How to Fish a River Bend When the Current Is Strong
A step-by-step approach to finding and fishing current seams, eddies, and resting water on a strong river bend.
Read articleIndependent field notes
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 Fish a New Public Lake When the Shoreline Is Mostly Private
A practical plan for finding legal bank-fishing access on a public lake when most of the surrounding shore is private, including how to use maps, launches, parks, easements, and local information without making risky ownership assumptions.
Read articleHow to Fish a Ned Rig Around Sparse Rock Without Constant Snags
A practical guide to choosing jig weight, casting angles, retrieves, and rigging details that let a Ned rig work through sparse rock while avoiding most snags.
Read articleHow to Fish a Lure at Three Different Speeds
A repeatable retrieve-speed test that helps anglers work one lure slowly, moderately, and quickly before deciding whether a lure change is really necessary.
Read articleHow to Fish a Drop-Off From Shore Without Knowing the Exact Depth
A practical shore-fishing method for finding and working drop-offs with casting distance, sink counts, bottom contact, and visible shoreline clues—without a depth finder.
Read articleHow to Fish a Dock When the Shade Is Moving
A practical guide for intermediate bass anglers on repositioning around docks as sun changes the shade line, including casting angles, lure selection, depth, and retrieve direction.
Read articleHow to Fish a Canal When the Water Level Changes Overnight
A practical guide to reading a canal after an overnight rise or drop, with tactics for exposed edges, inflow, current, and repositioning your presentation.
Read articleHow to Fish a Canal Seawall on a Falling Tide
A practical shore-based plan for fishing Florida and Gulf Coast canal seawalls as the tide falls, with emphasis on current, corners, drains, bait, lure placement, and safe access.
Read articleHow to Fish a Bridge Shadow for Summer Largemouth Bass
A practical guide to finding and catching summer largemouth bass around bridge shadows, pilings, current seams, and deeper water from the bank or a small boat.
Read articleHow to Find Redfish on a Windy Marsh Shoreline
A practical approach to using wind, bait, drains, and shoreline shape to locate redfish along Gulf Coast marshes when conditions get rough.
Read article