Pike
Image by David_Howell via Flickr

This post goes back a few years, like about 45 years.

My younger brother and I were fosters kids and for a few years we lived on a farm in central Ontario. They had a huge farm and a river ran through the back of the farm where the forest began. We spent as much time as we could playing around the river and jumping off the bridge. It was a lot of fun and great memories of time that wasn’t the best for us.

Well one day we were back at the river and followed it to the bridge. People fished the river all the time but this particular day these two men were fishing pike and had left their young son up on the bridge with his little fishing rod, expecting him to just play while they, the men, fished.

About 20 minutes, well I am just guessing as I was just a kid back then myself, but it wasn’t long and this little kid started screaming that the had a fish. His dad and the other guy came running. John and I were laughing and almost as excited as the kid was.

I remember thinking that the kid was going to fall in because he had his fishing rod and half his body sticking through the fence railing.

His dad thought it was a catfish and didn’t really hurry even though this little guy was holding of for dear life. Then the fish jumped and it was a pretty big pike and not just a catfish. That dad all of a sudden started moving a lot faster.

Them managed to catch the pike and then the next thing I heard was the dad trying to convince the kid to give him the pike and to not tell his mother he caught it. He even offered the kid money but money didn’t mean anything to him at his age.

While I was sitting here thinking back to that day I remember that one year John and I had fireworks. I was sticking the little firecrackers in the railing of the bridge and lighting them. It was great fun until I realized that the bridge had caught fire.

I did my best to get water from the river and put it out but all I had was my hat and it wouldn’t hold much water by the time I got back on the bridge. This bridge was right close to the the next side road, fortunately. A guy driving by on the other road saw the smoke and myself freaking out and saved the day.

I never told my foster parents as it would have been a death sentence and that guy never told on us either.

That old wooden bridge has long since been replaced by a steel bridge.

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Get to Know the Eagle Fish Finder

Fish finder
Image by Blue Square Thing via Flickr

Fish finders aren’t just for commercial trawlers anymore. Weekend warriors everywhere are now using these sonar devices to take the guesswork out of finding areas where fish are feeding. No matter what kind of fish you’re looking for or what kind of water you’re fishing in, a locating device is a great piece of equipment to have with your fishing gear. The Eagle fish finder is quickly becoming the trophy tool among avid fishermen because of its design and accuracy. It’s ideal for small boats and is very reasonable in price. If you want fish finders explained, then read on, as the pros and cons of the Eagle will be weighed to help you decide if it’s the right product for you.

There are several different styles of the Eagle fish finder and all are quite easy to use and reasonably priced. Due to its size and lightweight construction this device can be used on small boats including float tubes, kayaks and canoes. The transducer, the operational piece of the fish locator, mounts onto the vessel using a suction cup. Because of its durable and water-resistant casing, this convenient device can be utilized in both freshwater and harsh saltwater settings. An added benefit of this piece of equipment is the screen design. It is bright and readable – even in full daylight. The Eagle ranges in price from around $100-$500 and comes with a one year manufacturers warranty.

Like the Garmin fishfinders, the Humminbird fishfinders and the Lowrance fishfinders, the Eagle fish finder depends on the transducer for its effectiveness. The transducer emits the sonar signal that detects fish, weeds and underwater structures beneath your boat. The signal bounces back to the boat and is read on the screen. With its 20 degree cone angle transducer mounting, the Eagle offers up to 60 degrees of fish detection and also has a high sensitivity setting to allow you to locate more fish.

Among the Eagle’s biggest selling points is user-friendliness. As soon as you have arrived at a possible fishing site, switch on your fish locator. The equipment will show the distance downward and water temperature to around 600 feet in the screen’s corner. The sonar chart will scroll and display everything directly underneath the watercraft as you drift or troll for schools of fish. By using the menu options you can adjust the sensitivity of the apparatus. The fish will be displayed as a straight line if you are stopped.

It’s important to remember that sonar can sometimes be fooled by branches and other floating debris. Still, portable fish finders can greatly improve your odds of landing a trophy fish. Yet if you really are a fishing enthusiast, then don’t become entirely dependant on sonar. Part of the fun of the sport is using your instincts and tracking down schools of fish. However, when you do want a little help, the Eagle fish finder is a great tool to have.

Need help deciding on the right fish finder? From the Lowrance HDS-10 fishfinder/GPS chartplotter to the Eagle FishEasy color compact, there are fish finder reviews to make the choice easier for you.

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Fly Fishing On the Mighty Madison
Image by Roche Photo via Flickr

Getting tired of fishing all the same ole spots over and over? Perhaps you haven’t given fly fishing a try yet. Once I was introduced to the sport of fly fishing my fishing experience changed considerably.

For those fishers who have only ever used a spinning rod it’s time to give fly fishing a go, you can thank me later.

Fly fishing is fun and exciting and when you hook that first fish you’re going to see a whole new angle to fishing.

You only have to understand a few simple things and you will be fly fishing and catching in just a few short minutes. It’s not rocket science.

Be sure you have the fly fishing supplies you need, nothing sucks more than to go fishing and find left things behind. I like to visit all the fly fishing stores in our city and any other city I happen to pass through but I also like to check out eBay for some great deals. I do try to keep my money in our local economy of course.

Of course eBay isn’t the only place online that you can buy fly fishing supplies but that’s for another post.

I wasn’t fly fishing for a week and I was already tying my own flies for catching brook trout. Yes you can even get fly tying supplies on eBay if you don’t have shops locally.

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largemouth bass bait

Click Here To See Old School Bass Fishing Secrets From 12 Backcountry Bass Masters!

One popular largemouth bass bait fishing technique that thousands of bass fisherman use every year is fishing with top water lures and plugs. These bass baits catch largemouth bass by the hundreds every year.

If you are thinking about taking up largemouth bass fishing do not overlook the importance of top water lures and plugs. You won’t regret learning to fish these bass baits once you see a largemouth bass break water on the end of your line you will be hooked for life! When conditions are right large mouth bass are on the feed and will hit top water lures and plugs quite frequently. Water temperatures need to be above 60 degrees farenheight for this to occur. Top water bass plugs work best either late in the evening or early in the morning but they will also strike at top water baits if they are in very heavy cover in the middle of the day.

Some of the most popular top water bass baits include bass buzz baits, snag proof top water imitation frogs bass baits, bass chugger baits, bass stick baits, bass jitter bug baits, and bass prop baits.

Largemouth bass buzz baits have a very large blade that spins and planes water out to both sides of the lure. Buzz baits need to be retrieved slowly and steadily, but do not stop reeling because they will sink. Frogs and soft rubber or plastic rats need to have hooks that are weed less for fishing on top of heavy weed cover.

Stick baits are long, thin plugs that are weighted on the tail end The weighted end gives the top water plug a side to side motion. Prop baits look exactly like stick baits except they either have a propeller on one end or both. You fish bass prop baits by with twitches and then a pause, twitches and then a pause.

Chuggers have a concave or flat face that when you jerk it through eh water it will splash on both sides of the lure. Bass chuggers are typically fished with a series of quick twitches.

Jitterbug largemouth bass bait fishing plugs have a very wide face plate or arm that will make the bass bait wobble and crawl through he water. You will want to fish a jitterbug bass bait by using a slow and a steady retrieve.

There are many popular top water retrieves that work well when fishing top water bass baits. You can use the twitch and pause technique which works best when fishing prop baits and chuggers. Chuggers can also be fished using a series of twitches with no pause in between. To retrieve a bass stick bait hold your rod low then give the bass bait a series of evenly spaced jerks that make the bait’s head swing back and forth through the water. This retrieve is commonly called “ walking the dog”

I have had a great time writing this article we hope you enjoyed our information about Catch Largemouth Bass

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Old School Bass Fishing Family Secrets

The Sage Xi2 Saltwater Fly Rod

Saltwater fly fishing gear is heavier than freshwater fly fishing gear for two main reasons. Firstly, saltwater fish species are generally larger than freshwater fish species, and you will need stronger rods, reels and lines to catch these fish species. Secondly, saltwater fly fishing requires longer casting with larger flies, and normally there is some wind to deal with. You cannot cast very far in windy conditions with a light fly rod using a light fly line. The saltwater fly rod, saltwater fly reel and saltwater fly line make up the essential saltwater fly fishing gear you will need for saltwater fly fishing.

Saltwater Fly Rod

Your most important item of saltwater fly fishing gear is the saltwater fly rod. A 3 weight to 7 weight fly rod is normally used for freshwater fly fishing. For saltwater fly fishing, the lightest fly rod usually used is a 7-weight rod. A 16-weight fly rod is the heaviest rod that can be used for saltwater fly fishing. The saltwater fish species that you are trying to catch determine the weight of your saltwater fly rod. To catch sailfish such as Marlin you might use a 13-weight rod, but then use a 8-weight rod to catch Bonefish. For saltwater fly fishing, look to buy a specialized saltwater fly rod, specifically designed for saltwater fly fishing.

A good saltwater fly rod will have a fast action, and will generally be quite stiff. A fast action rod allows you to cast further in windy conditions and makes it easier to land larger saltwater fish species. The guides for a saltwater fly rod should be made of stainless steel or another metal that won’t rust. Because of the additional punishment of saltwater fly fishing, the guides should be extra strong on s saltwater fly rod. A good saltwater fly rod will have a padded fighting butt which will provide more comfort when fishing for extended periods of time. The saltwater fly rod that is rated as one of the best all-around saltwater fly rods is the excellent Sage Xi2 saltwater fly rod.

Saltwater Fly Reel

A saltwater fly reel is an essential item of saltwater fly fishing gear, and is more important for saltwater fly fishing than for freshwater fly fishing. A saltwater fly reel needs to be better quality than a freshwater fly reel. It is important that you buy a saltwater fly reel made of components that are saltwater resistant, so the reel will not rust. It is also important that the saltwater fly reel has a very good drag system and sufficient line capacity for your backing, fly line, and your leader. As saltwater fish species normally run further with your line once caught, 100 to 300 yards of backing is normal.

Saltwater Fly Line

The saltwater fly line most commonly used for saltwater fly fishing is a floating line, which is used to catch fish near the water’s surface. A fly line that sinks slowly, called an intermediate line is sometimes used. A sinking line or a sink-tip line can also be used to catch fish at deeper levels. A weight forward line is normally preferred for saltwater fly fishing in order to be able to cast longer distances in strong winds. The fly line weight used normally matches the fly rod weight, but sometimes a slightly heavier line weight is used, especially in windy conditions.

 

For more information about saltwater fly fishing gear, take a look at the news feed for Fly Fishing Elite (Feedage.com).

Effective Bass Fishing Lures

Bass fishing
Image by grubsroom via Flickr

Fishing is one of the most relaxing hobbies people practice. The thrill of catching fish is real and infectious and the possibility to cook your own meal on it is even more attractive. If you also want to benefit from the wonderful taste of the fish you caught, then you must be well prepared for the activity. To give a good example here would be to stress out the importance of fishing lures as part of the tackle. Let’s take bass fishing lures and see what specifics they have that will make better bass fishing.

Bass fishing lures must be chosen carefully as there are many types, specialized for the various conditions of bass fishing: the time, the place and the type of fishing, as well as the type of bass you are after. The most popular bass fishing lures include vibrating lures, tube baits, crank baits, spinners, rubber worms, poppers and several others.

If you do not like working with real worms in particular, you can choose rubber worms that work just as well. This kind of bass fishing lures are designed to descend slowly towards deeper waters, fooling fish to believe they are real prey. On the other hand, many fishermen consider jigs to be the most useful and proper when bass fishing in somewhat murky waters or when fishing at night. The success of jigs comes from the fact that they look like living fish.

Other two bass fishing lures to discuss are the crank and spinner baits. Crank lures or baits imitate injured or weak fish and are used both in surface and deep fishing. The cranking noise added to these lures attracts the bass as well. Spinners on the other hand rely on the efficiency of movement. Water stirring is the main property of spinners, and their use as bass fishing lures is not restricted to one season alone.

Poppers represent a bass fishing lures model that is very similar to cranks, but they normally work well in summertime. Now, if you go fishing for small-mouth bass, some special lures like grubs would be more suitable. Besides small-mouth bass fishing, grubs can also be useful for fishing in clear deep waters.

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Getting A Grip On Fishing Lures

The paravane depicted is a fishing lure that i...
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The evolution of fishing gear as well as the popularity of the bass fishing industry brought about the development of a huge variety of fishing lures, each specifically designed for certain types of fish.

There are many types and classes of lures and they all work best for a certain type of fish. Many only work for specific types but some cover a wide range of species of fish.

Below are some of the typical lures used for fishing.

Light Standard Casting Lures

For Standard casting lures, they are mostly able to attract a wide range of fish varieties from albacore, bluefish, bonita, oho and crappies. These lures are also excellent for certain species of bass and they work best when moved over the water at a low to medium speed. They pass through water with undetectably synthetic material.

Their sizes are excellent for lightweight fish and a host of freshwater species. They range from 1/16 oz. to 3 oz.

The hand painted eye is enticing enough to allow schooling of fish. This feature allows for more chances of trapping one of the target fish in the water.

Heavy Standard Casting Lures

Heavy Standard Casting Lures are excellent for quite heavy fish specifically, walleye and bass.  While the lightweight lures are used in most circumstances, it was shown that heavy counterparts provide more reliable fishing output.

Moreover, the heavy standard lures are able to catch fish than diamond and light standard casting lures.

Long Casting/Jigging Lures

Perhaps the most popular among the fishing lures are the long, tapered jigging lures. They are perhaps the most commonly used fishing lures among the fishermen in Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.

Just recently, it was found out that the long casting lures work best for catching trout and pike. They were also found to effectively catch stripers and bluefish. They can catch tuna and walleye in a breeze!

Unlike heavy standard lures, this gear won’t produce good fish-catch output up to 180-200 ft under water but be sure to effectively match your lure color, bait and related accessories to maximize performance.

Deadly Diamond Lures

These lures are one of the smallest with sizes ranging from 1/8 to 1oz. They can seamlessly attract attention among fish and could form a school of fish in a minute!

The reason is it lies on its structural surface formation and cut. The top handle is cut like a multi faceted diamond and this causes the reflection of light striking its surface. The diamond lures are best for catching bass fish varieties, crappie and stripers although they work on a small range of fish species.

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Fly Fishing Tips

Fly fishing in a river
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Fly fishing is a relaxing and entertaining sport. However, if you are new to the sport you may be looking for a fly fishing tip or two. You may have looked to a fly fishing video to find a fly fishing tip for your specific need. Even so, you can never read or see enough fly fishing tips before going on your trip.

Cast Into The Wind

Casting into the wind can be a difficult task to master. However, if you learn how to do this, you will be able to catch fish when others are simply blown off of the water. Here is a fly fishing tip on how to do this. If the wind is blowing in your face, many people end up driving the fly rod tip down to generate more energy and line speed. Do not do this because all you are doing is widening the fly casting arc, which means a wider open loop that the wind will blow back in your face.

What you should do is put more force into the cast and focus on having a tighter loop that will slice through the wind easier than a wider loop. Make sure that the angle of your loop is making it inches above the water instead of the usual feet above. That way the wind will not have enough time to blow it off of where you want it to go. Do this by rotating your arm ever so slightly at the shoulder, making your elbow move back and up just a little bit.

Lubricate Your Knots

The fly fishing knot is crucial to fly fishing. Without a properly tied knot, you will simply lose your fish. However, if you lubricate your knot before you seat it, your knot will be much stronger. Tighten the knot just enough so it will not unravel on its own. Then lubricate the knot by dipping it into the water or with a little bit of saliva. Wrap the line around your finger a few times and keep pulling until you feel the stretch in the line stopping. Voila! You now have a perfectly tied, and perfectly tight, fly fishing knot.

Wear A Wading Belt

While the first two tips will improve your fly fishing, this third fly fishing tip may save your life. People die every year fly fishing when they slip and fall or get pulled into deeper waters and do not have a wading belt. This belt will prevent water from getting into your waders and dragging you down. So before you head out, make sure that you have belted your waders with a wading belt.

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A large stream, part of the headwaters of the ...
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It would be impossible to fly fish without having the right fly fishing tackle. Fishing rod, reels, lines, flies , waders and a tackle box are some of the fly fishing items which will be useful for fresh angler and experienced angler. You will certainly need to pick a rod that can help you to accurately cast the fly line and which has artificial flies attached to it and the fly reel is designed to hold your fly line as well as allows you to supply drag whenever it is required which will surely be the case whenever you land an especially heavy fish or even a fish that is very quick.

Fly Line Fly Fishing Tackle

The fly line is designed to help you cast with ease and a terminal tackle is often used for connecting the fly line to an artificial fly. In addition, to these items of fly fishing tackle you must also take along the right kind of accessories including all tools and gadgets as well as clothing that will help ensure safer and more enjoyable fly fishing. You need accessories to help you prepare and maintain your fly fishing tackle and to also deal with the fish after it has been caught; in addition, you need accessories to help you stay comfortable and safe and it also makes sense to include fly boxes into which you can place as well as transport artificial flies.

A fly fishing tackle box is of course essential for transporting your fly fishing tackle and in case you plan on spending an entire day out fishing you will also need to take along sufficient food as well as drinks and of course your fly fishing tackle; so makes sure that the fly fishing tackle box is large enough to hold all the required items.

You need to also pay special attention to wearing the right kind of clothing which in turn will depend on where you plan on fly fishing and also the type of fish species you are trying to land. For example, when fly fishing for salmon you will need clothing that allows you to spend an entire day in the river and these clothing items must also ensure that you stay warm and are protected from water and they should have sufficiently large pockets to get what you need in a hurry.

Shopping for discount fly fishing tacklescan prove to be a daunting task unless you know where to look for the best deals. Going through tacklebargains.com site is necessary for anyone who is going to buy such types of fly fishing tackles.co.uk which is committed to providing you with the most attractive bargains.

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Learning to trout fish
Image by Sue Waters via Flickr

Trout fishing tips come in quite handy especially when you are a beginner. Some knowledge on the specificity of the trout species would be great, as these fish have a metabolism closely related to water temperature. Their metabolism accelerates with temperature increase. When in cold deeper waters, they show less active and need to eat less.

Moreover, at the beginning of every year those interested in catching trout start to be directed to warmer and warmer waters as trout tend to leave cold deep waters for environments more favorable to spawning. Also, during fall trout start to move towards colder and deeper waters where they would be better off during the cold season. Yet fishermen should not expect them to cover distances very fast. The cycles of moving from one place to another follow the seasons and last for several months.

Also good to know when trout fishing is that these animals live in large groups. They tend to stick together in schools, especially the ones of the same size. Therefore, should you get lucky and get a capture, be sure that there is more trout in the area to catch as long as you do not throw the dead caught fish in the water to scare away the rest of the school.

In addition, trout fishing areas are easy to spot. trout prey on smaller fish, but they are not great hunters due to their slow motion features. They would rather wait patiently and lazily for a victim to come by and unexpectedly get in their way. Sometimes, they feed on injured marine animals even though this kind of food might not be part of their regular menu. Their regular menu consists of frogs craw-fish, worms, minnows insects and so on. For an experienced fisherman, knowledge of the eating habits and the mating peculiarities is no secret.

On the other hand, these fish become prey themselves therefore, in the normal habitat, there should be rocks and alls sorts of sea vegetation to provide them a safe retreat. That is why trout fishing is usually organized in those areas that provide camouflage for both fisherman and fish.

Successful trout fishing may also depend on the type of bait that is chosen by the anglers. Bait should vary according to both the season – spring, summer, autumn or winter – and the spawning cycle of this fish species. Hence, those new to trout fishing should pay attention to more experienced anglers to learn the basic steps.

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