Welcome to The Minimalist Fisherman
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Most Recent Articles
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Dad Advice: Happiness Isn’t Acquired by Acquiring
I’m working on our Christmas card photo today. Sitting in my office here in Illinois. Inside. A nasty chill is seeping off the windows, fighting...
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Don’t Be Stupid: It’s Dangerous to Fish with Underpowered Boat Batteries
“Row row row your boat, straight into the wind. Merrily merrily merrily merrily batteries died… again…“ I am so sick of rowing. This year I’ve...
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The Most Important Creek Fishing Tip for More Bass in the Fall
I almost quit for the season. Threw in the towel. … but something kept nagging at me… “We don’t quit. We don’t quit.” FINE. Fine....
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Largemouth Bass Vision: Horizontal vs Vertical
One of the things that has been on my mind a lot lately, is how well largemouth bass can see. My bank bite has been...
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Fishing Outside Your Comfort Zone
“This is my jerkbait. There are many like it but this one is mine. My jerkbait is my best friend. It is my life. I...
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How To Fish Ultra-Clear Borrow Pits & Rock Quarry Lakes
Clear water can humble a man right quick. When the largemouth bass are up shallow, prowling the mucky clouds of green snot, working in and...
Popular Gear & Lure Articles
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Popular Bass Fishing Presentations for EVERY Feeding Strategy
Happy Friday, Patriots. Today, we’re talking fishing. Straight. No chaser. So buckle up, wipe off that booger-pickin’ finger and get to scrollin’! (Sorry… I’m already...
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Top 5 Swim Jig Trailers / Get Better at Swim Jig Fishing
Even though we just took the time to list out the Top 10 Swim Jigs – the trailer that you pair with your selection is...
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Top 10 Swim Jigs / Get Better at Swim Jig Fishing
In the previous article we talked about when and where to use a swim jig. It’s a great way to get started and absorbing this...
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Top 5 Baits for Streams & Rivers / Learning to Fish Rivers & Streams
Over the past two weeks we’ve pulled together a plethora of information to explain the makeup of rivers & streams; how they change, how fish...
More Fishing Articles
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Vicious Fishing: Pad Runner Hollow Body Frog Product Review
I’m a sucker for good looking baits. The finishes on these frogs are fantastic – I only have two complaints… The Pad Runner by Vicious...
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Xcite Baits: Xtreme Stix Product Review
I want so badly to love this bait – especially because it’s made in the USA. I’m anxious to use other Xcite products… but these...
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Make the Time: Faith, Family & Fishing
Less than 24 hours ago, my family sat side-by-side. We were in church. The very first pew. Risky move with 4 boys. It was muggy....
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Fishing Slow? Tough Bite? Time to Scout!
You don’t want to look in my fishing journal. The last several pages include me. Rambling. Being mad. Being discouraged. Making excuses. Whining. Pathetic. It’s...
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Largemouth Bass Activity Levels
“Dad Dad Dad Dad Daddy Daddy Daddy DaddyDaddyDaddyDaddyDADDYYYYY!” “Good gravy – WHAT?!?!” “Look what I can do!” * blank stare * * tribal dancing continues...
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Pop ‘n Drop Failures
The Pop ‘n Drop has been one my my favorite techniques to fine tune this year. Not only has it been fun – it’s been...
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3 Tips for Locating More Largemouth Bass
‘Ol Jonnie hasn’t received much attention lately. He ain’t happy about it. Son of a gun just sits in my garage. Sulking. Dirty. Doesn’t stink,...
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Political Detox: Completion, Aftermath… and Solutions
I’m going fishing today. That might seem like an odd way to start an article about my recent Political Detox, but it’s not. Fishing was...
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Fishing Aimlessly. Living Aimlessly. Good or Bad?
It’s Labor Day. I shouldn’t be working right now. I don’t want to be working right now. I want to be in bed. Sawing logs....
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The Largemouth Bass Fishing Slump Buster
Yesterday, I used this simple 4-step plan to get out of my fishing slump. Not only did it help me catch bass – it helped...
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Top 4 Stickbaits for Largemouth Bass (NOT a Senko!)
Stickbaits catch largemouth bass. Period. Article over! (Just kidding.) Stickbaits work… but… WHY? Why do bass attack a piece of cylindrical plastic that resembles a...
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Do Largemouth Bass School?
School. Everyone’s favorite. For humans, school is a place we go to get indoctrinated… er… to learn. 75% of my sons go, and we’ve played...
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How to Get Out of a Fishing Slump in 4 Simple Steps
What’s wrong little buddy? Not performing? Hey… listen… it happens to all of us once in a while… Well… not to me, but… you know…...
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An Intro to Z-Man Pop ShadZ
3 years ago I made a 20 minute video that should have been… I dunno… 4? Yikes. I was thinking about this yesterday, after working...
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The End is Here. Political Detox: Week 4 Update
It’s here. The end. Today is August 24th – exactly 30 days have passed since the start of my rudimentary Political Detox, on July 25th....
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YOU Start the Next Manly Tradition
There’s a soft breeze tonight, enveloping everything. Crisp. It’s rustling the leaves, keeping the bugs at bay. The sound? The sound is that of a...
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Must-Have Tackle: Smallmouth Bass Fishing in Wisconsin
I’m packing today. Headed to Iron River, Wisconsin with ‘da boys for the annual BroTrip. I’d love to tell you it’s a fishin’ trip, but...
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The 4 Feeding Strategies of Largemouth Bass
Largemouth bass have 4 Primary Feeding Strategies. We need to understand them if we aspire to become better anglers. These are versatile creatures, utilizing all...
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Set Aside Your Millstone. Political Detox: Week 3 Update
Lately, I’ve been trying to approach these articles with an empty notebook, and an empty mind. Not surprisingly… the latter comes easy. Occasionally I can...
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Motivation is Worthless: Develop Your Drive
Many of the topics that we cover here sprout from personal development. They’re lessons learned in business and life that get turned towards this activity...
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Must-Have Tackle: Largemouth Bass Fishing in Illinois
It’s no secret. I currently travel the Land o’ Lincoln in search of the mighty largemouth bass. Some days the fishing is incredible, other days…...
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Z-Man Pop FrogZ Mod for Fishing Bass in Heavy Cover
The past few weeks have been tough here in Illinois. Algae is thick. Stinky. It’s disgusting. Fishing has been up and down, but we’ve managed...
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How Do Largemouth Bass Feed?
If you want to catch more largemouth bass, it makes sense to spend some time exploring how they actually eat. Most of us have a...
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Fishing or Flirting? Political Detox: Week 2 Update
I don’t remember the last time I took a picture with my wife. We have 4 boys. They’re crazy about her. As they should be....
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How to Get Better at Fishing
One of my favorite quotes comes from the great Jordan Peterson: Don’t compare yourself with other people; compare yourself with who you were yesterday. Jordan...
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How Do Largemouth Bass Feel?
Scaly. Amiright?? Bass don’t have hands, so how do they determine the feel of an object? They use their face. Largemouth bass determine how something...
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More time for Fishing… and then some? Political Detox: Week 1 Update
It’s been 1 week. 1 week since a simple family vacation to Minocqua, Wisconsin helped me to identify a very destructive habit. My morning and...
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The Simple Blessings of a Fisherman
“It’s too dang cold“, you grumble after a late start as you scramble to grab your breakfast, coffee and gear in one quick pass through...
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How to Fix a Broken Fishing Rod
Fixing fishing rods is something that has fascinated me for a while now. Several years ago I started working on an outdoor social media project...
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Thunderhawk Lures A10 Squarebill Crankbait
A very interesting squarebill crankbait, the Thunderhawk A10 Squarebill Crankbait looks a bit different. You can see that the bill is actually molded as part...
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One Mighty Jerkbait Bass
The silence woke me from my sleep. Seems odd to say that. With an infant in the room, some sort of sound machine is always...
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How Do Largemouth Bass Taste?
If you are here looking for a largemouth bass recipe, we’ll need to do that in another article. Today we’re going to discuss how bass...
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Fish for Bad Habits… Political Detox: Summary
Vacations have a way of bringing things that are truly important to the forefront. My family is home now. We currently live in Illinois, but...
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The Growth of an Angler
For many anglers, fishing is a hobby. Or a passion. Or a lifestyle. Or an obsession. It’s many things to many fishermen, yet, it doesn’t...
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The Pop ‘n Drop Rig | Topwater + Finesse Tactic for Bass
“Finally… finally, back in the creek… it’s been too long… “, you mutter to yourself. The wind is lightly blowing on this warm June morning...
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July 2022 Solunar Fishing Calendar (Midwest Smallmouth & Largemouth Bass Fishing)
The Solunar Calendar provides a window into the activity of wildlife. If you’d like to learn more about how you can use this tool to...
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June 2022 Solunar Fishing Calendar (Illinois Smallmouth & Largemouth Bass Fishing)
The Solunar Calendar provides a window into the activity of wildlife. If you’d like to learn more about how you can use this tool to...
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May 2022 Solunar Fishing Calendar (Largemouth Bass Fishing in Illinois)
The Solunar Calendar provides a window into the activity of wildlife. If you’d like to learn more about how you can use this tool to...
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April 2022 Solunar Fishing Calendar (Illinois Largemouth Bass Fishing)
The Solunar Calendar provides a window into the activity of wildlife. If you’d like to learn more about how you can use this tool to...
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March 2022 Solunar Fishing Calendar Illinois
The Solunar Calendar provides a window into the activity of wildlife. If you’d like to learn more about how you can use this tool to...
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The Complete Beginners Guide to Micro-Swimbaits | When, Where & How
Micro-Swimbaits are a great way to catch fish of every size. A micro-swimbait imitates food… really, really well. Any fish that eats smaller fish will...
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Donkey Tails & Mule Jigs by Mule Fishing Supply Co. | Product Review & Field Test
The Mule Jig paired with a Donkey Tail allows you to cover water quickly while targeting gamefish of every size. The light-wire hooks mean you...
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February 2022 Solunar Fishing Calendar Illinois
The Solunar Calendar provides a window into the activity of wildlife. If you’d like to learn more about how you can use this tool to...
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January 2022 Solunar Fishing Calendar Illinois
The Solunar Calendar provides a window into the activity of wildlife. If you’d like to learn more about how you can use this tool to...
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December 2021 Solunar Fishing Calendar Illinois
The Solunar Calendar provides a window into the activity of wildlife. If you’d like to learn more about how you can use this tool to...
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What is a Gizzard Shad?
Understanding baitfish is something that can benefit all anglers. Big fish pursue and eat little fish, and while it is more important to find and...
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How to Check the Local Water Level in a Creek or River
“Well… I suppose we can try to head upstream, but it’s going to be one heck of a workout…” You mumble to yourself, trying to...
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November 2021 Solunar Fishing Calendar Illinois
The Solunar Calendar provides a window into the activity of wildlife. If you’d like to learn more about how you can use this tool to...
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