Steve Carney

Most anglers are aware of the glidebait phenomenon and how that lure style has become a staple in most tackle boxes. I will honestly say it has taken me about two years to get the hang of these innovative baits, but I now have confidence in them after some fishing success.
These baits are commonly used by ice anglers, but because of their versatility, they’re becoming more common during the mid-summer months, too.

Reflecting on the 2023 open-water fishing season, I have had some interesting twists and turns and have some insights to share.
There is no doubt that hot weather has had a big effect on success since the month of May. There were 90-degree days in late May, and this continued into early June. In a nutshell, fishing really went south just after the 4th of July, which is unusual for this part of northwestern Minnesota.

Fishing is downright tough right now. The bite has slowed immensely, and they’re few and far between. We anglers have for decades relied on spinner rigs to trigger walleyes to get a reaction bite, and that’s where we’re at in early August.
Here are three spinner-rig methods I rely on at this time of the season. Among the three, usually one trumps the others.