"Iconic" is a word that’s thrown around all too frequently these days, but for those who’ve rightfully earned the label, no word better captures what Merriam-Webster describes as "widely known and acknowledged, especially for distinctive excellence". Shakespeare’s Ugly Stik fishing rods have undoubtedly ...
What is it that separates those who catch trout in moving waters from those who don't? Generally speaking, it isn't casting skills, better equipment or the ability to 'match the hatch'. It's quite simply knowing how to read the waters they're fishing and, as a result, they spend considerably more time playing those parts of the stream that hold fish than those that don't.
With the exception of Lake Whitefish, all the fish I pursue through the ice are most successfully caught using bait. The bait varies widely, but the saying, “nothing beats the real thing,” applies. My fridge and freezer will demonstrate my belief in this theory. In my fridge right next to the jug of juice you can find dew worms, trout worms and maggots stockpiled for future trips. In the freezer there are at least three different sizes of minnows ranging from wee little ones for perch to full sized extra large herring for pike and lakers.
