probably bring too much stuff. But I fish out of a walleye boat with a lot of storage. I bring every article of tackle I have, every rod I have and I even keep my trolling rods in my truck. I do all my grocery shopping be­fore I go. I bring a couple pounds of lunchmeat and a loaf of bread. Sometimes I bring a little pro­pane grill or pizza oven and couple pounds of hamburger. There's nothing more aggravating than getting up at 6 a. m. to fish and having to stop and get a meal at 10 a. m. Q: When the tournament fishing begins and you're jostling for po­sition with up to 150 other boats, what things do you notice before your lure even hits the water? A: First, I look at the areas marked on the map. And I look at the structure that might be hold­ing the fish, checking to see if it's weeds, rocks or trees. I also pay attention to how clear the water is and how deep it is. After I get a decent feel, I start fishing. Q: Is there a general pattern or process that you favor? Are there any Muskie tactics you prefer? A: I classify myself as a weed fisherman. Not knowing a lake, the first thing I would do is just get on the edge of some weeds somewhere. Then, I'd just take a glance at the shoreline contour, look for a point of some sort and shoot right there. Find the under­neath weed point where it comes out or find the edge of the weeds. If there are two people in the boat, have one throw a bucktail and the other throw a jerkbait or topwater to see if the fish want one or the other. Switch lures fast and fish fast. Look for active fish. Q: In your opinion, what's the big­gest indicator for a Muskie's be­havior? A: I'd say weather is the biggest indicator because it dictates how active they are. Really early in the year, I'll take blue skies, sunny and hot enough to warm the lake up. But in late June, July and August, I'll take cloudy with a light drizzle every day. Looking back on all my fishing experiences, there are not many times that it was mid- July and in the 90s and the fish were kicking butt. You gotta get a little cloud cover, get a little wind. Q: What's the key to success as a professional Muskie fisherman? A: The single most important fac­tor in Muskie fishing is mental toughness. I don't know if Muskie truly are the fish of 10,000 casts like they are proclaimed to be — but there's no doubt they're tough to catch. In tournament fishing,

Cedar Lake Lodge