What's New?
“New opportunities” is a fitting theme heading into the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
One of the most versatile and effective lures for bass is the jerkbait. What was once thought of as an ideal prespawn and cold-water bait has become a versatile lure that works anywhere, year-round.
New Gear
The Vanquish MagnumLite spinning reel is designed for anglers who demand ultimate sensitivity, responsiveness, and start-stop precision.
Newsflash
Powell Knows Animals and How to Catch ‘Em
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Sportsman Spotlight
Hometown: Osceola, Ind.
Occupation: Steel Warehouse Supervisor
Favorite species to trap: Mink. They are less predictable in the exact route they take along a bank. I like the challenge.
Favorite trapping location: Any watershed.
Hobbies when not trapping: Ice fishing and deer hunting.
If you only had one trap and why: It’s called 1.5 coil spring. I can use it to target many different species.
Best tip to give a new Michiana trapper: Learn the habits of the animal before you try to trap it. Where they go, what they do and what they eat. I have spent thousands of hours following tracks in the snow.
By Louie Stout
Full disclosure - Chuck Powell is my longtime fishing partner.
While most anglers know him as the guy who runs the front of my boat and catches most of the fish, he’s also an avid trapper.
And a damn good one.
Nobody spends more time outdoors year-round than he does. When he’s not fishing or deer hunting, he’s either making animal nuisance calls as a side business or trapping for fur.
Trapping isn’t new to the 56-year-old Hoosier. He began trapping age 12 by catching opossums and racoons in his neighbor’s garden.
Nothing Conventional about Hensley’s Ice Fishing System That Produces Big Panfish
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Michiana Sportsman Spotlight
Hometown: Edwardsburg, Mich.
Occupation: Clear H2o store manager
Favorite species and biggest fish of that species: crappie, 16 1/2inches.
Favorite Michiana lake: Wawasee
Hobbies when not fishing: Deer hunting
If you only had one lure and why: Ice fly. It catches big ones.
Favorite rod and reel: HT Ice Blue, 24-inch ultralight ($6) and Schooley reel ($14).
Best tip to give a new Michiana angler: Safety aside, have a sonar to know there are fish below you.
By Louie Stout
You probably know Brian Hensley best for his successes as a tournament bass angler or the expertise he offers as store manager at Clear H2o Tackle.
He’s still an avid bass angler, but during the wintertime, he spends his time hammering panfish through the ice on lakes across southern Michigan and northern Indiana.
He’s not a conventional ice angler. He’s one of the best you’ll find when it comes to fishing ice flies through hard water and even makes and sells his creations at Clear H2o.
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