| Snagging Bills by Randy Johnson |
| The Warsaw, Missouri area is known as the spoonbill capitol of the world - the main reason for this is large numbers of these fish are pulled from this area every year. My family and I have tried this "Snagging Bills" and all I have to say is this is an experience I recommend everyone check out ... |
| Aitkin, MN Fish House Parade by Randy Johnson |
Every year in Aitkin Minnesota, just around the Thanksgiving holiday a wonderful event unfolds. People from around the world come to visit a small community in northern Minnesota and sharing some wintertime fun... |
| Tip-up Fishing Basics by Randy Johnson |
| Tip-up fishing is a lot like watching a bobber, the only differences is you're waiting for a flag to come up. If you've never had the opportunity to utilize a tip up there are some basic tips that will be helpful for you... |
| If you can walk, you can snowshoe! by Randy Johnson |
| Probably the easiest way to begin snowshoeing is simply by going out and doing it. There is no magic art, no special clothes required no sophisticated manual or rule book to read. So simply rent or buy a pair of snowshoes dress for the elements and enjoy.
Snowshoes have been around for approximately 6000 years. And they were probably the earliest form of transportation. Over the centuries different styles of snowshoes were designed for different types of snow conditions and terrain. The first snowshoe’s were primarily designed for weight carrying capacity and tended to be a bit larger than the ones used today. Over the past 15 years, snowshoe evolution has completely revolutionized the snowshoe itself. Today's snowshoes are much smaller and easier to use not to mention the fact the weight is dramatically decreased. Snowshoeing is probably the easiest and least expensive sport to enjoy... |
| The Unbelievable Fish Tale by Randy Johnson |
| I heard Al yelling for me but was unable to make out what he was saying but as I got close to the dock I heard him say “I love this lake – I got my first fish without even using a rod and reel!” So here is what happened... |
| RandyMan’s Grouse Hunting basics by Randy Johnson |
| The Grouse is one of my all time favorite birds to hunt, mainly because it allows me the opportunity to be in the deep woods during the fall leave change. This is also a wonderful time of the year to view all animals as they bulk up for the winter. Often I will come across deer, bear, squirrels, rabbits and other birds in my quest for a grouse or two for the dinner table... |
| Grouse Hunting - A Perfect Hunt by Randy Johnson |
Every now and then you have an experience that you talk about for a long time, well just last Sunday I was fortunate enough to have a perfect hunt. I had spent most of the morning cutting and splitting wood ( getting ready for old man winter ). After spending most of my day working - I decided to spend a little quality time in the woods looking for grouse... |
| Grouse Hunting At Its Best by Randy Johnson |
The grouse hunting season has started and most numbers indicate the population is on the rise!... |
| Antler Shed Hunting by Randy Johnson |
One of my favorite spring time events is walking the woods of the north in search of shed deer antlers. If you are a deer hunter, it also provides clues to the location and habits of deer that survived the hunting season. Not only is this good exercise for the body - but also for the mind. The cool, calm spring air helps clear the mind. Here is some information you may find interesting before you go in to the woods looking for sheds... |
| Walleye Fishing - Summer Walleye Hunting by Randy Johnson |
| With summer bearing down on us, the walleye action is really starting to pick up. When the summer sun raises water temps into the 70 degree+ range, walleye daily activity also increases. Although some may find the going a little tough, this time of the year, those who are willing to change the way and where they fish for walleyes, can still take home some nice catches... |
| Trout fishing in Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area by Randy Johnson |
| Trout fishing is excellent in the many stocked mine lakes in this Crosby area. Here you can angle for rainbow, brown, brook, and even lake trout amid natural surroundings with no development and little competition... |
| Red Lake Crappie Call by Randy Johnson |
| Red Lake holds some of the best crappie action I have ever seen. However, the lake is a very large body of water with little in the way of structure. For this reason, there is no way to point to a spot on the map and say "here is a spot where they will be"... |
| Eelpout Fishing - Minnesota Lobster by Randy Johnson |
| I can remember the first one I saw - it was late into the evening and the rattle reel was moving ever so slowly. I set the hook and began yelling to my sleeping fishing partner," Got a big one on - get up and give me a hand with this big bad boy!" After rolling out of bed, Jerry walked over to the hole - looked down at the fish swimming under the ice and said " cut the line!"... |
| Ice Fishing - Late Ice and Going for it! by Randy Johnson |
| Everyone would love to catch more fish during late ice. Ice anglers seem to fall into a more relaxed routine when they head out onto the ice this time of the year. They may catch a few fish but once they stop catching fish, it is blamed on the fish - "they just stopped biting". My personal favorite is "fish stop eating late ice". This is just not a fact!... |
| Ice Fishing With Rattle Reels by Randy Johnson |
| I love to ice fish - and spend alot of nights sleeping in the house with one ear open waiting for the sound of a large fish taking out line. Rattle reel fishing is not new and is not the most productive way to catch fish on ice. That being said - this form of fishing is the most used in fish houses today. Maybe it is because you can spend time doing other things, like sleeping, and still have the opportunity to catch fish... |
| Deer Stand Walleye Fishing - Part II - Late Ice by Randy Johnson |
| This article is an extension of what we discussed in Part 1. I like to call this time of the year REAL hard ice. It is when the ice gets past 2 feet thick and -50 is not uncommon. This is when you need to change how you go after old marble eyes. Walleye begin to move into a different pattern this time of the year and the three main steps for hunting them down like you would a deer also changes... |
| Deer Stand Walleye Fishing by Randy Johnson |
| Ice fishing is much like deer hunting from a stand. In order to be successful you must be in the best place at the correct time using the right gear or you are just not going to do very well. Knowledge of the fish you plan to take is also a very important when still fishing on ice. I know of no deer hunter who would go to the woods and set up next to a group of other hunters. There are just to many things that can spook off a deer or walleye for that matter... |
| Fishing Guides - RandyMan’s Guide to Picking a Guide by Randy Johnson |
| One of the many things fishing people can spend money on is a guided trip for that “trip of a lifetime” fishing experience. Although there is an abundance of excellent fishing guides on most lakes, it doesn’t take long to figure out that some are better than others. Sometimes an angler may find that spending a little effort up front in picking the correct guide for your trip is well worth it. Picking the correct guide will take some time, research and even a little work on your part. The pay off is that by following some basic steps you and your guide will have a memorable experience on the water... |