that The western basin of Lake Erie is to a Sonic BaitFish. He was more was sold in the millions during those saturated with a variety or rock comfortable fishing with a type of years when Lake Erie was referred formations. Whether in Lake Erie, or lure that he had used for over 30 to as the “Walleye Capitol”, and still elsewhere, these are fish magnets. years even though it did not produce is, for its large walleye population. When fished properly, the results walleyes for him. Unknown to me Cortland Ohio was about seven miles can be outstanding! Working the that day was that Ray was “taking down the road from Mecca where right metal jig through boulder- notes” on my technique. Then, about the Erie Dearies were produced. It strewn structure will make you forget a year later, I received a letter and

MACKSLURE.COM Page 3 photo from Ray. It showed Ray growing in popularity. holding a certified 11.2 lb walleye GUEST COMMENTARY with a glow white Sonic BaitFish in The Walleye population within the its jaw. This was the largest walleye Columbia is very healthy and on a ever caught by Ray in his 40 years of good day of fishing an angler can Lake Erie . It was also experience double-digit fish days. the first time Ray fished the Sonic The population is so vigorous and BaitFish. to help manage this multi-species the BC Ministry has currently set a daily limit of 16 Walleye per angler, with a 2-day possession limit. The average sizes of these fish are between 16-21 inches, (1.5 to 2.5lbs) which makes for perfect table fare. WALLEYE FISHING THE COLUMBIA Walleye can be found scattered RIVER | WEST KOOTENAY’S SECRET throughout the section of river from BY DANNY COYNE, MACK’S LURE PRO STAFF the Keenleyside Dam northwest of the community of Robson, to the When anglers think of premium Canadian/USA Border. However After seeing that photo, I Walleye they don’t typically there are some sections of river that immediately called Ray to learn think of Southern British Columbia as provide superior habitat that tend to his technique. It was the exact a fishing destination; however that hold more fish. When pursuing these same technique described in this couldn’t be further from the truth! fish, one will want to target slower report. Ray was casting directly in The BC Kootenay region has one of moving water such as deep pools the direction in which the boat was the best-kept Walleye fisheries in all and large back eddies. Walleye drifting and bottom-bounced the of Western Canada. prefer to reside near the river bottom Sonic BaitFish back to the boat. in slacker water conserving their It was tipped with a small piece British Columbia is home to the energy and waiting to ambush their of nightcrawler. Note: If your headwaters of the Columbia River, prey. vessel’s drift heading is 2 o’clock, the longest river in the Pacific for example, then your cast should Northwest Region of North America. Access to the river is extremely easy also be at 2 o’clock. This gives The Columbia is one of the most whether one is fishing from a boat or you a direct route to your target by premium multi-species fisheries in all from shore. The community of Robson eliminating/reducing a wind bow Pacific Northwest. The river attracts offers 2 very well maintained boat in your line and maximizes the feel anglers from afar as it provides launches that can accommodate of your lure against bottom. This opportunity for several sport majority of fishing boats. The primary technique has never failed me and fish such as , Kokanee, area for fishing is the stretch of can also be used off the stern of Mountain Whitefish, Smallmouth Bass river from the Robson Bridge to the an anchored boat where casting and, yes, Walleye! Keenleyside Dam. This portion of river is replaced by dropping your Sonic offers slow moving water with deep BaitFish straight down to the bottom. Walleye were first introduced to pools and sandy-gravel bottoms Once hitting bottom, bounce the jig the Columbia River system in 1960 that make it prime Walleye territory. away from you (down-current) until when they were stocked into Lake Even though targeting these fish is you no longer feel bottom. Retrieve Roosevelt in the USA, approximately most successful from a boat, shore then repeat. Casting reels work 200kms south of the BC and anglers can have some success. better when tailing the lure away Washington border. Over the past from you. few decades the Walleye have BEST TIME TO FISH migrated up river into the Canadian As always, thank you for subscribing portion of the river between Waneta There are essentially 2 peak periods to the Mack Attack. Look for more and the town of Castlegar. of the year that this Walleye fishery tips in next month’s July issue. Capt becomes very productive: Early Pete Rosko. For years this Walleye fishery in spring during the pre- phase the East Kootenay Region has been and late summer/early fall before underrated, really only known to the the cooler weather approaches. locals. Now that the word is getting out and anglers are experiencing The third week of March to the these fantastic eating fish for beginning of May is a good window themselves, this fishery is vastly of opportunity to target pre-spawn

MACKSLURE.COM Page 4 fish. Once the water temperature located there is a good chance that Bottom bouncing is a great starts to warm greater than 35F the there are many more within the same method to use when trying to locate Walleye start to migrate in. During this vicinity as they tend to school. active fish. This is a trolling sinker period larger populations of Walleye intended to fish slowly while keeping tend to reside in the Canadian When fishing in the later summer bottom contact. The rig is made up section of river as they travel from and early fall paying attention to of wire that is bent in a 90-degree the upper section of Lake Roosevelt. weather patterns will help improve angle with led moulded on the lower Walleye spawn once the water your odds in locating these fish. The section and a snap swivel connected temperature reaches between 43- old wives tale is usually told that to the shorter arm portion. Attach a 50F. Once the spawn is completed Walleye are lock-jawed during the spinner or lure of choice with a 36 to the migratory fish will start to move day and are only active during the 48 inch leader. Since the Columbia back down river. Walleye require evening so it’s not worth pursuing River allows live bait, tipping your gravel and sandy areas to spawn, them during midday. The truth of lure with a stretched out dew worm which makes the section of river the matter is that these fish are very will give the fish something they between the Robson Bridge and light sensitive and they prefer low can’t resist. Slow troll less than 1.2 the old Robson Ferry Ramp optimum light conditions. Yes they are more mph up river and always keep your spawning habitat. Please note: There vigorous during the morning and line 45 degrees to the boat. The is a fishing closure from March 1st to evening; however targeting them bite will come as a “tap-tap” then June 3oth on a stretch of river near midday in the deeper water can a strike. Don’t set the hook too soon Robson. The closure is from the Old prove good results. On cloudier or as the fish tend to short bite the end Robson Ferry Landing downstream choppy surface water days the fish of the worm. Wait until the strong to a sign on the south river bank, can be found a bit shallower as there committed hit, and then set the hook approx. 950m from the CPR bridge. is less light penetration. The rule of in a forward sweeping motion. However, fishing directly up river thumb is to start in shallow water (20 from the Old Robson Ferry Landing feet) in the morning and work your Some of the best lures to use when is an excellent area to pursue these way out until you locate fish. When bottom bouncing is the Smile Blade Walleye. the sun grows brighter work out to Super Slow Death Rigs by Mack’s deeper 50+ feet of water and when Lure. These lures put off the perfect In the early spring months the dusk starts to set in move back to the roll to the bait and an offset wobble water level on the Columbia River is shallower water. that emulates a dying that low as spring freshet hasn’t occurred the Walleye can’t resist! yet. High river flows typically start in mid-May. The water conditions from Jigging has to be one of the most Robson to the dam are more like lake popular and effective methods in conditions rather than a river. Due to the Columbia River when targeting the slower-moving water in this area Walleye. It’s wise to have a variety of an angler doesn’t require a high- jig sizes and colours ranging from ¼ powered boat. A 14-foot aluminum to ¾ ounce jigs. The slower the water boat powered with a 9.9hp is the smaller the jig size you can use. adequate for the section of river Tipping the jigs with dew worms above the Robson boat launches. or scented grubs is the ticket to The section below Robson requires a encourage the fish to strike. boat with much more power as the river current becomes stronger. The key to jigging for these fish is METHODS & TECHNIQUES not only to keep contact with the Once the spring runoff is complete bottom, but to also keep your fishing and the water starts to warm in late Using quality sonars that can line directly vertical below the boat. July the Walleye fishing starts to turn detect contours will help improve This will help you sense strikes as on again. The resident population of your odds in locating these fish. To well as avoid snags. Minor jigging Walleye will start to prepare to forage keep your lure within the strike zone pulls between 4 to 8 inches off for the coming cooler fall and winter it is critical to keep your presentation bottom will provide the right action months. Unlike the spring months in contact with the river floor. The to attract the fish. The bite will be where the fish are more locked onto most successful way to pursue these subtle and more like a weight pulling one area of the river, you will find fish is from a boat, by either bottom down. Set the hook with a smooth the fish scattered throughout the bouncing a spinner rig or by jigging vertical sweeping action. deeper pools. Anglers will have to the river bottom. Whichever lures you cover water from the base of the chose to use it is important to note Stay tuned for part two next month! Keenleyside Dam down to the Robson that the Columbia River is a single boat launch. Once one Walleye is barbless hook fishery.

MACKSLURE.COM Page 5 QUESTION HOT DEAL OF THE MONTH OF THE MONTH Have a question? We’d love to answer it for you! Shoot us an email at media@ mackslure.com with your question and you may see it featured in an upcoming issue of the Mack Attack Magazine!

Q: I’m fishing for trout. How do I know which size of hook to use?

A: That’s a great question! The number one thing you can do is to talk with your local bait and tackle shop as to the area PHOTO OF THE MONTH of which you are fishing. Talking with the Mack’s Lure Pro Staff Mark Lippincott of Lake Chelan Adventures shows off a trout locals who fish those waters can provide caught on a casted Sonic BaitFish™ near Stehekin, Wash. on North Lake Chelan. a plethora of information, as well.

There are a lot of great lures that Mack’s Lure has to offer in regards to trout fishing, too. If you were trolling for 15- to 20-inch rainbows, the preferred sized Wedding Ring® to use is a No. 4 while trolling at 1.8- to 2.0-mph.

Trout like a faster trolling speed and a flashy presentation; that’s why our Wedding Ring® spinners work really well.

Try using a Double D™ Dodger with a 24- to 36-inch leader behind the dodger and see the results. Another alternative to use is the Wedding Ring® UV Spinner. All fish can see objects in the water that are emitted from the sun’s UV rays. This PHOTO CREDIT: MARK LIPPINCOTT spinner looks exactly like a Wedding Ring® Classic Original Series, but all of the components are high UV, which can VIDEO OF THE MONTH be seen on sunny or cloudy days. Mack’s Lure’s Bobby Loomis and Bob Schmidt catch limits of sockeye on the Co- If you’re looking for a lure with two hooks, lumbia River with Angler West TV. The hot lures were Cha Cha® Sockye Squidders. our Ringmaster® Series is a Wedding Ring® with two hooks in a No. 4 size, as well.

Happy fishing!

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