The Minimalist Fisherman

Kalin's by the Acme Tackle Company makes tournament grade tackle at reasonable prices for those of us that fish for fun. On a recent trip to Wisconsin (near Minocqua) we were presented with difficult conditions. Rain, temperature drops in both the air and water, and spooky fish. We decided to look deeper for more stable water and work some weedy humps down 20 - 30 feet. After an hour probing the depths, we motored in to a stretch of shoreline with clumps of weeds separated by sunken timber and sandy bottom. After finding a few good clumps of weeds next to logs in about 15 feet of water - we hit pay dirt. Later that afternoon we went out again to fish for smallmouth bass and northern pike, and we found some good fish in very similar locations. We also switched up to Z-Man plastics because of all the panfish - the leeches we were using in the morning were in short supply at the local bait shop. Guides took priority (as they should), so we had to use them sparingly. My Kalin's Hand-Tied Bucktail Jigs stole the show though, landing the most fish on the day (tipped with a leech), but a few other presentations worked on bass & pike as well. | http://theminimalistfisherman.com/

Wisconsin fishing for the mighty Smallmouth Bass - and his close friend, Mr. Walleye - near Minocqua, WI. We fished for 3 days straight with some success, but nothing to write home about - casting every bait in our arsenal. Spoons, jerkbaits, jigs, bobbers, cranks, swimbaits, plastics of every kind - you name it. However on the third day, during an afternoon outing with my son, we came across an area with a ton of boat and swimmer traffic... and a HUGE load of panfish. Crappie, pumpkinseed, bluegill, rock bass and perch... Guess who we saw swimming underneath? Yup. Big smallmouth. BIG SMALLMOUTH. The big smallmouth that had not been in the "regular spots", like mid-lake humps, rock bars, sandy flats with scattered logs, or even the deep inner weed edges of isolated coves - and when we started to work the new area, we caught 'em, along with their sneaky friends, the walleye. We had success with jigworms, leeches, finesse Texas rigs and weighted wacky worms. Perseverance was the name of the game, and even though it took us several days to find them after the water temperature had dropped drastically with summer storms, the effort made success all the sweeter. Tight lines! | http://theminimalistfisherman.com/

Minocqua Wisconsin offers some of the best fishing, eating and atmosphere that you'll find anywhere. We are huge fans of The Cheese Board and many of the downtown shops... and while these places near the lake help us enjoy the middle of the day... the morning and evenings are for one thing, and one thing only... fishing. The Manitowish Chain O Lakes has a lot to offer up in that regard - and we specifically target areas shared by multiple-species like smallmouth bass, walleye, panfish, northern pike, and even the occasional largemouth bass - although the Wisconsin largemouth are usually not as large as what we grow in our neck of the woods. We use fishing techniques that appeal across the board. Spoons flash like injured baitfish, while plastics resemble natural forage - or at times, chartreuse flash at dusk to get the attention of hungry predators in low light conditions. If you're in the area, make sure to use the tips & techniques shown in this video to catch your fill - and if Paul Bunyan's opens back up - make sure to visit. That's a good time as well. On this particular trip we learned a very important lesson: before you go ripping across the lake to look for greener pastures, make sure to thoroughly explore the area right by the launch. Whether it's public or private, chances are it's often passed over as fishermen come and go... be smarter than the average Joe & let's get fishing! Pure joy.

How was the fishing in May in Illinois? Well, this video shows some of the highlights from Monday Morning Bites. Remember: each week we catch fish and make fart jokes, so if that sounds like something you're into (and let's be honest... it's something you're into) make sure to SUBSCRIBE and SAY HELLO! I'd love to hear from you. | http://theminimalistfisherman.com/

Testing Mule Jigs & Donkey Tails on Panfish & Largemouth Bass! | https://theminimalistfisherman.com/