Field Notes Archives - Page 43 of 47

April 30, 2026

February is best month to load up on crappie

February 19, 2015 Dan Kibler

Ed Duke, who has operated crappie tournaments for years, said February fishing for crappie can be as good as March fishing for bass. […]

A jig with a soft-plastic trailer is a great winter bass bait with dragged along a rocky bottom or fished around riprap.

Top 5 winter bass-fishing lures

February 18, 2015 Dusty Wilson

According to Dave Wolak, a retired bass pro who qualified for five Bassmaster Classics, here are five basic baits for most of your winter fishing. […]

Best bets for February bass

February 17, 2015 Andy Crawford

February is a schizophrenic month. Cliff “Cajun Baby” Crochet has learned a few tips that helps him keep fish coming across his gunnel. […]

Nail down fishing activity with feeding tables

February 16, 2015 Andy Crawford

Have you ever been on the water, trying to figure out why the heck the fish just aren’t cooperating — and then all of a sudden things just go crazy and you can’t keep your lure from being swallowed? […]

Fishing live shiners for bass

February 15, 2015 Phillip Gentry

The key to fishing live shiners for trophy-sized largemouth bass is proper presentation of the bait so that it stays lively. […]

Make your own rod sleeves

January 21, 2015 Andy Crawford

Forget tangled rods in your rod box: Use some inexpensive expandable wire sleeves and electric shrink wrap to make your own rod sleeves. […]

Baskets save time when bite is on

January 19, 2015 Patrick Bonin

Time is of the essence when a school of speckled trout is turned on, and one fishing guide has an easy way to maximize every possible cast and keep more fish coming over the gunnels. […]

Adding a treble or feathered hook to a jigging spoon — or changing the size of the lure — can make all the difference when fishing winter bass.

Spoons get bass biting in the cold

January 17, 2015 Dan Kibler

With cold water dictating a lot of what bass fishermen do in January, there’s one lure that can be counted on for plenty of bites: a jigging spoon. […]

Every brush pile is not the same

January 16, 2015 Tony Garitta

Just because you found a brush pile off a pier doesn’t mean you’ll catch crappie. Instead, target the brush along main fish travel routes. […]

Get all knotted up — with the slim beauty knot

January 15, 2015 From News Reports

The slim beauty is particularly well suited for joining together two different diameter lines made of different materials. […]

How deep are you fishing? How big is the bait you’re fishing? These are all considerations when choosing how big or small a jighead to use.

How to choose the best jighead

December 24, 2014 Patrick Bonin

Choosing the right jighead to match water depth and current can be much more important than the color, size or shape of the artificial lure you’re fishing. […]

Use fluorocarbon leader, loop knot to catch more specks

December 22, 2014 Patrick Bonin

If you want to catch more speckled trout, then use a fluorocarbon leader and loop knot on every bait you use. […]