How to Unhook a Fish When It’s Deeply Embedded
A practical guide to assessing deeply embedded hooks, removing only hooks that can come out cleanly, and cutting the line when removal would badly injure the fish or angler.
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Hooked For The Weekend
Fishing tips, tackle talk, and stories about the ones that got away.
Caleb MercerHi I’m Caleb, a recreational angler who would rather spend a quiet morning by the water than just about anywhere else. I write about practical fishing techniques, dependable gear, and the lessons I’ve learned through years of tangled lines, missed strikes, and the occasional fish worth bragging about.
Recent articles
View archiveHow to Tie a Strong Loop Knot With Stiff Fluorocarbon
A practical guide to tying a reliable non-slip loop knot with stiff fluorocarbon, including ways to prevent common failures and situations where a different connection is better.
Read articleHow to Tie a Reliable Blood Knot With Unequal-Diameter Lines
A practical guide to tying and tightening a blood knot when joining leader sections of different diameters, with turn counts, setup tips, and troubleshooting for common weak points.
Read articleHow to Tie a Palomar Knot When the Hook Has a Large Eye
A beginner-friendly guide to tying and seating a Palomar knot cleanly on hooks with oversized eyes.
Read articleHow to Tie a Double-Uni Knot Without Burning the Line
A beginner-friendly guide to tying a smooth, strong Double-Uni Knot with controlled tension, clean wraps, and less risk of heat damage when joining lines of different diameters.
Read articleHow to Target Yellow Perch From Shore in Late Fall
A practical shore-fishing guide to finding and catching late-fall yellow perch in Great Lakes and Northeastern lakes, with simple rigs, bait choices, and cold-weather considerations.
Read articleHow to Target White Bass During a Late-Summer Bait Push
A practical guide to finding and catching white bass when late-summer baitfish concentrate on Midwestern reservoirs and rivers.
Read articleHow to Store Soft Plastics Without Ruining Them
Prevent melting, color transfer, oil leaks, and warped baits by separating materials and improving tackle storage habits.
Read articleHow to Stop Braided Line From Digging Into a Spinning Reel Spool
Why braid digs into a spinning-reel spool, how to install it under firm tension with proper backing, and how to recover when a buried wrap stops a cast.
Read articleHow to Slow Down a Chatterbait When Bass Stop Chasing
Ways to change retrieve speed, trailer size, pauses, and casting angles when a vibrating lure gets follows but no strikes.
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