Friday, October 31, 2008

Fly Fishing Tackle - A Key Ingredient To Getting Results

Fly Fishing Tackle Tutorial

Fly fishing tackle shops are available in almost every major city in the United States. It is good to find a local one before you go on a fishing trip. A good tackle store will stock rods, flies, reels, lines, nets, baits and tackle boxes. Try out your new equipment before you purchase; to be sure it is what you want. You will find everything on your list, and some things that you may have forgotten. You may find brand names such as Esox, Shimaro, Daiwa and St. Croix.

Going on a trip arranged by the local tackle shop will help the fishing enthusiast enjoy the hobby in the company of a local expert who enjoys fly fishing as much as they do. The local will be well versed in the best times to get the best catch, the tides of the river and all of the tips and tools necessary for an enjoyable fishing trip. The local fish and their eccentricities can be handled in the company of a pro. Local knowledge can be valuable for a keen, amateur fisherman who is bent upon an excellent catch at the end of the day.

Lookup fishing tackle online and you will find thousands of fly fishing tackle shops. An online tackle store may be a better place to find equipment that might be out of stock somewhere else. The online stores also tend to be easier to deal with. You can use the internet to research the equipment, as well as finding out almost anything you wish to know about fly fishing.

Every state has different rules and regulations, along with fish that they consider exclusive to their state. A local fly fishing tackle shop will have all of the information you will need regarding the state laws, seasons and limits. You will also be able to ask about endangered fish and threatened species. Before you leave on your fishing trip, stop by your local tackle store and get your equipment and your information so that your trip is trouble free.

Fishing is much more than simply a hobby to certain individuals. For certain people it is a means of living their lives. Certainly, they have daily occupations that give them an income but it is the fish that keep them happy. They find simple happiness in simply sitting back and waiting for that big one to grab the bait and make their day. It is how they pass their free time and it is what makes them happy. Happiness can be waiting for you as well when you take up that rod and reel.



To discover Bass Fishing In New England and go to Bass Fishing Florida and more information at Fly Fishing For Bass

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Finding Out About Fisheries

Fish Farming Guide

There are two major ways to use fisheries. One is as a consumer and the second is as a producer. As a consumer, you would need to be a high profile customer, since buying from Government or private fish farms means lowest cost, bulk purchases. On the other hand, as a producer, you could function at a micro level and still rake in high profits. One of these micro enterprises, which you could start literally in your backyard, is the farming of exotic fish, or in layperson's language, breeding aquarium fish. It takes next to nothing (relative to what any other business would involve) to get a large aquarium, have the water treated and heated to the right temperature and breeding some of the costliest aquarium fishes available.

In many instances, the Government offers grants for this type of business. Be sure that you contact the Fish and Wildlife department in your State to find out the details and how to apply for a grant to start a micro-enterprise, if such a grant exists. Ask if you are eligible under the criteria mentioned therein. Obtaining a grant would further encourage you in your business, as these funds need not be repaid, so you would be ahead financially from the start. The good news is that breeding a fish takes little effort from you; the work is done by a fish. All you have to do is get a few, high priced exotic fishes and breed them according to instructions that are readily available in any number of places. You could always start with a fish that is of a cheaper variety and as you gather confidence about your abilities in taking care of them, you could try some of the more expensive varieties.

Running fisheries is more than just raising fish. You must also know how to rotate your breeding stock and ensure that you move the fish out of your tanks in a timely manner. The worst thing that could happen is for a fish to remain in your tank so long that it dies there. There is no profit in this method of operation. You must know how to properly market your fish to optimize your profits. There are many opportunities to sell exotic fish, including pet expos and community programs that are geared toward children.

Breeding fish in fisheries is a learning process for the operator. The operator must learn all of the scientific knowledge they can find to ensure that they raise healthy fish that they can sell in good conscience. Selling a fish requires a bit more creativity. A great way to sell a fish is to be able to tell some interesting stories and give a good deal of background info on the particular species that is being sold.

Picture sitting on a river bank and gradually gazing the water slowly flow its way down its path. You casually throw out a line from your trusted rod and reel and just wait. The birds are singing and the day is brilliant. This is not just some pipe dream. It can be reality if you take the time to make it so. Many people find the fine art of fishing to be just what they need to make their stress vanish. The thrills of getting a large fish to go for the the bait and you getting to boast whe n it comes to how big the fish of the one that got away from you.

For further informative information go here Striped Bass Fishing and go to Aluminum Bass Fishing Boats with more helpful material at Ontario Largemouth Bass Fishing

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

How Pro Bass Fishing Experts Break Down The Sport For You

Bass Fishing with BASS Pro Lendell Martin

If you are a beginner, then you need to know that there is more to bass fishing than meets the eye. Most pro bass fishing enthusiasts will tell you everything you need to know about this most relaxing and enjoyable sport. Many people are under the impression that bass fishing is very complicated and hard. The truth is it's not. Most bass fishing professionals honed their skills from the shorelines of small lakes and rivers before becoming experienced enough to fish from boats.

Fishing tackle is an indispensable part of fishing gear to any bass fishing professional and can determine the success or failure of the fishing trip. With plenty of bass fishing experience under their belts, professional bass anglers know precisely what terminal tackle they'll need, either for freshwater or salt water bass fishing, before leaving shore. For example, if they're looking for smallmouth bass or largemouth bass, then they'll use the appropriate lures, and the right 'wet' or 'dry' flies. Among other essential items are swivels, a small metal unit that can prevent twisting or snapping of the line caused by rotating flies, or a strong tug by a large bass. Leaders are used to prevent damage, or cutting the line on fish teeth or rocks. Flies are small insect-like artificial bait, of various colors and form that attract bass. They will also take the weather conditions into account. Before leaving on the boat, professional bass enthusiasts make it a point to study weather conditions, via forecasts and bulletins, as well as the timings of high and low tides, etc. Only if such conditions are favorable, will they venture out.

If you look online, on television and in magazines, then you will find a ton of information about how to improve your skills as a bass fisherman. Many pro bass fishing experts put out TV specials, websites and media interviews with tricks and tips for catching bass. They will also tell you what kind of fishing tackle works best for them, including what kind of rods, reels, lures and flies they use. Another thing they will teach you is how to tell if the weather is right for bass fishing.

If you feel you've got what it takes to become a pro bass fishing expert, then go ahead and purchase all the items you'll need. You don't need to invest in a boat right away; rent one to start. Or, you could join a bass fishing club. It'll be a good learning experience for you. Make sure to pack a lot of patience, passion and optimism, as you'll need lots of these things too.

Picture relaxing by the river bank and gradually watching the water slowly flow its way down its path. You carelessly toss out a line from your reliable rod and reel and simply wait. The birds are chirping and the day is beautiful. This is not just some pipe dream. It has the real potential to become real life if you take the time to make it a reality. Many individual discover the art of fishing to be exactly what they require to have their stress disappear. The excitement of having a big fish go for the the bait and you being able to gloat about the size of the one that got away from you.



For a great deal more informational value go here: Bass Fishing Reports also head on over to Bass Fishing Tackle also Indiana Bass Fishing Trips

Monday, October 27, 2008

Fly Fishing Gear: How To Get The Right Equipment.

Watch This Video


To make the most of the any sport you play, make sure that you have the right equipment so you can enjoy the experience fully. If you want to catch something when you're fly fishing, it is recommended to have the correct gear. Nothing more important when you fly fish is you must have the right fly fishing gear, from the rods to the tackle you need to use.

When you have the incorrect fly fishing gear you shouldn't even go fly fishing, you won't catch anything of any importance. The thing is though, when you first start out trying to build your collection of fly fishing gear, you may find yourself a little confused about what you should and should not be purchasing. A good place to figure out exactly what fly fishing gear you will need is by reading through a lot of different fly fishing magazines and books. These are places that will be stocked with all kinds of information that you will need to make the most of your time fly fishing.

Time To Start Purchasing The Goods

If your money situation can afford it, it is always best to start out by purchasing a brand new rod as a part of your fly fishing gear. When you first experience fly fishing, old or used rods wouldn't be beneficial because they would break easier then new rods. By going with strictly new fly fishing gear, you are bettering your chances of having outstanding equipment that will last you a long while. It's always a great feeling to have something new when you're out on your exciting fly fishing adventure.

You may want to check out popular fly fishing sites when you want to stock up on your fly fishing gear, so you can have the best quality of gear for your money. From these types of places, you can pick from a variety of fly fishing gear knowing you have the best deals. The big variety will help make sure that you end up with all of the fly fishing gear that you could possibly need for your fishing trip. 

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Catching Bass With Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing Lessons - Part 1

Fly fishing is a great way to get out and get some fresh air. Mostly used for catching trout and bass, this is a popular part of the sport of fishing. Depending on what kind of fish you want to catch, there are several places in the United States that are considered hot spots. Some of these places may even be close to where you live, and all you have to do is research them a little to find out.

Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and striped bass can be caught with a fly fishing rod. Some of them can be challenging, especially because they are a fairly aggressive fish that are large in size. As a matter of fact, many fishermen will tell you that their feisty nature is one of the main reasons why they like bass fishing in the first place. The thrill of the challenge and the reward that comes with the catch can make all of your preparations very worthwhile.

Having a quality fly fishing rod will help to make your overall fishing experience much more enjoyable. You need to purchase a strong one; one that can stand up to the stress that an aggressive bass is capable of putting on it. You don't want the rod to break, or take off into the water because it wasn't strong enough, or you did not have the right grip on it. Do lots of research before you actually make a purchase. Your local tackle store is a good place to look at rods and try them out. Doing so will ensure that you have the right rod for your fishing excursions.

After you choose the fly rod that suits your comfort level, also consult with the people at your local fishing tackle shop to make sure that you get the best flies to go along with the size of bass that you will be fishing for. There are even a number of flies that can be used in fly fishing that will help you with smallmouth bass fishing, largemouth bass fishing and striped bass fishing. Asking the expert at the store will ensure that you have everything you need before you head out.

Do you have any types of activites that give you satisfaction and creates it's own rewards? If you don't perhaps it is time for your to learn a hobby that can act as your your solace against the frenzied lifestyle that so many individuals lead. You should take up fishing. It is an excellent way to spend a lazy Saturday morning and can provide you the satisfaction of realizing that you were faced against the forces of nature and won. Even if you do not like to consume fish you still have the option to catch and release. A couple of hours on a lake or river might be just what you need but you will need the necessary supplies as well as the proper tools.

For added useful knowledge click here Bass Fishing Trips and certainly try Bass Fishing Reports also Michigan Bass Fishing

Friday, October 24, 2008

Learn the secrets fishing from Florida Bass Fishing Guide


The southern region of Florida did gain world-over acceptance with its impeccable salt water fishing, but the outstanding freshwater fishing has not really captured the wide variety tastes of tourists. Local residents are in on the secret, this is shown over the 3 entirely full of life freshwater clubs around Collier County.

Florida is high accliamed with its bass fishing.This might go down in history as the "Year of the Hurricanes." The ever pounding Florida happened during the late summer of previous year ranks as one of the enormous natural mishaps to ever strike the Sunshine State. This was a royal confusion at the time. But 6 months later, there are a few positive things occuring.

Eventhough the enormous inflow of rainwater unfavourably impacted saltwater as well as freshwater for several months, it did many good things for the inland lakes. Many were at lower levels, and the added fresh water was cherished. In other appreciations, the hurricanes are a crucial role of a sublime drawdown-refill cycle that can pay high earnings for bass fishermen in emerging years.

Florida bass fishing on Lake Okeechobee using a USCG licensed Florida Bass Fishing Guide service can be an event any bass fishing angler isdreaming of doing sometime in his lifetime. Lake Okeechobee does have a lot of large mouth bass of all kinds which implies that it does recommend some nice and high-quality bass fishing for every person.You can learn more from
bass fishing homepage at the site.

Bass fishing Lake Okeechobee - Florida wild shiners are the right bait for a trophy bass and it is a natural food that they feed on everyday, which is why it is preferred when fishing for bass. The bass fishing guide

Here are some of Florida’s bass fishing best guides you can use:

1.    Lake Okeechobee fishing guides

2.    Stick marsh farm 13 fishing guide

3.    Lake Kissimmee guide

4.    Lake Toho guides

5.    Harris chain of lake guide

You may find more useful bass fishing article
At the website bassfishingthings.info.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

A Guide To Archery Products For Bowfishing

Bow Fishing

For those enthusiasts that are interested in finding good archery products for their outdoor activities such as bowfishing then they may find it a little difficult. Many retailers and shops simply do not stock sufficient inventories of these type of sports products and equipment, and some don't even know what bowfishing is. It does however exist, and for the enthusiasts that enjoy hunting for big fish either in fresh or salt water environments, then the sport of bowfishing could be ideal for them. The key element to success is having the right gear to allow them to enjoy the hunt and make it more exciting for them.

For bowfishing, archery products are the key to catching the big whopper. With the right bow, arrows, line, and reel a person can easily pull in the biggest fish of all in order to tell big tales about for years to come. However, the main investment in bowfishing is the actual bow. A good bow for bowfishing will either be a compound bow or a recurve bow depending on what one is actually fishing for in the first place.

There are a few other considerations that you have to keep in mind when you are looking for archery products to be used for your bowfishing expedition such as the line that you will use along with your bow and arrow. This cannot be a simple fishing line simply because the fish you are likely to be catching are very large and heavy, hence you will need a line that has at least an eight pound test, with the largest going all the way up to a six hundred pound test. A majority of the lines are made out of very heavy gauge nylon or braided Dacron.

The choice what archery products you but for your bowfishing adventures can make or break your success. For as long as you make choose the right bow, arrows, reel and line then you can be assured that you will have the chance of catching a whopper of a fish to take back home and brag about to your family and friends. The sport of bowfishing is unique on its own as it is the form of archery and fishing that tests the skill of shooting the bow and arrow to the ultimate test, no matter if your purpose is to have fish to eat or as trophy to mount on the wall.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Lake Okeechobee: Nationally Recognized For It's Large Mouth Bass

Old School Crappie Fishing Family Secrets

The second largest body of freshwater in the United States is Lake Okeechobee Florida. Okeechobee is a Seminole Indian name and is derived from the Seminole word "Oki" meaning water.9ft is the average shallow depth of Lake Okeechobee. Okeechobee lake a vast region of spectacular freshwater fishing for a variety of species of fish. The Lake is a renowned superb fishing lake, that has both commercial and sport fishing.

Lake Okeechobee is nationally recognized for its large mouth bass and black crappie fishing. If your looking to catfishing this lake is also the place to go.If you are fishing for large mouth bass try flipping jigs and plastic worms in heavy cover, and spoons and spinner baits in the grass flats.use Use Golden shiners for live bait for bass. The best areas will around the rim canals.

If you are fishing for specs, or crappie fish the pilings under the highway 78 bridge, and fish the near the edges of the canal shoreline in deeper water. Only fish the Kissimmee river when the river is flowing steady. in any of these areas fish live shiners or jigs near vegetation. Fishing late in the day or early in the morning are the best times to fish. To locate the schools of black crappie suspend minnows at various depths,then once you find the crappie use standard jigging techniques.You will have to move often to locate the crappie schools. Once you find the schools fish until they no longer bite then move on and find another school.

The best areas for bream is the rim of the canals around lake Okeechobee that lead to the Kissimmee river. The best baits to use for lake Okeechobee Bluegill or Bream are Beetle spins, and crickets for live bait.

The following 12 areas around Lake Okeechobee are know to hold good populations of largemouth Bass, black crappie, or specs, and other panfish and catfish.If you want to get another perspective of the 12 areas we have listed you can visit the Florida Fish and wildlife conservation commission web page and click on Interactive maps.

Area #1 South Henry Creek Flats The flats from the boat lock at Henry Creek south to Chancey Bay holds an excellent bass population located in the plentiful vegetation. Bulrush, grass and hydrilla grow on a shoal surrounded by sand, about 3/4 mile southwest of the levee.The shoal tapers to a small reef, where bass like to spawn. Fish the outside edges of vegetation with live shiners, topwater plugs and plastic worms. Toss weedless spoons behind the weedline. During summer, cast vibrating plugs and shallow-running crankbaits over the reef for schooling bass.

Nubbin Slough Area #2Bass are caught year-round at Nubblin Slough. At the mouth of the slough look for the small islands and rock piles that are surrounded by maidencane. Toss a spinnerbait, Jerkin' Sam or Rat-L-Trap around these structures during fall. In spring, position the boat on the inside of the vegetation along the boat run that has a sand/shell bottom. Cast a plastic worm, Lunker Lure or spinnerbait. During summer, fish plastic worms in the bulrushes and pencil reeds.

Behind Eagle Bay Island Area #3This area behind Eagle Bay Island near the Government Cut provides great action for all species of panfish. Tannic stained water makes it difficult to see bluegill beds, so drift until fish are located.

Area #4 Eagle Bay Eagle Bay is a prime largemouth area from January through April when the lake is at its fullest. It's good year-round because the water is about two feet deeper than the surrounding area. Summer bass hold here because of the depth and vast hydrilla growth. Try plastic worms and lizards in spring, and switch to topwater plugs, buzzbaits and spoons in summer. Bass move to the outside edge in fall, and topwater lures, vibrating plugs and spinnerbaits are effective.

Area #5 Cast plastic worms and spinnerbaits for spring largemouth holding on the peppergrass in this shallow area. Throw topwater plugs early and late in the day during summer.

North Of North Lake Shoal (Kings Bar)Area #6The rocky area north of North Lake Shoal (Kings Bar) provides excellent bluegill fishing in the bulrushes and cattails. The panfish bed on scattered rocky patches within the vegetation and are easily caught on worms and crickets. Move east about one mile and drift the open water for winter crappie.

Lake Shoal (Kings Bar) Area #7 North Lake Shoal (Kings Bar) is a large weedy island with a variety of vegetation, including lily pads, hydrilla, eel grass, maidencane and bulrush. Bass are caught year-round on spinnerbaits and plastic worms. This is a great area for flippin'. Trophy bass often lurk in the maidencane growing inside scattered bulrushes.

Lake Okeechobee Tin House Cove Area #8 Plastic worms and lizards take spawning spring bass in Tin House Cove. In summer, the largemouth move out to deeper water. The peppergrass holds bass year-round, and schooling largemouth also chase threadfin shad on the outside weed edge. Cast vibrating plugs, spinnerbaits and topwater lures for these active fish.

Area #9 From Indian Prairie Canal North To The South End Of Tin House Co. For Lake Okeechobee From Indian Prairie Canal north to the south end of Tin House Cove there is some emergent vegetation that yields numerous largemouth bass. During spawning season, if water is high, a secondary area behind the cattails in the grassy flats offers good fishing all the way to the levee.

Indian Prairie Canal South To Horse Island Area #10A mixture of peppergrass and reeds extends from Indian Prairie Canal south to Horse Island. Live shiners fished on the points of dense vegetation are recommended for bass. Toss surface plugs and weedless spoons in the sparser cover. The bottom is about three feet deep, and consists of sand and scattered flat-top rock. Behind this area, throw spoons and top water lures for spring bass in the mixture of maidencane and bulrushes. A boat trail behind it can be worked in windy conditions. Horse Island and Worm Cove are also good places to fish plastic worms.

From Dyess Ditch To The Southern Point Of Horse Island For Lake Okeechobee Area #11This area know as North shore is a good spring bass spot a long as you fish along the 1/2 mile wide peppergrass flat. Trophy bass hold along the outside edge of grass on the west side of the bay. Live bait, plastic worms, surface lures, vibrating plugs and spoons produce year-round. Sparse hydrilla patches mixed with maidencane, reeds and pads are used by spawning bass between December and March. This protected area is particularly good when the lake is rough. In summer, bass stay near open water and will move into the shallows as the water cools.

Dyess Ditch to the Harney Pond Canal For Lake Okeechobee Area #12 The area between the 2 beacon lights along the sandy bottom from Dyess Ditch To Harney Pond Canal holds large mouth bass year round. The stained water from Fisheating Creek is filtered by dense vegetation, resulting in relatively clear water. Spring bass will spawn where there are holes in the hydrilla. Spinnerbaits, topwater plugs and weedless spoons take bass around the hydrilla and peppergrass beds.

Well I hope the 12 areas identified in this Florida lake Okeechobee Fishing Report will help on you plan your next freshwater fishing trip to Florida. Lets Go Fish'in!

Mark Fleagle is a serious fishing owner. Mark Is a dedicated fisherman with 30+ years of experience and has published numerous articles on fishing. He offers free fishing information and "how to articles at his websites. Florida's Lake OkeechobeeVisit my website oldfishinghole.com and download a free copy of his "78 fishing discoveries unleashed"

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Panfish Fishing Lures:What To Use?

Old School Crappie Fishing Family Secrets

To be a very successful crappie angler it will be necessary for you to educate yourself with the different artificial crappie lures at your disposal. Once you have learned some of the tricks of the trade, You will increase your crappie catch compared to fishing with strictly live bait. Of course this statement is based on knowing what artificial lures to use at the right time. When you are fishing for pan fish smaller is better. Look for lures in the 1/4oz or smaller size.

List of Speck lures to use

  • Jigs: Curly Tail
  • Jigs: Marabou
  • Weedless Spinners, (they have a jig attached) smallest you can find
  • Leaf Blades: Willow - Silver Colorado - Gold

 

The above listed lures can be bought at any department store, bait shop, or on-line . Most of these artificial baits can be purchased for very little.If you really are on a tight budget then do some comparison shopping to get the best price. Make sure you get pricing for crappie lures 1/4oz or smaller.

Suggested ways to use these crappie fishing lures:

When fishing a curly tail Jig, use a uniquely designed jig head with screw lock from Cabella's. It takes your bait to the bottom where the big ones are. It allows you to thread a plastic tube, or split tail onto the corkscrew and hook it through the tail. The innovative flat-bottom jig head helps the hook stand up at a 60deg angle. Your hooked bait stands up straight off the bottom and is free to move about. I recommend you use purchase and use a Karlins Lunker Curly Tail. This jig is a good choice to use when using a slip bobber rig.

When fishing Marabou jigs use the 1/8oz or 1/4oz size. You fish these jigs many ways but if you use a slip bobber put a split shot sinker on the line so the jig falls to a set depth.

When fishing Weedless Spinner baits use the 1/16oz size . Use this bait when fishing low water visibility muddy or murky water.

When fishing the Willow Leaf Blade jigs, fish the lure very slow, again I repeat slow. If you use the 1/16oz jig, the hook will bend before you loose your jig, you can use over and over again. The larger sizes work well but they break the line when snagging. Also , put on a Karlins plastic tube Curly split tail 2" in length.

There are no guarantees that you will catch crappie with the lures shown above, but if you stick with purchasing small crappie fishing lures you up your chances of catching a good batch of crappie.

Well, good luck and good fishing!

Mark Fleagle Owner. 30+ Years Of Fishing Experience Expert Author At Ezinearticles.com. Click This Link To Find Out More About panfish luresFishing Webmasters , Need 100% Free Automated Fishing Content Instantly? Click This Link: Free Fishing Content

Monday, October 20, 2008

Night catfishing: Bigger cafish are caught at Night

Click Here To Get Your Free Night Fishing For Catfish E-mail Course

Suggested Night Fishing Catfish Equipment:

  • Fishing Craft
  • Good Set of Boat Anchors
  • 12v Auxiliary Power System
  • External Night Lights
  • Underwater Lighting
  • Bait Live Well
  • Chum System
  • Boat Rod Holders
  • Heavy Duty Bait Casting Or Spinning Rig
  • Insect Repellent

Once you have tried Night Fishing For catfish you will be hooked for life. Trust me If you do it correctly you will catch fish, not only will you catch fish but some will be lunkers! All species of catfish are very active at feeding and foraging. If you put yourself in the right place were the cats are feeding aggressively you will be in for a amazing night of fishing. Catfish are attracted to submerged lighting And have a very keen sense of smell. If you can put yourself in the catfish's nightly habitat location there are some simple methods you can use to entice the cats to feed more aggressively. But first you must be setup and prepared for night fishing it is totally different at night then in the day. Things you take for granted during the day, don't apply at night.

Boat Setup for night fishing

There are some key items that are a must if you are planing a night fishing trip for catfish. The Items are as follows:, lights for inside the boat ,either battery or Coleman fuel type lanterns with two mantles. Distribute your lanterns evenly through out your boat. I hang 3 halogen batter powered lights in my 20 foot pontoon. I hang two in the front, one on each side of the boat, and 1 one on my canopy on the back of my pontoon.(You could replace battery powered lights with propane lights, just remember the propane lights attract a ton of insects)

You also will need a secondary light on your person. This light is used for re-rigging your fishing poles.You are probably asking why do i need these lights when I already have inside lights, Good question;These small lights have pin pointed light intensity that is great when you have to thread line through a hook or when putting bait and sinkers on. (you can limit this by using heavy tackle and making sure your line is fresh) I personally use a led light that clips to the visor on my ball cap.

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

You will need a submerged light source. Of all your night fishing for catfish lighting sources this one is the most important.The underwater fishing lights will attract bait fish by the hundreds, and I am sure you already know the baitfish attract the cats. The reason the underwater fishing lights attract bait fish is because they generate what is called a plankton swirl, of which the baitfish feed from. Once the bait fish start schooling The big cats will come attracted by the schools of bait fish. Underwater fishing light rigs come in a variety of sizes and shapes. I use a submerged fishing light that is 4" in dia and 36" long.You want to place your underwater fishing light in the center of the light pattern that you surface light is generating. Anchor your submerged lighting about 12 " off the bottom, (without an anchor they will float on top of the water).. make sure the light completely submerged under the water. I recommend you use a 5lb weight as an anchor. If possible, anchor the submerged light about 2 to 3 ft from the boat.

I haven't mentioned much about the secondary 12v power source that you will need to have on board your boat to power your underwater fishing light,other secondary light sources, and your bait aerator. "do not use your boats power source" This will drain your battery."you don't want to get stuck on the lake at night right? If you take a well charged 12v marine battery as your second source it will last through the night.

I recommend you have minimum of three catfish poles pre-rigged and ready to cast out into the water.The reason I suggest this is because it's real pain the "blank" To re-rig at night. You will end up doing it anyway , but if you have spare poles already set up, use them first before you have waist valuable time with poles out of the water.

Locating the cat's nightly haunts

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

Enticing the Cats to your boat.

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

Chumming will perk any catfish's keen sense of smell, it can actually drive the catfish crazy because they are a curious fish by nature and because they are constantly foraging for food at night. "Chumming" releases a slick of dead fish smells and particles of fish guts that both the catfish and baitfish feed on. I use a simple very in-expense and easy to setup method of chumming. You can also purchase commercial chumming systems that you can set up.Find yourself a nylon netted bag that you close tight with a string. If you can find a netted bag that holds golf balls they work very well. This is what I use, works perfect , very inexpensive. Next , get some good size freezer bags, 3 should do for one nights trip.

I always cut up small bluegill if I can get them, or I i purchase about 2 dozen chubs an cut them into 1" to 2" slices, and put the guts pieces and juices in a pan that won't drain. Fill the freezer bags pieces and juice all together, and let them sit outside in the sun all day long. Yes it will stink to high heaven by the end of the day, but that is what you want! Now stick the freezer bag in side the meshed bag that can close. Close the bag tight and tie a line at the bottom of the bag about 2 feet long. Attach about a 2lb anchor to get the bag to the bottom . Now tie a line at the top of the bag with enough lead line to get the bag on the bottom. Now before you lower the chum bag to the bottom take an ice pick, or something sharp that will puncture the bag , but not tear the plastic. Punch the freezer bag numerous times, then lower to the bottom an tie it off on the side of the boat.

Lets re-visit your catfish rigs, there are many setups you can use, i will mention a few that i use on a regular basis. Your rigs do not need to be setup for long casting, keep in mind you will be placing your line only a few feet away from the boat, at the edge of your underwater fishing light source.

You will be fishing only a short distance from the boat, so your rigs need to be set up to fish in close proximity to the boat. You could fish tight line with a basic catfish hook and a small sinker. Or use a slip bobber system. I prefer to use the slip bobber system.

ok I use the single hook rig. Both rigs work fine but I just have preference for the single hook rig. When I fish for other species of fish I will use a double hook rig but not when I am fishing at night for catfish.my fishing rigs for night fishing are all heavy duty. I have all open face spin cast reels spooled with 30lb test. When you do get a lunker on your line you want the tackle set up to handle the fight. You miss some smaller cats, but it's well worth it when you catch your first 10lb plus catfish.

Baits To Use

Blue catfish and channel catfish will eat just about anything that has an oder, and they love small suckers,small shad, bluegills alive our dead. I use both live bait and dead "cut bait". I will normally set one pole up with a small live gill no more that 3 inches in length. My other poles will be baited with cut bait , normally LARGE suckers 6" or longer cut in 1" to 2" chunks.

Now Bait your rigs,Get Your Boat Setup and get ready for an exciting Night fishing for Catfish Trip! Once you catch a lunker 10 pounder + You will be Hooked for life! So have fun and good luck!

Mark Fleagle Webmaster. 30+ Years Of Fishing Experience Expert Author At Ezinearticles.com. Click This Link To Find Out More About underwater fishing lights Fishing Webmasters , Need 100% Free Automated Fishing Content Instantly? Click This Link: Free Fishing Content

 

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Fish Live Bait For Crappie What To Use?

Old School Crappie Fishing Family Secrets

Crappie fisherman are always looking for new and proven fishing information on how to Fish Live Bait For Crappie. There are so many artificial crappie fishing baits on the market today you might ask why use live bait? My answer to you is I recommend using both In fact, on many fishing trips both artificial and live baits are on the same crappie rigs. This is the best of both techniques. My article is going to concentrate on what crappie live baits are best for different situations.

Crappie minnows: There are so many minnows to choose from when you go to the bait store you are probably wondering what is best to use, well I will tell you what crappie minnows work best for me. I will also identify other types because every fishing location is different when it comes to crappie live bait. It's best to check your area and determine what type of minnows are native to the area you are going to fish.

The "shiner minnow" are my favorite minnow to use, I prefer the smaller variety about 1 1/2" in length. Many Fisherman would disagree because they use larger minnows an probably have good success catching larger slab variety crappie. If you were in the large slab categories of fisherman then I would say bigger the minnow bigger the crappie (but much less on the crappie bite)Me, I just love to catch fish. The reason I like the shiner minnow is because their bodies reflect light like a mirror that attracts the crappie. Crappies are easily attracted to changes in light patterns,so the shiner minnow is fish attractor and a live crappie bait food source at the same time. Many times, they are attracted more to the light changes then the bait it's self. Another good minnow to use is commonly called the "Missouri minnow". i don't use them so I won't talk about them, but many fisherman swear by them.

I also do a little doctoring to live bait and artificial baits for crappies. Get yourself a small empty pill container,chop a onion into very small pieces than fill the container about half full. Hook your minnow thru the upper and lower lip than tip the end of the hook with a small piece of onion. You will be surprised how this helps you out attracting the crappie to your bait. If you are using just a crappie jig place the jig an plastic in the bottle and shake it up.

The best crappie live bait worms that I have used are called the "angle worm". I am not fond of using worms as crappie live bait source but these are the best crappie live bait Worms that I have used.

The "maggot" is one of the most under used crappie live baits. The next little tip I am going to tell you about is not for someone weak of the stomach. The next thing you want to do is catch yourself carp or mudfish and cut out a piece along the back of the head. Barry the carcass an inch under the ground. 7 days later dig him up. (Now here's the disgusting part pick the maggots off the carcass and place them in a glass jar. And some white cornmeal into the jar. Now place the jar in the freezer for three weeks. (Don't let your wife know what's in it or it will be gone! Just kidding.) After three weeks take the maggots out of the freezer the maggots will be huge! Fish the maggots using a #4 gold hook with no bobber. Let the bait fall to the bottom slowly and wait for the fun! It won't take long. Maggots are one of the best crappie live baits I have ever used but I don't use them much because of obvious reasons.

Well, that about does it for my crappie livebait tips. Have fun and good fishing! And GOOD Luck!

Mark Fleagle is a serious fishing webmaster. Mark Is a dedicated fisherman with 30+ years of experience and has published numerous articles on fishing. He offers free fishing information and "how to articles at his websites. Crappie Live BaitVisit my website oldfishinghole.com and download a free copy of his "78 fishing discoveries unleashed"

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Fishing Report North Carolina: Saltwater|Freshwater

Old School Crappie Fishing Family Secrets

North Carolina Saltwater and Freshwater Fisheries Amazing! The State of North Carolina offers you the opportunity of fishing for native brook trout in a cold mountain stream,lunker largemouth bass,Flounder at At Federal Point/ New Hanover County,Trophy striped bass in a river,or just just a relaxing family fishing outing. the diversity of fishing either freshwater or saltwater in North Carolina is a great opportunity for everyone.

In all fishing areas in the State of North Carolina there are PFA,s. These are public fishing areas The State of North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission has designated to make fishing a reality for all fisherman. The North Carolina commission has done a great job to make all designated PFA's free to fish. There is more shoreline available for fishing because the commission has cleared the banks of brush in the PFA's. They have constructed universally accessible fishing piers, and created graveled parking areas. To make your North Carolina fishing experience fun and productive they have even went as far as installing fish attractors and baiting areas in these designated North Carolina free fishing PFA areas.

The North Carolina fishing Wildlife Commission regulates the Mountain, Piedmont and Coastal regions. These area's include rivers and streams, Lakes, and the sound and intra-coastal waterway. Many of the known Fish Species, and sporting freshwater and saltwater fish can be found in these areas.

The North Carolina Mountain region has a variety of species you can fish for in the areas river and streams they include: Trout, Largemouth bass, Small Mouth bass, Striped bass,Catfish,Sunfish, Breasted sunfish. In the North Carolina Mountain Lakes Region: Trout, Black bass, Smallmouth bass, Spotted bass, Striped bass, Catfish, Sunfish, Breasted Sunfish. Yellow perch,Walleye,White bass,Crappie, and Rock bass.

The North Carolina Piedmont region has a variety of species you can fish for in the areas lakes,rivers and streams they include: Largemouth bass, Small Mouth bass, Spotted bass, Striped bass, Roanoke bass, Catfish, Redbreast sunfish, Sunfish, Yellow perch, White perch, Chain Pickerel, White bass, Crappie, American shad, and rock bass. At Federal Point/ New Hanover County a North Carolina saltwater fishing area, you can catch Flounder, Spot, Croaker, and Red drum.

The Coastal Region Sound Intra-coastal Waterway Saltwater fishing of North Carolina Offers the following Fish Species: Striped bass, Spotted Sea trout, Weakfish, Flounder, Red drum, Bluefish, Spot, Croaker, and Speckled trout.

In the North Carolina fishing Freshwater Coastal Region's river and streams you can fish for the following species: Largemouth bass, Striped bass, Crappie, White perch, Yellow perch, Catfish, Sunfish, American shad, Spotted bass.

In the North Carolina fishing Freshwater Coastal Region's Lakes you can fish for the following species: black bass, Striped bass, Crappie, White perch, Yellow perch, Catfish, Sunfish, Warmouth, American shad, Spotted bass, Pickerel, Blue crabs.

Well Folks you are set to plan your next trip to North Carolina For a relaxing,fun family fishing trip, Good Luck!

Mark Fleagle Webmaster A well respected fishing specialist with 30+ years of fishing experience,who has written many fishing articles. Mark has been a online presence for fishing information for going on 4 years. Visit my blog and get your Freshwater and Saltwater Fishing information in North Carolina Wow! North Carolina Fishing Reports Also visit my website oldfishinghole.com and download a free copy of his "78 fishing discoveries unleashed".

Friday, October 17, 2008

Central Oklahoma Region:A Freshwater Anglers Dream!

Old School Crappie Fishing Family Secrets

A unknown territory to most anglers, is a freshwater fisherman's dream.The state is broken up into 5 regions which include the Central Region.The Central region of Oklahoma is made up of a series of lakes surrounding Oklahoma City and include the following fisheries:Arcadia, Draper, Hefner, Overholser, Thunderbird, and Wes Watkins. All these fisheries are easy driving distancefrom Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Make sure you check the fishing regulations for city lakes because there is added regulations on these lakes.


Keep Requirements &Species Limits"City Lakes Areas" “the fishing areas classified as “city lakes” are as follows: Lake Hefner, Lake Overholser, and Lake Draper. The city of Oklahoma city also has some fishing areas they have classified as "Close to Home" A City fishing permit and Oklahoma State fishing license are required for persons ages 16 to 61 fishing on "City lakes" and "Close to Home" fishing waters.
"Close to Home"fishing waters are bodies of water designated under a cooperative intensive fisheries management program between Oklahoma City and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.


Close To Home waters include:Crystal Lake, 6625 SW 15 (special use area) · Dolese Youth Park Pond, NW 50th and Meridian · Edwards Park Fishing Lake, 1515 N Bryant · Kids' Lake on Wilshire, 3200 W Wilshire · Route 66 Park Ponds, 3350 West Overholser Drive · South Lakes Park Ponds (East and West), 4302 SW 119 · All waters within Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge, NW 51 & Stinchcomb Road · The Oklahoma River, extending downstream from NW 10th Street (including impoundments, ponds and wetlands) to NE 10th Street. · Zoo Lake, 2101 NE 50

"City Lakes" Species Limits & Keep Requirements Largemouth bass: 6 (14" minimum) Smallmouth bass: 1 (18" minimum) Channel & Blue Catfish: 15 combined Crappie: 37 Walleye: 5 (18" minimum) Flathead Catfish: 10 (20" minimum) Rainbow Trout: 6

Fish Type Limits And Take Home Requirements"Close To Home" Largemouth bass: catch and release Channel & Blue Catfish: 6 combined Crappie: 37 Flathead Catfish: 10 (20" minimum) Rainbow Trout: 6

Now Lets talk a bit about Central Region Fisheries.

Arcadia Lake is located on The Deep Fork River and has 1,820 surface Acres, and 26 miles of shoreline. Arcadia Lake is Near the town of Edmond. For you folks without a boat Lake Arcadia has a public heated, covered dock is provided for year-round fishing for bluegill, channel catfish, blue catfish, and largemouth bass. For you boaters there are plenty of Access areas to launch your fishing craft.


Lake Stanley Draper
was built in 1963.The Lake has 4 covered fishing piers for the fisherman without boats.For boat users there are numerous boat ramps.Lake Draper takes water from Lake Atoka and the McGee Creek Reservoir in southeast Oklahoma.The lake has a ave. depth of 34ft and is 98ft at it’s deepest point. Lake Draper covers 2,900 surface acres. is located in southeast Oklahoma City and is close to I-240 between Midwest Boulevard and Post Road.


Lake Hefner
is Located in northwest Oklahoma City and is included in the city lakes, and has special fishing regulations. Lake Hefner was built in 1947 and is an excellent fishing lake. The lake has a Enclosed, heated fishing dock Near Hefner Golf Course, and a Covered fishing pier called Fisherman's Neck. The City Marina has 1 courtesy dock, 1 covered dock, 3 boat ramps with tending docks. Lake Hefner has a ave. depth of 29 feet average, and is 94ft at it’s deepest point. Lake Hefner covers 2500 surface acres.


Lake Overholser
1,500 water surface acres, and 7 miles of shoreline is located on the east side of Yukon. Oklahoma City owns Lake Overholser, The lake is the city's oldest reservoir, built in 1919. The lake has a ave. depth of 6 feet average, and is 13ft at it’s deepest point.


Lake Thunderbird is located near Oklahoma city just east of Norman. Lake Thunderbird has miles of shoreline and 6,070 surface acres. Lake Thunderbird, provides a great spot fishing. Catch Crappie, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Sunfish and Saugeye.


Lake Wes Watkins The lake has some large bass and is the central region’s best LargeMouth Bass lake. All largemouth bass fishing is catch and release only.The 1,142-acre lake is operated by the Pottawatomie Development Authority, which has imposed special fishing regulations on the lake. Lake Wes Watkins was Built in August of 1999. located off Interstate 40 between Shawnee and Oklahoma City.

Mark Fleagle is a serious fishing author. Mark Is a dedicated fisherman with 30+ years of experience and has published numerous articles on fishing. He offers free fishing information and "how to articles at his websites. Oklahoma Central Region Lake Hefner and get some amazing crappie fishing secrets from some good ol' boys who survived by discovering unique and brilliant methods of catching crappie. Also visit my website oldfishinghole.com and download a free copy of his "78 fishing discoveries unleashed"

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Crappie Fishing Mistakes: Whats this?

How To Avoid Common Mistakes That Can Cut Your crappie Catches 50% or more!

Crappie anglers are a persistent bunch of fisherman but they still have good and bad days. The trick is to avoid the common mistakes all crappie fisherman make so you can always increase your chances of a good catch. Lets be realistic, our free time is limited. We are all working Joes and fishing is our hobby and a good escape from constant responsibilities in life. I did some extensive research about crappie fishing and came up with the following common crappie fishing mistakes.

#1 Patience Doesn't "Pay" Crappie fishing mistake

We have all heard that Patience pays when fishing for crappie. That statement is not true when fishing for crappie.Crappie are a schooling fish and it is important to find these schools. So when your fishing for crappie it is very important to be on the move constantly to find the crappie schools.

#2 Un-sharpened Hooks When Casting fishing for crappie

Have you ever set the hook and thought you had your crappie on for sure? The problem isn't your fishing technique it probably is your hooks. It is important to replace your hooks about every 4th bite or spend a few moments to sharpen your hook. You would be amazed by how many crappie fisherman do not sharpen their hooks, and as result loose a good percentage of their catch.The best way to sharpen hooks is with a flat file first filing the outside of the hook point. Next you will need a double edged hook sharpen file that sharpens both sides of the point.

Fishing For Crappie Error when fishing for crappie #3 Not Using a topographical map

I bet when you go on vacation you do some pre-planning by getting your road maps,trip tickets, and map quest information ready. Well It is the same when planning a fishing trip. If you have a map of the water you are going to fish you can identify channel and brush and shallow areas of the water you are going to fish. This simple step can make or break a fishing trip. It amazes me how many fisherman never do this simple step. You can pick one of these maps for 3 or bucks at any bait shop in the area you are going to fish.

Mistake when fishing for crappie #4 Stopping the boat when trolling

I would recommend you have another person with you when trolling for crappie. If you have multiple poles in the water when you get a fish on you want to keep as many poles trolling as you can. If you stop the boat you loose the correct depth where the fish are and you have to go through the setup all over again. With a second person , one person can keep driving the boat while the other person re-baits the poles. You would be surprised how may people make this mistake when trolling.

Fishing For Crappie Mistake #5 Getting to close to the fish.

The first instinct is to get as close to the crappie as you can.That is a huge mistake! What happens is your boat makes a wake and can spook the fish if you get to close. The best thing to do is get a long cane pole or telescoping rod so you can reach out about 10 or 15 feet into the brush area you want to fish. It is a major mistake to get to close to the fish.

Mark Fleagle Owner is a well respected fishing specialist with 30+ years of fishing experience,who has published many fishing articles. Mark has Mark Has Researched common crappie fishing mistakes. my site: crappie fishing mistakes Get your free copy of "78 Fishing Discoveries Unleashed".

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Night Fishing Crappie: Wow What A Trip!

Old School Crappie Fishing Family Secrets

Little known to most crappie fisherman crappie are very active at night,and if you have good underwater fishing lights a night fishing trip for crappie can be quite amazing.Underwater fishing technology has been around for a few years, and anybody who goes night fishing for crappie on a regular basis understands the importance of these lights.Underwater fishing lights plain and simple attract bait fish, and we all know that bait fish attract the crappie. You will increase your catch 10 fold by using these lights so you can have a very productive night fishing for crappie outing.

The best time to go night fishing for crappie is on hot summer nights.Crappie are cold blooded fish and the temperature of the water regulates their body heat. The crappie doesn't have a internal cooling system like we do and as result they are not active when it's hot outside, but when the water cools at night the crappie are on the move feeding.

My next recommendation may cause you a bit of discomfort. Purchase at least two incandescent lights that have a clip or clamp attached (to clamp on the side of the boat) and have some type of shade that will project the light. The light and the heat will attract thousands of bugs, and you guessed it bait fish! Make sure you bring plenty of insect repellent you will need it. When you are looking in the water near where you underwater light is submerged you will see small bait fish concentrating in one area around the light, this is what is called the bait ball. Don't fish directly in the bait ball fish along the outside perimeter of the light, there is less competition out there and most likely the crappie will be there too. If live minnows don't work use a jig, it will stand out.

After you have set up your two incandescent lights,submerge your underwater fishing light source directly below where the two incandescents have the most illumination on the surface of the water. You will still need to do your research about being at the right place to catch your limit of crappie, but if you ad a underwater light source you will increase your crappie catch dramatically.

Crappie have a distinct advantage over the bait fish at night because of their keen color vision at night. Most bait fish cannot detect color at night and do not move or react as quickly as the crappie or other game fish can at night. The crappie can wait patiently and attack the bait fish and feed at will because the bait fish cannot react quickly enough the escape from the crappie. It has been known for sometime that fish , shrimp, and insects are attracted to light at night , but you probably are asking yourself what color is best at night? The answer to this question is the color blue or green because they attract both insects and the crappie.

Incandescent lights can be purchased for under 50$ The best lights will have a clip to mount the lights and the end of the wires will need to have banana clips to mount to a battery. The best place to buy them online is Cabella's.

Now if you are going to purchase a crappie night fishing underwater fishing light do some research,the lowest price is not always the best. Well That raps up my article GOOD LUCK ! and good fishing!

Mark Fleagle is a serious fishing webmaster. Mark Is a dedicated fisherman with 30+ years of experience and has published numerous articles on fishing. He offers free fishing information and "how to articles at his websites. Crappie Night Fishing:Visit my website oldfishinghole.com and download a free copy of his "78 fishing discoveries unleashed"

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Spring Crappie Fishing

Old School Crappie Fishing Family Secrets

Well fisherman now that winter is near over and the ice is off most of the lakes, ponds, rivers and streams all we need to do know is wait for the crappie spawn to catch some big slab spring crappie. Wrong! You are missing out on some of the most amazing spring crappie fishing. The fishing pressure will be light because of the Cold and unpredictable weather. If you can tolerate some very inclement weather you will experience some of the most spectacular spring crappie fishing.

When the ice disappears it is time to go out and start your spring crappie fishing. The crappie are still in deep water but will start their move into holding areas close to their spawning beds. They will be hungry and will be there feeding like crazy. The water will be very cold, so you will have to use a very slow bait presentation. The trick is being able to locate the fish, there are some fundamentals you need to be aware of to find the giant pre-spawn spring crappie. Oh you won't have to be out on the lake at first light either. The best time to go early spring crappie fishing is in the afternoon because the sun has had time to warm the water a bit and the crappie feed on the moving bait fish more in the afternoon.

Start your spring crappie fishing trip at the location where the ice fisherman were last catching crappie. If you don't ice fish contact some ice fisherman and find out their last fishing locations. The fish will be holding at these locations right after ice out. If your lake is shallow, head to the deeper boat channels around your lake, the fish will be locate here. In deeper lakes head to narrowing creaks and channels feeding off the lake the spring crappie will be located there. I rivers head for channels that feed off the main river.

I prefer to use ultra light equipment when fishing in very cold water. You will find that in cold water spring crappie will bite very light. You need to be able to feel the bite to catch fish Use 2lb test and an open face reel and a graphite rod, with a good tip. If you are breaking line and snagging a lot move to 4lb fluorocarbon.. I recommend you use 1/32oz or 1/16oz jig heads that have eyes painted on them. The color of the jig head can very, but my preference is chartreuse or pink. with split tail plastic tubes. with some glitter color. My preference is to use clear color tubes with some glitter color in them for clear water. In murky water use white or yellow. If the water is real muddy use chartreuse.

I hope these tips these spring crappie fishing tips help you on your next spring fishing outing. Well good luck with your spring crappie fishing.

Mark Fleagle is a serious fishing webmaster. Mark Is a dedicated fisherman with 30+ years of experience and has published numerous articles on fishing. He offers free fishing information and "how to articles at his websites. crappie spring fishing and get some amazing crappie fishing secrets from some good ol' boys who survived by discovering unique and brilliant methods of catching crappie. Also visit my website oldfishinghole.com and download a free copy of his "78 fishing discoveries unleashed"

Monday, October 13, 2008

Joining Bass Fishing Clubs

fishermen

Bass fishermen often enjoy the many benefits that bass fishing clubs provide. Bass belong to the family of sunfish and they are good to eat, as many people fish for them for that reason. Others fishermen like to fish for the sport of it and then throw them back. There is a lot of skill that is needed to be successful at bass fishing. You will also need patience, determination, dedication and strength.

These clubs are not just for male fishermen, but there are clubs dedicated solely to younger people and women. There are clubs on a national level, state level and some on a very localized level. Some are specialized for a certain type of bass fishing, such as largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, while others cover the sport and the skill. Being a club member is also a great way for avid bass anglers to find out about joining a bass tournament. All clubs have benefits for those who do decide to join up and no two clubs are the same. There are so many available in almost every state in the country that it would be difficult for a bass fishing enthusiast to not find a bass fishing club to join.

Make sure to check out any club before joining. If you're not an avid fisherman, but are interested in the sport as a hobby, then you may want to be sure you are not joining a professional club that requires its members to participate in local and sometimes national tournaments. But, if that is your cup of tea, then those kind of clubs are for you. Some organizations are free while others require a fee and application before being accepted. For those just starting out, who just want to learn how to compete, there are bass fishing clubs that are used purely as a free or cheap learning experience.

The size of the organization can make a difference also. If you are looking for more one-on-one attention and mentoring, perhaps a smaller group would work out better for you. For that kind of attention you will want to make sure that the mentors and leaders are dedicated and have the time to perform those duties. For those professionals who want to enter competitions nationwide, a large and perhaps national group would suit your needs best. Usually larger bass fishing clubs tend to have more funds to provide more benefits for their members.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Colorado Fly Fishing - The Best in America

Although there are many great places in America where fishing is popular, none compares to fishing found in Colorado.  Of all states, Colorado is known near and far for its incredible fly fishing, making it the number one state of choice.  People who want to spend time fishing will find that Colorado offers the biggest, best, and greatest variety of any state.

One of the best places for Colorado fly fishing is a place called the Frying Pan River located not far from the beautify city of Aspen.  In addition to being gorgeous, gaining access to the river is a breeze.  Many people come from near and far to fish for cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout.  In fact, hatches are operated all year long, which means for fishing enthusiasts, fly fishing can be done any time.

Another great river for Colorado fly fishing in the Aspen area is the Roaring Fork.  This diverse river varies from small and calm to large and mighty in places.  The river is classified as wild trout waters and is easily accessible down the Rio Grande Trail.

As with the "Pan", year-round fishing is available.  You will find mostly wild rainbow trout in the Fork with an occasional wild brook trout.

Many years ago, pioneers traveling in areas of the West would use the North Platte River to their advantage.  This river was a place where buffalo would go to drink, allowing Indians the chance to hunt, along with fish, which is one of the ways in which Colorado fly fishing became known.  In this part of Northwestern Colorado, experts actually rate the river as being excellent for gold metal.  However, the trout fished in the North Platte River and its mesmerizing scenery is what most people enjoy most.

Then, people heading to the region where Vail is located can also fish the Colorado River, which flows through the beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park.  What makes this river so amazing is its vast depth and width, but also the gentle waters.  All along the shoreline are cottonwood trees, which provide shade and great places for brown trout to hide.  Because of this, trout in the Colorado River are in abundance.

The Arkansas River is located in the southwestern portion of the state and provides some great trout fishing for anglers.  Mid-winter is a great time to fish the Arkansas for trout as is the spring time.  Around Mother's Day every year, many fishermen descend on the Arkansas for the annual caddis hatch which is huge.  Brown trout feed on caddis and they come "out of the woodwork" for this hatch.

These are only a few of the places where fly fishing in Colorado is plentiful.  The countryside is gorgeous and the fish plentiful.  There are also lots of great lodges that accommodate fly fishermen on a year-round basis.  Colorado Fly fishing might be the piece de resistance for many fishermen.  Check out this great state and enjoy your adventure!

More info on fishing can be found here Beginner Fly Fishing Ethusiast

Saturday, October 11, 2008

A Useful Guide For Saltwater Fishing Tackle

a fishing tackle shop

Deep sea fishing is a wonderful sport and can be a great adventure. The sport, however, requires some specialized equipment. This equipment includes saltwater fishing tackle. Finding good equipment is as easy as a trip to your local tackle store. Just be sure you know what to look for when you get there. Here is a guide to help you on your shopping trip for big fish tackle.

The starting point is to gather as much information as you can on saltwater fishing and the tackle you will need, as well as other important factors, including the weather and sea conditions, location, the type and size big fish likely to be found at the site, and even the number of people who'll be making the trip with you. Once you have the answers to these, you will be in a better position to select the kind of fishing rod, reel and tackle that will be ideal to meet your needs during your expedition.

Selecting sea fishing tackle can be a pretty bewildering exercise, considering the hundreds of choices available to you. This shouldn't be much of a problem, because you can consult any experienced, deep sea fishermen who will willingly give you some valuable advice. On the other hand, there are several online reviews and articles on fishing tackle, as well as printed literature and magazines that you could read to gain knowledge on the subject.

Good tackle choices can make or break the success of your deep sea fishing trip. Some saltwater fishing tackle you will need include swivels, leader, flies, sinkers and lures, along with hooks. These items need to be purchased specific to saltwater fish, with the swivel being the most important part of your terminal tackle. Swivels help to keep your line from breaking when it twists due to the weight of a fish that you might have on the hook and the twisting that the line will undergo as the big fish fights to break free. Different types include the snap swivel, the barrel swivel and the crane ball-bearing swivel.

Don't forget to buy some leaders. These prevent your lines from breaking because of friction or from the teeth of fish, or from rubbing up against rocks and debris. You will also want to get some lures. Both leaders and lures are available to be purchased based on the type of fish you want to catch. If you can find a good fishing tackle shop, then they should have a kit that includes all of the saltwater fishing tackle you will need.

Michigan fishing reports

"Click Here Amazing crappie fishing methods revealed"

Michigan fishing reports deliver information about some outstanding freshwater fishing for multiple species. The Michigan Department of Natural resources publishes a weekly fishing report for Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the Northwest, The Southwest, the Northeast, and the Southeast regions of Michigan. Michigan is noted for it's excellent Walleye fishing in most of Michigan's fishing report regions. Michigan has some unique great lake fishing and It's borders are attached to Lake Erie to southeast, Lake Michigan Which boarders, the Southwest, Northwest, and Upper Peninsula regions. The Upper Peninsula, borders lake Michigan to the south, and lake Superior to the north, and Lake Huron to the North East, The North East Region boarders Lake Huron to the North, and Lake Erie to the South.

The great lakes are some of the best fisheries in the world for lake trout, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, and Walleye. No mater where you travel in Michigan there are fishing waters close by. So when you think fishing think Michigan.

Michigan's Fishing report for the Southeast Lower Peninsula includes such water ways as Lake Erie, the Huron River, The Detroit River, The following areas on Lake Huron: Lexington, Port Sanilac, Harbor Beach, Port Austin on the tip of Saginaw Bay, and Saginaw Bay.

Fishing Report For Michigan's Southwest Lower Peninsula includes fishing areas such as: St. Joe - Pier, South Haven, Holland (on lake Macatawa adjacent to Lake Michigan), Grand Lake on Spring Lake adjacent to Lake Michigan and Grand River at Grand Rapids, Gun Lake By Yankee springs state recreation area, Reeds lake (East Grand Rapids), Muskegon Lake (adjacent to Lake Michigan).

Michigan reports for the Norththwest Lower Peninsula includes fishing areas such as: Elk Lake, near the town of Elk Rapids, Skegemog Lake located on the border of three counties, Antrim County, Michigan, Grand Traverse County, Michigan, and Kalkaska County, Michigan, Big Glen Lake 25 miles northwest of Traverse City, Fisher Lake, Frankfort (on lake Michigan, Lake Missaukee (close to lake city and Cadillac), Lake Cadillac (close to Cadillac), Manistee lake (close to lake Michigan), Big Manistee River, Ludington (on lake Michigan).

Michigan has outstanding reports for Northeast Lower Peninsula includes fishing areas such as: Rogers City (on lake huron), Rockport (on long lake near lake Huron) Presque Isle (on grand lake, near lake Huron), Alpena, on grand lake near lake Huron, Thunder Bay River near Alpena,Harrisville, near Lake Huron, Van Etten Lake near Wurtsmith AFB, Oscoda, Near Lake Huron, Au Sable River, near Houghton Lake, Tawas on the northern shore of Saginaw bay, Au Gres on the northern shore of Saginaw bay, Higgins Lake just north of Houghton Lake, and Houghton Lake near grayling. Fishing reports about the

Michigan has great catch reports forUpper Peninsula Keweenaw Bay On the southern shore of lake Superior, Cisco-Chain-of-Lakes near Iron City, Menominee near Green Bay Wisconsin, Cedar River on the Green bay, Little Bay De Noc near Gladstone, Big Bay De Noc near Rapid City, Marquette on the southern shores of Lake Superior Au Train on the southern shores of Lake Superior, Munising near the Rocks National Lakeshore, Grand Marais near the Rocks National Lakeshore opposite end of Munising, Nawakwa Lake Just south of Grand Marais, St. Mary's River near Sault Ste Marie, De Tour near Northern Lake Huron, Cedarville near the Northern Tip of Lake Huron, St. Ignace across Mackinaw bay.

Mark Fleagle Owner A well respected fishing specialist with 30+ years of fishing experience,who has written many fishing articles. Mark has been a online presence for fishing resources for going on 4 years. Michigan-Fishing-Reports Get your free copy of "78 Fishing Discoveries Unleashed".

Night fishing lights - The Key to Night Fishing

Click Here To Get Your Free Night Fishing For Crappie E-mail Course

Underwater lighting for fishing is not a new concept. The technology has been around for a few years. Anybody who goes night fishing on a regular basis understands the importance of these lights and uses them on a regular basis. Underwater fishing lights plain and simple attract bait fish, and we all know that bait fish attract game fish . Using underwater fishing lights can optimally up your chances for a successful night fishing trip.

Night fishing lights are not a catch all for night fishing. You still need to do your research on being at the right place to catch your particular species, but with the addition of underwater lighting you will increase your fish catch dramatically.

One of the main reasons underwater fishing lighting works so well to catch game fish is because most of the game fish have a distinct advantage over the "food chain" at night. The "food chain" is attracted by the underwater fishing lights but they cannot react quickly enough to escape the game fish.

The reason Game fish have an advantage ,is because most of them can detect color at night. This creates a distinct advantage for the game fish over the food chain because not only can they detect change in light intensity but also color contrast. It has been known for sometime that fish , shrimp, and insects are attracted to light at night , but you probably are asking yourself what color is best at night? The answer to this question is the color blue or green because they attract both the food chain and the game fish.

There is commercial underwater night fishing lighting that get there power source from a land based systems, but these systems are used primarily by shoreline landowners and will not be discussed here . When looking for a quality underwater fishing light look for the following properties in order,

1) high intensity

2) emit it's light color similar to the fishes space (blue or green)

3) powered by a portable electrical power supply

4) be submersible. Property number 4 is recommended because land based or boat mounted lights loose a great deal of their light energy to the reflection off the surface of the water.

Because of the power usage limitations of halogen and incandescent light sources, I recommend you narrow your search for a good portable underwater fishing light to florescent types, because there power consumption is a 10th of the power used by the other light sources. When comparing prices you need to look for the following specifications. The best florescent submersibles use 25-40watts of power , and they emit 1000 to 3000 lumens per tube. Remember from above, intensity of the light and color are key factors in attraction both the game fish and the "food chain" so look for these key elements when comparing pricing. The best underwater fishing florescent light units both blue and green, range in cost between 160$ to 200$ and go down from there, keep in mind , in most cases the cheaper the cost the lower the quality, and further you will be from the 1000 to 3000 lumens intensity.

In conclusion,Make Sure to check the quality of a listed underwater light before you purchase, remember , cheaper is not always better when purchasing a underwater fishing light. Well That raps up my article GOOD LUCK ! And good fishing!

Mark Fleagle is the owner of oldfishinghole.com Mark Is a dedicated fisherman with 30+ years of experience and has published numerous articles on fishing. He offers free fishing information and "how to articles at his websites. Visit his site at under water fishing lights and download a free copy of his "78 fishing discoveries unleashed" You can also contact him his e-mail address:
admin@oldfishinghole.com

Crappie Fishing Jigs

Click Here To Get Your Free Fishing For Crappie E-mail Course

Crappie jigs a surefire way to hook a huge slab.

How many times when you have been out fishing have you wondered what crappie fishing jig to use? There are so many types, sizes, colors to select from it is easy to get confused. Well let me explain exactly what a crappie fishing jig is, What crappie jig type to use for different situations, and what color to use.



#1 What is it? The crappie jig is made up of the two parts, the first part has a hook with a sinker molded too it. The second part is the body and it is made up of a Variety of different items, plastics for curly tails, some type of hair or bristle for marabou jigs, add a spoon or blade to a marabou jig and you have a rooster tail.


#2 Purpose? The crappie fishing jig is use where you want to create a vertical jerky motion to attract the attention of the fish. Do not get jigging confused with spinner baits, spinners create a horizontal motion through the whereas, jigs create a vertical motion up and down through the water.


#3 How do you choose? Well I wish I could say that it is totally cut and dry what to use for different situations but a lot of selection is trial and error. It is good to keep a log , so you know what works under different situations. This will give you a starting point for your next fishing trip. Most often the color, depth water , and water clarity can change the color of the jig in the water. Also, the weather conditions can change your selection. For example if it is a sunny or light sky day you would want to select light color jigs. If it over cast and a dark sky you would want to use dark color jigs. These selections are not set in stone. You will probably end up changing colors many times throughout the day


#4 Types? There mainly three types of crappie fishing jigs. Curly tail jigs, Marabou jigs, and Rooster tail jigs. Curly tail jigs come in a multiple of designs but the all have some type of tail and are made of plastic. Marabou jigs are made of some type of bristle or hair and also come in multiple designs and colors. Rooster tail jigs are a marabou jig with a rotating blade or spoon added.

Well good luck and good fishing!
Mark Fleagle is a serious fishing webmaster. Mark Is a dedicated fisherman with 30+ years of experience and has published numerous articles on fishing. He offers free fishing information and "how to articles at his websites. fishing crappie with jigs and get some amazing crappie fishing secrets from some good ol' boys who survived by discovering unique and brilliant methods of catching crappie. Also visit my website oldfishinghole.com and download a free copy of his "78 fishing discoveries unleashed"

Are You Aware Of The Importance Of Fly Fishing Tackle?

tackle boxes

Fly fishing tackle shops are available in almost every major city in the United States. It is good to find a local one before you go on a fishing trip. A good tackle store will stock rods, flies, reels, lines, nets, baits and tackle boxes. Try out your new equipment before you purchase; to be sure it is what you want. You will find everything on your list, and some things that you may have forgotten. You may find brand names such as Esox, Shimaro, Daiwa and St. Croix.

Going on a trip arranged by the local tackle shop will help the fishing enthusiast enjoy the hobby in the company of a local expert who enjoys fly fishing as much as they do. The local will be well versed in the best times to get the best catch, the tides of the river and all of the tips and tools necessary for an enjoyable fishing trip. The local fish and their eccentricities can be handled in the company of a pro. Local knowledge can be valuable for a keen, amateur fisherman who is bent upon an excellent catch at the end of the day.

Lookup fishing tackle online and you will find thousands of fly fishing tackle shops. An online tackle store may be a better place to find equipment that might be out of stock somewhere else. The online stores also tend to be easier to deal with. You can use the internet to research the equipment, as well as finding out almost anything you wish to know about fly fishing.

In the U.S., each state has not only its own specialty fish but also its own rules and regulations for fishing. Local tackle shops are the best place to get the lowdown about the laws, regulations, seasons and limits. You can also find out if any of the local fish species are threatened or endangered. A local fly fishing tackle shop is not only a place to buy fishing supplies but also the place to "tackle" a number of fishing issues before setting out on a pleasurable fishing trip.

Fly Fishing For Bass-Is It Right For You?

Fly fishing for bass is one of the most popular types of fly fishing there is. The thrill of your first time to catch a largemouth bass, can be counted as one of the most thrilling fishing experiences you will have. Most anglers will use spinning or casting reels to catch bass. But if you really want a challenge, then you need to try fly fishing for one.

Fly fishing for bass certainly will not win you any fishing tournaments. But it is the most challenging way you will find to catch bass. It is far removed from most fly fishing techniques, such as fly fishing for trout in a mountain stream.

The rod used is heavier than those used for catching trout. Rods for bass fishing are usually 8 weight, a rod such as this is required because this type of fish takes some landing. Also the fly used would be larger as well. The leader used for this type of fishing would be shorter as well, 4-6 feet, with the tippet at around a 8 pound test line.

The best way to catch your first fish, is to cast your line from a boat towards shore, making sure it lands underneath trees and there branches. A technique that is known to work well, is simply letting the fly rest on the water for a period of time, then snap it across the water quickly, this is a great way to get the attention of any bass that are there. You will find that the popping sound of this action will attract the fish and then you can make your first strike.

Some of the best fishing you will find is in smaller bodies of water. Small county lakes and slow moving creeks are perfect for fly fishing. Slow moving creeks are a favorite, this is because can use the shore to cast from and position your fly in a favorable position, such as, beneath trees.

The thing about this type of fishing, is the fight the fish will put up, will make it seem far larger than it is. A two to three pound bass caught will seem and feel like a six pound fish. All this adds to thrill and excitement of your new fly fishing experience.

Fly fishing for bass is not only an exciting experience, it is also fun to do. So next time you are thinking of going fishing for bass, put aside your normal rod and reel, then give fly fishing a try. You will not regret doing so and will have the most thrilling fishing experience that you will ever have. Also just think about the tales you will be able to regale your friends with, about your new found experience. So are you up to this challenge?

If you would like to learn the art of Fly Fishing Mastery, then try visiting Fly Fishing Tips.

Finding Solace At Alaska Fishing Lodge

petersburg alaska

Recreation is an important aspect in the life of human beings. Anglers represent the major group of leisure seekers, and have a determined advantage over the other groups who make use of nature’s wonderful creatures and elements for food.

Consequently, the popularity of fishing in many areas had continuously dominated the society.  That is why  along with its series of activities, people now realize the need for fishing lodges especially in places where fishing activities seem to never end.

Among all fishing lodges available in the industry today, the Alaska Fishing Lodges are among the most treasured and most popular fishing lodges in the United States.

The Alaska Fishing Lodge provides its customers full customer service satisfaction with their wide array of fishing activities and endless strings of fishing fun.

Normally, Alaska Fishing Lodges are made up of logs; sturdily build to provide each angler optimum convenience and comfort. It is known for its spacious interiors, creatively decorated with the right embellishments, thereby, setting the mood for fishing and wilderness.

In addition, because it carries the true Alaskan heritage, Alaska Fishing Lodges offer services and products that can be afforded by anyone.  With its affordable rates, the place is inhabited by people, who mostly want to enjoy life and fishing but cannot afford to buy the pleasures in expensive beaches and lodges.

Best of all, Alaska Fishing Lodges are perfectly located in areas where the waters are abundant with the different species of fish. Usually, these lodges are situated in a place where northern pike, and grayling Alaska rainbow trout fishing mostly inhabit the waters.

On the other hand, most Alaska Fishing Lodges are built big enough to occupy 16 guests, in which each guest can avail of personal and individualized services.

Moreover, this type of lodge also houses a place where king salmon are abundant especially during the months of June and early part of July. Most lodges also provide a wide variety of fishing equipment, from rods to tackles and lines.

With all these beautiful features present in every Alaska Fishing Lodge, there is no better place to enjoy fishing and the wilderness like what this particular lodge can offer.

Staying in an Alaska Fishing Lodge in Dillingham Alaska is, indeed, an ultimate fishing experience.

Picking The Best Fishing Poles

There are fishing poles, and then there are fishing poles. There is a Rod for every fishing situation, and knowing the difference will certainly pay off in the long run.

While many may argue that the term "pole" refers to a relic of a tool while a "rod" is a more sophisticated piece of fishing equipment, the fact remains that the two terms are generally interchangeable. Whether called a pole or a rod, the tool has been fashioned in the same manner for many years, with the basic materials of graphite, carbon, fiberglass, bamboo or composites proving to be the main improvements. Another is in design, with different poles being used for different purposes. While there are many, the main types of fishing poles are fly fishing rods, spin casting rods and bait casting rods.

Fly fishing poles or rods need to have a lightweight and flexible feel. Bamboo fly fishing rods offer excellent quality, but generally are an expensive purchase. Graphite rods are the most highly sought types on today’s market as they are strong, lightweight and yet flexible. Usually between 7 and 9 feet on length, the size of the stream or lake dictates which pole length should be used. The term “rod weight” actually describes the line size used on the pole, and can range between 1 and 15. This method of fishing is generally for a more experienced level, as it requires a fair deal of effort for the angler. This is because it is the line being cast rather than the lure.

Spin casting is a relatively easy skill to acquire, and is recommended to many beginners primarily for that reason. Shorter than most, the spin cast rod also requires high flexibility. The reel is the tool that needs the most practice, as it is a technique; however, it takes most people just a few minutes to learn. Located on the top of the fishing pole, the spin cast reel is within easy reach and control of the angler. The size of rod and line will vary depending on the type of fish being pursued; bass would need a heavier weight than a panfish would require.

During professional fishing tournaments, bait casting is the common method. Bait casting rods are heavier and longer, and stronger to be able to combat the fighting foe at the end of the line. This type of fishing pole is also very popular with bass fishermen due to the short time it takes to land their bass using the strong and powerful line. The reel also sits on the top of the pole, and is able to handle the heavyweight line needed to bring in “the big one”. Bait casting poles and reels take much more practice to master, and is considered to be more for the experienced angler.

Fishing poles vary widely to meet many needs, as is evident by those on the market today. There is a rod for every situation, and for many fishermen, having several poles means they are prepared for any situation.