Deer Hunting
Buck Mechanics: Tips for refining your buck-hunting tactics
Ever know a car mechanic who could just give a good listen for a few scant minutes to a sour-running engine and then immediately pronounce what is wrong with it? […]
October 2012
Bass Fishing
Back to the Future: Spotted bass are the stars on Bay Springs Lake
Although he didn’t know it at the time, Roger Stegall got a glimpse into the future while he frantically tried to find a fifth fish to finish a limit during a Red Man tournament back in 1991.
After launching at Bay Springs that morning, the Iuka-based professional bass angler ran up to Pickwick Lake to catch most of his fish.
That effort left him one fish short.
He made the 35-mile run back to Bay Springs hoping he could catch just one more bass. […]
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Buck Mechanics: Tips for refining your buck-hunting tactics
Ever know a car mechanic who could just give a good listen for a few scant minutes to a sour-running engine and then immediately pronounce what is wrong with it? In a half second they could tell you how long it would take to fix it up and how much it would cost.
Then they would calmly roll over a big chest full of tools of every kind and go right to work fixing the cause of the engine’s problems. In no time flat, the contraption is purring like a kitten.
There are deer hunters like that, too. They can diagnose how to best hunt a property with a quick scan of a topographic map or an aerial photograph of the land layout. […]
Bass Fishing
Smallmouth bass a pleasant Bay Springs Lake surprise
Bay Springs Lake doesn’t harbor very many secrets when it comes to the spotted bass fishing, but Iuka bass pro and guide Roger Stegall said it might surprise some anglers to learn that they have a good chance of catching a smallmouth bass on some of the same baits they throw for spots. […]
Deer Hunting
Deer-hunting scents an important part of bow-hunting equation
Finding an edge when hunting trophy bucks is one key to success. It is different for every hunter, but some we call buck mechanics are beginning to discover the effectiveness of a well-orchestrated plan using deer scents to attract deer, as well as using scent killers to keep from scaring them away. […]
Bass Fishing
Featureless canal between Pickwick and Bay Springs lakes full of spotted bass
With Pickwick Lake on its north end and Bay Springs Lake directly to its south, the narrow canal connecting the two shouldn’t feel too badly if it flies completely under the radar. […]
Deer Hunting
Tools of the buck mechanics
Classic buck mechanics may have a lot of tricks of the trade in their treat bag, but what they also have is a substantial selection of tools to work with in shaping their hunting plans, strategies and tactics. […]
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Turn over a new Leaf: Float down this river to catch bass, catfish and bream
The Leaf River narrows so the water flows over just one end of a log jam and into a pool of deeper water. The flow is wide enough for a canoe to pass without problem, and Harold Turner guides the canoe to the shallow side of the bend where it rests in the eddy current below the log jam.
Baiting the bream hook he had affixed to a fly-line tippet, he threaded a large grasshopper onto the hook and stripped line from the reel with gentle pulls.
Two pumps, and the hopper landed 3 yards above the rapid flow. Stripping line into the canoe Harold kept slack out of the line as he could. The grasshopper entered the rapids and disappeared, the line goes taught, the rod doubled and the fight was on. […]
Freshwater Fishing
The fall transition
Lakes and reservoirs go through annual cycles. Some of the changes are obvious; others are subtle, even invisible to the angler. These changes affect the distribution and feeding behavior of your favorite game fish. […]
Hunting
ThermaCELL Holster with Clip
ThermaCELL’s blaze orange Holster with Clip is perfect for hunters wanting a convenient and highly visible holster to carry their insect repellent. […]
Freshwater Fishing
The bare necessities for float fishing the Leaf River
A kayak or canoe is just the ticket for a Leaf River float trip. Veterans of such floats have learned what they need and what to leave at home. Less and smaller are the keys to comfort and convenience.
Here are the basics: […]
As Big As they Grow
State and world records
When checking out at the Academy Sports & Outdoors store in Ridgeland recently, the cashier put a free copy of “Mississippi Outdoor Digest” magazine in my sack full of crankbaits. This magazine is produced by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks once a year. […]