January 2009

Episode 1
Dales A.M. Walleye Bite
Location: Sturgeon Bay; Door County, Wisconsin
Show Date: January 3rd & 4th, 2009
Guide: Pro Ice Guide Dale Stroschein [920-743-5731 | wackywalleye.com]

Well it is the first episode of 2009, and we have got a great start to the year. Dale Stroschein has always been a believer of the early morning bite, and the temperature doesn’t seem to bother him. We are up in Door County targeting the massive walleyes that have made the area famous. Setting up in the very early morning to be ready when the window opens, and when it opens, its wide open.

We are setting up to jig only, no tip-ups. We are using and oddball jig, and dead-hooking an emerald shiner minnow. Playing these fish is always fun, we don’t even know that its seven below zero.

Have a Happy New Year folks!

Episode 2
2008 Mills Fleet Farm High-Lights Show
Show Date: January 10th & 11th, 2009

It’s our favorite time of the year. To look back at all the trophies that were boated in ’08. Not only do we look back on some of the nicest fish we’ve boated, we also look back at some of the beautiful catches you, our viewers, have caught and submitted to the Mills Fleet Farm fishing contest.

We sit down with Kurt Van Hout of Mills Fleet Farm to draw the grand prize winners of the 2008 contest. We also discuss what a wonderful year it has been for anglers all across the mid-west. We have been everywhere from Wisconsin to North Dakota, Michigan to Montreal, Minnesota to Ohio. Each and every week we love to bring you the hot bite, and where it’s happening.

And every week you send us the proudest moments of your time spent on the lake. Why? To win prizes of course! This year our sponsors didn’t disappoint, giving away thousands of dollars worth of great gear. Our grand prize winners will win great prize packages from Pure Fishing, Frabill, Mercury Marine, Jiffy Ice Augers, and Mills Fleet Farm.

It has been a great year, and we are looking forward to 2009. Thanks for watching and good fishing!

Congratulations to our winners in the following categories:
Bass:Kari Mayer; Portage, IN; 23" Small Mouth Bass
Muskie:Wade Hotsenpiller; Coralville, IA; 54 3/4" Muskie
Pan Fish:Jim Schwartz; Fox Lake, WI; 16 1/4" Crappie
Pike:Peter Wieczorek; Clear Lake, WI; 45" Northern
Trout:Eric Moreau; Saukville, WI; 35 1/2" Lake Trout
Walleye:Brandon Cerkas; Abrams, WI; 33 1/2" Walleye
Other:Lorie Scherf; Waukesha, WI; 32 lb. Carp
Youth Winner:Logan Jacquet; Green Bay, WI; 46" Muskie

Episode 3
Trout on Superior
Location: Chequamegon Bay, Bayfield, Wisconsin
Show Date: January 17th & 18th 2009
Guide: Ice Guide [Jim Hudson (715) 779-5833 | fishchequamegonbay.com]

We head just about as for north as we can in Wisconsin, and then go just a bit further. We are fishing on Chequamegon Bay, near Bayfield Wisconsin. We are on the hot trout bite with pro ice guide Jim Hudson. It’s a wonderful weather day compared to the weather in recent weeks. It’s sunny, eight degrees, and not too much wind, and Jim tells us that the trout like the sun.

The best part of the bite is that it is all jigging, and these Great Lakes trout are a ball to fight through the ice. Jim tells us about the wide variety of species that can be caught while on the bay, so you never know what you are going to catch.

Episode 4
Fishing and a Wedding
Location: Hayward, Wisconsin
Show Date: January 24th & 25th, 2009
Guides: Pete Maina of The Next Bite Esox Angler Magazine [petemaina.com | thenextbite.com]
Guide: Ice Guide [Jim Hudson (715) 779-5833 | fishchequamegonbay.com]

We love coming up to Hayward Wisconsin for ice fishing, it’s always a great day of fishing. There is nothing like a nice relaxing day on the ice, the fish are biting, and John keeps telling Pete that he has an “appointment” later.

It’s a snowy cold day in Lake Courte Oreilles. We are fishing a large flat area with patches of weeds, we are jigging and have a large spread of tip-ups scattered about. Having the ‘whatever bites’ mentality never lets our anglers down, and keeps the flags popping up. We have our tip-ups for northern and walleye set at all different depths to find where there are at. The jigging bite is also on, headed by our friend Jim Hudson, a guide in the Bayfield Wisconsin area. Using a small jig and small plastics, we are reeling in a nice mess of crappies.

Pete leaves the ice early for his ‘appointment,’ tune in to see Pete and Esther tie the knot in true north-woods style.