Sand and Ice

I think this is the most interesting blog in a while. I write this as my mail is piled up as high as the snow...so please excuse any typos and more fragments than normal. Yes this is sand and not snow.

After a very successful season I took the opportunity to head to the Florida Keys for a little R&R. After the 2013 season I was in desperate need of a battery recharge. A lot of people still think that professional fisherman just fish all day...I can assure you that's not the case. The amount of paperwork and sponsor relations, magazine work, show organizing, and site selection and prep for TV work, etc can keep a guy a long way from the water if he lets it. No, I;m not asking you to shed a tear. Much like the rest of life I try to get as much balance as possible.

Feeding some tarpon by hand just confirms that salt water fish are just about 4 million times more aggressive than ole marble eyes. No matter how long you have a "pet" walleye in a tank they will never eat out of your hand.

Even though I spend my time as a fresh water guy it is funny how small the fishing world is. I saw a Ranger Boats sign near the road and stopped in to get a pic by it to harass my buddies about being in the nice weather. A nice lady came out to ask if we needed help...45 minutes later I was still talking to Jenn and Nate, the owners of Islamorada Boats. http://www.islamoradaboats.com/

It never ceases to amaze me the bond fisherman have, regardless of where you live or what you fish for. If you are a Ranger guy in Florida or just need a boat or some service in that area make sure to look them up.

I am going from 80 to -10 now...next up.... Ice Fishing episode of the "Local Catch"

See ya on the ice

PS--I hear they are biting!!!

Ross
bigwaterfishing.com

Iceing some Giants

It's the time of year when are already thinking about open water and spring fishing...but it's kinda hard when we have some hot ice fishing in the works.

If you have a chance get your hands on the new Clam electric auger conversion kit. It has been amazing.

Next Year

Hard to think about next year since I just stopped fishing a few days ago...but the phone has been ringing with guys looking to secure a spot for next year. Bittersweet as we had a really good year, but after so much fishing I really could use a little break...I must be getting old! Prime dates and weekends fill up fast so get ahold of me.

ICE--I will be working several stops on the promo tour and selling some Walleye Trolling books before we get safe ice. Look me up to chat ice and some of the new goodies that hit the market this year.

BOAT--I still have my 2013 boat available. It is in extremely good shape, loaded and only has 112hrs on it. Message or call me for pics and specifics.

Long time no talk

Just trying to catch up. This fall has some very up and some very down periods. basically, when the weather sucked really bad it was down and when we could actually get our butts on the lake it was good. With that said the fall to this point has required me to be on my A game more than ever. Very slight differences in the program made a ton of difference...some days they would only hit a few colors of Reef Runners...kinda weird.

Trying to get all of the ice gear in tip top shape...Clam and Ice Armor really raised the bar this year with some incredible new gear. Make sure to check it out and look at all of the updates myself and the rest of the Ice Team pro's post at iceteam.com.They will have audio reports form all over the country starting this week.

My nearly mint condition 2013 Ranger 621 is still for sale. it has approximately 125hrs on it and loaded with top notch equipment and lots of custom gear. Emial or call me with questions or for more pics.  hogwalleye@yahoo.com or 419-283-7069

Ross Robertson   www.bigwaterfishing.com

Boat for Sale

It has been a crazy year. The book has been a bigger success than we could have ever imagined and just a lot of other fishing chaos throw in the mix to keep me busy.

Due to an unfortunate set of circumstances the guy buying my 2013 Ranger 621 can no longer do so. It is the 45th Anniversary edition and in extremely good shape, professionally rigged and maintained with lots of custom extras.  It has approximately 80hrs on it and has a extended warranty on the big engine. Below are some of the included options.  Get a hold of me at hogwalleye@yahoo.com or 419-283-7069 with any questions.

 2013 Ranger 621 250Pro-XS & 9.9 Pro-Kicker

Equipment list: (in addition to standard equip)

101 Terrova AP/US—I-LINK w/ remote (NEW)

(3) Optima 31 series deep cycle trolling batteries

(2) NEW Style Smoothmoves suspension seats

(2) 60’’Bert’s custom tackle tracks on rear

One of a kind custom made console electronics mount---holds (3) 10’’ units without moving

6’’Bert’s custom tackle bow track for electronics w/ mount

(6) Rod holders, six mounts

Bert’s Custom Tackle Custom made troll motor Stabilizer

Humminbird 1198 GPS/Sonar/side Imaging @ console

Humminbird 1158 GPS/sonar @ bow or extra hookup at console

Transducer switch for SI and DI

Custom trolling motor bracket for shallow water and steep ramp launching

Flush mounted and lighted compass

3 bank Ranger on-board charger

2 bank Minn-Kota Precision charger (NEW)

Battery switch w/ 5^th battery

5^th backup battery—Optima 31 series

Custom travel cover and buckles

Sony Marine AM/FM CD player

Mercury stainless prop

Rear rails

Remote oil fill

Extra glassed in back up transducer

Flush mounted side imaging

Down imaging skimmer transducer

5 port ethernet box and cables run to each unit

3 folding and one bump seat

Bow electronics hook ups (GPS & MK US2 & ethernet)

Mercury extended warranty on 250

Custom straps to hold planerboards and landing nets

Custom cargo net below passenger console for storage

Customized  rigging tube from main 250hp engine

Bracket mounted to hold bow nav light

Static bracket

Dual console

Bow rod deck buckles

Mercury smartcraft guage (ability to troll w/ main engine)

Icast Recap and BIG walleyes

Sorry for the long delay.  This has been a crazy season...in a good way. Heck, the weather goes from 100+ degrees to needing a jacket in July...crazy!

Icast a few weeks ago in Vegas had some crazy new goodies for those tackle junkies.  Perhaps the biggest came from Humminbird and Minn-Kota. Humminbird has a new product out that is similar to Dr. Depth, but without all of the complicated procedures, expense, and uploading your waypoints to a "public" server. You literally can make a lake map of a small private lake or get a super defined map of a special area you have fished for years.  This is a game changer!

Minn-Kota wasn't to be outdone as they introduced a 12' talon that acts as a quick way of anchoring.  Tough to say shallow water anchor anymore when you can hit 12' with these bad boys.

Arguably the biggest thing for me was to see the newly designed 36volt trolling motors by Minn-Kota.  I've made it no secret that for years my go to piece of equipment that I literally can't be without is my Terrova auto pilot.  Now you have even more power and more efficient use of it. The newly designed head is shorter and slightly wider, which also causes you to experience less steering torque.

As far as fishing the bigger than normal winds we have been experiencing have kept me on my toes. Pair this with the warm lake temps and we have had to fish deeper than normal with both Silver Streak UV and non UV models as well as speed troll Reef Runners when the junk gets so bad we can't keep the spinners down.  Pink, Pink and Pink has been a good color to have on both the spinners and cranks.

Capt. Ross Robertson
www.bigwaterfishing.com

Bitter Sweet

More than a little tired having fished literally everyday for the last month. Lots of big fish came to the boat and got a bunch of Jr. anglers some giant walleyes.

The end of the trip was bittersweet. I made a big big gamble and lost big time in the NWT tournament. With the caliber of fisherman in these events you can't stumble and if you want to win you usually have to take a risk. This is especially the case at a Erie event when it's almost always a slugfest. I was fishing a couple small rock piles that had been holding lots of big fish for more than a week and felt if I had them to myself I could win. These type spots are usually more consistent than those open water roamers, but after the cancellation and subsequent two days of a big blow they just flat out moved out of dodge.

 We were catching lots of big walleyes slow trolling a new prototype Silver Streak lure and speed trolling Reef Runners all week.

The obvious bug across the internet is that their was a few snags with the tournament aside from the weather forcing the director two cancel two days of the event in the name of safety.  When lake Erie roars you don't mess with it. They had some serious issues with the scales...it cost me 4lbs and what should have been a 35.5lb bag, but it didn't end up really mattering.

The good part of it is that my close friend and Bigwater Pro team remember John Gillman won the event trolling Reef Runners on one of these same types of rock piles...just about 60 miles away from where I was. When I showed up and the fish had moved it was too far to go and the chance of running out of both time and gas were more of a reality. Bigwater Teammate Bob Henton had yet another 10 ten finish as well.


Ross Robertson
www.bigwaterfishing.com