Former captain of Penn State’s bass fishing team and Outdoor Life’s resident bass geek, Derek Horner, gives his recommendation for top destinations — plus some tips on making hay in each of them while that winter sun is (hopefully) shining. 

Hosted by OL fishing editor Joe Cermele.

Edited by Mike Pederson / Eighty Five Audio.

Over the years, fishing guide Ross Robertson has built a list of seemingly trivial things that shouldn’t matter on the ice, but do. Robertson breaks down how to clean up your act, and catch more fish.

Hosted by OL fishing editor Joe Cermele.

Edited by Mike Pederson / Eighty Five Audio.

Kwikfish, Lazy Ike, Flat Fish, Mag Lip — these lures can all become day savers and day makers, especially in the winter when numb fingers make casting and reeling not so fun. In this episode, Captain Frank Campbell breaks down his simple, yet highly effective, method for catching anything that swims with these lures (no trolling required).

Hosted by OL fishing editor Joe Cermele.

Edited by Mike Pederson / Eighty Five Audio.

Winter fishing in shallow saltwater might not produce the chaotic action of summer, but there are benefits to this time of year — including the lack of pressure. In this episode, Kevin Hughes breaks down how to keep lines tight on inshore staples long after Christmas.

Hosted by OL fishing editor Joe Cermele.

Edited by Mike Pederson / Eighty Five Audio.

Drew Price is a veteran guide on Lake Champlain, and every November he looks forward to the spawning run that draws monster lakers from Champlain’s depths and puts them in easy casting distance from the bank. During a brief window, you can stick lakers with your feet on terra firma in almost any body of water they inhabit. These pointers will get you on the right track while the getting is still very good. 

Hosted by OL fishing editor Joe Cermele.

Edited by Mike Pederson / Eighty Five Audio.

We love to fish based on memories. Captain Ross Robertson, a veteran of the Lake Erie walleye scene, sees it all the time. Returning clients go on and on about how during their trip last fall they hammered on this lure or with this presentation and they so badly want to recreate that scenario again. Sometimes it happens; often it does not. The calendar dates might align with the glory day from a year earlier, but that doesn’t mean the conditions are the same. In walleye fishing, success is found either casting or trolling, and many anglers have a preference. In fact, they can become so set on their method that they end up catching fewer fish because they’re unwilling to or unsure of when to switch tactics. But those cues aren’t as difficult to recognize as you think. In episode 10 of the "Quick Strike" Podcast, Roberston un-muddies the water on when to tow the lines or break out the spinning rods. His tips will help you get on fish faster, stay on fish longer, and increase your overall efficiency.

Hosted by OL fishing editor Joe Cermele.

Edited by Mike Pederson / Eighty Five Audio.

The idea of the “fall feed bag” permeates fishing media. It’s so prevalent that it’s conditioned anglers to think that come autumn, all the fish are gorging themselves in preparation for winter. To be fair, this rings true for a lot of species, especially in lakes or reservoirs that experience very little change in water level. But moving-water fish are different, and when it comes to brown trout in particular, the “fall feed bag” is more hype than reality. In the fly fishing world especially, fall is regarded as “streamer season”—the time when wild browns shed all inhibition and recklessly gobble up as many creek chubs and baby trout as they can. My friend and 15-year Montana guide, Miles Nolte, has chased trout all over the world. Now, he lives and fishes in New Zealand, home of some of the best—and most challenging—trout fishing in the world. The insights he shares about the “streamer season” myth on episode 9 of the "Quick Strike" Podcast will not only help you catch more big trout year-round, but also make you a ringer in the fall even when those big streamers won’t get it done.

Hosted by OL fishing editor Joe Cermele.

Edited by Mike Pederson / Eighty Five Audio.

Carp get mixed reviews in this country. Some anglers are obsessed with them. To most folks, however, they are trash fish. But no matter how you view them, we’ve all been out fishing at one point or another and laid eyes on a carp so big that it dropped our jaws. Connecticut-based guide Rowan Lytle learned years ago that if he wanted more shots at these monsters, he needed to explore the tidal sections of his home rivers. Lytle's guidance can help you land the carp of a lifetime in any tidal river in any part of the U.S. 

Hosted by OL fishing editor Joe Cermele.

Edited by Mike Pederson / Eighty Five Audio.

Surf fishing and flyfishing are both challenging. It might be easy to assume, then, that combining the two presents the ultimate angling test. It's not a cinch, but it’s a lot less daunting than many people believe. Striped bass feed very close to shore, and if you can grasp a few key concepts on what to throw and where to plant your feet, the learning curve is shorter than you think.

Hosted by OL fishing editor Joe Cermele.

Edited by Mike Pederson / Eighty Five Audio.

Do you wince when a $7 lure snaps off on the bottom? Does it really hurt when a $10 bait winds up in a tree? Of course it does, but not nearly as much as losing a custom glidebait or swimbait. The most expensive offering in lure maker Dennis Perko's line-up will set you back $550. But once you understand how these pricey baits can greatly improve your success with trophy fish, the prices become more justified…even if you’re still not ready for that kind of a spend.

Hosted by OL fishing editor Joe Cermele.

Edited by Mike Pederson / Eighty Five Audio.