Fishing Tips

Trout is a term used for several types of fish that are a part of one of three genera: oncorhyunchus, salmo or salvelinus. They live in freshwater, but some trout do spend time out in the ocean and return to freshwater to spawn, just like salmon, which trout are closely related to. Several common types of trout are brown trout, lake trout, rainbow trout and steelhead. A trout’s diet usually consist of other fish and aquatic invertebrates. When a trout reaches over 12 inches they’ll usually only feed on smaller fish. Trout are a very popular game fish and many state wildlife agencies stock lakes, ponds and streams with trout for anglers to catch.

You can locate trout in lakes and streams with cool water. The ideal temperature range is 50 to 60 degrees. Juvenile trout can also be known as fry, troutlet and troutling. They tend to mature around 2 to 3 years of age. The lifespan on trout depends on the species. For example, a rainbow trout can live up to 7 years while lake trout can live for several decades. The color variation of trout varies greatly and is dependent on the type of trout you’re looking to catch. Trout are not only popular with anglers, they are also popular on the dinner table. Trout, along with its close relatively salmon are a common staple in many American’s diets.

What To Use When Trout Fishing

Since rainbow trout grow to about 12 inches, you are safe even with ultralight tackle. A standard trout fishing rig would include a spinning reel, 4-8 lb test flurocarbon line and a light or ultralight action rod.

There are two big rules to remember when trout fishing: 1. Powerbait will only work on stocked trout (most likely), and 2. Most trout over a foot long cut flies and insects out of their diet. These won’t make or break the bite, but they will affect the type of trout you hook into.

Powerbait (or trout marshmallows, or any dough bait substitute to imitate pellets) is simply not a good choice for natives. Stocked trout grow up in hatcheries and on farms where they are fed pellets. Dough baits like Powerbait are created solely to imitate those pellets in sight, texture, and scent. If you are fishing for natives, they likely have no idea what that glob of dough floating in front of them is. While you may get a bite out of curiosity, it is unlikely that they are conditioned to eat those pellets and will lay off your line.

If you’re looking for BIG trout (steelhead or larger adults of the bows, browns, and brooks), avoid fly, mayfly and tiny haired imitators. While they may snack on zooplankton, flies or other tiny insects occasionally, they almost exclusively eat smaller fish, worms, shrimp, and larger insects when they are over 1 foot in length. To imitate those common trout meals when trout fishing, here’s what you should throw.

Counting Down

Another mistake I notice a lot of anglers make is that they begin to reel in the spinner as soon as it hits the water. If the trout are feeding near the surface, you’ll be fine; but this is not always the case. If the trout are holding deeper in the water column, chances are it will be a very slow day.

The solution? Count your lure down. Depending on the shape and size of the spinner, a good rule is that it will sink one foot per second. After you make your cast, wait and count. This will give you an idea of how deep your lure is. I will usually reel in one cast on the surface, then let the next one sink down for two counts, then 4, 6, 8 counts and so on. Eventually, you will know where the bottom is. This will help you focus on the entire water column.

All right, and now for some advice that might sound silly at first. I count out loud. I don’t scream it, but loud enough so I can hear myself. Why, might you ask? Well if you catch a fish on an “8” count, wouldn’t it make sense to count down to eight again the next time? Of course! Sometimes though, in the heat of the battle with the trout, I will forget what number I was at. I find counting out loud helps me keep track of where I was. Maybe this won’t be an issue for you. Just thought I’d throw it out there.

So there you have it, between fan casting and counting down, your lure you will be covering much more of the water in front of you, and reaching more trout. You’re already on your way to being a much more effective spinner fisherman!

Other Rainbow Trout Tips

If I am fishing in a lake with which I am unfamiliar, I usually start at an end of the lake that has a stream flowing in or other moving water.  It seems those spots always cause fish to congregate.  I usually set up one rod with a floating worm, cast that out, put a strike indicator of some sort, put it in a rod holder and then fish around that spot with a Kastmaster or other lure for a while.  If I get no hits on either the worm or the lure in about 1/2 hour I go to another promising looking spot.  That approach seems to work pretty well all the places I have fished.  Of course, I’m always on the lookout for fish activity such as trout rising for insects or chasing baitfish on the surface, birds diving to pick off baitfish, etc.  If the water is very clear and I can see the fish I switch to the plastic jig in a natural color.  I put it in front of the fish I can see and see how they react to different types of twitches.  If I see a trout become interested in a certain retrieve, I will try that in other spots, even if the trout I could see does not ultimately eat.  Many times it is harder to catch the fish that you can see, especially in still water, because they can see you.

When fishing in a river I like to concentrate on slower moving pools and spots of slower moving water behind large rocks.  Trout don’t sit in the fastest part of the current; that would tire them out.  They wait in ambush in spots outside the current and dart out to eat things that float by.  Try to make your bait or lure float by in the same way that a stray bug or worm or fish might.  They have to make a split second decision on whether to eat it or not and are generally easier to catch than trout in lakes as a result.

From Virginia to Maine, striped bass (Morone ­saxatilis) are often the center of every hardcore angler’s universe. Strong, hard-striking and gorgeous, with fleeting hues of pink and purple, the extraordinary bass is revered by sportsmen along the coast.

Yet most fishermen who spend more than a few days on the water each season acknowledge that the dynamics of striped bass fishing have changed considerably. Anglers saw shifts in striper size and abundance for well over a decade, with the latest science — a stock assessment released in 2014 — pretty clear in its conclusions: Numbers have diminished gradually but significantly since 2006.

As with most other bass, stripers will tend to stay closer to the surface during the fall and spring and then go deep during the hotter summer months. For those spring and fall months, you can have some success with top water lures such as poppers and minnow lures that suspend just below the surface. For those summer months, some deep diving crank baits will produce some nice keepers. Also, working some jigs or flashy Roadrunner lures will get get you results.

Striper Gear

The first thing you need for striper fishing is the proper gear. I prefer the Yozuri Pencil. This bait is designed to dart back and forth across the top in what is commonly referred to as “walking the dog”. The action of this bait is really what separates it from other “dog walking” style baits because it will maintain that desired side to side action whether you are working it slowly, or trying to burn it as fast as you can. It has incredibly sharp hooks, great sound, and you can cast it a mile.

The next thing you need is a long, stiff, fast action rod. You can use a flipping stick if you’re not able to have a rod designated solely for topwater fishing, but I recommend getting one for topwater plugs and frogs because you’ll want that intended design when it comes to this particular style of striper fishing. For the reel you want high speed, at least 7.3.

Striped Bass Fishing Techniques for Fooling Finicky Bass

Every year I hear of instances where schools of bass refused to hit anything thrown at them. I’ve had my share of disappointing outings, however, over the years, I’ve honed a few techniques that often convert that frustration into success.

On most occasions, when stripers are being extremely finicky, their feeding activity is taking place right near the surface. In addition, the water is usually either very clear or very off-colored, and baitfish schools are nearby. Under these conditions, my observations suggest that the fish are either seeing too much of a lure, or not enough of it.

Have a Need for Speed

Have you ever had a striper smack your plug as you hurriedly reeled in the last ten yards of your retrieve to make another cast? Or has a bass continually boiled, bumped, or rolled behind your offering without grabbing it? Often times these things occur when the water is crystal clear and the surf is fairly calm. Under these conditions, a simple increase in retrieve speed may be all that is needed to trigger a solid strike. One outing, almost 25 years ago, gave me some insight into the effectiveness of speed. During that last week in September, false albacore consistently invaded the surf, and once a school of these speedsters were within casting range, all fishermen on the scene would start throwing metal or small Polaris-style poppers. The trick was to retrieve these lures as fast as possible. As a school pushed past me, I finally had an albie – or so I thought – explode on my popper.

Work the White Water

When stripers are being finicky about taking an artificial lure in clear water, and there is white-water created by breaking waves nearby, use it to your advantage. I’ve been lucky enough to catch fish, at times, along a crowded beach of empty-handed fisherman because I recognized that the bass would only take a plug in the limited white water available. Precisely timing my casts with the breaking waves and having the lure work on the back edge of the wash was the ticket.

Do Nothing

Many years ago, after a successful fishing trip to Canada, I was confronted with a very problematic school of bass back home. Acres of stripers were slurping baitfish off the surface all around me in the dark, yet my plug came through the school without so much as a bump. I had a similar encounter with finicky walleyes in Canada a few weeks earlier, and wondered if the technique that helped me connect with the north-of-the-border walleye would work on these hometown stripers.

Get Creative with Colors

Certain color patterns perform better under specific conditions when feeding stripers are reluctant to strike. In crystal-clear, calm-water conditions, I’ve had my best results using the most natural and subtle color patterns. Patterns and lures imitating the prevailing baitfish are the first to come out of my plug bag. With advances in modern manufacturing technology, some lures look almost life-like. Under cloudy-water conditions, I opt first for higher visibility patterns in yellow, yellow and black, red and yellow, or all black. Here, I want to choose an offering that will stand out the most in a murky environment.

Own the Night

Sometimes, when stripers are active toward late afternoon but are rejecting artificial offerings, a little patience can go a long way. Often, after most anglers have given up and gone home, the few that stick it out another hour into darkness are rewarded with the best bite of the day. The cover of darkness often turns nippers into strikers.

Get Down and Dirty

Although I am rather stubborn about abandoning artificial lures under most circumstances, the fact remains there will be times when quality stripers will only respond to the real thing. This is especially true when schools of bunker are being followed by big striped bass. At this time, a snagged bunker will often be the only offering that will take a good fish. The same can be true with clams, bloodworms, cut baitfish, and other live or fresh baits.

Be a Tease

When stripers are in their lure-rejection mode, there are a few reliable tactics that always seem to save the day for me during the season. One tactic that has worked for generations of fishermen is the use of a teaser in front of the main lure offering. These little wisps of feather, bucktail, flash and plastic, or a combination of all, account for thousands of finicky bass each year. Bass often crush these tiny morsels with reckless abandonment, while ignoring a more substantial target. Although I primarily fish without using a teaser during the season, because they cuts down on casting distance, I always carry a few in my bag for special situations. These are a few techniques that have worked for me and other fishermen over the years.

Muskie (Esox masquinongy) are a large species of freshwater fish that are native to North America. Muskie is just a nickname for this species of fish, the true name is muskellunge. In the pike family muskie are the largest member and they are actually a very uncommon fish. They are only found in large rivers, mesotrphic lakes and oligotrophic lakes in North America. Muskie will hunt and feed on prey that is up to 30% of its body length and this can include fish crayfish, frogs, ducklings, muskrats, mice snakes and other small birds or mammals. In the spring months they will prey on generally small prey while in the fall they will hunt larger prey to prepare for the winter months.

Where to Fish

New River

The lower New River in southwest Virginia and West Virginia is the best option for musky in the area. The state record musky was pulled out of these waters in 2007.

James River

The upper James River above Lynchburg is not quite a big a river as the New, but is rapidly gaining a reputation as a musky fishery of equal production.

Shenandoah River

The VDGIF stocks both forks and the main channel of the Shenandoah, adding an intimidating predator lurking just under the surface of one of the East’s most beautiful rivers.

Cave Run Lake

The “Musky Capital of the South” is located just east of Lexington, Ky. and is famous for its large fish and consistent feeding action. The 54-inch state record was caught here in 2008, but you can also fish the tailwaters.

Melton Hill Lake

Part of the Clinch River system in Tennessee, Melton Hill Lake is nearly 5,500 acres of prime predator habitat. The tailwaters are another great option, and a 50-inch limit is a testament to the behemoths that lurk there.

Equipment

First-and-foremost, know that musky fishing is not a cheap hobby (or addiction). The high prices of baits, rods, reels, line, etc. may steer many new musky anglers to buy the cheaper musky gear. Take my advice from someone who has “been there, done that”. It will be much cheaper in the long run to make the initial investment to buy quality gear. Outlined below are my recommendations and necessities for musky fishing.

Release Tools – Catch and release of every musky is critical in order to keep this sport alive. Having the correct, quality release tools should be the first thing any musky angler buys. ALWAYS CATCH AND RELEASE.

• High leverage bolt/ hook cutters
• Needle-nose pliers
• Musky-sized jaw spreader
• Mike Hulbert’s Musky Release gloves
• Muskie Bumper – 60” Fatboy Muskie Bumper
• Frabill 40” X 44” Power Catch “Big Kahunna” Net – A net of this size is used to as an “in-lake” live well. It’s important that you keep the musky in the net while unhooking it, taking it out of the water only briefly for a short picture.

Musky Fishing Baits

There are thousands of musky baits to choose from, ranging from small spoons to two pound soft plastic baits. If you are new to the musky fishing world, knowing where to start can be extremely difficult. This section of the article outlines what I consider “must-have baits” for the any musky angler. Every bait has a time and place for different times of the year and conditions.

The “Figure 8” – Quite possibly the most abstract concept to most new musky anglers, the “figure 8.” Muskies, being at the top of the food chain in most waters they inhabit, have little to nothing to fear. This makes them curious and meticulous by nature, which results in very abstract feeding habits. Muskies will often follow a potential meal before even considering actually eating it, your bait included. So, how do you coax a following musky into eating your bait? The figure 8. Think of a boat side figure 8 as an extension of your cast. As you’re reeling in your bait and it gets close to the boat, whether you see a fish behind it or not, start speeding up the retrieval speed. You never want to reel slower when going into the figure 8. Put your rod tip into the water and make wide sweeping “figure 8” motions with little (about 2 feet) line out. Wide turns are key to successful figure 8’s. It is very hard for a 48-inch musky to follow your bait if the arc lengths of your turns are only 30 inches. If a musky is following boat side and is right behind the bait, in-and-out of every turn and speed up your figure 8. Oppositely, if a following musky is very lethargic and seems uninterested, slow down your figure 8 in hopes that it will seem to be an easier target. Every cast, no matter what bait used, ends with a proper figure 8.

A novice fisherman will hit the water armed only with the knowledge of an overhand knot. A real angler wouldn’t dare venture out with such a limited arsenal.

Different situations call for different knots. The knots needed for tying fishing line to a hook are different from the knots needed to join two sections of line together.

To be prepared for anything, learn these knots before you hit the water.

Tying The Fisherman’s Knot

The real name of the Fisherman’s knot is the Improved Clinch knot. But way back when, many people called it the Fisherman’s knot because every angler knew how to tie it, and it was often the first knot they learned to attach a fishing line to a hook.

Knot-tying instructions use a few standard terms. These terms are pretty self-explanatory, but just to make sure the instructions are clear, here they are:

Tag end: The end of your line. This is the part that does the knot-tying.

Standing line: The rest of the line that runs up toward the reel.

Turn: Sometimes called a wrap. A turn occurs when you pass the tag end completely around the standing line.

To tie the Improved Clinch knot, a.k.a the Fisherman’s knot, follow these steps:

1. Run the tag end of the line through the eye of the hook and pull 8–10 inches of line through the hook eye.
2. Wrap the tag end around the standing end for five wraps or turns.
3. Now pass the tag end through the loop next to the hook eye.
4. You have formed another loop that includes your wraps.
5. Pass the tag end through that loop.
6. Wet the loops with some saliva to lubricate the knot.
7. Hold the tag end and standing end in one hand and the bend of the hook in the other; then pull with steady pressure.
8. If you are not sure about safely holding the hook, grip it firmly but not super firmly with needle-nose pliers.
9. Tighten slowly.
10. Clip the tag end so that only 1/8-inch is left.
11. A standard fingernail clipper is a great tool for making a clean final cut on the tag end.

The Only 5 Fishing Knots You Will Ever Need To Know

Here are the top most-used fishing knots you should start out learning.

Every angler needs a few things to be successful: a good fishing rod and lure combination, a great location, and the ability to tie a few simple but pivotal fishing line knots.

The Palomar Knot

If you learn to tie a particular knot – especially if you fish with a braided line of any kind – make it the Palomar knot. Regarded by anglers as one of the strongest knots, the Palomar serves a similar function to the improved clinch knot, securing a hook or swivel to one end of your fishing line, or fastening a fly to a leader.

The Blood Knot

Unlike the improved clinch knot and the Palomar knot, a blood knot is not used to fasten fishing line to hooks or lures, but is instead utilized for tying two pieces of fishing line together. Used often fly fishing or for making use of broken or odd length fishing lines, the blood knot is an easy-to-learn and valuable skill to have on any fishing boat.

The Improved Clinch Knot

Chances are, if you’ve been fishing for more than about a week, you know how to tie an improved clinch knot. It’s one of the most important knots in all of fishing, used by most anglers to secure their hooks, lures, or swivels to the fishing line.

The Surgeon’s Knot

Like the blood knot, the surgeon’s knot comes in handy when you need to attach two different pieces of fishing line. Unlike the blood knot, the surgeon’s knot is optimal for fastening together two fishing lines of different diameters.

The Spider Hitch Knot

Used to boost the strength of a fisherman’s line, the spider hitch knot is a lesser-known, but no less useful knot to have in your arsenal. By forming a double line, the spider knot is able to take on heavier hooks or leaders.

The Crappie (Pomoxis) is believed to be native to the eastern United States and Canada. Due to wide transplantation, populations of Crappie exist in all of the 48 contiguous states today, making them a very popular North American game fish. American Expedition is proud to present information, interesting facts, and photos of the Crappie.

The name crappie can refer to either the white crappie, which is lighter in color with vertical black stripes, or the black crappie, which is and darker with a pattern of black spots. Both species are similar in size, shape, and habits. The average crappie weighs between 1/2 and 1 pound and measures 5-12 inches, though they are capable of growing much larger. Crappie are very social fish and form schools to live in.

When to Find Crappie

Fortunately for us freshwater enthusiasts, you can find freshwater fish any time of the year. Unlike their saltwater cousins, these fish are trapped in the lakes and rivers, and you simply have to know where to find them during each season, which we describe below. In general however, “crappie season” is essentially the winter season when the fish come close to shore, making them easy to find and catch on any type of gear.

Where to Catch Crappie

During the winter season, crappie come close to shore to spawn. Similar to all of the other sunfish, they spawn in the shallows and make beds – shallow depressions in the sand – where they lay the eggs. This is where most of the crappie are caught during this season, right near the vegetation, in 3-to-5 feet of water. Throughout all other seasons, crappie will be offshore, which makes finding them a lot more difficult. The best way to find them during this time is by using several rods to test the depth profiles, as the fish may be anywhere. Usually, they will be somewhat near structures offshore.

The Different Types of Rod Choices for Catching Crappie

You don’t need fancy or expensive gear to catch crappie. Since crappie aren’t the largest or toughest fighting fish you’ll encounter, just about any fishing rod setup will work.  You’ll want to avoid fly fishing rods and stick to Carbon Fiber or bamboo, and usually keep the weight on the lighter side.  Here’s an overview of the rods best suited for crappie fishing.

Telescopic Crappie Poles:  If you like the idea of the classic cane pole, but want the advantage of modern materials, a graphite or fiberglass telescopic crappie pole may be just what you need.

For many crappie fishing techniques, very long rods are required to fish effectively. The idea is that the further you get your bait or lure away from the boat, the better your chances are of hooking a fish before scaring the entire school away. Modern crappie poles come in lengths from 8 feet all the way up to 20 feet. Telescopic crappie poles, like the B’n’M Black Widow, collapse to a relatively small size, making them easy to transport and store when not in use.

Telescopic crappie poles are a good option if you plan on doing a lot of bank fishing, especially in heavy brush. They can also be used effectively from a boat for spider rigging, which we’ll cover later. One of the main advantages of a long crappie pole is that they often have a very sensitive tip that helps you detect the most subtle crappie bites.

The PLUSINNO Spinning rod and Reel Combo is a great choice for beginning crappie fishermen just starting out.  If you already have a reel you can save a few bucks and check out the Shimano FXS 2 Piece Spinning Rod. This is also a great choice if you are looking for an ultralight option that comes in a variety of different lengths.

Ultralight Spinning Rods:  Of all the rod types for crappie fishing, you’ll have the most options in terms of selection and configuration when you go with an ultralight spinning rod.

Ultralight spinning rods for crappie come in a wide range of lengths from less than 5 feet to over 16 feet. The length of the rod should be determined based on the fishing tactics and methods you plan on using.

Shorter rods in the 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 foot range are best suited for vertical jigging from a boat. Vertical jigging is usually done with the aid of a fish finder, with the fish you see on the screen located within a small circumference under and around your boat. Using a shorter rod allows you to keep your lure where the fish are without question.

Mid-length rods in the 6 to 7 1/2 foot range are perfect for cast and retrieve fishing with jigs and other lures. The longer rod length helps you make longer, more accurate casts.  This is helpful when you want to skip your bait under a dock or an overhanging tree.

Longer spinning rods in the 10 to 16-foot range are the go-to choice for trolling baits and lures when spider rigging. The long length keeps the bait and lures away from the boat and propellers, and helps you cover a broader sweep of water when trolling. Long rods can also pull double duty for fishing slip-float rigs and dipping jigs into places with tight cover.

Most crappie anglers prefer rods with highly sensitive, soft action tips and sturdy butt sections. The soft tip helps you detect the delicate bites crappie are known for, and the sturdy butt section gives you adequate power if you need to horse a crappie out of heavy cover.

Some crappie anglers prefer rods with faster action tips, especially when vertically jigging in deep water. The faster (stiffer) tip helps you impart action to your jig when it’s down 20 feet or more.

Tips

TIP 1: Here’s a litle trick you can use when crappie get “lock-jaw”.

You’ll need 2 fishing rods. Rig one of the rods with a jig (or a minnow) under a bobber. The other rod need to be rigged with a large crankbait (or a spinner).

STEP 1: cast out your bobber rig.

STEP 2: cast the lure setup beyond the bobber.

STEP 3: reel it as quickly as you can, towards the bobber rig.

STEP 4: repeat step 2 and 3 above.

You’ll find you get a lot of strikes on the bobber setup because crappie think another fish is coming for the bait. This stimulates a natural instinct to attack the bait first. A survival mechanism.

TIP #2: Another trick, for when you’re night fishing…

Throw a few extra minnows in a glass jar and seal it with the lid. (Makre sure to poke some holes in the lid first.)

Next, tie a rope to the jar and drop it a 1-2 feet below the surface.

Make you’re using a light on board, and even shine it into the water, in the area of the jar.

Finally, drop your bait down by the jar. Crappie will be attracted to the small “school” of minnows in the jar, and will attack your bait in the process.

TIP #3: If you’re desperate, and nothing else is working, use a double jig rig. Put a chartruese jig on the top, and a yellow or white jig underneath.

Put these under a slip bobber, and give ’em a twitch periodically.

You’ll get your fair share of “double hook-ups” with this setup.

Tip #4: Give fly fishing a shot… yes. For crappie.

Use any streamer fly pattern… but the best are the small Clouser minnows, and Crappie candy.

Are you one of those salmon fishers? If yes, you might also be wondering about the best salmon fly fishing techniques. The first thing you need to do is off course preparing the best out of yourself, by bringing the right gears and wearing the rights clothing and sunglasses, and other stuff. After that, you can read on the salmon fly fishing tips below.

1. Know how to make the salmon bite your fly

It is important that keep your line in the water when you want to catch salmon, as they like to gather at deep waters like river bends. You can try casting at first, but if it doesn’t work, you can drift your fly through the pool. If they are hungry, they will rush to strike your fly. But if they don’t seem interested at your fly, they are probably not hungry.

The best time to catch salmon is early morning or near dusk, on overcast days.

2. Know how to set your hook

You must be ready to set your hook downstream anytime the salmons strike. You can try to set it firmly, but it takes some practices.

Move down your fly fishing rod’s until it touches the surface of the water. After that, you can bring your arms above your head to bring the rod back up quickly and firmly. Doing this you can you can make your fishing rod’s tip straight up in the air. This can help you put your hook inside the roof of the mouth of the fish. The will probably fight as this move hurts them.

3. Choose the right salmon flies

To lure salmon to your hook, you need to choose the right salmon flies. There are various colors available for the flies. Especially for the spring, you can choose flies colors like orange, yellow, and green, and match them with holographic body material. These colors are efficient in helping you lure the salmons.

Some of the flies you can choose for fishing salmons include wooly buggers, black stonefly, Hex flies, glo bugs with red eyes, soft hackle green caddis, and PM wiggles.

4. Know how to land salmons

You need to loosen the drag while landing large salmons as it can prevent line breakage. You can allow them to run several times until they feel tired, which can take up to 30 minutes (depending on how much is the weight).

By placing your fly fishing net in front of the salmon, you can expand the energy. When the energy has burst out, salmon will roll on its back, which makes it easier for you to net it from the head first.
Source: flyfishing.thefuntimesguide.com

Either you are novice or expert fisherman, these tips below will be worth learning. Hopefully, you can be a better fisher and able to catch more and more salmon.

What Is Salmon?

Any fish belongs to the Salmonidae family is usually called Salmon. We can find this fish both in saltwater and freshwater. Salmon hatch their eggs in freshwater. When they grow, they travel to ocean and when it’s time to spawn they turn to freshwater, precisely the exact spot where they hatched from the eggs. The places where you can fish salmon, include Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

There are two genus of salmon: salmo (with one species called Atlantic Salmon) and oncorhynchus (with 6 species called chinook salmon, chum salmon, coho salmon, pink salmon, sockeye salmon, and masu salmon. Not only salmon is the most common fish to consume, salmon fishing is also one of the most popular game fish in the world.

Tips and Techniques on How to Catch Salmon

After knowing the basic information about the fish you’re gonna catch, now it’s time to learn the tips and techniques on how to catch salmon.

1. Your hooks must be sharpened

Make sure your hooks are very sharp because salmon has thicker jaw.

2. Overcast will help

Low lighting condition is the favorite of salmon, so you can use an overcast. It is highly recommended to fish on dawn or dusk because on bright sunny days, they will be in deeper water and become less active.

3. Roe (eggs) are the best bait

The best bait for salmon is roe (eggs). There are two ways you can have this bait. First, you can purchase it. Second, you can harvest and cure the roe by yourself.

4. Drift fishing is another method to learn

Drift fishing is one of promising methods in salmon fishing, especially if you fish the salmon in the river. This will look natural for the salmon: the bait is casted upstream and later it will drift down over the are where you think is the place of the salmon.

5. Don’t forget the permit

In US, permit (plus your fishing license) is needed for you to be able to catch salmon. Nobody wants to get a big fine, right? So be prepared! For your information, the cost for the permit will be used to fund salmon stocking and conservation programs.
Source: www.fishingtipsdepot.com

Are you new on ice fishing? You might learn some of the basics and safety to be able to ice fish in the right and safe way. And even if you’re an expert angler, knowing all these tips will be also beneficial for you.

The Basics and Safety of Ice Fishing

Ice fishing is a method when an angler catches a fish through a hole in an ice of a large frozen body of water, either a lake, a pond, or even a river. Some anglers simply fish in the open air, while some others need to build heated cabin. Through years, with some new equipment, the way the angler ice fish has changed a lot. And of course, while ice fishing, you must always remember about safety.

Among other methods, ice fishing is one of the most dangerous so it’s vital that you follow all the safety steps. The depth recommended for you to walk on the frozen water is 4”. When it’s less than that, it will be very much dangerous especially on lake where the wide frozen ice can break due to offshore winds.

Your phone must be fully charge when you go ice fishing. And someone close to you might be informed that you will ice fish, when you will leave, and when you will come home. If you ice fish on late winter warm-ups, you have to watch out the ice rot because in most cases they cannot support your weight.

Ice Fishing Tricks, Tips, and Tactics

1. Know the depth of your fish

Before go ice fishing, browse in what dept the fish you’re targeting stay during the winter time because there are some specific places that the ice will choose during the winter.

2. Ice fish slowly and steadily

During the winter, fish don’t release much energy, so if you want to catch them with bait or jig, don’t move it too fast.

3. You can use slip bobber at the right time

Fish don’t use much energy during winter, so they will not be as aggressive as they are in summer. The use of slip bobber might help to give go as deep as you like.

4. In shallow area, you might need to cover the hole

Covering the hole with ice shavings is important when ice fishing in slow area to avoid the light penetration to the surface. This keeps the fish from avoiding the area where you’re fishing.

5. Learn how to fight hypothermia

Hypothermia are the dangerous cause of death of many ice fishers. It’s best if you educate yourself you educate yourself on what to do if you or a fellow angler falls into icy water. Someone can die within 20 minutes when they are soaked in icy water.

Source: www.fishingtipsdepot.com

Are you a beginner in kayak fishing? Here are the tips that will help you become a good kayak fisherman.

1. Have a consultation to kayak expert

It’s not like you have to find a professional kayakers. Those who have been kayak fishing for 4 or 5 years are experienced in this field and thus they can be called experts. You can consult them about any kayak fishing techniques.

2. The place to kayak fish

You can fish almost anywhere because kayak is very much versatile. The choices are based on the paddling distance, time frame, and/or ability. When going to an unfamiliar area, you can use Google map. The fishing opportunity is greater in a circular route.

3. Understand the species

Your kayak fishing will be more successful if you consider the moon phases, the weather, environment, and season of the species. Anyway, even when you don’t catch any fish, kayak fishing is still fun.

4. Choose the best kayak

When choosing a kayak, you should consider where you would kayak fish. In saltwater or freshwater? Big rivers, ponds, or larger lakes? The target fish also needs to be considered. Other considerations include stability, comfortable seating, storage compartments, and how you will transport the kayak.

5. Customizing the kayak

Customizing is needed to make everything within reach while you’re on the water. You have to decide where to attach the stuff you need. The storage area for the fishing gear must be considered too. Remember, your kayak must stay light but in other way versatile too.

6. How to transport your kayak

Cushioning kayak is cheap and easy because of its big foam noodles. A nylon tie can be inserted to the holes of the noodles. In most cases, pickup trucks and vans are used to transport the kayak. To get to distant water, you can use a rigged kayak, which is strapped to a larger boat.

Source: www.yakangler.com

Kayak fishing is currently very popular, especially for coastal anglers as its paddling and fishing method can quickly bring them into inland fresh water to catch a lot of fish.

Many freshwater fans finally chose kayak because when compared with electric boats, kayak is a cheap solution. Though you cannot target any shortage of fish through kayak fishing, paddling to the largemouth of fresh water would be an interesting experience for any angler. Here are some tips for you if you want to try kayak bass fishing.

Find smaller backwater that is connected to the larger water body

The advantage of taking a kayak is that you can access the small ponds, rivers and backwater areas that are usually inaccessible for bass boat. And moreover, this area is usually full of big largemouth. However, before you begin, take the time to choose a prime fishing waters. One good tactic is to find a smaller backwater is connected to the larger water body which is where the big fish hide. Since this type of fish also tends to be less pressured, you can enjoy an outstanding fishing moment. For the purpose of exploration, you can choose a sit-on-top kayak that allows you to easily get in and out of the boat.

Stealth fishing approach

You can use a topwater frog to target largemouth bass. Kayak let you get direct access to the heart of this cover. In the thick slop, weeds will wrap paddle, which makes the process of maneuvering and paddling becomes more challenging than in open water. This effort will not be a waste of time and energy because you can get satisfactory fish. Once you get into the shallow area, you must use stealth approach and keep the noise to a minimum to avoid spooking the fish.

When casting topwaters, be prepared for an attack at any time during the retrieve. It often happens that the bass catch frogs few meters from the kayak.

For frogging, I use a heavy-power baitcast outfit that can help me winch largemouth quickly and out of the thick cover. Sometimes dropping anchor at the edge of the slop can prevent you from being drawn into the weeds when you are locked in a battle with the fish.

In addition to slop and pads, you can use a hollow-bodied frog and toads swimming in open water areas.

Being Low is Good

Despite the low position of the kayak is often considered a slight disadvantage in a difficult situation, the posture of these paddle boats will makes for skipping under cover of the kayak. Using a side-arm cast, keep the bait remain low to the water and throw the bait under shaded cover areas, such as docks or trees.
Source: 1source.basspro.com