How to Fish a Blade Bait
A blade bait is a thin metal lure weighted at the nose or belly that vibrates on a short lift. When cold-water smallmouth anglers use it, the short lift-and-pause, snaps, line and rods, and where to fish it, from Bassmaster and In-Fisherman reporting.
How to Fish a Texas Rig
A Texas rig is a sliding bullet weight, an offset worm hook and a soft plastic, fished slowly along the bottom. How to rig the worm, weedless or Texposed, pegging the weight, weightless versions, and New York DEC's setup and retrieve for bass in vegetation.
Catch More Fish from Shore
You don't need a boat to catch fish. Reading bank structure, fan-casting, staying mobile and quiet, and finding the best shore spots, following the Missouri Department of Conservation's guides to fish habitat and fishing tips.
Finesse Fishing Tactics
Finesse fishing means small soft plastics, light line and slow presentations. The Ned rig, drop shot, wacky rig and tube as state agencies describe them, when to slow down, light-line gear, and how to see bites you can't feel.
Surf Fishing from the Beach
There's something timeless about standing in the wash with a rod planted in the sand, watching a tip nod in the breeze.
Ice Fishing: Gear and Safety Basics
Ice fishing turns a frozen lake into a fishery again. Ice safety comes first, then the basic gear, how to catch fish through a hole and the mistakes beginners make.
Night Fishing: Tips for After Dark
When the sun goes down, a lake transforms. Night fishing has its own rhythm, gear and safety considerations - here is how to do it well and stay safe.
Bottom Fishing Explained
Bottom fishing puts bait on or near the bottom with a sinker. Simple split-shot and Carolina rigs, baits for catfish, trout and panfish, how to set the line and read a bite, snags, and releasing deep saltwater fish with barotrauma, following the Missouri Department of Conservation, Wikipedia and NOAA Fisheries.
Drop Shot Rigging and Technique
A drop shot holds a soft plastic above the bottom with the weight at the end of the line. How Virginia DWR and New York DEC tie it, hook and weight sizes, tag length, bait choice, line, and the sit-and-shake retrieve for bass in deep, clear water.
How to Fish a Jig
What a jig is, jighead shapes and weed guards, soft-plastic, bucktail and marabou bodies, the lift-and-fall and drag retrieves, feeling the bite and setting the hook, and jigs for bass, walleye, crappie and trout, following Wikipedia, the Missouri Department of Conservation, New York DEC and Arkansas Game and Fish.
Topwater Fishing: A Complete Guide
Topwater lures make a commotion at the surface to imitate injured baitfish, frogs, mice and insects. Walking baits, poppers, crawlers, prop baits and buzzbaits, how to retrieve each, where to cast, when bass come up, and setting the hook.
Trolling 101
Trolling draws lures or bait through the water at a steady, low speed. Why speed and depth matter, crankbaits, spoons and spinners for trolling, downriggers, planer boards and outriggers, walleye and muskie trolling from MDC, and the rules to check first.