Fishing the Edges for Fall Pike
Fishing northern pike are cunning predators adept at feeding in packs, while also solitary assassins. In addition to their keen senses of sight, smell, feel (vibration), and hearing, they possess stealth, speed, and agility.
How to Buy a New Fly Rod on Any Budget
Walk into any fly shop from the Rockies to the Catskills and you’ll see a wall or two full of trout rods. Most shops carry a half-dozen brands at least, and the prices range from the bare-bones value of rods like the ECHO Base, all the way to the pricey G. Loomis Asquith. I’ve spent my entire life chasing trout in the American West, and I’d like to think I know a thing or two about “good” trout rods.
When (and How) to Use a Bleat Call to Stop a Buck
Sometimes bleating to stop a moving deer can actually be disastrous, turning a makeable shot opportunity into a spooked buck bounding out of your life forever. Nobody is saying you should abandon the bleat call altogether, but you do need to learn to use it wisely.
After the Shot. How to Keep the Meat Fresh
I love oversized antlers. And big bucks in general. All of that. But as I grow older, the most satisfaction I get from any hunt that comes in a tangible, touchable form is the meat. There is something about peering into my chest freezer and seeing dozens of pounds of meat that makes me feel like things are alright.
Vertical Fishing for Walleyes
Walleyes seem genetically programmed to react to rising and falling prey. One of the easiest meals for any predatory fish is crippled or dying baitfish. They often dart upward erratically, only to lose momentum and drift downward. This up-and-down movement draws attention. For this reason, vertical lure motion is fundamental to walleye fishing.
Finding Walleyes
If there’s one thing you learn in over 30 years of walleye fishing, it’s that good spots are good spots, sometimes even independent of the season. Along the location trail, it’s common to uncover spots that look appealing on a lake map, but don’t attract walleyes because they lack baitfish, vegetation, or other critical habitat; or sometimes it’s as simple as the structure is in the wrong part of the lake; or it’s not exposed to the right current or wind.
Deer Hunting Mistakes Guaranteed to Ruin the Rut
The rut is the Super Bowl of whitetail hunting. Bucks that typically behave like ghosts are suddenly vulnerable, and your chances of tagging a wall-hanger are at their highest. But whitetails are still whitetails—always cautious and rarely pushovers. So there are plenty of ways you can go wrong. Here are ways you can turn the annual breeding season into a surefire flop.
Tips for Tracking Deer When the Blood Trail Ends
If the obvious blood trail ends after you shoot a deer, don’t give up hope. Trailing may become tougher but you can still find the deer with determination and understanding why the blood stopped.