Fishing With Casting Spoons

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Acme Little Cleo

Spoons have been used for fishing as far back as the mid 1800's and are available in a seemingly endless array of color combinations.  Casting spoons are good for those who are fishing in areas that don't have a lot of snags to get hung up on.  Spoons have a concave side which causes them to wobble and reflect light mimicking an injured baitfish.  Spoons can be used to successfully catch many different species of fish but are very popular for the pursuit of bass.

Blue Fox Cast Champ Spoon Kit

When fishing a casting spoon there are two main options to use.  The first option is to "jig" it from a boat or a dock.  When using this method, release your reel allowing the spoon to fall to the bottom of the lake. Once you notice it has reached the bottom, gently nudge it off the bottom and allow it to fall again.  A large portion of strikes will occur while the spoon is fluttering back to the bottom as this is when it will produce the most flash.  Once the spoon hits the bottom again, continue repeating this process.  Because the spoon will twist your line as it moves up and down, you may also let the lure dangle just off the bottom letting it spin while the line untwists.  Watch for your line to jump as this is a really good sign that you've had a fish strike your lure.

Blue Strobe Spoon Kit

The second method for fishing these spoons is to cast it out beyond the point the fish are located and allow it to sink to the bottom.  Gently raise your rod tip up and allow the lure to fall to the bottom again.  Once the spoon has hit the bottom, tighten your line and repeat this process until you have brought your lure back to you or you receive a bite.  As with the above method, the spoon will flash the most as it making its way to the lake floor.

If these two methods aren't producing try casting and retrieving the spoon as you would a jig, gently bouncing your rod tip from time to time allowing the lure to sink a bit after each bounce.  Be sure to set the hook as soon as you notice a strike.

Acme Kastmaster

Although fish can sense the vibration made by the lure moving through the water, the spoon is a lure that attracts fish by catching their eye as it flashes while dancing through the water.  Because of this using spoons in lakes and reservoirs with water that is clear or mostly clear will produce the best results.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Fishing Topwater Lures

Topwater Fishing Lure

You have probably heard that the fish aren't biting when you see them hitting the top of the water.  Although fish seem to become more difficult to catch when this is happening, with a little bit of patience they can still be convinced to bite.  You will need to adjust your tactics in order to catch them and this is an excellent time to put your topwater fishing lures into action.

Fishing with topwater lures is fairly easy, but it is a much slower fishing method than the normal cast and retrieve method used with jigs and other crank baits.  The best method I have found to use with any topwater lure is to cast the lure and let it sit until the ripples caused by its hitting the water are gone.  Once the ripples are gone twitch your rod to move the lure slightly and repeat the process waiting until the resulting ripples are once again gone.  Continue repeating these steps until the lure has been completely retrieved.

You can move the lure just a tiny bit or you can choose to make it move several inches at a time.  Experiment with this as some days the fish will attack it with only a slight movement and other days they will have to see it move a bit before they're convinced it will make a good meal.

Another lure that can be used similar to a topwater lure is a floating shallow diver.  One method for using these lures is the same as for topwater lures.  An alternative to the topwater method  for a floating/shallow-diving lure is to reel it in a foot or two after the initial ripples are gone causing it to dip below the surface of the water before allowing it to pop back up to the surface.  As with the above methods allow the ripples to dissipate before moving the lure again.

There are a seemingly infinite number of different topwater lures available in all different price ranges.  Bigger and more expensive is most definitely not always better.  Many times a smaller lure will attract fish before the bigger ones will.

By patiently working your topwater lures you can bring in fish when no-one else seems to be having any luck at all.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Catfishing In Lakes

Catfish caught last fall

The midwest offers an enormous amount of opportunities for catfishing in lakes with excellent populations of catfish.   Some of these lakes even offer fish of extraordinary sizes (every cat fisherman dreams of hooking into a monster sized fish).

When fishing in lakes one of the best places to pursue catfish is directly below a dam.  If there is no dam catfishing in lakes with submerged debris is a great choice.  When fishing in lakes watch for logs or other objects sticking out of the water.  These are tell-tale signs that there is good cover in which the catfish can hide.  Because smaller baitfish love to hang out in and around these areas, catfish will occupy these places as well hoping to grab a quick and easy meal.  If you are fishing from a boat, fish along cliff edges where cutouts may be  hidden under the water.  These areas are another favorite hiding spot for catfish.

When catfishing in lakes you can use about any rod setup you like.  Make sure that your drag is set appropriately if you are using a lighter rod and reel with light-weight line.  The best way to set your drag properly is to let enough line out that you can get a firm grip on it.  Next while gripping the line pull against the pole and adjust the drag setting until your line will slowly pull off the reel without breaking.  Setting your drag correctly will allow you to bring in fish that weigh much more than the line is rated at.  However, it will take a bit of time to bring those big fish in.  There is nothing like successfully landing a big fish while using lightweight fishing tackle!

Crawdads, shad, minnows, goldfish, cut baits, hotdogs and even spam are great choices for catfishing in lakes.  Note:  It is illegal to dump live goldfish or minnows into any body of water so be sure you take any unused minnows with you when you leave.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Fishing For The Future

One of many crappie caught 4/4/16

While fishing the other day I began thinking about the importance of what I call fishing for the future.  As tempting as it is to take home every fish you catch, it is vital to think about fishing in a way that preserves this activity for future generations.  The crappie I caught were all pretty close to the size of the one pictured above and would have made an excellent fish fry; however, they were mostly females that were full of eggs.  As much as I was tempted to take these crappie home, I decided photograph some of them and return them to the water so they could lay their eggs and ensure that there would be more to catch in the future.

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with taking your share of fish to eat.  In fact it is a good idea to keep some fish in order to allow room for other fish to continue to grow.  If we didn't keep some fish the waters would become overcrowded causing fish growth to be stunted, but during the spawn it is a good idea to return the female fish to the water unharmed in order to ensure there will be plenty of fish to catch in the future.

In order to do your part in making certain that future generations are able to enjoy fishing as we do, I encourage practicing Catch, Photograph, Release (CPR) fishing during the spring while the fish are spawning.  Together we can keep the sport of fishing alive.

-Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Summertime Crappie

One of many crappie caught last summer

Crappie are among the most popular fish pursued in the U.S. and are fairly easy to catch in the spring when spawning is under way.  Let the weather heat up however, and you're looking at a whole new scenario.  As the water temperature heats up crappie can become more difficult to locate preferring deeper waters that offer plenty of cover areas in which they can hide.

In the summer fish for crappie ten to fifteen feet deep near submerged trees and other debris that offers protection.  A great method for catching crappie during the hot summer months is to fish a live minnow below a slip bobber which will allow you to get your bait down to where the fish are active.  Adjust your depth until you find the fish.  Be sure you are not fishing below the crappie as they will swim up a ways to eat but they will have a difficult time locating the bait if it is lower than they are.  The more active the crappie are, the farther they are willing to swim for their food.  However, when they  are less active you will need to land your bait closer to them to convince them to eat.

Fishing lures provide an effective, sometimes challenging alternative method for taking crappie.  Make sure you have an ample supply of multiple colors and styles to choose from.  This will allow you to present many different color combinations to the fish and give you a better chance of finding the ones they are biting on at any given time.  Match the lure color you use to the water.   I tend to fish with darker lures in murky waters and lighter colors in clearer water.  Try bumping your lures off of the cover structure to entice the crappie to bite.  Start by choosing the first color you want to try.  Cast your line and retrieve it multiple times so that you have covered the whole area you are fishing.  If you don't have any luck with the first color, move on to the next and repeat this process until you find the color that catches their attention and causes the fish to strike.

Try fishing around storms.  Sometimes the best fishing you can imagine will take place while a rain shower is passing through.  Don't worry.... it is well worth getting wet in exchange for taking home a stringer full of crappie.



- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Simple Homemade Catfish Bait Recipe

When you think of dough baits for catfish you probably think about the ones that are readily available  on the big box store shelves.  By making your own you can save a lot of money and still catch your share of fish.

This recipe is about as simple as it gets.

Put one cup of water and vanilla extract (you can use pretty much any amount of vanilla....The more you use the stronger the scent will be. Using too much vanilla extract may require you to add in more of the dry mixture) into a pot on the stove and bring to a boil.  While waiting for your water and scent mixture to boil, thoroughly mix one cup of flour and one cup of corn meal together in a bowl.  Once the water begins to boil, add the mixture of flour and cornmeal to the water.  Allow the dry mix to absorb all of the water and remove it from the heat source.  Once the mixture cools enough that you can handle it without being burned knead it until the dough is thick enough to remain on your hook.  When the mixture cools completely place it in a ziplock bag or an old cool whip container.

If desired you can use Anise in place of the vanilla extract (or just make a batch of both).

That is all there is to it.  Now it's time to hit your favorite catfishing hole and start catching some fish!

Next time your wife says you don't need any more fishing tackle you can tell her you saved money by making your own catfish bait so you can afford to get that new lure.  However, you must do it at your own risk as I will claim no responsibility for this :-)

-Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Catfishing In Rivers & Streams

So you want to learn how to catch catfish in rivers.....There are numerous rivers and streams throughout the midwest which offer excellent opportunities for taking decent sized catfish.  Some areas even offer the opportunity to take record breaking fish!  Simply having the chance to hook into one of these monster catfish is a big draw for many anglers.  Knowing the right place to attempt catching these fish can go a long way towards filling your freezer. 

Mouth of creek entering river

One great place to throw in a line for catfish is at the mouth of creeks entering a bigger river.  These areas are particularly effective when the river level is high.  Catfish often frequent these areas in search of baitfish as well as crawdads (crayfish).  Many times you may even have success by casting your line into the smaller stream a short distance up from the adjoining river.

Wing Dike

Wing dikes offer another excellent area to search for catfish as it allows them to get out of the main flow of water giving them the opportunity to pick up a meal while resting a while.  The ripples on the back side of wing dikes as shown in this picture also tend to attract the baitfish giving this area even more appeal to catfish.

Pool formed by river

The pools that are sometimes formed on the back side of a wing dike is another great target area for big catfish.  When the river is up it may also "cut" into the bank in these areas on outside corners causing cutout ledges to form making an excellent hiding place from which the catfish can ambush their unsuspecting prey.

Cover

Don't forget to watch logs such as the one shown in the above picture protruding from the water or any other debris that you can access in the river.  Catfish love to hang out in and around these hidden snags.

When fishing on a river be sure to use a heavy rod and reel in combination with a high strength fishing line.  This will allow you to retrieve your tackle when you get hung up.

One of the best baits for consistently catching ten to twenty pound catfish in rivers and streams is crawdads.  These are a catfish favorite.  Another bait that seems to work really well is goldfish that are two to three inches long.  Note:  It is illegal to dump live goldfish into the river so make sure you take them with you when you leave.

By paying attention to the the river and taking advantage of hotspots such as the ones mentioned above, your outings should begin to result in more and bigger catfish.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Gar Fishing - Trash Fish Or Overlooked Food Source

Photo Courtesy of the Missouri Department of Conservation

When most people in the midwest think of a gar they don't tend to think about gar fishing, instead they seem to think of a worthless fish that steals their bait and breaks their fishing lines. However, if you were to ask people from the south, say Louisiana, you'd likely get a different answer altogether. I had always looked at gar as a trash fish until last year when I began looking a little closer at this often misunderstood fish.

Gar are opportunistic feeders that are willing to dine on just about any meaty substance that happens to cross their paths.  When fishing for gar, use a heavier pole such as a catfishing rod in combination with a steel leader at least two feet long and any type of meat you might use when fishing for cats.
Some of the most productive areas I've found to catch gar include the back side of wing dikes, below dams and wherever bait fish happen to be swimming in schools.  If you enjoy catching a fish that will put up a good fight while bringing them to shore, perhaps it's time you try your luck at catching some gar.  Just a side note.... be sure you have a good pair of gloves.  Not only are their mouth full of teeth, but their scales tend to be sharp as well.

As an added bonus to being fun to catch, I found that the meat from a gar is rather tasty.  I have heard some people say that it tastes like alligator which makes sense when you consider that they are related.  Filleting a gar is done a little differently than cleaning a gamefish.  To retrieve the fillets from this fish, cut a "u" shape behind the gills.  Start at the bottom on one side working your way over the top of the fish and down to the bottom on the other side.  Next repeat this process near the end of the tail.  After these two openings are made, cut a line along the top of the fish connecting the original cuts at the head and tail (a heavy duty pair of kitchen scissors works great for this task).  Once this is completed proceed to cutting the filet on each side away from the skin and the ribcage.  Remove the filets and discard the rest.  You don't even have to deal with guts using this method.  Note:  Gar eggs are toxic to humans so do not eat them.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Catfish Baits You Should Try

Many anglers enjoy the the thrill of catching monster catfish.  They are opportunistic eaters that will bite on many different types of bait. There are all types of dough baits on the market that claim to be the best one to get the job done.  If you've tried as many different dough baits as I have you know that there is not much difference in their performance for catching fish.  Some alternatives to dough baits are prepared baits, live baits and cut baits.  If the fish don't seem to be biting, try some of these alternatives to improve your luck.

Prepared Baits:

• Although it is not a bait in and of it's self, anise oil makes an excellent additive for prepared baits.  Anise Oil is a licorice scented oil that can be found in the baking aisle at most grocery stores.  Catfish seem to find the smell of this oil irresistible.  Try dipping your bait of choice in Anise oil to take home a stringer full of catfish. 
• While fishing on truman lake last summer my wife and I ran out of minnows.  Not wanting to make another trip to the bait shop, we decided to rummage through the cooler for something to try as bait and came across a package of hotdogs.  Figuring it couldn't hurt anything, we pulled them out and placed a bite sized morsel on our hooks.  It wasn't long before we were catching catfish like crazy.
• Spam is another one of those rarely thought of baits for catfish.  It is a very oily food which works wonders for attracting catfish.  Simply pull the spam from the can, cut it into pieces about the size of your hook and you are ready to go.
• Ivory Soap is another alternative to dough baits that seems to work well.  Cut the bar into bait sized pieces that will fit on a treble hook and let the fishing begin
• Raw bacon is another effective choice for catching catfish.  Try using it in combination with the  anise oil listed above or try putting it in a baggie with some garlic allowing it to soak up the garlic flavor in the refrigerator for a while.
• While getting ready to head down to the river one afternoon a small piece of left-over steak that had been lurking in the fridge for a few days caught my eye.  I figured if it wasn't going to be eaten, it might as well not go to waste.  Anxious to try out my newfound bait I cut a piece off, attached it to my hook and sent it sailing into the water.  It didn't take long to figure out that saving the steak from heading to the landfill was an excellent decision.

Live Baits:

• Crayfish or crawdads as I call them are a proven top choice of catfish.
• Goldfish also make an excellent live bait presentation.  Catfish can't seem to resist them.
• Small bluegill are among the best live baits.
• Shad tend to work well when fishing channels in the lakes as well as in rivers.
• Night crawlers are hard to beat for catching catfish that are the perfect eating size.
• Minnows are another good choice for pan-sized catfish.

Cut Baits:

• Shad work great as a cut bait.  I have found that the catfish really enjoy dining on their heads.
• Carp make an excellent cut bait. 
• Drum is often considered a trash fish but don't rule it out as a bait for catfish.
• Skipjack can be cut into bait sized pieces and is another effective choice.
• Bluegill/Perch/Sunfish are easy to catch in large quantities any time of day and catfish love them

When the fish "aren't biting" we tend to blame it on the weather or some other variable that is out of our control.  Although the weather can sometimes affect how the fish are biting, more often than not we are simply attempting to entice the fish with a bait they aren't presently interested in.  The next time you think you're about to go home empty handed, don't give up until you've tried some of these alternatives.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day