How Northern Pike Respond to Weedy Bay Temperatures in Late Spring
Use water temperature, weed growth, and baitfish location to decide whether to fish the inside edge, outside edge, or nearby flats.
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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 Much Leader Should You Use in Clear Water?
A practical guide to choosing leader length in clear freshwater and inshore water, with adjustments for cover, lure action, casting distance, and target species.
Read articleHow Largemouth Bass Use Bluegill Beds in Early Summer
A practical guide to finding largemouth bass around early-summer bluegill spawning colonies, choosing productive casts around the perimeter, and avoiding direct casts into active beds.
Read articleHow Do You Fish a Tidal Creek on a Slack-Tide Window?
A practical guide to finding and catching fish in Southeastern coastal marsh tidal creeks when the current briefly slows, stops, or begins to reverse.
Read articleHow Do You Choose a First Spinning Reel Size for Panfish and Bass?
A practical guide to choosing a first spinning reel size for panfish and bass, with clear recommendations on spool size, line capacity, drag, and rod balance.
Read articleHow Do Bluegill Change Location From Spring to Summer?
Learn how bluegill shift from spring spawning shallows to summer cover and deeper water, with practical locations and bait presentations for beginner anglers in the South and central United States.
Read articleHow a Tangled Tackle Box Changed My Pre-Trip Routine
Turn a frustrating outing into a simple system for checking leaders, hooks, tools, and lure storage before leaving home.
Read articleHow Do I Handle a Fish in Hot Summer Weather?
Practical fish-handling steps for hot summer days, including landing gear, quick photos, revival, and when it’s better to release a fish without lifting it from the water.
Read articleWhat Makes a Good Pier Fishing Setup for Flounder?
How to build a manageable pier setup and position a bait near bottom contours where flounder are likely to ambush prey.
Read articleHow Do I Fish Through a Full Day of Changing Tides?
A practical framework for planning and adjusting a full saltwater fishing day as tide stage, current direction, water level, and feeding windows change along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
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