In Today’s Newsletter: See the biggest fish ever caught in every state, then sharpen your skills with safety tips, shoalie tactics and the best bass lures for 2026.
Biggest Fish Caught In Every State
From massive lake trout to the prehistoric white sturgeon, here are the heaviest freshwater fish caught in every state!
Kayak Angler’s Guide To Skills & Safety
We cover all the bases for safe kayak fishing with outfitting tips from pro guide Chuck Earls and paddle techniques from Tom Watson.
According to the Coast Guard, 85 percent of recreational boating drowning victims were not wearing a life vest. “The law says kayakers need a life vest on board, I say wear it all the time,” Earls insists.
Paddle Skills: Learn To Maneuver Your Kayak With These Basic Strokes
Think of the kayak paddle as an extension of the body; the shaft is the arm, and the paddle blade the hand. Maneuvering the boat is an extension of motions employed for swimming. There are four basic kayak strokes to move the kayak in any direction.
Expert Tactics For Shoalie Success
Let these little river bandits steal your heart with their aggressive strike and never-stop attitude.
Outcast Everyone On The Water—Salus Outcast Fishing PFD
Whether you’re a paddler who likes to fish, or an angler who likes to paddle, the Outcast is the ideal PFD, offering a unique combination of kayak and fishing features in one vest. Contoured fit, soft foam, rounded edges, and a high-back construction make the Outcast perfect for fishing in comfort. Two large front pockets and gear-clips spin the Outcast into a must-have piece of fishing gear.
The Only Bass Lures I Trust After 40 Years Of Fishing
If you are gearing up for bass fishing, these are the lures worth having in the tackle box.
Best Bass Lures: Top Picks
Best spinner bait: Booyah Blade
Best Ned lure: Z-man Finesse TRD
Best small worm: Charlie Brewer’s Slider Worm
Best soft plastic stick bait: Yamamoto Senko
Best soft jerk bait: Zoom Fluke
Best soft swim bait: Keitech Fat Swing Impact
Best topwater: River2Sea Whopper Plopper
Best walk-the-dog lure: Heddon Spook
Best deep diving crankbait: Strike King 5XD
Best lipless crankbait: Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap
Best Spinner Bait for Bass
Booyah Bait Co. Blade
Best Small Worm
Charlie Brewer’s (4″) Slider Worm
Best Soft Jerk Bait
Zoom Fluke
Best Deep Diving Crankbait
Strike King 5XD
Best Walk-The-Dog Lure
Heddon Zara Spook
Best Topwater Lure
River2Sea Whopper Plopper
Why Trust Us
A regular contributor to Kayak Angler, Jory Brass has been catching largemouth and smallmouth bass for more than 50 years. As a Gearhead Expert at Backcountry, he was one of the outdoor retailer’s top 10 anglers in the annual Backcountry Summer Adventure Challenge. He personally owns hundreds of bass lures, including all of the lures recommended in this guide.
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