For those who consistently catch a bunch of bass, BIG fish or always cash a check at the tournaments there are few commonalities, being prepared, having reasonable equipment, a little luck and an intimate knowledge of the habits of their quarry. Knowing the habits and habitat favored by the fish are a giant advantage. At…

I recently read a great story by a longtime friend of Tony Dolle. The story was centered on a lady he met who had won a gold medal in the Olympic shooting sports. He described her hard work, training and the support of many around her, her accomplishments and a particular incident in a public…

Turn the clock back ten, twenty, thirty maybe even forty or fifty years. Bass fishing was really blasting off, boats were powered by outboard motors but slow by today’s standards, cumbersome on and off the water and rigging was limited to just a few accessories. A trolling motor was a luxury and had replaced the…

Where will 2018 take you? After living in Missouri for 30 years, the brave new world of Tennessee called me. The next three and a half decades (don’t bother doing the math) were spent searching for the waters loaded with trophy fish. Work restrictions of a real job and family responsibilities limits you if you’re…

I’m fond of saying you can’t beat Mother Nature or cheat Father Time. Kayaking in any form puts you eventually to the test. Wind, rain, heat, cold, current and more all are factors in padding in search of fish or fun. One look at whitewater activity gives you a view of visual adventure that comes…

Often based off a picture, story or a social media post the question arises, “Where did you catch that fish?” Good magicians and fisherman rarely reveal the secrets behind their tricks (or in this case spots). A trophy size bass for me is a fish over five pounds. In California, Florida or Texas a five…

The scene, a large expanse of water, the kayak angler hoists a bruiser bass, on the salty side, a bull redfish is the object of attention, musky, tarpon, and many other species get the attention until somebody want to have a fish fry. Enter the prolific crappie. Three species, white, black and occasionally the one…

You’ve been planning this trip all week long and big bass, you hope, are in your future. Armed with all the baits that guarantee huge fish (at least that’s what they say on TV) and high hopes. Cast after cast, beating the water to a froth and you go without a bite. I’ve been quoted…

nvariably the question is eventually asked, “If you could only have one lure to catch bass what would it be?” Given the artificial lure avalanche created when I dump out a tackle box and the spectrum of lures available to today’s bass angler it seems like a crazy question. While I love the sudden stop…

“Every wild creature is a slave to its stomach”, I use this phrase often when I’m doing fishing seminars. A large part of catching bass or any other fish for that matter is understanding the lifestyle of the fish. The understanding includes various tolerances, where they live, habits and what they eat to survive. To…