Freshwater

The top freshwater fishing destinations and tips for catching bass, panfish, walleyes, muskies, and more.

Latest in Freshwater

Two fishermen in a canoe on blue water in an old photo

Bluegill Fishing

This Traditional Bait Still Slays Summertime Bluegills

By Byron W. Dalrymple

Largemouth Bass

The Scientific Reason Why Black Lures Catch the Most Fish

An angler lies next to a giant, state-record sturgeon.

‘A Bare Knuckles Fight.’ Fishing Buddies Wrestled This State-Record Sturgeon into Their Boat

Bass caught using Garmin LiveScope fish finder

The Only Rod and Reel You Need for Bass Fishing

By Scott Einsmann

An italian angler with one of the biggest Wels catfish ever caught.

These 6 Monsters Are the Biggest Fish Ever Caught — At Least On Record

A West Virginia angler with a big pickerel.

Kayak Angler Breaks His Own Fishing Record Using a Lure He Designed

An angler with a big pikeminnow in Washington.

Walleye Fisherman Catches a Pending World-Record Pikeminnow — the Native Fish That Has a Bounty On Its Head

By M.D. Johnson

An angler fishing for muskie.

Pike and Muskie Fishing

A Tribe in Wisconsin Wants to Restrict Non-Members from Fishing for Walleye and Muskie. They Also Aim to Ban Trolling and Forward-Facing Sonar

A man holding a walleye on a boat

Walleye Fishing

The Best Walleye Lures: Proven Baits That Catch Keepers and Trophy Walters

By Ross Robertson

soft plastic lures

Largemouth Bass

Expert Tips for Making Your Own Soft-Plastic Fishing Baits

fish of 10,000 casts

Pike and Muskie Fishing

Researchers Reveal Why Muskies Are So Hard to Catch

An Idaho angler with a state-record burbot.

Idaho Angler Just Broke the State Record for This ‘Underappreciated’ Fish

An Ohio fisherman with a record crappie.

Crappie Fishing

Ohio Bank Fisherman Catches a State-Record Crappie on His Way to Work

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Catching Catfish, According to a Fanatic

Catfish Fishing

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Catching Catfish, According to a Fanatic

By George Laycock

An old photo of a fisherman holding up a big bass.

Largemouth Bass

Old-School Secrets for Catching Giant Bass at Night

By Leon "Buddy" Kelly Jr.

The author targets small water for big bass.

How to Find Secret Bass Fishing Spots in Small Rivers and Creeks

By Kristine Fischer

A big largemouth bass that sucked down a frog.

How to Fish Frog Lures to Catch Giant Bass

By Joe Cermele, Alex Robinson, Kristine Fischer

An angler sets the hook on a bass under a boat dock.

How to Fish a Dock for Giant Bass and Panfish

By Derek Horner

Fall 2025 hunt + fish media trip hosted by Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters, a non-profit group working to halt the proposed Twin Metals sulfide-ore copper mine and protect clean water in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness near Ely, Minnesota. Attendees: Rob Drieslein, Ben Ryder Howe, Nate Ptacek, Alex Robinson, Durrell Smith, Land Tawney, Lukas Leaf, Katie McKalip, Matthew Schultz

Twin Metals Paid Former Trump Officials $380K. Their Controversial Mine Proposal Near the Boundary Waters Is Now Advancing Against Public Opinion

By Alex Robinson

A bluegill caught on a popper.

Bluegill Fishing

The Best Baits for Catching Bluegills (and Other Panfish)