Wades Blades

5/10/2011 Shellcracker Fishing and New Lake Record......High Water Levels That Is!

2011-06-21T14:47:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Just got back from a one day trip to Lake Barkley in Kentucky (5/10/2011). Despite record high water levels, the fishing was great. Both Kentucky and Barkley lakes are dropping pretty fast, so things should improve even more once levels begin to stabilize. And water clarity in the bays are currently very good, which always helps.

My son Tyler and I spent the day with Jim Doom from "Between The Rivers Guide Service". Jim is a very good guide and an all-around great guy. I would highly recommend him! If you want to get in on some great Shellcracker and Bluegill action contact jim at the following: e-mail - jdoom26@yahoo.com or by phone: 270-703-7337 or 270-508-1251.

Below are some Shellcracker pics from the trip. Tyler caught his personal best with a large 13 inch male. We did not weigh it, but as you will see in the pics it was a FATTY. We also caught a bunch of nice Bluegills on the trip.

1/32nd oz. Horizontal Minnow Jigs worked well with Dolphy or Puba Plastics, tipped with a redworm or waxworm. Wade's Blades also caught fish.

Since Shellcrackers/Redear fight so well, I used a medium-light rod. just cast the 1/32nd oz. jigs out by themselves and let them sink. Reel in slowly across the bottom and this is a great way to find bedding fish. Tyler used a lift-drop retrieve method which obviously worked well!

If there are too many weeds or other debris in the water where you fish, try using a slip-float. They will keep your baits suspended off the bottom.

Tight Lines,

Greg

Spring Break 80 Degree Ice Fishing......well not quite

2011-03-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

Just got back from a 2 day trip to Lake of The Ozarks here in Missouri. Took My son Tyler out for a short "Spring Break" fishing trip.

Started out yesterday afternoon fishing below the dam using my jig and float technique, in an effort to catch some White Bass, but they have not showed up yet! Only managed one. But TY and I caught a couple nice Bass.

Spent the night at the cabin and fished the boat docks for Crappie. Water was pretty stained, but the bite was "on"! My son actually suggested that we take the ice fishing rods with us! At first I thought he was crazy, but the more I thought about it ...it made sense!

A lot of people sink brush and other fish attractors directly below the docks. The short 24" rods with spring bobbers were great for fishing those "tight" places around the docks. The spring bobbers allowed us to drop my #6 Wade's Blades jigs down pretty deep and detected the slightest nibble. Once we saw the minnow getting nervous, it was just a matter of seconds before the rods had a deep bend in them, with a fish on the line.

They are also more sensitive when fishing with horizontal jigs and plastics, which also worked well. We are probably the only people to ever use ice rods on this massive 55,000 acre lake.

Taking the family to the lake? Want to fish but have no room for rods and tackle? Sure you can't fit a couple 24" rods somewhere? Might be onto something?

Lesson here: Don't put your ice fishing tackle & equipment away after the ice melts. You might have your best spring ever using the lures and baits you already have!

Till next time.....Tight Lines,

Greg

Wade's Blades announces two NEW "Field Testers" for their lures

2011-03-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

John and Sean McKean are a father and son team from Pennsylvania who are passionate about fishing & catch a variety of species. John is also a former writer for the original "Fishing Facts" magazine.

John has written articles for me which I have posted on our Facebook page and this website, telling us how he's used Wade's Blades to catch big Carp, Catfish, and other species.

This year he plans to spend a lot of time chasing down big Crappies. He always has good tips and suggestions for making the most of your time on the water, which I will share with you.

Below is a brief Biography of John and Sean.

Welcome aboard guys!

JOHN McKEAN

John is a retired school teacher and has lots of time to

put his Wade's Blades in front of a big variety of local fish!

When he's not competing in weightlifting competitions, writing on various interests, or target shooting a slingshot, he's found chasing his favorite crappie, perch, trout or bluegill with light tackle in small lakes and ponds. John is also a big fan of the large, hard fighting carp that he stalks with small jigs, and enjoys getting up to Lake Erie to walk the many stone piers for big varieties that include hefty smallmouth, channel cats, sheepshead, and steelhead.

John was a former writer for the original Fishing Facts

magazine and has been a hardcore angler for 60 years.

SEAN McKEAN
Sean has fished for virtually all
his 29 years, learning from his

dad the power of light jigs, having used them since he could first walk!

He's deadly on trout with Wade's new
jighead series, tipped with small plastics, and
enjoys night fishing for huge channel catfish.

Working as a chef, Sean can always be counted on to supply terrific platters of crappie,perch,
and bluegills after a venture out to local waters!

Godzilla Gills on Ice! - January 26, 2011

2011-01-28T12:08:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!
I recently came in contact with Nate Herman, of Herman Brothers Pond Management Company in Peoria, Illinois. Nate invited me to come up and fish with him on one of the lakes they manage, and it was a real treat!

These guys sure know how to create and manage incredible fisheries! Nate is also an excellent guide and all-around great guy. I was wanting to catch some GIANT Gills and he wanted to sample some Wade's Blades. And we both delivered, with quite a few nice fish and lots of bites on my jigs.

As you can see from the pictures, we caught a lot of Bluegills, a couple Crappie, Rainbow Trout, and for some reason I cannot go out on the ice this year without hooking into a Catfish!

Right before dark we cut a few holes out in deeper (20 - 30 ft.) water. Nate dropped the Vexilar down in the holes checking for fish, and found one with what appeared to be several fish, suspended in 10 - 12 feet of water. I dropped a #8 Wade's Blade & waxworm down the hole and hooked up with, what turned out to be a 6 - 7 lb. Channel Catfish. Nate hooked-up with one in his hole (while talking on the phone)!

In a short amount of time we hooked and landed five Channel catfish. We both commented at how strange that was to see Catfish suspended that high in the water column and schooled together so close. But you never know?

The Bluegills came out of 10 - 12 Feet of water in or around some trees and brush. They were caught with various sized Wade's Blades tipped with waxworms and on my Horizontal Minnow Jigs and plastics.

If you'd like to go ice fishing with Nate, or have a lake of your own that you want the fishing improved on, Nate and his brothers can help. You can contact them through their website: http://www.hbpondmanagement.com

I'll try to get some video posted soon! Till next time......

Tight Lines,
Greg

A Day On The Ice - January 16, 2011

2011-01-18T09:22:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!
Had the chance to get out on the ice Sunday with my son and long-time fishing buddy Steve Miller.
We caught some nice Gills and a few Crappie.

Tyler has been wanting to catch a Catfish through the ice......and finally got his chance!

Below are some pics and a short video
of Tyler Hooked-Up!

Till next time....tight lines!
Greg

Wade's Ice Fishing Blade - Bluegill and Catfish through the Ice 12/28/2010

2010-12-30T05:27:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

Got tired of catching Trout, so I headed to Illinois yesterday 12/28/2010 to try and catch some bluegills through the Ice. Also caught a couple unexpected guests!

Had a great time making the video. Hope you find it entertaining!

Have a safe and Happy New Year!

Greg

Ice Fishing - December 18, 2010

2010-12-18T15:39:00.000-08:00

Took Ty out Ice Fishing today for a couple hours. We caught a number of Rainbow Trout and Gills. We used a size #8 Wade's Blade in Pink and Yellow Chartreuse colors, tipped with a waxworm.

Good Luck to everyone, if you go out. And above all.....be safe!

Tight lines,
Greg

Ice Fishing for Trout - December 16, 2010

2010-12-17T19:04:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
St. Louis, MO got hit with a small ice storm Wednesday night and school was closed, so Tyler and I went to a local park to do some ice fishing for Trout.

The Missouri Department Of Conservation starts stocking Trout in the month of November each year and it continues through February. there are a number of lakes in the city and county that get stocked. Some are Trophy lakes that are "Catch & Release" only, others you can keep the trout anytime.

Luckily there is a small park 10 minutes from my house that gets stocked once a month. We were fishing on a large wooden deck that extends out into the water. Leaned over and cut a couple holes to fish in.

This is my 1st attempt at making a fishing video using my new iphone. Hope you like it. We made a few mistakes (like holding the camera sideways briefly!), but we'll get it figured out....

http://s915.photobucket.com/albums/ac359/Wadeblade_bucket/?action=view&current=IMG_0012.mp4

BLADEGILLIN By: John McKean

2010-08-06T22:12:00.000-07:00

For the past several mornings I scheduled myself just a few moments to nab a large, hard

fighting fish on my light spinning gear. Time has been tight, and besides, the outside

temperature soon hits 90 degrees. However, success has been 100%, as I caught and

released about 75 pounds in only 7 fish!

My technique is simple, but most unusual. I quietly approach a stream hole just below the

spillway of a small, popular lake. It is nice and dark under the shadows of the nearby

bridge, but, nevertheless, my initial cast with a tiny Wade's Blade and maggot is directed

into the shallower lower pool. Usually an instant hookup occurs, and I have me a beautiful

3 to 4" bluegill! Wait! Didn't I mention 75 POUNDS of fish flesh??!! Well, hold on, so far I've

just acquired BAIT!

Now, I know the 6-foot deep, dark bridge hole contains big channel cats and largemouth

bass that found their way over the upper lake's dam during recent rains and high water.

So, I leave the floppin' little 'gill lip-pinned by the Wade Blade's small hook, then attach a

little double hook (or #8 treble, but these sometimes cause tangles and prove difficult to

remove for quick release). I fasten the size 6, 8, or 10 double hook through the very top

skin of the upper back or tail section of my bluegill. The leader's end loop is then inserted

into the snap that originally secured the Wade's Blade (a snap isn't normally suggested

for the tiny blade, but bluegills are rarely discouraged from hitting, and this set-up allows

instant, no tackle changing, big fish angling, once bait is obtained!).

After using a different type of "blade" to slice bleeding cuts into the 'gill's flanks, I GENTLY

heave upstream (not really as hard as it sounds with a light but firm spinning rod -just

remember "gently"!) into the deep, hopefully big fish laden, bridge pool. A bluegill lands

with a unique, noisy "splat!" that really wakes up big bass and catfish; don't be surprised

if a strike comes immediately on touchdown! Also with practice and a good casting angle,

a flat sided panfish SKIPS neatly to create extra special attraction. Hungry gamefish

KNOW when a delicate morsel is experiencing swimming distress!

Since I deem this a light tackle approach (I use 5# to 8# Power Pro line and a 5' graphite

rod), the bluegill is unweighted (unless you count the Wade's Blade hanging from its

mouth) and spirals downward slowly. At first, of course, this lively bait can be a bit too

active, but blood loss soon yields a more subdued, sinking, twitching action that big

gamefish absolutely LOVE! Then I just jig the lure back slowly; once slack shows bottom

is reached, it's allowed to rest for several seconds, retrieved at a snail's pace for 2 feet,

sink and rest again, etc. I look at it as jigging with the colorful Wade's Blade, but with

EXTRA BIG bait tipping!!

The take (except for heart stopping surface explosions!) by bass or cat (yet don't rule out

huge brown trout, striped bass, or muskies!) is usually just a slow but firm swim-away.

Please control the adrenaline rush and Do Not rear back on your rod. Simply start

cranking - the small sharp double hook, and sometimes the Wade's Blade aberdeen hook

(note to Greg: please build a few with sturdy # 8 salmon egg hooks for this method!!) will

easily penetrate just from the sheer pressure of a strong fish swimming. After that, hope

you have a reliable, durable drag set near perfectly! (And are wearing thick socks, since

you will be standing on "pins and needles" for the next 15 minutes!).

Now, all my fish this week have been hefty channel catfish, unless, of course, you also

count the initial bluegills that the Blade has conquered for me! And, so far, I've caught one

thick, hard fightin' cat for every bluegill taken; ya can't beat that bait efficiency!! Yet, we

must remember that the new world record largemouth bass was also caught recently on

a live bluegill from a lake in Japan. So DOUBLE UP on your fishing fun and enjoy both

panfishing and gamefishing on one lure! Heck, if ya manage to bring the bass record back

to the states, Greg Wade may give ya a free Blade!!

Sizzling Crappie action! July 16, 2010

2010-07-16T15:34:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Despite the 100 + degree heat index in the St. Louis area, Ty & I went fishing for a few hours this morning & tried out some of the new "Wiggla" jigs I've started making. We were fishing with 20th oz. Yellow Chart. jigs and White plastics. *Look for them on the Wade's Blades website this Fall.

It didn't take long for us to get into the fish, but we were surprised at the quality and quantity of Crappie caught. If it's this good when it's hot, can't wait to see what fishing will be like in the fall.

Included are a few pics I took. We only measured one fish and it was 15". Should have checked some others, but wanted to get them back in the water after a quick photograph. All the fish were released unharmed, with the hope of catching them again at a later date.

Till Next Time......

Tight Lines,

Greg

Summertime Hybrids

2010-06-28T21:14:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Just got home from a belated Father's Day trip at Lake of The Ozarks, here in Missouri. Spent the last three days with family and snuck out early (4:30 am.!) each morning to do some fishing. Nothing like motoring to your favorite fishing spot under the cover of darkness and a full moon!

Ty and I fished for Hybrids early in the morning, using 5" swimbaits, in a shad color pattern. Each morning we arrived at our spot a little early, but knew when 5:30am came around the fish would show up, and they did.

Is was so exciting seeing a school of Hybrids chase a lone shad to the surface. Then watch the shad walk on water with just the tip of his tail, in an effort to try and avoid being eaten, as the water boiled beneath him. A fresh live shad is to freshwater, as a shrimp is to the ocean. Everything wants to eat them.

While we were using artificial baits that imitate a live shad, there's nothing like the real thing. Problem is that they are scattered right now and hard to locate. However this morning, a boat pulled up as I was reeling in a hybrid which I had just caught. These guys were in a nice Skeeter saltwater Bay boat, which happened to have a shad tank on board. They had just come back from getting shad, and after a brief conversation with them, they offered to give me a few. I couldn't resist.

I already had two 7' spinning rods with braided line and Owner Mutu circle hooks on them. I filled my front livewell with water and placed the shad inside. I took one of the shad out and carefully placed a hook thru the top of its back, halfway between the top and back fins, so it could swim around looking natural. Wasn't long before my rod was bent in half, by the weight of a good fish. He took off like a freight train, with several long bursts that sent my drag screaming. Got him in and it was one of the biggest fish of the trip!

I always keep a casting net stored inside my boat, so that if I see shad, I can get them. But I have to confess: I need practice throwing the net, so if anyone has some good tips for me, I'd welcome them!

Ty even caught a nice largemouth on a Zara Spook and a Channel Catfish off the deck of the condo, using a Wade's Blade and waxworm!

Till next time......

Tight Lines,

Greg

Wade Into Carp

2010-06-28T19:36:00.000-07:00

Below is a story which was written and sent to me by John McKean. He is a customer and friend of mine from PA.

John is a very good fisherman and has managed to catch a number of fish species using the blade, in a very short time. Thought you might like to read this & maybe give it a try?

*His son Sean is pictured.

Photos by John McKean

"Dad, can I trade rods with you ?," laughed my 28 year old son,Sean. "You're just having way too much fun!" We had each hooked a massive carp simultaneously. Yes, a rare double for these elusive monsters.Things were hugely hectic as lines crossed and extremely thick, strong fish tore off in opposite directions. Very exciting, but Sean was confidently playing his fish with light, and virtually unbreakable braided line, while I sweated bullets and scrambled to steer an uncooperative behemoth on my usual 4# test "tournament" (so it won't over test) mono, on my 4'9" ultralight rod.

You see, earlier that day Greg Wade put me on a fishin' mission. He wanted a good carp photo to go along with a description of my unique ultralight method of capturing the "golden salmon" with Wade's Blades. Following is a method which I've perfected over the years - only now I'm realizing that Greg's nifty little baits just makes it better!

To begin, a section of lake or river must be located that gets little attention or traffic. Big carp are very wary and intensely dislike disturbance. Plan to fish in the densest, most hard-to-reach spots, and count on some hard bush & briar laden walking & crawling for a prime shoreline position! Oh, you'll see the carp rolling & splashing in these prime areas -from a distance- it's just that nobody else is willing to hike in.

Once at a potential hotspot, fish as quietly as possible. No ground noise if possible, don't step on loose rocks, and no unnecessary water splashing. Your role model should be the stealthy heron ; cast in one standing position with minimal movement of the casting stroke!

In starting, toss out about 1/2 a can of corn to chum the area. This makes a tiny bit of noise, and don't expect the carp to show for about 20 minutes (or longer) after these tiny splashdowns, but the corn seeding pays huge benefits. When they do overcome initial shyness, a school of "sniffing" carp will be attracted, build a real appetite, and cruise the entire area, not leaving until every last kernal is sucked in , unless spooked. So you have a captive audience, and they are hungry pigs!!

Take a light spinning rod, the thinnest 4# mono you can find (or for a little more confidence 5 to 8 pound test braided line), and a Wade's Blade tipped with a single kernal of corn. Toss out the lure into your prebaited area, then just let it do its special slow wiggle down to the bottom. Be alert! Many times I've experienced them nailing the free falling blade, because of it's deadly motion that always grabs their attention ! I liken the blades motion to that of a crawfish which is absolutely "Fillet mignon" to the biggest of carp in a lake! If not nailed on the fall, let the bait sit for about 10 seconds - a nearby carp "hears" the shimmying action as well as the gentle "ping" when the lure touches down on bottom. I've watched them take their time ambling over, but they are definately aware that food has entered the arena!

If no immediate takers, just slowly swim the lure about 2-4 feet, and allow it to drop down on semi slack line once again. Continue to swim & drop motion until the lure returns to shore. Don't rush completion, as I've often had big carp grab virtually at my feet (yep, it pays to be as motionless as a stork - at least I THINK that's what onlookers are calling me!!).

With perception of a gentle"tick" to indicate a carp sucking the blade in, just tighten the line. The tiny super sharp hook (I like the #8) will easily implant into those rubbery lips without excess pressure! Unlike a hard sweeping set, which the bait & doughball crowd uses, our Wade Blade tactics give us the edge because we're actually sneaking the hook in before the fish realizes he's been tricked! In other words, we don't allow him a "head of steam" from an initial hard, panicked run. No, we still can't expect gentle submission from these beasts, but at least WE have the upper hand from the beginning, rather than tackle them when they're already traveling at 100 mph!!

As to the fight, you're on your own ! Keep a cool head, a light drag, and grit your teeth for the next 45 minutes!! Hey, we fishermen LIVE for these fights, so don't begrudge the time just to move on to another fish! And if anyone asks, tell them you're WADING into carp!!

Seeing RED! June 7, 2010

2010-06-08T06:16:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Ty & I went back to the State Park in Central Illinois and fished for Bluegills. We were using the same set-up as last time (Black and Pumpkin #8 Wade's Blades & waxworms).

Things started off slow, as the fish had spawned and were scattered. So there were lots of "fan casting" and moving slowly along the shoreline to locate fish.

We ended up finding a few spots with males still hovering around the beds. Once you found them the action was pretty fast and furious!

The last place we fished was a shallow flat that held quite a few fish. That's when we hooked into these nice Redear. These fish are incredibly strong and put up a tremendous fight using Ultra-lite tackle.

If you have a lake or pond with Bluegills or Redear near you, get ya some Wade's Blades & waxworms, and get bit!

Tight Lines,

Greg

May 22, 2010 - Great Bluegill Bite

2010-05-24T22:50:00.000-07:00

Well,
Finally got a break from all the rain and was able to get out and fish for some Bluegill. Visited a lake in Central Illinois, and the fishing was great.

Took Tyler and met my good friend and long-time fishing partner Steve Miller. The lake was high when we got there, but surprisingly clear after all the heavy rains.

We caught all of our fish in shallow water of 3 feet or less. Used a #8 Wade's Blade (Colors: Black & Pumpkin) tipped with a waxworm.

Caught both males and females, and it looks like we still have some time before they spawn. We ended up keeping 19 male bluegills. *We released all the females.

Steve caught a nice bonus Redear that measured 10 inches long. We released the female fish. Also caught a couple small Channel Catfish, which were released back into the lake.

With the holiday weekend approaching and warmer temps, the fishing should just get better & better!
Go out and get ya some!

Tight Lines,
Greg

April 19, 2010 Mark Twain Lake Crappie

2010-04-20T20:03:00.000-07:00

Went Crappie fishing at Mark Twain Lake. I did not fish this lake at all last year, but had good luck there in previous years.

Finally got a chance to get the boat out and run the motor. Weather was perfect with high temps in the mid 60's and very light winds.

Started off fishing a small cove where I've caught fish before. Was casting a 1/8th oz. jig and white/Chart. 3" grub. Second cast I caught a fat white bass. Caught several more, before I moved back to some logs in the water and caught several crappie.

Decided to anchor off next to one of the logs. I put on a Green Chart. Wades Blade and minnow, and caught a big fat Crappie. hit a few other logs, but did not get bit.

I motored to another small cove that I had never fished before. I started casting a grub using my Ultra-Lite, as I entered the mouth of the cove. I caught several Crappie a couple feet out from the bank.

I trolled into the back of the cove where there was a bunch of logs and brush. Let the wind push me back next to the brush, and then set out my anchors.

Dropped a #6 Wades Blade and minnow next to the brush and caught a fat White Crappie. I continued to move the jig around in different spots and kept catching Crappie. Once the action slowed, I pulled up one of the anchors and used the trolling motor to move the boat further back in the brush, so I could fish some new areas.

I set my Wade Blade close to the back of the cove, and my slip cork disappeared instantly. I was a nice Blk. Crappie. Continued fishing the same area and caught a bunch of crappie.

All in all it was a great day of fishing.

Spring Break Fish'n 3/18/2010 - 3/19/2010

2010-03-20T13:58:00.000-07:00

Had a chance to do some river fishing with my son for spring break. Caught some nice White Bass & a couple Largemouth Bass.

Took my good friend and longtime fishing partner Steve Miller one of the days. Steve caught a bonus keeper Walleye!

Didn't even have to get the boat out! All fish were caught from shore.

Kentucky Lake 3-15-2010

2010-03-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

Went Crappie Fishing at Kentucky Lake, for spring break. But the weather did not feel spring-like! Temp's were in the 40's and the wind was blowing 10-15 M.P.H.

Caught fish vertical jigging in 30ft. of water!

Fishing Pictures 2010

2010-01-15T12:53:00.000-08:00

JANUARY 2010

MARCH 2010

APRIL 2010

Awesome Trout Action Thru The Ice

2010-01-15T11:19:00.000-08:00

This week has been some of the best ice fishing for Trout at Busch Wildlife in years!

I've been spending my time fishing lake 22 and have caught limits of fish every day! Even hooked one around 4 lb's.....had him up to the hole three times, but eventually got off.

Action for some anglers has been slow, but I stumbled across a method that is working well. I'm using a #8 Yellow Chartreuse Wade Blade tipped with a single piece of yellow canned corn. Using my rod holder and Frabill light action rod with 4 lb. test. I'm dropping the jig all the way down till it hits the bottom and reeling up about four inches, and letting it sit. Occasionally I will jig the blade to get the fish's attention.

Also had some luck using a pink #8 blade tipped with a small shiner or chub minnow.

Bites have been light at times, but the spring tip on the rod has helped me detect the slightest nibble. Once they tap it, Set the hook hard on a semi loose drag, and the battles on.

With warming temperatures, I'm not sure how long the ice will be around? So be careful if you go out and good luck.

Till next time....tight lines.

Greg

Crappie on Ice!

2010-01-06T17:11:00.000-08:00

Fished a relatives lake over in Fosterburg, IL this morning. Ice was nice and clear and approximately 6 - 8 inches thick!

Started out fishing with Wade's Blades and waxworms, but couldn't get bit. Switched to a #6 Black Wade's Blades with minnows and caught a few Crappie. All in all a slow day, but that's how it goes sometimes!

They are predicting 5 -6 inches of snow for tonight and tomorrow. Checked the area Trout Stocking hotline and Busch Wildlife lakes 22 & 23 were stocked with approx. 300 Rainbow Trout yesterday. Vlasis Park was stocked with approx. 95 trout. Should be some great trout fishing through the ice!

Get out and get ya some!

Till next time....tight lines.

Greg

First Fish of the Year 2010!

2010-01-03T16:32:00.000-08:00

Went fishing yesterday with my good friend Steve Miller, and checked out the ice conditions at a lake in central Illinois. To my surprise the ice was 2 1/2 - 3 inches thick! I did not walk out too far from shore, but did drill a couple holes close to the boat docks and fished from there.

Had 3 three subtle bites and one fish that inhaled a pink #8 Wade Blade and waxworm. Caught my first fish of the year on Jan. 2nd. A Rainbow Trout.

The outside temp. on the dash of my truck said one degree, when I left the house in the morning. The sun was out, but it was some of the coldest weather I've fished in, with temps for the day staying in the single digits. I was wearing plenty of layers, so I was comfortable the entire time.

Went fishing today (Sunday Jan. 3rd) out at Busch Wildlfe in Weldon Springs MO. Checked out lakes 22 - 24, and decided to fish lake 23. Ice was about the same thickness as in IL, around 2- 1/2 inches+. But the quality of ice is better this year, than last. The temperature dropped so fast and has stayed cold, so the ice is very strong. But that doesn't mean you should not take precautions. I always take a long rope and a boat cushion to kneel on, just in case!

Fished with a Pink #8 Wade's Blade and waxworms for a while today without any bites, so switched from waxworms to a white Berkley Gulp Maggots, and caught a rainbow trout. The water at lake 23 was kind of dingy and fishing was slow. There were two other guys ice fishing when I left, but they did not have any fish.

I decided to try fishing lake #22. The water looked better at lake 22, but we did not get bit in the short time we fished.

The weather is forecast to be cold all next week, with high temps not to exceed the 20's. By next weekend we should have at least 4" of good solid ice, and will have more bodies of water to fish.

Good luck everyone! Hope you have a chance to get out and try some ice fishing. Not sure how long the cold temps will last, so get out and enjoy it while you can. But most of all....be safe!

Tight Lines,
Greg

First Ice... December 11 - 12th 2009

2009-12-12T08:41:00.000-08:00

Well we finally have some ice, but it's only 1 1/2" thick! Not safe enough to walk on, but there are a number of lakes with docks extending out into deep water. Or parks with decks that you can stand or sit on the edge of. Just break a hole in the ice, and you're ready to fish!

Yesterday my neighbor and I went to a local city park in Ballwin, MO, which gets stocked with trout in the fall. We were using Wade's Blades and waxworms on short ice rods.We ended up catching two trout and lost a nice size fish at the hole.

Took my son this morning and caught two trout. One was caught on a pink #8 Wade Blade and the other on a Pumpkin #8.

Talked to some older guys that showed up to fish. They told me a six and eight pound Rainbow Trout were caught from the lake before it froze up!

Be sure to check these lakes out, especially if you have fall trout stockings in your area. A lot of times you can have access to good fishing, even if it's not safe to get on the ice yet. And once you have safe ice, the trout are pretty easy to catch, and put up a great fight!

Till next time, Good Luck and be safe!

Greg

Fall Fishing Nov. 8, 2009

2009-11-09T17:48:00.000-08:00

Took my son out fishing. Went back to my favorite lake in Illinois. The weather was fantastic for November, with high temps around seventy degrees!

We started out fishing for Crappie and caught a nice trout. After fishing the same tree for a while and missing two good bites, we decided to move to another spot. Fished a few more trees and caught a couple Crappie.

The lake was pretty crowded, because of the nice weather. And it seemed everyone wanted to fish for Crappie. We moved to the far side of the lake to get out of the wind. My polarized glasses allowed me to see spots where several logs were laying in the water. These spots were overlooked by the other anglers. I would sit my Wade's Blade and minnow next to the logs and fishing various depths. Caught some nice fish and found some decent numbers.

Trout was caught on a White #6 Wade's Blade with minnow, Crappie was caught on a Yellow Chart. #6 Wade's Blade and minnow. *All fish were photographed and released!

As we were leaving for the day, I noticed some fish chasing shad. I tied a small Mepp's spinner on Ty's rod and told him to cast near the school of shad. He immediately hooked up with a little largemouth bass. He caught three more Bass in four casts. Not much size to them, but a lot of fun for him. Made his day!

Till next time.....tight lines!

Greg

October 21, 2009 First Trout of The Season

2009-10-22T18:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went back to my favorite little lake in Illinois. They had
just stocked the lake with 3,000 lb.'s. of Rainbow Trout the week
before.

Tried fishing for Crappie using a Yellow Chartreuse Wade Blade with a
minnow. Anchored off next to the same tree I fished the last time I
was there. Sat my Wade Blade in the middle of the tree and ten
seconds later....my slip float was gone! I set the hook and felt some
weight on the end of the rod. I pulled up a nice 2.5 lb. trout. I
managed to get him up and over the main trunk of the tree before it
had a chance to get me wrapped up.

Once in the boat, I noticed the fish had another line in it's mouth.
*See pic. Someone had hooked the fish and it broke their line. The
snap swivel, hook, and Berkley Power Eggs were still intact! I put
another minnow on and put it in the same place, and hooked another
nice trout. Hooked two more, for a total of four, before I called it
quits. One of the trout was a nice female which leaked eggs all over
the floor of the boat and live-well. There was even a bunch left when
I cleaned the fish. *See pic.

I also caught two keeper Crappie from a couple trees. The wind started
to P.U. which made it difficult to fish one of the trees. Tried
casting with Rooster Tails, but did not have any strikes. There were
lots of small (minnow size) shad in the lake, and I think all the fish
were getting their fill.

Crappie Fishing 10/7/09

2009-10-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

Finally got out today. Went Crappie fishing at one of my favorite
little lakes, at a state park in Illinois.

Got to the lake around 11:00 and there was only one boat in the
parking lot. I noticed there was a guy at the fish cleaning station,
so I walked over to talk to him. He just came off the water and was
cleaning his limit of Crappie. That was a good sign.

I fished a couple trees, with no luck, but came across a third one,
and got a bite. I turned the boat around and anchored off. I was using
a Yellow Chartreuse Wade's Blade with a #6 hook, tipped with a minnow.
I sat in the same tree and caught around twenty Crappie. I kept my
limit of ten fish. Actually put some in the livewell to cull later,
when I caught a bigger one.

It was a beautiful day with sunny skies and temps in the upper 60's,
with a slight breeze. I started out fishing the deeper parts of the
brush, but was surprised to hook some of the bigger fish in water as
shallow as two feet! Just shows you that you never can tell where
they'll be. Using a slip float really helps you to quickly adjust the
depth you are fishing at. Keep moving from spot to spot in and around
the tree and keep adjusting the depth, until you find the fish.

Here are some pics. Till next time.....tight lines!

Greg

First Blog Post - WADES BLADE REVIEW

2009-09-24T13:26:00.000-07:00

I fished a lake in Forest County for the past 5 days or so and had an absolute blast thanks to a great friend of mine who let me use his cottage for the week. We caught countless panfish in the 7-11 inch range, mostly bluegills. All our panfish were caught on Wades Blades jigs with a piece of nightcrawler beneath a bobber. These jigs were absolutely killer on these panfish and if you want to check them out go towww.wadesblades.com and look for yourself. The panfish were absolutely impossible to catch all day but, once sunset came they went nuts. As soon as the bobber hit the water a bluegill, crappie, or perch slammed the jig. My fiance had a pike rip a bluegill off the hook right next to the boat which was cool to see.

The pike were very active in the shallows at sunset on Rapala SkitterWalks and ZaraSpooks. The biggest pike landed was a 26 incher but, I had a huge monster pike follow right up to the boat and turn away. I am guessing 40 inch range for that pike that followed. The bass were also hitting the lures but, no big ones landed. I had a few explosive strikes that I missed so they could've been big bass or pike. Topwater fishing is my all time favorite method to catch fish, it keeps your attention and scares the crap out of you when a fish strikes your lure. Here are many photos from this week so enjoy and, good luck on the water.....

Wades Blades

5/10/2011 Shellcracker Fishing and New Lake Record......High Water Levels That Is!

Spring Break 80 Degree Ice Fishing......well not quite

Wade's Blades announces two NEW "Field Testers" for their lures

Godzilla Gills on Ice! - January 26, 2011

A Day On The Ice - January 16, 2011

Wade's Ice Fishing Blade - Bluegill and Catfish through the Ice 12/28/2010

Hi Everyone!

Got tired of catching Trout, so I headed to Illinois yesterday 12/28/2010 to try and catch some bluegills through the Ice. Also caught a couple unexpected guests!Had a great time making the video. Hope you find it entertaining!Have a safe and Happy New Year!

Ice Fishing - December 18, 2010

Ice Fishing for Trout - December 16, 2010

BLADEGILLIN By: John McKean

Sizzling Crappie action! July 16, 2010

Summertime Hybrids

Wade Into Carp

Seeing RED! June 7, 2010

May 22, 2010 - Great Bluegill Bite

April 19, 2010 Mark Twain Lake Crappie

Spring Break Fish'n 3/18/2010 - 3/19/2010

Kentucky Lake 3-15-2010

Fishing Pictures 2010

Awesome Trout Action Thru The Ice

Crappie on Ice!

First Fish of the Year 2010!

First Ice... December 11 - 12th 2009

Fall Fishing Nov. 8, 2009

October 21, 2009 First Trout of The Season

Crappie Fishing 10/7/09

First Blog Post - WADES BLADE REVIEW

Got tired of catching Trout, so I headed to Illinois yesterday 12/28/2010 to try and catch some bluegills through the Ice. Also caught a couple unexpected guests!

Had a great time making the video. Hope you find it entertaining!

Have a safe and Happy New Year!