Tools of the Trade

By Mike Frisch

I am a fishing guide and tournament angler. That means that I make a good portion of my living by catching fish. Since my livelihood depends on my successes on the water, the equipment that I use is very important. My boat and motor must be dependable, plus the rod-reel-line combinations used must be high quality, and I try to use the best baits and lures available as well.

Two other important tools of my trade are my trolling motors and my fish-finding electronics.

These tools help me locate fish and help me stay on or near those fish. Being close to fish is obviously an important part of my job and so these two tools are very important to me.

My trolling motors consist of a foot-controlled cable steer bowmount motor which I use all for all my bass fishing. Bassin’ is cast and retrieve fishing and a foot-controlled bowmount keeps my hands free for casting, allowing me to stand on the boat’s casting deck and make long casts to potential fish-holding areas.

My bowmount is also used when casting small jigs to panfish or when pitching the shallows with jigs or crankbaits for walleye.

I also use my bowmount when walleye are located in deep water and I want to hover over them with a jig or live bait rig and attempt to coax them into biting. Here’s where the cable steer part of my trolling motor is important since this steering style allows for almost instantaneous movement of the boat which is critical when trying to hold over deep walleye, especially in windy conditions.

My boat also has a hand-controlled transom mount electric motor which is used mainly when fishing walleye with live bait rigs or jigs along drop-offs or along deep weedlines. A transom mount motor is ideal for these walleye techniques utilizing the classic “backtrolling” boat control technique.

Regardless whether casting using the bowmount motor or backtrolling with a transom mount, a powerful motor that is smooth running and reliable is important. For that reason, I have long relied on Minn Kota motors. In fact, I have a new boat and motor scheduled to be delivered next week and it will feature a Minn Kota Fortrex on the bow and Vantage on the transom.

Trolling motors are important tools of my trade and so is my fish-finding sonar units. I use these units to find potential fish-holding structure, to “see” fish, and to navigate to fishing hotspots.

I have a sonar unit with side imaging and GPS in the back of my tiller model boat and a big-screen sonar/GPS unit in the bow.

I use the sonar in the back for cruising potential fishing spots looking for fish or fish-holding structure with the big motor as my power source. When fish or potential hotspots are found, I usually slow up and use one of my electrics for fishing power. If backtrolling, obviously the rear sonar is used, while fishing from the bow means use of the big screen unit up front.

Regardless the case, the GPS capabilities of both sonar units play very important roles in my fishing. They are equipped with mapping chips which allow me to see and precisely follow depth contours. Plus, I save waypoints and icons when fish are located and caught that serve as markers from which I can use as reference points when fishing. In fact, I rarely throw floating marker buoys anymore, instead relying on my GPS units to mark spots.

As with my trolling motors, I must have quality when it comes to sonar units. Reliable units that are also easy to use are high on my list. I have been using Humminbird sonar units the last several years and am impressed with their user-friendliness and dependability.

Being on the water every day requires dependable equipment. Boats/motors, rods/reels, and lures/baits are important parts of those equipment needs. Overlooked at times, are trolling motors and sonar units. Hopefully the information provided here regarding those tool categories will be useful to anglers this summer. Good luck on the water!

Mike Frisch is a multi-species fishing guide in western Minnesota. He can be reached by calling (218)731-8141 or check out his website at www.fishinwithfrisch.com