Sport Fishing

Walleye Fishing Tips to Overflow Your Freezer with Fish

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:12:41 +0000

Like any great basketball player taking part in a shooting drill,
there are some walleye fishing tips that are basic fundamentals that we should put into practice when we’re walleye
fishing.

These walleye fishing tips that can make or break your performance on the water –
every time out.

Some easy preventative measures can mean the
difference between catching or losing a whole lot of fish.
For example: Take a pair of pliers and slightly widen the gap
of your hooks. This will decrease the amount of missed hook-sets
by a lot. One of the often overlooked walleye fishing tips is to sharpen those hooks
- regularly.

Stick to the colors that work: Bright colors in dirty
water, more natural colors in clear water.
Always adapt. Give the walleyes what they want to eat
how and when they want it.

One of the slightly more advanced walleye fishing tips is to
have the mindset of the pro and be versitile. Let the
conditions you find yourself in dictate your fishing
strategy.

Just because a certain lure or technique has worked
in the past, doesn’t mean it’s going to work today.

Go with what works today.

I run through a set rotation of 3 or 4 offerings
at the outset of each fishing expedition depending
on the characteristics present that day.

This way I can quickly narrow in on what the fish
are interested in on that particular day.

And lastly, don’t forget one of the most
important factors of them all: Each day’s different.

It’s always good to get back to the basic fundamentals
of walleye fishing, don’t you think? After all, even Michael Jordan
practiced his lay-ups before every game.

By: Andrew Martinsen

Bass Fishing Tip – Playing the Fish

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:35:05 +0000

The bass simply couldn’t resist the enticing wiggle of your lure and he struck, it’s time to get that baby in the boat! And here’s the best way to do it.

Set The Hook

Most lures especially a treble-hook lure will cause the bass to hook itself once it strikes. That is in most cases, but not a 100%. You must keep in mind how tough the jaws of bass are. It takes a stern impact and an extremely sharp hook point to penetrate a basses skin.
If you are using a crankbait when the strike occurs, you will need to pull back the rod tip quickly and begin to reel until the line is tight. In most cases when a bass initially strikes the hook is set, but by maintaining pressure on the fish you can usually bury the hook deeper.
With top water type lures, it’s important to give it a few seconds before setting the hook. An overreaction often results in pulling the lure from the mouth of your trophy bass.
With single-hook lures such as jigs, plastic worms, and spinnerbaits they require a solid intentional hookset on your behalf. Normally the bass inhales the lure completely. It is a must that you drive the hook point in deeper with a solid strike.

DON’T

• Tighten down on the fish and then sweep back with the rod tip. This will only turn the head of a big bass.

DO

• Set the hook using the slack line technique. Upon feeling the strike, turn to face the bass with the rod between 10 and 11 o’clock. Then drop the rod top quickly and snap the slack out of the line with a fast overhead strike. This will drive home the hook. “ALWAYS” set the hook with a strong upward jerk. Keep in mind you are not trying to hit a home run when setting the hook. If you have your rig set right, the bass will practically hook itself.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE DRAG

Your reel’s drag allows line slippage. It’s a precaution against a big fish or obstacle breaking your line.

DON’T

• Set the drag by adjusting the drag setting, then pulling line from directly in front to the spool. This can bury line in the spool and gives an inaccurate reading of line pull exerted from the lure.

DO

• Adjust the drag and then pull the line from past the rod tip, or tie a heavy object to the end of your line and adjust accordingly. A good rule of thumb is to set the drag to not exceed half that of the pound test of your line. A spring scale used in weighing fish can help set drag tension more accurately.

Backreeling

Backreeling is a method of playing a fish on a spinning reel that bypass the reel’s drag system. The drag is tightened down and the fisherman uses the reel handle to either take-in or pay-out as the fish demands. With practice, the technique becomes easier, but beginners will find this method difficult to master. The advantage of backreeling is that line twist is often greatly reduced because you aren’t reeling while the bass is pulling line against the drag. On light line, you must try to second-guess the bass when backreeling-anticipate its next move – never an easy tack.

Landing a Fish

Bass have no teeth, as do many other game fish; therefore they can be easily landed without the use of a net, with practice. Keep in mind that landing nets may damage fish you wish to release.

Lip-Landing Method

1. When the fish is ready to come in, use the rod to draw it close to the boat. Do not reel up a lot of line. The rod’s spring action will act as a shock absorber should the fish decide to make one last run at the boat.
2. Draw the rod back over one shoulder an extend your arm. Maintain pressure on your line. Slowly pull the bass toward your grasp.
3. Carefully press your thumb against the tip of the jaws if the mouth is shut. This will cause it to open. Then firmly clench the lower jaw between thumb and forefinger.
4. On a big bass, wait one second. Put down your rod and use your other hand to grasp the jaw also.
5. Lift the bass aboard.

Net Method

Many bass are lost at the landing net. Net your fish carefully but remember that landing nets will damage the scales, fins and slime coating of a bass.

1. Bring the bass alongside the boat.
2. Put the net into the water, making sure the netting is not tangled.
3. Draw the fish toward the net; the fish will usually swim into it.
4. Scoop the fish up, using a single, smooth motion. Don’t try to net the bass downward and do not swipe at a bass that is not ready to come aboard.

Preventing Problems

• Remember, the harder you fight, the harder the fish fights. Once you pull him from the cover, let up and let the bass tire out before bringing him to the boat.
• If a bass swims under the boat, extend your arms as far as they will go with rod in hand, thereby giving you extra leverage. Maintain pressure and you can usually draw the fish out into the open again. Avoid hitting the trolling motor start button while the bass is under the boat, you can cut your line.
• Don’t fight or pull the fish in the opposite direction it’s heading. Turn him by guiding his head.
• Don’t panic. Use the tools at hand: your rod, reel, line and brain. Horsing a big fish to the boat usually means losing it.
• Don’t try to pull a bass out that’s buried in weeds or other heavy cover. You’ll usually tear out or straighten the hook. It’s wiser to move toward the bass with the boat.
• Long rods are an asset when playing a big fish. They provide more shock-absorbing power, move more line when setting the hook and give you more control over the bass.
• Even a professional fisherman loses some fish. Learn from your mistakes, but don’t let them ruin your fishing trip.
• Whatever you do when landing the bass, DO NOT grab the line, especially on a big fish. I have lost a 6 pound largemouth and a 4 pound smallmouth in the last year, because I did not have the patience to wait until the time was right to lip the bass. It is a hard habit to break, but it is worth the effort.
• When fishing early in the morning, try using a Yellow Sally on the weed beds and work it fast. I have found this produces a lot of strikes and usually bigger fish.

By: Tim Beachum EL

Michigan Fishing Has Never Been Better

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:35:36 +0000

The diverse number of species Michigan fishing has to offer is way beyond the scope of one article. So I will divide and conquer by writing about four areas of angling, trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and walleye, and finally the Great Lakes.

To write about trout in Michigan one has to start with the Au Sable River in the central-east of the state. One of the finest trout streams in the country it has been designated a Blue Ribbon Trout Stream by the Department of Natural Resources. With 146 miles of water counting its eminently fishable branches the Au Sable offers easy wading, major hatches, and adequate access. Every fly fisherman should fish the Au Sable at least once in his life. Other notable streams are Bear Creek, Manistee River, Pere Marquette River, and Pine River on the Lower Peninsula. On the Upper Peninsula some great rivers to fish are Ontonagon River both the East and Middle Branch, Paint River, West Branch of the Sturgeon River, and the East Branch of the Tahquamenon. Hatches start about 1 to 2 weeks later on the Upper Peninsula. So if you have a favorite hatch you can fish it twice, once on the Lower Peninsula then follow it on up to the Upper Peninsula

Michigan has some outstanding lakes for largemouth bass but the place to start is Fletcher’s Pond. There you can cast for some real lunkers. Try a Mepps, a Rapala, or my favorite a Red Devil spoon. The water in Fletcher’s pond is not deep so deep-running lures will snag often. You should fish around the stumps of dead trees for the best chance of catching a scale tipper. Other good lakes you should fish largemouth are Black Lake, Houghton Lake, Long Lake, Elk Lake and Manistique Lake.

An excellent place to fish for smallmouth bass and walleye is the headwater of the Au Sable River. Especially in the spring when they are on the move to spawning grounds is good. You should use a crawdad-imitating lure for walleye and a small black jig for smallmouth. Fish in slower, deeper pools and on the bottom. Traditional lake fishing for both species is numerous in Michigan. Some excellent lakes are Mullet Lake, Stanford Lake, Lake Michigamme, Lake Gogebic, Grand Lake and Brevoort Lake.

The Great Lakes are an excellent fishery. You can troll for salmon 250′ down or fill your live box with crappie from a crappie hole. As well as fishing for salmon and crappie, you can fish for trout (steelhead, browns and lake), bass (largemouth, smallmouth and stripers), walleye, catfish, sturgeon, and bluegill. For salmon, steelhead, and lake trout it is best to have a boat equipped with a downrigger but bass and walleye can be caught near shore.

By: Craig Petersen

Fly Fishing Terms You Need to Know

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:33:07 +0000

In the world of fly fishing there are many words that are important to know. Many of these words are unusual or have a different meaning when used in reference to fly fishing. The following list includes some of the more unusual and double meaning words used by fly fishermen.

Action: a general term often used to try to describe the feel of the rod – such as sft, hard, slow, or fast

Attractor: usually a bright colored fly that is not usually tied so that it imitates a particular type of food

Belly: the sagging portion of a fly fishing line

Blank: a rod without a handle, reel seat, or guides

Blood Knot: the common name for a barrel knot

Chalk Stream: a stream, usually found in valleys, that is spring fed and slow moving with a lot of vegetation

Complex Hatch: the simultaneous hatching of several types of species of insects

Compound Hatch: the masking, or hiding, of a hatch of smaller insects by a hatch of larger insects that occurs on the same day

Cutthroat Trout: a true trout that is found mostly in the western part of the United States

Dapping: a fly fishing technique in which the fly is repeatedly bounced on and off of the surface of the water

Down Eye Hook: a hook that has the eye bent below the shaft

Dropper: the secondary fly that is attached to the leader in a cast of flies

Emerger: a term that is used to describe any insect that moves up towards the water’s surface preparing to hatch into the adult stage

Feeding Lie: where a trout goes in order to actively feed

Flat-butt Leader: a fly used in fly fishing where the butt section is formed into a ribbon shape

Freestone Streams: fast moving, tumbling streams with rock covered bottoms

French Snap: a small clamp, often used by a fly fisherman to attach his net to his vest

Holding Lie: where a trout generally remains when not actively feeding

Leisenring Lift: a technique used in nymph fly fishing where the line is lifted, causing the imitation fly to move upwards, right in front of the trout’s suspected lie

Midge Rod: a short, light weight rod

Natural – a living insect, as opposed to an artificial, or man-made, insect or fly

Nymphing: any oaf the various fishing techniques in which the fly fisherman presents an imitation of the underwater stage of an insect

Presentation: the method of placing a fly where the fish is most likely to see it; includes the manner in which the cast in completed and the method in which the fly is fished

Rise: the act of the fish taking an insect from the water’s surface

Run: a term used to describe a particular stretch of moving water

Shooting: a casting technique

Spate: high water

Stripping: quickly retrieving line or pulling line from the reel

Terrestrial: of or relating to an insect whose life cycle is completely spent on land or in plants

Waders staff: a sturdy rod about as high as the armpit of the person fly fishing used for support in heavy water

There are many words and terms that are unfamiliar to most people but not to those who enjoy fly fishing.

By: Greg F Williams

Saltwater Flies For Freshwater Fishing And Freshwater Flies For Saltwater Fishing

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:13:55 +0000

I have been fly fishing for over forty years now and have over the years discovered that some of my saltwater fly fishing flies work well in fresh water and that some of my freshwater flies work well in saltwater. The more fly fishing I do the more I come to realize that both saltwater fish and freshwater have a lot in common.

I have caught trout, bass and pan fish on what are traditionally considered saltwater fishing flies. There are several different saltwater fly patterns that I use to catch freshwater fish. The Clouser’s minnow and Lefty’s deceiver minnows are a great choice when bass fishing and in the smaller sizes large pan fish. I have come to believe that both of these flies simulate small minnows that are prevalent in all environments where we fish. It is the color choice that is most important, and that choice will be dictated by the clarity of the water and the color of the natural minnows that exist where you are fishing. One of my favorite saltwater flies for large pan fish is the bonefish special tied in a little smaller size. I have also caught large crappie bass using Crazy Charlie flies in yellow and chartreuse colors, and try red, yellow or pink Crazy Charlie flies for large pan fish. In cloudy water on a sunny day try a kryatal Flash Charlie for pan fish and a Kryatal flash for bass and crappie.

You can also catch saltwater species of fish with what are traditionally considered bass flies. In a previous article I chronicle a trip to the N.C. coast when the fishing was unbelievable and I exhausted all of my saltwater flies. I resorted to bass flies and continued to catch fish. I have caught saltwater trout, bluefish, tarpon, redfish and more with flies that are supposed to be for bass fishing. For tarpon, stripers, snook and bluefish try Rabbit Strip Divers, Mega Divers, Zonker and Bass Buggers. If you are after sea trout or redfish you might want to try Woolly Buggers in either a chartreuse or olive color. Again, I think color is most important and I recommend you stick to chartreuse, yellow or olive for redfish and trout. For stripers, and bluefish and tarpon just about any color with some flash will work.

If you fish saltwater and freshwater I would suggest that you take a large variety of you flies with you and do not be afraid to experiment. You will be surprised at what you catch and learn.
Thanks and good fishing

By: Brian Smith