For something new in fishing, don't hesitate to try something old

Two weeks ago, I was reminded that nothing in this terribly crowded world of fresh and saltwater angling ever really slips into the out-of-date category.

I received an email from an acquaintance informing me fresh dollars are being invested in the promotion of the old Pflueger, single-action, black-bodied fly reel.

Three days after I received that email my Trout Unlimited magazine arrived. Lo and behold, a full-color ad appeared on one of the publication's pages for that very same reel. The ad copy generated conversations extolling the virtues within the fly-fishing world for a piece of gear that never shows its age, primarily because this is a piece of equipment made well with quality parts and care.

I presumed the only real change in that story is the upward cost at the retail counter.

And with winter now knocking on our doors, I'm suggesting we follow the lead of several walleye and bass fishermen who annually find big fish by trolling stick baits and casting surface lures to spots with heavy cover.

Trolling is not a favorite technique in my book of tricks. I try to avoid doing it because it's a reactive rather than an aggressive style of finding and catching fish. But trolling is one of the best ways to search large areas for suspended fish, like giant fall walleyes.

Pistakee Lake is still a favorite target for those anglers in the know. Many of them are the same fishermen who located 5- to 8-pound fish some years back when Pistakee Lake was known only to a few, a kind of secret jewel.

These mid-depth fish fell victim to trolled stick baits (crankbaits) because the person guiding the boat kept a sharp eye on bottom structure displayed on a beat-up fish-finder. The trolling boss figured the bigger fish stayed together either on or near the submerged rocks and deadfall trees deposited on certain locations by heavy currents and storms.

"You cannot divulge these spots in your columns," one chap cautioned. "It's unfortunate that not everyone is like me and my buddies who believe in sticking to the rules," he added.

That, of course, meant keeping very few fish while releasing the undersized future trophies. He was right on target.

I once made the mistake of identifying a few hot spots on Petite Lake, locations that proved to offer great walleye action when I trolled Storm Thundersticks over small schools holding tightly to sections of gravel and rocky bottoms.

And then winter came along with its thick covering of solid ice.

That was the signal for the wolf pack of poachers to descend upon the lake under the cover of darkness to grab the very spots that brought myself and many others quite a few hours of pure angling joy.

One poacher in particular laid out 50 ice tip-ups. He then retreated to the warmth of his house and snoozed much of the night away. He awoke before sunrise and collected his bounty of walleye, catfish and crappie from his illegal minefield.

Of course even 20 years back there still was a major deficiency of Illinois Conservation Police officers to find and nail this character before he was able to almost single-handedly ruin a good fishery.

Anyway, smallmouth bass fishing can be excellent now as long as your waders don't leak and water levels on the upper-Fox River allow some exploration.

With trees and logs embedded into shoreline locations, these areas alone can most assuredly hold feeding fish.

Topwater chugging-type lures will most likely trigger strikes. So can perpendicular casts to bank areas.

And if the poppers and stick baits don't work, toss a live night-crawler into the mix and allow it to sink to the bottom.

It's an old trick with lots of mojo, still able to get the job done.

• Contact Mike Jackson at angler88@comcast.net, catch his radio show 7-9 a.m. Sundays on WGCO 1590-AM (live-streamed at www.1590WCGO.com) and get more content at www.mikejacksonoutdoors.com.