Month: September 2018
7 Essential Fishing Gear for First Time Anglers
Posted on September 29, 2018 in Angling Fishing Fishing Lines lures rods
Going down an aisle of a big retail store is a daunting task when you are trying to get started with fishing. This is true whether you are returning from a fishing hiatus or a first-time angler. There are just options after options when it comes to fishing gear. It’s seemingly impossible to figure out where to start without breaking the bank. There are many approaches
Location
A great way to know where to fish is to talk to fishers who are familiar with the area. Fishermen love to talk about fishing, so asking for information wouldn’t be that difficult. Just don’t ask about specific locations where anglers invested countless hours learning the area. They might not be willing to share that information. Just merely identifying the site is not enough to make your first fishing experience successful. You need to learn what types of species are living in the area and know what bates and lures to use.
Fish Gear #1: Rod and Reel
Angling gear has a wide array of selection from mild to wild that can fit any fishing style. For a
For the ability to catch different species in lakes and river, 8lb to 20lb rated medium action rod is a great start. Ugly Stick GX2 model is a good investment. It is a combo that is reasonably priced and durable. With TLC it can last many seasons. Spinning reels or commonly known as “open face” reels should be the go-to-reels for first-time anglers before trying out baitcasting reels.
Fish Gear #2: Line
Fishing lines nowadays are available in varied materials and diameters. For lines with the same material, larger diameter lines are stronger than smaller diameter. Braided lines are much stronger even though they are thin.
Fluorocarbon lines, on the other hand, are abrasion resistant and almost invisible underwater. While monofilament lines float and stretch.
Each of these line types has a different and specific use. In keeping it simple, stick with monofilament. A great line to start with is Berkley Trilene XL Smooth Casting clear monofilament in 10lb test.
Best Fishing Knots When Getting Starting
Clinch, Palomar, and uni are few of the knots that you need to learn at a minimum. It’s frustrating when you forget how to re-tie a knot to your line when the fish are biting. So practice these knots with your monofilament before your next fishing trip. These three knots are sufficient to tie just about anything.
Gear #3: Tackle
Hooks, weights, and floats: 3
Weights
Weights provide the necessary casting distance that you need, and it keeps your bait under water. For beginners, you may stick to the inexpensive and easy to install basic split shot weights.
Hooks
DO NOT purchase snelled hooks. Snelled hooks have a pre-tied leader that needs to be attached to a swivel snap. Sharp, durable long lasting hooks made by Gamakatsu http://www.gamakatsu.com/ are available in most tackle shop. Other details regarding hooks will be discussed later in the article.
Floats
Floats or also called as bobbers or strike indicators. Anglers cannot fish without it. It keeps the baits afloat, off the bottom of the lake and allows you to see when a fish is eating your bait. A company that sells a wide variety of effective and yet inexpensive floats is https://www.comaltackle.com/
Fish Gear #4: Live Bait
Like any hobby, love of fishing starts
Hooking a nightcrawler
When using panfish like perch and bluegills, tie a size 8 or 10 circle hook to the line. Add a few 12-18” split shots above the hook. Above the split shot, clip the float on the line. Place pieces of nightcrawler through the hook then cast the line off the bank.
For Predatory fish like bass, live shiners are excellent bait. Bass cannot resist shiners (a small baitfish). To hook them, review the panfish setup but tie it on a larger hook. Hook a live shiner through the back and gently cast it. Almost always you have a good sized fish when your float goes under the water when you are using shiners for baits.
Fish Gear #5: Lures
When you get bored with bait fishing and trust me you will, it’s time to experiment with lures. There are a lot of lures, but we will focus on the most common ones with a high success rate for first-time anglers.
Soft Plastics
Yamamoto Senko is a favorite for artificial baits when it comes to fishing bass. Use 5” green pumpkin colored Senko wacky rigged; this can be deadly when you are on to largemouth bass in ponds or lakes.
Another option is swim shad by Keitech, it is a soft plastic bait. Use 1/8” ounce ball jig head and hook through the head of the bait. Cast it and let it sink, then retrieve it. Experiment with different speed and depth when retrieving, to know where the fish are.
Spinnerbaits
Spinnerbaits have been used for a long time because they work. This is the last lure in the list that you should have. This is useful when the water visibility is low. Its spinning blade produces vibration that help fish locate it. For starters you can use a 3/8” oz white Booyah spinnerbait.
Topwater lures
When you notice fish feeding on the surface, a topwater lure is the best lure to use to catch them. Whooper plopper is the most popular topwater lure. To use it you just simply cast it out, wait until the water calms down after it hits the water, then start reeling. Mix your reeling with pauses, twitches, and varying retrieving speed. Once a fish hits the lure, it’s a sure thing.
Fish Gear #6: Castable Fish Finder
If you come to the point where you have used every trick in the bag and still can’t catch anything, it may be because the fish aren’t there. If only you can see underwater and know that fish are there for sure. Sonar devices can do that for you. Wireless, castable fish finders have been gaining popularity nowadays. You may think it’s expensive, but it’s not. There are products that are affordable, perfect for anglers who are just starting. Get more details about fish finders from the fishseekers website
Deep Smart Sonar: How to use it?
Deep Smart Sonar is pretty light, and if you are not casting far, you can use your action rod and monofilament line. Cast the deeper system and walk along the bank until it detects fish. It doesn’t only locate fish; it also uses GPS so you can keep track of the location of the fish on your phone using an app. There’s a great note function on the app too where you can log your catches; this serves as your own personal database. This database is handy in accelerating your learning curve. You get to learn and review which structures your subjects like, where they are in different temperatures, how their behavior and location changes as seasons change. And because you know that there is fish, it also allows you to focus on your bait/lure presentation and experiment on new methods and gain confidence as you try different things.
Gear #7: Tackle Bag
Finally, we are down to bags. You have to have a good tackle bag to keep all your gear. Spiderwire is big enough to hold all the items listed above. It offers a single shoulder bag that is comfortable enough to carry around all day. Keep in mind that you need to keep mobile as you may need to move from one location to another. You want your hands free from anything when you walk up and down a river bank looking for the next bite.
When is the Best Time to go Fishing?
Posted on September 28, 2018 in Angling Bass Fishing
WATER
TEMPERATURES
Fish are cold-blooded creatures, which means that they cannot regulate their body temperature to stay at a constant level. The temperature of the fish’s surrounding influences their body temperature. When it gets too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter the fish in shallow waters (lakes, ponds, and rivers) become sluggish. This is because extreme temperatures reduce the amount of oxygen in the water making them less active.
Knowing this biology also teaches us the first lesson: determine the best time and tide to fish and avoid extreme temperatures if possible. Moreover, it also helps us to choose the right lures or bates to use and how fast or slow we have to work with them. In cold water since the fish are slower, you need to work on your tackle slower and work on it faster in warm water.
Morning and Afternoon Fishing
Fish prefer warm water; this is usually during early mornings or late afternoons towards evening. In the morning the sun warms the water making a comfortable environment for the fish. During early spring it is best to fish late in the morning where the sun has a chance to warm the water, especially the shallows with dark or muddy bottoms. Dark and muddy bottoms warm up faster than light sandy ones.
During chilly early spring days, it is best to fish in warm water temperatures. It makes bait fish more active and available to game fish. Move to cooler, deeper waters during hot sunny days. High temperatures cause the shallow fish move to cooler and deeper waters to stay comfortable. Fish during early mornings and late afternoons where the temperature is cooler and when lower light levels make fish go to the shallows to eat.
During midday, fish are in deeper waters because the surface temperature goes up which decreases the surface oxygen and sometimes during this time of the day the wind increases. If you opt to fish during this time, it is best to use deep fishing baits, rigs
It
Fishing: Different Seasons
Spring
- Early Morning: Expect that fish will not bite. The water is too cold because the sun is still low; thus, the sunlight bounces off the water and will not heat it up. It’s best to wait until the water temperature even out to 39.2 degrees. This happens after a week or so as the snow and ice thaw.
- Late Morning-Early Afternoon: Fish will bite off and on. It is when the water begins to warm up. Remember to fish the downwind shoreline, where the wind pushes the warm surface water and the surface food.
- Afternoon-Early Evening: Fish are biting because of increasing metabolism and digestion. This is when the sun is directly overhead and warms the water.
Summer
- Early Morning: This is the best time to fish before the sun comes up just before mid-morning. But it’ll be difficult to find hungry fish because this is also the time of the year where food is abundant.
- Late Morning-Early Afternoon: Sun is
up making the water heat up and forces fish to go to deeper water to cool off. - Afternoon-Early Evening: the sun is down, the water cools down to a suitable temperature for the fish. This makes the fish come up from the depths.
Fall
- Early
Morning: The sun is too low to
penetrate and warm up the water. Fish won’t bite from sun up to early morning
because of the cold temperature. - Late
Morning-Early Afternoon: Generally
water is cool during this time so the fish will bite of and on in warmer,
shallow water. - Afternoon-Early
Evening: This this considered as the best time of the
year to fish. It is the season where the fish are putting on weight to prepare
for winter. At this time of the day the sun is directly overhead, warming up
the water for several hours to make the water temperature warm for the fish.
VARIABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS
WIND
The wind can make or break your fishing location, time, technique, and gear choices. It dictates your fishing success. This is because the wind pushes the warm water and the food to the far offshore. On a windy day, you can shore fish. Make sure to cast your lure into the wind so it can move with it. If you are fishing from a boat, go to a sheltered shore as you cast with the wind.
STORMS
Like any other
animals, fish are attuned to barometric conditions. This affects fishing
success. Before a storm hits, fish feeding increases as they prepare for the
cold front. Feeding decreases after a storm or front hits.
It is not advisable to fish right after a cold front, wait it out a day or two. Warm fronts, on the other hand, causes the water temperature to rise, making the fish in a feeding frenzy. This is true during winter when warm fronts hit it increases the temperature causing the sluggish fish to feed near
CLOUDY DAYS
On a normal sunny day,
fish tend to hide and stay close to a structure but on a cloudy day they cruise
for food. Overcast skies prevent harsh light to penetrate thus signals the fish
to look for food. During a cloudy day, they are less likely to stay near a
structure and more likely to scatter throughout a waterway.
LIGHT RAIN
During warm spring or summer, light rain is one of the best times to fish. When shore, wade, or boat fishing, rain helps you hide from the fish as it breaks up its view through the water. It also helps create a feeding binge for the fish as it washes insects and fishing baits into the water.
HARD RAIN
Now you know the best time to fish through the seasons, go ahead and check your state’s regulation on fishing, make sure to regularly consult your local weather and fishing conditions. For coast states, information on best saltwater fishing times are often provided. Get your fishing license online now and have fun!