Published articles by Andrew Ragas. The most comprehensive bass fishing library for Wisconsin bass fishing and across the Midwest.

Friday, 06 July 2018 / Published in Bass Fishing Articles, Smallmouth Bass

The Summer Smallmouth Setup

By Andrew Ragas Summer’s swelter is notorious for delivering the most difficult fishing of the season. Bites are typically less aggressive and fish are driven deep during daytime, becoming even more difficult to locate. Dog days, hot weather, warm water temperatures, heavy pleasure boat traffic and passive bites become common excuses for a poor day
Friday, 06 July 2018 / Published in Bass Fishing Articles, Smallmouth Bass

Mysteries of the Deep: Schooling on Cisco Smallmouth

By Andrew Ragas Lakes are the lifeblood of the northwoods. From the expansive Great Lakes to the inland lakes throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and Northwestern Ontario, a large percentage of our lakes surface acreage and water columns from top to bottom have gone unexplored.
Thursday, 07 June 2018 / Published in Bass Fishing Articles, Smallmouth Bass

Small Streams, Big Bass

By Andrew Ragas We fish our flowing waters by wading, kayaking, bank fishing or floating them with small craft. At some point in our angling careers, we likely cut our teeth on fishing small rivers and streams due to their availability, affordability, aesthetics, and convenience to fish.
Tuesday, 17 April 2018 / Published in Bass Fishing Articles, Largemouth Bass

Swim Jigs, Northwoods Style

By Andrew Ragas Bass fishing can become as technical and complicated as we make it. Often times, anglers become too fixated on unnecessary extras rather than focusing on the presentation and strategy at hand. Like some of our fishing strategies, jig fishing can become a complicated matter due to the wide variety of jig head
Monday, 12 March 2018 / Published in Bass Fishing Articles, Largemouth Bass

My Favorite Early-season Fishing Outings

By Andrew Ragas I am biased but blessed. I get to fish and guide in relative bass fishing obscurity for half the year. Having spent nearly all 31 years of my life up to this point fishing the waters around Minocqua, WI, there is no better bass fishing destination for catch and release only fishing,
northwoods bass fishing adventures
Thursday, 01 March 2018 / Published in Bass Fishing Articles, Smallmouth Bass

Five Bass Fishing Philosophies

By Andrew Ragas Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems concerning matters that encompasses knowledge, values, and reason. I don’t believe Pythagoras was a fisherman himself, but his thoughtful teachings are still being applied to scholars of all subjects, including fishing.
northwoods bass fishing adventures
Monday, 12 February 2018 / Published in Bass Fishing Articles, Smallie Blog

Overlooked Bass Fishing Routines for 2018

By Andrew Ragas Routines are described as detailed courses of action to be followed regularly. In a bass fishing sense, when preparing for your season of fishing, a systemic method of preparation will make you a more efficient fisherman. Over time, it will become second nature to you, and repeated annually.
Tuesday, 21 November 2017 / Published in Bass Fishing Articles, Gear Reviews, Smallie Blog, Smallmouth Bass

Catch and Release Smallmouth Fishing, with Trokar Live Bait Hooks

I don’t promote the use of live bait fishing unless it’s done responsibly and 100% catch & release survival is assured. When nothing else works to catch fish, it’s a last resort tactic for me. But to others it’s understandably a top choice, and unbeatable in cold water periods.