Low-light conditions are ideal for poppers. In direct sunlight, bass often hunker down to stay cool and hidden – but when the risk of exposure is lower, they’ll move into shallow water to feed. Cloudy ...

A good topwater smash is one of the greatest experiences in fishing. Dozens of surface lures on the market can make them happen, but few are more popular or user-friendly than a popper. They come in ...

In the heat of summer, I go back to my early days of fly fishing as a teenager. An elderly uncle, Demp Ramsey, taught me the art of fly fishing in the summer of 1977. Demp was his given name, but ...

Pumpkinseed in Phelps Lake, popping bugs, and a cornbread recipe. This week on Carolina Outdoor Journal, we’ll fly fish for Pumpkinseed in the shallows of Phelps Lake. In Gear Time we’ll learn about ...

THE FLY LINE straightens out 3 feet above the water, and the popping bug hits the pond with a pleasing splat. I see the popper try to roll over, which tells me I have a bit of twist in the leader that ...