Dog Training Club: July 2014

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Bluegill Fishing Tips

When early spring hits, it's bluegill season. It's fairly easy to catch bluegill at any local reservoir or stream from May through August, right off the bank. June seems to be the best month, when temperatures are between 70 and 80 in the mid-morning. Bluegill Fishing Online says the best time is when it's around 70 degrees outside.

Bluegills are about everywhere, but it is easier to catch them in ponds or lakes. Many fishermen have a secret bluegill pond. When few people fish it, the bluegill multiply and also get bigger. If you can hit a few ponds and lakes in early spring, you're almost guaranteed to catch some bluegill. After an hour, you'll be offering bluegill tips to others.

Let's talk about what gear to use. These are little fish, so you can buy a inexpensive pole at about any sporting store or even a place like Wal-Mart. If you're teaching children, you can start them off with a button pole so they don't have to flip the bail. Most other fishers like spinning rods. Make sure to use light line, because that's all you need, and a heavier line will possibly scare off the fish.

The simple method for catching bluegill, which works really well, is a bobber and worm. A child as young as 2 can hold a pole and watch the bobber, so it's a great way to learn how to fish. Set the bobber 1 1/2 feet above the worm, which also weighs it down in still water so you won't need weights. You can use this method to catch any small fish, including bluegills. Other great baits are crickets or other small insects that wiggle. You might need to add a splitshot weight with these baits. If you're not stopping by the store on your way out, it's perfectly fine to pull bait from your tackle box. In fact, jigs and rooster tails work great for catching bluegill. You can also land a small trout or perch on either. Jigs are easy because the head is weighted. Just tie a jig on, and you're ready to fish.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Tips on Making Tandem Rigs for Fishing

Tandem rigs can be tied using several different knots. The most common knot is clinch knot, but an open loop style knot is also effective when using large flies. Use the clinch knot or an open loop to connect the first fly to the leader. Use a clinch knot to connect a section of tippet to the bend in the hook or the eye of the hook. Use a clinch knot or an open loop knot to connect the second fly to the tippet.

The distance between the two flies depends on the fishing situation. If you are fishing two dry flies, use less than 8 inches of separation. The same rule applies to fishing a dry fly with an emerger fly. The natural emerger will be close to the surface, and your fly should be as well. You can separate the flies more when fishing a dry fly and a nymph. If you are fishing in deep water, separate the flies by 1 foot or more. Nymphs are most effective when fished close to the bottom.

Fishing two streamers in tandem is an effective technique that is not often utilized. This technique should be utilized when targeting large fish. Separate the two streamers by 6 inches. Use a small streamer as the first fly in the rig and a large streamer as the tandem fly. It will appear as if the large streamer is chasing the small streamer and a dominant fish will attack one or both of the streamers.

Fishing two nymphs is one of the most common tandem rigs. The nymphs can be fished using a high sticking technique or they can be placed beneath a strike indicator to control the depth. Attach the heaviest nymph to the leader and use a smaller nymph as the tandem fly. The heavier nymph will help the rig get to the bottom and the smaller fly will make an offering slightly higher in the water column. This will present the fish with multiple options and increase your catch rate.

Tips on Bass Fishing From the Bank

The best banks for shoreline fishing are in close proximity to bass-holding cover, like emergent and submerged vegetation, brush and fallen timber. These areas do not have to be right on the bank, but they should be within casting distance of where you are standing. Areas with a combination of such cover and nearby deep water are particularly prime spots. To find stretches of shoreline with deep water nearby, check out a map of the lake or river you are fishing. Then check those places to see if they have the proper cover. Also, shoreline structure like points that extend into deeper water also hold fish.

While many varieties of rods and reels will work for bank fishing, a short fishing rod--one that is six feet long or less--is advantageous. Some of the best areas for bank fishing are uninhabited, so there may be large amounts of trees, grass or brush that you will have to contend with. While a short rod reduces the distance you can cast, it also helps ensure that your lures do not get snagged as you cast.

Use the same shallow-water lures you would use if you were in a boat. Casting spinnerbaits, topwater baits and lipless or shallow-running crankbaits will help you locate active fish. When the fish do not respond to such lures, or if the cover is too heavy to use them, cast a saturation bait like a plastic worm or jig and pig into shoreline cover. Let the lure sink, then work it back to the bank.

Keep moving until you find bass that are willing to bite. Bass oftentimes move in and out of the shallow water near the bank--especially when the water temperatures are warm and the days are hot--so having a variety of areas in which to fish is helpful. If you have been fishing a spot for about 30 minutes or longer without catching a bass, it is probably time to move.

Hip boots or waders certainly are not a critical component of fishing for bass from the bank, but wearing them can help you by allowing you to walk into the water. Doing so allows you to cover more water--especially the water more towards the middle of the lake. Hip boots and waders also gives you the chance to cast from a different angle. There are times when bass will hit a lure that is presented from one angle, but not another.

April Bass Fishing Tips

Bays and coves that receive sunlight but are sheltered from the wind are high-percentage areas during April. The water in the northwest part of the lake or reservoir in which you are fishing will have the warmest water, so start your search there. Pay close attention to emergent or submerged vegetation along the shoreline, boat docks that extend over shallow water, and fallen timber or trees that hang over the shoreline. Begin fishing with fast-moving baits such as spinnerbaits and try to find active fish. It's also a good idea to tie on a tube or worm and cast into the cover, too, and then work the baits slowly back to the boat.

While most bass will be in their shallow spawning areas in April, some of the larger, female bass already will have moved out of the shallows. But they are generally not far away and with a little patience, you could hook one. Find the first feature outside of a spawning area--a drop-off or the inside edge of a weedline, for example--and begin fishing there. Remember that these fish are in recuperation mode, so they're probably not willing to chase quick-moving lures. Try a spinnerbait or crankbait to see if you can generate a reaction strike, but don't spend too long slinging these baits. Instead, tie on a plastic worm or a jig and pig and fish slowly along the bottom.

There is no more exciting way to catch bass than on topwater baits. And while topwaters tend to work only during specific times during the summer, bass will hit them all day during the spring. Concentrate your effort around shallow cover, especially the open water between the various pieces of cover you find. Cast the bait near the cover and then work it away from the cover and back to the boat. Poppers and buzzbaits both can be effective topwater selections, but it's important to fish them slowly. In the case of buzzbaits, reel them only fast enough to keep the blade spinning and the lure on top of the water.

Flounder Fishing Tips

Hook, line, and rod and reel can all be used to catch flounder. Flounder will hit on nearly anything you present close enough to their faces. Cut bait, plastic grub or even live bait can draw a strike from a hungry flounder. A plastic grub with a bit of cut bait or the swim bladder from a cut-bait fish on the hook make a very popular combination. Flounder lie on the bottom and face up-current. They then wait for food to be carried over them by the current. They can frequently be found congregated around gaps in breakwaters and under bridge lights and any other place that would concentrate their foodstuffs, which include larval crabs, shrimp, menhaden and other small baitfish. Cast your bait up-current and allow it to drift over such areas. This is a very effective way to hook up with some nice flounder.

Flounder can be taken with a gig or spear and a light at night at low tide. Mainly in the summer months into early fall, the flounder will migrate onto broad shallow areas. Wade into the water up to your knees or less, then shine a light onto the bottom. The flounder will be visible and blinded by the light, so you can walk right up and spear the fish in the head. Spearing the fish's head instead of the body ensures you will not introduce sand into the meat. Run a stringer through the fish's mouth before withdrawing the spear so the flounder doesn't escape.

Be careful when wading for flounder. It is common to find stingrays in the same areas as flounder. Take care to drag your feet over the sandy bottom; don't pick them up to take steps. If you slide your foot into a stingray, chances are he will be startled and swim away, and you will be unharmed. However, if you step on a stingray, he will most likely barb you, and that is a most unpleasant situation.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Homemade Fishing Tip-Ups

Instructions

Attach the strip of cloth or tape to one end of the lighter rod. This can be tied on by a knot.

Place the two rods together to form a cross. Make sure that the end with the cloth or tape is longer than the opposing end. The other end should only extend a couple of inches past the heavier rod.

Bind the two rods together with the twine, fishing line or string. This is done at the cross by going back and forth and creating a knot. The bind is tighter with square lashing, but you can use a regular knot if you choose.

Tie your actual fishing line to the shorter end of the lighter rod.

Place the homemade tip-up onto the ice with the heavier rod holding onto the hole. The lighter rod should lay freely. When a fish bites, the line will be pulled into the water and the flag will swing into the air.

Late Summer Bass Fishing Tips

As the dog days of summer start to fade into the cooler temperatures of fall, bass begin to change their behavior. The cooler weather starts to push bass into deeper waters. More active bass, however, will stay in more shallow depths during late summer. These bass will usually strike at a lure more readily than those fish that have headed to deeper areas.

When fishing shallow areas during late summer, pay close attention to man-made structures like docks and bridges, as well as fallen trees and other natural structures. Bass that are in shallow water tend to look for this protection. Boat docks and bridge supports are often good places to fish for bass in late summer.

Although shallow waters often hold late-summer bass, the fish don't stay in these areas as long as they do during the warmer months. If the bass aren't biting in the shallows, move a little deeper as the weather gets cooler. Late-summer bass will move more quickly to ledges and drop-offs, which will require more patience and a move away from topwater lures.

By the time late summer/early fall arrives, the food that bass are chasing has grown since the earlier part of the year. As a result, it is often best to use larger lures to attract the more sluggish late-summer bass.

Ice Fishing Tips for Walleye Fishing

Due to the nature of the walleye's vision it is mainly a night feeder. The fish has a layer of pigment that exists in its retina known as the tapetum lucidum that allows it to see when there is no light. Fish for walleyes in the early hours right before dawn, when the light is still low or from dusk until well after dark. While this may sound like a tough proposition, ice shelters, special suits to keep you warm and glow sticks (for tip-ups that allow you to see when a flag goes up) keeps things more comfortable than one would imagine. Few other fish are actively seeking to feed at night, so competition among species for your bait or lure will be mainly between the walleye and the crappie.

In lakes and river bays where the water is "dirty," meaning that its clarity is very low, walleyes will tend to feed throughout the day, allowing ice fisherman to have a chance to catch them. However, in clear water the walleye is easily spooked during the daylight hours, so fishing for them in shallow water where they are close to the ice layer will often prove fruitless. It is better to target deeper waters if one must fish in crystal clear lakes during the day and to choose overcast weather to fish under rather than cloudless "bluebird" skies.

Drill multiple holes in the ice at the end of points of land that jut out into the water. Walleye will tend to be in the shallows during the first ice and make their way to deeper waters once the winter wears on. Walleyes favor moving water, so if you can locate a feeder stream or a spring, concentrate your efforts there--provided the ice is safe. Anywhere that you can see vibrant green weeds growing under the water you may find walleyes. You may also find them at what can best be described as underwater islands, where humps of the bottom stick up above the rest of the terrain. In the weedbeds, the walleyes will cruise around and above them looking for prey but typically do not go into the weeds looking for other fish.

It is important to avoid spooking the skittish walleyes once they have begun to bite. It's always a good idea to drill more holes than you need at first in case the fish do begin biting. This way you will not scare the fish with the noise from drilling once the bite is on. A 10-inch diameter hole is the optimal size. Tip-ups should be rigged with at least a 10-pound test braided line, while jigging rods can have between six and 10 pound test on them. When jigging under the ice for walleye it is easy to scare the fish with overactive motions of the lure. An easy up-and-down movement of a jig head, lure or spoon tipped with a piece of a minnow will suffice in most cases. Those that choose to place tip-ups in a hole and wait for a flag to go up indicating a walleye has bitten the bait can use minnows and shiners at least 3-inches long; the 6-inch long sucker minnows are the best to use and will stay alive when hooked behind the dorsal fin. However, as these minnows can be strong swimmers and may elude a walleye as it bears down on it, you should handicap it with a large split shot--a round weight that can be attached to the line. Place the split shot about 8 to 10 inches above the minnow to keep it from swimming upward and forcing it to remain down in the hole.

How to Buy a Fishing Rod

Instructions

Test the grip of the rod. Make sure the handle fits snugly in your palm.

Choose the length of rod. 4- to 6-foot rods are suited for lighter bait and fish such as perch and crappie. Shorter rods also work well in brushy areas. Rods 6 feet and longer are good for bigger bait, longer casting distance and rougher fish (bass and catfish).

Test for flexibility. Hold the rod in your hand as if you are casting, flip the end, and watch the tip for movement.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Sea Bass Fishing Tips

Take seasonal temperatures into account. Sea bass and most other fish will come closer to shore during colder months because the shallower water is warmer. During warm months, they will retreat into slightly deeper water, which is cooler and more comfortable. It should be noted that sea bass feed heavily just before a cold front arrives, then slow their feeding until a few days after it has passed.

Consider the weather conditions. Bad weather also can drive fish into deeper water. Deep water is less turbulent and not as badly affected by surface rain as shallow water. If it is raining, expect to fish deep waters to catch sea bass. Many fishermen recommend using only live bait if it is raining because the fish will be on heightened alert and less likely to lunge for a brightly colored lures.

Choose the right location. Sea bass usually feed near the edges of reefs and underwater wrecks. Smaller fish make their habitat on the deep sides where these structures drop. Bass feed on the smaller fish. Knowing where reefs and shipwrecks are located can give you an advantage when fishing for sea bass. Check local bait shops or talk to fisherman in the area and ask where their favorite places to fish are located.

Use the right bait to increase your chances of catching a lot of sea bass. There are a large number of lures and weighted jigs on the market that are specifically designed for sea bass fishing. Many seasoned fishermen recommend using squid for bait. Cut the squid into strips that are around 4 inches long and place them on a snelled hook. These are fish hooks attached to a leader line with a loop at the top, which allows you to float the snell behind other lures. Leave a length of squid hanging from the hook like a tail and lure the sea bass.

Familiarize yourself with local regulations before fishing for sea bass. There is typically a limit on the number of fish that can be caught without a commercial fishing license. In most states this limit is 25 sea bass per person per day. There also might be minimum size requirements based on how much the fish weighs or how long it is from head to tale. Call the telephone number on the back of your fishing license to ask a wildlife official about local regulations for catching sea bass.

Fishing for Trout With a Tip-Up

Fishermen typically use a braided or nylon line backing on their tip-ups. While anglers who target species such as northern pike sometimes tie their hooks directly to such line, people using tip-ups for trout should tie a 5-foot section of fluorocarbon or monofilament line to the end of the backing. The blood knot is a good way to attach the two lines. Since trout generally live in clear water, adding the 5-foot leader makes them less likely to be spooked by the braided or nylon line.

Since tip-ups simply suspend bait at a certain depth, using live bait is key to attracting bites from trout. Two of the best baits are small minnows an inch or two long and night crawlers. If you use the latter, hook the crawler multiple times through its body so little of it dangles off the hook. Hook minnows in their back, just behind their dorsal fins. If you are fishing a lake that does not allow the use of live bait, freeze-dried minnows are a good substitute.

For the most part, a plain hook and two to three split-shot weights are all fishermen need to catch trout on tip-ups. The best hook sizes are 8 and 10. Before setting your tip-up, learn the regulations of the lake on which you are fishing. Some do not allow anglers to use hooks with barbs.

Use the tip-up as part of a fishing system. By its nature, tip-up fishing is not an aggressive form of fishing, and anglers who use it rely on the fish to come to them. A good strategy is to fish in one hole with a rod and reel and a more aggressive presentation, such as a small jigging spoon. Once you catch a trout or two, which likely indicates the presence of a school, then set the tip-up.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Bass Fishing Tips for Westwood Lake in New Castle, Indiana

Bass like to hang around logs in shallow, still water, usually under six feet. Bass forage around bluegill beds and around trees near the shore. Bluegill spawn four times a year. Bass-fishing expert Mark Davis advises finding the bluegill beds in two to six feet of water near deep drop-offs close to vegetation and large water-soaked tree limbs. You should find bass biting in those areas, especially during the summer.

Cast sidearm, under or overhand, using your wrist, not your arm or shoulder. Top-water lures work well, but any lure will get the bass to hang on your line. The trick is to cast at a lower trajectory, a bit past your target, so that you don't disturb the fish, and your bait will likely stay on your hook. Cast hard, and you not only disturb your target and its surroundings but possibly lose your bait or lure. Bait, including night crawlers, bee moths and wigglers, are available for purchase at the Westwood gatehouse.

Largemouth bass, also known as black bass, although plentiful at the reservoir, are subject to a daily bag limit of five, singly or in aggregate, including smallmouth and spotted bass. All lake bass must be at least 14 inches long or must be thrown back.

Night Bass Fishing Tips

Few anglers target bass at night. Fishing during the day is much more common because that's when most people are active. And fishing at night is more difficult because our vision is reduced, making it harder to navigate a boat, cast and land fish.

However fish are active at night, and there are few other anglers to contend with. Fishing at night is also cooler, which can make fishing more comfortable in warmer climates. Plus, decreased vision means fish will use less scrutiny in examining your lures.

Bass willingly bite at night, but reduced vision is a problem. Bass will have a more difficult time seeing your lure in the dark. To counter this problem, use a lure that creates a lot of vibration. Spinnerbaits, prop baits, artificial frogs and similar lures create a lot of vibration, which bass detect through their lateral line. The lateral line runs the length of the fish's body and picks up underwater vibrations similar to the way our ears pick up noises.

In addition to using noisy baits, anglers often use lures that are slightly larger than normal to give fish a bigger target to home in on. Retrieve your lure in a slow, predictable manner to make it easier for fish to find. Erratic presentations often result in missed strikes. Dark-colored baits, especially dark-colored topwater baits, are good choices because they create a better silhouette against the night sky and are easier for fish to see. When using topwater baits, don't set the hook until you feel the weight of the fish. A common mistake is setting the hook when you hear a bass splash as it hits your lure in the darkness. Pausing a moment or two after the splash until you feel the weight of the fish will improve your hooking percentage.

Everything becomes more difficult in the dark, so nighttime bass anglers should be prepared. Always wear a headlamp, which allows you to see what you're doing while keeping your hands free. Have extra batteries and an additional light on hand. Keep your boat organized. All equipment should be easily accessible so you don't have to hunt for it in the dark. Keep necessary items, such as a net and pliers for removing hooks, where they are readily accessible at all times. And use caution when you cast.

Fishing Rod End Repair

Instructions

Rub the broken tip of the rod with the fine sandpaper. Work the broken section until all of the graphite fibers are even and smooth. This will make the tip much stronger.

Use the razor to cut several very thin pieces of glue off the glue stick. Put the pieces of glue in the new tip top. Grasp the tip top with the forceps.

Use the lighter to heat the new tip and melt the glue. Place the tip on the rod and position it in line with the rod guides. Allow the tip to cool.

Shave more fragments off the glue stick and stuff the shavings in the gaps between the tip and the rod. Use the lighter to heat the rod tip and melt the glue. Wait for several minutes to allow the glue to dry.

Use the razor to shave any glue clumps from new connection. The glue should be even with the edge of the rod tip.

Ohio Steelhead Fishing Tips

The best time to catch steelhead in Ohio rivers and streams is in the fall. The state stocks the rivers with young steelhead trout and in the warm summer months those young fish take off for the colder water of Lake Erie. As adults, they migrate back to the rivers they left to reproduce. They don't like the shallow water when it's too warm so they won't return until water temperatures drop to 60 degrees or cooler. They'll stay in the rivers until spring when they take the trip back out to Lake Erie.

Don't get too invested in a favorite "fishing hole." Be prepared to move when conditions are best. Watch the levels of the streams. When the levels drop it is easier to find the fish. Stay away from rivers that are at a high level due to flooding. Those waters usually have a strong, fast current as well. Steelhead will dive deep and be less active in heavy water. Your best choice is a calm, low water level. Look for spots that have a slightly greenish tint to the water and about a foot of visibility.

Even though steelhead are typically very large fish, use light tackle. Set your reel up with 4 to 7 pound test line. Steelhead are smart and will avoid thick lines and big hooks. A noodle rod, essentially an elongated spinning rod, is the best choice for steelheads. Noodle rods let you choose the best tension and put the stress on the rod instead of the line so you can use a lighter line with big fish. Choose the right size rod for your build. Younger and smaller anglers should have a shorter rod; taller anglers can use a long rod better. Noodle rods vary from 7 to 12 feet in length.

Trout are a delicious menu addition, but if you don't eat your fish, throw them back.

While many trout lovers make good use of their catch in their daily menu, if you aren't going to cook your catch, practice catch and release fishing. Don't keep the fish out of water any longer than necessary, to measure it, weigh it or take a picture as your "trophy." Catch and release fishing ensures the survival of the species for many years to come.

How to Make a Homemade Ice Fishing Tip-Up

Instructions

Place the center the 3/4-inch dowel on the 1/4-inch dowel approximately 4 inches from the end of the thinner dowel.

Lash the dowels together with heavy fishing line. Secure the dowels together with a strong knot.

Tie a unique or brightly colored piece of cloth (the "flag") to the long end of the 1/4-inch dowel.

Securely attach your fishing line to the short end of the 1/4-inch dowel.

Yank on the fishing line to make sure the flag pops up.

Tips on Salmon Fishing From the Shore

Drift fishing is one of the most productive shore-fishing techniques, as it allows the bait to be presented in a manner that appears completely natural to the fish. Drift fishing involves casting the bait upstream and allowing it to drift down with the current. Concentrate on working areas of calmer water, called runs, between sections of rougher water called riffles. Salmon generally tend to hole up at the beginning of a run as the current is not as strong and this is where natural food sources are the most abundant. To make the presentation as natural as possible, only weight your line so it will drift at about the same speed the current. This will take a little trial and error as every section of water has a different current speed.

Plunking is very similar to bottom fishing in a lake. You cast your bait or lure into a spot of slow-moving water such as a pool or the head of a riffle and allow it lay on the bottom until a fish takes it. Plunking is often done from boats but works well from shore. A productive plunking setup is to tie one eye of a three-way swivel to the main line, an 18-inch leader from another eye to the bait and a 2-inch line with a 1/8-ounce sinker weight to the third eye of the swivel.

Fly fishing is one of the most popular methods for salmon. Floating a dry fly along on the surface or having a wet fly bounce along the bottom can produce results. A good tip is to find out what patterns and colors are working for other fisherman. If you prefer to use spinning tackle, a lure wrapped with a small piece of fish can be productive. Salmon eggs are one of the most popular baits for salmon. Get eggs from bait shops as they have been cured in a solution to be more effective than fresh eggs. You also can use imitation eggs treated to smell like natural salmon eggs. Imitation eggs probably won&039;t be as useful as the cured natural eggs.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Tips for Fly Fishing Jigs

Fishing a jig with a fly rod will come natural to many fly fishermen because the best methods and retrieves are subtle. Fly fishermen are often working to keep their flies drifting or sinking drag-free, and this works well with a jig also. Most of the time, fish will hit a jig while it is on the fall rather than when it is rising on the retrieve. Cast a jig out and allow it to settle before starting the retrieve. Give the rod tip a bounce or jiggle occasionally while you strip the jig in slowly, and keep it working near the bottom. Retrieving a jig quickly is not usually effective.

Since fish like to hit the jig on the descent, it can sometimes be difficult to detect the strike. Watch the end of your line carefully at the point where it enters the water. Look for any hesitation, change in direction or twitch. You may also want to use a strike indicator tied on to the line near the top of the leader. Many of those that are made from a poly-yarn are sensitive and will signal the slightest tug on the line. If you think you may have just missed a strike, use the countdown method after you cast. Begin counting "one thousand one, one thousand two," once your jig hits the water. Take note of the count when you think you may have had a strike. Cast again and set the hook one count earlier this time, because you were probably a tad late the first time. You will be surprised how often this works. It is because fish are often keyed in to feeding at a particular depth.

Since the jig has such a great record for attracting fish, you will need to know what to do when you get that strike. Try using a different method of setting the hook with jigs. Using what is called a sweep set will usually result in a better hook set than simply jerking the rod tip up or back. When you detect a strike, move the rod tip smoothly away from the fish until you feel the pressure from the fish. Then speed up the sweep of the rod against the pressure from the fish, and the hook will set better into the fish's mouth.

Tips for Fishing Pole Light Sticks

Light sticks are available in numerous colors. Try using several different colors to figure out which one works best for the type of fishing you do. Many companies sell light sticks in variety packs, so you can experiment inexpensively. Light sticks make it easier for fish--and the angler trying to catch them--to see the bait. Visibility alone can help change the mood of an indifferent fish into an aggressive predator eager to strike your bait.

Light sticks for fishing come in two basic styles. One is a tube or sleeve that slips over the line and secures near the hook, where it can illuminate the bait. Slide the light stick over the end of your line, rig a hook with bait and cast away.

The other type of light stick has an open loop or hook on one end for clipping to the end of a fishing rod. This acts as a visual indicator to let you know when you have a nibble. Without a light stick, it is next to impossible to see the rod tip in the dark. Light sticks can help you land more fish after dark.

Fishing light sticks are nontoxic and the chemicals inside them are environmentally safe, but like any disposable plastic, they are unsightly trash when left floating on the water. Waterfowl also might come across spent light sticks and choke to death. Responsible anglers leave the water the way they found it--as clean and unblemished as possible. By taking away all trash and properly disposing of used light sticks, the habitats of favorite fishing spots will continue to provide years of enjoyment for future fishing trips.

Ice Bass Fishing Tips

Rig tip-ups with 75 to 100 yards of 20-pound test braided Dacron line. Attach to this a 4-foot long leader of fluorocarbon. This type of fishing line has the same refractive powers as water does. When immersed in the water, it is invisible to a bass. Rig this leader with a No. 4 hook and place a single split-shot a foot above it to hold the minnow or shiner down. When jigging for bass, use a medium to heavy ice fishing rod to handle the fight a bass can give through the ice. Spool on 8- to 10-pound test fluorocarbon line until you reach the line capacity on your reel. Tie on your favorite artificial jigs that produce bass for you in warm weather.

The same depth water that holds bass in the summer might not do so in the winter. Bass tend to flock to deeper water after first ice in shallow lakes. Use topographical maps of lakes in your area to find the deepest waters. Early morning or late afternoon are prime feeding times for bass under the ice. Concentrate your efforts on deeper channels that run through large lakes. Remember that bass will be close by to where their food source is. Weeds that stay green in low light conditions offer fish a place to hide, a source of food and higher oxygen levels. In most lakes and large ponds, these weeds will attract smaller fish, which in turn will entice bass. Electronic fish finders can be of great help in locating bass and their prey through the ice.

Once a tip-up flag goes up in the air, carefully walk to it to avoid falling or scaring the fish. Bass typically will grab a bait headfirst, and then head off with it. Extended line out under the ice will indicate the bait has been taken. The reel will be moving as the bass swims off with your minnow or shiner. Remove the tip-up from the hole and grab the line so the fish will not detect anything being askew. Give a hard tug on the line to set the hook, then begin to bring the line in hand over hand. If the line suddenly stops screaming off the reel before you have a chance to set the hook wait a few seconds. Try to feel the fish by gently pulling on the line and attempt to set the hook if you can feel the fish moving.

Snapper Fishing Tips

Daytime snapper fishing demands a boat with a fishfinder and GPS so you can get offshore a mile or two, where these schooling fish like to congregate on the edge of reefs and shelves. This is where the water drops off to the deep. Rig up with live baitfish (ballyhoo are a snapper favorite) on 1/0-size hooks, and troll slowly through promising waters. Use your onboard fishfinder and visit any spots that the old salts back at the dock may have been willing to share.

If you run out of baitfish or don't have any, rig up a feathered jig with a 4-inch strip of squid and troll that behind the boat.

When the snapper fishing is slow, the smart angler gets out the chum bucket. Chumming is a nasty business--that produces good catches of fish. Chum consists of fish guts, blood, fish heads, chunks of dead crab and any other smelly effluvia at hand.

The idea is to ladle the chum overboard off the stern while motoring forward, so you get a good, floating bait slick on the surface of the ocean.

Cast live bait or surface plugs into the chum slick and troll slowly while the snapper congregate and begin feeding.

Don't chum too much! You want to give the snapper a taste, but not so much food they get their fill on your chum line and wander away without investigating your hook. A good rule of thumb is to ladle a scoop of chum overboard every 10 seconds. The chum will spread.

In deep summer, snapper tend to feed more at night, especially in Southern waters around North America.

For rigging, live bait still works best. You can try a few ladles of chum overboard, but there's no need to troll in a wide area because the lights will attract baitfish, and they in turn, will draw the snapper. Rig a glo-stick about a foot from your baited hook to draw even more fish.

Bring plenty of illumination on board so you can see what you're doing. Extra flashlights and battery-powered camp lanterns are essential.

Be careful about the chum line at night, as you are likely to draw sharks into your feeding zone. You may not be prepared to deal with a mako thrashing on your line in the darkness, if he doesn't immediately bite through the line and leave you empty-handed.

Tips on Fishing With Copper Line

First choose the depth you'll be fishing and then the weight of line you'll need.

Decide which length works best for you and the location you're fishing, and then consider the weight you'll need to use, advises Trails.com. Copper line is available in 30 lb. test and 45 lb. test, the latter being heavier and therefore considered to be more versatile.

More simply, 30 lb will drop about five to six feet for every ten yards of line reeled out. 45 lb drops seven to nine feet for the same amount of line. This may vary depending on your trolling speed (how fast you pull your line through the water) and how heavy your bait is.

Don't go too tight when spooling copper line on your reel, according to Opti-Tackle Co. Make sure it's "just snug." Don't let the spool lie flat on the ground when winding it on your reel either, because it can cause extra loops in the line. A good way to spool the line is to hold a screwdriver in the center of the spool horizontally and allow the line to roll off the top, while another person winds it onto the reel.

To attach a leader, an Albright knot or an overhand knot will work best.

To attach a leader properly, Game and Fish magazine recommends that you tie an overhand knot in the copper line, and thread the line through that knot to tie a cinch knot around the "standing" wire.

An Albright knot will also work. Double the end of the copper line, making a loop, and thread the leader through the loop, wrapping it several times around the doubled copper line toward the end of the loop. Once you've done that, thread the leader back through and pull the knot tight, trimming the loose ends.

Reduce slack in your line to lower the copper line at a slower rate.

Copper line sinks faster than traditional line because it is heavier. To keep your slack at a minimum, Trails.com recommends that you control the rate it sinks by using a bait clicker. A clicker lets you know when you have a fish on your line. You'll hear a click, click sound. This will reduce slack and lower the copper line at a slower rate.

Opti-Tackle Co. warns that copper line should never be attached directly to a "planner board" (a board that allows you to fish with several lines simultaneously, without becoming tangled). It will fray or weaken the copper line. Copper is a soft metal, and using a swivel or crimping it is also not advised. Copper line is not recommended for use in salt water, which will corrode and weaken the line.

Friday, July 25, 2014

Carp Fishing Tips

Carp bite on a variety of inexpensive baits, including corn, worms, potatoes, chick peas and dough balls. They also bite on commercial or homemade carp bait known as "boilies." The art of making and choosing boilies is an honored one among carp anglers. Boilies come in a variety of colors, flavors and ingredients but all basically are protein-rich pastes bound with eggs and boiled to a hardened state. Boilies offer the advantage of longevity in and out of the water. They also resist unwanted fish and can be cast long distances with accuracy.

Though commonly thought of as trash fish, carp are very choosy eaters, taking bait into their mouths several times and spitting them out before swallowing. Any sign of danger or any bait they don't like or trust will cause them to reject the bait and move on. If you find a bait flavor that works in an area, you might want to stick with it. But you also should have some alternates available in case the carp become wary.

If you plan to fish the same area for several days, scatter some loose bait and allow the carp to find and feed on it. This attracts carp to an area and builds feeding confidence, making them more likely to take your hook bait. Some anglers prebait an area over the course of several days to several weeks. Over time, it's a great way to attract larger carp to the area. Particle bait, such as corn, chick peas, hemp seed, nuts and pellets often are used for this purpose. But make sure it is properly prepared before using.

Placing bait directly onto a hook is a great way to have it rejected by wary carp. To avoid this, you might want to use one of many varieties of hair rigs. With a hair rig, the bait is positioned away from the hook on a "hair" so the carp will accept it. These rigs can be purchased or easily made by hand. This rigging can be incorporated with a variety of bait presentations, including a pop-up rig, where the bait floats above the bottom; a blow-back rig, where the hook remains in the mouth even when the bait is rejected; and a greedy-pig rig, which accommodates several baits on the hair to attract bigger carp.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

How to Cast a Fishing Rod

Instructions

Sidearm casting is the most common form of rod fishing because it is easy to do, though it has some challenges, such as trees and branches overhead. You don't want to get snagged. You will mostly do this from the side of a river where there are trees or from a boat when bass fishing on a lake.

Grip the rod. A common technique is to wrap your casting hand around the part where the rod meets the reel. It is most comfortable to to have the base of the reel between your middle and ring fingers. Your grip should be firm like a handshake

If you are using an open-face rod, flip the bail (the metal arm) and pull the fishing line with the index finger of the hand holding the rod.

Depending on the clearance, swivel your casting arm at the elbow until it is about parallel with your body.

Raise your arm to about a 45-degree angle.

Bring your arm forward and, when you get to about 15 degrees from your original start point, let go of the string. This will propel your line forward.

The bail will flip, and you can start reeling when the line hits the water.

Overhand casting is used more when you have clearance or are fishing near the ocean.

Follow Steps two and three from sidearm casting.

Bring your casting forearm up until your hand is about parallel with your ear.

Pause for a moment.

Propel the rod forward without moving your elbow. Let go of the fishing at about a 45-degree angle.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Plastic Fishing Jigs Storage Tips

Plastic jig baits are soft and squishy like the bugs and baitfish they are designed to resemble. On the downside, the soft plastic will also melt into a multicolored blob if left in the heat. Never leave your plastic jig baits inside a vehicle on a hot summer day, or they will dissolve into jelly.

At home, store the baits in a cool, dry place away from space heaters, kerosene heaters and direct sunlight, which can cause the colors and scents to fade.

You will want to keep the plastic jigs dry to prevent rot and the onset of mold. After fishing, it is a good to let plastic jigs air dry before locking them away in a box until the next trip.

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is the chemical compound for a lightweight resin plastic used in the construction of quality tackle boxes and fishing gear storage containers. If you buy plastic containers for your plastic jigs and other soft-rubber baits, make sure the product is made of ABS plastic. ABS is virtually impervious to rot and resists chemical reactions from other plastics, specifically the soft plastics your jig baits are made of. Plastic jig baits contain chemicals that react and dissolve like a mild acid into some materials. ABS storage boxes will ensure your baits hold their shape for fishing.

Plastic jig baits can become a jumbled mess unless you keep them organized and apart. Plastic baits rigged with jig hooks will cause a tangle and potentially some frustration if you are out on the water, ready to fish and must contend with a mess of knotted plastic and hooks, instead.

A good storage compartment for your plastic jig baits will be organized with multiple compartments to separate baits by color and style, with separate compartments for weighted jig hooks. It is much easier to extract one bare jig hook from a compartment full of hooks than it is to separate a pile of jigs while you search for just the right shape.

Some storage bags are shaped like a miniature briefcase, with mesh compartments to keep your baits aired out and dry. These are convenient if you plan an excursion to fish exclusively with jigs, as you need only one storage container.

An organized tackle box makes for efficient, more satisfying fishing.

Ice Fishing Tips for River Walleye

Check the ice report by talking to the local Department of Natural Resources or Fish and Game office to find out if the ice in the area is thick enough to support fishing. Four inches, in most cases, is considered safe to hold a full-grown man. Early-season ice fishing for walleye is traditionally considered the best. Bait fish have a tendency to enter the river systems to avoid the deeper water predators, giving walleye a strong food supply and an active habitat in which to eat. Once the ice is thick enough, head out either in the early morning or toward dusk, avoiding the brightest part of the day, during which the light-sensitive walleye tend to become inactive. Drill your hole, or spud one, and clean it out with an ice scoop. Make sure your hole is large enough to accommodate a large walleye, which typically will weigh around 3 lbs., but you could snag one as large as 10.

Walleye are light biters, so make sure to keep your eye on your pole tip or your finger on the line to feel for a bite. Use brightly colored jigs---yellow is highly recommended for the yellow perch that is a natural meal for walleye---and bait with minnows or nightcrawlers. Begin with a very active jigging technique, feeling for the weight of the walleye when you lift up. If active jigging isn't bringing in bites, slow your technique, even allowing rests in between jigs. Walleye will, typically, bite on the rest, so make be alert and prepared to set the hook.

If typical jigging techniques aren't working, try mixing up your offers a little. If you're in deep enough water, try using a spinner bait or a spoon to attract a walleye's attention. In addition, turning your fishing line between your fingers will give your jig a spinning motion which should stand out to other fish in the area. Another technique, called "clipping," could draw some attention as well. Take a small to medium minnow and use a pair of fingernail clippers to snip off a portion of its top or bottom fin. Hook it through both lips and drop it in a hole next to your primary fishing hole. Jig actively with a minnow bait attached. The clipped minnow will swim erratically due to the imbalance the shortened fin has caused and your jig will give the appearance of an active predator fish coming to investigate, making it an easy target for larger game fish to hit. Try not to get your lines tangled and, if you do, just open one reel and pull the other line in, untangling them once you find the problem above the ice.

While late season walleye have a tendency to be more aggressive as they are entering their spawning season, be mindful of the thickness of the ice you are fishing on. Be especially careful fishing near or under bridges, as ice tends to be thinner and more dangerous there.

How to Use Rooster Tails

Instructions

Choose your size and color. Rooster tail bodies come in colors ranging from plain silver or gold to bright multi-colored designs. Rooster tails are also available in different sizes. While it is sometimes better to use a bigger lure to attract bigger fish, you should have a variety of colors and sizes and experiment with different combinations until you find fishing success.

Attach your rooster tail lure to your line using a fisherman's knot. Consider attaching a swivel between the rooster tail and your line in order to prevent your line from twisting.

Cast your rooster tail past the area you want to fish. The rooster tail is designed to attract fish with its spinning blades and the only way to keep the blades turning is to keep the lure moving.

Reel in your rooster tail lure. It is important to keep your lure moving but you have a many different options. Experiment with different retrieval speeds until you begin getting results. You can also try a jigging motion with your rooster tail by letting it sink and then jerking it up and down to flutter the blades.

Keep out the slack in your line. If you have too much slack in your line you won't be able to hook fish when they strike. When you feel a strike set the hook by lifting the tip of your rod.

Fishing Tips: Bluegill Bass Bait

According to Bluegill Fishing: "It's imperative for your bluegill to be live when using it to catch bass. Why? Because, bass are fish that are reactionary in nature. This means that movement in front of them is likely to be seen as food and trigger a strike." Bluegill Fishing recommends using a bluegill under 6 inches in size on a large hook to attract good-sized bass. A larger bait may dissuade some medium-sized bass from striking. Also, according to Bluegill Fishing, it is important to hook the bluegill through the top part of the back to avoid damaging major organs and killing the bait--the action of a live bluegill struggling to get off the hook will attract the attention of bigger fish.

According to Tackle Tour artificial baits that look like bluegills catch fish. Tackle Tour recommends the Bettencourt Baits "Real Fish" Bluegill for its realistic appearance, ability to draw strikes from bass of all sizes and its durability. The "Real Fish" Bluegill retails for around $40 as of 2010 and comes in both floating and sinking models. A wide variety of other artificial bluegill lure options are also on the market.

In order to use a live bluegill as bait for bigger fish, an angler first needs to catch a bluegill. According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, bluegill can be caught on a wide variety of baits including nightcrawlers, insect larvae, soft plastic lures with jigheads, small spinning lures and even flies. The Iowa DNR says that spring and early summer find bluegill holding in shallow water while nesting and summer, fall and winter will find bluegill moving into deeper areas.

White Bass Fishing Tips

White bass are a school-based fish that isn't known to occupy a set depth of water. These fish are found throughout most of North America and are known as a top-choice for anglers due to their taste and general size between 2 to 3 pounds, some as high as 4 to 5 pounds. The fish spawn in late spring and early summer, right about the time that water temperatures begin to reach 60 degrees.

Use a 5- or 6-foot rod that is capable of handling medium to medium-heavy action. Spinner baits, spoons and crank baits have all been known to have a high success rate with white bass, which feeds based primarily on sight and sound. In temporarily murky or muddied waters, which white bass do not normally habitat other than for short periods of time, vibrating spinning lures are known to work well. If you have access to a boat, troll the area looking for 15- to 40-foot depths, using a slow jigging motion behind the boat. If using a spinner or crank bait, let the lure trail behind the boat before starting a reel-and-stop technique and repeating the tactic once you've reeled your lure all the way in.

Casting on open water and reeling in a spinner is not very realistic in the winter months when many areas ice over. Try using brightly colored jigs with minnows hooked through both lips as your primary bait. Jig up and down to draw attention. If you're intent on using plugs or spinner baits in the winter, try looking for a dam and casting into the calmer backwaters.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Michigan Sucker Fishing Tips

The main habitat of suckers is a fast flowing, cold river. Suckers prefer sandy or gravel bottom areas. Locating logical areas in a river is the first step in catching a sucker.

If you do not have access to a cold, fast-flowing river, the next best option for finding suckers is a deep, cold lake. Suckers will most likely be located in the deepest parts of the lake with a gravel bottom. You will want to use a bottom rig, since suckers will be located at the bottom of the lake.

Suckers eat insects, worms, and snails. When deciding which bait to use, keep in mind what suckers eat. You probably won't have much luck if you use a lure, because suckers do not feed off other fish. Real worms, night crawlers, rubber worms, or flies (such as nymph and wet fly patterns) are probably your best bet. Suckers have a small mouth, so you want to use a small hook, such as a size 10 or smaller.

Suckers spawn in early spring in shallow, fast-flowing tributaries. They tend to be more aggressive while spawning, so they are more likely to go after your bait.

Tips on Fishing Gill Nets

Bring a friend if you're using a gill net in shallow water. Shallow water allows for the gill net to be drug across the stream bed, and both ends of the gill net must be extended. The bottom of the net should drag across the bottom of the stream bed. Walk forward and allow the gill net to bow. Walk across the stream and take the gill net out of the water. Remove whatever fish were caught. Gill net tip No. 2 is be careful not to snag the net on the bottom of the stream bed.

If you're in still water, do not use a bottom line in the gill net. Secure the flag net across the curved lake bank and attach both top line ends to tree branches, making sure the branches can flex. This allows for a free movement of the gill net to correspond with fish movement. Drop the gill net into the water. Ensure that the net either just brushes the bottom of the lake bed or rises above the bed no more than 12 inches.

In flowing water, the gill nets need tie downs, you need a top and bottom line and weights need to be on the bottom line. Find an area where the ends of the top line can be secured to trees on the river or stream bank. The top line should just brush the surface of the water when the net is dropped. The entire net needs to be in the water. Re-tie the top line to drop the net farther in the water. Never use tie-down gill nets in rushing water.

You need a flag net when gill netting in deep water. The flag net allows placement of the gill net just above the bottom bed where the fish congregate. The proper depth is achieved by tying a float onto the rope to make sure the gill net is placed in the proper position.

Canoe Fishing Tips

In any fishing trip, one of the most important things to keep in mind is to be patient. Stay in one area if possible and wait for a bite there. Do not keep on changing the location of your rod to try to catch a fish. The best thing to do as soon as arriving in your fishing spot is to throw your line in the water and wait for the water to be still. Disturbances or vibrations in the water can aggravate or scare the fishes away. Find a comfortable position in the canoe and wait for a bite. It will be faster for you to catch fishes when you keep the water around you calm and when you wait patiently.

Having the equipment and the patience to fish are not enough to get a good catch. Before going on any canoe-fishing trip, the best thing to do is to research and plan ahead. There are many different fishing spots, such as lakes and rivers. It is best to know where to go for the best fish to catch. When researching, it is also important to consider the weather conditions and the season. Fishes can migrate to different places during different seasons, so it is best to be aware on when is the best time to go on a canoe-fishing trip.

Not every river or lake is safe for canoe fishing. Choose lakes and rivers that are quiet or that do not have choppy waters. Going canoe fishing in such an environment may cause the canoe to topple over. For rivers, choose the ones that are shallow or the ones that have rocks and rock formations. Some fish species thrive on organisms that are on rocks, so rocks are one of the signs to look out for when fishing. Another useful tip when choosing a body of water to fish in is to choose one that connects to other bodies of water. This way, there are more fish to catch.

How to do Light Tackle Fishing in Maui

Instructions

Purchase a freshwater game fishing license if you want to fish in any rivers in Maui. Seven day tourist permits cost $10 in 2010. However, most light tackle fishing in Maui is in the surf at the shore as there are very few freshwater marks in Maui. No license is required for saltwater angling.

Visit a Maui fishing tackle store such as Maui Sporting Goods in Wailuku or West Maui Sports & Fishing Supply? in Lahaina. Ask the store attendants for advice on which fish species are showing at the moment, and where the best local marks are found.

Buy lures in the shapes and colors recommended by the fishing store. Poppers and spoons work well with a spinning rod in light surf, according to the Fish Maui Web site.

Fish the surf with a spinning rod for goatfish, trevally and bonefish. Use 12 to 20 pound test line. Wear polarized glasses, and look for fish in the curls of breaking waves. Cast beyond where the fish are and retrieve your lure at quick pace. Try fishing at the end of rocky outcrops.

Try the Kahului Harbor Pier on the north coast. Use small hooks baited with bread, banana, shrimp or squid, according to the Fine Fishing Web site. Fish close to the pilings with a bottom rig or fish shrimp under a bobber. Expect to catch lots of smaller fish and the occasional large one.

Charter a boat to target larger species offshore using your lighter rig. Several boats offer light rig sessions, including the \"Marjorie Ann\" in Maalaea Harbor, and \"Reel Luckey\" in Lahaina Harbor.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Summer Flounder Fishing Tips

Pier fishermen should keep their baits moving.

Keep your bait near the bottom, but not on the bottom. Summer flounder, usually called just flounder, is a weird character with both eyes on the same side of its head. It spends most of its time on the bottom, striking at the food that passes above it.

Flounders are sight feeders. Shore and pier fishermen need to keep their baits moving. Try jigging strips of squid or bull minnows around pier pilings. The best action will come during the first few hours of the rising tide.

A small, live spot is an excellent bait. Strips of spot or similar fish also work. Hook the spot behind the dorsal fin. That forces it to swim up, keeping it away from the bottom.

Flounder is disguised and ready for business.

Use enough weight to bounce and tick along the bottom. Gently pump the rod; you'll feel the weight strike bottom. This tactic works for drifting and slow trolling.

In early morning and late afternoon concentrate on shoals, bridge pilings, the edge of grass beds, and any underwater structure that attracts baitfish. Fish deeper ledges and holes during the day, especially on days with bright sun and blue sky.

Don't worry about setting the hook. The fish will hook themselves. Nor should you expect a slamming strike. You'll know the fish is there when it starts tugging.

Fishing tidal tributaries and inlets from canoe or kayak is a relaxing way to spend a day on the water. Take along small hooks so you can catch your own bait before moving to the deeper flounder holes. You won't need heavy gear for this. Use any level wind or spinning reel spooled with 15 pound test line and a 6 to 7 foot rod.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Fishing Tips for Walleyes With a Lead Core Line

Segmenting the lead core line into various colors gives anglers a clear visual indicator of bait depth when trolling. Up to four colors can be used, each 10 yards in length. When trolling for walleye, anglers can quickly change depths depending on color choice. This setup allows for quick duplication of depth with an adjacent rod when walleye have been detected. Because walleye feed at different depths throughout the day, it is necessary to continually adjust presentation depths. Adjusting for this difference is necessary for precise fishing.

Lead core lines have a wider diameter then monofilament lines, requiring larger reel spools. Choosing a reel with a higher line capacity allows for an increased backing and lead core line setup. The more line that is available on a reel spool, the more an angler can play a fish and adjust his boat during a snag. Walleye are large fish that are capable of making long runs, and require ample line to do so. A smooth drag system will decrease line breaks when using lead core lines. Because lead core lines don't have the same flex as monofilament lines, smooth drag systems are often utilized to compensate for this loss.

Using different rod lengths when fishing with lead core lines can increase the chances of hooking a walleye. Walleye feed at various depths and along a multitude of structures throughout the day. By placing shorter rods near the back of the boat and longer rods near the front, this behavior is compensated for. This setup will decrease tangles between lead core lines while varying the depth of presentation. When fishing along a bank or underwater shoal, move all rods to the adjacent boat side. Varied rod lengths will cover more depths and increase the chances of a walleye strike.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

How to Catch Largemouth or Smallmouth Bass in The Spring With Bass Fishing Techniques

Instructions

When you are getting ready to start fishing you need to go to your local sporting goods store. You need to buy a fishing license and make sure to take some kind of identification. You will need your drivers license and in some cases a utility or phone bill. Make sure to check with your local division of wild life for the laws about bass fishing in your state. Some states like in upstate New York the bass fishing season doesn't start until the 3 weekend in June. Now that you have checked your state's fishing regulations your ready to go bass fishing in the spring.

Largemouth bass will spawn when the water temperature is in the 65 and 70 degrees area. After the spawn the bass will start moving off the spawning beds and move to deeper water. Bass are hungry and will start to feed. You can look for their spawning beds before you go fishing making sure you wear polarized sunglasses. The bass beds will be hollowed out holes in the swallow water.

If you are fishing from a boat make sure to move quietly through the area you are going to fish. Shallow water warms up quicker than deep water and the bass will start looking for bait fish to feed on. Shallow water with lots of dead trees and logs warms up faster look for large rocks where the bass will ambush bait fish from.

You should try and match the bait fish or crayfish that are in the area if you are using an artificial bait. Cast your bait to the shadow side of the structure. Bass will stay in the shade if it is a sunny day. Use a slow to medium retrieve with plenty of starts and stops. Large mouth and smallmouth bass will stay near deeper water when they are feeding so a depth finder can help you spot those areas. You should practice catch and release, and use barbless hooks if possible.

Tips for a Surf Fishing Rig

Let&039;s start with the line. Lighter line casts farther but it&039;s more likely to break if you&039;re fishing around rocks or you hook a big one. A 13- to 18-pound superbraid line works well for sandy beaches but you&039;ll need more weight for rocky ones. Superbraid is strong yet light so it casts farther and it doesn&039;t stretch as much as a nylon line. You also need the right size hook for the fish you intend to catch. Choose a circle bait-holder hook in the 1/0 to 7/0 size range. This hook will naturally set itself in the corner of the fishes mouth and its extra barbs will keep your bait from slipping off. Use a bait elastic to tie any soft baits to your hook. To minimize the chance of losing your tackle when you cast, tie a 50-pound test shock leader to your main line.

Since fish eat live bait in the wild, it&039;s your best bet if you can afford it. Bunker is a good bait for bluefish, striped bass and sharks and if you use the head it will repel dogfish and rays. Bluefish also favor mullet and it can be cut into chunks or used whole, depending on your rig. Bloodworms work well for many fish but they&039;re expensive and easy to lose in the surf. Artificial Bloodworms made by FishBites are equally effective and hold up better in punishing surf. Speckled trout, pompano, whiting and sea mullet prefer sand fleas, also known as mole crabs. Keep them in moist sand until you need them. If you can get some clams, you&039;ll find that they attract striped bass but they only work when they&039;re fresh. The best bait of all is Norfolk spot but it&039;s not easy to catch. Bluefish and striped bass love it and so do most other saltwater predators.

Bunker bait is easy to rig and you start by cutting the bunker in vertical chunks from the head to the tail. Use everything but the tail and hook the body chunks in a corner and the head by starting below the mouth and bringing the hook out above it. Your leader is attached to the hook at one end and a swivel at the other, followed by a bead and a pyramid sinker. Clams work well on a High Low Rig with circle hooks tied to dropper loops that run perpendicular to your line and are about a foot apart. This rig has a pyramid sinker at the end of your line with the dropper loops right above it and it minimizes line tangling while maximizing the length of your casts. Since bluefish have a tendency to bite off fish without taking the hook, the leader on a Mullet Rig is tied to a float that has a long wire running from it with a loop at the end. This wire is threaded through the mullet&039;s mouth and pushed through the body until it comes out the other end. A one-piece double hook with two shanks is threaded through this loop at the end of the wire. This puts your hooks at the end of the mullet where they can do their job more effectively.

Steelhead Drift Fishing Tips

It is important for every steelhead angler to know the run times (the return to rivers and streams) of the species. While run times can vary depending on water temperature, generally, steelhead return to freshwater in late fall and remain until late spring. Drift fishing is a preferred method during these times.

Because steelheads are not evenly distributed, it is often necessary to search for suitable areas where the trout are feeding and spawning. Steelhead typically prefer some type of holding water. Holding areas are deeper pools formed at the mouth of fast-moving currents. Drift fishing is most successful in these areas because the bait is bounced downstream toward calm feeding zones.

When drift fishing, it is vital to understand where and when a steelhead will strike. The key is to identify the location of holding areas and lengths of current that precedes them. While some fish will strike in moving water, it is important while drift fishing for anglers to position themselves in front of holding areas. Casts should be made into currents long enough to allow bait to reach the bottom and drift toward holding water. Steelhead are prone to strike bait that flows to them with the rush of the river.

While some anglers prefer to fish from river banks, the most experienced and successful steelhead anglers stay away from shorelines. When fishing from the banks, it places an angler above the water. Steelhead, especially big, elusive fish, are able to see well above the water line and are easily spooked by humans. If you are drift fishing, you will be fare better by wading in knee-deep water.

When drift fishing, it is common for bait to be pushed against currents. This causes a drift rig to be lifted from the bottom where steelhead will have difficulty seeing it. To alleviate current pushes, it is important to position your body and rod so it's following the direction of the water. This will loosen your line and allow the sinker to ease your leader back toward the bottom.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Bass Fishing: Wii Tips

"Sega Bass Fishing" includes more than 20 lures, each with their preferred environment and fish type. The goal of the game is to get the biggest bass you possibly can. Fly fishing lures are great for trout and other fish types, but for the bass go with weighted lures. To choose the right weighted lure, look at the background of the level where the water meets the shore. There will be two to three colors used primarily at the shore line. Try to select a weighted lure that has these colors to attract the largest bass possible for that level. The colors will vary depending on the level, but you can change lures as many times as necessary to select the right one.

For the aspiring novice fisherman, as if the fish weren't enough, often the timer will be your biggest enemy. Fortunately there is a cheat that can help give you a bit more breathing room. To activate this cheat, press: A, B, Y, X, Y, A, B, L, R, Y, X, A, B, A, Y, X, Y. When you hear the tournament announcer shout the word "Fish," you will see your time start and not change. When you want to finish the level, press "start" and "return to the docks."

Casting on the surface is simple enough; you hold down the A button and use the Wii-mote to make a flicking motion with your wrist. For more realism you can use your whole arm to draw back and then swing forward like a real fishing rod. The key to a successful cast is to release the A button when the controller is approximately level to the floor, with your arm fully extended. This will increase the maximum distance of your cast.

Early Fall Bass Fishing Tips

The cooler days of autumn prompt bass to shift their territory toward the back of coves and inlets, further upstream and generally from deep water to shallow. When the water temperature begins to drop into the mid-50s Fahrenheit, look for fish in shallow water. Crankbaits, buzzbaits and rubber worms will continue to produce good results in shallow water. Try silver and white colors.

Although it may seem counter-intuitive, big fish will continue to have big appetites in the fall months, so a larger lure will produce larger bass. Although bass metabolism begins to slow down as the water temperature drops, larger bass will still require more to eat than their smaller, younger siblings. The same holds true for their prey. Baitfish hatched in the spring will have reached full size by the fall, so the minnows and lures you threw in the water in May will bear little resemblance to what the big bass are eating in October.

Bass are more active in the fall during overcast days, when the water may be murky and predators have a better opportunity of sneaking up on prey. Fish the shallow waters where baitfish dart near the banks.
Start the day with topwater baits along banks, floating vegetation and beneath tree limbs jutting over the water. Switch to soft, plastic worms at midday when the sun is directly overhead and the bass are getting lazy. Try crankbaits and buzzbaits in the later afternoon and early evening hours.

Bass will shift back to the depths in late October and early November after fattening themselves on baitfish in the shallows during early autumn. You'll need a boar or a baitcasting combo with fair amount of line on the reel to reach you quarry. Jigs, plastic worms rigged Carolina-style with twin hooks embedded in the bait, and spinnerbaits can produce good fish in late fall.

Tips On Homemade PVC Fishing Pole Holders

Whether you want to make a holder for several rods or one sand spike for surf fishing, you'll need some PVC pipe available at hardware and plumbing supply stores. Decide in advance how much pipe you'll need. For example, to make a sand spike you'll need a piece of PVC pipe about 3 feet long and 2-3 inches in diameter, depending on the size of your rod handle. You'll also want an assortment of steel bolts and nuts to insert through the PVC pipe near the base. The bolt is what supports the end of your rod and keeps it from sliding through the pipe to the sand. If you want to build a rod holder, you'll want to decide how many rods you wish to transport (six is usually plenty). Figure about 2 feet of PVC pipe for each rod, plus a length of pipe for the base of your holder. This needs to be long enough to create some spacing between the rod holders. You'll also need to buy some T-connectors to attach the pipes hold the rods to the base of your holder and shock cords for securing the holder to your vehicle.

For safety's sake, use a handsaw to cut PVC pipe. A handsaw with no more than 13 teeth to the inch will give you a good, fast cutting edge. Too many saw teeth and you'll just wear out your arm hacking through pipe. If you must use a power saw, wear goggles and a breathing mask to prevent inhalation of little plastic particles.
Remove the burrs from the pipe end with a sharp knife.
Glue your pipes and connectors together with waterproof glue or cement. Super glues don't hold up under all-weather use.

Drill a hole through a 3-foot length of PVC pipe about one foot from the bottom. Insert a steel bolt through the pipe and secure it with a nut on the other side. This bolt through the pipe will hold the butt of your rod for use as a sand spike.
Cut the bottom off the pipe at a 45-degree angle to create a point for stabbing the spike into the sand.

Hot Tips for September Bass Fishing

September is often the time of year when baitfish transition from deep to shallow water and bass often follow. Clumps of baitfish can be located by sonar. Look for pieces of isolated shallow cover with baitfish nearby; these areas will often hold bass. Exactly how shallow depends on the lake; 15 feet is often a good depth, but this is not a firm rule. Creek mouths, drop-offs, points, channels, rock piles and irregularities in a weedline are good producers. Places with current are attractive to bass as well. Bass may be well-fed, in which case you will have to agitate them into biting.

When you come to an area that you believe holds bass and baitfish, start by covering a lot of water with a fast-paced lure. This will catch most of the more active bass, as well as give you an idea of what specific spots within the overall area hold the most fish. Writer and fisherman Vic Attardo advocates using a buzzbait when you see bass breaking the surface or when the surface is rippled but not choppy. Poppers, crankbaits and spinnerbaits are other so-called "run-and-gun" techniques to cover water and find bass fast.

Once the fast bite slows down, switch to a slower, more subtle technique and focus on small areas and specific pieces of cover. This will target bass that are too full or inactive to bite. It is important to make repeated casts to a piece of cover; making one cast and moving on will inevitably cause you to miss fish. Professional fisherman Woo Daves often casts a series of different lures to the same piece of cover in an attempt to rouse strikes. If you are fishing around wood and rocks, tie on a diving crankbait and bang it into the cover. Carolina-rigged soft plastics are also great for thoroughly exploring an area.

How to Attach a Glow Stick to a Fishing Rod

Instructions

Reel in the fishing line to the reel. Set the rod down so you have access to the tip.

Crack and shake the fishing glow stick before attachment to activate the light. Place the glow stick at the top of the tip on the side without the metal guides where the line runs along the rod.

Slide one small rubber band down and over the glow stick and rod. Push it to the bottom of the glow stick. If the rubber band is too loose, double it and run it down the tip to tighten.

Slide a second rubber band over the glow stick and rod tip at the top of the stick.

Simulate the casting motion and check that the stick remains in a static position. If not, double the rubber bands once more and put them back onto the stick and rod.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Tips for Inshore Rocky Point Fishing in Mexico

From its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s as the sportsfishing dream destination, Rocky Point was also known as a famous party spot in the 1920s (during Prohibition) and as a military outpost in WWII. Originally a small fishing village, Rocky Point is home to commercial fishing industries and sport fisheries.

Enjoy inshore or beach fishing at Rocky Point for small or medium-sized corvina, mixed species and pompanos in the cooler temperatures of spring and early summer. The prime inshore fishing season peaks about the end of May. As the late summer temperatures heat up, the shallow water at Rocky Point beach is much too hot to provide prosperous fishing as the fish retreat to cooler, deeper water.

The largest member of the croaker family, totoaba can grow as large as marlin. One was caught in 1961 that weighed 330 lbs. Totoaba were historically plentiful at Rocky Point, Mexico, and the Sea of Cortez. Because of drastic overfishing and the destruction of bottom habitat by shrimp trawlers, the totoaba, corvina, croaker, red snapper, grunts, triggerfish and other common species in this area were greatly reduced in number by the 1970s. Currently, the catches are regarded as "good" for knowledgeable anglers as all the schools of fish are making a comeback.

Fishing in winter may be difficult because of desert-style North winds and low water temperatures in the 50s.The fall and winter temperatures (August to December) average around 60 to 75 degrees F. Spring and summer fishing is popular and there are reportedly good catches of red snapper, black sea bass, whitefish, gold-spotted bass and halibut. From January to May, temperatures average around 60 to 80 degrees F in Penasco.

In late summer months, the shallow water near the beach heats up to 93 degrees or above. Average temperatures for May to August range from 80 to 105 degrees F. During these hottest days of summer, most fishermen go far south out of Rocky Point to the eastern shore south of Isla San Jorge in the late summer months. Here, you'll find dorado, sailfish and marlin in late summer and fall. Summer rains are often short, heavy and turn into monsoons, which can wash out roads and otherwise cause dangerous conditions.

Do not take a firearm and do take your vehicle title. If you have a firearm, you may be arrested and detained up to three months in a Mexican prison. If you do not have a title to whatever vehicle you are traveling in (boat, jet ski, water vehicles, car, ATV, SUV, camper, etc.), you may be turned back at the border. Rocky Point is in the "Free Zone;" however, if you plan to travel outside the free zones, there will be additional requirements.

Lake Ontario Salmon Fishing Tips

Lake Ontario contains four distinct species of salmon: the Chinook or Pacific salmon, the Coho salmon and the pink salmon. Chinook salmon can reach weights of more than 100 pounds in saltwater but generally do not exceed 50 in freshwater. They have distinctive blue-green markings on the top and back of the head, with a silvery body and a black spot on the tail. The smaller Coho salmon, or silver salmon, is identified by its silvery-pink bodily tone and rarely exceeds 30 pounds. Pink salmon are smaller still, rarely exceeding 10 pounds, and are identified by a pink lower half and a green upper half with black spots.

Due to the massive size of Lake Ontario, salmon tend to cluster together in specific areas that offer distinctive cover features. General features that attract Lake Ontario salmon include rocky reefs and easy access to tributary streams or rivers. Salmon return to tributary streams to spawn during the fall and tend to cluster in deeper tributary pools with running water during this time. Some specific locations that have produced excellent salmon in the past include the Salmon River, the mouth of the Salmon River, Mexico Bay, Nine Mile Point and Henderson Harbor

Select medium-heavy to ultra-heavy baitcasing gear when fishing for salmon. Opt for braided line of at least 30-pound test to prevent line stretching and breakage. If trolling, use colored line with a lead core to achieve optimal depth. Salmon are often taken on Lake Ontario using spoons, crankbaits or spinners. Spoons are large, flat pieces of hammered metal that shimmer in the water, resembling a fish in distress. Crankbaits are wooden or plastic lures with a diving lip that is designed to resemble preyfish. Spinners are elongated lures with a hook at the end and one or more spinning blades at the front, often featuring fur or tinsel to disguise the hook.

Tips on Bow Fishing for Carp

The best arrows for bow fishing for carp are solid fiberglass. These types of arrows are strong enough to penetrate the water and still hit the fish with enough force, but they cost less than other arrows. This is a consideration for many bow fishermen since arrows can be lost or broken while bow fishing. Any compound bow that you typically use for deer hunting can be used to bow fish for carp.

Even though bow fishing for carp takes place in shallow water -- less than five feet deep -- a pair of polarized glasses will help you see carp better. Polarized glasses reduce the glare and reflection of the water, which gives you a better sense of the true location of the fish.

Bow fishing for carp depends on the fish being in shallow water. The best time to find carp in the shallows is when they are spawning, which occurs when the water reaches about 62 degrees. The peak of the spawn occurs when the water temperature is between about 65 and 68 degrees. Look for soft-bottomed areas or places where the bottom sediment is stirred up. Carp often break the surface of the water when spawning.

Carp are easily spooked, even when they are focused on spawning. As a result, it is a good idea to stay as far away from them as possible. Get only close enough to them that you will be able to make an accurate shot. In addition to keeping your distance, do everything you can to minimize noise. Keep your voice down and avoid walking around the boat unnecessarily. If possible, line the bottom of your boat with carpet or rubber.

Thursday, July 31, 2014

When and Where To Fish

How To Fish

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Knots and Connections

Distance

Streamers

Two Nymphs

Locate likely areas

Use the right equipment

Carry a variety of lures

Stay mobile

Consider hip boots or waders

The Right Place

Off the Shore

Try a Topwater

Hook and Line

Gig

Caution

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Instructions

Look for Bass in Shallow Water

Look for Structures in Shallow Water

Don't Be Afraid to Move Deeper

Use Larger Lures

When

Where

How

Instructions

Monday, July 28, 2014

Seasonal Temperature Considerations

Fishing in Different Weather Conditions

Where do Sea Bass Gather

What Bait Attracts Sea Bass

Follow the Rules

Line

Bait

Hooks

System

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Find Bluegill to Find Bass

Casting the Bait

The Keepers

Why Bass Fish at Night?

Lure Selection

Considerations

Instructions

Time

Location

Gear

Conservation

Instructions

Drift fishing

Plunking

Bait

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Effective Retrieves

Reading the Strike

Setting the Hook

Experiment with different colors

Rig light sticks

Environmental concerns

Equipment

When and Where

Setting the Hook

Troll With Baitfish

Get a Chum Line Going

Night fishing for snapper

Size/Weight

Spooling

Knots

Deploying the Line

What Not to Do with Copper Line

Friday, July 25, 2014

Bait

Baiting Techniques

Rigs

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Instructions

How to Cast a Fishing Rod Sidearm