When Virginia pro angler John Crews sees a bass in shallow water, he reads its body language to determine if the fish will eat a lure. By watching how it reacts to the boat or a lure, he knows if it is worth a few casts.

Puzzled, I put my rod down, took a drink of water, and started up the motor to head to another flat. Then it hit me: tight-lipped fish often require ultra-finesse presentations. Why not drop-shot? 

The NAFC staff has carefully chosen 10 finalists for the November Outstanding Catch Awards contest. Now it's up to you! Vote for the catch you feel is the most outstanding, considering not only the fish's size, but also the body of water, geographic location and method used.

While many anglers pack away their gear with winter's first snow, trout remain active as long as the water doesn't get too cold.

The NAFC staff has carefully chosen 10 finalists for the October Outstanding Catch Awards contest. Now it's up to you! Vote for the catch you feel is the most outstanding, considering not only the fish's size, but also the body of water, geographic location and method used.

Until the 1960s and ’70s, anglers usually spent as much time looking for fish as actually fishing for them. However, an increasingly impressive array of electronics began allowing anglers to become more efficient in their search for potential fish-holding spots.

NAFC Life Member Bill Siemantel was still on a high from being inducted into the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame at the 2009 fishing industry trade show when I handed him a map and asked him to help with this article.

Dawn and dusk are the best times of day to target walleyes through the ice, but it's not always possible to be on the ice at those times. Walleye pro Jon Thelen know how to keep the bite going all day long.

The NAFC staff has carefully chosen 10 finalists for the September Outstanding Catch Awards contest. Now it's up to you! Vote for the catch you feel is the most outstanding, considering not only the fish's size, but also the body of water, geographic location and method used.

There’s something about brittle fall afternoons and autumn’s red, yellow and orange landscape that speaks directly to a sportsman’s heart.