Darkstar72's Fishing Blog: First time fishing in 2012

Darkstar72's Fishing Blog: First time fishing in 2012: It was less than 20 degrees.  It was early. I arrived at my friend Pondboy 's house at 7AM.  Today, the 21st of January 2012 I took my fir...

Bassin' The Midwest: Welcome!

Bassin' The Midwest: Welcome!: Welcome to Bassin' The Midwest! My name is Alan Wiedmeyer aka "Fluke" and I have been fishing for a little over 22 years!  I am also an...

Darkstar72's Fishing Blog: First time fishing in 2012

Darkstar72's Fishing Blog: First time fishing in 2012: It was less than 20 degrees.  It was early. I arrived at my friend Pondboy 's house at 7AM.  Today, the 21st of January 2012 I took my fir...

Gone Fishing with Dupage Angler!

Ice fishing Tips For Beginners

By Daryl Plaza

Ice fishing tips for the beginner can be the difference in having a great ice fishing experience or one that can be the worst time of your life. Ice fishing is a favorite hobby among many people and can be a great way to have a good time. If you are new to the hobby, then you may find it difficult to have much success or to enjoy yourself. By following some simple ice fishing tips, you can learn to have a great time while you catch some fish and enjoy this great sport.

One of the best and most important of these ice fishing tips is to be prepared. Preparation is the key in many of the things that we do and ice fishing is no different. Obviously when we think of ice fishing we think of snow and ice. This means that the temperature will be very cold. For this reason, you want to dress warmly and prevent your body from getting cold.

The best way to do this is to dress in layers, that way if you get too warm, you can shed some of the clothing off one layer at a time. The second tip for ice fishing would be to fish at the times when the fish are the most active. The best way to determine when the fish are the most active is to pay very close attention to the moon and weather.

These two factors play a very big role level of activity among fish. When it comes to bait and tackle, it is always best to use gang hooks. These gang hooks are smaller hooks that are tied together. This type of hook will allow for for the bait to present itself to fish in a more natural way. Should you choose to use artificial bait, then using pre-tied gang hooks will allow you to offer twice the amount of bait. This will double your chances of catching that big one.

By following these simple and basic ice fishing tips, you are sure to have an entertaining experience as well as a successful ice fishing trip. Many people may use an almanac when it comes to checking with the activity level of fish. This can make things much easier for your ice fishing experience. These are just a few tips that will help you to enjoy your outing, there are many more that other people may use and if you enjoy ice fishing, them you should look into some of the other ideas and techniques that others may be using.

Daryl Plaza is a regular contributor to IcefishingCentral.com a website with resources and information for all your icefishing needs and accessories

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daryl_Plaza

How To Help Beginner Anglers

It is very rewarding to see the excitement on a new anglers face, young or old, when they catch their first fish. The history of this excitement can be traced all the way to the caveman days when the children were taught by their elders how to gather food and catch fish. When the child caught their first fish, I am sure that they were welcomed back at their dwelling with smiles and admiration. 

The reason why the size of the fish is always the first question onlookers have after a catch, is simply because in the very old days the larger the fish, the more bellies it would fill. The person that caught the largest fish was held in high esteem and this acclaim is why big fish are pursued to this day. The larger fish are more difficult to catch, are craftier and are few and far between. To catch big fish is a sign of great angler knowledge and knowhow which is the root of the admiration of the accomplishment.

To a beginner angler every catch is huge.  The biggest dilemma for novice fisher people to overcome is to catch many fish quickly, rather than the size of the fish.  Once their fishing technique develops and matures however, the focus usually switches to size AND quantity.  So what is the best way to help new anglers be successful, correct and satisfied with their new found hobby?  The answer sounds simple enough, but like any other sport or activity, it will take practice, patience and determination. There definite things that you the teacher can do to help mold a well rounded angler that will enjoy fishing for the rest of their life.

You should be very selective when picking out the beginners first fishing rod and reel combo set। Consumers are tempted and pushed into purchasing various character fishing rods such as Scooby Doo, Disney and so on. A large percent of the money used to make these fishing kits, went into the characters themselves, and not the hardware required to make a good quality product that works. I can't tell you how many times I have seen kids and parents alike give up on fishing because of equipment meltdown. One of the best inexpensive beginner combo kits on the market is the Wally Marshall Jr. Series. It usually costs $5 - $7 more than the typical character sets, but it is well worth it. You can find the Wally Marshall Jr. Series at Bass Pro Shops. You can click on the image and we will take you right there.

After the right rod and reel is selected, the next step is to figure out which lure or artificial bait is best for your situation। There are many fun lures out there that will give the angler great chances to catch all types of fish. One lure that DuPage Angler Field Manager Marty Rogers used with his own children was the K&E Panfish Stopper . This lure is perfect for the times when your beginner angler will be fishing in clear to semi-clear water and panfish can readily be seen near the shoreline. This plastic worm rig can be casted easily when using a mini-cast such as the Wally Marshall Jr. and should be reeled in very slowly. The beginner will begin to learn about different presentations and will soon learn (with a little help) to watch to see if the line moves which will indicate that they have a strike. The hooks on the K&E product line are so sharp that many of the panfish will hook themselves with a little upward pressure from the angler. **NOTE** It is a good idea to tie on a small swivel since the lure will twist through the water as it is reeled in.

When you are on shore with your novice angler, watch the shallows for sunfish that are hanging around in groups. When you spot them, simply have your pupil cast beyond the point where you can see the sunfish. After the lure hits the water let the lure sink below the surface and SLOWLY reel it in and watch the line. When you see the line move to one side or another, firm upward pressure will hook the sunfish, crappie or bass on the K&E Panfish Stopper. Then you can watch the excitement as the beginner angler starts to learn how to catch fish on a regular basis.

Bass Fishing Fantasies

There are hundreds of thousands of urban fishermen that don’t have the time or where-with-all to escape the everyday pressures, at least once a year, in order to go fishing at a remote location. These seemingly unfortunate individuals have to contend with late night fishing fantasies which gives enough relief to get them through the next day or work week. Why fishermen, and now ever increasing fisherwomen, are lured to the stalking and catching of different fish species around the globe is still a mystery. Some do it for the companionship of others and some do it for the natural high that a successful fishing trip ignites.

My name is Martin Rogers and I predominantly have been fishing in urban waters for over 33 years. The first quarter of my fishing “career” was filled with polluted water and massive amounts of disappointment. The only real success was when I accidentally caught a carp or two. I am happy to say that those days are behind me and they can be behind you as well! There are thousands of urban bodies of water in this Country which have been around for thirty or more years. These municipal ponds and lakes have been stocked at one time or another and has had very limited experienced fishing pressure over the decades. These under utilized fishing holes can give the average fisherman hours of enjoyment, while satisfying the powerful need and desire that is created by the thought of setting the hook on a hog.

There are some important points and basics that must be kept in mind when fishing in some of the urban park district and municipal waterways. The first is that a very high percentage of them are no more than four feet deep and that sinking lures and weight infested baits are a complete waste of time. In fact, most of the presentations should be sinker free unless the weather dictates differently. For example, if it is windy and you are using soft plastics, then a small sinker 10 – 12 inches from the lure might be appropriate. Speaking of soft plastics, it has become common knowledge to me and my urban fishing buddies that since the average depth of our fishing holes is less than five feet, there is no need for fast sinking lures such as jigs, diving crankbaits or even Carolina rigs. It is imperative that the urban fishermen remember that the typical structure in park district ponds and lakes are old boots, shopping carts and many other un-naturals. When using a deep diving or other sinking lure, the fisherman will spend many hours and dollars simply getting snagged and eventually losing these expensive lures.

These unusual structures that are found in urban bodies of water however are perfect for catching big bass and catfish. This all can get very confusing, but if you learn to use finesse baits such as a Rabbit Hair Wacky Bass Wacky Worm
or a K&E Basstopper, you will see your number of catches and size of your average catch soar. Finesse fishing by most is characterized as the scaling way down on line and lures in regards to size and weight. I used to agree hook line and sinker, but the bottom line is, finesse fishing is defined as the use of slow moving, slow sinking baits that can be presented to fish, in a host of different environments. This method of fishing takes place in one to 7 feet of water which is perfect for the urban fisherman. Once you have mastered basic finesse fishing techniques in your local pond or lake, your next planned, long distance trip will be much more productive and rewarding.

There are several reasons why it is important to learn how to fish weightless soft plastic lures and I will attempt to share them with you here. First of all, many urban bass and other fish enjoy hugging the banks that have tall grass. Many park districts have a one foot rule which states that the park district maintenance staff can not cut the grass closer that one foot from the water. This might have to do with safety concerns for the person cutting the grass. In any event, big bass love to hang out in these areas and many days they will simply sit motionless, waiting for a bug to accidentally fall into the water. Small sunfish do the same which offers the largemouth another feeding opportunity. The best approach to these areas is to quietly walk down the bank and stop about 20 feet from the tall grass. Don’t cast right next to the grass since the bass and other fish are facing towards deep water in order to make an ambush on whatever looks appealing. If there is a lot of food competition in the lake or pond, many times the larger fish will eat first and ask questions later since their first priority is to get to the meal first. After you make a cast about three feet from the shore line, in front of the grass, remember to stay motionless for a few seconds. Many times the bass will hit as the finesse bait sinks slowly to the bottom.

When you fish this way completely around the lake or pond, then you can begin the second round and this time cast six to ten feet out from the shoreline. Eventually you will find what depth the big bass are hanging out in and then you can change your presentation if need be. Don’t be afraid to use large baits for bucketmouths. The urban fish will be happy to see the different offerings especially in competitive waters. In order to use large lures in these urban bodies of relatively shallow water, make sure that the lure is of the floating variety and when it is reeled in only goes beneath the surface for a foot maximum. I have caught large bass on musky lures this way in some very unlikely spots in the Chicago Land area. People think that I am crazy fishing these ponds and lakes this way, but I seem to do much better than the average fisherman. Don’t just fantasize about catching big bass when you are stranded in an urban setting, get out there and stick a few hogs and you will soon realize them.