I’m not going to beat around the bush; I’m awesome. I absolutely smoked the fish yesterday – mainly bass, but plenty of crappies and northern pike too. I’ll even tell you where I was fishing – Lake Minnetonka in the west metro of the Twin Cities. My best five probably weighed around 25 or 26 pounds. They were all largemouths and they found a temporary home in the livewell of my new Ranger Z520.

Skeptics would point out that there’s 2 inches of ice covering Lake Minnetonka. That’s not enough for safe ice fishing, but it’s surely too much for operating a fiberglass vessel. They’re right, but that’s not the Tonka I was on. I was fishing the Lake Minnetonka in the new Rapala Pro Bass Fishing game for Nintendo Wii. I was throwing the Original Floater on shallow secondary points and catching fish almost every cast. It was a blast and I didn’t burn a single ounce of fuel.

Seriously though, the game is pretty sweet. I truthfully think it’s the best fishing video game I’ve ever played. The details are impressive. From lure movements to graphics, to the wireless controller that lets you feel strikes, every nuance from the sport we love has been covered. You can tell that the folks who created it are fishermen themselves. My only complaint would be that it takes too long to reel in small fish. I’ve seen our pros swing in 4-pounders with ease, yet I’m struggling for 2 or 3 minutes with a 10-ounce crappie.

In terms of settings, you can free fish, compete in tournaments against FLW Tour pros like David Fritts, Terry Bolton and Dave Lefebre or go head-to-head against your buddies. By no means is it a substitute for the real thing. But if you’re looking for a gift to get you through the winter, drop Mrs. Claus a note about the Rapala Pro Bass Fishing game. Because if you’re anything like me, it might be your only chance at a 25-pound stringer.