Field Notes Archives - Page 40 of 47

April 30, 2026

Hooking more fish is often a matter of tying the right knot, in this case the snell.

Snelled hooks result in more hookups

August 16, 2015 Patrick Bonin

Capt. Tommy Pellegrin firmly believes snelling circle hooks offshore has a direct correlation to the number of fish coming over his gunnels. […]

Quickly turning limits of trout into fillets is just a matter of understanding the best way to clean them.

7 steps to clean trout

July 22, 2015 Andy Crawford

Nobody likes cleaning the day’s catch. But you’ll burn through these 7 steps to clean speckled trout and get these fish ready for the freezer or dinner. […]

Cheap plastic containers filled with water and placed in your freezer provides free block ice.

How to avoid buying ice

July 21, 2015 Andy Crawford

Crappie killer Tim Bye has a solution that allows him to save the cost of loose ice without having to deal with those danged plastic jugs. […]

All topwater lures are not created equal; learn when to use big ones, small ones, heavy ones, light ones and ones that wobble wide or not.

Know how to pick the right topwater

July 20, 2015 Jerry Dilsaver

Using topwater lures to catch fish is a favorite technique of many fishermen. The lure wobbles across the surface, imitating a thrashing, wounded baitfish. […]

How to maximize Carolina-rigging

July 19, 2015 Andy Crawford

When bass are deep, there’s no better way to coax them into biting than dragging a big chunk of plastic on a Carolina rig past their noses. […]

Louisiana’s Tim Bye added a length of rubber tubing to protect his trolling motor pull rope.

Never break your pull rope again

July 18, 2015 Andy Crawford

Want to ensure the pull rope on his trolling motor lasts as long as possible? Here’s a way to do that using a piece of flexible rubber tubing. […]

Now is the time to start practicing for bow season.

Time to tune up for bow season

July 17, 2015 Dan Kibler

With archery season a couple of calendar pages away, there’s no better time to get your bow out and begin to get ready and practice. […]

Top 5 nighttime bass-fishing tactics

July 16, 2015 Dan Kibler

The weather is just too hot in July and August. That’s why we asked Bass pro Davy Hite his tips for night-time bass fishing. […]

Slinky weights, built with large split-shot or buckshot pellets stuffed into paracord and sealed inside, are much less likely to hang up when dragged across the bottom for catfish.

Trolling for catfish: Slinky weight is key

July 15, 2015 Phillip Gentry

From late June through November catfish move around a lot due to a number of factors and one of the best ways to target mobile cats is to drift or troll. […]

Food plots don’t have to cover acres to be effective, if they’re well-located and produce a good crop.

Get major results from micro plots

July 15, 2015 John J. Woods

Micro or mini wildlife food plots work well on hunting properties that are not really large enough to justify full-scale farming practices. […]

Dump kahle hook, guide urges

July 15, 2015 Patrick Bonin

Why Capt. Jakamo Laboureur, a longtime user of a No. 1 kahle hook, switched to the No. 2 live bait hook to catch speckled trout out of Shell Beach. […]

Keeping that favorite knife in good condition includes coating it with a light sheen of oil after cleaning.

What to look for in a new knife

July 10, 2015 Patrick Bonin

Choosing a new knife is like walking down the bass lure aisle — there are so many shapes, colors, sizes and options that it can be tough to make a decision. […]