By Andrew Ragas With pristine waters comes difficult decisions to entice big smallmouth bass. Finesse presentations aren’t required on every clear water fishery, but they greatly help with catching more
By Andrew Ragas Bass anglers sometimes wonder why certain rivers of Wisconsin’s flowage belt fish best in spring and go unproductive in summer. Understanding the dynamics and little-studied stream migrations
By Andrew Ragas Gin clear waters greatly intimidate anglers, driving them away from some of the best smallmouth waters there are. Anglers fishing these waters usually doubt their skill, but
By Andrew Ragas It’s the weekend of Wisconsin’s gamefish season opener. As I tortuously wait for up to 24 inches of ice and slush to melt, I have nothing better
By Andrew Ragas It was a typical early May morning in Wisconsin’s northwoods. Air temperatures were in the high 40’s, water temperatures not much greater and windless with the skies
By Andrew Ragas The wind plays a role in determining the outcome of all outdoor sports, including fishing. For smallmouth bass anglers in particular, a wind capable of warming water
By Andrew Ragas Thousands of years ago, following the melt of the ice age, specific regions of North America and its landscape were littered by the abundant remnants of glaciers
By Andrew Ragas Smallmouth bass prefer sand, rocks and wood in conjunction to major depth contour. However, they can also be found using weedlines at certain times of the year.
