Herald Review Newspaper, June 3, 2009
The Outdoorsman, by Ralph Carlson
It takes a lot to be a good angler - catching them is important, being able to read the electronics, boat control and knowledge of the weather and the fish itself. If the fish were biting I am usually able to hold my own. That all changed a little over a week ago. Zach Dagel, a fishing guide, was just out fishing with a friend. While our boat caught some fish, Zach's boat had to out fished us 10 to 1.
"Get closer" I said. "He won't mind, I know him." Pretty soon we could visit without shouting. It was painful to watch as we sat with slack lines and they landed two more walleyes. He tossed over some homemade jigs, the same ones he was using. We now had the same presentation, but fishing was still not as good as Zach's boat. We finally told him we surrender and left.
Recently Zach stopped by the office with a small bag of homemade jigs. He looked different without a fishing rod doubled over in his hand. Zach has been making his own jigs the past four years. It was something to keep him busy in the winter until the open water fishing season began. In his words, he was just messing around to see what works. He mad jigs in different sizes - 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 and 3/8 ounce. The 1/8 ounce is most popular. This year he has flattened the head a little, giving the jig a little more action. He has used hooks from a No. 1 hook to a No. 3. He finally settled on a No. 2 size red hook. Zach makes about 5,000 jigs a year and one of his secrets is using good lead. Old plumbers lead works well.
It may not be a coincidence that he has been making jigs for four years. It is also as long as he has been operating Grand Rapids Guide Service. Four years is a little deceptive, as Zach guided out of Ruttgers Resort when he was 15. He would take guests fishing on Sugar Lake. His dad's boat was his guide boat during that time.
He has come a long way in 15 years. His boat is a Lund Pro-V 2025 with a 200 HP Mercury Verado tiller motor. The boat is equipped with two depth finders and 15 rods and reels. There are different rods for all species of fish.
Dagel said he has about 30 guide jobs during the year, but may be down a little this year because of the economy. He also guides for grouse hunters and has six grouse hunting trips planned for the fall.
Obviously if a guide is fishing on his day off he loves to fish. I still had to ask why he guides? He enjoys talking with different people and loves to watch them catch fish.
Zach was afraid he would not keep up to the demand if he put his jigs in stores
but he is willing to sell some in bulk. Contact him at 218-245-1855 or www.grandrapidsguideservice.com.
RUFFED GROUSE
Field & Stream, September 9, 2009
THE GREAT LAKES states have millions of acres of national, state, and county forest land open to hunting. "Most of our pressure up here is from hunters riding the trails on four-wheelers," says Zach Dagel of Minnesota's Grand Rapids Guide Service. "If you want to find grouse, you have to get off the trails and into the heavy cover." Dagel targets 10 to 15-year-old clear cuts where the regenerated popple, or quaking aspen, form dense thickets 40 to 80 acres in size.
The game plan is simple: Follow the dogs. "I like to run my setters into the wind whenever possible," says Dagel. "We'll hunt down one side of the thicket, move over 50 yards, and hunt back, just like walking a field for pheasants." He finds grouse near the edges of the clear-cuts as they come out to the trails to get gravel early and late in the day. In the middle of the day, birds head for the security of the center. Even though Dagel trains his dogs to stay within 35 yeards, he uses beeper collars to keep track of them in the dense cover. When the dogs go on point, he positions his hunters 10 to 15 yards on either side of the dogs so one may get a clear shot.
Dagel always checks the gullets of the first birds of the day to see what they've been eating and plans the rest of the hunt accordingly. In the late season, he focuses more on evergreens and aspen up to 60 years old, which grouse prefer for winter cover.
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Best Public Lands: State forest land (often managed specifically for grouse and woodcock.)
Best Opportunities: Later in the season, after the leaves fall.
Look For: Ten to 15 year old aspen, with trunks no thicker than a pop can.
Watch Out For: Deer hunters. Dagel sits out the crowded gun season but has good hunts before and after.
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