Blog & Angler Education
ESPN Calls Up Blue Ribbon for Ice Fishing Guides 0
Twin Cities Ice Fishing with ESPN
Knowing that 1 million+ visitors were expected to visit the Twin Cities for the big football game this February, Blue Ribbon Bait & Tackle Owner Josh Stevenson was anticipating even more ice fishing guide trips than usual, but he wasn't expecting this...
"I got a phone call a few weeks ago from someone asking about my guiding availability during the week of the big game. They said they were with ESPN, so I figured it was a corporate team outing. But then they started talking about keeping it quiet, as there was a chance it may involve filming with some of their TV personalities. It was an awesome surprise to learn I'd be on national TV with the hosts from Sunday NFL Countdown!"
We're proud that our very own Josh Stevenson put former Pro QB Matt Hasselbeck & former Pro Head Coach Rex Ryan into some nice ice fishing right here in Minnesota! Check out a highlight video below:
Full NFL Countdown video segment below:
The weather in Minnesota didn't stop @Hasselbeck and Rex Ryan. pic.twitter.com/9b4AhYWblT
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 2, 2018
When in Minnesota ❄️ 🎣 ❄️ pic.twitter.com/FAuNC6ebaQ
— Matthew Hasselbeck (@Hasselbeck) February 2, 2018
As a fellow ice fisherman... I am wildly impressed with the size of the fish that popped out of @Hasselbeck’s icehole. It wasn’t “The Minnetonka Miracle”, but very impressive https://t.co/iiRio3m4Nu
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 2, 2018
Saturday
Matt Hasselbeck & Rex Ryan weren't the only names Blue Ribbon took out ice fishing this past week. The leadership of Nike wanted a true taste of winter in Minnesota on Saturday, and found great success ice fishing as well!
Hey Matt I was one day after you. Same lake... same awesome guides! pic.twitter.com/O77QFHr2y7
— John Bapst (@jbapper) February 4, 2018
Want to Fish the Twin Cities?
For anyone in the Twin Cities seeking an opportunity to have incredible days like these on Minnesota's frozen (or thawed) lakes and rivers, make your reservation for the premiere Twin Cities fishing guide right now on www.MightyMusky.com
Don't forget to support your local family owned business by shopping online at www.BlueRibbonBait.com or stopping by our friendly bait & tackle shop in the Twin Cities in Oakdale, MN. Thank you!
To Cap It All Off
The Nike team that Josh took out on Saturday generously extended an offer for two Super Bowl tickets for him & Blue Ribbon Pro Staffer & Buyer, Travis Hultgren!
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Top Ice Fishing Products of 2018 2
Which Ice Fishing Products Are Driving Results? Let's Ask a Pro!
Blue Ribbon's very own General Manager & Pro Staffer, Dave Christenson, has assisted countless numbers of ice fishermen as the Midwest's ice fishing bite continues to go strong. Dave has compiled a list of the hottest products, and more importantly, the most productive products of the 2018 ice season thus far:
Venom Spoons & Jigs
Amazingly long lasting glow epoxy. Order Online HERE, or shop in person at Blue Ribbon Bait & Tackle in Oakdale, MN. It's the top-selling ice fishing item on our website this year.
Bait Up Bait Container
Bait container that keeps your hands dry and warm in cold weather. Two sizes available at Blue Ribbon Bait & Tackle.
Strikemaster Lithium 40 volt Auger
Blue Ribbon has been selling a lot of these augers, and Strikemaster can't keep up the production. One 10" is still available at Blue Ribbon.
Marcum Lithium Shuttle
One of the top new ice fishing sonars on the market! 40 hours of continuous run time, 12 volt 12 amp hour Lithium ION battery, fast recharge, dual USB power ports, dual rod holders built into the device handle, inverted transducer rest eliminates freeze up. Overall, a very lightweight sonar unit. There's still one available at Blue Ribbon.
Dave's Wedgees
Scented plastics with great action and glow colors- Available on our website HERE.
Engel Coolers
Great for keeping your minnows alive and traveling. Various sizes available at Blue Ribbon.
Vexan Rods
Some of the hottest ice fishing rods we've ever carried. Pro-Staff recommended. Available at Blue Ribbon.
Limit Creek Rods
Great balance of sensitivity and power, at a great value. Available at Blue Ribbon.
Propane
New customers are frequently shocked at our great propane prices. Who doesn't want to enjoy some of the best local prices on propane? Available at Blue Ribbon, and don't forget your punch card!
- Josh Stevenson
Fall River Smallmouth Strategies 0
Fall River Smallmouth Strategies
By Scott King, Blue Ribbon Pro-Staff
As our water temperatures continue to cool, opportunities increase to capitalize on aggressive smallmouth bass. They’re easier to catch for awhile right now folks, so follow these tips until you put the boat away for winter.
Early to Mid-Fall
Fish will be shallow when the water temperature is in the low 60s. You can fish the banks if there’s something unique to it. Riprap is good, as is any change from rock to sand. I stay away from uniform looking banks. Points off the bank are the best piece of structure. Fish are often on the shallow portions of these points right now. Connect with them by throwing topwater baits in the lower light hours, or if it's calm and overcast. Rapala Skitter Walks are awesome walk the dog baits for these conditions. During the daylight hours, fish may be a bit deeper around shad schools, and jerkbaits like the Rapala X-Rap work well. Smaller swimbaits on jigheads can really produce, too. Try the Top Water Tackle swimbaits found at Blue Ribbon.
Mid to Late-Fall
Smallmouths and their forage will be well off the banks again (like they were in the heat of the summer), relating to the bigger points in the rivers. Use the areas where the points break into the deeper water. When bass are chasing shad, the topwater baits can still work into the low 50-degree water. However, the swimbaits fished slower (often ticking the bottom on the retrieve) and jig/plastic combos often produce the most fish. White and silver colors that mimic shad will get the most grabs. The Rapala X-Rap produces into the latest weeks of the season, but longer pauses are often necessary. Think slower and lower in the water column, as the temperature dips. Live minnows can be the key at this time of year, too. Dragging them on the rocky spots of these points is dynamite. The crew at Blue Ribbon will hook you up with the live meat you need.
Keeping it simple on the rivers with these strategies will produce good catches for you this fall. I look forward to it each year, and you certainly don’t contend with as much fishing pressure or recreational traffic on the water. Good luck out there.
Shop Bass Gear on BlueRibbonBait.com
Let Scott know what you think; leave a comment below, thank you!
About the Author: Scott King, Blue Ribbon Bait Pro-Staff
Scott enjoys fishing in northern Wisconsin, Mille Lacs, the St. Croix, and various other metro waters. He has fished for trophy bass (both largemouth and smallmouth) for the past decade, participating in several bass tournament circuits from 2001−2006. He’s also fished muskies for nearly 30 years.
Ice fishing four or five days a week for crappies and walleyes on the St. Croix has given Scott his winter fix since 1998.
Another of Scott’s specialties within fishing is youth education. He relates well with kids, and has helped with several kids tournaments and derbies with the Cub Scouts.
Scott also enjoys writing, and has a few fishing-related articles under his belt, which include publications in Fish and Game Finder Magazine and Musky Hunter.
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Blue Ribbon Owner Featured on "Minnesota Bound" TV Series 0
Blue Ribbon owner since 2004, Josh was recently featured on the iconic outdoor television series Minnesota Bound when he took Laura Schara out for a fishing trip chasing Minnesota's trophy muskies!
Catch a glimpse into the background of how Josh came to be such an experienced fishing guide and how we became the owner of Blue Ribbon Bait & Tackle in Oakdale, MN.
Special thanks to Laura Schara and our friends at Minnesota Bound for making this awesome story happen!
Aired on 9.17.2017, Episode #831 of Minnesota Bound
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Fall Fishing Tips from the Pros 0
Sept. 13th, 2017
Late Summer & Early Fall Muskie Patterns
Scott King, Blue Ribbon Bait & Tackle Pro Staff
As our days get shorter and the sun’s intensity diminishes, our water temperatures gradually dip from their summertime peaks. This is good news for muskie fans! Fish activity definitely heats up as the water cools, and your hours on the water are often more productive as summer becomes fall. You’ll see more fish per hour on the water, if you’re doing it right. Here are a couple of tricks to stay in contact with the muskies you’re after.
Weedline trolling:
“Of course—this works all summer,” you’re saying, and you’re correct. Just think about it in a grander scheme as fall approaches, though. Look past the smaller patches that you’ve targeted with your summer casting techniques. Troll the biggest weed lines, weed flats, or weedy bays in the lake and start your efforts there. Inside edges can produce, but the outside edge is where you’ll connect with the most fish. This is just a high percentage technique and can work on our small or massive lakes. Trolling big spinnerbaits is a fantastic way to keep your bait in the strike zone the longest, and these baits can easily clear weeds with a good pull of the rod. Try varying weights of the Ace Bait, Ace Baits available online. They’ve been a staple trolling spinnerbait for Minnesota anglers for nearly twenty years. Lots of tournament winnings on this bait in late summer/early fall!
Topwater rocks and weeds:
If trolling is not your thing, casting topwater baits will continue to produce as summer fades. Muskie activity levels are up, and they are very willing to chase topwaters. Often more so than they would during the peak water temps of July and August. Find the rock areas near weeds, rock outcroppings of islands, or key weedline features (turns, changes in weed height, etc). This is where you’ll connect with active fish. During prime conditions, the topwater presentation can really get the attention of a lot of fish in short order. Some of the hottest baits at Blue Ribbon right now are from Lake X Lures, Lake X Topwaters available online.
Certainly, many other patterns are available during late summer, but these are two simple ways to get started, or stay focused if the chore of locating fish is overwhelming. Good luck!
Guest Contributor, Get The Net Guide Service & Tackle
As late August fades away to the cool mornings of early September, the first signs of fall appear: changing leaves, cool winds and early morning fog over the river! This is my favorite month in the Muskie season. But sometimes it can fool you into changing to a fall pattern too soon.
One thing I have learned is to stick with the late summer pattern until the fish stop using those areas. There is often a warm up as we get closer to October, which will keep those fish in their shallower spots longer then most people think. As other anglers up-size baits and head to deep water, you can capitalize on these summer areas by sticking with smaller, faster bucktails like “Little Rippers" that can be found in-store at Blue Ribbon. If you stick with this pattern until the fish are no longer showing up in these spots, you can put more fish in the boat, and once they disappear you know it’s time to switch to your fall tactics. Let the fish tell you when they switch to their fall movements.
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Kid Rock Calls Upon Blue Ribbon's Owner Josh Stevenson for Fishing Trip 0
Detroit rocker Kid Rock squeezed in a fishing session after his show at Grand Casino in Hinckley last weekend and before headlining the Iowa State Fair.
Kid Rock played Grand Casino in Hinckley on 8/19/17 and held his private jet off Sunday afternoon so he could get in some fishing with Blue Ribbon Owner & Fishing guide Josh Stevenson before departing for another show in Iowa that night. Josh guided Kid Rock in the Pine City area Sunday morning.
But fishing was slow for the group, which included fellow musician Uncle Kracker.
“They were not biting,” Stevenson said in a Sunday evening phone call. He wanted to take Kid Rock to Lake Mille Lacs, but they didn’t have enough time.
With the short outing on the Snake River and adjoining Cross Lake just about finished, Stevenson asked Kid Rock if they could try one more spot. The move paid off: Kid Rock caught a northern pike estimated at 8 pounds.
“It was a lot of pressure because they weren’t biting,” Stevenson said, adding that “Kid Rock was patient and hard-working, persistent.”
Josh is available for half-day and full-day guide trips for Musky, Northern Pike, Bass, Walleye & more.
Josh's guiding availability is visible at www.MightyMusky.com
Shop Blue Ribbon's online store
Josh's news interview on Kare11:
Twin Cities Star Tribune article on Josh guiding for Kid Rock
Minnesota Outdoor News article
AM 1500 Radio- The Great Outdoors Interview on 8/23 (Josh begins at 21:08)
Josh's guiding availability is visible at www.MightyMusky.com
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