Fishing - spring & summer

I love fishing and this post I am going to nerd out on it for a minute. To me, fishing is relaxing and a puzzle to figure out, what are fish biting, what baits work and what doesn't...to me, that is fun!

We tried some ice fishing this year, i don't have a Vexlar (fish finder) so this was really hard to get on fish. This was the boys first time and we leaned not to stick our hands in the water! For ice fishing, your technique is mainly jigging. We rigged up minnows and sent them to the bottom to try and find fish!

Terra Lake in Johnston is stocked with trout and trout feed through the day and night, so I tried a couple nights to catch trout. This is my rig for ice fishing (for now), the sled helps getting across the ice...just might need a larger sled next year!

Onto some fish! 3 pound largemouth caught in MN. Every spring, the bass up at the lake we go to love green pumpkin crawdads! I use the YUM Craw Papi in green pumpkin. I rig this on a Texas rig using a 3/8 bullet weight also in green pumpkin and a 4/0 or 5/0 hook.

This seems to do the trick!

But around Iowa...the carw papi doesn't seem to work, I'm not sure if Iowa ponds and lakes don't have as many craw dads in the water for bass to feed on or what...but when I fish in Iowa, I need to switch it up! This one I really like Googan Baits Juicee Jig in Okeechobee craw color, I put on Googan Saucy Swimmer trailer with this one, it has a paddle tail that give the bait a good wobble as you retrieve it.

This is a new rig that I have been trying this year, using weighted swim bait hooks with a swim bait paddle tail. The hook sits in a slot in the plastic making it weedless! This is the Bio Baits ExoSwim in Pro Blue Red Pearl color

Even frogs like this bait...

This year, I got a fly fishing rod (thanks Mom & Dad for the early birthday present!) We are planning a trip to Decorah for late summer, so I wanted to get some practice in. Fly fishing is pretty different from traditional casting, the technique is different but I am getting the hang of it! I don't know all the names of the flies yet...but I'm learning!

I caught this big bluegill on the fly rod, it is super fun and they put up a good fight!

Pretty sure this was caught using Mayfly

This was on an Elk Hare Caddis fly

This was on the mayfly. I have mainly been using "dry flies", these float on the surface of the water and for beginners are easier to see when a strike happens! Nymphs are flies that sink in the water and streamers are bigger flies that you strip line to create movement (pull line back)...I'm still learning!

I did have some luck with these craw dads, Berkley Power Bait Chigger Craw in green pumpkin

As you can tell, I like the Texas rig and using soft plastic baits, but I also will switch it up and use some hard baits. One I really like this year is lipless crank bait, it's by Karl's Amazing Baits called the Thwacker in the fire craw color, it catches big fish and little fish (as pictured below!)

One bait that I have been throwing more this year is the Berkley Choppo, this is the 90mm size and in the MF Bluegill color. This is a surface lure, as you retrieve it, the back blade spins around and makes a plopping sound in the water. 

This big fish hit the Choppo! She weighted in at 2 lbs 3 oz! I caught this one in Urbandale at the pond next to the middle school!

Back to the Texas rig, this one was caught on the Googan Baits Drag 'n Drop worm in the sunset bug color. I used a red hook trying to catch more attention from fish...don't know if that actually works or not...

I have been using this swim jig a lot, here's a better picture of the Googan Baits Juicee Jig in Okeechobee craw color, this time I paired it with a Killer Jigs 5" paddle tail swimbait in watermelon red ghost color. 

Killer Jigs is a local company, out of Huxley, Iowa! I came across them at the Bassmaster Swap Meet that was held in February at the fair grounds, they make great baits!

Big fish like this jig, this has been my personal biggest fish for this summer, caught this in a little pond next to some new housing developments, this was early in the sping, pre-spawn, so this momma had a big belly on her, full of eggs!

She weighted in at 3lbs 1oz!

This little guy like the jig as well!

A new bait that I have been trying but I'm not very good with yet, it the Mike Bucca Baby Bull Shad, this one is in threadfin shad color. This jointed swimbait looks like a fish swimming as you bring it back! The action is very life like.

I've only caught a few little ones with this, but I haven't thrown it a ton yet...

I have also been trying a few new things, watching YouTube video's trying to improve my skills! A few of my favorite channels: Marling Baits, Ike in the Shop, Mad River Outfitters, Orvis, and Debo's Fishing to list a few. One of the new rigs I have tried is called the Eel rig, this is how it starts

Then you thread the hook and line through the body of the worm, it's almost like a stinger hook because the hook is now toward the end of the bait. Time to test this one in the water!

One things that has expanded my tackle this year is a subscription to Mystery Tackle Box. My parents got it for me for Christmas, each month they send you a new box of tackle! It's a great way to get new baits that I normally wouldn't buy on my own and try new gear!

Tight lines!