Nothing wrong with a little suburban angling. SOMEBODY has to catch those liberal subdivision largemouth, after all. Do what you can with what you got!
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Well, this video shows some of the highlights from Monday Morning Bites. Remember: each week we catch fish and make fart jokes, so if that sounds like something you’re into (and let’s be honest… it’s something you’re into) make sure to SUBSCRIBE and SAY HELLO!
Your support directly funds the creation of weekly articles and videos that promote the development of better anglers and better men. Our country (and our kids) need both. Please share this site, and consider a monthly, weekly, or one-time donation. You are helping us make a difference!
Your support directly funds the creation of weekly articles and videos that promote the development of better anglers and better men. Our country (and our kids) need both. Please share this site, and consider a monthly, weekly, or one-time donation. You are helping us make a difference!
Your support directly funds the creation of weekly articles and videos that promote the development of better anglers and better men. Our country (and our kids) need both. Please share this site, and consider a monthly, weekly, or one-time donation. You are helping us make a difference!
Your support directly funds the creation of weekly articles and videos that promote the development of better anglers and better men. Our country (and our kids) need both. Please share this site, and consider a monthly, weekly, or one-time donation. You are helping us make a difference!
Don’t ever use this fishing line… I lost 3 of 4 fish. Was I a bit “underpowered”? Yes… HOWEVER… I’ve pulled big bass out of here using 6 pound monofilament and 8 pound fluorocarbon many, many times. 10 pound test is MORE than I usually use.
Your support directly funds the creation of weekly articles and videos that promote the development of better anglers and better men. Our country (and our kids) need both. Please share this site, and consider a monthly, weekly, or one-time donation. You are helping us make a difference!
Your support directly funds the creation of weekly articles and videos that promote the development of better anglers and better men. Our country (and our kids) need both. Please share this site, and consider a monthly, weekly, or one-time donation. You are helping us make a difference!
After two awful fishing trips, a rainy afternoon went from fun to outstanding – even though we got poured on… AGAIN. When it comes to anything you are passionate about, anything worth doing – never quit! We can’t appreciate the victories without the losses. This afternoon the Mule Jigs & Donkey Tails were on fire again. They have helped me catch largemouth, smallmouth, green sunfish, pumpkinseed and drum.
Your support directly funds the creation of weekly articles and videos that promote the development of better anglers and better men. Our country (and our kids) need both. Please share this site, and consider a monthly, weekly, or one-time donation. You are helping us make a difference!
Your support directly funds the creation of weekly articles and videos that promote the development of better anglers and better men. Our country (and our kids) need both. Please share this site, and consider a monthly, weekly, or one-time donation. You are helping us make a difference!
Sometimes the weather cooperates. Sometimes… it doesn’t… but that’s no reason to sit around and feel sorry for ourselves. Let the other sit home and sulk – we got bass to catch!
THE HUNT FOR 250: Bass Count for the Season: 26
CONDITIONS: Location: Northern Illinois Time of Year: 3rd Week of May – Afternoon Weather: Overcast & Drizzling Air Temperature: 61°F
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For some, the smallmouth bass is a common occurrence. For me, the smallmouth bass was a special catch – a rarity, something that was only available in a very limited window when we would vacation in Wisconsin.
No doubt, they grow ’em big up there…
But someone mentioned “smallmouth” in a discussion about local fishing the other day and I just assumed they misspoke. Largemouth, boy. Largemouth is what we got here in Illinois.
Well… maybe not… this year we’re going to look for these powerful little bruisers, and this trip is the first clue that may help put together the pieces of that puzzle.
THE HUNT FOR 250: Bass Count for the Season: 24
CONDITIONS: Location: Northern Illinois Time of Year: 2nd Week of May – Late Morning Weather: Calm & Bluebird Skies Air Temperature: 60°F
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As an angler, what’s one of the best ways that you can spend a free morning or afternoon?
Yup.
Looking for little largemouth honey holes!
Sounds crazy – but bear with me – the more “spots” you have to fish, the more options you’ll have in your repertoire when the need arises. When you only have 45 minutes to fish (like we did in this video) and you’re headed out of town, you won’t be able to launch the boat, you won’t be able to load the kayak – heck, you won’t be able to hike the trail. The only thing you will have time to do is grab your bag, grab a pole that’s already rigged up, and hit a local largemouth honey hole for some fast casts and shoreline fishing.
We’re going to talk more about this concept throughout the year, but on busy weeks this strategy has allowed me to still get out and catch fish.
250 is still a long way off… and we have a lot more work to do. It’s time to get after it. Let’s go!
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THE HUNT FOR 250: Bass Count for the Season: 22
CONDITIONS: Location: Northern Illinois Time of Year: 2nd Week of May – Afternoon Weather: Clear & Calm Air Temperature: 56°F
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A few years back I built a rod for my father as a Christmas gift. He loved it – the rod was blue with white wraps and really nice guides, and it was intended to be a crappie rod (we are terrible at crappie fishing still, but we like to try to catch them and fry a handful of the smaller ones up periodically).
Well, when we fish jigs in Wisconsin each year, there is a really good chance that we will catch pike, or smallmouth bass – even largemouth in the weed beds – the occasional muskie… and all of these fish pull hard.
The rod broke.
What was weird though, was that a fish didn’t break the St. Croix blank – it broke when Dad moved the rod to the side with his hand high up near the tip. Snap. Heartbreak.
When we contacted St. Croix, we were very happy to find out that they would be willing to send a replacement blank that was similar at no cost aside from shipping. (HUGE thank you to St. Croix!) I completed the new rod build before vacation this year, and this was the maiden voyage… and boy, the smallmouth put the rod to the test!
Time to fish.
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NOTE: I’m looking for new ponds, pits and creeks to fish in Illinois. If you are located in the Midwest and you have any suggestions, or if you’d like to fish some spots with me, please send me an email and let’s set something up! That’s the whole reason I do this: to make new friends, get better for my family, and find new spots to fish.
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Sometimes fishing is easy. Sometimes fishing is hard… and even though you feel terrible, you know that you need to go anyway because everyone else is home on the couch. This was one of those days. I’ve already had the ‘Rona, but when I woke up this morning something was in the air that was destroying my eyes and nose.
Still, as the lakes I have access to continue to warm up, we need to be out no matter what… or we won’t hit 250 this year. Sickness aside, it’s time to get after it – let’s go!
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THE HUNT FOR 250: Bass Count for the Season: 18
CONDITIONS: Location: Northern Illinois Time of Year: 2nd Week of May – Late Morning Weather: Overcast & Calm Air Temperature: 48°F
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Let’s get one thing straight right now. We support the boys and girls in blue here. Thank you to ALL emergency personnel!
Sorry I did that thing…
Run-in aside, on this trip we started to notice some bass up shallow. Finally. They also seemed interested in my Cabin Creek Baits Salty Sinkin’ Worm… and they had a bit more size to them as well.
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THE HUNT FOR 250: Bass Count for the Season: 16
CONDITIONS: Location: Northern Illinois Time of Year: 1st Week of May – Morning Weather: Bluebird Skies & Calm Air Temperature: 50°F
PRESENTATIONS: Power Rig: N/A Finesse Rig: Spinning Reel w/ Cabin Creek Salty Sinkin’ Worm & Trokar Pro-V Worm Hook
Oh hey, check this out – you can still get a free copy of Ned Rig Secrets – guaranteed to help you catch more fish!
An Easy-Reading 20 Page Guide. Simple Instructions. Beautiful Images. Fun Story – It’s All Here.
Let’s get better.
Get Articles & Videos First
Catch More Fish Than Your Friends. Laugh At Their Tears.
Your support directly funds the creation of weekly articles and videos that promote the development of better anglers and better men. Our country (and our kids) need both. Please share this site, and consider a monthly, weekly, or one-time donation. You are helping us make a difference!
Well, this video shows some of the highlights from Monday Morning Bites. Remember: each week we catch fish and make fart jokes, so if that sounds like something you’re into (and let’s be honest… it’s something you’re into) make sure to SUBSCRIBE and SAY HELLO!
Your support directly funds the creation of weekly articles and videos that promote the development of better anglers and better men. Our country (and our kids) need both. Please share this site, and consider a monthly, weekly, or one-time donation. You are helping us make a difference!
Do you know what you’re supposed to do when life gives you lemons?
That’s right… catch more bass.
This was definitely one of those trips to a new lake where things seemed to be going from bad to worse. Poison ivy seemed imminent. Not even a tap for the first hour… frustration setting in… but then I came upon a cool little area that was tucked away, and it all turned around. Really a fun day.
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THE HUNT FOR 250: Bass Count for the Season: 14
CONDITIONS: Location: Northern Illinois Time of Year: 1st Week of May – Late Morning Weather: Clear & Sunny Air Temperature: 51°F
Your support directly funds the creation of weekly articles and videos that promote the development of better anglers and better men. Our country (and our kids) need both. Please share this site, and consider a monthly, weekly, or one-time donation. You are helping us make a difference!
Your support directly funds the creation of weekly articles and videos that promote the development of better anglers and better men. Our country (and our kids) need both. Please share this site, and consider a monthly, weekly, or one-time donation. You are helping us make a difference!
Tough bite today… again. We missed a good one – and this was the first “good one” we’ve seen. So as frustrating as it is to miss fish, this gives me hope and reminds me just how much these little fatties get my heart racing. Let’s keep getting after it!
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THE HUNT FOR 250: Bass Count for the Season: 8 (+2 mystery fish)
CONDITIONS: Location: Northern Illinois Time of Year: 4th Week of April – Afternoon Weather: Overcast & Calm Air Temperature: 58°F
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Our bass count for the season continues to climb… still no hawgs yet, but some quality bass this week and there are more on the way. Not to mention… another surprise fish?! Let’s keep getting after it!
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THE HUNT FOR 250: Bass Count for the Season: 6 (+2 mystery fish)
CONDITIONS: Location: Northern Illinois Time of Year: 3rd Week of April – Late Afternoon Weather: Overcast & Light Wind Air Temperature: 42°F
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“Ned rigs catch everything. This video is proof. And that’s all I have to say about that.”
– Forrest Gump
Last week we caught our first few bass of the season. No hawgs yet, no tankers, no behemoths – but one decent bass – decent enough to get the blood pumping. This time we had one heck of a fight on 6 pound test line with a… with a… what is that?!
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The 2021 season has started and we are off to the races. If you’ve been with us for a while, you know that 2 years ago when I started to “get serious” about fishing in my home state (instead of just waiting until we went to Wisconsin every year to really get after it for 2 weeks) I caught 9 bass.
9 bass.
… and that was a BIG deal for me!
I’m just a website consultant that loves to fish. I need a clean, uncluttered area to work and keep my mind focused and clear, and I try to apply the same concepts to fishing. I want to get better for me and my family – that’s it.
So anyway, catching 9 fish man… it got me all fired up for last year. Well, last year turned out to be a banger. I caught 193 bass in Illinois and Wisconsin (and yes, I kept a spreadsheet) and many of those trips turned into episodes of Thursday Night Fishing.
This year, the goal is 250 bass and posting video updates throughout the entire season as fast as possible – not letting the footage pile up. I still have Thursday Night Fishing episodes to go through from last year that will post, but that will take place simultaneously with this years updates.
Also bought a new camera, new microphone, I’m playing around with 60 FPS instead of 24 (which is killing me) and trying to edit faster and better, which is a lot of fun but a lot of work.
I wish I had someone to help edits my videos and make them look great, and save me time, but I’m only one man… with a full time website development job and a family. Very blessed? Yes. Very busy? Also yes 🙂
Enough about me – let’s kick this party off and get into some fish – it’s gonna be a good year!!
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The Hunt for 250 continues…
THE HUNT FOR 250: Bass Count for the Season: 3
CONDITIONS: Location: Northern Illinois Time of Year: 1st Week of April / Afternoon Weather: Overcast & Windy Air Temperature: 50°F
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One of the nice things about staying at a place with a dock is that you have the ability to fish right out front – which is PERFECT for little ones. After a large storm passed we took the wee ones out fishing, and in the evening we took the boat out to look for smallmouth and walleye – and test Dad’s new custom rod (that replaced the old, broken one).
Time to fish.
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Let me know if you have any suggestions for improving, or a pond or creek to fish, or just want to say hey in the comments or on social media. I’m always trying to improve and appreciate your input. Thanks much!
In Wisconsin this year we had a chance to book some time with Manitowish fishing guide Rob Friedley. If you are considering hiring him, I suggest you do so – he is extremely helpful and accommodating, and he has been fishing the waters of Vilas, Iron, and Onedia Counties since he was a child.
I booked a day with him so that I could take my father walleye fishing, hoping that we would also learn a thing or two and be able to replicate our success throughout the remainder of our trip. We were not disappointed, and in this video I’ll share a few things I learned from Rob.
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Let me know if you have any suggestions for improving, or a pond or creek to fish, or just want to say hey in the comments or on social media. I’m always trying to improve and appreciate your input. Thanks much!
Fishing tips for Minocqua Wisconsin – that’s what we’re talking about today. My family makes the time every year to head up north and fish the great state of Wisconsin on and around the waters of Minocqua and Vilas County. We typically load up on supplies at Townline Sports (5198 US-51, Manitowish Waters, WI 54545) before we head out on the lake in my Dad’s boat.
On this trip we decided to start by looking for new spots while fishing presentations that would appeal to many different species while we were exploring. Some of you already know what I’m talking about…
Plus – I got to fish with my wife for two days. Awesome!
Time to fish.
Click the banner to jump to The Minimalist Fisherman on YouTube.
Let me know if you have any suggestions for improving, or a pond or creek to fish, or just want to say hey in the comments or on social media. I’m always trying to improve and appreciate your input. Thanks much!
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