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Showing posts from June, 2009

How to Make Your Own Homemade Catfish Bait

Have you ever been fishing and witnessed someone catching all the fish? I have many times. When I see someone hauling in stringers full of fish I get very curious. On occasion, I have asked about their secret techniques pertaining to equipment and bait.   A lot of times I will get the polite smile and response such as “just lucky today” or “you know…same ol’ stuff.” I’ll ask what type of bait and that is usually when I will get the silent treatment. The typical response, “sorry, secret family recipe” or “if I tell you, I’ll have to kill you.” Through the years, I have collected some very useful information concerning fishing baits. The most important realization was that the people who were catching the most fish were not using store bought baits. It seems that they made their own baits. Some anglers in the past divulged some secrets pertaining to their baits. I thank them for it. I have developed my own formulas but this is not the time or place to reveal them. However, I ha

Milwards Split Cane Fishing Rods

Milwards split cane fishing rods information and details on the different models, features and characteristics of these sort-after pieces of fishing tackle. History In modern day fishing tackle, sometimes the advances of science have taken the simple joy out of a lot of fishing. Fly fishing is probably one of the most traditional of modern fishing disciplines, and one of the few where purchasing antique and vintage fishing tackle is a viable alternative to buying new, off-the-shelf gear. The interest in vintage fly fishing equipment, particularly rods and reels, has grown in recent years, and few fly fishing rods are more sort after than the exquisitely crafted Milwards split cane fishing rods. Henry Milward & Sons was a company founded in Redditch, England (just south of Birmingham) during the 18th century, and was most noted for its production of needles. However, one of the later generation Henrys was an avid fly fisher, and so an offshoot of the main company was formed to cater

Flounder Fishing Tips And Tricks

The tasty flounder is a great sport fish you can target in Rhode Island waters. Every day during the summer hundreds of boats are out there targeting this great fish. By following a few tips you can become a better flounder fisherman. Summer flounder are a funny-looking brownish fish with a totally white underside. They have two eyes on one side of their head and swim with the eyes upward, tending to cruise along the bottom, not moving to far away from it. They cruise about 1-3 feet off the bottom looking for something to eat, usually using the current from the tides to cover ground. Often they will spook some small life form as they approach, and a small puff of mud or motion is sent into the water which attracts the flounder to that area and he will pounce on the poor creature. This habit is the one we exploit when fishing for them. Ok, so you want to find some flounder. Well, they aren’t always in the same place. As the season progresses, you have to go deeper and deeper t

Shopping for a Fishing Boat?

All-Purpose Fishing Boats These boats are intended for those who fish for just about everything. They can be made of aluminum, wood, or fiberglass and sizes usually range from 15 to 20 feet (4.5-6 meters) in length. Aluminum boats are generally the least expensive option available, with prices ranging from $1,500 up to about $25,500. Keep in mind that these prices are generally without a motor, which will have to be purchased separately. Wooden boats are still being made, but they are difficult to find, and very hard to get. Used wooden fishing boats are readily available in the classifieds section of your newspaper or any number of places on the Internet. Maintenance is the big issue with wooden boats, as the wood is susceptible to dry rot and fungus, and so must be painted and kept in good shape at all times. Fiberglass boats are probably the most widely used these days. There are many manufacturers and styles of fiberglass boats, and prices range from about $8,000 to $30,000 for a n

Fly Fishing for Dummies

Clueless about fly fishing? Me too! I have been really curious about this sport for some time now. I’ve seen it done countless of times. Tried it. Failed. People have endlessly and tirelessly, with their utmost patience and understanding tried to rub off some fly fishing skills on me - but to no avail. I have resorted to reading, for now. I decided that whatever I can’t do, I might as well LEARN - even just in theory. It helps. I think of my self right now as “A work in progress”. Let’s all learn the basics. DEFINITION OF TERMS! A brief definition about some terms I need to know about fly fishing. What is Fly Fishing? Fly fishing is an ancient and distinct angling method, developed primarily for salmonids (trout and salmon, mostly) and now extended to other species such as pike, bass, and carp, as well as a wide range of salt water species. Fly casting is gripping or holding a fly rod correctly and to adopt the correct stance to maintain comfort and balance. The most basic rule to cas

Fishing in the Past for the Future

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 la

Basic Golf

"The SECRETS The PROFESSIONALS Don't want YOU To Get Your Hands On.... WHY? ....Because Other Golfers Pay them Thousands of Dollars To Learn The Same Secret Techniques”     And YOU Will Not Be Paying A Single DIME! The Golfers Bible On How To Hit The Green Consistently & Golf Swinging Techniques Are you a newbie to golf? Are you tired of losing? Are you trying to improve your swing and game? If You answered YES to any or all of the above.... Then you NEED to learn the SECRET TECHNIQUES to a fantastic swing for your game without having to pay for an expensive coaching course then this is the most important letter that you will ever read about Golf Swing techniques. Even If you have just started your golf swinging game, and would like to learn how to hit on the green consistently without having to pay someone else for an expensive golf training course, then... I know there are a few things on your mind... You want to learn how to instantly supercharge your swing so you c

Bass Fishing At Night - An Effective Way To Fish

The classic image of bass fishing is lazing in a rowboat in the middle of a lake on a sunny afternoon. However, some smart bass enthusiasts have discovered that the best way to get great bass during the summertime months is by fishing in the dead of night. There are a lot of reasons why night fishing for bass is a great idea, so if you haven’t tried evening fishing yet, give it a shot and be prepared to reel in some winners. Summer is the most popular season for fishing, which has both positive and negative aspects for sportsmen. Because bait and equipment are in so much demand during the warmer months of the year, these goods are plentiful and easy to find as retailers stock up in order to get the best bait and tackle to their customers. However, as fishing fans flock to lakes and streams all over the country, all too often the peace and quiet of the sport becomes quite elusive as multiple sportsmen jockey for position on the same water. The summertime crowds can take away a lot of th

Catch and Release Practices for Ice Fishing

Why practice Catch and Release Fishing ? The fish population, and the size of the fish caught, have been on a steady decline for a number of years. This is due to the advancement of ice fishing technologies. Gadgets and advancements to other ice fishing equipment are making it much easier to catch fish in everyday ice fishing spots. However, we are seeing more and more anglers returning the majority of their catch to the water. While no one can deny the fact that a nice hot fish dinner after an ice fishing trip is very rewarding, most fishers are enjoying fishing for the sport, not for the food. Another common practice used in combination with catch and release is called ‘selective harvest.’ This is the practice of minimizing the waste of fish, and providing a diverse opportunity for fishing while preserving fish conservation. The easiest way to do this is to practice catch and release. Only keep what you will definitely use. While catching and keeping the fish as a prize can bring you

Colorado Fly Fishing

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

Crickets: The Other Live Bait

Several years ago I got turned on to using live bait. Before that time I had used worms. Yes worms are live bait too, but the world of live bait is much more than a crawler on a hook. Minnows, crawdads, and crickets are also a big part of live bait fishing. I have enjoyed using each type, but crickets were my first venture into the “other-world” of live bait fishing. A good friend of mine, Tom, first showed me how to use crickets when stream fishing for trout. We were Trout fishing the Silver Fork out side of Kyburz, California. The water was running and the scenery outstanding. Our plan was to hop boulders from up above and fish our way down stream. First on the agenda was my introduction to using crickets as bait.  Tom grabbed a black cricket out of the cricket cage and said, “You just run the hook under the collar”. What? Was this cricket wearing a coat or something? I found that just behind the head of the cricket is something that looks like a collar. The trick is to gently guide