Featured Stories

Lots of folks fish jigging spoons. Almost all fish them the same way. Find fish on the depth finder, drop a spoon on their heads and jig up and down. I prefer to stay to the side of fish, rather than on top of them. So, I have found a way to fish the Cotton Cordell C.C. Spoon without getting on top of the fish. Very simply, I cast it. It has been working for me, every summer and every winter, for over 15 years. And it works at times in spring and fall. Basically, it works anytime that bass are schooled up and feeding on shad.

Texan Will Kirkpatrick is a legend of sorts. From fishing bass tournaments in the 1970s to guiding on Lake Rayburn to administering yearly fishing schools, there are few who have accomplished as much as this friendly, helpful angler. He’s caught every freshwater fish there is except golden trout and arctic char. The fact that he’s been on the Rebel Lures Pro Staff for 40 years attests to his skill, knowledge and ability to catch fish.

The winter months are hard on anglers. Even on the “nice” days the prospect of slow fishing and cold toes is enough to keep a lot of folks inside. But it’s amazing how you forget your feet when the fish are biting, and the best option for most of us is to forget about bass, crappie and catfish and tackle a trout instead. They thrive in cold water all year long and the action can be fast and furious using fast-paced techniques like twitching a jerkbait or cranking a Teeny Wee Crawfish crankbait.

Below is a press release the Arizona Game & Fish Department on a new state record striper caught Monday on one of the best topwater baits of all time, the Heddon Super Spook. I received no answer when I phoned angler John Davis this morning but left a message asking him to return my call so I can provide more details on this great day on the water. And yes, that's John and his fish in the photo.

When the leaves are falling and Arkansan Mitch Looper is on the water, chances are that several of his rods have crankbaits tied on. He knows the fish are hungry and making frequent trips to the shallows to feed as the water cools, so he keeps different sizes ready to reach a variety of depths and employs several techniques to fool fall’s feeding largemouth bass.

Striper fishermen know that a Cotton Cordell Red-Fin fishing lure is without rival when it comes to imitating big gizzard shad wallowing near the surface. The same principle applies to largemouth fishing anywhere the bass grow to jumbo sizes and make good use of big gizzard shad, according to Arkansas trophy bass expert, Mitch Looper.

Autumn is a time of power-eating for largemouth and smallmouth bass, as they pack on as much weight as possible in preparation for the coming winter. It’s also a beautiful time to be on the water. The trees are in full color and pleasure boat traffic is minimal. Add to that the fact that bass ought to be pretty cooperative and you’d better get out there before the snow flies.

My daughter’s boyfriend shows some interest in bass fishing, and as much as I hesitate to say this, I kinda like the kid. The problem is that the only fishing he’s ever done has been with a hook and bobber. It took a while for me to get my mind around the fact that he just didn’t believe you could catch a fish on something without a minnow or worm impaled on it.

It’s not your Bubba’s Mississippi River. For most Southerners, the Mississippi River is a big, rolling, muddy, deep and dangerous river. That’s just the way it is. It’s like your second grade teacher – she was old and fat and quick to anger. She’ll always be that way to you. You’d never imagine that she once was a young and virile teenager.