Bushwhack Blog

Fishing tips, gear guides, and stories from the water

RSS Feed
Summer River Smallmouth Bass: Fishing Current, Boulders, and Eddies When Lakes Get Hot
Bass FishingFishing TechniquesWater ReadingSmallmouth BassRiver FishingSummer FishingWade Fishing

Summer River Smallmouth Bass: Fishing Current, Boulders, and Eddies When Lakes Get Hot

Lake bass go catatonic in August. Summer river smallmouth bass do the opposite: they pile into oxygenated current behind boulders and feed all day. Here's how to wade, read seams, and pick between a tube, a Ned, and topwater.

July 6, 2026 11 min read
Read
Early Morning Topwater Bass: The 90-Minute Window From First Light to Sun-Up
Lure FishingBass FishingFishing TechniquesSmallmouth BassLargemouth BassSummer Fishing

Early Morning Topwater Bass: The 90-Minute Window From First Light to Sun-Up

Late May through June is the highest-confidence early morning topwater bass pattern of the year. A 90-minute window opens at first light and slams shut when the sun clears the trees. Here's exactly how to fish it, which lure to throw when, and how to read the moment the bite ends.

June 24, 2026 10 min read
Read
How to Fish a Drop Shot in Deep Water: A Summer Bass Beginner's Guide
Bass FishingFinesse FishingBeginner GuidesSmallmouth BassLargemouth BassSummer Fishing

How to Fish a Drop Shot in Deep Water: A Summer Bass Beginner's Guide

How to fish a drop shot in deep water for summer bass: rig specs, rod and line choices, finding offshore structure without forward-facing sonar, dead-sticking versus shaking, and a depth-by-temperature cheat sheet for June through August.

June 12, 2026 11 min read
Read
June Smallmouth Bass: How to Fish the Three Stages from Spawn to Summer
Lure FishingBass FishingMoon PhaseSmallmouth BassSpawningSummer Fishing

June Smallmouth Bass: How to Fish the Three Stages from Spawn to Summer

On the same lake, on the same June afternoon, June smallmouth bass behave like three different fish: still-bedding males in two feet of water, fry-guarders in four, and post-spawn females cruising the first break in twelve. This is the stage-by-stage playbook.

June 5, 2026 10 min read
Read
Best Tackle Storage Boxes for 2026: Plano EDGE vs Flambeau Tuff Tainer
Fishing GearBass FishingBeginner TipsSmallmouth BassLargemouth Bass

Best Tackle Storage Boxes for 2026: Plano EDGE vs Flambeau Tuff Tainer

The best tackle storage boxes for 2026 split into two clear winners. Plano EDGE 3700 is the waterproof, rust-resistant premium pick for terminal tackle and expensive lures. Flambeau Tuff Tainer with Zerust is the budget volume king at under seven dollars a box. Most bass anglers end up buying both.

May 19, 2026 9 min read
Read
Best Baitcasting Reels Under $200 for 2026: 5 Picks That Actually Cast
Fishing TipsFishing GearBass FishingSmallmouth BassLargemouth Bass

Best Baitcasting Reels Under $200 for 2026: 5 Picks That Actually Cast

Late-spring is peak baitcaster-buying season for bass anglers stepping up from spinning gear. Here are five baitcasting reels under $200 worth your money for 2026, ranked by what they actually do best on the water.

May 14, 2026 9 min read
Read
Spring Smallmouth Bass River Fishing: Ice-Out to Pre-Spawn
Spring FishingBass FishingSmallmouth BassRiver FishingPre-Spawn

Spring Smallmouth Bass River Fishing: Ice-Out to Pre-Spawn

Spring smallmouth bass river fishing breaks down into three temperature-driven phases. Learn where fish hold and which lures work from ice-out in the low 40s all the way through pre-spawn staging at 55–65°F.

April 17, 2026 8 min read
Read

You've reached the end — 7 posts loaded