Juls: "Ok, let's get this party started! Gentlemen and ummm...me...please welcome our host for the next hour...Walleye Pro, Chris Kindraka! Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap...:)"
Juls: "Chris, why don't you start off by telling everyone a little about yourself..for those that didn't read your twenty questions interview...:)"
Chris K: Hi Everyone.
.Steve-Ind.: hi
Ray Champine:
Juls: HI Ray
Ray Champine: Hi all
Chris K: "I live in Spruce Grove, Alberta. It's about 15 minutes west of Edmonton. I have been fishing walleye tournaments since 1999, and have fished all over western Canada, and the upper US walleye States"
Juls: Feel free to ask questions guys...there are no dumb questions and Chris is a really helpful guy who knows how to fish for walleye...oh and a successful hunter too...ask away!
Chris K: "I usually fish 10 or so events a year, and I do like to travel to the US and fish whenever my schedule permits. I fish Lake of The Woods each summer out of Kenora for a week, and fish a lot in Saskatchewan too"
.Steve-Ind.: have a good night all
.Steve-Ind.:
BIGSTICK: Chris you actually helped me make my desision on buying a 208gl if you remember .
Chris K: I do remember that. How do you like the boat so far?
Tim Ellis: What is your favorite body of water to fish here in the States?
BIGSTICK: I am in love with it . too bad the water gets hard here i look forward to driving it everytime i get out
Juls: "The funniest thing I ever saw Chris do was at Devils lake...the parking lot is a long way off from the dock....he launches his boat, but doesn't tie it off....takes his truck to the parking lot and runs back. By the time he reached the dock his boat was floating away from it. He leaped about 10 feet and landed in the bow of his boat. When I said, ""you're a crazy man"" he just laughed and said he does it like that all the time!"
Chris K: "I really liked Lake of the Woods on the US side, but my favourite would have to be Lake Sharpe in South Dakota."
Juls: do you remember that Chris?
Tim Ellis: Yes both fantastic fisheries.
Chris K: "I know that it has changed quite a bit since I fished it last, but I really liked fishing the current breaks, and the bluffs"
Chris K: "It probably was not the smartest move at the time, but looking back I wish I was in shape that I could still do it again!"
Juls: hahaha
Ray Champine: "What is your preferred technigue? Jigging, trolling, etc..."
Ray Champine: "oops, technique."
Chris K: "LOTW on the US side was a lot of fun, and it got me interested in fishing the Canadian side."
Juls: dont worry about typos here...we all knew what ya meant...no biggie
Chris K: "I spend a lot of time pulling spinners on bottom bouncers, and rigging"
Ray Champine: "I never had typing lessons, andc it shows! lol"
ferris wheeler:
Juls: hi ferris
Tim Ellis: Gotta love spinners and bouncers...
Juls: thanks for coming
ferris wheeler: hi
Juls: what kind of spinners do you like best?
Chris K: With the shorter summer up here and water temps that only make it into the low 70's I fish shallow quite a bit
Tim Ellis: I saw in your 20 questions you like Tobin. Fish the river or the lake?
Ray Champine: "What would you recommend for a starting point, bouncing in a river? I generally start at 2.5 mph faster than current."
Chris K: "I usually tie my own spinners, and I use 14 pound Berkley XT, and I space my hooks about 4 inches apart, and use Northland Baitfish Image Blades"
ferris wheeler: what were your tourny winnings for 2009
Chris K: "In Canada it's hard to make a living from fishing, the guys that do however are the ones on TV"
Juls: what difference does that make ferris and ratty rug...?
Ray Champine: "Sorry, I meant speed wise. Do you run longer leads 6' plus or shorter?"
Juls: here to cause trouble rattyrug and ferris? I'll kick ya out
Chris K: "We have several events that pay very well, and I like to go the the STStes whenever I can to try and have a shot at a big purse at a US event"
ferris wheeler: I;m just starting out and curious as to if its a part time proffesion or theres actually some money to be made
Juls: ok
ferris wheeler: are you ratty rug?
Chris K: "I usually tie my snells longer, but depending on snags and weeds, I usually shorten up to three to four feet. I like to use larger blades too, usually sizes 4 or 5 as fishing with spinners is not a finesse presentation"
tjohnston:
Ray Champine: You generally stick to one style blade or change it up?
ferris wheeler: what are your other favorite waters
Tim Ellis: Do you ever try pulling spinners for suspended fish in Canada?
Chris K: "I usually fish the river section on Tobin, but have fished the lake a few times. The lake section does not get the credit it deserves, as most people only fish the river portion"
tjohnston:
Tim Ellis: I agree and have pulled some nice fish out of the lake section.
walleyejim1216:
ferris wheeler: whats your biggest fish
Chris K: "Going down river I like to move a little faster than the current, just enough to make the blade spin while moving up and down the break I am fishing"
Chris K: "Ray, most of the time I use colorado blades, and I try match them to natural forage colors"
ferris wheeler: hows the new president at lund going to effect your sponorship or everyones else for that matter
Chris K: "At Nipawin, there is so much good water out in the lake in amongst the flooded timber too. A good wind there for a few days really concentrates fish on the shore that it pounds into the next day when things calm down a bit"
Ray Champine: "I'm going to try ""bait free in 2010"". Have you tried any artificial crawlers?"
Chris K: Most of the time while I pull spinners I use the 6 inch Gulp Crawlers in the natural color. I love them!
Chris K: "Andrew is no longer the president of Lund Boats, and he left to persue other opportunites."
Ray Champine: "Cool, it sounds possible to not have crawler dirt and the related upkeep of them. That's awesome."
eyeman_1:
Chris K: "Tournament sponsorship and support has been a very big part of Lund Boats, and I expect that to continue into the future"
Chris K: "I like the tubs, as the crawlers stay nice and straight, and there is a neat trick to keeping them from leaking."
Ray Champine: "Why do you generally stick with Colorado blades. You like the ""thump""?"
ferris wheeler: whattttt
Ray Champine: "Ok please, ""spill"" that secret."
BIGSTICK: and the trick is
Chris K: "After taking off the top, cut a circle about a half inch all the way around the white seal to open up the package. They no longer spill, and seal up nice for storage"
ferris wheeler: whattttttt
Juls: what don't you understand ferris?
Ray Champine: Good tip. I'll try that.
Chris K: My biggest fish was a 11.4 pound walleye from Tobin Lake
ferris wheeler: oh i get it
Chris K: "I like the colorado blades for the thump, and on the waters out west here the fish are pretty agressive"
Tim Ellis: Chris ever target suspended fish open water trolling up in Canada?
caffeineforall:
eyeman_1:
ferris wheeler: but w3hat if they shut down then what do you use
Juls: hi soldier..:)
caffeineforall: Howdy!
Juls: "err...i mean, Doc!..:)"
caffeineforall: hahah yea everyone calls me doc ;)
Chris K: "Up here we don't have shad for baitfish, so we don't get suspended fish like on Erie or on the Mississippi in Lake Pepin"
Tim Ellis: No Cisco's (Tulibee's)?
Juls: what do they eat up there?
Ray Champine: Have you ever tried circle hooks on your harnesses?
Chris K: "We do get thermoclines with Ciscoes and Tulibees, and I have fished bottom structure at depths near the thermocline and just off those breaks, but I have found them hard to pattern"
pwrfshn:
Juls: hi pwrfshn...;)
ferris wheeler: what do yuo mean they don't suspend here in canada me and my buddy use that technique all the time
Chris K: "A lot of lakes I fish have perch as the main forage, so I troll small shad raps or spinners to imitate them"
pwrfshn: "hey, i as working on month end reports and needed a breal"
pwrfshn: break
Juls: glad you could make it...thanks for coming
Chris K: I am stating that where I fish we don't get the fish that suspend like on Erie from 2 feet under the surface to 15 feet off bottom due to the fact we don't have shad for baitfish
ferris wheeler:
caffeineforall: ooo drama
caffeineforall: So who thinks I should go try for some walleye this weekend?
Chris K: "I have fished with circle hooks in the past, but I did not get the hooking ratio that I did with normal size 2 walleye hooks"
Juls: both ferris and ratty are competitors of Chris's who are jealous obviously
pwrfshn: whats the topic
Juls: Chris Kindraka is our host for the next half hour.....it's about him
pwrfshn: Cool!
Ray Champine: "They are a little different, but those that are hooked, are hooked good. I went back to ""normal"" hooks too."
Chris K: "At Tobin, I rig with the current a lot pulling a quarter to half ounce weight and a leech behing a 6 to eight foot snell."
Juls: that will be edited out of the transcripts that gets posted chris...now worries...
cross i's:
Chris K: That's fine
caffeineforall: Whats the furthest south you've fished for walleye chris?
Chris K: you gotta have a thick skin to be a walleye fisherman right?
Golden:
Tim Ellis: It sure helps.
Chris K: Furthest South would have to be Lake Sharpe in South Dakota
kirt:
Juls: Hi Boss Man...the trouble makers made a hit and run
Chris K: It's a 17 hour drive for me from home
cross i's:
Tim Ellis: Chris are you planning on the NPAA meeting this year?
Chris K: I found the wider gaps of the regular hooks over the circle's to hook up a lot better.
Ray Champine: "Sure, Chris (on the thick skinned part). But that wasn't cool. You're graciously giving of your time and don't deserve to be treated that way."
Golden: Hi Chris K....been awhile man.
Chris K: "It was very hard to fish circle hooks and not be able to set the hook, I found I missed a lot of fish, especially ones that would grab on and swim with the bait for a bit"
Chris K: "That's on of the reasons, I now space my hooks out farther on spinners, to get the shorter biters"
Chris K: "Hi Scott, It's great to be here"
Ray Champine: I noticed that too. It was just different. I think circle hooks should excel at slip bobbering.
kirt: "better late than never, good evening"
pwrfshn: hey kirt...and Scott...Mexico here
pwrfshn: "Chris, thanks for your time this evening...wish I would have made the beginning..."
caffeineforall: mexico as in locale or mexico as in handle?
pwrfshn: looks like I missed some of the circle hook discussion
Chris K: I just finished reading Greg Bohn's slip bobbing book. I am really looking forward to trying a lot of his techniques this year. It's a great read and I reccomend it.
caffeineforall: Thought I was the furthest south being in Oklahoma...
pwrfshn: "yeah, just in case Juls needed a tennis partner"
Juls: Greg Bohn is a slip bobbering GOD...lol
pwrfshn: "OK, I've fished for them as fasr south as Caballo Reservoir NM"
caffeineforall: Slipbobbering is my new favorite method.
Chris K: "I am hoping to make the NPAA meeting, I have a few things on my plate right now that I have to work out, so we will see what happens."
Juls: lol Brian'
Juls: MN is a long ways from Alberta
Juls: 8pm fish fan
pwrfshn: like I need those...I cause enough trouble without super powers
Chris K: "TO head anywhere in the midwest, it's a 15 hour drive to Winnipeg, and then south to Minnesota"
Juls: ouch
Juls: that's a haul
Juls: nite Boss
Chris K: I know exactly how Todd Frank or Bobby Crowe feel about driving
Chris K: nite Scott
Ray Champine: Night Scott. You stick an elk yet?
pwrfshn: "back to the hook topic, I think circle's are good for bigger saltwater stuff, but I also did not find them effective for walleye hookset or not"
Juls: "I like driving...:) well, maybe not through chicago...."
pwrfshn: later Scott
caffeineforall: Red Wings play tomorrow ;)
Juls: stay on topic guys..this is Chris's chat for the next 19 minutes...:)
caffeineforall: "Sorry, drifting... lol."
pwrfshn: "Chris, thanks for your time this evening...work is calling...I fly to chicago tomorrow...I'll think of you juls"
Juls: no problem
Ray Champine: I live north of Detroit! Go wings...now back tro fish talk...
pwrfshn:
Chris K: Edmonton Oilers play Detroit tomorrow night...we might win a game...
Juls: what are you fishing next season Chris?
kirt: You fished AIM if I recall?
caffeineforall: Do you (or anyone) still use fox/buck tail spinners? Seems like an old school method that no one uses anymore.
Ray Champine: What do you hunt Chris?
Chris K: "I did the AIM Championship last year, and I really enjoyed the event and the format. I woul dlike to make it to Akaska if I can, so we will see how the schedule is for this upcoming year"
cdnwalleye:
Chris K: "Casting blue fox spinners can be really effective for walleyes, especially in shallow water"
caffeineforall: I'm a fatty ;) - ahem. Do you have a favorite spinning reel for casting? (I'm in the market)
Chris K: "I will be fishing the Saskatchewan Walleye Trail next year, they have five events. Lake Deifenbaker out of Elbow and Sask Landing, Last Mountain Lake out of Regina Beach and Rowan's Ravine, and the Fort Qu'Apelle chain of lakes"
Tim Ellis: Chris you like fishing or hunting more?
Juls: what are your favorite waters to fish?
Chris K: "I will also fish a few tournaments on the Northern Alberta Walleye Trail, and on LEsser Slave Lake"
Juls: how do you attack a body of water you've never fished before?
caffeineforall: "Do you have a twitter account? And, whats your favorite spinning reel/rods."
Ray Champine: Do you do any ice fishing?
Chris K: "I love fishing, but I love hunting too. Nothing gets me more excited than big whitetails!"
Tim Ellis: :)
Ray Champine: Do you bow or rifle hunt?
Chris K: "My favourite reels are from Shimano. I am not sponsored by them, but I have been using them for years, and have been pretty hard on them and they hold up well to my abuse. I really like the Symetre and Stradics"
BIGSTICK: I know the feeling on big bucks here in mn
Juls: He's on Facebook...:)
Chris K: "I hunt with the bow and rifle, but usually with the bow it's an excuse to get out scouting"
dtmg: earlier it was said that you are a lund guy what rig do you run
Chris K: I do go on facebook once in a while.
Chris K: "This past year I ran a tiller for the first time, it was a 2075 Pro V with a 200 Verado"
caffeineforall: What are your feelings on the new Trilene Transoptic? Have you used it yet?
Chris K: the year before that I ran a 208 Pro V GL with a 300 Verado
Chris K: "I have not used the Transoptic yet, but in reading about it it looks very interesting"
Juls: what did you like better? the tiller or the glass?
Ray Champine: That's quite a differance in boats. Which did/do you prefer and why?
kirt: tiller guy brrrrrr....... do you miss the windshield?
Juls: lol
Chris K: I did miss the windshield!
kirt: "I got a chnce to ride in 200hp tiller this year, holy smokes you dont smile"
Chris K: "I had always run boats with steering wheels, and I wanted to try something different. Working a lot of boat shows, or chatting with people at events I felt it would be beneficial to try both sides of the fence"
Juls: "never said...how do you approach a lake you've never fished before...how do you attack it for prefishing, or just fishing in general?"
Juls: that's good thinking Chris...easier to answer questions truthfully that way....I'll stick with the steering wheel though...lol
Chris K: "Before I ran the 208, I had run 1900's and 2025's. The 208 blew me away at how well it ran rough water."
BIGSTICK: "they both have their pros and cons,But i really love that big glass ride"
Tim Ellis: Yep tought to beat glass boats in the rough stuff.
Juls: "Ok, we've only got 4 minutes left, so get your questions in...:)"
Tim Ellis: What are your fishing goals in 2010?
walleyejim1216: are u a minnkota guy or motorguide?
Chris K: "When going somewhere I have never been I try to find as much info beforehand that I possible can. I scour the internet, find guide reports or message boards, and try find what areas or patterns are going on during the seasonal window I will be there"
kirt: I rode in 2075 pro v last year rode really nice
Chris K: "I have run MinnKota, I am a big Vantage fan"
walleyejim1216: What do u think of the new ipilot comeing out?
Chris K: I backtroll about 65 percent of the time
Chris K: "the I Pilot looks AWESOME, and I can't wait to try it. The spot lock will be great in current!"
caffeineforall: "THe bait shop only has one of these 4 Minnows, Crawlers, Leeches, or plastics, which do you take and why?"
walleyejim1216: if it works like they say you will have to have one huh?
Chris K: I also try to pick the brains of a few pro's I know who have fished those waterbodies in the past. Most are very helpful and have been more than willing to answer questions.
Chris K: "I like the crawlers, they are the most versatile in my opinion. You can pinch them in half and pitch them on jigs, rig with them, or use them on spinners."
Tim Ellis: If you could win one tournament which would you pick and why?
Chris K: My favourite for pitching with GUlp is the 3 inch Fry in Pumpkinseed
Juls: "Ok, well, it's been a fast hour folks...I'd like to thank Chris for coming tonight and hosting our Fireside Chat tonight. Thanks for your time Chris and good luck in your fishing adventures next season! Please feel free to stick around and chat some more. I just need an ending for the Boss Man so he can upload the transcripts of tonights chat. :)"
Juls: clap clap clap clap clap clap...thanks Chris!
BIGSTICK: Chris you come down to devils lake or western mn let me know !Thanks for coming tonite...
Chris K: "It was always my goal to win a PWT tournament, but that's no longer, so I would love to win an AIM event, or the Vanity Cup in Nipawin Saskatchewan"
Golden: "Yea, we do appreciate your time Chris....stick around and chat more"
Ray Champine: Thanks for your time tonight Chris! | 
article search