Making sense of piscatorial senses: sight, sound, smell, and taste
Catching ice walleyes, pike, and panfish demands even more attention to sensory stimuli than you expend during the open-water fishing period
Fishing
Pulling fish through ice much more fun if you can keep warm
Before drilling holes in the solid ice, anglers should take care of some basic steps to make sure the ice fishing experience is enjoyable
Ice fishing tip: Catch more walleyes by ringing the dinner bell with call baits
Make contact with more hard-water walleyes via large, noisy baits to attract them.
Fish under ice, angler on top of ice
Much of Illinois is experiencing its first “real” winter in years, which means ice anglers are warming up to the idea of drilling holes and trying to pull panfish, walleyes and pike through the ice. It’s also a dangerous time for the inexperienced anglers.
A dawn-to-dusk angling recipe for multi-species hardwater action
Every day on the lake will be different, but following a simple strategy can boost your ice fishing odds for success.
Ice fishing safety should always be front and center
Simple tips to avoid a cold dunking and to enjoy the hard water
Winter ice fishing Q&A: walleyes, glow, jigging spoons, and minnow heads
The ice formula guru, “Tackle” Terry Tuma answers the toughest angling questions from rank-and-file outdoorsmen for this winter’s hottest sport on hard water.
Ice fishing tips: important safety equipment for first ice ventures
Safety! Safety! Safety! Ensure that you’ll enjoy the great outdoors for years to come by taking proper hard-water precautions with this essential gear.
Now is the time to winterize your fishing reels
When winterizing your fishing reels be sure to loosen the drag to preserve the washers.
Massive slab crappies via jig, trolling, or bobber: a rite of fall
Take advantage of the warm autumn and potentially late ice-up by pursuing hungry black and white crappies
Angler returns to the good ‘ol days of snap swivels
A versatile tool many fishermen grew up using because of the ease and convenience, the snap swivel, as it turns out, can be a handy fishing tool
Walleye anglers unite for prime spinner rig time
Learn to run spinner rigs and you’ll catch more fishing throughout the open-water angling season.
Fishing tip: catch more fish by eliminating unproductive water
Use your electronics to identify fruitless water and then locate active fish.
Essential gear for a day of multi-species fishing via kayak
Anglers everywhere are fishing from new-fangled kayaks. A few simple equipment choices can determine whether you bring fillets home.
Change it up to catch more fish!
From bass to pike to walleyes to panfish, altering your methods from day to day, even minute to minute delivers better angling results.
Boost your casting distance to boost your angling success this summer
During the open water angling season, you can achieve longer casts with these tips from “Tackle” Terry Tuma.
Fishing tip: Maintain your ice fishing equipment during the open water season!
Preventative maintenance on ice fishing gear makes for faster preparation, and it could save you a ton of money!
Who needs ice!? The summer perch search on lakes and rivers
Too many anglers associate perch fishing with hard water when summer can produce jumbo action for kids and adults alike.
Fishing tip: Get your hook to the bottom fast to catch more big mid-summer bluegills
Larger panfish will seek deeper depths during the long, warm-water days of summer.
Sometimes it’s OK to get skunked when searching for new ice fishing locations
Stop visiting the same old community ice angling holes, and venture out to locate new honey holes away from the noise and crowds.
All the rage: soft plastics for winter panfish
The idea of consistently putting panfish on the ice with soft plastics has become more than just an experiment.
Preseason preparation tips for the upcoming ice fishing season
Shelters, clothing, rods, reels, tackle, and more. Time to prepare for the hard-water fishing season.
Key factor for all fishing: monitoring lure drop rate
The rate at which your lure descends through the water column plays a major role in the efficiency of your fishing – over hard water or soft.
Fishing tips: Catching fish around the challenging “fall turnover”
The turnover is a big change that especially affects deeper lakes, but remember that fish still need to eat!
Fishing for fall bass? Don’t forget the docks
Docks draw baitfish on sunny days; baitfish draw bass
Fishing tips: Upsize your baits to catch more and bigger fall walleyes
Hit the water now to enjoy comfortable autumn fishing conditions and catch active walleyes.
