Freshwater Fishing Archives - Page 41 of 86

April 26, 2026

While most bream anglers use live bait, there is the artificial alternative: Small lures come in a variety of sizes and styles. Light tackle for bream is a great way to teach new anglers the fun of using a rod and reel.

Best baits and tackle

July 15, 2015 David Hawkins

There is no shame in using a cane pole with live bait, a combination that has fed many a hungry stomach.

But a Mississippi-based company, B&M Poles of West Point, offers a vast array of poles made of fiberglass and space-age materials. Crappie poles also work well for bream and collapse for easy storage and travel. […]

Don’t overlook Eagle Lake, where this 2-pound bluegill was taken from underneath a boat house. A few of these would make a big meal.

Flat is where it’s at

July 15, 2015 David Hawkins

Bream are renowned for bedding on a full moon. A male will make the nest, a shallow depression in the sand or silt on the bottom of the lake. A new moon causes a similar but lesser bedding period. […]

Chotard Lake, an oxbow off the Mississippi River, is famous for producing hand- and ice chest filling catches of bluegill.

Hanging out

July 15, 2015 David Hawkins

Even when bream are not bedding, they congregate in schools near brush or other structure that offers cover from predators. At Lake Chotard, the many trees and tops are great places to begin the search. […]

Catfish have an amazingly developed sense of smell, so stink baits definitely work. But how much should you use?

Do stink baits really catch more catfish?

July 6, 2015 Hal Schramm

For many catfish anglers, at least those pursuing channels and blues, success follows those in the right place at the right time with the right smell. […]

Leftovers from fishing rodeos and long ago stockings, don’t pass up an opportunity to catch channel catfish at Mary Crawford, where the average cat is between 4 and 8 pounds.

Summertime magic — Fishing tips for Lake Mary Crawford’s panfish, bass and cats

July 1, 2015 Phillip Gentry

As summer peaks and outdoor enthusiasts look for locations to get away from the crowds and enjoy great fishing and camping opportunities, it would be hard to pick a better destination to celebrate the Fourth of July than Lake Mary Crawford.

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The slow, meticulous presentation of spider rigging allows anglers to tempt fish hiding in and around cover, like boat docks with surrounding brush.

Slow and steady — Keys to spider-rigging for crappie

July 1, 2015 David A. Brown

Lethargic in the heat of summer, fish need time to choose a meal. Spider-rigging is the perfect answer to put more crappie in the boat. […]

Chotard Lake, an oxbow off the Mississippi River, is famous for producing hand- and ice chest filling catches of bluegill. Alex Stuart uses worms and crickets to get a mess for dinner.

Bluegill fishing on Lake Chotard and Eagle Lake

July 1, 2015 David Hawkins

Those of us dragging 65 or more years behind us remember when fishing at Lake Chotard meant double-checking river gages, crossing the Little Sunflower River and Steele Bayou on a barge ferry powered by a Ford Model A engine, and dodging potholes along a muddy road to reach Laney’s Fish Camp.

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