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There are a ton of fishing lures out there that are famous for a certain type of species.  A few examples would be the crawler harness for walleye, weedless black worm for bass, the original Dare Devil for pike.  In the state of Michigan, the Jonah Jig is what many anglers recognize to be their choice of lure for vertical jigging salmon.  On this episode Lee is joined by founder and creator of the Jonah Jig and no, his name is not Jonah.  His name is actually Larry Jennings. Larry has literally been all over the world fishing.  He shares how his travels helped shape the way he thinks about how to catch locally back in Michigan and loves how he continues to evolve as angler.  Can’t wait to have him back on the podcast again in the future!! Enjoy! Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

On this week’s episode Doug Glimmerveen, host of the Smackdown Outdoors podcast rejoins the podcast to catch up.  Lee and Doug talk about summer bass fishing, podcasting life and Doug recently joining the Waypoint TV network where Doug will now have his podcast available.  Hope you all enjoy this little b.s. session with Doug and be sure to go follow his podcast now on Waypoint TV!  Cheers! Freshwater Bite is Powered b y Simplecast

It’s that time of year where we here in Michigan can give thanks for how fortunate we are to have Salmon swimming in our Great Lakes! On this episode Lee talks with Bob Hinds and Quinn Knudsen of Central Coast Angling out of Traverse City, MI.  The boys talk about upgrades to the Central Coast Angling fleet, first mate Quinn coming aboard to share his knowledge and about how the salmon are starting to show up along the Lake Michigan coast.  Salmon are back folks…..it’s officially summer time!  Cheers.  Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

Any angler with a competitive bone in their body has either entered a fishing tournament or at least thought they have what it takes to enter one at some point.  What does it take to truly be successful?  Are you really as good as you think you are?  I am joined this week by Ryan Petravicius who gives us all some great insight as to what he had to do and what mindset he had to be in, in order to take that next step in competitive walleye fishing.  The Michigan Walleye Tour is a walleye tournament with growing popularity in the Midwest and is quickly becoming a big stage for the sport of walleye fishing in general.  Ryan recaps the conditions and his top 10 finish in this weeks episode of the podcast.  Enjoy!! Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

The first event of the Pro Walleye Series of the H2H fishing tournament wrapped up last week here on the Detroit River.  Lee brings on past guest and walleye professional, Joe Okada who finished in the top 8 to discuss his experience fishing the new format and how he had to change his plan of attack daily to move on to the next round day after day.  The event was extremely exciting to follow and Joe discusses how the pressure of a live streamed event helps sharpen his skills in ways he never had practiced in the past.  H2H fishing tournament is making a big splash in the walleye tournament world and is a format that many hope is here to stay.  Enjoy the podcast with Lee and Joe.   Joe Okada Instagram: @joeokada Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

Think you need a big boat to chase salmon?  Not this time of year!  Ice is blowing out and melting around The Great Lakes region and that means it’s time to bust out the long rods.  Nolan Tokar joins the podcast to talk about his experiences trolling for salmon close to shore from his kayak.  This time of year requires safety and a well thought out plan before hitting the open water as water temps remain extremely cold.  Nolan shares with us how to stay safe, his kayak set up and how he likes to troll for salmon and trout.  Check out Nolan’s YouTube channel to see exactly how he set up his kayak and how organization can keep you efficient while in a small vessel like a Kayak.  Enjoy!  Nolan’s YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNtmKL_4PlAtzjotL1ly9dA Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

When you listen to and meet our guest on today’s episode you’ll instantly feel like you have known the dude forever and will want to get out fishing with him just to see what he will do or say next.  Guest and friend of the show, Captain Donnie O’Bert joins Lee this week to discuss all about how he learned early on in his guiding profession that it is not all about catching fish all the time but more about leaving a positive lasting impression.  Donnie shares how most of his clients become lifelong friends in addition to him teaching them how to catch big fish using different techniques.  The laughs on this episode are endless and by the end of it you’ll find yourself wanting to follow Captain Donnie on his guiding adventures and maybe even book a trip for yourself.  Enjoy the episode folks! Book A Trip with Donnie  - www.rainydazeoutdoors.comInstagram @capt_donnie Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

March madness is coming up just around the corner.  The upsets, overtimes and high pressure situations play out in the next few weeks.  If you like this style of excitement and you like to watch competitive fishing, you MUST check out H2H Fishing (pronounced Head 2 Head Fishing).  Matt Tratz and Andy Cleveland join Lee on the podcast today to talk about where the idea originated, the breakdown of the bracket style / fast pace tournament and how it will change the future of competitive angling for the future.  H2H Fishing is a live stream fishing tournament featuring all of your walleye and bass pro’s you may recognize from other traditional big style tournaments.  Matt and Andy breakdown what we need to know and how we can get involved ourselves through a membership style subscription which will allow everyday anglers access to learn from the pro’s, discounts on tackle and a chance to fish some local H2H tournaments ourselves. Enjoy!H2H Fishing www.h2hfishing.com Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

Making a living in the fishing industry is something can vary and look quite different across the board.  Some are business owners, guides, professional angler, tournament winners, YouTube stars, engineers and or just a model employee at your local outdoor equipment store.  In my opinion, if you are making a living in the outdoors and love what you are doing you are crushing it in my book!  Drake Herd joins the podcast to share his diverse and evolving portfolio of fishing knowledge both on the business side of things and casting a rod.  He is a walleye pro fishing the National Walleye Tour every season and is a well known name on the tour.  Drake recently partnered up and created a new company called Fin Gear.  Fin Gear designs and produces precision machined mounting systems and storage solutions.  Basically, they make some really cool stuff!  From custom colored rod holders, electronic mounts to rod storage lockers, Fin Gear is pushing the envelope in high end fishing equipment.  Drake tells us exactly what makes their products unique and why you may want to consider looking at Fin Gear products.  If you are in the market or looking to upgrade some equipment in the boat this offseason, take a listen to this episode.  Enjoy! Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

We are off and running here in 2021 with the podcast and a new episode for you to enjoy.  Not everyone chases fish during the hard water season so it is a great time to work on your boat or start looking in the market for one to purchase.  Eric Long from Long Line Charters joins us for this episode to tell us all about a $3,000 boat he purchased and fixed up for an affordable price.  When looking for a boat you don’t have to break the bank especially if you don’t have much time to fish or if this is your first time buying a boat.  Eric shares with us what he looked for before purchasing the boat and what to look at when you are there thinking about pulling the trigger.  I love this episode because he breaks down the steps of what he did to get this affordable vessel into fishing shape and ready for open water when it arrives.  Check out Eric’s website below and I hope you can take away some pearls for your boat this upcoming season.  Enjoy.   Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

Happy holidays everyone!  On this episode of the podcast Joe Bricko, owner of JT Outdoor Products stops on by to chat.  It has been almost 2.5 years since we last spoke with Joe and JT has grown significantly since then.  Joe and the team have come up with some very unique and innovative rods that separates them from the competition like the new 9 ft 2 snare rod.  We discuss where Joe came up with the idea, how it proved to be a success and how we all should fish it during the open water season.  Joe and I also go over some ice rods and how we like to use them in hopes it can help you in your decision before purchasing a new ice rods for this season.  Enjoy the episode!!! Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

Christmas will be here before we know it.  A new fishing sonar for the boat or ice may be on your list this year.  Joe Testa of Freshwater Therapy rejoins the podcast to talk about his experience with Garmin’s Livescope sonar.  As technology becomes more and more advanced and more expensive it seems the learning curve becomes slightly longer.  Joe shares with us how to cut the learning curve of Garmin’s Livescope and just how beneficial it can be both in open water and on the ice.  We also talk about Joe’s new YouTube channel and why he wants to get into sharing what he knows with the world with a camera in hand.  Link for his YouTube channel is below.  Enjoy!!Freshwater Therapy’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwmva2y_SXOAatoptmk9_QA Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

Behind every good photo there is a person trying to tell a story by freezing one moment in time.  How you take that photo can be the difference between a great story and a forgettable one.  I would think a great photographer is trying to make sure you always remember their story or at least the way they would like to tell it.  Brian Eavey joins the podcast to tell his story about how he got into fishing and how picking up a camera has put him behind the lens photographing some of the most famous anglers in the bass fishing world.  We talk about life’s unexpected paths and how different doors of opportunities open themselves up by putting in the work.  Brian is in my opinion a great photographer in the outdoors world and one who’s work I enjoy following.  If you want to learn some more basic 101 photography tips, this episode is a great spot to start.  Enjoy!  Brian’s Insta:  @brianeavey_photo  Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

There are a few spots and locations throughout the United States that are deemed or self proclaimed to be “Walleye Capital of the World”.  One lake on that list is undeniable, in my opinion.  A body of water so rich and a considered a “factory” for producing consistent large numbers and size of walleye is, Lake Erie.  Having grown up near the shores of this historical body of water I can attest to the amount of fish that come out of there year after year.  But how good is it truly from a biological standpoint?  Many of us anglers can say it is great but many times there are often conflicting point of views between anglers and biologist.  I brought Matt Faust on the podcast today, a fisheries biologist from the Ohio DNR, to help us all better understand Lake Erie’s walleye population and what makes it such a “factory” of walleye.  To understand it’s current state of production and health it is important to dive into the past and how Lake Erie has evolved and changed throughout the years.  Matt shares some very in depth knowledge and statistics to help us all better understand how walleye produce, survive and thrive in Lake Erie’s ecosystem.  Pay attention to feeding patterns and bait populations discussed during this episode to help you decide what lures to throw and where to find the schools of bait fish.  The real success comes to those who pay close attention!  Enjoy!!  Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

Arctic Grayling are a historic fish to us here in the state of Michigan as they used to inhabit the cool waters of the Au Sable River and other streams up until the early 1900’s when they rapidly disappeared completely.  These fish were the only native salmonid to Michigan streams and could be easily identified by a sail like dorsal fin and blue slate colored body.  Arctic Grayling were so abundant at one point that the town of Grayling was named after the salmonid.  What you may not know however is how this unique looking fish disappeared from our northern rivers and streams.  Why would such a healthy population completely be wiped out in such a short period?  Attempts to reintroduce them to their native waters and bring them back have failed year after year.  However, my guest this week, Nicole Watson is among a group of researchers looking to successfully reintroduce the Arctic Grayling back to its native waters in the northern lower part of Michigan streams and rivers.  Nicole is a Ph.D student at Michigan State University.  This is a MUST listen podcast episode!  Nicole is an avid angler herself with a focus and passion on making this initiative be the one that will work for the Arctic Grayling.  I myself couldn’t be happier that there are folks out there like Nicole, working hard to bring back a piece of the past and a piece of natural wild Grayling to Michigan.  Enjoy! You can help the Arctic Grayling Initiative through anyone of these sites below: Salmo Coffeehttps://salmojavaroasters.com/products/michigan-arctic-grayling-initiative-mexican-chiapasGrayling Initiative T-Shirthttps://shoppeninsulas.com/collections/apparel-accessories/products/michigan-arctic-grayling-initiative-t-shirt?variant=27938390704151Arctic Grayling Initiative Michigan website https://www.migrayling.org/Iron Fish Distillery Fundhttps://manisteefoundation.org/component/funds/view/3933 Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

Berkely and the other brands with Pure Fishing, Inc. have been leading innovation in tackle, lures, rods and reels for decades.  Berkley has designed baits that have won many tournament anglers big pay checks and has given everyday anglers the chance to fill their live wells consistently.  Dan Spengler, senior project manager for bait development at Berkley rejoins the podcast to break down why their new bait, The Hit Stick, lives up to all the hype and anticipation.  Not only do we learn about the long history of why this bait was developed but Dan also shares with us how to fish this bait in different scenario’s, size offerings and more.  I find we as anglers have the opportunity to become more efficient on the water when we take the time to learn the details of the tools and baits in our arsenal.  The more we understand our lures intent and design the more it will make sense to us as to why we choose to fish that specific lure the way we do.  That’s fishing folks!!!  Dan also shares a hot tip with us on how to us Spy Baits to target walleye.  This episode is FILLED with value bombs, so be sure to take some notes.  Enjoy!!  Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

The pandemic has re-shaped many of our daily lives, activities, plans, events and much more.  We as a society and country have had to adapt and keep, keeping on.  ICAST is an event that I look forward to each and every year.   So on this episode I wanted to bring awareness to the fact that, yes it did still happen.  But, also wanted to highlight the winners of product categories that I thought might pertain to the freshwater fishing world.  Even with all the challenges that have been thrown our way this year, ICAST and the great companies of the fishing and outdoors industry still came together to put out their latest products for all of us to view and look forward to seeing on the market this year.  In this episode, I briefly highlight some of the industry’s best and give a quick summary about the product winners and where you can find them.  Cheers and thanks for supporting fishing and this podcast.   Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

Most of us if asked to fish every single day for a year straight would be all over the opportunity.  However, could you really do it?  Think about all of your priorities, obligations, commitments, vacations planned etc.  Still think you could somehow manage to fish every single day, 365 days? In the perfect world I would say yes, but reality is, it is a hell of a bigger commitment than most realize.  However, my guest this week, Stephen Veals did just that.  He fished 365 days, every…. single….day for a year straight.  It is a hell of an achievement and after listening to his story, I have a tremendous amount of respect for what this guy went through and the challenges he faced in everyday life while staying committed to fishing daily.  It takes a lot of personal self awareness, improvement and mental toughness to stay committed that long to something that others might deem meaningless.  The fishing knowledge, skills acquired, obstacles overcome and self determination will be something no one can ever take from him.  I applaud Steve and I am happy that there a folks out there like him willing to share their story with us.  Enjoy!!!  www.stephenveals.comwww.backcountryhunters.orgwww.reelrecovery.org Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

On this week's episode I am joined by my new friend and fellow podcaster, Doug Glimmerveen from the Smackdown Outdoors Podcast and the Make Fish Famous Podcast.  Doug and I talk for almost two hours about all sorts of interesting topics from why he started podcasting in the outdoor space, our goals in this space, switching from a walleye tournament guy to bass tournaments, bass rigs, how to fish them and more.  I really enjoy these types of conversations for the simple fact that we truly get to see the person behind the pursuit of fishing and what makes them tick.  Doug is a super down to earth and honest guy.  I have a tremendous amount of respect for the dude and am glad I get to chat with him from time to time.  Please go check out both his podcasts on Itunes, Spotify and wherever else podcasts are found.  Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast

This has to be one of my favorite podcasts to date! I am joined by Martin Szeliga, a.k.a. The Airborne Angler.  Martin has such a unique story about how he migrated to this great country, to his time served in the military and how he fell in love with fishing.  Anyone who lives here in the state of Michigan, specifically the Saginaw Bay Area has probably got an ice scouting report or aerial view condition report from Martin.  You see Martin has taken his curiosity and love of angling to the sky’s to get a different perspective of the bay before heading out to fish. Over the years he decided to share his knowledge and use his flying skills to provide anglers with an arsenal of tools to use however they see fit to stay safe and make educated decisions before heading out on the big water.  The Airborne Angler’s obsession with figuring out walleye has led him to take a deeper dive in all aspects of fishing from locating structure, filming underwater bites with his Spydro Fishing cam, teaching us how to read our fish sonars, GPS and more.  Please do yourself a favor and check him out over at www.theairborneangler.com and listen to this entire podcast as it is filled with great conversation and a fascinating way to scout.  Please Subscribe!!  Freshwater Bite is Powered by Simplecast