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MuskieFIRST Interactive Seminar, Steve Herbeck

Category: chat

 Feb 27th, 2009 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified Feb 27th, 2009 at 12:00 AM

STEVE HERBECK / ANDY MEYER’S LODGE CHAT 2/26/09

lambeau:  MuskieFirst welcomes Steve Herbeck, owner of Andy Meyer’s Lodge on Eagle Lake, ON and world-famous guide! thanks for coming by Herbie!
herbie: great to be here

	Andy Myers Lodge

ANDY MEYER’S LODGE:
lambeau: why don’t we start off with a quick description of AML and what it offers muskie fishermen…
herbie: we aint got all night!
dcates: AML = my favorite place on the planet!
Dub_Nicks: Herbie,Just wanted to tell you that i’ve stayed at a ton of lodges throughout Canada,Minnesota,and Wisconsin and Andy Meyers is second to None! You run a first class camp and your as honest a man as they come! Keep up the good work! Appreciate all you do!
herbie: thanks man you’re gonna make me cry
Dub_Nicks: There’s no cryin in Muskie fishin! Who am I kiddin cried a few times on Eagle after losin a few of your slobs!!!
whynot: how about an up to date camp with extremely knowledgeable and friendly guides and staff that work to put you on fish
herbie: anyway i’d say most everyone knows we try and do our best to put everyone on the patterns going on and try and make the camp a work in progress involving not only us but everyone to all learn
ksauers: any updates planned for this year?
herbie: well we done alot the past few years and we held back this winter with all going on but got some new guide and upgrade boats coming and will start planning for our next projects
ksauers: travis’s was pretty well used

LURES:
lambeau: any key lure suggestions for Eagle Lk?
herbie: everyone will be bringing double 10s anyway but the tubes i think will be a foller for a few big fish especially the slower gliders and i really hope it’s a good hot summer and we have a good topwater
ksauers: hope the top is hot this August
herbie: ya there’s some cool topwaters out and personally i can’t wait to throw tanners small creeper over a big girl,just love those ceeper hits they just want to killem’
dcates: Any prediction for water levels on Eagle for the upcoming season?
 herbie: looks good right now normal or a bit above last fall and theres been snow
bbb: do big gliders work any good on eagle
 herbie: actually i have a group of guys that come up in early mid july that do real well on gliders but not big ones, amabamas have taken some real nice fish on eagle over the years but to be honest they
herbie: haven’t been used as much the past 6-8 years since the rubber has been out,should probably dig em’ out
ksauers: what size and color are best for minnow baits?
dcates: What size and color are best for the Amma Bammas?
herbie: june/july i like perchy or walleye/sucker patterns when everything is still in the weeds and more silvers/whites and black as we start fishing rocks with a hot color regardless to keep em’ honest
ESOX_Maniac: How much do you think is lateral line versus visual when they’re in the 8 when they decide to eat ?
herbie: i don’t know thats for the scientists but once they are in that mode i’d say it’s all sight pretty much and it doesn’t matter does it if they eat?
ksauers: do prizm lures work pretty good or just stick with regular paint jobs?
herbie: i like prisms when it;’s dark and windy or over deeper structure
lambeau: do Eagle fish show a bait size preference? is any bait TOO big?
ksauers: what size and color are best for minnow baits?
dcates: What size and color are best for the Amma Bammas?
herbie: june/july i like perchy or walleye/sucker patterns when everything is still in the weeds and more silvers/whites and black as we start fishing rocks with a hot color regardless to keep em’ honest

MADISON FISHING EXPO:
Raider150: Will you be at the expo this weekend?
herbie: with bells on my toes and a beer in hand
ESOX_Maniac: Herbie- Are you going to be at the Madison Fishing Expo? Are you speaking?
herbie: I’LL BE THERE BUT NOT SPEAKING THIS YEAR EVERY OTHER YEAR BUT STOP BY I’LL DO A MINI SEMINAR HAHAHA
Steve_Worrall: That’s a fact, Herbie will talk to you from his booth…about Muskies or Deer!

FIGURE-8:
lambeau: you’re known as an expert on the figure-8…any tips for how to fool fish in the “8”?
herbie: most importanly it starts long before most are even thinking about it
Mike_Gumiela: Speed kills…
herbie: anyway it really important to start sweeping you rod and contuing reeling so you create a big quickly speeding up and changing in direction move to get a big fish to commit easily your turn is 6-8”
herbie: and your burst of speed along side the boat is 12-15” with a 8′ rod into a big outside turn most critical moves is the first couple
lambeau: do you try to “read” a following fish? what do you look for?
herbie: it’s always exciting to see those fish turn on and start getting that excited look however i’m telling you myself and saw at least 10-12 fish last season that you would have figured on way 3-4′
herbie: behind the bait moving slow but still cut the corner in slow motion and ate the bait so don’t be predetermined regardless of what they lok what they might do
TopH2o: And do you stay on an active “BIGFISH” or do you come back on her later?
herbie: alot depends on diff factors. do i think the fish are moving around alot? then i get right on them casue they probably won’t be there when i come back,is the fish real agressive then i go right back,
herbie: is there someone watching then i go rightr back,if the fish is neutral and it’s high pressure or post cold front i leave them till pm or something changes but it’s still a call on every one
ESOX_Maniac: Will do. What are your best move to trigger a neutral fish – one that is nose on the bait but doesn’t look like it’s going to eat?
herbie: if thier nose is to the bait you DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY WILL DO on the next set of moves keep them on the bait through the first turn and then see how they react to a bait taken away or over thier nose
Almost-B-Good: Herbie, when you are targeting big fish, do you feel as though you need to eliminate the electronics and trolling motor for max stealth?  How close will you drive your big motor to the spot?
herbie: i always try and not come to hot unto a spot figure it can’t hurt. ramsell told me a story about a tgged fish with a string and a float that would lierally move over to the other side of the bay

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL TRIPS:
lambeau: what makes the difference for guests at AML who are successful (multiple fish on the week) and those who might go home empty-handed?
herbie: i’d say most of the time they have taken the time to learn the water nothing replacs time on the water,no magic,learn the patterns and  and also those very good and deliberate with their boatside mov
TopH2o: What 3 things can I do to be more successful during a week at AML other than buying you the BEER. lol.
herbie: don’t be afraid to ask,learn the diff sections for diff weather,wind,and times of the season,and as i said work on your boatside manuevers

DEEP WATER FISHING:
Almost-B-Good: Herbie, how deep have you run lures and caught muskies before turnover?
herbie: back on trout i consistantly caught fish rioght before turnover bouncing bottom at 3o-38′
Steve_Worrall: I bet those fish threw a party wehn you took on AML…
herbie: on eagle i have rarely run baits deeper than 18” smetime i may get to 24′ mostly 2′- 14′ but have caught fish that were holding deeper and came up
dcates: So are there catchable populations of big open water muskies on Eagle?  How can they be targeted?
herbie: they are there,they got to be traveling between spots and feeding forays but i haven’t been able to consistantly  stay on em better over deeper  structure and edges
 herbie: caught a couple good ones over eal deep water but close to structure,95% want to cast and see the big fish it’s tough to find real trollers to do it
Almost-B-Good: Have you noticed a difference in the number of fish you catch or have attack lures on an 8 between the darker water sections of Eagle and the clearer trout hole areas?
herbie: not really cause i try and fish the sections when they are vat thier best and fish most likely to be active on clearer sections i like wind,they seem to stay on the baits better and appear more pumped

ANDY MEYER’S LODGE OPENINGS/CONTACT INFO:
lambeau: are there still many openings at AML through the summer and fall this year? is there room to get a spot yet?
herbie: there’s still scattered stuff through out yet with a couple weeks in july and aug full theres some speical weeks with disc listed on the report baord
lambeau: Herbie…what is the best way to reach you for info on AML of fishing Eagle Lake?
herbie: call me any time 888 727 5865 even if you just wanna talk fish’n [email protected]

WRAP-UP:
Steve_Worrall: Herbie, thanks for spending an evening with s at MuskieFIRST!
lambeau: thanks Herbie!
Steve_Worrall: Herbie, be well, and good fortune with everything, sir.
lambeau: Slamr asked me to send you his greetings and he’s looking forward to his annual trip to AML.