Bass Fishing
Bass regs: One size doesn’t fit all
Harvest regulations for bass vary throughout Mississippi, and they change with time. […]
Gettin’ Fresh
Bass Fishing
Where did all the bass go?
Hundreds of bass tournaments are held each year on Mississippi lakes, reservoirs and rivers, and some anglers attribute declines in bass populations to tournaments. The “tournament issue” is neither new nor restricted to Mississippi. […]
Bass Fishing
Why are bass where they are?
Mickey Aldridge and I were off on a bucket-list fishing trip. Destination: Lake St. Clair, Mich. The mission: pre-spawn smallmouth bass. […]
Freshwater Fishing
Cover, temps predict crappie location
Crappie fishing is as good as it gets in Mississippi’s lakes and reservoirs. […]
Bass Fishing
Spawning is only part of the story
In last month’s column, I shared what biologists know about largemouth bass spawning, emphasizing those aspects that may help anglers intercept spawning bass and habitat conditions that are needed for successful spawning. Largemouth bass are, compared to other fishes, pretty flexible in their spawning requirements. […]
Bass Fishing
Do you know the biology of the spawn?
The largemouth bass are spawning. In South Mississippi, bass have been bedding for a couple weeks in ponds and in backwaters of the Pascagoula and Pearl rivers. In central Mississippi waters, the spawn is heading toward a peak. […]
Freshwater Fishing
An easy fish for a common problem
Every year, starting about now and continuing through May, a lot of farm ponds in Mississippi are plagued by “pond scum.” I pass a few farm ponds on my way to work every morning. When I see the ponds developing their annual ring of pond scum, I know to expect a few phone calls. […]
Fishing
Anglers tax selves for fisheries’ benefit
Providing fishing opportunities costs money. Think about it. A launching ramp with a 3-acre parking lot and a road to it might cost $1 million. Modern hatcheries cost $10-20 million, maybe more. The new North Mississippi Hatchery cost $12 million. […]
Bass Fishing
Odds of catching a trophy bass are long
If you want to catch a really big bass, my first advice is to travel to some place where double-digit bass are common — places like the California Delta, the lakes around San Diego or maybe Lakes Amistad, Falcon or Fork in Texas. […]
Freshwater Fishing
‘Tis the season for fish furniture
Christmas means many things to many people. But after the holidays are over, it means there’s a pile of fish attractors somewhere waiting to be gathered up by ambitious anglers and “replanted” in a favorite fishing hole. […]
Freshwater Fishing
Flying carp: coming to a lake near you
You’ve seen the videos on the internet and even on the national news — silver projectiles weighing 10 to 20 pounds erupting from the water and occasionally landing in boats. […]
Freshwater Fishing
Once abundant, gator gar are struggling
I’ve heard they attack people. Any fish that grows to more than 7 feet and 150 pounds, has a tooth-lined snout big enough to grab and hold a grown man’s leg, and lurks in shallow backwaters is bound to generate some scary stories. […]