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 doneI’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).
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.
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.
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.
Subscribe
Join us as we continue to work on becoming better anglers – and better men.
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!
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…)
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.
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.
Subscribe
Join us as we continue to work on becoming better anglers – and better men.
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!
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 FieldClick the banner to jump to Stars & Bars Fishing on YouTube.
Apply The 80/20 Rule to Every Base Box
Base-wha?
Base Box.
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.
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:
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!
Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.
Subscribe
Join us as we continue to work on becoming better anglers – and better men.
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!
It’s early morning here in the Midwest. A bitter chill hangs in the air. Frost has come. Snow will soon follow. The sun slowly creeps over the horizon and the blurry orange light it brings with causes eyes to squint. Refocus. Adjust. Small misty clouds become visible, as warm breath after warm breath condense on the frigid morning air…
Well… not MY breath…
John’s breath.
Who’s John?
My neighbor. Out for his morning run. Getting after it. “Wow… good for you, John…” I mumble, while looking out the window and indulging in another glorious slurp of piping-hot coffee before turning back to my desk… “Not really my thing… but… good for you…”
I have other plans this morning… it’s time to invest.
No, not in the traditional sense. We’re not dollar-cost-averaging, or looking into the latest crypto-craze. Not shopping for stocks or mutual funds – we’re investing in bass.
Big bass.
Some fellas ice fish, and that’s probably a lot of fun – but with 2 jobs, 4 sons and a lovely wife, I prefer to save up my “fishing credits” and cash them in throughout the warmer months. Winter in our house is a time of recuperation. Upkeep. Grandpa Hauser taught me long ago that instead of sitting on your hands, you better be sharpening hooks and oiling reels! Sound advice for sure, but prior to last season I learned a few powerful tips that helped me catch more fish. Bigger fish.
They’ve become recurring investments I make into my bass fishing season.
… and the best part?
They don’t cost a dime, and the returns are outstanding!
AJ Hauser with a 4 pound largemouth bass taken from a small, hidden – and yes, public – pond in Illinois discovered using these simple techniques.
Let’s jump in.
1. Pick Several New Bodies of Water to Visit Next Year
First and foremost – it’s time to select some new bodies of water to explore this coming season. Get comfortable with the DNR website in your state. If they list fishing locations, pick a few.
Where I live, the Department of Natural Resources offers I Fish Illinois, and while the site looks a bit antiquated, it’s absolutely loaded with information. On the main page you can select one of 5 regions, which quickly filters the links. From there, you can click to access data on county, acerage, ramp availability, boat restrictions, recreational opportunities and the fishing outlook for the year. You’ll also see a bit of history, the local contact information, fishing limits and yes – stocking information.
The I Fish Illinois website offers a ton of information, and it is a great place to invest some time this winter.
Last season, this tool helped me identify new water that looked good within 90 minutes (the maximum distance I was willing to travel one way for a day of fishing). When spring hit, I still fished all the old honeyholes, but also made a point to get out & explore these new locations. It was exciting, and having created a list in advance made it very easy.
My winter research led me to beautiful areas I didn’t even know existed.
2. Utilize the Eye in the Sky
The Googlebox is always watching… is that creepy? Yes. Is it useful?
Also yes.
Before heading out, explore new terrain from the comfort of home. Open Google Earth and plug in any new location you plan to visit. Look for visible cover, as well as points, pockets, islands & coves. If you’re considering winding water, you’ll be able to identify bends, jams, riffles, runs & pools. This gives you a leg up and will help you hit the ground running!
But wait, there’s more. While satellite images are great, treetops can hide all sorts of goodies down below. Switch over to Google Maps and look for little blue blobs. That’s water. Mark those. If you’re in a state park or SFWA, I strongly suggest you check if you’re able to hike and access these less-obvious bodies of water, either from the shore, or in a small kayak.
When used together, Google Earth and Google Maps can help you find hidden gems that would otherwise go unnoticed.
We’ve all experienced the increase in fishing pressure on many popular lakes that are easy-to-access. It’s great that more people are getting outdoors, but frustrating when “our lake” starts to get crowded. Investing a bit of time to find new, hidden areas can be very rewarding!
It’s likely the little body of water over yonder doesn’t see much fishing pressure…… but the fish are there.
3. Seek Out Blogs by Local Anglers
We all like to brag about our catch. Pictures and stories can be seen all over social media, but by themselves… pictures are not very helpful. Last season, I noticed several public blogs written by nearby fishermen. All I had to do to find them was add keywords like “blog” or “fishing report” or “fishing news” when searching for the name of the next new spot I planned to fish.
Then, I’d comb through the results. Some blogs were current, while others were digital artifacts from years ago – but all of them contained information. Many of the angling authors clearly used these blogs as a place to store notes for themselves – but didn’t mind sharing.
This allows us to play detective, piecing together clues and matching bits of information to the assumptions we’ve already made in our mind after viewing satellite images. Very useful.
This small backwater area was mentioned in a blog, hidden by shoreline overgrowth. After reading the post I pulled up the satellite images and sure enough – there was a “blue blob” I’d missed...… it ended up being a great place to drag the jon boat and spend the morning!
4. Look for Local Forums and Facebook Groups
As you prowl the web looking for blogs, you’ll likely come across local fishing forums, or perhaps a Facebook group or two. Join them. Contribute! These can also be rich with information.
One thing to keep in mind though: I mention them after blogs because they typically tend to be centered around larger bodies of water. Bodies of water with more fishing pressure and pleasure boaters. If you’re seeking remote areas, you may find a few breadcrumbs worth following, but I tend to use them to get a feel for the bite and current conditions – then use the tips above to find hard-to-reach areas where a kayak or jon boat can slip away from the crowds.
Larger lakes can be very productive. My jon boat can’t compete with speedy bass boats or forward facing sonar, but pre-trip scouting helps me avoid the crowds & fish alone in hidden areas.
5. Talk (and Listen) to People
The last tip is the only one that will require you to leave your cozy home: get out and talk to people! We all know boat ramp etiquette is a must. Casual conversation by the lake can be enjoyable & informative… but take it a step further. Keep your eyes & ears open at work, church, school functions, the grocery store – everywhere – and I bet you’ll pick up a few more fish.
For example, earlier this year several workers were applying new blacktop in front of our house. While driving through, I thanked them for stopping so I could pass, and one commented on the kayak hanging over the side of my truck. After a polite back and forth I offered up where I was going, and he returned the favor, sharing one of the places he liked to fish.
Mental note. Check.
Later that week I took a quick trip, and you better believe a bruiser of a bass hopped right into my kayak! (I’d be willing to bet the worker did just as well at the place I mentioned to him. Win-win.)
Thank you for the tip, Mr. Worker-Man.
Here’s one more quick example: Last season the DNR “carded me” 3 different times. Each time, we had a polite, pleasant conversation. During the last one he said:
“You know… I see you in this jon boat all the time, have you ever taken it into the canal? Lots of guys have good luck there and it’s really shallow with tons of stumps and laydowns. Seems like the perfect spot for the kind of fishing you do.”
He was right.
A few simple conversations put me on some nice fat largemouth that I had driven by hundreds of times – they’d been sitting right under my nose all along!
I ended my season fishing in an area I had never even been to before, and these fish (plus many more) came as a result of talking – and listening – to others.
So, Fellow Anglers – Invest!
There’s always something to do. Something we can improve. It might be our gear, our storage setup, or any number of tasks and upkeep, but if you long for warmer days in the Midwest don’t just sulk or sit on your hands.
Take some time to invest in future fishing returns – you’ll be glad you did!
Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.
Subscribe
Join us as we continue to work on becoming better anglers – and better men.
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!
The Post Spawn Period, I have come to learn, is surprisingly unique. Bass can have an insane case of lockjaw, and at times they simply will not bite even when you can see them peppered throughout the shallows.
This is frustrating.
Bass can also be insanely active during this time (if you catch them on the right day) striking anything that crosses their path.
This is exhilarating.
A quick online search shows that the Post Spawn Period usually gets a bad rap… however, if you look just a bit further than the top 1, 2 & 3 results on the ‘ol Googlebox, you’ll find that many anglers seem to love fishing during this time.
What gives?!
Here’s a secret about fishing: if you find a guy that loves something, you can easily find another guy that hates that same thing!
This is a great truth of the universe.
It never fails.
If Guy A swears by BAIT X, you’ll quickly find another guy that swears BAIT X NEVER WORKS!
Guy A will tell you the XYZ Period is BEST, while Guy B swears the XYZ Period makes fishing IMPOSSIBLE!
Guy A LOVES bed fishing, Guy B says it WRECKS the fishery!
Pour Coca-Cola on their gills?! Fizz ’em before release?! No bananas in the boat?!
“I… whuh??”
You get the idea… but without a doubt, right after the spawn there is typically a period where bass need to recuperate. During this time the bite can slow dramatically. However, as largemouth begin to move to their summer haunts, they’ll begin to put on the feedbag… this can lead to some ridiculously fun days on the water… like this:
Illinois Topwater Fishing: Post SpawnClick the banner to jump to Stars & Bars Fishing on YouTube.
On top of that, in larger lakes and reservoirs it is possible to find areas where the fish are actually in different phases even though they are technically living in the same lake. They could be post spawn in the northern part of the lake, while still spawning in the southern part. They could be slamming moving baits in the north, while requiring a slooooowed doooooown approach in the south.
If that’s the case, you’ll want to tie on a few good “soaking baits.”
Test this on your lake this spring, and don’t forget to target transitional areas (like the first major point outside a spawning flat) in the reverse order the fish would have used them when they moved in to spawn. OH! Keep your eyes peeled for bluegill beds too… those honeycomb patterns along the bottom can mean an easy meal… and some nearby bass lurking in the shadows…
Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.
Subscribe
Join us as we continue to work on becoming better anglers – and better men.
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!
Isn’t it amazing how much a body of water – or more importantly, the bite – can change from day to day? This can be true during any time of the year, but here in Illinois the months of April, May and June can offer up some of the best largemouth bass fishing you could hope to experience… and at the exact same time… some of the most frustrating.
Just depends on the day…
… and… about 587 other factors…
So hey, no sweat right?! Let’s get into it!
Fishing the Midwest Post Spawn Period
It is difficult to pinpoint The Post Spawn Period with exact certainty. Many anglers believe there are 4 key elements that signify the fish are still Post Spawn, and not yet exhibiting Pre-Summer behavior. In Illinois (and other states in the Midwest) The Post Spawn Period is typically when you have water between 65° and 70°. Spawning has completed, and the females are no longer shallow – they’ve shuffled off to deeper waters (think deeper shelves, the ends of main lake or secondary points, or even suspending). The males however can still be found guarding the nests along the shoreline. This is true for both largemouth and smallmouth bass…
Leave them alone. They have a job to do and their old lady just ran out on ’em!
Finally, you’ll know if you’re not yet into the Pre-Summer Period when regular behaviors and feeding activity have yet to resume. The fish are still sluggish, tight-lipped, lock-jawed, lazy… and this will drive you freakin’ crazy!
I know y’all just did the hibbidy-dibbidy a bunch but DANG IT… do you really need 2 to 4 weeks to recuperate?!
Sometimes. Not always. Other factors have come into play in recent years as well, aside from temperature. Things like the length of the day, sun & moon cycles, barometric pressure and weather patterns – these are all given more weight than in yester-years.
If you notice some of the signals I’ve listed here when you are out on the water, there is a good chance you can figure out what kind of behavior you can expect (or not expect) from the bass you’re targeting. If you’re on a lake with both largemouth and smallmouth bass, you’ll probably be able to find areas with fish in several different moods.
But remember: even when the bite is TOUGH, there are things that we can and should be doing as anglers to capitalize on our time on the water!
How to Make the Most of an Illinois “Post-Spawn Fishing Trip”
First decent fish aboard the jon boat on a tough bite kinda day!
Even though fishing Post Spawn conditions can be tough, there are still things we can to do to make the most of our limited time on the water. Here are 4 tips that will help you make the most of the day:
1. Find NEW Fish-Holding Structure & Cover
It’s always a good idea to be mindful of your surroundings. On days like the one in the video above (where the water was clear and low) I was able to see tires, pallets, standing timber and some distinct rocky ledges that I had never noticed before.
Adding waypoints during a tough day is an investment in future fishing trips for when the water – and the bite – return to normal. If you do this, you’ll be able to quickly remember and cast to these fish-holding spots that other anglers are unaware of.
2. Work on Your TECHNIQUE
Every cast is a chance to improve your accuracy. Every retrieve is an opportunity to improve your “feel” (your ability to feel what is above and below the water). Every breeze gives you an opportunity to work on your positioning & boat control. Every tap is a chance to perfect your hookset. Every battle is a joy, and a rep that builds your ability to play & net fish.
Every trip – good or bad – should be seen as an opportunity to build your skills.
During the one above, I started with a Megabass Pop-X. It’s one of my new favorites.
While using both presentations, I was deliberate in my actions, and I told myself that even if I didn’t catch anything, I was going to improve as an angler. (I also made a point to test a Z-Man EZ Tube on a Pro Bullet, which did result in one aggressive smallmouth bass.)
Not a giant – but on a tough post spawn day – I’ll take it!
Don’t lose sight of this and sleepwalk through the day. Stay present and do your reps.
3. Try LIVE BAIT
Live bait is always an option. It’s also something that I tend to forget when I am bass fishing in Illinois. When we’re targeting smallmouth bass up in Wisconsin, it’s a different story. Live bait like leeches and crawlers are automatic.
If you have live bait available… grab some and use it!
(I wish I had some with me during the trip above… next year I’ll try to think ahead a bit better…)
You’re Welcome in our Camp
Add your email below and we’ll keep you up to date on new articles, videos & events. Join us as we continue to work on becoming better anglers – and better men.
4. Be GRATEFUL & Think Some Good THOUGHTS
Dude. You’re out in nature. Breathing the fresh air. Soaking up the sun. Sweating from your hard work. You’re doing something that others wish they were doing right now, but for one reason or another – they cant.
Never fall into feeling sorry for yourself.
That is WEAK.
Weak men are WORTHLESS.
It’s easy to slip into a pity-party when the bite is nonexistent. I’m guilty, too. But remember: weak men aren’t able to lead a family. Learn to make the most of the tough days on the water, because at some point you’ll have someone with you that needs to see what it means to push through adversity. To get kicked in the teeth and keep going. To take some “bad luck” and turn it around.
These lessons don’t just apply to fishing – they apply to life.
The young men in your life – and in my life – deserve a good example.
Don’t quit. When the going gets tough, there’s only one thing to do:
Keep casting.
One more Post Spawn Illinois largemouth on the 4″ Ocho.
Eventually, your luck will turn around – just like it did here:
2023 had some ups and downs for all of us, but overall, it was a great year. This project, The Minimalist Fisherman, continues to grow, and some new opportunities have surfaced in the last few months. If you’ve ever subscribed, shared a post, emailed me, or donated – thank you!
I appreciate the support, and we all want to wish you a prosperous 2024. God bless.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from The Hausers!
Subscribe
Join us as we continue to work on becoming better anglers – and better men.
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!
Periodically readers will contact me to share tips, tricks, strategies – even send me physical gear and lures for use & review. This is really cool, because when someone takes the time (and pays for shipping) to share something they like – I take it very seriously. Brother Ron D and I have had many discussions regarding everything from family to technique – and I’ve posted a few because I feel they are beneficial for you as well. For example:
Like Brother Ron R. says: “It’s not an EXPENSE it’s an INVESTMENT!”
Let’s look into a few other emails that I saved from Ron D where he shares some of his clever bass fishing bait modifications… this is all good stuff. Check it out:
AJ – as usual, your reply is intelligent and thought out. The Pop ShadZ and Hard Leg FrogZ are indeed great recommendations. However, I’m purely ultralight, so throwing around 4″ – 5″ baits is not part of my fishing ethos.
As mentioned, the FrogZ for not being a popper “pops” nicely when jerked correctly and makes splashes. However, if you need more splash, find a used plastic container (juice, pop bottle, take out container lid, etc), cut out a dime sized circle, heat a nail and punch a hole through. Voila! Any Z-man floating bait (even worms) is now a popper! Feeling particularly artsy-fartsy and creative? Take the plastic and try different shapes. Or heat it gently and press it into a rounded surface (I prefer the rounded head of a ball peen hammer) to make it more cupped. Maybe you and the kids can do this for arts and crafts day!! Feel free to try this and report back.
Ron D. Homemade Popper Modification. Clever.
As far as the Chatterbait goes… ya…it’s not a lie that thing likes pond muck. But it’s fine for going through weeds. Many people get the bulk of their hits after pulling it to unhook in the weeds…that change of pace/sound is what gets them apparently.
I think it’s “better” in dirty ponds/channels where muddy or stained water is present. The fish can’t see as well, so the added chatter is like having a swim jig deluxe model! LOL… but as you point out, the blades can be muck magnets if those conditions occur. To alleviate this, I’m using the smallest Chatterbait Micro, 1/8th ounce. I have it topped with a cut down Hula StickZ in “The Deal” color. As you can see in the photo, the blade is scarcely larger than my thumbnail.
The crappie sure did like it and the bass too! But as with any tool in the box, you need to use it correctly and appropriately.
A Better Fishing Scale?
Here is what I use… it’s a digital luggage scale. It’s accurate. It’s compact. It’s inexpensive. Maybe $10 plus $2 for a spring clamp?
I know that second tip was kind of random – but dang it – it’s clever! I just ordered a Digital Luggage Scale to use for weighing fish, and when it arrives I’ll test it on some different weights in the basement to see how accurate it really is.
As always, if you have every contacted me in any way – thank you. If you’ve ever shared gear or donated, thank you. My goal when I started this website was to meet some new friends that I could learn from, and discuss fishing with. Nobody has a lock on knowledge last I checked, and in every situation we can learn something.
Hopefully I’m able to share more as people contact me, and the rising tide will raise all ships.
Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.
Subscribe
Join us as we continue to work on becoming better anglers – and better men.
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!
Have you ever stopped to think about the baits you would pack to fish from the bank if you had to limit yourself to just your top 3? We could talk to 10 different anglers… and we’d probably get 10 different combinations!
I mean 10 x 3 = 30… so this could get nuts…
That said, allow me to share My Top 3 Midwest Bank Fishing Baits… and explain why they made the cut.
Illinois has a lot of warm water areas where I tend to run into my good friend: Mr. Muck.
Mr. Muck is a pain. He stinks. He’s slimy. Everything he touches gets dirty. He makes it hard to fish baits with any sort of exposed hook.
Trebles?
Out of the question.
But my other friend, Mr. Largemouth… he freakin’ loves Mr. Muck.
Follows him around like a lost puppy, actually. Spends a lot of time with him. They’re two peas in a disgusting mucky pod.
Mr. Muck is visible. Mr. Largemouth is not… but I assure you, he’s nearby…
Knowing this, selecting a topwater presentation for fishing over and around the muck is a no-brainer. Obviously a lot of anglers would reach for a frog. This is not a bad choice by any means – but it can be somewhat limiting. Frogs are great for pads, muck, and heavy overhead cover – some can be walked in open water – but that can be tricky.
Personally, in these situations I like to fish a Z-Man Goat weightless on a standard KVD Mustad Grip-Pin EWG hook (not the 2X fine wire version). The 4/0 size usually get the nod. They penetrate the bait (and the fish) easily on the hookset, and they’re light – making it easy for the Goat to float. (Cool rhyme bro.)
The Z-Man Goat in green pumpkin is always a solid choice…… and “Hot Snakes” is a combination I like for water with really low visibility.
The versatility of this plastic is really what allows it to outperform the frog:
It can be skipped under overhangs, it can be worked over pads and muck like a frog, or you can cast & retrieve like a buzzbait.
When I’m working from the bank I’ll make a long cast and buzz it back to the outside edge of the muck, then start to work it like a frog, continuing to bring it all the way up to shore. If I come across bushes and laydowns, I won’t hesitate to skip it right into the thick of it. Hookups are rock solid with the single EWG, and even though I’m not using a heavy hook – I have yet to bend out a Mustad Grip-Pin to the point of losing a fish. However, when I notice they’re starting to bend, I swap them out immediately.
Overall, it’s a super versatile bait, and currently my first choice for topwater from the bank.
Big Illinois largemouth bass from the bank.
Bonus Tip: The Goat is even more effective for kayak fisherman. You can often position yourself better and skip in closer to shore under the best-looking cover without the bass feeling your footsteps and gettin’ spooked. Fire it shallow. If it doesn’t get mauled immediately, work the bait back with twitches or a straight buzzing retrieve.
Now that we’ve covered the top of the water column, it’s time to move to mid-depth. When you’re fishing from the bank, mid-depth might mean 2 feet deep, or 8 feet deep – it all depends where you’re fishing. Whatever “below the surface” is, that’s what we’re talkin’ about.
As much as I love to throw crankbaits and jerkbaits – neither is really an option when Mr. Muck is around. Jerkbaits in particular are a visual presentation, so they require a certain amount of water clarity to work at their best. But even if you’re fishing an area with muck and clear water (which is not uncommon) the trebles make these baits too sticky.
We need to select a lure that can be fished in both clear and dirty water. It needs to give off thump to help Mr. Largemouth find it – and it needs to be weedless enough that it can be worked around the thick stuff: muck, weeds, laydowns and otherwise.
That’s why my second must-have bait for Midwest bank fishin is a weedless swim jig.
I love casting a swim jig out and working it through the semi-clear paths in and around muck. Swim jigs are also great for running along laydowns and underwater tree trunks. The skirt adds bulk, too, which is nice when you want to get the attention of Mrs. Largemouth.
(She’s a pig. I mean, please don’t tell her I said this, but she’s WAY fatter than Mr. Largemouth.)
Pair your favorite swim jig with a Strike King Swim-N-Shiner, and don’t be afraid to work this presentation in both clear and dirty water!
A nice fat bass on a swim jig early in the season (sparse cover).
Finally, let’s talk about #3…
You’re Welcome in our Camp
Add your email below and we’ll keep you up to date on new articles, videos & events. Join us as we continue to work on becoming better anglers – and better men.
Since we’ve hit topwater and mid-depth, it’s time to go deep… but wait… why select a bait that can ONLY be fished deep, when you can go with something that can work the entire water column?
When it comes to bass fishing from the bank, this is ‘ol faithful. She’ll never let you down, and if I had to select just ONE of these 3 baits for bank fishing the Midwest – this would be it!
Stickbaits resemble an easy meal and can be rigged every way you can think of…
You can throw a stickbait on an EWG (weightless) and twitch it over the top of the pads or muck. You can put ’em on a Texas Rig or a shaky head and fish deep. Cut one in half and make a Ned Rig (finesse jig worm), or put together a Carolina Rig and bomb it far from shore. A weightless stickbait with a weedless wacky hook works all over the country and can be thrown into heavy cover – or, if it’s clear water and the fish are spooky, go with a light wire wacky hook and hide your weight by creating a Neko Rig.
One of my favorite weedless hooks for grass & sparse cover.
The combinations are endless.
Is the stickbait the best bait in every situation?
No.
Is it a must-have item at all times for largemouth bass fishing?
In certain situations the Topwater Goat or the Mid-Depth Swim Jig will catch more fish – bigger fish – but the stickbait is a great option for both novice and pro anglers alike. You really never know what you’re going to catch…
Big fat Illinois largemouth bass on a stickbait below the reeds – right next to shore!
4. One More Important Bank Fishing Tip
Whenever you are making casts from the bank, be very aware of your surroundings! That’s good advice for casting in general, but this is especially the case when you are surrounded by trees, tall grass, bushes, other people, stray cats… anything you could get your bait snagged on.
Banks like this are snag city…
I mentioned avoiding treble hooks above. This is because my top 3 bank fishing baits need to be ultra-versatile. You can fish a weedless EWG hook anywhere, but that is not true for treble hooks. By fishing with “hidden hooks,” or weedless hooks, or even single hooks (if they must be exposed) you’ll have a better chance of avoiding snags behind or around you. If a treble even touches a leaf or a root or a reed when you draw back that pole right before launching your cast – you’re looking at a backlash.
Couldn’t you avoid backlashes altogether by fishing exclusively with spinning gear from the bank?
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!
Please note: my wife did not secretly write this article… truthfully, she doesn’t really say anything about my fishing expenditures… because she benefits from them as well (see The Ultimate Minocqua Fishing Guide for proof).
She also knows that I love here – but I wouldn’t listen. She knew who I was before she married me. I knew who she was as well.
As it should be.
That said… we are still a team, and it would be irresponsible for me to just spend money willy-nilly. However, I did do something kinda goofy over the weekend… after making small monthly investments for well over a year now… I was finally able to… put a $1,600 trolling motor on a $200 fishing boat.
And no… it’s not paid in full… I’m still financing the balance over the next 12 months… so hopefully it doesn’t break before then! 😀
(Allow me to take a moment to say a big THANK YOU too all readers that make monthly contributions to The Minimalist Fisherman. You help to fuel this endeavor, and are so appreciated!)
The reason for the upgrade? Well… the Powerdrive has a feature that allows you to record a path as you travel it, then later, run that same path automatically. Hands free. Forward and backwards. As someone who fishes little lakes by himself with very limited time (*cough* 4 kids 2 jobs 1 happy wife *cough*) this will help me cover more water with my active presentations. I will be able to create paths based on the best looking structure I find while mapping the bottom with my Garmin Striker Vivid 9sv – another crucially important tool that helps me review the bottom after I get back from a trip, and learn more about a body of water, faster.
These tools cost a fair amount of money.
So how much is TOO MUCH when it comes to buying fishing equipment?
I’m reminded about a conversation I was having with Brother Ron D. As you may recall, Brother Ron D had some valuable insight on Fishing With Light Line that we discussed in an earlier post.
That was a great discussion – and we recently had another regarding the immense explosion in popularity, but substantial cost of Japanese plastic fishing baits. Specifically, Spinnuts, DoLive Beavers, Yamatanukis and the now infamous Cover Scat.
That conversation ties in perfectly with the discussion about my $1,600 trolling motor for the $200 jon boat… it’s all related… and it went a little something like this…
From Brother Ron D –
AJ, I am having a difficult time processing what has happened over the last few days. It has, somewhat, been a revelation. It has changed my perception of what a bait is…and how fish see them. I’m still trying to come to terms with this. Let me explain.
There was a bait I refused to buy. For a couple years now. I thought it was STUPID, expensive, not durable and also… STUPID. But a couple of things happened.
First, I discovered the Hayabusa Spin Muscle Hook I sent you. Truly exceptional in all regards. So that led me down the road of looking at some JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) baits, particularly those designed with the Free Rig or Jika in mind….a couple of my rigging mainstays.
I found a bait for this purpose. And the design is quite exceptional which leads to unique and outstanding action. This bait is called the OSP Dolive Beaver. It’s a craw style bait but the claws were created with the same science behind the movement of a dolphins tail. What it does is amazing. On the drop with the free rig, the claws flap in an incredible manner. But once the weight hits the bottom, the bait “stalls”, goes horizontal and floats down like a Senko. See this link:
DoLive Beaver in Action
As expected, this catches fish on the Free Rig!! First cast. Then second. You get the idea. I LOVE this bait. I HATE the cost and I HATE the durability. This seems to be the case for all JDM baits.
Which leads me to my current bait.
Given the success of the Beaver, I thought I’d try the STUPID bait I’d been avoiding. What bait, you ask? The Cover Scat… a.k.a. The Poop Bait. So I dutifully ordered a few colors of this obscenely expensive bait ($16 for 8 here). I got the smallest version, 2.5″ and rigged with a 2/0 hook.
As you know, both you and I have had a grinding year. Yes, the fish are here. But it’s a grind. My best outing this year (from shore at my test area) is 8. GRIND. So I throw this ridiculous, stupid, expensive, bait. A fish smashes it. And again. And again and again. Sometimes even before it hits bottom. And after only 2 hours, 15 fish. All decent. As expected, these are fragile. I went through 3-4 of these baits. On the flip side, the attention to detail is superb and the hook point guard on the top is genius! Texas rigged, the drop in the water is a shimmy (of sorts) like a wacky. But truly weedless. It casts a mile (heavier than 1/4oz with hook) and is dead simple to fish. Cast, allow bait to sink to bottom, twitch, twitch (or pop, pop) allow to sink again. Repeat. And it flat out catches fish!! On the twitch or pop, the bait spirals around erratically. It’s unique.
Personally, I see no reason to use a Senko or Wacky again, really. Sure they work. But better than this Poop?
Not for me.
And herein lies the issues in my brain. What is a fishing lure? What do fish see? Looking at this with our eyes it looks like S***! But to the fish, it was irresistible! They are fragile… sometimes as little as 2 fish had the bait tore up. And at roughly $2 per bait, that is no joke! This is why I love Z-Man man stuff… they last forever. But do you trade budget for fish catching? And do you start fishing more odd JDM baits that you’d normally ignore because they look stupid?
This is what’s banging around my head today. I think I may be at some crossroads or something… any insight?
-Ron D.
AJ’s Response –
Hey Brother Ron D… see, these are the emails I really enjoy. It’s a conundrum.
I checked out the DoLive – I had to watch that video on a loop for like 10 minutes straight. No joke. That thing looks bonkers in the water. The variation in that video makes me wonder what other baits behave like underwater on that Free Rig you mentioned. Just the variation in drop speed once that sinker hits the bottom could be a trigger. It probably is. You probably know this.
(I have yet to try a Free Rig, but fun fact, I’m taking your Spin Muscle Hooks + The Dredge out again tomorrow for round 3! Also fishing a light jig on 4lb test again – confidence going up in both.)
So we have that. And a doo-doo. You are throwing the doo-doo.
I have seen that thing but I’ll be honest I wrote it off. I suppose I might pay some money for some plastic doo-doo. Can’t believe I just said that… but yes, it has been a grind and fish be fish. Lol.
So the cost. I hear you. I went through a similar, less expensive situation this year – here was where I landed…
For a long time, I fished stickbaits wacky-style. Nothing revolutionary. Caught fish. Gained confidence – and then I started fishing these pits. They’re so clear. Massive visibility and spooky fish. A far cry from the mucky sludge I relearned to fish for largemouth bass in around here. The sludge where you can use straight braid and oversized hooks. Polar opposite. So I down-sized. Ok. Logical. Spinning gear, straight fluoro… I needed to be even sneakier. So, I downsized my hooks. A lot. Started using light wire wacky hooks. Small ones. No weed guard at all, because that just adds something extra. Unnatural. It started to work, but then I noticed I was losing a lot of fish. Way more than I was used to on wacky rigs, even the ones with thick weed guards. The little tiny wacky hooks weren’t getting a good bite on the fish, and they were popping free all the time. Hmmm… so I started to use o-rings. Always avoided them in the past – again, it’s just something extra on the bait. But I tried them – and not because I wanted to save plastics (their main selling point) but because I wanted the maximum amount of my tiny hook exposed. A little o-ring takes up much less space on the hook than a chunk of the plastic itself. But here was the issue – the hook in the single o-ring sat parallel to the stickbait. If you think about it, pulling that stickbait from the center would make a backwards “C” shape as the bait was yanked inside the mouth of the fish – straight up and down behind the tiny hook I was trying to bury. That is a surprising amount of plastic above and below the hook point itself.
“It’s fine, I’ll just keep using 1 o-ring for now – it’s just not worth it. They ain’t cheap.“
Next trip (this last spring) I set into something solid. BIG. I was in the kayak. I couldn’t see her, she was out from shore a bit – straight down, maybe 12 or 15 feet. Subtle strike, then when I set she doubled my spinning rod over. The drag screamed! It was a BIG fish.
*doink*
My stupid little hook popped right out of her mouth. I wasn’t horsing her. Wasn’t yanking all crazy – just lost her.
So why am I telling you this?
Because my hang up was what – a 10 or 20 cent piece of plastic? MAX? But in my mind, I was trying not to “waste anything,” and it cost me a big girl.
So my point is this – these days – if something works, I use it until it doesn’t. I don’t spend frivolously, but I do spend for quality. Case & point – I trust Invizx fluoro, especially in the smaller diameters. Tried it on a whim one time and noticed it snapped way less than Berkley Vanish or whatever else I was using back then. I just paid $28 for 200 yards of 6 lb test to spool up a new reel for a rod I’m building. That is a lot… but… I’ll feel better using it. How many times have we been on the water and said “I’d pay $100 for a goshdang bite right about now!!”
So… buy the poo. Embrace the poo. Throw the poo. Like a monkey.
Every time we go out we’re competing against nature, other anglers, our limited time – so if these baits can tip the scales in your favor and help you hit double digits – go for it man.
… and yes… I now use 2 o-rings per stickbait, overlapped, rig my tiny hook perpendicular instead of parallel to the plastic – and my hookup percentage has massively improved.
Too bad I lost that big girl but… I guess at least I saved $0.10…
-_-
Have a great night & keep me posted!
So… what do you think?
How much is “too much” money? The Poo is not cheap, but it helps Ron catch more fish. My Trolling Motor is not cheap, but it will allow me to make more casts when I am fishing by myself – and I guarantee that will translate to more fish in the boat.
So I guess as far as the cost “being worth it” goes… it’s all relative to the situation… right?
Hmmm… let me know what you think.
Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.
Subscribe
Join us as we continue to work on becoming better anglers – and better men.
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!
The Damiki Air Frog. Ever fish one of these? It’s a chunky little bait that floats really well… but it does require a very large hook to fish it properly.
In the great purge of 2019 (AKA my first attempt to minimize all of my fishing gear and spend more time fishing and less time collecting) I came across a Damiki Air Frog. I don’t remember why I bought it, but I knew that it seemed unique enough to try before I placed it into the ‘ol round file.
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!
Got out to do some quarantine bass fishing – and it wasn’t easy… when I arrived at the regular lake I noticed a large NO FISHING sign, and honestly… I couldn’t believe it.
But cooler heads prevailed and with a bit of exploring I found a few other spots to fish… and it was definitely worth it!
Have you been able to get out during Covid? Let me know!
Bass Fishing During CovidClick the banner to jump to The Minimalist Fisherman on YouTube.
Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.
Subscribe
Join us as we continue to work on becoming better anglers – and better men.
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!
Welcome back! As many of you know, between The Minimalist Fisherman articles and our YouTube channels, we like to work on projects, or discuss how we’ve developed as anglers, and sometimes we just like to go fishin’! This was a video from one of those days.
I don’t catch bass on topwater in the afternoon often – but on this trip the wind whipped up the forage and added a lot of chop to my little pond. As a result, I was able to land a few quality bass using that modified Pop Shad we talked about before – check it out!
Afternoon Topwater Bass FishingClick the banner to jump to The Minimalist Fisherman on YouTube.
Tight Lines & Godspeed, Patriots.
Subscribe
Join us as we continue to work on becoming better anglers – and better men.
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!
