Archive for the 'Turkeys' Category

Outdoor Horizons Radio with Ron Lindner Interview and more 11-1-08

gengberg November 1st, 2008

This week Tony Puccio, Wally Banfi, and Gary Engberg have Hall of Fame angler Ron Lindner on the show with part two of his great interview. Plus fishing, hunting, and outdoor reports for Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest.

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Chronic Wasting Disease Found in Michigan from my November Buckmasters Story

gengberg October 30th, 2008


      Now, Michigan can be added to the list of states that have confirmed cases of Chronic Wasting Disease or CWD. Presence of the disease was officially confirmed August 25, when the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa reported that a deer from a privately owned game farm in Kent County had tested positive for CWD. The deer facility is located just north of the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan in the Lower Peninsula.

The infected deer was a doe that had recently been culled from the game farm by the owner. Michigan law requires that sick or culled deer from any privately owned cervid (POC) facility be tested for disease. Cervids are deer, elk, and moose. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal neurological disease that can affect all cervids. Most cases of the disease have been in Western states, but in the last decade CWD has made its way into some Midwestern and Eastern states.

CWD has been found in commercial game farms in Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Wisconsin, and New York. In the last decade, the disease has also been found in wild deer and elk in some new states including; northern Illinois, south-central New Mexico, northeastern and central Utah, south-central and south-eastern Wisconsin, central New York, north-east West Virginia, Kansas, and now in the province of
Saskatchewan. There also was CWD found in deer at a game farm in Korea. Continue Reading »

The Northwoods Report 10-12-08

gengberg October 13th, 2008

As of October 13 , 2008:


Fishing, Outdoor, and Event Reports for Eagle River, Wisconsin,

Wausau/Central Wisconsin area; Lake of the Woods and Rainy River out of

Sportsman's Lodge (Baudette, Minnesota).


1. THIS WEEK'S HEADLINES:


-- Walleye in a feeding frenzy as the fall emerald shiner run begins on the

Rainy River, with jumbo perch, slab crappies and some monster muskies being

caught as well, on the south end of Lake of the Woods, out of Sportsman's

Lodge, Baudette, Minnesota.


-- Strong musky bite, with good action for northern, and walleye, smallies

and panfish providing average success in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area.


--  Strong musky, walleye, crappie and bluegill bite, with white bass action

explosive, and some nice sized smallies being taken, in the Wausau/Central

Wisconsin area.


- - EDITOR'S NOTES: Information for all upcoming Wisconsin hunting and

trapping seasons is posted at the end of these reports, with gracious thanks

to guide Phil Schweik of Hooksetters Fishing & Hunting Guide Services,

Mosinee, for providing the excellent information.


- -See a detailed explanation of "turnover" at the close of the reports

under "Item 3" - - "WARNINGS AND INFO FOR A FEW WEEKS OUT" - -important that

all anglers understand and know how to deal with this yearly phenomenon.

-----


2. WEEKLY OUTDOOR AND FISHING REPORTS, and current calendars:


***Eagle River, Wis. (VILAS COUNTY) -- as of October 13, 2008:


(Head): Strong musky bite, with good action for northern, and walleye,

smallies and panfish providing average success in the Eagle River, Wisconsin

area.


Musky in the Eagle River area are chomping down hard on 12-14 inch suckers

along weedline edges, which range from 6 to 14 feet deep, depending on the

lake.  Musky hunters also having success throwing minnow baits, or twitch

baits like a Crane, Grandma or Jake.  Any bait that has an erratic, darting

action, such as a Suick are also doing well.  Best sizes for all the lures

is about six inches.


Northern are still in the weeds in the Eagle River area, hitting in 10 feet

of water or less. Action is best on sunny days, using a lipless minnow bait,

or a "flash bait."   Good bite.


Walleye in the Eagle River area are putting on a slightly better than

average bite.  Best action comes fish hardbottom at the rims of deeper

holes, depths going from 16 to 20 feet.  There are also a few walleye still

around the healthier weeds. Best bait is a jig and fathead minnows, with

some anglers using a jig and half a crawler.


Smallies are slipping deeper in the Eagle River area.  Fish deep, greener

weed edges, over hardbottom areas in water 8 to 15 feet deep.  Live bait is

the key. Use a jig and a minnow, or jig and half a crawler for best results,

with some anglers getting hits on diving crankbaits.  Average bite.


Bluegills and perch in the Eagle River area hav moved, generally to the

deeper weed edges.  Fish bluegills and perch in 8 to 15 feet of water.

Crappies will be found over cribs and wood, suspending at different depths

in 10 to 20 feet of water.  Use a crawler or crappie minnow under a jig or a

slip bobber.  Decent bite.


 (Report for the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce based on Creative

Brilliance interview with "Ranger Rick" Krueger, owner of Guides Choice Pro

Shop).


Contact info for Eagle River:

* Eagle River Chamber of Commerce; 800-359-6315; 715-479-6400; e-mail:

info@eagleriver.org; web: www.eagleriver.org

* Guide’s Choice Pro Shop, 715-477-2248

* George Langley, Eagle River Fishing Guides Association, 715-479-8804.

e-mail:  fishing@eaglesportscenter.com

—–


***Some outdoor activities and events coming up in Eagle River, Wisconsin:


Eagle River, The Snowmobile Capital of the World®, voted number one as The

People’s Choice ­ “The Best Wisconsin Town for a Snowmobiling Getaway.”

Thousands from the state and nation voted in The Wonders of Wisconsin

competition.  Eagle River was also ranked number three for “Best Town for a

Fishing Getaway” and “Best Town for a Boating Getaway.”


- - Sat.-Tues., Oct. 18-21, 2008:  Ranger Rick’s Fall Musky School.  To be

held at various lakes in the Eagle River area. Hands-on expert tutelage from

one of  Eagle River’s legendary guides.  Eagle River Area Chamber of

Commerce & Visitors Center: 800-359-6315; e-mail: info@eagleriver.org; web:

www.eagleriver.org 


GENERAL:  The fall season in Eagle River, Wisconsin means many things:

Beautiful crisp weather, pristine forest with the fall colors of vibrant

reds, golds, and yellows; 1200 lakes including the Eagle River Chain of 28

lakes (the largest freshwater chain of lakes in the world), providing

excellent fall fishing along with unmatched deer, bear, bird, and waterfowl

hunting.  Great time for hiking, biking, birding, picnicking, fall

festivals, fabulous fishing, hunting, exploring and just plain relaxing.

Eagle River Chamber of Commerce; 800-359-6315; 715-479-6400; web:

www.eagleriver.org

—–

—–


***Wausau/Central Wisconsin area (MARATHON COUNTY, including the communities

of Kronenwetter, Mosinee, Rib Mountain, Rothschild, Schofield, Wausau, and

Weston) — as of October 13, 2008:


(Head): Strong musky, walleye, crappie and bluegill bite, with white bass

action explosive, and some nice sized smallies being taken, in the

Wausau/Central Wisconsin area.


Lots of rain in the Wausau/Central Wisconsin area has the local waters

swelling, but in-turn, it has fish on the move.


The musky bite in the Wausau/Central Wisconsin area has been outstanding.

Lots of fish on being taken on suckers, with jerkbaits and bucktails gaining

their share of muskies as well.  Overcast days have been producing fish in

shallow bays, but when the sun is shining look for the muskies to be off the

deep weed edges.


The walleye bite in the Wausau/Central Wisconsin area is very strong.  Look

for the walleyes to be holding in 12 to 16 feet of water.  Work these areas

thoroughly, with jig and minnow combinations.


Lots of slab crappies and bull bluegills are being taken in the

Wausau/Central Wisconsin area.  These fish are holding in about 10 feet of

water in the backwater areas. Drift fishing minnows or worms with slip

bobbers over these areas will take fish all day long.


White bass are making their annual fall run up the Wisconsin River system in

the Wausau/Central Wisconsin area.  The action can be furious.  Look for

shorelines with overhanging grasses and toss Mepps’ spinners right up to and

along those grassy areas on the banks.  Slowly retrieve the lures, and the

white bass will strike with a real fury.


Smallies have been a very pleasant addition to daily bag limits in the

Wausau/Central Wisconsin area.  Quite a few nice sized lunkers are being

caught.  Look for downed timber and big boulders.  Target the smallies with

a Rapala Husky Jerk in firetiger for best results.


Wausau/Central Wisconsin duck hunters have taken advantage of the rainy

weather and are loading up on some nice mallards and wood ducks.


Trappers looking to head to area streams and fields in the Wausau/Central

Wisconsin area should make sure they have all their gear in order as the

season opens soon.


 And remember, that unlike so many lakes further north, that have daily

walleye bag limits of two or three fish, the walleye bag limit remains at

FIVE (5) fish on most of the waters of the Wausau/Central Wisconsin area.


With such a wealth of opportunities, it’s important for anglers to practice

catch-and-release for everything but a few for the frying pan.  This simple

and mindful conservation will insure that the legendary fishing in the

Wausau/Central Wisconsin area will continue for generations to come.


(This report for the Wausau/Central Wisconsin CVB based on Creative

Brilliance interview with guide Phil Schweik of Hooksetters Fishing &

Hunting Guide Services, Mosinee).


For more information about the Wausau/Central Wisconsin area:

*Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention & Visitors Bureau: 888-948-4748, or

715-355-8788; web: www.visitwausau.com

Fishing and hunting info:

* Hooksetters Fishing & Hunting Guide Services (Phil Schweik, John Sparbel,

Craig Lemmer, Justin Gaiche); phone: 715-693-5843; e -mail:

info@hooksetters.biz; web: www.hooksetters.biz.

* Wisconsin Angling Adventures (Joel DeBoer), web:

www.wisconsinanglingadventures.com; e-mail:  joelthe muskyman@charter.net;

phone: 715-297-7573

—– Continue Reading »

Outdoor Horizons Radio 10-11-08

gengberg October 13th, 2008

This week on Outdoor Horizons, Tony, Wally, and Gary give the local fishing report on area waters for walleyes, saugers, muskies, and panfish. They give their normal fishing tips, hunting tips, and outdoor info. They can be listened to live saturdays at 8:00 AM on WTDY 1670 AM in the Madison area or on line at wtdy.com.

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Outdoor Horizons Radio 10-4-08

gengberg October 8th, 2008

Wally Banfi and Tony Puccio do this week’s show with Gary Engberg out of town fishing for muskies.Tune in for the best in fishing, hunting, and the outdoor news at 1670 AM in Madison, Wisconsin on WTDY or listen live at wtdy.com.

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America’s Shotgun, the Remington 870 from my latest Buckmasters Article

gengberg September 30th, 2008


         There is little doubt that the Remington 870 Wingmaster pump action shotgun is the best-selling and most popular firearm ever produced by Remington in its 189-year history. The Model 870 is “truly King of the shotguns” and one if not the most successful sporting gun ever produced in the world.

Here’s a little history on the favorite shotgun of Americans ever manufactured since the Industrial Revolution. Remington recognized at the end of World War II that the industrial world was changing. The price of labor was increasing and automation was beginning to take hold and change America. Then, the Remington Model 31 was their top model pump shotgun, but the company recognized that the new era of automation was changing the face of America and many guns in their line were just getting too expensive to manufacture. The Model 31 was singled out as being one model that was too costly to continue producing even though many shooters believed that it was superior to the ever famous Winchester Model 12. The Model 31 had many precision-machined parts and the handfitting required with the gun made it too expensive for Remington to continue building. Then, the Model 12 was considered the best pump action shotgun available on the market.  Continue Reading »

Local Column River Currents 9-29-08

gengberg September 29th, 2008


Last week, the temperature soared to over 80 degrees in southern Wisconsin. Since the official beginning of fall over a week ago, our temperatures have been anywhere from 10 to 15 degrees above normal. We experienced a little “Indian Summer” weather which had many people out on the area lakes and rivers enjoying one of the last “warm” weekends of the year.
Lake Wisconsin and the Lower Wisconsin River were both busy with anglers out looking for anything that bites and others out enjoying one of the years last weekends in their pleasure boats. The boat landings were crowded on Saturday with fishermen and boaters out for a last fling on the water before putting their boats away for the season. The Lower Wisconsin River also had a good number of people out canoeing, kayaking, and fishing despite the low water level.
Fishing has been inconsistent the last few weeks with the warm temperatures and summer-like conditions. But, fishing will change for the better as the water and weather cools as we get into fall. All fish species now know that winter is coming by the shorter days and diminishing amount of daylight that we are experiencing as we get into the months of October and November. Fish realize that they must go on a feeding binge to bulk up their bodies for the cold of winter when their metabolism and feeding activity drastically slows down. This is why October and November are such good months to fish because all fish are following their instincts and feeding heavily. The fall is also a great time to fish for trophy fish because they are active, aggressive, and often in predictable locations.
The largest muskies, bass, and walleyes of the year are usually caught in the fall before the ice-up on our lakes. If you are a serious fisherman or women, then this is your time of the year. Don’t put your boat away yet because there are many weeks of good fishing left before freeze-up. The one important thing to remember once temperatures cool below freezing at night is to make sure that you drain your boats lower unit every time you pull your boat out of the water. I also suggest that you add an additive, like Stabil Marine, to your boat’s gasoline tank. This prevents your fuel from breaking down and causing problems now or in the spring after a winter of storage. Continue Reading »

Outdoor Horizons Radio 9-20-08 Women in the Outdoors NWTF Bill Meddings

gengberg September 22nd, 2008

Outdoor Horizons Radio with Tony Puccio, Wally Banfi, and Gary Engberg talk about Tony’s money finish at the In-Fisherman PWT walleye tournment at the St. Mary’s River in Sault St. Marie, Michigan. Local fishing and hunting reports and an interview with Col. Bill Meddings at the NWTF Women in the Outdoors event in Cross Plains, Wisconsin. Tune in Saturday mornings at 8:00 AM on 1670 WTDY in Madison and much of southern Wisconsin or listen on line at wtdy.com.

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The Northwoods Report by Naomi Shapiro for Eagle River, Central Wisconsin, and Minnesota’s Lake of the Woods

gengberg September 22nd, 2008

As of September 22, 2008:


Fishing, Outdoor, and Event Reports for Eagle River, Wisconsin,

Wausau/Central Wisconsin area; Lake of the Woods and Rainy River out of

Sportsman's Lodge (Baudette, Minnesota).


1. THIS WEEK'S HEADLINES:


--  Walleye and crappie fishing excellent, with northerns, muskies and

sturgeon hitting, and grouse along with small game season off to a good

start, on the south end of Lake of the Woods, out of Sportsman's Lodge,

Baudette, Minnesota.


-- Walleye and smallies doing very well, with an excellent crappie bite,

sporadic action for northern, largemouth, bluegills and perch so-so, and

musky slow, in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area.


-- Big muskies active, walleye, smallies, crappies, bluegills and catfish

all producing very well, and bow hunters going after trophy white-tails in

the Wausau/Central Wisconsin area.


- - EDITOR'S NOTE: Information for all upcoming Wisconsin hunting and

trapping seasons is posted at the end of these reports, with gracious thanks

to guide Phil Schweik of Hooksetters Fishing & Hunting Guide Services,

Mosinee, for providing the excellent information.

-----


2. WEEKLY OUTDOOR AND FISHING REPORTS, and current calendars:


***Eagle River, Wis. (VILAS COUNTY) -- as of September 22, 2008:


(Head): Walleye and smallies doing very well, with an excellent crappie

bite, sporadic action for northern, largemouth, bluegills and perch so-so,

and musky slow, in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area.


Walleye are doing very well in the Eagle River area, albeit, while the

numbers are great, the sizes are average to small.  Fish the weeds using a

jig and a minnow.  Depth will vary from three to twenty feet depending on

the lake.  In the morning and evening walleyes are hitting on a X-Rap Rapala

(feathered tail) along rock bars, sand bars, and humps in depths as shallow

as three feet.


Smallies are hitting aggressively in the Eagle River area.  Early in the

morning fish three to eight feet.  During the day the smallies will go from

15 to 20 feet.  Target rocks, rocky points and hardbottom with cover, such

as sticks or brush piles, a plus. Use a large minnow, or an imitation

crawler.


The crappie bite in the Eagle River area is excellent, especially on the

Eagle River Chain of 28 lakes (largest freshwater chain of lakes in the

world).  The crappies have moved  up somewhat shallower  Fish eight feet of

water or less, and target cribs, and cover - -such as a tree with branches

laying down in the water, drowned wood, or brush piles.  Minnows, crawlers

and Berkley Gulp are all working.


Northern action can be furious at times, in the Eagle River area, but the

bite is sporadic. The northerns are hanging in the shallow weeds - -two to

eight feet of water.  Plain spinner baits are working best.


The largemouth bite is so-so in the Eagle River area.  Fish the weeds in

five to six feet of water.  Use a minnow, crankbait, spinnerbait or

imitation crawler.


Pretty good action for small bluegills in the Eagle River area.  Kids will

love the bite.  Fish brush piles in six to eight feet of water (gills will

be found as deep as fifteen feet, if there's a good brush pile in the area),

using a red or garden worm, or Berkley Gulp.


Lots of little perch are mixed in with the crappies and some of the walleyes

in the Eagle River area. Use a minnow.  Action is average.


Musky action is slow in the Eagle River area.  Anglers are starting to go

with bigger lures, and are just beginning to drag suckers.  Fish over the

tops of weeds that are two to three feet under the surface.  Slow roll a

bigger bucktail, or drop a bigger jerkbait right down alongside the weeds.

The muskies will be in the shallows early in the morning, and go as deep as

twelve to fifteen feet during the day.  The sizes vary from the mid 30s to

lower 40s.  Biggest musky that we know of this year came in at thirty

pounds, and was caught by a ten year old girl!


(Report for the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce based on Creative Brilliance

interview with the staff of Guides Choice Pro Shop).


Contact info for Eagle River:

* Eagle River Chamber of Commerce; 800-359-6315; 715-479-6400; e-mail:

info@eagleriver.org; web: www.eagleriver.org

* Guide’s Choice Pro Shop, 715-477-2248

* George Langley, Eagle River Fishing Guides Association, 715-479-8804.

e-mail:  fishing@eaglesportscenter.com

—–

  Continue Reading »

Local Column River Currents 9-15-08

gengberg September 17th, 2008


   The lake sturgeon hook and line season which opened September 6 is off to a slow start. This past weekend, I checked the local registration stations and didn’t find any legal fish registered this season. This fall, the lake sturgeon season has been shortened by about two weeks on the Wisconsin River, Lake Wisconsin, and the Lower Wisconsin River due to the over-harvest of mature females below the dams at Wisconsin Dells and Prairie du Sac. The minimum size for this prehistoric fish is now 60 inches which is a compromise between the previous size minimum of 50 and 70 inches. Previously, the size minimum alternated between the two size minimums every other year.

Lake sturgeon are a slow-growing and late maturing fish that doesn’t mature and spawn till they are 20 to 25 years old. Then, the fish only spawn every three to five years. Wisconsin is one of the few states that has a natural reproducing lake sturgeon population that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources monitors and closely regulates. The Lake Winnebago system has a large sturgeon population, but these waters don’t have a hook and line season. The Winnebago season has a very popular spearing season during the winter that attracts thousands of spearers. The other state locations that have a hook and line season for lake sturgeon are portions of the Chippewa River, Flambeau River, Jump River, and the Yellow River all in northern Wisconsin.

Usually, the number of sturgeon anglers coming to this area has the VFW camping area and parking below the Prairie Dam lot jammed with vehicles with a vast majority of them are from Illinois and surrounding states. The lake sturgeon is a delicacy to many people from Eastern Europe and Russia who have settled in Chicago, Milwaukee, and other metro areas. The most prized part of the sturgeon is the caviar, but anglers tell me that the meat is also good for eating particularly if smoked. I’ve watched the influx of sturgeon fishermen for decades and this year there seems to be a sizeable decline in the number of anglers in town to fish for sturgeon. The sturgeon anglers coming to this area spend a sizeable amount of money on food, gas, motels, bait, equipment, and licenses that help the local economy. So, why are we having this downturn or decrease in visitors? Continue Reading »

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