Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2020 i In-Fisherman

The Great Migration of Modern Angling In-Fisherman Field Editor Ned Kehde, who gave the angling world the Ned rig, also is the greatest historian of the development of finesse fishing. In this issue, another of our field editors, Cory Schmidt, writes about Ned rig alternatives that are nifty as can be. Mention of Kehde reminded me of a perspective In-Fisherman cofounder Ron Lindner once offered on the “march to modern angling.” I went digging and found it in an issue we published in 2001. The rest of what you’ll read here is what Lindner, who was In-Fisherman publisher at the time, observed back then. Lindner: “Many anglers may not realize that most of the classic fishing theory, as well as the tackle and technology we use today, and the course…

Perfect Boat Boot The Muckster II Ankle Boot, from the Muck Boot Company, is a solid choice as a chilly- and rainy-weather boot to go with the rain gear that anglers spend so much time wearing in the boat, whether it’s raining or not. There’s 4-mm of neoprene, plus Airmesh lining, for warmth and breathable comfort—$115, muckbootcompany.com Performance Braid Spiderwire Ultracast is engineered to provide long, smooth, quiet casts, in break strengths from 8 to 80 pounds. This ultra-thin braid comes in Invisibraid translucent, Moss Green, and saltwater colors, to blend into any environment. Available in spool sizes from 125 to 2,800 yards—$9.50 to $419.99, spiderwire.com Ultra Thin Storage Ultra Thin tackle boxes from Lure Lock are ideal for organizing stickbaits and shallow-diving crankbaits. Made of 100-percent polypropylene for durability,…

While anglers tend to recall fast bites best, creel survey and tournament data demonstrate that average bass catch rates are around 0.25 bass per hour. In top-notch southeastern waters, average catch rates of 0.40 bass per hour may be recorded. In recent decades, innovative harvest regulations have boosted overall catch rates in many waters. Our catch rates were relatively high. Yet the difference between peak catch rate and average catch rate (0.10 bass per hour) might be overlooked by most anglers, as it would amount to one additional fish in a 10-hour fishing day. The difference between the slowest hours and the peak amounted to about 2 bass in a 10-hour day. Although such a difference might be missed by casual anglers, it might mean the difference between winning a…

Many anglers immediately think “soft” and “slow” when they think about spring bass fishing patterns. While pitching tubes and weightless stickbaits certainly has its place in our vernal arsenal, they may be missing the bigger picture. During all phases of spring, bass may occupy depths from one to more than 12 feet, but most often 4 to 10 feet. And their moods and feeding activity range from reticent to ravenous. Crankbaits excel for covering water, bumping cover, and daring spring bass to bite. Select models canvass the potential depths bass may occupy during this period, which can be highly variable due to weather patterns and latitude. There’s no shortage of brands and designs, as well as colors. Some models are designated to run at specific depth ranges, indicated either by…

Record Bass Under the Radar? We received a note from Sean (John Jr.) Hilgeman, after he uncovered old photographs and a newspaper article about his great grandfather’s catch—an uncertified world-record largemouth?: “My father always told me about this huge fish, but I had never seen it until those photos were found,” Hilgeman says. “The fisherman was my great grandfather Eugene Fabian. My dad, John Hilgeman Sr., and he had the photos in a box all these years.” Local newspaper reports of the time indicate the bass was caught on the evening of August 19, 1963, in DeLand, Florida, on a black worm and Shakespeare rod and reel and 30-pound-test line. The bass was taken home and weighed on a Fairbanks scale and photographed. The big bass was reportedly witnessed by…

River fish or lake fish? Obviously both, but smallmouth bass may have a competitive advantage over other black bass in rivers. In some lakes, largemouth and smallmouth bass cohabit by occupying different habitats; in other lakes they intermingle. The same is true when spotted bass are added to the mix. But smallmouths, within their range, own the rivers. And when I say “rivers” I mean constantly flowing systems, not riverine impoundments with intermittent current. But even within the smallmouth’s native range, not all rivers are smallmouth rivers. What Makes a River a Good Smallmouth River? Except for an upper lethal temperature of about 95°F and dissolved oxygen requirements above 5 parts per million, smallmouths tolerate the same water quality conditions as most other warmwater fishes. They tolerate occasional turbidity but…

As a tackle junkie who never entirely achieves organizational harmony, I went into this past winter ready to re-examine my tackle-packing program. Inspiration to organize seized me on one of the last days of the 2019 season. Digging into the storage of my friend Steve Pennaz’s bass boat for another jig, I discovered a slick-looking lure box I’d never seen before. A clear lid revealed its contents and quickly pointed me to the bait I needed—no opening a bunch of extra Pandora’s boxes. That day, Pennaz showed me several of the other cool accoutrements built into his new Plano Edge boxes. Now, I’m not about to forsake those good old, economical 3700-size boxes. But as we behold some of the newer, intelligently engineered tackle vessels from Plano, Flambeau, Bass Mafia,…

I’ve pursued hybrid striped bass year-round for over 30 years on many reservoirs in the Southeast and Southwest. During this time, I’ve maintained meticulous records for every fishing trip I’ve taken, creating a reliable database that lends itself to trend analysis. There exists each year a definite trend in late spring and into summer, during which the quality and quantity of hybrids landed exceeds that of any other time of year. Although this peak varies with latitude, the month of May and into the first part of June constitute the peak fishery here in Central Texas. Observing Natural Signs Each year, the peak hybrid bite coincides with other observable occurrences in nature. The first is the threadfin shad spawn, which begins when surface temperatures reach about 58°F. The upper reaches…

■ NORTH ARM, GREAT SLAVE LAKE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES Pike » June and July offer some of the best fishing in North America for giant pike. Trout Rock Lodge is just a 15-minute float-plane ride to the southwest from Yellowknife, but it’s the only lodge in the 100-mile-long North Arm. Unlimited habitat for big pike. Comfortable lodging. Awe some guides. Contact: Trout Rock Lodge, 867/873-4334, enodah.com. Doug Stange ■ PRIEST RIVER NORTH IDAHO Bass » Lakes Pend Oreille and Coeur d’Alene are excellent bass fisheries that get little fishing pressure. May and June offer prespawn and spawning options for large-mouths sometimes surpassing 8 pounds and smallmouths sometimes surpassing 6 pounds. Contact: The Willows Club by Anglers Inn International, 800/468 2347, anglersinn.com. Bruce Holt ■ WHITEWOOD AREA SASKATCHEWAN Channel Catfish » The…

Take the new Skeeter WX2200, a 22-foot fiberglass beauty unveiled in August 2019. It has a mega-wide beam of over 8 feet, opening up front and rear deck space, creating a larger cockpit area, and broadening the interior to make rigging up more comfortable and provide extra room for movement when fighting and netting big fish. Storage space is incredible—more room for more tools and toys. The bigger cockpit has room for all the electronics you need. The hull of the WX2200 represents the sturdiest Skeeter design yet. Front and rear aluminum deck-grid inserts bulwark the hull’s strength. Optional on most boats but standard on this ship is Hamby’s Keel Protector, which guards against costly damage to the keel from rocks, freeing boaters to safely beach more often as needed…