Innholdsfortegnelse for October/November 2025 i In-Fisherman

[Editor’s note: As we head into the end of our 50th anniversary year, we offer one more noteworthy Inside Angles for the ages—a final simple characterization of the sport we all enjoy.] For thousands of years before these times, men and women hunted, fished, and gathered. These distant ancestors lived this way as a matter of survival, though paintings on cave walls show that they celebrated and surely enjoyed their encounters. Times have changed, but not so much the basic nature of fishing. The spark to seek, to understand, to interact with the natural world still burns within us. This is the reason so many of us fish—some to harvest fish for the table, for fish are nutritious and delicious. We fish for sport, too, for fishing is at once…

On the Bank or In the Boat A superbly comfortable cold-weather hiking boot and boat boot all in one, the Meindl Cervinia Winter Pac Boot is constructed with a water-repellent waxed nubuck leather upper and a waterproof lower rubber galosh. The interior is genuine sheepskin lining, proving cozy warmth, with a felt insole for extra insulation. A durable rubber outsole provides stability on slippery or icy surfaces. And the boots weigh in at just 3.52 pounds—$200, meindlusa.com New Breed Bluegill Imitation An intriguing honeycomb body design enables Berkley’s new MaxScent Flux-Gill to boost its powers of scent dispersion, while delivering a lifelike shimmy during the retrieve and natural glide on the drop. Created for mid-strolling, free- and Neko-rigging, and deadsticking, this intriguing softbait is equal parts finesse and forward-facing sonar…

The search for the perfect tiller boat is as much about feel as it is about features. Anglers know what I mean—how the boat handles, how it fishes, and how it fits the way you like to do things. While there’s no universal “ultimate tiller,” some rigs rise above, and one in particular stands out in my own experience: the Lund 1875 Pro Guide. It’s the only boat I’ve ever regretted selling, though my move to windshield boats after starting a family was likely the right one. Yet that boat wasn’t the first tiller I owned; that distinction went to a 14-foot 1979 Starcraft with a 25-hp Mariner. I grew up in that boat, and it’s still in use today, three remodels and multiple owners later. These days, it’s parked…

Live Sonar Boosts Crappie Catches in Texas Field Science—Recent developments in sonar technology have created controversy among angler groups and raised the specter of excessive harvest, as advanced units display fish moving around the boat, making them easier to locate and presumably catch. In Texas, crappie anglers have been particularly keen on using what’s often called “Forward Facing Sonar” and this research team more accurately describe it as “Live Imaging Sonar” (LIS), since transducers on some boats are mounted to view laterally or even behind the boat.* The study authors, from Texas and Florida, note that wise fishery management involves continual monitoring of angling conditions and situations, and investigating those that may pose a threat to quality fishing. Thus they conducted detailed creel surveys on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Lake Fork,…

[Editor’s note: Over In-Fisherman’s 50 years, we’ve shared information from angler observations and scientific tracking studies to better understand fish location. This article from January 2003 focuses on such discoveries for open-water muskies. Many species we seek, in fact, are at times offshore and under the radar for much of the year. As more anglers become aware of open-water patterns, advancements in today’s sonar have thrown a wrinkle into the offshore game for muskies, and more.] Needles in the haystack. Hackneyed though it may be, this cliche continues to describe the quest for Great Lakes muskies in open water during most seasons. Something that weighs 40 to 50 pounds may strain the “needle” comparison to the limit, but in water this immense, it’s apt. It intimidates even the best muskie…

A fiery sunrise cracks the horizon, casting a warm glow across the steaming water and vibrant October foliage. Freshly brewed coffee warms the bones and spirit alike while schooling shad flip and fin their way past my anchored boat. Suddenly, the sound of a steadily clicking reel signals that one of the carefully placed baitfish has been eaten. There’s no mistaking the way an aggressive flathead cruises away after inhaling a bait, and this is no exception. Fall in the Midwest presents a bounty of outdoor opportunities with seasonal peaks of all kinds as daylight hours grow short. Among many fine pursuits available this time of year is one that often takes a back seat to whitetails and migrating waterfowl. No less worthy, however, now is the time for pursuing…

Fish have some unique—some might consider them rather amazing— characteristics that set them apart from other animals. For example, a lateral-line system that senses pressure waves. Another is the swim bladder. But neither of these organs are actualy amazing; they’re simply adaptations to enable fish to function efficiently—meaning survive, maximize energy intake, and minimize energy expenditure—in their aquatic world The lateral line enables fish to detect potential predators, prey, and obstructions in turbid waters and serves as a backup system for sight-feeding predators when their clear-water home turns muddy. The swim bladder, also called air bladder or gas bladder, like a SCUBA diver’s buoyancy compensating device (BCD), allows a fish to maintain it’s position in the water column effortlessly, without expending energy. And like a SCUBA diver’s BCD, neutral buoyancy…

It tumbles, gyrates, and turns side-to-side. A wacky-rigged plastic worm in current looks like a living, struggling terrestrial—more alive than the real thing. The two ends of the worm waver and twitch. It looks vulnerable. It’s soft. It’s bite worthy. Plastic worms have been popular steelhead baits for a long time. A variety of companies make hot-colored worms for trout and steelhead, in shades like merthiolate, sherbet, and bubblegum. Hot-pink worms have been popular among steelheaders for many years out West, and caught on more recently around the Great Lakes. Most steelheaders think a worm has to be bright and gaudy, but to always overlook natural colors like black, green pumpkin, or watermelon is a mistake. Even gaudy worms look natural drifting in current, though. Plastic worms mimic the motions…

It was a dark and stormy night. Morning. Whatever. The rain was pelting the roof like Eliot Ness shooting up Al Capone’s getaway car with a Tommy gun. The wind howled like Aunt Lucy stepping on a Lego on the way to the fridge for a late night sardine and dill pickle snack. The lightning split the air like the crack of a major league bat, and lit up the cabin like a horde of paparazzi cameras aimed at Taylor Swift. The thunder crashed and rolled and shook the walls like a 7.5 earthquake. “Anyone awake?” I yelled, my voice barely loud enough to rise above the raging deluge. “You gotta be kidding,” the policeman said. “Who could possibly sleep through this?” His answer was Doc’s snores sounding like a…