Fishing Blog

Selecting and acquiring the ideal fishing boat is a real art for someone who has already gone through many experiences as far as boating is concerned. However, it can be a daunting task to those who have not yet experienced buying a fishing boat.

To make the activity easier for the first timers, here is a list of tips that they can use when choosing an ideal fishing boat.

1. It is important to consider the purpose of the fishing boat.

Buying a fishing boat has only one purpose: to be used in fishing. However, before choosing the perfect fishing boat, it is important to consider also the other purposes.

First, the place where the fishing boat will be used should be taken into account. Will it be in the ocean or in other bodies of water like lakes?

Second, the time of the day it will be used. Will it be for day trips or for overnight fishing activities?

If the fishing boat will be used for ocean cruising and overnight stays, it would be better to buy a fishing boat that has a hull. This is specifically designed for rough waters. This design is meant to ride with the waves, hence, providing more comfort to anglers while on board.

2. The budget

When buying a fishing boat, it is important to know if the buyer can afford to acquire a boat. Fishing boats, or any boat for that matter, can be very expensive. Hence, the buyer should know how far his budget would go as far as fishing boat prices are concerned.

3. The warranties

It is extremely important to know if the fishing boat has a warranty. It should be analyzed and meticulously scrutinized because not all warranties are created equal.

Hence, it is best to buy a fishing boat from dealers that will provide the necessary services in case their product is found to be defective.

4. The certification

When buying a fishing boat, it is important to take note if it is certified by the “National Marine Manufacturers Association” or the NMMA. This agency guarantees that the certification they give to every boat manufacturer is a guarantee that the fishing boat had passed the agency’s standard of excellence.

The bottom line is that, people should do more than just look around when choosing the ideal fishing boat. They should learn how to look for the important details in order to ensure that the boat they have acquired is definitely worth their money.

This Humminbird fishfinder is a great tool for any fisherman looking to bring home a cooler full of fish every trip out. This particular model is part of the 500 series offered by Humminbird. This combo offers GPS Chartplotting and High Performance Sonar. Why is this so great? It gives you your position thanks to satellite technology. Telling you where you are, how to get to your hotspots, and how to make your way back. No need to worry about getting lost or not finding the perfect locations. Of course, you also get performance fish finding in this unit as well!

The Humminbird Fishfinder 595c is an awesome tool. It offers these features in a quick disconnect mount which means you can easily grab it and go. It also features the built in UniMap which is excellent for telling you where in the USA coastline and the inland lakes and rivers to 4nm in details. Awesome accuracy in this is also provided. These things can help you get to the hot spots and find your way back. No need to worry about getting lost or making the wrong turn when you have such a reliable map to use. Other features include a 20 degrees single beam sonar which is optimized for coverage and bottom detail. It gives you a good look at what’s below the surface so that you can navigate your boat where you need it to go.

On top of these features, you’ll find Sonar Echo Enhancement which is a great tool for getting a good idea of where your bait is headed and how it is moving. Real Time Sonar also helps capture real time pictures of the waters. This means if the fish is there and moving, you can virtually see what it is doing so that you can react in order to grab it. Why should you invest in the Humminbird Fishfinder 595c? It is quite easy to see how well equipped you will be to find your fish and lure him to you.

Bring home a full catch everytime.

Your First Fishing Rod:

The most important piece of equipment is a fishing rod and the best place to purchase a rod is at a real pro shop or bait and tackle shop. Pro shops usually have a really good return policy. If you get a rod that is not comfortable for you, too stiff or too flexible, too long or too short, they will usually exchange it for a rod that will work better for you. They want your return business for things like bait and tackle.

The Place:

The best place to fish for salmon is in the river when they come up to spawn. The local pro shop should be happy to provide you with the best times for fishing salmon. Salmon spawn at different times and come up the rivers at different intervals throughout the season, so planning is important if you want to fish when the salmon are spawning.

The Boat:

Best to have a flat bottom river boat, but those are expensive. It may not be a good idea to take a regular "V" hull lake boat into the river because the depths can be too shallow and unpredictable.

The Guide?

Another exciting way to experience your first salmon trip is by hiring a guide. You'll learn more from the guide then on your own. It can be pricey, but it's worth it. Something to think about.

Shore Fishing

No boat? No worries. Fishing from shore is a wonderful way to experience this fantastic hobby as well.

The Bait:

Ask the at the pro shop what works best in your area or the area you are going to fish. They usually suggest salmon eggs. They are cured in many different ways and everyone has their favorite. The reason why you would want to use salmon eggs is because after salmon spawn, the parent fish stay around the nest to protect the eggs from predators like trout.

The currents will also carry the eggs away. When this happens the parent fish gently pick the eggs in their mouth and bring them back to the nest. So, when you dangle salmon eggs in the water after the salmon have spawned, they will see the eggs and assume that some have floated out of the nest. When they go to retrieve them, they get hooked!

The Catch:

Take along an ice chest filled with ice to keep your catch fresh. You may want to have a couple of five gallon buckets as well. One bucket for cleaning your catch. Another bucket to keep the ready-to-eat gutted and cleaned salmon in. If you clean it before you take it home, you avoid the smelly bloody mess in your kitchen. A third bucket could be used to save salmon eggs gutted from a female. You can save the egg sack and cure it later. You can learn more about how to cure the eggs, or roe, online or talk to someone in your local pro shop for suggestions.

The Filleting:

You can cut your fish in two ways, steaks or fillets. Salmon steaks are the easiest way to cut them up. Filleting takes a little more practice. You will probably destroy the first few you try to fillet. Don't worry, all those little mangled pieces can be smoked and turned into a salmon dip. Mmm good!

The Cooking:

There are many ways to cook salmon. Pan fry, BBQ, roasted or even smoked. If you do decide to smoke your salmon pieces, be sure not to dry them out too much.

Here's a simple recipe for salmon dip.

One cup smoked salmon

Two 8 oz packages of cream cheese

Half cup chopped onion

Salt, pepper, garlic, to taste

Now you have it; go out there and catch some salmon!

Have you had the opportunity to fish in freshwater? While some find it to be a distant relation to other types of fishing, it is still one of the best ways to spend your time. There are hundreds of lakes out there that you can be enjoying virtually any time that you would like to. To learn more about it, take a look at your options here.

Fresh water fishing is done in lakes, rivers and streams that have minute quantities of dissolved salts. Freshwater sources are precipitation or melting ice and snow. There are many fresh water fish species, but some of the most important ones are bass, catfish, pickerel, pike sunfish, trout, salmon, muskellunge, sturgeon and walleye.

Equipment for Freshwater Fishing

What you’ll need for basic freshwater fishing equipment includes a fishing rod and reel, fishing line between 4 and 10 pound-test, a variety of sinkers, a variety of hooks (sizes 6 to 10), floats, bait and in most locations, a fishing permit or license. There are a variety of both live and artificial baits that work well for fresh water fishing.

Bait You’ll Need

Live bait works well for fresh water fishing. Freshwater fish feed on a variety of prey, including earthworms, insects, insect larvae, frogs, minnows, chub, shad, crayfish and small fish species such as smelt. Freshwater fishing bait such as earthworms, crayfish, frogs, minnows, chubs and shads can be caught in its natural habitat. Look around piers and in shallow water. Freshwater bait can also be purchased from your local bait and tackle shop.

Artificial bait is manmade bait that attracts fish to bite or strike. It includes plastic worms, insects, flies, small jigs, lures, spoons, streamers, flies, spinners and more. Artificial bait can be purchased at fishing tackle and bait shops or online. Some anglers prefer to buy the supplies for these types of baits and make their own.

There are a wide variety of prepared baits that you can use for freshwater fishing. These include kernel corn, bread balls, cheese balls, egg bags, liver, cereal balls, chicken entrails. Here is just a short list of some freshwater fish and the bait that attracts them.

Catfish

earthworms, liver, chicken entrails, hotdogs, frogs, tadpoles, crayfish and most lures. At times you can even catch them on shiny hooks that have no bait.

Pike

earthworms, frogs, minnows, shad, all types of small fish species, crayfish, chub, spinners, spoons and egg sacs.

Bass

earthworms, insects, insect larvae, frogs, minnows, crayfish, spoons, Mepps, spinners, artificial worms, jigs, streamers and spinners.

Salmon

flies, spinners, spoons, egg sacs, shrimp and large plugs.

Sunfish

earthworms, bread balls, kernel corn, insects and insect larvae, as well as small, shiny lures.

Pickerel

earthworms, insects, insect larvae, frogs, minnows, crayfish, spoons and Mepps, spinners, artificial worms, jigs, spinners and streamers.

Walleye

shad, frogs, real or artificial minnows, worms, maggots, spinners, spoons, jigs, plugs and small fish species.

Trout

earthworms, flies, insects, insect larvae, kernel corn, egg sacs, crayfish and minnows.

Muskellunge

small fish species, frogs, Mepps, spinners, jigs, minnows, plastic trailers and rapalas.

Sturgeon

frogs, freshwater clams, lamprey, eels, smelt, salmon eggs, shad, shrimp, egg sacs, yarn flies, brilliantly colored and silver lures.

Go ahead and give it a try. If you would like to learn more about this type of fishing, you need to talk to someone that is a professional that can show you just what you need to do, where to go and what to use to be successful at freshwater fishing.

Saltwater fishing is nothing like freshwater fishing. To begin with, saltwater fishing takes significantly stronger and heavier tackle and equipment than that used by freshwater fishermen.

There are several categories of saltwater fishing discussed in this article.

For starters, there is the light-medium category, which would include fishing for certain species such as Snook, Redfish and Spotted Sea Trout. These fish and others in this category are typically caught in bays and other similar estuaries. Also included in this category would be inshore fish such as the Pompano. If you are fishing for these species to eat them, be aware that during summer months redfish and trout will most probably contain worms.

A spinning reel in the class of a Penn 710 or 712, or 4500ss spooled with a fine quality 10-pound test monofilament line works better along with light to medium action rod. Penn makes good quality reels that will hold up to the harsh saltwater fishing environment.

For terminal tackle you will begin by tying a shock leader of approximately 18 inches using 20 pound test line or fluorocarbon. Fluorocarbon is slightly more expensive but is significantly less visible to the fish. Attach the leader tying line to line or use a saltwater rated barrel swivel. For the hook you'd better use a 6/0, preferably an Eagle Claw.

The second category afferent to saltwater fishing is the medium to heavy category for species such as Bluefish, Spanish Mackerel, and smaller Jacks. These species of fish are most usually found near shore regions of the Gulf of Mexico and on the Lower East Coast. In this class you could also include the smaller “schoolie” King Mackerel under the legal size limit of 24”.

Do not forget to first consult a saltwater species book for knowing the difference between the large Spanish and juvenile Kingfish. They are extremely similar. The easiest way to tell the difference is that the Spanish Mackerel will have a "black flag", on the anterior portion of its dorsal fin where the King Mackerel, with the exception of very young fish, does not have this special detail. The second more reliable way to tell is by looking at the lateral line that runs down the body. In a Spanish Mackerel this line drops gradually behind the pectoral fin whereas in the King Mackerel the line drops off sharply.

To be on the safe side, equip yourself with a Penn 704 or similar size equipment spooled with 12-15 lb test coupled with a thin wire leader of 20lb test or so. Check your local fishing regulations for the most appropriate hook, in Florida a small treble like a 2/0 is used.

From the moment the inshore net bans were placed these species have come back more abundantly than ever and you are most certain to find some. Keep in mind that Redfish, King Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel are migratory species so you will have to verify the seasonal availability for these species of fish.

Enjoy your fishing trip. Tight lines!

Where to fish for salmon or the Chinook or the king salmon. The pacific salmon range from California to Alaska. These anadromous species can be found in most pacific coastal waters, streams and rivers that have a good flow of water and temperature as well as a suitable habitat for going up to spawn. You will find that they may be as many as three spawns per year, spring ,summer, fall.

The average size of the Chinook can be from 16 to 20 lb. but you will see larger fish up to 55 lb. taken from the remote areas along the pacific coast .From BC Alaska you can catch the largest or the Chinook. Fish up to 65 lb. which are common have been taken from the coastal areas.

The Chinook will return to the river in which they spawned from at the age of 2 to 7 years old. The salmon will travel over 7000 miles at sea to return to its spawning grounds. One of the longest river spawns is the 2000 miles battle up the Yukon River located in the state of Alaska.

With the advancement of man a lot of the smaller streams have been choked of with pollution and silt from local construction. Some of the streams have been filled in for housing and commercial use. There has been a increase of volunteers to clean up the streams and repair the gravel spawning grounds. With some success the salmon have slowly been returning to these devastated areas.

The salmon use solar navigation ,smell, day light and rain fall to help guide them to the spawning grounds. Most need a gravel bed of course gravel to spawn in. The female will dig out a spot and lay her eggs and the male will fertilize the eggs with jets of milt. Both fish die with in days of spawning.

The spawning fish feed many bears ,bird like the eagles and people on the run up to their spawning grounds. The decaying fish supply food for the river or stream organisms which provide food for the fry after the hatch. The fry will spend up to 18 months in the river and stream systems before heading out to sea to repeat the process all over

Before you fish for salmon you will need to check the regulations in the area you are planning to fish in every area will have different regulations. Time to fish size limits and the number of the fish you may keep. State and Provincial Regulations must be followed as the fines can be very large if you get caught fishing with out the proper license or are out of season. Always check with the regulatory body for the area you will be fishing in. Better to have what you need than to lose a boat or vehicle or go to jail.

If fishing in early spring or late summer or in the fall be aware that you may see bears of all sizes after all you are fishing in their favorite spot. Give them a wide berth they are hungry and will protect their territory. Better to play safe than to have a bad encounter you will lose if you come into contact with a bear.

Trolling from a boat will help you avoid the bears. The down rigger is very popular to get the bait down to the level to which the salmon are at. Trolling depth will vary from 10 ft to 150 ft a lead cannon ball from 2 to 10 lb. will be used .Hootches , and anchovies work in most location best to check with the local guides to find out what is working on the given days you are fishing.

No matter what you fish with or which method you use a Chinook salmon will give you a fight you will not soon forget.

Most Americans are fascinated with bass fishing. So, in order that they keep themselves up to date with the bass fishing world, some of the anglers (actually almost all of them) make their own bass fishing home pages.

The bass fishing homepage is an entire collection of link or collection of information like images, sound, and video files, regarding bass fishing. This are made available through what appears to users as a single web server.

Normally, the home page serves as an index or table of contents to other documents stored at the site. It usually found at the first page of every website.

This Bass fishing homepage is dedicated to giving information about fishing for bass. It contains links to stories, tips, fishing reports, tactics, message board, boating information and products dealing with bass fishing. There are also forums where in bass fishing aficionados can share their two cents.

Bass fishing homepage is intended to keep you well-informed and up to date of the local events and fishing tips. This will make every effort to keep this site as current as possible.

Here is how to explain the contents of Bass Fishing Homepage:

Stories &ndash this includes the wonderful experiences of anglers about their bass fishing. Mostly, they tell their experiences through the homepage in order to attract customers who are also in search of the best bass fishing experience.

Tips- presented here are the techniques and guidelines on how to do the bass fishing, what baits and lures to use for an effective bass fishing.

Tactics- like the tips written; in tactics, are the techniques and strategies used in bass fishing.

Message Board/Testimonies - in the message board, testimonies from other bass fishing guide are put in here. Also, the previous customers of different bass fishing services make some acknowledgement on how they enjoy their trip and on how these guide services provide them with good vacation.

Boating information &ndash it is very important for bass fisher wanna-be’s to know ideas about what kind of boat is used in this kind of fishing. Stores with fully equipped boats are also can be read here.

Products &ndash these are advertised products from different bass guide services. Including in here are the services they render, the equipments used and the location.

Guides- guide services are also found in bass fishing home page in terms of marketing. They use their homepage to advertise their service, products even locations. They are also the ones to be asked whether someone is deciding to a bass fishing experience.

Most bass fishing homepage that you can see on the internet from most anglers are made for selling and marketing of their product and services. They take this advantage, for them to capture every prospective customers and visitors’ attention.

In addition, your homepage can also be a help to those who are planning to have a great bass fishing adventure. They can ask for your assistance and opinions about their plans thru your homepage. Besides your homepage will also serves as a directory to your services.

Now, if you are already a good angler and you also want to have a bass fishing homepage for yourself, a simple and easy guide on how to do it can already be a great help for you.

But first what we must consider is explore the brilliant world of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). Yes! It may sound like a very hard thing to do but do not fret. This HTML is just a group of codes or tags that computers read and easily convert it into a webpage or a homepage. You really need to know HTML in order to make your own bass fishing homepage.

Here are 5 trouble-free steps to make a bass fishing homepage:

1. Register for a free webpage

2. Learn HTML

3. Read other homepage, and learn from it

4. Make your homepage, design for and make it attention-grabbing.

5. Advertise...market your page for the world to see and treasure it.

A fast and easy way is to contact a website builder to help you build your own bass fishing homepage.

Just follow these 5 steps and you are on your way to having your own bass fishing homepage. Remember, you can make money out of your homepage! So, be artistic on creating it. Ok, good luck!!

Fishing makes great fun! Whether you fish for a living or for pure hobby, you have to be as smart as a fisherman should be.

Every smart fisherman has his own fishing techniques that allow him to catch the fish he has goaled to. Like in bass fishing or fishing in fresh waters, the fisherman will always have to implore bass fishing techniques suitable for the kind of waters he is fishing.

The first consideration in developing bass fishing techniques that can bring you your dream catch is to choose the shore you are to start out.

Also you have to be very keen with the weather. Bass fishing is most productive in the great lakes and like the ocean, these great lakes are also very dangerous if bad weathers occur.

That is why it is most ideal to do bass fishing during summer especially if the place you choose to have your bass fishing adventure is a big lake like the Lake Erie.

The other thing to consider in bass fishing is whether you goal to fish in the deep called off-shore fishing or just in the shoreline.

When you are fishing in the deep, make sure that your boat is fully equipped with the safety devices and must know the regulations imposed by your host state regarding bass fishing in their respective area of responsibilities.

Some fishermen use the trolling techniques in the deep sea fishing or off-shore fishing to catch more fish.

While if you opt to do bass fishing in the shorelines, you only need small boats and minor fishing gadgets.

Also, it is an experience that to be more productive in bass fishing in the shore, one technique is to fish during night time.

You may also watch or look at the waters if it is very clear. Most probably you can not make a good catch when the water is very clear. Bass fishes prefer discolored waters. Smallmouth bass fishes and many other species do not stay in clear waters.

The contour of the underwater terrain is also a thing to consider in bass fishing. You may consult an expert in the terrain of the lake you are fishing and he will guide you to the best place to fish.

Of course your choice of fishing gadgets will spell much of your success in bass fishing. Choose the most durable hooks that will hold firm when opportunity is given.

The choice of baits is also crucial. There are plastic baits that do but natural baits such as worms and flies make better. Remember always that the bigger the bait, the probability of catching the big fish is better that having small baits.

During summer, one bass fishing technique is choosing to fish along Long Point Bay at Lake Erie because during this time, the bass fishes especially the smallmouth bass fishes are swimming their way here back to the main lake after their spawning period.

If you are an amateur in bass fishing, the best thing to do is to fish with a companion who is an expert in the field not only in fishing but also an expert in the flora and fauna of the river you are cruising or fishing of.

As a beginner, you may opt to fish only in the shorelines of the lake or you may try fishing in the smaller lakes. Smaller lakes offer also varieties of bass fishes including the smallmouth bass and the white bass.

Bass fishing in the rivers is also fruitful to beginners. Catch that catfish and its fun. There are rivers with runs and pools and in many cases fish are stacked up in these areas where catching them is as easy as eating nuts.

Definitely your summer fishing will be very educational and full of fun. Plan your summer bass fishing well by developing and adopting bass fishing techniques suitable to the waters you aim to explore and the fish you wish to catch.

Bass fishing techniques vary from one situation with another. The few ideas presented to you here may help you in deciding and planning your next bass fishing adventure.

Lastly, please bear in mind that safety is the must be technique to adopt in any endeavor. Always check your gadgets for any defect and if you will use a boat, it has to be a licensed one.

Fish The Right Plastic For The Condition

When choosing which plastic bait to use, you must factor in the conditions you're fishing under, such as, water clarity, cover, temperature, sky conditions and the size of bass you want to catch.

You also want to know what the fish are feeding on and try to imitate it. Why fish a 10 inch worm if the fish are feeding on 3 inch shad? If the water is clear fish smaller lures with less action. The fish feed by sight more than sound in these conditions. In stained water fish creature baits where the legs and tails are moving. Also, worms with swimming tails are good too, it helps the bass find the lure.

In cold water use a more subtle lure like tubes and straight tailed worms that glide. Try a light color lure in clear skies and clear water, and a dark color lure in stained water and around dark. They make a better shadow than light colored lures.

For flippin and pitching try a crayfish, lizards or tubes.

Smaller lures will produce a lot more strikes but larger lures will usually catch more quality fish.

We all have a lure that is our favorite and it's hard not to use it at every lake. But if you want to catch fish consistently, then you need to fish the right lure for the conditions.

Different fishing reels are needed for different waters and fishing styles.

Fishing reels are the most essential component of fishing gear. However, there are so many manufacturers and so many different types of fishing reels, how do you know which one is best for you. The three main kinds reels &ndash spin casting, bait casting, and spinning all have their pros and cons. The type you need depends on what kind of fishing you do.

Using a fishing reel for the first time can be frustrating, especially if they style of reel is new to you. Beginners often start with a closed-face reel which helps keep the line from tangling. The most popular style is probably the spin-cast or spinning reel. With these the reel hangs under the rod and the line is held on an open spool. The line is controlled by a bail for casting and tension knobs for controlling the fight. Casting takes a little practice, but keeping your forefinger pressing the line against the handle before casting will prevent the line from coming off the spool.

Baitcasting on the other hand takes a fair bit of practice in order to become accurate and avoid line tangles. You must master controlling the tension of the line. To do this you need to match the weight of the lure to the tension on the line and then finally the power of your cast. But once you do, they're great fun and allow very accurate casts in very tight spots. For this reason alone they are a popular choice with pro bass fishers.

Learning to use all three types of fishing reels will give you an enormous advantage when you go fishing. By matching your reel and other fishing gear to your type of fishing you will have much greater success.