Take It From Me: 5 Lessons from a Mediocre Angler

I may be named after the Norwegian god of thunder, but I have always been pulled to the water. From a young age I spent every minute I could swimming, fishing, and playing in the lakes around Park Rapids, MN. My grandparents introduced me to fishing to burn off energy and to teach me patience. I spent hours standing at the end of their dock catching Bluegills and the occasional Largemouth Bass.

Through Fish Addictions, I have had the opportunity to fish in just about every way I ever wanted to. Saltwater, freshwater, the Canadian wilderness, downtown Minneapolis, the plains of North Dakota, and the mountains of Colorado. I have been lucky enough to experience all of it.

Catching big pike has always been a dream of mine. I have spent countless hours chasing them and never had much success. That all changed last week when I got the chance to experience March Madness on Lake of the Woods, MN. In four days, I caught four new personal best pike. Some people might say it was beginner’s luck, but I like to think it was the reward for being a student of fishing. I have spent days studying fish in the boat, online, and through talking with other anglers.

Take it from me - five things I learned on my first big pike trip.

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1. Give yourself the advantage

With the technological changes available today, it does not make sense not to use them. Study the lake you are going to before your trip. Use GPS to put yourself on the best spot. Invest in a system like the Vulture to alert you. Fishing is supposed to be fun, but there is nothing wrong with stacking the odds in your favor.

2. Find a pattern

When we got to the lake, we started by running four different types of bait: smelt, alewives, live suckers, and herring, all at varying depths. As the week went on, we found that the big fish preferred dead bait during the day and live bait at night. Once we figured that out, everything changed.

3. Be prepared

This goes hand in hand with giving yourself the advantage, but it goes beyond fishing strategy. Plan for downtime while tip up fishing. Thankfully our group had a few phenomenal cooks who made us eggs, bacon, venison, and fresh fish daily to keep our energy up.

4. Have fun

In 2021 the point of fishing goes way beyond needing food. We do this because we enjoy it. It feels great to catch the biggest fish, and it is okay to be excited about that. Just do not give your buddy too much flak for only catching little ones. Tip up fishing has a lot of luck involved. Enjoy the moment and enjoy the people you are with.

5. Keep the Fish Gods happy

You may not believe in the Fish Gods or be superstitious, but I am. If I find something that seems to appease them, I stick with it. Maybe it is sneaking your favorite snack into the lake for them, or honoring them with a swig of your favorite beverage. Whatever it is, keep the Fish Gods happy.