In-Fisherman

In-Fisherman is for the avid freshwater angler. Each issue provides detailed instructions and demonstrations on catching, cleaning, and eating your favorite species of fish, and reports on the latest scientific studies concerning fish and habitat conservation. This is the source for finding fishing hotspots, new tackle, effective equipment, and more!

In-Fisherman

Enter the Abyss • They’re out there, I tell you. Ghosts. Unicorns. Imposing freshwater animals most of us rarely, if ever, encounter. Even now, they’re shadowing silvery pods of pelagic bait, slashing through schools, carnage and scales left fluttering in their wake. Often, while smaller fish haunt adjacent structure, full-grown predators swim the open abyss, snapping at anything flashy, vulnerable, and oozing with omega-3s..

Bits & Pieces • Blending Fishery Science with Everyday Fishing

ADVENTURES • Feature Travel Tips from In-Fisherman Staff & Friends

STAFF Noteworthy & New • New and Unique Fishing Stuff, as Reviewed by the In-Fisherman Staff

Hair Balling BASS • I think much of our fascination with bass fishing lies in its diversity; the myriad ways anglers use equipment and lures to catch fish. Much has changed over time, but some basic concepts remain, despite use of new high-tech fish-finding tools..

FUZZY Does It for Smallies • This is a tale of tentacles. Appendages. Legs. Urchins. Welcome to the world of fuzzy dice.

TACTICAL ADVICE FROM ELITE GUIDES TODAY • Walleyes are finicky in the same way turkeys are wily; the way mountain goats are agile; the way tarpon are acrobatic; and wild boars are ornery. Certain animals and fish species carry specific genetic traits that make them simultaneously intriguing and infuriating to pursue—and unequivocally more rewarding to chase. As a muskie fanatic, it wouldn’t break my heart if the fish of 10,000 casts were slightly less prone to lockjaw. But deep down I know their genetic wiring makes it all the sweeter when I’m able to work through In-Fisherman’s Fish (F) + Location (L) + Presentation (P) = Success (S) formula to finally break through a tough bite.

Solving Tough Esox Issues Today • Big, green fuselage comes sailing in behind the lure. Even the teeth cast shadows on the shallow bottom. In the presence of monsters—heart throbbing, hair standing—it’s easy to panic. But if you stop reeling, keep the lure gliding with a long pull past the bow. Sometimes the white- and yellow-spotted beast freight trains the lure, doubling the rod, engaging the drag, and streaks off toward an uncertain horizon.

The Changing Face of Crappie Fishing • Crappies have always been a target of ice anglers and a year-round pastime for select open-water fishermen. But for most, crappie fishing remains a pursuit condensed into that brief period when crappies move from open water to predictable, easily accessible shallow-water staging and spawning areas. Today, the total number of crappie anglers and those fishing year-round have expanded. The growth comes from a perfect storm of evolutionary products and technology-driven angler enlightenment intersecting with bountiful opportunities lying in wait.

2025 MASTER ANGLER Year in Review

For the Love of Drum

MOTV Insider • Featured programming selected by the In-Fisherman staff, streaming now at MyOutdoorTV. Watch In-Fisherman TV and other top fishing, hunting, and shooting TV series at myoutdoortv.com.

Famous Fillet Knives • Classic Blades from the Cleaning Table

Screen Scene • Total Boat Control with Today’s Trolling Motors

North with Doc • Doc Tells It Like It Isn’t

SOLUNAR CALENDAR

Time . . . and These Places • Come early springtime, at least here in winter-weary northwest Iowa, thoughts turn to open water fishing and the many years...