The Fur Hat Ice Tour How-To Series is brought to you by ESKIMO.
Cooking whole fish just feels more satisfying than fillets. Something about offering an entire fish with the head attached, whether it’s hanging over a fire on a willow stick or presented on a fancy plate with artsy sides, adds to the eating experience. Where I live, trout are the most abundant fish for table fare, but the standard method of heading and gutting just doesn’t work as...

The Fur Hat Ice Tour How-To Series is brought to you by ESKIMO.
Few sights inspire more anticipation and urgency in anglers than a tripped tip-up flag. Hot pursuit by a bear might inspire more motivation, but not much else.
Tip-ups, also called ice traps, fish traps, or tilts, are mechanical strike indicators that allow fishermen to suspend bait under the ice without needing to be in constant contact with their line. They provide the ability to...

Pond, puddle, reservoir, impoundment, tank—for many folks these words conjure images of mud, manure, cattle, and catfish—or just mud and manure. But it would be a mistake to look past the pond.
Not so long ago an image popped up on my phone.
Kevin Davis sits aboard a tiny craft at the edge of a puddle of a cow pond. If for some reason you saw his face first, you’d notice he’s doing his best to keep his shit together. Why? Because he’s holding a...

There are few fishing buddies who will tolerate the 100th time I say “one last cast!” or endure early spring canoeing in semi-thawed ponds. One I can always count on is my dog, Nelson. He’s there tail wagging as I reel in what could be a personal best or a sardine—excited either way. He’s opened doors to solo fishing which, as a small woman, wouldn’t be comfortable without him there. That said, this 80-pound lug of snuggle and I put in a lot work...

Many a MeatEater reader and crew member has ventured into sporting goods and fishing stores this summer only to be met with empty rod racks and sparse shelves. Most leave without the gear and tackle they sought, wondering what gives. Did the pandemic break overseas supply chains? Is the industry collapsing? Or are so many people getting into the sporting pursuits that retailers literally can’t keep their shelves stocked?
I reached out to some...

People seeking Keith Cormican’s expertise know they’ll never again see their loved one alive. They’ve realized their child, spouse, sibling, or parent has drowned, and that local search-and-rescue teams must abandon the search and return to more pressing duties.
But families need answers, and they want to bury their dead. So they call Cormican, often begging for his help. Lest there be any mistake, Cormican’s boat states his somber mission...