It's time to go shopping ... for next year's fishing trip
This could be the best time in years to cherry-pick a fishing destination for next year.
Don't misunderstand me now. Not all lodge operators may be open to negotiating their charges for next year's season, but as much as I hate to say this, the downward spiraling economy also has impacted the fishing business.
I receive a considerable number of e-mails from readers who constantly ask me to recommend the more exceptional fishing lodges and destinations. I would be remiss if I excluded the regional spots while I listed just the more remote locations.
On a regional note my choices include Lake Shelbyville here in Illinois. You'll find everything from fat bluegill to line-ripping muskies. State park lodging there is excellent and usually available.
Rend Lake, Lake of Egypt, and Crab Orchard Lakes are three hot jewels in southern Illinois near Marion. These are very sweet lakes offering everything under the sun.
Just inside Kentucky there's Kentucky Lake with its fabulous smallmouth bass fishing, lunker stripers and largemouth bass.
Northwest Tennessee is home to the famous Reelfoot Lake area where great angling, lodging and food is always available.
Big smallmouth bass and walleye continue to be on the menu for Sturgeon Bay, Wis., at Sand Bay Beach Resort. Larry and Jan's Resort on the Wolf River is an outstanding location at Fremont, Wis.
Now to the far north country. This is a tough one, because there are quite few hot spots with excellent angling.
My choices in the Northwest Territories (Canada) are Kasba Lake Lodge, Alymer Lake Lodge and Brabant Lodge. Kasba and Brabant offer great pike fishing. Kasba has tremendous lake trout for the taking, as does Alymer Lake.
Northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan are my picks for very good pike fishing. Gangler's North Seal Lodges rank at the top with its Stevens-Nicklin outpost offering some of the best pike fishing I ever encountered.
And Gangler's Clifton Lake has some of the finest walleye fishing around. Misaw Lake Lodge is close behind in Saskatchewan with a tremendous pike fishery.
Big Sand Lake Lodge on the South Seal River is another great walleye hot spot. Add to that Elk Island Lodge on Gods Lake in Manitoba. Here's where I caught my first 50-inch pike. Gods Lake also has monster lake trout hiding in deep water.
Granted, there are quite few other lodges and destinations that have fine fishing, but I'm speaking from personal experiences.
Hawk Lake Lodge in Ontario (near Kenora) is a very special place for smallmouth and gigantic walleyes.
The downside to hunting for a great lodge and destination is one can never be sure as to the quality of the place.
In that regard I often rely on Paul Melchior and his company (Angling Escapes, 847-272-3195). Paul has been to so many lodges that I'd bet he has lost count. He offers packages from the ultra-exotic to more accessible, including trout fishing excursions in the western states.
So, when you head to the new America's Outdoor Show in Rosemont the last week of January, or perhaps to the All-Canada Show, you'll have another chance to hear the pitches and stories that will fuel your hunger for a 2010 outdoors adventure.