Without a doubt, quality matters when it comes to ice fishing gear.  After all, it has to handle brutal conditions while still performing flawlessly every time.  One piece of gear that takes the brunt of our abuses and is vital for fishing success is our rods.Ice fishing rods are more than just sticks with a reel attached.  They are the link between you and your lure and hopefully, a fish.  Not only does it need to deliver finely tuned action to your bait, it needs to act as a super sensitive bite detector.Unfortunately, not all ice rods are up to these demands,...…Without a doubt, quality matters when it comes to ice fishing gear.  After all, it has to handle brutal conditions while still performing flawlessly every time.  One piece of gear that takes the brunt of our abuses and is vital for fishing success is our rods.Ice fishing rods are more than just sticks with a reel attached.  They are the link between you and your lure and hopefully, a fish.  Not only does it need to deliver finely tuned action to your bait, it needs to act as a super sensitive bite detector.Unfortunately, not all ice rods are up to these demands,...WW…

Anyone who has been fishing long enough knows that refining their tactics and customizing gear is a huge part of advancing their skills on the water.  After all, the pros are pros for a reason.  Sure, they spend thousands of hours on the water but they also have learned how to select, and use, all the best equipment to their advantage.It’s this very concept that usually leads many anglers to wonder if building their own custom fishing rods is a logical next step in mastering the challenges of fishing.There are a lot of good reasons for building your own fishing rods but there are...…Anyone who has been fishing long enough knows that refining their tactics and customizing gear is a huge part of advancing their skills on the water.  After all, the pros are pros for a reason.  Sure, they spend thousands of hours on the water but they also have learned how to select, and use, all the best equipment to their advantage.It’s this very concept that usually leads many anglers to wonder if building their own custom fishing rods is a logical next step in mastering the challenges of fishing.There are a lot of good reasons for building your own fishing rods but there are...WW…

Nothing beats the thrill of a topwater bite and you won’t find many anglers who disagree.  After all, who doesn’t love the surge of adrenaline when a bass blows up on a popper as it bubbles across the water?  It’s excitement unmatched by any other bass fishing technique, so it’s no wonder anglers are always looking for the best time to break out the topwater gear.While we get the enthusiasm, not every day is a good topwater day.  But of course, that’s why you are here.  Through plenty of failures and lots of advice from more experienced anglers, we have finally dialed in...…Nothing beats the thrill of a topwater bite and you won’t find many anglers who disagree.  After all, who doesn’t love the surge of adrenaline when a bass blows up on a popper as it bubbles across the water?  It’s excitement unmatched by any other bass fishing technique, so it’s no wonder anglers are always looking for the best time to break out the topwater gear.While we get the enthusiasm, not every day is a good topwater day.  But of course, that’s why you are here.  Through plenty of failures and lots of advice from more experienced anglers, we have finally dialed in...WW…

Ask a group of anglers if they troll with spinning reels and you might get a few scoffs and some sideway looks.  But there will be plenty of sheepish nods in there too.  When it comes to trolling, spinning reels often get a bad wrap and are seen as tools for the novice. Well, guess what?  Many pros use spinning reels for trolling too.  And while spinning gear is often the first setup novice anglers use, it’s by no means inferior gear used only by amateurs.  You can absolutely troll with spinning reels.  In fact, spinning reels are often a better, more...…Ask a group of anglers if they troll with spinning reels and you might get a few scoffs and some sideway looks.  But there will be plenty of sheepish nods in there too.  When it comes to trolling, spinning reels often get a bad wrap and are seen as tools for the novice. Well, guess what?  Many pros use spinning reels for trolling too.  And while spinning gear is often the first setup novice anglers use, it’s by no means inferior gear used only by amateurs.  You can absolutely troll with spinning reels.  In fact, spinning reels are often a better, more...WW…

Each time you cast a lure from a pier, there’s the underlying thrill of catching the unknown.  Everything from small surfperch along the Pacific Coast to giant red drum on the East Coast is a possibility.  Which means you need to be ready for anything.While we all love planning for success, the wise angler prepares for failure too.  And there is no time when failure is more likely to occur than when it’s time to land your big fish.  Landing large fish from a pier that sits high off the water is an often overlooked challenge that you should definitely master. We’ve...…Each time you cast a lure from a pier, there’s the underlying thrill of catching the unknown.  Everything from small surfperch along the Pacific Coast to giant red drum on the East Coast is a possibility.  Which means you need to be ready for anything.While we all love planning for success, the wise angler prepares for failure too.  And there is no time when failure is more likely to occur than when it’s time to land your big fish.  Landing large fish from a pier that sits high off the water is an often overlooked challenge that you should definitely master. We’ve...WW…