General fishing news
Go back to school on small streams
There’s a creek freak in every fly fisher, even if it's compartmentalized away, deep in the emotional recesses of our psyches. Most of us who have fly fished for years — decades, even — cut our angling teeth on small water. That we’ve left these out-of-the-way little angling destinations for bigger waters and more sophisticated challenges is a bit unfortunate. For these diminutive waters still hold valuable lessons.
New fly fishing gear: September 2024
Fall is officially upon us, and fly-fishing gear manufacturers are pushing new rods, reels and other goods out to consumers this month. From a handful of new reels — both freshwater and saltwater — to a new high-end trout rod and a surprising entry into the optics market from a traditional rod manufacturer, gear junkies should rejoice.
Here are some of the highlights from in these new September offerings.
Cloud, castle, creek
The first time I traveled to Poland I was 11 years old. It was about a year and a half after communism had fallen and my aunt, who my mother had not seen in fifteen years, was getting married. My brothers and I were taught no Polish growing up, but by the time we landed in Warsaw we could each repeat a token phrase. Mine was to be delivered to my 92-year-old blue-eyed great-grandmother: “My mother says I have your eyes.” More useful would have been: “Please don’t let us die.” The trip nearly killed all of us in different ways.
50 million anglers
Climate change may not be making many headlines right now, but that’s only because presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are sucking all the oxygen from the room.
Sleeping dogs
I try to let sleeping dogs lie but Zeppelin will have none of it. He seemed deep in his dreams at the foot of the bed when I slipped down the dark hallway to the kitchen, but, as I stand at the counter eating a hasty bowl of cereal, I hear the whisper of pads on hardwood, a breathy harrumph, and the soft thump of old bones settling to the floor beside me. I reach down and scratch his head.
Carpin' for smallmouth
“Damn clouds.”
In a demonstration of what may be one of my most regrettable and predictable behaviors, burdened by the lowering of light level as a cloud moved between me and the sun, I glanced towards the heavens to assess the duration of the timeout at hand, only to be temporarily blinded by that big ball of fire in the sky as it slipped behind the veil.
“Now I definitely can’t see anything.”
Review: Korkers Stealth Sneaker wading boots
Korkers new Stealth Sneaker is a hybrid of the wading shoes we’ve seen grow in popularity lately and the tried-and-true wading boots we’ve used for decades. It’s also the single most unique piece of wading gear I’ve ever reviewed, and far and away the most comfortable.
3 Yellowstone National Park rivers with great fall fishing
To the natural world within the confines of Yellowstone National Park, the nebulous date at the tail end of summer when the vast majority of the human population “migrates” elsewhere must seem a complete mystery. One day, there’s a two-hour-long traffic jam between West Yellowstone and Madison Junction, and the next, the cars are just all gone.
Short-range streamers: Chaos as a teacher
We’ve often recommended streamer tactics that break the conventional long-distance mold. That is, presentations that eschew long casts and long swings or retrieves in favor of working up close and personal. It’s easy to recommend this approach with confidence, as these short-distance tactics work and work well on rivers, streams, and creeks all over the world.
Things are about to get even better
Steve Duda is an inimitable storyteller. His recent book, River Songs: Moments of Wild Wonder in Fly Fishing, showcases a collection of essays written by Steve over the past twenty years, combined with a smattering of new material. It’s an anthology of work that John Gierach describes as “compelling stories told with skill and intelligence.”
Lake Powell Loses 40,000 Acre-Feet of Water
Bureau of Reclamation officials confirmed that an accidental 40,000 acre-feet of water was discharged from Lake Powell between 2021 and 2022.
The post Lake Powell Loses 40,000 Acre-Feet of Water appeared first on MidCurrent.
A Fly Reel’s Most Important Feature
Most of those lost trout were my own fault - as is often the case - but I can pinpoint two, or perhaps three, where my gear failed me. Specifically, my reel.
The post A Fly Reel’s Most Important Feature appeared first on MidCurrent.
Maine Salmon Need More Help
Atlantic salmon in Maine are in trouble, which isn't huge news. But Trout Unlimited claims that recent efforts to help these endangered fish don't go far enough.
The post Maine Salmon Need More Help appeared first on MidCurrent.
Tying Tuesday
This week's Tying Tuesday features a great mayfly nymph, a damselfly nymph pattern, and a caddis nymph.
The post Tying Tuesday appeared first on MidCurrent.
The Aquatic Insect Decline
On the Henry's Fork, in particular, PMD hatches have decreased significantly, corresponding with erratic water releases from Island Park Reservoir.
The post The Aquatic Insect Decline appeared first on MidCurrent.
Podcast Roundup
This week's Podcast Roundup features a classic conversation about how trout "think," an annual airing of grievances, and stories about chasing the world's toughest fish.
The post Podcast Roundup appeared first on MidCurrent.
Early Season Pike Tips
According to Chris Hunt's recent story in Hatch Magazine, the earlier in the season you chase pike, the better luck you'll have.
The post Early Season Pike Tips appeared first on MidCurrent.
AFF Launches Salmonfly Project on Yellowstone River
The AFFTA Fisheries Fund (AFF) - the conservation arm of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association - recently announced the launch of The Salmonfly Project on the Yellowstone River.
The post AFF Launches Salmonfly Project on Yellowstone River appeared first on MidCurrent.
Smith Launches New Hookset Frames
Smith has announced the release of their newest frames, the Hookset. These frames boast a bevy of new features, including two new lens options.
The post Smith Launches New Hookset Frames appeared first on MidCurrent.
Renewed Push for Dolores River Monument
Trout Unlimited (TU) and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) have renewed their push for a national monument along the Dolores River in Colorado.
The post Renewed Push for Dolores River Monument appeared first on MidCurrent.
Exit The Chum
“It’s not that I don’t enjoy it, but it’s kind of like a trip to Disneyland. You get so excited about a ride on the ...
The post Exit The Chum appeared first on Moldy Chum.
Investigation into Bass Pro Shops tarpon theft remains active
More than a month after a man entered a Bass Pro Shop in Fort Myers with a fish net and removed a live tarpon from ...
The post Investigation into Bass Pro Shops tarpon theft remains active appeared first on Moldy Chum.
UnBelizeable 2024 Fly Fishing Trip
Rocky Point permit camp.
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Sunday Toona: The Way It Is Edition
Radio 2’s Piano Room Month returns with a bang, with singer-songwriter and Pianist Bruce Hornsby performing live from Maida Vale studios alongside the BBC Concert ...
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What Lies Above – Trailer
I witnessed this feeding behavior five years ago when one of our guides hooked a perm off the beach feeding in a giant mat of ...
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Patagonia Spends 71 Million on Wildlife Conservation & Politics
Putting their money where their mouth is A little more than $3 million to block a proposed mine in Alaska. Another $3 million to conserve ...
The post Patagonia Spends 71 Million on Wildlife Conservation & Politics appeared first on Moldy Chum.
Messing With The River Test
The River Test is an internationally renowned chalk stream. Southern Water has installed equipment to pump waste directly from underground sewers into the river. It ...
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Ice fishing without nicotine
This one is about Ice Fishing, Nicotine Addiction, River Test, a hillbilly friend, and former champion in competitive Ice Fishing, Jacksson Winter. Also, a little ...
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This week in what are you doing?: Backyard Fish
Unreal! Wild and crazy legislators in Alaska – a state that banned net-pen fish farming in 1989 in part because of fears some of the ...
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Saving salmon: Newsom unveils blueprint
With salmon populations throughout California declining for decades and facing the threat of extinction, Gov. Gavin Newsom has unveiled a state strategy aimed at protecting and restoring ...
The post Saving salmon: Newsom unveils blueprint appeared first on Moldy Chum.
Deep Sea Fishing with the Top Shot Fishing Team
Fishing in Fort Lauderdale for Sailfish or Mahi Mahi provides an exciting charter for any angler. On a fishing charter there are many different variables when deciding what is the best method to use to maximize the best catch. Time of year, weather, wind, current, and migration of fish will all come into the decision-making […]
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Puerto Vallarta fishing report October
As the fall season unfolds in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, anglers from around the world eagerly gather to explore the bountiful waters of Banderas Bay and prepare for incredible fishing along with some international fishing tournaments. October promises to be an exciting month for anglers, with a diverse range of pelagic species in abundance and ideal […]
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Black Fin Tuna have been showing up in both the morning and afterno…
We have had a productive month targeting pelagic species. The Mahi Mahi bite recently showed some promise with a few days seeing 4 to 5 Mahi’s. Some days, the fishing out of Fort Lauderdale can be slow for Mahi Mahi, and some days are good; it really depends on the conditions and the schools of […]
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Charter Fishing with the Top Shot Sportfishing Team
We left the dock at Bahia Mar Marina in Fort Lauderdale around 7:30 am and headed offshore with a group of longtime friends, who were looking to catch some fish and have a great time. We started the day at the sea buoy in 115 ft. of water putting out a couple of deep […]
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Puerto Valarta fishing report
Everyone loves to be Puerto Vallarta for the month of February. Some of the obvious reasons are perfect weather, sunny skies, fantastic lodging, nightlife and incredible fishing. Deep-sea fishing in the winter here is a Lot like Christmas, ya never know what you are going to catch. The following species of pelagic fish will be […]
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Galveston Bay Fishing Report 5-11-22
It has been a typical spring time pattern for our fishing. Actually it has been a little more windier than usual. We have been adjusting to the wind from day to day and having to find fish in calmer waters. Most of the Galveston Fishing Charters have been producing nice numbers of trout and red […]
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Puerto Vallarta fishing report May
Everybody knows that May is for mothers day and excellent fishing and Puerto Vallarta Mexico. If you’re coming down here to buy art in the month of may, you’re gonna be able to take out several different fishing trips. In may we have the changing of the waters where cooler water is meeting warmer water. […]
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Sport Fishing in Fort Lauderdale with Topshotfishing Team
Fishing in Fort Lauderdale has many options in targeting a variety of different species from trolling offshore for Mahi Mahi and Wahoo, trolling inshore for King Mackerel, Bonita and Black Fin Tuna, kite fishing for Sailfish, wreck fishing for Amberjack and Grouper, and bottom fishing for Snappers, all while just a few miles fishing off […]
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Off Shore Sport Fishing with Topshot Fishing Team
Gene and Gary from Missouri along with Steve from Fort Lauderdale booked a fishing charter out of Fort Lauderdale. We departed from Bahia Mar with nice conditions for the day with light easterly winds and clear skies. As we were heading out of the inlet in 50 ft. of water, I noticed some explosions on […]
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Galveston Bay Fishing Report 1-14-22
Fishing has been really good this fall so far. We have had a couple of slow days with the low tides, fog and full moon this past week, but now the weather is suppose to cool down and that should help fishing a lot. I have been fishing the north end of our bay system […]
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Sport Fishing in Fort Lauderdale with Topshotfishing Team
Fort Lauderdale fishing report with two Sailfish and two Mahi Mahi on a half day four-hour fishing charter. We boarded the Happy Day Today, a 52-foot Hatteras Sportfish, located out of Bahia Mar in Fort Lauderdale with the Top Shot Sportfishing Charter team and headed offshore with a full trolling spread – two deep planner […]
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Dialing in Post-Spawn Northern Bass
Cody Hahner and Joel Nelson reveal strategies for finding and catching smallmouth and largemouth bass once they leave the beds There’s plenty to love about northern bass coming off a spawn. The weather is invariably nicer than it has been, with some built-in stability to most frontal patterns. As temps gradually warm, weed beds become […]
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U.S.A. BASSIN Crowns Bass Cat Classic Champions
St. Croix angler Trey McKinney and partner Rick Cheatham come up big on Chickamauga PARK FALLS, Wisc. (May 10, 2021) – Young-gun Trey McKinney has earned his success in competitive bass fishing. The 16-year-old angler from Goreville, Illinois has already been fishing competitively for seven years and has racked up an impressive list of accomplishments. […]
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Punta Gorda – Angling Adventure: It’s Happening
Southwest Florida’s Punta Gorda / Englewood area is home to world-class saltwater fishing Located between Tampa and St. Petersburg to the north and Fort Myers to the south, Charlotte Harbor and its surrounding barrier islands form the second largest natural estuary in all of Florida. Bordered by the communities of Boca Grande, Port Charlotte, Charlotte Harbor, Punta Gorda, and Bokeelia, Charlotte […]
The post Punta Gorda – Angling Adventure: It’s Happening appeared first on Fishing Reports and Forum | BigFishTackle.Com.
Z-Man’s® Enduring Commitment to Conservation
Trending tackle company fosters critical fishery research at University of Florida / IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station Ladson, SC (March 2, 2021) – Crafting high-grade baits and tackle is a worthy endeavor only insomuch as the fish and their environs are flourishing. It’s a simple, self-evident idea that’s quietly inhabited the hearts and […]
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Angling Legends
It Takes One to Know One St. Croix’s flagship family of Legend rods provide pinnacle-performance, unmatched sensitivity, and are handcrafted in the U.S.A. PARK FALLS, Wisc. (February 19, 2021) – Joe Bucher knows the stuff of which fishing legends are made. The renown multi-species fishing expert from Eagle River, Wisconsin is a National Freshwater Fishing […]
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The Perfect Float Tubing Set Up on a Budget
The Perfect Float Tubing Set Up A major hurdle for many floatation fishing (tubes, toons & yaks) “wannabees” is that they are afraid of being laughed at. There’s no denying that tubers and tooners look funny, especially during those first launching and beaching fiascoes. For some new recruits their frustrating initiations are enough to […]
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TAKE A VET FISHING
Operation Fishing Freedom TV returns for sixth season Emotional Support & Rehab For Vets Through Fishing The past year was a difficult one. Americans experienced loss in many different ways; loss of life, loss of friends and loved ones, loss of income, and loss of personal freedoms. More than any other time in recent history, […]
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Teacher and Students use Raymarine technology to locate shipwrecks
The Coolest Teacher on Earth? Jean-Marc Perreault is not your average middle and high school science and technology teacher. For the past 27 years, the Canadian educator has consistently demonstrated that he will go to any length to make his courses more interesting and interactive for his students – including building a space shuttle cockpit […]
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Remembering a Legacy – Ronald Lindner
Remembering a Legacy Innovator Northland Fishing Tackle® reflects on the life of the fishing industry maverick Ron Lindner BEMIDJI, Minn. (December 8, 2020) – On Monday, November 30th, the fishing industry lost a true giant of fishing. Ronald John Lindner, age 86, of Baxter, Minnesota, passed away peacefully […]
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Redfish Secret Weapon “The Eye Strike ChatterBait”
Two essential Z-Man® concepts connect, culminate with new Eye Strike ChatterBait Ladson, SC (November 5, 2020) – Consider a pair of proven lure concepts living under the same roof for years, but never establishing a positive link. Who knew that ultimately, the connection would be a natural? That the outcome […]
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Early Season Panfish Secrets
Early Season Panfish Secrets St. Croix pros discuss opportunities and tactics for more springtime panfish fun Park Falls, WI (April 16, 2020) – Winter has released its icy grip and lakes, reservoirs and rivers are once again open for springtime fishing. And that means prime time for panfish, especially crappies and bluegills as they make […]
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Bass Fishing Fans
On the Water and in the Building Maverick Daiwa pros compete in the Bassmaster Classic, other big names in the booth Cypress, CA (March 6, 2020) – Bass fishing fans should consider it a 2-for-1, a BOGO…or even Happy Hour! Daiwa is pleased to be backing a quartet of contenders fishing in the 50thAnniversary Bassmaster […]
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Massive Fish and Broken Records
Your winner, Rus Snyders, with a Lake Fork lunker. LAKE FORK YIELDS MASSIVE FISH AND BROKEN RECORDS Snyders Posts Strong Win; Scotch Breaks Hobie B.O.S. Single-Day and Big Bass Records OCEANSIDE, Calif. (February 28, 2020) – The […]
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How to Get Started With Freshwater Fishing – The Beginners Guide
“There’s a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot.” If you are newly inspired to take up the sport of fishing, be aware of the basic tenets that lead to a fish in the hand, rather than someone just watching the grass grow or gazing at the size of […]
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What’s Beneath Your ‘Yak?
Crosslake, MN (March 3, 2020) – Tournament anglers sneak it out of their boat’s storage to spy on bass during prefishing. They glance at its live video screen when sonar signals resemble question marks. Other than a scuba mask, it’s the only tool that shows what’s actually living in brushpiles, hunkered down in vegetation or […]
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Otter Creek
Has anyone been to otter creek lately? Still any fishable ice ? How was the fishing? Thanks for your info.
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How to use the NEW Big Fish Tackle website
Hello and welcome to our new website! We’ve created this simple guide to help you navigate the new site and to help you be accustomed to some new exciting features. I am an old time user, my login doesn’t work. – If you use the site mostly for the forum go to the forum link […]
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HOBIE: All Time Record
Kayak Anglers See Explosive Action at 2020 HOBIE B.O.S. OPENER on Lake Seminole Harshman Grabs Top Spot; Counce Breaks BOS All-Time Single-Day Record OCEANSIDE, Calif. (February 11, 2020) – Hobie Kayaks billed the inaugural tournament of its 2020 Hobie Bass Open Series – the Hobie BOS at Lake Seminole – as an opportunity to […]
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Ultimate Vacuum Sealing System for Fish
Hunters, anglers and meat processors now have the ultimate vacuum sealing system to seal and store large amounts of game and fish with the introduction of the new FoodSaver® GameSaver® Titanium G800. The heavy duty Titanium G800 is the first FoodSaver® GameSaver® model that features a 15-inch-long seal strip with two settings. In single sealing […]
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SAILFISH CHALLENGE
WILSONVILLE, OR (February 28, 2017) – Raymarine pros made a big splash in the sailfish world this past weekend by winning the Bluewater Movements-sponsored Sailfish Challenge. Miami, Florida’s Team Miss Britt Contender competed in a field of 64 boats during the two-day, three-inlet tournament (Miami, Hillsborough and Lake Worth inlets). Captain Ray Rosher, owner Matt […]
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Strategy for Shallow Hardwater Walleyes
Dr. Jason Halfen The Technological AnglerWith the arrival of hardwater across the northland, the much-anticipated ice fishing season has finally begun. Intrepid anglers, with ice picks draped over their shoulders and lightweight gear in tow, are now creeping across the shallows of their favorite lakes in search of the season’s first frozen success stories.Many early-season […]
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Fishing contest in China, do you think anyone
I work for a company from Shanghai, China. As a fishing contest organizer we have our new contest in this November and December, and would like to invite international anglers to participate. So I am posting here to see whether it is possible (or whether there would be anyone interested), if no I have to […]
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Mr. “I never win anything” Wins Big
Humminbird surprises volunteer high school fishing coach Sam Reynolds with a trip for two to Billy Chapman Jr.’s Anglers Inn International, Lake El Salto, Mexico! The unassuming Sam Reynolds describes himself as “a guy who never wins anything.” But all that changed on the evening of Sunday, March 6th at the final day weigh-in of […]
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FRABILL’S NEW BRO SERIES SPINNING REEL
It’s often said that the greatest tool on earth is the human hand. Impossible to disagree, aside from maybe a numbed, frostbitten paw that can’t thread line through a jig eyelet. But next to functioning digits, to the ice angler, one has to say the second greatest tool is the fishing reel. If it seizes-up […]
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Hot-Water Bass Tactics
Denny Brauer of Missouri is one of the most-successful bass fishermen in the nation, having won the Bassmaster Classic and many more tournaments. Brauer is in the top-five money winners for BASS. When Denny Brauer was asked how to find and catch bass under hot-weather conditions, when temperatures reach over 100-degrees Fahrenheit in the South, […]
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Hot-Water Bass Tactics
Denny Brauer of Missouri is one of the most-successful bass fishermen in the nation, having won the Bassmaster Classic and many more tournaments. Brauer is in the top-five money winners for BASS. When Denny Brauer was asked how to find and catch bass under hot-weather conditions, when temperatures reach over 100-degrees Fahrenheit in the South, […]
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Straight Line 371 Bro Series Ice Combo
Big breakthroughs in fishing these days are as rare as a bona fide 3-pound crappie. In many ways, flippin’ for bass—a tactic first exposed when Dee Thomas won the 1975 B.A.S.S. Arkansas Invitational on Bull Shoals Lake—mirrors straight-lining—a progressive ice fishing presentation developed by Frabill and its pioneering frontman, Brian “Bro” Brosdahl. Each year since […]
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Ice Fishing, Ice Safety, and Self-Rescue
Walking on ice to fish is nice. An unexpected plunge into the drink is not. In fact, it’s a serious situation. Odds are you’re not “that” angler who takes life-threatening chances on lunchmeat thin or rotted end-of-season ice. But as with any extreme outdoor activity, there’s always the possibility of plans going awry and you […]
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Finding Fall and Winter Fish
Typically, as fall arrives, many of us head for the tree stand or blind, turning our attention to birds and bucks. Yet, what’s happening on the water this time of the year can be equally as awesome as what’s happening in the field. Here’s how a handful of fishing’s top experts find and pattern bass, […]
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Ice Fishing Trout Baits
How many times has a guide, pro, or fishing buddy advised we think “outside the box” when choosing a bait? Seriously, if we had a dollar for every instance, we’d probably be boat shopping. Still, there’s a lot of truth to the over-used adage. Going rogue, novel or off-the-wall is often just the thing to […]
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Pro Series Slender Spoon with more sizes
Minnows? Nope. Shad? Not’a. Aquatic insects? Not even close. Go ahead fishin’ geeks, take the micrometer from out of your pocket-protector and start measuring. It won’t take you long to realize no two specimens in nature are exactly the same size. Now mull over the all different movements made by each and every species. Heck, […]
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Early Ice Fishing Season Tips for Walleye
There are times when drilling just a few holes, sitting put and hoping a walleye wanders by is an okay technique. This, however, is not one of those periods. Instead, ice anglers find themselves between those monumental moments in the hard water season, midway between early ice and midwinter. It’s a timeframe when walleyes are […]
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Selecting an underwater ice fishing camera
Our ability as anglers to understand fish behavior and habitat is directly coupled to our use of modern technological tools. For example, while the first consumer sonar units of the late 1950s opened the door to structure fishing, modern innovations like Side Imaging, Down Imaging, and 360 Imaging provide contemporary anglers with an incredible abundance […]
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Hammered Slender Spoons
Sparkle… Flicker… Shimmer… Flash… Those little glimmers of light really grab your attention. Instinctively, you turn your head to investigate their origin. Oftentimes, it’s nothing more than sunlight popping through the tree limbs or a reflection in your side view mirror. No matter the source, the point is you spontaneously took a look. All creatures […]
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Pinpoint Hole Drilling During Early-Ice
Landing a limit of fish through a hole is a lot like running a flourishing retail business – no matter what you’re offering, success ultimately boils down to location, location… location. “Close enough” won’t cut it with fish or commerce. In hard water angling, the exact position of your hole must often be reduced to […]
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Three Time-Proven Ice Jigs
Imagine you’ve never been ice fishing…ever. (Yikes!) Now let’s make believe that not only have you never pulled a fish through a hole, but you just purchased one of the leading ice-fishing jig manufacturers in the world – Custom Jigs & Spins. Man, what a cool fantasy… For a man named Walt Matan, this wasn’t […]
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Lucky Craft LV500 for Big Bass
In the fall of the year the temperatures start to drop, the wind starts to blow and a lot of anglers put away their rods and reels for the season. If this is your routine, you are doing a huge disservice to yourself and your fishing season.Statistically, I catch the largest majority of my big […]
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St. Croix’s new Avid Ice Jigging Rods
Like the 1986 release of Metallica’s Master of Puppets, St. Croix’s new Avid Ice Jigging Rods are an instant heavy metal classic. Built specifically to control proven walleye baits like Jigging Raps, Puppet Minnows, and responsive metal like Slender Spoons and PK Flutter Fish, St. Croix Avid Ice Jigging rods offer walleye ice anglers exactly […]
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Tip-Up Trends on Ice
There’s something satisfying about a well-planned network of tip-ups set across the white expanse of a frozen lake. Strategically placed fish “trap-lines,” each rigged with a big frisky baitfish, attract and literally snare freshwater predators like nothing else under the ice. Get a bunch of dudes together, stack some ‘traps‘ into 5-gallon pails, and saturate […]
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Custom Jigs & Spins Pro Series Slender
A UFO crashed in the desert of New Mexico in 1947, you say? No way! There’s a “monster” swimming below the surface Loch Ness in Scotland? I don’t believe it! Lure color’s not of any importance when it comes to catching more fish? Say it isn’t so!Well, okay… The latter isn’t so. For decades, mankind […]
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Humminbird® Pros Win Inshore Redfish Tour
Captains Rick Murphy and Geoff Page are no strangers to top IFA Redfish rankings. In 2004 and 2010 the duo won IFA Team of the Year. In 2011 and 2013, they won qualifying IFA events, but until now, never an IFA Championship. “We would have been proud as pumpkins with 5th or 6th place,” says […]
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Power Searching for Panfish
Early each fall, a close-knit group of North American Ice Fishing Circuit (NAIFC) anglers—Kevin Fassbind, Nick Smyers, Brandon Newby, Ryan Wilson, and Shawn Bjonfald— already know where they’ll be fishing when first ice forms. For the dynamic cadre hard water competitors, ice fishing never really ends. So even when fishing from boats, the Wisconsin based […]
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First “Wearable” Underwater Camera System
What if, rather than carrying that smartphone or tablet in your hands, technology allowed you to actually “wear” these indispensable devices? Imagine having the device always at the ready in front of your eyes, convenient, low profile and completely hands-free. Aqua-Vu, technology leaders in smartphone-sized underwater viewing systems, recently released the Micro-Mobile Pro Viewing Case. […]
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Catfish-Specific Rod & Reel Combos
You’ve got your bass rods; your crappie rods; your trout and salmon rods. Even walleyes and muskies garner multiple models. Strange then that the third most popular freshwater fish on the continent—the catfish—continues to be under-tackled with also-ran rods and rickety old reels that scarcely get the job done. SuperCat spinning reels features 5 stainless […]
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Bloody Shad Swim Jig
One of the most effective baits in many conditions year round is the swim jig. There are hundreds of swim jigs on the market. Some of them are good and a lot of them are just garbage that has no business being in anyone’s boat or tackle bag.I have used many different brands and have […]
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Fish Attractors
Have you ever been fishing and wished there was a sign saying right where the fish are? Well, fish attractors and the buoys that mark them are intended to do just that. We all know that sportfish like structure, meaning something different than just a plain sand or mud bottom area, around which to hang […]
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EVOLVE’s DarkStar Swimmer
Cruise the aisles of any tackle shop and you’ll see a myriad of new swimbait offerings that match the hatch. And for good reason: There’s nothing more effective than something that looks like sashimi when bass are feeding on baitfish. But that’s where the similarities end. Sure, in one way or another they all look […]
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Bass Fishing Advice from Bass Pro Ott DeFoe
Preamble: Admit it. Our eyes are drawn to fancy, new-fangled objects. It’s all over pop culture: Pimp My Ride. The Bling Ring. Tricked Out TV. Every time we turn around, it seems, someone’s flashing another superficial doodad or device. In fishing, it’s a slightly different story. “Man, the front of your boat looks like an […]
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Team Aqua-Vu Wins Back-to-Back Ice Titles
To make an accurate comparison of the achievements of a certain distinguished team of competitive ice anglers, you’d need to enter the rarified air of one “KVD.” For the second year in a row, Team Aqua-Vu members Brandon Newby and Ryan Wilson dominated the highly competitive North American Ice Fishing Circuit (NAIFC), winning multiple qualifying […]
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Tips for Fishing with Electronics
One of the real joys of fishing occurs when warm spring weather draws fish of all species into skinny water. Anglers don polarized sunglasses and scan the shallows for emerging signs of life. The “sight fishing” that results can be positively thrilling. It’s high-level sensory stuff that combines stalking, hunting and casting into a singular […]
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Twitching for Smallmouth Bass
Cast. Reel. Stop! Count to 30. Twitch. Wait… now another twitch, twitch. Stop! Let it sit. No, longer… Okay, twitch it again. Wham! Strikes on suspending jerkbaits or large soft-plastics nipped onto ultra-lightweight jig heads can be so violent, you’d swear it’s more about settling a score than filling the gullet. Remarkable, though, ferocious strikes […]
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Twitching for Smallmouth Bass
Cast. Reel. Stop! Count to 30. Twitch. Wait… now another twitch, twitch. Stop! Let it sit. No, longer… Okay, twitch it again. Wham! Strikes on suspending jerkbaits or large soft-plastics nipped onto ultra-lightweight jig heads can be so violent, you’d swear it’s more about settling a score than filling the gullet. Remarkable, though, ferocious strikes […]
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Post-spawn Walleyes
Professional fishing tournament twosome Tommy Skarlis and Jeff Lahr are no strangers to catching walleyes from fast-flowing waters, including the Mississippi River in Hastings, Minnesota. In fact, it was in this area—within the fish-laden Pools 2 and 3—that the band from Iowa took top honors at the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s “Artificial Challenge” May 2-3, […]
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Bass Fishing Cold Fronts, Warming, & Spring
Professional bass angler John Murray is no stranger to producing a livewell full of fish under pressure, despite the many curve balls Mother Nature can toss at him. More than $1.8 million in winnings earned over a 27-year tournament career is proof he can pick the right bait from his Plano tackle totes, no matter […]
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Ashmore Signs with St. Croix
Merely a chance meeting? Maybe. Soaring opinion from the makers of the “Best rods on Earth” made in minutes and then maintained? You might say that. All this due to faith and the good graces from a higher power above? If you’re Bassmaster Elite Series touring pro Scott Ashmore, you believe so. What started out […]
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Fishing Last Ice
It’s the last call. No, it isn’t 2 a.m. at your favorite watering hole. You just got a phone call from your bud fresh off the hard water letting you know the short-lived season of last ice is peaking – now. “You’d better get on the lake immediately before ice conditions deteriorate to the point […]
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Discovering Hidden Hotspots on Ice
Right now, there’s a hidden hot spot in your favorite lake, and most years it never gets touched. “There’s this lake I’ve fished my whole life,” says legendary ice angler and guide, Brian “Bro” Brosdahl. “Thought I knew it pretty well. Then several years ago, I ran the entire basin in a boat armed with […]
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Six Strategies for Cold-Water Bass
When the water temperatures plummet in fall, tournament bass angler Rich Lindgren employs numerous cold-water tactics, relying largely on one “jack of all trades bait” called the Kompak Craw for finicky bass in waters below 50 degrees. “You can fish the bait a lot of different ways, depending on the situation,” says Lindgren. “I typically […]
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Hite Credits FLW Win To ‘Time Management’
Phoenix, Arizona-based bass pro Brett Hite recently took tops on the ‘Big O’, weighing a four-day total of 88-14, 6-pounds, 6-ounces heavier than his nearest competitor, fellow Humminbird/Minn Kota pro Greg Bohannan. The $125,000 win marks Hite’s first on Okeechobee, although he’s no stranger to Florida bass. In 2008 he took first just up the […]
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