Making The Most of Your Time – Fishing Safety Rules Everyone Should Know

Posted on March 26, 2012 by David

When you are going fishing, whether nearby your home or on a long distance trip, there are many fishing safety rules that you need to keep in mind.

These rules can help prevent injury to yourself and others while shore and boat fishing.

There are several different areas of fishing safety that you should be aware of. These include the following:

  • Equipment Safety
  • Pier Fishing Safety
  • Offshore Fishing Safety
  • Shore Fishing Safety and Noodling
  • Ice Fishing Safety

Equipment Safety

Before you go fishing, you need to make certain that all of your equipment is in safe working order. This should be done before you even consider going out to any waterfront. You need to check several things while looking over your various pieces of equipment.

First, you need to check your fishing rod and reel. Both of these pieces should be in top condition, with the rod having no cracks or breaks. If your rod separates, you need to make certain that it is very secure when it is built together. The reel itself should operate smoothly, with the line coiling without tangles. If the line is tangling quite a bit within the reel, you will need to unbind the line and replace it with new. If this behavior continues, you should consider a new reel.

The type of line that you use should be a consideration as well. Dependent on the conditions you are going to be fishing in, you will want to use different line. With rocky bottoms, where your line is going to get caught easier, you will want to use a lower line rating. If you are fishing for larger fish, the test on the line should be increased to match what you are planning on catching.

The final fishing safety check that you should make is on your tackle, sinkers and lures. If any of these are rusted, you should replace them with new ones, as rusted equipment can change a mild injury into tetnis or a worse illness.

Pier Fishing Safety

One type of fishing that many people enjoy is pier fishing. When you go fishing off of a pier, there are several fishing safety rules that you should keep in mind. First, you should only place your feet into the water if you know that there are not vicious fish, such as Muskie, in the water. Muskie, as well as other types of vicious fish, are renown for biting off the toes of unsuspecting fishers off of piers. For this reason, you should avoid doing this. In addition to this, you should never run on the piers, especially if you are carrying any sharp equipment. The most important thing to keep in mind when pier fishing is to use your common sense. Falling from the pier, especially taller ones, can be life threatening. Leaning over the pier edge, as well as being careless, can put yourself and others in danger.

Offshore Fishing Safety

When you go on a boat for a session of offshore fishing, you need to be extra careful. Out of all of the forms of fishing, this is the most dangerous. You need to be aware of the weather and potential weather changes at all times. In addition to this, you need to make certain that you are always wearing a life preserver. While these may be uncomfortable, or ugly to wear, they can make the difference between life and death. You should always make certain that you know you do not hit anyone with your hook when you are casting. This is the most dangerous aspect of offshore fishing, as you are most likely fishing in close quarters, which requires a higher level of skill when you are casting. Hooking yourself or a companion is a real likely hood in this style of fishing, unless you are extremely careful.

Shore Fishing and Noodling

Shore fishing is the style of fishing that most people participate. During fishing seasons, hundreds of people gather around oceans and rivers and ponds to take their hand at trying to catch the largest fish possible. Lures are constantly flying through the air, and lines get tangled more often than not. When you are shore fishing, you need to make certain you are aware of all of the people around you, and that they are aware of you. Taking children to crowded beaches for fishing can be extremely dangerous, as they can get hooked while running and playing. Injuries sustained in this manner can be severe. As long as you are careful, and you do not run or dart across the path of someone casting, shore fishing can be the safest of all types of fishing.

There is one form of shore fishing, however, that is extremely dangerous. This is called “Noodling”. Noodling, or another term for “Idiot”, is the practice of wading out to waist or chest level and bending down to search holes, logs and other hiding holes for catfish. Then you wiggle your fingers. If there is a catfish – or another type of creature in residence – they will attack your bare hand. Then the fight begins, and the Noodler needs to bring the fish to shore. Many lose their lives yearly to this extreme sport, and it should be avoided, as it is not safe.

Ice Fishing Safety

When you are going ice fishing, there are a lot of safety rules that you need to follow at all times. Unlike the other forms of standard fishing, ice fishing presents a lot of health risks. First, you should never go ice fishing without a well built shack. The shacks provide you shelter while you are ice fishing. Without this shelter, you will be susceptible to hypothermia and other health related problems.

The second thing you need to keep in mind at all times is the condition of the ice and the weather predictions. Falling through the ice while ice fishing, especially alone, is a death sentence. Being trapped on the open ice during a blizzard is also extremely dangerous, even with the shelter of an ice shack available. When you are stocking your ice shack, you need to make certain that you have enough wood for the wood stove, or heating device within the shack. This device should also be cared for and watched over at all times, so the ice beneath the shack remains stable or that the shack does not burn.

If you keep these fishing safety tips and rules in mind, you should be able to have an enjoyable time fishing without high risk of injury to yourself or others, no matter which form of fishing you choose to participate in.

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10 Fishing Gems

Posted on March 23, 2012 by David

Fishing Gem #1 – When Is Best?

If you are in a boat and plan to anchor and bottom fish, get out there before the sun goes down and set up .

Over many years, it has been noticed that a good bite usually starts 2 hours before sunrise. Use an alarm clock to make sure you don’t miss it!

You want to be set up and ready to wet-bait a half hour before the sun sets. Anchoring and cooking needs to be done prior to the sunset. Cooking while evening fishing can be hazardous and spills may occur!

One of the reasons to be all set up at least 30 minutes before dark is that there is usually a minor bite ½ hour before or after either sunrise or sunset. Typically they feed shallower during this minor bite – about 30 feet down in many cases.

Remember, on most bodies of water, the remaining minutes at twilight can be absolutely magical for fishermen.

Fishing Gem #2 – Go Towards The Light!

For good fast action (in either saltwater or freshwater), try to fish around piers with lights on the end of them. Most successful night fishing excursions occur around lights on buoys or piers.

Fishing Gem #3 – Can’t Forget The Stream Fishermen!

Brown trout are so active after dark that it sometimes is possible to fish in just one pool and, in a good stream, take one trout after another. Use very large dry flies, oversized streamers, wet flies, and nymphs. The larger flies are easier for night-feeding trout to locate. You should fish them very slowly. With wet and streamer flies you can leave them suspended in the current near the surface and frequently take trout, although this system would not normally work during the day. Big dry flies can be drawn slowly along the surface of the water in a jerking motion to help attract trout. Some fishermen use small popping bugs when fishing for trout at night.

Fishing Gem #4 – Things To Know About Hooking Up With Stripers

Most successful Striper fishing excursions occur around lights on buoys or docks in deep water (up to 100 feet!).

There are also reports that Stripers will not go near an area where dead Stripers have been dumped for days. Some believe dead or wounded Striper let off an odor that keeps others away.

In most lakes, you will be more successful using jig heads than hooks and sinkers and Shad are a much more effective bait than anchovies.

Fishing Gem #5 – Keep That Bait Alive And Kickin’!

One secret to keeping your bait alive while waiting for the sun to set is to paint the inside of your bait tank black. Bait fish will typically swim towards the light, which in daylight would mean they are banging themselves against the sides of your bait tank. Your bait will live much longer if you eliminate daytime light, so they will stay in one place to avoid self-destruction.

Fishing Gem #6 – Listen Up!

When you fish after dark, always be alert for signs of feeding fish. At night your normally hear feeding fish before you see their swirls or splashes. When you hear a fish break the surface, chuck your lure to the spot as soon as possible. Remember that fish often have trouble locating a lure at night, so make repeated casts to spots you think hold fish.

Fishing Gem #7 – Deep Water Essential

Under deep-water conditions, you should to use a bait-caster in combination with a long graphite rod that has a lot of backbone. This setup will enable you to move a lot of line and will ensure a solid hook set in the deeper water. In addition, you should also utilize your black light to carefully watch the bow in your line to detect subtle strikes as the bait drops. These tactics will produce when fish are holding to a deep-water pattern and most other areas are not producing.

Fishing Gem #8 – It Ain’t All Peaches And Cream On A Boat!

The possible downsides of night fishing are that you need to limit your group socializing and partying; it just won’t work if you want to catch fish. It’s also not recommended for young children, and not for more than 2 to a boat, unless the boat is large. If you had to ride out a storm, it would be a bit scarier than in the day. If the fishing is good (which it usually is at night), be willing to alter your sleep patterns.

Fishing Gem #9 – Lake Fishing Keys To Success

Main lake points offer excellent opportunities to catch fish at night. If the action slows down, come back later and you can catch additional fish from the exact same point.

Colors ranging from red/black, blue/black, green/black to chartreuse/orange seem to work well on all lakes throughout the summer. It is wise to carry a wide assortment of colors, weights, and blade sizes to meet the demands of the fish.

Main lake points and secondary points are key areas that attract fish at night throughout the summer months. Basically, the fish are inactive during the day due to the hot temperatures and will suspend in deep water off of the points. However they will move onto the points at night to ambush schools of baitfish. These locations are fairly easy to locate and can be fished very quickly allowing you to cover a lot of water in a short period of time.

Fishing Gem #10 – Live-Bait Catching!

Obviously have some bait jigs ready when you need to replenish your stock of live bait on board. For rapid bait catching, the Evening Secret is one of the best solutions, especially at night.

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Warm Water Fly Fishing at the Core

Posted on March 16, 2012 by David

When you decide to do something that not many people are doing you end up with a steep learning curve most of the time. So it is with warm water fly fishing. Although the sport goes way back in time, it has nowhere near the following of its counterparts, making it difficult to find insightful information to help you get on your way. Revisiting some of the most basic elements of fishing will help you become a better warm water fly fisherman.

Fly fishing a lake for warm water species is as much a puzzle as is fly fishing trout in a river, just in a different box. With knowledge of the lake environment, the habits of the species you are after, and the dynamics of the food sources these fish focus on you can attack a lake much like you would a river.

In this article I will cover three basic elements that you can apply to most warm water species, and will help you at least go to a lake with an understanding of what is most important to know when trying to hook warm water fish. The three main elements are location of the fish, food sources of the fish, and the presentation of these food sources.

Finding fish:

Fly fishing is not an efficient way to cover water for the most part. Shooting a long line out takes a bit longer than flipping a tube jig. If you don’t know how to find the fish you’re looking for you will be doing a lot of casting and not so much catching.

Water temperatures are a good start in understanding where fish might be located. Knowing when fish are in pre-spawn, when they are spawning (or false spawning), when they are in post-spawn, and what their comfort zone is will lead you to areas that hold fish. Know that water temps can vary greatly even on the same day on the same lake. Paying close attention to your thermometer may clue you in to some important details.

Early in the season look for warmer water that may hold active fish as well as areas that cater to the pre-spawn activities. Also look for feeder creeks that carry nutrient-filled water into the lake that has been fairly stagnant all winter. During mid season, look for structure at the depths most attractive to the fish you are after. In the early fall, go back to warm areas and shallows. In the late fall, before ice sets in, look deeper for fish getting into winter mode

Water temperatures will also affect forage, so take into consideration what the fish are eating and how that food will be affected by water temperatures. For instance, crayfish are fairly inactive in the winter in this region, but when the water warms they kick into gear. Once they start moving and doing their thing, game fish begin keying in on them, more than you might imagine.

What the fish are eating:

No matter what you are fishing for, it is always a good idea to determine what they are eating. They may be opportunistic and eating several different things, but try to figure out what is most prominent in their current diet. This may change throughout the day or on a daily basis. Most fish prefer to eat what is most available to them and that provides the greatest nutrition for the effort, just like trout in a river.

Understanding the fish, their habits, and the lake you are fishing is important in determining what they are eating. If you are hunting a top-of-the-line predator like a tiger muskie or northern pike, chances are they’ll be keyed in on soft fish such as suckers, shad, and trout. Wipers, white bass, walleye, smallmouth bass, and largemouth bass will often take advantage of baitfish populations such as the prevalent gizzard shad or shiner, but will also salivate over crayfish when they are molting or available. Crappie, perch, and bluegill will eat small baitfish and insects. Carp eat most anything that looks/tastes good, but concentrate on insects and crayfish.

Presenting food imitations:

Try to emulate the food of choice in the strike zone of feeding fish. Fish sinking lines and streamers to reach fish lower in the water column and fish floating lines and lighter streamers to fish in the shallows. Fish nymphs with floating line and a strike indicator like you would in a river, or fish dries and poppers on the surface. Short sink-tip lines are useful in getting to the bottom in shallow areas or in rocky sections when fishing crayfish patterns. If you only have a floating line, use longer leaders combined with split shot or weighted flies to get your streamers down deeper.

Varying retrieves with minnow and crayfish imitations is fundamental. Experiment throughout the day with fast retrieves, slow retrieves, twitchy retrieves and everything in between. You want to present a realistic representation of the bait you are fishing, so keep in mind what your fly looks like underwater. Once you find a retrieve that is working, keep at it. If you are not getting much action, keep changing.

Crayfish are one of the most challenging imitations to present on a fly rod, but worth the effort. You will want to present crayfish patterns tight to the rocks. The problem is that you will often get hooked up. To combat this, fish a weighted crayfish pattern with a hook point that rides up on a slow-sinking line and long leader. Using a slower-sinking tip will keep your fly line out of the rocks but will encourage your weighted fly to drop down and tick the structure while not getting hung up as often. Slow retrieves with twitches is key in presenting crayfish.

Improving your odds:

If you know where the fish are likely to be hanging out, what they are eating, and how to present to them, you are significantly improving your odds at catching them. But you may find yourself frustrated when you put the pieces of the puzzle together and you still are not catching fish. This is where this advice comes into play: “doing what you’ve always done will get you what you’ve always got”. Re-think the key elements again and do not be afraid to change what you are doing. If the fishing is slow, fish fast – that is move and change quickly, not necessarily quicken your retrieves.

Always work to improve your odds. Fishing always factors in a bit of luck. When you research the species, the conditions, the lake, the presentations, you are significantly improving your odds. Be patient and work through the pieces of the puzzle again and again until you start seeing success. Consider all the elements that are presented to you. Are you finding good structure? Are you considering the effect of wind on the system? Are you considering the time of day and the time of year? And so on.

Using technology will go a long way to help increase your odds in, if nothing else, finding fish. A fishfinder will help you find structure and schools of fish or baitfish. A GPS unit will allow you to mark good spots and track where you’ve been. Use these tools to their fullest and you will be steps ahead of the game.

Go to reservoirs when they are low so you can inspect the structure that is invisible to you when the lake is full. Look for rocky areas with size-diversity. Look for shelves that are 5-20 feet below the typical water line. Look for a pile of rocks or strategically placed boulders in an otherwise featureless sandy flat. Look for brush, weeds, and trees that will be below the full waterline and inspect inlet and outlet channels. If you have a mobile GPS unit, walk around and mark these items.

And by all means talk to people. You will never get as much information as quickly when you talk with people who fish a specific lake. Go into the local bait, tackle, or fly shops, buy some stuff, and get a conversation going. Go fishing with someone who has fished the lake on their own and compare notes. Take all this into consideration with your own experiences.

One thing that will help you learn more quickly than anything about the various aspects of fishing for warm water species is to read articles and books geared towards conventional tackle fishermen and apply that to fly fishing. Bass and walleye fishing are hugely popular and there are thousands of articles covering everything you’d want to know about these fish, their habitats, their idiosyncrasies, their biological makeup, etc. If you think river fly fishermen are scientific with their bug books and all, take a peak at some of the muskie articles written about secchi disk readings or zooplankton impact on an ecosystem. Lake fishing is a beast all in itself, so you can either spend your life learning it or shortcut the process by learning from the experiences of other fishermen no matter the technique applied.

Conclusion

There is a lot of experimentation to be done when you fly fish for warm water species. If you keep in mind the main elements location, food, and presentation and if you go about the process somewhat scientifically you will improve your odds of catching fish. While fly fishing for warm water species is not for everyone, it is definitely worth giving it a shot. Once you hook into a raging smallie on a 5-weight or heave a walleye up from the depths with a fly rod, you will feel the excitement that keeps us going. Break out your fly rod and get out to the lakes and ponds in your area for some of the most exciting fish you’ll find anywhere.

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Catch and Release Fishing – A Practice of Conservation

Posted on March 12, 2012 by David

Catch and release fishing is often one of the most enjoyable yet misunderstood practices of modern fishing. When most non fishing enthusiasts go fishing, they automatically assume they will bring home their catch to put on the table. Not so for many fishing enthusiasts who ply our local waters for steelhead, salmon, trout and bass.

The basic fundamental of catch and release fishing is for enjoyment. A fishing enthusiast can catch and release fish all day long without worrying about going over their daily limit or breaking the law. The practice of catch and release fishing applies especially well to good fishing days when fish are plentiful on the line and many are caught. Below the basic level of enjoyment from catching multiple fish in a day comes a deeper level of enjoyment derived from conservation of declining fish populations. In this day and age our fisheries are declining due to rapid habitat loss, commercial fishing, and a changing seascape. When you combine these factors with recreational fishing where everyone takes home their limits, it doesn’t give the fish much of a chance for future generations of fish, not to mention limiting the angling options of the future generations of our children.

Many anglers choose to practice catch and release fishing to help sustain the fish population for themselves and for generations to come.

A trend these days is that often times it is almost taboo or deemed unethical to keep certain kinds of fish. Take wild steelhead and salmon out of rivers or largemouth bass out of lakes for example. These species of fish should almost always be released, even when legal to keep them, to ensure the survival of the species and keep our fisheries strong.

There is much more involved in catch and release fishing than simply letting a fish go. If not done correctly, the fish will almost assuredly die soon after being released. Fish are delicate creatures and can suffer from smashed internal organs, loss of their protective slime covering, excessive bleeding, and other injuries suffered from improper handling. The following are some guidelines to follow when handling fish that are to be released.

First off, never remove a fish from water any longer than is absolutely necessary to remove the hook. Often times, the hook can be removed while the fish still remains under water. Fish live under water their entire lives and are accustomed to feeling the pressure of water around them. They are accustomed to being wet and derive oxygen from passing water through their mouths and gills and pulling the oxygen from it. When removed from the water the pressure changes on their bodies, and they are essentially drowning in the air. If you absolutely must remove a fish from the water to take a picture, make sure to get the camera ready before removing the fish, and then only remove the fish for as short a time as possible.

Fish are covered in a protective slime that helps protect them from disease and keeps their scales in prime condition. If mishandled, this slime can be removed and open the fish to infection and disease. To avoid this, it is important to wet the hands before handling a fish, or even better to wear wool gloves while handling the fish. Wet wool gloves are the best since the wool is soft and doesn’t remove the fish’s protective slime. Besides handling the fish other things that remove slime are setting them in the dirt, or on a rock, in the bottom of the boat, or on the sand. All of these things can lead to death after the fish is released.

Another important thing to avoid when catch and release fishing is trauma or internal injury. Trauma can be caused by dropping the fish on the ground or into the bottom of the boat. Internal injury can be caused by squeezing the fish when holding it. This should be avoided to ensure the survival of the fish.

Unnecessary stress can be a major killer of fish after they are released so it is important to revive your fish before releasing it to make sure that it swims away strong. In cold waters especially, fish will be under major stress when caught and will use up almost all of their energy fighting against the angler. Always work to land your fish as quickly as possible to ensure that the fish doesn’t play itself to death. Even when landed quickly, the fish will be extremely tired after being caught and will require resuscitation before being released. The best way to do this is to hold the fish by the tail with one hand and with the other underneath the belly. Move the fish back and forth in a rocking motion to help move water and oxygen through the fish’s mouth and past its gills. This will force extra oxygen into the fish and help to revive it. When the fish is ready to go it will start to pull away from your hand. Gently release your grip on the tail and wait for it to swim away. If the fish stops or starts to turn over or float sideways, retrieve the fish, turn it upright, and start the process again until it is revived. Fish will die if they are left floating upside down in the water.

If using a net to land your fish, use a knotless ‘catch-and-release’ net. You can find these at local fishing stores or online. Catch and release nets are made of a soft mesh material with no knots to reduce stress and injury on the fish.

And finally, one of the greatest fundamentals of catch and release fishing occurs before even wetting your line. The use of treble hooks with barbs can make releasing a fish unharmed severely difficult. If you aren’t planning on keeping what you catch, it’s recommended that you use a single barbless hook. To de-barb your hook, simply use a pair of pliers to smash down the barb. This causes much less injury to the fish and increases the survival rate of released fish. Treble hooks should be replaced with single hooks to help reduce injury as well.

However, if a fish is hooked in the eye or gills, it should be kept if legal to do so. A fish that is bleeding excessively or that has sustained major damage to it’s gills, throat, or eye will most likely not survive.

So if you’re thinking about practicing catch and release, these are a few pointers to get you started towards catch and release fishing and the conservation of our fisheries. It’s always fun to bring home your catch and put it on the table, but oftentimes it can be just as rewarding to let the big one go.

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Let’s Start Fishing!

Posted on March 9, 2012 by David

It’s the end of a long day of hiking. You’re sitting by a lake on a rock, your fishing rod in your hands. It’s beautiful enough just enjoying the scenery and the quiet sounds of wildlife. Then it happens. A slight tug on the line. Then another. What do you do? Is it time to pull in the line? Or do you wait for another bite?

Tip

• If you happen to be visiting a national park, you can usually buy a license that permits you to fish throughout the park. In some cases, nonresidents have to pay more for their fishing licenses than do residents. People caught fishing without a license may find themselves stopped by the local warden and slapped with hefty fines!

• One of the easiest ways to find live bait is to buy worms or minnows at the local tackle shop. What if you forget or you’re in the backcountry without bait? To find earthworms, uncover large rocks or logs and gently probe the earth underneath with a stick. Use a flashlight and look for them at night sliding through the grass.
First, you must be able to distinguish between a nibble and a bite. This is not always easy to do at first; it comes with time and practice. Imagine your line with your bait or lure at the end. If the fish just toys with it, without putting the whole thing in its mouth, that’s a nibble. If you’re using a bobber, it will dance up and down a bit, but it won’t be pulled under the water. It usually takes one or two nibbles before the fish really tries to eat the bait or lure. Now, that’s a bite-which feels like a more serious tug on the line. Usually, a bite pulls the bobber on your line all the way under the water. This is the time to pull the rod back and set the barb of the hook (the jagged part) into the fish’s mouth. And timing is everything. If you don’t set the hook at this time, it may fall out and the fish will get away. If you try to set the hook when the fish is merely nibbling, you’ll just pull away the bait or lure, and possibly scare off the fish.

Just because you’ve got ultralight gear doesn’t mean you have to catch ultralight fish. You can reel in lots of respectable-size fish if you know the secret: setting your drag on the reel. The drag is like a brake that controls the tautness of the line. If you set the drag for maximum tension, no matter how hard the line is pulled, it will not slip off the line spool. If you set the drag for minimum tension, it will slip a little. This is especially important when you’re using ultralight gear with line that is only two- or three-pound test. If you set your drag to maximum tension, you risk breaking the line if a fish pulls hard on it. If you set it on minimum, the line will slip a little when the fish pulls, lowering its chance of actually breaking. Set the drag on your line before you begin fishing. When you buy your reel, ask a knowledgeable person at the store how to set the drag on your reel. Learn the joys of giving up a little line- and in return, getting back a fish!

Tip: Fish tend to be more plentiful just prior to rain because the low-pressure system in the atmosphere dislodges food from the bottoms of streams and lakes, letting it rise to the surface. Before it rains, the fish will come.

Even after you’ve set your drag, it’s still not a great idea to reel in the fish right after you’ve set the hook. If the fish makes a mad dash for it and tries to escape, you still risk breaking your line. The best thing to do is to cut the fish a little slack. Reel in some line, let the line go, and then let it run a little, and then reel it in again. It may take a little longer to land it this way, but your patience will pay off. Learning this technique will permit you to catch fair-size game fish using just your ultralight gear.

Imagine that you are an airline pilot trying to land a plane. You have to land it properly in order for it to be a success. It’s the same in fishing. Sadly, no matter how big or beautiful the fish is, unless you pull it to shore, it’s still the “one that got away.” Here are some helpful hints that should help you get that fish to its dinner engagement (though they’ll work whether you choose to fry it or release it).

• Reel in the fish as close as possible to the shore, but be sure to keep it in the water.

• Fish are coated with a protective slime. If you intend to throw the fish back, be sure you don’t scrape the slime off; otherwise handling the fish-especially if your hands are dry-can kill it by causing infection.

• Using your left thumb and forefinger, grab the fish by its lower jaw. This will temporarily immobilize the fish and stop it from flopping around. Don’t worry about teeth; most of the small game fish you’ll be catching don’t have them.

• Nets can be useful, but are too bulky for backpackers.

• Remove the hook from the fish by pushing on the shank-the base of the hook near the eye-with small pliers or your hand. Be careful not to cut your fingers on the hook or the sharp edges of the fish’s gills. If a fish hook gets stuck in your finger and doesn’t come out easily, seek medical attention.

• Never try to land the fish by reeling it up to the top of your rod. You could break the line and may hurt the fish.

• If you decide to keep the fish, put it on your stringer and keep it in the water until you go back to camp. The typical stringer is a piece of cord with a metal tip and a loop at the end that you push carefully under a fish’s gills; another model employs a chain with big snaps.

• Be sure you attach your stringer to something solid, or you risk losing your catch.

Freeing Fishy

Sometimes you will land a fish and realize that it’s just a baby-only a few ounces-and too tiny to cook. Or perhaps it’s a species that is not in season. Or perhaps you just lost your appetite for the big kill. Whatever the reason, you may want to throw it back. Here are some useful tips:

• Try not to wear out the fish by playing with it too much before you land it.

• Leave your fish in the water and never touch it with dry hands.

• Gently remove the hook; squeezing the fish will crush its internal organs.

• If the hook is too hard to remove or the fish has swallowed it, cut the line.

• Release the fish in quiet water. Never actually throw it back, this may hurt it or kill it. If the fish needs help recovering from the shock of being caught, hold it lengthwise and gently move it back and forth in the water to move its gills and help it breathe.

How to Clean the Fish

Here are a few simple steps to cleaning fish to prepare it for cooking:

• First kill the fish by whacking it on the head with a heavy knife or a rock.

• Wrap a piece of linen or paper around the tail of the fish to ensure a good grip.

• If the fish has scales, scratch the inverse side of the scales with a knife to remove them (stroke the blade of a knife from tail to head). After scaling the fish, rinse it with water to remove extraneous scales.

• Take a very sharp knife (the best ones are narrow with a small point at the end) and, starting at the throat, slit the underside of the fish lengthwise; cut all the way along the belly.

• Remove all the internal organs.

• Fillet the fish, or pan-fry it whole.

• Dig a small hole in the ground and bury the fish entrails.

Fish for Dinner

It’s easy to cook your fish. Put a little butter or oil in a frying pan. Fry it for just a few minutes on each side. Don’t overcook, or your dinner may be ruined. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. You might also try adding some garlic. Another way to cook fish is by wrapping it in thick aluminum foil and putting in the campfire for a few minutes with some spices. You can also use the foil as a plate.

Be sure you clean up properly after dinner to avoid attracting animals to your camp.

No matter how good your fishing skills are, it’s not a good idea to count your fish before they’re caught. Don’t plan on catching dinner on a backpacking trip. Instead, plan your meals before you leave-and always bring along enough food with you, including food for one extra day (just in case you get stranded). If you happen to catch a yellow perch, consider it a treat. You can always bring back the pouch of dehydrated goulash and use it on your next trip. If there is an emergency and you do get stranded in the backcountry, a fishing rod is valuable to have.

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Catch More Fish – The Simple, Free Way To Increase Strikes By 50% Or More – Guaranteed!

Posted on March 5, 2012 by David

You can double or even triple the number of fish you catch right now. It’s easy and, best of all, free. You don’t need to give a dime to any big tackle companies or to the big chain stores. The only thing it will cost you is a little time.

The secret is so simple and easy that it often goes overlooked by both beginning and experienced anglers. Don’t waste years of fishing experimenting with costly fishing lures or gimmicks. In just a few minutes a day, you can instantly increase the number of fish you catch without spending a dime.

The Easiest Way to Catch More Fish

The secret anyone can use to catch more fish is improving casting. Many anglers never actually practice their casting. Improving your casting is such a simple way to increase strikes that it often goes overlooked by most anglers. Many anglers don’t even think about casting until they are on the water. Inaccurate casting dramatically decreases your chances of catching big fish. Don’t assume you are a proficient caster just because you’ve caught fish or because you’ve been fishing for a long time. Don’t make the same mistake that I did-take this test now to see if you can cast.

The Test that Tripled the Number of Fish I Caught

The tackle companies and chain stores make big profits from unsuspecting anglers. In fact, according the the US Fish and Wildlife Service, sportspersons spent an estimated $34 billion in 2001 alone. The fishing industry spends a lot of money on packaging and sponsorships to try to convince anglers that they know all about what catches fish. They would like you to believe that their expensive “scientifically tested” lures are catching you fish, but it just may be where your lure or bait landed that actually caught the fish. Take the test in this article before wasting any money on overpriced lures or gimmicks.

Monster Bass are Lazy. You Can’t Be!

Big fish are lazy. They are looking to gain the most amount of energy for the least amount of work. They are like a teenager sitting on a couch watching TV. If you put cheese doodles on the coffee table, they will be eaten in an instant, but if you place the cheese doodles ten feet away, out of an arm’s reach, you will dramatically decrease the chance that they will be eaten. It doesn’t matter if you substitute cheese puffs for cheese doodles. The closer the food gets to the teenager, the more likely it is to be eaten. It is the accuracy of the bait; it is the same way with fish. You’ve got to put your lure or bait where fish will not have to expend energy.

The biggest fish, especially bass, are smart and lazy. They have learned to stay close to cover where they can be protected while waiting to ambush prey. One of the best places to find fish is in structure. Structure could be any number of things: docks, boat ramps, rocks, trees, stumps, bridges, or any other place fish can find protection and still meet their basic needs. Not all structure holds fish, but if you can find structure located next to deep water, there is a good chance fish will be holding there. If you scare fish with inaccurate casts, they will often head to deeper water until they feel safe enough to return. This decreases your chances of catching them.

You May Not Get a Second Chance to Make Fish Strike

The first cast you make has the highest probability of generating a reaction strike. On certain days, only the first cast will catch fish. If you’ve ever cast and gotten a strike, but then didn’t get any more strikes, the first strike was most likely a reaction strike. You may not get a second chance at a large fish. If your cast is off by even a foot, you might send a lunker into deeper water where it will wait for a more accurate caster to come along and catch it.

The Cast is More Important Than the Lure

An amazing lure that a fish never sees won’t catch fish. You can generate reaction strikes with some simple lures and they do not to be expensive. Instead of wasting money on expensive lures that promise to catch fish, it is a better idea to put five minutes a day into developing a great cast.

Seven Ways You Can Catch More Fish By Improving Your Casting

When you can consistently and accurately cast a lure 20-30 feet, you’ll catch more fish. Becoming a great caster can double the number of fish you catch. Pinpoint accuracy can be the difference between a fish in the boat or just a splash on the water.

o Most anglers don’t get as much time as they would like to on the water, and without knowing it, many anglers are practicing their casting while they are fishing. This is not the time to practice casting! Imagine if the only time basketball players practiced shooting was during a game! Their shooting percentages would plummet. It is the same with fishing. Practice at home in the off season and your percentages will go up.

o Practicing casting is a great way to cure cabin fever in the off season.

o Practicing casting will help you become more familiar with your equipment as well as maintaining it for fishing trips.

o If you can’t cast with pinpoint accuracy, you will not be able to access some of the best spots to catch fish, deep in heavy cover.

o If you can’t cast with pinpoint accuracy you will get snagged. While you’re snagged your lure or bait isn’t in the water and you are decreasing your chances of catching fish.

o If you are releasing a snag, you will be scaring fish and adding frustration to your day.

o Increasing your casting ability creates instant confidence. Confidence is the most important factor in fishing.

You’re TEN Casts Away From a Ten Pound BASS-Take This Test!

Here’s the test every angler should take.

Take a lure or weight and rig it to your fishing pole. If you are using a lure, take off the hooks. Try to practice with a weight equal to what you would typically fish with.

Mark off 15-20 feet. Place a plate or frisbee on the ground. Step back and make ten casts. Keep track of how often you get the lure on the target.

Keep track of how many casts it takes you to hit the target? Imagine there is huge fish waiting under the target. Your chances of catching that fish dramatically decrease with each successive cast. The goal is to hit the target directly on the first cast, every time. If you can’t do this, practice for a few weeks and it will become second nature. You’ll catch more fish, guaranteed.

When Did you Hit the Target?

1st Cast: If you hit the target on the first cast, you can often generate a reaction strike. If you generate a reaction strike, almost any lure will cause a fish to strike. At this point the fish is often just reacting. Be ready to set your hook.

2nd Cast: You may be able to generate a reaction strike if you hit the target on this cast.

3rd Cast: You still have a shot at getting the fish, but you will most likely not generate a reaction strike.

4th Cast: If you haven’t hit the target yet, you might be able to entice the fish to strike by using another method or lure.

5th Cast-10th Cast:

It is better to move on to a new location if you haven’t hit the target by now. Although you may still get a strike, the fish is probably weary and will be harder to catch, even if it will take your lure.

Every time your cast lands off target, there is a good chance that you are scaring off wary fish. Instead of startling the fish and generating a reaction strike, you just scared it into not striking. Increase your accuracy, and you’ll increase your confidence, and you’ll catch more fish. Can you consistently hit a small target with a lure? Professional anglers know the importance of casting. They practice, and you should too!

Test #2 Catch Even More Fish

To dramatically increase the number of fish you catch, you will need to cast into structure, not around structure. This second test will simulate a fish holding in structure. If you hit any thing other than the target, you should consider yourself snagged. A snag that needs to be released by hand instantly drops your chances of catching fish in that area. If you have to unhook a snag, there is a good chance that you will scare of all the fish in a 20-30 foot radius. Work on your cast until you can hit the target without hitting the chair. Do this and you will catch more fish.

Take a chair and put it over the plate. Push the plate four inches back from the front legs of the chair. Cast ten times. How long did it take you to hit the target?

Most anglers practice their casting while they are fishing. If you want to increase your strikes by 50%, 60%, 70% or more, practice your casting at home and catch fish when you go fishing.

Of course, if you want to know exactly where you need to cast your line once you have this accuracy you will need to spend a bit of money on a fish finder. Thankfully the deals on this site mean it won’t cost you too much and I recommend you check out the Humminbird 597ci HD DI or, Humminbird 788ci fishfinders for starters.

 

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Ice Fishing Basics

Posted on March 2, 2012 by David

First and foremost an ice fisherman needs the location of good lakes for ice fishing. Usually a lake that produces lots of fish in the summer fishing season will also produce numerous fish in the winter.

Many factors in a lake in winter affect fish life, changing their reactions, their feeding habits, and even their survival rate. For instance a heavy layer of snow over the ice will cut down on the amount of light that filters into the water, reducing weed growth and oxygen production. This will result in the fish becoming lethargic, interested in only conserving their energy to survive rather than wasting energy to feed and move around.

Lakes that are weed choked in the summer is usually is shallow and contains very few deep pools or spots that contain oxygen rich pockets for fish to congregate, and may not be able to sustain a large fish population in the winter months. Lakes that produce great numbers of fish in summer are likely to congregate in these pools and use up the oxygen and they will not all survive.

Fish die off in the winter does not mean that severe oxygen depletion has occurred throughout the whole lake; certain areas will still produce good fishing results. Consider all factors when choosing a lake for ice fishing.

ICE FISHING SPOTS

For new folks fishing the best spot to start is to go where the crowds or people are before you start to experiment. The ice fish crowd loves to socialise while fishing as it ads to the enjoyment. The willingness to share good fishing spots with others is and advantage to the newcomer to ice fishing. No one minds if a few more holes are cut and some more fish taken. Most other anglers will be more than willing to discuss their success and the bait or lures that have been most successful.

Most successful fishermen do not mind sharing their secrets and many oldtimers derive great satisfaction helping a newcomer to ice fishing the advantages of his years of experience. You will some exceptions to this but do not be afraid to ask and let someone know you are new to winter fishing.

LOCATING FISH

Finding the location of fish is frustrating at times. Remember fish in the winter act different than in the summer months. The only requirement for a fish in winter is to eat enough to survive. They generally feed only part of the day to not waste a lot of their energy. The competition for food seems to be the key to fish feeding habits while fishing. Many ice fishermen do not consider all the noise of cutting holes setting up huts will affect the fish. After you settle down to fishing and stop all noisey movement the fish will come back and be more active. Of course all your efforts will be enhanced greatly by using a fish finder such as the Humminbird ICE 35 Three Color Flasher

ICE FISHING EQUIPMENT

It is not all that expensive to get started fishing during the winter( but you can get expensive if you wish). When you decide how much of your time will be spent fishing then go from there.

For the weekend ice fishing angler I would suggest a standard ice fishing rod, which can be purchased at any sorting goods store. The rod is seldom more than a fiberglass rod about two feet long with two line guides and a small take up reel. The line can be from 2 to 6 pound test monofilament. Bobbers are a handy thing for ice fishing so keep a couple in your pack. You will also need a variety of lures, hooks, sinkers, swivels and other basic fishing tackle. Also a chisel, ice spud or ice auger for your ice fishing holes. Hit your local bait store before you leave to pick any live bait needed for the species and lake you intend to fish.

Don’t overdo it on your first ice fishing trip out onto the lake. Go out early in the morning and fish till noon, and call it a day. If the fish are biting you should have caught your share by then. If the fish don’t bite worry not you will have learnt to use the new equipment. The next trip out you will be even more equipped and ready for all the fish you will catch.

As mentioned above, you can save yourself a heck of a lot of time by utilizing a Humminbird ICE 35 Three Color Flasher fish finder.

DRESSING FOR ICE FISHING

Dressing comfortably for winter fishing presents some problems that do not confront other outdoor winter activities. The chief concern is to stay warm at all times, but fishing by nature involves extremes of activity that will cause you to perspire if you are dressed to warmly, and then freeze when you sit too long. You may work up a sweat just getting there and setting up to start fishing. Then sitting for a long time once fishing then you are cold. The secret is to dress warmly for travel and have more to put on for the periods of inactivity. A good snowmobile outfit covers all the needs of most ice fishermen. Remember layers under the parka, you can always take it off if you are too warm. Get out ther and enjoy, catch some fish and you will become and addict of fishing in all seasons.

 

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Alternative Fishing Styles

Posted on February 27, 2012 by David

There we were, me and my new fishing apprentice at the lake. I was teaching him the rudiments of handling the rod and putting the bait whilst monitoring our Humminbird 597ci HD DI fish finder and we were trying to catch a lake trout while discussing everything from sports to the most effective technique to escape from boring clothes-shopping with our wives. I got some good ideas, I must confess.

At some point he asked me if there were some other fishing techniques or alternative styles. “Is it always just a fishing rod, reel, bait, and waiting in sport fishing?” he asked.

Of course it is the most common way to fish but it is not the only way to fish. In sport fishing, there are different techniques and tools for fishing depending on the type of fish you want to catch. There are even games you can play with friends or family.

One of Murphy’s laws says that if something can be used for something else besides its original use, someone will do it. Some techniques or methods are more dangerous or fun than others.

Before I could explain him about some fun ways to fish as well as others too dangerous to practice for a starter, I don’t know why it came to my mind a piece from the New Testament that says that Jesus is reported to have said to his disciples: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19). Then I said that in those times, fishing with a net in a group was considered an honest effort to make a living. I don’t know if he is a religious man, but he agreed with that idea.

Some of you might not like the techniques discussed here. Others will love them; it is a mater of diversity and sportsmanship.

One of the first fishing techniques we discussed and one I like, is Hand

Fishing, also known as Trout Tickling or Noodling if you are fishing

catfish. Noodling doesn’t require any kind of fishing tool but your hand

and it is fun, just try it sometime. It is also possible to fish lobsters

when you are diving or “Pearl” Fishing.

A variant of it is the Hand-Line Fishing. You just need a line and a small piece of wood or something to roll the line. I’ve seen this done at some beaches in Mexico but, as far as I know, this is illegal in Kansas.

Another “ancestral” way to fish is Spear Fishing. Traditional Spear

Fishing is restricted to shallow waters, but the development of the spear

gun has made this method much more efficient. Fishing can be done with an

ordinary spear or a specialized variant such as an eel spear or with a

long or short trident. You can be at a river shore or in the water with

basic or complete scuba equipment. A variant of this is “Bow Fishing”

which might not be fun if you keep losing arrows!!

Net Fishing is another method of sport fishing. All fishing nets are

meshes that are usually knotted by a relatively thin thread. Modern nets

are usually made of nylon, although nets made of wool or silk thread were

common until recently and are still used in certain areas. The casting net is circular and the diameter varies. The way to use it is sinking it at the same time you make a forward motion from surface-down to bottom and then up. There is a chance that you catch something else, but hey, some coracles are as good as fish, besides this is also the way they are caught.

Trawling is a fishing method that involves pulling a fishing net through

the water behind one or more boats. In Mexico there is a place where the

nets simulate butterflies wings and fish like this. A gill net catches

fish which try to pass through it by snagging on the gill covers. Thus

trapped, the fish can neither advance trough the net nor retreat.

I find Kite Fishing very exotic. It was invented in China and then learned by people in New Guinea and other Pacific Islands. It is a very

non-traditional way of fishing for a newbie getting into the fishing

world. It was used by people who did not have a boat to fish, but also was very handy when fishing conditions were difficult or the fishing places were inaccessible or dangerous.

Ice Fishing, do I have to say more? Just get a line, a hook and open a

hole in the ice, just don’t put your hand in it!

Fish Trapping is another way for fishing. There are two types of traps:

the semi-permanent and the permanent. Depending on the type of fish you

want to get, the traps can be several feet long to relatively short. An

example is dam fishing by building a temporary dam in such a way that

makes it easier to catch the fish. Other types are the tripods used in the Congo and the weir structures or baskets used in medieval times. The

baskets or weir structures are built according to the fish to catch

Another “natural” way to fish, involves trained animals like cormorant,

remoras and dogs.

Fishing using toxins is not a healthy way for catching fish. There are

some natural toxins found in some plants, and the main idea is to paralyze the fish so you can easily catch it by hand. The fish either dies right after suffocating or later in transport. This is not only dangerous because you can get poisoned too, but it is illegal.

In my opinion, using explosives are not only dangerous for you if you

don’t know how to handle explosives, but also for the environment. It

kills by direct hit or shockwave. The worst thing about it is that it is not selective.

Another dangerous practice is electro-fishing. It sounds like a new dance,

but actually is a fishing technique that involves electricity. Depending

on the type of fish, you can select the voltage (a bit of electrical

knowledge would be good) to stun the fish. The problem is that you can

also injure a diver and he can get really mad at you. The device is supposed to be secure for water usage since it has a dead-man-switch in case you fall in the water.

So my Padawan learner might want to get into other fishing techniques. And I hope he does as long as he doesn’t blow up a lake or electrocute someone else, after all, fishing is a gentlemen’s sport based on honest effort.

Happy fishing!!!!

 

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Shark Fishing: A New Found Addiction

Posted on February 24, 2012 by David

Shark Fishing From the Beach

It is a well known fact that in the summertime many Sharks move from the deeper waters offshore into inland waterways and beaches. Why do they do this? Well the Sharks seek warmer shallow waters to carry out mating rituals and to either lay eggs or give live birth. So why is this important? It is very important if you are interested in swimming or in landing huge fish from the bank. There is no other type of fishing (that I know of) where the angler has an exceptional chance of hooking on to a 500lb plus fish while fishing from the bank.

Living near the Gulf of Mexico during my youth my family would take at least one vacation each summer to the beach. Week long vacations at the beach can sometimes get a little boring for a kid who grew up in the Hardwood Bottoms of middle Georgia. Fishing was the answer to my problems. I started off doing some light surf fishing but soon realized that there were truly bigger fish in the sea.

On one trip in peticular I was introduced to shark fishing as I know it today. A friend and I had made our way down to the Pensacola Beach Peir for an afternoon of catching Blues, Spanish, Kings and hopefully a Cobia. We fished like we always had with live menhaden and had an average day. A few spanish, a pretty hefty king and more blues than we knew what to do with. We began to gather our gear for the walk home when another fisherman was arriving at the pier. As the guy made his way down the pier I noticed that he was holding the biggest fishing rod and reel that I had ever seen. I had to approach the guy.

When I first approached the fella he was nice and friendly. But when I started probing him about his fishing techniques he quickly shut off. I could tell (from years of dealing with older wiser fishermen) that this guy had a secret about fishing and I had to know it.

Well Mike (my fishing buddy) and I had a meeting right there on the pier and decided that we would stay on the pier and watch the guy and try to figure out what he needed such a big reel for. So I made a quick trip back to the condo to inform my parents that we would not be back until late and for them not to wait up for us. After some haggling permission was granted. I loaded up on sandwich meat, bread, crackers, beenie-weenies and sardines for our all night fishing trip.

When I returned to the pier about an hour before sunset I was amazed that the guy had yet to put his hook in the water. He had been at the pier almost two hours and had not wet a line. When I approached the guy and inquired about why he was not yet fishing, he replied “..I only have one bait..”. Now I have been fishing all my life and I know that when you go fishing you need more than one bait. The guy had to notice the puzzled and confused look on my silenced face so he went into a little detail. He explained, as he opened a cooler, that in shark fishing it is good to have more than one bait but that he was so skilled that he only needed one. Upon opening the cooler the fella removed a Spanish Mackrel that easily weighed 4lbs. I said “…that’s a nice spanish, are you going to grill it or fry it?” He replied “It’s my bait”. “The whole thing?”, “Yep”.

Things were definitely starting to come together now. I’ve heard of using big bait to catch big fish but this was a little extreme. Then I saw a way for us to ‘bribe’ this guy into teaching us how to fish for sharks. I offered him the Spanish Mackrel that we had caught earlier in the day. He instantly replied “What do I have to do for them?” “Teach us how to do what you’re doing”

We were in!! The guy lightened up and said at least he would have some company on the desolate peir. With extra bait the guy instantly began rigging up the behemouth pole. He withdrew a steel cable leader with a massive hook on one end and a swivel on the other. He began explaining in detail the ins and outs of shark fishing. “..the leader has to be at least 15 feet long or longer, I like mine at least 20′, and you can’t get this stuff at a bait store, you have to go to the hardware store…” I questioned him about the hook and swivel, he replied that they were purchased from a local tackle shop at $2-4ea. I was quickly realizing that shark fishing could get expensive quick. He glanced toward our 4/0 Penn Fishing Reels and scoffed “You guys are going to need some bigger tackle.” In disbelief I asked “Do you really need a reel as big as yours?” he replied “If you want to catch big fish you have to have big tackle”. His reel was a 14/0 Penn Senator and looked as if it would hold 5 miles of the braided 80lb test line that it was spooled with.

I suddenly was stumped. How was this guy going to cast a 20′ steel leader with a 4lb spanish mackrel hooked to the end of it? My question would be answered by means of kayak. The guy removed a kayak from his truck and began to paddle toward the end of the pier. Upon arriving at the end directly beneath us he instructed for us to “carefully” lower the spanish mackrel with a gaff-sized hook in it into his lap. We did as we were told and the guy was off paddling in a flash.

Ok, here is the situation: This crazy guy is paddling in a kayak toward the middle of the ocean, in shark infested waters with a 4lb spanish mackrel laying in his lap. At this point I began to question the guys sanity.

Paddling the bait out took no more than 5mins and very quickly the guy took his seat next to his reel. After fooling with the reel for a while, checking drag, engaging a clicker and securing the reel to the pier with a rope he sat back and opened a cold beer and said “Now we wait.” “How long?” I replied. “As long as it takes.” he firmly stated.

After several long boring hours of catching catfish and an ocassional foot long shark I was beginning to grow tired of waiting. Could Shark Fishing really be worth all this effort and time? Not even a single bite on the big pole. Then I heard the sweetest most spine tingling sound that a fisherman could possibly hear. Drag! And lots of it, More than I had ever heard before. The massive reel was producing the loudest most chilling sound that I could ever imagine. Line was being stripped off at a phenominal rate and the guy was just sitting there watching it. What was he doing? Obviously the Shark had the bait why wasn’t he setting the hook?

He slowly began strapping himself into what appeared to be a fish fighting harness. Calmly picked up the reel and strapped it in the butt holder and clipped straps from his shoulders to the reel. I realized that this guy was strapping himself directly to the reel! If something went wrong he would not be able to just let go of the reel, he was truly one with the reel.

With line stripping off as if it were tied to the bumper of a Porshe the guy engaged the reel and the demeanor on his face changed instantly. With the ferocity of a college line backer he began repeatidly setting the hook while almost running backward. When he reached the end of his walkway he would reel down on the fish and almost jog back to the edge of the pier. This process was repeated two or three times. Then the fight began!

For the first hour it appeard that he was going to almost be able to reel the fish directly in. Kinda like cranking in a boat with a wench. Boy was I wrong. Seemingly the Shark was just swimming toward the pier and did not know that he was even hooked. When it appeared that the shark was getting close he turned and headed out to sea. He ran and stripped drag for what seemed like an eternity. Line leaving the 14/0 reel a hundred yards at a time. With adrenaline pumping the excitement began to slightly subside. The guy was in a calm and focused mood with one thing on his mind. After a couple of hours fighting the guy (while still fighting the fish) asked me to reach into his cooler and get him a water. What? This guy wants to drink water while he is fighting this monster fish? He explained that in the course of fighting a big fish it was very important to remain hydrated. I asked how long the fight usually took. And he replied that the fight time varies greatly from one fish to another, some lasting only an hour and some lasting 12-14 hours.

The battle was one of constant give and take he would reel in 100 yards and the shark would take 200. An hour rolled into two, two to three, until all track of time was lost. Soon we were awakened to what time it was as the sun began to creep up from the dark abyss in the east. This guy had been fighting this fish from a little after sunset until sunrise with no vast improvement in line on the reel. My realization of the addictiveness of shark fishing came when the guy stated “… I hope this fish comes on in I have to be at work by 10:00am…” This guy had stayed up all night fighting this huge fish (which we hadn’t even seen yet) and he had to be at work in 5 hours. That is true Dedication and love for a sport.

It was about 8:30am when we got our first glimpse of the shark. The guy said it looked like a Bull Shark and was probably around 12 feet long. It looked more like 20′ to me. As the shark began to tire the question came to me “What are you going to do now?” I asked and he replied “What do you mean what am I going to do now, I’m gonna land this fish take some pictures and go to work…” Sounded like a good idea to me but we were 20′ off the water on the pier there was no possible way to hoist the thousand pound fish up onto the pier. Then everything began to come clear. The guy was making his way down the pier toward the beach. When he reached the end of the pier he made his way down to the beach. Us not far behind. The guy worked the shark past the first sandbar and up into the shallow waist deep water at the breakers. When the Shark appeared to have run out of energy the guy disengaged his reel and handed it to me. “If he starts running just hold on to the reel.” The guy removed a length of rope from his belt and began to wade out to the shark. With a loop in one end of the rope he grapped the sharks tail and secured the loop around it. With a grunt he began to drag the massive fish up onto the beach. With half the fish in the water and half out he removed a waterproof disposable camera from his pocket and handed it to me. “Take the whole roll with me and the shark.” I started snapping pictures and soon the roll was gone. I turned around and to my amazement we had drawn a huge crowd of people. Onlookers, tourist, kids, old people, even a few beach dogs and a mangy looking cat had been drawn to the fiasco.

With the film in the camera gone the guy measured the shark, untied the tail rope and walked the shark out to deeper water. He stayed with the shark long enough for it to regain its strength and let it go. The defeated creature slowly slumbered out past the first sandbar and onto the second. I was truly in disbelief. This guy had fought this fish all night with his own blood sweat and probably some tears only to let it go.

When I questioned him about this he simply replied, “Where else can you spend $20, catch a thousand pound fish and have a blast all night doing it. I do it for the fun of it. I catch fish people only dream about and I let them go so I can catch them again.” It was then that my outlook on fishing was changed forever. It is not about what you take home for the table, it’s what you take home for yourself. Don’t get me wrong I love fish and I harvest many fish each year to eat, but I let the big ones go. They have made it this far, why should I be the one to end it for them.

Then I realized something: It was all worth it, the reel, the rod, the bait, the hooks, line, money and time. It was all woth it.

Five months later after saving every paycheck from my summer job I ordered my first shark fishing reel a 16/0 Penn Senator for $300 from Bass Pro Shops. I also ordered line, 3000 yard of Braided 80lb test $250 and a rod to put it all on $120. Ever since that night on the Pensacola Pier I have a new addiction in my life Shark Fishing. I have been to beaches all over the South Eastern United States combing the beaches and peirs for just the right sandbar, just the right current and tide. I usually rent a kayak from the local Beach Supply Store and we usually camp or rent a hotel. The bait is hard to find and expensive. I have found the best places to find fresh fish is at a fish market and usually Asian fish markets have a much wider selection to choose from. My most successful baits are as follows: King Mackrel, Spanish Mackrel, Jack Crevelle, Bonito and lastly Mullet.

I have since caught many sharks and several over 10 feet long. All of them off of a Beach or a Pier. I have also introduced several friends to my addiction, they too have seen the light and purchased equipment. Shark fishing is something the whole family can truly enjoy. It’s not just about catching the fish. It’s about good friends, family and beautiful beaches.

[Everything Outdoors is Online at myOutdoors.tv]

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Hummingbird Fish Finders

Posted on February 20, 2012 by David

Short of buying your own submarine or draining the lake, there is no better way to locate fish than a Fish Finder. With a diverse line of equipment that will keep you ahead of both the fish and your competition, you will land the catch you have always dreamed of. When you purchase a Fish Finder product, you will be taking care of business faster than you can say “Dinner is served!”

If you think there are as many Fish Finders come in as many types as there are fish in the sea, you would not be far off. A fish finder is a based on SONAR or pinging noise underwater to search what is underwater. With modern technology an angler can expect equipment that will map out the area below his craft.

For best results, get a CRT with the digital graphics. The frequency of your system will determine how well it is able to distinguish different species of fish.

A transducer is the sensor portion of the fish finder. The Fish Finder family has all types of transducers. They have installed transducers that will mount through the hull. They have transom mounted models and models that are portable.

Depending on your craft’s susceptibility to the elements, transducers come in plastic or bronze versions. And Hummingbird has an assortment of ice fishing transducers. These sensors are in differentiated depending on how large a range you want to scan as well as your budget.

Fish Finders also come in a full range of complete products. As you look at the assortment within each series, you will see that Hummingbird has both single focused fish finders as well as combo packages with GPS tracking and SONAR. The 1100 Series has a large 10″ plus screen display, power output to spare, and combinations that include advanced graphics, GPS, and fish plotting combinations. There are five different series in the standard line, so you are sure to find something that will satisfy you.

In addition, there are some specialty finders. The Matrix series allows you to customize your finder. The PiranhaMax series is an affordable group of one-touch finders. There are portable finders like the Fishin’ Buddy Series and the SmartCast series. For those who don’t let a little thing like Winter get in the way, any ice fisher should find a Fish Finder that will make the fish wished they hibernated.

Never worry about the one that got away, get the equipment that will help you get your limit. A great boat, a great rod and reel, and a Fish Finder: what could go wrong? Now let’s go fishing.

Dinner Is Ready!

[http://www.hummingbirdfishfinders.info]

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