Crankin' Walleyes...

Few things bring more joy into my life than good friends and good fishin'!  Last night I had the best of both.  As the sun set, Eric Wolf closed the In Towne Marina Doors and jumped into my boat.  This will likely go down as one of the shortest outings of the year, yet I believe it may also be one of the best.  Why?  Becuase in a few short minutes, we boated some magnificent walleyes and shared many laughs.  Not to mention, Eric boating his largest ever.

Our secret was very simple.  Crankbaits.  We didn't start fishing until the sun had called it a day.  The timing worked well, because darkness and crankbaits can be a deadly combo.  A  few casts into the evening and I was hooked up.  Walleye number one was in the boat and the skunk was gone.  A quick pic and she was swimming again.

Next, it was Eric's turn.  A couple of grunts from the back of the boat meant that he was in battle.  Sadly, it came unbuttoned and he was left wondering.  "It felt really heavy," was all he could say about it.  The dissapointment didn't last long.  Soon he another.  Then another.  Each one growing in size.  Back and forth we traded photographing duties.  In our very short time on the water we boated a handful of dandy walleyes and released them all.

One of the perks of a good crankbait bite is the fact that you may connect with some hogs.  Many times they are all too big for the grease.  Isn't that a sweet problem?  Good weather, good company, and good fishin'.  Does it get any better?  And to think, I am lucky enough to have this opportunity 2 minutes from my house.  I am truly blessed.  Congrats to Eric for his new walleye of a lifetime!  Until the next big walleye strikes, keep on livin' your dream!

Travis Frank - Travis@mnbound.com

2011 Metro Walleye Opener

The Minnesota fishing opener has come and gone.  For some, it may be one to forget.  Still, others made the most of the cold water temps and hooked a few 'eyes.  Fortunately, I was one of the lucky ones.  When it comes to cold spring weather, I tend to grin from ear to ear.  If there is one thing metro walleyes love, it is cool spring water.

My opener wasn't quite normal.  For the first time in years it didn't start at midnight.  In fact, it didn't even start on Saturday.  The reason?  I have been part of a team that was courting the Governor for the 2012 fishing opener.  The details of my mission kept me off the water Saturday and will be revealed shortly.  But, I will admit that there is a very happy ending!

Now, back to the walleyes.  I hit the water Sunday with the sun already high in the sky.  I have been working hard the past few seasons to find walleyes that I can catch during the middle of the day.  I feel that its the ultimate challenge.  My first spot revealed that last years honey hole was still a good bet.  Walleye number 1 for the season came around 11 AM and pushed the scales somewhere over 6 pounds.  Moments later a larger one broke the surface, and we were off and running.  Fish after fish and smile after smile.  There was just one problem.  We couldn't find anything small enough to keep.  All of our fish were larger than 20 inches.  Ha, what a problem indeed!

After an afternoon snack and a short break, I grabbed 2 new anglers, named Mikey and Eric.  We hit the water for Round 2.  This being the evening bite.  Again we hit Tonka and again we found action.  Only this time we got sloppy.  The first 3 walleyes managed to come unhooked, and the fourth made Mikey look foolish before breaking his line.  I actually found it funny.  He did not.  The fish was a giant.  A possible 10 pounder.  With a chip on his shoulders, Mikey turned his frown upside down moments later with one set of his hook.  After losing the walleye of a lifetime, he totally redeemed himself with the catch of the day.  Another tank.  A 9 pound walleye that took the crown for the day.  Holding it like a precious child, he posed for a picture and we released it for another battle.  His evening was complete and so was mine.  A good way to start the season?  Ha, I think so!  Between our entire crew, we finished the day with 13 walleyes ranging from 20 and 29 inches.  We were totally spoiled!  From the metro filled walleye waters, happy fishing opener 2011!  May you be blessed with big walleye smiles all season long.  Until the next walleye strikes, keep on livin' your dream!

Travis Frank - Travis@mnbound.com

Shadzilla Muskies

Every angler wants an advantage.  In muskie fishing, this takes on a whole new meaning.  The smallest details make all the difference.  Whether its a longer rod, a high speed reel or particular moon phase, everything comes into play.  As a diehard angler and fishing guide, I am willing to try anything that may put an extra fish or two in my boat.  Anything!

The past few seasons I have been searching for a particular swimbait that would give the fish something they haven't seen.  No blades, no topwater plopping.  I wanted the lure to have good action, and the ability to retrieve at high speeds.  The problem was this.  I kept running into lures that would blow out sideways when I picked up the pace.  They just wouldn't run true.

That was until I found the Shadzilla's.  They are a new soft bodied swimbait made up in Canada.  I called the owner directly and asked him if these lures run true at high speeds.  He assured me that they did and I purchased 2.  The rest is history.  On my fourth cast I picked up the speed and ran it past a known fish.  A large fish.  In the middle of that cast I experienced a strike that I haven't seen in years.  The 50 incher t-boned the bait with such recklessness that it scared me stiff.  There was no follow or advanced notice.  She came out of nowhere and crushed it.  To make the story better, it was high noon on a calm sunny day.  No moon phase sight.  It was a pure reaction strike.

Was it a fluke?  Not a chance.  The next day I hit the water and made two casts on another known fish.  Again, I was scared straight.  She flew out of nowhere and smoked the bait sideways.  These fish were attacking without any hesitation.  I remember looking at my buddy in the boat and his eyes looked like they were ready to explode.  I hadn't seen this kind of response since the cowgirl was introduced.  It was awesome!  The fish had no hesitations and wanted it bad.

The key ingredient was speed.  It's no secret that muskies react to fast moving objects.  The faster the better.  Plus, many of these fish have been conditioned to our bucktails, bulldawgs and topwaters.  I was excited to finally have something to burn that didn't have blades on it.  Swimbaits have been around for years.  This high speed technique was purely something different.  The rest of the fall proved that the muskies were also excited about the bait.  I didn't spill the beans on my new approach last year because I wanted to enjoy it with my clients and buddies.  Truth is, it brought back memories of my first years chasing muskies.  When you found a fish, they would eat.  No follows.  And, we caught fish on it until the ice locked us tight in November.

As this muskie season approaches, you may want to throw this lure into your bag of tricks.  If you have the willpower to burn it, I believe you will put a few more fish in your bag.  I'm not 100% sure, but I think the only place in the US that carries the Shadzilla is Big Wood Musky Lures.  The owner of the company is Kyle Knock.  He's a great guy and will hook you up with what he has.  Just know, that it isn't easy to get your hands on these baits.  The guy doesn't build them fast enough.  So there you have it.  My favorite lure for 2010.  I hope it serves you well as we enter another season of Monster Quest.  Until then, keep on livin' your dream!

George Wahl Metro Muskie Tournament

Roughly 270 muskie addicts took to the metro waters this past Saturday.  The reason?  To participate in a tourney that raises money to stock more muskies.  With an affordable entry fee, the George Wahl Memorial Muskie Tournament offers people a competitive atmosphere, several top lakes to fish, and another reason to chase muskies.  The best part.  All the money raised goes directly to stocking muskies in our waters.  A great tournament for a great cause!

Thursday night, guide partner Bob Turgeon and I, discussed fishing together.  We've been looking for an excuse to fish together all year.  Our guiding has kept us from jumping in the boat together, but this gave us a very good reason to fish hard for a full day.  I contemplated all the things on my "to do" list, but a fierce strike from a hungry muskie on Friday morning changed my mind.  I was out scouting on a solo mission, when I had a giant erupt and go to battle.  It was all I needed to get the competitive mojo back in me.  That 50 incher seeled the deal.  Instantly I sent Bob a text saying, "lets do this!"

The forecast for Saturday was a muskie fisherman's nightmare.  The bottom had dropped out on the thermometer, the Barometer was through the roof and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.  All signs said go home.  Still, we had a combined 30 plus years of Tonka muskie experience in the boat that day.  Our plan was to fish hard and hope for a good bite.  The same as any day.  Not that there was a lot of pressure from the tournament, but we managed to put high expectations on ourselves.

We zigged and zagged across the lake fishing different patterns and spot specific areas.  We discussed each one in detail.  The why's, where's and when's.  It was fun bouncing info back and forth.  It didn't take long and things clicked.  The "click" came when a mid to high 40's came 3 feet out of the water on Bob's lure.  As fast as I could grab the net, the fish was gone.  Ouch!  It was the fuel for our fire, and put us into tournament mode for the rest of the day.  Neither of us wanted to go back to shore without a fish in the boat.  From that point on we were a perfect team.  We worked spots thoroughly and covered every detail without even asking what the other was thinking.  Sometimes this happens quickly with a partner, and sometimes it takes years to get there.  We managed it in about 45 minutes.

We fished hard and we fished with a purpose.  The muskies weren't cooperating, but we never had any doubt that it wouldn't happen.  As time was dwindling, we finally put the icing on the cake.  A fat 47.5 incher came flying out of nowhere and missed Bob's lure.  2 casts later and it was an all out war.  This time, we were on the winning side.  A quick measurement and a picture with the Saturday edition of the Star Tribune and the fish was back in the water.  It was a satisfying feeling to know that we could get the job done.  We didn't care about anything other than putting a muskie in my boat.

We knew the conditions were tough, but we had no idea that Bob's muskie would be enough to take 2nd place.  Heck, we didn't even think it would make a top 10 finish.  It just shows that if you fish hard, anything can happen.  By all reason and purpose, that muskie should not have eaten at 2:30 in the afternoon.  Thankfully, nobody told the muskie that!  Congrats to Bob for a great fish, and Thank you for a day on the water that I will never forget.  Also, thank you to all the anglers that helped to raise money for our wonderful resources.  We all stand to see the results many times over.  A great day for a great cause!  Until the next muskie strikes, keep on livin' the dream!

Travis Frank - travis@mnbound.com

Fall is in the Air...

It's a tough day when a guy has to sit down and think about what he wants to pursue.  Should I grab a few minnows and chase a walleye dinner, or do I go for a fat muskie?  Do I don a camo pattern and sit in a tree with my bow, or should I grab a shotgun and try to knock something out of the air?  It's a tough choice.  Luckily, I can't lose.  No matter the final decision, I'm a winner either way.  Fall is in the air.  If you love the outdoors, there is no better time than right now.

I just so happen to be one of those crazy outdoor fools.  It's no secret that I have a passion for muskies.  It consumes most every minute of my life.  I'm an addict no doubt, but I do love a few other things too.  Last week I snuck out with my dad and fishin' buddies for a fresh walleye dinner.  My first cast rewarded me with a nice 26 incher.  Too large to eat, but it wasn't the only catch and my belly was soon full.

Prior to my walleye outing I shared a shotgun experience with longtime hunting partner Sean Bailey.  Dove's were our target and we were dialed in.  The morning flight brought hot barrels to our shotguns and before we knew it, we had a limit of tasty birds on the ground.  My first hunting experience of the year couldn't have gone any better.  The limit of birds was one thing.  Sipping a hot cup of coffee in the field with a great hunting companion is another.  In my world, it doesn't get any better!

Does my arrow fly true?  I won't claim Robin Hood status, but after the past few weeks, I am once again confident in my skills.  Sure the mosquitos are out, but the elevation keeps most of them away.  Putting myself in a position to outsmart a whitetail brings a rush that is unexplainable.  I was reminded about this rush when the first of 4 deer walked under my stand last night.  If I wasn't ready for hunting season before, I sure am now.

With each fall day a new story is made.  Thanks to my life on the water, I get to share many of them with others.  There is no such thing as a bad day of fishing.  However, sharing in the experience isn't always a good thing for others.  Such is the case with Jeff.  A fisherman that has no choice but to admit to his family that he is addicted to chasing muskies.  This past friday marked our third trip of the year.  Lucky for me, he is now three for three!  What he doesn't know is that this feeling of excitement never goes away.  This addiction has only just begun.  This addiction and all the rest that come with it remind me why I am blessed to live in the land of 10,000 lakes.  Fall is in the air.  Are you making the most of it?  It will be gone before we know it.  Until next time, keep livin' the dream!

Travis Frank - Travis@mnbound.com