Walleye Fishing is Life, Career for Expo Speaker
By Scott Richardson
Professional walleye angler Rick LaCourse was born on the shore of Lake Erie.
“We caught walleyes (on Lake Erie) by accident then,” said LaCourse, who is among seminar speakers at the Midstate Fish & Feather Expo at the Bloomington Interstate Center this Friday through Sunday. LaCourse will appear Saturday and Sunday.
The Clean Water Act and a moratorium on commercial fishing helped walleye numbers at Lake Erie rebound, and today, the lake is unquestionably the walleye capital of the world.
Fishing there will only get better, LaCourse said. The record year class of 2003 has reached a size worthy of harvest. Expect lots of fish in the 2- to 3-pound range with a trophy tossed in, he said.
“Its phenomenal,” he said.
LaCourse, who was 1997 champion of the Professional Walleye Trail, is a former deputy sheriff who decided to lay down the law and turn to fishing after his guide business soared as word of Lake Eries recovery spread.
As the walleye population improved, top anglers like LaCourse, “Mr. Walleye” Gary Roach and Al Lindner began learning more about how the fish behaved and how to catch them. At first, fishermen didnt target walleyes in the main lake before the Fourth of July.
The fish seemed to vanish before that, and anglers thought the bulk of the walleyes migrated up rivers to spawn in spring. But they eventually discovered most of the fish migrate to the western basin near Port Clinton, where they lay eggs on rocky reefs. Knowledgeable anglers began casting jigs to catch them.
LaCourse soon switched to worm harnesses. He also was among those who began to shun anchors and helped perfect trolling. What began as a crude method to cover more water has evolved to the level of an art form over the years. Precise depths with lures are attainable today using a combination of line-counter reels and manuals like “Precision Trolling,” which list dive curves for popular crankbaits. The books show how deep each lure runs based on how much line is let out.
Add planer boards to spread several lines to the sides of the boat, and trolling allows fishermen to cover vast areas of water and different depths in the water column until fish are found.
LaCourse, whose wife, Julia Davis, also is a professional walleye angler, stresses an important theme wherever he goes. Memories of the old days are good to have, but memories also can prove a disaster. He cautions anglers against depending on what they did last year or even last week. Walleye locations and moods change over time. Anglers must be prepared to adapt to conditions and experiment, he said.
And dont follow the crowd to the tackle store to stock up on one kind of lure just because of rumors that someone caught fish on it.
“Why did they catch walleyes on that lure? Because thats what they had in the water at the time, thats why. That doesnt mean that a jig and a minnow wouldnt have worked better,” LaCourse said.
Show details
Bass pro Shaw Grigsby will appear at the Midstate Fish and Feather Expo on Saturday. Catfish angler Denny Halgren will appear Saturday and Sunday.
Times are noon to 8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Cost is $7 for adults, $3 for children 6- 11. Parking is free.
Other speakers include top experts on Illinois fishing, including Dave Ludington, the areas top muskie guide; Terry Brown, a top bass- fishing educator associated with www.bassfan.com; Jim Crowley, an outdoor writer who speaks on a wide range of angling topics from largemouth bass to northern pike fishing in Canada; Paul Center, master rod builder and fishing guide on Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake; and Jonn Graham on smallmouth bass. Eleven-year-old Dave Gerig will give twice daily fishing demonstrations. Hourly seminars will be at the Bass Tank, an oversized aquarium containing bass and other species.
Booths will feature fishing and hunting gear, resorts, guides and more. Several dealers will display boats.
For information, phone Doug Gerig at (309) 664-3534 or e-mail doug@douggerig.com. Visit the shows Web site at www.midstatefishandfeather.com.
Swap meet
Bloomington-Normal Bass Club Open House and Tackle Swap will be at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at Miller Park Pavilion. The public is welcome. People wishing to sell items, members and nonmembers, can set up at 6 p.m. Contact Larry Russell at biglar1@msn.com or (309) 531-7252.
Scott Richardson is the Pantagraphs outdoor editor. Phone (309) 820-3227or e-mail srichardson@pantagraph.com. Join outdoor discussions at www.pantagraph.com/blog.
; Jim Crowley, an outdoor writer who speaks on a wide range of angling topics from largemouth bass to northern pike fishing in Canada; Paul Center, master rod builder and fishing guide on Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake; and Jonn Graham on smallmouth bass. Eleven-year-old Dave Gerig will give twice daily fishing demonstrations. Hourly seminars will be at the Bass Tank, an oversized aquarium containing bass and other species.
Booths will feature fishing and hunting gear, resorts, guides and more. Several dealers will display boats.
For information, phone Doug Gerig at (309) 664-3534 or e-mail doug@douggerig.com. Visit the shows Web site at www.midstatefishandfeather.com.
Swap meet
Bloomington-Normal Bass Club Open House and Tackle Swap will be at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at Miller Park Pavilion. The public is welcome. People wishing to sell items, members and nonmembers, can set up at 6 p.m. Contact Larry Russell at biglar1@msn.com or (309) 531-7252.
Scott Richardson is the Pantagraphs outdoor editor. Phone (309) 820-3227or e-mail srichardson@pantagraph.com. Join outdoor discussions at www.pantagraph.com/blog.
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