The fishing’s inconsistent
I'm back home. The weather has been real tough around most of the country. I mentioned that a couple of weeks ago, and it's gotten worse. It's really messed up the smallmouth fishing.
How to invent a bass lure
In March 2001, during a local tournament on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Kelly Jones Jr. and his partner spotted a 12-pound largemouth on a bed tucked underneath some of Rayburn's famous flooded buckbrush. They already had 19 pounds in the livewell and this one would have easily locked up a win, but try as he might, every presentation Jones made to the bass snagged in the brush and the fish was never caught.
Tidal bass 101
The common thread of fishing rivers, streams and tidal bass fisheries is undeniably the presence of moving water. In the case of rivers and streams, the water generally flows in one direction. For tidewater zones, influenced by the daily rise and fall of water known as the high and low tide, the opposite situation holds true. That being the case, finding yourself at the right place at the right time is more critical with tidal bass fishing than any other form of freshwater angling.
The litmus test
In a few days, the sportfishing industry will get an up-close look at what the upcoming tackle sales season will look like as manufacturers and dealers pile into Raleigh, N.C., for one of the country's largest trade shows.
Fishing industry alive and (mostly) well
At the Big Rock East Dealer Show last week, the mood was not so much upbeat as it was not somber, which could have been expected given the current state of the economy overall and news that consumers are still unwilling to make discretionary purchases.
Attracting sponsors
As the appeal for tournament fishing grows, so does the demand for sponsors to help defray the costs.
Niggemeyer: Profiling bedding bass
Anyone who has ever attempted to coax a bedding bass into biting knows well the frustrations the technique can often carry. Chief among them is the bass' disinterest in the angler's offering.
KVD: Fishing mudlines
The fastest path between two points is a straight line. So it's no surprise that Kevin VanDam, a noted power fisherman capable of covering vast quantities of water with lightning speed, is a big fan of straight lines. However, VanDam's favorite lines have nothing to do with speed; they have to do with mud.
