Fishing A Mimic Minnow For Fall Bass And Pike

Fishing for smallmouth bass and northern pike with a Mimic Minnow! It's a cold fall day and likely one of the last kayak fishing trips of the year, we better hit the water and catch a few!
NDYakAngler merch: shorturl.at/jwCLR
Gear used on this trip:
Lure: Mimic Minnow 1/4oz amzn.to/46TRw2V
Rod: St Croix BassX 6'8" M XF amzn.to/495RwPQ
Reel: Daiwa Zillion SV TW G amzn.to/3F6TCCc
Line: Power Pro Super Slick V2 15lb amzn.to/3rRI6qp
Leader: Daiwa J-Fluoro 12lb amzn.to/3SqD0wb
Ice Suit: Striker Trekker amzn.to/3uUlCpJ amzn.to/3uUlGpt
Pliers: Umpqua Rivergrip amzn.to/49z5vO0
Anchor: Power Pole micro anchor amzn.to/41gsfyL

[@2199SPUDMAN]

You know, something nobody really comments about Matt is how simple and natural his fishing style is. Not a lot of overly technical crap, not a lot of electronic gear, no 90 hp motor on a 16' bass boat. Just very simple equipment and absolutely masterly technique. I am a much smarter and more productive fisherman for having studied Matt's approach, and I really thank him for all his wonderful videos.

[@puvlea83]

Dig deep, it's why we're all here.

[@2199SPUDMAN]

@@puvlea83 I've been here since Matt only had a few subs. His approach is my approach. I just noted that he was way better at it than I was. I hear all the ASMR and "Bob Ross" comparisons, but that doesn't get to the heart of the matter. Anybody who has ever mastered a bait caster can appreciate the insane accuracy of his casts -- he chucks lures in places most anglers would dread. His instinct for places that "look fishy" is uncanny. He gets fish off the hook, up for a look, and back in the water so smoothly and with great care for the fish. Wrap that up in a low-key, folksy, ASMR presentation and you've got the best fishing channel on KZbin.

[@bobrich1950]

@@2199SPUDMAN Absoluetly no doubt !!! And i concur !!

[@timothywalsh6776]

One of the reasons I watch is to learn all the little things he does, the way he works each different lure and so on

[@starkeyshelbyj]

Best on KZbin i agree❣️🙏🏼

[@garymichaels3726]

I love how Matt just picks a lure, or bait, and sticks with it no matter what.

[@user-ho3ts1vx9y]

Ребята,не в обиду! Но у вас,даже пустой крючок закинешь и рыба прицепится! Здесь,на Украине,ее нужно искать.... Особенно у нас,в Дружковке! Я за это год сделал шесть сплавов и только три из них результативные,взял щук,в районе килограмм. И ставил калебло,воблера,резину,вертушки. Все что было... По этому,там также руку сунишь и на нее сядет окунь или клыкастая! Я извиняюсь за такие высказывание! Конечно у Мэтта видео,то что надо! 💯

[@neonwhitea.1548]

I’ve started doing the same thing, pick a lure or two and just throw those all day, it’s honestly kind of relaxing not to worry about changing lures just pick something you want to fish with

[@matthewhansen8730]

Saturday= coffee, folding laundry, and some fishing videos. Also my wife likes how calm you are compared to some of the other guys I watch. She calls you the Bob Ross of fisherman.

[@cliffpeebles9705]

Laundry gets folded? That's a new one on me. 😁

[@leesuschrist]

My girlfriend hates most of the stuff I watch on youtube. This channel she actually does enjoy, despite not being interested in fishing.

[@blmiller24]

Haha, I was thinking the same comparison to Bob Ross while watching this video.

[@thatfishingnoob]

That’s accurate!!

[@bigbkeepitreelfishing]

Matts voice is so calming and peaceful. Genuine person and amazing fisherman. No loud yelling and foul language. No saying the Lord's name in vain constantly and yelling. Real fishing with less mumbo jumbo over reactions and barely any technology.

[@alanhubbard4149]

I love it. It’s like you’re watching Mr. Rogers fish.

[@NESig]

I've found that when using Mimic Minnows for Smallies, I have to stand behind a tree when I tie them on. Otherwise, the smallmouths jump out of the water and go after it. I never get the Mimic tied on. Smallies LOVE Mimics!

[@andrewverran4230]

Lake trout too

[@GLepage74]

That Sturgeon was something else. Very cool!

[@wat5713]

I've never seen someone hammer such giant smallies in one trip. Good for you.

[@deeppowhazylab]

That footage of the sturgeon was sweet

[@BlainsTube]

From the sweltering summer to bitter winter, and you still fish. I love your moxie! 😜

[@James-zw2uf]

I purchased a few lures he fished with 👍🏾

[@heidi2597]

I love your videos. Your voice has the perfect tone for doing KZbin videos. Your simple yet educational ways is perfect. You always seem to find the big fish. I always look forward to the next video. I went back several years and watched from old to new videos. (Binged watched each video). Thanks for keeping it simple, but real at the same time. Keep doing what you do. We appreciate you.

[@awebb28]

I love how you’re usually all by yourself on these spots…it’s like my perfect world.

[@holographer]

Someone tell Northland this man is giving them some of the best advertising they could ask for! I like the yellow and green “sneeze” color myself.

[@johnstoutenburg7163]

I discovered how fun kayak bass fishing was over 20 years ago I had an enclosed top one man about 8 foot long . I fished Apalachicola bay estuaries and ponds in South MS. I tell ya’ll that smallmouth fishing is very enticing to me…why? They look so chunky, and I love bass fillets. If I wasn’t married to a whole family in the Philippines, I would buy a summer place in these places he is fishing and eat smallies all summer. They seem to put largemouth to shame pound for pound as far as a fight goes too. Im 70 years old and have had a good deal of bass fishing in my lifetime, but cannot go fishing much anymore because of working to support my marriage family. I so enjoy watching your videos because it’s like we are right behind you and sharing all the emotion and joy of fishing artificial baits. Thank you so much as it is recreation to me to watch these vids!🥹

[@Brunnen_Gee]

I love those Mimic Minnows. I use the tiny fry sized ones for ultralight fishing, they've caught me tons of fish.

[@lancevoorhees7318]

I’ve got smallie itis watching this video wearing my new ND yak smallie T shirt! Great video again!

[@Mattsommers521]

Howdy everyone! Hi Matt! Tight lines and stay warm!!

[@James-zw2uf]

U the man bro keep up the good work million dollar voice 🎣 🏆

[@jamesjordan503]

You are hands down the best and most relaxing fishing channel to watch. You’re always so calm and collected, and you don’t seem to let stuff bother you much. Or you don’t show it at least lol love your channel bud. Keep it up!

[@telecatsermaster]

Ahhhh yes. The ol’ mimic minnow….. total classic

[@mrmlmxyzptlk6376]

The pattern on those remind me so much of the “wonder bread bombers,” i used to use when pike fishing in Michigan. They used to hammer those baits.

[@ndyakangler]

It is the “wonder bread” color of the mimic minnow. That seems to be a great panfish jig color for crappie too!

[@michaelduy9055]

Really liked seeing the Sturgeon laying on the bottom. They are such cool fish.

[@leesuschrist]

I just recently discovered the magic of the Mimic Minnow. It was one of the only things that was catching bass the day I used it. Now I keep one tied on every time I go out.

[@differentfins]

Pretty much anything Northland Tackle makes is the bomb! There are like 3 companies I have complete faith in their products. They make that list.

[@muskyvictim]

You're still using the same rod and reel ... Truly a genuine humble person and fisherman . I have spent a ridiculous amount in the last year ( over $6000 easy) on JDM tackle . It's an addiction but hey I'm sober 42 months .. chapeau bas for another wonderful video ...and Merry Christmas from northern Michigan!

[@gordonloree5341]

Excellent!!!!

[@ndyakangler]

I really didn’t have to replace any of my main gear this season. The Zillion reels have held up well although the one I use on my heavier rods is starting to get a little noisy, might do a bearing swap over the winter.

[@RoadLifePursuits]

$6000 when less than $600 would do....lol

[@yengvang8737]

Mimic Minnows, my favorite lure to fish in rivers.

[@nick.smith616]

dude, the sturgeon was such a cool find and a great camera shot. those late fall footballs pulling drag. the mimic minnow is a solid budget jig and plastic. the plastics are pretty durable. love wonderbread pattern and wish more brands made that color.

[@ndyakangler]

I had an even bigger sturgeon swim right by me later in the day but I just caught it out of the corner of my eye and didn’t think the GoPro got it.

[@nick.smith616]

@ndyakangler awesome that you got the shot of the one chilling. gotta love seeing dinosaurs in the wild.

[@timsullivan2496]

Glad to see the thumb is healing, Matt...best kayak fishing channel there is & no better way to start the weekend; Happy Holidays to all...

[@MWM92688]

Another awesome fishing trip and video, nice work Matt!!

[@mikepollock8295]

Hey Matt loving your weekly video's and some great fish catching :)! I have lots of resepct for you and what you do and appreciate the video's share with us! You are so chill and fun to watch! Thanks so much dude and take care! See you next adventure!

[@victorsimonsen921]

sounded like swans in the background while you were catching that 2nd pike looked like a great day of fishing thanks for sharing.

[@jamesmcdermott6934]

Beautiful day with a good many nice catches!!!

[@TheJaymon1962]

Thats beautiful with the sun on that gold grass. Beautiful smallies, too. Love that bait

[@tedolsen6251]

Merry Christmas sir, well done again and again. Having your fishing spots to yourself is a big bonus too.

[@christinerogers5331]

Matt, it just doesn't any better than that, simply AWESOME!

[@randallburgess46]

Another great day of fishing 🎣! Really enjoyed the video as always. Thanks for taking me along.

[@powersaustin63]

Great day out on the river. Quality catches! Thanks.

[@tharemyhopkins5873]

Matt, we've targeted the Sturgeon (during the season) there before - we landed a few. It's an absolute wild ride.

[@nathancalhoun9200]

Thanks for spending time with us again Matt.

[@MrHarryson1985]

Always happy to see you post a vid dude! So chill. I re-dubb you ASMR angling

[@josephrottman4057]

Another great video. Makes my Sunday each time!

[@TheFishinMortician]

Good name for that pattern! Looks like a decent paddle tail.

[@TheRiverAddict]

Good lord that first one was a massive bass. That sturgeon was really cool to see too. Looked like he was just relaxing down there haha.

[@cjhalasz6000]

forreal!! was super cool, I swear he is always pointing out and seeing such cool things, id love to fish with em!

[@joenava2679]

Love the way you just take your time paddling around and catching all them fish.

[@josephaumann849]

Wicked cool shot of the Sturgeon! Thanks!

[@brianathern9154]

Great end of the season trip chasing smallies. They'll bite if you can find them. Thanks for taking us along Matt. Blessings

[@maritnfairchild2584]

I just started kayak fishing this year because of your videos! Already need to do a few upgrades to mine but its a good relaxing time!

[@Killoer]

Bass season just ended up North here - so glad Im able to see more bass fishing here. Next year gonna maximize time.

[@brianmontello9074]

Great video Matt. Nothing like Smallmouth fishing. I was out yesterday here in Illinois, and I caught 5 nice ones on a underspin jig with a paddle tail.

[@dans8023]

Mimic minnows are my go to bait when taking my nephew fishing. So simple, cheap, and very affective. We've caught everything from green sunfish to channel cats using them

[@thystaff742]

Hellgrammite bug lures work good at catching everything too.

[@dans8023]

@thystaff742 I've seen those on reddit and have been meaning to try them! We also have a lot of luck with thr kahlins crappie scrub

[@RoadLifePursuits]

I was out this last Thursday on an open lake, was awesome, didn't catch anything, but was nice to be on open water in the kayak.

[@rayflynn7942]

ahh! Saturday therapy just when I needed it 😊

[@Nick-fw4lb]

Great vid as always! You remind me of myself, fishing so late into the year. My buddies think I'm crazy to go out fishing in November, December weather permitting. I still find it to be great fishing with less people on the water. No pike here unfortunately, but we have chain pickerel and SMB who are still very active in this time of year. Cheers Matt! Tight lines

[@harrygrimley4352]

You probably know this. But the section of the Mississippi near Monticello stay open all winter and is known for smallies if your looking for open water this winter. I believe you've been here before. 😊

[@mellowfellowfishing]

We live through your lens. Keep yaking while you can. I just found some thin sheets of ice over in NY. Stay warm!

[@the2060ish]

The Fish whisper hammering the fish happy the pike got in on it..🦈🦈🦈 Much better then on the ice watching the grand kids tiny fishing pole action. 👍👍👍👍

[@oldschoolhawking8191]

An awesome video, showcasing an awesome lure, thank you.😎👍

[@robertbutcher4201]

1st off that's some serious dedication, a snow suit to stay warm. My kayak is stowed away for the winter here in Jersey. Great action and content as always Matt. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

[@mikegross190]

I just used those jih heads for the first time this year. I loved em. They had a good head quiver. They also make a great football head ned rig jig head.

[@DodoBird157]

If you’re targeting sturgeon use a heavy power musky rod with 100 braid tied to a 24” long 80lb mono leader. Attach the braid to the leader with a 1/0 barrel swivel and put a 3 oz egg weight on the side with braid with a bead in between the swivel and the weight to protect the knot. Then, attach the 80lb mono to a 5/0 gamakatsu octopus circle hook using an improved clinch knot or palomar knot. Then, put about 5-10 nightcrawlers on the hook and cast out into your body of water.

[@janosczovek8524]

It's amazing how white just works in all types of water 😊👍

[@cliffordhutt143]

That sturgeon was so cool!!

[@tmgltd2994]

Nice job..maybe I'll get my kayak out tomorrow..I'm in southern Ontario. Canada. Thanks for inspiration.

[@DanKoning777]

Take your pick and enjoy the results cause is always the same whenever Matt is near water-any water. Whether it's from shore, wading or in a kayak; a lake, a river, a pond or a stream; in the spring, summer, fall or winter, or even while sitting on a bucket on a frozen lake and in a shanty, it's gonna be the same: *a thump and fish on.* I'm convinced that Matt limits out whenever he takes a bath. Thanks for all the great content you've shared this year-including the time/effort it takes to do so. God bless.

[@jokerminer1]

Got into the mimic minnow from a friend that used it in his pond it's pretty much the only bait I use now catches everything. You got me onto the smaller one for pan fish also. Bluegill, Crappie, Bass, Walleye around me in Iowa here. Great video as always.

[@zoomzoomgt]

Always on timeeeee. Every Saturday morning. Got my nich now back to sleep 😅😂 I go buy most of his tackle that he uses. N, I still catch nothing. He makes it look so EASY!! It's infuriating, lol

[@ThomasWilliams-ee6li]

Thanks for the sturgeon pics. That was cool

[@antoninanderson2015]

Always good to see your video's

[@shainab-a2205]

waiting for your ice fishing vids because my 6 year old really likes those

[@denisedemetroff2881]

Love the sturgeon shot !!!!

[@trainmagnet5845]

Loved seeing that fossil Sturgeon. You are like me, when I lived up by Lake Erie, I would watch the boaters, taking their boats out of the water, when the weather turned cold, while, I was, continuing, to put my boat in the water. If the water wasn't solid, I was putting my boat in the water. Good day of fishing for you.

[@southsideronnie]

Some nice catches there! Well done!!

[@coloradohrfishinadventures6028]

Never thought much of the Mimic Minnow, but you have changed my mind on that! 😀

[@mikewest712]

I bought a bunch of mimmic minnows(yellow perch) in montana years ago. They caught almost every species in Arkansas. I will always hold a high regard for that lure.

[@wisconsinbackwaters]

Great numbers in this one, especially for the time of year. Way to grind it out!

[@elijahjefferson9685]

My favorite lure other than the hook that loves to bend it’s awesome

[@swis537]

These are my favorite lure for bass!!

[@BenjySparky]

Matt you rock! Love the channel and content. Peace

[@scottyyyboss8214]

This guy deserves more likes on his videos! If I’m correct that helps out the channel in a way. I could be wrong though… who knows but he has top notch videos every time!

[@Elroy5150]

Another Fantastic video!

[@peterhammill9313]

Hey Matt, it's nice to see that you have put in the work to know the body of water you're fishing. It really pays off!

[@ndyakangler]

I did struggle there a couple times earlier this summer so it was nice to get on some good fish a couple times this fall! They shut down a power plant a few years ago and I saw one stretch go from having an abundance of 20”+ smallies to almost none over a couple seasons once they no longer had the warm water coming in to help them survive winter. One dam separates that dead stretch from this one, however this stretch I was fishing has a few deep areas I think those bass can get through winter in.

[@otcoutdooradventures]

Matt have you ice fished that area in the winter. There are usually a few portables in that open area of the river when it freezes?

[@truebalsamhogs]

Thanks. Great work as always. 👍

[@martinramirez6050]

Fishing gets kinda slow out here in the west coast during winter but man im grateful our lakes dont freeze

The Zillion SV is such an awesome reel.

[@mikegegg30]

Love your video. Thanks

[@MrJaxnbeFishing]

He said “Kinda chilly”🤣 no it’s cold! Lmao

[@timroot4207]

Thank you !

[@cbvoicenotes267]

Great catches my dude! Merry Christmas, happy New Year, and God continue to bless you fishing fam!👊💯✝🧡

[@chesschess100]

Love that sturgeon just hanging out.

[@josephabeytajosephabeyta9305]

Another great one

[@Brohteinshake]

It’s a great morning! Thanks for the video

[@James-zw2uf]

He got that million dollar voice 🤣

[@willmallory9085]

6:54 😮 very nice smallie!!! 🎉

[@blakeherrmann9784]

That was awesome great video thanks again for another great adventure. Late.

[@bennettniizawa7200]

2 minutes in and already cold just watching 🥶

[@AdamsAnglingTv]

Nice look smallies an awsome video🎣

[@stevenwasescha2857]

That sturgeon footage was awesome!

[@JohnnyParker-we4nf]

A cup of joe and “howdy everyone” , great start for the day.

[@greggdsciotto8952]

Wow, that underwater shot of the sturgeon was awesome! Dinosaurs do exist😅

[@nathansnyder6083]

The Wookie was fantastic

[@651Outdoors]

Another nice day catching quality fish! You should make a trip down to the Stillwater area this winter to do some Sturgeon fishing. That'd be a cool video to upload.

[@bigsnag7773]

Hi Matt.......could you please make a short video showing how you enter and exit your kayak.....it's the little things that help make a day in the yak more enjoyable.......thanks!

[@Lilith-Rose]

Never fished for sturgeon but id have to imagine that a hair rigged bottom bait like a boilie would work for them. Even if it doesn't and it only gets you carp they fight really well, cheers from the uk for the videos