As with other parts of the world, Wisconsin has sacred days.  Do not make plans with those participating in these events in Wisconsin.  These days include opening of archery deer hunting, the rut, gun deer season, turkey season, first ice (ice fishing), or any event allowing an excuse to drink beer (especially in public).  Today's sacred holiday was fishing opener.  Wisconsinites are now able to fish game species on all waters.  No more panfish or carp....  It's on like Donkey Kong. As per usual, I meticulously prepare my lures, load my kayak, and pack my tackle.  Though my home water is 3 minutes from my front door, I cannot waste any time returning home for forgotten equipment.  After enjoying an evening Wisconsin cookout with the major Wisconsin food groups (brats, burgers, beans, beer, cheese), I turn in for the night.  Having enjoyed the evening with neighborhood friends, I went to bed later (and with more beers in me) than expected for my opening day.  The price o

Last week, with bass season closed in most Wisconsin waters, I took to a nearby river.  If you haven't read about my Bass Goggles clouding my judgement and nearly invoking a "code brown", check it out . I was determined, when conditions normalized, so avenge my pride and tackle the same river.  This opportunity was presented this last week when a new kayak fishing buddy of mine was looking for partners to float the river via our local Facebook Group . We called a local kayak rental/launch site to confirm parking and they indicated the river had dropped over 8 inches since my treacherous adventure.  We were planning the float for Friday, the day before Wisconsin fishing opens on other waters, and the local news was calling for an unseasonably warm 90 degrees.  We planned a float. The night before I carefully prepped and loaded my kayak and gear.  I rigged my DIY drag chain to help control my speed in the current (I learned last time anchoring in the current isn't

'Twas the night before Bass Opener, when all through the house all the creatures were stirring, especially the spouse. The lures were tied to the rods with care, in hopes that Mr. Largemouth would give them a stare. The anglers were all nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of topwater blowups danced in their heads. And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my camo cap, had just settled our brains for a short spring nap. When from my alarm clock arose such a ringing, I rose from the bed, hoping my drag would soon be singing. Away to the vehicle I flew like a flash, Tore open my coffee and loaded up the 'yak. The moon on the breast of the glass-like lake, Gave the luster of mid-day to the largemouth below. When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a dawn top-water blowup on my baitcasting gear. With a fight so lively and swift, I knew in a moment it must be a monster fish. More rapid than eagles his jumps they came, and he

Work, stress, bills, politics, media, interstates, traffic, phones, social media, and the list goes on...  These things are part of today's society.  Everyone needs a "Happy Place" to temporarily escape.  For my wife, it is getting lost in a good book.  For Happy Gilmore, it was an odd dreamland destroyed by Shooter McGavin.  Mine is found at my local reservoir. I've spent countless hours fishing my local reservoir, learning every structure and contour.  The time I have invested here makes me secure and provides me a sense of familiarity.  I'm familiar with the water, weather, and fish patterns.  There is no stress related to water, weather conditions, or finding fish.   Anytime I struggle fishing other waters, I come here to normalize and find my Moment of Zen. After my "code brown" river fishing experience , I was in dire need of a Moment of Zen at my Happy Place.  Yesterday I took my FeelFree Lure  to my local reservoir.  On this picture-perfec

Today I learned a valuable lesson about respect.  Respect for mother nature.  She provides us with wonderful things we all enjoy.  For me, I was using one of her rivers in an attempt to catch her bass. To prepare for the upcoming May KBF North Central Great Lakes tournament hosted by TourneyX , I pre-fished a nearby river.  I've fished rivers, but never by kayak.  I prefer the calm lakes, but bass season is closed until May 7 here in Wisconsin.  I was up for a new challenge, blinded by the possibility of catching my first bass of 2016 in my new-found love (my FeelFree Lure kayak). My goal was to launch shortly before sunrise.  The night before, I ceremoniously removed my bass trays from my tackle box and placed them in my kayak crate.  I loaded the rest of my gear into the car and strapped the kayak on the roof.  After a Wisconsin winter that refused to give way for spring, finally.  I was actually going bass fishing!  I enjoyed the evening with a few beers and the family and

I love fishing.  I love fishing from a kayak from my FeelFree Lure more than expected.  I recently decided to go all-in.  I registered for the Minnesota Kayak Fishing Association Fishing Opener Online Tournament .  I have also registered for the Tourney X Great Lakes Regional tournament in May hosted by Kayak Bass Fishing . To ensure my tournament identifiers are properly preserved and displayed in my CPR (catch photo release) tournaments, I'm anxiously awaiting my recently ordered Tourney Tag .  If you are in CPR tournaments, check these guys out.  Their versatile product protects your identifiers exponentially better than your run-of-the-mill sandwich bag. In addition to entering the kayak fishing tournament trail, due to the overwhelming social media feedback on by blog, I am awaiting review from Amazon for my blog to be available to Kindle readers!  I will surely share the link on my blog, Facebook page , and Twitter account once approved.  I'm also working

No excuses. Rain or shine. The love of fishing with the "no excuses" approach has served me well in the past. I've caught some of my best bass in rainstorms while others are warm in their homes.  Last year I landed a nice largemouth in my Jon boat while a good Samaritan was cleaning up the river bank. He looked up while I was admiring the beautiful 19" fish and said, "Wow! Nice fish!".   I smile and release her so others may enjoy catching her and the future generations she will create. The good Samaritan yells, "What!?!?! You aren't keeping that fish?!?!".   I reply, "No, I'll let her make more bass and be caught again." By the look on his face, you would have thought I was skinny dipping in the river.  We silently agree to disagree and carry on as we were. To clarify, I occasionally keep fish for a Wisconsin fish fry.   I believe people are free to choose to keep or release fish within the local laws.  But I am

Like Harry and Lloyd from the movie Dumb and Dumber, I've got worms. Well, my daughter does. But the are the good kind - night crawlers. Up until the end of last year, she was afraid of touching my plastics, let alone night crawlers. Though I am a bass fisherman at heart, I target panfish during ice fishing, when bass season is closed in Wisconsin in the spring, or when fishing with my daughter. Her favorite fish to catch is crappie. (As of last year, she catches them but doesn't touch them). Towards the end of last season, she suddenly lost her fear of touching worms. With spring (finally) arriving in Wisconsin, she has filled me with pride and embraced the hobby of worm hunting. She loves the outdoors and nature. She also enjoys fishing (though our trips usually end with a trip to build sand castles at the beach). This spring, she has also convinced her friends digging for worms is fun. In this iPad/tablet generation, I was proud she was willing to dig in the

Yesterday I was out of my comfort zone. I got skunked. I love the experience gained from fishing new waters and meeting new people. However, a part of me is bothered when I'm skunked. Whether the cause of said skunk is fishery or fisherman, it hurts a little. To get the skunk off of me, I visit my home reservoir. I've spent countless hours learning every inch of the water and features beneath. This is my homefield advantage, my comfort zone, my place of peace. I don't get skunked here. On the contrary, this place gets the skunk off of me. It is my tomato juice. On this beautiful (finally) morning in Western Wisconsin, I launched at sunrise. The reservoir was all mine. The water like glass, the skies clearing, and the panfish feasting on the bugs now emerging from the cold. The sight of my FeelFree Lure awaiting to carry me into these perfect conditions made me smile. With the calm conditions, I took a moment to use my new Garmin Striker 4DV to get a better vi

I consider myself a bass fisherman. I'm an equal opportunity fisherman, and am happy to catch any species. However, I know bass best. This time of year, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources dictates bass off-limits for inland waters. I am also intimately familiar with multi-species hot spots in my local reservoir. In addition, I have recently chosen a kayak as my primary fishing vessel over my Jon boat. I have also chosen to connect with fellow kayak angers via social media. Today, the comfort zone of my species, local reservoir, and fishing partner were abandoned. This morning I targeted panfish and rough fish on a new lake with a new fishing partner. It. Was. A. Blast. Sure, I was not properly prepared, as my new fishing partner was, with minnows. However, it was a new experience. I enjoyed the new waters, meeting a new fellow kayak angler, and learned a few things about fishing. The most important is to have the proper bait for the species and conditio

I fell in love with bass fishing as a child.  I remember my dad taking me to the cranberry marshes where we lived in Tomah, Wisconsin where we regularly caught monster bass. We moved to Richland Center, Wisconsin when I was in fourth grade.  Shortly thereafter he upgraded to a nicer boat and made it a yearly tradition to take my friends and I fishing at the end of the summer before school resumed.  These memories started my love for bass fishing.  As a father, this holds strong in my mind. My daughter is nearly six years old and loves fishing (though she bores easily as I did at that age).  She loves going out on the jon boat at our local lake.  She is great at fishing, though she isn't quite ready to handle the fish.  She still has a love for the sport kindling. Today we were shopping at Scheels Sporting Goods in Eau Claire Wisconsin.  While waiting for my wife to find some baby clothes for my three-month-old son, I decided to take my daughter to Scheels to pass the time.  We

Ever since my Feel Free Lure 11.5 was delivered, I have been itching to take it out on my local reservoir. Ever since the end of last open water season, I have been itching to get back out. Though I enjoy ice fishing, there is nothing like the gentle rock of a small boat on summer days. And gliding over smooth-as-glass water as the sun comes over the horizon on summer mornings to burn off the night fog. Today was not one of those beautiful days. Though it was in the high 50s in Western Wisconsin, the water was 41 degrees and choppy with 20 MPH winds. I couldn't stand it anymore, I must get the kayak out for the maiden voyage......because I can't find where I put the Jon boat plug last fall... Bass season is closed in Wisconsin, so I leave the jigs, frogs, spinbaits, and buzz baits in the tackle box. I load my crate with my hook tray and my ice/pan fishing boxes. I'm looking forward to using my favorite ice and panfish plastic, the Panfish Plastics Chigger Fry .

There is just something about it, the addictions.  The first is the addiction to catching fish, bass, the topwater explosions. The outdoors.  The second is pushing the limits of the small craft.  Jon boats, canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, SUPs, etc.  The addiction of pushing these low-cost, low maintenance crafts to seek bass.  The adrenaline rush when you have a hit and go for a ride. Beyond my family, moments like this are what I live for.  I also live for the repetition of these moments that cause the big bass boat weekend warriors to follow me, when my entire setup cost less than their electronics. Sure, I'd love a decked-out bass boat.  But it isn't practical for my family.  For my fishing, my 12' Alumacraft given to me by my father-in-law and my recently added kayak are what I enjoy fishing from.  They push my creativity and planning.  I can't simply fire up my 250 HP motor and cover any body of water I please.  I must plan my lakes, floats, and launches.  It pus