John Merwin

Jon Shein's New Book 'Kayak Fishing' Covers it All

Online Editors — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:30:46 -0400

by John Merwin

About 10 years ago, when I wrote what were apparently some of the first national articles about fishing kayaks, one of the people who helped was Jon Shein. (You can read those articles here and here.) Jon was, even back then, an avid kayak angler. Now he’s evolved as a genuine expert, which is happily reflected in his new book, “Kayak Fishing.”

I know many readers here go kayak fishing at least occasionally, and just as many have at least thought about it. Shein’s book covers all the basics and then some -- from how to choose a kayak suited to your own fishing needs to all the details of rigging these small boats once you get one.

Need to install rod holders? Add electronics? Want to rig an anchor or modify a hatch cover? Happily, this is the kayak-fishing answer book. Yes, you could surf the Web and eventually find most of these details, but that would take weeks of sorting wheat from the abundant chaff. In 210 large-format pages, Shein makes it easy. At $29.99, I think it’s a bargain.

From ICAST: Company Cuts Cured Pork in Bait Shapes

Online Editors — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:00:47 -0400

by John Merwin

One of the coolest things I saw at the recent ICAST fishing-industry trade show was also one of the simplest: Uncle Josh Meat.

This venerable maker of pork frogs and pork rinds is now also cutting cured pork fat in shapes such as minnows, leeches, and crawlers. These and more come in various colors, ready to put on a jig or a crawler harness.

The effect is somewhat like soft-plastic baits, but with some important differences. First, Uncle Josh Meat is a natural product and thus biodegradable, unlike most plastics. Second, and because the bait is pork fat, it floats. That means that when rigged on a jig, the free end will gradually float upward and wiggle.

Fishing Secrets Revealed: How to Use the Mysterious Line Keeper

Online Editors — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 09:27:46 -0400

by John Merwin

There are times when I feel like the dumbest angler to ever wet a line. Like the time I anxiously threaded a dry fly on my tippet during a heavy hatch and started casting while forgetting completely to actually tie a knot. So where’d my fly go? Duh!

The worst, though, is all the years I’ve wrestled with that little tab on most spinning-reel spools that’s designed to hold the line end in storage. The tab is recessed in the spool’s side and hard to reach. For the longest time I struggled with both hands to get the line into the recess and under the tab where it clearly belonged. Never have I seen any directions as to actually how this is to be done.

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Dave_Maccar — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:15:07 -0400

Merwin: Striped Bass Are Gamefish

Online Editors — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:49:22 -0500

The byzantine politics of coastal striped-bass management took another turn last week as a Massachusetts state legislative committee held a hearing on a bill that could end commercial striper fishing in that state. Making striped bass solely a gamefish might seem like a no-brainer to inland readers especially, where there are no commercial fisheries for species such as largemouth bass or trout.

Merwin: Avoid Hypothermia With a Mustang Survival Jacket

Online Editors — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:07:42 -0400

Staying alive. Personal safety is high on my fall fishing list. The water temperature this morning on one of the big lakes I often fish is 51 degrees. Normally dressed, if I fall out of the boat there’s a good chance of death by hypothermia.

Merwin: Do Pro Bass Tournaments Promote the Sport of Fishing?

Online Editors — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:20:25 -0400

That’s a tough question, and some of the answers I’ve gotten over the years might surprise you.

There’s no question that all the media buzz around pro-bass anglers and their tournaments has made them hugely visible. Put really big bucks into a fishing contest, and the television cameras will roll. But is it the fish that count? Or is it the money?

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fieldandstream-editor — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:44:55 -0500

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fieldandstream-editor — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:44:32 -0500

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fieldandstream-editor — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:39:57 -0500

Shimano Fishing Sandals
After last year's successful introduction of a molded fishing boot, Shimano follows up with this new molded fishing sandal. The soft EVA material is extremely comfortable, and the soles are both non-skid and non-marking. After trying them on, I ordered two pairs on the spot. About $40.00. (shimano.com)