Finding a Fishing Guide

Can You Gain Anything From Fishing, Besides A Tasty Meal?

2008-07-30T11:31:00.000-07:00

There are many people who find that fishing is more than just a hobby. It is a way of relaxing and enjoying what life really can give to you. The feeling of being outdoors is nothing short of perfect after a long week at the office. From kids to the elderly, fishing is just the perfect way for you to enjoy what nature has to offer. Leave stress at home and come into the world of fishing at least just for a bit.

Think that fishing is boring? If you picture fishing as a sport in which you’ll just spend your day on the side of the lake dozing, you can be wrong. Although this is quite fine for some, most anglers are out there for the challenge. Not only do you have to have skill to cast and get the fish to take hold, but you have to reel him in and land him too. It can be quite a challenge.

How To Learn To Fish

There are several things that you can do to learn how to fish. And, none of them are hard to do. Here are some tips for you to take advantage of.

1. Get in some research. You’ll find many websites online to help you learn about what’s out there and how to get it. You can head to your library if you prefer too.

2. Learn about the skills you need in how to books. Subscribe to a fishing magazine and learn even when you can’t get out to give it a try.

3. Do you know someone that loves to fish? Ask if you can go with them next time they head out. This is a great time for some bonding as well. Buy just the basics or even borrow them.

4. A great way to learn to fish is through the professionals in your area. You can find them through your local bait shop or look them up online. The Conservation or wildlife center in your area may be able to help you too.

Not only can you learn to fish anytime that you want to, in virtually every seasons, you can also learn to fish at day or at night. If you are after a certain species, find out when they feed. Make sure to know where they like to hide too. Some will bite virtually anytime of the day, in any season and with just about any bait. Others are picky. All of this knowledge isn’t something that you need to know now though. You’ll learn in your training as well as through experience.

One thing to note, though, is that you are likely going to need a fishing license. These can be obtained at the local fishing tackle location or through the Conservation and Wildlife Services in your area. Don’t assume you can fish anywhere either. In private lake’s, you’ll need to get permission from the owner.

Fishing is something that you can quickly enjoy. Even if you have not real experience, you still can learn and enjoy all that it has to offer. So, instead of spending this weekend on the couch in front of another television program you have seen already, head out onto the lake and enjoy some quality time with fish.

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The Fishing History

2008-07-30T11:30:00.000-07:00

The next time you drop a line in the water off the side of a boat equipped with the latest sonar devices, dig into the cooler beside your feet for a favourite beverage and kick your feet up to enjoy a relaxing day of fishing.

Fishing is one of the oldest activities known to man. Archaeologists have found ancient dumps of shell and bone, cave paintings depicting fishing and even hooks made from bone. There is even a theory that states we might be closer to the fish we try and catch than we think. The "Aquatic Ape Hypothesis" contends that human beings spent a time living by and catching their food from the shallows of lakes and oceans. The controversial theory contends years of living that helped us to look different from the apes and chimpanzees thought by some to be our ancestors because of this time evolving by water.

The ancient river Nile was an angler's paradise. The Egyptians relied on fresh and dried fish as a staple in their diets, and the various methods they used have been well represented in many ancient representations from their lives. Although they had some tools like nets, baskets and even hooks and lines, the fish caught were often clubbed to death. Perch, catfish and eels were among the most important catches in the Egyptian times.

The other bed of civilization, Greece, did not share Egypt's love of fishing. Still, there is a depiction on a wine cup from 500 BC that shows a boy kneeling over a stream with a live capture net in the water below him. It's unclear why the boy was 'fishing' however, since the device is clearly for live capture. There is also evidence the Romans fished with nets and tridents off the sides of boats. One of their most famous Gods, Neptune, is depicted usually with a fishing trident. There are references to fishing in the Bible, too.

Perhaps the most recognizable tool for fishing is the hook. No one knows for certain, but it's quite probable prehistoric man was using some form of a hook over 40,000 years ago. Experts have had some problems pinning down exact dates since they know most of the materials used back then were most likely wood and not very durable. British Isle anglers catch fish with hooks made from the hawthorn bush, right up to the present day. Although Stone Age man had the tools necessary for making bone hooks, it is hard for scientists to get exact dates since bone does not define its age well. The oldest known hooks have turned up in Czechoslovakia, but others have turned up in Egypt and Palestine. The Palestinian hooks are believed to be over 9,000 years old, proving that fishing has been around for a very long time indeed.

Indians on Easter Island made their hooks from a gruesome material. Since human sacrifices were abundant in the area for some time, the natives made their fish hooks out of the most plentiful material around - human bone. Fish hooks made of human bone were the norm there until missionaries arrived at the turn of the last century. In addition to hooks made of stone, bone or wood, ancient man often combined material to make composite hooks with barbs that kept the bait on.
To read about sand shark and salt water fish tanks, visit Aquarium Fish Care.

Family Fishing Holidays in France

2008-07-25T06:26:00.001-07:00

France is a country that has a wonderful variety of fishing from the North through to the South and caters for fly fishing, course and game fishing on a wide range of rivers and lakes. Plus there is plenty of coast line for the sea angler to enjoy as well.

Carp fishing, cat fishing, not forgetting course and pike fishing are just some of the holidays that you can enjoy in France and whilst some places cater for the dedicated angler, others are more family orientated with accommodation and activities for the non fishers.

There are several types of fishing holiday available and for trout fishing, you would need to book from around the middle to end of March up until around the first week of September, which is the only time frame you are allowed to fish for trout in France.

In certain areas of France, salmon fishing is prohibited all year, so it is always best to check on the area you are going, prior to thinking that you will be able to get a licence for fly fishing, just like that.

Every country has numerous different regulations and France is no exception, with specific rules in place for what type of fish you can catch, when you are allowed to catch certain species of fish and what equipment you are allowed to fish with.

For some, this can be a daunting prospect, especially if you are not fluent in French, and although in some areas it will be easier than others to organise your fishing venue and licence, it is often easier to pre-organise your fishing holiday, so do try and get as much information as possible.

You must have a fishing licence to fish in rivers, streams and lakes throughout France unless these are privately owned or booked as a fishing holiday where the fishing licence requirements are normally included, but it is advisable to check this out before you travel!

If you need to obtain your own fishing permit, these can usually be obtained from the local fishing tackle shop or alternatively from the local bar or tobac. But if you are not sure on what is required then you can get advice from the local tourist information board, which can also provide maps of where you can and cannot fish.

If you are only going to be on holiday in France for a short time, then you can get what is known as The Carte de Peche de Vacances, which covers an angler for up to fifteen consecutive days and can be used between 1st June and 30th November. However, outside of these dates an annual fishing licence is mandatory.

An annual permit may be used for the whole year but bear in mind that this will only be for one department unless you get it stamped for different areas that you may go to and this is something that you will need for all fresh water fishing.

When it comes to catfish and carp fishing, you can get a licence to do this in the local rivers or public lakes, but the majority of people will want to opt for a carp fishing holiday on a dedicated lake. And when you go to a dedicated privately owned lake for carp fishing, cat fishing, etc, then you will not normally have to worry about getting your own individual licence as this will already have either been sorted out by the travel agency or the owner under their regulations.

Boats are allowed to be used quite a bit in France, but you may need to have a separate part to your licence to enable you to use a boat, even if it is only for baiting. But be careful if you have an echo sounder in your boat, as you are not allowed to have both this and your tackle in the boat at the same time!

Also, night fishing is prohibited in a lot of places in France, but when on a private fishing lake, or if with the correct licence on certain waters, this can be allowed. If not, then you can only fish half hour after sunrise to half hour before sunset. Some places on the rivers seine, rhone, mosselle, oise, madine and rhine, etc do allow night fishing, but there are many places that do ban the use of a bivvy or tent even if night fishing is allowed and you may only get away with a brolly!

Sea fishing off of the Atlantic coast is excellent and you will be pleased to know that a licence is not needed, and you can go out on a boat to catch bass, conger eels and even tuna or surf cast for sea bream to name but a few.

Fly fishing for salmon and trout is available in lots of public canals and navigable rivers but as with most countries, these will also contain other fish such as Pike, so beware! However some of the best places to try your hand at fly fishing are often owned by groups and in this case you would need to pay the owners for a permit to fish as well as having your licence.

Some of the best salmon fishing in France can be found in the Pyrenees Atlantiques and the river Loire is also a major salmon fishery for France.

Some of the best fishing in France is for course fishing where you will find lots of different species, but with carp, catfish and pike being in abundance, especially in areas such as the Dordogne, Lot and Charente Maritime. But if you like fishing for black bass, the river Rhone is known as a premier bass fishery, as is the river Saone.

The fishing dates and times do vary each year in France, so it is always advisable to check on these before planning your fishing holiday, and at the end of the day, forget about the headaches of the licences, just enjoy the whole experience and you too could be in with a chance of catching a fish that has never been caught before!
Martyn Davis European Traveller, Author, Photographer and Business Development Manager, For all your French holiday needs and travel guide to France, with tourist information, landmarks and attractions - Family Fishing Holidays In France

Best Carp Fishing Baits - Improving Big Fish Catches With Nutritional Value Bait!

2008-07-09T22:27:00.000-07:00

Best Carp Fishing Baits - Improving Big Fish Catches With Nutritional Value Bait!

Carp and protein baits are well and truly associated with each other today and with very good reason. However, effective carp fishing baits are not solely just about protein but combining the balance of nutrients in one’s bait so that all the nutrition in your bait is most fully utilised biologically even leading to fish actually seeking out your bait and producing great catches.
Protein is an extremely important component of carp fishing baits and this is in no little part due to the fact that carp are supremely well evolved to utilise protein and derive energy from it as opposed to the far scarcer carbohydrate food in their diet. Most carp anglers would certainly agree that a bait that contains a significant percentage of highly digestible protein ingredients will produce consistent catches of big carp when fished sensibly.

Of course, protein baits are not strictly necessary to catch carp, nor are high levels of protein used in a bait either, but the digestive availability (biological nutritional value in effect) of protein bait ingredients can assure you far better catches long and short-term in comparison to a huge range of other baits. How do you compare the effect of tiger nuts and peanuts upon carp as opposed to a high nutritional value or balanced nutrition boilie or pellet bait, or even to hemp for instance? They all work very well, but fishing pressures on fish by anglers can make a big difference to catch results over time, plus the range of individual ingredients you can use to differentiate your own bait from any other anglers can be a massive edge.

Of course there are additional substances you can use as dips and soaks to alter the usual characteristics of hemp, sweetcorn, pellets, many particle baits and even plastic fake baits for that matter. But how much this creates a situation where your fish behave in a way which means they come looking for that bait as opposed to other competing anglers’ baits is very interesting. This is where utilising the very best nutritional value ingredients and bait design and leverage of these together can get a definite edge, and there is far more you can leverage alongside this too.

For example, many anglers know that a balanced protein bait which provides a range of available essential amino acids in the protein ingredients is very beneficial to the fish in terms of health and growth and of course in catch results. But if you are fishing against other very high quality baits you need more edges to sustain results.

It is obvious that adding additional supplemental crystalline carp essential amino acids in combination can improve growth when consumed alongside the whole proteins in a bait. These are very effectively used and utilised as feeding stimulants and food sources teamed with predigested protein ingredients and free form amino acids additives, which are very often all used today in quality nutritional bait design. (The same goes for baits for channel catfish and rainbow trout for instance...)

The point is not so much to grow your fish bigger for no particular reason, but to absolutely ensure the fish recognise instinctively the benefits of consuming your free baits. This is especially so when baits are introduced to a water regularly, and fish become confident eating them enthusiastically due to the baits easily available nutritional rewards and energy efficiency as food items. When made correctly a long-term balanced nutrition boilie bait for instance can have hits of big fish on a water within hours and anyone who has made baits of this kind for themselves will agree!

It is extremely noticeable that when a homemade bait for instance not only has fresh highly digestible protein ingredients and is packed with carp essential amino acids, much of which are in forms easily soluble in water, that great catches most often follow its application. Now I know that many anglers use other baits such as pre-packed tiger nuts, hemp, luncheon meat, maize, and even corn and cereal dough based paste type baits with flavours of many kinds and they all catch fish. But if you are just an average skilled angler and dream of catching those big hits of fish with ease by leveraging baits that no other angler has ever used on your water, then HNV boilie baits are well proven over decades throughout the world for predominantly catching the biggest of fish.

Designing a balanced bait in effect is not really rocket science as roughly 80 percent of homemade baits will catch you good fish so results using homemade baits are not a problem – far from it. In fact just the fact that you are using a unique bait which fish have not been previously caught on is a gigantic edge in itself. The huge range of bait formulas and recipes that catch big carp clearly tells us that high nutritional bait theory works but nobody has come up with a scientifically absolute perfect carp fishing bait; because carp learn!

Therefore all you need to do is keep slightly ahead of the fish by making key alterations to a characteristic of your bait which may be associated with danger after a period of good catches, and your baits will keep catching good fish indefinitely. It may well be you simply get yourself a bait company base mix and add something unique of your own to differentiate your baits from the readymade baits made from the same base mix which anglers may already be using with some success, to give you that vital edge. For instance you might wish to make up a batch of bait but instead of adding the recommended flavours or liquid additives, you add some which were popular and successful perhaps 5 years are rarely used by anglers on your waters today.

This is very simplistic I know, but it works; just look at the success of certain baits with the simple new addition of a maple flavour for instance. In fact if all you use are readymade baits, there are amazingly potent additives flavour components and other substances which used as bait soaks will totally transform your results compared to your friends using the same bait but straight from the packet. Sorry to be vague about what these things might be; but if these were mentioned here, of course they would not be secret any more; but you would not want everyone to know but certain carp bait and flavour secrets ebooks are available.

This fishing bait secrets ebooks author has many more fishing and bait edges; just one could impact very significantly on your catches!

By Tim Richardson.

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“BIG CATFISH AND CARP BAIT SECRETS!” And: “BIG CARP BAIT SECRETS!” And “BIG CARP FLAVOURS AND FEEDING TRIGGER SECRETS!” Visit:

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Fall bass fishing, it has it's advantages

2008-07-09T22:26:00.000-07:00

Fall bass fishing, it has it's advantages

If there is one period in the year that you can do some good bass fishing than it has to be the fall. This is just how bass live their lives, no matter where you are, all because they are creatures of habit. In the fall the fish tend to move into shallow waters to start feeding heavily before the winter hits them. And once the winter comes the temperature of the water will drop and the bass will be getting a lot less active. So in the months during the fall season they will start to store food so they can overcome the winter.
But there is another good reason why fall bass fishing is good and that is the condition of the water. Once the temperature of the water starts to cool down the content of oxygen goes up. And when the oxygen content goes up, the bass start to be more active and that makes their appetite increase. They like to swim in schools and keep together, striking at anything that moves.

Fall bass fishing, the need to know

You have a choice between a variety of baits in this, for the fish, very active period. Espacially good type of bait in the fall are spinner and crank baits. The real secret is that you need to know what the bass are feeding on, this period of time and then try to mimic that. If it is crawfish then you need a type of bait that looks like a it to the bass. Also, you need to make sure that the bait has the actual size of the crawfish that they eat at the specific moment.

You should always keep an eye on the temperature of the water that you fish in. Like we told you before, the cooler the water, the more active the bass. Another thing is that you will need a way to know the water depth. Try to find a spot where it is shallow but has a deeper spot nearby. Bass just lover to feed in very shallow water but need to have a deeper end where they can go to once the weather starts to change.

These fish also like some cover so look out for plant life in the water. Plant life is a place where they can feed, but it will also give them some cover and something to hide in. When their prey swims by they do not know what hit them when the bass jumps from these plants that have been covering them.

The fall is a good time for fishing for us as well, because the temperatures are much more comfortable it is nice to spend some time on the lake. During the summer the days can become very hot on the water so the fall will come as a pleasant gift and the colors of the trees in these months of the year only add to that feeling. You will really enjoy your days on the lake when you are doing some fall bass fishing.

Fishing is not for everyone. But when the fishing bug bites you it's hard to stop. Marcel Bernard was bitten by the fishing bug and wants to share his adventures with you so he can tell you all about florida bass fishing and maybe tell you about a bass fishing home page

Start you search for used bass fishing boats online

2008-07-09T22:25:00.000-07:00

Start you search for used bass fishing boats onlineMost fisherman at some point in their fishing live will start to think about owning a boat. And if you ever are at that point that you have set aside enough money and start to look around for a boat that you could buy, maybe you should look at used boats first. It will save you a lot of money, and because a used boat is a lot cheaper you don't have to save up as much as you would of you were to buy a brand new one. Searching the internet is a good first point to start your quest.
The Bass Resource is on a company with an online presence that should be on your short list of sites to check out. You will find a comprehensive list of boats to choose from and there are boats for every level of fisherman ranging from experts to beginners.

If you want to find that you have always dreamed about you should check out Hiawatha Boat Brokerage online because that is one of their goals, helping you find your dreamboat. They do all the arranging for you, from the paperwork up to making the appointments for viewing the boats at the time that it is most convenient for you. It doesn't matter if you want to list your boat to be sold or you need to find a boat you could buy, they are a full service broker who can, with a staff that has all the knowledge and experience, help you with all your boat selling and buying. They are located at Lake Superior.

You will also need to check out Apollo Duck, they have a large selection of bass fishing boats. Being a network of independent international boar sales web sites they can be your one stop place when you want to sell or buy a boat. Just take a look at their site and you will see that they a have lot of information on every boat that they have on sale. You wont need any other information to make up your mind before buying. Their motto is that every customer of them should find the perfect boat.

Best thing to do is probably to first visit these and some other sites to get an idea of the type of boats that are on sale these days. You can then decide which boat would best fit your needs and what the price range is. And then you will also know how much money you need to save. With this information you can go to consumer sites who have some forums on boats and ask around for user experiences with these type of boats.

If not the most important piece of equipment of your fishing gear at least it will be the most expensive part so you need to make sure that you get what you want and need. Buy a boat you can afford, has everything you need and is best suited to you. Also make sure you can handle the boat that you have your eyes on and else take lessons.

Fishing is not for everyone. But when the fishing bug bites you it's hard to stop. Marcel Bernard was bitten by the fishing bug and wants to share his adventures with you so he can tell you all about handmade bass fishing jigs and maybe tell you about bass fishing in cold weather

Korda - What They Have Done for Fishing

2008-06-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

Korda developments are some of the best anglers and developers that you are likely to find, their aim is to provide anglers worldwide with the best and most improved fishing equipment out there. They dedicate all of their work to getting it right and making sure that their product is going to be the best out there on the market. If there is something better out there on the market already then Korda are not going to develop it. I for one believe this is a brilliant business achievement as every time that they release or develop a new system or piece of tackle you know that it has been through a lot of long and vigorous testing measures.

As well as Korda stepping up the game to its competition in the fishing tackle department, they also provide some of the world's best carp fishing information which is seem everywhere worldwide in the fishing industry. They have produced many DVDs and also write for a lot of magazines and newspapers on regular basis giving constant up to date correct fishing tips and information to their very loyal fan base.

When Korda distribute their products they aim to give you as much information about the product as possible and they also try to give you as many tips as possible to using it correctly. For instance if you went out a and bought one of their DVDs you will be sitting there intently as everything is explained clearly and in so much depth to you.

The Korda team is built up of some much respected anglers, this must be why all of the products and information that is rolled out from them is so bang on. They give their entire products range thorough field testing to make sure that everything is working fine and that everything is durable and most importantly that it works the way it should, ensuring that it is the best on the market. Also it is these anglers who provide all of Kordas information which is why they have become so respected for their work. Everything from them is top notch on quality.

For one of the best fishing information resources on the web you will want to take a look at their website where they offer you all of this vast information on all of their products. Korda make sure that if you are just starting out as an angler you are going to be able to use their products without any issues, they believe that everyone should be able to do it so if it isn’t clear at the start they will make it clear before anything goes to print or publication so that even the very most beginner of anglers can understand what is going on and how it should be done as professionally as possible.

I have seen many galleries, photos and videos from Korda products being used and the end results that they have produced, believe me they are exceptional and I can see why they are the leading company in fishing rig and tackle products worldwide, some of the pictures are incredible.

I can certainly recommend that you any angler should try them out because if you want to catch the best you need to fish with the best.
Find more information about Korda

Let’s Go Big Game Fishing

2008-06-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

Big-game fishing, offshore sport fishing or offshore game fishing are all one and the same, catching lean fish such as tuna and marlin in the open sea. Popular both as a sport and for recreation, there are regular annual tournaments arranged or offshore fishing charters to experience this exciting thrilling sport. International anglers book well in advance to enter competitions in big game fishing travelling all over the world to destinations as far ranging as Florida, California and Hawaii, the eastern coastline of Australia, Thailand, Tobago, the Caribbean, Mexico and South America. The idea of big game fishing is to reel the fish in once it is properly hooked on the line. This can be pretty intimidating, as the fish, especially if it is a big one, will be pulling away from the boat and you need to keep the line steady, using all your strength to keep your grip. The appeal to many is not only the thrill of fighting these huge fish, but the difference between the tranquillity of being out in the ocean, surrounded by the seas and then the sudden adrenaline rush kicking in as you experience a catch.

Boats used for offshore game fishing have to have sufficient power, seaworthiness, speed, strength and scope to convey crew and equipment some distance out to sea. There is a large quantity of essential equipment in big game fishing and the boat has to have the capability to stay steady when fighting fish, in extreme cases these fish can weigh anything up to 400-500 kilograms. Boats also have to be able to safely carry crew and others back to land in what can be adverse weather and sea conditions. Depending on where and when you decide to go big game fishing will be reflected in the size and power of the boat used. Organised fishing trips can last anything from a morning’s fishing close to the coastline to a week’s deep sea fishing trip. Most captains and native fishing crews will have spent most of their lives on fishing boats and made their livings from it and so have obtained a vast knowledge of the local seas, including where to find the big fish, and all the know-how of the fishing gear.

If you are interested in big game fishing, experience is not necessary. The captain and crew should have years of experience, explain everything to you and provide all the equipment needed. Many people catch large fish their first time big game fishing so it is never too late to learn and can be great fun! Imagine the thrill the very first time you experience reeling in a huge blue shark or some other remarkable fish. Reputable game fishing charters operate a catch and release programme, the most popular is the Billfish Foundation where billfish are tagged and set free again, rather than gaffed and killed, in order to protect the species. This also creates a bond between groups of anglers and fishers worldwide who have a common goal, and lessons can be learnt with regard to migration patterns and the rate at which these fish grow.

If you fancy having a battle with some of the world’s most exciting game fish check out the Internet for details on destinations and plan your trip today.

Michiel Van Kets provides articles for Joan Marie Raco is the owner of Fishing Supply Online. The website is selling all kinds of fishing gears.

A Fishing Trip to Galt, Canada for a Wide Variety of Fresh Water Fish

2008-06-28T11:31:00.001-07:00

Galt founded by the novelist John Galt, was a city along the Grand River and Speed River in Ontario. Canada. In 1973, Galt, with the towns of Hespeler and Preston were combined to form the city of Cambridge in Ontario Canada. Galt was also previously known as Shade Mills. Now, that takes the confusion out in case you are searching for information about Galt. Galt has had a long history since 1784, when it was one of the Indian Reserve lands along the Grand River granted to the Six Nation Indians by the British Crown.

The Grand River in Ontario, is at least 250 kilometers long, from Alton, passing through Cambridge and then to Lake Erie and is known for the abundance of fresh water fish. The flow of the river varies according to the terrain in the areas it passes by but it slows down as it passes along Galt , Hespeler and Preston which makes that part of the river favorable for fishing. A lot of fresh water fish have been identified and documented for the reference of visitors who would like to have the Grand River experience.

The flow of Grand River across several towns and cities has also provided a convenient means of transportation and the towns that make up Cambridge now, Preston, Hespler and Galt were part of what was known as "The Freshwater Fishing Capital of the World" However, throughout the years, there was some decline in the fishing activities at Grand River and this concern is being attended to by the Grand River Fisheries Management Plan and by the Grand River Conservation Authority, aimed to maintain the river's reputation as the place for a high quality fishing experience.

With the management team in place, the Grand River, with its clean waters and abundance of freshwater species, particularly the brown trout, continues to attract fishing trips from around the world. The length of the river provides any fishing trip with varied and interesting experiences.

Fishing continues to be a major tourism activity in the Grand River in Galt, now part of Cambridge. Visitors can expect to catch a wide variety of fish species, like the carp, bullhead, rock bass smallmouth and largemouth bass, salmon, and of course the rainbow and brown trout.

With its rich historical heritage and tourism facilities, the Grand River in Galt maintains it's a favorite fishing trip destination in North America.
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Fishing Clubs in Canada

2008-06-28T11:29:00.000-07:00

If you want to take your fishing hobby to the next level, you might want to join fishing clubs, especially if you want to give tournament fishing a try. Fishing clubs are a great way to have fun, learn more about the art and sport of fishing and meet people who love fishing as much as you do. Here are some Canadian fishing clubs you might want to check out:

Hook & Hackle Club
This fishing club located in Calgary, Alberta focuses on fly fishing. It is a not-for-profit organization that teaches its members good fishing ethics and etiquette, along with the proper methods used for preserving fishery. Its main fishing practice is centered around catch & release techniques.

BC Fishing Resorts and Outfitters Association
This Canadian fishing club was organized for British Columbia's tourist fishing industry.

Izaak Walton Fly Fishing Club
This fishing club is engaged in numerous activities, including instruction and conservation. They also sponsor seminars, workshops and exhibits.

Simon Chiew Fishing Association and Chinese Anglers Club
These two fishing clubs are composed mostly of hobbyists. These two clubs are the largest membership-based fishing clubs composed of Chinese-Canadians. Fishing trips are scheduled on a yearly basis.

Algonkin Fly Fishers
This is a relatively young fishing club engaged in the practice and promotion of fly fishing. Located in Eganville, Ontario, it was founded to encourage fly fishing in Ottawa Valley.

Lake Huron Fishing Club
If you prefer a sport fishing club that focuses on conservation efforts, join Lake Huron Fishing Club. This club was formed by a group of Ontario fishermen in 1983 and currently manages two hatcheries.

Niagara River Anglers Association
This Canadian fishing club focuses its sport fishing activities in the famous Niagara River. It also accepts volunteers for restoration projects related to fishing.

Northern Lights Fly Tyers & Fishers
This is a fishing and fly tying club in Edmonton, Alberta. Its website serves as the information center where members are informed of meeting dates and fishing locations.

Joining Canadian fishing clubs
Not all fishing clubs are created the same and there are some that have a style and theme of their own. For example, there are fishing clubs exclusively for young people and some that accept only female members.

Most fishing clubs in Canada include conservation as an integral component of their clubs' efforts. They also regularly sponsor yearly fishing events, such as tournaments and seminars and conferences.

Do you need more information onFISHING IN CANADA? Visit http://canadafishing.explore-me.com/ and find out more about it.

Selecting Marine or Saltwater Fish

2008-06-28T11:28:00.000-07:00

There are many factors to consider when selecting fish. You need to ensure that you have the experience to look after the fish you select, that the fish you buy are healthy, and that they are compatible with the fish you currently have.

As a starting point, it is very import that you only buy very healthy fish because the best way to keep strong healthy fish is to start with strong healthy fish. Buying a fish because it doesn't look well or happy and you feel sorry for it and want to give it a better home in your display tank is not a very good idea. An unwell fish can introduce diseases into your tank that can infect your other fish, and may even cause them to die. It helps to become familiar with a species of fish before you buy it as this will allow you to be clear on exactly what it should look and act like. Ensure the fish looks alert with clean clear eyes, fins and scales. It is also important that the fish appears eager to feed and can maintain its position in the water column. And finally, as a precaution, only buy from a clean healthy store that you trust.

To break this down I simply refer to all fish as number 1, number 2, or number 3 fish. I refer to number 1 fish as fish that most people can easily keep in regular aquarium conditions. Number 2 fish are fish that from my experience work for some people and not for others and number 3 fish being those which don't work for most people.

Some examples of number 1 fish are Damsels, Clownfish, Dottyback, Triggerfish, Pufferfish, Foxface, Rabbitfish, most Wrasse, most Tangs, Blennies, Cardinal fish, lionfish. Some examples of number 2 fish are , most Tangs, Boxfish, Angels, Gobies, Sweetlip. Some examples of number 3 fish are Moorish idol, Powder Blue Tang, Achilles Tangs, Anthias, Filefish, pipefish, Mandarin fish, Butterfly fish.

Many people select marine fish by wondering into aquarium shores and looking around until they see a fish that catches their attention at that time, they will them ask the staff member closes to them if this fish will go with the few of their fish that they remember to name. If the staff member says yes then that is a green light to buy the fish. This approach takes very little into consideration and will as often as not result in the person purchasing a fish that was not likely to work from the start.

After a considerable amount of time and money, the person will start to understand which fish work in their aquarium, mind you most will have given up marine fish before this time has arisen. Instead of the impulse approach where you slowly learn the hard lesions of fish selection, I strongly recommend starting with a wish list.

A wish list is simply a list of fish that you wish to keep together in your tank. The beauty of a wish list is that you are able to show it to other experience aquarists to get their opinions on how these fish are likely to go together. If you have fish already you can add them to the top of the wish list to reduce the chance of adding other fish that won't work with the fish you have. If you have a wish list you are likely to seek out experts to ask in order to gain the right advise. With the impulse approach you are far more likely to ask the nearest sales person and hope that they know. With the wish list you are able to use the opinions of a range of experts to save you a lot of time and money learning hard lesson on paper instead of with real fish. This is a very responsible and economical approach.

When selecting fish for your aquarium there are several things to consider before purchasing it e.g. diet, aggression, territoriality and weather it will nip at your corals.

A simple thing that you need to remember is that fish don't want to die. They will only die if you don't provide them with at least their basic minimum requirements. By researching a fishes basic minimum requirements first and asking a few people for their experiences keeping that fish you can massively increase the amount of success that you have when keeping marine fish.

The use of the wish list is going to help you make sure you are mixing fish that will commonly work together. Regardless of where you are at it is worth asking the right person the right questions to ensure that the fish you add are likely to work together. Regardless of how qualified the advice you get, fish are fish and in the end they do what they want how they want. Just because 10 experts tell you something is likely to happen, it doesn't mean that that will happen. Understand that the fish you buy are your responsibility and your responsibility alone. So if the fish you buy don't seem to be mixing well, it is up to you to separate them, before too many fish affected by the troubles.

It is important consider aggression when selecting fish. Monitor the aggression of the fish you keep and only add fish that will be able to compete with the fish that you have and not over compete. If you add a fish that is too aggressive for the fish you have it is likely to act boisterously and eat all the fish food and attack the other fish in the tank, even killing them. When you see this type of activity remove the trouble maker before it is able to cause you any more problems. The key is just as much in the monitoring and the action you take once a problem is identified as it is in initial selection.

Some fish are more so territorial then plan aggressive, an aggressive fish will attack fish for seemingly no reason. A territorial fish will drive fish out of their territory but leave them when the fish is out of its territory. It is worth considering territorial behaviour when selecting fish. Some fish like the Dottyback is territorial and can often be housed safely with many fish because its territory is small, leaving room for the other fish in the tank, while some other fish like coral trout can get so large that its territory can be the whole tank.

There is a big difference between territorial, aggressive and predatory. Territorial fish drive fish out of their territory, aggressive fish attack other fish for what can seem like to reason but to show dominance and predatorily fish eat other fish. Predatorily fish don't have to be aggressive or territorial. Predatorily fish are primarily concerned with their belly, what can fit in their mouth is what they will eat. A perfect example of a predatory fish if the lionfish. This fish is not aggressive or territorial but it will eat any fish that will fit in its huge mouth, which is about the same size as it body. When selecting fish it is worth assuming that all fish are predatory.

When creating you wish list also include when you intend to adding the fish, because you also want to gather comments on this. Most groups of fish are best added at the some time to reduce territorially e.g. any tangs should be added together, any clown should be added together, this is also true for many fish even Wrasse and angels.

Many fish take about 3 day to settle into a new tank, in this time it is common for them not to feed and they may act differently. It is important to monitor new fish extra carefully for the first week for stress, behaviour, aggression and feeding habits. Always watch for changes in behaviour, action must be take when it is required.

Some fish live in large schools in the wild and do tend to fret with kept in aquariums singly or in small groups. These fish are used to having a lot of their own kind around them as an instinctual form of security, when they are placed in aquariums lightly stocked with fish they stress thinking there is danger because the rest of their school is absent. This can be the case when all the other fish appear fine but an individual seems to be jumpy and breathing quickly, some examples of these fish are Blue Tangs, green chromis and anthias.

If you are going to introduce fish to a tank with Coral and invertebrates it is important to identify which are likely to be a threat to them. This could be identified as A, B C fish. Some fish e.g. C fish will eat coral like Butterfly fish and Angelfish.
While others e.g. B fish will nip at it sometimes like Triggerfish, Pufferfish, Foxface, Rabbitfish most Wrasse, most Tangs Moorish idol. Others are mostly safe with coral e.g. A fish like Damsels, Clownfish, Dottyback, Blennies, Cardinal fish, lionfish, Anthias. Filefish, pipefish and Gobies.

Your wish list is a way of reduce the risk of introducing a coral eater to a coral tank. If you get a fish that only nips a particular type of coral you can consider avoiding that piece in the future. Hungry fish are more likely to graze on coral , even if your fish is not eating the coral it may stress it by nipping it regularly coursing it by often closed, depriving it of light.

Most fish need similar amounts of nutrients but the way they process the food means that not all foods are appropriate for all fish. You must consider what you will be feeding that tank when you buy fish for the tank. Herbivores have long digestive systems and a designed for consuming green food stuffs while predators have a short digestive system for eating fish meat. Some high quality pellet and flake foods can be fed to all fish but many natural food like fresh fish and seaweed are not suitable for some fish e.g. Meat is not good for herbivores and seaweed is not good for predators, this is because of the way that the fish process that food.

It is very important not to introduce new fish unless that your aquarium is running perfectly for the last month. You will increase the chances of problems like Whitespot if the fish are introduced more regularly than once a month, so add some fish then wait a month then add some more then wait a month. It will also help to ensure that you are running a lower salt level e.g. 1.020 when you introduce new fish, this will help lower osmotic stress on the fish and also help reduce the chance of problems like Whitespot.

A quarantine tank is a very good idea to help protect your display tank from decease out break.

All fish can thrive as long as their basic minimum requirements are met. I go into this further with my Instructional Marine Aquarium DVD available at http://www.exclusivefishfilms.com/

Good luck and enjoy

Paul Talbot

Sea Fishing for Beginners

2008-06-28T11:27:00.000-07:00

So you're going to give sea angling ago or you are an old timer with years of experience, sea fishing is all about challenging yourself and pushing the envelope and not to forget enjoyment, Sea fishing is no means easy however there are a few ways to improve your fishing.

Other sea anglers around you! You will probably pick up new tips and advice from sea anglers alike, this information is invaluable to both beginners and experienced anglers remember sea fishing knowledge reverts to a better chance of that once of a life time monster fish.

Quality of my sea fishing tackle! Making sure you have the right tools for the job is paramount; you wouldn't want that big fish to get away because of a cheap hook or a poorly made swivel. That's why here a Monster Fishing we insure that you get the very best quality for your money by stocking high end professional brands such as Mustad, Hiro, Breakaway, Gemini, Shakespeare, Penn and more.

Selecting the right sea fishing tackle gear! Everyone has a personal preference when it comes to sea rods through to sea rigs; the important thing is find something that suits you not everyone else. Set yourself a target and try and stick to it, as you gain experience you can then progress onto more advanced tactics.

Sea Rigs made easy. Just because you cant tie a rig doesn't mean you're a bad sea angler! There are lots of Ready made Rigs available such as Gemini, Mustad and Sakuma. See our range of sea rigs for a good selection.

There are so many sea tackle products to choose from! That's what we are here for! Feel free to email us any sea fishing tackle questions or product enquires to info@monsterfishing.co.uk

Reliable Service & Tackle Choice, Now you may be thinking what this has to do with sea fishing, well getting the right product is critical, to be able to have a large choice in sea fishing tackle and gear all under one roof at a great price is a advantage which some local tackle shops cannot provide.Check out our shop or other large online retail shops.

Lure Fishing from the shore. Latex and other imitation sea fishing lures attract a large variety of species such as Bass, Pollock, and Mackerel all lures have different methods on how they should be fished, some are a copy of a real bait fish and some just spoons or rubber strips. We recommend the following lures, Bass Bandit, Sidewinder, Skaliwags Mackerel Stripe and the famous Dexter Wedge. They can all be found in our extensive lures section. However there is something for everyone and a lot boils down to the venue and success rate. Catching a Big Bass off a lure on the shoreline is very rewarding which is why so many sea anglers become totally addicted.

Safety whilst fishing. Remember your sea fishing tackle can be replaced but your life cannot, beware of tides and dangerous rock marks! Always plan, best advice is to purchase a Floatation suit from a reputable source. We stock a selection of high quality floatation suits in our clothing section.See our link!

Monster Fishing UK Online StoreSea Fishing Tackle Online

MAKING CATFISH AND CARP GROUND BAITS – Fishing Secrets Of Nuts!

2008-06-28T11:25:00.001-07:00

If you are looking for something different to boost your catches, you can never be stuck for choice and there are some very effective ones too. Nuts are one very special ingredient and bait that has caught fish reliably for ever. There are many reasons why such an often ‘foreign’ food item produces fish. But fish just love them!

One important mention is nut preparation. Unless nuts are used as finely crushed or flour form, they need correctly soaking for at least 12 to 24 hours to ensure they have fully absorbed water. Many fish have died as a result of fish eating nuts thrown in as ground bait or chum, and then had nuts swell up as they absorbed water, but inside the fishes’ own digestive tract! In the States nuts dumped directly into rivers do not seem to decimate carp however. Why I do not know especially as much of this waste is not ‘human grade’ and likely to have toxins as a result of fungi or bacterial activity. Perhaps resistance has been developed as a result of this seasonal activity of dumping?

Let’s focus on ground baits. Frequently anglers use loose nuts or seeds like sweetcorn, or maize, tiger nuts or peanuts, pellets or boilies for ground bait. Some use live baits like maggots or bloodworm. Nut oils like tiger nut oil and peanut oil and pellet type oils like marine halibut oil are being used with great effect to enhance baits. But one often overlooked method is using homemade ground baits and these can be so successful! They can incorporate the ingredients used in your pellets or boilie mix. They can contain the flavours and oils used in your hook baits among many other components.

You can even add live elements like bloodworm, maggots or worms to stimulate your fish and get them digging in the silt for far longer, giving your more time and chances of successful bait pick-ups. Besides this point, many fish love to feed on tiny particles of food and this is often more natural for them. Often this type of baiting will produce fish successfully whereas ground baiting with ‘whole baits’ like boilies, big pellets or cut meat or fish baits will not. Even the addition of cracked corn, soaked corn flakes or maize flakes can bring your swim alive, adding corn steep liquor is an obvious edge here.

Ground bait traditionally in the UK was made from bread crumbs. Bread crumb ground bait is very effective for carp and many other species even catfish, because it is a great carrier of liquids, for example liquid liver, blood, corn steep liquor, all manner of flavours, liquid fish protein, liquid amino acid and vitamin / mineral additives. I’ve caught many big carp and catfish using ground bait. How you use it and what you combine with it regarding your hook bait, and near hook proximity attraction all play a part in your individual success on a particular water and the way you need to fish there.

Making a boilie from various nut meals is not uncommon. Even a simple recipe like the following can be the basis of your ground bait and be ‘tweaked’ to attract all kinds of species if not carp or catfish:

Peanut meal (roasted is often higher in protein.)

Crushed tiger nuts.

Crushed almonds. (Especially high in vitamin E and very good on waters hard hit by high fish oil baits like pellets and fish meal boilies with bulk oils.

Crushed brazil nuts.

Tiger nut flour.

Brazil flour.

Eggs or gelling agent.

Sweetener. E.g. Molasses, fruit sugar, brown sugar, icing sugar, Talin, Betalin, Thaumatin B etc.

Ground nut or tiger nut oil.

Amino acid containing additive.

‘Super sweet’ taste enhancer or similar.

A teaspoon of nutmeg or cinnamon per pound of dry powders is optional. So many taste and smell options are available. Fenugreek is another good additive, especially if you use natural and synthetic maple syrup as the flavour.

Some may prefer using an essential oil component like geranium terpenes. If you add crushed hemp, then hemp oil with fennel essential oil is a good combination. (Including fennel seeds and black pepper add another dimension for example.) Aniseed is well proven for holding fish in a swim, but is used so much it can lose its edge, but with so many other choices who needs it?

A flavour is desired by many anglers. Well very many are good, but I’d go for Rod Hutchinson’s “Chocolate malt.” Dynamite bait’s “Fish Gutz” is another good one. This is the much whispered about coffee flavour of recent times, although Rod Hutchinson’s Coffee flavour from the past was brilliant.

Adding a small amount of chocolate powder or coffee powder adds a different dimension to this bait in certain stimulating ways. Fish detect certain compounds like caffeine, and stimulatory phenols in the case of peanuts and almonds especially, which create a ‘I want just one more’ effect. Carp have proven to possess dopamine neuronal systems. These can be very much linked to preferential behaviours and ‘the feel good factor’ in the brain. This doe not mean that this response is always good for you or for carp either!

Too much chocolate or crisps, biscuits, candies or cookies are not nutritionally good for you, but give you a temporary ‘lift.’ Sugar, fats, opiates in milk and wheat, salts etc are addictive to humans and carp love them too. But too much of these and it either means disrupted physical health and mood and even diet or behaviour-induced diseases like fatty liver, fatty heart, heart trouble, obesity etc. Activated dopamine neurons are powerful aids to learning and repeated behaviour. The ‘just one more’ syndrome is a great thing to exploit in your bait any way you ‘ethically’ can without harming fish health. You can see the links between our love of curry and the use of chilli powder in baits. Hemp and the abuse of cocaine and similar substances. Even tobacco and alcohol are fish stimulators at the correct level and in the right dose.

(Please note nicotine is fatally poisonous even more toxic than cyanide... Smoking this stuff is insane. We used to use it as a kill-all insecticide in glass house plant production using nicotine shreds. Even this has caused human fatalities. Funny that nicotine is a naturally produced insecticide and we should choose to smoke it. Incidentally Indigenous American Peoples use pure willow leaf tobacco in sacred ceremonies, but knew all about its power and how not to abuse it! Anyway, virtually all drugs of abuse use activation of dopamine neuronal systems.)

In the case of carp, in some fishing situations where anglers fish predominately with certain nuts introducing huge amounts, carp get hooked on these baits like peanuts and tiger nuts. They can eat them at the exclusion of anything else, resulting malnutrition and weight loss. Although nuts contain healthy omega oils, protein and vitamins, iron, they are not particularly digestible and not especially high in protein. (Some roasted peanut products excepted.)

Nuts are very attractive baits in their own right, but their attraction can be enhanced.

Now if you cannot get any of these ingredients you can replace them with many others. Even ground rice, corn flour, semolina or ordinary wheat flour can be used. Desiccated cocoanut is very good too. Many commercial ground baits contain this. The trick is to ensure your finished bait has added soluble attraction and feeding stimulation. For example, you could add a teaspoon of sea salt per pound of dry powders. Peanut butter is a great additive.

I read an amazing story as a kid once about a young boy who landed a stupendous uncaught giant carp from a nearby lake by using a homemade peanut butter sandwich. The irony was that it was laced with cocaine and the carp had a ‘fatal attraction!’ Fortunately the story was made-up, but it really got me thinking about making baits ‘addictive!’

Various seeds can be added to your nut baits too and roast sesame and pumpkin seeds are higher in protein being 30% protein or above. Hemp seed and crushed hemp seed or powder have always been good as is hemp oil. However, how many anglers have used hemp protein?

Nut milks instead of ‘conventional flavours’ are well proven, coconut milk combined with condensed milk is a tasty combination for example.... Milk powders can be very useful in ground baits improving solubility, nutritional attraction and even binding as with Vitamealo for example. ‘Tahini’ or creamed sesame seeds when sweetened make a brilliant base for an alternative paste or dough bait.

Malt extract is very useful proven additive too. Another water attracting or hygroscopic ingredient to attract catfish in particular, is LO30 fish protein. The spray-dried form can be incorporated into ground baits, pellets, boilies or dough or paste bait mixtures and is highly effective. The popular liver powder, green lip mussel extract and blood powders and green corn steep liquor and even Vegemite, Miso soup, are all proven nutritional ground bait additives to add. Betaine HCL is another and many betaine products are now available, and combined with added amino acid type products are excellent.

Making hook baits with crushed nuts and seeds impregnated into the surface provides a different texture and leak-off rate of attractors to your baits which can be more productive than ordinary round skinned boilies. I like to use a mix of crushed nuts and seeds in high levels in my paste baits and air-dried pastes and ‘just skinned’ boilies in a PVA bag along with fresh paste. The irresistible effect of this lot ‘melting’ around the hook bait is fantastic. I have often used a slower melting paste actually on the hook alongside pellet or boilie or nut bait or baits on a hair (or hairs) to trip-up those warier fish.

You can make a sweet nut bait with an added proportion of ‘creamy’ squid liver extract, and fully expect big catfish and carp with this unusual combination. Nut baits go far beyond a chopped or skinned or glugged tiger nut or flavoured humble peanut. Creative bait making, even simply mixing proprietary base mixes and ground baits together works wonders. The added bonus is you can make those more expensive products go much further by additional nut meals and bird seeds. So why not make some homemade baits, go nuts and land more crackers!

The author has many more fishing and bait ‘edges’ any of which can have a huge impact on your catches.
Tim Richardson is a homemade carp and catfish bait-maker, and proven big fish angler. His bait making and bait enhancing books / ebooks are even used by members of the “British Carp Study Group” for reference. View this dedicated bait secrets website now... For the unique and acclaimed new massive expert bait making / enhancing ‘bibles’ ebooks / books: “BIG CATFISH AND CARP BAIT SECRETS!” And: “BIG CARP BAIT SECRETS!” (AND "FLAVOUR, FEEDING TRIGGERS AND CHEMORECEPTION SECRETS") SEE: http://www.baitbigfish.com/

Carp Fishing Tactics For Wary Fish - Hiding Your Line!

2008-06-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

On many carp waters the fish are well aware of fishermen’s lines passing through the water. This can impact so much on fish that in some swims fish will not feed until the swim appears safe and clear of lines. They have associated lines with danger often from many years of angling pressure. But what can you do about it?

Seeing your line passing through water can really hit your confidence. If you can see it, the fish certainly can. Carp eyesight is not to be underestimated! How often have you observed fish heading for your swim, only to see your line and turn around? Heavy lines are often required in many situations, so trying to use ‘invisible’ like very fine ones or certain ones with less abrasion resistance makes things hard. There are a couple of new lines that claim to be invisible in water. The trouble is that even these can go along the lake bed and form a barrier of line across the water, where the bottom dips and rises, or where going over weed beds.

The last 5 metres of line to your hook rig is the area that usually matters the most. Here fish often bump into lines in their search for food or bait and the first obvious mistake many anglers make is ensuring fish get spooked by their lines by baiting-up between their hook and rig and their rod, the very side where line is most apparent. Only baiting-up the opposite side can make a dramatic difference!

Of course, lots of methods have evolved to try to avoid spooking fish out of your swim or even stop them from stopping feeding in the possible case of some line shy fish, and having them leave your swim. Your line also helps fish to locate your hook rig which is not favourable for bites! The days when fish feed avidly while navigating a network of lines stretched across the water in full view are fading on so many waters these days. The use of back leads and flying back leads to pin the line to the lake bed are good. But on weedy waters and those with lots of rises and falls as in gravel pits for example, they are not really the solution.

Lead core spiced to the line and heavy dense tubing on the line helps to some degree with this problem, but are not perfect, no matter if their colour matches the lake bed or has been marked so that it forms a ‘broken disjointed line’ or a ‘camouflaged’ one. Often the fish just learn that these are extra thick lines which are also dangerous. Ordinary plastic tubing is still sold for use as anti-tangle tubing but often is used fresh from the packet which means it still forms bends and loops on the lake bed!

The best way I found to use heavy dense tubing like the ‘ESP’ range, was to find the thinnest one possible I could fit over my line, slide it onto the line and then stretch it out as long as possible. I even used multiple lengths of it as I found multiple lengths hugged the bottom even better than just using the thinner more flexible stretched tube. Gluing tiny pieces of shot or lead putty materials to these really made a massive difference to results. If I could, I’d use a 4 metre length of tubing to pin the line down; combined with as many back leads I could add practically along the length of the line. Pressured smaller water fish are often even more spooked by lines and these tricks have proven the difference between catching nothing at all and catching forties with regularity.

Not many anglers realise that if you fish a tight line pinned very effectively to the lake bed with multiple back leads on the line as far down as possible teamed with a heavy sinker lead on the line, your initial deep hooking potential can be hugely improved. Your combined resistance of weight on the line might be nearer 6 ounces often tripping-up and converting a single bleep on the alarm to full blooded runs or at least a couple more tell-tale bleeps as fish struggled to rid the hook. I sharpen my hooks literally beyond needle sharp spending hours on this task. A few times I lost some very big fish as the points bent out with the pressure, but I’m certain these might not have been hooked without this preparation anyway.

I also choose the longest point hooks from a packet because these gain the fast deepest hook-hold initially. Those hooks with a long straight point, in turned eye and a penetration angle of 26 degrees have been exceptionally effective for gaining good deep very reliable hook holds anywhere in the mouth. I have used heavy wire Kamasan models of this type in size 4 for years with great success. (I subsequently discovered another angler found the same positive results with hooks with these characteristics as was written in the spring 2007 B.C.S.G. magazine.

I always scrap off all the golden covering and soak hooks in water in advance. I’m sure this helps not just visually, but help the hook ‘blend’ in the water electrically better... (Covering the hook in paste is an accidental edge which is great for wary fish; most anglers coat the bait only.) Some Ashima hooks have virtually identical characteristics in a thinner wire but are much harder to sharpen and tend to be brittle.

Years ago, before lines like “Big Game” became fashionable I remember fishing using sea line as leaders. The logic was that if fish spooked off the slim 8 pound German line I was using at the time because they could feel it but not see it so well, then why not use a thick line they can see? The point is that no-one else was doing this on waters I fished, so the fish had no reason to fear a thick 60 pound line passing through the water! It really multiplied catches over-night too! I made sure the fish could see this line which was brown.

It was a method which worked well wherever I fished at that time in the late eighties. I went onto using heavy braid as leaders as I noticed that some thicker cheaper ones absorbed the silt of the bottom and ‘disappeared’ as it were. On clearer weedy lakes, using braid which was marked in browns, greens, and black to break up its appearance worked very well, when everyone else was using that horrible shocking white “Big Game” line, usually in 15 pound strength. A tight line was used with my very heavy monofilament leaders and a slack line approach with braid leaders.

Braid worked even better with shot pinched onto the line at 6 inch intervals for a distance of at least 8 feet from the rig. Fixed leads were used and 2 ounce leads were tied to a rig swivel using 2 pound line and round eyed bombs and Arlesey leads were used. Results noticeably improved using leads which were flattened with a hammer to make them grip the bottom better to secure a better hook hold. This was prior to the square leads becoming popular.

Often a spot in a swim is the only place that fish will feed and take a bait, but fish may not feed or spook out if lines are detected. Often changing the angle and direction your line enters the swim can make all the difference. Sometimes it even means using a float to get your line right out of the water a few feet from your rig. Even a stick with float rubbers to attach the line can be used. Sometimes free-lining with nothing but a hook on your line is very useful too. A very light running link ledger is an almost forgotten method in these days of so-called wonder ‘anti-eject, self-hooking’ rigs, but can produce extremely satisfying confident takes where heavy 4 or even 5 ounce leads are being used by carp as the pivot or fulcrum to rid themselves of hooks repeatedly every day!

Carp may or may not have long memories or attention spans but they can certainly learn fast. I’ve done well at long range using a 3 foot long ‘confidence rig’ on a light running lead with a short back-stop. The 6 or 8 inch standard rig is so often used by the average angler that it can becomes anti-productive, especially for the warier fish, especially where an angler is using a popular commercial boilie or pellet bait they have been hooked on previously. It so pays to be different and work at it.

I tried soaking my leads and tubing in attractors which helped results. I’m sure tubing has negative chemicals it gives off when first used, so why not do something to make it attractive instead. Tying flavour capsules full of attractors to your leads works too. I started doing this in the winter especially, but carried on doing it regardless of season. Using a large PVA bag of baits to gain distance when fishing very light leads works well too. The use of method mixes and floats to hold and deposit attractive ground bait which accurately feeds your bait from above is a very effective one but not just limited to fishing ‘zig-rig’ style either. How many anglers have tried fishing a sinking ground bait and a buoyant ground bait rising from below simultaneously with a buoyant paste hook bait?

As an aside, small PVA net stockings with micro pellets and crumbled baits soaked in oil based attractors are plastered all over the magazines and this now an old method on many pressured waters. But how many anglers tie up multiple bags and tie them 2 or 3 to the hook and lead? You can even do this with solid bags and exploit more buoyant ingredients like prawn and krill meal to produce a surface baiting effect as you bags rise in the water and melt so releasing their ground bait type contents in a more scattered way over your rig... (The possibilities and potential here are rarely used!)

Tubing often has the added benefit of protecting your line against snags and abrasive things like sharp gravel bars, mussels and any rough branches or any nasty surprises like metal snags in the water etc. Sometimes rope is what is really needed, so why not use it.

I saw an article recently where someone was using thick string or thin rope as a leader specifically because it was supple and absorbed the materials and sediments of the lake bed, so rendering the ‘line’ far less likely to be associated with a rig and danger by fish. Of course, soaking your ‘rope leader’ preferably in amino acid based additives, betaine and salt before casting, makes it sink immediately and actually helps draw fish to your hook bait. There are other very exciting options for hiding your line which involve line absorbing the materials on the bottom and doing this is extremely effective. See if you can think of some; you might want to keep them to yourself!

The author has many more fishing and bait ‘edges’ any of which can have a huge impact on your catches.
Tim Richardson is a homemade carp and catfish bait-maker, and proven big fish angler. His bait making and bait enhancing books / ebooks are even used by members of the “British Carp Study Group” for reference. View this dedicated bait secrets website now... For the unique and acclaimed new massive expert bait making / enhancing ‘bibles’ ebooks / books: “BIG CATFISH AND CARP BAIT SECRETS!” And: “BIG CARP BAIT SECRETS!” (AND "FLAVOUR, FEEDING TRIGGERS AND CHEMORECEPTION SECRETS") SEE: http://www.baitbigfish.com

COMMON CARP FISHING BAIT – Powerful Bait Detection Secrets!

2008-06-28T11:23:00.000-07:00

What about common carp? It does seem that if anyone had gotten their baits really right then many more of those ‘un-caught monsters’ in lakes etc would appear as if by magic instead of remaining un-caught for years. The full impact of DNA differences between many commons and mirror carp on catches are something that is mostly totally underestimated as well as the very subtle but potent effects of food item electrical fields which may or may not be present in fishing baits...

Apparently human adults can detect 30,000 smells and a child 10,000, which shows this chemoreception changes even with us. Some ‘natural feeding’ common carp may literally have no need to develop a capacity to detect other smells or tastes other than the natural. According to its DNA programming it may only need to detect perhaps 500 natural tastes or smells to fully exploit its natural food resources. It seems logical then that they will not be at all aware that our angling baits are food wherever natural live food is not used is bait. (In the past, silk weed has been known to catch fish, why should this be a surprise?) My personal results using live natural baits on a hook rig with conventional boilie baits gives a strong argument for using these natural baits as part of the approach to catch rarely caught fish.

The electromagnetic field given off by a bait may well cause response by changing the electromagnetic state of chemoreception and other cells which pass on this ‘signal’ directly to the brain possibly more by electromagnetism and not electrochemistry. I have personal experience of giving natural healing energy and studies have proven the ‘Reiki’ energy transfer actually changes DNA in positive ways, just as air pollution and water pollution does in negative ways in humans. This is fact.

Common carp having different DNA to mirror carp can easily have different requirements or parameters of electromagnetic radiation which they are evolved to detect emitted from their natural food. In fact it is very frequent that rarely caught natural feeding commons are hooked on a lobworm, bunch of red worms or on maggots such as the legendary ‘Herman’ of Warmwell UK fame. Why? Perhaps it's not just the amino acids given off or the movement of the bait which is detected with natural baits, but even more importantly, the living organism's electrical field emitted.

We are all 'batteries' as such, and have our own electromagnetic fields. Those closest to the physical body are the strongest, but there are other levels or layers like the layers of an onion which are far more subtle as we get further away from our bodies. One explanation of light, although it is far from being understood, is that it is electromagnetic radiation.

Now anyone who has had an 'aura photograph' taken will notice that the energy patterns surrounding you change colour, intensity and size according to your physical, mental and spiritual state at the moment the picture is taken. The Russians had for years been ahead of the rest of the world regarding this whole field and have extremely sensitive advanced technology for measuring these energies. Measurement is possible of mythical energies like ‘orgone’ ‘chi’ or ‘prana’ (life force or universal energy) as in those involved in 'natural healing' for example as in acupuncture, therapeutic touch technique, spiritual healing, Reiki etc.

Similar energy is also emitted very strongly when a talented person is attempting telepathy or influencing movement of objects using their minds. In this case the most ancient part of the brain are used which is the least understood, although many gifted psychics have developed their ability following head trauma involving the right frontal lobe of the brain. The amazing abilities of sharks use of electromagnetism and dolphins’ use of sonic pulses in food’s favourable detection demonstrate brains’ amazing evolution and even unknown potentials.

But why should fish’s attraction to electromagnetism in the form of luminescent coloured or light emitting boilies, pellets and plastic baits (and even lures) surprise us? Well perhaps there is much more than merely detection involving the ‘curiosity factor.’ What about the particular link to the fact that certain natural fish food items emit bioluminescence including bacteria in the case of shellfish for example and even certain types of algae.

In more physical terms, many known and unknown substances given off by anglers touching baits may well be significant. Due to our modern diets there is every chance that acids and such like are present in the skin in some individuals more than others as we excrete toxins and overloads of chemicals as our bodies are constantly trying to cleanse themselves. The skin itself is an organ interacting with our bodies and the environment after all. Is it possible that we can actually enhance bait attractiveness by boosting them with light emitting bacteria as well as butyric acid and yeast alcohols etc just by touching our baits? Does this mean certain individuals have more suitable diets or body chemistry for enhancing their baits more than other people as part of the complex equation in their success?

A major factor in fishing bait and fish farming food is its energy value after assimilation. (Remember that some food actually can generate stress, which is very energy draining.) Stress is indirectly one of the biggest killers of modern humans so diet and food purity and quality is very important to health and healthy energy levels.

Look what happens to fish which get hooked on particular compounds which affect their brain chemistry in negative ways for them. Both tiger nuts and peanuts can affect carp health and healthy nutrient intake, when eaten in virtual exclusion of other foods in certain fishing waters. These baits obviously make them feel good, but are bad for their health, much like the conventional human western diets which often are depleted and not high enough in essential minerals and amino acids for example, required to prevent many major diseases. Hemp affects the brain too but hemp is an amazingly nutritionally packed food ideal for both carp and humans. Many carp anglers will use hemp as a significant ground bait ingredient regardless of the water, conditions, natural food or anything else with good reason.

Like us humans, fish have evolved to be extremely efficient at extracting energy from the most available foods in our natural environment. The fish’s entire body, ability to move, the eyes, digestive system and chemoreception mechanisms etc have all been extremely highly evolved and tuned for this purpose. Attempting to replicate live natural food factors such as amino acid profiles, vitamin and mineral content, live enzymes, proteins and lipids etc, will still not deliver to fish the same energy values of natural food. The energy field of such a bait will be utterly different too. In some aspects of aquaculture, fish are not even fed artificially, but are left to feed on the natural algae and other beneficial factors as results of correct sediment preparation and water characteristics in a raising pond.

So many reactions involve using energy to digest and assimilate the food ingested, with boilies and pellets no matter how much they are ‘digestible’ and pre-treated with enzymes, they may still provide less energy than natural food after assimilation. No bait has been discovered that truly solves the limiting effects of bait ingredients; the nitrogen and amino acids requirements and limiting effects of these artificial foods.

But this is obviously just the tip of the iceberg of important factors in baits to be taken very consistently over time. For example, fish like humans are very much composed of water and minerals. Perhaps the impact of minerals in baits and live food (including plant material) are far more significant regarding biological energy supply and electrical field type food detection than we yet know. For example, demand for live enzymes to promote efficient food digestion and assimilation, or calcium needed for fish scales in common carp...

Perhaps certain ingredients that improve the fish’s ability to detect food item energy fields is more significant an edge than is currently realized. E.g. using astralagus root to boost the fishes’ immune system and general health will improve detection performance. There is also the effects of anti-microbial compounds found in all kinds of plant extracts for example, which are seriously effective ‘investigation triggers’ in baits. Garlic and onion oil are famous for their healing properties and fish-catching record. Eugenol from clove bud oil for example, is highly recommended to anesthetize fish in transport and is a very well proven bait additive. Menthol is a special case too. There is certainly potentially more to bait than meets the nose!

CARP AND CATFISH FISHING BAIT FLAVOURS – Natural and Synthetic Success For Big Fish!

Everyone seems fixated by fishing flavours. Commonly the question asked is “What flavour bait are you using?” For most fishermen, what matters is that they like their smell of their flavour, which is an interesting point for debate... The fact is among the diverse multitude of flavours used in fishing baits are some which stand out more than others, but few fishermen know how or why this is the case.

It is easy to buy a cheap flavour at Wal-Mart or Tescos and us it in your bait. However, what you are buying is very often inferior to more expensive flavours. For example, vanilla flavour has a myriad of grades or levels of purity, freshness and various solvents may be added (even water) and extraction methods will vary. Pure vanilla bean extract is extremely expensive. The genuine extract depends on very many volatile components which help explain part of its success. But natural extracts also contain other very stimulatory compounds which are vital to a top quality flavour and are easily detected by humans and fish!

It is common practice for flavour producers to ‘cut’ pure extracts and natural flavours, using a solvent or solvents like glycerol or ethanol alcohol for instance. Many things can happen to a flavour! Indeed the ‘aroma profile of a flavour, and its taste can be altered many times in many ways before it is bottled and consequently unleashed upon your fish as part of your bait. One aspect that might surprise you is just how bitter tasting many ‘sweet’ or ‘fruit’ flavours truly are. (Many flavours produced for fishing baits include an intense sweetener like Talin, or concentrated lactose or fructose.)

Flavours for the food industry are not all ideal for use in baits; their molecules often behave dramatically differently in water than in air so their effects on the fish will differ. Can you imagine sniffing in natural garlic extract in water? For a start you would not smell that distinctive garlic aroma as you would in air, as this is the result of a reaction with the air, not water. This also points to a deeper level of how many flavours or natural extracts work. They may also have hidden properties that you may not have realised. They sometimes have metabolism and circulatory stimulation properties, significant antimicrobial properties, preservative properties (low pH and alcohol for example), immunity stimulation, or even simulate or closely resemble nervous system or brain chemicals. (Even betaine HCL has antioxidant properties and citric acid has been used in many baits for years.

Yes, there’s so much more to flavours than meets the nose! Leading bait manufacturers have had to get increasingly innovative and technical to keep the effectiveness and standard of their products high against fast expanding competition for market share from smaller companies. Flavorists and food nutritionists, even marine biologists and fish scientists are employed for their skills. The use of fermenting sugars and esters is common.

The addition of amino acid products, palatants, and oils of savoury and fruit extraction in combination with natural fruit extracts, with new generation flavour enhancers and sweeteners in combination make many modern flavours a different class to most from the food industry. Combining different fruit esters to produce attractive flavours is a common practice, these days other solvents and substances are often added.

Among other ingredients, various acids, nature identical and synthetically produced flavour components identical to natural ones are combined with synthetic flavour components to produce a preferable profile and taste. The funny thing is that many flavours may be initially synthetically produced with synthetic and nature identical flavour components and then have the natural extract added to give it a more natural smell or taste. The cost of natural flavors can be extreme compared to synthetic and natural combinations. Volatiles like aldehydes and benzoates and hexanoates are included in many flavours. Some ‘volatiles’ you’d normally not dream of putting into foods of any kind except poisons! Many of the so-called ‘E-numbers’ are included and many are linked to mood changes in children with hyperactivity and so on.

Fishing flavours are all about your own personal confidence and real bait testing. If you think you have the very best of a type of flavour, you never know, there might be one that will catch you even more fish. Commercially available fishing flavours are evolving at an incredible rate. Even the ubiquitous “Tutti Fruitti” or “Scopex” or Strawberry variations are being challenged by cranberry and pineapple today with good reason. It is interesting to note that strawberry flavour ingredients can be reproduced synthetically using all the ‘volatile’ flavour components in natural strawberry, but which now can be synthetically reproduced. However, the additional aspects of natural strawberry such as its healing properties among others, will be absent.

The flavour possibilities in fishing are endless. For example, when you investigate flavours that are used in combination with ‘liquid food’ additives, to boost the nutritional value and ‘food’ signals of pellets, boilies, ground baits and even meats and live baits like maggots and worms... These days even sweetcorn, hemp, bread, worm and bloodworm flavours are available and used to even boost the taste and attraction of the real thing and may include real extracts of that food too!

The author has many more fishing and bait ‘edges’ up his sleeve. Every single one can have a huge impact on catches.
Tim Richardson is a homemade carp and catfish bait-maker, and proven big fish angler. His bait making and bait enhancing books / ebooks are even used by members of the “British Carp Study Group” for reference. View this dedicated bait secrets website now... For the unique and acclaimed new massive expert bait making / enhancing ‘bibles’ ebooks / books: “BIG CATFISH AND CARP BAIT SECRETS!” And: “BIG CARP BAIT SECRETS!” (AND "FLAVOUR, FEEDING TRIGGERS AND CHEMORECEPTION SECRETS") SEE: http://www.baitbigfish.com

30 Carp Fishing Tips for Beginners and More Experienced Fishermen Pivotal for Success

2008-06-23T09:57:00.001-07:00

If you want a simple short-cut to carp fishing success you’ve come to the right place. This advice applies to any form of fishing because it is so vitally important. Here is a list of simple details that I wish I’d discovered when I began carp fishing when information was in much shorter supply. Over the years I have been shocked by the number of newer carp anglers who over-look the ultimate importance of their hooks and their hooking efficiency. So many unnecessary blank sessions come from anglers not realising details they’re missing on the end of their line and more awareness of aspects of the part of their tackle that truly matters the most...

Sometimes it’s very easy for a carp angler to get fixated by new products; like bait flavours, new boilies and pellets etc and the constant stream of new bivvies and ‘camo’ gear that emblazon the advertisement pages of glossy fishing magazines meant to seduce us. These products are very well designed to meet new anglers’ fashions and needs and specific purposes. However, the ability of a hook to actually hook a fish is a pretty old basic need and deserves far more personal attention from many anglers to improve the results of their fishing time and efforts spent.

The basis of the information below arrived from my use of thin wired light-weight ‘Kamasan’ hooks 25 years ago or more, which were extremely effective but occasionally opened-up on hooking bigger carp. The answer came in the form of very precisely sharpening thicker wire hooks like the ‘Kamasan’ low water salmon hooks with the longer shank. I have used this types of hook and many similar designs for years and believe their point’s angle of penetration to be absolutely ideal for my purposes. It’s proven superior in sea fishing applications for me also. (Ask England international Dion McFadden – ha ha ha!)

(You might bear in mind fishing hooks do not ‘hook’ fish by themselves, but require force, from a particular angle of line attached to make the point penetrate effectively enough to do its required job.)

In the ‘British Carp Study Group’ magazine (Spring 2007,) famous angler and one of the group’s scientific advisers, George Sharman, proposes that an ideal hook point penetration angle / line angle of force of 26 degrees transferred into the hook point is about right, teamed with an in-turned eye. This has shown ideal initial ‘pricking of fish’ and secure hook hold properties with hooks of varied gap sizes. Now I’m not an engineer, but my practical trials and experiences with hooks and indication / conversion to hooked fish leads me to similar conclusions. It may be noted that I’ve fished for more than a couple of decades using bite indicators and various set-ups tuned to register the minimum of line movement since positive benefits of this were first discovered in my winter fishing especially.

I personally use a sharpened hook and I realise this sound ‘antiquated’ perhaps today. But I consider it is vital for many surprising reasons laid out below. Hooks catch fish but many benefit from a little help and close attention to maximise their effectiveness. It takes personal fishing trials and indication / catch rate comparisons over time to achieve true confidence in the hooks you choose to use. Why not use the best designed best quality hooks you can buy for your personal fishing styles and activities, which may be extremely varied indeed.

Sharpening hook has many hidden benefits on the whole of your fishing and confidence levels and even thinking and approach to everything you do to catch fish.

Fishing hooks are often an after-thought when compared to the attention brought to bear on expensive carp rods and reels for instance. By disciplining yourself into sharpening every hook you use you not only get a great feel for the action and success of any hook pattern compared over time, but ensures that no faulty eyed or blunt pointed hooks are used which definitely cost you fish.

The easiest way to lose a fish is to give it the chance to consume your bait and have a hook either inefficiently penetrate its skin, or that has the wrong design for your rig purposes or situation, size or shape of bait, hook link material action etc. Your rig is the converter of attempted bait consummation. If it is not maximised in every way possible to convert attentions to your bait into hooked fish you may as well fish with no hook or no bait for the majority of your time spent fishing.

Most fish are lost without an angler ever realising a fish was ‘on’ in the first place, which is a shame and is one area the best most detail oriented tuned-in anglers excel out. This may seem ‘over the top’ but then why should you not benefit from little differences that set the best apart from the rest? Rigs don’t need to be complicated just as with baits, but it’s the attention to details in getting the complete process refined so the right bait and rig for any given fishing situation are the right ones. This can produce above average catch consistency without an angler having the added advantage of access to better bait techniques and technology or more fishing time available.

Don’t forget many hooks bought in packets may not be as sharp as is truly needed. Mostly a carp will hook itself, but on pressured waters a hook any less that past needle sharp can well mean many lost fish you never ever imagined had taken your bait into their mouths. A diamond hook sharpener is essential to me – I’d not bother fishing without treating my hooks to a very precisely formed diameter point and length of point too. I find a hook with a longer point which is well sharpened and thinned along its length makes a massive difference to numbers of bigger fish hooked. This ‘point’ applies to chemically sharpened hooks also.

OK, I’ve over-done sharpening sometimes and lost 40 pound plus fish at the net as the point opens, but would such fish have ‘spit’ the hook anyway and not been hooked? It’s very likely. Most anglers use a heavy lead on any of a range of rigs styles and lengths. But most don’t consider the fact that we are really trying to get around how the fish are feeding in response to angling pressure and associated feeding behaviours in response to what the anglers themselves are doing. Sure a heavy lead and tight line hooks lots of fish, but very often a light lead even at range with a longer hair and hook link will produce more fish and, often more warier bigger fish too.

If you find you are ‘dropping fish’ or ‘pulling out’ of them during the fight, or even getting odd single bleeps on the bite indicators which don’t produce positive action afterwards, try sharpening your hook. I cover my freshly sharpened hook with paste and coat the hair and bait in paste. I often use 2 or 3 types of homemade paste on a rig beside other boilie or paste baits for example in order to vary the solubility and rate of breakdown of bait and give the fish more to ‘think about’. This covers the taste of a sharpened hook and glint of hook metal before it oxidises and fades. Plus paste melting produces unusual bait movement and added dimensions to a curious fish.

In fact using paste on the hook and similar paste in different states in a PVA bag can really trip up fish even better than common set-ups that just use paste on the bait on a hair alone. I like to actually draw attention to the hook itself which is unusual these days. By using fresh balls of paste, air-dried paste and scalded paste bits together with a diversity of strategically included items in the PVA bag many fish seem to lose the grip on their ‘danger reference points’ momentarily. This is after all the aim of all our rig and bait efforts right?

If you’re still not convinced, why not trial identical rigs with sharpened and unsharpened hooks and see the difference over a range of hook designs. The results will be clear; I actually refined my results using rigs and a range of hook patterns to hook very shy biting crucian carp. I could actually observe the fish taking each bait and I was shocked that many makes and designs straight from the packet rarely produced a hooked fish. Often a fish would get hooked and get off in a second, while others stayed in the mouth despite attempts to twist and shake the hook out. I do appreciate that the quality and technology and design involved in hooks has been raised over the years by manufacturers but a personally physically sharpened hook has enormous benefits.

The realities of simple peace of mind and improved confidence that you are fishing as efficiently as possible really counts especially on tougher waters and when fish are not ‘playing the game!’ Using the most important piece of your fishing tackle which you have intimately inspected and shaped yourself really does produce more fish; getting into the habit of being more detail oriented adds up and the extra effort even influences your effectiveness in fish location and swim choice, thinking and approach to bait and efforts to minimise lazy conventional fishing practices whose edge has already passed.

As its Christmas coming up why not invest in a hook sharpener and really experiment in achieving the longest sharpest hook points possible, perhaps while watching all that Christmas TV. (I have no connection with ‘Fox International’ except I used to fish alongside Cliff (ha ha ha!) But their bar shaped diamond sharpeners are the most effective tool I’ve used for many years now.) The effort of sharpening your hooks will really pay you back for sure. It did for carp fishing legend Richard Walker...

Best of all, doing this will raise your confidence when you cast your rig into those cold winter waters, where a fish may only be willing to move just a few inches to feed and an extremely sharp hook is all you may have to initially efficiently hook a winter fish. Especially at times such as this, just a few minutes in concentrated effort sharpening your hooks, could well produce for you a very memorable fish worthy of your efforts.
Tim Richardson is a homemade carp and catfish bait-maker, and proven big fish angler. His bait making and bait enhancing books / ebooks are even used by members of the “British Carp Study Group” for reference. View this dedicated bait secrets website now... For the unique and acclaimed new massive expert bait making / enhancing ‘bibles’ ebooks / books: “BIG CATFISH AND CARP BAIT SECRETS!” And: “BIG CARP BAIT SECRETS!” (AND "FLAVOUR, FEEDING TRIGGERS AND CHEMORECEPTION SECRETS") SEE: http://www.baitbigfish.com

Your Choices For Bass Fishing Hooks

2008-06-23T09:56:00.001-07:00

Experienced bass fishermen have already learned about the different types of bass fishing hooks available. Novices in the sport should take the opportunity to learn about the different type of bass fishing hooks and their particular uses and advantages.

Off Shank Hooks

Off shank hooks are best used with artificual bait. They feature a bend at the top of the hook where it is connected to the fishing line. Shank hooks are constructed in this manner by design. The way they function is by turning directly in to the fish's mouth when the hook is set. The way the fisher sets the hook impacts whether or not he or she catches a fish, particularly when using artificial lures. While regular hooks can be effective, shank hooks help catch a greater quantity of bass fish. They also deliver consistent results.

Straight Shank Hooks

Straight shank hooks are very effective when used with live bait. Minnows, for example, work very well with this straight shank hooks. The design of a straight shank hook doesn't inhibit the movement of the live bait. Because this type of hook allows the bait to swim, the bait is able to do its job. The bait's job is to draw fish to it. Upon striking at the bait, the fish actually inhales it. When the hook is set, it then gets caught in the hard bony sides of the mouth of the fish.

Super Sharpened Shank

Super sharpened shank hooks work well with artificial bait. With the super sharpened shank, the user is able to put the artifical bait higher on the hook. This keeps fish from getting away as a result of getting the bait wih shoreter strikes.

Each of type of bass fishing hooks is unique. These hooks can be used in many different ways. Bass fishers have many choices to make when it comes to selecting fishing hooks. Each individual must select the best bass fishing hooks for his or her purposes. It comes down to a matter of personal preference. For more info see http://www.knowbassfishing.com/ on Bass Fishing

Outsmarting Savvy Bass

In some of the most popular fishing locations, many bass are able to separate lures from food. Bass are even able to even detect certain types of hooks. Bass fishing hooks are still effective, though, because they are made to entice the bass to strike at things that are not food. When you are dealing with these very aware fish, though, the best approach is to hide your hooks as much as possible. You have to outsmart the bass. Remember that you are on their turf. The bass fish are at home in the fishing waters. They are more familiar with them than you, or any human, will ever be. Therefore, it is crucial to be very particular with your fishing processes. A savvy bass fish might spot your hook and stay away due to recogizing the risk it poses. Some fish are even able to snatch the bait off the hook before the fishing enthusiast realizes a fish was anywhere around. Good fishers will stay very aware and notice whatever action happens to set their hooks.
You can also find more info on http://www.knowbassfishing.com/Midwest_Bass_Fishing/ on Midwest Bass Fishing and http://www.knowbassfishing.com/Striped_Bass_Fishing/ on Striped Bass Fishing. http://Knowbassfishing.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Bass Fishing.

Winter Carp Fishing Boilies Pellet and Paste Bait Tips

2008-06-23T09:55:00.001-07:00

Many fishermen get an anxiety attack thinking about their baits in winter and rightly so! Most commercially produced baits are not made to be ideal winter baits but in part to fulfil typical customer expectations which lead to more buyer confidence in the bait. This produces quite a few baits having constant features which may not necessarily always lead to the best bait option.

For example, such a winter bait will last more than 12 hours in water as a functional durable hook bait. Or exude a smell which is recognisable to a buyer to fit a current fashion (like pineapple for example. Or have a fair degree of initial hardness when first immersed in water and even have a dry centre. Such baits require a period of soaking in order to allow the bait to open up its texture and structure enough to release good soluble attraction into the water. Often winter baits can be so over-flavoured that they repel fish. Over-flavouring of baits works but can be a disadvantage on many waters where the same bait and flavours have been used too much to keep a real edge.

Many effective winter baits having a more open texture, containing more coarse ingredients like bird foods, (egg biscuit, hempseed, wheat germ meal etc,) the levels are often in less than ideal proportions that could lead to a more attractive and digestible bait. A bait with an open soft structure and capable of leaching soluble attractors while retaining attractive nutritional signals and taste factors is often much better than a dense textured bait which inhibits the dispersal of its attractors even if its a high protein milk protein bait. Very important taste signals which are received by carps taste receptors can directly influence the longevity of feeding on your bait and even if it is eaten at all.

Many baits will have high proportions of finely milled flours. In some carp studies it was found that carp preferred to eat coarse food items such as cracked maize, as opposed to finely milled maize flour made into dough balls. (This has much to do with nutrition being lost during the milling process – taste the difference between milled oats and natural oats for example.) Cracking open a piece of natural maize releases more concentrated flavour than the dough balls made from maize flour.

There has been a long growing trend towards use of so-called ‘food baits’ by carp anglers in many countries. This in theory means that carp get used to eating such a bait feeling the nutritional benefits that it contains and keep coming back for more. Such baits retain higher levels of taste substances after long immersion in water, than say a cheap ‘crap bait’ made from soya, semolina, rice flour or maize meal.

The cheap low food value bait base mix has very little in regards to nutritional attraction which contribute to taste attraction. In the case of the average commercially produced bait, results are often very similar between them because the ingredients used are so often the same or very similar and are offering similar nutritional rewards. Having been fed on these baits constantly by numbers of anglers and being hooked on them often fish can reduce their feeding on this bait now they need this supplemental nutrition offered less.

Some anglers say that carp do not differentiate between different anglers’ balanced nutritional baits, arguing they will eat them all anyway once flavours and most taste factors have leached out; the real difference being an individual angler’s abilities. This is very true in that years ago a low nutrition bait with a flavour could not match the attraction profile and nutritional rewards of constantly eating a balanced nutritional bait. At that time such baits could really produce astounding results. But these days most busy carp waters are fed such a wide range of baits, (which now form much of the bulk of the fish stocks diet,) that differences in catch rates between the commercially produced baits are mostly very similar, with few really standing out for long.

Even the new baits with added enzymes claiming to contain ‘optimum levels of the right amino acids for the best concentration and release of the most stimulating amino acids to carp,’ do not seem to work everywhere to the same degree of success compared to average baits. It seems that every carp water is different in regards to the relative nutritional requirements and possible deficiencies or not that carp may have. Much depends upon exactly how carp respond to each type of bait as a direct consequence of the nutrition that can be detected in it and efficiently digested and assimilated from it. There is evidence that use of the new generation of more highly preserved quality food baits, when used together with low flavour fresh frozen type baits on the same base mix can offer special attraction advantageous.

It’s the bait which offers more stimulating taste or a different nutritional attraction profile or a more stimulatory physiological effect that can get around the natural and angler-conditioned defences of carp. Many anglers have missed the potent physiological effects of essential oil mixtures including improved digestion and changes metabolism stimulation. An energized cold water carp is going to move faster and further, be more generally active, eat more bait, give you more chances of more pick-ups and even more far enough fast enough to self-hook itself against your lead, when they might otherwise not do so. I am personally extremely interested in the physiological, physical, mental, mood altering, general health and energy promoting effects of carp bait additives and ingredients. We have been catching carp for years by ‘drugging them’ and fishing baits are now more scientifically complex now than ever before.

You don’t need the latest commercial bait to catch winter fish, but using a totally new bait against established ones is a very effective test. Simple baits like worms can produce carp which may have switch-off to boilies for example. Flavoured and dyed sweetcorn has certain mineral and taste benefits for example that make for a great natural bait. Being carbohydrate based it is very much more digestible than higher protein boilies and pellets, but again, using the right quantity for conditions matters. I can eat only so much sweetcorn in a short time and carp are just the same.

However, sometimes in winter you can find that using the quantity of bait you would normally consider using in the summer can really pay off. In this scenario your bait had better be digestible. For those so inclined treated tiger nuts skinned to remove the oily outer layer can work well in cold conditions. Using a boilie base mix made using a higher ratio of water to eggs or a modern binder gel to form baits in paste or un-boiled form minus the digestive inhibiting effect of eggs is very effective (originally milk protein baits were used in paste form to extremely good effect. In winter fishing, your ‘background free baits’ used are of supreme importance. Using this feed very creatively using various techniques can decide a blank or ‘red letter day.’ In winter the activity of so-called nuisance fish may be very much reduced due to the cold, so take advantage. Tiny paste baits or 5 millimetres regularly introduced into spots where carp feed comfortably can really attract and stimulate fish without over-feeding. Using matching bird food / milk protein pellets and paste baits with a paste bait on the hook is great too. Sometimes the presence of ‘nuisance fish’ like roach or small carp can be a good indication that your location is spot-on as such a spot is sure to be where your target larger carp will feed. Often very short hook links with a back-stop, light lead and slackened line will hook a fish when a heavy lead inline set-up might produce single bleeps (if that) where a hook is ejected by leveraging the lead on a tight line especially.

The commercial bait designers and manufacturers are really to be congratulated for their huge efforts to improve their products. Sure products have a life-cycle of varying durations and keeping new products coming and market share are important too. But it’s good to know that the research and long-term bait-testing has often been done by the reputable companies who really do care and want their customers to achieve their dreams and keep coming back for more bait because it consistently catches fish all year round.

The baits which stand out in winter are often far more digestible. It appears that the amino acids and great palatability of certain quality milk protein ingredients in correctly prepared milk protein baits really stimulate carp in the winter. It may be that the solubility of whey products and caseinates and enzyme treated caseins do something unique to carp. It does show that in winter, digestibility is only part of the equation. I’m sure that the relatively lower pH of high protein milk protein ingredients is one reason why they are effective apart from the obvious nutritional attraction.

However, high protein baits are far more difficult for carp to digest (if not actually possible with many ingredients) and there are many other ingredients that produce much more digestible winter baits. Bird foods are used in winter baits with good reason. being much lower in protein, but are packed with very attractive components which supply many of the oils, vitamins, minerals, protein and oils etc carp need. Bird foods contain many attractive flavours and additives naturally. There is evidence to suggest for example that the effects of powerful antioxidant substances in bird foods contribute to their attraction. Some of the elements of that very famous winter carp bait additive ‘Robin red’ phenols.

It’s also a bit like tasting fast grown glasshouse produced tomatoes. (Usually by hydroponics where the plant food components like many minerals are in a watery solution and are regulated and piped to the tomato plants.) The flavour of these is in part due to the variety, but mostly upon the levels of taste producing factors like minerals are part of the tomato. Your tomatoes which are grown outside in the garden soil will taste much richer and be more nutritionally better for you, being packed with natural minerals from the soil. Their flavour profile will be totally different.

Bearing in mind that we are very like carp in that we are composed mostly of water and minerals, you can understand perhaps a bit more why the baits with minerals are detected as they are essential in the fish’s diet as they are in ours too. Try doing a comparison with baits based on semolina and soya flour with and without an added mineral and vitamin complex as a bait soak and see the difference. Of course the minerals taste will influence more efficient bait detection too and over time, granular type minerals will slowly dissolve some at different rates.

Many baits ingredients are quoted as being included for nutritional balancing of the bait. The big point is not the nutrition in the abstract (as per aquaculture quoted optimums) but the two-fold advantage of an energetic reward for the fish’s activity in finding and eating your bait. And perhaps even more importantly, various nutritional ingredients produce more long-term and short-term immersion food signals. This leads to easier bait detection by carp chemoreception by both long range external food detection receptors, like those along the lateral line, right down to the excitation of the palatial gustatory taste receptors in the mouth leading to the positive swallowing of your bait and the greatest chance of hooking the fish with the hook deep inside the mouth.

I have used many milk protein based baits in the last 30 years and found they produce better over all and especially in the winter, when they have been ‘cured.’ By this I mean (at the minimum) they have partly been pre-digested by bacterial action by heating in a sealed container in a warm environment and removing water moisture as it builds-up. This process can be increased by using any of a range of enzymes now available, but even the addition of papain helps. Milk protein baits have not worked for everyone on every water, despite their awesome performance on others.

Apparently strange things can happen when using milk protein baits. They have for years now had to compete with the more suitable amino acid profiles of marine based boilies and are comparatively much more expensive. Again it’s about using the right bait in the right place at the right time and these baits certainly can out-fish those naturally oily fishmeal baits especially in winter. Using enzyme treated fishmeals and protein (with emulsifiers) to better the nutritional attraction profile and leak-off of a winter milk protein bait makes much more sense than using a bait that is a very dense bait with very little digestibility and limited attraction properties.

Many anglers favour bird food baits with a quarter or a third of the formula consisting of a mixture of high protein milk ingredients combined with open coarse textured bird foods. I have found wheat based baits lots of oat bran and wheatgerm with a little milk protein and bird food ingredients in a very open textured soft bait easy to make and work very instantly. Raising your intense sweetener level in such a winter bait is beneficial. Many lower pH flavours like the fruits, spices and savoury ones like butter, milk or cream have proven effective in winter baits, many for widely different reasons. (Not all flavours are even remotely similar and some are definitely in a class of their own.) Certain extracts have amazing immunity boosting and antimicrobial effects. Essential oils and their derivatives are excellent in the winter.

The taste of many successful flavours will be found to match the flavour of certain molecules in the bait ingredients and I’m sure this can contribute to the flavours effects. Some proven winter flavours attract fish from range such as the very popular ‘Robin red’ based liquids for instance. This can be a bonus if you cannot fish the exact spot or desired swim that puts you directly on tightly shoaled winter carp and you can draw fish into your area.

I have fished a top quality milk protein bait with no flavours against milk protein baits with added flavours (in summer) and been shocked to blank which those flavoured baits caught. Having cured the same baits I returned and banked much bigger fish than those flavoured baits caught. Winter baits are as much a question of personal confidence in your bait (and location) as anything else. Many winter bait combinations and mixtures have come I’m sure as a result of pure desperation and very persistent and confusing trials and often by accident as much as design over the decades if truth be told... The world of bait is pitted with real life fishing variables, but then if carp fishing was too easy, would we bother going carp fishing in the deepest coldest darkest most bone-chilling winter days and nights?

Winter fishing is becoming far more popular these days as our fishing banks become more crowded with warm weather carp anglers and cold weather clothing and equipment is so well designed now. For most carp anglers today, the thought of sitting all day under a 45 inch umbrella on a deck chair in chilling rubber Wellington boots with your feet literally freezing to the ground are long gone (Phew!) Some days our coffee was more whisky than coffee to stave off the cold and keep our spirits up! Attitude counts for so much in winter.

I remember having fished for 4 nights without a bite in freezing conditions, when that evening a new angler turned up and offered to share the curry he’d prepared at home. He even offered a can of beer which I very much appreciated (I normally avoid any alcohol on the bank) But its often fellow anglers camaraderie and creative ways of dealing with the elements that makes a session memorable rather than just the fish caught. Even the best anglers will admit that there are times when absolutely no-one is catching fish and even the thought of the remotest possibility of a take and a ‘good social’ on the bank keeps us going.

The sometimes drastic extremes of weathers now officially confirmed as being the result of global warming offer us new opportunities with milder winters and the timing of our fishing sessions really does count. Changing weather patterns and seasonal extensions mean carp can be feeding for longer and earlier than in the past – so go for it; those big winter carp are waiting for you and most of all, aim to have fun!

The author has many more fishing and bait ‘edges.’ Just one could impact on your catches.
Tim Richardson is a homemade carp and catfish bait-maker, and proven big fish angler. His bait making and bait enhancing books / ebooks are even used by members of the “British Carp Study Group” for reference. View this dedicated bait secrets website now... For the unique and acclaimed new massive expert bait making / enhancing ‘bibles’ ebooks / books: “BIG CATFISH AND CARP BAIT SECRETS!” And: “BIG CARP BAIT SECRETS!” (AND "FLAVOUR, FEEDING TRIGGERS AND CHEMORECEPTION SECRETS") SEE: http://www.baitbigfish.com

Night Fishing For Catfish -Enticing Trophy Catfish Into A Feeding Frenzy!

2008-06-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

Equipment you will need :
Boat
Boat Anchors
Separate 12v Battery To run lights
Night Lights
Submerged Lighting
Live Bait Keeper
Chum bag
Rod Holders
Heavy Bait Casting Or Spinning Rig
Insect Repellent

Night fishing for catfish can be a very rewarding fishing trip .Trust me If you do it Correctly you will catch fish, not only will you catch fish but some will be lunkers! Catfish feed at night and are very active, and when they get into a feeding frenzy fishing action can be incredible! Catfish are attracted to submerged lighting And have a very keen sense of smell. So If you can locate their nightly haunts you can entice them on to your hook with some simple methods I will explain here. But first you must be setup and prepared for night fishing it is totally different at night then in the day. Things you take for granted during the day, don't apply at night.

Boat Setup for night fishing

Before you even think about going night fishing for catfish you need to have the following items:, lights for inside the boat ,either battery or Coleman fuel type lanterns with two mantles. Set up your lights so they distribute light evenly inside the boat. I personally fish from a 20 foot pontoon and I have 3 halogen battery powered lights hung 2in the front, left and right and one hanging from my canopy in the rear. (I have used my Coleman Lanterns but they attract a huge amount of insects)

You also will need a secondary light on your person. This light is used for re-rigging your fishing poles. Trust me , no matter how prepared you are before your trip you will loose some tackle, from line crossovers, or snags, or fish snapping your line. (you can limit this by using heavy tackle and making sure your line is fresh) I personally use a led light that clips to the visor on my ball cap.

You also will need a light to illuminate the water surface I recommend 12v halogen light that can be directed outside the boat. Mount it on the side of your boat, in the center. I personally use and adjustable halogen that I can clip to the railing on my pontoon. Direct the light at a 60 degree angle from boat to water. This will illuminate the surface.

You will need a submerged light source. You are probably asking your self right now why do I need submerged lighting? The submerged lights will generate plankton swirls that will attract bait fish. Once the bait fish start schooling The big cats will come. attract schools Submerged lighting rigs come in a variety of sizes and shapes, the one I use is 36" long about 4" in diameter. Center the submerged light in the illumination pattern of the surface water lighting you just set up. Anchor your submerged lighting about 12 " off the bottom, (without an anchor they will float on top of the water).. make sure the light completely submerged under the water. I recommend you use a 5lb weight as an anchor. If possible, anchor the submerged light about 2 to 3 ft from the boat.

You will need a secondary power source for the submerged light, the water illumination light and to operate your aerator pump for your live bait or live well."do not use your boats power source" This will drain your battery."you don't want to get stuck on the lake at night right? If you take a well charged 12v marine battery as your second source it will last through the night.

You will need all Your poles pre-rigged If you have the rigs I would set up 3 poles , per person in advance of getting on the water. The reason I suggest this is because it's real pain the "blank" To re-rig at night. You will end up doing it anyway , but if you have spare poles already set up, use them first before you have waist valuable time with poles out of the water.

Locating the cat's nightly haunts

It has been my experience the bigger cat's roam the shore lines or back waters in search of food at night. Every body of water will be different. I highly recommend you do some research on the body of water you intend to night fish for catfish on. At Minimum Get a topographical map of the area before you attempt your trip. These can be attained at any of the local bait and tackle shops in the area. (I recommend you visit one of these shops to get the local scoop anyway, if you dig deep enough these guys can pin point on the map Where to start fishing. This will save you lots of time.)

Enticing the Cats to your boat.

Once you have your water surface lights and your submerged lights set up and ready to go you don't even need to do the next step, you are ready to start fishing. The submerged lighting will get the schools of bait fish coming , but I take it step one step further because if you play on the catfish's extra sensitive sense of smell you can drive the Big cats into a feeding frenzy! Ok You say how?

Well the answer is by introducing "chumming".Chumming releases a slick of dead fish smells and fish guts that the small bait fish and catfish feed on. There are many commercial chumming systems you can purchase and they work very well, but I use a simple very inexpensive method that anyone can set up. First you will need a nylon netted bag that you can close tight. (a good example would the netted bags that you put golf balls in that have a string closure adjustment) This is what I use, works perfect , very inexpensive. Next , get some good size freezer bags, 3 should do for one nights trip. Next , Purchase about 2 dozen good size chubs and cut them in 1" to 2" slices, make sure you do this in a pan that will not drain all the juices. Fill the freezer bags pieces and juice all together, and let them sit outside in the sun all day long. Yes it will stink to high heaven by the end of the day, but that is what you want! Now stick the freezer bag in side the meshed bag that can close. Close the bag tight and tie a line at the bottom of the bag about 2 feet long. Attach about a 2lb anchor to get the bag to the bottom . Now tie a line at the top of the bag with enough lead line to get the bag on the bottom. Now before you lower the chum bag to the bottom take an ice pick, or something sharp that will puncture the bag , but not tear the plastic. Punch the freezer bag numerous times, then lower to the bottom an tie it off on the side of the boat.

Now its time to fish! But before we go there lets re-visit Your catfish rigs. There are many catfish rigs you can use, and they all work in situations they are designed for. When you are fishing at night and you have submerged a lighting setup ,you want get your line about 2 ft away from the light source, approximated on the outer edges of the source's beam. You will be fishing only a short distance from the boat, so your rigs need to be set up to fish in close proximity to the boat. You could fish tight line with a basic catfish hook and a small sinker. Or use a slip bobber system. I prefer to use the slip bobber system. I use the single hook rig. But both single and multiple hook rigs work fine. I just have preference for the single hook rig. I do use the double hook rig when fishing for other types of fish. I use all heavy duty, open face , and spin cast rod and reels with 30lb test. When you do get a lunker on your line you want the tackle set up to handle the fight. You miss some smaller cats, but it's well worth it when you catch your first 10lb plus catfish.

Baits To Use

Both Channel and Blue catfish will eat just about any small fish like Suckers, small shad, or bluegills both live or dead. I use both live bait and dead "cut bait" I will normally set one pole up with a small live gill no more that 3 inches in length. My other poles will be baited with cut bait , normally LARGE suckers 6" or longer cut in 1" to 2" chunks.

Now Bait your rigs,Get Your Boat Setup and get ready for an exciting Night fishing for Catfish Trip! Once you catch a lunker 10 pounder + You will be Hooked for life! So have fun and good luck! Get Your free copy of "78 Fishing Discoveries Unleashed" Here--oldfishinghole.com

About The Author

Mark Fleagle
Company: Eaglesnestmarketing

Address: 203 North Ash St.
City: St. Marys
State: Ohio
Country: USA
e-mail: admin@oldfishinghole.com Websites: http://eaglesnestmarketing.ws and oldfishinghole.com

Eaglesnestmarketing was founded on January of 2005, and fast becoming a leader offering free online fishing information.

Eaglesnestmarketing has two websites at eaglesnestmarketing.ws and oldfishinghole.com they offer free fishing information and specialize in crappie fishing and night fishing tips and information.

Eaglesnestmarketing is owned and operated by Mark Fleagle. A well respected fishing enthusiast with 30+ years of fishing experience,who has published many fishing articles. Mark has been a online presence for fishing information for going on 4 years.

My Goal, For Eaglesnestmarketing is to provide the average fisherman Excellent fishing resources to use for their next fishing trip. In particular, we specialize in crappie and catfishing information, night fishing techniques and tips.

The Best Carp and Catfish Fishing Presents Secrets

2008-06-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

I first became a passionate angler as a child. It has enriched my life and taught me many things never taught in any book in school. I had little support from disinterested parents and my fishing progress was very limited when I was young. This lack of encouragement teamed with scarce funds to buy fishing tackle and pay for fishing permits did not help either. Two of the greatest presents you can actually provide any kid with a growing interest, is to give them attention and encouragement no matter how little you care about the new hobby or sport etc yourself.

Owing to a lack of information and materials to expand and forward my own learning and enable me to further think for myself my catches and development of my passion were hampered. Today if you are a beginner, or even an experienced one, the internet is such an amazing resource for budding anglers. I used to visit libraries and read everything I could to expand my knowledge. As they say, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, certainly for the fish it can be. Just one tip about a bait enhancing principle can revolutionise catches for instance.

Often an angler can remain stuck for years in a ‘void’ where their thinking and understanding and technical approach is very conventional and generally on a par with his or her peers. For instance I remember using soluble polyvinyl alcohol tubes to apply free bait accurately at range, when most anglers around me were ignorant of its existence altogether. Applying extra pressure on the line where a bobbin, indicator or ‘swinger’ would be placed today, I used different weight tent pegs and elastic to vary line tension and ‘bounce-back’ on a fish playing with a baited rig which produced many good results and valuable lessons. This was around the time that hollow cylinders were being used on a stick with the line passing under it as bite indicators in the 70’s and early eighties.

Where everyone is reading the same information (and opinions) this generally creates a situation where a majority will inevitably think the same. This can even make people who do things differently to the majority get ridiculed, which is just crazy. For example a guy using live bait to catch a big carp. Sound crazy? Nope: Richie McDonald tuned into his surroundings to the degree that when he realised that the big carp he was fishing for were predating upon abundant fish fry he simply went with the flow and gave them what they wanted. The result was the biggest leather carp in the UK at the time; ‘Heather the leather.’ Now many young anglers have missed school in order to go fishing without their parents or teachers knowledge. I’m sure Richie did and yours truly also. But this was because no-one close to me neither encouraged nor supported me so I took things into my own hands. My parents simply never went fishing with me (period.) What can we learn from this I wonder...?

For me, it only made me even more determined and rebellious, which is not the best thing for any family and cause disruptions, arguments, fall-outs, groundings and cycles of family battles etc. What a waste of effort. If the family helps and supports a child’s passion then this is far more productive and less harmful avoiding all those negative and emotionally-draining life experiences and relationships strife that can so easily be avoided.

I was not a good reader at the age of 6. But by allowing me to do a very detailed school project on fishing at the age of 10, not only did my reading skills (and illustrative skill) improve overnight drastically, but so did my behaviour, my performance in various school subjects and my confidence and improved attitude too. Being free to express yourself through something you are passionate about, (at any age) really can change you and your life (and your family’s) in so many positive ways.

Through my childhood and teen years I gradually gathered more and more information about a very wide and deep range of fishing areas and subjects. Memories of small stepping stone experiences where many major breakthroughs occurred, looking back now really fill those years with colour and fond memories. Like many kids I also had other interests and played guitar and sang (my mother was a music teacher) played many sports and won many cups and medals, loved wildlife and actually rather preferred to be there doing something ‘hands-on’ than reading about it. But then in between doing something I liked doing, I’d track down information and read about it. I liked to try a technique for real; them read more about the subject and try again and keep trying new things and testing results. I never new what might happen which was a really exciting thing.

I remember sitting beside my carp rods on a particular night on the first water I fished with 20 pound carp lurking there. The sudden realisation that I might hook a 20 pound carp scared me – I’d only landed my previous best, a 13 pound carp, on a roach rod and although I was now using heavier rods used for ledgering using a sinker, how would I myself deal with the fight from a bigger fish? At the time a 20 pound carp was considered a very good fish and the record of Kevin Maddocks, that of twenty 20 pound carp caught in a season, had not been achieved yet.

As a kid I’d had pictures all over my walls of big fish caught by leading anglers of the day mostly members of the dedicated fishing fraternity the ‘British Carp Study Group.’ The fish in the pictures are not thought of as huge today. I fact I hooked three 40’s in 18 hours in a water in the UK in 2005 and multiple catches of 30 pound fish are common-place in the UK. Fish have benefited from global warming, improved bait nutrition and volume of application and improved availability of natural food too, by growing much bigger on average than in previous decades. A role model is very important and my heroes were the likes of Rod Hutchinson, Richard Walker, The Taylors, Jack Hilton and so on.

These guys really shared their passion and love for fishing, for nature and wildlife and how to appreciate it more, so that their fishing became an integral part of a natural vibrant waterside environment. For example at the famous carp water called Bernithan pool or ‘Redmire’ swims were just gaps in the reeds created upon arriving to fish and ‘bivvy’ sized swims were definitely not cool even though ridge tents were often used. In fact, the first time I ever night-fished, I used a 2 man ridge tent. This might seem unimaginable to the extremely commercially minded anglers of today.

What help and enthusiasm and encouragement I could not get from family came from those writers of articles in the fishing papers of the time and very ground-breaking they were too, although many times the baits and methods talked about had already been used in practice by a range of different creative anglers in the past. The ‘hair rig’ for instance was used by anglers in different countries including parts of China and even in the UK well prior to the official publication of the hair rig. It is sometimes easier to ‘invent’ something by accident that puts you ahead. Using a tangled hook link so that the bait (which had ridden up the line away from the hook) was fished away from the hook was my first use of a hair rig and it solved the twitch bites I had been having most of the time from single figure fish at the time.

Fishing information is all over the place now and it’s a great thing which can quicken the results achieved and raise standards and awareness of fishing by so many years. But one thing that is missing very frequently in new anglers is that ability to think creatively for themselves and also to respect their fishing environment.

Fishing publications often trigger fashions in thinking and behaviour which really have little to do with practical fishing and far more to do with ego and artificially created fashions, such as with ‘instant’ anglers who buy all the newest tackle available – those ‘camo’ style hoodies or the smoothest line lay big pit reels. It’s knowing how to use the equipment that really counts and that takes appreciation and understanding of information. It’s like knowing about wind lanes, shaded areas preferences of fish, the way underwater layers and currents move and effects of fly hatches on fish, etc. No camouflaged rucksack ever caught anyone a fish, just like no gun actually killed anyone by itself! Sure the tackle trade is there to make money and I’m sure to keep their livelihoods alive and kicking for the future, but this is not the ‘be all and end all.’

Tackle trade information is often skewed as ‘infomercials’ and tend to give a one-sided picture of things. How do you really know if a reported fish was caught on a particular companies bait, for instance, or if it was, was that bait which is commercially available actually identical to the one used in the adverts or even used by high profile ‘field-testers?’ Fortunately most companies realise that integrity counts long-term.

If you are thinking of maybe buying something for yourself or a budding angler for Christmas this is an exciting thing but also sometimes an apparently confusing thing. After all, with so many new and fashionable items on sale, how do you choose? Do you go with ‘X’ company’s recommendation, or ‘Y’ company’s recommendation? The best thing to do is actually discover for yourself exactly what the fishing needs and exact requirements really are. So many times a kid gets a rod that is too short and uncontrollable as a gift. The first time he goes to cast out or strike at a fish his float and fine line will easily tangle causing great frustration and tackle wastage and boredom!

I got really started out with a ‘toy rod’ of split cane with a fibreglass tip which was a 10 foot long 2 piece rod with a metal copper coloured furrel and rod end insert which proved its weakest point in the end! I was lucky as this length was much easier to use than the often seem ‘toy’ fishing rods from China at 5 or 6 feet long. In fact I found it much easier still using a 13 foot rod. The balance of a rod and its reel are so important to anglers learning skills of holding a rod to cast out, or reel in and land a fish.

Personally I loved getting anything to do with fishing for Christmas. As the years went by my parents found this time that this was no ‘5 minute wonder’ soon to be given up, but a completely absorbing all consuming passion, but I still only used the most basic of tackle. I still remember the smell of the lubricating oil in my first ‘fixed spool reel’ and marvelled at the varnish, whipping, rings, reel rings and cork handle of my first ‘real’ fishing rod. It was actually solid glass fibre rod of 10 feet in length with small sea-fishing style rings which were highly robust. In fact this rod successfully lasted me for years and again just shows it’s how you use equipment even when totally out-dated.

You need the correct tools for the job of actually fishing, but they must suit you personally and ideally you need the opportunity to test expensive equipment before buying and in this respect I really like the idea of this approach at the Carp Society water ‘Horseshoe Lake’ which is a stunning lake in Gloucestershire, UK. When testing a rod, its action and fighting test curve you must use line in the rings and preferably test casting it with the weights of sinkers you will use in practice. Over the years I’ve used rods that simply do not feel balanced, do not have the power in the tip, or butt section when really needed, have too much memory in the tip, or are too soft in the middle section, or simply feel awkward when fighting a big fish using a big heavy reel.

Some rods have had too few rings; some have too many, some have the rings at distances which for my purposes were not ideal. In fact many of my big fish (including a 45 pound leather carp) were landed using rod blanks which had been turned into sea bass fishing rods with a test curve of about 3.5 pounds. These rods were a mixture of glass fibre and carbon fibre and I used a total of 6 over a particular period of 10 years for catfish and carp. They gradually lost their memory after the effects of playing big fish took their toll, but they suited me perfectly, despite my having tried leading brand rods previously.

Sometimes it is better to get second-hand gear that was ‘top of the range’ first before buying brand new so you can use and ‘abuse’ it and really test it out. I used some brand new Rod Hutchinson rods successfully for a couple of years before I appreciated their ideal use and also their limitations. These rod were 13 foot long 3.5 pound test curve (original) ‘Dream Makers.’ I found them ideal for playing carp of around 30 to about 50 pounds, (the same for catfish) but above this they were not ‘pokey’ enough. I hooked the big girl (at 82 pounds) at Rainbow Lake in France on one of these rods and these rods were as much use as a roach rod.

In order to track down the exact equipment that suits you, you need to list what it is exactly that will give you the solution to your problem. For example, if you need to accurately hit the marginal shelf under a tree on the edge of an island 120 metres away (in a cross-wind) few rods will exactly suit your height, weight, style of casting etc and it takes genuine research and testing and not taking the first ‘distance rod’ you see in a magazine at face value.

In my opinion, (apart from fish location and behaviour) a genuine understanding of and appreciation of all the natural systems and environment and natural life involved in your fishing bestows great power. Yes consistent fishing success takes experience, but knowledge gives you the greatest personal edges and breakthroughs in fishing, (as with many things in life) because you will be mentally tooled-up to be able to think far more creatively and constructively to solve your fishing problems and challenges which constantly come everyone’s way. Learning about why and how baits work and how best exploit them is vitally important, but the average fisherman does not have this deeper information. This is just one of the things that classify him as ‘average.’

Reading about the latest baits and fishing techniques in magazines can show you current fashions, like bait flavours, boilies, pellets etc and current manufacturers or sponsors thinking but don’t forget the bigger picture – things go in cycles and don’t just progress in a linear direction; so why not think for yourself, get more and bigger ‘edge’ and break those cycles. Think about it; a fishing rod is for Christmas, but knowledge is for life...

The author has many more fishing and bait ‘edges.' Just one could impact on your catches.
Tim Richardson is a homemade carp and catfish bait-maker, and proven big fish angler. His bait making and bait enhancing books / ebooks are even used by members of the “British Carp Study Group” for reference. View this dedicated bait secrets website now... For the unique and acclaimed new massive expert bait making / enhancing ‘bibles’ ebooks / books: “BIG CATFISH AND CARP BAIT SECRETS!” And: “BIG CARP BAIT SECRETS!” (AND "FLAVOUR, FEEDING TRIGGERS AND CHEMORECEPTION SECRETS") SEE: http://www.baitbigfish.com

The #1 Fishing Secret That Will Help Any Angler Catch More Fish

2008-06-20T07:31:00.000-07:00

As an angler, have you ever wondered if there's one secret that will help you catch more fish? In this article I'm going to explain the one fishing secret that has enabled me to enjoy a ton of fishing success for many different species of fish. Although fishing secrets seem to be a dime a dozen, this one truly will help you to enjoy much more fishing success. What, you think I'm pulling your leg? Take five minutes, read this article and decide for yourself. You'll be glad you did, I promise you.

This fishing secret was discovered by trial and error, as well as paying attention to my surroundings during more than twenty five years of fishing. Let me ask you a question. Have you ever had one of those epic days fishing where it seemed as if you could do no wrong? Like no matter what you threw into the water resulted in fish being caught? Yea, me too.

One day I began t investigate this phenomenon and figured out the #1 fishing secret that will help any angler catch more fish. When I go fishing I use the same technique and bait 95% of the time. Therefore, I knew that my method of fishing wasn't the main reason that I had one of these "epic days". I began to pay attention to other factors and came up with the answer, and much to me amazement the #1 fishing secret had little to do with my prowess as an angler. The #1 fishing secret has to do with Mother Nature.

To be more specific the #1 fishing secret has to do with the weather and moon. After researching these subjects, and the ways they impact fish behavior (and thus fishing) I discovered that whenever I experienced the "epic" fishing days, these two forces of Mother Nature were in my favor. I then discovered that when the weather and moon were conducive for fishing, these "epic" days tended to happen. So I began studying the weather, moon, and how these two forces of Mother Nature related to fishing. What I discovered was the secret that I'm referring to in this article.

As an example, did you know that fish bite much better during certain moon phases? That's right, when the moon is full, it not only makes people act in strange ways, but it's also great for fishing. The exact same thing is true for the weather. When certain frontal systems move through your fishing area, fish are much more apt to bite. My point to all of this is that these two forces of Mother Nature (the weather and moon) hold the key to the #1 fishing secret that will help any angler catch more fish.
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Channel Catfish Fishing

2008-06-20T07:29:00.000-07:00

There are some who might think it strange to write an article on Channel Catfishing but for those who know and have experienced catching and eating this fish it may not be so surprising. But for those not as familiar with catfish or fishing in general, reading about what is probably the most plentiful catfish on the North American continent can be a true learning experience that can be put to good use.

Let's start with the basics. Channel catfish are, in fact, an extremely common variety of catfish that can be found in most parts of the United States. They are sometimes referred to as blue channel cats, river catfish, or spotted cats from time to time, as they do have spots, resemble a smaller version of the blue catfish, and often prefer rivers.

Although I have done most of my Channel Catfishing in rivers they are not limited to just rivers as they are not to picky about there homes. You can find channel cats in most types of freshwater, as long as the waters are warm enough (waters should warm to at least 70 degrees in the mid spring for spawning purposes).

How can you tell that channel catfish fishing will be good in a particular spot? Consider the habits of the channel cat. They often do prefer rivers, though unlike their larger cousins, they usually will be found wherever the current is slower, looking for a little shelter in natural pile ups, rock formations, and ridges in the river where food can get hung up.

In lakes, you're most likely to find them in shallower water, perhaps near the shoreline, where they can find brush cover and overgrowth from trees and grass to shelter them. Don't expect to find them hanging around locations with a very muddy bottom; they prefer the sand and rock bottom areas.

Another good place to find channel catfish is just below dams - these opportunistic feeders can find lots of flotsam and jetsam in the area to munch on.

What sort of equipment do you need for channel catfish fishing? Well, this depends on where you are fishing them. I have caught them as small as 3 0r 4 pounds but on average I usually catch them around 10 to 15 pounds but it is not uncommon to find them even bigger than this.

Therefore, you should have strong, solid equipment that is prepared for anything, including a struggle with a monster channel cat especially if you are fishing them in a fast river current.

In terms of bait, don't even bother bringing artificial baits; channel catfish fishing won't accomplish much with such a farce because catfish tend to find food based on their sense of smell rather than by sight.

Therefore, you need some sort of bait with an aroma that can permeate the waters and draw the fish to your line. This could be night crawlers, chicken livers, pieces of shad, or other fresh fish. My favorite bait to use is frogs because you can usually find them anywhere you are fishing so you don't need to run to the bait store everytime you go catfishing, plus other smaller fish tend to leave your frog alone while waiting for a jumbo cat to bite.

Shane Brown has spent the past 25 years fishing all kinds of freshwater and saltwater fish but Catfishing has reigned supreme in his Fishing adventures. http://thecatfishking.com/ , http://hubpages.com/hub/thecatfishking

Bluegill Fishing With Micro Spoons-Non Stop Bluegill Action Without Bait

2008-06-20T07:27:00.000-07:00

Bluegill fisherman tend to be very set in there ways when it comes to having a blast catching these fish. One of the biggest problems is covering water where bigger bluegills are living. Most big gills sit right off a shallow flat, and this area could be way outside of your casting range if you stick with a bait and bobber. Have you ever caught a bluegill on a minnow or a small bass lure and thought, wow that is strange, and then continued to fish for bluegill with your worm instead of exploring using smaller lures for the bigger bluegills?

How about trying some of those bigger baits on bluegills instead of going back to the worms, grubs, and maggots. One of the most effective lures ever for huge bluegill is small spoons of about 1/8oz. These spoons can be fished by themselves and they can be used in a deadly spoon/plastic grub combination. Bluegill are always fascinated by flashing lures and they will follow them in a deep trance all the way to the shore. But if the lure is small enough, they will attack like a piranha. And the weight of a spoon allows you to get out way past any point you can cast live bait.

One of the most deadly methods ever for bluegill is using a small spoon and a trailing a plastic grub off the back of one of the bends in the treble hook. This set up allows you to cast out far and bring fish into the bait with flash and vibration. The bluegill will see the spoon and then quickly notice the grub and attack like a shark. As an interesting alternative to a plastic grub you could use a fly fishing nymph or dry fly that will get dragged below the surface and look like a real insect

This technique will have other fisherman's jaws hit the floor when they see you bring in fish after fish. You may not want to let them see you doing this in the first place. The bluegill spoon technique might really devastate the bluegill population if you do. Bluegill just can not stay away from this technique, and you can easily catch 50 or more fish if you stay out all day.
Next time you hit the water try the bluegill spoon technique, it will put all other bluegill fishing methods to shame. Rip some lip.

Ice Fishing - Have You Ever Considered This Great Outdoor Activity

2008-06-18T09:47:00.000-07:00

Ice fishing is an extremely popular sport in many areas of the world where the climate allows for the complete freezing over of the water to create a layer of ice that is thick enough to be safe. As its name implies, it involves fishing for fish underneath a sometimes very thick layer of ice. The fisherman is responsible for making his own hole to fish through, and there are many tools that are used to do this.

When ice fishing, the way things are gone about depends a great deal on how long the person plans to be on the ice and how experienced or avid of a fisherman that they are. Many fishermen will come with a friend or in a group, and fish through holes in the ice that are made underneath a type of cabin called a hut. These are small, collapsible huts that are assembled on the ice and can provide enough warmth to allow for an extended period of fishing. Many fisherman choose to stay overnight in these huts, usually, with one other person or perhaps in a group. Consider it the winter version of a fishing camping trip, on the ice.

Of the many outdoor sports, ice fishing is certainly one of the most expensive of them all. It requires specialized fishing equipment, warm clothing to keep the elements out, and a tool to hack through the ice and get to the water, and often times a collapsible fishing hut and a backpack or something else to carry it in. Of course there are other necessities like food and water, but most enthusiasts are not unwilling to rough it.

Ice fishing is popular in many areas, including the United States. Of course, not every region of the U.S. is cold enough to make winter time fishing safe or even at all possible but there are many places where it is. The technique is a lot different than actual fishing itself, and the process itself is different as well. Those who want to try something new and don't mind the cold but are fans of the great outdoors would fare well in such an intense and interesting pastime.

For those who haven't done it before, it is best advised that you get a little bit of help from a more experienced ice fisherman before you embark out on your own. They can give you tips on everything, from how to occupy yourself on the ice while playing that waiting game, what type of cabin will work best, and where to get the best supplies not to mention the best ways of using them.

There are so many different ways to go about ice fishing and you have to find the style and the time that is best for you. Only through trial and error can a beginner get this done. If you are itching to learn something new and you live in a wintry area, this may very well be just the thing for you to try.
Widen your knowledge on ice fishing rods at http://www.icefishingzone.com/ - Free information and impartial advice on ice fishing.

Fishing Tips - Why Fish Bite

2008-06-18T09:45:00.000-07:00

As anglers one of the biggest, if to the biggest thing to understand is why fish bite. In this article, I'm going to explore some of the reasons why fish bite and provide fishing tips that you can use to your advantage to become a more successful angler. Understanding the reasons why fish bite or don't bite is of the utmost importance to any angler worth his or her salt.

Although there are many, many reason why fish bite, for this article I'm going to focus on the 3 main reasons that have enabled me to catch more fish on a regular basis. More than twenty years ago I had the pleasure of knowing and learning from an incredible angler that taught me these three tips about why fish bite, and I've been using them to my advantage ever since. Now you can do the same. Let's get down to the business of 'why fish bite', shall we?

1. The Diameter Of Your Line - Many anglers overlook the importance of the diameter of their fishing line. If fish can see your fishing line they are much less apt to bite, it's as simple as that. This is especially true when fishing in clear water for fish such as trout or smallmouth bass. Many anglers use fishing line that's entirely too heavy for the fish they're attempting to catch. Use line that's as light as you can get away with. You will get many more bites, the lighter your fishing line is. For example, I use four pound test for all of my river and stream trout fishing, and I regularly land fish in the nineteen to twenty two inch range. The diameter of your line matters!
2. The Weather - The weather plays a huge role in the behavior of fish, and thus why they bite. If you want to get more bites when fishing, spend a little time learning the ways in which the weather impacts fishing and you will get more bites. A great fishing tip is to be fishing when certain fronts move through your fishing area, and conversely you might as well not bother when other frontal systems make their way through your fishing area. The weather is a big reason why fish bite.
3. The Moon - Of the three reasons why fish bite listed in this article, the moon is probably the most important. When it comes to fishing tips, the moon is kind of like the Holy Grail. Understanding how the moon impacts the behavior of fish is amazingly important. You will get more bites simply by being on the water when the moon is in certain phases, such as when it's a new moon. Believe it or not the moon plays a huge role in your fishing success or failure. Start using the moon to your advantage sooner, rather than later and you will begin catching many more fish.

These simple, yet amazingly effective fishing tips are the three biggest factors as to why fish bite. What, you think I'm crazy? Just test them and find out for yourself. Believe me, you'll be glad you did. Many times the most effective things in fishing are the most simple, there's no doubt about it.

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Bait Casting Reels

2008-06-16T13:04:00.001-07:00

Bait casting reels are good reels that help in fishing. It will take some time to learn the art of bait casting reel. But a little bit of hard work would help you learn the technique fast. It is necessary to get a fine reel in order to support you when fishing. Bait casting reels can be bought of any brand. There are various branded ones available in the market. Brands like Ambassadeus, Diawai, Bass Pro Shops, and Shimano etc. it is not important that you buy a higher range reel for better functioning. A cheaper one which is of a good quality will also do.

When working with a bait casting reel it is necessary to know the way your thumb would be working on it. The thumbs control the device and are kept on the spool. It is not very difficult to get used to this. You can relax and try this out at home. Just sit down and practice it to perfect this technique.

The bait casting reel is also called as overhead reel. This is because it is built up on top of the rod. In the earlier days the bait casting reels were made of iron or brass. Sometimes even rubber that is solid and German silver was used. But nowadays such reels are made of either stainless steel or aluminum.

There is a number of bait casting reels that are available. Some are huge and are best for saltwater fishing. Fishes like sailfish, tuna, sharks; marlin can be trapped by this equipment. Normally such equipments are to be used with the right hand. But today the left hander is also using them because bait casting reels are available for left hander also. This is becoming very popular.

The bait casting reels are very good and are much better as compared to some other reels. But some people find it very difficult to utilize this equipment. A little bit of an effort is needed to get a proper hold of this equipment. Holding of the reel should be firm and in the right way. This is the basic of handling this equipment.

When using the bait casting reels ensure that your wrist is doing the work well. There are many positions and actions in order to work on this device. The better it is practiced you could perfect the art of working on it. Here make sure that a light throw would not do. If the wind is too hard then you will have to work with a reel that is lighter in nature.

Manuel Wiggins is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about bait casting reels visit Best Fishing Blog for current articles and discussions.

Small Ponds, Fun Times

2008-06-16T13:03:00.001-07:00

If you are getting tired of searching for the fish, then consider going to a small pond or a hard to get to lake. The less a spot has been fished, the better chance you'll have at landing fish with less struggle. Fishing these small ponds and lakes can be highly rewarding for the advantageous fishermen.

Any body of fresh water has the potential of having fish in it. I'm not saying just pull over to the side of the road any time you see a reservoir, but if you see a potential body of water, ask the neighbors about it, or look for information online. A little research can go a long way in the never-ending search for the best fishing spots.

What's also great about fishing small ponds, is the fact that they are usually so close to home that you can just stop by for an hour or two in the morning or evening and get a little relaxation time in. You don't have to hitch up the boat and take care of all the typical problems that arise before venturing out to the biggest lake. Fishing a small pond is as easy as throwing your fishing pole and a small tackle box in the back of your truck.

Small ponds are also a great way to get your friends and family involved in fishing. If you have a friend that has been interested in getting involved with fishing, small ponds are a cheap and easy way to get them started. The tackle you need is relatively simple, and they are able to practice at a spot that is close by.

One of my favorite fishing spots was produced by being a little imaginative. There was a small lake that I heard had a fair amount of bass, the only problem was that it was a mile hike through some steep terrain. I strapped on my backpack and fishing pole and pushed forward. I was rewarded with some of the best fishing of my life. This is just one example of many that people have experienced by giving smaller lakes and ponds a shot.
- Shaun Savage of Bass Fishing Tips HQ

10 Things You Need to Go Catfish Fishing

2008-06-11T09:26:00.000-07:00

10 Things You Need to Go Catfish Fishing
Ready to go catfish angling? You do not need much equipment and it will not cost you a fortune. I am going to give you a list of what I believe to be the bare minimum catfish gear needed to fish from the bank and how to set your catfish rig. Ok, we are going to start with what you have to have.

1 Fishing rod 61/2 to 7 ft medium/heavy action

2 Fishing reel, type is your choice but if is the first time I suggest a spin casting model

3 Fishing line, your reel should have 8-10lb test line

4 Assorted sinkers, should include egg and split sinkers

5 Assorted bait hoots, sizes 6-1/0

6 Small package of corks or bobbers

7 Leaders, at least a half dozen 12-24 inches in length

8 Bait, zillions of choices here but suggest a tub of chicken livers and a tub of night crawlers

9 Small scissors, need something to cut your line.

10 Pliers, needle nose are the best. You will need to take the hook out of the catfish

That is it, bare minimum and you can not keep any of the catfish you catch. Ok, want a little bit more than the bare minimum, here are some accessories I am fond of for bank fishing.

1 Chair, much softer and more comfortable than a rock or log

2 Rod holders, a good stick with a Y at the top will work. Mine is homemade from pipe. You have to have someway to set your rod down if you are going to be there for any length of time.

3. Cooler, I have to have my soda. Mine is very small only holds 6 cans and a couple of sandwiches.

4 Tackle box, you do not need a big one but you do need something to keep and carry your tackle in

5 Stringer, if you want to keep the catfish you catch you will need this.

6 Lantern, much easier to rig your gear at night if you have a lantern. Turn it off though when you do not need it.

7 Glow sticks, you can find these for the end of your rod for about a dollar and they will work several hours

Pack everything above in advance and you can carry it from your vehicle to the bank in one trip.

Now its time to set up your catfish rig. I am going to assume that you have the reel on the rod and the line is through the eyes on the rod. Slip a 3-5 oz egg sinker onto the line. Tie a 12-18" lead onto the line using the Palomar knot. Simply put the leader though instead of the hook as shown. Clip your hook onto the leader and bait the hook.

Your ready. Cast it into the water and wait for the catfish to bite. If you have a glow stick and do not want to hold your rod all the time attach it to the tip and you will be able to see it when you get a bite. Do not get discouraged if you do not catch something your first time out. Catfish are very good at stealing your bait so reel it in every 20-30 minutes and check your bait. If the blood is out of the liver change it. Cast again into a slightly different location. GOOD LUCK!

Doug Burns is founder of CatfishAngling.com. A leading source for tips, tricks and information on catfish fishing. Doug has been an avid angler for 35 years and cares about what you want.

MAKE A REQUEST, ASK A QUESTION: CatfishAngling.com

Fishing Tips - The Most Important Fish Catching Tips

2008-06-11T09:25:00.000-07:00

Fishing Tips - The Most Important Fish Catching Tips
In this article I'm going to outline the most important fishing tips, which have been learned through more than fifty years of combined fishing experience. It seems to me that fishing tips are a dime a dozen, but these tips have been proven to be effective in real world fishing situations. Steven Wright said of us anglers that, "there's a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore looking like an idiot". I couldn't agree more, and this article will help you avoid the latter part of that quote.

I'm going to list these powerful fish catching tips in no particular order of importance. They are all effective and should be employed sooner, rather than later. Most of these tips are for the river and/or stream angler, but can be easily modified and implemented into any anglers regime. Let's get down to business, shall we?

Pay Attention To Your Hands - As anglers, many times we don't pay enough attention to our hands, and more importantly the scents that might be on our hands. You see, these scents transfer to your bait or lure and if the fish detect any unnatural scents, they tend not to bite. This is especially true with larger, more experienced fish. A good practice is to grab a handful of grass or dirt and rub it into your hands before baiting up. This will effectively eliminate any unnatural odors that might be on your hands.
Pay Attention To Your Rod - When is the last time you cleaned your fishing rod? For example, taken a q-tip dipped in WD-40 and cleaned the inside of your eyelets? Doing this once or twice a year will increase your casting distance and reduce any extra friction on your line. This simple tip will amaze you with the difference it makes.

Pay Attention To Your Hooks - If you're a live bait angler (especially live worms) your hooks are of the utmost importance. You should always use gang hooks for your live bait fishing. Gang hooks are simple a pair of small hooks tied in tandem, which enable live bait, especially live worms, to be presented in an outstretched and natural manner, which makes a big difference in bite rates. If you want to catch more fish, make sure you employ gang hooks whenever you're bait fishing.
Pay Attention To The Weather & Moon - Many anglers overlook these two forces of Mother Nature, but they shouldn't. The weather & moon have as much to due with us catching fish as the type of bait or lure we choose to use. Learning the ways in which the weather and moon impact fishing is an extremely important fish catching tip. This may be the most important tip contained in this article.

The bottom line is these fishing tips will help anyone become a much more successful angler. When it comes to fishing tips, these are extremely simple, yet amazingly effective. How am I so sure of this? Simply because I've personally been using every single one of them for more than twenty years and know how effective they are, and if they work for me, they will work for anyone.

Gang Hooks Tied & Ready To Fish: http://www.jrwfishing.com/gang_hooks.asp

Does Rod Size Matter?

2008-06-08T22:26:00.000-07:00

Rod size, big or small, can give us Bass anglers another edge for success on the water. It could be the difference in not only comfort, but practicality in its usage. Again, every little bit counts especially when ounces can mean the difference in tournament success.
There are different sizes for good reason. Mind you, an angler's height plays a major role as well, but overall rod size differences still apply. For example, in dunking, as long a rod as possible is preferred so that the reach is there. A longer rod is also handy for pitching short distances which is the norm and helps create that all important pendulum effect for a stealth approach. Skipping is much easier done with a shorter rod so that the angler can skip the bait as close to the water surface as possible without sacrificing accuracy. Carolina rigging is better implemented with a longer rod as well for the many added feet of dragging and sweeping hook sets.
Rod length applies to shore anglers more so because the longer rod gives better distance in the casts, as well as good solid hook sets to get the Bass in for that great picture. Drop shotting is best done with a good lengthy rod for both the cast and working the bait. So, as you can tell different size rods go hand in hand with specialty situations and in order to achieve the results we want on the water we use what's best suited for the task.
All in all rod size does matter, but there are exceptions of course and there always will be. But in deciding what length to use, comfort definitely plays a major role in our decision. If it doesn't feel comfortable then confidence is sacrificed and that is not a good start to our day. Confidence starts at the rod, then the reel, and because it is comfortable, it becomes part of our anatomy. That raises the level of concentration on what we are doing, not on what we are using! Therefore, focusing solely on what we are doing will only make us do it better with more SUCCESS!
Visit Nic DiGravio at http://www.probassfishing.ca

The Secrets To The Great Relaxing Sport Of Bass Fishing

2008-05-05T12:06:00.000-07:00

Bass fishing is very popular at the lake, with its excellent habitat and special angling regulations. Lake Oroville is recognized as one of the best bass fisheries in the western United States, boasting some of the highest catch rates of quality fish in California. Bass fishing is good around areas of structure or cover such as the cypress shoreline. Bluegill can be taken on live bait or a fly rod with summer months the best. Bass fishing is excellent throughout the year. From January through April, bass spawn in bulrush and other vegetation along shallow-water areas enhanced during the 2001 draw down and around the lakes two islands (Big Island and Bumblebee Island).
Bass fishing is good on spinner baits and plastic worms. Cat fishing is good on cut bait and night crawlers. Bass fishing is a specialty unto itself within the broad fishing category of artificial worm fishing using a pole and reel. Within the technique of bass fishing, is a category wherein the fisherman casts a lure to a particular spot within a body of water with the lure descending substantially straight downward by means of a weight attached to the lure. Bass fishing is slow.
Bass fishing is finally starting to pick up. I'm still fishing the main bodies of water- throwing to the bank and/or points. Bass Fishing is indeed an adventure for the anglers and travelers. It gives them a lot of enjoyment and excitement as well. Bass fishing is one of the most common types of fishing. Many bass fish are found in bayou water and salt water.
Winter Bass Fishing in the north can be some of the toughest fishing of any time of year. Due to the cold weather, the bass head for their deeper haunts and become very lethargic eating only one or two hours out of the day. Winter bass station over creek channels and points, near schools of shad. As the shad die off, the bass inhale them with a minimum effort.
Anglers must pause for a second as soon as the see the bass strike the bait. After this brief pause the angler can set the hook. Anglers have also proven to be effective in the lower tail waters. Try using red worms, wax worms, and small jigs. Anglers are reminded that bass fishing in the northern bass is catch and release only from May 3 through June 20. Also new this year, artificial lures and barbless hooks must be used for bass fishing during the catch-and-release season.
Author:G.Wadel
Get the resources need to catch more and bigger fish. Bass Fishing Secrets Revealed

The Best Fishing in the World

2008-04-01T13:02:00.001-07:00

People living around the Western Basin of Lake Erie, the Detroit River and Lake St Clair area are "arguably" situated in the heart of the best freshwater fishing in the world. It's is difficult to surpass the smallmouth bass fishing in this great region with all it's rocky shoreline, open water reefs and islands and great spawning areas. The yellow perch population has made a significant turnaround in the past 5 years.
Now we get to the really good stuff. The walleye fishing in Western Lake Erie lays claim to huge numbers of walleyes and several year classes are currently represented. This signifies a better chance to maintain breeding year classes in the future. To the un-educated, a day of fishing that produces big boxes of all large fish, may seem a good thing. However to the knowledgeable fisherman that is alarming. Big fish are immensely satisfying to catch, but if you aren't seeing small fish, the future of the species is in danger. Fortunately recent years have given up good numbers of young fish that speak well for a few years at least.
The walleye run in the Detroit River during spring warming is kind to the fisherman that masters it and starts the fishing for the year with large numbers of walleyes ranging from behemoth monsters during the early part of the season to large numbers of yearling fish in late April and May. The key to this game is conquering wind and current. Boat control is KEY to success. When you learn to manage your boat so the perfect vertical jigging is possible, a number of baits will spur the fish into action. Nearly of equal importance is water clarity. It is extremely difficult to pull fish from dirty water. The angler should search out the cleanest water of the day and work it to fin and catch fish. This water color is generally most affected by wind direction and wind strength. Typically one side of the river will be clean and one side will be dirty. On days when the water is crystal clear everywhere in the Detroit River. prepare for a fun day.
Walleye fishing in the main part of Western Lake Erie really picks up steam about Mid June, although weather conditions determine the speed and direction of the movements of the large schools of post spawn walleye, In General these large schools move out of the spawning areas of the south and west part of the basin. They move north in large schools and they turn east when nearing the Canadian shallows. They prefer to nose into the current so extended winds in any particular direction do influence the speed and movement of these schools. For a great day by one of the most knowledgeable and successful walleye fishermen on western Lake Erie, you might contact John Sims who has operated Chante Charters out of Kingsville Ontario for a zillion years.
We aren't finished yet with the good news. Musky fishing in Lake St. Clair is rated at the top of the pile worldwide. Numbers are very good and many big fish are caught by the good anglers on nearly a daily basis. If you want a good day fishing and you want to fish with a charter captain that understands these fish, contact Bob Devine who operates Chartertalk Fishing Guide Service.
Let's finish this up with arguably the most addictive fishing we have the opportunity to experience. For several years running now, deeper waters east of Point Pelee have offered us simply unbeatable rainbow trout fishing. These fish are exciting to catch and available in large numbers generally beginning to crank on good about mid July. Methods of fishing range from wire line, downriggers and using dipsy divers. Fish will even be taken utilizing planer boards and crankbaits. They feed heavily on baitfish. Look for a big school of baitfish and then work that school. You will catch fish when the fish are on and you work the bait fish.
Well this scratches the surface of the fishing available in the Wheatley to Windsor fishing zone. Much more can be said and usually is.
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Smallmouth Bass Fishing Tips

2008-04-01T13:01:00.000-07:00

Smallmouth bass are plentiful and exciting - no wonder they are a popular prey. Get some great tips for catching these beauties in this article.
The smallmouth bass is such a great fish. Like a streamlined packed muscle, it is pound for pound one of the strongest fish out there and people marvel at its jumping ability. They are also darned tasty too so read on to get my great smallmouth bass fishing tips that you can start using today.
Where To Fish
Rock shoals are a great place to fish. The good thing about smallmouth bass is that they feed in both shallow and deeper waters. Ideally, you want to use a diver and bounce it along the bottom if fishing deep. The best thing about smallmouth is that you can find them pretty much anywhere, in lakes and rivers.
What Type Of Bait To Use
The usual spoons and spinners work well with smallmouth bass, as do all the over non-live lures. However, sometimes you'll find a group that won't be fooled easily and you must use live bait. The best way to cast these is to pull them to the surface and let them sink a couple of feet then repeat again. The fish seem to be easily fooled by this type of tactic. In terms of hooks then again, it depends on the area, I would pack a few different types of hook to experiment. A quiet word with a fellow fisher will also help you a lot.
Rods
Most people fly fish for smallmouth bass these days and I recommend a 7 to 9 foot rod for best results.
Want to become a better bass fisher? Then check out my 100% free fishing e-course at http://www.ecoursesforyou.com/fishing

Kayak Fishing Tips - How To Select A Kayak

2008-04-01T12:59:00.000-07:00

Kayak fishing is a great way to enjoy catching some nice fish but it could be a waste of your time if you don't know what you're doing. Learn more in this article.

So you're thinking of investing in a kayak but you have no idea where to start. Or maybe you have some limited experience at kayak fishing but just want to learn more. Then read on for my great tips.

Get Compartments

The best kayaks will have at least one box at the front and one at the back. These are for securing your catches and also your equipment. Some will even make great use of space and give you a 3rd compartment, usually smaller. Get a good kayak because you can't just hand your extra stuff off the side - it will get wet!

Rudder Or No Rudder?

This is simply a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer a rudder because it gives them greater control, sometimes easier control. Others don't like them because their lines frequently get caught in them. If you are able to, hire a kayak with a rudder and see if you like it.

Sit On Or In Your Kayak

The vast majority of kayaks are the sit-on type. However, there are still some kayaks that you sit inside, much like a canoe. These tend to offer much less storage capabilities though so there are some drawbacks. Unless you have a great fondness of canoe type boats or you simply cannot get to grips with sitting on a sit-on type, then I would advise you go for the latter.

Don't Forget The Simplest Things

When you look at your kayak in a store you must imagine yourself out of water. Are the rod holders sturdy and strong and are there enough of them. How about the paddle keepers? And is there a cup holder? Try to think of every eventuality.

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Homemade Carp and Catfish Paste and Dough Bait - Food Baits and Pellets

2008-02-16T07:14:00.001-08:00

A vital part of fishing success is the right bait. The soluble part of you bait that leaches into the water is especially critical to success and this can often indicate better digestibility and conversion in your fish too leading to better long-term results. Practical solubility is a key characteristic of many proven baits for many species and especially on waters that are pressured constantly by angling activities.
There are many occasions where on a busy water; fish are used to eating a particularly popular bait, perhaps fishmeal boilies or pellets. By incorporating that bait into the make-up of your personal secret paste bait (or boilies for that matter,) you can really reap the rewards of the fish treating popular baits as 'natural food' better than those using 'standard baits.'
Being more soluble and having a far faster leak-off of attraction than conventional 'boilies,' pastes are very versatile bait option. You can even coat boilies and pellets, fish cubes, meat chunks, pet foods, particles etc in pastes too. (Tip: If you ground bait by feeding with boilies coated in paste and using a paste coated bait, big results can come your way, I've found.) Paste can be made with water, or eggs or a range of liquids for diverse effective purposes. With water or milk for instance the bait is already based on a solvent, so can dissolve far faster and release attractors and triggers quicker than less soluble egg based baits.
Very soluble baits are very useful for boosting a swim with quickly dissolving attraction and moulding around hooks, leads, method feeder, leads etc. You can use a liquid consisting partly of water and of eggs to alter solubility and binding for instance. Nutritious liquids type food ingredients include: Liquid fish protein, corn steep liquor, liquid liver, liquid squid extract, liquid kelp complex, 'Minnamino,' liquid yeast, liquidised squid, fish, shrimps, prawns mussels, and mussels etc.
Scolded trout pellets, pellets of the 'Marine halibut pellet' type and other high protein proprietary fish pet foods, make an easy effective protein bait or base for an alternative bait, which has been specifically designed for fish. Salmon pellets are often over-looked. Pellets with high levels of betaine (which is as stimulatory as amino acids) are often very successful.
Eggs are very nutritional and help a paste bait bind and last in the water. (It also has better binding qualities than water.) Often ground up fishmeal pellets like 'Marine' pellets with eggs and a little additional 'Marine' pellet oil, or even tiger nut oil, can be a devastating edge. There are thousands of ingredients, additives, taste enhancers, Salts, sweeteners, feeding stimulants like palatants and amino acids supplements available to differentiate your personal special baits.
The great thing is, you can use your personal homemade paste as your 'secret edge' when fishing a commercially produced ready made bait against others using the same ready made bait. I've out-fished other anglers by using this edge enough to recommend its value and the time and effort put into the exact paste for the fishing situation can seriously pay-off 'big-time!' When you feed fresh and air-dried paste in your swim the instant attraction compared to boilies is obvious, but the best part is that you can use a bait of a design the fish have never seen before. Making pastes from proprietary fishing base mixes is very easy and they come with instructions and recommendations for added attractors and other flavours but it is better to use different attractors or flavours if they have been used previously on your water.
For instance, adding tomato puree, or prune juice, anchovy extract, 'Worcester source, soy source, gravy or soups, fruit cordials, unusual powdered flavours, all give a different dimension, effects and tastes.
A simple honey and bread or honey, corn or wheat flour and liquidised sweetcorn paste with added salt, sugar and a cheap flavour like vanilla, will catch you many fish. But bigger fish are important to you, you might wish to use a protein rather than carbohydrate oriented bait. Mashed tinned tuna and sardines in oil or spicy tomato source make an excellent paste and boilie base. Peanut meal is a great protein base. Soya flour or semolina are cheap binders and you can add fish meals, crab, salmon, chicken or liver pates to add more amino acids. Fish food flakes mixed with semolina has produced big fish for me.
Additional ingredients like spirulina, 'Robin Red,' corn steep liquor, tiger nut extract, crustacean extract and squid extracts, molasses, salmon oil, cod liver oil, hemp oil, green lip mussel extract, lecithins, glycerine, golden and black syrup.
For the winter, an egg biscuit bird food base with milk powders, paprika and peppermint essential oil with liquid glucose might suit you better.
Your ingredients do not need to be complicated although you can get very potent baits when you know more about fish nutrition, true feeding triggers and many of the most potent attractors. So you could start with bread paste or corn flour, with any kind of flavour, even the supermarket baking types. Even the ascetic acid based ones catch fish, but supermarket flavours are mostly water and alcohol or propylene glycol for example, which are easily soluble; acting as effective 'exploratory signals' in the water for carp.
Many flavours have proven in tank tests to have zero stimulatory properties in themselves and most have zero or extremely little in them of any food value. (With many it's the effect of the substance on water itself.) Fishermen are fixated by flavours as the 'old conditioning' kicks in. What I mean is commercial baits are mostly labelled with a 'flavour tag name.' One of the most recognisable and proven is the proprietary fishing and food flavour called 'Tutti Fruitti.' (You can make your own flavours like this with ease, with a few 'field trials' they can be awesome.)
Other examples of such labels which may lead to conditioning the thinking because anglers focus on 'the name or flavour or label' are: 'Pineapple,' 'maple,' 'shellfish plum' 'peach and black pepper' 'squid and octopus' 'caramel cream' 'scopex' 'garlic cheese,' 'black squid,' 'red salmon,' etc. The contemporary commercial bait manufacturers' trend is more to infer or describe the nutritional attraction and liquid 'foods' in a commercial bait. These names infer much more than just 'attraction' but provide valuable nutritional signals and a recognisable nutritious meal.
Such examples are: 'Active 8 with activator,' 'Matrix with Matrix liquid,' 'Trigga ice with liquid Trigga ice,' 'Grange with CSL 1 & 2' etc. These baits are far more like the ones you are recommended to make yourself, but that takes experience and deep knowledge of carp physiology, carp nutrition, ingredients, triggers and so on. But having said that, you can make very many effective homemade types of paste baits and boilies without knowing how or why they work and they'll still catch you fish.
Even baits that you think are over-loaded or do not smell or taste enough will catch fish and it is far more common for a homemade bait to catch than to fail. In fact using a new bait is always an edge in itself often producing some of the biggest fish! You homemade baits do not need to match any of your own sensory perceptions either. So if you think a bait has to smell and taste like a ripe strawberry or pineapple to be successful, this is far from being the case. Many highly effective baits are not on the market because they'd make you throw-up! Even fermenting maize and tiger nuts and hemp aromas for example, will make you feel like that if you stay too close for too long. There is a big hint in this.
Do not over-look what at first appears to be simple 'or crap' baits. I've been making fishing baits for 30 years plus and have made some very complex ones with cutting-edge additives and ingredients, but simple ones will work fished against complex ones. Often the ability and confidence levels of the angler is just as important as what bait he's using.
A simple and economical paste bait which works for carp (and catfish) big and small which can be 'bulked-up' with many various added binding materials and additives. Pork luncheon meat liquidised with Marmite and eggs. You can add cheap wheat flour, or semolina, or soya flour, or much more expensive high protein whey protein powders, lactalbumin or calcium caseinate for instance. You can add ingredients to alter its nutritional properties, feeding triggers profile, taste and smell and soluble attraction and function.
As a bait 'base' and with slight adaptation, will catch big fish anywhere and turn it into boilies too. Liquidised cat foods and dogwoods, 'Chum Mixer' and far lesser cheaper products can be used to substitute luncheon meat if required. Why turn your nose up at a simple bait before you look more closely at triggers and attractors inside it; many are those in commercially made baits and pastes anyway. The natural flavour of your bait is all you need with many such homemade baits; they already have taste enhancers, palatants and other feeding triggers designed into them to boost their already natural levels. Dog, cat food and other pet food manufacturers do this to get better feeding response. Ask yourself why some dog foods have over 12 forms of bacteria on the ingredients list...
Luncheon meat is a good protein source and has water added, so it is to a degree soluble. It has rich attractive oils which act as feeding stimulation. It has been processed so its all important soluble nutritional signals levels will vary from brand to brand as will solubility, meat content (protein content) salt content etc. Think about it and many edges will reveal themselves. Why not wrap a cube of luncheon meat in luncheon meat paste. Often big fish come on this form of bait. Fish are stimulated by the paste coating and perhaps activity by smaller fish on the bait. Using a big cube of luncheon meat as your hook bait can be very effective coated in paste. On such a bait usually the only fish big enough to actually get it in their mouths and be hooked are the ones we want!
Nutritionally there are many similarities between pork and poultry products so 'en vogue' as alternative high protein sources and used in ready made boilies far more now. One other very notable environmentally responsible ingredient is very comparable with fish meals in nutrition. It has the usual practical uses in baits and is 'hydrolysed' (in this case for example, steam cooked and dehydrated) feather meal, composed of 'cooked keratin.' This poultry bye-product can be up to 99 percent protein.
I could go into another simple example using betaine rich fermented shrimp paste (or 'Belachan') with additional tasty additions like liquid yeast, garlic puree and talin liquid sweetener, but I think you're getting the picture. 'Haribo' sweets are interesting alternative baits but with gelatine, combined with known carp ingredients to make soluble baits are again endless. The extremely productive possibilities of always having a bait on your hook that your fish have never had repeated experience of, are endless. It really makes you think about the advantages, 'edges' and huge potential results from doing it for yourself.
When you think of other that were once 'homemade' for inspiration, you don't have to look far. Many great inventions by 'amateurs' which turned into huge commercial phenomena were born on the kitchen table... The author has many other 'edges' to reveal...
By Tim Richardson.
For the unique and acclaimed expert bait making 'bibles' ebooks / books:
"BIG CATFISH AND CARP BAIT SECRETS!" AND "BIG CARP BAIT SECRETS!" (And the forthcoming bait flavour secrets book, etc) SEE:
http://www.baitbigfish.com
Tim Richardson is a highly experienced homemade bait maker and big carp and catfish angler. His bait enhancing books / ebooks now help anglers in 32 countries improve their results. See this bait and fishing secrets website now.

How To Fish For Rainbow Trout

2008-02-16T07:12:00.001-08:00

In this article I'm going to reveal some tips and techniques that will teach you how to fish for rainbow trout. Rainbow trout are a very popular species of fish that area lot of fun to catch. This is especially when it comes to native rainbows. It has always seemed to me that native trout are much harder fighters, and any experienced trout fisherman will tell you that native rainbows are much more beautiful than their genetically altered, stocked cousins. When I use the word 'native' to describe trout, I'm referring to trout that have been born naturally or at least have grown up in the river, stream, or lake that you're fishing for them in.
Now that I've completed my rant on native rainbows versus stocked (or planted) rainbows, let's get down to the business of how to fish for them. The first thing to keep in mind is that light rods and reels should be employed for trout fishing. As a matter of fact, I personally use ultra light rods and reels, but nothing heavier than light action should be used for rainbow trout fishing.
You gear should be spooled with light line as well. I personally use no fishing line heavier than four-pound test for trot fishing, but line as heavy as six pound test is passable. However, no line heavier than six-pound test should be employed. This is for two reasons. First, rainbow trout are found in cold, clear water and second they have very keen eyesight. For these reasons, the trout can easily detect your fishing line if it's too heavy. And if the fish detect your line, they are much less apt to bite.
Since we're discussing how to fish for rainbow trout, it's important that we're on the water when the trout are the most active. It only makes sense that the more active the trout are, the more readily they'll bite, right? So how do we determine when the trout are going to be the most active? This is accomplished by paying attention to the weather and moon. The weather and moon have an incredible impact on the behavior of all fish (including rainbow trout) so learning how to use this information to your advantage, will result in more bites.
When it comes to fishing for rainbow trout, it's important to discuss bait. I realize some anglers don't use bait, but they are really cheating themselves. Live bait (especially live worms) is a great way to catch trout, and synthetic bait is quite effective for stocked (or planted) rainbows. Whether you're bouncing a live worm along the bottom of a river or still fishing with synthetic bait (both techniques are effective) the bottom line is that gang hooks should be employed. Every trout angler should carry pre-tied gang hooks in their fishing vest or tackle box when fishing for trout.
A gang hook rig is a great technique for fishing for rainbow trout, and it's set up like this: begin by taking the end of your line and tying on a small barrel swivel (size 10 or 12). If you're going to be still fishing, slip an egg sinker onto your line before tying on the barrel swivel. Now on the opposite end of the barrel swivel tie on a set of pre-tied gang hooks. For river and stream fishing, split shot sinkers are added for weight above the barrel swivel. Now simply add your live worm to the gang hooks and you're ready 6to catch some trout. If you're fishing with synthetic bait, simply add enough to cover each hook and you're god to go.
This is how to fish for rainbow trout. These tips and techniques will lead to a ton of success on your next trout fishing excursion.
Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
How Do You Carry Your Live Worms? http://www.jrwfishing.com/bait_pouch.asp

What Makes Fish Bite

2008-02-16T07:08:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered what makes fish bite? There are a myriad of factors, obviously, but the most important have to do with Mother Nature. That's right, if you want to know what really makes fish bite, you have to look no further than good old Mother Nature. There are two forces of Mother Nature in particular, the weather and moon, which hold the answers we're looking for.
Have you ever had one of those epic days fishing, where it seemed like you could do no wrong? Like no matter what you threw into the water, the fish were biting it? Days like this occur because of the weather and moon, more than because of our skills as an angler or dumb luck. This might be difficult for your ego to hear, but it's nonetheless true.
These two forces of Mother Nature have a ton to do with what makes fish bite. The main reasons are because fish have lateral lines, and can therefore detect tiny or minute "pressure changes". Whenever weather fronts move through an area, what happens? And when the moon is in certain phases, what also happens? That's right, there are "pressure changes", and these pressure changes are detected by fish.
If you want to understand what makes fish bite, simply pay attention to the weather and moon. This is where the answers lie. And if we understand what makes fish bite, we can begin using this information to our advantage as anglers. So the nest time someone asks you what it is that makes a fish want to bite, you'll have an answer. The answer isn't as simple as "when they're hungry" or a difficult as "there are so many factors that I don't know".
Fish are a part of Mother Nature, just like us, so it only makes sense that other factors of Mother Nature impact the feeding behavior of fish. The most significant of those factors are the weather and moon, and as soon as we start using this information to our advantage as anglers the better. As anglers, we should know what makes fish bite, and the answers lie in the weather and moon. Pay attention to these two forces, and you'll be on the water when the fish are the most active, it's as simple as that.
Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
Find Out About The Weather & Moon For FREE - http://www.jrwfishing.com/signup.html

January Fishing Tips for the Northern Gulf

2008-02-13T08:51:00.002-08:00

January brings us into full swing of winter weather patterns. Frigid temperatures leave you with fewer options when it comes to fishing the Orange Beach area. The gulf is typically great for red fishing! Look for the hard north winds to lay the beach waters down slick as glass! Fishing the birds and bait are a great way to catch bull reds!

Another option is to fish the Perdido Pass area. The sheepshead are beginning to congregate around the jetties and bridge for their annual spring spawn. Look for these fish to bite around tide changes. Live shrimp, Fiddler Crabs, and Sand fleas are great baits to entice a sheepshead bite! With warmer weather between the fronts, look for some slot sized redfish to periodically show up around the bridge, jetties, and piers close to the pass! The inshore reefs in Bayou St. John and south of the Intracoastal Waterway will typically produce some big numbers of white trout and the occasional speckled trout!

The final option is to head north! The creeks and tributaries that feed into the Orange Beach and Gulf Shores areas are a great place to hunt speckled trout! Look for deeper holes with a dark muddy bottom to find these sluggish fish! The cold water slows the fish's metabolism and makes them feed more lethargically. Dead-sticking Berkley Gulps! is a great method of tempting these fish to bite. A popping cork rigged above a live shrimp can also be deadly for catching speckled trout! Just remember the fish are slower moving this time of year. Moving a live bait or artificial bait to quickly can determine whether or not you catch fish! My rule of thumb for the winter months trout bite is "Dark water, Dark bottom!" Darker colored waters combined with darker muddy bottoms hold water temperature much more consistently than a sandy bottom in gin clear water!

You can find more information about fishing along the gulf coast at www.gulfshoreslocal.com and www.mofishin.biz

Catching More Fish

2008-02-13T08:51:00.001-08:00

Isn't this what we would all, as anglers, like to do. Catch more fish? Of course it is, and catching more fish can be more simple and easy than you might have imagined. In this article I'm going to reveal come simple tips and techniques that will help any angler in their pursuit of catching more fish.
The first thing to keep in mind is that almost every species of fish is heavily influenced my two forces of Mother Nature, and understanding this (and using this information to your advantage) is integral to catching more fish. Remember anyone can go out and chuck some bait or a lure in the water, but this most certainly doesn't mean that they'll catch fish. If you want to catch more fish, paying attention to Mother Nature is a key.
When I refer to the phrase 'Mother Nature', I'm referring specifically to the weather and moon. These two natural forces play a huge role in the behavior and feeding activity of fish. For example, fishing is always better when the moon is in certain phases. Fishing is also better after a certain type of front passes through your fishing area. Were you aware of this? Well, now you are and as you gain knowledge about the weather, moon, and fishing you will catch more fish.
How am I so sure of this? Because I've personally been using the weather and moon to my advantage for more than 20 years, and know how effective it is. For example, whenever there is a new moon, I'm on the water fishing. Fish always bite more readily during the three to four days surrounding a new moon. The bottom line is that if you want to catch more fish, learn how the weather & moon affect fish and begin using this information to your advantage.
Another great tip that will help you catch more fish is to always make sure that your bait and/or lures appear as realistic as possible. This is why, if you're a bait fisherman, gang hooks should always be employed. Gang hooks are the best way to present live bait (especially worms) in a natural manner. If you're a bait fisherman, lures such at the KickTail Minnow should be employed. These lures are as realistic as can be found anywhere. Catching more fish is a ton easier when your offerings are realistic.
Keep these simple tips and techniques in mind (and use them) and catching more fish will become much easier. Many times the simplest things in life are the most effective and fishing is no different. Keep it simple, study your craft, and above all spend as much time on the water as you possibly can. Keep these things in mind and catching more fish will become a cake walk.
Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
Learn To Use Mother Nature To Your Advantage - http://www.jrwfishing.com/signup.html

More Winter Fishing Tips for the Gulf of Mexico

2008-02-13T08:50:00.000-08:00

December generally brings more consistent cold weather and fierce North winds. Knowing when these fronts will pass through can be very beneficial to your fishing. After the front has passed, the temperature will drop and the north wind will increase. The strong north winds make near shore waters along the beaches extremely calm. These brisk, windy days make for some of the best Redfishing along the Gulf coast.
Trolling along the beach with Mann's Stretch 25 or Rapala Magnum X-Raps is fairly simple method to catching these monster reds. Jigging bucktail jigs or 8" curlytails will produce many redfish bites as well. Many anglers keep jigs/bucktails rigged on spinning gear while trolling. Once redfish are hooked trolling, the jigs are tossed and usually result in hard pulling reds!!
Perdido Pass has provided anglers with some action as well over the past few weeks! Sheepshead have been biting on high tide fairly well. Live shrimp and fiddler crabs(when available) have been the meal ticket for the convict fish! The pass has also produced some slot-sized redfish and a few flounder as well.
What to look for:
The redfish are traveling in big schools during December and are consuming enormous amounts of bait fish. Keep searching the horizon in all directions for large flocks of diving seagulls, pelicans, ganets, and albatross. These birds will be concentrated over schooling baitfish. Trolling around the edges of these bait balls will produce the redfish bite we are all in search of. Jigging through the bait balls can be deadly also.
For more information on gulf coast fishing, visit www.gulfshoreslocal.com and www.mofishin.biz.

The Annual Sport Fishing Cabo Event

2008-02-13T08:49:00.001-08:00

Sport Fishing Cabo, that is what it is called now. People who go to Cabo, experience the best sport fishing anybody has ever had. That is the reason why it has been coined as such. Aside from being the capital of sport fishing, Los Cabos is a tourist attraction what with all the great hotels and golf courses. It is truly is a luxurious place to go to.
Los Cabos is well known for it's abundant sea life. Attributing to the fact that there are high nutritional content that streams from the Pacific, so much so, that there is a glorious life chain in Los Cabos, starting from fish life to marine mammals. There are a wide array of fish such as Mahi Mahi, Yellowfin Tuna, Wahoo and Snapper. These are just the more popular choices of anglers.
There is one even to watch out for and that happens yearly. People have been watching out for the annual fishing tournament normally held during October and November. This is the most watched for event, Sport Fishing Cabo. It doesn't matter if you are a beginner, upon renting a boat instructions will be given out to you.
Although it has been highly recommended for beginners to start out with a light tackle, as suggested in fishing-tackle-tips.com. Although there are always tourists all-year round because of what Los Cabos can offer. It has been noted that people have been going to Los Cabos all year round because of the fishing. Los Cabos has always been hospitable in terms of tourist and new people trying out their fishing skills.
Los Cabos has always been the favorite spot of families because of unforgettable experiences and lasting memories created there. Families have always gone back for cruising as they get the chance to to see and witness whales and dolphins. Your vacation does not have to be expensive as there are local pangas or what they call surf fishing. There, you will always have a trophy.
Russell Clark owns and operates the website Fishing-Tackle-Tips.com

What Makes A Fish Bite?

2008-02-13T08:47:00.000-08:00

Have you ever asked yourself the question, what makes a fish bite? In this article I'm going to my best to explain what I've found through more than twenty years of fishing experience, which will help unlock the mystery of what it is that makes a fish bite. There are obviously many factors that contribute to making a fish want to eat something. Some of these factors would include:

Water Clarity - Obviously if a fish can't see your offering, they aren't going to bite it, and the clarity of the water will affect how well the fish can see potential prey.

Realism - The more realistic your offering appears, that is the more it looks like the actual food the fish is used to eating, the better. Whether we're using live bait or lures, realism is a huge factor as to whether or not a fish is going to bite. This is why when you're suing live bait, gang hooks should be employed.

Water Temperature - For most fish species, the temperature of the water will affect how much the fish feed (and thus bite). The general rule of thumb is that the colder the water, the slower the fishes metabolism, thus they will feed less.

Mother Nature - in my opinion, Mother Nature plays the biggest role in whether or not a fish will bite. Mother Nature, and specifically the weather and moon, affect the behavior of fish very much.

These factors are a few, among many that will make a fish bite or not bite. They are all valid reasons for a fish biting or not, and there are many more, but the most important factor is Mother Nature. Mother Nature, specifically the weather and moon have a dramatic impact on whether or not a fish will bite.

Studying these two forces of Mother Nature (the weather and moon) will do more to help you catch fish than your fishing method or the type of bait you use. What? You don't believe me? It's true, the weather and moon hold the key to unlocking the mystery of what makes a fish bite.

Have you ever had one of those great days fishing, where it seemed like no matter what you did the fish were biting? I don't know what you attributed this to, but I would bet it was because you "hit the lottery", and were fishing when both the weather and moon were in your favor. In other words, you were fishing at the perfect time and didn't realize it.

By understanding the weather, moon, and how these two forces of Mother Nature Impact fishing, you will be able to be fishing at the most opportune times. And if you're fishing at the most opportune times, you will catch more fish. Not only will you catch more fish, but you'll have a much better chance of hitting the "fishing lottery".

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country... Montana!

Gang Hooks Tied & Ready To Fish: http://www.jrwfishing.com/gang_hooks.asp

Find Out About The Impact Of The Weather & Moon For FREE.... - http://www.jrwfishing.com/signup.html

Sailfish Fishing

2008-02-13T08:46:00.000-08:00

A great place to go after sailfish is not too hard if you pay attention to many of the great anglers. Of course, finding them for yourself requires a keen eye for the habitat in which the sailfish strive. One such place is located of the Florida coastline near Fort Pierce, where in 65 feet of water, you can find the breeding grounds for a great number of predators as well as bait fish along the series of reefs.

By November however, the waters become too chilly for the sailfish since the temp can drop below 70 degrees with ease. But do not fear; just go out a little further to where the water get between 150 and 120 feet deep and there is another great set of reefs which is known to have one of the largest concentrations of sailfish in the area.

It is in this area, which is located roughly 8 miles off from Fort Pierce in which you will find the locale that is known as the 8 mile. Here, the warm Gulf Streams push a great number of not only sails and other predators, but bait fish as well right up into the reefline. Since the sailfish is more of a pack hunter, looking for the bait balls along this reefline, will put you in perfect location to catch yourself some sailfish.

From that point, you will need a trained eye to catch the surface activity of the sailfish tailing the swells just on the shore-side of the Gulf Stream. If you can find these tailers, you are in a good position to hook yourself a sailfish. Now there are two major, as well as proven methods to catching these sailfish. The first method is by tossing some pitch bait in front of the fish, while the second is to use a drag bait situated in front of the sailfish's bill.

Many local family fishermen use a ballyhoo rigging in order to catch the sailfish, but with a little time and practice you can pick up on the local techniques. The whole goal of course is to make your own artificial bait pod to attract the sailfish right to your rigging.

Visit us at www.bestfishingclub.net
John Old Webmaster of: Best Fishing Club Writer of: Sailfish Fishing

The Art of Fishing For Stripers

2008-02-13T08:44:00.000-08:00

If one is an appreciator or aficionado of freshwater fishing, one is likely to be familiar with "Striper Fishing." Striper fishing is a fisherman's dream come true, as it is the pinnacle of fine freshwater fishing. This is so due to stripers bountifulness on the Atlantic coastline and their anadromous nature. Anadromous fish are fish that live mostly in sea waters, yet have the instinctual need to travel inland toward freshwater regions solely for breeding purposes.

Saltwater Fish In Freshwater Waters

So, in essence, anglers fishing for stripers are fishing for saltwater game fish in a freshwater environment. Stripers are even known to act like saltwater fish, such as tuna or bluefish, as they school and feed as saltwater fish do in open ocean waters. From this, the experience of fishing for stripers is like no other, truly. Despite losing the prospect of reeling in an actual saltwater style lunker, fishing for stripers in locations such as rivers, bays, inlets, estuaries or creeks will prove quite gratifying, as they are large and very finicky freshwater game fish.

And it is the above characteristics that make fishing for stipers a most challenging experience. The most important thing to have in an angler's tackle box, is knowledge, specifically knowhow on how to reel in these stripers.

Be Ready To Catch Stripers

One of the more common methods anglers utilize to catch stipers includes anchor or drift fishing, specifically with live shad as bait. Firstly, fish must be spotted around a clear thermocline or under a dense area where school fish are teeming and swimming wildly. Secondly, just the right rig is needed. Seek a moderately weighted rod with a casting reel. In terms of line, purchase 20-30 pound test. Other rig requirements call for an egg sinker, a swivel, a 12-20 inch liter and a larger sized single hook as to bait and hook the back of shad. Fish with this style rig in a straight up and down manner, at the depth you've marked the fish at.

Early Morning Scouting

One approach to spot an abundance of stripers in one location is the early morning top-water method. This method is sure fire but also allows for more excitement while freshwater fishing. Survey the water at early morning for baitfish movement. The calmer waters will allow for a placid view and will easily allow spotting any disruptions on the water's surface. Top water disruptions signify that there are stripers around, as the baitfish are essentially running up to the top of the water away from larger predator fish, in this case, stripers.

To catch stripers this way, it's best to use a big Popper lure, a Pencil Popper specifically. Cast out toward an active baitfish location, then jerk it sporadically across the top of such a water surface. It's certain you'll catch many stripers this way. And, to one's add excitement, the stripers will leap out of the water to snag such a lure.

For some excellent striper fishing give Blue Ridge Mountains Fishing a chance. It's a guarantee you'll be fishing till the sun goes down.

Best Rod and Reel Combo of the 2007 Season

2008-02-07T12:03:00.000-08:00

In my opinion the best combo of the '07 season is the Chronarch 100B from Shimano teamed with the Quantum 6'6" medium heavy PT Kevin Van Dam signature series rod. "Now there's a mouth full"! This combination is an excellent match, making it the most memorable from this past season. I have many combos on board in any given outing, but when I put the Chronarch and Quantum combo in my hands it feels right! You never know how good you have it until you try something else! It has something special, a confidence boost, and we all know darn well that confidence plays a major role in success!

The Chronarch and Quantum duo is solid! It can take on anything the Bass can dish out! The Quantum PT Kevin Van Dam series 6'6" medium heavy rod makes an excellent 'meat and potatoes' rod. It gives me that extra confidence in its versatility and its ability to bring the Bass home. I originally was looking for a heavy 6'6" rod for close proximity pitching and flipping, but when this Quantum PT signature rod was put in my hands I knew darn well that with my newly acquired Chronarch 100B it was a match made in heaven! For the money, Quantum makes a good affordable strong and light rod in the PT series. The relatively new Quantum PT Kevin Van Dam 6'6" medium heavy series is all the rod I need for a good reasonable price! I have put this rod to the test, getting big Bass out of heavy cover and the best part of all is I didn't spend a fortune!

I have had good success with the Chronarch family from Shimano so I thought I would try the same make but a different model and sure enough, it was a perfect addition to the family. The cast is magic and for pitching and flipping it is definitely a work horse, but yet smooth. There is no job the Chronarch 100B can't do and that is money well spent in my eyes. With its sleek 'gun blued' look it looks as good as it performs. The Shimanos quick release pivoting spool cover makes it easy and simple to fine tune to my liking without sacrificing precious time. This unique feature is adopted into many of Shimanos bait casting reels because it's simple and practical, not to mention ingenious! The Chronarch 100B is a consistent performer with no fussing every 2nd or 3rd cast or pitch. It stays put to my setting! That alone is what I think makes the difference in a good quality reel.

Nothing is more frustrating than having to constantly fine tune a bait casting reel while using the same bait with the same surrounding scenario. The 'science', if you will or the technology of a reel doesn't mean much to me if it doesn't feel right and perform with that utmost consistency. The dollars spent on a good performing reel doesn't need to be in the hundreds! I still have bait casting reels that, to this day, perform consistently after many years and I spent a little more than a hundred dollars including tax. So basically, you never really know what you get until you are out on the water working it.

That's where I come in! You might say that I am the 'tackle test dummy' of fishing and believe me.... I put them to the test! I experiment constantly with different reels and rod combinations to try to come up with an affordable consistent performer that I think will make a good team to help us get that Bass on the end of our lines. And let's not forget having the ability to land it without mortgaging the house! I do not get exclusive support from one reel or rod company. This gives me the freedom to choose what I think will work best for certain or all fishing situations. I am able to broaden my rod and reel spectrum this way. I have combos of many makes and models ranging from $250.00 to $1500.00 and when tournament fishing or just doing what I do best, experimenting, I don't look at price tags when I reach for them, I go for the right combo for the job!

Shimano's Chronarch 100B teamed up with the Quantum PT Kevin Van Dam 6'6" medium heavy rod is a good buy, in my opinion. This combo is well priced making it a good sound investment for many years of Bass fishing with the all important versatility factors to make this particular combo do what you want!

I am getting geared up for another experimental season with mixes and matches of baits and tackle to help our readers decide what's best for them. It is a passion for me to write about my findings and bring it to anglers like you so that together we can come up with a remedy for the dreaded 'empty well syndrome'! Try out the Chronarch and Quantum combo for yourself and you will see and feel why I named it the combo of the year!

www.Probassfishing.ca has fulfilled Nic's life long dream to share his knowledge and experience of tournament angling and multiple species fishing with other anglers. Born In Guelph, Ontario, Nic, his wife Lawney and their son Lorenzo now call Kitchener, Ontario their home.

Even though Nic has thirty years of fishing experience, he still feels that you can never stop learning. His love for Bass fishing has brought him to the Pro Bass Tournament trail. In his first year going professional, Nic has two top ten finishes and was a Classic Qualifier in the C.S.F.L Bassmania Pro Bass circuit, placing eighteenth over all.

But Bass fishing is not Nic's only love. In the Spring his passion turns to downrigging for salmon, where he competes in Salmon Derbies. Already, he has a first place win under his belt. And if that's not enough to keep him busy, you can find him chasing Walleye, Pike, and even Muskie. You name it, Nic will fish for it.

Smallmouth Fishing Tips

2008-02-07T12:01:00.000-08:00

For anyone who likes to catch Smallmouth Bass this article - smallmouth fishing tips - is for you. For the past twenty plus years I've enjoyed catching the mighty small mouth bass and in this article I'm going to reveal some tips that have helped me catch a lot of fish. Many of these tips relate to fishing in small rivers and streams, simply because that's the kind of fishing I enjoy.

The first thing to keep in mind is that the smaller the gear you use, the more fun fishing for smallmouth will be. These fish are renowned for being extremely hard fighters, so it only makes sense that the smaller the gear, the more of a challenge catching these fish will be. I personally like to use ultra light rods and reels, spooled with four-pound test monofilament. The length of your rod will vary with water conditions, but for me ultra light rods and reels make smallmouth fishing much more fun.

The first tip I have is for larger rivers and even lakes. Using top water baits such as poppers, jitterbugs, and small zara-spooks early in the morning can be a deadly smallmouth tactic. I've found that they key is to have completely flat water, which means early mornings and late evenings are usually better. Fishing over a weed beds with jagged rocks close by, is also a plus. Using top water baits in these types of scenarios is a great smallmouth fishing tip.

Another great smallmouth fishing tip, especially in the flowing waters of a small river or stream, is to use live worms as bait. Smallmouth bass love live worms and if these worms are fished in the same manner that you would for trout, you can catch a lot of 'smallies". This means using gang hooks to rig your live worms. You see a set of pre-tied gang hooks allows live worms to be presented in an outstretched and natural manner, which makes a huge difference in bite rates.

If you're going to use live worms as bait for small mouth (and you should), you should also use a bait bag to carry those worms. A bait bag enables you to have easy access to your worms the entire time you're fishing. With a bait bag your live worms are always at your fingertips waiting to be used, rather than in a worms container somewhere. Once you use a bait bag for the first time, you won't be able to fishing without it!

The final smallmouth fishing tip is to always make sure that you're fishing at the right times. What do I mean by this? Simply that certain times of the day and month are better for fishing than others, and the key to this puzzle are the weather and moon. In other words, paying attention to the weather and moon and planning your fishing outings around this information, will help you become more successful. The weather and moon have a dramatic impact on the behavior of the fish you're trying to catch, and using this information to your advantage is a great idea.

These smallmouth tips have been proven to work through more than 50 years of combined fishing experience. Give them a shot and they will help you catch more smallmouth bass on your next fishing trip.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!

The Original Bait Bag: http://www.jrwfishing.com/bait_pouch.asp

Locating Ice Fishing Spots

2008-02-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

For the die-hard fisherman, the great escape of fishing is pursued year round, even in the midst of the harshest of seasons and weather patterns. Bold as they are, such adventures for catching fish are done during winter months through a specific style of fishing called "Ice Fishing." Despite what the names suggests, there is no fishing for chunks of ice going on here. That's nonsense. Rather, fishing here is done through cut out holes atop ice-covered ponds or lakes. The trick though, for any angular during ice fishing months is finding just the right spot on a frozen body of water.

Coming to a location where one can ice fish safely is a a bit trying at times, but there are steps, that if taken, can guarantee any ice fisherman safe fishing.

Before Treading On Ice:

Before heading out on any ice, make certain to tell someone or a few people where you are going and when you will return. It is imperative to be previously familiar with where ever one will be ice fishing. Know the layout of the body of water in it's usual non-frozen and current frozen form. Most importantly, make certain the ice is sustainable enough for one or more fishermen to walk on and/or sit together to fish. This said, it is preferred to ice fish in pairs and avoid going out on ice alone.

Survey

Assessing the ice is crucial and can be done in many ways. Firstly, take note of air temperatures of the past week and desired day of ice fishing. Note any temperatures above freezing that could result in melting or weakening in the ice. If temperatures have been and are still well below or right on freezing, pursue the ice. Now, survey the ice, keeping an eye for any open water areas, recent changes in water levels or wet spots atop the ice or snow-covered ice. And lastly, make certain to have an easy point of access as to enter and exit the ice easily.

Gauge Thickness

Ice thickness can be determined by using a drill or ice auger. The technique is simple, merely involving the drilling of a hole into the ice. Assuming you would walk to you desired location to ice fish, ice should roughly be between 3-5 inches thick to sustain one or more people's weight. If ice is too thin, move backward and try drilling in a new location, as ice thickness can be variable at times. Once and only if the proper thickness has been located, one can start ice fishing.

Be Weary and Just Remember

One must always fish with a friend on the ice, particularly in a familiar area. The ice itself must be able to hold your own weight and the weight of your friend(s). A thorough surveying of the desired ice must be done, jointly so with one's partner, paying careful attention to visual warning signs. And lastly, to measure the ice's thickness is of utmost importance. If it is not thick enough, don't tread on thin ice!

If ice fishing is appealing, why not consider trying Virginia fishing year round?

Ice Fishing In Ontario

2008-02-07T11:57:00.000-08:00

Ontario is Canada's number one fishing destination. Ontario is an "Iriquoian" word meaning beautiful or shining waters. As Ontario has some 250,000 lakes there is plenty of beautiful shiny water about. Most people know it as a fisherman's paradise in summer but don't forget it has a great winter season too. Why not consider ice fishing in Ontario this winter?
Fishing in winter is more of an adventure holiday. For the Canadians it is an everyday event and no big deal to cut a hole in the ice and start fishing or to haul out an ice fishing hut and in comfort. For everyone reading who is not from North America you probably won't know much about ice fishing or ever have considered it for a winter holiday. But for all you keen fishermen and women out there it is a fantastic experience that you should not miss.
You can chose literally any type of holiday you want and combine it with some ice fishing. The lakes and rivers are so numerous that wherever you chose to stay you are going to be in reach of a days fishing.

If you are traveling with the family and you are staying in the city you can still arrange a guide, an ice hut and fishing equipment for a day out on the lake fishing and enjoying the wonderful scenery.

If you are on a skiing holiday you can bet you can fit in a days fishing. These trips may also be featured as a sideline during snowmobiling, dog sledding, Native Cultural experiences or adventure lodge trip holidays.

There are hotels, motels cabins and B&B's all dedicated to the winter fisherman. You can rough it or stay in five star luxury. You can get a guide to show you the best fishing spots and you can sit out on the ice or have the comfort of a basic hut which will keep you warm and keep the wind off or a luxury ice fishing hut complete with heating and kitchen.

There are basic safety rules, the main one being make sure the ice is at least four inches thick, but a skilled ice fishing guide will see you have everything you need and update you on safety rules. You will also need warm, water proof clothing. Everything you need can be hired.

There are a number of ways to get to fishing spots. The easiest, you just drive up, get out of the car, tramp out across the lake and start fishing. But for the more adventurous you can snowmobile out to a more secluded spot or really go for it and hire a light plane to take you to the more remote areas of Ontario. Whatever you do you will see beautiful winter scenery and have some of the best fishing of your life.

This will be a unique fishing experience and it gives you the chance to potentially catch some very big fish. Depending where you chose to fish you might catch, lake trout, northern pike, walleye, whitefish or rainbow trout. There are 180 varieties of fish in Canada and 144 of them are found in Ontario! Of course after catching your fish You will want to eat it and what could be better than an open fire out by the frozen lake and the smell of fish cooking while you enjoy all that beautiful winter white Ontario scenery.

Sunny Jones is the owner and writer of the popular online travel guide and community, Travel Advice Pages, which dispenses invaluable travel advice for worldwide travelers.

Trout Fishing Strategies

2008-02-07T11:56:00.000-08:00

More than 20 years ago I had the pleasure of learning how to fish for trout from someone I consider to be a 'trout fishing master'. I consider him to be a master because of the fact that he caught trophy trout out of rivers and streams in Pennsylvania, that most anglers thought trout of that size didn't live in. He spent a lot of time on the water fishing for trout, and had many strategies and techniques that other anglers didn't employ. This man is gone now, but many of the trout fishing strategies that he taught me live on.

The first thing he believed in was using ultra light gear when fishing for trout. I'm talking about four foot rods and very small reels, spooled with four pound test monofilament. Many anglers consider gear this small to be some sort of "ice fishing" equipment, but it's what he used to catch all of his trout, trophies included. I've been using ultra light gear myself ever since this man taught me these strategies, and I wouldn't use any other equipment for trout fishing.

The next strategy he taught me was to pay attention to my clothes. You see, trout have very keen eyesight and if they detect a fisherman standing on the bank, they are much less apt to bite. This is why "loud" or brightly colored clothing should not be worn when trout fishing. Along the same lines, you also need to pay attention to where your shadow is being cast. Few things can spook o hole like a human shadow being cast into it.

Another great trout fishing strategy is to use live worms as bait. Trout love worms and my mentor caught most of his trophy trout while using live worms as bait. If you're going to use live worms, you need to have an efficient and effective way to carry them while you're fishing. This is where a bait bag comes into play. A bait bag is the best way to carry your live worms while trout fishing.

The next thing to keep in mind when using live worms is to use gang hooks. They were developed by the man I'm referring to, and are the most natural and effective way that I've ever seen to use a live worm as bait. You see, gang hooks are simply a pair of small hooks tied in tandem, which enables the worm to be presented in an outstretched and natural manner. Using pre-tied gang hooks will make a huge difference in your success when fishing with live worms.

The last trout fishing strategy that this man believed in was to always be fishing when the trout are the most active. How do you know when the trout are the most active? Simply by paying attention to the weather and moon. These two forces of Mother Nature have an incredible impact on the trout's behavior. If you want to catch more trout or fish in general when fishing, learn about the weather and moon.

These strategies will go a long way to helping you catch more and bigger trout. Although most of them seem sophomoric, they are nonetheless extremely effective.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.... Montana!

Get A FREE E-book About The Weather & Moon.... - http://www.jrwfishing.com/signup.html

Beginner Fly Fishing Techniques - Casting The Fly

2008-02-07T11:55:00.000-08:00

I was put off of fly fishing for years simply because I thought it would be too hard to learn. There is so much hype about casting a fly with a fly rod, different actions and movements that it all sounds too complicated for the poor beginner. Well the art of casting a fly is in truth really quite simple, and with a few beginner fly fishing techniques just about anyone can do it.

With fly fishing your aim is to cast your fly and have it land naturally on the water so that it attracts fish. The main problem with this is that you have no weight on the end of your line to propel it to where you want it to go. Instead you are using a heavy main line with a short piece of very light line attached, onto which you tie your fly.

This means that you use the weight of the line itself to make the cast, and this involves letting out line a little at a time, then casting it behind you, casting it forwards, letting out more line, casting behind, bringing it forwards and so on. This is called false casting and allows you to build up the cast until enough line is let out to land the fly where you want it.

With a small amount of practise this will get easier and easier. Start off small by trying out your casting on an area of clear grass, in a field or a large garden, there is no need to use a fly or hook at this point as it could become snagged or injure someone.

(1)Let out about twenty feet of line in front of you, stand nice and loose and point the rod in front of you so that the rod and line form a continuous straight line.

(2)Hold the rod with your thumb resting on the top of the handle. During the cast you will only be moving your wrist and forearm and not your shoulder.

(3)Trap the line coming from the reel under a finger and raise the rod to about ten o'clock, then flick the rod backwards to pick the line up off the grass, and propel it behind you until it is at one o'clock

(4)Stop the movement sharply, and your wrist should be pointing straight up with the tip of the rod behind you still at one o'clock.

(5)Now you have to pause slightly to let the line straighten out behind you until you feel a gentle tug (this is when the line is fully extended).

(6)Sweep the rod forward and down, lowering your elbow at the same time. As the line unfurls release the line trapped under your finger.

(7)To increase the length of cast flick the rod back again and while trapping the line under your finger pull a few yards of line off with your other hand, cast the rod forward as before and release the trapped line.

You are now fly fishing. You may be a bit awkward at first, but with a little practice you will look and feel like a professional. These are just your first basic steps to fly fishing, by picking up a few more beginner fly fishing techniques you will soon learn all the secrets and tips of the fly fisherman.

For more great fishing tips go to http://www.buytryreview.com/category/fishing

Fishing For Trophy Trout

2008-02-07T11:54:00.000-08:00

For anyone who has been fishing for trout for a while and is familiar with a particular body of water (river, lake, or pond) there comes a time when catching "average" trout simply isn't cutting it. Eventually, we want to catch trophy sized trout out of these bodies of water that we are so familiar with. In this article I'm going to give you some tips and tricks that will help you in fishing for trophy trout.

For clarity, when I refer to the phrase 'trophy trout', I'm referring specifically to trout over twenty inches. When trout grow to sizes of twenty inches and above, I consider them to be trophies. If this sounds small to you, you don't fish for trout very much, because I promise you trout twenty inches and larger are big (and a challenge to catch).

The first thing to keep in mind in reference to these large trout is that they became trophies for a reason. They didn't grow to be as large as they are because they are stupid. This means that things like hook sizes, line diameter, clothing, foreign scents, shadows, etc. are all accentuated when chasing trophy trout. I'm obviously not referring to large trout that have been planted by the state. These are barely 'trout' in my opinion, they're pets.

When fishing for trophy trout you want to make sure that you use small hook sizes, and not only small hooks sizes, but gang hooks as well. Pre tied gang hooks are the best way to present bait naturally, which is important when fishing for trophy trout. If large trout detect hooks and/or line they will tend not to bite. This is why using pre-tied #8 or #10 gang hooks are important. These hooks are tied on light line with small hooks, which is an advantage when fishing for trophy trout.

The next tip is to make sure that you're fishing when the trout are the most active. What do I mean by this? There are certain times of the month and day when fish are more active than others and the key to this puzzle lies with the weather and moon. That's right, paying attention to the weather & moon will pay big dividends when fishing for trophy trout.

For trout to become "trophies" they have to do certain things, and the most important of those things is to not get caught by anglers. These fish are smart and as an angler fishing for them you must pay attention to detail. Anything that you think might work against you probably will.

Fishing for (and catching) large trout is a ton of fun, but also takes a ton of patience. The more time that you can spend fishing a body of water the better off you'll be. As you become more familiar with an area, you will be able to locate area that large trout live. Once you locate a large trout, you can fish for it until you hook up. This is what my fishing mentor did. He would locate a trophy, and then fish for it until he caught it. Be patient and you can do the same thing.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!

The Best Way To Carry Bait: http://www.jrwfishing.com/bait_pouch.asp

Beginner Fly Fishing Gear Checklist

2008-02-07T11:53:00.001-08:00

Consider making a checklist of the fly fishing accessories that you will need for your fly fishing trips. Have you ever gone fly fishing and sometime during the day discovered that a needed item was left at home? If you are a fly-fishing beginner or a seasoned veteran who is short on time, it's a good idea to have a checklist of needed items. If you are going to an exotic fly-fishing destination you need to make a list. The following is a grouping of items you may need on your checklist to support your next fly fishing adventure.

#1. Basic Items: First is the fly rod and reel; that's easy, but you may want to take a backup rod and reel in case of damage or failure. Consider a couple extra fly reel spools with a floating; sinking or wet tip fly lines. If you are making a trip to an exotic destination, you may need extra bulk spools of backing and leader material, or extra leaders in a wide range of lengths, and tippet strengths an a leader wallet might be handy.

#2. Optional Items: Fly-fishing vest and flies especially for the waters you are fishing, dry flies, fly floatant, and dry fly leaders. Your vest should have a fly patch to dry out water-logged flies. Nymphs and wet flies may need to be fished with strike indicators and shot for weight. Consider small pliers, leader nippers, hook hone, catch-releases tool, and small scissors. A med-sized Swiss army knife, flyline conditioner, stream thermometer, landing net, Campsuds, small hand towel, extra empty fly box plus an assortment of terrestrials and streamers flies.

#3 Needed Items: Waders, wading boots, or flats boots, wading staff, wader belt, studded sandals, Aquaseal adhesive, extra boot strings, float tube fins, inflatable PFD and accessories, extra boot socks, 2 pairs of polarized sunglasses, UVA & UVB waterproof sun block lotion SPF45, SPF 30 sun gloves, brimmed fishing hat, mosquito spray, dry bag, rain gear and a good rain hat, cold-weather clothing, underwear and gloves.

Thank you for taking the time to read what I have to say. Good fishing, and please respect our environment and practice catch and release.

For more fly-fishing tips and information please visit: http://www.oregon-fly-fishing-with-stan.com

Stanley Stanton: Oregon Fly Fishing Guide and McKenzie River fishing guide, Visit: http://www.oregon-fly-fishing-with-stan.com For trout fly fishing tips, how to fly fish information, plus guided Rainbow Trout Fly Fishing, Steelhead Fly Fishing, classes for beginners and advanced fly fishing and Oregon Salmon Fishing.

Salmon Fishing Rods - Choosing The Right One

2008-02-07T11:50:00.000-08:00

Setting up for a fishing adventure doesn't mean focusing only on where you sink your line or how pretty the weather is although those things are equally important. Salmon fishing gear is important, of course, and you will want to make sure that you take all gear into consideration. Equipment such as salmon fishing rods, salmon fishing reels , the type of line and leader that you are going to use will be most important while terminal tackle such as hooks, baits and lures, will be secondary.

Because of the variety in species of salmon as well as their many habitats, there are an infinite number of combinations that can be made to produce your ideal salmon fishing setup.

While salmon fishing tackle is available at many different rod and gun shops, not just those on the ocean but also those inland, it's more convenient to learn about these things before you go ahead and purchase items. Lets take a look at some of the tackle you will need for a successful day out there.

Common tackle

Rods, reels, weight's, swivel's and salmon fishing line and leader are going to be your basic tackled needs on any salmon fishing excursion, whether on the ocean or in freshwater, casting or trolling. In all cases, your line is going to have to be of a good braid variety or "test" expensive braiding brands are often referred to as super lines. These lines are good for casting, but when it comes to actually landing the fish, results can vary from company to company. For trolling in clear water, many anglers choose clear monofilament or fluorocarbon line. The unfortunate thing about salmon fishing is that if one of these big fish manages to snap your line, you are out some pocket money, not only for the line itself but also for any lure and attractant tackle that you happen to be using (and your bobber if you are bob or float fishing!). All that and nothing to show! Make sure your line is endorsed by fellow anglers before trying it out on the water.

Common Saltwater Tackle and Gear

Different types of salmon fishing are going to call for different gear. Any ocean salmon fishing is going to mean that the salt water takes its toll on your equipment, and we're not just talking your basic gear; if you fish in a boat, you are going to have to have your motor checked constantly- some estimates put the turnover rate for an inboard motor on the ocean at seven years. This can really add up, but there are tricks, like using fresh water coolant, that can help add life to your motor.

Ocean fishing for salmon, whether from a boat (mooching, trolling, or drift fishing) or from the shore requires some very specific salmon fishing tackle. You need hooks and weights that get the line down to the level that you want, but that also don't pick up a lot of kelp on the way in. Bottom bouncers and lures work great for casting from a wharf or from the shore, and packed roe is one of the most successful baits. Remember that baits and lures for salmon are always based on smaller fish; bugs won't get you a lot of bragging rights at the end of the day when it comes to salmon, unless you're talking crawfish which are commonly reffered to by anglers as bugs.

As far as tackle and gear composition goes, it's a must to pay close attention to detail. Fishing rods and fishing reels should be made of a material that does not corrode, such as aluminum (common in high end reels), stainless steel, graphite (this is the most popular material in ocean fishing rods), plastic, or good old wood. Don't use equipment that is made of mixed metals; different metals will react in different ways to the salt content, and you could end up with a reel or rod that is 25% corroded; it will look fine for the most part but it won't work.

Salmon fishing tackle considerations such as lures and bait will depend on the type of fishing you are engaging in. Fishing for salmon on the ocean will mean a lot of trolling. You will want a setup of rod, reel, and line appropriate for trolling, preferably one that can shake or flip piles of seaweed off so that the weight of the fish on the other end isn't compounded by the weight of debris. The bait on the line is usually going to be a fish simulating device, perhaps with a few spoons to catch the eye of the salmon. Plugs are also common on the ocean when salmon fishing. It's important to check regulations for the area you are fishing so that you don't use a hook/lure combination that is illegal (years ago quadruple hooks were common, but regulation has meant that double hooks are now the norm in fish-like lures).

Freshwater Salmon Gear

Freshwater salmon fishing will usually mean the use of floats and live bait such as roe or prawns. This might sound like a tame way to fish, but it can be quite a rush to see that float sink in the river and realize that it might not just be a rock, but a massive Spring salmon on the end. Check the rod quick, because you will want to hook the fish before he realizes what is going on. This is done by a quick firm jig or set towards you. Slowly let your tip back towards the river with the current keeping some tension on the line, and if it keeps going down, give it another real good jig and yell fish on if you've got something

Casting, in freshwater can be one of the most rewarding salmon fishing experiences, especially when the costs are weighed against those incurred fishing from a boat. The tricky part can be in determining the right kind of flies or lure's; in fact, the only type of salmon that is really going to bite on a fly are Steelhead or Coho. The flies you are going to be successful on for steelhead will depend on whether the fish are winter or summer run, and of course the kind of bugs that are around the river or stream you are casting on. The real challenge in casting for steelies is just getting the fish to bite on any flies at all. If you decide to use a lure or blade, this is a very productive way to fish for a wider range of salmon and can be used in both saltwater and freshwater.

Bottom bouncing is also a casting method used in a river system and involves lots of casting. In these methods, live bait, synthetic worms and wool are the weapon of choice by most anglers. When targeting Coho or steelhead a smaller rig is used as these fish can be easily spooked off of a huge and intimidating set-up. A couple of split-shots (or small amount of lead) and a nice compact presentation that is stealthy will work well for you for these two species. If your out for the Spring or Sockeye in a large river system like B.C.'s Fraser, or the Columbia, you're more likely to use a larger bouncing betty and some wool while you "floss" the mouth of the King salmon, as these fish moving up the river to spawn are going to be attacking your line rather than biting it because they want to feed. Flossing is a productive way to fish that brings a good table fare, but uses much less skill than other methods and some anglers disapprove of this method.

Tip; on buying bottom bouncing weights:

Excalibur is a leading manufacturer of bouncing betty type weights that are in the midst of lead weight replacement, which is harmful to the environment. These environmentally safer weights use Tungsten nickel alloys and are 25% smaller, denser and more rigid, which means longer life, less likely to damage lines and more effective in river systems as they transmit a better bounce to the line! VERY COOL!

Specific Tackle

Choosing A Salmon Rod

As far as rods go, seven feet long rods for trolling seem to be the most recommended. The base of the rod should be able to handle a lot of weight; if you are fishing the Pacific waters in particular, you need a rod that can handle the possibility of a 50lb Tyee on the other end. Lightweight and flexible material is essential for ensuring a successful battle.

Salmon Reels

Reels for salmon fishing are usually spinning or baitcasting reels. They need to have smooth drag systems and should keep the actual act of reeling thoughtless. The tension between fish and reel should be smooth and not a jarring tension that can cause the line to snap. Since you will want to concentrate on the fish on the other end and not the actual reeling process, drag becomes very important when deciding which reel is best for you.

Salmon Fishing Line

There are different schools of thought when it comes to the right type of fishing line to use as far as your salmon fishing tackle is concerned, but in most cases the more expensive line is the best option because as my dad always said "you get what you pay for."

Now, it doesn't have to be the MOST expensive fishing line on the market, but higher priced lines tend to be best for clear water fishing; the less visible line will not spook a fish off of your bait. More expensive lines are also more resistant to breaking, kinking, and tangling. More times than none you are going to be paying for a new technology as the older technologies move by the wayside.

Just remember that good salmon fishing tackle is essential when it comes to having a good fishing trip. Something as simple as the proper Salmon fishing line and leader will make all the difference and If everything goes right, you will be able to break out those salmon recipes on your return home!
Information to help guide you to purchasing the proper salmon rod. Read our buyers guides for all kinds of tackle and salmon rods at Go Salmon Fishing.com

The Twisted Terminology of Fishing

2008-02-07T11:49:00.000-08:00

If you are just getting into fishing, you can quickly become confused by some of the quarks in the terminology used. Here are some of the oddities that reveal you shouldn't take everything as it seems.

Oddly, the first area of odd terminology is in the very classification of the person fishing. When you say a fisherman or fisherwoman, you probably picture a person with a rod and reel. In truth, any effort to capture a fish makes you one of these. If you throw dynamite into the local pond, you are a fisherman. So, are people who fish with just rods and reels called anything in particular? Yes. They are called anglers. Why? Because they are!

Another area of head scratching can be bait. Bait is classified in a few billion different ways. One of the simplest is live versus dead bait. Seems pretty simple, huh? Well, it isn't. Most live bait is not alive. It is just recently dead or not spoiled. Dead bait is spoiled and you aren't going to catch much with it. If you are new to an area, just ask advice from the locals in the bait shop. They will usually steer you right.

If you delve into fly fishing, the terminology will only get more confusing. Fly fishing is a unique niche of fishing that focuses on using flies to catch trout and such. It is either incredibly relaxing or frustrating. Regardless, you are strongly encouraged to find someone that knows a good deal about it before getting involved or you wont understand a word that is being said.

All this being said, much of the fishing world is as straightforward as you would probably presume before getting into it. The number one most common bait in the world are night crawler worms. Where did they get the name? They come out of the ground and crawl around at night. It doesn't get any more straightforward than that.

Don't sweat the small stuff when it comes to fishing. If you get completely lost, just nod occasionally and nobody will know the difference!

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of rugged fishing journals that make unique gifts for men.

The Fishing Rod vs Vehicle War

2008-02-07T11:42:00.000-08:00

As an angler, your fishing rod is obviously a valuable tool that needs to be maintained and protected. This means keeping it from the clutches of the predator known as your vehicle.
Long ago in a parallel universe, a war was instigated between two groups that has leaked over into our world. The two groups, of course, are the fishing rods and the vehicles on wheels. Get the two in the same basic area, and bad things seem to happen.

The fishing rod and car or truck are natural enemies. The fishing rod is generally considered an inanimate object, but anybody who loves fishing knows this is simply not the case. Lean a fishing rod up against a vehicle and what does it do? It leans to one side until it begins to fall. This, of course, leaves a nice scratch down the paint of the vehicle. Score one for the fishing rods!

Your car or truck is no better. A natural predator of the fishing rod, it has evolved to create no end of angles where your rod can be bent, snapped or crushed. A classic is the tailgate of a truck or SUV. Who hasn't rolled up the window on a favorite rod and snapped the tip off? Who hasn't slammed the tailgate closed only to here the grinding snap of the rod caught between the door hinge and body?

Your vehicle, however, also has subtle ways of hunting rods. One of its favorite attacks is to fling the vehicle to the road at high speeds. This can only be accomplished, of course, by your putting the rod on the top of the vehicle and then forgetting it. The vehicle usually accomplishes this by hiding your keys. After a frustrating search, you jump in the car, slam the door, fire up the engine and take off... with the rod lying on the roof.

There is only one way to deal with this conflict and avoid paying for new rods and paint job repairs. The first thing you do when returning to the vehicle is to take your rod apart and store it. Otherwise, you assume the risk!

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of rugged fishing journals that make unique gifts for men.

Why Do You Need a Tacklebox?

2008-02-06T12:44:00.000-08:00

A tacklebox or a tackle bag is a necessity to store your fishing lures, bobbers, and hooks.

A tacklebox is a necessity to store your expensive lures. The more you fish the more expensive lures you will accumulate. I can’t imagine over time having a tangled mess of barbed metal to contend with. Nothing beats staying organized. Therefore, having a tacklebox is a must.

So the question remains what type of tackle box do you need? There are many different types of tackleboxes to choose from. I suggest a tackle box with sufficient storage for your current needs then double it. Also to keep in mind your tacklebox should have sufficient compartments to hold some oversized lures. You wouldn’t want the oversized lures to tangle maps, leaders, or bandages.

What should you include in your tacklebox?

Bandage strips contained in a water-resistant container
Matches sealed in a water-resistant container
Suntan lotion
Flashlight and spare batteries
Spare car key in a small case attached to a large colorful bobber. (Hint: The bobber has to be large enough so that the small case does not sink).
For the salt-water enthusiast, tackle bags may be a practical alternative to tackle boxes. These tackle bags have plastic cylinders inside to hold saltwater lures. As well, the tackle bags have side compartments for leaders.

Although the tackle bags are convenient, remember not to lay your tackle bag on the sand as the tide can sweep up your tackle bag and take it to unknown places along with your expensive saltwater lures and your car keys. Or may have the unfortunate fate of having your tackle bag run over by a four-wheel drive vehicle or a dune buggy. Yes, this can happen.
Catherine Kenyeres is the successful publisher and author for http://www.best-4u-fishing-equipment.com. Catherine Kenyeres has written numerous informative articles for the fishing enthusiast.

Wholesale Fishing Tackle - Tips To Help You To Find The Best Tackle Money Can Buy

2008-02-05T12:48:00.000-08:00

Finding wholesale fishing tackle is really not that difficult, as there are many websites in stores today to sell this. Very simply, you no longer do you have to pay top dollar to find the best fishing tackle available; there are many sites that will offer this wholesale, and allow you to save you a lot of money in the process with discount fishing tackle.

There are many fisherman that are always looking for the top wholesale fishing tackle and accessories. Without the best equipment available, you can never achieve top success as a fisherman. This is the same thing as golf; no matter how good you are at either golfer fishing, without the proper equipment, you can never achieve your full potential.

Here is some important information, whether you are looking for saltwater fishing tackle, fishing tackle boxes, or anything else related to this subject, that hopefully will help you to pick the best. First of all, when looking for the right wholesale fishing tackle, remember what kind of fish you want to target and where you are planning to go fishing. Again, the tackle you need will depend on what kind of fish you want to go after, whether it be bass, ice fishing comment or deep-sea fishing.

How can you find the best wholesale fishing tackle? You can either check out bass pro shops, or go online. Probably the best ways to go on the Internet, as you can find a lot of very cheap tackle there, much cheaper than you could off line.

Typically, when you go to a store, you'll be paying the retail price, as they will generally market up from wholesale price. However, when you go on discount websites such as eBay or even Amazon, you can generally find wholesale fishing tackle for very reasonable prices.

Remember, before you go shopping however, you need to be absolutely sure you know what you're searching for. Every kind of fish prefers different bait, so depending on what kind of fish you are going after, the tackle you purchase will be different.

The different varieties of tackle range from the salmon eggs, chicken livers, plastic and live worms, etc. There is a wide range of bait you can purchase, and whichever one you decide on will be largely dependent on the fish you plan targeting and the location you plan on fishing.
Finally, some last of the best tackle that you might want to keep in mind our sinkers and wait. These generally allow your hook and line to sink into the water, and therefore you will not miss the fish their feeding at the bottom of the river. Many fish stay below the surface of the water simply to avoid being caught.

Therefore, when you add some weight to allow your tackle to sink into the water, you can be sure to get these fish at the bottom. Hopefully these wholesale fishing tackle tips will help you find the right wholesale tackle for your fishing needs.

To get tips on how to play fishing games that will improve your skills, check out http://onlinefishinginformation.com or online fishing shops: http://astore.amazon.com/fishing-online-tackle-20
Learn how to find the top free fishing games without breaking a sweat or spending a dime in the process.

Choosing an Affordable Rod and Reel Combo

2008-02-05T12:41:00.000-08:00

When working the fishing and sportsman shows I see many anglers in deep thought trying to choose the right combo for the right price! I try to make it simple for them by coming right to the point by asking, "What is your budget"? Nine times out of ten they reply with honesty and enthusiasm. I will then ask them what type of fish they're after and what type of baits they use and what techniques they want this combo to perform. Then I will try to match them up with what they can afford.
Choosing a rod and reel combo is made much easier when funds are no object. Many of us Bass anglers would like more than one or two combos to work with. So if funds are an issue then here is something we can think about when purchasing that combo.
If we really think about it a reel used for dunking or bottom bouncing, for example, doesn't necessarily have to be of top quality to suffice. In these combos the rod shines. All the reel has to have is a good drag system because the reel is not really used for its free spooling capabilities. You set the line at the desired depth and that's basically it. Now what we do have to concentrate on is the rod. A good quality long light rod with good backbone is what we need. Therefore, purchasing a lower end reel and putting the extra dollars towards a higher end rod makes sense.
Generally in Bass fishing our rods have it tough, more so with Largemouth Bass. It's not really the size of the fish we are after it's where it dwells, which in our case is heavy cover for the most part. We rely on our rods to pull the Bass out of such structure so in actual fact the rod should not be sacrificed in my opinion. There are plenty of well made rods out there for Bass fishing that are affordable and give years of service. I have rods that are well into their twentieth year and are still used today. These rods were no more than 120 dollars back then and yet they are still around. Nowadays, that same rod is made lighter, stronger and just as easy on the wallet, even with new technology. Many even come with lifetime warranties. Basically, if one has the funds to purchase high-end rods then by all means do so because many of them are worth every penny!
But with affordability comes the pain-staking task of choosing which combo to get with the means that we have. A fast bait rod, which is ideally used for your spinner baits, crank baits etc., rely on a fast tip for distance so the elasticity is its strong point. Here is where the reel should get priority because you want good cast ability, a good drag for solid hook sets and smooth handling capabilities so that a thousand casts feel like fifty. Not to mention the fact that we want that bass' bottom lip between our thumb and forefinger! Quality in a reel in this case should not be overlooked and therefore, if we have too, take funds saved on the rod and put it towards the reel.

Now instead of spending all our money on one high end combo why not have two or three specialty combos instead. After all, why limit ourselves to fishing with one combo alone in our Bass fishing! Blessed with funds or not it is something to consider. A days fishing brings us anglers many different scenarios that can be fished with proper rigs. Why not be ready for them by simply switching rod and reel combos to accommodate each and every one. It's time well saved for fishing rather than tying!

Born In Guelph, Ontario, Nic, his wife Lawney and their son Lorenzo now call Kitchener, Ontario their home. Even though Nic has thirty years of fishing experience, he still feels that you can never stop learning. His love for Bass fishing has brought him to the Pro Bass Tournament trail. In his first year going professional, Nic has two top ten finishes and was a Classic Qualifier in the C.S.F.L Bassmania Pro Bass circuit, placing eighteenth over all.

But Bass fishing is not Nic's only love. In the Spring his passion turns to downrigging for salmon, where he competes in Salmon Derbies. Already, he has a first place win under his belt. And if that's not enough to keep him busy, you can find him chasing Walleye, Pike, and even Muskie. You name it, Nic will fish for it.

http://www.probassfishing.ca has fulfilled a life long dream for Nic. Not only because of his active tournament angling and multi species fishing, but because he gets to share it.
http://astore.amazon.com/fishing-online-tackle-20

Essential Fishing Tackle For The Beginner

2008-02-05T12:37:00.000-08:00

If you're a beginner in the world of fishing then a quick rundown of the most common types of fishing tackle is an excellent place to begin your education. We will deal with the most common types of fishing tackle; lures, flies, hooks, floats and sinkers. Once we have covered these basic elements you will have a better idea of what is needed to fill up your fishing tackle box.

Lures are the first, and possibly only, thing people think of when they hear the term fishing tackle. Lures are usually intended to imitate the look and movement of real fish. This will accomplish one of two objectives. The fish will either see the lure as food or as a challenge to their territory. Either response is likely to cause the fish to strike. No fishing tackle box would be complete without lures.

Next we come to flies, which are similar in purpose to lures and yet are different enough in the world of fishing tackle to earn separate mention. An entire art form has grown out of the attempts to create flies that will fool a fish into striking. Yes the world of fishing tackle has spawned an art form.

No lure or fly would be useful in your collection of fishing tackle unless they are combined with a hook. Single hooks, triple hooks, barbed or not, a hook is needed on every lure or fly to ensnare and hold the fish.

Finally we come to floats and sinkers. Your fishing tackle is not complete without floats and sinkers which take on a special significance. Experienced fishermen know that different types of fish are best caught at specific depths. The wide variety of floats and sinkers will place your bait at the specific depth most commonly associated with the type of fish you're trying to catch.
So now you know the most basic elements of fishing tackle. Of course we have only scratched the surface but you do now have the basics of fishing tackle jargon. Let these basics of fishing tackle be your first step on your journey into the wonderful world of fishing.

Sources: www.futurefish.com
Online fishing stores: http://astore.amazon.com/fishing-online-tackle-20

This article is supplied courtesy of http://fishingway.com.

Utah Fishing Report - Burbot Is An Unwanted Resident In Flaming Gorge Reservoir

2008-01-22T05:46:00.001-08:00

This Utah fishing report is all about Burbot: they're ugly and they're not wanted in Flaming Gorge, but they're feeling quite cozy in their new home.

Burbot, a fish angler's generally consider as a "junkfish" is a freshwater fish related to cod and looks a lot like an eel, with a mouth full of very tenatious teeth.
It is commonly found in streams and lakes of North America above the 40°N latitude. And Burbot were recently illegally introduced into the Green River drainage in Wyoming, which is how they've recently made their way into the Gorge.

Although nearly every sport fisherman consideres them "trash", there was a day Burbot were in demand. In the 1920's, a Minnesota druggist, Theadore H. Rowell and his father Joseph Rowell were using the Burbot to fee the foxes on Joe's blue fox farm. The Burbot contained some mysterious element that improved the quality of the fox's furs. Testing proved that Burbot oil is 4 times more potent in vitamin D and as much as 10 times more potent in vitamin A than cod liver oil. And Ted discovered that the oil is more rapidly digested and assimilated than most other fish oils. This led Ted to establishing the Burbot Liver Products Compnay, which later became Roswell Labratories, Inc.

Despite all of that, anglers know Burbot compete with other game fish, feeding on insects and other invertebrates until they are old enough to feed on other fish. Because their diet is the same as sport fish, it's unfortunate they are now in the Gorge. Most of the Burbot in Flaming Gorge are in the upper end of the lake. The Division of Wildlife Resources is requesting anglers to catch their bag limit of 25 and kill them if they don't eat them.

Here's how to catch them. Use spoons and jigs that have some type of glow on them. Don't be afraid of their appearance if you catch one. Their teeth are sort of like catfish or bass teeth and they won't bite. But they are slimy.

Surprisingly they are very tasty. Bread and fry them, or boil them lightly for 4 minutes then dip them in butter. You'll find they taste a lot like lobster.

To clean Burbot, cut the skin behind the head and peel it off with pliers. Then fillet the meat off around the rib cage and down the tail, leaving you with nice boneless fillets.

Take advantage of a bad situation and try fishing for Burbot at Flaming Gorge Reservoir. The fish taste very good and you'll be helping the lake by fishing out these non native squatters.
For an updated Utah fishing report visit http://bringmefishing.com for any other questions you may have about Utah Fishing Report, UT
Suzi Phillips from http://squidoo.com/utah-fishing-report is an avid outdoor sports enthusiast.

How To Prepare For Trout Fishing

2008-01-22T05:45:00.000-08:00

Are you planning to go trout fishing? Well Trout Fishing can be very exciting. And it becomes even more exciting if you have never done it before. I don't know why maybe because of the fear of the unknown (lol). But ya fly fishing for Trout's is fun and exciting.

But you need to be well prepared before you venture into the waters to catch the fish. Because Smart Fish as the Trout's are known are very smart. They can become very difficult to catch if you have not done your home work.

And being a fisherman you must have got into a habit of studying the fish you are going to catch before you go out fishing right? If not then you need to. Studying the fish you are going to catch is very important because you need to know their feeding habits, their behavior in different conditions and various places they flock. That's when catching your fish will become easy.

Ok so let's get started. First of all you need to figure out where your target trout fish is. I mean you need to get the map if necessary and do a bit of research. Next you need to have the right equipment.

Trout's are known as 'Smart Fish' and they are known so for a reason, it's because they are very smart and they are strong. I mean they are very strong they can easily break your line when you try and pull them off from the water. If they break away then its bad news, not only for you but also for the trout because when they break the hook is still in them. And worst case scenario they might die off that injury.

So you might want to consider carry a hemostat which is a tool used to remove swallowed hook. Then of course you need proper vest and wader. And then put on a pair of waterproof (Ya I know its obvious) boots.

Then of course you need a good Fly rod and Fly reel. Well if you are just starting out and are trying out trout fishing for the first time then an inexpensive fly rod and fly reel will work just fine. But if you are quite experienced and or have some plans to become a serious trout fisherman then I strongly recommend you getting a good quality fly rod and fly reel.

The typical description for a good quality fly rod and fly reel would be the one which is ultra light, flexible, cast easier and makes it easy for you to feed a strike or a bite. Rods that are 6 - 6 ½ feet are good for casting and makes it easier to use float.

Well that much should prepare you for a good round of trout fishing. Trout fishing techniques are a topic of another whole article.

Discover the trout fishing techniques that experts never want you to know. Click here to start trout fishing right away.

Bass Fishing - The Humble Beginnings of A Popular Sport

2008-01-22T05:44:00.000-08:00

Despite its tremendous popularity today, the story of bass fishing is not a particularly old one to the surprise of many. It is a sport associated with the common man and the increase in leisure time has spurred its rise.

Bass are actually members of the Sun Fish family. The term bass is used for several species including largemouth bass, small mouth bass, Kentucky or spotted bass, and several other less common types. They are currently the second most common target of fisherman in the United States. The tale of bass fishing begins in fairly recent times. The decline in trout populations due to pollution and rising water temperatures in the Eastern rivers close to large populations centers led to a search for a replacement species that would better adapt to these conditions.
The bass proved to be a much hardier species and thrived in the trout's former habitat. At the beginning of the 20th Century, there was a wide spread stocking program as bass were grown in fisheries and introduced into rivers and lakes. The practice of stocking continued westward and bass especially seem to thrive in the warm waters of the south. Whereas fly fishing was often seen as the choice of the "Gentleman Angler", bass fishing was, from the beginning, the sport of the common man. This association has remained to this day despite rich tournaments and expensive bass boats.

In the days following World War II, there was a sport fishing boom in the United States and bass fishing began to become even more popular. Technology was largely responsible as new materials made possible new types of fishing line, and fishing rods and reels. The popularity of the flat bottomed Jon boat led to the development of a very unique type of fishing boat with a relatively flat bottom and a powerful engine. The new boat style was called a bass boat because it was ideal for pursuing this fish in it new habitats.

Another spur to the growth of bass fishing was the tournament. Bass tournaments began modestly, but soon a professional fishing circuit developed and such events as the Bass Masters Classic began to attract a dedicated following. The media helped as outdoors shows on television spread the techniques and captured the thrill of bass fishing. From the very beginning, there was a strong push to use "catch and release" fishing. Tournaments penalized fisherman for dead fish, and all fish were carefully returned to the water. It was something done mostly for sport as opposed to putting fish in the frying pan.

The catch and release mentality has led to an increase in bass populations in many impoundments. This has come despite tremendous fishing pressure. The increase is not totally a good thing as overpopulation has led to smaller and smaller fish as the competition for food increased, but slot limit programs which remove fish of a certain size are helping to bring the populations back to ideal levels. Bass fishing is a very American sport. It is one of the few fishing methods that does not owe its origins to England or Europe.
Aazdak Alisimo writes about hunting and fishing for http://HuntingandFishingStores.com

Circle Hooks and J-Hooks for Saltwater Fishing - Catch More Fish with Sharpened Bait Hooks

2008-01-22T05:43:00.002-08:00

Circle hooks and J-hooks are the two most commonly found types of saltwater bait hooks. There is an ongoing debate by saltwater anglers as to whether circle hooks are better than J-hooks and I believe each have their own advantages when fishing in different conditions and scenarios. Saltwater hooks often come pre-sharpened and are designed to corrode over time, causing little harm to those fish that were lucky enough to have won a battle with a heart-broken fisherman.
J-hooks are the hooks many anglers refer to when they speak of a fishing bait hook. They are the ones that are shaped and resemble the letter J, thus the name J-hook. The fishing line is thread through the eye of the hook and then tied with the appropriate knot. J-hooks come in barbed and barb-less versions for those who like to practice catch and release. J-hooks should match in size to line class, fishing tackle and the type of bait being used.

Circle hooks have rapidly gained popularity over the recent years. These hooks are characterized by their similarities to the letter G. Circle hooks can be very effective when targeting fish species with sharp teeth, as they are designed to set in the corner of the mouth, away from any line chewing teeth. This type of hook can become quite expensive, as many come laser sharpened to increase their effectiveness. The disadvantage of this type of bait hook is that it is extremely difficult to pin your bait on a circle hook and should be used mostly for fishing with big baits.

Whichever hook you prefer to use, remember that when setting the hook, two different methods should be utilized depending on the type of fishing hook being used. J-hooks should be set with a solid swing of the rod, while circle hooks should be allowed to set themselves with a simple engaging of the fishing reel. The pull and tug of the fish will cause a circle hook to slide down into the corner of the mouth and embed securely. Swinging the rod to set the hook with a circle hook will often lead to a pulled hook and disappointed anglers.This is one of the hardest things to remember when fishing with circle hooks. The adrenaline-rush from being picked up or bit causes most inexperienced anglers to immediately swing the rod in an attempt to hook the fish. Instead, anglers should calmly engage the reel, the same with both spinning and conventional reels, and slowly begin winding down into the fish, until the fish begins to pull drag from the reel. Only then should the angler lift the rod to begin the fight.

Traditionally found in silver and bronze, manufacturers have recently introduced lines of red circle and j-hooks. These are designed to create a wounded bait perception, with the red creating the illusion of a bleeding fish. I have found that these can be extremely effective in tough fishing conditions. Also, both freshwater and saltwater anglers should try the ringed hooks on their next adventure. This ingenious hook addition allows for better and livelier bait presentation, promotes longevity and most importantly, keeps your bait in the bite zone for substantially longer periods of time, a key ingredient to getting bit.

I have been fishing for over 20 years of my life and hope to continue to do so for the next 30. I have dedicated myself to sharing what I have learned through those years in the hopes of promoting this popular outdoor recreational activity by providing commentaries and reviews, video tutorials, fishing tips and more. Come visit my site at http://spinningreels.com for freshwater and saltwater fishing information.

The Basic Fishing Pole Has Come A Long Way

2008-01-22T05:43:00.001-08:00

We can tell from drawing and stone inscriptions that fishing poles of one sort or another have been used for thousands of years. Bamboo and wood were the original pole materials.
There are a variety of stone inscriptions that point to the use of the fishing pole in ancient China, Egypt, and Rome. Unfortunately, there is very little written information about the materials or techniques used in these early fishing poles. The real story of the fishing pole is one of those things that have been lost in the mists of time, but one thing is certain. Man has fished since the time he realized that fish can be eaten. As is the case with hunting, fishing began, not as a sport, but as a means to find food and survive.

There is also very little concrete evidence about just when fishing moved from being a food producing activity to being a recreational one. It is quite possible that this happened fairly early, however, because most fishermen realized that nets and fish traps were a much surer and quick way of producing fish for food. The fishing pole and the enjoyment and challenge of outsmarting and capturing a large fighting fish must have held the same appeal for our ancestors as it does for us. At least, this would be true once his belly was full.

From what we do know of early fishing poles, it is clear the same basic principles applied to the ancient models as to today's poles. The fishing pole was made of a material that was tough, but also somewhat flexible. It tended to be tapered from the handle end, getting progressively smaller toward the tip. At first the pole had some kind of line attached to the end with a hook attached to the end of the line.

A fishing rod differs from a fishing pole in that it contains excess line that is stored in a reel. The line runs from the reel to the tip through a series of guides. This arrangement allows the hook and any attached bait and lures to be cast out some distance from the fisherman. The disadvantage of the original pole was that the casting range was limited to the length of the line attached to the end of the pole. Modern reels allow casting to great distance and with great accuracy. The modern rod and reel and the line itself is usually sized to maximize the challenge of bringing the fish to the shore or boat. Of course, commercial fishermen are not concerned with challenge and use heavy line less likely to break.

The modern era has been marked by the use of modern materials such as graphite in the making of fishing poles and rods. This material allows lighter poles with incredible durability. Another common feature of modern poles is the idea of the traveling pole. This is a pole that can be broken down into two or more pieces for travel and reassembled for fishing.
Aazdak Alisimo writes about hunting and fishing for http://HuntingandFishingStores.com

Saltwater Conventional Reels Vs Freshwater Casting Reels

2008-01-22T05:42:00.001-08:00

There are several different types of conventional fishing reels, one of the three major classes of saltwater and freshwater fishing reels, which also include spinning reels and fly reels. Conventional reels when used in saltwater fishing applications are commonly known as star drag, lever drag, high speed, two speed or trolling fishing reels. When used in freshwater fishing, anglers refer to conventional fishing reels as casting, bait cast and bait casting reels.

Most of the major tackle manufacturers produce a full line of both saltwater conventional reels and freshwater casting reels. Brand names like Daiwa®, Shimano®, Penn®, Okuma® and Accurate® continually introduce new lines of high quality conventional reels like the Saltiga, Saltist, Trinidad, Torsa, Tiagra, Torque, International, Twin Drag and many more. Ranging in price from affordable to very expensive, with the proper maintenance and care, the latest conventional fishing reels should provide for many years of fishing enjoyment.

Freshwater casting reels are typically smaller in dimension. Many have a line winder mechanism, which helps guide the fishing line onto the spool in an evenly manner. These are very popular among tournament bass fishing anglers and are commonly referred to as bait cast, bait caster and bait casting reels. The drags of this type of reel is set by turning a knob or sometimes a dial, which resembles a ninja star and is known as the star drag. I prefer to use casting reels when I fish with less than 12lb. test line, as most reels will hold a sufficient amount of line, are super light and are easy to cast.

Saltwater conventional reels are the preferred fishing reel for big-game saltwater fishing and trolling. These reels can easily reach over a thousand dollars, but this type of reel is essential when targeting world record-breaking trophies. Whether it's a one speed or two speed, star drag or lever drag, live bait or trolling reel, using conventional reels requires some practice and knowledge in proper casting techniques to avoid backlashes and tangles. Conventional reels are also ideal when fishing with live bait, as they are meant to be fished in freespool; with the spool of the reel disengaged, allowing the spool to spin with the pull and movement of the fishing line and bait.

Similar to the freshwater casting reel, the saltwater conventional reel comes in a star drag version, with adjustments in drag applied by turning a dial. The lever drag reel is typically bigger and the drags are adjusted by sliding a lever, usually to a strike position that is marked on the reel. This type of fishing reel comes in one speed versions and different gear ratios, which determine the amount of line that is picked up with each turn of the handle. Two speed variations are typically used for bigger fish and trolling and are known as trolling reels. These fishing reels are bulky, heavy and powerful, with lower gear ratios for better cranking ability.
With so many choices in freshwater and saltwater fishing rods and reels, it is important to do your research when purchasing fishing gear and equipment. Knowing the proper name of the equipment that you are researching can save you time and money. I hope that the next time you do an online search for tackle, you would know the difference between a freshwater casting reel and a saltwater conventional reel.

I have been fishing for over 20 years of my life and hope to continue to do so for the next 30. I have dedicated myself to sharing what I have learned through those years in the hopes of promoting this popular outdoor recreational activity by providing commentaries and reviews, video tutorials, fishing tips and more. Come visit my site at http://spinningreels.com for freshwater and saltwater fishing information.

Fishing Rods - The Differences of Freshwater or Saltwater Fly Casting, Conventional and Spinning Rod

2008-01-21T05:29:00.000-08:00

There are many differences in both freshwater and saltwater fishing rods that often go unnoticed by most anglers. Graphite and fiberglass composite fishing blanks come in many different choices of rod guides, handles, grips, reel seats, fishing line classes and lure weights. When matched to the appropriate fishing reel, these options are designed to enhance performance and minimize weight, as well as assist in the transferring of pain from the angler's arms and back, to the fish.

Fiberglass fishing rods are normally more parabolic and have a softer feel than graphite rods. I tend to prefer fiberglass for casting live baits and light lures. The softer action, or backbone, allows the rod to load evenly during my cast, creating a pendulum-like motion that is wider and with some practice, will cast further distances. Fiberglass fishing rods are also ideal when targeting fish with soft mouths, as the rod will absorb most of the tension from your hook set further down into the rod from the tip.

Graphite rods are my choice for deep water jigging or when I want to make quick work of a fish. The tremendous lifting power of this type of fishing rod is advantageous when fishing in deep water, heavy structure or when trolling. The stiffness of a graphite fishing rod is not only felt by the angler, but also transfers directly to the fish, as every tail beat can be felt through a graphite rod. The disadvantage is that graphite rods do not cast particularly well. They have a tendency to sling baits and lures on a flat trajectory, rather than casting them in a pendular lobbing motion.

Fly rods are typically designed with a medium to slow taper, with the backbone of the rod towards the middle section. This is necessary in casting lightweight flies, both wet and dry. The importance of casting when fly fishing leads manufacturers to go to great lengths in refining reel materials and technology that enhance their casting ability, strength and sensitivity. High quality fly rods are represented by the most recognized names in fishing like G-Loomis®, St.Croix®, Okuma® and more. In fact, fishing rods are so strong these days that they are being utilized to set new line class records for different saltwater species around the world.

Spinning rods are probably the most mismatched rod that I have seen. Anglers are constantly confused as to how to properly hold the rod, as well as which way to attach the reel. To make it clear, a spinning rod is a fishing rod with guides that get bigger in diameter as they approach the reel. Spinning rods should be held with the guides hanging below the rod, towards the ground. The reel should also hang below the rod, and if right handed, the handle should be on the left side of the reel. The guides of this type of rod are bigger near the reel due to the way line unravels from a spinning reel.

Unlike spinning rods, conventional rods have the guides of the rod mounted on top and have a gradual decrease in diameter as you approach the tip. Conventional rods have smaller guides because of the straight unwinding, with the spool of the reel in free-spool, of fishing line when casting from a conventional reel. Conventional rods can also come with roller or rolling guides, typically used for big-game fishing or trolling. The reel should sit atop the reel seat, with the handle on the right side for right-handed anglers.

There are many small, but very important differences in fishing rods that are designed to enhance the performance of the rod. Anglers should familiarize themselves with these differences and how they are designed to better your chances of successfully landing a whopper size fish. The best choice for your fishing application, whether saltwater or freshwater, begins with a properly matching rod and reel combo, so if you prefer to use spinning reels, get yourself a spinning rod in graphite or fiberglass. If you are proficient in casting, try a conventional combo and benefit from the advantages of a conventional reel. Either way, knowing how to take advantage of the latest technologically advanced fishing rod and reels will enable even the novice angler an opportunity at a fish of a lifetime.

I have been fishing for over 20 years of my life and hope to continue to do so for the next 30. I have dedicated myself to sharing what I have learned through those years in the hopes of promoting this popular outdoor recreational activity by providing commentaries and reviews, video tutorials, fishing tips and more. Come visit my site at http://spinningreels.com for freshwater and saltwater fishing information.

10 Trout Fishing Tips For Fishing At Strawberry Reservoir Utah

2008-01-21T05:28:00.000-08:00

Ask any angler and they will tell you that Strawberry Reservoir is Utah's most important trout fishery. More people cast their hooks into it's cool water than in any other lake in Utah. Their are a number of important factors which contribute to Strawberry Reservoir's trout producing muscle power such as:

1. optimum feed production

2. perfect climate for Trout habitat

3. premium spawning habitat for trout.

Strawberry Reservoir is home to three species of sport fish: Bear Lake Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout and Kokanee Salmon. These fish are abundant and big in Strawberry Reservoir.

To make the most out of your next Trout fishing trip at Strawberry Reservoir, use these 10 trout fishing tips when you fish Strawberry Reservoir and you'll always catch more fish than you'll ever be able to take home!

1. Fish early morning or early evening. This is when the trout are most actively feeding at Strawberry Reservoir.

2. Monitor the lake water temperature. Keep in mind that when the water temperature at Strawberry Reservoir rises above 70 degrees, trout seek cooler water. That means, you'll only find them in shaded or deeper areas.

3. When the temperatures get too warm, fish the shaded pockets of water at Strawberry Reservoir.

4. Use a boat on Strawberry Reservoir. In the summer, fishing from a boat at Strawberry allows you to reach the deeper water where the fish hideout while seeking cooler conditions. If you don't have a boat, you can rent one at Strawberry Bay Marina.

5. Using a fish finder will tell you where the trout are and also it will tell you and how deep they are at Strawberry Reservoir.

6. It's a fact that trout have a keen sense of smell, and they won't bite your hook if your lure or bait carries an unnatural odor. To remedy this, simply rub dirt or grass on your hands to eliminate unnatural odors. You could even clean a fish you catch, to get that scent on your hands.

7. Trout spook at shadows. Trout notice things that move, including your shadow. So when casting your line, cast it in the opposite direction, away from your shadow.

8. Trout have a very keen sense of vision and they can see through the water remarkably well. So when you venture out to fish, be sure to wear clothing which is less apt to cause you to stand out against your background. Wear only drab colored clothing.

9. Monitor the weather and the moon phases and brightness. Only fish when trout are most active. When the moon is bright, fish are active, which tends to reduce their daytime feeding activity.

10. Using gang hooks allows you to present the live bait in a more natural manner.

These tips are guaranteed to bring you tremendous fishing success at Strawberry Reservoir.

Suzi Phillips from http://guided-fishing-trips.com is an avid fisherman and outdoor sports enthusiast. Visit his blog at: http://squidoo.com/trout-fishing

How to Improve Traction on Fly Fishing Wading Boots

2008-01-21T05:26:00.000-08:00

I think you will agree that nowadays all fishing tackle stores and mail order outlets carry felt sole wading boots in a wide range of prices and sizes to fit the needs of the modern fly fisher. You always get what you pay for and a good wading boots with proper care will give the average fly fisher many years of service. Wading boots used for fishing are just not another pair of high priced hiking boots. They are designed to be wider and higher between the arch and laces plus added toe room to accommodate thick neoprene waders and the booties found on most of the better quality breathable waders. Good wading boots are constructed with quality workmanship and water resistant materials that will withstand the rugged abuse of river wading. I suggest that before you purchase any pair of wading boots try them on with your own waders and socks to get a proper fit.

With all that being said, after a couple of seasons are you just a little disappointed in the way those high dollar felt sole wading boots perform? Do they seem to be a little more slippery on some river bottoms than you thought they would be? There is a cure that will solve the problem, and it works on newer felt sole bottom boots and old worn out felts bottom boots as well.

If you have a pair if wading boots (old or new), with just plain felt soles try this fix: Find a reputable carpet store in your local area that sells and installs commercial grade water proof carpeting, the type used in offices, restaurants, hotels etc. This is not carpet used in residential housing or indoor/outdoor carpet used on patios decks. Ask to see some ruminates with short (3/8"or less) tight nap without a fabric or rubber backing. Tell the sales person what you want to use it for so he will know just what to show you. You will only need a piece 3'x 4' to make four or five pairs of soles for your wading boots. Next, you will need to purchases Barge waterproof contact cement in the red and yellow can to glue the carpet over the existing felt soles. I have not used the Barge cement in the green can but I have been told that it is safer to use and works just about as well. The 32 oz. can of cement will do 5 or 6 pairs of carpet soles or felt sole replacements and it can be found at most major building supply stores or shoe repair shops. You will also need a couple rolls of ¾ inch reinforced strapping tape

If you want to remove the old felts soles from a pair of wading boots you can do it yourself: In an open work area away from flames or sparks, apply a liberal amount of acetone to the felt soles and allow them to sit with soles facing upward for 1 to 2 hours. Now using a heavy screwdriver, slip the tip between the felt sole the rubber sole of the boot at the toe end and pry the felt up. Then using a large pair of Vise Grip pliers, clamp down on the old felt sole at the toe end and pull it back and upwards; like opening a can of sardines, the old felt should peel off quite easily. However, if the felt soles are sewn onto the bottoms of the boots you will need to go to a shoe repair shop to have the felts removed, or you can just glue the carpet to the felts.

In your work area place the carpet on a hard surface with the backing up. Place the wading boot on the carpet and use a black marking pen, making an outline of the sole and mark "R" for right and "L" for left. If your boots have a raised heel, draw a line across the carpet sole for the heel. I use a very sharp filleting knife to carefully cut out the replacement soles about ¼ inch wader than the boot sole. If your boots have the raised heel cut it where the cross line is marked. Don't worry about the replacement sole being a little oversized, you can easily trim it to size after the glue has dried. Now you are ready to apply the carpet to the bottoms of the boots.

In a well-ventilated work area, on a newspaper covered workbench, place blocks of wood on each side of the boots for support to keep the soles facing up. Then carefully apply a thick coat of Barge cement over the soles on the boots, making sure that the edges are well coated and allow the cement to become somewhat tacky. If the cement is absorbed into the felt soles apply another coat. Also apply one thick coat of cement to the hard back of the carpet sole replacements, and allow that cement to become tacky. Depending on the air temperature it may take 30 to 40 minutes for the glue to become tacky. This is contact cement, so carefully align the carpet soles with the bottoms of the boots and press them together the harder the better. Slip the boots on and walk around, stomping up and down, putting as much pressure as you can on areas of the bottom if the boots. Remove the boots and fold the upper part of the boots down into the boot opening. Use the strapping tape to very tightly wrap the carpet soles to the bottom of each boot. Make about 8 to 10 very tight wraps around the boot from heel to toe, then tightly apply about 3 pieces of tape from the bottom up and over the toe of each boot then do the same to the heels. The boot should now almost be completely covered with tightly wrapped strapping tape. After 2 to 3 days of drying, carefully remove the tape and using a sharp knife, trim the carpet as close as you can to the rubber sole of the boot. If you want a really neat job you can use a small propane torch to carefully seal the edges of the carpet.

I suggest that if you just want to replace the old felts with new felts replacements, this gluing method really works. However if you are not a handy man or you don't have the time, just take the carpeting to a good shoe shop and have them put the soles or felt sole replacements on for you.

The quality and longevity of this project is dependent on the quality of the carpet, the amount of pressure that is applied to the newly glued replacements, and the proper application of Barge contact cement.

Good luck, good fishing and wade safely. For wading tips and additional fly-fishing how to tips and information please visit my site.

Stanley Stanton: Oregon Fly Fishing Guide and McKenzie River fishing guide, Visit: http://www.oregon-fly-fishing-with-stan.com For trout fly fishing tips, how to fly fish information, plus guided Rainbow Trout Fly Fishing, Steelhead Fly Fishing, classes for beginners and Oregon Salmon Fishing.

Creative Carp Bait Boosting Methods and Special Catfish Hook Baits and Fishing Edges

2008-01-21T05:25:00.000-08:00

There are many simple ways to generate more bites in fishing. There are many complex methods too, but what matters is what gives you personally the most satisfaction in your fishing. We all want to improve our catches with the least time and effort. Or do we? You may wonder why I ask this question and the answer is this. Most often it's the guy who puts in the most effort that reaps the greatest rewards, but this just reflects a great deal of our activities in life.

Often in the case of fishing, it's not necessarily what you know, but how you create ways to use what is 'common knowledge' to solve our fishing challenges, by using innovative applications to fit a specific purpose by design.

A good example is in the case of many newer fishermen just getting into the game. Many are extremely keen to learn and will proactively seek out all the information they can. The proliferation of carp fishing magazines etc are catering to an obvious need, just as this article is. Often fishermen create the problems they face in their fishing situations by fishing in stereotypical fashion - quite literally as in the pages of a magazine. This 'copy-cat' type of fishing approach is absolutely rife, certainly in the UK.

For example, a set of anglers reading the magazines might well choose to start using a new ready made bait and order it in bulk from a commercial bait company. These days there are many which will make your bait to your specifications. You can even make your own flavours or bait enhancing liquid mixtures to differentiate your version of that bait to the standard commercial version. Often using one company's liquid stimulators and attractors and flavours with the base mix of another is a successful way to create a new but already successful bait.

It can take a little time to get confidence in doing things like this. Certainly there are baits which have been 'optimised' using their own activating ingredients for example, but the majority of base mixes can be used with a vast selection of alternatives additives, flavours, oils, enhancers, stimulators etc and catch fish very successfully.

Even if you just fish for catfish and are unsure of how to boost a piece of luncheon meat, soaking it in one or a mixture of carp designed additives (as in dips and soaks) is an easy edge to use. Most carp anglers use a bait dip or soak to boost their hook bait's attraction at the very least. This certainly works on most waters most of the time although where it is done by the majority, a situation is created were untreated and 'washed-out' baits have a noticeable edge especially for those individual fish which feed and behave with more care and caution with perhaps what might be termed an 'angler conditioned heightened awareness' of potential angling related danger reference points including over-loaded baits.

One easy way to trick fish is to soak all your free baits in an additive mixture so none stand out. I used to try and fish in a block of 2 or 3 days and nights if possible. This was really so the effect of leaching of stimulating substances from bait soak boosted free baits and the continual breakdown of different types of baits like pastes, boiled baits and steamed and scalded baits could build up. I'd do anything I could to make the fish lose their reference points in regards to that bait as much as possible.

Obviously using a bait of one kind in a swim works well and catches. How many anglers have tested using the same bait treated with 3 differing levels of added flavour soaked into the bait? Different swims, depths, temperatures and other variables can influence results on a single type of bait with one flavour level and it is very much worth covering a range of concentrations. When you find a level for that time of year make a note of it. Now you might want to test mixing betaine HCL or an intense sweetener for example in with the flavour and try these methodically too. (Using an 'alternative sweetener like 'Aloe Nectar' or even cheap fruit sugar in your ground bait for example, can really pay off.) The thing is although in the strictest scientific sense what you are doing is not utterly conclusive (far from it) if it catches you more fish than your friends flogging 'standard baits' and you keep learning useful knowledge from doing it, then why not try it?

Another simple trick is to feed boosted soaked baits of one or a mixture of different types. Beds of boosted baits and all kinds of ground baits really can get the fish going and coming into the swim in a 'stimulated mode.' On many waters this can equal very active feeding, if only for a short while until the free bait is eaten, or you hook a fish and spook the rest out, or until attraction gets leached from the baits and the fish actually decide to feed on your baits when washed out, perhaps 2 or 3 days later when they may be regarded as 'safe'. In fact, baiting up with boosted crumbed and chopped baits of different types and trickling it in gradually over a series of days really can build confidence and even competitive behaviour in the fish.

On trickier waters, it can pay off to get set-up in your swim, build the swim up with bait and only wet a line when the fish are obviously feeding confidently. This may mean 2 days of no fishing and then maybe a very big fish on the third night for example. I've done this on many occasions with significant success when targeting bigger fish.

You do not absolutely need to buy expensive fishing flavours and additives from the fishing shops however. Many anglers are on a constant budget and your consideration of the food, drink, fuel, ticket price and essential tackle which gets used up, like PVA bags, hook sharpeners, boilies, pellets, ground baits, all add up. Your free bait and ground bait boosters can be very simple mixtures. You can add any of the following:

Liquidised squid.

Liquidised liver.

Liquidised fish.

Mashed tinned fish in oil and / or water. (And mixtures of all or any of the above.)

Pates can be used to boost hook baits and make them very different. How many anglers have tested using a mixture of crab, salmon and shrimp pates with an added amino acid type of liquid supplement for example?

Tomato puree and other supermarket favourites like fish and crab source and anchovy paste. (Anchovy paste is also great for catfish and pike too.)

The list can go on and on and mixing cheaper materials with proprietary fishing bait products is also very effective. Even boiling your baits in molasses sugar or honey can make a difference to catches. It takes a bit of creativity that's all.

I hope you do take notes too, because I certainly did regularly and in great detail for at least my first 10 years of carp fishing. Although I've forgotten much from the last 27 years of carp, catfish, sea, game, match and other fishing, over time, this process definitely speeds up learning. Maintaining a fishing diary and bait note book are very valuable tools indeed. It reveals valuable patterns pertinent to your water or specifics about the specific baits and methods you employ and the challenges you encounter. Looking back over past years makes for some fascinating reading too!

On one particular commercial water I fished around 2005 I remember aiming to catch all the big fish and this really did involve noting every single detail concerning the water to identify weaknesses the fish might possibly have. This included everything I could think of including possible dietary deficiencies due to a lack of weed in the water and history of specific boilie baits. This meant researching the pellet baits, particle baits allowed and ground baits most introduced by the majority of anglers. Also exact patrol routes, fish movements and behavioural observations and their regular feeding spots, frequency of feeding and apparent and probable feeding influencing factors. Also factors influencing location especially in regards to the activities and numbers of other anglers and their line angles, baiting habits and so on.

Even testing different rig materials to match the lake bed and identifying which approach would work better from small hooks and long links and hairs, to many options including very short links with exacting measurements and 'hinge' placements. Even hook baits and their colours, sizes shapes, hardness, buoyancies and densities and textures and leaching rates were examined. I came up with the use of at least 3 'alternative approaches' which proved extremely effective.

A hair utilising 3 'blood corpuscle / disc' shaped extremely hard dense baits in tiny sizes in combination with a complete paste covering of the hook, produced many of the big fish and pretty quickly too. This was fished with tiny fresh paste free baits and scalded paste baits in PVA bags half-filled with bait base mix and certain very effective additives. I was always aiming to use a new bait mix each visit and this also proved very effective and seemed to produce the effect of catching the range of the fish and not just producing repeat captures of the same big fish, which occurred for another angler to his annoyance. (He had no idea how it was I kept getting different fish!)

This water was very special because I had in effect spend 10 years on one larger water and another 8 years on a very difficult water of a similar small size each with similar problems which I'd successfully overcome and landed the biggest fish from. That's quite apart from at least 100 other waters fished in the previous 25 years. Some waters require particular approaches and may take more than you are prepared to give. Money spent on bait has always been a problem for me and I'm not alone.

On some waters you really need the large amounts of bait necessary to build up a swim if consistent catches of big fish is your aim. My experience on 'Darenth big lake' in Kent UK was that I'd become extremely lazy and just did not focus on the fish movements and exact feeding spots enough and went for 2 or 3 years without really bothering to apply much of what I know about bait. I used tiny amounts of ready made baits almost entirely and fished very stereotypically and paid for it dearly. Despite hooking some big fish and losing them including the famed 'little leather' the feedback and lessons were all very useful.

I remember fishing the 'Big Grange' in Essex for a couple of years and noticed that at one point, certain members caught amazing numbers of fish in a short period of time while other members blanked. Of course, the secret was in the use of boats and very heavy repeated baiting of spots in heavy weed. The effects of such baiting becomes like a key unlocking the potential of a water making things very much easier where such an approach has not been done except by the minority. By comparison, my puny 25 baits around my hook baits produced very few fish, but I soon learned!

You could say that your real success is relative to what you know at any period of time and how you use it. At that time I'd never heard of anyone emptying 25 kilogram sacks of bait off a boat and then going back to their rods and catching almost immediately; it just seemed so alien to what I was used to. This opened my eyes to the quantities of bait, fish of a large size can consume within a very short period of time. Although heavy baiting is not an appropriate 'blanket fishing approach' I would always leverage it using creative types of baits and their preparations if and where appropriate.

However do be aware that your bait and baiting behaviour really can impact upon the fishing and results of other anglers even to the extent of preventing them from catching. This behaviour is just not ethical in my view and experience. I remember fishing one water having nicely prepared my swim for a night session with a minimum of disturbance and brimming with confidence, when a certain 'Mr Shelly turned up in the swim close next door on a 'social fishing trip' and proceeding to fill the lake in with bait. We both blanked.

On some smaller big fish waters especially, you can actively observe fish responding in detail to your baiting methods and refine what you do and what you are offering. This can entail using binoculars to observe tiny tell-tale bubbles from fish feeding and travelling in your baited area and be able to track their movements on and around your bait for example. (You can note a fish rolling just under the surface on the sly for example when often you might look for a head and shouldering or surface rolling fish which just does not appear.)

You can look back in your diary to a certain week over previous years and pretty much know which carp or even catfish will be feeding in a rough location where in a water depending on conditions and angling pressure. You might also know what that fish's bait preferences are; like a mix of particular bait additives or a base mix and expect to catch him at an even bigger weight this coming year. When experiences build up it can become like a painter with a huge palette and range of creative colours to choose from; one is likely correct for the purpose required.

So please remember, if a new angler turns up at your water and proceeds to catch fish beyond everyone's expectations, he's likely paid his 'dues' and genuinely put in great efforts and for a very long time, elsewhere first; and it could be you!

Like I mentioned earlier, much of your fishing success and 'personal fishing edges' over your competing fellow fishermen can be down to how you use what you know...

By Tim Richardson.

For the unique and acclaimed new massive expert bait making 'bibles' ebooks / books:

"BIG CATFISH AND CARP BAIT SECRETS!"
And: "BIG CARP BAIT SECRETS!" (AND "BIG FLAVOURS, FEEDING TRIGGERS AND CHEMORECEPTION EXPLOITATION SECRETS") SEE:

http://www.baitbigfish.com

Tim Richardson is a homemade carp and catfish bait-maker, and proven big fish angler. His bait making and bait enhancing books / ebooks are even used by members of the "British Carp Study Group" for reference. View this dedicated bait secrets website.

Bass Fishing Lures - Realism Is The Key

2008-01-21T05:24:00.000-08:00

When it comes to choosing a bass fishing lure, it seems to me that realism is the key. Bass fishing lures come it what seems like every shape and size, and the color combinations seem almost endless. It seems as if lure manufacturers have gotten a bit out of hand with all of this, because at the end of the day, the lure that looks the most like what the fishes prey is will work the best.
Fishing lures were originally designed to mimic a bait fish (or other food source), with the express purpose of catching a fish. But it seems to me that the original concept has gotten a bit out of hand. If you go into a tackle shop today, there are more bass fishing lure choices available than can be found at a 'build your own' ice cream sundae store.
The problem, as I see it, is that most bass fishing lures are designed to "sell the fisherman", rather than how realistic the lure actually appears underwater. This is a problem, and the anglers best line of defense is to not buy into the hype. The packaging on many bass fishing lures out there is over the top, to say the least.
That's why it's important, as a consumer, to stick with two criteria when looking for a new bass fishing lure. Number one stick with a quality manufacturer, and number two, unless the manufacturer can show you what the lure will look like in the water, be wary. Some manufacturers will even offer you "money back guarantees" if their lures don't perform a you think they should.
We all know that companies like Rapala and Bill Lewis make quality bass fishing lures, and anything that you buy from them will be a good choice. There are also companies that have quality bass fishing lures, and show you exactly what they look like under the water (through the use of video). An example of these fishing lures can be found here. These fishing lures, the ones where the manufacturer shows you how they perform, are as realistic as can be found anywhere.
The bottom line is that when it comes to bass fishing lures, realism is the key. We want our lures to look as much like a real bait fish as possible. The more real out lure appears to the fish, the more success we will have.
Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
Realistic Fishing Lures: http://www.jrwfishing.com/fishing_lures.html

Know All About Ice Fishing Tackle

2008-01-21T05:21:00.000-08:00

If you're getting ready to go ice fishing, you'll want to make sure you have all the right gear. Ice fishing tackle will be the bulk of the gear you'll need, although you won't want to forget about warm clothing either.
Make sure you dress warmly... it is easier to take something off than put something on if you didn't bring it. Bring an extra pair of gloves too, in case your primary pair gets wet while fishing. Don't forget your fishing license, food, bait, and other needed items.
Augers
The first item on your ice fishing tackle list will be an auger. An auger is used to make your hole in the ice. You can use a saw if you don't mind working up a sweat. If the ice isn't too thick, you can use a manual auger if you prefer. If the ice is really thick, you'll probably want a power auger to get through the ice quickly and efficiently.
Be sure and drill all your holes at once, so any noise that may scare the fish is over quickly. You'll need to pack a small strainer too, so you can remove small bits of ice left after you drill. You can also use it to remove the thin crusts that will form throughout the day. If you have a portable heater, your strainer can be warmed briefly and applied to any thin crust that forms to melt it.
Ice Fishing Traps
If you are running more than one hole, you'll need ice fishing traps. An ice fishing trap straddles your hole in the ice to support your line as it dangles in the water. When a fish takes the bait, the flag goes down, so you can haul in your fish. You can even find them in neon colors now, so they are easy to see at night.
Rods and Holders
You'll want a rod that is small, yet strong and flexible. Make sure it has been cleaned and oiled, so it works easily. A holder will be necessary if you are manning more than one hole, or if you want to take a break to eat. Some holders are available that will fasten around your leg, so you can jig your line while your hands are free. If you choose one, make sure they fit your leg comfortably, as you'll be wearing it the entire time you're fishing.
Shelters
Some hardy ice fishermen will stick to the basics by braving the elements with only a couple wool sweaters, gloves and a thick winter coat. Others prefer to have a shelter while ice fishing. While technically it is not part of your ice fishing tackle, it can be an important part of your gear.
There are portable shelters available that look like a tent. A few easy movements and the shelter is popped up and ready to position over your hole in the ice. For the more dedicated ice fisherman, a more permanent shelter can be erected from wood. Some get very elaborate, and include beds, cupboards, televisions, and more.
To learn more about ice fishing tackle and other ice fishing gear as well as ice fishing houses visit: http://www.great-ice-fishing-house-plans.com

Who Says Costs of Fishing in Canada Is A Problem?

2008-01-21T05:19:00.000-08:00

Canada has some of the best options to go for a fishing holiday. There a lot of other activities that you can do in Canada, but nothing beats fishing. If you think that cost is a problem, it definitely is not and all you need is some information to allay your fears.

1. Less Costly Fly Fishing

People are seeing reduction in costs of fishing particularly for fly fishing. For example, a 5-day trip for 4 anglers will cost about $140 per angler. This includes a river boat, complete with access pass, transportation to the river and back, riverside coffee, and a chance to explore the sceneries of Quebec, where fly fish are plenty. If you are planning for a similar trip with only 1 or probably 2 anglers, it will be more expensive. It will cost an estimated $200 for every angler per day.

2. Interested in Carp Fishing?

If you are interested in carp fishing, getting a place to stay and to fish is solved by the Canadian Carp Club. They offer the best facilities and the cheapest accommodations. They can take as many as 30 anglers along with Trailer and Bivvy anglers. Thus, all of the charges are spread among all anglers. They can also provide affordable cheap, tackle, and bait. There are also instant freebies handed out.

Hiring of tackle will cost you about $50 a week. This includes leads, catapults, rigs, and hooks. You can also get your own fishing license for $12, which is good for one week. If you want to extend it for a month, you must pay $18.

If you're fishing carp, you may require numerous bait. It is because the more bait you have, the more carp you can catch. The property owner feeds the carp on a daily basis. The club can also take care of boilies. You only have to supply them at least 5 to 10 kilos each week for every person. Each kilo costs $5. They also offer mainline boilies at regular UK prices.

3. How About Walleye Fishing?

Lesser Slave Lake is one of the most perfect places for walleye fishing. You may not anticipate any huge walleye, but it can provide you the best form of action. Normally, walleye caught will be around 15 to 20 inches in length. Occasional catches can go beyond 24 inches and walleye can weigh as much as 5 to 6 pounds.

You can also choose different shorelines at numerous local lakes if you want a whole new kind of action. All this might cost $2,500, which is good for two people. This is also good for 6 days of fishing excursion in Alberta.

There are ways to enjoy that fishing holiday in Canada and not face cost problems. It is just a matter of getting the right information and planning accordingly.

Check out more information on Canadian fishing vacation tips, fly in fishing trips in Canada and lots of other interesting and useful topics on Canada fishing at http://www.recreationfocus.com/canadafishing/

Reviving Billfish - Tips You Need to Know When Releasing Sailfish, Swordfish, and Marlin

2007-12-28T04:36:00.001-08:00

Last summer we had an unfortunate incident with a swordfish we brought to the boat.
It was about 8:30pm and we had been set up for about 45minutes when we had our first bite, the second balloon at 150' baited with a dead squid started to scream. My brother Rocky was on the rod and the instant he pushed the drag up to strike, which on our rods is set at 25-30lbs of drag, the fish stopped and Rocky cranked the fish in effortlessly. Less then five minutes later we had a small swordfish boat side. We couldn't see the hook and since this fish was brought to the boat so quickly we didn't want to put this green fish through any trauma.
Rocky handed me the pliers and I clipped the leader as close to the swordfish's mouth as possible. The swordfish kicked away and seemed to be fine, then less then a minute later on the other side of the boat we spotted the swordfish belly up. We pulled in the drift anchor and moved the boat to the swordfish. Rocky grabbed its bill and brought it along boat side. I put one engine in gear and Rocky held the fish's bill underwater in the hopes of reviving this small swordfish. After a minute or so of attempted reviving, the swordfish just became even more copper colored, stiff and lifeless. We realized there was no hope of reviving this fish so we brought him in the boat. Once he was in the boat we inspected the fish and the hook which we decided to cut was just a little bit inside the corner of its mouth and not bleeding what so ever. Since this fish was brought to the boat in minutes and received no trauma from the fight or from us upon release made us believe that this fish must have had heart failure.
Incidents like this are rare, especially when the fight time is kept to a minimum. But, they do happen and it reminds us that even though we are conservation minded and try to practice good catch and release, there is always a chance that a caught fish will not survive after being released.
There are many things we as fisherman can do to try and ensure a healthy release for any billfish we catch. For one, whenever we get a green billfish to the boat which we are planning on releasing simply cut the leader as close to the fishes mouth as possible and as quickly as possible. Holding any large billfish along boat side is one of the most dangerous things we can do in the sport of fishing. When a mate leans over the gunwale to hold a boated billfish, especially on a boat with high freeboard, he or she can seriously injure themselves and the fish. Billfish struggling along boat side often damage their eyes, bills and gills banging against the side of the boat. This is why simply cutting the leader as close to the fish's mouth, is much safer for the fish and the people on board.
Any attempt to remove the hook from a billfish can do much more harm then good to the fish. Poor attempts to remove the hook from a struggling fish can cause sever bleeding and bruising to the fish. So, unless you have a smaller billfish at the boat and you can clearly see that de-hooking the fish will be an easy task due to where the hook is placed, simply cut the leader as close to the fish's mouth as possible, it will have a much better chance of survival.
In the event you try and de-hook a smaller billfish, attempt to de-hook the fish while its head is underwater. Once a billfish's head is above water it will violently thrash its head.
When you are about to release a billfish if it's not struggling to get away, is not lit up and has a copper color, grab the fish's bill holding the bill and the fish's head under water then put the boat in gear so water will run through the fish's gills. Once the fish starts to kick on its own or starts to struggle, gently let go of the bill and let it swim free.

Never consider a billfish dead, always try to revive the fish as it may just be exhausted from a long battle or unconscious from lack of water (oxygen) running through its gills.
TightLines,
Captain Vinnie La SorsaFort Lauderdale Fishing Charterhttp://www.GoodFellasCharters.com
www.Go-Sportfishing.com

Importance of Artificial Light While Swordfishing

2007-12-28T04:35:00.000-08:00

The use of light, either chemical or battery powered plays an important role in catching swordfish. There is no question that the use of artificial light increases the probability of catching a swordfish.

Swordfish have giant pupils, about the size of a racquet ball which makes them extremely sensitive to light. Swordfish are designed to be able to see in extremely low light conditions, this is why they are efficient hunters is the deep depths of the ocean.
Putting a light on your line while swordfishing acts as an artificial magnifier to make your bait spread seem larger then it is and the light attracts attention from both swordfish and bait schools in the area.

Each color of light in the spectrum we use has different qualities. For example, each color of light has a different quality of brightness and water penetration. Water penetration means, how far of a distance the color of light can travel through water before it disappears. The colors in the spectrum which disappear are, from first to last, Red, Green, Blue, and Purple.
Now, when placing your artificial light onto your fishing line you want the light to be far enough away that your bait will be sitting right outside the lights brightest sphere in the shadow line. In terms of what light color is the best depends on any given night, as swordfish seem to have patterned bites based on light color as well as depth. Although, there is a much higher probability for bites on the colors blue and green.

When the moon is full and there is a lot of light penetrating the water column the light on your shallow baits will be diminished due to the large amount of natural light penetrating the water.
Captain Vinnie La SorsaSwordfishing & OffShore Charters.
Fort Lauderdale Fishing http://www.GoodFellasCharters.com
www.Go-Sportfishing.com

Understanding How Moonlight and Moon Phases Effect Swordfishing

2007-12-28T04:34:00.000-08:00

In order to better understand why swordfish concentrate their feeding habits in certain depths on any given night or why the bite is better during different times of the month requires you to better understand how the effects of moonlight influence swordfish.
Before you can understand how moonlight affects swordfish, you must understand the moon and its phases. The moon revolves around the earth in 27 days. The first phase of the moon at the beginning of its new revolution is what we call the "New Moon". The new moon is when the moons face is in the shadow of the earth causing the moon to reflect no light and look dark to us. A week after the "new moon" the moon will be in its first quarter, meaning that one quarter of the moons total surface is reflecting light back to earth. Since we only see 50% of the moons surface, when the moon is in its first quarter it is actually referred to as a half moon by many of us since one half of the moons face is reflecting light. One week after the first quarter the moon will be full, and the whole face of the moon which is visible to us will be reflecting light. One week after the Full Moon and again the moon will appear as half since it will be in its last quarter. One week after the last quarter the moon will have completed its lunar cycle and be a "New Moon" again.
Now, if we look back to our past swordfish trips and our catch statistics we would see patterns for a few nights when all bites were at depths greater than 200'. And we would also see a pattern for a couple nights when all bites were at depths less than 100'. These changes are a direct effect from the amounts moonlight which was present during these patterns. We know swordfish are predatory species feeding on concentrations of squid and mackerel which are both diurnal species, meaning that during the bright daylight hours they stay in the deeper darker depths of the ocean and as daylight diminishes and night falls they rise to the shallower depths. Now, moonlight plays a role in where the concentrations of the bait will be congregating. For example, during a full moon, since much of the moonlight is shining through the oceans surface, the bright moonlight will cause the bait to stay deeper in the water column. Conversely, during a new moon with virtually no moonlight breaking the oceans surface the bait will congregate in shallower depths closer to the surface.
Of course, we should always have a bait in both the deeper and shallower part of the water column no matter what moon phase we are in, just in case there is swordfish wandering. Although, the brightness of the moon is an extremely good indication of what depth the majority of the swordfish bites we will be. During nights when the moon is full and bright the majority of baits should be fished deeper in the water column.
Tightlines,
Captain Vinnie La SorsaSwordfishing & OffShore Charters
Fort Lauderdale Fishing http://www.GoodFellasCharters.com
www.Go-Sportfishing.com

Swordfishing in South Florida

2007-12-28T04:32:00.000-08:00

Southeast Florida Swordfishing – “Purple Fever”
Once you have your tackle ready to go, let us describe a typical drift out in South Florida’s Gulf Stream. We are basing this drift using 4 lines. Some of your center console fisherman may be able to fish 5 or even 6 rods, but we believe 4 rods is sufficient and will cover the fathoms needed to catch that broadbill you have dreamed of. Swordfishing off the southeast coast of Florida has really taken a turn for the better. We are experiencing a fish size of 75-100lb on average. Although we are deemed to be the breeding grounds and anglers routinely catch “Pups”, we have our share of three-hundred pound plus fish move through. November thru January is usually some of our best months, as the water temperature is cooler. But with all good comes some bad. The seas are usually much rougher this time of year. In the summer time, we don’t see as much action, but we still get our share. This is a year-round fishery and will be around for a long time as long as we don’t abuse it. We ask that you please report you fish! Please report your catches and releases. We know you are not required to report a release, but by reporting that we are routinely catching the numbers, lessens the chances of commercial fisherman entering our waters. We cannot stress enough how important it is to report our catch.
We also want to practice safety especially while night fishing. We suggest that each angler on your boat carries a glowstick and whistle in his/her pocket. This way if they were to accidentally fall over, you would have a means of finding them. Another strong point is no sleeping! Cargo ships constantly are running through the swordfish grounds and if you are sleeping and they are on autopilot, trouble could be approaching. We have had some close calls to where we actually had to pick up and move to avoid a collision course with some freighters. Bottom line, if you want to sleep stay home.
Now lets fish!
Locating The Swordfish Grounds:
As you may know swordfishing takes place at night, as they are primarily nocturnal feeders. Leaving the dock in the late evening hours and coming back to the dock after midnight is the standard, depending on the time of the sunset. Calm seas have much to do with the decision of when to go out. Swordfish can be caught when it is rough or calm, but we must think safety first. The combination of a gps and good fishfinder is essential when finding good solid structure to start your drift. Off the South Florida coast, our sword grounds are generally between longitude 79-51W and 79-49W. This is roughly 15-18 miles off our coastline. A fishfinder that goes to at least 1500 feet is very beneficial; as you will see the canyons and structures that hold the bait, hence attract swordfish. *Tip – If you want to find the fish, set your fish finder range to just 100ft and you will find bait such as Tinker Mackeral or Sardines. Where there is bait, there is Sword! Swordfish are known to roam these deep depths around ridges and valleys. With the two combined units you are already ahead of the game. Radar is also an important piece of equipment, but not absolutely necessary. Once you are satisfied with your location, you want to spend the next 5-20 minutes figuring out your drift. The drift is a very important aspect. If you have heard that the bite is strong along the 79-50W line, you want to make sure you are drifting on this line. A top-notch sea anchor can work to keep you in this zone. Deploy your sea anchor off the boats center cleat for the best drift. But maybe, the bite is fluctuating from the west 48 lines to the 51 lines. In this case you would want to drift over and over these grounds. Turn on your vhf or check out our reports to see where the most action is for the night you are going out. With the proper drift you can stay in the zone all night and have baits soaking for the majority of the night. Don’t be in a rush to put the baits out. Take your time and factor the wind and current and decide, “Am I going to push in shallow or out deep”. Which side of the boats are the lines going to be on? How much wait should I be using to get my baits to the desired depth? How fast will my drift be? All these factors are worth considering before you turn off the engines and decide where you are going to ride out a drift.
Tackling Broadbills:Although a live bait seems ideal when setting out to catch any gamefish, don’t rule out your dead baits! Bobby Boyle of RJ Boyle Studios came out with a shirt that says, “Live Bait Sux”. Bobby definitely has a point when it comes to swordfish. As a beginner in swordfishing, we suggest sticking to just one live bait and the rest dead baits such as squid. You ensure a much better hookset when using a dead-bait, and your strikes will definitely not suffer from not using live-bait! Your sole livebait can be fished just under the boat around 85 feet down. It will blend in with the other baits that have congregated around your boat.
Lets discuss rigging your rods. We use mostly 50 wides, but have a few 80’s that are ready for that big wintertime swordfish. A 50w is plenty sufficient for swordfish. With the invention of hollow-core braid, guys can load their 30’s with the over 700 yards and be able to fish their light tackle rods for broadbills. When spooling the reels we suggest marking the last 400 feet of your line. Mark the line using waxline half stitches. This will enable you to easily drop your baits to the desired depth without having to count every time you setup. A counter can be used to count off the desired feet. If you can leave a loop in the waxline marker on your line, this would be ideal. Later on we will teach you how to tie the balloon or jug to that loop in the waxline. It is very important to make sure the waxline does not slip! Your first knot that will be used on your mainline is the popular bimini twist (about 5 ft). The knot acts as a shock absorber and is very beneficial to the rig. Take your bimini twist right to the ball bearing snap swivel and tie an offshore knot. Have this combination on all four of your rods.
Lets discuss your rigs. We first start out by measuring 15 feet of 200lb – 400lb mono leader. On the top end we crimp a loop using a nylon thimble so that we can attach it to our ball bearing snap swivel with ease. On the other end, crimp a 8/0 – 11/0 hook. Make sure the hook is very sharp, if not sharpen it. You should be able to press it against your finger nail and make a nice dent. On the hook you want to place a bridle that is used to bridle your live bait. It is a loop that is about 6 inches in diameter made out of rigging floss. Attach that bridle to the hook and you are set. Attach your live bait rig to your rods ball bearing swivel. At the swivel top circle you want to also attach 1 electralume and a flasher at your discretion. This helps to make your bait visible to the swords.

Lets rig your other 3 rods for a dead bait. A swordfish favorite is the squid. There are a number of ways to rig a dead squid, but the best method is to have the hook exposed half way down the mantle. We find this much more effective that placing the hook down by the eyes of the squid. . Once you have all four rods ready to be deployed, get out your jugs and weights, along with copper/telephone wire. Have the gaff ready to be deployed as some days you may drop the baits right into swordfish territory. We don’t know how many times we seem to drop a bait right on a swordfish. Tip* If you like to take your time in setting up, that’s fine. Go ahead and put out a flatline while getting your other rods ready. This way if you have a curious sword come to the boat, you atleast have a bait in the water. We have seen them come into the light on numerous occasions. If you don’t have a bait in the water, most likely they will just leave.
Setting up your first Drift

Drifting for swordfish is very very effective. Providing that you have your baits staggered, your chances of catching a South Florida Sword are very good! Now that you have 4 rods that are ready to be deployed, lets get some lines in the water. Once you find your desired area to fish, shut off all engines. Here you will analyze your drift. You can deploy a sea anchor if you think you are going to need it. Once you are satisfied with the direction and speed of your drift, get the first line out. As a general rule of thumb, get your longest lines out first, meaning jug/balloon baits. Check out our forums and communicate with fellow swordfish anglers regarding everything mentioned here. You may even find out what depth the fish were biting out the night before. But a general rule of thumb is on a New Moon, you fish the baits shallower. And on a full bright moon, you fish them deeper. Tip* Be sure to have a bait at 100 feet and 300 feet. These 2 depths are critical. Once you get a bite on one, you can adjust your other rods accordingly.
With the first rod, attach the live bait rig, along with your electralume and flasher. Then take about 12 inches of telephone wire or a #64 rubber band and attach a 32-ounce weight to the swivels top circle. Wrap the telephone wire about 6 times and pull to ensure it breaks away. Put it back on and let your bait down to desired depth. For this exercise, we will go 300 feet on the first line. Once the 300-foot marker on the line comes up, attach your jug or balloon to the loop you left in the waxline using telephone wire. You can attach the balloon or jug using telephone wire or a small rubber band. Again, test to make sure it breaks away when pressure is applied by fish. Let the float out about 50-80 yards from the boat. Don’t forget to put a glowstick into your jug for visibility.

Do the same to the second rod, but this time go to 200ft and let it out on the jug/balloon about 30 yards. It is very important to test different depths by the 100's. Don't forget to attach a lightstick to the jug/balloon for visibility. Once you have the 2 lines out on the jugs, lets move to your tip rods. The tip rods are called tip rods because that is exactly what they are. You will see the tip of the rod bounce heavily when a fish is slashing the bait. These rods are being fished right at the boat at varying depths. Apply the same rigs as mentioned above and set these rods at 150 feet and 100 feet. These will be your most active rods, as they are in the direct light of the boat.

Now that you have 4 lines in the water, lets get your 4ft light out and put it on the opposite side of the boat, to avoid direct light into your eyes. Turn off all boat lights and sit back and listen to your rods. Check all lines as needed. If you don't have any action within 30 minutes to an hour, start by checking your tip rods. If the baits have been slashed than bring in your balloon/jug rods and re-bait. The 4ft green light can be a very important piece of the puzzle when swordfishing. We have had bait by the dozens including bar jacks, flying fish, and dolphin come to the light. With the bait we have seen swordfish follow right behind them. When swordfishing you want to have your best game turned on. Without the light at the boat you might as well stay home. We deem this light very effective. Think about when you see a boats navigation lights about 10 miles away. Imagine a swordfish. Their eyes are enormous and we bet can see much better than we think. This could be the difference between a fun-filled night and a very frustrating night. Check out the forums for more information on the secrets and tips. Fish On? Now What?

Once you hear the drag being taken out or you see a fish surfacing, you want to jump on that rod fast. Each rod should have a different color light that distinguishes it from your other rods. The enables you to determine which rod the fish is on. You should of had your drag set at practically nothing, just enough to keep the bait from taking off line. Get on the rod and start cranking until you get tight on the fish. Once tight, start increasing the drag until you hit about 8-16 pounds of drag. Too much drag may cause the hook to rip from the soft mouths of these fish. The hook will automatically set and you are in for a fight of a lifetime. Have a buddy put the belt on you, so you can stand up and fight the fish properly. Do not arch forward or your back will begin to hurt very quickly. Do not rush the fish. These fish get in excess of 400lbs and have been known to keep anglers on the wind for over 8 hours! Once the fish is at the boat, it is ideal to have one guy handline the leader and another guy with the gaff. We also suggest using wind-on leaders. This will help avoid the dangers of hand-lining a big fish. A swordfish has to be at least 47 inches to keep. So before hitting it with the gaff, you want to decide if you are keeping the fish or not. We recommend not keeping a fish under 60 inches. This will help the bounce back of the swordfish industry. If you do decide to keep the fish, you want to gaff the fish right in the gill plate to avoid ruining the meat. Always wear tough leather gloves, as the bill is very sharp. *Tip – Keep your hands together when leadering the fish. This will help avoid the dangers of hand lining the fish.Tight Lines,Swordfishing Central
Michael Grimmhttp://www.swordfishingcentral.com

Fishing for Salmon? Do You Know the Different Salmon Species?

2007-12-28T04:31:00.002-08:00

Did you know that there are five species of Pacific salmon and one species of Atlantic salmon? Further, did you know that all 5 species of Pacific salmon run wild in Alaska?

We’re proud of our wild salmon here in Alaska, and rightly so. On the one hand the wild salmon are great sport fish and we Alaskans love to spend gorgeous summer weekends challenging them.

On the other hand our commercial fisheries are healthy and self-sustaining. They are able to catch enough wild salmon to satisfy most of the world wide demand for fresh wild fillets in the restaurants and packaged wild salmon on grocery store shelves.

King Salmon

The Chinook salmon is nicknamed king salmon in Alaska. It is the official Alaska state fish.

Description

Of all the Pacific salmon the king is the largest. A 97-pound king was caught by a sport fisherman in 1986 on the Kenai River. In 1949 a 126 pound king was caught commercially near Petersburg, Alaska. Typically king salmon weigh 30 pounds and above.

The king is lightly and irregularly spotted on their blue-green back. They also have a black pigment along their gum line. Spawning kings in fresh water range in color from red to copper to almost black.

Life Cycle

All species of Pacific salmon hatch in fresh water, spend part of their life cycle in the ocean, then return to fresh water to spawn.

The king salmon generally live 5 to 7 years, though they can mature by their second to third year. As a result the kings in a spawning run can vary greatly in size. A mature 3-year old may only weigh 4 pounds while a mature 7-year old may exceed 50 pounds.

The young king salmon feed on plankton and insects during their fresh water period. During their second year they migrate to the ocean where they grow rapidly.

Some kings make immense spawning migrations. For example, many of the Yukon River kings will migrate over 2,000 miles during a 60 day period to reach the streams and headwaters in Yukon Territory, Canada.

Taste

The king salmon has a rich flavor, firm flesh, and a pleasing red color. Kings caught at the mouth of the Yukon River have a huge store of oil in their flesh for their long upriver migration. The result is an extra-rich flavor, much prized among those who love salmon.

Sockeye Salmon

The Sockeye salmon is also called the red salmon due to the bright red color of its flesh, and it is the second most abundant salmon species in Alaska.

Description

Sockeye salmon are the slimmest and most streamlined of the 5 species of Pacific salmon. They differ from kings, silvers, and pink salmon by the lack of large black spots, and they differ from chum salmon by having more gill rakers on the first gill.

Sockeye are generally a greenish-blue color with silver sides and a white or silver belly.

During the spawning season the Sockeye males develop a humped back and a hooked jaw. Both male and female Sockeye turn brilliant to dark red as they head upriver to their spawning grounds.

Life Cycle

After hatching during the winter and spending a few months in the river gravels, the juvenile Sockeye spend 1 to 3 years in freshwater before migrating to the ocean.

The Sockeye spend 1 to 4 years in the ocean, ranging thousands of miles while feeding and then returning to the same freshwater system where they were born. They reach an average size of 4 to 8 pounds, sometimes reaching in excess of 15 pounds.

Bristol Bay, in southwestern Alaska, annually harvests the largest number of Sockeye salmon in the world. About 10 million to 30 million Sockeye are caught during a short season that lasts only a few weeks.

Taste

The Sockeye salmon has an exquisitely rich flavor due to the high concentration of oils. It is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids. The rich red flesh color is maintained throughout cooking which results in a beautiful presentation. Some people consider the Sockeye to be the most flavorful of all the salmon species.

Silver Salmon

Coho salmon are known as silver salmon in Alaska and are an excellent game fish.

Description

Coho salmon have bright silver sides and have small black spots on their back.

Spawning salmon of both sexes develop red to maroon colored sides. The males develop a hooked snout with large teeth.

Life History

Juvenile silvers live in ponds and lakes formed by rivers and streams. They generally spend one to three years in the streams and may spend as many as 5 winters in lakes before migrating to the ocean.

Silvers stay in the ocean, where they grow quickly, for about 18 months before returning to their home streams. They weigh from 8 to 12 pounds, but can range up to 31 pounds. Their length ranges from 25 to 35 inches.

Taste

The flesh color of silver salmon is orange-red and is retained during cooking. The texture is firm and the fat content is high. The taste is a pleasing full salmon flavor, slightly milder than that of the Sockeye. The size of a fillet is larger than that of the Sockeye, and it is a prized fish for cooking.

Pink Salmon

Pink salmon are also known as the humpback in Alaska. Prior to spawning the pink salmon develops a pronounced hump on its back.

Description

The color of the pink salmon is generally a bright steely blue on top and silver on the sides. It has many large black spots on its back and over the entire tail fin. It has small scales and its flesh is pink, befitting its name.

The spawning pink salmon develops an olive green to black color on its back with a light-colored to white belly. It develops a very pronounced hump and hooked jaws.

Life Cycle

The young pink salmon hatch during the winter and spend a few months in the river gravels. During the spring they migrate downstream to the ocean. They feed along the beaches before moving out further into the ocean.

Like all salmon, the pinks grow rapidly in the ocean but they are the smallest of the Pacific salmon species. The pinks reach a size of about 3 to 5 pounds and about 20 to 24 inches in length.

The pink salmon spends only two years in the ocean. This two year pattern causes distinct odd-year and even-year cycles which are unrelated to each other.

When the pinks return to freshwater, they are the most abundant of the Pacific salmon species. They do not migrate far upriver, but generally spawn within a few miles of the mouth of the river. As with the other Pacific species both male and female pinks will die within a couple of weeks of spawning.

Taste

The pink salmon has a delicate, mild flavor and a light flesh color. About 80% of harvested pinks are canned and are the most common salmon species found on grocery store shelves.

Chum Salmon

Sometimes called “dog salmon” in Alaska, the chum salmon is a traditional source of dried fish for winter use.

Description

Chum salmon have a metallic greenish-blue back surface with fine black spots. They resemble sockeye and silver salmon so closely that one needs to examine their gills and fins closely to make a positive identification.

When nearing fresh water the chum salmon develops noticeable vertical bars of green and purple, which gives them another nickname, calico salmon.

The spawning chums develop the typical hooked jaws like other Pacific salmon and large teeth, which partially accounts for their other nickname, dog salmon.

Life Cycle

As with pink salmon, the young chum do not spend much time in fresh water before migrating out into the ocean. They feed near the mouths of their streams for a period before forming schools and moving further out into the ocean.

The chums spend 3 to 5 years in salt water, growing rapidly after entering the ocean. They generally range in size from 7 to 18 pounds, sometimes reaching 30 pounds in weight.

When the chums return to fresh water they often spawn in the same areas as the pinks, not migrating far up river. One major exception to this pattern is the chum salmon population of the Yukon River. Some of these chums migrate 2000 miles upriver to spawn in Yukon Territory of Canada. These chums have a very high fat content in preparation for their long migration.

Taste

Chum salmon have a mild, delicate flavor with a medium red flesh color. However, Yukon River chums, with their higher fat content, have a rich, full flavor similar to Kings and Sockeye.

Atlantic Salmon

Atlantic salmon are not native to the Pacific coast but are raised in large numbers in pens. They run wild on the Atlantic coast only. The Atlantic salmon found in markets are farm-raised, generally originating in salmon farms off Chile or British Columbia, Canada.

Description

Atlantic salmon in the wild have silvery sides and belly with greenish-blue coloration on its back.

Spawning Atlantic salmon develop blackish fins and purplish coloration and reddish spots. Surviving adults are dark in color.

Life Cycle

In the wild young salmon spend one to three years in fresh water before migrating to the ocean. In the ocean the Atlantic salmon ranges for thousands of miles.

They generally return to freshwater by the age of five. Unlike the five Pacific species of salmon, the Atlantic salmon does not die after spawning. The surviving adults repeat the migration and spawning cycle.

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Garry Gamber is a public school teacher and entrepreneur. He writes articles about real estate, health and nutrition, and internet dating services. He is the owner of http://www.Anchorage-Homes.com and http://www.TheDatingAdvisor.com.

What Has Happened to the Cod Stocks Off the Shores of Newfoundland?

2007-12-28T04:31:00.001-08:00

The Newfoundland cod stocks. What has happened to cod fishing off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland?
Several centuries ago, John Cabot, sailing under the English flag, found the richest fishing area the world would come to know. Cod stocks in the Grand Banks region off the coast of Newfoundland were so bountiful and endless that the wheels starting to turn. England saw the potential wealth that cod fishing could bring their country.
Cod fish, once caught, could be dried and salted and sailed back to Europe. Cod was light and easily transported and furthermore, less expensive that other meats such as beef, pork, or lamb. At that point in time, the wealth that cod could bring to the European market was thought to surpass that of South American gold or Caribbean sugar.
The English fisherman saw large cod fish, sturgeon and salmon and very much plentiful. Huge oysters, herring, and squid were also found in endless amounts.
Today, sorry to say, that Newfoundland’s cod stocks are gone. During the deep-sea, mechanized trawler days, the cods stocks have been no match for the large nets of these trawlers. The entire peninsula of Newfoundland was dependent upon the fishing industry for its employment. People either fished the waters, built the ships that fished the waters or worked in the fish plants. Now the employment is gone as well.
The cod stocks are returning but we will ever see cod rebound to their once glorious numbers? We can only hope.
Catherine Kenyeres is a successful author and publisher for http://www.best-4u-fishing-equipment.com. Catherine has written numerous articles for the fishing enthusiast.

Why Do You Need a Tacklebox?

2007-12-28T04:30:00.000-08:00

A tacklebox or a tackle bag is a necessity to store your fishing lures, bobbers, and hooks.

A tacklebox is a necessity to store your expensive lures. The more you fish the more expensive lures you will accumulate. I can’t imagine over time having a tangled mess of barbed metal to contend with. Nothing beats staying organized. Therefore, having a tacklebox is a must.

So the question remains what type of tackle box do you need? There are many different types of tackleboxes to choose from. I suggest a tackle box with sufficient storage for your current needs then double it. Also to keep in mind your tacklebox should have sufficient compartments to hold some oversized lures. You wouldn’t want the oversized lures to tangle maps, leaders, or bandages.

What should you include in your tacklebox?

Bandage strips contained in a water-resistant container
Matches sealed in a water-resistant container
Suntan lotion
Flashlight and spare batteries
Spare car key in a small case attached to a large colorful bobber. (Hint: The bobber has to be large enough so that the small case does not sink).
For the salt-water enthusiast, tackle bags may be a practical alternative to tackle boxes. These tackle bags have plastic cylinders inside to hold saltwater lures. As well, the tackle bags have side compartments for leaders.

Although the tackle bags are convenient, remember not to lay your tackle bag on the sand as the tide can sweep up your tackle bag and take it to unknown places along with your expensive saltwater lures and your car keys. Or may have the unfortunate fate of having your tackle bag run over by a four-wheel drive vehicle or a dune buggy. Yes, this can happen.

Catherine Kenyeres is the successful publisher and author for http://www.best-4u-fishing-equipment.com. Catherine Kenyeres has written numerous informative articles for the fishing enthusiast.

The Fish Don't Care What You Wear

2007-12-28T04:27:00.000-08:00

The fish don’t care what you wear. Waders, vests and hats for fishermen are necessities to brave the elements.

Waders are a must if you are planning any surfcasting or stream wading. And what you need to know about waders, no matter how much you spend for them, they will eventually leak and new waders must be replaced.

Love to fish in the streams during the summer? Rivers are low running and are not deep; so hip waders are perfect. Why heat up in chest waders when hip waders will suffice. On the other hand, those one-piece chest-high waders are a necessity for surfcasting. Irritating sand or pea gravel cannot wedge their way into your boots.

Alternatives to chest waders are the stocking-foot waders. Stocking-foot waders are also chest-high, but anglers will require wading shoes or boots. Some anglers favor wading shoes or boots as they give added support and traction while fishing all day.

It is difficult to imagine fishing without vests. Vests are invaluable as they contain many pockets to hold such items as expensive flies or lures as well as your bug repellant. But ensure that the pockets open from the top and not the side so not to lose those valuable flies or lures. Not to imagine losing your car key.

And lastly, don’t forget your fishing hat and sunglasses. You certainly do not want to get sunstroke in the hot sun as well; fishing hats shield your head from the rain. Furthermore, hats and sunglasses will protect your eyes from glaring sunlight and you can see what the fish are up to when the sun is setting in the sky. Which in fact, is the most opportune time of the day to catch that big one.
Catherine Kenyeres is the successful publisher and author for http://www.best-4u-fishing-equipment.com. Catherine Kenyeres has written numerous informative articles for the fishing enthusiast.

How To Choose The Best Time Of The Year To Go Bass Fishing

2007-12-27T11:51:00.001-08:00

Bass fishing is just one of the many types of angling. You can find bass in rivers, lakes, streams, fresh water, and salt water basically anywhere that there is water you can find bass to catch. As long as there is food, oxygen, and cover there will be bass present when you are fishing. If you are fishing in a river with a lot of mangrove cover and trees with roots digging into the ground you will find and catch bass.

Even though a bass loves crawfish and it's the favorite food they will eat anything from snakes to rats and that's not listing all the things in between like insects, mice, lizards just anything that could fall in the water a bass would more than likely eat.

If you want to find the right bass hole then you need to get a depth finder and all the gadgets so you know how cool the water is and how deep you are. These game fish want the water to be cool because cooler water equals more bass since they thrive in the cooler water that has more oxygen in it. If you were to go fishing in the spring or early summer you might catch a few but from September to about November you should be catching them like crazy if you are in good cool water temps.

A bass is like a hunter, they will ambush the food in which they are trying to get and eat. For these game fish to live they need to be in cover and if they feel like they are able to be seen easy they will move to get better cover. Cover is the main thing to a bass if it thinks that another fish can spot him out and see him he will move to better cover. They want to take good cover because that is their nature to be an ambusher that is the only way that they can catch their food because in their little habitat they are pretty big fish that can be seen fairly easily.

So if you are trying to catch one of these aggressive game fish you need to think like them and fish where there is lots of cover and shade and where you know that they are and where they would hide. If you go in the middle of summer then you are not likely to catch any and are only going to sweat and not catch anything at all. You want to fish for them in the cooler months of the year so they are in well cooled water and can take cover. The more oxygen the cooler the water that is what a bass is always looking for is more oxygen. Where you find a drop in temperature is where you will find big fat bass just hiding and taking cover.
Gregg Hall is an author living with his 18 year old son in Jensen Beach, Florida. Find more about bass fishing as well as freshwater fishing equipment at http://www.nsearch.com

The Fishing Pontoon: A Popular Choice

2007-12-27T11:50:00.001-08:00

Some people would enjoy their fly fishing experiences much less without a fly fishing pontoon. You just get used to them, and for many people they are a significant part of fly fishing. If you love fly fishing, and you have never gone out on the water in a fly fishing pontoon boat—you are certainly missing out.
The fly fishing pontoon boat has woderful maneuverability and high quality durability, it is an innovative and continually improving design of fly fishing equipment. The manufacturers and designers want to keep on creating new styles on fly fishing pontoon boats that will become more and more impressive and enjoyable as time goes on.
The typical consumer of many fly fishing pontoon boats are avid anglers looking for something lightweight, and the kick boat style of a pontoon. The fly fishing pontoon is unlike any other water craft for fly fishing or anything else.
The marked differences between older model fly fishing pontoon crafts and the newest, and highest quality fly fishing pontoon crafts will be apparent as soon as you see them. And certainly the manufacturers will continue to develop better fly fishing pontoon equipment, accessories and, of course, the boats themselves for your convenience.
If you have had the same old fly fishing pontoon for some time now, browse around and see if you can find one of the great, new, and improved fly fishing pontoon boats especially suitable for you.
Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening and electronic innovation. For more of her articles about digital cameras please visit Fly fishing Pontoon.