Category: In The Field Fishing Videos

Top level category for all fishing videos IN THE FIELD.

Rowboat Bass Fishing for Big Fat Hidden Largemouth

Good morning brothers.

I’ve been gone for a bit – traveling (and fishing) with family, writing for a few new outlets, and just being blessed overall with some awesome new opportunities… but very busy. It’s time to get back into reviewing notes and fishing techniques that have worked well this year, and here’s an awesome little realization I’d like to share with you…

I’ve recently discovered there’s something different about a rowboat. Not just in how it moves – but in how it makes YOU move. How it slows you down. How it connects you to the water by removing things like electric trolling motors & sonar screens.

It’s different.

It’s also one of the BEST ways to gain access to big, hidden largemouth bass in the thick – and I mean THICK – stuff. Rowboat fishing is a physical activity and it will challenge your body in a good way, and after fishing everything from kayaks to charters to modern bass fishing boats that cost more than a house… there’s something special about stripping it all back. Drifting quietly with nothing but the rhythm of your own hands. Pulling big, fat bass into the boat from areas that NOBODY else is fishing, because their trolling motor would get eaten alive… yeah man, never thought I’d say it but… I love rowboat fishin’!

Big Fat Hidden Largemouth Bass Taken While Rowboat Fishing

One presentation you absolutely for fishing thick stuff is The Crowbar Rig.

Gear for Making The Crowbar Rig:

ToadZ

Mag

Float

Snake

Vendetta

Mach II

Reaction

Gold

When to Bass Fish from a Rowboat

First, when it’s too dang thick to get around any other way! (I considered testing out a push-pole in here, but it was just too clunky and surprisingly expensive.)

That’s lookin’ a little… thicc…

Rowboat bass fishing shines on small to mid-sized lakes, but you could also use it to your advantage on bigger lakes with large, choked-out bays. It’s also great if you simply want to enjoy a more peaceful approach. You’ll see things you would’ve missed. Bass cruising the edge of a sunken log. A pike darting around the cabbage. Panfish suspending beneath the reflection of an overhanging tree.

Thick-cover water like this rewards patience, stealth, and presence – and this method of fishing forces you to pay attention to what’s in front of you.

Additional Rowboat Fishing Gear To Have On-Hand:

Barometer

Temps

Scale

Pliers

Rowboat Fatty – never woulda caught her without my little dingy!

Another rowboat bass with some sort of deformity or sickness. 18″ long and way under 2 pounds – something was wrong with this one… not sure what…

Eat

– A –

Sammich

I’m not saying dump your electronics forever – but consider shoving off with nothing but a rod or two, a couple of oars and a small box of confidence baits. Fish slower. Enjoy the environment you’re in, get into the areas other guys aren’t exploring – and soak it up. It’s a different way to fish, and a different way to experience the water… and it’s GOOD.

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

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July 29, 2025
Be a FLEXIBLE Fisherman… It Pays Off! (Bass Fishing After a Storm)

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

The jon boat was finally ready, loaded, and trailing behind me as I sped toward my favorite canal. It was the fourth week of April, and even though it was a little brisk at 65°, it was comfortable. The only thing that made me uncomfortable… was the clouds up ahead.

But winter had finally released its grip on spring, and with the slight increase in warmth, life had to be stirring beneath the surface of the water. Clouds or not, I had to check. Within 55 minutes, the ramp came into view. I slammed the truck in park and walked over to the water to see how things looked…

Then the sky tore open.

Not a rumble. Not a flash. Not a drop of rain. Just a brutal, bone-deep crack of thunder following a streak of lightning so clearly visible it made the hair on the back of my neck stand straight up.

I didn’t launch the boat.

Instead, I cussed, got back in the truck, and drove all the way home. “What a flippin’ waste of two hours,” I mumbled… but about halfway through the drive, something changed. I went from sulking to planning. When you’re a father of five running two businesses, there aren’t many days you get to fish. So, my options were to be sad – or be flexible.

I opted for the latter. Dropped the boat, grabbed a different Base Box, a backpack, rigged two simple rods, and drove to a nearby group of small lakes with shoreline access. If I hadn’t… I never would have caught her…

Sometimes the best days begin with a little flexibility.

19″ of Pure Largemouth Attitude Exploding Topwater on a Crowbar.

Vendetta

Mach II

Reaction

Gold

ToadZ

Mag

Float

Snake

Fishing Flexibility

In a nutshell, fishing flexibility means this: don’t force it.

The scenario above is true – you’ve experienced it yourself. We make plans to fish a certain lake, a certain way, for certain results. God laughs. Heartily. Then tells us otherwise. If we can pay attention to these signs – to our surroundings – we can usually make better decisions. Decisions that will make us safer, make us look smarter, and, in truth, help us catch more fish.

Rain? I’ll fish it. Clouds and even a bit of distant thunder? I’ll fish it. Lightning?

I’m out.

Don’t put yourself in a position where you are the tallest, most attractive thing on the lake – unless you’ve always dreamed of transitioning into a lightning rod.

“My pronouns are cooked / goose.”

Flexible Fishing Techniques

Leaving the canal was hard – not only because it meant I’d have to wait to explore an area I know holds big fish, but because I had to adjust how I would approach the fish at the next location. I had to pick somewhere I could take cover quickly, which meant staying on foot. This limited the rods I could carry, and so two bank fishing techniques got the early-spring nod:

1. Fling-a-Ding

I love throwing YUM Dingers around, but the problem with Flingin’ a Ding is that they have very little weight. They’re durable, cheap, and they catch fish – all good – but they look dead unless you impart some action into them. There are several ways to do this, but the easiest is to put your Dinger on a Reaction Tackle Weighted Wacky Jig.

Even in clear water, it seems like bass focus on the bait, not the weight. They’ll inhale your Frankenstein’d hot dog like it’s a gourmet offering! I’ll still opt for internal weights and super-light wacky hooks in pits with 500-foot visibility… but in semi-clear water like this, I don’t feel like I’m missing fish because of the exposed weight. Plus, the hooks are nasty, and the weight adds a pulse to the Dingers that is otherwise nonexistent. Very important. Very effective.

The color white (or in this case, a more subtle smoke / pearl laminate) is perfect for overcast days as it creates a soft glow in the water. At times, it’s the best thing you can throw.

Fling-a-Ding on Reaction Tackle Weighted Wacky Jigs

Ding

– A –

Ling

2. The Crowbar

The Crowbar is a combination of the components listed above: a Z-Man Goat Toad, a Trokar Magworm EWG with a bait keeper, two internal rattles inserted with the Rattle Snaker tool, and a floating bullet in front of your uni-knot to keep things ultra-muckless on your 40-pound Seaguar Gold leader.

This setup was developed to pry big, mean bass from thick, heavy sludge. It’s a battering ram with a fishing license – like calling in an airstrike to deal with a raccoon problem. Brutal, yes – but effective.

The single hook delivers a much better hookup ratio than a frog hook – especially when you consider that the extra weight of the solid ElaZtech gets flung in the air less than a hollow-bodied frog. The legs give you the ability to buzz or pause. You can twitch, hop, skip, and everything in between. The fluoro is less visible and abrasion-resistant if you want to work around stumps and laydowns.

I could go on, but the bottom line is this: The Crowbar is an extremely versatile topwater presentation that I will leave tied on from the time the water hits 55° until the end of my season. Period.

It’s a flexible technique for the flexible fisherman.

Clear water? No problem. Buzz. Pause. Twitch. Brace for impact.

Crowbar Bass

Crowbar Bass

So yes, it can be frustrating… but if you focus on improving your flexibility – becoming a flexible fisherman – you’ll make better decisions, safer decisions, and make hay.

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

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May 29, 2025
Versatile Bank Fishing: 1 Bait 2 Ways for Largemouth Bass in Midwest Ponds

It’s early – but not too early – as you stand on the bank of the pond. To the novice, it looks empty. Calm. Still. Like nothing could possibly live beneath the dark surface… but you know better. The bright April days are slowly pushing the water past the chilly winter temps, and at 52°, things are waking up. The shoreline is riddled with the brittle brown stalks and faded reeds of last year’s growth. The chill in the air makes a jacket necessary, and as the wind picks up, it’s obvious why you’re the only one here. No matter – socializing isn’t on the agenda.

Even though the sun is up above the distant treeline, it’s fighting with the clouds, and your soggy fingers ache as you try to retie. A slight tug on a fresh Uni-Knot reassures you, confirming that the only connection between you and the fish is solid. It is – and so, the game resumes. Even though it’s early in the Midwest fishing season, it’s only a matter of time before your hard work pays off…

*tap*

The lightest tap. That’s all it takes to trigger years of vivid memories. In an instant, they all come flooding back – along with that familiar jolt of adrenaline that reminds you why we fish.

We’re off to the races…

My first largemouth bass of the season

Bank Fishing is a Special Thing

For many of us, this was where it all began.

For those of us in the Midwest, this is where each new season usually begins.

Small ponds start to warm a bit faster than lakes and canals here in Illinois (especially those with deep water) which means more bass activity, sooner. What’s a “small pond”? Anything 10 acres or less. If you have good shoreline access, these are also great places to knock the rust off. If your timing is right, you can get into a good mess of fish. Not to mention, fishing during the afternoon early in the season can be the most productive window – no need to get up before the sun – you’ll get icicles on your bits.

I tried several presentations this year: jerkbaits, chatterbaits, swimbaits, a bevy of ElaZtech plastics – but the Strike King Rage Craw turned out to be the most effective bait I threw, accounting for my first fish – along with the most fish – caught in April. Here’s a simple way to put it to work – and below, I’ll talk about pulling double duty with a single bait…

Midwest Bank Fishing Gear & Techniques

Lightning

Reaction

Bullet

Rage

President

Premier

Reaction

Alpha

Barometer

Temps

Scale

Pliers

The Setup is Simple

Minimalist. A Berkley Lightning Rod. Pflueger President XT. Reaction Tackle X8 Braid to a Seaguar Premier fluoro leader (abrasion resistant) to a 3/0 Gamakatsu Alpha Nano or Reaction Tackle EWG and a 1/4 oz bullet weight. With this, you can quickly cover ground and fish a single Rage Craw two ways:

1. The Rage Craw Vertical Approach

Cast it out. Let it sink without jiggles. Calm yourself. Watch the line. If you see it jump, reel down and set the hook! Bass will often snag it on the drop, and if they don’t, the flappies will get their attention. They will likely inspect your offering, and if they’re going to bite, it will usually be within a few “hops.” Slowly lift your rod tip, then drop it, allowing the bait to fall straight back down. Keep watching the line. Go ahead and jiggle it now, if you must – or go nuts and drag it along slowly for a few feet before you reel in to make another cast.

First Largemouth Bass of 2025 (1 week earlier) on the Vertical Approach

2. The Rage Craw Horizontal Approach

If you need to move faster and cover more water, or if you see positive signs and notice that the bass are a bit more active than you expected – there’s no need to switch baits – cast your craw, let it sink to the depth you think the fish are at, and begin a slow, steady retrieve. The flappies will paddle behind the swimming bait, and you’ll quickly realize that swimming is not only passable… but very effective.

Rage

Craw

Bass

I’m Sure You’re Asking…

“AJ… why in the world did you pair a $100 reel with a $40 rod?!”

Great question – it has a lot to do with where I fish these days. Between the canals and the shallow lakes that have to be paddled, knocking around in the brush, hauling my plastic kayak into the thick of it just to get a crack at unbothered bass… I beat my gear up a lot and feel much better about accidentally snapping a $40 rod than a $200 rod. These things are workhorses; good enough for this kind of fishing.

1 Bait 2 Ways = Faster Fishing, More Casts and More Bites

So get out there and get your flappies goin’. Remember that largemouth key in on vibration & noise, while smallmouth bass key in on sight & scent. Keep these things in mind as you start your season – and you’ll be off to a great start.

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

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May 24, 2025
Canal Fishing for Big Bass (Simple Largemouth Bait)

*pop* *pop* *pop-pop* *POP*

The rhythmic sound of what seemed like hundreds of topwater strikes made the hair on the back of my neck stand straight up. I’d never heard so many bass eating all at the same time! Unbelievable. Today will be the topwater bite to end all topwater bites! Instead of launching the kayak I decided to grab a spinning rod and quickly work a stickbait across the top of the muck that filled the narrow Midwest canal, right there at the launch.

However… upon closer inspection, it became apparent that the ruckus wasn’t coming from largemouth bass, but another fish… one with silvery-gold scales the size of quarters, massive girth, cold dead eyes and a mouth shaped like a… well… there is no pleasant comparison. Fill in the blank yourself.

Carp. Hundreds of ’em. Mating? Maybe. Eating for sure. Rolling around in the shallow water, kicking up silt and mud. Over the next few hours these freshwater whales would decide to keep me company (even though I didn’t ask for it) while I caught big bruiser bass after big bruiser bass.

It was minimalist fishing in the truest sense. I took one rod, one hook, and fished one kind of bait all day long with great success. The weather was favorable. The timing was perfect. And yeah… there may have been a bit of luck involved…

Midwest Canal Bass Fishing

Best Baits for Canal Bass

One thing that you have to keep in mind when it comes to canal fishing, is that these areas can often stretch hundreds of miles. They can be very wide or strikingly narrow, and you’ll find productive stretches (or “pools”) surrounded by dead water. In the summer when muck covers the surface, it becomes extremely difficult to see if your casts are landing in 2 feet… or 2 inches.

I just shared this in an article for Midwest Outdoors, but it bears repeating: the best way to avoid wasting time, is to explore the areas you plan to fish in the cold months when the algae is dead and you can see into the water. Make notes, then avoid dead water when the summer gunk fills back in.

Because canals are usually so shallow, I’ll lean on a good muck-resistant topwater, and a good weedless sinking stickbait 80% of the time. Remember the 80/20 Rule in Bass Fishing? It applies here as well.

Big fish will attack topwater baits. A favorite that I’ll use all season long is something I call The Crowbar. The Crowbar works in both clear water and heavy muck, and it can be used to pry big fish from the thick slop or snaggy bushes & branches overhanging the bank. Once the water gets above 50° I’ll start flingin’ it. In fact, just yesterday I landed my first Crowbar bass of the year on a super-windy day with 60° water temps. She dwarfed everything else I’d brought onto the shore so far this season!

The Crowbar getting it done

I’ll share the critical modifications in another post…

A good weedless, sinking stickbait is also a must, and that’s what worked so well in the video above. Now, in the past I’ve mentioned quite a few that I like, and at different times in different locations, one or the other will usually get the nod on some sort of a Texas Rig (weightless to weighted).

Pro-V

Magworm

Grip-Pin

Reaction

Senko

StickZ

Ocho

Dinger

But in super-shallow areas, rigging up a traditional wacky can accentuate a horizontal fall. It’s excellent in canals. Some stickbaits are very salty and sink well on windy days, but they tear easily. I try to avoid using o-rings because while they can make your wacky rig more weedless, they lower your hookup ratio (fight me). Others are more durable but they float and have zero action. Adding weight can increase vibration, but also increases hangups and muck collection.

Fortunately the Strike King 3X Zero Worm merges several of the attributes I want when fishing canals. They are heavily salted so they sink without extra weight, and have “flavor.” They are also made of ElaZtech, so they are very durable and you can rig them without an o-ring and catch many, many fish on a single bait.

Strike King Zero

But, as with every bait, there are a few cons to the pros. While Zero Worms are heavily salted, that salt will begin to dissolve the minute you toss one into the water. So they do sink… for a while… once that salt is gone they float, and the leftover ElaZtech is very spongy, full of tiny little salt granule cavities.

The salt will also dissolve in the package if you squirt some scent in with ’em ahead of time. I made this mistake more than once before realizing what was going on…

There are a few new modifications I’ll be testing In The Field this season to see if we can reduce or eliminate these issues, but in certain situations like the ones below… the pros still outweigh the cons. I paired a Shimano Catana reel with a Bass Pro Graphite 6’6″ medium heavy spinning rod. Both are very inexpensive, and that rod is stout. I’ll also swap in a Lew’s Speed Spin or a Berkley Lightning Rod at times, and these are very budget-friendly as well. Throw on your favorite 8-strand braid (20 to 30 lb) and tie straight to a Berkley Fusion19 weedless wacky hook – boom – you’re in business.

Lightning

Reaction

Fusion19

Zero

FAT canal bass on a Strike King 3X Zero Sinking Worm

Another chonk largemouth on a Strike King 3X Zero Sinking Worm

If you pick the right color, you might also catch a surprise or two…

A nice little Illinois… trout?!

As our weather & water continue to heat up, we can expect a dramatic spike in the activity level of the bass. Shallow canals and ponds will warm up first. Don’t miss out!

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

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April 23, 2025
Wisconsin Fishing: Wild Rice Lake by Copp’s Cabins

Good evening brothers.

Let’s talk about Midwest Fishing. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin… I’ve come to realize that every sub-region has it’s own unique flavor. The trick is figuring it out in your neck of the woods.

Our region is known for it’s harsh winters and scorching summers. At times those seasons will both make an appearance within a 48 hour period. Illinois in particular is known to “outsiders” for gang violence, corrupt governors and terrible drivers. That last one has earned us the nickname “FIBs.” Ask any Wisconsiner what that means next time you visit… chances are you’ll get them to burst into laughter…

Speaking of Wisconsin; what a beautiful state! Rich with natural resources, amazing scenery, warm people, cold beer, delicious diners and enough cheese to clog your arteries 10 times over. A little slice of Heaven on Earth.

When I was a kid I thought that you had to go to Wisconsin to catch smallmouth bass. I was also under the impression that largemouth bass were rare here in Illinois. Pike & muskie? Well, up Nort’ of course! Imagine my surprise a few years ago when a DNR officer mentioned we had pike right here at home. Good pike. In a marsh not far from where I live. “Pike?! In a shallow marsh? Seriously?? You’re messing with me…“

He wasn’t messing with me.

AJ Hauser with a nice Illinois pike measuring 28″

See what I mean? Every sub-region has a unique flavor and hidden gems. So exploring is important, and that’s great news, because for us anglers exploring new areas and new water can be incredibly rewarding. It can also crush your spirit, grind it into a fine powder and light it on fire… but that risk just adds to the excitement every time you load up to go fish.

I might fail today.

If that happens, I’ll feel bad for a while, pick myself up, dust myself off and try again tomorrow.

The results of that tenacity cannot be denied.

Right before the pike, this 20″ largemouth bass weighing 5.25 lbs joined me in the jon boat

So Illinois has given up some genuine chonks these last several years. For that I am so grateful. However, Wisconsin fishing – especially near Minocqua and along the Manitowish Chain ‘o Lakes – has always been a special thing for me and my family. We started fishing this area when my Grandpa Jerry bought a cabin along the channel between Stone Lake and Rest Lake (not far from Greer’s Pier) when I was just a wee lad.

A lot has changed since then, and over the years I’ve figured out the best baits for fishing the Manitowish Chain. Granted the word “best” is subjective, but when you consider the following fish, I think it’s fair to say that everything I’ve included should at least be in the conversation.

My best smallmouth bass on the chain (so far) was 20″ and 4 lbs – pretty good considering she was caught in the middle of summer (July)

My wife with an absolute unit the year prior

Dad with a big, fat, Manitowish Chain smallmouth bass

We still vacation here every summer, and a few years back we stayed at a cabin on the bank of Wild Rice Lake for the first time. This lake sits at the far southeastern end of the chain, right next to the incoming river. I believe this is called Trout River – but I’m not sure about that. What I am sure about, is that Wild Rice Lake seems to have a fair amount of sediment in the water that I believe has something to do with that incoming river. The visibility isn’t bad, but it’s not as clear as some of the other lakes. It’s somewhat shallow (again, compared to the other lakes on the chain) with lots and lots of weeds, some underwater humps, and pockets that make it look like pike and muskie would absolutely flourish here.

We didn’t catch any notable pike or muskie during our visit – but we did see some locals pull up a few big fish! They’re in there… but we were plenty happy to discover a good handful of smallmouth and largemouth bass.

I’ve been cleaning up old video footage lately. It’s a great way to relive memories and learn even more about different bodies of water, but one thing keeps jumping out at me. My technique, my methods, my commentary – it was all unbelievably bad and cringy. Yikes. Wouldn’t it be better to hide these videos from the world? To delete them??

No.

I didn’t start The Minimalist Fisherman to look cool, I started it to learn more about fishing and share that info with my kids and readers, so we can all catch more & bigger fish. Hopefully along the way I meet a few guys & gals that fish for the same reasons we do. These old videos are actually pretty exciting, because they allow me to really see the genuine growth. They show progress. They show that this entire endeavor isn’t a waste of time – it’s a process, and being able to share that (even the stuff that might look bad) is a blessing.

Exploring new water near Copp’s Cabins on Wild Rice Lake, Wisconsin

Triumph

President

Pro-V Ned

Hula

Cleaning this footage also reminded me of an old project I need to revisit… customizing spoons. Spoon fishing is something that my brother and I have loved for a long, long time. You can see one of my first paint jobs getting tossed around for a bit near the weedy humps on Wild Rice Lake. Here was how I modified them:

Customizing spoons for pike & muskie fishing

Vendetta

Mach II

Gold

Daredevle

Load Up: Take 15% Off and Buy in Bulk. You’ll be set on hooks (pun intended) for a LONG time…

Fun stuff.

Cringy, but fun.

I’m going to scroll back up now, and look at the fat fish from the beginning of this article. Consistent hard work pays off. It pays off in fishing of course, but it also pays off in every other aspect of life. Maybe not today, or tomorrow… or for 5 years… but if you set your sights on something and try again, and again, and again… improvement is inevitable.

Let’s keep getting better.
Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

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March 10, 2025
Bank Fishing

Good morning brothers.

Are you tired of the cold yet?

Tired of the wind? The chapped lips? The dark dinners? Heart-attack shoveling? Split fingers? The icicles of death? (See Die Hard 2 for reference.) The SUCK?

Golly man. I understand some of you masochists like to set up little tents and dangle the ‘ol worm deep down below the frozen ice. If that’s you, God bless ya, but I am absolutely clawing at the walls, waiting to get out and start the season off the same way I always do: Bank Fishing. I can’t wait for the dew to soak my shoes, the sun to cook my goose (I’m not sure what that means) and the bass to gnaw on my thumb.

“My goose is cooked!”

But as I worked through some footage from last April, I almost felt like I was doing something wrong…

Is Bank Fishing OK?

I’m a Midwest Fisherman, and in April we typically see water temps anywhere from the 50’s to the low 70’s. These temps fluctuate based on depth, wind and weather, but the bass are going to spawn. You can see them clear as day from the bank. They’ll be on beds. Or around beds. They won’t all spawn at the same time, and this can be confusing to anglers. Myself included. What triggers that spawn? Is it the temperature? The length of the day? Something else? A combination? The “why” is a discussion for another time, but the “what are you two doing in there?!” is pretty obvious…

Some beds will have “fry guarders” hanging around, some will have big, fat, beautiful females. Because of this, bank fishing (or specifically “sight fishing”) can be extremely productive… but there is a conversation to be had about a big problem with bank fishing for bass on beds…

I saw you… but you saw me, too…

These bass are up shallow, doing the hibbidy-dibbidy or guarding the results of said dibbidy. Giggity. But you know they have to be getting pestered all day. They’re just too close to the bank, especially in areas with lots of foot traffic.

You can see them. They can see you. The tension builds. Slowly, carefully, you pitch a half ounce Texas Rig with some outer-space-looking plastic thing that breaks the surface of the water with the subtlety of a cannonball. On ANY OTHER DAY, that bass is going to bolt – especially in such shallow water! But not today… today that bass looks up, annoyed, rolls her eyes and slowly does what she knows she has to do… she saunters over and slurps up your ridiculous offering (not having thumbs means in the mouth it goes, like a toddler) and tries to remove it from the clearing… SNAP!!… “I DONE GOT HER GEWD!!“, you bellow. She rolls her eyes a second time, allowing yet another goober to hoist her onto the bank, snap a picture, and (hopefully) put her right back.

Yes, I am the goober in this story. Yes, it is an exaggeration, but do you see the problem? On any other day that fish is going to run (swim) or at the very least, develop an immediate case of lockjaw as soon as they become aware of your presence. Could be your shadow. Your footsteps. Your B.O. (hopefully not that). I’m really struggling with the ethical side of this equation.

But… (there’s always a “but”) they are SO HARD to ignore. I mean look at this fish – how am I supposed to quit you!?

Everyone needs a few more heifers in their life…

Are bank fishermen “better” than tournament anglers? Are tournament anglers “worse” because they target bedding bass, throw ’em in the livewell, take them miles and miles back to to ramp for an official weigh in… only to release them there, instead of taking them back home?

(Pro-Tip: always plan a trip to go fish around the ramp a week after any local tournament wraps up. You can thank me later.)

Surely us bank fishermen aren’t that bad… at least not as bad as them… after all, we put ’em right back and that’s better… right? Hard to say. I don’t think it’s a question of “better or worse,” those are just shades of gray.

On the flipside: bass eat bass. Are we protecting the newly hatched fry that can’t protect themselves? When you consider both males and females eat baby bass by the mouthful… maybe we’re actually filling the role of a bassy savior?!

Hmmm… check this out and let me know what you think. Then I have one final question for you…

Bank Fishing the Worst Possible Way

Senko

StickZ

Ocho

Dinger

Pro-V

Magworm

Grip-Pin

Reaction

Quick Sidenote: the best bank fishing equipment is pretty simple. Stickbaits, first & foremost. Getcha some Senkos or Ochos if you want to fish weightless. Go with Dingers if you need to save a few bucks, but plan to use weight to add some movement to the lifeless plastic. Bang StickZ are a good option if you want a stickbait that will last all day and float, but again, they are lifeless on their own.

Hooks? The Trokar Pro-V is a NASTY little bugger. You hook ’em on these and they stay hooked – plus you can use up to a 4/0 and still stay relatively low profile with the baits mentioned above. The Magworm and the Grip-Pin are great options for stretchy morsels you want to lock in place (a la Bang StickZ), but they will tear “regular” plastics, especially those loaded with salt. Reaction Tackle makes a nice little bread ‘n butter EWG that is a good combination of strength and thickness. It’s not super-chunky, but you probably won’t straighten it out. I discovered Reaction Tackle years ago ordering on Amazon and assumed they were a foreign company, but they’re actually headquartered just 2 hours away from me – right in Big Bend Wisconsin, USA. If you want to reload the tackle box they have some quantity discounts worth considering, plus you can get 15% off of your first order. I plan to get up there for a visit later this year (and hopefully a video) to talk more with Cody Dobberstein & Chad Hoover. Good dudes!

Load Up: Take 15% Off and Buy in Bulk. You’ll be set on hooks (pun intended) for a LONG time…

The Ethics of Bank Fishing

So GEAR is always fun to talk about… but back to the matter at hand. Is bank fishing for bedding bass ethical? Is it OK? We all know it’s fun… but are we doing something wrong, or are we just enjoying a natural (renewable) resource?

I’m curious to hear what you think.

Hey buddy…

See you soon?

Warmer weather will be here before we know it. I’ve moved from sharpening hooks to loading the backpack and planning with great excitement in anticipation of some big, fat, springtime bass. Bank fishing is without a doubt one of the greatest ways to spend the morning…

Question is… do we bother them in bed?

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

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February 26, 2025
Canal Fishing

Good morning brothers.

What comes to mind when you think of canal fishing?

Is it slop? Ditch pickles? Mucky mayhem? Garbage fish? Hot sticky days surrounded by stagnant, stinky water? Disgusting old filth some wanker tossed from his truck as he drove over the bridge?

Sure… sometimes that can be the case… but for me, canal fishing is associated with BIG BASS.

A big fat canal largemouth bass taken on a stickbait. See the wad of weeds & gunk still hanging on my rig in the background??

That wasn’t always the case though…

I Used to Avoid Canal Fishing

Completely. It wasn’t until the DNR stopped me (multiple times) as I was leaving other clean bodies of water. He commented on my little jon boat with the huge battery (again… multiple times) and asked “you ever get over to fish the canal? It would be perfect for the way you fish!“

Yes. True story. This happened multiple times. (Do not underestimate my ability to learn slowly.)

So fine. FINE. FINE! I’ll fish the stupid ditch! STOP ASKING!

I waited… and waited… and waited… I drove over it probably 25 more times, fishing other bodies of water. Then at the very tail end of 2023, finally took a reluctant trip to the canal… and landed a 3.5 pounder that also ended up on a Midwest Outdoors cover:

AJ with a Fat Canal Bass

MWO Jan ’24

Holy smokes. That’s a game changer. They can really live – and thrive – in this shallow water that, at times, barely seems to cover their back! It was decided right then and there; the following season I would dedicate a serious amount of time to canal fishing.

Here’s how it started…

Canal Fishing Equipment

This isn’t a sales pitch so I’ll keep it short and sweet. Most of the gear that I took with me lives in my Heavy Muck Base Box. This has been converted (minimized) to a Heavy Muck Kayak Base Box. We’ll talk about that in a future article – but the long and short of it is this:

You need a stout rod and the ability to cast a fair distance. The fish are living in shallow water, so while they can be aggressive, they can also be extremely spooky. I prefer to use a spinning combo when I’m sitting low in my little plastic kayak. A 6’9″ Bass Pro Bionic Blade with an Ugly Tuff spinning reel spooled with 30-pound Power Pro V2 braid works really well in these situations. The rod is rated as a medium-heavy (fast action) but it has a surprising amount of backbone. A 7-foot Berkley Lightning Rod is another great option that I use often for this kind of fishing. It’s a bit “slower,” but these are great workhorse rods that won’t break the bank. The Ugly Tuff (by Ugly Stik) is solid, but I did have to completely disassemble and grease it to fix a nasty squeak that developed after I dropped it in the water. Fluorocarbon leaders are not usually necessary, but when they are, 40-pound Seaguar Fluoro Premier gets the nod. I’ve tried their Blue Label and Gold Label, and like them at times, but in this situation Premier has the best mix of stretch, strength and abrasion resistance (for working around tree trunks or sporadic riprap) with a reasonably small diameter. Bit pricey, but man, Seaguar makes good stuff! (That said, I am really looking forward to testing out the Reaction Tackle fluoro that’s sitting on my desk at the moment…)

Lightning

Tuff

Premier

Reaction

Start with a topwater. Always. If they won’t bite, go subsurface… but remember, subsurface here doesn’t mean a jerkbait or a crankbait. Ever. It might mean a weedless chatterbait or a weedless swim jig or a spinnerbait if you really have high confidence in something like that. But for me?

Stickbaits.

I caught more fat canal largemouth bass on stickbaits last season than all other baits combined. Sure, I caught some on tubes, I caught some on flukes, a few others on soft-plastic creature baits with all kinds of flappys on ’em… but day in and day out, whether the bite was on fire or extremely tough, some version of a stickbait was always the top producer. Often the setup was super-minimalist: Weightless Texas Rig. At times: Weightless Wacky Rig. Occasionally I would add weight, but with such shallow water, that only happened if I needed to punch through overhead cover or play with the rate of fall.

Ocho

Grip-Pin

Bullet

BIG TRD

90% of the time a big chunk of plastic, rigged some sort of weightless, was plenty.

Now I will admit, occasionally a monster heifer (my big bass for the day) came on another presentation. Usually topwater. But most of the time both quantity and quality engulfed the stickbait.

This absolute heifer of a canal largemouth slammed a Z-Man GOAT Toad on top… well, on top of about… 9 inches of water… look at how beautiful this specimen is. Flawless.

Start there, and you’ll be well on your way.

Everyone needs a few more heifers in their life.

That needs to be a t-shirt…

Canal Kayak Fishing: Day 1

This video shows some of the events from my first return visit the following season. It also shows how to meet other anglers at the ramp, and how much fun that can be! If you meet a quality fisherman that is willing to trade information, this can be extremely valuable.

It was the beginning of a long learning process… one that continues to this day. Upcoming videos will show the progression in-depth:

Canal Fishing: Full Episode

Oh, and get this: the best fish of the day came out of a tube, after biting a tube…

Canal Fishing: Best Bass of Day 1

That’s canal fishing.

So, brothers, there is much more canal fishing goodness to cover, and this season I have no doubt there is even more for me to learn… but that’s part of the fun. That’s the good stuff. Figuring out the puzzle. Getting humbled. Figuring it out again. I’m so freaking ready to go. More videos covering canal fishing are on the way in the near future, but I just wanted to say if you haven’t given it a try… consider it.

Lol… heifers…

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

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February 13, 2025
Spring Cleaning (Fishing for Rainbow Pike)

Good morning brothers.

It’s still rather chilly here in the Land of Lincoln. Been very cold for quite a while actually. So much so that our heater couldn’t keep up last week. We had to have our furnace serviced when the weather was about -8°. It was very odd. I could hear it running, the blower would start, it would run for maybe 5 minutes then the air coming out of the vents would cool, and stop. Shortly thereafter the cycle would repeat, but the interior temp continued to drop. This is not cool with a 6-month old and 4 other kiddos, not to mention a wife that “runs cold” to begin with…

The culprit?

A thick furnace filter.

Yes. I’m serious.

The filter I had purchased was restricting air flow so much, that the furnace couldn’t run for a long time without overheating and shutting down as a safety precaution. Thank God I didn’t burn the thing up! After an expensive explanation from our local HVAC tech (who was polite enough to not laugh in my face) he asked if I wanted to have the unit serviced. Sure! Well, this got me thinking… the seasons are about to change. I need to go through and service the ‘ol fishing gear, and get ready. In the not-too-distant future we’ll be able to get out and do a bit of casting. A bit of scoutin’. A bit of catchin’.

Hopefully.

This made me think about something else…

Let’s Catch Some Rainbow Pike!

As I worked through the Oil & Grease Process on my spinning reels and baitcasters, I started to think about some other areas that could benefit from spring cleaning. The video archive came to mind. See, I started taping my fishing trips about 7 or 8 years ago. I never wanted to “be a YouTuber,” but I did want to have footage that I could go back and review the day after a trip. Why?

Because I sucked at fishing when I picked it up again as an adult.

The process of taping, stepping away, then coming back to review my videos and written notes has been unbelievably important in my development as an angler. It has helped me put all of my kids on bigger fish than those I landed at their age. It has helped me set my wife up for success. So the people I love most in this world benefit… and so do I. That’s a win-win!

The only problem is that this archive is now about 20 terabytes and I have 4 big storage drives filled to the brim with fishing outings I had hoped to review, edit down and post – but there just isn’t enough time. Not to mention, the way I fished 6 years ago is completely different than the way I fish now.

Instead of going back through and editing all that footage, I plan to clean this up by cherry-picking different events that happened. Saving the best bits. Looking for the things I learned from, and the best family moments.

The following is a video that focuses on my son Finn when he was about 3 years old. He’s bigger now, and a few months back I posted this video from the summer where he landed a fat smallmouth bass. The difference is amazing. I can’t tell you how precious these older videos are, and to hear his little voice light up back then – and still to this day – it’s just a beautiful thing to behold.

Finn Fishing for Rainbow Pike

If you are a father, get that camera out, and let it run.

One day you’re going to find yourself where I was, just doing some spring cleaning, and you’ll come across events that seemed normal at the time. Boring. Routine. But they’re special.

It’ll kick you right in the feels.

And that’s GOOD.

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

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January 29, 2025
Fishing is Built for Memory Making

Good morning brothers!

I hope that you have experienced the tightest of lines this season so far. We’re well into the “dog days” now in Illinois, and the bite has slowed to a crawl. You can still get ’em, but it requires a lot more patience and stealth. One method that has worked for me involves some green pumpkin Big TRDs, complete with a pair of Z-Man Neko ShroomZ / Weights (one on either end) and a 3/0 Weedless Wacky Hook. This simple, bite-sized technique is a great presentation for lethargic largemouth sitting in the shade of the muck and duckweed that floats atop our warm Midwest water. I’ve landed more than a few after ripping up and down a nearby canal quietly on a Rattan Ebike looking for shady areas near patches of clear, sandy bottom where largemouth can patrol in and out of the overhead cover and eat as they see fit.

A fat Illinois largemouth bass on a HOT summer day!

I’ll write more about this method, the Rattan, and post a video soon. They have both performed above and beyond what I expected!

Much has changed in my camp these last several months. I have had the privilege of writing several articles for Midwest Outdoors (most in print, and a few have been published on their blog). I’ve partnered with a few new companies and have some interesting collaboration videos in the works. Most importantly, my wife and I welcomed Ava Joy into the world in early July:

Welcome, little one.

She is awesome, and her 4 older brothers are completely in love with her. We are too… even though she doesn’t let us sleep… yet…

Forgot about that part.

As my tribe expands, I am constantly reminded that time is limited. With 5 kids, how can a father make sure that everyone feels loved and appreciated and special (including the misses)? It’s a tall order! Just “putting a roof over their heads” or “putting dinner on the table” isn’t enough – that’s the bare minimum. It’s our responsibility as men. It’s expected. However, if that is all we ever do for our family… yikes…

We must strive to do more, and if we can’t do more in terms of quantity, we have to do more in terms of quality. Fortunately, if you’re a fisherman like me (and of course you are) you have a hobby that is built for memory making.

Shortly after Ava Joy was born, we left for our annual Hauser Pilgrimage to the Manitowish Chain ‘o Lakes. This trip is something that we save for all year long. It’s not cheap. We have to make sacrifices to make it happen, but it allows us to stay in a house on a lake with our boat rigged & ready to go in the morning, afternoon and evening. Between family meals, swimming and exploring – my father and I fish.

A LOT.

As my boys have grown, they’ve all taken an interest in “doing what Daddy is doing with Gompa.” And so, every child gets multiple solo outings with me and Dad, without their siblings, where they get our full attention. The result? Many, many memories… just like this one I caught on tape below…

Finn Fights a Fat Wisconsin Smallmouth Bass

When I started The Minimalist Fisherman, my goal was to get good enough to help my kids catch more fish. Sure, I also wanted to catch more myself – but I knew that if I was going to get them excited about going outside while their friends all sat around like vegetables staring at screens, I’d have to be able to put them on fish quickly, no matter the conditions.

Is it easy? No, of course not.

Does it always work out? Also no.

But you listen to those squeals of excitement in that video and tell me it’s not worth every bit of effort to help your child experience the joy of catching a bruiser of a bass all by themselves.

It is.

I share this with you today as a simple reminder: fishermen are blessed.

We are blessed by God’s great bounty. By nature. By the wind and the rain and the rise and fall of the sun on the water. The cool morning air and the rustle of the leaves along the shoreline in the evening. These experiences are often simply a byproduct of chasing the beasts swimming below the surface… but don’t take any of this for granted. You have a hobby that is built for memory making… so stay alert and soak it all in… enjoy it, but more importantly…

Share it.

Finn on the way to our first spot.

After losing multiple fish, he persevered, and was rewarded with this 17″ smallmouth bass.

That’s a beauty, but to a little lad like this, IT’S A GIANT!

The release with Gompa. If we want to enjoy these fisheries, we have to take care of them and treat the lake and the inhabitants with respect. This fish will live to fight another day!

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

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August 5, 2024
Catch MORE BASS with The 80/20 Rule (not what you think…)

Good morning brothers.

It’s raining here in the Midwest. Rained yesterday, too… and the day before that. Honestly, it doesn’t seem like it’s stopped raining this spring. At night the steady drip-drip-drip of droplets cascading off the gutters is calming. Peaceful. In the morning there’s splattering and pattering on the outer sill of the windows as the sun tries so hard to poke her head out from behind the clouds sitting right above the trees across the way. Bright orange colors sit just behind, as the thunder slowly rolls in and sporadic flashes of lightning remind me – you’re not fishing today.

Hmmm…

Frustrating, but we live in a world where turbulence seems to be the norm… so small breaks (even breaks that Mother Nature forces us to take) are a blessing.

Soggy mornings like these are the perfect time to discuss simple improvements that anyone can make. Improvements that will help you catch more fish. I’m talking about The 80/20 Rule. No doubt you’ve heard about this ratio in some sense before –

“20% of the water holds 80% of the fish.”
“20% of the fishermen catch 80% of the fish.”
“20% of my tackle gets used 80% of the time.”

Some will even bump these numbers up to 90/10. You can pick whatever ratio you prefer, but today we’re going to apply this rule in a slightly different way…

Putting the 80/20 Rule to work In The Field

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Apply The 80/20 Rule to Every Base Box

Base-wha?

Base Box.

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Over the years I’ve made many adjustments that help keep my on-hand tackle lightweight, compact and versatile. Minimalist. A Base Box is a single Plano container, pre-loaded with presentations that I have confidence in for a specific kind of fishing. Things I absolutely need to have for certain conditions. They’re always ready to go, so when ‘ol Billy Bob calls and says “BROTHER, LET’S FISH!,” I grab the appropriate Base Box, the Terminal Tackle Base Box, throw ’em in my backpack and head out.

Fishing from the bank?
Just take that backpack.
Fishing from a friend’s boat?
Just take that backpack.
Fishing from your own boat?
Just take that backpack!

This helps me keep the clutter away. It keeps my mind clear so the focus is on catching fish, not organizing tackle. We’ve covered the Heavy Muck Base Box for targeting largemouth bass in thick cover, as well as the Wisconsin Bass Base Box for targeting smallmouth bass and other gamefish near Minocqua.

Learn More

Learn More

This year I’m working on a Muck Kayak Base Box, a Clear / Creek Kayak Base Box, and some others, but today we’re talking about how applying The 80/20 Rule to my Clear Water Base Box helped me turn a slow day into a great one!

First largemouth bass of the 2024 season.

Spring Bass Fishing in the Midwest

Here’s how the day went…

I decided to start small. Small, shallow ponds and lakes can warm up faster than large, deep bodies of water. This can translate into more activity, and more bites. One such puddle nearby, affectionately dubbed Snapping Turtle Pond, is home to some big bass… and big snappers.

Watch your toes!

Not all bass spawn at the same time. Smaller, warmer lakes might be the earliest to see spawning activity. I don’t target spawners, but paying attention to the local calendar period will help you find active biters. For example, if a very small lake gets the postspawn blues, head to a larger lake and see if you can find prespawn fish looking to chow.

The afternoon bite can be best in the spring. Midday, when the water is warmest and the sun is high in the sky, it’s not uncommon to experience the fish “turning on,” which means you don’t have to be up and out before dawn.

Moving baits can work in cold water. I decided to start with a 3″ swimbait, and follow that up with a 4″ stickbait in a natural green pumpkin color. Here were some key items in my Clear Water Base Box:

Deeper

J-Braid

Fluoro

Wildeye

Ocho

Grip-Pin

Bullet

Hula

I fished for 2 hours without a bite. Tossed the swimbait, then the stickbait (again both in natural colors). These are confidence techniques for me… and they came up blank.

The water was chocolate milk. Probably from all the recent rain and runoff. I even had a 12 pound fluorocarbon leader tied to my braid because I thought they were going to be able to see my line. Not the case… and actually, I don’t think they could see much of anything.

Fortunately I had already applied The 80/20 Rule to my gear. 80% of my equipment was focused on clear water techniques. Natural colors, natural patterns, natural movement, small or invisible line, and exposed hooks. (Think crankbaits, topwater poppers, lipless cranks and natural plastics on jigs.) However, 20% of my equipment was focused on the exact opposite… and thankfully, I had the high-vis low-snag option you see here:

“Here I come to save the daaaaaaaaaaaay…”

A Coppertreuse Hula Stick (soaked in Dr. Juice attractant to mask human scent) on a Texas Rig with a Mustad Light Wire Grip-Pin hook and a 1/16 ounce tungsten Nako bullet weight. This saved the day, because the conditions were not what I expected!

#2

#3

#4

On my very first cast with the high-vis presentation, I caught a fish. Same thing happened on the second cast! We ended up catching five fish (and missing one) this afternoon, with four of them being right at or over the 2 pound mark. All bites came within a 40 minute window on the wind-blown side of the pond.

I had almost given up. Even took a 30 minute break to map with my Deeper Pro+ Sonar to try to “salvage the awful day.” But it wasn’t awful. The answer wasn’t to quit – the answer was to adapt.

If you apply The 80/20 Rule to your tackle, you’ll be more prepared for anything that comes at you, without needing to carry around the entire tackle shop. Take a minute to review what you have on hand, and maybe make a few changes.

This can be the difference between a complete bust… or a great day of fishing!

Want to go even deeper with 80/20 fishing? Check this video out:

The Base Box Concept + The Best Way to Use The 80/20 Principle

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

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May 14, 2024
4 Outstanding Panfish Baits for Ultralight Fishing

It’s cold today.

Bitter cold. Overcast.

The rain is pitter-pattering outside my window. Tiny taps followed by the occasional PLOP as a big cold drop travels through space from the corner of the roof to the sill…

… pat pat pat pat pat PLOP pat pat pat…

It’s calming, but… I’m restless. Restless because we have rain. Not snow.

Snow is the devil.

Rain means the snow is dying.

Good riddance.

I was talking with a friend last night about dealing with depression. He called it “being lost in the wilderness.” You can probably relate. There are times when everything seems to be… just… blegh. Right now in this country, you can feel an overwhelming sense of dread.

Stories of chemical spills, huge layoffs, corruption without justice, $7 eggs, any number of cultural issues – it’s enough to drive a man insane… it’s oppressive.

You feel it?

One of the ways to combat these feelings is to stay busy.

Busy with prayer. Busy with work. Busy with family. Busy with hobbies.

Getting busy (giggity?) can give your brain a chance to break away from the weight we carry day-to-day, even if it’s subconscious. Not that we should ignore the issues – quite the opposite – but at times, we need a break.

Fishing is that break for me, and winter is my enemy… because it slows me down.

Check out the Rapala Family of Husky Jerks

Fishing helps keep my mind right.

It gives me something to chase, something to work on, something to improve, something to aim at… even if the target is a bit cloudy as the tires on the truck crunch their way out of the driveway…

Let’s just go.

… and so today, as winter continues it’s slow death… my daydreams become more vivid. The plants are greener, the air is crisp, and the fish… they are plentiful. Plentiful, and so much fun to catch on ultralight gear.

If you’re like me, daydreaming about those action-packed afternoons – the 4 presentations used in this video are absolutely killer for panfish!

Click the banner to jump to Stars & Bars Fishing on YouTube.

1. The Kalin’s Crappie Scrub

The Kalin’s Crappie Scrub is an inexpensive plastic bait with no salt or scent, but twin paddle tails that thump and vibrate aggressively on a straight retrieve.

Kalin’s Triple Threat Crappie Scrub

Pflueger President Spinning Reel

Speaking of retrieve, you can see in the video that I’m using a Pflueger President spinning reel (size 20 I believe), which is just an absolute unit. Make sure you have one (or four) of these classic workhorses in your arsenal. Check out this monster green sunfish that fell for the Crappie Scrub – landed in the Trophy Room, actually.

2. The Donkey Tail by Mule Fishing Supply Co.

You’re probably sick of me talking about these… but… well… I don’t care.

They catch fish man!

I like the Jr., and my favorite color is Pasture Fire. Click below for a full review, and consider hucking these on another simple workhorse that Brother Mike (aka Brother Wiggly Worm) down at Table Rock Lake reminded me about just yesterday: the Berkley Lightning Rod.

Mule Fishing Co. – Donkey Tails

Berkley Lightning Fishing Rod: 6′ ML

They are cheap, and they work – I have seen more Lightning Rods on the boats of fishing guides than any other make & model.

3. The Bobby Garland Itty Bit Swim’R

This is the smallest plastic I have ever fished. Like the Crappie Scrub and Donkey Tail, they have no salt or scent that I am aware of – but they are just the right size for aggressive panfish.

Bobby Garland Itty Bit Swim’R

Strike King Mr Crappie Jig Heads

They catch all kinds of gamefish, and pair well with small (1/32 oz) jig heads. There are all sorts of jigs on the market, but the Mr. Crappie offerings are always a good choice.

4. The Strike King Bitsy Minnow

Finally, if the cover allows for it – test mini crankbaits like the Strike King Bitsy Minnow (or Bitsy Pond Minnow, depending on who you ask). It has a tight little side-to-side wobble and pairs perfectly with Stren monofilament.

The extra stretch helps keep the small hooks pinned in the mouth of fish, and makes it harder to toss – or for us to tear it out. It also allows the bait to acheive maximum wobble!

Strike King Bitsy Pond Minnow

Stren Monofilament Fishing Line

That’s the name of my new band. We have several plus-sized backup singers. Maximum Wobble tour dates coming soon.

“… maximum what?!”

Getcha’ sum!

(Baits, I mean…)

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

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February 23, 2023
Fishing a Kalin’s Crappie Scrub for Big Bluegill #short

The Kalin’s Crappie Scrub is a neat little bait that attracts bluegill, crappie and bass – literally anything that swims. When you spot fish up shallow (of any size), this little guy is hard to beat and a TON of fun to throw!

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

Fishing a Kalin’s Crappie Scrub for Big Bluegill #short

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Let me know what you think – and if you have any luck, share your fish pics on Instagram and either tag me or shoot me a message!

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July 29, 2022
Kalin’s Crappie Scrub PB Bluegill

Full video: https://youtu.be/cEBISe5D_3A

My best BLUEGILL on a KALIN’S CRAPPIE SCRUB (micro-swimbait) since I started this channel. The bait used was on a 1/16 ounce jighead in a natural brown & white color. Links are below – pick some up – they work!

:::::GEAR LINKS:::::
Kalin’s Crappie Scrub
Seaguar Invizx Fluorocarbon
Mitchell Pro Spinning Reel

I love bluegill fishing… now, let’s work so we can break more PBs!

Godspeed, Patriots.

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July 26, 2022
The Best (Unknown) Jerkbait!? Intense Fishing! #short

Is this the best jerkbait? EVER??? I have no idea what it is… but… when I tied it on recently when the sky became overcast… it was LIGHTS OUT! What the heck is it?!

Let me know if you happen to find out…

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

The Best (Unknown) Jerkbait!? Intense Fishing! #short

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July 23, 2022
Jerkbait PB Crappie (UPGRADE!)

Full video: https://youtu.be/cEBISe5D_3A

My best CRAPPIE on a JERKBAIT since I started this channel. The bait used was a No-Name (?) Gold & Black suspending jerkbait on a spinning setup with 10lb Berkley Vanish Fluorocarbon. A similar bait is linked below – try some out – they work!

:::::GEAR LINKS:::::
Lucky Craft USA Pointer 100 SP
Seaguar Invizx Fluorocarbon
Mitchell Pro Spinning Reel

I love crappie fishing… now, let’s work so we can break more PBs!

Godspeed, Patriots.

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July 21, 2022
Giant Jerkbait Crappie Fishing from Shore! #short

Crappie fishing is always a good time – and when you happen to pick the magic color on an overcast day… well… it doesn’t get much better than that. Look at this huge crappie!

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

Giant Jerkbait Crappie Fishing from Shore! #short

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July 19, 2022
Fishing Multi-Species Moving Baits | Bass, Crappie & Bluegill

Midwest Multi-Species Fishing – sounds like a good time to me! This year, the MOVING BAITS have been absolutely smoking, from chatterbaits to topwater – although my new favorite technique is by far a jerkbait. This is followed closely by another new favorite from last year: micro-swimbaits.

One of my favorites can be seen here in depth.

Today, we hit the water with my only golden jerkbait… a no-name model from yesteryear that worked… well… it worked surprisingly well, landing a few bass and my PB Jerkbait Crappie.

After I got frustrated with the jerkbait trebles picking up too much of the Illinois muck I was fishing through, I switched to a Kalin’s Crappie Scrub. This little dude was paired with a 1/16 ounce Kalin’s simple ballhead jig (which has a relatively short shank – which is important) and it was lights out for the panfish.

Today was an extremely fun, productive round of fishing even though I was pretty limited on time!

:::::GEAR LINKS:::::
Lucky Craft USA Pointer 100 SP
Kalin’s Crappie Scrub
Seaguar Invizx Fluorocarbon
Mitchell Pro Spinning Reel

Let’s get to grinding.
Godspeed, Patriots.

:::::VIEW THE FULL FISHING SEASON IN ORDER:::::

Fishing Multi-Species Moving Baits | Bass, Crappie & Bluegill

Click the banner to jump to Stars & Bars Fishing on YouTube.

CONDITIONS:
Location: Northern Illinois
Time of Year: 3rd Week of May – Late Afternoon
Weather: Calm & Overcast
Air Temperature: 56°F

Oh hey, check this out – if you are working on a rod repair, grab this free checklist – I guarantee it will help you out!

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July 18, 2022
Ever Fished the Pop ‘n Drop for Largemouth Bass? #short

Largemouth bass fishing is popping off here in the Midwest! One of my new favorite techniques for searching our largemouth (and smallmouth) bass, is a combination I’m calling the POP ‘N DROP. Check out some of the other videos we’ve posted to learn more – and make sure to try it yourself!

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

Ever Fished the Pop ‘n Drop for Largemouth Bass? #short

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July 15, 2022
Largemouth Bass Fishing | Airtail Wiggler on a Texas Rig (Grandebass) #short

Largemouth bass fishing is a blast, and on a recent trip we had the chance to test out some Grandebass Airtail Wigglers. Did they work?

Oh yeah… they worked…

Check ’em out!

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

Largemouth Bass Fishing | Airtail Wiggler on a Texas Rig (Grandebass) #short

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July 13, 2022
Pop ‘n Drop PB Largemouth Bass

UPDATE: check this out before you click on that older video.

Full video: https://youtu.be/WEic7MbNelE

My best LARGEMOUTH on the POP ‘N DROP technique since I started this channel. The bait used was a Rapala Skitter Pop with a Strike King Ocho (4 Inch) in green pumpkin off the 20lb fluoro dropper. Pick a these supplies and try this fishing technique out – it works!

Worth Checking Out: Rapala X-Rap Pop

:::::GEAR LINKS:::::
Rapala Skitter Pop
Strike King Ocho Stickbait
Berkley Wacky Hooks
20lb Fluorocarbon

I love largemouth bass fishing… now, let’s work so we can break more PBs!

Godspeed, Patriots.

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July 12, 2022
Texas Rig PB Largemouth Bass

Full video: https://youtu.be/WEic7MbNelE

My best LARGEMOUTH on a TEXAS RIG since I started this channel. The bait used was a Grandebass Airtail Wiggler. Pick a few up and get out there – they work!

:::::GEAR LINKS:::::
Grandebass Airtail Wiggler
Trokar EWG Hooks

I love largemouth bass fishing… now, let’s work so we can break more PBs!

Godspeed, Patriots.

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July 10, 2022
Largemouth Bass Fishing | Grandebass Airtail Wiggler on a Texas Rig #short

Largemouth bass fishing is always a good time – and veteran anglers know that a Texas Rig is one of the BEST ways to put fish in the boat. This bass was caught on a Grandebass Airtail Wiggler – a killer little floating worm that we will be doing a full review on soon.

Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.

Largemouth Bass Fishing | Grandebass Airtail Wiggler on a Texas Rig #short

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July 9, 2022
2 SOLID Presentations for Midwest Largemouth Bass Fishing

Largemouth Bass Fishing in Illinois typically starts to heat up when you begin noticing panfish and bass on their beds up shallow. Sometimes they will attack your bait… other times… not so much. Personally, I don’t like to target bass on beds. I feel that bothering largemouth bass doing the deed is disruptive… although I do succumb to the temptation from time to time.

I am human, after all.

Around my lakes, not all of the fish do the same thing at the same time. You can sometimes develop patterns between lakes – however – it seems like Lake A could have bass that are done spawning, while Lake B has bass that are in the middle of spawning – and these lakes might be just a few miles away from one another, slightly different in size and depth, and yet – the fish will be at different stages.

This will require further study, however, on this day I was able to land bass at Lake A using two unique presentations, and then hop over to Lake B, where I was able to target bass swimming out beyond the first drop off, behind the bedding bluegill.

Overall, it was a great day, and here are a few of the items I used to make it happen:

:::::GEAR LINKS:::::
Rapala Skitter Pop
Strike King Ocho Stickbait
Berkley Wacky Hooks
20lb Fluorocarbon
Trokar EWG Hooks
Grandebass Airtail Wiggler

Let’s get to grinding.
Godspeed, Patriots.

:::::VIEW THE FULL FISHING SEASON IN ORDER:::::

2 SOLID Presentations for Midwest Largemouth Bass Fishing

Click the banner to jump to Stars & Bars Fishing on YouTube.

CONDITIONS:
Location: Northern Illinois
Time of Year: 3rd Week of May – Early Morning
Weather: Warming & Clear
Air Temperature: 54°F & Rising

Oh hey, check this out – if you are working on a rod repair, grab this free checklist – I guarantee it will help you out!

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July 7, 2022
Illinois Crappie Fishing

Crappie fishing in Illinois is not always something that people think about when they’re fishing the Midwest. However, if the bass aren’t biting – take a look around and see if you can see any signs that tell you it might be time to switch gears and do a little bit of crappie fishing.

On this afternoon I only had an hour to fish, and I started with a jerkbait. I was hunting Illinois largemouth… but… 30 minutes and zero fish later, I realized that I had been seeing panfish and crappie up in the super-shallow rip rap. Fortunately, I always have a Mule Jig with some Donkey Tails on me for just such an occasion. These are small swimbait style lures that have a bunch of cool little features that I talk about in this comprehensive review.

Long story shore, we took a tough day of fishing that could have ended poorly, and turned it into one heck of a (short and intense) afternoon!

:::::GEAR LINKS:::::
Lucky Craft USA Pointer 100 SP
Mitchell Pro Spinning Reel
Mule Fishing Supply Co: https://www.mulefishing.com/

Let’s keep grinding.

Godspeed, Patriots.

Illinois Crappie Fishing

Click the banner to jump to Stars & Bars Fishing on YouTube.

CONDITIONS:
Location: Northern Illinois
Time of Year: 2nd Week of May – Late Afternoon
Weather: Hot & Clear
Air Temperature: 94°F

PRESENTATIONS:
Power Rig: Mitchell Pro Spinning Reel w/ Lucky Craft USA Pointer 100 SP and Strike King Ocho Stickbaits on Berkley Fusion 19 Weedless Wacky Hooks
Finesse Rig: Mule Jigs & Donkey Tails: https://www.mulefishing.com/

Oh hey, check this out – if you are working on a rod repair, grab this free checklist – I guarantee it will help you out!

Let’s get better.

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July 3, 2022
Stickbait PB Largemouth Bass

My best LARGEMOUTH on a STICKBAIT since I started this channel. The bait used was a Strike King Ocho (4 Inch) in green pumpkin. Pick a few up and get out there – they work!

:::::GEAR LINKS:::::
Strike King Ocho Stickbait

I love largemouth bass fishing… now, let’s work so we can break more PBs!

Godspeed, Patriots.

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June 10, 2022