What's New?
Bass pros fish for a living. What could be better, right? Sit down with a professional angler at a boat show, and it comes out that they do enjoy their gig, mainly because they genuinely love to fish. One perk of the job is that the tournament season doesn’t run all year long, so they do have a true offseason.
As tournament directors put together their schedules for 2026, I’m curious to see if any have the will to at least partially limit the use of forward-facing sonar (FFS).
New Gear
Zoom Bait Company has announced the launch of two new additions to its lineup: the Thick Trick worm and the Midsize Z Craw.
Newsflash
Spawning Bluegills, Crappies Await Holiday Anglers
- Details
Holiday Fishing Report
By Louie Stout
Young fisherman with nice crappiesPanfishermen can expect a banner holiday weekend assuming the weather is stable.
If you're fishing Michigan this weekend, you won’t need a license as the state will celebrate a free fishing weekend Saturday and Sunday for both residents and non-residents.
Bluegills and crappies are biting just about everywhere, with both species spawning shallow on some lakes. Things could slow down a bit with Friday’s cold frot but fishing should still remain pretty good over the holiday.
Crappies typically spawn earlier, but area baitshops report anglers still finding good crappies in the spawning mode.
Bluegills began moving onto beds on the shallow, darker lakes last week and should be in full force on most lakes by the weekend since we will be under a full moon beginning today.
“It doesn’t matter where you go, the fishing is good everywhere down here,” said Bonnie Kelley of Kelley’s Bait in Lakeville, Ind.
Serious Anglers Know Quality Sunglasses Make a Difference
- Details
By Louie Stout
Darrin Schaap talks sunglasses
Every serious angler knows the importance of sunglasses. The lenses not only protect your eyes, but allow you to see beneath the surface of the water.
But not all sunglasses offer the same level of protection - or the quality of vision - you need. They may look cool and inexpensive, but are you getting the benefits you need?
Clear H2o Tackle Shop owner Darrin Schaap knows this all too well. When he’s not fishing for bass and bluegills on Michiana lakes, he’s on Lake Michigan trolling for trout and salmon or in Florida chasing saltwater fish.
“Quality sunglasses are more expensive but if you spend as much time outdoors and on the water as I do, you realize they are worth every penny,” said Schaap, a Costa Del Mar dealer.
The benefits may not be noticeable as you try them on or compare with other brands, but there are discernable differences once you get on the water, he added.
“The components in premium glasses are better made, the lenses are clearer and they are more abrasion resistant,” he said. “Quality glasses have more options to enhance your vision experience; you get more frame options and can find a pair to fit your head and nose perfectly.”
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