Spinner Fishing Tips for Steelhead

Size Matters

The professional fishing guides at Piscatorial Pursuits in Washington State report success in getting steelhead to strike using modified size 2, 3 and 4 brass vibrax spinners. They recommend taking a lit candle and a pair of pliers, then hold the spinner with the pliers while holding the propellers over the open flame to char and discolor the spinner. The end result should be a bronze-looking spinner, something the guides report success with steelhead.

Moving Water

When fishing with spinners in moving water, remember this adage, "the faster the water, the slower the retrieve." Steelhead tend to congregate in the faster moving water and rapids, because the water there is rich in oxygen. As the water speed increases, cast out the spinner and slowly begin the reel-in. The guides at Piscatorial Pursuits write this is a successful method of steelhead fishing that they teach to their clients and use themselves.

Spinner Hooks

The folks at Steelheader.net, a site dedicated to steelhead fishing, state that using a Single Siwash hook is better than using a single or triple hook because the Single Siwash holds the fish better. They suggest tying a small piece of yarn to the hook and scent it to attract steelhead. The Steelheader.net experts also suggest not using nickel spinners in murky or cloudy water because the nickel will appear black under two feet of murky water and will not attract steelhead.

Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota Fishing Tips

Guide

Chapmans Mille Lacs Resort & Guide Service is located on the southeast corner of the lake and provides private half-day, full-day, and overnight packages.

630 West Main Street

Isle, MN 56342

320-676-8664

Millelacsresort.com

McQuoids Inn is located on the east side of the lake. They offer half-day and eight-hour guided fishing trips for one to four persons per boat.

1325 Highway 47 North

Isle, MN 56342

800-862-3535

mcquoidsinn.com

Nittis Hunters Point Resort is located nine miles north of Isle, MN on the east side of Mille Lacs Lake. There are eight guide services associated with this resort to fit your fishing needs.

5436 479th Street

Isle, MN 56342

320-676-3227

hunterspointresort.com

T and T Guide service is located in Isle, MN but will bring you anywhere you want to go on Mille Lacs Lake. Enjoy the half century of combined experience during all-day and half-day fishing trips and fall night fishing.

255 115th Lane

Isle, MN 56342

320-224-1731

tandtguideservices.com

Nelson Guide Service offers Mille Lacs Lake fishing at its finest. Choose from half-day, full-day, or sunset cruise fishing trips for up to five individuals.

3421 Vista Road

Isle, MN 56342

763-234-0057

nelsonguideservice.com

Launch

Twin Pines Resort offers launch service for open fishing and private charters aboard spacious launches or a deluxe pontoon.

7827 U.S. Highway 169

Garrison, MN 56450

800-450-4682

twinpinesmillelacs.com

Hunter Winfields Resort provides launch/charter services out of Isle Bay on Lake Mille Lacs. Choose from three- to five-hour launch fishing trips and private group charters for four- to eight-hour trips.

510 West Lake

Isle, MN 56342

800-414-4298

hunterwinfields.com

Fishermans Wharf Resort has 1800 feet of protected inland harbor and the Captain of the launch has a reputation for finding the hot fish spots. Choose from two launch boats that accommodate 30 passengers or more.

5101 Whistle Road

Isle, MN 56342

800-645-3593

wharfmn.com

Ice Fishing

According to Millelacs.com, You can do it yourself or take advantage of the ice fishing packages around the lake, offering anything you want from overnight lodging and transportation to and from the ice house, to bait, tackle, and meals.

Chapmens Mille Lacs Resort & Guide Service offers half-day, full-day, and overnight ice fishing packages. Guides, fish house, and fishing equipment are available for day trips.

630 West Main Street

Isle, MN 56342

320-676-8664

millelacsresort.com

Captain Hooks Guide Service provides fishing rods, bait, and a portable ice house, and will guide you to where the fish are biting, all in a day trip.

5357 Whistle Road

Isle, MN 56342

320-679-4295

fishmillelacs.com

Phils Myr-Mar Marina offers ice house rentals. There are holes drilled for ice fishing, a heater is included, and the ice house provides enough room to sleep up to eight people comfortably.

44033 Conifer Street

Aitkin, MN 56431

800-892-5539

philsmyrmarmarina.com

How to Ice Fish For Pickerel

Instructions

How To Ice Fish For Pickerel

1

When fishing for pickerel, the time of day doesn't matter as they will hit a shiner from morning until nightfall. Pickerel can hit in spurts, meaning there will be a flurry of action and then a down time, or they will attack your shiners with regularity during the day.

2

Hook your shiners right behind the dorsal fin on the back, an inch from the end of the tail. Medium-size shiners are sufficient to attract pickerel. Pickerel are pigs and will sometimes eat like there is no tomorrow. Pickerel have been caught on a shiner and found to have a full-grown sunfish still in their gullet! They also will attack and eat other smaller pickerel.

3

Concentrate your tip-ups where you are having success. Ice fishing is all about location, regardless of the species you're targeting. If you have six tip-ups in the water and two are seeing no hits at all, move them to other areas. Every time you catch a pickerel, grab a tip-up that has not been producing and set it up 10 yards from your last catch.

4

Set your shiners shallow. Pickerel will grab a shiner that is right under the ice and, when fishing in this manner, you won't have to worry about measuring your line to have the bait a foot off the bottom. You also avoid dealing with weeds in which your shiner can become entangled. You will find that you can catch pickerel with the bait just 2 feet beneath the ice.

5

If you get a bite but the shiner is gone, or if you have the pickerel on for a brief time but the hook isnt set properly, dont sweat it. Pickerel will return. Reset the tip-up with another shiner and dont stray too far from it. That flag will be up before you know it in most cases.

6

Dont be fooled if the flag trips on a tip-up but the line isnt moving when you get to it. Pickerel will often grab a shiner and go into the weeds to eat it. Just because the line isnt flying off the reel doesnt mean a pickerel isnt home. Set the hook if the line doesn't continue to not move and be ready. Even large pickerel, those over 20 inches, may not necessarily take off after grabbing your shiner. Take nothing for granted!

7

Watch out for those teeth. Pickerel have tiny razor-sharp teeth designed to grab prey and not let go. Your fingers will bleed for quite a while if you put them in the pickerels mouth after hauling one onto the ice. Stay clear and use a hook remover or needle-nose pliers to get the hook out. Pickerel almost never swallow a hook, so they can be removed and the fish sent back down the hole or brought home for dinner.

Tips on Bank Fishing Salmon in Alaska

Plunking for Salmon

Plunking for salmon means bottom fishing near the shoreline. Experienced plunkers rig their 1/0 to 4/0 sized hook with cured salmon eggs, the bait of choice. Just above the snelled hook (a hook pre-tied with a loop of fishing line that attaches to your main line), many anglers like to add a Spin-N-Glo, which is a short plastic spinner blade in fluorescent colors that creates both water movement and visual enticement for hungry salmon.

Short casts into pools and ebbs in the river are good plunking strategies. The idea is to get the bait near the river bottom in areas of slow-moving water. During the migratory months, cast to the downstream end of the pool, so your bait is the first thing incoming fish will encounter as they move upriver.

With plunking, you can use a rod holder and a strike signaler such as a small bell on the rod tip.

Casting to Salmon

Casting from shore with a spinning reel is an effective way to cover large areas of water from a fixed position. Lure choices expand beyond salmon eggs to include spoons and spinners resembling bait fish and surface plugs that may resemble wounded bait fish or insects. Vary your retrieval between a steady crank to a slow, jerky, stop-and-go motion to make the lure twitch.

Flipping to Salmon

This variation of casting is really a drift-fishing method. Thread a red plastic bead onto the end of the line and tie a short piece of yellow-green (chartreuse) yarn to your bare hook. Add a few split-shot sinkers about 12 inches up the line for a bit of heft when flipping to the salmon.

To flip, peel off enough line so that your lure is off the ground when holding the rod straight up. Pull off more line with your free hand and hold the line out from the rod so your hook remains off the ground, then swing your rod tip toward an upstream position, releasing the line in your free hand at the same time. With a correct flip, the line will straighten and drop your hook upstream so it can drift past you and downstream again. Aim your rod tip at the line and follow it as it passes by you moving downstream.

Tips on Catching Bass in Ponds

Quiet

It is vital to keep quiet when fishing in ponds for bass. Approaching the pond from shore will require some stealth. You do not want to alert the fish to your presence. You should speak in a low voice or not talk at all.

Often a pond will have a good amount of vegetation surrounding its edges. Being able to wade through the shallows without alarming the fish can give you access to spots that you may not be able to access from the shore. An inner tube or a small inflatable boat also gives you the advantage of fishing the pond from the middle and lets you cast toward the shore and the weed beds without raising too much commotion.

Baits

Try to match your bait with what creatures the bass feed on in a small pond scenario. Crickets, grasshoppers, minnows and crayfish all fall victim to bass in a pond. Keep your offerings small and do not bother to bring along your larger lures such as stickbaits.

Downsize lures such as plastic worms. Rig them Texas style to make them skip through the weeds that invariably grow in ponds. Slip a bullet weight onto your line with the tapered end facing away from the end of your line. Tie on an offset worm hook and stick the point of the hook through the very end of it. Cause the point to come out through the side of the worm just 1/2-inch from where it entered. Turn the hook toward the worm's body. Push it all the way up snug to the eye of the hook, and jam the sharp point into the worm's body. Make sure the worm is dangling straight down when you do this and push in the hook in the middle of the worm.

Floating lures like surface plugs and plastic frogs can appear very life-like to bass in a small pond. Fish these slowly with a single jerk of the line followed by a wait of as long as 20 seconds before making the lure move again.

Cover

Bass are the type of fish that likes to ambush its prey. Finding spots in a pond that bass can do this from is important to your success. These may not be the obvious places in a pond that there are in a lake or river. By looking at every structure carefully you can determine if it is cover that is capable of holding bass. Remember that a small insignificant bush growing halfway in the water may not hold bass in a river or lake but could be a major hiding place in a small pond. Rocks, overhanging branches that provide shadows and shade, and any type of water weeds or grass are all likely spots for a bass to be planning its next attack.

Ice Fishing

Do not overlook a small pond if you are an ice fisherman. These ponds can be covered much more thoroughly than a larger lake. They also will tend to freeze quicker and offer safe ice long before a larger body of water. By drilling holes near the same places that offered cover to bass before the ice came along can give you a chance to catch bass. Use small- to medium-size minnows and shiners and keep moving around on the pond until you find where the bass are holding. Late afternoon is the best time for small pond ice fishing.

Tips for Main Lake Fishing Rigs

Proper Equipment

Select the rod and reel combination that best suits the type of fishing you plan to do. Anglers who target species like crappie, perch, sunfish and walleye should use a spinning rod and reel, while those who target muskie and northern pike should use a baitcasting combination. Bass anglers can use either a spinning or baitcasting combination, depending upon individual preference.

Artificial Bait Rigs

Artificial lures are staples among fishermen who chase bass, muskies and pike in main-lake areas. If you fling lures for muskies and pike, it is a good idea to attach a wire leader to the end of your fishing line, and then attach the lure to the leader. If you do not use a leader when targeting these species, you run the risk of their sharp teeth nicking the line and causing it to break. Bass anglers rarely use steel leaders, primarily because they do not have teeth like muskies and pike do.

Lindy Rig

Main-lake areas structure , such as drop-offs, humps and reefs are the domain of walleye fishermen. The best way to catch these fish is with a live-bait rig known as a Lindy rig. The rig includes a No. 4 or No. 6 hook, a 36- to 48-inch leader, swivel and a sliding sinker heavy enough to keep the rig on the bottom. Leeches, minnows or nightcrawlers are the best live baits to attach to the rig. Troll or drift Lindy rigs slowly through areas that walleyes are likely to be.

Bobber Rig

Beginning anglers, or those who pursue crappies and sunfish, should consider using a bobber rig. These rigs are especially productive around the beds of vegetation that grow on main-lake humps and reefs. The bobber rig includes a hook, split shot sinker and bobber. Attach the bobber so it suspends the bait at the level at which the fish are holding. If they are five feet below the surface, for example, there should be five feet of fishing line between the bobber and the hook. A variety of live baits work on bobber rigs, but waxworms, crappie minnows, small leeches, and bits of nightcrawler tend to be best.

Snap Swivel

Select a snap swivel to fish with artificial baits. The snap swivel lets you change baits as often as you like without retying your line. If you plan to use the same artificial bait for extended periods of time, tie the line directly to the hook.

How to Land a Fish on the Rapala Fishing Wii Game

Instructions

1

Select Boat Mode to drive your boat to the fishing location of your choice.

2

Go into the fishing mode by pressing the -- button on the controller.

3

Go into casting mode by holding down the reel release. Adjust the direction of your cast using the four way directional button on the Wii remote.

4

Cast your line. Swing the Wii remote up and down and let go of the reel release to cast. The perfect cast takes practice.

5

Slowly reel your line in to attract fish to your lure. The Rapala Tournament Fishing Instruction Booklet suggests you try moving your line at different speeds and experimenting with lure movement to make your lure appear to be live bait. The better your bait looks the more fish you will attract.

6

Set the hook by jerking your Wii mote up all the way up. This motion will set the hook in the fish's mouth. You will know when it is time to set the hook based on the Set Hook Timer that pops up when you get a bite. If you wait too long the fish will spit the lure out.

7

Reel the fish in by moving the Nunchuk in a circular "reeling in" motion. Keep an eye on the Tension Indicator as you reel your fish in. Adjust the drag and reel as needed to keep the arrow in the green to avoid losing the fish or breaking your line.

8

Press the number two on the Wii remote to view the Livewell and see the fish that you have caught.

Ice Fishing Tips for Panfish

Bring the right equipment

When they're in the biting mood, you don't need much. You'll need a jigging rod, some small jigs or Swedish pimples, some bait and an auger or ice spud to make a hole. For those looking to expand on their ice-fishing experience, consider using a shanty to stay warm and bobbers to help you identify when the fish are biting and a chair or inverted 5-gallon bucket to sit on.

Set the rod up before going out

Before you're sitting out on the ice with your gloves off and your fingers fumbling with a jig to tie onto your line, consider doing your rod setup the day before. Choose a brightly colored jig that will attract the attention of a panfish. Many colors that have been successful through the ice include hot pink, chartreuse, bright green and blaze orange. Tie the jig onto the end of your line and you're set for a typical excursion. If you're planning on using a bobber, make sure to side it on your line before tying your hook. In addition, if you know you'll be fishing in deeper waters, you might want to consider adding a few clamp-style sinkers to your line a few inches above your jig.

Hit the ice

If you've chosen to use a shanty, set it up on the location where you want to do your fishing. If it's a site where you'll be fishing all year, consider leaving your shanty on the ice for the duration of the season. Pile snow up at the base of the ice shack to help insulate it and keep out the sunlight that is glaring on the ice all around you. Using your auger, or ice spud, make your hole and scoop out the ice floating in it. If you're using a bobber, check the depth of the water you're in with a depth-finder sinker, to make sure your bait won't be sitting on the bottom of the lake, and make a small knot in the line where you want your bobber to stop. Add bait to your hook, anything from bloodworms to grubs to wigglers to minnows, and drop it down the hole. Once your jig is at the depth you want, or the knot has reached the bobber, you're ready to start.

Jigging for panfish

There are several styles of jigging and none of them are wrong. The idea behind the process is to attract fish to your bait by getting their attention. For crappie, this might involve quick up and down and jerky motions. Try twisting the line between your fingers and letting it go, causing your lure to spin in the water. Another technique, which has been known to work on low-swimming perch and bluegill, is to bounce the jig off the bottom of the lake. This will cause a small puff of sediment, which will attract aggressive fish. Movement is key, but so is patience. Like any predator, the movement draws the attention of the fish, but letting it sit for a few moments without jigging can give the fish a good time to bite. Change your jigging technique and, if needed, the jig size and color if you're having trouble getting bites.

More than just jigging

While jigging is considered the most successful tactic in catching panfish, many anglers use spoons, spinners and plain hooks at times. Spoons and spinners are known to attract aggressive fish out of the schools swimming through and this tactic can prove to be successful throughout the day. Try a combination of lures and baits until you find one that works for you and catches plenty of fish.

Don't give up

Several factors combine to make fish hungry, including ambient light, water temperature and food supply. If your fishing doesn't go well one day, don't give up. Come back out at a different time of day and with different lures. Talk to the local bait shop about what's been getting the bites and what techniques seem to be working. Persistence pays off when going after panfish.

How to Cast Far in Flick Fishing

Instructions

1

Play the game in an area where you have a lot of room to move your arms.

2

Set the game to default, which is flick casting.

3

Begin with the tip of your rod in front of you. Pull back slowly with the gaming device over your head (use two hands if playing on an iPad).

4

Use a smooth, flowing motion to cast. Slowly flick your wrist forward in front of you, with your hand ending up in a handshake position. For the iPad, flick forward slowly with both hands. Your thumbs should be on top and pointing straight ahead.

5

Practice continually. Choose an easy location such as the Old Pond location to practice. Once you are able to reach the edge of the old pond with your casts, you can long cast anywhere within the game.

How to Attach Fishing Line to Tip-Ups

Instructions

1

Purchase a spool of 30- to 40-pound test braided ice-fishing line from your local tackle shop. These types of lines come coated or braided to be much thicker, more visible and easier to handle than the typical monofilament lines. Choose a colored line that you will be able to see easily as you look through the hole drilled in the ice. Tan is one of the more visible colors and a good option for beginning ice anglers. You will be able to look at it as it comes off your tip-up's reel and tell if a fish took the bait.

2

Hold the tip-up reel spool so that it cannot spin or move and tie the end of your ice-fishing line around the spool with an arbor knot. Clip back the end of the knot with a pair of nail clippers.

3

Place the spool of new ice-fishing line at your feet between your legs and sit down in a chair. Hold the tip-up's reel spool with your thumb tightly on the point where the knot meets the surface of the spool. This will permit you to wrap some line around the spool without the knot or the line spinning around the smooth spool's surface. Make about five or six wraps with the line before releasing your grip on where the knot meets the spool.

4

Grip the edge of the tip-up's reel spool with one hand so that the spool cannot spin and begin to wrap the new line around the spool using your other hand. This method will assure that you evenly distribute the line around the spool. Go slowly to avoid the line twisting as it comes off the new spool. Wrap the new line tightly around the tip-ups spool.

5

Wrap the line around until you have at least 25 yards of line on your tip-up's reel spool. You can be exact with this amount by measuring a foot of line when you first begin to wrap it around after the first few wraps. Once you know how much line is in a foot, determine how many wraps it takes to get that one foot around the line. Do the math to figure out how many wraps you will require to put 25 yards of line on the tip-up. For example, if it takes four wraps around to put one foot on the spool, you will need 300 wraps around to put on the 75 feet that makes up the 25 yards.

6

Cut the line when you have enough on your tip-up and tie on any terminal tackle such as leaders, swivels and/or hooks.

Tips on Catching Rockfish

Time

Time is an important factor to consider when going on any fishing trip, rockfish included. Depending on what month it is, certain points in the day are better to fish than others. Check solunar tables to determine what are the best times to fish. It is believed that the moon phases shown on the solunar tables is way of estimating prime times to fish. There is usually any time listed in both the morning hours and later in the day for optimal fishing.

Temperature

Water temperature is a big factor when it comes to fishing for rockfish. Typically rockfish stay near areas that are cooler in water temperature. Finding a spot that is always cooler, like in Northern California, or a fishing spot with heavily shaded areas should be considered when fishing for rockfish.

Bait

Rockfish typically eat crustaceans and other small fish, so that needs to be considered when selecting a bait to fish with. Minnows, shrimp, anchovies, sardines and squid are all good choices when it comes to fishing for rockfish. Occasionally on beach areas or areas with lots of rocks, there are crustaceans and sand crabs crawling all over that are perfect to fish with and free for the taking.

Focus

Rockfish have a tendency to strike their prey quickly, so it is important to focus when fishing for them. The slightest tug on the line could mean that a rockfish has decided to try for an early lunch. Remaining focused but not overzealous is an important part of almost any fishing activity.

Tips for Striper Fishing in Las Vegas

Lake Mead

Lake Mead is the Western Hemisphere's 16th largest man-made lake. It was created by the Hoover Dam next to the Colorado River and has 820 miles of shore line.

If you decide to fish during the winter in Lake Mead, note that from November through February you should be able to find striped bass at depths of 25 to 40 feet. This is also peak fishing time for crappie.

Fishing in coves is recommended, according to the River Lakes website section for Lake Mead fishing. Fish swim near the lake wall perimeter during this time as well.

As the water warms from March to May, you can find striped bass in coves at depths of 10 to 25 feet. From June through August, find stripers at depths of 35 feet. As the water cools from September through November find stripers in 10 to 20 feet deep water.

Lake Mohave

Lake Mohave is considered an excellent fishing lake, according to the River Lakes website. The upper lake area is a prime fishing area where the lake is actually a river coming out of the Hoover Dam. Cooler water temperatures and the river current make an attractive fish environment. The current is especially favorited by stripers.

The water is much colder than Lake Mead from March to November and has water at 53 degree temperatures flowing from the Hoover Dam year round. The water that travels 15 to 20 miles south of the dam warms up but is still cool enough for good fishing.

In the winter stripers are found in depths of 10 to 20 feet near cliff areas and coves. In the spring and summer, the water in the northern areas of the lake are still cool enough to attract stripers. Find stripers in deeper water in the fall at depths of 25 to 40 feet.

Additional Striper Fishing Tips

Stripers tend to feed at night. Anchovies are a favorite form of bait for stripers as are live eels, frozen mackerel or other chunk bait. Eels about 20 inches long can be used if you are looking to catch bigger stripers.

Layer warm clothing and wear gloves when fishing in colder temperatures. Try to fish on clear nights with low wind.

Look for current breaks or areas where the current changes due to large rocks or other objects. Current breaks create seams, or an area where water meets from two different directions. Stripers tend to hang around these areas or within a 30-foot radius.

Bass Fishing Tips for Michigan

Spring

Spinnerbaits, crankbaits and plastic worms are your best baits during the spring. During this time, bass move into shallower and warmer weather for spawning and for a greater food supply. For bigmouth bass, fishing in murky water or on cloudy days are best, along with using a shallow-water flip technique. For smallmouth bass, gravel points and submerged hump locations will be your best bet for finding a school. Lake Huron, on the east border of Michigan, with more than 23,000 square miles, and is home to bass, walleye, crappie, and many other species of fish.

Summer

During the hot summer months, crankbaits, jigs and plastic worms will be your best baits. Both small and largemouth bass will be in shallow water during the morning, and move into deeper water as the sun rises. Largemouth bass may need to go as deep as 60 feet, depending on the depth of the lake. Smallmouth bass will be drawn to lures that resemble crawfish, as it's their favorite prey during this time of year.

Fall

Largemouth and smallmouth bass will hide in shallow to moderately deep water during mornings and evenings, and during the day move into deep water. Spoons and jigs are the best bait to use in deep water. Lake St. Clair in Northern Michigan is a popular destination for smallmouth bass, with some caught coming in around 6 pounds.

Winter

During colder weather, bass are less active and moving your lure in a slow motion will draw the attention of the fish. Jigs, pork baits and plastic worms are the best baits for large and smallmouth bass. Again, fish will collect in shallow water during mornings and go deeper into the lake as the day continues.

Ice Fishing Tips & Tricks

Use Plastic

Experienced ice fishers, like Steve Ryan of the fishing website Lake Link, prefer plastic to live bait when ice fishing. Panfish in a frozen lake will generally respond well to plastic finesse lures. Using plastic also eliminates the need to cart live bait out onto the ice, lightening your load. Just be sure to bring along a wide range of plastic bait, as you'll likely want to change lures as the session progresses.

Add Variety

Ice fishing reduces your access to the water, and this may tempt you to stop adding variety to your technique. For example, it may seem adequate to use a single vertical jig and pull it up and down in the water at a given depth. If fish stop biting a vertical jig, insert a horizontal jig through the ice and try moving it in a spinning motion by twisting your line with your free hand. Change colors and jig styles to introduce even more variety until you find what works for the fish below you.

Observation

Ice fishing in a cold, clean lake should give you a good view into the water from the light that enters through your hole in the ice. Instead of sitting back from the hole, position yourself directly above it and look down into the water. You'll be able to see fish approaching your bait, giving you more time to prepare to make the catch. At the same time, you should be able to see how fish respond to different types of lures and different motion in your line.

Use Chum

Besides relying on your lures, add chum to the water, This may help attract fish to your general area, making them more likely to end up on your line. Take along a variety of materials for chum. Each ice fisher has her own preferred mixture. Ice fishing chum ingredients can include worms, dried oats, uncooked rice and minnows.

Find Remote Lakes

Ice fishing in the winter is directly related to how many fish were caught in the summer. Because the fish haven't yet had a chance to repopulate, you'll have better luck on a lake that wasn't extensively fished during the summer. This may mean finding a lake without a boat launch, because it would have been less accessible during the summer months. Remember that the best spots for spotting fish in the summer may actually be among the worst places for ice fishing.

White Perch Fishing Tips in the Chesapeake Bay

Characteristics

According to Maryland&039;s Department of Natural Resources, white perch may reach a mature length of 19 inches. However, white perch are most commonly caught around 7 to 10 inches, weighing eight ounces to a pound. These fish are silvery in appearance and frequently have dark longitudinal lines that run all along their bodies. They are often mistaken for striped bass. Additional, identifying features of white perch are a lower jaws extending slightly outwards and three protruding spines within their dorsal fins. In addition, white perch do not have teeth.

Use of Bait

According to southernmarylandfishing.com, adult white perch eat insects, zooplankton, crustaceans, shrimp, crabs, worms, small fish and fish eggs from other species. While fishing in the Chesapeake Bay, the best baits for white perch are bloodworms, although, shrimp, minnows and even earthworms are highly effective when employed in certain situations. When fishing for white perch, anglers should use small pieces of bait, as white perch have problems chewing and securing bait, due to not having teeth.

Fish Finders

If anglers choose to use a motor boat, kayak or even canoe, when fishing waters that hold white perch make sure the vessel is equipped with a fish finder. A fish finder device allows anglers traveling across a river, reservoir or tributary the ability to find exactly where white perch are schooling. Locating these pockets, allows anglers to avoid wasting time and concentrate on spots where there are fish. In addition, a fish finder provides levels in which white perch reside. With this invaluable knowledge, anglers can fashion their lines and rigs to reach the depths where white perch are swimming.

Trolling Fishing

The tactic of trolling involves throwing artificial lures behind a canoe while paddling. As the canoe moves forward, the lure travels behind the watercraft, until a hungry fish comes along and hammers it. The speed of the lure can vary, as it is dependent upon how fast an angler paddles. According to Bass Pro Shop, a silver color, Rapala floating minnow, works well when fish in medium to deep water. The Rapala lure resembles a small baitfish common found in the Chesapeake.

Submerged Obstructions

While fishing the Chesapeake Bay for white perch look for large rocks, sandbars and submerged trees. According to In Fishermen Magazine, white perch naturally lurk only a few feet away from water obstructions. Anglers throwing a lure or allowing their bait to drift along side of obstructions can entice white perch to strike as they lay waiting to ambush prey for a quick meal.

How to Repair Broken Fishing Poles

Instructions

1

Repair a broken fishing rod that has been broken in the middle of the rod by trimming the ends of the break square and placing a ferrule in the break. One side of the ferrule is cemented to the top half of the rod and the other side of the ferrule is cemented to the bottom half of the rod. Ferrules can be obtained at sporting goods stores or fishing supply stores.

2

Replace a broken guide with a similar guide that can be found at sporting goods stores. The guide is re-tied to the rod in the place where the old guide was. If the old guide is still on the pole, cut the string that has the guide tied to the pole and remove both the guide and the old string. Re-tie the new guide in place and coat the new string with lacquer to cure it and hold it together.

3

Restore a broken tip by trimming the end of the rod square and cementing on a new tip that can be bought at most hardware stores. Be sure to align the tip with the rest of the guides.

Yellowtail Snapper Fishing Tips

Chumming

Proper chumminga crucial element to catching the yellow snapperkeeps a steady stream of snapper coming to your boat. Although many chumming techniques exist, the recommended variation involves one, or preferably two, chum bags. Prepare the chum bag and include oats and sand to the mix, which will provide a clouding effect to the water. However, before adding the oats, soak them in water for up to two days, according to the website Keys Fishing 101. After preparing the chum, ladle the mixture into the water on a regular basis. Another option is to ball up the mixture and put in on the line and wrap the line around the ball of mixture several times.

Proper Line and Technique

The yellow snapper has a remarkably keen sense of sight that allows them to recognize line within the water. Using a clear monofilament line and a fluorocarbon leader, each of 12 to 20 lbs. of test, will help reduce the fish's advantage, according to the website Keys Fishing 101. Attach the leader directly to the line and use a blood or uniknot; forget using a swivel knot. After preparing the leader and line, keep an ample amount of slack in the line, providing a slow drag effect. Let it out without any resistance, letting it flow at the same speed of the current, allowing the bait to sit in the middle of the chum. After a bite, the line will escape rapidly. Allow it to run for several seconds, then close the bait and reel.

Locating the Fish

When fishing for yellow snapper, look into the water for any signs of reef structures; coral heads, edges, outcrops and reef patches tend to attract the fish. A depth finder is an invaluable tool for this fish; they change depths during different water conditions. If the water is clear, expect to find snapper at depths of 60 to 100 feet, but if the water is cloudy the fish often swim to shallower water and are found in depths of 40 to 60 feet, according to the website Tortugas Fishing. Lastly, before starting to cast out any lines, leave the boat motor running for 15 minutes; the sound of the engine attracts yellow snapper. After years of heavy fishing, the snapper associates the engine noise with food due to the chumming technique that many commercial fishing boats use, which feeds many snapper at once, according to the Tortugas Fishing website.

Tips on Shore Bass Fishing

Use a Bobber

Often times when fishing for bass from the shore, using a bobber which only allows the line to hang a certain distance below the surface is a good idea, so that the hook cannot get caught on anything lying in the shallows along the bottom of the area in which you are fishing. While bobbers may effect the way some lures move through the water and won't be able to be used with certain lures, they will keep most of your hooks from getting stuck on underwater foliage, felled tree trunks or other obstacles beneath the surface that you don't know are there. These bobbers can also be darkly colored, so as to blend into the water and not frighten the bass from striking.

Hide Hooks in Bait

When using bait like minnows or worms to catch bass, the hooks should be hidden within the bait itself so that they won't hook on anything when they are being reeled-in beneath the surface of the water. The hooks should also be hidden so that they don't stand out to the fish before they strike, as certain things which look unnatural can dissuade a bass from eating it. When using live bait, it should be checked regularly between casts, to ensure the minnows are still alive or at least look natural when being pulled along through the water. With worms, make sure they haven't begun to fall apart due to the water or nibbles fish have taken off of them.

Places to Fish

For places to fish from the shore, look for areas where bass would hide and wait for smaller fish to swim by to strike. These places consist of dark, cool areas where smaller fish may feel safe feeding, like felled tree trunks in a lake or river, slower or still areas of water where there are lily pads or large rocks, or lagoons where there are tall reeds where the water doesn't move. Lures or bait should be run by these areas when reeling them in, so that the bass will notice them and strike out of the shadows.

Tips to Catch Bass Off a Lake Pier

Timing

The majority of the bass population in any lake will be in the shallows during the spring when they are spawning. As the water temperature increases into the 70 degrees Fahrenheit range, some bass stay in the shallows but others move to deeper water. As a result, piers tend to be most productive before the water moves above 70 F. Once the water is above 70 F, the best time of day for fishing piers is around sunrise and sunset when bass feed actively in the shallows.

The Right Piers

The location of the pier plays a role in whether bass will be in the area or not. The best piers for bass have a few common features: they are near deep water; they have vegetation or partially submerged trees or brush around them; and they are over a hard bottom. Local governments often put piers in areas where people have a chance to catch fish, but fishermen who target bass exclusively should choose the pier they fish carefully.

Lures and Casting

Cast quick-moving baits like buzzbaits and spinnerbaits from your pier early or late in the day -- or under low-light conditions -- when bass are roaming around and feeding actively. Use a long fishing rod to help you cast farther. Make your casts from a variety of spots on the pier so you can cover as much water as possible. Also cast at a variety of angles. If you are standing near shore, for example, cast parallel to the shore but also toward the end of pier. The bass around piers receive a lot of fishing pressure, so presenting your bait from a direction they do not often see could trigger a bite.

Saturation Baits

If you fish on piers at midday on sunny days, focus on fishing the heaviest cover available with slow-moving baits like plastic worms. Cast your lure into the cover repeatedly and allow it to sit on the bottom for 10 seconds or more. Shake your rod tip slightly so the worm vibrates but does not move.

Live Bait

Many bass fishermen do not fish with live bait, but it can mean the difference between catching bass from piers and not catching them. Given the amount of fishing activity on many piers, bass in the area probably have seen almost every lure. A piece of live bait fished below a bobber is a natural presentation that may coax a bite. Leeches are especially effective for bass, though minnows will work too. Cast the bait in and around cover and then wait for the bobber to go down.

Tips on Channel Catfish Fishing

Heavy Duty Fishing Rods & Reels

Heavy-duty fishing rods and reels are proper tackle to use when fishing for channel catfish that weigh 5 lbs. or more. Channel catfish place a tremendous amount of stress on a rod and reel. Anglers should consider a long rod--between 5 to 7 feet in length--with a stiff backbone but a flexible tip.

Using Strong Fishing Line

Amateurs, as well as many veteran anglers, often overlook fishing line. An angler's line must be stout enough to fight and land large channel catfish. Choose a 15 to 25 lb. test line for fishing big lakes, rivers, and streams. Large channel catfish weighing 10 to 20 lbs., will find it hard to break the line.

Live Minnows

According to All About Fishing, natural or live bait is the most effective way to catch channel catfish. Minnows are a natural food which channel catfish cannot resist. When fishing, a live minnow a fishermens hook is either inserted in their mouths or through the fleshy area of its back. When in the water, the minnow will make erratic darts and wiggle as it struggles to get free. The resulting movements catch the eyes channel catfish, as well as other predatory fish. Anglers may find it difficult to keep other species, like bass, off the hook before a channel cat bites. Therefore, anglers should cast live minnows in locations where channel catfish would most likely, lurk.

Standard Two-Hook Rig

According to Field and Stream, the most common catfish style-fishing rig is the standard two hooks and sinker. Two-hook catfish rigs are effective when fishing under in deep murky water. Anglers tie two hooks 6 inches to 1 foot apart on a leader, which is then tied to a three-way swivel. A heavy lead weight is attached to the bottom of the swivel. On completion, anglers can offer channel catfish a choice of baits because the rig has two hooks.