Angler's Paradise

I got my 2019 buck back some time ago and along with some rearranging in the living room I had two mounts to go up in the office this year. That meant some ser...ious moves for all but two of the existing mounts, numerous trips up and down the ladder, and the requisite stops to remember the circumstances of each hunt. All but two of these bucks came from Angler’s Paradise over 27 years and all of the mounts were done by Jerry Worley. Each has a story that invokes some emotion and feeling of gratitude to my family and friends. Ken Hines - Your mounts now have their own wall in my office! See more

We had some weather that kind of made bow season - meah and the rut seemed muted at best. As a matter of fact I sat most of Friday the 13th and did not see a ...deer covering a good part of my gun stand area for opening day. Five bucks Sat., eight on Sunday, none on Monday, six on Tuesday, then this nice one this morning. I am blessed to have some great places to hunt, made better by my helpers (Max Dingman and Bryson Overstreet) and hunting mentors (Ken Hines and Jerry Worley). Twenty seven years I have been hunting and working on this old piece of dirt and yet it never gets old! Thanks to Michael Schuh for helping me get him quartered. I sure hope I get to return the favor this week! See more

These two have been hunting out here so long I have lost track. They always have the same great attitude no matter the conditions and they have seen it all; snow, rain, temps in single digits, locked down deer in summer temperatures and days like today when the sun shines and the deer move through easily accessed areas. Both of these bucks were shot within 200 yards of the house and never mad it to the dumps!

Fishing was still tough this past weekend. This group was undeterred and left with smiles on their faces. One positive that has come out of Covid 19 has been so many folks rediscovering the outdoors and time well away from the internet.

Well hello there!

I was getting tired of telling folks that the big fish often show up in clumps and here just in time is a weekend to remember for sure. This couple has been fishing at AP for many years, but life circumstances have kept them away for several recent years. They fished a few hrs Friday, all day Saturday, and half a day Sunday to catch these three beauties. Nine, seven, and ten pounds; trip of a lifetime for two great people.

Great time fishing with a high school senior from Buhler, KS this past Friday. His team has qualified for the National Tournament and just finished Fifth in State. Still nothing quite like sharing passion for a sport with eager young folks.

We get our enjoyment a lot of different ways here at AP. Here are pics from three vastly different trips over the last few days. One big bass crazy angler holding his first bass over eight pounds. He would have been thrilled if that was the only bite he got all day. The second set of pics are of a father-son tandem that said all they needed was the peace, quiet, and views of the wildlife. The last are pictures from this morning’s guide trip. All this young lady needed was a box of earthworms and some giant gills in the shade of the dock to get a smile! Rattikan Noradee Powell - Wes needs to see these bluegill, but let him know the pictures do them no justice. Literally big enough to fillet!

Lots of fins, does, velvet, and smiles for this family that just departed. They figured they caught 60 fish yesterday. The lake is full, stable, and we finally got a shower to knock back the dust. Lots of great fishing remains even as the temps climb!

Got in a couple hours of fishing this morning. Plastic worm bite was good and I caught five in two hours. Camp was full this weekend and we had a seven pounder caught over by the Trapper’s Cabin. The lake is full and steady. Fishing has been good IF you figure out what the flavor of the day is.

Not all of our trips get this much documentation, but we sure try to get this many smiles and show off this much of nature every time!

This weekend we were supposed to celebrate our 25th Anniversary of being open for business. Covid 19 put cold water on that plan, but we have still had a good week with AP friends old and new. We opened for business in 1995 and I think Wes Powell and his family first visited in 1997. Over the years I have fished with his kids, wife, father, and brother. It has been quite a run and I have loved every adventure. This year Wes brought his son-in-law and one of his grandkids. He and his family have always had a special place here at Angler’s and this year Mila pushed us to four generations to visit our place. Thanks for all the memories Wes!

Who said we would never be the same? Ha Ha! Here is what AP is about. Family fun, fishing, and just getting a way from the buzz of everyday life.

This lady started,fishing at AP when she was eight. Now she is here with her husband, father, and my fishing grandchild. Good time guiding the Powell-McKay family!

Not sure how many years we have hosted this group, but it never gets old! https://www.facebook.com/100004719335968/posts/1524825087684788/

Winter fishing at Angler’s Paradise is pretty easy. About anything you throw will work, so long as it is a 3 grub on a 1/8 oz jighead with 6# test line! Ha Ha! Ann is a great student f fishing and has surely mastered both this setup and most everything else I have shown her.

After a couple of false starts, I got on the water with Panoptix fully functional. I spent the first thirty minutes in Black Perch Bay learning what direction it was looking and how to spot my jig on the screen. My next stop was the north bank of Beaver Hut Cove, just where it starts to neck down. I spotted a big rock and three big fish well off the bank and threw in twice before this four and a half pound bass jumped on my jig. I still have a lot to learn about how to best utilize this technology, but for sure can say that I never knew that rock was there and darn sure would never have made that cast without knowing where those fish were. Water temp is 43 and the promised rain has stayed away so far. Feb- Mar is a great time to land the fish of a lifetime and I think we have a new tool in our arsenal!

Had a chance to get out and fish with two of our most dedicated anglers this past weekend. Saturday we were on the water nine hours and boated nine small bass. It was 27 degrees when we started. There was a skim of ice in the S Curve, but temperatures increased through the day and the fish were more active by late Sunday pm. We boated 21 bass on Sunday and landed this fish in the State Record Hole. Nearly all of the fish were caught on the smoke grub on a 1/8 oz jighead and 6# test. It was comfortable fishing even with sub freezing air temps, strong wind, and water temps in the 40’s. Currently we have 3 of snow on the ground. Temperatures won’t get above the freezing mark today, but there is a promise of warmer air by Sunday and that means another chance to put a lethargic mammoth bass in the boat!