Pierre, SD or Bust

It is the middle of June, and my wife and I have only taken one trip to a local lake.  We promptly got skunked, so both decided we needed to go where fish have been caught in great quantities. 

The month of May was lost due to business appointments and some of the worst weather I have ever seen both here in Iowa and in the Dakotas.  It was difficult to pick a three day period where the forecast would hold a high pressure, stable conditions and westerly flow.  Then it hit.  A big system rolled through northern Nebraska and into South Dakota bringing tornadoes, heavy rain and easterly winds.  Right behind it was a forecast I had been waiting for that claimed to last for four to five days.  This was it.  We made reservations at a motel, hooked up the boat, and headed to Pierre, South Dakota. 

Berkley Flicker Shad Crankbaits

This is the lure to buy from Bass Pro.  My wife and I use it the majority of the time when fishing for walleye, white bass, or even crappie.  They all go for it.  Buy one today and send me an e-mail with your results.



The forecast was for southwesterly winds 7-14 mph with temps in the 70s.  It cannot get any better than that.  The drive up still held easterly winds so we had great fuel consumption being pushed by the winds.  We were in the room by 8 PM.  The restaurant in the motel opened up at 6 AM.  We ate breakfast and then headed out to Farm Hill Recreation area. 

This is a small lake just off the Missouri River.  The access to the river is closed but water and fish can still migrate into the lake from the river.  This makes for excellent fishing and the number of boats is very small.  We both liked this as there was not much competition for prime spots on the lake. 

The lake runs parallel to the Missouri River.  Looking south, the opening to the river is at the south end. This is a beautiful lake and easy to fish and there are no underwater obstructions.

The wind was not what it was forecast.  Does this come as a surprise to anyone reading this blog today?  Instead of out of the west, it was due south and really whipping up the lake.  Still, we had not driven this far to sit in a motel room so we hit the waters with great optimism. 

South Dakota either has great boat ramps or they stink.  This is an excellent ramp, and there is a fish cleaning station nearby with a grinder that grinds up the cleanings.  They expect you to clean up your mess.

The first few hours we did not have one solid hit, and the graph did not show a lot of suspended fish.  Not a good sign.  We worked down to the south end of the lake.  It got shallow running around 4.5 to 3.5 feet and then really shallow.  Pam's rod was smacked with a bang.  We both believed this was the start.  She landed a really nice white bass.  We would take all of these we could get.  This was in 4 feet of water, and we were pulling plugs.  It was not easy as we constantly got our lures weeded up.  Still, we held our rods up and skimmed the tops of the weeds.  This let us fish a little longer before the inevitable cleaning of the lure. 

In 3.5 feet of water my wife got all tangled up in weed, or so she said.  I stopped the boat, and she pulled in a nice walleye.  Not bad.  They must be lying in the weeds and not in the main part of the lake where they usually suspend.  Thirty minutes later she had another.  No strike, just the pull that makes you think you are now tangled in weed.  We both had learned to set the hook if the rod felt heavy, and that morning we set the hook on a lot of weed.

Bass Pro Shops Gold Series Folding Landing Net with 35 Fixed Handle

This is the net I now use and after watching the video of Vladimir Putin catching the nice northern, I noticed his people use this type of net.  It make scooping them up easier and it has a long handle.  Click on the pic or the text to order from Bass Pro.



The fish she had on was big and would have fed four people.  Now, I broke one of my rules.  Keep the net in the water along the side of the boat and when the fish is pulled to the side of the boat, dip down and bring it up quickly.  You will never lose a fish.  Instead, in my excitement, I reached out to net the big boy.  Pam must have let the line go limp and we lost the fish because he threw the plug. 

We kept the strategy up by fishing in the weeds to the edge and would periodically pick up a white bass, but the walleye were very difficult.  The wind switched to the northwest and blew a gale making boat control very difficult.  Around 5 PM we gave it up having fished the whole day with a couple of walleye and a half a dozen white bass. 

Tomorrow is another day and a person must always remind himself/herself that it is called fishing, and not catching. 

Good hunting, good fishing and good luck.  Hank

Click on the banner and shop Gander Mountain for great buys.

 
Click on the link and go to my website for great buys.

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Crossing the Border.

Going hunting in Canada is not like going from Iowa to Nebraska.  When I started researching the Caribou hunt, it became very clear,  there was going to be a lot of homework that would have to be done.  Also, it is important to contact the right government agency in Canada to make the border crossing smooth and painless.  The really good news is when a phone call was made to a Canadian government office, the people could not have been more helpful.  They want our money.

 
Berkley Flicker Shad Crankbaits

This is the lure that I have been catching all the walleye on, not only last year, but this year.  Available in blue tiger, is the color to use.  Click on the link or pic to purchase.

Since it is the Manitoba I will be hunting in, I can only report on what was required in that province.  I believe the others may have specific rules and regulations of their own.

The first thing that was discovered, that bringing a handgun into the province was frowned upon.  Visiting with the outfitter, they definitely discouraged any guns other than the one or two I would be shooting on the hunt.  Going into a wilderness area without additional protection will be a first for me.  The guides I have been with in Wyoming and Idaho all carried a sidearm either on their hip or in a shoulder holster besides a rifle for extra protection.  So there will not be any additional firearms on this trip.  To bring in your rifle or whatever you are hunting with you will need to complete form RCMP GRC5589 EF filled out in triplicate but not signed. There is a $25.00 fee and you can pay in American Currency.  The RCMP's website is (http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/index-eng.htm), and you can find all the information you need regarding bringing firearms into Canada.  I also called their office and had the form mailed.  It took a long time for the form to come or you can pull it off the website. 

 
Offshore Angler Fillet Gloves

Don't slice up your hands filleting out the fish.  I own one of these gloves.

I was told by a friend not to bring anything other than what is on the form or it will be confiscated.

When I was a young person, fishing trips were common in Canada, and at the border we were met with extreme courtesy by the border agents with a question of "Where are you going, and how long will you be there."  This was followed by "have a good time."  Off we went to catch fish.  This has all changed and you now must present a pass port to enter the country.  I have no idea of the questioning process.  Fisherman that I visited with did not have any problems crossing the border.   

 
Benelli Super Black Eagle II Semi Auto shotgun

I shoot Benelli Super Black Eagle in Camo. Click on the pic or link above to price and buy from Bass Pro.

At my age in Iowa, I never took a gun safety course to obtain a hunting license.  This held true for the other states where I have hunted.  It came as a surprise that Manitoba requires anyone hunting in the province, must complete a hunter safety course.  Wow, how in tarnation would a person in Iowa get this completed.  A quick call to the outfitter took care of it, and I needed to contact the Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship, Wildlife Branch in Winnipeg.  Toll Free Phone is 1-877-633-4868.  You will be sent a simple one sheet form to complete.   I merely listed all the states that I have held a hunting license and a big game permit, plus how long I held a hunting license in Iowa and mailed the form to the Manitoba Wildlife Federation.  After four weeks had gone by a call was made to the division, and they pulled up my application and said it was approved and when the certificate would be mailed out.  Again, the people visited with were very courteous and helpful.  They want the business.

RedHead Ultra Fire-Resistant 25-Gun Safe

You should know, that the mail moves really slow, so be patient and plan well in advance.  My hunt will be the last week of August, but I obtained the Hunter Education Certificate in April of this year.  All my paperwork has been completed well in advance of the trip.  This will avoid panic attacks so when I go to cross the border, and arrive at the lodge all will be taken care of.

Click on the pic and go shopping at Gander Mountain.

If you are looking at a trip into Canada, and I can be of help please contact me through my e-mail.  (hank@outdoorswithhank.com)

 
Click on the link above and shop the deals.
 
Good hunting, good fishing, and good luck.  Hank

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Right Place at the Right Time

I had worked the ground southwest of the levees next to the river and had no success.  It was time to move on to more familiar territory. The ground had been scouted and there was little else to do except to be on location when the time came.  What a beautiful evening.  Loading up at 6 PM with a ten minute drive to the wooded pasture, put me right on the site.

My wife and I had gone over to the pasture the evening before to feed the cattle our grass clippings.  Three toms had come out of the Missouri River bottom west of the levee.  They headed pretty much in a straight line toward the timber in the northeast side of the pasture.  All I had to do was be at the right location and be on time.  Being there well before 7 PM would give me plenty of time to set up the tent and the decoys. 

The north end of the pasture has a small access lane the landowner uses.  There is dense timber on both sides.  It is about a quarter of a mile to the pasture.  The lane is abundant with deer crossing from west to east, and in the past the area was plentiful with turkey.  With a few small jakes and plenty of hens, I knew I was on the right spot, I hoped.

As I cleared the lane, well to the south of me were three toms.  I could not tell if these were the ones I had seen yesterday.  I slipped the truck, the decoys and the tent into the trees.  There was little time to carry all that gear and set up.  A fallen tree was located on the front edge of the timber.  I hunkered down to wait and hoped this was the spot where they would move through. 

It did not take long and here they came.  A fourth one was lagging behind, but as they got closer, these were not the big toms seen the day before.  There were no hens with them and they moved briskly heading for the timber.  At one point out about 100 yards, they seemed to change direction.  If they stayed on that line, they would bypass me and a shot would not be possible.

A couple of short yelps and a few clucks caused one of them to stick his head up in the air.  In his mind he was saying, "Where are you my dear?  I am coming for you."  That was all it took and they headed straight for me.  The ones passing on my right side were not the big toms, but meat is meat.  At 15 yards the biggest of the three was selected.  Plunk!  It was all over.  The other birds took off flying and running into the timber. The total time invested was thirty minutes from when I arrived.

Not the biggest bird I have plunked, but the young ones taste better.

The turkey season is over in Iowa, and I finally  got a bird on the last day and almost the last hour of the season.  Once in a while we get lucky and really get it right.

 

Good hunting good fishing and good luck.  Hank

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