Article by: Matt Luna
Posted: Dec 11, 2019

If you’re reading this from the Midwest or even further north, you’re probably scratching your head thinking, “its ice fishing season, right?” Well, perhaps. For some of us brave souls, there are some open water fishing opportunities ahead and for many further south, plenty of great days of cold water fishing yet to be had. However, you are now fishing harder for fewer bites, and that is something that you have to settle with before you grab your keys and walk out that door. Your scaly friend’s metabolisms are slowing down quickly and if that hasn’t been reflected yet in your amount of daily hooksets, rest assured that it will. It is time to downsize your presentation, slow it down, and put your patience to the test. For us tackle crafters, we can now hone in on the details that now matter the most, by tweaking, altering, and creating specific baits, baits that you just can’t find in stores, which will have us back to setting hooks in no time. 

One of the great elements of making your own tackle is the ability to make something custom.  Whether it be your favorite crankbait blank airbrushed in a color pattern you’re not able to buy at your local Fleet Farm, a jig with some custom glitter and dipped in a UV Seal Coat or a can’t buy anywhere on the shelf soft plastic dipped in pearlescent powder there is something intriguing about using something no one else has and more importantly something that fish have not seen before. 

Here in my home state of Wisconsin, it was one of the hottest summers on record. These extended periods of heat effected some fisheries in a negative way and some in a positive way. One of the few fish that reacted favorably was the Bass. For the Bass fisherman, both largemouth and smallmouth, many would agree that it was a banner year. The warmer than normal lake temps statewide had both species about as active as I have ever seen them.

Some fish never get the respect they deserve.

The stars of the angling show are bass and walleyes. We see them on television, on the covers of outdoor magazines and in our local newspapers. Sometimes, however, fishing isn't about old glamour gills. It's about spending a few hours on the water. It's about feeling a tug on your line. It's about sharing a day full of laughs. Maybe it's about bragging rights and the camaraderie among a group of anglers less concerned with the final results than the common experience. And for the sheer pleasure of fishing, it's hard to beat the homely, hard-fighting sheepshead.

Jig it deep. Retrieve it slowly along the bottom. Bird dog open water with long casts and stop and go action. Or burn it over shallow weeds. Bass, walleyes, pike, stripers, even trout and salmon they catch nearly everything.

Tail spinners have been around since the 1960's when Tom Mann introduced the now famous Little George sported a simple tear drop shape and is still available today in it's original shape.

I can't even begin to tell you the entire history of the spinnerbait. I'm guessing that they have been around for fifty years or more. I know that they have been around during my thirty-two year angling career.

Bass, Pike, Musky, and even Walleye will take them throughout the entire season. Down sized versions will even take Crappies and other panfish.

If you fish salt water or follow the salt water beat, you have probably heard of Butterfly Jigging. Right now it may be the hottest thing out there to take a variety of species of salt water game fish. Originating in Japan this technique involves a lure that looks very similar to a normal jigging spoon, but it acts very different. The jigs used in this technique are travel in a side to side manner very similar to a walk-the-dog surface bait.

The float drifts lazily down the river bobbing through riffles and seams in the current. As quick as a blink of your eye, it’s gone. That split second rush of adrenaline when you realize that a fish has nabbed your offering is very addictive.

Living on the shore of Lake Michigan my entire life, I’ve used spoons to catch trout and salmon almost as long as I’ve used a spoon to eat. It’s a year-round work horse for many species including walleyes, bass, trout, salmon, and even panfish.

The sun was at high noon and we had a 1-2 foot chop on Hamlin Lake. The rod tips were bouncing in unison with the waves when one tip stayed down. Quickly my son grabbed the rod and set the hook.

By and large, anglers are a practical bunch.

We wouldn't use a bent nail if a bait hook were available. We wouldn't choose a skanky, dead crawler over a plump, writhing one. Nor would we opt for a rowboat if somebody handed us the keys to a motorboat.
It only makes sense that more anglers are

Thinking outside of the box has been the root of a lot of great innovations and ideas in history. And, a lot of great fishermen and fishing techniques have also excelled from looking beyond the obvious.