There’s just something about the prospect of fishing a private pond that gets my mind racing.
Little to no fishing pressure with fish that are raised in a relatively-controlled environment immediately sparks images of once-in-a-lifetime catches.
Every time I see a sign that reads “Private, No fishing,” I think two things: there are definitely fish in there and they are probably big.
Continue reading “My first time fishing a private pond”
Outdoors success means different things to different people. For some, it’s catching the most fish. For others, it’s reeling-in the largest.
Many hunters define success as harvesting a buck worthy of a spot over the fire place or shooting a limit of ducks. While some are just happy to come home with anything at all.
Success is relative. That’s part of what keeps us coming back season after season. There is always a new way to classify what success is. We could always achieve more. It’s a constant, addicting pursuit.
Continue reading “The dirty little secret to outdoors success”
Utilizing minnows is one of my favorite ways to catch fish year-round. But I use this approach extensively in the winter months. When it comes to quality bait, it’s hard to beat the real thing.
I used to think of my minnow stash as easily-disposable. But throughout the years, I’ve found a number of benefits to keeping my bait alive and kicking as long as possible.
Maintaining my current crop of minnows from the local bait shop not only saves time and money, it also minimizes my use of these living resources while allowing me to catch more fish per purchase.
Continue reading “How to keep your minnows alive longer”
Though math isn’t my strong suit, I am very much a numbers person.
But, for whatever reason, I have struggled to keep a complete hunting and fishing journal over the course of a calendar year. In 2020, I finally accomplished that feat.
If you are passionate about the outdoors, I strongly recommend you make time for keeping a journal or log. I’ll even help you get started.
Before turning the page to 2021, I wanted to share some of the more interesting numbers that came out of my record keeping.
Continue reading “My 2020 outdoor adventures by the numbers”
Any angler who is being completely honest with themselves will acknowledge that conversing with others about fishing is a balancing act.
One the one hand, most people who fish have at least some desire to share their knowledge and experiences. On the flip side, we are generally protective of our spots and various secret sauces that lead to our success. When interacting with other anglers, these competing sides present a constant struggle.
Continue reading “The art of the fishing conversation”
Nathan’s note: I wrote this story in early August of 2018. Originally, I didn’t have a place to host it. Looking back, it made sense to me to share it with all of you here.
Tonight, I found myself in need of some serious decompression. So I decided to unwind with a trip to one of favorite stretches of river in my hometown.
I had it all planned out. There was no messing around. I packed my best flies, my $30 Fleet Farm fly rod and was going straight to my best spots. It’s been a tough week, but nothing that a couple hours of catching fish wouldn’t cure.
Continue reading “Life lessons from a great blue heron”
Participating in citizen science initiatives is one of the easiest ways those who enjoy the outdoors can help themselves. This is especially true of hunters and anglers.
As they saying goes, “we only protect that which we understand.” Those who hunt and fish have a unique grasp and perspective on how nature truly works. And there are some easy ways for us to share our point of view with the people actively seeking our assistance. Providing a helping hand in this regard can pay dividends for all involved and help others understand just why we value the outdoors so much.
Continue reading “Why it’s crucial hunters and anglers participate in citizen science”
Keeping a hunting and fishing journal is something that has been on my list for a long time.
I’ve been trying to keep a journal, with varying degrees of success, for the better part of the last four hunting seasons.
2020 was the first time I committed to making a proper outdoor journal a reality. As of this writing, I’ve been on 126 fishing trips, 17 hunting trips and enjoyed seven dip netting sessions that year.
This past year, I was able to continue the trend of success by completing another yearly journal.
I also regularly found myself going back to the 2020 edition for tips and ideas. It was an incredibly valuable tool. It even settled a couple friendly disagreements.
Continue reading “Tips for keeping a hunting and/or fishing journal”
Fishing for northern pike can be a great way to introduce new anglers to the sport.
These fish are opportunistic feeders and put up a great fight. They’re also relatively easy to find as mature pike have no natural predators other than humans. Many times, these fish are accessible from a variety of shore locations as well as spots accessed by boat. And they can also be found during most any time of the year.
Continue reading “Must-have northern pike fishing gear for beginners”
Catch a release is a wonderful practice for helping conserve our fish populations. But practicing proper catch and release is even better. And that’s something we can all be better at, myself included.
Fish are unable to support their own body weight when out of the water. So while it is always important to keep these tips in mind, they become especially crucial when handling larger ones.
Properly handling a bass comes down to four easy steps:
Continue reading “How to properly handle a bass”
Nathan Woelfel Outdoors 