By Andrew Ragas A wise river rat once tipped me off with confidential information. His findings were so sensitive and accurate that if his intel was leaked, the river’s fragile smallmouth fishery and secrets could be exposed and put into peril. I was instructed to mark my calendar and prepare for this mass river migration

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

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.

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.

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.

By Andrew Ragas Bass fishing purists and elitists revile it. The professionals consider it cheating. Tournament organizers and circuits ban it, and its competitor jersey-clad fishermen laugh at it in haste. At the turn of the coldwater period, what’s an angler to do when nothing else in the tackle box works and the day is