I took a drive the other day and happened to travel over the bridge that spanned one of my favorite spring walleye rivers. There were several anglers within eyeshot of the bridge. It’s a small river, very similar to many of the small rivers that are found across the Midwest. It’s maybe a ...

I think my ice-fishing season is over for now. I didn’t get to go ice-fishing as much as I would have liked, but that’s the way it is most years. Today I started sorting through my open water fishing tackle boxes to see what I needed to start the open water season. One thought kept going ...

A friend recently showed me a photo of a smallmouth bass that his son caught through the ice in mid-February 2020. It went almost 22 inches on the measuring board, was shaped like an over-inflated football, and was well in excess of 6 pounds. A real beauty. And you know what? Fish like ...

Can you make a small town more open to new ideas? Yes, and it may be the most important thing you can do. In a world driven by frenetic change, which small towns are going to thrive? We know rural people play a key role in our society, so some small towns will have a future. Some small towns ...

Mila Besich, the mayor of Superior, Arizona, population 3,068, wrote us at SaveYour.Town to share the changes they've made around internal conflicts within their city, chamber, school board and new nonprofit. It's relevant to any small town and it's my pleasure to share her advice! "Our ...

The open water fishing season is quickly approaching. It’s at this time of year that many anglers start thinking about new equipment that they need or would like for open water fishing. Those thoughts might remind them that they need or want a new rod for their open water fishing. Some ...

Although there’s still a lot of ice-fishing to do in the next several weeks, and some of the best ice-fishing action of the year will occur during those several weeks, March is when many of us start thinking about open water fishing. There are several reasons why that is. One of the reasons ...

It’s that time of year when ice-fishing is still good, and some outstanding fishing at the end of the ice-season is still going to happen. But it’s also the time of year when Boat Shows and Sportshows start popping up, and that gets anglers excited about the open water season. Following ...

When we go out on the ice in search of fish to catch through the ice, much of the time, we just want to get bit. If the perch want to eat our bait that’s good: If a walleye or crappie is in the mood, that’s a good thing too. Walleyes and crappies and perch are certainly different fish, ...

I like to go ice-fishing, and I like to catch whatever I can catch through the ice. Walleyes, bluegills, crappies, bass, they’re all fun. But I also really like to catch perch, and so do a whole lot of other ice-anglers. Fortunately there are lots of outstanding places to catch perch ...

My community came out in droves to support keeping East Twin Park a park. There was a request from a developer that wanted to buy it to move and build a new store for a national discount retailer. The council voted no to selling. And people gave money, offered to volunteer and help in the ...

Across much of the Midwest, it’s ice-fishing season. However, across much of the Midwest, we’ve experienced inconsistent weather in the past few weeks, which has led to inconsistent success on the ice. When it comes to ice-fishing or open water fishing, as different as they may seem, ...

At some times of the year, especially in the fall, big baits are the ticket to big fish. But in the winter, much of the time, smaller baits will lead to more catching. Remember, under the ice, fish can get a very close look at the lure you’re using. Small, even tiny lures attached to line ...

I’ve been in the business of fishing for about 40 years, and have been fishing even longer. The changes in fishing and fishing equipment over those years have been many, and a lot of those changes have effected, for the better, the way we fish and what we catch. Following are some of the ...

Rivers, both large and small, crisscross North America. Many of those rivers are full of fish in a wide variety of species, and many of those species of fish like to get caught in the winter. Here are some ideas for catching those fish now and for the next few months. Most rivers are home ...

I went to one of our local pottery places and watched them raku fire horsehair pottery. It was fascinating! I didn't buy anything. That day. How did they get me to come? They posted on social media; I didn't see it there. They sent an invitation in their email newsletter, and I did see it ...

Ice-fishing and open water fishing are certainly two very different things, but in some ways they’re very similar. Following are some fishing ideas that will help an angler be more successful at catching fish from open water or through the ice. A very basic rule for fishing success is so ...

Perhaps because I am a middle child, I've long been interested in the topic of birth order and what effect it has on our lives. In my case, I was sandwiched between an older sister and a younger brother. So what does my place in the family have to do with who I am and how I relate to others? ...

Did you know that there’s a war on Christmas going on? That’s what people are saying. To listen to some folks the devil has turned loose his demons to tempt people to say “Happy Holidays” in lieu of “Merry Christmas.” And these demons are allegedly persecuting those who do say ...

I'm so tired of hearing "Shop Local" Funny thing for a small-town enthusiast to say, isn't it? I'm not against spending your money where you live. In fact, I encourage it. I'm just tired of the saying, and tired of feeling like someone is telling me what to do. I'm not the only one either. ...