Josh Hagemeister posted on December 14, 2009 14:33 :: 2453 Views
I'm putting my head on the chopping block - that is if you're into fishing the almighty Redtail minnow. It is amazing to me how many anglers rely and depend on Redtails as a staple bait to catch walleye summer or fall. Even many fishing guides I know are addicted to the redtail curse.
The curse is the $12 per dozen minnows. I did a little math the other day and if my boat used just one redtail per walleye all summer and fall my bait bill would easily run into the $6,000 range--ouch!!. That doesn't even include the minnows that die, fall prey to other fish, or missed hook sets by numerous clients. So what do I do? I utilize the almighty night crawler.
I depend on thousands of devoted night crawlers to catch walleye from May through October with water temps as low as 39 degrees. They are cheap, durable and catch everything--they are my best employees. Crawlers work in 3 ft of water or 60ft of water, clear or murky, sunny or cloudy --and they are also much easier to transport from lake to lake - especially now that live wells must be empty when on the road. Who wants to dump $30 worth of minnows in the grass every day - not me!
The crawlers simply go back into the fridge after each day--not wasted. If I do decide to bring a few minnows for a boat ride I will use the Rainbow Chub or a good mix of river run bait. They are just as lively (and almost as big) as the redtails - and 1/2 the price. It should be a simple decision to rely on crawlers more than redtails, but boy do I get into some heated conversations with the redtail society (anglers that swear by them) about fishing with crawlers vs. redtails. Its almost like Green Bay vs. Minnesota.
I don't think I will ever win the 20 yr old sales pitch about redtails and walleyes.
When your buddies are not looking, try a crawler, you will be amazed, besides - whats in your wallet?
See ya and good luck,
Capt. Josh Hagemeister
Whether it's Minnesota's famous Walleye (my specialty), acrobatic Smallmouth or Largemouth Bass, Panfish, hard hitting Northern Pike or monster Muskies--it's all up to you. A classic Minnesota shore lunch is also available! I have been a professional Minnesota fishing guide for over 20 years. My extensive guiding time on the water takes me to some of the best fishing areas throughout the state. Some of my favorite areas include Mille Lacs Lake, Otter Tail Lake, Leech Lake, Gull Lake, Lake Koronis, Clearwater Lake, Alexandria area lakes, and the Richmond Chain of Lakes. As a licensed Coast Guard Captain, I can also arrange trips to boder waters such as Lake Of The Woods or Rainy Lake!
Throughout my guiding career I have also worked as an instructional fishing guide for In-Fisherman Magazine's "Camp Fish", co-hosted and produced the "Outdoors Minnesota" TV Series, provided an extensive seminar series to many community education groups, published a sportsman's outdoor newspaper, excelled in many fishing tournaments, and of course became an extremely versatile angler in the process.
Your guide, Captain Josh Hagemeister - 320-291-0708 or 218-732-9919 - http://www.minnesotaguideservice.com/
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