Welcome to The Minimalist Fisherman
Join us. Become a better angler, and a better man.
Most Recent Articles
-
How To Catch Your Next PB (Personal Best)
Good morning brothers. Here’s a fun question: will Minimalist Fishing lead to your next personal best? Yes. Full stop. Why Does Minimalist Fishing Leads to...
-
Ron D’s Bait Modifications: V1
Good morning brothers. Periodically readers will contact me to share tips, tricks, strategies – even send me physical gear and lures for use & review....
-
Vintage Fishing Ads: A Stroll Down Memory Lane
Good Morning Brothers! First & foremost, I own nothing on this page. It’s a collection of fishing ads plucked from social media sites, forums, plus...
-
Best Baits for Midwest Bank Fishing (Top 3 List)
Good morning brothers! Have you ever stopped to think about the baits you would pack to fish from the bank if you had to limit...
-
Important Tips for Fishing With Your Wife
Good morning brothers. Have you ever fished with your wife? Yeah? So… how did that go?! Hold up: before we go down the all-too-common path...
-
The New Jon Boat Battery: THANK YOU READERS!
Good morning brothers! I write today from the snow-covered Land of Lincoln. (Yes… already… ugh…) This year, I was able to avoid getting stranded in...
Popular Gear & Lure Articles
-
The Ultimate Guide: Best Baits for Big Wisconsin Bass (Minocqua Fishing Tips & Tackle + AJ’s Base Box)
Good morning brothers. It’s chilly again, here in the Midwest. The days are shorter. The nights are colder. The daydreams are beginning to intensify. There...
-
Bruiser Bass in the Muck: A Mucky Muck Base Box for Fishing BIG Midwest Largemouth
Have you ever set up a Base Box? Good morning brothers. I’d like to share a few tips that have helped me minimize the pre-trip...
-
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
-
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...
-
Secret Ned Rig Modification
Today we’re going to go over a secret Ned Rig modification that I came across while puttering about on YouTube. The modification video was posted...
-
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...
-
The Rules of River Navigation / Learning to Fish Rivers & Streams
If you drive, you are probably (hopefully?) familiar with the “rules of the road”. But how many of us are familiar with the rules of...
-
Threats to Stream Habitat / Learning to Fish Rivers & Streams
Fishermen care about the environment. The same could be said for hunters and many outdoor enthusiasts. We all appreciate and understand that we need to...
-
Fluctuating Water Levels / Learning to Fish Rivers & Streams
Within just a few hours of a heavy rain, water levels in a stream can rise as much as 10 feet, the current speed may...
-
How Streams Change / Learning to Fish Rivers & Streams
Have you ever returned to a river or stream – heck, even a lake – after say a long winter or a few seasons away,...
-
Food & Forage / Learning to Fish Rivers and Streams
Stream fish are opportunists. If you’re like me and you want to catch more fish, and it’s a good idea for us to study the...
-
Changing Temperatures in Rivers & Streams / Learning to Fish Rivers & Streams
The only constant in life… is change. Yesterday, we took a look at some of the different water temperatures that fish prefer (with a focus...
-
Preferred Temperature Ranges of Warmwater Gamefish / Learning to Fish Rivers & Streams
Different species of fish prefer different water temperatures. The fish you have access to in your local stream or river will depend on the temperature...
-
![Cover & Current Breaks [Part 2] / Learning to Fish Rivers & Streams](https://theminimalistfisherman.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/cover-and-current-breaks-part-2.jpg)
Cover & Current Breaks [Part 2] / Learning to Fish Rivers & Streams
Now that we have gone over some of the different kinds of cover, where the most cover can be found, and areas that fish consider...
-
![Cover & Current Breaks [Part 1] / Learning to Fish Rivers & Streams](https://theminimalistfisherman.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Cover-and-Current-Breaks-Rivers-Streams-Part-1.jpg)
Cover & Current Breaks [Part 1] / Learning to Fish Rivers & Streams
Now that we have looked into current and the affect it has on the fish in a river system or stream, we should go a...
-
What is Current in a Body of Water? / Learning to Fish Rivers & Streams
Recently, we discussed what a channel within a river or stream is and where it is located. This knowledge will help you find the deepest,...
-
What is a Channel and Where is it Located? / Learning to Fish Rivers & Streams
To the angler that does most of their fishing in lakes and reservoirs, approaching streams and rivers can seem quite foreign. (I’m speaking as someone...
-
Wear Boots When You’re Bank Fishing!
I WAS ATTACKED! Upon returning from a recent fishing trip spent throwing topwater baits from shore on a windy day, I noticed there was something...
-
October Topwater Fishing w/ Z-Man Pop ShadZ
After my second trip to the pond in Illinois, I started to find myself more and more anxious to get back out. In years past,...
-
ElaZtech Damage to Other Plastics & Baits (Examples)
The Ned Rig is super popular right now – and while it is a great presentation, it’s not magic. We’ve already discussed some of the...
-
Sébile Pivot Frog vs. Strike King KVD Sexy Frog
First and foremost, I want to hit the most important point: It’s pronounced SUH-BEEL… as in Patrick SUH-BEEL… … you uncultured swine! To tell you...
-
VMC Weedless Wacky Hook + 4″ Strike King Perfect Plastic Ocho
The mighty wacky rig. It’s one of those things that looks so silly… but it works so well. You see it in the water. Looking...
-
How to IMPROVE Your Ned Rig!
The Ned Rig is one of my all time favorite baits. It’s something that you need in your tackle box, and I can tell you...
-
How to Fish a Pond
Pond fishing is one of the most accessible ways to get into – or back into – fishing. Chances are there’s a pond nearby that...
Recent Comments