Our standard
Pages answer the question first in a short answer box, then give the steps, table or diagram. We write for anglers in the United States and use US units first (pounds, inches, degrees Fahrenheit) with metric in brackets where it helps. Figures such as fish size, water temperature, line strength and hook size are tied to named sources, and given as ranges where sources differ.
What we cover, and what we don’t
- Species, rigs, knots, bait, lures and gear specs. What a power rating, an action rating or a pound-test number means, and how to match them to a fish.
- Timing. Best months by region, always naming the state or region the figure comes from.
- Regulations. Seasons, size limits, bag limits and licenses vary by state and water. We say so, and we link the state agency; we never present a limit as universal.
- Safety. Facts such as ice thickness guidance or handling a spined fish come only from agencies and are stated plainly in a callout.
- Gear buying. We explain specs. We do not publish “best rod” or “best reel” rankings, and we do not claim to have tested products we have not tested.
Pen name
Articles are published under the editorial pen name Wade Callahan. The name is disclosed on the about page and in the structured data of every page. We do not give it credentials, employers or experience it does not have.
Sources
Facts come from state fish and wildlife agencies, NOAA Fisheries, USGS, the National Park Service, university extension services and Sea Grant programs, and the International Game Fish Association (records and angling rules). Each page lists its sources at the bottom.
Diagrams and images
Rig and knot diagrams are drawn for this site and carry the values and sources in their caption. Photos carry a visible credit. Where no accurate free image exists we may use an AI-generated one, checked against the species’ anatomy and markings before use and listed on our image credits page.
Commercial relationships
Nobody pays to change a recommendation. Advertising appears alongside pages and never decides what we write. If we ever publish sponsored content, it will be clearly labelled as sponsored.
Updates and errors
Pages show a last-updated date. If we get something wrong, we fix it and say so: see corrections.