Indiana Outdoor News

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SAINT JOE RIVERPAGE 6

NATURE’S SCENTCONTROLPAGE 10

GONE AFIELDPAGE 16

THE LATEST INKAYAK FISHING

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COMPLIMENTS OF:

INDIANA'S CHOICE FOR OUTDOOR NEWS AND INFORMATION • SINCE 1994

Vol. 2009 • Number 12 W W W.IN D I A N AOU T D O O RNEW S.N E T December, 2009

• THE SECOND FRONT - PAGE 5

• DECEMBER FISHING REPORT- PAGE 7

• BEHIND THE BADGE - PAGE 8

• IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD - PAGE 8

• BROTHERS ARCHERY - PAGE 9

• LEGENDS COMING TO INDY- PAGE11

• OUTDOOR ESSENTIALS - PAGE 13

• OUTDOOR TRAVEL - PAGE 14

• THE LAST THOUGHT - PAGE 18

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

NOBLESVILLE ANGLERS WIN ATLAKE MONROE

BLOOMINGTON--The Noblesville team of Jim

and Robert Raymer took firstplace in the Semi-Pro Division atthe Crappie USA qualifying eventheld recently at the CutrightRamp on Lake Monroe. TheRaymer’s battled heavy rains andhigh winds to best competitorsfrom eight other states andadvance to the Cabela’s CrappieUSA Classic to be held next fall.The duo caught their fish betweenNorthfork and Pine Grove tight tothe wood in eight feet of water.

Indiana anglers Tony Sherrillof North Vernon and Fred Willisof Norman caught 10.66 lbs. tocapture first place in the AmateurDivision. Sherrill and Wil l iscaught their fish on the creekchannel edges of Monroe’sMiddle Fork using minnows, andwill also earn a trip to theCabela’s Crappie USA Classicnext fall.

For more information on thisand other Crappie USA tourna-ments, go towww.crappieusa.com.

MONSTERS AMONG US:INDIANA BUCKS CONTINUE TO IMPRESS

JOSHLANTZAnyone still in doubt as to

whether or not Indiana’s oncecontroversial “one buck rule”(OBR) has helped to contributemore mature bucks to our state’sdeer woods needs to peruse my e-mail. My jaw is officially agape.

Instituted in 2002, the OBRlimited deer hunters in Indiana tothe harvest of a single antlereddeer each season -- unless one wasfortunate enough tohunt an Urban Zone.

Support for therule grew quicklya m o n ghunters ,andwhen theDNR con-ducted a sur-vey ofI n d i a n ad e e rhunters in2007, 71%o f

respondents indicated some levelof support for continuing theOBR. It was subsequently extend-ed for another five years. We arenow in our eighth season of “onebuckdom”.

About two years after theOBR was first put into place, Ibegan to notice more photos ofbigger Indiana bucks being sub-mitted to Indiana Outdoor Newsfor publication. “Where are thesedeer coming from?” I asked.Well, since about 2005, I’ve beenseeing it for myself. On standwhile hunting and filming, I’ve

seen more whitetail bucksover 140-inches in the pastfive years than I’ve seenin my entire lifetime inIndiana’s outdoors.

So what has the OBRreally done?

“I believe the bottomline is that the OBR has

Become a Fan of ION on

Robert Eccles. . .Co-ownwer of Brothers Archery in North

Webster arrowed this giant 15-point buckwith his Athens bow last month in

Kosciusko County. Read more aboutRobert on page 9.

Top: Jim and Robert Raymer took firstplace in the Semi-Pro Division with aweight of 10.24 lbs. Bottom: TonySherrill and Fred Willis won theAmateur Division with a weight of10.66 lbs. Crappie USA photos.

Cont. on Page 4

YOUNG WABASH COUNTYHUNTER TAKES GIANT BUCK

JOSHLANTZ--At age 13, young Caanan Haywood of rural Wabash County is

already a seasoned hunter. A pro-staff shooter for Bass and Bucks inWabash (www.bassandbucks.com), Caanan has been hunting since age8 and has accompanied his father to the stand for many years prior tothat.

Caanan has taken many whitetails, turkeys and other big game ani-mals. Prior to this deer season, Caanan’s most-recent trophies were ablack bear taken with his bow in Quebec and a 32-lb. tom turkey with2” spurs in Kentucky -- both taken this past spring. “Caanan has agreat sense for the woods, and is a great shot”, said Caanan’s father, BillHaywood. “But he always seems to be blessed with alittle luck too”, hecontinued. Did I mention that Caanan also caught an 8-lb largemouthhere in Indiana last summer?

So when Caanan and his father, Bill, checked in a monster 18-point, Wabash County whitetail on opening day of Indina’s firearmsseason, nobody seemed all that surprised.

Bass and Bucks proprieter Glenn Butcher rough scored Caanan’sgiant deer at well over 200 inches. Because deer antlers shrink, howev-er (and because Butcher admits he’s not an official scorer), a period of60 days must pass prior to making any official measurements for recordbook purposes. Look for updates on this deer’s scoring at www.bas-sandbucks.com and www.indianaoutdoornews.net. But with a deer likeCaanan’s, who really cares what the final numbers are?

Bass and Bucks Photo. www.bassandbucks.com

INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS ® 2009© December, 2009 Edition

December, 2009 Edition INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS ® 2009©


Volume 2009 • Number 12

Publisher: Brian E. SmithAssistant Publisher: Mark C. Smith

Editor: Joshua D. LantzField Photographer: Bill Konway

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INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS® is the official publication of Raghorn Incorporated, and is pub-lished monthly at the address listed above. For home delivery and subscription rates, look for thesubscription card in this publication. Editorial contributions may be submitted to the aboveaddress. No material can be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope.Photographs are accepted and greatly appreciated. All materials submitted become the propertyof Raghorn Incorporated and are subject to editing to meet the objectives of this publication. Theviews and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors, not the edi-tors, staff or any other representative of RAGHORN’S INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS orRaghorn, Inc. “Raghorn’s Indiana Outdoor News” is a registered Trademark of RaghornIncorporated. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication may be used or copiedwithout prior written consent of Raghorn Inc. Violation of copyright laws will be prosecuted.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to RAGHORN’S INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS, P.O.Box 69, Granger, Indiana 46530.

Copyright© 2009

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World-Class Fly FishingSteelhead • Salmon •Trout • Bass

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Become a Fan of ION on

Monsters Among Us -- Continued from Cover

forced many Indiana deer huntersto be more selective”, says IONpublisher, TV host and avid deerhunter, Brian Smith. “At leastinitially it did”, he continues.“And now it is easier than ever tobe selective, because their aresimply more big shooters in thewoods”.

To be fair, the OBR is likelyonly one piece of Indiana’s bigbuck story. Other factors areundoubtedly contributing as well.

Antlerless quotas have beenon the rise in most counties, asthe DNR continues to deal withnear record deer numbers. Hunterskeep these numbers in check byharvesting the additional doesmade available to them and, indoing so, begin to increase thebuck-to-doe ratio. It is a gooddeal for everyone. Hunters getplenty of venison on the menu athome, while also enjoying anever-increasing menu of largerbucks to choose from in thewoods. It is good management.

Speaking of management,perhaps most important of all inthe big buck equation, “maturebuck management” is an overalltheme that more and more deerhunters seem to embrace thesedays. We see it on television andwe read about it in the magazines.Say what you want, but bigantlers are an ever-increasingattraction to our sport.

Initially driven by ranchesand a handful of private propertyowners in Texas and other south-ern states -- and made possible byindependent research and a floodof products and services relativeto food plots and supplementalfeeding -- “mature buck manage-ment”, or “quality deer manage-ment” practices have been adapt-ed and applied by more and moreproperty owners throughout thetraditional whitetail states herein the Midwest and, indeed, evenby state wildlife managementagencies.

Quality deer management(QDM) is a management philoso-phy and practice that involveslandowners, hunters, and wildlifemanagers and means differentthings on different properties.The overall goal is the creation ofa healthy and sustainable deerherd that also results in qualityhabitat and quality hunting expe-riences. Wherever it takes place,for QDM to work, it alwaysmeans harvesting plenty ofmature does and letting the youngbucks walk -- two things thatIndiana hunters have really start-ed to embrace.

The one buck rule is a greatstory, and it just may be the onemanagement practice that hascontributed most to quality deermanagement in Indiana. Formore information on QDM, visitthe Quality Deer Management

Sam Odom of Maple Park, IL (formerly of Francesville, IN) took this incredible buckin Hanging Grove Township, Jasper County, Indiana during the early archery season.This deer field dressed at 200 lbs. and had 18 points. Check out those amazingbrow tines.

Association’s website atwww.QDMA.com.

I hope you find yourself inthe woods enjoying the rest ofIndiana’s phenomenal 2009 deer

hunting seasons. Late archeryand muzzleloader open December5. Be safe, shoot straight, anddon’t forget to e-mail your pho-tos to [email protected].

FORT WAYNE – The Indiana Department of Natural Resources continued efforts

to improve fishing opportunities in Fort Wayne by recently stock-ing 780 largemouth bass into the ponds at Lakeside Park.

The stocking is part of the “Fishin’ in the Fort” program initi-ated in 2008 with the Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation Department.The program aims to evaluate local fish populations, improve fish-ing around the city, and encourage youth to participate in outdooractivities.

The bass, approximately one to three inches long, were surplusfingerlings from this year’s state hatchery production and werestocked to prey on small sunfish.

A fish population survey in 2008 showed that bluegill andpumpkinseed sunfish were very abundant and exhibited slow growthrates,” said DNR fisheries biologist Nate Thomas. “Similarly, fewbass were captured in the survey, indicating there were not enoughpredators to control the sunfish population.”

Thomas expects the largemouth bass to have noticeable effectsin the next three to four years. Bass stocked this fall may limitsunfish reproduction in the spring by feeding on their fry. With acouple of years, he said the bass will be large enough to prey onadult sunfish. He said the stocking will provide potentially moreand bigger bass for anglers and with less sunfish, bluegill fishingalso should improve.

“It’s all an effort to create balance among predators and theirprey,” Thomas said. “This will help provide better fishing in thefuture.”

The DNR also stocked surplus largemouth bass in CemeteryPond near J. Edward Roush Lake, Hominy Ridge pond nearSalamonie Reservoir, and Bostwick’s Pond near MissisinewaReservoir.

The IDNR would like to remind anglers that they may onlykeep up to five (5) largemouth bass per day and that each must beat least 14" long. Additionally, state fishing regulations areenforced at all waters historically stocked with state-reared or state-purchased fish, including the requirement of anglers 17 years andolder to carry a valid annual state fishing license.


JOSHLANTZ --One of the most rewarding

parts of hunting is introducing aloved one to the excitement andbeauty of the outdoors. And ifthat particular loved one happensto harvest a 170-class typical 8-point buck on her first hunt?Well, that’s just ultra cool.

That’s what happened toHoosiers Heather and JeffRiggins, husband and wife ofnine years.

“Heather had come to sitwith me in the stand severaltimes before”, says Jeff, a deputysheriff at the Randolph CountySheriff’s Department. “But shenever really showed any interestin hunting herself”.

But all that changed lastsummer. “I got involved in 3Darchery”, says Jeff. “We’d go tothe shoots as a family and she became more interested in shooting and hunting.” When Heather decided shewanted to try deer hunting herself, and with Indiana’s deer season right around the corner, the Riggins’ did-n’t figure they had enough time for her to become totally proficient with a bow so she began practicing withJeff’s T.C. muzzleloader. “We went to the range about a dozen times”, says Jeff, “and she practiced until shewas totally comfortable at the 50-yard range” -- a strategy that would end up paying off big time.

When opening morning arrived, Heather and Jeff made their way to one of their favorite two-person lad-der stands. Things happened quickly from there.

“The biggest buck I’ve ever seen in years of hunting just happened to show up at our stand duringHeather’s first ever hunt”, chuckles Jeff. “And if that weren’t enough, he stopped broadside at 53 yards -- theexact distance Heather had practiced at with her muzzleloader”. Heather pulled the trigger and closed thisgreat story.

Heather’s buck is safely in the care of Nature’s Best Taxidermy in Redkey, IN, where it was rough-scoredat approximately 171-inches -- quite an impressive score for a typical 8-pointer. The G2 tine on the deer’sleft antler measured over 16-inches.

Jeff says that he had seen some big bucks in their woodsbefore, but nothing like Heather’s. “I had neverseen that deer before,” says Jeff, “but after a friend of mine, Eric Funk, saw a photo of it, he gave me a photofrom one of his trail cameras that captured an image of the same buck on Halloween -- about three miles tothe northwest of where Heather shot it”.

While Heather wasn’t available to speak with, Jeff told me that she is definitely hooked on deer hunt-ing and that she plans to take up archery prior to next season. When asked whether he would take her hunt-ing again, Jeff said, “The question is whether she will take me”.

First-time Randolph County hunter bags monster 8-Pointer

Sportsmen’s Benevolence Fund helps feed hungry

Bass fingerlings to boost Fort Wayne fishing

USSA REPORT --Trappers in Maine won a major victory as the state’s Federal District Court upheld the state’s trapping

practices and blocked the establishment of a precedent that could be used by anti-hunting and anti-trappinggroups nationwide.

In 2008, the Animal Welfare Institute and the Wildlife Alliance of Maine filed a lawsuit against theMaine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIFW) seeking a permanent injunction that would haveessentially prohibited trapping in the state. The lawsuit claimed that Maine’s trapping regulations violat-ed the Endangered Species Act (ESA) because Canada lynx, a threatened species under the ESA, could be inci-dentally caught in traps causing “irreparable harm” to the population.

Throughout the case, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF), along with the MaineTrappers’Association, Fur Takers of America, National Trappers’Association, and several individual sports-men, argued that the anti-trapping plaintiffs had to show that Maine’s trapping practices were a threat to theCanada lynx population as a whole. The plaintiffs insisted that harm to one individual lynx was sufficientfor the Court to prohibit trapping in the state.

On November 10th, Federal District Court Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. ruled that Maine’s trapping prac-tices did not irreparably harm the Canada lynx and denied the injunction sought by the anti-trappers.Further, the Judge agreed with the state and the USSAF that “irreparable harm” is harm to a species as a wholeand not simply one individual member.

“Although the plaintiffs may appeal the ruling, the Federal Court’s decision is a monumental victory forthe trappers in Maine and sets an excellent precedent that will make itharder for the antis to misuse the ESA in their attempts to ban huntingand trapping in other states,” states USSAF Vice President forGovernment Affairs Rob Sexton.

“We knew the evidence was on our side and are thrilled with out-come,” said Skip Trask, executive director of the Maine TrappersAssociation. “The USSAF’s legal assistance was invaluable to thefavorable outcome.”

Chick Andres, President of the Fur Takers of America comment-ed, “Trappers nationwide should be grateful that the court saw throughwhat the anti’s were trying to do.”

In 2008 the USSAF’s legal arm, the U.S. Sportsmen’s LegalDefense Fund, was granted permission to intervene in the lawsuit. Thecase came on the heels of similar case, also in Maine, that was settledin late 2007 when the DIFW agreed to restrict trap sizes in areas whereCanada lynx exist.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation protects and defendsAmerica’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting,fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. TheU.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public educa-tion, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished throughseveral distinct programs coordinated to provide the most completedefense capability possible. For more information about the U.S.Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation and its work, call (614) 888-4868 orvisit its website, www.ussafoundation.org .

Maine trappers win major court victory

DNR REPORT --A typical poaching situation occurs when a law-abiding hunter

is sitting in a tree stand, waiting for legal shooting time, andnotices a spotlight shining the field from a pickup truck. The truckstop and shots ring out through the darkness. The law abidinghunter was in the right place at the right time to obseve the lawbeing broken.

When this happens, DNR Law Enforcement urges hunters to usethe TIP hotline to file a complaint. TIP is an acronym for Turn in aPoacher. People who provide TIP with information are not requiredto give their names or testify in court. The reports are investigatedby Indiana Conservation Officers, and cash rewards are offered forinformation leading to the arrest of fish and wildlife law violators.

"Sportsmen have an ethical responsibility to report these vio-lations," said Lt. Mark Farmer, public information officer for DNRDivision of Law Enforcement. "Poachers are thieves and estimatesindicate that poachers kill as much fish and game as legal huntersand fishermen do."

The toll-free TIP phone number is 1-800-TIP-IDNR.

Report poaching on T.I.P. Hotline

Sportsmen, women andconcerned citizens can helpfeed the hungry through theSportsmen’s BenevolenceFund by purchasing the fund'slapel pins.

The pins are availablefrom the Indiana Departmentof Natural Resources LawEnforcement Division at acost of $5 each. Proceeds goto organizations such asFarmers and Hunters Feedingthe Hungry, helping pay for the processing of deer donated to theprogram by successful hunters. The venison is given to variousfood banks across Indiana.

In 2008, more than 75,000 pounds of donated meat to FHFHwas processed into 300,216 meals.

To order a 2009 SBF lapel pin, visit sbf.IN.gov.

Heather Riggins took this giant, Randolph County 8-pointer on her very first deerhunt with a single shot from her T.C. muzzleloader at 53 yards. Photo provided.

CHICAGO --The Chicago Muskie Show

will return to Harper College inPaletine, Ill Jan. 8, 9 and 10.

This year’s show includesseminars from Robert Tomes,Mike Hulbert, Joe Bucher, JimSaric,Chad Cain, and others,and will also boast over 150vendors including tackle manu-afactures, boat dealers, retail-ers, fishing guides, resorts andmore.

Admission is $10 per adult($20 for a weekend pass) andkids under 13 are free. For moreinformation, log ontowww.chicagomuskieshow.com.

15th Chicago Muskie Showreturns Jan. 8, 9 & 10


The future of walleye fishingin Michiana got some “stimulus”help from area sportfishing clubsand the Indiana DNR this fall.

Some 15,000 walleyes, meas-uring 7 to 9 inches long, weredeposited into the St. JosephRiver while another 1,000 wereplaced in Klinger Lake near WhitePigeon, Mich., just across theIndiana line.

The St. Joe walleyes were pur-chased through funds raised by theMichiana Walleye Club and withhelp from the Indiana DNR.

Last year, the DNR and MWApurchased and stocked 10,000 fishof the same size.

The PNA Fishermen's Club ofSouth Bend paid for the KlingerLake stocking from club fund-rais-ers, just as they have for Michianastockings over the past 12 years.

One of Indiana's oldest fish-ing clubs. PNA annually alternatesits stocking between Indiana andMichigan fisheries.

“It's our way of giving backto the lakes where we hold oursummer contests,” said clubPresident Tom Dockery.

Other waters stocked by the

club over the years includeDiamond and Big Fish inMichigan, Dewart and Fish lakesand the St. Joseph River inIndiana.

The hefty St. Joseph Riverstocking is dependent upon helpfrom local fishing clubs becausethe Indiana DNR can no longer getwalleyes from Michigan DNRhatcheries. Young walleyes mustnow be purchased from private

Clubs contribute to walleye stockings

Ken McCormack of Osceola knew he had a big fish hooked belowthe Twin Branch dam in Mishawaka, but didn't think it was a steel-head.

He was right. It was a 14-pound brown trout, a true trophy forIndiana's river waters.

The 65-year-old angler caught it on a 6-1/2-foot light actionspinning outfit and 8-pound monofilament line.

“I was excited,” said McCormack, who owned Great LakesSportsman Shop until 1997. “In 20 years, I've only caught threebrowns out of the river and this was the biggest.”

He tossed the fish into his livewell, drove home for aquick picture, then back to the river where it wasreleased to fight again.

“That was a true trophy, and since theyaren't that plentiful, I didn't want to kill it,”McCormack explained.

Based upon videotape readings at the South Bendladder, only 14 browns have been sighted movingupstream at that point of the season. Browns will run upriver, but prefer to lounge around harbor areas on the biglake.

That's why Michigan stocks browns in the lower sec-tions of the St. Joe while Indiana stocks them in its har-bors, with Michigan City being the nearest. McCormack'sfish likely is one of Michigan's that ventured far upstream,

Big brown trout caught from Indiana waters of the Saint Joseph River

Up NorthLOUIESTOUT

hatcheries approved by the DNR.The fish were purchased with

money the MWA raised throughfund-raisers and payments theDNR receives from I&M. Bonusfish were added from hatchery fishpreviously earmarked for othernorthern Indiana lakes.

Last year, the MWA and DNRstocked less than 10,000walleyes. The 5,000 extra plantedin the fall should improve the

number of fish anglers catch overthe next few years. They shouldreach legal size sometime duringthe 2011 season.

“They were beautiful and ingreat shape,” said Rick Nichols ofthe Michiana WalleyeAssociation. “We're excited aboutthe quality and numbers of fishthat we were able to stock.”

Nichols said persons andgroups contributing $100 or more

this season include the MichianaWalleye Assn., Dr. MichaelBeachy, Barry Ukele family, SlickStick Rods, State LineConvenience, Shelby's MachineShop, Central Park Bait, MidwayMarine, Lunkers, OsceolaHardware, Indianawalleye.com andWhitfield's Barber Shop.

Want to help with next year'sstocking? Contact Nichols at219-712-1369.

but it could be one of Indiana's that strayed off course.As uncommon as browns are in the river,McCormack's technique

is equally unconventional for trout and salmon fishing. Most anglersuse spawn bags, livebait rigs, inline spinners and diving plugs tocatch trout and salmon.

McCormack's rig is more akin to a walleye presentation. He rigsa white, 3- to 4-inch Twister grub on a 3/8-ounce jighead, which hemakes at home.“I've always used it for walleye but had exceptional luck with itfor steelhead and smallmouth bass, too,” he offered. “If I'm fish-

ing for walleyes, I bounce it on the bot-tom, unless there are a lot of snags.Most of the time I let it get near the

bottom and then swim it slowly back tothe boat.”

You can tip the hook point behindthe grub with a minnow, but there are

days - like last Sunday - when the fish will bite itwithout livebait.

McCormack, who fishes the river three or four daysa week, said steelhead fishing has been very good thisyear.

“Best I've seen in three years,” he noted.And, at least for him, the brown trout fishing wasn't

bad either.


JIMBIDDLE

Lake MichiganEd Avenatti at Mik-Lurch

Tackle in Hammond says theNorthern winds have made ittough to get out on the big lake.However, when you can get outthe perch are waiting. Cal Parkand the area around Gary light areperch hotspots right now! So

put a minnow on your hook andgive it a try. They are still tak-ing steelhead in Trail Creek, SaltCreek and the Little Calumetiver. Try floating spawn orcooked shrimp beneath a float.

Northwest IndianaPenny Boisvert of

Greenwood Bait Shop in EnglishLake tells me they’re takingsome nice catfish out of theKankakee River with nightcrawlers. Horseshoe Bend justsouth of LaCrosse has beenyielding some nice northernpike with night crawlers as well.Penny wants everyone to knowthe bait shop is closed for theseason and will open again onMarch 1, 2010.

North Central IndianaLarry Stover at Ye Old Tackle

Box in North Webster reportsthat the lake has settled down

fish! Crappie can be taken withminnows or red wigglers. Thebest action now seems to be atGeist Reservoir by the dam.Fall Creek is another hotspot.

Southwest IndianaIan Shoup from the Fishin

Shedd in Bloomington saysthey’re taking crappie, walleyeand wipers at Lake Monroe. Thecrappies are at about 8 feet and

like minnows. If you want toget yourself a walleye or awiper, use a night crawler.

East Central IndianaEd Gipson from Peacepipe

Bait & Tackle at Andrews tellsme the crappie, bluegill and cat-fish are really providing somegreat action. Look for thosecrappies near stumps and brushthen drop them a minnow or atube jig. The bluegills are hit-ting like crazy on the usual wig-glers or bemoths. Believe it ornot, the catfish are hitting on

shrimp. Must be a higher classof catfish!

Southeast IndianaTag Nobbe from Brookville

Lake Guide Service in Brookvillesays it is a good time to go forcrappies with minnows or jigs atabout 15 feet. Take a walleye ortwo using a jigging spoon at 35-50 feet. Smallmouth bass canbe taken in the shallow areas androcky reefs with a slow divingcrank bait or a small fly below acasting bobber (float-n-fly rig).Move it slowly. The fish are alittle slower to respond in thecooler water.

Well, as they say, that’s awrap. I’ve told you all I canabout the fishing prospects forDecember. Now it’s up to you.Take advantage of the few nicedays we have before winter final-ly hits. I hope you had a won-derful Thanksgiving and spent itwith family and loved ones.Don’t forget to start droppinghints about all the outdoor toysyou may need, as Christmas isjust around the corner.

Well, I think I’m goingbring this report to a close, grabmy muzzleloader and slip intothe woods. I just know there isanother deer waiting to get in mysights. Remember what Ol’ JBalways says at this time of theyear, ”Merrry Christmas andHappy New Year.” See you nextmonth.

after the turn over, and they’retaking some nice perch with min-nows or small jigs. You canhook a muskie with a big, livesucker minnow or take a small-mouth bass with a hair jig fisheddeep. Fishing is about the samein all the local waters.

Saint Joseph RiverDick Parker of Parker’s

Central Bait & Tackle inMishawaka says there is goodbluegill and crappie action abovethe Twin Branch Dam in Osceolaand suggest you use red wigglersor waxworms. Below the damyou can still hook-up a steelheadwith spawn, shrimp or a big oldnight crawler.

West Central IndianaTerry Raines at Twin Lakes

Fish & Game in Monticello saysLake Schaefer is the hotspot atthe moment. Crappie are hittingpretty good on minnows or tubejigs. You can still get an occa-sional walleye and the small-mouth are still providing somegood action as well.

Central IndianaDave McCalla at the Bait

Barn in Indianapolis says rightnow the name of the game is pan-

December

Well, my venison is in thefreezer. I shot a ten-pointer thesecond day of the season andmy grandson Jacob dropped anice doe. The venison alongwith all the bluegill and crappie Ihave frozen will make for goodeating this winter. I had a prettygood fall mushroom season thisyear as well. I found severalnice sheepshead or hen of thewoods whichever you want tocall them. Hey, with the waythings are, every little bit youcan save on the grocery bill surecan help.

Wasn’t November great forfishing? I can’t believe thetemperatures we had here inNorthern Indiana. Those temper-atures extend the fishing seasonfor a guy like me who likes tofish in warm weather. Let’shope it stays nice a little longerand gives us some additionaltime to get in some more com-fortable fishing.

Now, here’s what my con-tacts across the state tell me ourprospects are for our Decemberfishing.


As a rule the Indiana Conservation Officers I have interviewedchose their profession because of their love of the outdoors. Enforcinghunting and fishing regulations, protecting our natural resources, andsearch and rescue is the job description. Chasing bank robbers or syn-dicate hit men is the last thing an ICO expects to be doing when he orshe puts on the uniform each day, but it is exactly what happened to ICO Mac Spainhour.

In the mid 1980s Mac was just starting his career with the DNR and luckily was basedin his home district surrounding Clarksville.

“I had gotten a call to come up to Jefferson County for a timber theft case.” Mac isreligious about wearing his bullet-proof vest…but in planning his day he saw no need forit. “I was going to drive up there, take a few pictures, help on the investigation of a fewtrees cut down…I figured I didn't need to wear my vest.”

Mac's day went as planned until his ride home. He was heading south on Highway 3towards Charlestown when the call came in. “They dispatched a bank robbery at the NewWashington State Bank in New Washington.” Mac was instantly alert. “Dang…I'm pret-ty close to that”, he told himself. “I'll just cut across Highway 362.” About that time heremembered his bullet-proof vest was hanging on the back of his chair at home.Shrugging off his uneasiness, Mac went over the possible routes the bank robbers wouldtake and convinced himself the robbers would be heading away from him. “There's noway they're going to come my way,” Mac told himself. “They're probably going south toJeffersonville or north towards Hanover or Madison.”

As Mac headed east on Highway 362, police dispatch confirmed the robbery; a whitemale and white female in a black over white Olds 98 with a landau top. Just then Macspotted a white car heading towards him. “Oh my god…that's an Old 98!” Mac scannedthe vehicle as it went by. It was being driven by a white female with a white male passen-ger, the car was white and had a black landau top, and the license plate matched. “It's thebank robbers!” Mac was driving the classic police car of the day; an unmistakable white1980 Chevy Impala with DNR emblems on the doors. “And now they know I'm a cop.”

“I turned my car around and tried to get on the radio. But I can't because of all the radiotraffic. I kept shouting 'I'm behind them! I'm behind them!' Finally I got through andtold them we're headed westbound on Highway 362 towards Highway 3.”

As Mac followed the robbers he assumed his fellow officers were busy setting up roadblocks ahead. He was wrong. “I guess I was naive. I figured when we got to Highway 3it was going to look like the scene out of Dirty Harry (The Gauntlet), and every cop willbe there with guns drawn and they're going to drive into this big trap.” But, with the sit-uation developing so fast, no one was close enough to help.

To confuse the matter, just before reaching Highway 3, the bank robbers turnedsouthwest on Highway 203, as if to head for Charlestown, then hit Highway 3 and turnedback north. As they turned, the male robber looked back at Mac in his DNR patrol car.Up to this point the chase has been relatively slow paced. Mac saw the robber look athim and figured the worse. “I saw him look at me and thought to myself, the race is on.”Mac got on his radio, “I think they're going to run!” Anticipating the acceleration capa-bilities of the Olds 98's big engine, he gunned his own engine to keep up. Oddly the rob-bers did not accelerate as Mac did. “They were going like it was a Sunday drive and Ialmost rear-ended them.”

Backing off, Mac followed them north into Scott County and awayfrom roads that Mac was familiar with. “I radioed the dispatcher that ifthe suspects turned off Highway 3, I was going to try and take themdown, because if they get me in the back roads I'm not going to knowwhere I'm going.”

Sure enough the robbers pulled off Highway 3 onto Kinderhook Road but suddenlystopped next to a Ford Bronco. From Mac's position it seemed the robbers were chattingwith the Bronco driver. Mac stepped out of his car with his pistol drawn and approachedthe robbers. “As I'm walking across I see a gun sticking out of the Bronco, so I swingmy gun from the robbers to cover the new guy.” Conditions couldn't get much worse fora law enforcement officer than to have multiple armed assailants.

But Mac was surprised once more that day. The Bronco driver saw Mac swing the pis-tol towards him and he yelled out, “I'm a cop! I'm a cop!”. Relief washed over Mac. “Itwas Rick Schuler, an off-duty Indiana State Trooper that had been listening to his radioand came out to help me.”

Mac and Rick captured the bank robbers and recovered approximately $12,000.00.“It was one of the greatest things I had done up to that time.”

Fate wasn't done with Mac yet. Just a few years later two crime syndicate hit menescape from a New York prison. These hit men had a reputation for being brutal to theirvictims, often shooting out their knee caps and torturing the victims before their execu-tion.

With federal agents hot on their trail the escaped hit men headed for Tennessee wherethey had family. Once there the men quickly wore out their welcome and headed north,just barely missing apprehension by their pursuers. But, life on the run was difficult.With no firearms the two hit men had no way to revert back to their previous life ofcrime. Hungry and tired they called home and asked their relatives to send money toHenryville, Indiana. The family mocked empathy but in reality gave the information tothe waiting federal agents. The news quickly headed north to the state and local policethat the convicts were hiding somewhere near Henryville.

The Indiana State police swiftly put out a bulletin for all law enforcement to be onthe lookout for a lime-green Chevrolet Impala with two males.

Mac, a resident of Henryville, was just coming on duty and pulled into a gas stationnear Interstate 65. At that same gas station was a county officer and friend of Mac's. Thetwo promptly made plans to cover the area and find the hit men. No more had Mac pulledout of the station when the county officer radioed him. “Get back over here!” Mac pulledback over to his fellow officer. “They're sitting right behind us!” The county officersaid.

The two hit men were sitting in their car on the opposite side of the gas station. Macand the county officer quickly pulled around the station, capturing the hit men. Mac laterfound out just how dangerous the two were. They had fourteen murders on their records.

“I had a pretty eventful first five years of my career with major cases,” Macexplained. “Most guys go their whole career and not have cases like that.”

Retired or active Indiana Conservation Officers are invited to e-mail the author [email protected] regarding their own tales from Behind the Badge.

Dangerous Encounters

ALANGARBERS


Brothers Archery & Sports By Jake Joseph

Brothers Archery & Sports,located at 105 E. EsterbrookDrive, Unit E in North Webster isthe creation of an avid outdoors-men, archer, and passionate bowfisher, Robert Eccles. Robert'slove of bow fishing and the out-doors started at an early age whilehe and brother Mitch watched theirfather Jerry working as a Canadianbear guide and outfitter much ofhis adult life.

Robert began hunting with,and working on, his own archeryequipment at the age of 13, and itdidn't take long for the young manto realize the need for a high qual-

i ty, customer-centered archeryshop in his area.

His father, a long time DartonArchery dealer and Black Widowsales rep, encouraged the youngman every step of the way, andhelped Robert to become a Dartonand Athens Archery certified tech-nician. Along the path to his cer-tifications, he learned to buildarrows, set sights, serve and re-serve strings, and complete mostany other archery related repair oradjustment.

When Robert decided to openthe archery shop, he wanted to doit differently. With his father

Jerry and brother Mitch, he usedthe Eccles' strong love of God andfamily to create a business planthat was entirely about satisfyingthe customer at a fair price -- pro-viding the products and servicesthat they really need while show-ing the respect they deserve. Onthe surface, this may seem to bewhat many others have done, butRobert and his family have com-mitted to going the extra mile foreveryone who comes throughtheir doors. The goal is for every-one to be a repeat customer and tobring their friends and family backto the store.

Brothers Archery & Sportscarries a full line of archery prod-ucts and accessories. They havebows from Athens and Darton,arrows from Easton, Beman,Goldtip, and AMG -- including theAMG GT20, a weight forward car-bon arrow that offers up to 20%greater penetration when com-pared to similar arrows of equalweight. Their broadhead lineincludes popular choices fromRage, NAP, Thunderhead, Montecand others. They are stockinghigh quality releases from Allen,while Whisker Biscuit and KwikeeQuiver products are found amongsttheir most popular accessories.

One of Robert's favorite prod-ucts in the store is a safety devicecalled the Controlled DescentSystem. The CDS byMountaineer-Sports is a new treestand safety vest with a built-insafety release. The vest isdesigned to allow a hunter whofalls from his stand to safely andquickly lower himself to theground, preventing SuspensionTrauma. Robert, Mitch and Jerrysincerely want every customer tobe a return customer.

The service department atBrothers prides itself on doingthings the right way. They do nottry to sell the customer a bunch ofbells and whistles they reallydon't need, and they go out of theirway to ensure every job is donecompletely and correctly the firsttime. Customers at Brothers willnot find hidden fees or surprisecharges when they return to pickup their equipment. At Brothers’there is a clearly marked sign indi-cating the fees for most commonfixes, and a clear understanding forthe prices of non-listed itemsbefore the work is started.Whether they are building a cus-tom string or replacing one with aVapor Trail or Tech 9 off the shelf,the customer will know in advanceexactly what they will be charged.

Robert and his father Jerry'syears in the outdoors and aroundthe outdoor industry has been theirguide in selecting the quality prod-ucts and services they carry, butthey also understand some cus-tomers may want a product theydon't currently stock. AtBrothers’, they have the ability toget just about any piece of archeryequipment or part that someonemay want or need with a very quickturnaround. They offer out-of-house custom paint jobs as well.

Brothers Archery is currentlyoffering a Grand Opening specialof $5 off purchases over $50, $10off purchases over $100, and $20off purchases over $200, includ-ing most on shelf accessories.Another Grand Opening special is5% off prepaid orders over $50,and 10% off prepaid orders over$100. The most spectacular GrandOpening special may be the $50off the MSRP for bows by Athens,which are manufactured with

Hoosier pride right here inIndiana! Brothers’ GrandOpening Sale will last throughoutthe entire month of December andmany items will be on hand fordisplay and testing.

In the near future, BrothersArchery & Sports plans to beginsponsoring USBA and other sanc-tioned shooting events around thearea, where they will offer on-sitearchery tech and supplies. Also,Brothers’ will begin consigninghigh quality hunting equipmentsuch as bows, camouflage cloth-ing, tree stands, blinds, and otherlightly used outdoor items. Otheritems that are in development forthe near future includes a new lineof AMG Crossbow tackle specifi-cally designed for bow fishing, afirst of its kind. The staff ofBrothers’ will be field-testing thisgear and featuring the new setupsin house. Additionally, BrothersArchery & Sports has alreadybegun looking into a possiblesecond location in Starke orFulton Counties.

Brothers Archery & Sportswas started to offer needed techni-cal support and products to anyoneinterested in going afield. TheEccles' family commitment tooffer the best prices, products andservice has already begun to gen-erate a strong and loyal customerbase. They hope that their com-mitment to the everyday hunterand shooter will continue to growthat base. They want every out-doorsmen to feel welcome in theirlocally owned and family runshop. At Brothers Archery &Sports, they pride themselves oncustomer satisfaction -- not thebottom line -- and hope you willstop in soon to see what they haveto offer.

Robert, Mitch & Jerry Eccleshave opened a new archeryshop in North Webster basedon a plan to provide thebest products, prices& superior service.

Brothers Archery &Sports featuresbows by Athens -- like the one Robert used to take this15-pointKosciusko Countymonster whitetail.

0 INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS ® 2009© December, 2009 Edition

The aisles at the sportinggoods store are full of huntingscent products. I use my HS Scent-A-Way laundry detergent, deodor-ant, sprays and scent wafers reli-giously. They definitely givehunters an edge when going upagainst the keen nose of a white-tail or other big game animal. Thebottled attractants, from curiosityscents to deer urines and glandsecretions, all have their place inthe field too.

All of these scent-controlproducts are must-haves forhunters. When used effectively,they help humans smell like,well, nothing. But there are addi-tional ways to boost your huntingsuccess by both masking yourhuman smell and adding naturalscents to your hunting situation.

Walking InWhile you’re on your way to

your hunting spot, keep your eyesand nose open for cover scentopportunities. For example, let’ssay you come upon a pine treethat’s oozing sap from its trunk.

As long as you don’t mind gettingsome “stick” on your huntingclothes, put some of that sap onyour pant legs, jacket and evenyour hat. The crisp smell of pinesap is 100% natural and extremelyaromatic. And, it’s not at allunpleasant to your nose like ani-mal scents such as skunk essenceor fox urine are. You’ll smell likeChristmas all day long.

As you continue your walkand come across fresh deer drop-pings, put your boot soles inthere and smoosh them around.This will help cover your scenttrail going in and out of yourspot, and could actually serve toattract deer to your path.

If your hunting location isrich with apples, acorns or agri-cultural crops like corn or soy-beans, then make use of thosethings. Slice an apple and rub thejuices on your pant cuffs or heck,even under your armpits. Eat anapple too to help mask the scentin your breath.

On a recent deer hunt, withthe bucks in full rut, I came upon ascrape so fresh I found it with mynose. It reeked of urine and tarsalsecretions. The soil was stillsoaking wet along with the lick-ing branch overhead. If you findfresh buck scent in the woods likethat, it’s worth its weight in gold.Keep some ZipVac vacuum bags inyour pack (along with theportable ZipVac hand pump) andbag both the soil and the end ofthe licking branch. Vacuum out

the air to prevent evaporation andrelocate the scented items to yourstand location. It’s a dynamitetactic during the rut. Use yourZipVac bags (www.zipvac.net) onother things as well -- like drop-pings or even the bark shavingsfrom a recently-rubbed tree. Rubsare both visual AND scent sign-posts that are rich with secretionsfrom the buck’s pre-orbitalglands.

At Your StandWhen you get to your tree

stand or ground blind, place yourscents (store bought or the naturalones discussed above) in a waythat’s strategic for wind direction,deer travel, location of shootinglanes, etc. Then, at the base ofyour tree or around your groundlocation, dredge up the soil withyour boots to unlock the robustsmell of the soil and decompos-ing leaves. In addition to helpingto mask your scent, the smell offresh earth can communicate twothings to a deer. One, that some-thing has been pawing the groundto feed; or two, that a buck hasunearthed a scrape in the area.Both are good things.

After The ShotIf you or anyone in your

hunting party is lucky enough toshoot a buck or a doe, take a fewthings from the animal beforedragging it off to the meat pole.Remove the bladder and empty thecontents into a clean bottle.

Label it “buck”or “doe”. Storebought urine isgreat, but it’stough to com-pete with100% fresh.Remove thetarsal glandstoo and putthem in one ofyour ZipVacbags. Usinggauze or cottonballs, swab,bag-and labelthe following:both the pre-orbital glands(located at theforward cornersof the eyes); the interdigitalglands (between the fronthooves); and fresh saliva from theinside of the deer’s mouth. All ofthese scents combined make upthe authentic smell of a live deerthat you or a fellow hunter can usethat day to maximize yourchances. At the end of a hunt, re-bag and vacuum the items in thesame labeled ZipVac bags youused before. Then get them into arefrigerator or cooler to keep thescents fresh for the next day’shunt.

Savvy woodsmen and womenutilize everything at their dispos-al to up their odds of success inthe field. Most hunters walk rightby great scent-related opportuni-ties. But next time you’re out,

open your eyes and nostrils andput some of these tactics to workfor you. They’ll make you a betterhunter.

Good Hunting.

Babe Winkelman is a nationally-known outdoorsman who hastaught people to fish and hunt fornearly 30 years. Watch his award-winning “Good Fishing” and“Outdoor Secrets” televisionshows on Versus Network, FoxSports, Wild TV and many localnetworks. Visit www.winkel-man.com for air times where youlive. Come meet Babe at the Ford56th Annual Indianapolis Boat,Sport and Travel Show, February19-28 at the Indiana StateFairgrounds.

Scent control you can’t buy at the store

BABEWINKELMAN

Natural scents are readily available to the savvy hunter andcan both attract deer to your stand and mask your humanodor once they arrive. Josh Lantz photo.

December, 2009 Edition INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS ® 2009© Page 1 1

All Star Seminar Lineup Headlines Ford 56th AnnualIndianapolis Boat, Sport & Travel Show By Josh Lantz

Fishing Camp -- Ask the Pros will takeplace at 1PM and 6:30 PM on bothSaturdays of the show. The Feb. 20thseminars will feature Roland Martin,Jimmy Houston, Joe Thomas and DanArmitage. The Feb. 27th seminarswill feature Babe Winkelman, GaryRoach, Dan Armitage, Bill McDonaldand Chris Walker.

Hunting Camp -- Ask the Pros willtake place at 1:30PM and 6PM onSaturday, Feb. 20th, as well as at1PM on Sunday, Feb. 21st. HuntingCamp -- Ask the Pros will featureChuck Adams, Stan Potts, BillEpeards, Brandon Butler and JeffFoiles.

For a complete seminar scheduleand other important show info,go to www.indysportshow.com

and check back regularly!

Regular show-goers knowthat the Ford Indianapolis Boat,Sport and Travel Show, held eachFebruary at the Indiana StateFairgrounds, is the one place togo for deals worth waiting for onboats, RVs, outdoor vacations,fishing tackle and all manner ofoutdoor gear. It is a family-friend-ly destination that pleases, enter-tains and educates on all aspectsof the outdoors -- without strain-ing the family budget. It is thelargest show of its kind in thenation, and a tremendous value!

Hunting and fishing seminarshave been popular components ofthe show since its inception, andthis year, show organizers --Renfro Productions andManagement -- are upping theante by loading the seminarschedule with some of the biggestand most respected names fromthe world of hunting and fishing.

Fishing SeminarsLocated in the Blue Ribbon

Pavilion, this year’s fishing sem-inars will focus on bass, crappie,muskie, salmon, trout, walleye,northern pike and more using avariety of tactics, and will beoffered by Roland Martin,Jimmy Houston, BabeWinkelman, “Mr.Walleye” Gary Roach,Joe Thomas, PhilRambo, DanArmitage, BillMcDonald, ChrisWalker, Capt.Mike Orr, EricJohnson, and FoxStatler.

With such big

names on the docket, one mightwonder how attending one or allof these seminars could possiblyget any better. Well, leave that tothe Renfro brothers, because thisyear they’ve come up withFishing Camp -- Ask the Pros.

At Fishing Camp -- Ask thePro s, audience members get toactually control the seminar top-ics. That’s right! For the firsttime, you the show visitor will beable to direct the content of thesespecial seminars. Your moderator,Dan Armitage, will be joined onstage by the biggest names in thebusiness along with local expertsto discuss the topics that areimportant to you. You ask thequestions and get the discussionmoving!

Nine-time B.A.S.S. Angler ofthe Year and 30-year veteran ofthe world of outdoor television,Roland Martin is proud to beinvolved with the cutting edgeseminar series at this year’s FordIndianapolis Boat, Sport & TravelShow. “I am very honored to be apart of Fishing Camp -- Ask thePros in the great fishing state ofIndiana” says Martin. “We have alot of experience and informationto share”, Martin continues, “andthis new and exciting forum is

the best way to cutstraight to the partsthat audience mem-bers are most-inter-ested in”.

L e g e n d a r yangler JimmyHouston, known as“America’s FavoriteFisherman” agrees.“I’ve always been

passionate abouthelping other

anglers and spend-ing time with fans”, saysHouston, “and this venue inIndianapolis is going to allow usto reach the most people. I’mreally looking forward to answer-ing questions from the many greatanglers from Indiana and through-out the Midwest at Fishing Camp-- Ask the Pros.”

Hunting SeminarsOn the hunting side, semi-

nars at the 13th Annual Deer,Turkey and Waterfowl Expo (heldopening weekend of the Boat,Sport andT r a v e lS h o w )will coversuch top-ics asd e e rhunt-i n g ,

turkey hunting, waterfowl hunt-ing, archery, hunting Indiana’spublic lands, deer processing andfood plot preparation, and will begiven by Stan Potts,Bill Epeards,Chuck Adams, Jeff Foiles, ByronFerguson, Kevin Boyer, BrandonButler and David Ray.

Here too, show organizers areusing an interactive format --Hunting Camp -- Ask the Pros --as a means to allow audiencemembers to quickly cut to thetopics of discussion which mostinterest them. It is the best way

to maximize the benefits of hav-ing such big name huntingexperts on hand, and a rewarding

experience for all who attend.Don’t miss your favorite

seminar or personality! Go towww.indysportshow.com to seethe complete seminar scheduleand descriptions of all show fea-tures.

Gary Roach!

Babe Winkelman!

Stan Potts!

Roland Martin!

Jimmy Houston!

Chuck Adams!


Pause and Reflect

Indiana Bassin’JIMBODINE

During this time of year,most fishermen are taking abreak. The Christmas season isupon us, and our thoughts turn togatherings and celebrations withfamily and friends. It is also agreat time to reflect upon the pastyear and think about what we cando to better our performance onthe water.

One thing I like to do is to tryto remember all of the successfuldays I had on the water during thepast season. I take out a piece ofpaper and jot down all the thingsthat went well that day. Ask your-self questions and try to rememberevery little detail about that mag-ical day. Can you remember whatthe weather was like? What lureyou were using? What was thewater clarity? I think you get thepicture. If your notes to yourselfare complete and accurate, youwill be able to identify the lakes,techniques and patterns that weresuccessful. Spend some qualitytime with yourself, revisitingthese memories. Doing so willhelp you store your successfulexperiences in your head.

On the flip side, you shoulddo the same thing on those daysthat didn't seem to go so well.Most anglers tend to write off orforget about a bad day of fishingtoo quickly. Don’t do this. Usethese experiences to try and learnsomething.

As a child, you may havetried to learn to hit a baseballfrom your non-dominant side.Most of us tried it and thought,“Forget this!” and went on hittingfrom the side we were most com-fortable with. But those whomove to the top of their sportspend the majority of their timeimproving on their weaknesses.As an angler, you can do the same.Correct the mistakes you madelast season by identifying themand thinking about what youcould have done differently.

Here's the deal. Think backon a particularly bad day. If youwere good at another technique, itmight have turned out to be a so-so day. If you knew two moretechniques, you might have takena bad day and made it into a day toremember. But because of yourweaknesses, your day was oneyou'd rather forget.

Don’t ignore the negative,but don’t dwell on these thoughtseither. Believe it or not, there isan optimal ratio between positiveand negative thoughts when itcomes to performance.Psychologists have known forquite some time that too manynegative thoughts discourage usand can even lead to depression.

As anglers, especially whenwe are not catching fish, we needto keep our negative thoughts atbay. If too many of those enterour brain, we tend to give up. Ifthat's the case, we might as welljust head for the ramp, load up theboat with our tails between ourlegs, and miss out on a successful

day. Of course, too many positive

thoughts can be just as detrimen-tal. Being too optimistic canmake it difficult to notice and fixour flaws. Carelessness oftenaccompanies overconfidence.Experts have determined that theproper ratio of good to badthoughts should be 4-to-1. Thisratio supposedly allows a personto function at optimum perform-ance. Interesting.

While it probably isn’t prac-tical or much fun to try to live bythis ratio, the concept does havesome merit and it and is certainlyworth considering.

I have found through experi-ence on the water, the more posi-tive I stay, the more successfuland rewarding my day is. And byremembering my not so good

days, I can learn how to avoidsimilar days in the future. Just tryto stay four times more positivethan negative and you’ll increaseyour chances of having a highlysuccessful day!

The Christmas season is oneof hustle and bustle when itshould be a time for peace. Bytaking some time for ourselves,whether it is praying, singing,meditation, or personal reflec-tion, it gives us an opportunity todisengage from our busy worlds.It also improves our concentra-tion, reduces anxiety and gives usmore self confidence -- traits wecan definitely use to improve ourfishing as well as our overallmental health.

I wish all of you a very MerryChristmas and a Happy New Year!See you in 2010!


Crossword Answers

on page 4!


Smallmouth bass fishing onWest Virginia's New River Gorgemeans beautiful fish in a wild,beautiful place, and no one toshare them with butyour fishing partner.

Just a few hours'drive from Indiana, theNew River represents alargely untapped fish-ery, one that is accessi-ble yet remote, produc-tive yet unpredictable.

That is not to saythat New River small-mouth aren't coopera-tive; an average day willyield 20 or more hard-charging, high-leapingkeepers. But, an anglermust fish hard, be adaptable and,at times, be creative enough tostay up with fish who have a pen-chant for changing feeding pat-terns due to water conditions,available forage, sunlight and ahost of other factors.

A recent trip to theNew River Gorge, nearFayetteville, WestVirginia, yielded over100 of the bronzebruisers in separateafternoon and morn-ing fishing sessions.

The river, whichbegins in the moun-tains of NorthCarolina, winds itsway through some300 miles of theEast's most beautifullandscape beforejoining with theGauley River to form theKanawha River at Charleston,West Virginia's capitol. Thestream, called the Kanawha for itsentire length by the Shawneepeople, was dubbed the NewRiver by English settlers who haddiscovered a new route from NorthCarolina and Virginia into thenorth and the Ohio River valley.Its last 30 miles, the New RiverGorge, are the most spectacular ofthe entire route and attract whitewater enthusiasts, rock climbers,mountain bikers, hunters andanglers from all over the nation.

Special ized FishingThere are few smallmouth

streams in America that are evenremotely similar to the New RiverGorge. As much an adventure asfishing destination, it is a specialplace and requires special tacticsto float and fish.

Leave the hydro-blaster bassboat at home and forget trying torun the New with a john boat.Class Four and Five rapids maketraversing the stream impossiblefor bass boaters and extremelydangerous for anglers in johnboats, due to their low maneuver-ability. Canoes and kayaks willcut it, but for the best fishingexperience, hire one of thedozens of local guides and fishthe river from a whitewater raft.They are comfortable, safe andhandle the rapids with relativeease. Plus, a good guide willknow where the fish are bitingand what to use to catch them.

And leave the ultra-lighttackle in the garage. Swift cur-rents, strong fish, snags, sharp-edged boulders and long casts inthe river's clear water make itnearly impossible to rely onlightweight gear to land manyNew River smallies. Instead,bring medium to medium lightspinning or casting rods andeight to ten pound test line. Fly

fishing buffs can get away with afive-weight rod, but a six orseven would be better.

New River F i sh ing Tac t i c sBecause of its rocky bottom

and shoreline, the New Riverdoesn't change much from year toyear. Even the most torrentialspringtime flooding, for whichthe river is famous, does not have

much effect on

the bottomterrain. Holes and shallows,rapids, steep banks and shallowflats remain fairly constant nomatter the volume of flow.

Yet, the fish will changefeeding patterns, sometimesunpredictably. Like all small-mouth bass, New River bronze-backs will do plenty of moving,depending on the availability offorage. Darters, hickory shad,crayfish and a host of terrestrialinsects and other critters make upthe bulk of their diet. On a recenttrip, we caught one fish that hadingested a water snake; its tailprotruding from the fish's mouth!

The key is to cover a lot ofwater until you find the patternfor the day. The river's swift cur-rent will make sure that you seeplenty of water and that plenty ofbass see your baits.

Venom ManufacturingCompany founder and owner DaveMaurice and I fished the river inearly autumn. Cicadas were fin-ishing up their annual swarm anddamsel flies were doing theirthing each afternoon. The riverwas cooling as night time tem-peratures dipped into the mid-fifties. As a result, the top wateraction was absolutely torrid.Green and chartreuse Lucky CraftG-Splash surface poppers werethe hot lure, imitating thecicadas, although Maurice landedan amazing number of fish withhis Venom Sweet Dream, DreamCraw and Macho Worm baits. Hislures proved that crayfish were onthe New River's menu, as well.

The fishing was red-hotbelow the rapids, especially inthe eddies and slack waters nearthe banks. An occasional fishcame from small eddies behindthe boulders that litter the river-scape below the rapids. Severalof the rapids gave up fish in goodnumbers above the rapids, inslower moving water between the

natural gravel bars that are createdby the current.

Spring time fishing issimilar, although thehottest fishing is in thecalmer water where thefish will spawn as thewater temperatureapproaches 55 degrees. During summer, whenthe water is low andbegins to heat up, plydeeper water on thesteep banks and struc-ture in the deeperholes.

Raft-Dodging:Not a Pro b l e m

The New River Gorge isperhaps the hottest touristdestinations in West Virginia,yet there is plenty of secludedfishing to be had. Thousandsof people will shoot theriver's world class rapidseach week during summer,but the river's stretches above

and below the rafting areaoffer the kind of solitudethat most of us only dreamof in this fast-paced world.An afternoon and eveningof fishing, cover-ing some 15miles of river net-ted the sighting ofprecisely one bankfisherman, noother boats or rafts,two bald eagles,plenty of deer,waterfowl and themost beautifulscenery the region

has to offer. As it says onWest Virginia license

plates, “Almost Heaven.” As Indiana’s deer and water-

fowl seasons wind

down and weplunge into wintertime, many ofus begin thinking about nextyear’s outdoor adventures and

travels. Anyone with penchantfor wild scenery and good fishingshould consider making plans tofish the New River next spring,

summer or fall. It is arelatively inexpen-sive and short tripthat won’t disap-point.

For more infor-mation or to book atrip to fish the NewRiver Gorge, contactmaster guide SeanWishart. Sean runsMountain StateAnglers, the fishingsubsidiary of a newlyformed outfitter andresort firm that repre-sents the joining offorces of three of thelargest, oldest and mostexperienced of the NewRiver Gorge outdoorrecreation outfitters. Thenew company, New RiverGorge Adventures, nowconsists of the propertiesof Class VI Outfitters,

Rivermen Oufitters and MountainRiver Outfitters. Lodging, dining

and recreationalactivities, includ-ing three-mile-long, zipline“canopy tours,” areall available toguests. Rates arereasonable and thefacilities overlookthe gorge itself.Call Sean at (800)545-7238 or visithim on the web atwww. m o u n t a i n-stateanglers.com.

Almost Heaven. . . West Virginia’s Fabulous New River Smallmouth Fishing By Rick StorySPORTING TRAVEL:

Bass Pro Shops® Big Bass Adventure Set

Introduce your kids to the thrillof landing the big one with thisawesome set. It's first-classall the way, with a 12'' repli-ca Hummer® H2 SUV to towthe world's most exciting bassboat-the Nitro® Pro! At 15'',this boat is decked out for big-time fun, with a livewell, telescop-ing steering wheel, and trailer. Set includes father and son jointed action figures, fishing pole withlure hook, two giant bass, net, Wave Runner®, and yellow lab figurine. (Price: $29.99) Available atwww.basspro.com.

Plug It In & Play™ TV Games Big Buck Hunter

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Bass Pro Shops® Round Swivel Rod Rack

This quality-crafted Bass Pro Shops Swivel Rod Rack is constructed frompine with a natural oak finish. The Rod Rack features soft rubber rod gripsthat won't scratch rods and a ball bearing swivel base for easy access even incorners. Holds up to 24 rods (without reels). Some assembly required. 17-1/2"diameter. 26-3/4" high. (Retail price $84.99) Available at www.basspro.com.

Holiday

Edition!


An Expert Discusses Trends & Opportunities in Kayak Fishing By Josh LantzSMALL BOAT ANGLING:

When avid angler Marc Dixonstarted Zionsville-based EagleCreek Kayaks in 2006, he wasn’tsure how fast the sport of kayakfishing -- or his business -- mightgrow. “I was really testing thewaters to see what the marketwas”, he says. “I had a feeling thatit might take off (kayak fishingand the paddle sports, in gener-al)”, he says.

Boy, has it ever.The appeal of kayak fishing

is fairly simple to understand. Theboats are stable, durable,portable, affordable and high-tech. They don’t burn expensivefuel, you can transport them withalmost any vehicle and launch andretrieve them almost anywhere.

And recently, kayak buildershave really gotten serious aboutdesigning boats for anglers.“Over the past couple of years,kayak manufacturers have gottenaway from the notion of slappinga rod holder or two on one of theirboats and calling it a fishingkayak”, says Dixon. “The manu-facturers I carry are designing andmolding these boats specificallywith fishing in mind”, he says.“There are rod holders where youreally need them, molded-inlivewells, tackle storage and avariety of other well thought outfishing features. . . the boats arealso getting wider, making themeasier to stand up in”.

Dixon says Malibu has beenan industry trendsetter with theirfishing models, sporting such fea-tures as aerated livewells. Alsodriving innovation in the market-

place, Ocean Kayak makes a 13’model called the Torque, whichincorporates an electric propul-sion system. Similarly, FreedomHawk makes a 12’ fishing kayakthat has outriggers that fold out atthe stern to create a stable plat-form for a standing fishing posi-tion.

“These are all innovationsthat have been driven by anglers”,Marc says. And the funny thingis, these boats are now turningpaddlers into fishermen. “Withthe advent of fishing kayaks, I’veseen a surge of experienced kayak-ers who hadn’t thought of fishingfrom them before, coming in tooutfit their boats with fishingaccessories or trading up to pur-pose-built fishing models”, saysDixon.

Today’s fishing kayaks rangein size from nine-to-fifteen-feet,and the right model for youdepends largely on the waterswhere you’ll fish. “A fifteen-footmodel is a better choice for lakesand other big waters, while a nine-footer is ideal for smaller creeksand rivers”, says Dixon. “Atwelve or thirteen-footer is a pop-ular all-around boat”, he contin-ues.

Just because winter has set indoesn’t mean there are no morekayak fishing opportunities untilspring. Here in Indiana, mostcreeks and rivers stay ice free allwinter. “It isn’t for everyone”,says Dixon, “but I like to get outregularly in December throughFebruary on the White River herein Indianapolis. . . the small-

mouth fishing can actually bepretty good”, he says.

Other nearby winter kayakfishing opportunities include win-ter steelheading on Michiganrivers such as the Muskegon andPere Marquette. Here in Indiana,winter steelhead can be foundbelow the Twin Branch Dam inMishawaka and on the lower sec-tion of the Little Calumet inPortage.

For many kayak anglers, win-ter is the time when they plantheir kayak fishing travel. EagleCreek Kayaks offers a variety ofguided kayak fishing adventures,from local trips on the WhiteRiver and other Indiana waters, tosummertime trout trips toMichigan’s Muskegon River, tofull-blown angling adventures inthe remote Florida Everglades.“The Everglades trip is really

spectacular”, says Dixon. “We’recurrently planning a trip for thisspring and we’re looking for sixto eight folks to join us”. Anyoneinterested should speak to Marc,or go to eaglecreekkayaks.com formore information.

Speaking of getting ahold ofMarc, why not speak with himface to face? Marc will be exhibit-ing at a variety of outdoor showsthis winter, the first of which isthe WAOR Outdoor Expo,Saturday, Dec 12 at the RV Hall ofFame in Elkhart(www, WAOR.com) . Marc andEagle Creek Kayaks will also be atthe Ford Indianapolis Boat, Sportand Travel Show at the StateFairgrounds Feb. 19 - 28(www.indysportshow.com). Marcwill be available at these shows toanswer your specific questionsabout kayaks and kayak fishing,but he’ll also have a variety ofsome of the best fishing kayak

models on display to check outfirst-hand. “The winter monthsare definitely the best time to buya boat”, says Dixon. “And I’llhave a bunch of them with me atthe shows that I really need tomove to make way for next year’smodels”, he says.

Kayak fishing is no fad. Infact, it is one of the fastest grow-ing outdoor sports in America.There are national kayak fishingmagazines, videos and othermedia covering the sport. Theweek of December 14, Marc Dixonwill appear on a special kayakfishing episode of Angling theGreat Lakes Television on theSportsman Channel (check locallistings).

If you have ever thoughtabout getting set up for kayakfishing, now is a great time to getstarted. And Eagle Creek Kayaksis the place to go to get your ques-tions answered.

Marc Dixon shows a nice snook caught on a recent excursion to the FloridaEverglades. This is just one of the many kayak fishing adventures offered by EagleCreek Kayaks. Photo provided.

An Eagle Creek Kayaks fishing expedi-tion on Michigan’s Muskegon River.Photo provided.


Andy Sytsma of DeMotte has taken a lot of nice bucks in hislifetime, but this Japer County 11-pointer is his biggest.

Kit Goldwood took this incredible 16-pointbuck on November 1 while hunting in Whitley

County with his Parker bow. The big deergreen scored 168 and dressed out at 215 lbs.

Luis Wilson of DeMotte took this great ten-point-er with his bow on public land on October 13.

Kelly Odom of Lebanon killed this bigJasper County eight-pointer with her

slug gun.

Ryan Neal of Chesterton took a great nine-point, Porter County buck with his bow.

10-year-old Jacob Adams of Connersville took this great ten-pointer while hunting in Fayette County.

Mike Hernandezof Knox took this bigeight-pointer at 3:20 PM on opening day of

the firearms season.

Gone Afield monthly photo contest. . .It’s EASY! It’s FUN! Fill out this form and send it in with your favorite outdoor photograph.

A winner will be randomly selected each month to win a great outdoor prize!

Entry Information:

Person submitting the photo:

Name(s) of person(s) pictured:

Other information describing the photo:

If I’m selected as this month’s random winner, please send my prize to:

Send your photos to:Gone Afield

P.O. Box 1022Chesterton, IN 46304

E-mail submissions welcome at: [email protected] mailing photos, please include a SASE if you’d like us to return them to you

CONTEST RULES: Raghorn, Inc. shall retain the right to publish or not publish any images submitted inany of it’s media outlets. Winners chosen at random. Prizes are subject to change and contest may ceasewithout notice.


A Marketplace for the Outdoor Enthusiast!

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• Indiana & Michigan• Fly Fishing Specialist• Other Forms of Light Tackle Welcome• Since 1999


It’s here! Last month Ireceived the first news releasefrom an official agency warningto watch out for deer on the high-ways since we are now reachingpeak season for car/deer accidentsto occur. I get these news-bitsevery fall, just as regularly asreceiving income tax forms inDecember or credit card billseach month.

Not that it’s not good advice.Bashing a deer with the front endof your vehicle is never a goodidea. It’s bad for the car andworse for the deer.

Many of these news-reminders include reasons forlate-autumn being an accident-prone time for deer and one of thereasons often tallied claims“hunters are active and oftenchase deer across busy high-ways.”

Blame it on the hunters? Icertainly won’t offer the opinionhunters don’t ever chase deer

Stupid Deer Alert!

across roads. I’m sure it hap-pens. But a prioritized check listof reasons for deer to be moreactive at this season and increas-ingly prone to running acrossbusy highways would have toshow “chased by hunters” waydown near the bottom.

Truth is, the number one rea-son should pin the blame squarelyon stupid deer. Deer behavior isdictated by instinctive knowledgeand learned knowledge.Instinctive knowledge is brain-power born into each animal.All animals have instincts.Ducks instinctively fly southeach year. Rabbits instinctivelyhide out in briar patches. Deerinstinctively know to flee whenthey smell a wolf on their trail.Humans and deer have coexistedfor eons so deer may even instinc-tively know to lay low when theysmell a human on their trail.

But deer don’t have anyinstinctive fear of automobiles orhighways. Instinctive wisdombecomes ingrained into a species’brain over vast time periods.Motorized vehicles and deer haveonly coexisted for a hundred yearsor so. A century is a dot in timecompared to “vast.”

Most deer live in areas wherethere are plenty of roads and plen-ty of vehicles on the roads.Most deer don’t get run down so it

goes to show most deer do learnto avoid being hit on the high-way. How? They learn it thesame way you and I learned tolook both ways before crossingthe street and probably from thesame teacher -- their mom.

Fawns are born in mid-springand spend the summer and earlyfall following their mothers.During this time they are protect-ed by their mother’s learnedbehavior, and they learn from it -- at least the smart ones do.

Come November, however,the lessons are over. Moms areno longer in the parenting mode.Their attention is instinctivelydiverted into breeding, feedingand laying on fat for the winter.The youngsters aren’t so intenton keeping up with mom, either.Just as a teenage human “feels”like an adult, a 6-month old deeris often inclined to head out on itsown.

So what lessons did theyoung deer learn? If deer/vehiclecrash statistics are correct, a num-ber of the youngsters didn’t acethat part of their education.

But stupid deer aren’t theonly cause for the spike in acci-dents. Let’s add habitat changes.Autumn is the harvest season, aswell as the time of year all theleaves fall off the trees.

Corn is king throughout

The Last ThoughtMIKESCHOONVELD

This 6-month old buck didn't learn mama's lessons about roads. Photo provided.

most of Indiana. To a deer,what’s a cornfield? Deer are only3 or 4 feet tall and corn is twicethat tall. To a deer, a cornfield isa forest -- and each of the trees inthe forest has a tasty bite of nutri-tious food hanging on it. Deerare happy as a clam living in acorn-forest.

When the combine combsthrough the field, the forest ischopped down and the food ismostly gone. The habitat isdestroyed. The deer move -- per-haps to a nearby woodland, per-haps to the next field -- but ineither case, the farming activity

has the deer on the move.In areas where cornfields are

scarce, falling leaves changesecure habitats into open, inse-cure areas. The deer, again, areon the move.

Then there is the love con-nection. Fall is the breedingseason and the activity associatedwith finding, wooing and matingputs deer on the move, day andnight.

So where are the hunters? They are out there, for sure,

but not chasing deer out onto thehighways. Deer do that mostlyall on their own.

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