Freshwater Fishing Archives - Page 43 of 86

July 22, 2026

Focus on travel routes for postspawn crappie

May 24, 2015 Dan Kibler

Catching crappie after the spawn is a matter of following them along their travel routes to deep water. Here are some tips. […]

The Alabama jumper or simply “jumping worm,” as Johnson calls it, is a medium-sized worm found in well-drained Louisiana and Mississippi soils. It is very active and will quickly flounce or crawl out of a human hand.

A primer on worms

May 15, 2015 Jerald Horst

To an artificial lure-only snob, an earthworm is an earthworm. Not to knowledgeable freshwater live-bait anglers, though.

To them, earthworms come in three flavors. […]

Many of the MDWFP’s state lakes are home to fishing rodeos, where volunteers help children or the physically challenged catch catfish stocked by the agency.

Two mid-state lakes hold promise for the angler wishing for a catfish supper. Shadow Lake at Roosevelt State Park, while not technically a state lake, is managed in a very similar fashion. Park manager Andre Hollis said the better fishing was along the dam. […]

If you want to load up on a big stringer of bream, May is prime time.

May means bream

May 15, 2015 Bobby Cleveland

May is a big month for bream fishing, with a peak of bedding activity for the popular bluegill. The state’s thousands of stock ponds and lakes, its river oxbows, public lakes and even its streams are all great places to toss crickets under bobbers and catch a mess of fish. […]

Cut shrimp is a good bait for catfish letting the bait drop near the bottom.

Make your own ‘natural’ bait

May 15, 2015 John J. Woods

Most catfish, buffalo and carp fishermen have used packaged dough balls bought from local bait shops, but, after spending a lot of money, they’ve learned to make these fish tasty treats on their own. Here is a simple recipe to cook your own homemade dough ball baits. […]

Chinquapins, properly called “redear sunfish” for obvious reasons, are always a prized catch for bream fishermen. They spawn much earlier than bluegills and only for a short 3-week period.

Top bream-fishing tackle

May 15, 2015 Jerald Horst

Charles Johnson grew up as a country boy fishing bream. He cut his own cane poles from creek cane (bamboo that had escaped from cultivation).

For bait, he dug earthworms or caught black crickets. […]

Live minnows are the bait of choice for many crappie fishermen, but keeping them fresh, cool and alive is important. Keep them in an insulated, well-aerated bucket or other container.

Be sure minnows are alive and kicking

May 15, 2015 John J. Woods

While minnows are not that expensive in the overall cost of fishing trips, the last thing an angler needs is to arrive at his favorite crappie hole and find half if not all of his “shiners” in his bucket have died. […]

The wires and water supply line for the ice maker are run through the lid of the freezer to avoid the copper coils on the freezer’s sides.

How to build a redneck ice machine

May 15, 2015 Jerald Horst

When Charles Johnson said, “Let’s go fishing,” his first stop was in his barn to get ice.

He sauntered up to a small home chest freezer with a couple of wires and a hose sticking out of the top and voila — I beheld what he dubbed his “redneck ice machine.” […]