Merwin: Cold Water Spring Bass Lures

After posting the other day about fishing and not catching, I thought I should redeem myself with a little fish porn. Here’s a nice largemouth--I guess around 6

Discussion Topic: On Plastic Baits And Sick Trout

Last spring, in his March column, F&S Fishing Editor John Merwin reported that plastic baits pose potential environmental and health hazards, that fish are

Discussion Topic: On Bass Fishing’s First State Champs

From the Chicago Sun-Times: Naturally, it came down to a big fish. Frankfort of Downstate West Frankfort had one, Zion-Benton Boat 2 did not at Carlyle Lake Sat

Fishing with Flyconelli

Some of the best fly fishers I know are bass anglers.  Likewise, some of the best bass anglers in the world are... you got it, fly fishers.  Yesterday

Cermele: Eat Your Bait

With summer approaching, I got to thinking about crabbing last night. Its actually one of my favorite kinds of fishing, though there are no fish involved. I fin

Cermele: Best Wishes, Tred

Love the man or hate him, you cant deny that Captain Tred Barta is highly entertaining on his Versus show, The Best and Worst of Tred Barta. While even Ill admi

Cermele: How Was Your Long Weekend?

So its back to work today. Yes, I too am pining for a few more days off after a most eventful Memorial Day weekend. Though you can certainly count on crowds, th

States Save Millions Swapping Fish And Ammo

From The New York Times: Minnesota was looking for a bargain on the tiniest walleye fish, known as frylings, that the state stocks in some of its lakes. Wiscons

Merwin: Look at Flowers, Catch More Fish

Here’s an arcane branch of fishing lore that you don’t hear much about but which I’m sure is more prevalent than most people think. It’s called Phenology, which

Chad Love: Locked & Loaded in Parkland

Theres already been a  boatload of bloviation expressed on the recent reversal of the ban on loaded firearms in our national parks, some of it sensible but most

Cermele: When It's In Past The Barb

Weve all done it. Well all do it again. You fish long enough and you feel that sting and before ever looking at the injury you say to yourself, damn, that ones

Chad Love: Fish Don't Feel Pain, But I Do

I was perusing online magazine Slate yesterday when this column by editor Michael Agger  caught my eye. Its one of the better takes Ive yet read on the do fish

Cermele: Are You a Patient Fisherman?

Patience is an essential part of fishing. I know this very well, but it doesnt stop me from sometimes being the most impatient SOB in the world when Im on the w

Bass Wins In Cock Fight

An email was waiting for me yesterday after lunch with some photos from my friend Cliff Watts, an ER doctor here in town. Hes a rabid steelheader and inventor o

Cermele: Look Hot Without Burning

Many trinkets and new treasures find their way across our desks here at F&S. The latest is the NozKon, which I am rocking in the photo. This little foam ho

Merwin: Leave It At The Dock

Politics, religion, and fishing. Now there’s a combination that’s a little like trying to mix gasoline and water with a propane torch. You don’t know quite

Merwin: The Tale of the Double-Taker

I was fishing Lake El Salto out of Anglers Inn in southern Mexico last week (about which more later) for largemouth bass when I hooked and lost a lunker that we

Hungry On The Water? Call The SS Pizza

From the Chicago Tribune:    Life could be a little simpler this summer for pizza-loving boaters on Lake St. Clair. The Sams Sorrento Pizza chain is launching

Louisiana Man Kills Wife Over Fishing

From The Town Talk: I usually have something flip thing to say. But not here. This is a senseless killing and a devastating story, especially considering there

Cermele: A Dose of Manliness

Chad Love recently posted a blog on how consumer marketing types who come up with Fathers Day gift ideas paint a picture of the American dad as an alcoholic, ma