Too many anglers have been told for years that the best way to handle a deep hooked bass was to cut the line at the hook eye and let it rust out, but the facts suggest that simply is not true. Those fish will retain those hooks far longer than most anglers think. I have for about the last 20 years never left a hook in a bass. I believe in that whole time I have only have killed one bass and that w...[more]

One man's trash is another man's treasure. No idiom applies more appropriately to the Northwest's whitefish fisheries. Whitefish are revered in the Great Lakes region where anglers fork out money for guided whitefish trips and actively target them throughout the year on open and frozen water. These whitefish are Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis). This species can grow to several pounds and i...[more]

Enjoying a dinner party a few years ago some non-fishing friends of mine decided to surprise me with a grilled salmon entre’. Standing in the kitchen and observing the preparation of this meal I was definitely surprised when the salmon came out of the refrigerator. The grocery store label clearly stated, “Keta Salmon.” At that time, it didn’t dawn on me what a “Keta” was and then I saw the price t...[more]

Fall is often a time when anglers are busy concentrating on our various salmon species in local rivers and salt water but for those that don’t care to fight the crowds or don’t have a way to access the salmon waters then look to some great trout fishing instead. With the lowland lakes general season closing at the end of the month it will be your last opportunity to target some of the most product...[more]

Temperatures are dropping and the leaves are changing color so it would seem an unlikely time to be thinking about getting into kayak fishing. Yet there really isn't a better time to be thinking about making your first fishing kayak purchase. Kayak retailers will be looking to clear out retail space for the holidays and make way for 2018 models. This usually means good discounts for the savvy shop...[more]

The vibrant reds and golds of the sunset washed over my eyes while the soothing breaking of the surf on the beach lulled me in to a state of Zen-like bliss. I watched as the surfers braved the frigid waters and attempted to get up on breaking waves and ride in to shore on their boards. All around me people took in the sunset signaling the end of another beautiful day in this slice of Pacific North...[more]

If you’re like most Pike fisherman you either switch to ice fishing with dead bait or give up all together when the weather starts turning cold, but if you put into practice what I’m about to share with you here you can catch some big Pike all winter long and I do this fishing from the comfort of my boat using only lures. I release all my pike so I never deadbait them. I've had days where my partn...[more]

Launching the drift boat we pushed off into the glacial silt water running from the base of Mt. Adams. A few quick strokes of the oars and then the anchor dropped. We had simply slid from one side of the river to the other where a deep slot ran along the basalt rock bank. The move over was simply a ploy to keep our hole as other boats had pulled in behind us to launch in the Klickitat river canyon...[more]

It was late Oct two years ago and the weather was fair, but a cold front had moved in and the water temps were dropping down into the low 50's. I was fishing a tournament with a buddy in one of the prettiest spots in all of N. Idaho, the Pend Oreille River. The smallies were banging craw colored crank baits pretty good and we had caught a few nice size fish in the 1 ½ to 3 pounds range when the bi...[more]

10 Yakima County Fishing Holes: High Country Hooking Done Right Yakima is hot this time of the year, but many sport fishermen are willing to brave the heat in order to take part in some of the best Yakima Fishing Holesfishing in Washington State. These places are in lakes that do not have drought restrictions (check the WDFW site for current restrictions). Please fish early in the day, and tak...[more]

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, located on the west side of the Cascades, is one of the most visited forests in the United Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National ForestStates. The Canadian border is to the north and Mt Rainer Park is to the south. This deep forest is surrounded by mountains, offering an incredible backdrop to some of the best fishing in the world. But it’s not always easy to pick ...[more]

Many anglers who are interested in adding a fish finder to their arsenal of tools become frustrated and confused with the extensive options that they have to choose from, not to mention the distinct features that each product has. This is unfortunate as fish finders differ pretty significantly from one unit to the next. So you need to select the best sounder for your needs and circumstances if ...[more]