Tough to see the real magic of a cigar worm in the water by the boat. Drop one in an aquarium. Let it fall horizontally, squash your nose on the glass and watch both ends wobble ever so slightly while...View article
A Remarkably Straightforward Approach

How Kevin VanDam Finds Bass

Since Kevin VanDam began fishing the national tournament trails in 1990, he’s won 12 major events including 3 Bassmaster Classics, banked $3.36 million in prize money, and taken 5 Angler of the Year...View article
Behind the Science

Smallmouths for Tomorrow

Some smallmouth bass fisheries are on fire these days—hotter than a green-chile cheeseburger, especially those in the mid- and northern portions of their range. Nowhere is this more apparent than...View article
Where coastal waterways meet the deep blue sea, the daily pushing and pulling of water affects all elements of the...View article
 Despite grim economic forecasts, the most recent ICAST Show, a major fishing industry showcase for new products, featured a...View article
In flowing water, summertime smallmouths pull out all the stops. A 2-pound, current-pumped smallie makes you think you’ve tagged a 4-pounder. And their aerial acrobatics leave me shaking my head,...View article
Thinking Out Of The Box for Pressured Smallies

Understanding Smallmouths

Pavlov’s dogs, fed for days at the sounding of a bell, began to salivate at the chime with no food in sensory range. Few witness that kind of conditioning, but perhaps you’ve seen a dog cower at...View article
Fish have the same five major senses as you—sight, smell, scent, taste and touch—although they’re a bit different, adapted for use underwater. Fish use their combined input to locate food and...View article
Shared Characteristics—What Makes A Fish A Fish?

Nature of the Fish

While fish share many of the same basic organs as you and I, they do have some unique attributes.Cold-Blooded—To begin, fish don’t maintain a higher body temperature...View article
Since 2004, Shinichi Fukae of Osaka, Japan, has spent many March and April days on Beaver Lake in Arkansas in pursuit of largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, and meanmouth bass, competing against hundreds...View article