Guide Bass Lures & Baits
Best Bass Lures for New England Lakes
The lures I trust on clear New Hampshire lakes like Winnisquam and Massabesic: a Senko, a football jig, a drop shot and a small silver paddle tail.
Fishing & Buying Guides
Plain-English how-tos and buyer’s guides for bass and trout anglers, from picking your first reel to rigging and technique.
Guide Bass Lures & Baits
How to Drop Shot for Bass
How I rig and fish a drop shot: 3/8 oz weight, nose-hooked worm, leader length from 6 inches to 2 feet, and why I let it sit before I move it.
Guide Bass Lures & Baits
How to Texas Rig a Senko
How I Texas rig a 5-inch Senko on a 3/0 EWG hook, why I usually fish it weightless, when I add a light bullet weight, and when I pick it over a wacky rig.
Guide Bass & Trout Reels
How to Use a Baitcaster and Stop Backlash
How to cast a baitcaster as a beginner: the brake and spool tension setup I tell new anglers to use, why backlash happens, and how to clear one.
Guide Bass Lures & Baits
How to Wacky Rig a Senko
How I wacky rig a 5-inch Senko with an O-ring, why most strikes come on the first drop, how to work it, and the line and hook that go with it.
Guide Bass Reels
Baitcaster Gear Ratios Explained for Bass
What baitcaster gear ratios mean, how 6.3:1, 7.2:1 and 8.2:1 change your retrieve, and which ratio I'd pick for finesse, jigs, crankbaits and cold water.
Guide Bass & Trout Line & Leaders
Mono vs Braid vs Fluoro: Which First Line?
Monofilament, braid or fluorocarbon? How stretch, sink rate and visibility change what you feel and catch, and which line I'd spool on a first rod and reel.
Guide Bass Line & Leaders
Braid to Fluorocarbon Leader Setup for Bass
How I rig braid to a fluorocarbon leader for bass: line sizes, how much leader to leave, the double uni knot, and when to skip the leader in weeds and lily pads.
Guide Bass Lures & Baits
How to Fish a Football Jig for Bass
How I fish football jigs for bass: the drag-and-sweep retrieve, a hop pattern that never repeats, where to cast, and why you should always set the hook.