Polar bears and grizzly bears are two of the most iconic bear species, each displaying unique characteristics and behaviors. When discussing their size, one question often arises: which bear is larger? In this article, we will explore the differences in size between polar bears and grizzly bears, touching on key factors that contribute to these variations.

Polar bears, native to the Arctic region, are considered the largest land carnivores. Males typically weigh between 770 and 1,500 pounds and have a massive build. On the other hand, grizzly bears, found in North America, display a more varied size range. Mainland grizzlies tend to be smaller, with their weight reaching up to 860 pounds in some cases.

These size differences can be attributed to several factors such as habitat, diet, and genetics. By comparing these majestic animals, we will gain a deeper understanding of their incredible adaptations and how they have evolved to thrive in their respective environments.

Comparison of Physical Characteristics

Polar bears and grizzly bears exhibit distinct differences in size and physical characteristics. As the largest bear species, polar bears generally are bigger than grizzlies, with adult males reaching lengths of up to 10 feet. Grizzly bears, on the other hand, are smaller, typically growing up to 8 feet long.

Size and Weight:

• Polar Bears: Adult male polar bears can weigh up to 1,700 pounds, with females weighing around 50% less.
• Grizzly Bears: Capable of reaching 800 pounds, male grizzlies usually weigh less than their polar counterparts, while females have a similar weight difference as polar bears.

When standing on their hind legs, the heights of these bears differ as well:

• Polar Bears: Males measure 5.9 to 9.8 feet tall and can reach more than 11 feet (3.3 meters) when standing on their hind legs, while females range from 5.9 to 7.8 feet.
• Grizzly Bears: Around 3.5-4.5 feet tall when walking on all four paws and can reach more than 8 feet (2.4 meters) when standing on their hind legs.

In terms of fur color, polar bears have a thick white coat, aiding in camouflage and insulation. Grizzly bears, on the other hand, display different shades of brown fur, often with lighter or darker tips, giving them a “grizzled” appearance.

Enhancing their hunting and swimming abilities, polar bears have larger and more paddle-like paws compared to grizzlies. Moreover, polar bears boast longer necks and narrower heads, adapted for catching seals in the water. Conversely, grizzly bears have a wider and more robust head, along with a noticeable shoulder hump, designed for digging and catching prey on land.

Polar Bear Size and Weight

Overall Size

Polar bears are among the largest members of the bear family. They typically stand around 5 feet at the shoulders, making them taller than their grizzly bear counterparts, which stand a little over 3 feet at the shoulders. The largest recorded polar bear measured 12 feet tall and weighed around 2,209 lbs (1,002 kg).

Weight Distribution

Male polar bears tend to weigh between 770 and 1,500 pounds, while female polar bears usually weigh between 330 and 650 pounds. It is important to note that polar bears’ weight can fluctuate depending on factors such as age, food availability, and their specific habitats.

Grizzly bears, on the other hand, are lighter and have a more varied weight range depending on their subspecies. The largest subspecies of brown bear, the Kodiak bear, has an average weight of 660 to 1,320 pounds for males and 330 to 715 pounds for females.

Grizzly Bear Size and Weight

Overall Size

Grizzly bears have a height of approximately 3.5-4.5 feet at the shoulder, with a total length of around 6.5 feet for both males and females. Although they may not be as tall as their polar bear counterparts, grizzlies are still considered as one of the largest terrestrial predators.

Weight Distribution

The weight of grizzly bears can vary greatly, reaching up to 860 pounds. It is important to note that male grizzly bears typically outweigh females by a significant margin. This sexual dimorphism is evident in their size, with males being around 20% larger than females.

Comparative Analysis

Polar bears and grizzly bears are both impressive animals with unique characteristics. In terms of size, polar bears tend to be larger than grizzly bears on average.

An adult male polar bear can grow up to 10 feet tall (3 meters) when standing on its hind legs, and typically weighs between 900 to 1,600 pounds (400-725 kilograms). Grizzly bears, on the other hand, can reach heights of 8 feet and weigh up to 860 pounds.

In terms of their habitats, polar bears primarily live in the Arctic regions where they can blend into the snow with their white fur. On the contrary, grizzly bears are typically found in North America, particularly in the western parts of the United States, Canada, and parts of Alaska. Their habitats differ significantly, which attributes to some of the differences in their sizes.

Given their size and weight, polar bears have a stronger advantage when competing for resources and hunting prey. However, grizzly bears are also considered powerful hunters, making them formidable competitors in their respective environments.

It’s important to note that the sizes of individual bears can vary, and both species have plenty of individual variance. Factors such as age, sex, and access to food resources can impact a bear’s size throughout its life.

Implications of Size Difference

Hunting Tactics

Polar bears and grizzly bears have different hunting tactics due to their size differences. Polar bears, being larger, rely mainly on their immense strength to catch seals and other marine mammals. They are excellent swimmers and can travel enormous distances in search of food. Grizzly bears, on the other hand, are more opportunistic and adaptable hunters. Their smaller size allows them to be more agile and chase various prey, including smaller animals, fish, and even scavenging on carcasses.

Survival Rate

The size difference between these bear species has a direct impact on their survival rates. Polar bears, with their larger size and massive body weight, can store more fat reserves, enabling them to survive harsh Arctic winters and periods of food scarcity. Grizzlies, being slightly smaller, have lower fat storage capacity, which can affect their survival in difficult conditions. However, their adaptability and diverse diet may compensate for this disadvantage.

Habitat Influence

The distinct size of polar bears and grizzly bears is influenced by their respective habitats. Polar bears have evolved to become the largest bear species, with adaptations especially suited for the extreme Arctic environment. Their large size combined with their thick coat of fur allows them to retain heat more efficiently, crucial for survival in the frigid Arctic temperatures. Grizzlies, predominantly living in North American forests and mountain ranges, have evolved to be somewhat smaller, enabling them to navigate their terrain for food and shelter more efficiently.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a polar bear larger than a grizzly bear?

Yes, polar bears are generally larger than grizzly bears. Polar bears usually measure between 2.4 and 3 meters in length and can weigh up to 1,700 pounds, while grizzly bears measure around 2 meters in length and weigh about 860 pounds on average.

Would a grizzly bear beat a polar bear?

It is difficult to predict the exact outcome of a hypothetical battle between a polar bear and a grizzly bear. However, polar bears are larger and have a stronger bite force of around 1200 psi compared to grizzly bears, which have a bite force of about 975 psi. These factors give polar bears an advantage, but the outcome would depend on the individual circumstances.

How do Kodiak bear sizes relate to polar and grizzly bears?

Kodiak bears, a subspecies of brown bears, are similar in size to polar bears. Some Kodiak bears can reach up to 1,500 pounds in weight, which is close to the size of the largest polar bears. However, grizzly bears, which can also be considered a subspecies of brown bears, tend to be smaller than both polar bears and Kodiak bears.

What is the largest bear ever recorded and what species was it?

The largest polar bear ever recorded was in 1960 and measured 3.65 meters (12 feet) tall, weighing around 2,209 pounds (1,002 kg). This polar bear holds the record for the largest bear ever documented.

Which is considered more dangerous: polar or grizzly bears?

Both polar bears and grizzly bears can pose a threat to humans. However, polar bears are more likely to be considered more dangerous due to their greater size, increased aggression, and capacity to travel large distances in search of food. It is essential to exercise caution and maintain a safe distance from both species in their natural habitats.

Conclusion

Polar bears and grizzly bears are both remarkable and powerful animals, but they differ significantly in size. Polar bears are generally larger than grizzly bears, making them a force to be reckoned with in the wild. This size difference plays a crucial role in their hunting abilities and overall strength, with polar bears being more capable of taking down larger prey and fending off other predators.

Size differences between polar bears and grizzly bears can be attributed to various factors such as their habitat, diet, and genetics. Polar bears, primarily living in the harsh Arctic environment, rely on a diet of seals and other marine mammals that provide a high-fat intake for survival. Grizzly bears, on the other hand, consume a more diverse diet, including vegetation, berries, and smaller animals, contributing to their varying sizes depending on location and food availability.

In conclusion, the larger size of polar bears compared to grizzly bears has adapted them to their Arctic habitat, contributing to their status as one of the world’s most powerful land predators. Both species, however, play vital roles within their ecosystems, and their unique differences make each bear species fascinating in its own right.

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There’s more to venison than just backstrap, tenderloin and hamburger. Venison is versatile, but it would be a mistake to expect the same results from every part of a deer. Each cut is special in its own right. The cooking suggestions below will help you get the most out of your deer.

Venison Neck

Venison neck is laced with silver skin and oftentimes fat. It’s one of my favorite cuts for slow cooking. All that collagen breaks down with slow, low heat, and takes on an amazing texture that rivals that of pork shoulder.

However, because of its odd shape, I like to use the neck for dishes that call for shredded meat, dishes such as tamales, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, stew, soup and sandwiches. Or try the pulled meat on top of pizza, in pasta sauces or in hand pies. You can also cut off the entire neck, bone-in, and braise it to make pot roast over mashed potatoes.

The most ideal cut of meat for slow cooking requires connective tissue – venison neck provides that.

Recipes for Venison Neck:

• Cajun Smoked Venison Neck
• Japanese-Style Venison and Pork Belly

Venison Ribs

Depending on the size of the deer, you may not get more than a few scraps of meat here. We cut off strips between the rib bones and save it for grinding or filler meat for stew and chili.

If you shoot a larger deer, the ribs could be worth sawing off and braising. Do not cook venison ribs like you would pork or beef ribs; they will dry out quickly. Slow cook the ribs first until tender – covered and fully submerged in liquid – and then finish on the smoker or grill for color and flavor.

During the winter, our Nebraska deer can get quite fat. This fat may or may not taste good, and will determine whether you choose to keep the rib meat. If it tastes okay, a little fat is fine, but when there’s a lot of it, keep in mind that deer fat can have a waxy texture that is not so pleasant on the tongue.

Recipes for Venison Ribs:

• Amazing Venison Ribs
• Wild Game Stock (or Broth)

Venison Shoulder/Chuck

The shoulder is full of great meat for stew, soup, braising and grinding for burgers, chili and sausage. Aside from the “mock” tenders, most of the muscles on this part of a typical white-tailed deer are too small for decent steaks.

Leave the silver skin on for slow cooking – it will turn into gelatin and provide a juicy texture to the meat. If grinding, try to remove as much silver skin as possible. Too much silver skin in a grind will prevent proper binding in your burgers.

Larger muscles can also be shaved thinly for stir fry, fajitas and cheesesteak sandwiches. Also, you can slice the meat thinly to make jerky. Remember to remove as much silver skin as possible for these treatments.

Recipes for Venison Shoulder/Chuck:

• Venison Stew
• Venison Pot Pie
• Ultimate Square Venison Burger

Venison Loin/Backstrap

The coveted venison backstrap needs no introduction. The only rule for this cut is to not overcook it. Medium-rare is best: between 130- and 135-degrees Fahrenheit.

To cook the loin for stunning medallions, remove as much silver skin as possible. Tuck in the tapered ends – if any – and tie the entire piece with kitchen twine, which helps the loin cook evenly and keep its round shape. Allow the meat to rest before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute.

For a more impressive presentation, keep the meat attached to the ribs and saw off for racks of venison chops. For a simpler preparation, butterflied steaks are my go-to. The backstrap can also be sliced, seasoned and marinated to make the most tender kebabs on the grill.

I also enjoy making venison steak tartare with the loin, which is a raw dish.

Recipes for Venison Loin/Backstrap:

• Roasted Venison Loin with Scotch Whisky Sauce
• Bourbon BBQ Venison Backstrap
• Venison Steak Diane

Venison Tenderloin

The tenderloin is the first cut that is usually taken off a deer. This cut is so tender that it should be treated simply – salt and pepper is all it needs, with a quick hot sear with butter on the grill or in a pan.

Do not keep the tenderloins on the deer while hanging and aging. They will dry out quickly.

Recipes for Venison Tenderloin:

• Smoked Venison Tenderloin
• Venison Tenderloin Oscar
• Venison Tenderloin Mini Wellingtons

Venison Rump

The rump offers a small piece of muscle, best for pot roast and stew meat. It can also be ground for burger, chili and sausage. The size and quality of the cut will also depend on how careful you were when cutting the hindquarters from the deer.

Recipes for Venison Rump:

• Venison Fennelise Italian Sausage
• Easy Venison Taco Dip
• Grilled Venison Quesadilla Burger with Guacamole

Venison Hindquarter/Round

The hindquarter is my favorite part of the deer. It’s large and variable, with cuts that are suitable for steak, jerky, braising, stew, kebabs and grinding. The major muscles in the hindquarter are the top round, bottom round, eye of round and sirloin.

The top and bottom rounds are large pieces of whole muscle, great for steaks in young deer or aged deer. The bottom round is usually more tender, especially in the tri-tip area toward the bottom of the muscle. If you find these cuts a bit tough, marinate them first. The rounds also make delicious kebabs and stir fry when sliced thinly. When I’m out of loin, I use the rounds to make steak tartare.

The eye of round looks a lot like a piece of tenderloin. On young deer, this can be a very tender cut. For older deer, marinate it or use it for jerky or for stir fry and fajitas.

The sirloin is a large knuckle of muscles, with a little bit of silver skin throughout. On young deer or aged deer, the sirloin may be sliced for steaks – eat around the silver skin. For not-so-tender deer, this cut is suitable for braising whole, making jerky, as stew meat or ground meat.

Recipes for Venison Hindquarter/Round:

• Southern-Style Honey Barbecue Venison Jerky
• Pineapple and Jalapeño Venison Jerky
• Venison Kabobs
• Grilled Korean Bulgogi Venison Kebabs

Shanks

These long bones look like clubs of meat and are full of silver skin and ligaments near the joints. They’re a massive pain to debone and clean – the muscles are tiny, cradled by an extensive network of connective tissue.

While shanks are not suitable in some treatments, they are absolutely amazing in the slow cooker. Remember the collagen discussed in the neck section? The shanks have even more of it, and when braised, they turn into gelatin, making it the most unctuous cut of meat that exists on a deer. This is where venison osso buco comes from. Savor all four of them.

Recipes for Venison Shanks:

• Venison Osso Buco
• Braised Venison Shanks

Flank

The flanks are thin pieces of meat that stretch between the ribs and hindquarters on both sides of a deer. You can add them to the grind pile or slice for jerky.

Recipes for Venison Flank:

• Venison Carne Asada Marinade
• Homemade Ground Venison Jerky

Click here for more venison recipes

Most people will have a few bags of frozen chicken in their freezer. It can be easy to forget about one or two bags only to discover them too late – when they’re freezer burnt.

Freezer burn has a very distinctive taste, but it’s hard to describe. Off, weird, old, musty, and ‘like the freezer’ are some of my attempts.

So, how do you get rid of the taste of frozen chicken? To get rid of frozen chicken taste, marinate or brine the chicken and cut off any visible bits of freezer burn. You can also opt to use the chicken in a dish where its flavor will be overpowered, such as a curry, enchiladas, or something spicy.

Related: How To Store Raw Chicken In The Freezer

How to make frozen chicken taste better

The freezer taste that clings to your chicken is not a seasoning anyone would choose. A simple frying, grilling, or baking won’t be enough to shake it off.

Sadly you can’t get rid of the taste of freezer-burn completely, but you can improve it to the point where it’s barely noticeable.

Here are a few ways to go about making your frozen chicken disaster edible.

Word of warning: you may see varying success depending on how badly your chicken has suffered in the freezer.

But the way I see it is that the only thing you have to lose is time.

You either throw the meat out straight away or try and save it. If you save it great. If not you can throw it away, but at least you tried.

Cut off any freezer burnt bits

The most important thing to do is to cut off any obvious bits of freezer burn. Cut them off before you cook the chicken.

This will get rid of the worst tasting bits, but it won’t completely solve the problem. Freezer burn affects the whole piece of meat and not just the visible bits. The rest of the chicken probably won’t taste great either, but that’s where the next tactics come into play.

Marinate or brine the meat

Marinating meats is a classic way to flavor them, and it’s even more important when you’re dealing with freezer burnt chicken.

A good, strong marinade will help mask the frozen taste, and adding something acidic to the marinade will help to tenderize the meat.

Acids break down some of the proteins and fats in the meat, making it more tender. Balsamic vinegar is a good option. It’s acidic and adds a slightly sweet flavor to the chicken.

Put a small but concentrated amount of your chosen marinade into a ziploc bag and add the frozen chicken. As the chicken defrosts, the juice from the chicken will mix with the marinade and dilute it. Shaking the bag a few times as the chicken is thawing will help to ensure even coverage.

Brining meat is similar to marinating.

Make a saltwater solution and let the chicken sit in it as it thaws. The primary goal of brining is to tenderize the meat, the flavor comes second.

The salt solution will replace some of the lost moisture in the chicken and help bring it back to life. You can also add some herbs and spices to the brine mix such as sage, black pepper, or garlic. This will help to give the chicken a subtle flavor.

Grind or shred the chicken and put in a sauce

One of the best things you can do to disguise badly frozen chicken is to use it in a dish where the texture or taste of the actual chicken doesn’t matter too much.

Grinding or shredding the meat means you no longer need to worry about the texture of the meat because you’re changing it anyway.

Grind the chicken up with a meat grinder (link to amazon) to make meatballs or burgers and add whatever additional flavors you like to mask the ‘frozen’ taste. Thai chicken meatballs are super tasty and a little different from the usual Italian recipes you’ll find. You need lots of garlic, chili, ginger, and kaffir lime (if you can get hold of it).

Just like ground meat, shredded meat can be easily flavored. You can slow cook it in a crockpot with lots of sauce to mask any off-tastes. Add bbq sauce to make an alternative to pulled pork, or use salsa and black beans to make a delicious burrito filling. You’re basically turning the chicken into a sauce delivery vehicle.

Related: How To Reheat Frozen Shredded Chicken

If you want something cold, you can poach and then shred the meat to make a chicken salad.

Use it to make a stock or soup

If the frozen chicken taste is really offending you, then use it to make soup or stock. That way, you can still make use of the chicken without actually eating it.

Don’t worry. The chicken won’t leave a frozen taste in your stock. It will taste just like regular chicken stock.

Thaw the chicken and simmer it in water along with some vegetables. Once it’s done you can strain the chicken and either get rid of it or shred it and put it back into the soup.

This technique works best if your chicken is on the bone. The bones tend to add a lot of nutrients and extra flavor. However, it will also work fine with boneless chicken.

Make a curry / stew

Curries and stews tend to be very strongly flavored. The sauce is the star of the dish, and the chicken is more of a filler. As a filler, the chicken’s flavor gets lost and you can forget about the fact it doesn’t taste perfect.

Any recipe will do so just pick your favorite curry or stew and get cooking.

If you’re pressed for time a quick alternative to curry is to slather hot sauce on your chicken. This may not mask the texture but it will definitely hide any bad tastes.

Return it (if store bought)

If you bought the chicken pre-frozen from a store then the likelihood is you can return it.

Most food stores will accept returns if you’re not happy with the quality of the food. Simply state you found the taste and texture of the chicken unacceptable.

Of course you wont be able to return the chicken if you bought it fresh and froze it yourself.

What causes frozen chicken to taste bad and how to prevent it from happening again?

It’s no secret that freezing foods can affect their quality, but it’s not always clear why. There are two factors at play with chicken: the chicken’s texture altering and freezer burn.

Texture changes

As the chicken freezes, ice crystals form inside it. The sharp edges of these ice crystals rupture the chicken’s cell walls, causing the muscle fibers to weaken and break down. This noticeably alters the chicken’s texture and means the meat can no longer hold in moisture effectively. As the chicken thaws, lots of moisture will be lost leading to a dry piece of chicken.

You can’t prevent these ice crystals from forming as it’s part of the freezing process. But you can minimize how many form and how big they are. The quicker you freeze the meat, the less time the ice crystals have to form.

Chill the meat in your fridge first so it’s as cold as possible before going into the freezer. Then flash freeze the meat uncovered for a few hours. Uncovered meat will freeze faster than covered meat. Once the meat has frozen solid, make sure to cover it before leaving it for longer-term storage. Effective wrapping of the meat will help to prevent freezer burn.

Freezer burn

Freezer burn is the next issue and can affect both the taste and texture of frozen chicken.

Freezer burn occurs when the chicken is exposed to cold air. The cold air draws moisture out of the surface of the meat, leaving it severely dehydrated. Freezer burn isn’t unsafe to eat, but it doesn’t taste very nice.

It’s easy to see freezer burn on chicken because the meat changes color. The meat will turn white and look visibly tougher.

Luckily, freezer burn is completely preventable. You may have fallen victim to it this time, but you don’t have to again. Prevention is key to avoiding frozen chicken taste.

To prevent freezer burn, you need to prevent any air exposure. One way to do this is to wrap each individual bit of chicken in a double layer of plastic wrap or tin foil and then put it in an airtight container.

Related: How To Break Apart Frozen Chicken

Alternatively, if you have a vacuum sealer at home you can use this. Vacuum sealers are great because you can be sure no air will be in contact with your meat. I recommend the Greyon food saver (amazon link). There is a slight upfront cost involved, but it will save you money in the future because you’ll never need to throw out ruined frozen food again.

Fly fishing isn’t just fun to do- it’s fun to read about! There are many books about fly fishing out there. Some are narratives, while others are essential how-to guides that can help you get started, learn new skills, or troubleshoot mistakes. Here’s our list of the fly fishing books you need in your home library. We also have included links for where you can buy, rent, or download these books.

How-To Fly Fishing Books

These books provide guidance, instruction, and ideas for the modern fly fisher. Some of them are for general fly fishing; others are more technical or specialized. However you want to improve your fly fishing skills, there’s a guidebook out there for you.

The Essence of Flycasting by Mel Krieger

This classic fly fishing instructional text is one of the best books for learning the ins and outs of the sport. The Essence of Flycasting shows you in photographs and diagrams exactly how to perform the intricate movements needed to create the perfect cast.

Book Information:

• Length: 144 pages
• Year Published: 2001
• Buy on Amazon: The Essence of Flycasting

The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide, Revised by Tom Rosenbauer

As a company, Orvis knows fly fishing better than almost anybody else. Their fly fishing guide is no exception to this rule. The author has been tying flies commercially since he was fourteen, and his four decades of fly fishing experience are distilled in these pages. A must have for any fly fishing enthusiast.

Book Information:

• Length: 408 pages
• Year Published: 2017
• Buy on Amazon: The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide – Revised

The Orvis Guide To Beginning Fly Fishing: 101 Tips for the Absolute Beginner by Tom Rosenbauer

If the instructions in The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide are overwhelming, this book will get you started. The advanced fly fisher probably knows everything in these pages, but everybody has to start somewhere. This book is ideal for beginners at any stage- whether you’ve learned a couple of casts or haven’t even bought your first rod and reel yet, this guide is practical and easy to understand.

Book Information:

• Length: 208 pages
• Year Published: 2009
• Buy on Amazon: The Orvis Guide to Beginning Fly Fishing

The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing by Kirk Deeter and Charlie Meyers

The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing is essentially a pocket guide to the sport of fly fishing, written by two veteran anglers who came together to demystify their passion. Featuring 240 tips that don’t require any advanced physics lessons or innate understanding of how fish think, this is a straightforward guide to the basics of fly fishing.

Book Information:

• Length: 224 pages
• Year Published: 2010
• Buy on Amazon: The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing

Tactical Fly Fishing: Lessons Learned from Competition for All Anglers by Devin Olsen

Most of us will never be professional fly fishers, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn a lot from the pros. Devin Olsen is a repeat medalist in global fly fishing competitions, and his techniques for winning are explained in this volume. He does a good job of taking what he knows and applying it to everyday situations, allowing anyone to fish more successfully on rivers, small streams, and still waters.

Book Information:

• Length: 224 pages
• Year Published: 2019
• Buy on Amazon: Tactical Fly Fishing – Lessons Learned from Competition for All Anglers

Fly-Fishing Advice from an Old-Timer: A Practical Guide to the Sport and its Language by Ed Quigley

Take some advice from a veteran of the sport and sit down with Ed Quigley’s book on fly fishing. Quigley’s straightforward explanation of the basics and detailed discussions of advanced topics are easy to understand, and his ingenious tips and compelling anecdotes from his own years of experience fly fishing streams from Labrador to Costa Rica and beyond make the book very enjoyable.

Book Information:

• Length: 352 pages
• Year Published: 2014
• Buy on Amazon: Fly-Fishing Advice from an Old-Timer – A Practical Guide to the Sport and Its Language

A Guide’s Guide to Fly-Fishing Mistakes: Common Problems and How To Correct Them by Sara Low

As a licensed fly fishing guide, Sara Low has seen it all. If it can go wrong on the water, she’s seen it- and has some good ideas about how to correct these problems. This book offers solutions for fly fishers on many topics, including approaching fish, fly selection, proper fly presentation, consistent and accurate casting, and techniques for hooking and landing of fish, as well as pointers for fishing in spring, summer, fall, and winter. This isn’t a book you’d typically sit down with and read cover to cover (although you can do that if you want); instead, it’s the book you pull out when you have a problem you want to fix. It’s an invaluable guide for any angler who wants to up their game.

Book Information:

• Length: 224 pages
• Year Published: 2016
• Buy on Amazon: A Guide’s Guide to Fly-Fishing Mistakes – Common Problems and How to Correct Them

Basic Fly Tying: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started by John Rounds

Fly tying is one of many challenging aspects of fly fishing, and this book is a great introduction to it. It features photographs and illustrated diagrams to help you get the knack of the basic fly components. It illustrates every phase of the tying process, from clamping the hook in the vise to executing the final whip finish, and everything in between. You’ll learn seven of the most effective and foundational patterns for nymphs, streamers, and dry flies.

Book Information:

• Length: 90 pages
• Year Published: 2002
• Buy on Amazon: Basic Fly Tying – All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started

Nonfiction Fly Fishing Books

The history and culture of fly fishing is a massive part of the sport’s development. Participating in it is part of the fun, too! The following books all have something to say about what it means to be a fly fisher. Whether they’re personal stories, histories, biographies, or anything else, everything in the following books will help you understand the sport we all love.

The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies by Ian Whitelaw

The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies recounts the history of a sport that dates back 2,000 years, focusing on milestone flies from the first feathered hook to contemporary patterns using cutting-edge materials. While it might seem impossible to choose only 50 flies among the countless fly patterns dating back two millennia, these flies represent the development of the very sport itself. They chart the spread from its modern origins on the chalk streams of England and Scottish rivers to every country in the world. Filled with profiles of the key people involved, tying tips, photographs and illustrations of the flies, The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies is a fascinating look at the history of this fascinating sport.

Book Information:

• Length: 224 pages
• Year Published: 2015
• Buy on Amazon: The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies

The Unreasonable Virtue of Fly Fishing by Mark Kurlansky

Like all of Mark Kurlansky’s books, The Unreasonable Virtue of Fly Fishing is a deep dive into a subject the author finds fascinating. Kurlanksy’s observations aren’t just about the fly fishers, but about the fish themselves. He is deeply in love with the complexities of the sport and the battle between fish and fishermen, and his book is a combination of love letter and sport history. A very fun read!

Book Information:

• Length: 304 pages
• Year Published: 2021
• Buy on Amazon: The Unreasonable Virtue of Fly Fishing

Trout: An Illustrated History by James Prosek

If you want to catch a trout, you need to know as much as you can about it- how it looks, where it eats, what part of the water it likes, and much more about its behavior and evolutionary history. Prosek’s lavishly illustrated book features original watercolors alongside a fascinating natural history of the fish themselves.

Book Information:

• Length: 168 pages
• Year Published: 1996
• Buy on Amazon: Trout – An Illustrated History

Dumb Luck and the Kindess of Strangers by John Gierach

We recommend any and all of John Gierach’s fly fishing books, but we picked this one because it’s very approachable and is a great example of his prose. Fifteen books and countless articles and columns have made John Gierach probably the most prominent fishing writer in America, and his books encompass his love of the sport and the people who practice it.

Book Information:

• Length: 256 pages
• Year Published: 2020
• Buy on Amazon: Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers

The Longest Silence: A Life in Fishing by Thomas McGuane

This collection of 40 essays shows what dedication to a sport reveals about life. Both funny and reverent at the same time, each piece shares McGuane’s deep experience of wildlife and the outdoors and love for the sport he pursues. The book takes you around the world, from Florida tarpon to Icelandic salmon, and provides you with an intimate look at many varied lives who all share one thing: a love of fly fishing.

Book Information:

• Length: 384 pages
• Year Published: 2019 (most recent edition)
• Buy on Amazon: The Longest Silence

The Optimist: A Case for the Fly Fishing Life by David Coggins

There’s plenty of books about fly fishing and being a fly fisher, but fewer exist about the philosophy of fly fishing. This is one of those: an argument for the skills and sensibilities of fly anglers around the world. It’s a meditation on how fishing teaches focus, inner stillness, and a connection to the natural world, all while being couched in entertaining fishing stories. It shares a great perspective on how fly fishing and the attitudes it requires really can improve your life- but if you’re a fly fisher, you probably knew that already.

Book Information:

• Length: 256 pages
• Year Published: 2021
• Buy on Amazon: The Optimist – A Case for the Fly Fishing Life

Fly-Fishing the 41st by James Prosek

Fly fishing is practiced around the world. In Prosek’s case, this is literal. Fly-Fishing the 41st chronicles his adventures fishing around the 41st parallel- the same latitude, all the way from Connecticut to Mongolia, with stops in Greece, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, and many other exotic fishing locales. It’s a very interesting look at lesser-known fly-fishing destinations and the people who live there.

Book Information:

• Length: 336 pages
• Year Published: 2004
• Buy on Amazon: Fly-Fishing the 41st

Fly Fishing Novels and Fiction

Fly fishing is a great backdrop for fictional stories- it’s a wonderful way to let characters self-reflect, learn about themselves, and even grow a little bit. When you sit down with any of these tales, you’ll find yourself wishing that you could fish these fictional locales!

The River Why by David James Duncan

One of the classics of the unofficial fly fishing book canon, The River Why has been popular since its publication in 1983. The novel is a coming-of-age comedy about love, nature, and the quest for self-discovery, set in the Pacific Northwest and featuring one man’s quest for steelhead salmon. The story’s protagonist, Gus Orviston, seeks function in a remote cabin away from his dysfunctional family. For Gus, fly fishing isn’t just a physical experience; it’s a spiritual one as well, as his quest for self-knowledge tests him with unpredictable experiences.

Book Information:

• Length: 418 pages
• Year Published: 1983 (most recent edition 2013)
• Buy on Amazon: The River Why

A River Runs Through It and Other Stories by Norman Maclean

Perhaps the best-known fly fishing story in history, A River Runs Through It is just as exciting a novella as it is a film. Maclean’s passion for fly-fishing, the natural world, and the interplay of life and art, created a classic of the American West. This new edition, with a foreword by Robert Redford, will introduce a fresh audience to Maclean’s beautiful prose and understated emotional insights.

Book Information:

• Length: 262 pages
• Year Published: 2017 (this edition)
• Buy on Amazon: A River Runs through It and Other Stories

Hemingway on Fishing by Ernest Hemingway, edited by Nick Lyons

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the author of The Old Man and the Sea was a passionate angler himself. From his Michigan childhood to his twilight years in Florida, Hemingway was never far from a river or ocean. Fly fishing was a constant feature of his life, and this book collects his short stories and articles that revolve around the pursuit of fulfillment on the open water.

Book Information:

• Length: 272 pages
• Year Published: 2002
• Buy on Amazon: Hemingway on Fishing

The Laughing Trout: A Novel of Fly Fishing in A Mad, Mad World of Love and Pandemonium by Jim Ure

If you’ve ever been on a group fishing trip, you know the mayhem and hilarity that often follow. This story is the story of a professional fishing guide who tricks his annoying game warden cousin- and by extension, most of the world. He watches as his little corner of the river descends into bedlam- but coming clean might mean wrecking his best chance at finding true love. What’s a fly fisher to do when the world descends on his river in search of a fish that doesn’t exist? In this case, he just has to laugh about it.

Book Information:

• Length: 215 pages
• Year Published: 2013
• Buy on Amazon: The Laughing Trout

The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings

The Reel Sisters is the story of five women who would otherwise never be friends, were it not for their devotion to fly fishing. It’s a powerful novel about how anyone, no matter who they are or where they come from, can find themselves through fly fishing and learn a little bit more about how they work in the world each time they step into the river.

Book Information:

• Length: 412 pages
• Year Published: 2017
• Buy on Amazon: The Reel Sisters

Travers Corners: Classic Stories about Fly Fishing and a Small Montana Town by Scott Waldie

In the same spirit as Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion, Scott Waldie’s Travers Corners takes you to a rural town where “nothing much has happened since Herbert Hoover stopped for gas.” What Travers Corners lacks in modern media and conveniences, it makes up for with the quality of the local fishing. You’ll fall in love with the cast of characters in this quirky little community- it’s just a shame they’re all fictional!

Book Information:

• Length: 151 pages
• Year Published: 2014
• Buy on Amazon: Travers Corners – Classic Stories about Fly Fishing and a Small Montana Town

Conclusion

This list is never complete. New content and books are coming out every year. If you’d like to see new additions to this list, contact us with your thoughts.

A good battery pack is a vital piece of gear for any hiker these days. There are many components that go into what makes the best battery pack for a thru-hike. It’s not just about the power but also the weight, how quickly it charges your devices, how long it takes to recharge in town, how reliable it is and it’s durabilty.

Based on each of these criteria I believe I have found it, the perfect thru-hiker power bank. Say hello to the:

The ZendureSuperMini 10,000mAh USB-C PD Portable Charger ( link opens Amazon)

The Tech Specs:

Here is a quick overview of the tech specs:

Why is This The Best Battery For Thru-Hikers?

Weight (6.35oz/180g)

It’s lighter than most other comprable 10,000 Mah (see head to head match-ups below).

For example, the super-mini weighs 6.35oz/180g while an equivalent Anker PowerCore 10000 PD weighs 6.8oz(192g).

It’s not much of a difference but every grams counts but as you’ll see below the pass-through charging functionality of the Zendure SuperMini will enable you to save even more weight!

Super Fast Recharge Time (3 Hours)

Via the USB-C PD port it can recharge in 3 hours.

This means you can pop into a town, recharge your battery (both literally and figuratively) and leave town with a fully charged battery without having to stay a night if you don’t want to.

Even if you plan to stay a night a quick recharge time saves you hogging a power outlet all night or you could easily charge your battery fully when just sitting at a restaurant/bar.

Charging Times:

The Zendure SuperMini has both a USB-A and USB-C port, both of which can charge at 18watts of power. The battery supports PD (power delivery) charging meaning it can fast charge an iPhone X up to 50% within 30 mins!

Your phone will have to support PD for this to work (most new iPhone and Samsung devices do), but even if your device doesn’t this battery will charge it as fast as your device will allow.

Size and Durabilty

The outer shell feels much more durable that other batteries which can only be a good thing as your battery, along with most of your gear, will be put through the elements on any thru-hike.

Another major benefit of the Zendure SuperMini is the size and shape of the battery itself. It is 30% smaller than most other batteries and is roughly the size of a credit card.

This shape is much more packable than the usual longer bulkier batteries. This shape makes it perfect for slipping into a hip-belt pocket or a fanny pack for easy access.

Style

Fashion is a thru-hikers last concern but nearly every other battery is just a black brick. The Zendure Super-mini has 3 colors which a) looks cooler and b) will make your battery easier to identify at a shared charging point in a restaurant or hostel etc.

The Holy Grail of Pass-Through Charging

All the above features of the Zendure SuperMini are great but the thing that makes it head and shoulders above the rest of other batteries is that it supports pass-through charging.

What is pass-through charging and why is it so important?

Simply put this means you can charge the battery whilst at the same time use the battery to charge other devices. This quick video demonstrates the difference:

Why is this so good for thru-hikers? Well, it enables you to replace your usual 2 USB port wall charger with a single USB port one.

For example, say I use an Anker Powercore PD battery that doesn’t support pass through charging. When I get to town I want to charge both my battery and my phone at the same time. To do this I have to bring a 2 usb port wall charger (pictured).

Now with the Zendure SuperMini it can turn the battery into another USB port so I only need to bring a smaller 1 port wall charger.

I charge the battery directly using the wall socket and then daisy chain my phone or whatever else I want to charge off my SuperMini battery.

As an example, the two wall chargers pictured above. The smaller one weighs 1.9oz/53g whilst the larger one weighs 8oz/227g. So by utilising the pass-through charging you save 6oz/170+g from your pack, that’s a big weight saving without any loss of functionality.

These are two great ultralight small wall chargers options that support PD to couple with your Zendure SuperMini:

• Rav Power USB-C 61W PD Wall Charger (Foldable Prongs)
• Anker USB-C 30w PD Wall Charger

Head to Head Match-Ups

Zendure SuperMini vs Anker PowerCore 10000 PD

Zendure SuperMini vs RavPower PD Pioneer 10000mAh Portable Charger 2-Port Power Bank

Zendure SuperMini vs Nitecore NB10000

The Perfect Thru-Hiker Battery

The design and specs of the SuperMini make it ideal for any thru-hiker. It’s got the perfect combination of functionality and features.

It matches or surpasses most other batteries on the usual criteria and is one of the very few batteries in it’s class that supports pass-through charging. The Zendure SuperMini when utilized with a smaller wall charger can enable big weight savings.

If you’re interested in getting your own you can see it on Amazon here. Any questions just comment below.

Reverse Sear for the Win!

Simple equation of: Meat + Heat = Awesome. Yes, but there are some other things at play here. The equation comes out to be: Meat + (rate and intensity) Heat = Awesome, more or less. Scorching hot direct radiant heat is great for caramelizing the outside, creating a desired sear, and getting the fancy grill marks. However a piece of thick steak will get over charred and become well done on the outside while leaving the inside raw, leaving a bitter outside and cold inside. Indirect heat, or placing steak along side of the heat source, utilizes convection heat which slows the cooking process. Smoker grills use this style of cooking because it gives time for the heat to slowly work, allowing for more of the meat to be cooked to desired doneness. However it does take a long time, and getting a sear is difficult.

Reverse Sear embraces both styles of heating; convection and radiation to give your steak the largest amount of your desired sweet spot and a beautiful caramelized sear. Now, I can understand why some would say, “Why would you go through this whole process? My method works great.” Let me explain.

Wildgame is LEAN. Marbled fat in meat can act as insurance, to add moisture to a steak. Where a beef ribeye can handle longer periods of direct heat, venison backstrap cannot, leaving your veni gold overdone and dry. Cooking lower and slower extends your window of sweet spot cooking.

Speaking of sweet spot cooking. Reverse Sear lessens the “bullseye” effect of a steak. When cooking over direct heat, the outermost layer will be well done, and then a ring of medium, and a ring a medium rare, then finally a center spot of rare, resembling a bullseye. Reverse sear allows you to get add heat slowly, allowing the middle to come to desired temp, before the outside has exceeded that desired temp range. Leaving a consistent cook throughout the whole steak.

Sous vide is still expensive. What was once only attainable by restaurants, water immersion cooking, called sous vide is now available in the home kitchen. Set the temp on the machine or wand and the water stays consistently at that temp. Allowing for precise control, and prefect desired doneness. The only drawback is the price for one of these units is still a couple hundred dollars for a quality unit. Reverse Sear can give you similar results without an expensive purchase of a specialized tool.

Reverse Sear can be used on not just small cuts, which prevent from over cooking, but can be used for larger cuts to ensure proper cook all the way through. Using a probe thermometer or thermo-pen, a whole haunch could be cooked to medium rare with the same technique as a tenderloin.

Oh, and seeing how you are already searing in a pan at the end, you might as well make a pan sauce using those stuck on bits. Little bit of stock, little bit of cream, touch of mustard, salt and pepper, and you are adding extra distance to an already home run piece of meat.

What follows is a 9 step breakdown of doing a Reverse Sear. The basic idea is oven before pan, leave it to me to over complicate it. My bold statement is this, follow these steps and you will not be sorry, in fact you will start using this method more and more and get really good at it. I can’t say it will change your life, but bets are that you will post your outstanding results for everyone to see. Just make sure you hashtag Huntavore when you do.

Equipment:

• Sheet Pan
• Wire Rack
• Probe Thermometer/Thermo Pen
• Cast Iron Pan or Grill

Cooking:

1. Preheat oven to 300F
2. Season the cut of venison with salt and pepper (or whatever you like). I like to put the salt and pepper on a plate and roll the venison in it, get good coverage.
3. Place wire rack on the sheet pan, then set the meat on the rack. Let the meat come up to room temperature.
4. Once meat is at room temp and oven is preheated, set the whole thing in the oven. Time will depend on size of the cut or thickness of the steak.
5. First thermometer check the center of the meat at 20 minutes. Based on how close your internal temperature has gotten, and how fast its rising, adjust check times. PRO TIP: I set a timer or I tend to check too often. “If your lookin, you ain’t cookin.”
6. Pull the meat 5 degrees before your desired doneness. The current heat in the meat will finish the cook as you rest the venison or steak (5-10 minutes).
7. As the meat rests, get your grill or pan hot. Add oil or butter (personally I add both) and then set the meat in the center. Give each side 30-45 seconds to let a good sear form. Make sure to hit the edges as well. HEADS UP! Steam and smoke will be a factor here, nothing to be alarmed about.
8. Baste butter and oil over the top as the bottom sears. Remove from heat. Total sear time as little as 1-2 minutes depending on how you desire your sear.
9. Slice, plate, serve, be a hero!

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Rocky Fork Whitetails offers the ultimate World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip for Louisiana residents.

Looking for an World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip in the Louisiana area? Because at Rocky Fork Whitetails, we offer the biggest and best World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip just up the road in Ohio. If fact we deliver on your World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip you have always dreamed about.

We are simply the best place for Whitetail Deer, Elk, Mule Deer, Red Stag, Ram, Mouflon Rams, Axis Deer, Fallow Deer, Sika Deer, Black Buck and other challenging and exciting hunting experiences in Ohio; or anywhere else. So forget those Louisiana area hunts, come home to the Ohio World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip experience that only Rocky Fork Whitetails can deliver!

Hunters who have traveled from the Louisiana area, trust Rocky Fork Whitetail’s World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip; for exciting and memorable World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip experiences in Ohio. We take your World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip experience and turn it into your World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip dream, with a knowledgeable staff of World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip expertise; that will insure you the greatest experience you will ever have in World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip.

We offer many World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip and other hunting adventures:

• Whitetail Deer
• Elk
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There is a reason Rocky Fork Whitetail’s has been ranked #1 by Louisiana residents for World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip for years; Ohio delivers the big game! World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip enthusiast know that we provide the highest quality guided World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip available for the modern day World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip trophy hunter.

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When you journey from Louisiana to Rocky Fork Whitetails in Ohio, every World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip is ALL INCLUSIVE:

• 5 Star Lodging (Click for more info on our Ohio Ranch and lodge)
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• Tags
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Note: Groups of 4 or more there will be a mandatory 12% gratuity added. There is a $500 non-refundable deposit due upon booking.

Rocky Fork Whitetails in Ohio offers a unique World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip for those coming from Louisiana.

All ages and skill levels welcome for the World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip of a lifetime!

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There simply is not better place in Ohio, or anywhere else to learn the sport that from the experienced guides at Rocky Fork Whitetails. Young or old there is no age limit, if you can shoot with accuracy at a moderate distance you will net a good sized World Class Whitetail Deer; in fact, we guarantee it. Don’t want to bring from your Louisiana area home for your World Class Whitetail Deer Hunting Trip? That’s no problem! We have everything you need at no extra cost upon request.

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(410) 984-8680 • [email protected]

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(410) 984-8680 • [email protected]

If you were to rank the most popular baits for catfish, minnows would probably not rank in the top 5…or even top 10 for that matter.

But why is that? We know catfish eat minnows based on their stomach contents…so why aren’t they commonly used as bait?

In this article, ill discuss using minnows for catfish bait…and why you may want to give it a try the next time you are out fishing.

Can you use Minnows for Catfish Bait?

While traditional catfish baits like chicken gizzards, shad and shrimp are all common and effective, do not overlook using regular minnows for catfish bait.

In fact, using minnows for catfish is a tactic that can be very effective in certain bodies of water, depending on the species of catfish and forage available.

Additionally, minnows are usually readily available at bait shops, or easy enough to catch your own.

Which species of catfish eat minnows?

Virtually all species of freshwater catfish will eat minnows, but I’ve had the most success targeting brown bullheads, yellow bullheads, channel catfish, and white catfish.

Flathead catfish love to eat other fish as their primary food source…and although sunfish are a better bait choice, shad, shiners or large minnows can also be very effective.

How to Catch Catfish with Minnows

To specifically target catfish with minnows as bait, you need to fish your baits on or near the bottom. A simple sinker/knocker rig consisting of a circle hook, leader, swivel, and sinker is effective and versatile.

In lakes and ponds, catfish will generally be found near structures and vegetation along the bottom, as they like to hide out and take cover for hours at a time.

See Also: The Best Time Of Day To Catch Catfish

If you are fishing a small area, you can chum the area first with dead minnows to help spread out the scent and attract nearby fish.

Then, cast out your catfish rigs along the bottom. Experiment with different depths to find where the catfish are located.

I like to cast one line in the deepest section, another in the middle depth area, and the last line along the bank or shoreline.

By keeping your minnows on the bottom, you’re less likely to get bites from sunfish, bass, and other fish you may not be targeting.

Which Minnows are Best for Catching Catfish?

Catfish are not too picky when it comes to living bait or fresh (dead bait). Fathead minnows and golden shiners are popular choices, as these are both naturally occurring forage and large enough to target catfish.

However, here in Florida, I’ve used a bundle of small crappie minnows or mosquitofish to target brown bullheads and channel catfish.

Just hook 3-4 minnows on a hook (similar to putting a few worms on a hook). Fish it on the bottom and wait!

PRO TIP: A great money-saving tip for catfish anglers is to ask bait and tackle shops about their dead minnows. They will often give them away for free, as they can’t sell them and do not want to deal with the smell and pests involved with throwing them in the garbage.

Related: How Many Minnows are in a Pound/Gallon/Scoop

How Do You Rig Minnows for Catfish?

One of the most common rigs to catch catfish using minnows is the classic Carolina rig. Be sure to use small gauge circle hooks (2/0-4/0 size is best) and just enough weight to keep your rig along the bottom of the water column.

The Carolina rig is often used by anglers fishing from docks or piers in still water. This bottom fishing rig works to keep the minnow at the bottom of the lake while keeping a natural motion.

This is a “set it and forget it” approach to catfishing, and multiple lines are often used at once. The more the better!

“Slip bobbers” or “float bobbers” also can be helpful tools when river fishing for catfish in rivers, where the current may be too strong to fish on the bottom.

The bobber allows the minnow to stay high enough to float in the current, making it a great target for waiting for catfish near drop-off areas of the river.

I still strongly suggest you keep your floats adjusted so that the minnows are along the bottom of the water column.

How To Hook Minnow When Targeting Catfish?

If I am using live minnows, I will hook them through the tail so they stay alive and flutter/swim while on the bottom. If I am using dead minnows I will usually hook them through the head, as this is the most secure location.

How To Keep Minnows On The Hook

The biggest reason why minnows come off the hook is that the hooks are the incorrect size, or they are cast off and the hooks rip out.

Try using small gauge wire hooks, and match the hook size with your bait and intended target.

For example, If I am trying to catch 1-3 pound brown bullheads, a simple 1/0 circle hook is sufficient.

Related: The Ultimate Catfish Bait Soap Recipe (EASY!)

Are Live or Dead Minnows Better For Catfish?

While live bait is hands down the best option for targeting most species of fish, fresh dead minnows can actually work better when targeting catfish. Catfish rely on smell more than any other sense to find food, and the scent of fresh dead minnow or shiner can release attract catfish.

This technique works particularly well when fishing in creeks and rivers, as the motion of the water will make it less apparent that the fish isn’t moving.

Releasing scent and oils into the water will draw in a variety of fish, working to chum the water while fishing.

Final Thoughts

So, should you use minnows exclusively for catfish bait?

No, that is not what I am suggesting…

But catfish are one of the few freshwater fish you can really experiment with different bait options.

I think you will find that some catfish respond to certain baits better than others, and that may vary from lake to lake.

Next time you are out crappie fishing with minnows for crappie, walleye, or bass…throw a few on a bottom rig and try for some catfish.

You may be surprised at what ya catch!

Related Posts

• How To Use A Fish Stringer (Easy Explanation W/Tips)
• How To Keep Minnows Alive Without an Aerator (7 Tips)
• Why You Should Be Using Kool-Aid As Catfish Bait!
• How to Catch Koi Fish (And Are They Edible?)
• 5 Effective Ways To Catch Minnows for Bait
• Using Bluegill For Bass Bait? Don’t Miss These Tips!

For someone who, to hear him tell it, had been “painting like a madman,” 2024 DU Artist of the Year Richard Clifton seemed remarkably relaxed. The 60-year-old Clifton, who lives on a 115-acre farm adjoining the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Delaware, was preparing for his turn as the featured artist at the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, Maryland, and a production crew was arriving soon to get footage of him for a festival video.

Plus, as if he didn’t already have enough on his plate, Clifton’s furnace had stopped working, and his repair guy, like repair guys everywhere these days, was having trouble finding the parts he needed.

But if Clifton was feeling stressed, you couldn’t detect it in his voice. A native son of Delaware who grew up on a farm just a few miles from the one he owns today, he talks the way farmers do-softly, evenly, and without an excess of emotion, as if he were describing the weather. You can hear it in the way he drops the g in words like “thinking” and “working,” and you can hear his Tidewater accent in the way a word like oil comes out sounding like ohl.

His roots in the region run deep. “On my mom’s side they were carpenters,” he related, “and on my dad’s side they were farmers. So I’ve got both those things in my blood. I can actually do a little bit of carpentry. I’ve built a deck around our swimming pool twice now-it got more extravagant the second time. And I know how to drive a tractor, work ground, and do those kinds of things.”

At the moment Clifton farms some of his ground himself and rents the rest, but he’s leaning toward taking over the entire operation. As he put it, “I want to see if I can get my farmin’ legs back and make a little money off the place.” He’s thinking, too, of a crop rotation that will allow him to harvest a short-season corn variety in early August, then plant Japanese millet. “Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise,” Clifton explained, “the millet would make heads by mid-October.”

In other words, just in time for the waterfowl season.

The tradition of waterfowl hunting also runs deep in Clifton’s family. A good portion of the property now encompassed by the Prime Hook refuge was originally “Clifton land,” and while he missed out on some of the marsh gunning his father and uncles enjoyed when he was growing up, he took full advantage of the field hunting opportunities available to him. To the best of Clifton’s knowledge, in fact, he was the first person in those parts to hunt snow geese with a rag-style decoy spread.

“I had this idea,” he recalled with a little laugh, “that I could drape white kitchen trash bags over corn stubble. The first time I tried it I went by myself, so if it turned out to be really dumb no one else would know. But it turned out that the geese fell for it. I killed a limit of snows and a couple of Canadas that first day, and after that it was game on for several years until the birds got wise to it.”

At the same time that the teenaged Clifton was getting his legs under him as a waterfowler, the art he saw in the pages of magazines like Ducks Unlimited, Sports Afield, and Field & Stream planted the seed of another idea. He began thinking that it might be possible to emulate the likes of David Maass and Jim Killen, to name a couple of the artists whose work inspired him, and carve out a career painting ducks and geese.

“I was starting to have that dream,” he told me. “And I wondered if I was capable of doing something like that. It turned out that I was, but way back then it was just a dream. You’re thinking, lsquo;Man, it would really be something if I could be like one of those guys.’

“And now I’m a four-time DU Artist of the Year, which is pretty exciting. I also just learned that I won the Delaware duck stamp contest for the 10th time. If you’re counting, and some people are, that gives me 54 duck stamps altogether, including two federal duck stamps.”

Not bad for an artist who’s entirely self-taught and, in his own words, “figured things out mostly by trial and error.”

For his 2024 DU Artist of the Year image, Green-Wings Across the Bow, Clifton chose to fill the frame with a small flock of vividly realized American green-winged teal buzzing the bow of an ancient wooden boat-a boat that, over the years, has become as much a part of the marsh as the cattails themselves. It’s the second time he’s depicted greenwings for his Artist of the Year painting. When I asked him about that he replied, “To me they’re an iconic duck-hunting species. I have old photos of my dad and uncles after a day of hunting on land that’s now part of the refuge. They’re holding their double-barreled shotguns, and most of the ducks in their bags are green-winged teal.

“I’ve always felt a special pull from greenwings. They’re emblematic of the tradition of waterfowl hunting in my family. That’s why I wanted to incorporate the boat into the image, to include a piece of that tradition.”

To see more of Richard Clifton’s work, visit richardclifton.com.

Ducks Unlimited’s 2024 National Art Package Contributing Artists

Manitoba Morning by Bruce Miller

Bruce Miller is a native Minnesotan and a passionate sportsman, and his art is inspired by his experiences in the outdoors. Miller has won over 50 awards for his work, and his paintings have been featured in many art shows in both the United States and Canada. His work has been featured in the DU National Art Package more than 10 times. This year’s print features a regal black Lab focused on ducks circling below an overcast sky.

Droppin’ In by Scot Storm

Scot Storm’s artwork reflects his efforts to re-create the excitement and drama of encounters with wildlife in the great outdoors. Storm has won the federal duck stamp competition twice and has been named DU’s Artist of the Year three times. His love of hunting and the outdoors inspired him to step away from a successful architecture career and pursue his love of wildlife art. Storm’s painting Droppin’ In depicts two groups of pintails descending into a marsh in front of a rainbow-lit sky. In the background, a flock of American green-winged teal buzz the surface of the wetland.

2022/2024 Federal Duck Stamp Print by Jim Hautman

Jim Hautman has won the federal duck stamp contest a record-setting six times. He and his brothers, Joe and Bob, are probably the most famous family in the world of wildlife art. Each brother is an accomplished painter, and they owe their inspiration to their mother, who is also a talented artist, and their father, who instilled in his sons a love for the outdoors. Jim’s latest duck stamp painting features a pair of redheads in rough water under a menacing sky. DU is offering a gorgeous print of this historic painting framed, double matted, and inlaid with a DU crest medallion and a carved feather.

2024 DU Stamp Print by Adam Grimm

In 1999, at the age of 21, Adam Grimm became the youngest person to ever win the federal duck stamp competition. Since then, he has attained widespread recognition as one of the country’s most talented wildlife artists. His painting of a pair of green-winged teal graces the 40th Ducks Unlimited stamp. The stunning package, which is available at DU events, includes a mint stamp, an artist-signed stamp, a matching print, and a stamp medallion.

Ducks Unlimited’s Guns of the Year

DU’s 2024 Rifle of the Year is a Christensen Arms Mesa bolt-action rifle chambered in .308. It has a custom-colored bronze stock with a black Cerakoted barrel and action and comes with a mounted Leupold VX Freedom 3-9×50 scope with Leupold’s proprietary Firedot illumination technology. This handsome rifle also includes the Ducks Unlimited logo on the floor plate and bolt knob and comes with a hard plastic gun case and gun lock.

DU’s Shotgun of the Year for 2024 is a Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 (SBE3) in 28-gauge. This semiautomatic shotgun has a 3-inch chamber, 28-inch highly polished blued barrel, coin-finished receiver, DU exclusive oil-finished walnut stock, and engraving featuring a gold-inlaid waterfowl scene and the DU logo. The engraving complements that of DU’s Guns of the Year from 2019 and 2022-a 12-gauge SBE3 and a 20-gauge SBE3, respectively. This beautiful firearm comes with five extended choke tubes, a special DU serial number, and a gun lock.

The 2024 Handgun of the Year is a Springfield Garrison 1911 semiautomatic pistol chambered in .45 ACP. This eye-catching pistol features a carbon steel frame and slide, custom 24-karat gold engraving, a five-inch barrel, and additional custom DU engraving on wooden grips. Made in the United States, this firearm comes with a hard case and gun lock.

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