Off Shore Tackle Podcast

This month,  the man in charge at Off Shore Tackle, Nick DeShano. Nick talks about the early days of the company, his role in the evolution of Off Shore and where the Michigan based company is today. DeShano describes his family's passion for hunting and fishing, and why it's important to keep production of their products here in the US. He also talks about the appeal of trolling and why he believes it will always be a popular technique for many anglers.  

We're talking with an old friend of the Off Shore Tackle family this time on the podcast. Craig MacPhee is a Charter Captain and duck hunting guide on Saginaw Bay and southern Lake Huron with his Tail Annihilators guide service. He talks about the evolution of the Lake Huron fishery, the salmon fishing there and targeting big lake trout. McPhee also describes running offshore to fish the scum line, the role of pink and atlantic salmon in the fishery and why steelhead are so fun to catch. Craig then talks about how he uses Off Shore releases and boards...and how he got to know the DeShano Family.  

We're heading to the smaller, inland lakes this time on the Off Shore Tackle podcast with Nick Dood of Reel Live Action Charters. Nick talks about inland fishing versus the Great Lakes, how he uses Off Shore Tadpoles for depth control, why boat traffic can be a factor and his choice for inline planer boards (the OR 12 with tattle flags). The Charter Captain and tournament angler also describes the difference between those two activites and why he finds inland fishing more relaxing than big water options.  

We're talking with Ontario angler Rob Jones of One More Pass Sportfishing on this edition of the Off Shore Tackle Podcast. Rob talks about the role of education and promotion as an Off Shore Pro Staffer.  He also describes his philosophy for tournaments and fishing new water, board configuation, electronics and more. Jones then explains why the Bay of Quinte is his favorite destination.  

This month, a conversation with Off Shore Pro Staffer and tournament tested angler....David Kolb. .  David recently won the MWT Tournament on Lake Erie with a very impressive catch in a challenging conditions. Kolb talks about trolling Off Shore OR 12 boards and why the Tattle Flag was key in this latest win. He describes the difference in trolling with the waves, verses trolling the trough, why water clarity is key to success and the challenge of finding aggressive, post spawn fish.  

This month on the Off Shore Tackle podcast we're talking with the Godfather of depth control, Mark Romanack of Fishing 411 TV. Mark talks about his partnership with Off Shore and the DeShano Family the development of the OR12 board, the hiearchy of trolling and much more. He also discusses the importance of crankbait tuning, the Precision Trolling app and the new 50+3T method of getting baits even deeper. It's a interesting discussion with a well known fishing icon.

We're talking with Paul Alpers of the National Crappie League this month on the Off Shore Tackle Podcast. Paul is a lifelong crappie angler and intimately involved in the world of crappie tournaments for decades. He talks about the evolution of crappie angling and why trolling is still a very effective way to cover water and catch fish. Alpers also discusses the world of crappie tournaments and why they're a great way to learn more about catching that popular panfish.

There's a wide range of topics this time on the Off Shore Tackle podcast as we talk with Jason Graham of Send It Charters and Linwood Beach Marina. Jason is a former bass tournament angler turned walleye Charter Captain. He runs ice charters on Saginaw Bay in the wintertime, trolls the Bay in spring and summer...then heads to Lake Michigan each fall to chase salmon. Graham talks about the challenge of finding fish through the ice and why he prefers trolling to cover more water. Jason says he wouldn't be as successful without his Off Shore products and describes his trolling set up for walleye and salmon.

We kick off the new year on the Off Shore Tackle podcast talking with "Crappie Dan", Dan Dannenmueller. Dan talks about wintertime fishing, including how to trigger a cold water bite. He also discusses the range of crappies, difference between black and white crappies and river fishing versus in a lake. The veteran Alabama angler also talks about trolling for crappies, choosing the right boards and how tadpoles can help you dial in the perfect depth.    

We wrap up the year talking about trolling in cold water with John Bergsma of the Great Lakes Fisherman's Digest TV Show.   John is a former tournament pro and long time Off Shore Tackle Pro Staffer who loves to target big fish late in the trolling season. He talks about water temp, speed and color selection for trophy walleye. Bergsma also unveils a new TV show focused on Great Lakes trolling. He wraps up the conversation with the story of how he partnered with the DeShano family and why le's a loyal Off Shore angler.

We wrap up our three part conversation with the man who started Off Shore Tackle...Bruce DeShano. "The Chairman of the Boards" talks about his companies move into new markets, including striper and catfish, why you probably won't see Off Shore products for saltwater anglers and also why the popular OR 12 boards is still "unfinished". Bruce also describes his role as a teacher and promoter, todays market dynamics and the role charter captains now play in Off Shore promotion. The "Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame" member also talks about the transition in leadership to his son Nick and what the future might hold for this proud American company.

We're talking with Pro Staffer Craig Sleeman this time on the Off Shore Podcast.  Craig tells the story of how he made the NWT Championship on Lake Huron and what that experience was like. Sleeman describes how he made it to the top ten and eventually finished fourth in the tourney. The New York native says Lake Huron offered some challenges including wind, waves and crystal clear water.   Craig talks about his strategy for fishing new water and why electronics play a big role in that process. He then talks about his partnership with Off Shore and why that national walleye championship was a "dream come true".    

Lake Ontario is the destination this time on the Off Shore Tackle Podcast as we talk with Rick Hajecki of Crazy Yankee Sportfishing. Rick talks about the Lake Ontario salmon and trout fishery.   He also describes the differences between tournament fishing and running charters, the importance of networking to find fish and why social media has become a big part of his business. The lifelong angler then talks about his relationship with Off Shore and why good partnerships are critical to success. Hajecki also looks ahead to some good fall walleye fishing and outstanding wintertime brown trout trolling action.

We're headed north this month on the Off Shore Tackle podcast to talk with angler and wildlife artist Erich Carlson. Erich's home water is northern Lake Huron and the Alpena Michigan area but during this converstion we find him trolling for walleye on Green Bay in Wisconsin. Erich  describes the challenge of fishing clear water, how to target deep fish, planer board set up and much more. He also talks about his wildlife art and the process of getting his Charter Captain's license.  

We're talking about trolling the big water....and the river, this time on the Off Shore Tackle podcast with tournament angler Roy Miller.  We catch up with Roy as he's prefishing for an MWT Tourney on Northern Lake Huron.  He describes his program for catching fish in crystal clear water. Then the conversation turns toward chasing walleye in rivers.  While most anglers jig for those fish, Roy prefers to troll. Miller trolls the Detroit River but says the tactic will work on other rivers as well.

It's part two of our conversation with the "Chairman of the Boards", Bruce Deshano on this edition of the Off Shore Tackle podcast. Bruce talks about the transition of Off Shore from a salmon based company, into the world of walleye. He describes the early days of working with Al Lindner and the In-Fisherman organization, how the OR 12 planer was first tested in a hotel swimming pool and why Off Shore products cost more than some competitors "Mr. Chairman" also discusses branching out into the striper and crappie fisheries.

We're headed to southern Lake Michigan and the port of St. Joe this time on the Off Shore Tackle podcast. Captain Mike Boyd of Coldwater Charters talks about early season trolling for salmon and trout, including the difference between copper and lead core line.  Mike also explains his set up, including the use of Off Shore OR 12 planers and the bigger SST Pro Mag boards (that he calls a "school bus"). He describes the process of getting a new charter boat ready for the water, why the St. Joe fishery is unique, fishing dirty water...and much more. The conversation wraps up with Mike talking about his career as an outdoor writer and also a hunting guide.

We're catfishing this time on the Off Shore Tackle podcast with Alex Nagy of Twisted Cat Outdoors. Alex talks about how he got into catfishing and why that passion led to a tournament circuit. He also describes the growth in popularity of catfish and how the perception of those fish is changing. The angler/tournament director then explains popular techniques for catching giant catfish and describes the experience of weighing in a fish of more than a hundred pounds on the tournament stage.  

It's a look back at the history of the Lake Huron fishery this month on the Off Shore Tackle podcast as we talk with Ed Retherford of Trout Scout Charters. Ed has fished Lake Huron for more than 55 years and has seen a lot of changes during that half century. He talks about the early days, changes in the fishery and water clarity...and how that's affected the way anglers fish. Retherford also has advice for folks hitting the water this spring and he talks about working with Off Shore since the early days.  

It's a very special edition of the Off Shore Tackle podcast as we talk with the man who started to the company....Bruce DeShano. In part one of this series Bruce talks about the early days...how he launched the company with just one downrigger release, the challenges of marketing and why Off Shore was built on relationships. DeShano also tells the story of why one early product failed and how he turned that failure into success. It's an interesting look inside the career of a fishing industry icon this month on the Off Shore Tackle podcast.