The CastLog blog

Fish ID, gear & logbook tips

Skills

Carp Fishing Knots: The Hair Rig, Knotless Knot and What Actually Holds

Carp fishing runs on rigs, not lures — which means the knots that matter are different from general fishing knots. Here's the one knot that does most of the work, and the two that back it up.

3 min read →
Skills

Barometric Pressure and Fishing: What the Weather Really Does to the Bite

Anglers talk about pressure constantly and explain it badly. Here's what barometric pressure actually is, what it does to fish, and how to turn a forecast into a decision.

5 min read →
Skills

The Best Time to Go Fishing: Weather, Moon and Bite Windows

The lure matters less than the timing. Here's what actually drives the bite — light, pressure, temperature and the moon — and how to read it before you go.

2 min read →
Skills

Catch and Release Done Right: Handling Fish for a Healthy Return

Releasing a fish isn't just letting it go — do it carelessly and it dies later anyway. Here's how to make sure the fish you release actually swims off healthy.

2 min read →
Skills

5 Fishing Knots Every Angler Should Know

You only need a handful of knots to fish confidently for life. Here are the five that matter, what each is for, and the detail that stops them slipping.

2 min read →
Skills

How to Read a River: Where the Fish Actually Hold

Most river anglers fish where it's easy to stand, not where the fish are. Learning to read moving water is the single biggest upgrade you can make.

2 min read →
Species guides

Largemouth vs Smallmouth Bass: How to Tell Them Apart

Largemouth and smallmouth bass are the two most-targeted gamefish in North America — and constantly mixed up. Here are the tells that work every time.

2 min read →
Species guides

Trout Fishing for Beginners: Streams, Lakes and Stocked Ponds

You don't need a fly rod to catch trout. Here's the simple spin-fishing approach that puts beginners onto trout in streams, lakes and stocked ponds.

1 min read →
Species guides

Largemouth Bass Fishing for Beginners

Largemouth bass are aggressive, widespread and beginner-friendly — the perfect fish to learn on. Here's where they live, what to throw, and how to set the hook.

1 min read →
Species guides

A Beginner's Guide to Carp Fishing

Carp are big, strong, clever and everywhere — which is exactly why they hook so many anglers for life. Here's how to catch your first one without drowning in tackle.

2 min read →
Gear & apps

The Best Fishing Log App for 2026 (US & UK Anglers)

A fishing log only pays off if you actually keep it. Here's what to look for in a fishing log app in 2026 — and the features that make logging effortless instead of a chore.

3 min read →
Community

How to Find a Local Fishing Club in the US

From bass clubs running weekend tournaments to fly-fishing chapters running the local river — US fishing clubs are the fastest way to learn water and meet anglers. Here's how to find yours.

2 min read →
Community

How to Join a Fishing Club in the UK (and Why It's Worth It)

A club membership is the cheapest way to unlock good, well-stocked water near home — and the fastest way to actually get better. Here's how UK clubs work and how to join one.

2 min read →
Getting started

Fly Fishing for Beginners: Gear, Casts and Your First Flies

Fly fishing looks intimidating from the bank — all that line in the air. It isn't. Here's the honest beginner's start: the kit that matters, one cast, and where to point it.

2 min read →
AI & identification

How to Identify a Fish From a Photo: The 2026 AI Guide

You caught something beautiful and you have no idea what it is. Here is how to identify a fish from a photo properly — and where AI now does the work for you.

3 min read →