Welcome to The Minimalist Fisherman
Join us. Become a better angler, and a better man.
Most Recent Articles
-
Why are Professional Anglers Posting on Social Media SO MUCH?!
WARNING: this post is strictly my OPINION. Read it with caution, especially if you are easily butthurt… I’m about to smash your shibboleth. You may...
-
Where You Choose to Fish Makes a Difference
Good morning brothers. It’s been a few days since we posted an article… but I assure you, the reason for the delay is good. I’ve...
-
Fishing with my Son
Good morning brothers. This past weekend I went fishing with my son for the first time. Not the first time ever, mind you, but the...
-
How to Fish a Jerkbait: Part 1 – Jerkbait Gear Selection
Good morning brothers. A few minutes ago, my left pointer finger was impaled with the razor-sharp rear treble of a Rapala 08 Husky Jerk. Anytime...
-
Muckin’ Largemouth Bass from the Bank
Good morning, brothers. Muckin’ bass is something that many of us have experienced. It involves manually removing bass from… well… loads of muck. In 2019...
-
Best Way to Tie a Fluorocarbon Leader to Braid
Good morning brothers. I was sitting up last night tying rigs. We’ve had yet another cold snap here in Illinois, with nighttime temps dropping below...
Popular Gear & Lure Articles
-
Top 8 Baits for Borrow Pits
Good afternoon brothers. Fishing starts Monday. I’m hitting the water rain or shine, enough waiting – tomorrow we’re headed to Southern Illinois for Prison Ministry....
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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
-
Prey Size for Largemouth Bass
The size of an individual largemouth bass will determine prey size – the upper and lower limits of what they will hunt and ambush –...
-
Catch More Fish by Doing What Everyone ISN’T
You want to catch more fish? Try to zig when everyone else zags. We’ve talked about this many times before – but how do you...
-
What is Countershading?
Largemouth bass – and many other species of fish – exhibit an interesting coloring on the upper and lower portions of their bodies, called countershading....
-
Largemouth Bass Food Preferences Over Time
Bass are hatched – not born. When largemouth hatch, they are nourished by a yolk sac for several days while their tiny little mouths continue...
-
How do Largemouth Bass Grow?
Like weeds! MIRIGHT?! Most of the bigger bass that you come across are females. Females typically live longer than males. But why would… why would...
-
The Ideal Body Shape of a Fish
There are easily more than 20,000 species of fish found worldwide. Among these species, a multitude of body shapes exist. Different designs are adapted to...
-
The Physical Makeup of Largemouth Bass
The largemouth bass is a chunky lass. Dummy thicc, if you will. She’s a powerful fish, full of vinegar and whatnot, with a broad body...
-
How Largemouth Bass Feed
The largemouth bass is distinctly different than the brook trout. As we discussed earlier, the brook trout was at one time the most popular gamefish...
-
Meet the Largemouth Bass: Mr. & Mrs. Generalist
Every species of fish has certain characteristics and abilities that help them survive and thrive in different environments. Catfish are known to be “swimming tongues”,...
-
How to Identify Florida Strain Largemouth
There are two distinct subspecies of largemouth bass. The northern largemouth (Micropterus salmoides salmoides) and the Florida largemouth (Micropterus salmoides floridanus). These two subspecies interbreed...
-
How to Identify Rare Black Bass
So that picture… those teeth… ugh… that’s not a bass, it’s a goblin shark. The goblin shark is a rare creature with a lineage dating...
-
How to Identify Guadalupe Bass
The Guadapule bass (Micropterus treculii) is native to the Guadalupe River drainage in central Texas. A small fish, closely related to the spotted bass, the...
-
How to Identify Suwannee Bass
The Suwannee bass (Micropterus notius) is another species that prefers the waters of small rivers. Suwannees inhabit low-gradient black-water streams in Florida and south Georgia,...
-
How to Identify Shoal Bass
Many anglers and biologists widely recognize the shoal bass (Micropterus cataractae) as a distinct species. The slender fish is similar to both smallmouth and redeye...
-
How to Identify Redeye Bass
Redeye bass (Micropterus coosae) prefer running waters. You will often find them in warm streams and rivers. They look very similar to smallmouth, but redeye...
-
How to Identify Spotted Bass
The Spotted Bass. ‘ol Meanmouth. At first glance, the spotted bass looks somewhat similar to a largemouth. However, the coloring is a bit different… so...
-
How to Identify Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu – Micropterus dolomieui is a common, somewhat accepted misspelling) and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) are the two most widespread, popular – and...
-
All About Black Bass: Part 1
*zzzzziiiiiinnnnggggg* screams the drag as line is violently ripped from your spinning reel. “Whaddya got on there buddy, a big ‘ol bronzeback?!“ “A what!?“, you...
-
April 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...
-
Catch & Release Fishing / Learn to Fish Largemouth Bass
In fishing, the concept of catch & release has been widely practiced ever since the early 1900s… in Europe. In North America however, the trend...
-
The F4 Rig / Flexible Finesse Fluke Fishing
“Son of a… another snag?!“ It’s March in the Midwest. Water temps have barely hit the 50° mark on the surface. In fact, just two...
-
Location of Largemouth Bass by Region / Learn to Fish Largemouth Bass
“I’ll never catch any fish around here“, the forklift driver grumbles as he enters hour 11 of his 12-hour shift. “When we go up to...
-
A Brief History of In-Fisherman
My brothers and I have vivid memories of the stacks and stacks of In-Fisherman Magazine that Grandpa collected. They were placed ever so carefully in...
-
How the “Average Fisherman” Benefits from Professional Bass Tournaments / Learn to Fish Largemouth Bass
Some anglers look at tournament pros with pure disdain. “I could outfish that hack!”“They’re messing up the spawn and ruining our fishery!” “Put summore patches...
-
Explosive Bass Fishing in the 60s & 70s / Learn to Fish Largemouth Bass
Over the last several articles we have focused on individual men & methods surrounding the development of largemouth bass fishing. Pioneers like Jason Lucas, Buck...
-
Bill Binkelman & Fishing Facts Magazine / Learn to Fish Largemouth Bass
If you’re looking to have some fun, take a peek at all the ways people used to market their goods and services. For example, the...
-
Elwood “Buck” Perry & the Spoonplug / Learn to Fish Largemouth Bass
The spoonplug. Odd little contraption if you’ve ever seen one. A chunk of bent metal adorned with some sort of painted pattern resembling anything from...
-
Sports Afield Writer Jason Lucas / Learn to Fish Largemouth Bass
Like the colonists that came to North America by boat years before, the outdoor writers of the 20th century (the fishing authorities, if you will)...
-
The Origins of Fishing Sonar / Learn to Fish Largemouth Bass
Throughout the 1950s, the first sonar units built specifically for fishing made their appearance. They were expensive. They were difficult to use. They were clunky....
-
A Brief History of Bass Fishing in America / Learn to Fish Largemouth Bass
It’s damp & cold down here in the basement. You’ve come by to visit a million times. To the casual observer it might appear cluttered,...
-
Checking Water Temperature from Shore for Better Fishing
Cold. Cold. Cold. Cold. Done with winter. Icicles are gone, but there are still random piles of dirty, crusty ice in sporadic locations all around...
-
Solunar Calendar Fishing in the Midwest
Dang it. My inbox threw up all over itself again last night. There are emails everywhere. Whenever I answer a message, two more take it’s...
-
Fall Reservoir Fishing Scenarios / Learn to Fish Reservoirs
The leaves look like a red, orange & yellow quilt against the bluebird sky. It’s a subtle reminder that the days will be getting shorter...
-
Summer Reservoir Fishing Scenarios / Learn to Fish Reservoirs
There are few things as satisfying as the crackle of a piping-hot grill. Sharp, crispy-hot pops of delicious fat sliding off of that ribeye that...
-
Prespawn Reservoir Fishing Scenarios / Learn to Fish Reservoirs
Spring has sprung! Well… spring has sprung in my head at least. At the earliest signs of melting snow and bright skies I’m ready to...
-
Fall into Winter (70°F & Cooling) / Learn to Fish Reservoirs
The days are starting to shorten. It’s a grim reminder that another dark, dreary winter is coming; but there is still more work to do....
-
The Summer Period (Over 70°F) / Learn to Fish Reservoirs
Still dark. Early. The faint smell of campfire hits your nostrils as you place your cap back upon your head. Some of the smoke from...
-
The Prespawn Period (55°F to 65°F) / Learn to Fish Reservoirs
Finally. It’s the end of the suck. Winter is dying. The water temperatures are coming back up, and the bass… well, the bass are moving...
-
Differences in Natural Lakes & Reservoirs / Learn to Fish Reservoirs
Lakes, rivers and reservoirs. So plentiful. So full of fish. But so different. Which of these 3 bodies of water would you say is most...
-
Fishing New Kinds of Water
Life is full of changes. In fact, change is the only thing that’s consistent. Two years ago when I started this website, my intent was...
-
Key Features of a Quality Swim Jig / Get Better at Swim Jig Fishing
Over the past several articles we have discussed the history of the swim jig, how and where to use it, different jigs, trailers and techniques....
-
3 Killer Swim Jigs to Start With This Season / Get Better at Swim Jig Fishing
Now that we’ve gone over what a swim jig is, why swim jigs are unique, when and where to use them – along with our...
-
Pro Tips & Swim Jigs Strategies / Get Better at Swim Jig Fishing
We can all use a little help from our friends… or… from professional bass anglers. The following quotes were something I came across in a...
-
Custom Swim Jigs Made to Order / Get Better at Swim Jig Fishing
After you’ve selected a few of the more common swim jigs to try out (see our Top 10 Swim Jigs for some great options you’ll...
-
6 Swim Jig Strikes! / Get Better at Swim Jig Fishing
Now that we’ve spent some time reviewing how we can all get better at using a swim jig, covering new jigs, trailer options – and...
-
What is a Swim Jig? / Get Better at Swim Jig Fishing
The jig. Possibly the greatest fish catching contraption of all time. In it’s simplest form, it’s a hook with some lead attached for weight… then...
-
The International Scale of River Difficulty / Learning to Fish Rivers & Streams
Before you load up the ‘ol kayak and attack a river – make sure you do some research to see if you can find information...
-
Hazards & Locks / Learning to Fish Rivers & Streams
Any river you fish can have hazards that you would be wise to look out for. On every body of water there are certain things...
Recent Comments