Latest Blog Posts

Fish that eat mice

Thoughts on fishing with mouse patterns, and why we don't use them more often

by Chris Hunt - Wednesday, Apr 27th, 2022

Photo: Chris Hunt

I’ve been thinking a lot about mice lately. And not just in the general vermin sense. Yes, it’s true that my girlfriend had one skitter across her foot on the stairs landing this week, which sent me to the garage to find traps and such. We’re now paying for an exterminator, mostly because it’s less hassle than trying to dig through the store room to find the tiny cracks and holes the shoulderless little rodents can squeeze through.

Changes are coming to striped bass management, make your voice heard

How to comment for conservation

by Kyle Schaefer - Monday, Apr 4th, 2022

Photo: Kyle Schaefer

For the next couple weeks, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is soliciting public comment on Draft Amendment 7 to the Atlantic Striped Bass Management Plan. This is an amazing opportunity to improve several facets of management, leading to more striped bass in the water in the future. Today, striped bass are overfished, subject to overfishing (according to the most recent stock assessment), and at a 25-year low. It’s going to take all of us acting together if we want to improve striped bass management and restore the stock to abundant, healthy levels.

How to catch the biggest brook trout of your life, again

Another recipe for record-breaking success

by Tim Schulz - Saturday, Mar 26th, 2022

Photo: Tim Schulz

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

—George Santayana

The first time I caught the biggest brook trout of my life, I was so excited I wrote a how-to essay called “How to Catch the Biggest Brook Trout of Your Life.” Although I thought I did the fishing world a much-needed service, the reactions to my accomplishment and advice were tepid:

That's the biggest brook trout you've ever caught? You have got to be kidding me.

How to catch the biggest brook trout of your life

A foolproof recipe for success

by Tim Schulz - Saturday, Mar 19th, 2022

An unnamed stream on Michigan's Upper Peninsula (photo: Jim Sorbie / cc2.0).

I don't usually write how-to essays. My way of doing something might not be the best for everyone, so I worry about feeling bad when someone points out a better way. The other day, though, I caught the biggest brook trout of my life. That made me feel good. Really good. And now that I've had some time to think about how it happened, I believe I know something so important I have to share it.

Growing older, not up

We all have to grow older, but we don't have to like it

by Tim Schulz - Saturday, Feb 26th, 2022

Photo: Chad Shmukler

Much of the fun of getting to know a new fishing buddy is the slow and pleasant process of asking questions about their life and answering questions about yours.

“Where'd you grow up?”

“What do you do for a living?”

“If you could have any superpower, what would it be?”

That's the routine Tom Hazelton and I worked through during our first trip together when he asked a question I didn't expect.

“Are you retired?”