News & Stories

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s School of Fish has big 7^th Year!

The Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s School of Fish, recognized by many as the leaders in kids fishing education, recently completed their 7^th year of hosting fishing classes for kids, their parents, and other adults.  School of Fish taught 22 open-water Schools in 2019 graduating 545 “water-ready” kids and had 221 adults attend as well! 

“We went to several new destinations this year, but also returned to communities we’ve been to several times,” said Mike Frisch, one of the organization’s co-founders.  “We think it speaks well of our program when communities have us back year after year!”

Started in Alexandria, MN in 2013 as an open-water fishing class, School of Fish was very well received and, due to requests, added School of Fish ON ICE that fall.  

The Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s School of Fish has now taught 206 Schools in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North & South Dakota, Nebraska and has graduated 4,435 kids and over 1,300 adults have attended in its existence!

“Our goal continues to be to graduate water-ready kids who have the knowledge, skills, and equipment they need to get their fishing careers started,” stated Frisch.  “Just as importantly, we try to provide that education and training in a fashion that excites them about our sport!” 

Frisch also lauded the program’s sponsors in helping grow Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s School of Fish.  “Our supporters, many of which have been with us from day one, continue to see great value in exposing kids and their families to fishing and the great outdoors.  Their great support allows us to provide quality education and the fishing equipment needed to help our students get their fishing careers off to great starts,” Frisch concluded.

Because Frisch also hosts Fishing the Midwest television, one School of Fish graduate each year gets drawn from all class attendees to join him on a Fishing the Midwest TV episode.  Twelve-year old Shanessa Densmore from Dassel-Cokato was this year’s winner.  She recently had a great day on the water, catching several big largemouth bass!  This segment will be part of Fishing the Midwest’s 2020 TV episodes.

In addition to Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s title sponsorship, other School of Fish sponsors include Larson FX Boats, Northland Fishing Tackle, Soderholm Insurance, KLN Family Brands, ShoreMaster, Lure Lock, Strike King, Lew’s, Diamond Buick GMC, Distinctive Cabinet Design, Hannay’s Marine, Artie’s Bait and Tackle, Fish On Kids Books, and Fishing the Midwest.

In addition, the National Professional Anglers Association and Future Angler Foundation teamed to provide rods and reels for each School of Fish graduate again this year! 

To learn more about Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s School of Fish visit fishingthemidwest.com and select the “School of Fish” icon to be directed to the webpage.  Once there, visitors can see the upcoming schedule as well as view an information video to learn more about the program. 

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s School of Fish is currently scheduling 2020 open-water classes.  Contact schooloffish@outlook.com for more information.

Photo –  Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s School of Fish graduate Shanessa Densmore with one of several largemouth bass she caught while filming an upcoming episode of Fishing the Midwest TV.

By Mike Frisch

Smallmouth bass are one of my favorite fish species to pursue and, these scrappy fighters can provide some of the entire year’s fastest fishing action during the next few weeks.  Targeting big fall “smalljaws” is, in fact, one of the highlights of my entire outdoors year!

Fall smallmouth bass fishing is often a feast or famine deal as the fish often school very tightly now and if you aren’t on a school, you probably won’t get bit.  My best fall spots over the years have been rock humps adjacent to nearby deep water. Throw in some weeds on the hump and the spot is usually even better.

I use my sonar to find these spots, with the good news being that once a good spot is found, it will often hold fish year in and year out.  I do like to motor around a hump and look for fish “marks” on my sonar, so I know precisely where on a hump the fish are holding. 

When a good spot is found I break out the drop-shot rigs.  Drop-shot fishing involves tying a hook into the line and then adding a drop-shot weight about 18-inches below that hook to the line’s end.  A small finesse plastic bait is then usually attached to the hook.  

The rig is often cast to likely areas or, in clear water lakes where the fish hold in deeper water, it works to even drop right down below the trolling motor and transducer and “sit” on fish marked below!   Shaking and quivering the bait on a semi-slack line will often get fall smallies to aggressively eat the bait.  Utilizing a semi-slack line will “shake” the bait rather than shaking the sinker which tends to happen on a tight line.

Patience is often key here as it might take a few minutes to “fire up” the fish, though it’s often game on once that first bite is coaxed as several more can often be had in short order.

This is a finesse approach, so using the right rod, reel, and line are important as well as, of course, using the right bait.  A bait new to the market recently, the Baby Z-Too, was simply deadly when drop-shot fishing last fall.  This bait is a small soft jerkbait that floats well, is very flexible, and has a deadly “shimmy” that smallies can’t seem to resist!  

Plus, because the bait is very durable, you can often catch a fish, unhook, and drop right back down to catch another one without having to rebait.

The Lew’s Custom Lite Speed Stick drop-shot rod is designed precisely for this technique.  Pair it with a Custom Speed Spin reel filled with 8-pound fluorocarbon line, and you have a great rig for droppin’ on smallies.  This rod is light and sensitive, and the reel has a quality drag to protect light line.   

A smooth-handling fluorocarbon line like 8-pound test Tactical is my preference, as it’s nearly invisible so it won’t spook line-shy bass in clear water, increasing the odds for success.

If you want to increase your odds for fishing success this fall, consider smallmouth bass and drop-shot rigs.  The tips just offered can, in fact, probably help you “get the drop” on some big brown bass this fall!

As always, good luck on the water and remember to include a youngster in your next outdoors adventure.

Mike Frisch is a western Minnesota fishing guide and co-host of the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series.  Visit www.fishingthemidwest.com or follow Fishing the Midwest on Facebook for more "fishy" stuff.

PHOTO– The Strike King Baby Z-Too tricked this big smallie last fall!