Catch a fishing class at the Northwest Sportshow

Joe Bucher, a TV fishing show veteran, lure maker and big-fish enthusiast from Eagle River, Wis., is a muskie angler's muskie angler. He'll share some of his secrets Friday and Saturday as part of the Fishing and Outdoor Seminar Series at the Northwest Sportshow. Starting Wednesday, the five-day gathering at the Minneapolis Convention Center will feature 15 outdoors "professors.'' Here's a preview of four lessons, all in Room 101H, Lobby C.

You don't have to settle for "follows'' when fishing for muskies. Bucher will dissect the retrieve when fishing for the big predators and preach the importance of imbalance.

Muskie anglers need to consider every inch of their retrieves, Bucher said. Most muskies are caught in figure-eights at boat side, but others bite in the middle of the retrieve and even more strike in the first 5 feet, he said.

"Don't do anything rhythmic,'' Bucher said. "You have to keep the fish guessing."

Bucher said he'll take his audience through all the lure groups, giving a variety of tips on how to work them.

"It's big and little things that get them to go from following to striking," Bucher said.

On Saturday, Bucher will speak on finesse techniques for catching big bass in clear, "gin bottle" lakes.

Live bait is illegal this year for walleye fishing on Mille Lacs — a challenge that Mark Courts views as ideal for introducing more anglers to fishing with hard lures and plastics.

Courts, of Harris, Minn., is a tournament pro with extensive experience fishing artificial baits.

"I'll show how to put a few of these techniques together," Courts said.

Plastics have advanced in scent, shape and texture, he said. Plastic worms and plastic bait fish are more lifelike in the water than they used to be, while scents last longer.

"When fish grab them, they tend to hold onto them longer," Courts said.

He'll demonstrate various setups and also promote the use of newly evolved hard lures for vertical jigging.

Courts also will discuss the performance characteristics of different fishing lines, including lead-core line for trolling lake bottoms.

"It's basically a presentation on how to better understand walleyes and how to catch them," Courts said.

Summer bass fishing on Mille Lacs is easy. But targeting smallies before spawning or soon after requires more attention to detail. Janet Parker, a former Texan who moved to Isle for the fishing, will discuss her early season techniques for the big lake.

The tactics flow from understanding bass staging patterns as they transition from winter habitat to beds in shallower water. The males go first to make the beds while females wait in deeper water.

Fishing smallmouth early requires map-reading skills and knowing what areas in the lake are optimal for spawning.

She'll also provide some emphasis for female anglers, who generally are taught to use shorter fishing rods, Parker said. She prefers to put women in longer rods with more backbone and faster tips, she said. She'll also discuss effective reel types for women.

The lessons will come from someone who once caught 119 fish in about 2½ hours on Mille Lacs.

Picking the right kind of kayak is a critical decision for anglers leaning toward "yak" fishing, especially when choices and styles are multiplying. Grant Carston of Montgomery, Minn., will present his ideas on the subject along with practical hauling techniques.

The relative low price, simplicity and convenience of kayaks — along with their aerobic benefits and maneuverability into remote fishing holes — are chief reasons why the sport is growing.

He is vice president of the Minnesota Kayak Fishing Association, a group that has grown to 700 members since forming in 2013. His introductory seminar on Friday will also include tips on where to fish if you're short on time.

Even more tips will address the selection of rods, lures and kayak accessories. Small manufacturers are now producing gear that early adopters customized on their own.

In a second seminar scheduled Sunday, Carston will narrow in on kayak competitive bass fishing. He's been traveling the country as a contestant and has taken note of all kinds of setups. Trolling motors are starting to creep in and choices abound for fish electronics.

Tony Kennedy • 612-673-4213