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Massachusetts State Record Fish

Jan 26th, 2010 by Kevin

Top 25 Bass Of All Time

Jan 25th, 2010 by Kevin

Identifying The Pike (Esox) Family

Jan 24th, 2010 by Kevin

    We’ve all been there.  You’re with your buddies on the water bass fishing, pitching plastics and spinnerbaits when a pickerel breaks through the weeds and grabs your line, or worse, breaks it off.  Or was it a pike?

    How about that time the guy on the shoreline was yipping and hollering about the “pike” he just caught when he has a 12” chain pickerel flopping on the bank.  Well, here is a thorough and concise article on how to profile the Pike Family.

    The Pike family is identifiable by its long, slender body type, its billed snout full of razor sharp teeth and its insatiable appetite.   But how can you tell them all apart?...(Read Full Article)

New England Late Fall Bass Fishing Tips

Jan 9th, 2009 by Jake


    Late fall can prove to be one of the most difficult times of the year to wet your line in New England. Late fall is denoted by steadily dropping water temperatures, possible light ice cover, and bass coming down with a severe case of lock jaw. This is your last chance to land that lunker before the fisheries become completely iced over and in fact may be one of your best shots at landing that trophy, as larger fish are less affected by temperature. In this article I hope to bring light to some tricks and tactics that will help you optimize your stringer in tough late fall conditions. The first step, as always, is to know where the fish are this time of year...(Read Full Article)

Build Your Own Hook Keeper

Dec 16th, 2009 by Jake


    Firstly, I want to thank "International" for posting this tip on originally the BASStard Forum, to discuss this tip and many more, hop over to the BASStard Public Forum and join up!

    How many times have you been out on the water and decided to call it a day while Texas rigged? This requires you to take the hook out of the worm to hook it on the holder at which point your plastic bait is damaged and nearly worthless for Texas rigging a second time. Here is the solution, if your rod does not come with this style of hook keep standard...(Read Full Article)

Buzzbait Tips

Mar 10th, 2009 by Jake




    It's morning time and the water is like glass. The morning fog is rising off the water like steam off a warm bald head. The sun has not yet broken the horizon and you see topwater strikes off in the distance. You open up your tackle box labeled "topwater" and browse through your lure selections. You tie on a topwater minnow and work it slowly on a surface and then try a popper but the bass don't seem interested. You need something you can count on to churn up the surface and let the fish know its there, something to really get their attention. You tie on a buzzbait and watch as it chirps across the glassy surface. Varying your speed and casting angles you see and explosion as the glassy suface is shattered and a heavy weight on your line, good morning Mr. Bass...(Read Full Article)

Best Time Of Day To Fish For Bass

Feb 17th, 2009 by Jake


  
    In the realm of searching for and landing bass anglers often discuss seasonal patterns and tactics. How to approach Winter Fishing, what the best New England Fall Bass Fishing Tips are etc. Others discuss River Bass Fishing Tips, or Bass Lure presentations. There is no doubt that these are all valid factors to consider when approaching any fishing situation, however one still remains, time of day. I consider any given day of fishing as passing through its own set of phases much like the seasons of a year. Understanding these phases and how to conquer them will transform you into a more successful and confident angler...(Read Full Article)

Best Way To Fillet A Fish

Feb 15th, 2009 by Kevin

    If you’ve read my other articles, you should be just coming off a boat full to the gunwales with fish.  Now while I am a strong supporter of catch-and-release, and indeed 99% of my fishing is, I do tend to keep a few to cook up each year.  Here is the best way to prepare most fish:

    Here is my preferred method because it is simple, limits waste, and maximizes the size of the fillet...(Read Full Article)

Basic Bass Fishing Gear

Feb 4th, 2009 by Kevin

    Are you a fisherman that needs a general use rod to tackle all species that swim by?  Are you an aspiring BASStard that needs your first bass rod?  Don’t go into a tackle shop blind-sighted to sate your thirst for fishing.  Here is some basic bass fishing gear that will keep your money in your pocket and your fish in the livewell.

    For starters, ask yourself what type of fishing you want to do.  Are you a die-hard angler that wants everything that swims?  Or are you more of a relaxed weekend BASStard?...(Read Full Article)

How To Select Fishing Line

Feb 4th, 2009 by Kevin

    There are three basic types of fishing line out in the market and all fishermen should familiarize themselves with some of the key differences to optimize their performance on the water.
 

Monofilament

    Monofilament line has existed in the fishing industry since the manufacturing of Stren in 1958.  It is a single-component material: nylon.  The nylon line is translucent, strong and flexible.  What is more, the line is inexpensive.  Monofilament line tends to have a relatively high memory and can coil on a sitting reel, or crimp when hung up on structure, etc.  Mono also weakens under excessive exposure to Ultraviolet radiation as well as to caustic elements such as saltwater.  Monofilament line is a fairly forgiving line, however and if you find yourself hung up on structure and need to break your line, aim the tip of your rod towards where you are caught and pull straight back.  You will be pleasantly surprised with how much line you are able to retrieve.  Monofilament line should be changed regularly to ensure a spool of durable line...(Read Full Article)

How To Select A Rod

Feb 4th, 2009 by Kevin

Select Species 

    The easiest step to begin with when choosing a rod is deciding if you want to fish freshwater or saltwater.  I can’t help you much here…but I do think everyone should do both at some point.

    Now, having decided the water source, you should break down what type of use you will get out of the rod; are you fishing specifically for bass?  Are you fishing with a specific method?   Or do you simply want a general use rod?  Select your species, as this will govern the characteristics of the rod...(Read Full Article)

How To Select A Reel

Feb 4th, 2009 by Kevin

Spinning Reels 

    Spinning reels are perhaps the most widely accepted style reel for fishing.  Period.  The reason for this is largely due to the versatility of the design as well as its ease of use.  A spinning reel hangs below the rod and comfortably sits between your fingers.

Catching Bass When They Won't Bite

Feb 4th, 2009 by Jake



    For all of you out there who think "Catching Bass When They Won't Bite" means throwing on a stringer of bare hooks shank hooking the fish in the side, I am not being literal. The purpose of this article is to provide insight on lures and tactics you can use to MAKE the fish bite when it seems that they won't bite. Largemouth and Smallmouth bass alike are opportunistic feeders, meaning that if you drop the right thing in their face at the right time, they will eat it. So, our objective is to figure out what that is, and put it in front of their face.

    We have all experienced it, a horrible day on the water, or a good day gone bad. For whatever reason it may be, fish just turn off in some situations making it nearly impossible to get them to bite using our usual tactics. This is when we need to think outside the tackle box and alter our approach and lure selection. In this situation a few approaches have been known to improve your catch on even the slowest days of bass fishing...(Read Full Article)

Lake Fishing vs. Pond Fishing

Feb 12th, 2009 by Dez




    Lake and pond fishing carry their own advantages as well as disadvantages. Depending on your region, or how much fishing goes on in your area one may be better than the other. Lakes are known to carry bigger fish, but ponds, are known to be less fished, therefore more strikes...(Read Full Article)

Bass Lure Presentations

    Presentation is everything.  You could have the perfect lure chosen for the perfect conditions, but if you do not maximize the performance of the lure, you may as well be tossing stones in the water because you won’t be catching anything.  Here is a general guideline on how to present artificial baits.

Crankbaits

    Be one with the crankbait.  It’s imperative that you really concentrate on how you are operating crankbaits in the water.  If a crankbait suspends at a depth, use that feature to its advantage and dominate that depth with different retrieves of pause-and-reel.  The bait will stay right there in the strike zone...(Read Full Article)

How To Choose A Spinnerbait

Jan 29th, 2009 by Kevin

    The spinnerbait is a must-have lure for bass fishermen and while most know of its successful design as a lure, not all know the differences in spinnerbait designs or how to tell when specific designs are more appropriate than others.  To become comfortable with the spinnerbait you must understand how it functions and what variables can alter its performance to best suit your needs.  Here is a rundown on some spinnerbait basics and how to choose a spinnerbait...(Read Full Article)

New England Fall Bass Fishing

Jan 28th, 2009 by Jake



     Every fall season thousands upon thousands of tourists flood New England states to drive around and look at leaves. I am writing this article to inform you all that there is something much more interesting you could be doing in the fall in New England... Bass fishing. Who would want to drive around and look at dying leaves when they knew they could be pulling in a very ALIVE lunker bass on the end of their line. This is New England Fall Bass Fishing.

    The difficulty in landing bass in the fall is the ever fluctuating weather. In other seasons predictable weather leads to predictable fishing patterns and behavior. The fall takes this predictability out of the equation and throws us into a world of unknowns. Fortunately, being the smart anglers that we are, we can understand all of the weather possibilities that fall may throw at us, and know how to best conquer them. Thus, here are my fall bass fishing tips to you...(Read Full Article)

 

River Bass Fishing Tips

    Locating and landing bass in current can test the skills of even the most experienced angler. Of course wherever you happen to pull up your boat and drop a line in, there will be some level of current, providing there is wind present. The current I am referring to, however, is heavy river or stream current. Thus, this article is entitled "River Bass Fishing Tips." Coming from the perspective of an experienced angler, fishing ponds and lakes almost exclusively for the beginning years of my angling life; landing bass, or any fish for that matter in current is a whole new realm of fishing. River bass are of a different breed than those that are found in lakes and ponds, they are often thinner from battling current, which also lends to them putting up a more intense fight. Well, we wouldn't want to get bored would we? Now, let us dive into the realm of bass fishing in current...(Read Full Article)

Tackle Boxes vs. Tackle Bags

A fairly recent addition to the world of fishing is the redevelopment of tackle storage systems.  The tackle bag has quickly made its way into the fishing market and has sent the traditional tackle box into remodeling.  But what is YOUR preferred method of carrying and organizing tackle?  This article aims to help you find what best suits

your fishing needs.

As a kid I was raised with a single-tray tackle box in my hand.  With a handful of lures and a pouch of hooks, weights, and bobbers I had difficulty filling all of the compartments in the small box.  I fished for yellow perch, bluegill, and the occasional trout and simplicity was bliss...(Read Full Article)

"Fire the TORPIDoes!": Early Spring Fishing Artillery

    Winter in New England can be long and difficult for most fishermen.  This often times means that as soon as the ice begins to break free from the shoreline and the sun begins to strengthen with the coming of spring, lines are cast into the water.  Here are a few tactics on fishing the ice-out.

    When the ice begins to recede, the water temperatures are still quite cold (40’s and 50’s).  Shallower water, especially over darker

ground such as rotting plant debris rather than light sand, is the first area to warm up.  Fish are attracted to these locations to warm up too, as they are cold blooded.  It is important to understand this behavior in order to choose the right lures and presentations to optimize your day of fishing...(Read Full Article)

Winter in New England, What Is an Angler To Do?

Jan 12th, 2009 by Jake

    Well, this article isn't exclusive to New England anglers, just anyone who is too busy shoveling snow and being miserably cold to hit the water during the winter months. If you are located in the northern states and have a strong passion for fishing I hope that this article will ease some of your withdrawal pain and give you some ideas to keep you busy and prepare you for more productive spring/ summer months...(Read Full Article)

Largemouth Bass Fishing Basics

   To become more successful at anything, we must first understand what we are up against, and how to overcome it. In the game of bass fishing, in order to grow and become a stronger angler, we must know as much as possible about our opposition, the bass. Knowing and understanding where the bass will be is the first obstacle we must face. After this, addressing what they would like to eat is the natural approach. Knowing this will give us the upper hand in approaching the bass and knowing what to put in front of his face that has the best probability of ending up in his mouth. First let us take a look at the largemouth bass as a species of predatory fish, and then dive into understanding what makes them tick...(Read Full Article)

Bass Fishing For Sport

    Many people dismiss bass fishing, or any type of sport fishing for that matter as just a weekend hobby and do not take into account the level of skill and knowledge it takes to beat an animal at its own game in its own environment. What many people do not acknowledge about this sport is that an angler has to constantly adjust to ever changing conditions. Imagine a professional sport that is well known to the general public, and make all the known factors involved in that sport change for every game...(Read Full Article)