Sidebars Archives - Page 3 of 68 - Mississippi Sportsman

May 30, 2026

In addition to snake boots, early season archery hunters are wise to have an insect deterrent such as a Thermacell. A GPS, either in a cell phone or standalone, is another important tool for the hunter remaining in the woods after dark.

Gear must include mosquito protection

August 15, 2018 David Hawkins

When gearing up for an early season archery hunt on a WMA — or anywhere else, for that matter — make sure to include some mosquito protection. […]

Making your own crappie jigs allows you to design lures for your exact needs.

Tailor your D-I-Y tackle to fit your needs

August 15, 2018 Phillip Gentry

Making your own fishing tackle can be a rewarding hobby, while at the same time allowing the crappie angler to tailor his baits to what the fish want or to better catch fish. […]

Garmin’s new Panoptix technology allows anglers to see where they’ve never seen before — in front of the boat.

Panoptix: Ahead of the game

August 15, 2018 Phillip Gentry

When Garmin released its much-anticipated Pantoptix sonar a couple of years ago, it garnered the attention of many anglers in all walks of the fishing world. It was touted as being the future of fishing sonar in an industry that already has side-scan, down-scan, and nearly lifelike imagery. […]

While most fishermen head to the dock at sunset, others are just starting to fish. They know that during the summer, the action heats up as the night cools down.

Tips for catching bass after dark

August 15, 2018 Michael O. Giles

Justin Giles doesn’t just fish at night for bass in the summer because it’s coolers, but because that’s when he catches some of the biggest fish of the year. Here are some of his tips that can help you find and catch more fish after dark. […]

A catfish’s olfactory system, which includes many baffles in its nostrils, allows it to detect small traces of scent in large volumes of water, which makes them vulnerable to all kinds of baits.

Choosing bait: It needs to stink

July 15, 2018 Phillip Gentry

Catfish have some of the most-sensitive senses of smell in the aquatic environment, thanks to folds in tissue inside their nostrils. […]

The Tadpole Diving Weight acts as a mini diving planer to get tiny crappie baits deeper in trolling situations.

Skarlis’ secret to finicky deep fish: Tadpole

July 15, 2018 David A. Brown

When you dial in crappie holding in deeper areas but find fish in a picky mood, trolling tiny jigs, flies or stickbaits in front of them can present a challenge. Generally, letting out more line gets a lure deeper, but the longer your spread, the less control and depth accuracy you have. […]

A section of pool noodle makes for a great way to wrap pre-tied rigs for storage.

Staying organized makes it all easier

July 15, 2018 David A. Brown

Crappie pro Dan Dannenmueller takes his rig-building seriously, and he’s seldom caught without a suitable option for a given scenario. Single rigs, doubles, lighter weights or perhaps something with a faster fall — he likes to stay prepared for whatever a lake may throw at him.

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When fishing for trout with a popping cork rig, slow down your retrieve so the lure settles back down on its leader before every pop of the cork.

Leave that reel handle alone

July 15, 2018 Brian Cope

When using popping corks in the Biloxi Marsh, allowing the current to position your lure is sometimes much easier and more effective than relying on casting accuracy alone. And just as the current carries baitfish along the edges of all the marsh islands, then crashes them into crosscurrents, eddies or slack water, it does the same with your lure and popping cork — as long as you allow it. […]