• Fish above the plankton – Bigger fish “The High Flyers” usually suspend on top of the food source to get first crack at a meal
• You will get better response from a smaller presentation
• Team up with a live scope to improve your fishing effectiveness and for some fish catching fun. Have one-person run the scope and direct you to the fish locations
• Nice feature of live scope is that it allows you to see the fish coming; flashers show you at the last minute
• Do sonar signals affect fish? Sometimes I feel like yes they do

• Sometimes it’s easier to set up for the deep night bottom bite instead of chasing them in the shallows during the day
• Punch holes in deep water, Crappie’s are easy to find with sonar
• Pre Drill the whole bowl/Basin, Crappies will circle the area.
• When its cold set up where you first find the fish for best success
• Competition creates an aggressive bite. When fish are scattered its tougher plenty of food, less competition, no urgency.
• Fish Trauma is a common problem in deep water. Plan to catch your limit and leave in order to prevent fatalities. Fish caught over 25 in depth can experience trauma. Check their eyes and bladders as you catch them to determine your lake situation

• Look for water inlets coming into basins, which bring in warm water
• When the water and air temps warm up, hole-hopping becomes a fun and necessary technique
• Red Lake rare crappies usually congregate on the north shore due to warm spring water and there is good structure. They bite like walleyes because they live in a competitive eco system and they behave the same.

• Delicate slower fall use lead jigs. Likes to use this presentation for early ice. The slower fall pulls out the bigger fish. It also works well for finicky fish or slow bites, tip with a minnow and let it fall slow.
• Aggressive faster fall - Use Tungsten for faster fall and aggressive fish
• Faster finesse presentation with wax worms. Can use lead or ultra-light tungsten jigs

• Tip - Keep your line steady and slowly raise to catch interested fish. You will have better success, give it a try it!

• Mistakes – Rods are too stiff and create poor bait control
• Get a noodle rod – Nicole loves the tuned up custom precision rod and likes the Bull Whip as well

• Primarily uses Mono - Mono has stretch, which absorbs some of the hookset. The stretch also alleviates detection when they suck it in as it has some give
• Fluorocarbon is great in the day not necessary at night

• There are several fishing/congregation points; it is like Red lake
• Talk to the people at Smoke N Fish Bait shop
• There are anglers chasing the schools follow them
• Many of the locals fish in front of the Red River

• Rainy River fishing is best when the water is high
• Depth impacts color visibility – some colors are seen at distance better than others, Nicole is a big fan of a glow and flash. Color match the hatch when possible. Note: Walleyes can’t see blue
• Fish for the species that bites during that season. Late season ice = crappie for example
• Run spinners in the summer, they catch everything. Fish at .3 - .7 mph