Fishing Blog

What is sport fishing? You could be competing for a trophy or you may be looking to catch the largest fish from all of your friends. Competitions are by far the most popular reason for sport fishing though. You can go both still fishing or fly fishing. You’ll have a specific time frame and depending on the weight and the species that you catch, you may just bring home the big one. The type of line that you use is also important here. The heavier the line, the fewer points you’ll get.

There are different types of sport fishing. Bass fishing, shore fishing, fly fishing, big game fishing, troll fishing and ice fishing are some of them. The competitions are based on the group of anglers, the conditions and the type of fish they are after. There is a wide range of options out there. You’ll be able to catch fish like marlin, walleye, salmon, shark, tuna and a wide range of others.

Equipment You’ll Need

The equipment you need depends on what type of fish you are after as well as what type of fishing you are doing. You’ll need to have the basics of rod, reel and tackle. Some will allow you to bring along your fish finder while others will not. Make sure you take a moment to see what the rules say.

For bait, you’ll need to take with you’re the bait that works for the fish you are after of course. You can go from simple things such as lures and spinners to wet and dry flies, shrimp or live fish and other live bait.

Understanding Fishing Line

The type of line used in these tournaments is often lighter than the force that the fish applies to it. Why? It's more of a challenge of course! You should purchase a high tech drag mechanism on your reel to compensate for this. This will keep the right tension in the line when the fish takes off. Only when the fish gets tired of running will you have the ability to land him. It can be quite challenging but that is what makes it so fun, right!

How To Fight The Big Guy

There are several methods that are used to fight hooked fish. One is the use of a game chair. The fisherman sits there and places the butt of his rod in a gimbaled mount. You’ll need quite a long rod for this and it needs to be bent correctly to fit properly. This is not an easy task and you’ll need experience to get it right. Or, you can go with the stand up method. You’ll use a harness this time around. You’ll need to eat your Wheaties for this one though.

Ready to give it a try? You may find yourself shocked by the price of it all. It can cost you up to $25,000 if you purchase everything. You can take advantage of charter services though which will cut down on the supplies (especially your boat!) and you’ll get everything that you need. Take the time to learn with a professional to help you to make the most out of every tournament you enter. Winning the prize can help to lower these costs and make it all well worth it!

Smallmouth bass can be found in Ontario's Great Lakes as well as the glacial lakes of the Canadian Shield and in a number of rivers, creeks, and lakes in this beautiful Canadian province.

Largemouth bass are commonly found in warmer bodies of water with shallow cover, usually comprised of fallen timber and weeds or stone outcrops. Some of the lakes with mixed habitat result in the largemouth region intersecting and co-mingling with that of smallmouth, making for a variety of fishing opportunities.

In Ontario, smallmouth bass fishing success is usually optimised in more open water, where you can utilize light to medium-action six to ten pound test lines and normally a six foot spinning rod. The fly fisherman will also find smallmouth bass eager to attack top-water poppers or minnow-shaped ribbons in a shallow water setting.

During the Canadian summer, deep underwater points, submerged islands, rocky shoals and weed bed edges are the prime locations to snag these agile and spectacular fighting species of bass.

Ontario smallmouth bass fishing is somewhat unique when compared to other bass fishing settings. In the rugged Northern Ontario lakes and rivers where some of the best medal smallmouth bass fishing can be experienced, smallmouths favor the unsteady clear lakes with little plant life and congregate in shoreline rocks and points. But don't limit your fishing to the shoreline as some of the prize catches can be had in the deeper water.

If you really want to experience the great remote areas you can charter with Wilderness Air and fly in to your own exclusive lake. You can bunk in a deluxe outpost cabin, which are very well maintained and comfortable. Wilderness Air charters is one of the best ways to experience the Ontario smallmouth bass fishing challenge!

Smallmouth bass derived their name from the anotomical fact that the rear end of the lower jaw does not extend past the eye, while the lower part of the jaw of a largemouth does. There is also a low notch linking the dorsal fins to the body that resembles a series of dark broken bars.

The smallmouth bass typically matures between the ages of roughly two and four years and often has a life span of over ten years. On a light line, the Ontario smallmouth bass is a fierce competitor and pound for pound one of the best battles in Canadian angling. First time bass fishermen are always shocked by the dramatic and frequent jumps coupled with the powerful ability to dive quickly to awesome depths. That's how bass fishing becomes a habit and compulsion that is hard to give up and why bass fishermen keep migrating back to Ontario for return visits. After battling one of these determined creatures the average fisherman is always surprised to find that the average length for a smallmouth ranges between only ten and about twenty inches. The current Canadian record for the biggest smallmouth bass caught in Ontario is a little over ten pounds.

In terms of the better types of lures to use, crawling spinnerbaits or retrieving shallow-running crankbaits along the sub-merged weed patches are very effective. Both species of bass found in in deeper water are attracted to diving crankbaits. Largemouth tecniques employed in most other locations are also effective in Ontario. Tactics vary from flip-and-pitch styles used in the shallow weed beds, docks, and stumps, to the exciting top-water stroke on jerkbaits, poppers, and hovering plastic worms.

If you have never fished for smallmouth in Ontario there are a few points to remember.

Keep in mind that Ontario smallmouth bass fishing is a little different from the the largemouth bass experience. If you are used to fishing largemouth primarily in weed beds, you will find the smallmouth bass would rather hide out where the rock ledges drop suddenly. The popular baits are crawfish, minnow, leeches and hellgrammites. You will likely have success using everything that resembles a minnow such as plastic worms or flag flies.

Also when fishing for Ontario smallmouth bass you will usually find schools of fish about the same size so if you are not satisfied with the size of fish taken from a given location you should probably move on to a fresh spot. If you' are releasing live bait from your boat use as many lines as is permissible.

The season from the middle of June through to the fall is the best time to plan your trip to Ontario. In the early part of the season the smallmouths are often found on the shallower beds, and by fall they are found in the 10 to 20 foot deeper waters. At that time you should group rattletraps, cranks and jigs, and float a marker buoy to mark the school area.

Try it once and I guarantee you will be telling your friends and planning a return trip next season to Ontario Canada.

Learn more about the bass fishing experience at:

Bass Fishing Article Library

It was one of those fishing trips. You know, everyone catches fish but you, you loose six or eight of your most expensive streamers, it rains buckets, and you sink the boat. That’s right; I got skunked at Steamboat Lake over Memorial weekend.

I was determined to show those meat huckers (worms and power bait) that a well chosen and strategically placed fly was as effective as anything a conventional fisherman could load on a hook and hang under a bobber. Well, no such luck, I got stomped.

The fish were rising like mad on a midge hatch, and I threw everything in the box at them. I could swear I saw a hefty rainbow nudge my fly to the side to eat the natural laying only centimeters from my damn near perfect replica. As we watched the group of 12 year olds add another 18” fish to their stringer (full loaded, I might add) I decided it must be a lake thing. I don’t fish lakes often.

I usually have good luck with a streamer in faster moving water, so I head for one on the several tributaries hoping to get the boat up far enough to make a make a few good casts. No such luck, here comes the wind. Determined and frustrated, I proceed to lose several of my best streamers in the dense shrubbery surrounding the mouth of the creek (can’t retrieve them since the current is too strong to get the boat any further up the creek).

On the way back to camp we are passed by a couple of boats with stringers of fish crashing off the bows of their boats (hmmm, are they just rubbing it my face, or are they tenderizing the meat?)Questioning my decision to become a fly fisherman, I head over to the dock to pick up my 5 year-old son and a fresh styro of night crawlers. I'll let my son fish the meat before I crumble and load one up on the spinner myself. Surprising, no luck with the meat either, and hear comes the rain. I throw my arms up and ponder my karma activity of the past year.

We charge for shore as the lake turns to white caps. The rain and lightning moves in fast. Did I mention that we got the boat for free and have no clue what to do in the rain? We pull the boat up close to shore near our camp, outside of the no-wake zone. We leave all of our gear and head for the soggy camp.

Well, apparently it’s best to leave your boat in protected cove in the no wake zone. From what we could tell, our boat was hammered with 300 to 400 gallons of water from the waves and boat wakes from boaters rushing back to the dock. Yes, it sank in 18 inches of water. I didn’t realize a boat could sink in 18” of water! All of our gear is floating around the shore. The gas tank and gear which included an Orvis waste pack with hmmmm, some 500 plus flies. Every box any fly had to be opened and dried on the dashboards of our trucks.

We bail the boat, load the truck and haul our soggy gear and crippled egos back home.

Next memorial day, it’s back to the river!!!

The easiest information obtained about fishing can be found online in the largest fishing directory in the world. Fisherman from every continent depend on a common source for fishing guides, fishing reports, new gear, fishing history or just to log onto a fishing forum through their favorite fishing directory.

Fishing has surpassed all other hobbies as the number one outdoor event that captures our time and money. Fishing categories can usually be disseminated with the use of a fishing directory. There are four major methods of fishing and all have adamant endorsers who seldom cross over to the other three. Cane pole fishing, spinning, bait casting and fly-fishing are the four most used methods worldwide.

Fly-fishing is the newest trend and requires the most practice and talent. With a fly fishing rod, a fly fishing reel and fly line you can add your bait which is called a fly that has a very small hook for trout. There are flies that land on top of the water and don’t sink called dry flies. There are flies that are designed to travel underwater like a swimming insect that are called wet flies. There are larger lures for saltwater fishing and tournaments for the largest fish caught on a “fly”. The use of a good fishing directory can yield fly fishing tips, fly tying techniques, gear and manufacturers.

Cane Pole fishing is the most primitive of the 4 methods using a single pole made of bamboo with a line tied to the end and a hook. In most cases this was our first experience of fishing, catching blue gills and bream. Cane poles are inexpensive and sometimes homemade using other materials at hand. Cane poles have also been improved to be a two-piece rod for easier storage and transporting. A red and white bobber added to the line increases the entertainment as we wait for the bobber to disappear and the line to race through the water. Antique bamboo poles have a subcategory in the best fishing directory.

Spinning reels with accompanying rods are as much a favorite to some as General Motors are to some automobile owners. A classy open face reel that has a bail that initializes the casting of the line and lure. Spinning reels are less likely to have a backlash that ends in line tangles. The spinning rod and reel can be used on saltwater and fresh water. The fishing industry has also developed micro-spinning reels and rods for small fish and more action for the fisherman. Most of the hundreds of manufactures of reels have separate categories in a fishing directory.

Casting reels are the foundation of mechanized fishing reels. The reels have been designed as small as a thread spool to the huge size of a small basketball to accommodate deep-sea fishing behemoths of 1000-pound fish. The disadvantage is a casting reel has a tendency to tangle the line. This cuts down on fishing time and amount of fish caught. Some professional fishermen have mastered the casting reel preferring it to the spinner. Websites featuring parts for casting reels and professional repair shops list their sites in the best online fishing directory.

Quite a few years ago I learned a secret about fishing. The secret is that fish just don’t care if it rains. Now we have all joked from time to time that fish live in the water and therefore they are already wet. For me this joke is heard when the rain starts as I am standing on a mossy bank, casting a rooster tail into a slow moving stream. Unlike most fishermen, I have a true tale to back up my joke.

It was quite a few years ago when my Dad, Uncle Fred, my Cousin Freddie, and I were fishing some of the creeks and streams of Eastern Oregon. It had been overcast, yet warm for much of the morning. The bite was fair, but nothing much to brag about. We would work a stream for a bit, then hop in our trucks and head up the road to the next spot. The company was of course good. There is something about being out in beautiful terrain, working a stream in total peace with occasional good conversation mixed in that makes fishing more enjoyable.

My Uncle Fred and Cousin Freddie decided to move up ahead a couple of streams. The clouds were starting to get darker and they had a hole they just had to try. Dad and I stayed a bit longer at the stream we were fishing. After a few bites, we decided to move up to the next creek. No sooner did we start driving down the road, than the clouds decided to let loose. It rained. It rained hard. In fact it seemed that closer we got to our destination, the harder it rained. When we arrived at our stream, we looked at on another as if daring the other to get out of the truck first.

It poured. As it continued to rain, we just looked out the windows of the truck at the creek running by the roadway. Not much time went by before the decision was made that it was not going to stop raining. My Dad said we would head home as soon as Fred and Freddie drove up. I muttered my agreement, though a bit disgusted that the rain wouldn’t break enough to allow me to fish one last stream.

After a couple of minutes, I had enough of this watching the water flow in the creek and on by the passenger window of our yellow Chevy Luv. “I just know there’s a fish in there waiting to be caught” I said. My Dad said with a smile, that I could always go out and try. I assured him I wasn’t that desperate or stupid. No raingear, no standing in a solid downpour. Yet I did have an idea. I rolled down my window and managed to get my seven-foot pole out the cab of the truck. Dad was shifting as quickly as he could to avoid getting hit in the head with the butt of my pole. It should be apparent by this point that I was indeed desperate.

After a few tries, I flicked a crawler out into the water. “Get ready for some fish,” I said. Seconds later it was fish on! Well it took Dad rolling down his window and my pulling the rod on through the cab of the truck to bring that Rainbow in. The whole time we just laughed and laughed. It was one of the best fishing trips I can remember. One of the best because of the good laugh Dad and I had together. And because of the valuable lesson I learned. Fish just don’t care.

In fishing, it is very important to an angler’s success that he starts with the proper equipment. He may purchase or own the finest equipment in the world, but when it is assembled and put into use, it may prove to be a very decided handicap.

To guard against this, it is important that the individual items of tackle be properly balanced one with the other. Unbalanced equipment has been responsible for more difficulties and failures of beginners than any other single factor.

Fishing Rod

To fish with a good rod is to really enjoy fishing. It is much easier to learn with a good rod than with one of an inferior quality. This is no commercial plug to encourage the sale of expensive rods, but just a word of warning to prevent any possible or unnecessary discouragement because of using a rod that would be decided handicap to a competent caster.

Fishing Lines

This item of fishing gear must be selected with some careful considerations if anglers are expecting to enjoy fishing or casting.

This is because the size and weight of fishing lines made by various manufacturers are not entirely uniform, that is, the diameter of the line by one manufacturer may be slightly larger or smaller than a line by another manufacturer even though both bear the same size marking.

The Leader

The leader is also a very important item, and unless it is selected with care and consideration in comparison with the size of the line, the caster will have trouble in making it extend straight out from the line when casting.

The chief function of the leader is to serve as an invisible connection between the line and the lure.

Fishing Flies or Lures

The flies may range in size, from the tiniest used, which might be number 18 or 20, up to flies tied on number-2 hooks or larger. The heavier flies or lures create; more wind is needed. It also requires the use of heavier equipment or more power on the part of the caster during the back cast and forward cast.

Reels

The reel may be automatic or single action, but in any event, it should be larger enough to hold the usual 30 yards of fishing line without crowding it on the reel spool.

The reel should weigh from 1

I also like to call this list ten things my Dad taught me about fishing. Fishing has always been an important part of my life. My Dad used to take me fishing all the time, in fact, “take a kid fishing” was a rule he lived by. He showed me how to fish, the best bait to use while fishing, and methods to catch more fish. Sure this list isn’t everything you need to know about fishing but using these basic techniques will insure you to have a “good day fishing.”

1. Always set the hook properly. Make sure your fish is hooked before you start reeling.

2. Keep steady pressure on the fish. Don’t give the fish a chance to spit out the lure or bait. Keep your line taut with no slack and keep the rod tip out of the water. You need to keep reeling to make sure the pressure is steady and the line is straight out to the fish.

3. Make sure your line is not wrapped around the tip of the rod. If it becomes twisted around the rod you will not be able to control your reeling and it may break the line.

4. The jig is one of most effective fish catching lures to use. Jigs are good for fishing from the shoreline to deep water. They can be used on farm ponds, lakes, rivers and reservoirs. They catch everything from bluegills, crappies and perch to walleyes, smallmouth bass and northern pike. My Dad’s favorite was using a feathered jig tipped with a mealworm. We caught all kind of fish with that in all kinds of water.

5. Make sure to use your drag and that it is working properly. Using the drag will help you maintain control over the fish.

6. Cast your bait near structure whenever you can. If you can, bring along a contour map of the body of water you’re fishing. Fish like to hang around logs, rocks and docks whether the structure is under the water or sticking out of the water. Casting next to a weed bed should produce fish also.

7. Try to use live bait that is matched to what the fish usually feed on. If you present the fish with what they’re looking for you are much more likely to catch fish.

8. Take care of your fishing equipment. Keep your hooks sharp and ready to hook the big one. Change your line frequently to prevent breakage. Keep your reel oiled so that it turns easily.

9. Start fishing on the bottom and work your way to the surface. Once you catch a fish, try to keep your bait at that depth and just move around until you find where they are hiding. Keep moving until you start catching fish. Keep repeating the procedure. Bluegill, perch, crappie, white bass and black bass are all schooling fish. This means that there are more than one fish swimming around. Once you find them, you will usually catch a bunch.

10. Always keep your bait moving. Jig it, pop it, reel it. Whatever it takes to make it look alive. Fish love live bait.

Hope these tips offer you as many good fishing days as I have had.

Heritage fisheries are carefully maintained aquatic preserves in various parts of the world where a tradition or habitat surrounding fishing has been protected from today's modern hazards. A heritage fishery may be a lake, river or part of the ocean; its locale having less to do with its heritage designation than preservation of a certain style or era. Heritage fishing's purpose is twofold: to experience fishing as it was in the past and to preserve fishing for the future.

Glendalough State Park is the newest member of the Minnesota State Parks family. Its land was given to the state by a private donor in the 1990s and the lakes on the park acreage were fished privately for nearly a hundred years. No one other than members of the donor's family or their guests was allowed to utilize the lakes at Glendalough State Park. As a result, fish sizes and populations in the Glendalough lakes are more representative of historic times than of modern times.

Annie Battle Lake, the largest of the Glendalough Lakes, allows the angler to experience fishing as it was in Minnesota during the 1800s. Motors of any kind are not allowed on the lake. Canoes and rowboats are available for rental at the park office and shore fishing is a pleasure from any location here. Gas powered vehicles are prohibited, as are any type of electronic fish-finding device.

Large bass, panfish, walleye and northern pike abound under the crystal clear waters of Annie Battle Lake because the waters are unpolluted by gas or oil. Catch-and-release regulations and fishing limits are strictly enforced here, maintaining the size and count of the population for generations to come. A small brook connecting Annie Battle Lake to another of the park lakes is waist deep with a sandy bottom, providing excellent wading areas for bass fishing.

The Lave Net Fishery at Blackrock on the Severn Estuary in Wales is the last of its kind in Wales and has also been designated as a heritage fishery. Treacherous tidal waters averaging speeds of 7-8 knots have witnessed generations of fishermen pass along this fishing technique. Less than a dozen lave net fishing licenses are issued by the Welsh government each year, with all belonging to a local association dedicated to preserving this unique method of salmon fishing. The only noticeable difference between modern and historic lave netters are that they now sport waders as opposed to animal skins. The lave net itself, a Y-shaped structure constructed of wood and a hand-made net, remains unchanged. Anglers wade into the river and either "cower", waiting for the salmon to approach him, or watch for the telltale salmon splashes announcing their location. The fisherman can then net the fish before they head to deeper water. This kind of fishing is restricted by law and by the tides. Anglers have about 1.5 hours before low tide to practice their craft when conditions are calm. Their knowledge of the tides and of the area, received from the generation before, serves as their guide.

Kjaerra Laxefiske on the Kjaerrafossen River near Helgeland, Norway dates back to 1388. Ownership of the two heritage fisheries here is marked by the "markebol", a medieval unit of measurement. Salmon are caught via the use of ancient fishing tools, while the buildings surrounding the fisheries were restored to medieval timber and stone during the 1950s. Visitors are welcomed to the weekly opening of salmon pots every Thursday where the catch of the week is revealed. Wherever they are located, heritage fisheries are an important part of the environment and the community. In addition to offering the simple thrill of fishing itself, they provide an opportunity to learn from the past, as well as preserving the present heritage of fishing for future anglers.

Perhaps the most important piece of fly fishing gear you will need to choose is your fly fishing rod. Though fly fishing is a simple art, it is a precise one. When reading the riseform on a river trout, you will need a rod which you can depend on to cast a precise cast - not wide of your intended area, nor falling short. You will also need to know that when you get in deep to the mountain streams, your fly fishing gear will not fail you and break down at that critical moment.

If fly fishing is itself simple in practice (though not easy!), the world of fly fishing rods is not. Gone are the bamboo rods of your forebears. The technology in fly fishing rod engineering has exploded, and there are a plethora of choices to choose from.

Most rods today are made from graphite. Basically, you want a rod that will precisely cast, that controls your line once cast, and lands your fish - often, when the fish are lionhearted fighters, in tough water conditions. Given that, how to choose?

What are you fishing?

Top on the list is to know what type of fish you are looking for. A largemouth bass behaves differently in its pursuit of baitfish than does a brown trout. It also fights differently. What will hold up for a small brooky will not do well for a lunker on the line.

What water are you fishing?

Second, the water you fish will tell you a lot about the type of rod action you should be looking for. If you fish mostly smaller streams, and are in need of precise, gentler, shorter casts, you will want what's known as a full flex rod. This type of action will also allow you to have a better feel for the fish on your line. As with walleye fishing with spinning reels, a light, sensitive feel will often better land the fish you seek.

On larger streams, or if you don't want (or you're budget won't allow you) to have several different rods for different purposes, a mid-flex rod will provide adequate strength to fight tougher fish, or fish landed on tougher conditions. Because it is not a fast action or stiff rod, you will still have some sensitivity on the line, but you can cast farther and more precisely than with a full flex rod. This is the most popular type of fly fishing rod out there.

Finally, under heavier wind, on tougher waters, on bigger rivers (or ocean fishing areas), or with tougher, bigger fish, the "fast action" or stiffer rod is the way to go.

Canada provides some of the world's best fishing. Summer season opens in March and ends late in July. Many anglers head for the variety of fish found within Canada's border.

The lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers provide perfect habitats for an ample amount fish, and this multiplicity provides a variety of challenges for any type of fisherman. The geographical diversity found in Canada also offers opportunities for saltwater fishing, ice fishing, and fly-fishing.

Smallmouth bass is one of the popular species found from Ontario, Canada’s Great Lakes shoals to scenic, glacial lakes of the Canadian Shield and in thousands of rivers, creeks, and lakes in between.

Smallmouth bass are often-discussed. Nearly every fishing magazine contains a story or two where the writer extolled this fish as a hard-hitting, scrappy-fighting, aerial acrobat of the sunfish family. Those who have experienced smallmouth angling know that this praise is justified.

Little wonder should exist that there has been in recent years renewed interest in fishing for this species. Smallmouth, although plentiful only in places with select habitat, are distributed throughout the state. Many anglers need to travel only a short distance for a chance to fish for this fierce fighter of the black bass family.

Smallmouth bass are most often bronze to brownish green in color, with dark vertical bars on the sides. In contrast to the Largemouth bass, the upper jaw does not extend beyond rear margin of eye. Its Eye is reddish in color and shallow notch in dorsal fin. Soft dorsal fin has 13 to 15 rays. These species prefer to stay in rocky habitats in streams and lakes with clear waters.

In streams, these creatures fed on minnows and crayfish while in lakes, they consumed shad and crayfish.

Smallmouth bass also inhabit a wide range of water - there are "deep" and "shallow" bass and they are a schooling fish - meaning if you catch one there's a good chance there are several others in the area. Bass generally stick close to the bottom or near structure like humps and saddles. As ambush predators, bass need cover to feed successfully so casting accuracy and presentation are key elements to consider when fishing for them.

Over the years, many anglers and clients express their frustration at trying to catch smallmouth bass. Legends and masters do exist in bass fishing. Ones who are everyday men in every way but when they are on the water with a bass casting rod in hand they transform and transcend their ordinary existence.

And according to these experts, in order to catch smallmouth bass in streams, cast upstream and let the bait drift into pools and behind objects that break the current, such as boulders and snags when fishing with hellgrammites crayfish or some other live bait weighted with split shot. Anglers fishing from a boat also may anchor upstream from boulders and other smallmouth hangouts. Cast downstream and let the current hold the bait where it is likely to attract a smallmouth from this position.

In making live bait from boats, drop anchor over a smallmouth structure and lower crayfish and/or minnows straight down to the bass. The more legal lines you have in the water the better. Although smallmouths lie directly beneath the boat, it may take several minutes before they respond. When one bass does take bait, the ensuing battle rouses bass nearby into action. Get fresh bait back into the water as soon as possible after landing a bass to keep the feeding frenzy going.

The effective lures for smallmouth are those that resemble minnows, plastic worms and streamer flies while live baits include minnows, hellgrammites and crayfish. Drop anchor over a smallmouth structure and lower crayfish straight down to the bass.

As you clock more and more bass-fishing hours you will acquire a knack for choosing the right lure and technique for the right situation. The best advice is to examine the fishing conditions, ask for guidance from anglers familiar with the waters you are fishing, and, finally, to try many different lures and bass-fishing techniques until you discover what works most effectively.

Locating and catching smallmouth is a real challenge. That is why it is really so much fun. Of course the real reason why we all enjoy fishing is the fun and camaraderie we experience with our friends and family. Some of the best fishing stories have nothing to do with how many fish were caught or what bait or technique was used.