Fishing Articles & Pro Fishing Tips

Over the span of his professional fishing career, Author and Outdoor Educator Joel DeBoer has authored many, many top-notch articles on the "How To's" of becoming a better angler. On this page you will find just a sampling of some of his articles and tips - we hope you enjoy!

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Spinners and Smallmouths
Fishing Articles & Pro Fishing Tips >>

My love affair with spinners began years ago as a child.  I had written a letter to Shep, the Mepps Man, after receiving my highly anticipated yearly catalog.  Shep wrote me back and actually sent along a small size 00 Aglia for free - I was pumped!  I ran down the hill to our bay on Lake Wausau, launched a short and cumbersome cast, then proceeded to catch a big 'ol bluegill during the first few cranks of the reel handle. 

Over the years I have proceeded to catch just about everything that swim in freshwater on inline spinners - from jumbo perch to monster muskies, they are a deadly tool in the angler's arsenal.  One of my favorite quarries to pursue with spinners is smallmouth bass.  There's a good reason for this - big bronzebacks are absolute suckers for a spinner during the months of summer!  The summer months are an excellent time to target smallmouth bass on our local waters, and few lures are as fail-safe and effective on big smallies as an in-line spinner. 

To locate smallmouth bass during the summer, begin by looking at shallower rocky areas, especially those containing current.  A number 3 Mepps Aglia with a hot orange blade and either a brown or black tail is a fine choice.  Reel your offering just fast enough so that you can still see the lure as it approaches.  If you're fishing deeper water or if there is stronger current, try switching to an Aglia Long with a hot firetiger blade.  The willow leaf blade will stay down allowing you to fish deeper or in faster water.  I again like a black tail as it allows for good contrast in the darker water of the Wisconsin River system.

Fishing around lower docks and submerged wood is also an excellent option for summertime smallmouth bass.  In these situations, you want a presentation that is as weed less as possible, allowing you to fish tight to the cover.  Few in-line spinners on the market cater to this situation as well as a Black Fury combo, also produced by Mepps.  The Black Fury Combo sports a single hook that can be then rigged Texas-style with the accompanying Mister Twister tail; for smallies, look at using a number 2 or 3.  By rigging it as such, you can work this lure through wood, weeds, and other fish holding cover without the worries of getting snagged; less snags means mores fish and a lot of them too!

If you're not implementing spinners into your summer smallmouth repertoire, you're missing out.  I'll see you on the water…

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