Online Tips

Tips and Tactics From the Fishing The Midwest Team

Time to Re-think Catch and Release (9/9/04)
Many bodies of water that, just a few years ago had excellent populations of nice-sized panfish, are now pretty much void of panfish big enough to eat.

Crankbaits for Fall Fish (9/9/04)
Fall is big fish time, and big fish in the fall prefer larger baits. Use the largest crankbaits in your box and don’t be surprised if you catch the biggest walleye, bass, pike, or musky on it during the fall.

Catch Muskies Right Now! (8/15/04)
Watch for fish to follow, be ready for a strike, and don’t freak out when a fish explodes on your bait right at the boat.

Trolling For More Fish (7/30/07)
Trolling speed is especially critical. You should troll at one speed for awhile, if nothing happens you should go faster or slower. When a fish hits, note the boat speed and match it when the trolling run resumes

Proper Netting Means More Fish (6/25/03)
If you practice effective netting, your fishing partners will be confident that you can net the big one for them when the opportunity comes along.

Just Going Fishing (6/25/03)
You will probably have some action, and on some days, a little action is better than no action.

No Stress Boat Loading and Unloading (6/3/03)
By keeping these ideas in mind, we can make the loading and unloading process a pleasant experience, and that is what boating and fishing are all about.

Strain the Water for More Fish (6/2/03)
Remember that straining the water and fishing the “spot on the spot” will put fish in the boat when nothing else will and you’ll find that your “no fish” days will decrease quite a bit.

Shallow Water Bass (4/28/03)
There are not many things better than spending a warm spring day in a shallow bay with biting bass. Give it a try and you will find out why so many anglers look forward to this action.

Early Season Panfish (4/16/03)
There are few things more enjoyable than an afternoon on the water catching panfish. Get out now and find out for yourself.

Spring Panfish: A Shore Fisherman’s Dream (4/14/03)
Regardless whether your bait of choice is minnows, wax worms or some other bait, spring is a great time to fish that bait from shore.

Sneak Up On More Fish This Year (4/10/01)
If you want to consistently catch fish when they are shallow, keep the above ideas in mind and watch your catches go up.

Jigs for Walleyes (3/31/03)
Jigs are maybe the best way to catch walleyes right now. Tie one on using the above ideas and, if you put it in front of a walleye, chances are it will get bit.

Spring River Walleyes (3/19/03)
If you live anywhere in the Midwest, somewhere close to your home, right now, there are anglers catching walleyes in rivers. You should be one of those anglers.

Finding Fish In The Spring (3/13/03)
Enjoy the action, enjoy the day, put the fish back, and you will look forward to spring fishing from now on.

Selecting A New Fishing Line (3/3/03)
Make a wise line choice and watch your fish catches and fishing enjoyment go up.

Finding Fish (2/26/03)
Use your sonar to find the fish, then put the bait where they want it. If you do this, you will catch more fish more often.

What's New In The Fishing World For 2003? (2/18/03)
Though it’s still winter, spring and open-water aren’t that far off and now is a good time to research and acquire some of the new gear and equipment that can help make your open-water fishing trips more enjoyable and successful this coming year.

Ideas For Better Fishing This Year (2/18/03)
keep an open mind when you're on the water, learn different techniques, experiment with different lures and try different areas, and you will become a better angler.

A New Reel For Open Water Fishing (1/4/03)
Remember, the fish don't care what kind of reel you're using, but the reel can play a role in how many fish you catch.

Selecting A New Fishing Rod (1/28/03)
Get out now and shake some rods so you'll be ready to use your new rod when the ice disappears.

Fishing Destinations for 2003 (1/22/03)
Following are four of my favorite Midwest locations. At least one of these locations will be within a reasonable drive for most Midwest anglers.

Mid Winter Walleyes - Don't Give Up Yet (1/20/03)
Being persistent and following some of the suggestions just offered will hopefully help you put a few more walleyes on the ice yet this winter.

Late Ice Panfish (1/15/03)
Late ice could be here any time. Be sure you're ready to take advantage of this fast action when it gets here.

The Perfect Boat (Or At Least Close) (1-06-03)
I have been running Alumacraft boats for about a dozen years. The 2XB hull that Alumacraft incorporates into some of their boats makes it feel like you're sitting in your living room as you run across the lake.

Lure Presentation Provides Better Ice-Fishing Catches (1/02/03)
Vary your lure presentation and you will be increasing the odds of giving the fish what they want, and you'll be increasing the odds of catching more fish.

New Year's Resolutions For The Outdoors-Person (12/26/02)
We need to be more than participants in our favorite outdoor activities, we need to be ambassadors for that sport.

Tip-Ups For More Fish (12/19/02)
Some like their ice-fishing to be an aggressive style of fishing, others like it to be more relaxed. If you want to put out some lines and sit and wait for action, tip-ups are for you.

Panfish Through The Ice (12/02/02)
These ideas will help an angler catch fish throughout the ice-fishing season. Remember, keep quiet, downsize lure selection, give every hole a chance to produce fish, and most importantly, get out there.

Gift Ideas For The Angler (12/02/02)
This list should provide ideas for potential gifts for anglers: I just wish a similar list existed for women.

Rattle Up More Walleyes (12/01/02)
In the past couple of years, it has become apparent to many anglers that rattles will help fool more fish in many situations.

Fishing in the 21st Century (11/26/02)
We have to remember that there is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping a few fish. The key is keeping the right fish.

Preparing Cold Weather Fishing (11/12/02)
Dress appropriately and you will find that you will enjoy your fishing in the winter just as much as any other time of the year.

Get Ready For Ice Fishing (10/28/02)
The most important thing for early season ice-fishing is safety; the second most important thing is having your equipment ready.

Late Fall Trophy Walleyes (10/23/02)
Right now is a very good time to take lots of walleyes, and your chances for getting bit by a truly big one are better now than at any other time of year.

Walleyes In Rivers Right Now (10/21/02)
If you're not a hunter, or if you're willing to take a break from the hunting, now is a great time to be on the river catching walleyes.

Fresh Fish For The Table (10/21/02)
Usually, the promise of fresh fish is all it takes to justify another trip to the lake.

Crankbaits for Fall Fish (10/6/02)
Regardless of what specie of fish you're after, crankbaits will help you catch bigger ones right now.

Preparation Pays Off (10/6/02)
Although most anglers may never hook a king salmon while fishing for smallmouth bass, you never know when a big largemouth is going to strike your crappie jig. When that happens, you'll find that preparation does pay off.

Tips For Catching Your Biggest Fish Ever (9/21/02)
In fact, if you want to catch your biggest walleye, pike, musky, or bass, you can't beat the fall season for trophy fish. Following are some ideas as to how you can do so.

Autumn's Fishing Smorgasbord (8/24/02)
Right now is a great time to take advantage of these under-used species of fish. Get out at your next chance and find out how much fun they can be.

Enjoy Fall Fishing (8/21/02)
Mother Nature has told the residents of the lakes and rivers that they need to start feeding heavier to prepare for the upcoming months, and when fish start feeding heavily, they are easier to catch.

Get Ready For Fall Fishing (8/12/02)
Be sure to take advantage of the tremendous fishing that will be available in the next weeks and months.

Speed Up For More Walleyes (7/28/02)
There are times when it will pay to slow your lure presentation down this time of year, but frequently, if you speed up in the summer, you're going to catch more walleyes.

Try Deeper For More Fish (7/28/02)
Deep-water fishing requires a little more patience than fishing in the shallows or mid-depth ranges, but can be very productive.

Livelier Live Bait (7/28/02)
Keeping your live bait lively isn't difficult or time-consuming, but it can pay big dividends. Live bait that isn't alive when you want it to be is no good.

Walleyes in Warm Weather (7/28/02)
Don't give up on fishing this time of year just because you've heard the action can be slow. When the fish are spread out, cover water with crankbaits.

Catch More Fish This Summer (7/28/02)
In the summer, you can usually find something willing to bite, and it's a lot more fun to catch a bunch of something than to not catch anything. You can count on that.

Slop a Hog (7/28/02)
when a bass-chaser thinks of "slopping hogs", the intent is to find the heaviest shallow water cover and throw weedless baits in search of the biggest largemouth bass in that body of water.

Crappies On The Weedline (7/28/02)
Once you get onto this weedline pattern for crappies, you will be able to catch them just about any time you want, so a fresh fish supper is never far away.

Catching More Fish On Crankbaits (6/17/02)
Before long you'll find why so many anglers like to use crankbaits this time of year. They're easy to use and they're effective, and that's a combination that's tough to beat.

Anchor For More Fish (6/17/02)
An anchor will allow an angler to cover a piece of structure very effectively, and sometimes it's important to work a structure thoroughly for best fishing success.

Bass On Grubs (6/17/02)
This is a simple yet productive method, and that's a good deal anytime of the year.

Walleyes Right Now (6/17/02)
Remember, this time of year, if you find the walleye's food, you're going to find the walleyes. In fact, if you do that the rest of the year, you're going to be finding a lot of walleyes.

Try Something New This Season
To this angler, one of the most enjoyable things about our sport is that it presents opportunities to fish for different species of fish using a variety of equipment and lures.

Bass On Grubs (6/17/02)
This is a simple yet productive method, and that's a good deal anytime of the year.

Anchor For More Fish (6/17/02)
An anchor will allow an angler to cover a piece of structure very effectively, and sometimes it's important to work a structure thoroughly for best fishing success.

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