Freshwater

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

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Two fishing buddies hold up black crappies.
Fishing

West Virginia Fishing Buddies Break State Crappie Record Twice in One Morning

By Dac Collins

A kayak fisherman holds up a nice snakehead.
Fishing

How to Land and Handle Snakeheads Safely and Easily in a Kayak

By Joe Cermele

Two college anglers hold up bass.
Fishing

The Best Bass Fishing in America Is Happening on the College Circuit

By Dac Collins

A man holding a fish on a boat
Gear

Best Crankbaits You Can Get at Bass Pro Shops

By Pete Robbins

Teen holds up large tiger trout.
Fishing

Teen’s First Tiger Trout from His Home Lake Is a New Wyoming Record

By Alice Jones Webb

A kayak fisherman holds up a nice largemouth bass.
Fishing

Cannibal Bass: What a Problem at an Illinois Fish Farm Can Teach Us About Catching Bigger Largemouths

By Joe Cermele

An angler with a big chinook salmon caught in Montana.
Fishing

Watch: Montana Retiree Catches Pending State-Record Chinook Salmon from His Pontoon

By Bob McNally

Using Forward Facing Sonar to Locate Fish
Fishing

7 Forward Facing Sonar Tips: Settings, Mounting, and Techniques Explained

By Chad Morgenthaler

geecrack cuebomb
Fishing

How to Fish the Geecrack Cue Bomb — and Other Rubber Dice Baits

By Shaye Baker

Everything you need to know to catch bass on a strolling rig
Fishing

A Complete Guide to Strolling for Bass: The Ultimate Rig for Forward-Facing Sonar

By Derek Horner

bellows gill
Fishing

How to Fish the Geecrack Bellows Gill: This JDM Lure Is Starting to Catch Big Bass in the U.S.

By Shaye Baker

biggest crappies ever caught
Fishing

The Biggest Crappies Ever Caught

By Ken Perrotte

Man holds large channel catfish.
Fishing

West Virginia Angler Smashes State Catfish Record Using His Daughter’s Pink Kiddie Rod

By Alice Jones Webb

The best drop shot rods are sensitive and light, yet powerful enough to pull up giants
Gear

The Best Drop Shot Rods of 2024

By Pete Robbins

Man shoots muskie in old-school photo.
Fishing

Wisconsin to Repeal Outdated Gun Law Designed to Prevent Fishermen from Shooting Muskies

By Dac Collins

how to catch suckers
Fishing

Podcast: How to Catch Suckers (and Why You Should)

By Joe Cermele

Forward facing sonar has changed fishing, and the next evolution is FFS specific baits and gear
Gear

New Lures, Reels, Rods, and Lines Designed for Forward Facing Sonar

By Derek Horner

bassmaster
Fishing

Here’s Why Forward Facing Sonar Won’t Be Banned from Professional Bass Fishing

By Derek Horner

A spearfisherman with a chunky bluegill.
Fishing

South Dakota Diver Spears a State-Record Bluegill

By Bob McNally

A smiling fisherman holds up a fat cutthroat trout.
Fishing

‘It’s What I Live For.’ Angler Breaks Tennessee Cutthroat Record on a Fishing Trip with His Buddies

By Bob McNally

Angler holds up new Trika 6X rod on lake.
Gear

Trika 6X Collection: A Lighter, More Sensitive Carbon Weave Fishing Rod

By Derek Horner

The best baitcasting rods for bass allow you to present lures and set the hook
Gear

The 12 Best Baitcasting Rods for Bass, Tested and Reviewed

By Pete Robbins

carolina rig
Fishing

How to Fish the Carolina Rig: A Complete Guide

By Derek Horner

An angler with a big coho salmon.
Fishing

This Giant Coho Salmon Is a Sign the Illinois State Record Is About to Fall, Captains Say

By Bob McNally

trout fishing at night
Fishing

Podcast: How to Catch Giant Trout at Night

By Joe Cermele

Angler with smallmouth bass.
Fishing

Fisherman Catches Trophy Smallmouth, Breaks Minnesota Catch-and-Release Record on Guided Trip

By Bob McNally

new york record bass
Fishing

Tournament Angler Catches Record-Breaking Largemouth Bass While Practice Fishing in New York

By Bob McNally

Fried fish tails one a white play.
Fishing

Why You Should Eat Fried Fish Tails

By Joe Cermele

A man snaps a young angler's fishing rod in half.
Fishing

Watch: Irate Homeowner Confronts Boys Fishing Private Pond, Snaps Their $200 Rod

By Dac Collins

idaho tiger trout
Fishing

Idaho Angler Lands Record Breaking Tiger Trout

By Bob McNally

A Humminbird and Garmin fish finder on the deck of a boat.
Gear

MEGA Live vs LiveScope: What’s the Best Forward Facing Sonar?

By Pete Robbins

micro ned rig fishing
Fishing

Micro Ned Rigs: The Ultimate Bait for Targeting Bluegills and Bass at the Same Time

By Alex Robinson

old school bass lures
Fishing

Quick Strike Podcast: 3 Old-School Bass Lures the “Cool Kids” Hate (and Why You Should Be Fishing Them Now)

By Joe Cermele

Minnesota state record black crappie.
Fishing

Minnesota Angler Breaks His Own State Record With 17.5-Inch Crappie

By Natalie Krebs

The free rig on the deck of a boat.
Fishing

How to Fish a Free Rig: Here’s What You Need to Know About This Underrated Bass Technique

By Derek Horner

Four biologists with Atlantic sturgeon
Fishing

Massive 200-Plus-Pound Sturgeon Caught Just Upriver from New York City

By Bob McNally

The Everglades backcountry.
Fishing

Fishing the Lost World of the Everglades, From the Archives

By Charles Elliott

The Best Ultralight Spinning Reels of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
Gear

The Best Ultralight Spinning Reels of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

By Jim Edlund

A man on a rocky beach holding a large striped bass
Gear

The Best Baits for Striped Bass of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

By John Skinner

Georgia landowner confronts kayak fisherman.
Conservation

Watch: Landowner Tells Kayaker There’s No Fishing Allowed on ‘His’ Side of the River

By Dac Collins

collage of record bass snapshots
Fishing

The Biggest Bass Ever Caught

By Ken Perrotte, Dac Collins

wake surfing
Conservation

The Wake Surfing Problem: Big Waves and Big Controversy Are Coming to a Lake Near You

By Christine Peterson

Ugly Stik makes some of the best catfish rod and reel combos
Gear

The Best Catfish Rod and Reel Combos of 2024, Tested

By Travis Smola

no trespassing sign
Opinion

Here’s What National Water Access Issues Can Teach Us About Losing Our Favorite Fishing Spots

By Joe Cermele

Two Arkansas men with a paddlefish.
Fishing

Arkansas Fisherman Catches New State-Record Paddlefish by Accident

By Bob McNally

Fisherman Drowns While Trying to Retrieve His Keys on a Father’s Day Trip
Survival

Fisherman Drowns While Trying to Retrieve His Keys on a Father’s Day Trip

By Natalie Krebs

A rat lure
Fishing

Throw Big Rat Baits to Catch Bigger Bass

By Pete Robbins

carp fishing
Fishing

How to Catch Carp: Tips and Tactics for Beginners

By Joe Cermele

The best spinning reels help you use some of the best fishing catching tactics
Gear

The Best Spinning Reels for Bass of 2024: Premium to Budget Options

By Pete Robbins

angler with a bluegill
Fishing

How to Catch Bluegills: 11 Tips for Landing Giant Bluegills This Summer

By Steve Ryan

Black bass
Fishing

7 New Bass Species Just Became Eligible for World Records, Including Florida and Alabama Bass

By Bob McNally

Dick Grzywinski, sitting in boat, holds up a large walleye
Fishing

Walleye Fishing Tips from the Experts

By Alex Robinson

A Minnesota angler with a massive pike.
Fishing

Huge Pike Caught in Boundary Waters Would Have Broken Minnesota’s State Record, Except for One Technicality

By Bob McNally

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

The Biggest Fish Ever Caught

By Dac Collins

We tested the Revo Rocket.
Fishing

The Best Fishing Lines for Spinning Reels of 2024

By Pete Robbins

smallmouth bass caught in a river
Fishing

The Best Way to Catch Smallmouth Bass in Rivers: Hit Them With Topwater Lures While Wading

By Joe Cermele

best bass fishing tips for beginners lead
Fishing

The Best Bass Fishing Tips for Beginners

By Joe Cermele

A finished Alberto knot, which is used to connect line to leader.
Fishing

How to Tie the Alberto Knot: A Step-by-Step Guide with Photos and Video

By Joe Cermele

An angler holds up a hybrid striped bass.
Fishing

‘Super-Size’ Hybrid Striper Caught on a Crankbait Breaks Ohio Record

By Bob McNally

Catching bass on frog baits.
Fishing

How to Catch Bass on Frog Baits

By Alex Robinson, Kristine Fischer, Joe Cermele

improved clinch knot
Fishing

How to Tie the Improved Clinch Knot: A Step-by-Step Guide with Photos and Video

By Joe Cermele

A largemouth bass caught on a texas rig
Fishing

How to Fish a Texas Rig: A Complete Guide on Baits, Tactics, and More

By Derek Horner

Bass pro Matty Wong with a giant bass he caught in front of a cop.
Fishing

Watch: Pro Fisherman Risks a Ticket, Catches Giant Bass in Front of the Cops

By Dac Collins

An Oklahoma angler with giant flathead catfish.
Fishing

‘Holy Moly!’ Massive Flathead Caught on Trotline Is Just Shy of State Record

By Bob McNally