Bass Fishing for fun

by Ted Belfour

Bass fishing in the USA is a great combination of sports, adventure and recreation. Bass fishing ,means pursuing black bass, a type of fish. Bass fishing has caught the fancy of Americans. You will find morning shows on TV about bass fishing. You will find thousands of websites exclusively on bass fishing. Bass fish is not about catching and eating. It is about catching and releasing.

Bass fishing is a great sports which doesn't need the skills possessed by a football athlete or the resilience of an acrobat. You need to be obsessed with the 'catch'. Hours of practicing can elevate you to the level of being called a pro. Bass fishing is about catching various species of bass - large mouth bass, small mouth bass, Kentucky bass, spotted boss, etc. Experts opine that the beginners should start bass fishing in smaller ponds. They should avoid large lakes for this purpose. Once you have gained enough confidence, then only move to deeper areas in lakes. Bass fish loves to play hide and seek. Their natural habitat is behind rocks or plants or any such structures in the water body. Look for bass in such places. It is not necessary that the fish will be around large structures only. In fact, you have an equal probability of finding fish near a smaller structure.

Bass fish have a great vision - they can easily see in the night as well. Their see and feel organs work simultaneously. Bass fish are also supposed to have taste buds outside their mouths and inside too. This can help them avoid any unwanted situation. These characteristics make bass fishing such an exciting sports activity and a great pastime for people in leisure time.

One needs a set of equipment for bass fishing. This includes a pole, reel, hook and baits. Baits are available in many varieties chiefly, jigs, crank bait, spinner bait and plastic worms. It is recommended to beginners to start with crank baits and then advance themselves through spinner baits to plastic worms. Plastic worms need the most skills and practice. While Crank baits are suitable for beginners, it is the spinner baits which are popular among experienced anglers and seasoned fishermen.

There are many tournaments of bass fishing. Premier among these are American Bass Anglers Fishing Tournament, Superbass tournament, etc. Enthusiasts from all over the country take part in the tournaments. Bass fishing brings so much excitement today that it has become the most valuable freshwater sports industry.

About the Author
Ted Belfour is the founder of http://www.bass-fishing-lures.info and http://www.bass-fishing-guides.info websites providing information on bass fishing.

Live or Fake Bait?

by Ty Wagner

Many people look at me weird when I step on a pier at night and I have a little tackle box a bucket and a bait cast rod and reel. Well, thats all I need for night fishing at my favorite spots. I look at other anglers and you can see that they have there 15 gallon tanks filled with water and shrimp ready to fish the night away. Well that's all fine and dandy, but when the bite is on, this can become troublesome. I have seen many occasions where the person that has artificial will out fish the guy with the live shrimp.

Why? Anglers can cover more areas with artificial and change the depth of there lure when needed. Live bait takes longer to setup and get your new bait into the water. Just think about it. Cast your live bait into the water, then wait until something comes along and decides it wants to swipe at your bait. Well, wile the bait is now dead, the fish loose interest in the bait and swims away. Now you are faced with the fact that you have to put another live bait on the hook to try to get more fish. So back to the same process. Cast, sit, wait and finally you have caught a fish. Ounce you bring the fish in, you take it off the hook and then grab another live victim, but ooops!!! It slips out of your hands. Now while you are fumbling trying to get your live bait back in your hands and into the water.

The guy with the little tackle box and fake lures has thrown 15 cast and caught 4 fish to your 1 fish. See the difference? You waist time and fishing water when you have live bait. Don't get me wrong, I use live bait mostly when the conditions are ruff. High wind, cloudy water clarity, inactive fish and my favorite, the stubborn picky fish. These factors play a major role into picking live or fake bait. I also like to use lures when I am doing a quicky fishing trip. A few cast of the fake bait and that's all I need. Although having a combination can be good to have on a night fishing trip. It can also create more tackle to carry and more things to worry about. If you don't need live bait to catch your favorite fish, then don't buy it. You can save money buying less live bait and buying your favorite lure to fish with.


About the Author
Ty Wagner is the owner of http://www.texasfishinghome.com and loves to fish with his little tackle box filled with his favorite lures.

Quick Bass Fishing Tips

By Mark Tobin

Bass bite on more different colors than most fish. Water color has a lot to do with what colors they can see best and therefore what colors they'll bite best on. If it's muddy, you can't go
wrong with chartreuse or white or a combination of the two.

If the water is clear, tone down the colors - browns, watermelon, etc. But always experiment. Spinner baits are very versatile when it comes to the right way to work them. They can be worked in deep or shallow water. Cast or pitch them around any object you can see - trees, docks, pilings, bridge piers, etc. If you can let the bait hit those objects while you're reeling it in, that's even better.

On shallow objects, reel just fast enough to keep the bait just under the surface. In deep water, let it sink around deep points, humps, or deep brush. Use a slow to medium retrieve and hold on!

Copyright ® 2004 The American Outdoorsman «

About the Author:

Mark Tobin is the host of The American Outdoorsman, a Hunting & Fishing TV Show devoted to bringing the best in Outdoor Entertainment. Their site hunting and fishing tips, outdoors
info, pictures, video clips & downloads, recipes, games, recommended travel locations and guides, and more! Visit http://www.theamericanoutdoorsman.com today!

Best Lures To Use In Fishing

by Travis Clemens

The evolution of fishing gear and accessories along with the development of the bass fishing industry brought about the development of various lures specifically used for different fish species.

There are many types or class of lures and they all depend on what type of fish works for them. Many only work for specific types but some cover a wide range of species of fish.

Below are some of the typical lures used for fishing.

Light Standard Casting Lures
For Standard casting lures, they are mostly able to attract a wide range of fish varieties from albacore, bluefish, bonita, oho and crappies. These lures are also excellent for certain species of bass fish and work best when retrieved from water at low to medium speed. They pass through water with undetectably synthetic material.

Their sizes are excellent for lightweight fish and a host of freshwater species. They range from 1/16 oz. to 3 oz.

The hand painted eye is enticing enough to allow schooling of fish. This feature allows for more chances of trapping one of the target fish in the water.

Heavy Standard Casting Lures
Heavy Standard Casting Lures are excellent for quite heavy fish specifically, walleye and bass. While the lightweight lures are used in most circumstances, it was shown that heavy counterparts provide more reliable fishing output.

Moreover, the heavy standard lures are able to catch fish than diamond and light standard casting lures.

Long Casting/Jigging Lures
Perhaps the most popular among the fishing lures are the long, tapered jigging lures. They are perhaps the most commonly used fishing lures among the fishermen in Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.

Just recently, it was found out that the long casting lures work best for catching trout and pike. They were also found to effectively catch stripers and bluefish. They can catch tuna and walleye in a breeze!

Unlike heavy standard lures, this gear won't produce good fish-catch output up to 180-200 ft under water but be sure to effectively match your lure color, bait and related accessories to maximize performance.

Deadly Diamond Lures
These lures are one of the smallest with sizes ranging from 1/8 to 1oz. They can seamlessly attract attention among fish and could form a school of fish in a minute!

The reason is it lies on its structural surface formation and cut. The top handle is cut like a diamond and causes the reflection of light striking on its surface. The diamond lures are best for catching bass fish varieties, crappie and stripers although they work on a small range of fish species.

About the Author
Travis Clemens is a life time fisherman and he knows the ins and outs of gettinem on the hook! You too can gettem on the hook with Travis as your guide! http://www.best-fishing-tips.com

"Fishing Kit Basics"

by Travis Clemens

Before going deeper into the technicalities, make sure that a fishing license is secured. To be an amateur fisherman there are basic pieces of fishing equipment needed to complete your exciting journey in the fishing world. Knowing the line type and matching the right rod and reel to the fishing technique is just basic common sense. Match these tools appropriately and expect a more enjoyable experience for a more comfortable fishing. There are several things that causes the reel to turn into a bird's nest, don't worry, even experienced fishermen encounter this every now and then.

The main objective is to match the rod, the reel, the line and the lure. These will only cost a newbie around $25 to $40 and they could last for years. The 3 main issues when shopping for a rod are: Guides that are attached to the rod; Grip or handle holds the rod and could come in either cork or foam. They come in different lengths so the comfort to the user must be considered; and the reel seat where the reel is connected.

Dealers make a lot of fishing rods that could either be single or consist of two or more pieces when assembled. The connection is very simple; just connect the male and female ends together to make sure the guides are lined up. This would only last for a minutes. Sometimes, lubricants are needed. When shopping for a rod, slightly bend it to get the feel of it. Again comfort should be considered when using the equipment.

Rods of any type will work. It should be around 6' long and medium weight. Even a long stick will work. This should be long, straight and flexible so it will not easily break. The most popular rod is Graphite because it is so light yet so strong. Wispy rods should be up to 4m long to be used for long casts in moderate winds.

There are a lot of fishing lines to choose from and it can be very confusing to find the best. It is mostly made of nylon and "monofilament" that comes in spools of different lengths that are called Tests. The larger the fishing line the thicker it is in diameter. Find a piece of a 4lb. or 4 lb. Test that is almost 10' long for the basic rig.

The basic rule is that all the gears should match. To summarize your fishing kit, it should include other stuff as well: net, stringer, line clippers, fishing knife, first aid box, a pail of bait, sunglasses, fishing hat, and talking about the basics, don't forget your SNACKS!

About the Author
Travis Clemens is a life time fisherman and he knows the ins and outs of gettinem on the hook! You too can gettem on the hook with Travis as your guide! http://www.best-fishing-tips.com

The Fishing Equipment You Definitely Need

by Mike Singh

So, you are done packing all the fishing gear for the trip? Are you sure? Whether you are a beginner or an experienced angler, there are some items that should be on your list. Here are the bare essentials:

- The rod -

Of course you need a fishing rod. But, what type of rod will you take? When choosing one, here is some advice. Don't head to the discount department store to purchase yours. Instead, go for a middle of the line priced rod that is comfortable, the right length and serves your purpose. If you plan to fly fish, get the right rod.

- The reel -

Yes, you need the right reel to match. Can you buy them together? Sure. If you are saltwater fishing, you need a protected reel that will not become ruined by the water. Again, as a beginner, middle of the road quality is needed.

- The lure -

These should be geared towards the type of fish you are expecting to catch. Live bait is a great choice if you don't mind getting it. The best way to know which lures to use, though, in the artificial options is to ask those at the local fish shop what they have had luck with. Depending on the type of fish and the area in which they live, these individuals can help you determine what to purchase.

- The line -

You have to have quality line. Nothing is worse than catching a fish and then snapping the line because it couldn't hold the weight. But, that doesn't imply that you have to go with the most expensive one. Look for the right weight of line for your approximate weight of fish.

- The cooler -

The first hour won't be that bad. But if you are going to stay out for several hours you will definitely need this one. Have the cooler ready with your choice of beverages.

About the Author
Mike Singh is the publisher of http://www.1-stop-fishing.com/ On his website, he provides articles about alaska guided fishing trips and rainbow trout fishing canada.

The Basic Fishing Supplies

by Nicky Pilkington

Fishing is a nature-oriented sport that allows you to relax. Many people want to experience fishing, but are unable to buy the appropriate supplies for their adventure.

There are many fishing stores around, but majority of the stores try to sell unnecessary fishing supplies to gain more from the innocence of the fishing novice. Here are some of the basic fishing supplies you need for any kind of fishing in any location.

1) Hooks - In a variety of shape and sizes, these are one of the most important parts of your fishing gear. Fishing hooks are affordable, so you could stock an assortment of hooks for each kind of fishing. Majority of hooks are shaped like a letter "J."

2) Rigs - These are used for catching different kinds and species of fish. The two most common rigs are the Bobber and Crappie. Bobber rigs are suitable for catching Bluegills and are best for beginners.

3) Sinkers - As the name suggests, this fishing equipment is used to cast lighter lures and to quickly drop the bait to the bottom of the water where the fish are located. Together with the bobbers, the sinkers are used to hold your line at any given point.

In fishing stores, you will find numerous variations of sinkers that come in different sizes, weights, and shapes. The current speed and the water depth would determine the weight of the sinkers you will need for your fishing trip.

4) Bobber - It is also called a cork or a float. The bobber's purpose is to let you know when a fish bites your bait. The commonly used bobbers are pencil, slip bobbers and buttons. They come in different sizes to fit all kinds of baits and sinkers. The best bobbers are those that are smaller. The wind would blow the bobber back to you if it were too light and would scare the fishes off when it is too big.

5) Swivels - This kind of fishing equipment is used when you are fishing with bait such as a spinner or a minnow. These kinds of bait tend to twist and turn, which would likely your line deformed. By using the swivel and connecting it between your line and bait, it would allow the lure to spin around without tangling up the line. Swivels are affordable and come in different sizes to fit the bait and hooks you use.

Other supplies are the tackle box and your bait. The bait would vary depending on the kind of fishing you wish to perform.

Now that you know the basics, you could easily enjoy your fishing trip affordably and safely.

About the Author
Find out more about fishing including sea fishing and fly fishing at About fishing

What Lures, What Fish?

by Travis Clemens

Spoons
Considered the most simple of all other lures, they got their name because they look like the head of a spoon. They act for the bait fish by doing a flickering and wobbling movement or action. Spoons are excellent for starters in lure fishing; easy to use and very affordable.

Spinners
The spinner is basically a blade wherein it does a rotating action on a spindle when being retrieved or taken back through the water as well as it gives off a flash as light is being reflected on the revolving blade, characterizing the bait fish's scales and movements. This is a lure that is flexible because only can one verify and know the retrieve depth by the period or time frame one leaves before one starts a retrieve, one can also alter the speed of the revolving blade around the spindle, by either speeding up or slowing down one's retrieve. For the Trout and Mullet, a smaller size is recommended, and a larger spinner with the pike liking, along with the treble hook in a red wool.

Surface lures
These lures are used on the water surface and considered to be the most explosively thrilling of all lures as one could actually see the fish taking the lure, and the anticipation and the expectation of one looking forward of the take is an exciting experience. The fish can be completely seen exiting the water when they send off at a surface lure. Since these lures are being retrieved on the surface of the water, they can be a good choice in areas that have a lot of weed.

Suspending plugs
Having neutral buoyancy and resistance, when the plug has dived or dropped to the required depth and left alone, it will continue on being suspended to that depth. For this reason, this type is perfect for pursuing your prey hidden near the weed beds, rocks or banks. When yanked in order to imitate life to the plug, it causes some crashing attack from your target.

Floating drivers
A necessity for all lure anglers, they cover a wide scope in diving depths; beginning from just beneath the surface up to fifteen feet or more. The diving depth is established on the point of view of the vane or fin to the body of the lure. The lesser the angle to the body of the lure the deeper it can dive. The shape as well as the size of the vane and the lures body contributes to the movement of the plug in the water.

Sinking plugs
These are excellent for deep water fishing, wherein the retrieve can start soon as the preferred depth is reached. This is accomplished by counting down before one starts the retrieval process. Therefore, the same depth will be reached whenever one casts. The distance that the lure has sunk down in a particular time, will give a suggestion of how deep or how far down the fish are situated when they strike; thus this is called the sink rate of the lure.

Soft baits
This is soft rubber bait that comes in various shapes and forms, with matching sizes and colors. These are commonly used for sea and fresh water fishing, which can be used on a weighted jig head handled in the same manner as the jerk bait, being managed as a plug is used.

Jerk baits
Having no movement of its own when in the water, the angler gives life to this lure; whenever the rod trembles or shakes or jerks, this lure can appear to have life. This lure for the most part, mimics an injured or wounded fish that the prey fish find tempting, and be compelled to thrust or lunge at.

About the Author
Travis Clemens is a life time fisherman and he knows the ins and outs of gettinem on the hook! You too can gettem on the hook with Travis as your guide! http://www.best-fishing-tips.com

Fly-fishing, A Fun Sport

by Shannon Brown

Fly-fishing, a fun sport

Fly-fishing is an ancient angling method especially effective in catching trout and salmon. This distinct method of angling uses artificial flies to lure or excite fish. Fly-fishing helps anglers catch the fish easier than the traditional way.

There are two basic forms of fly-fishing, dry flies and wet flies.

Dry flies need coating with floatant in order for it to sit in the surface of the water. Dry flies are mostly effective in upstream and moving water. Dry flies help anglers' spot where fish resides like pools and pocket in streams. Thus, it is easier to detect them and catch the fish.

The use of wet flies is beneath the surface of the water. Wet flies are nymphs, lures and true wet flies. It works as effective as dry flies except that in cases where weeds are many and almost touching the surface, wet flies blends with the weeds and thus may not be as effective as the dry flies.
Fly-fishing was developed in the 19th century, dry fly technique is very effective especially for slower and clearer rivers.

This is because weeds in rich rivers tend to grow closer to the surface, thus traditional wet fly fishing is almost ineffective. Dry fly fishing is thus useful by keeping the fly and the line floating on the surface. This makes fish excited and aggressive; the angler can then spot the location of the fish and in turn catches fish easier.

Later developments of fly-fishing made this concept as basis, thus in the latter part of the 19th century, anglers develop love for fly-fishing. This gave birth to fly-fishing, the sport among its aficionados.

Various parts of the United States host fly-fishing sports such as in the waters of Catskill Mountains of New York and the provinces of Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, British Columbia, Alberta and California.

Anglers in North America also develop various literatures pertaining to fly-fishing. The sport of fly-fishing and all these literatures gave North America the reputation of being the birthplace of dry fly-fishing, specifically the City of Calgary, Alberta. It is arguably one of the world's best trout rivers, thus it remains to be the epicenter for the Western Fly Fishing in North America.

Various other states in America keeps the growing number of fly-fishers such as Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Arkansas. The growing number of anglers that are drawn to the sport of fly-fishing keeps the popularity at its peak.

Dry or wet fly-fishing, whichever is more effective in the rivers where you fish will help keep the sport exciting. It may not be long that other countries will learn to love the sport and make it a globally loved sport.

How does fly-fishing work?
Fly fishing uses longer and lighter rods; sizes vary from 2m (6 ft) for fresh water and up to 4m (14 ft) for salt water fly-fishing. Weight for fresh water rods are between two to five ounces.
Popular types of casts in fly-fishing follow its variety in situation specifics. Anglers uses common cast when the angler whisks the fly rod forward and back using his forearm and upper arm, the wrist is used to soften the motion.

The rod movement varies from 10 o'clock position to 2 o'clock position without touching the ground. Anglers do this to load the rod tip with energy and to travel the fly line creating distance and control; they call this motion false casting.

False casting needs to be done to excite the fish or make it aggressive enough so that when the fly touches the surface, it will be sure that the area where the fly touches is where most of the fish are located and thus will be easier to spot and catch them.

Whether you are a fly-fishing aficionado for outdoor excitement or having fun with your family, using the proper equipment will help you develop love for the sport. Keep it exciting and enjoy fishing at its finest in most popular fly-fishing locations in the country. There are many locations, thus you will not have a problem in spotting nice locations for you and your family for this wonderful outdoor adventure.

About the Author
Shannon Brown is a native of Colorado and an avid fly fisherman. He has created a new website just for fly fisherman. Stop by and visit him at: All About Fly Fishing

Fishing Reel Basics

by Eric Koshinsky

Different fishing reels are needed for different waters and fishing styles.

Fishing reels are the most essential component of fishing gear. However, there are so many manufacturers and so many different types of fishing reels, how do you know which one is best for you. The three main kinds reels - spin casting, bait casting, and spinning all have their pros and cons. The type you need depends on what kind of fishing you do.

Using a fishing reel for the first time can be frustrating, especially if they style of reel is new to you. Beginners often start with a closed-face reel which helps keep the line from tangling. The most popular style is probably the spin-cast or spinning reel. With these the reel hangs under the rod and the line is held on an open spool. The line is controlled by a bail for casting and tension knobs for controlling the fight. Casting takes a little practice, but keeping your forefinger pressing the line against the handle before casting will prevent the line from coming off the spool.

Baitcasting on the other hand takes a fair bit of practice in order to become accurate and avoid line tangles. You must master controlling the tension of the line. To do this you need to match the weight of the lure to the tension on the line and then finally the power of your cast. But once you do, they're great fun and allow very accurate casts in very tight spots. For this reason alone they are a popular choice with pro bass fishers.

Learning to use all three types of fishing reels will give you an enormous advantage when you go fishing. By matching your reel and other fishing gear to your type of fishing you will have much greater success.

About the Author
Into fishing? We are. Want to understand your gear better? We do too. Come learn about fishing reels at http://www.all-fishing-reels.com. Informative articles and reviews on a wide selection of fishing reels.

Ten Tips For Effective Angling

by Patricia Kopp

I also like to call this list ten things my Dad taught me about fishing. Fishing has always been an important part of my life. My Dad used to take me fishing all the time, in fact, "take a kid fishing" was a rule he lived by. He showed me how to fish, the best bait to use while fishing, and methods to catch more fish. Sure this list isn't everything you need to know about fishing but using these basic techniques will insure you to have a "good day fishing."

1. Always set the hook properly. Make sure your fish is hooked before you start reeling.

2. Keep steady pressure on the fish. Don't give the fish a chance to spit out the lure or bait. Keep your line taut with no slack and keep the rod tip out of the water. You need to keep reeling to make sure the pressure is steady and the line is straight out to the fish.

3. Make sure your line is not wrapped around the tip of the rod. If it becomes twisted around the rod you will not be able to control your reeling and it may break the line.

4. The jig is one of most effective fish catching lures to use. Jigs are good for fishing from the shoreline to deep water. They can be used on farm ponds, lakes, rivers and reservoirs. They catch everything from bluegills, crappies and perch to walleyes, smallmouth bass and northern pike. My Dad's favorite was using a feathered jig tipped with a mealworm. We caught all kind of fish with that in all kinds of water.

5. Make sure to use your drag and that it is working properly. Using the drag will help you maintain control over the fish.

6. Cast your bait near structure whenever you can. If you can, bring along a contour map of the body of water you're fishing. Fish like to hang around logs, rocks and docks whether the structure is under the water or sticking out of the water. Casting next to a weed bed should produce fish also.

7. Try to use live bait that is matched to what the fish usually feed on. If you present the fish with what they're looking for you are much more likely to catch fish.

8. Take care of your fishing equipment. Keep your hooks sharp and ready to hook the big one. Change your line frequently to prevent breakage. Keep your reel oiled so that it turns easily.

9. Start fishing on the bottom and work your way to the surface. Once you catch a fish, try to keep your bait at that depth and just move around until you find where they are hiding. Keep moving until you start catching fish. Keep repeating the procedure. Bluegill, perch, crappie, white bass and black bass are all schooling fish. This means that there are more than one fish swimming around. Once you find them, you will usually catch a bunch.

10. Always keep your bait moving. Jig it, pop it, reel it. Whatever it takes to make it look alive. Fish love live bait.

Hope these tips offer you as many good fishing days as I have had.

About the Author
For more fishing tips and fishing resources please visit http://www.fishing-tip.info You can read more fishing articles at http://www.fishing-tip.info/Fishing-Articles.html

Fly Fishing - The Feeding Behaviour of Trout

by Wayne Smith

Fly fishing, in all it's variations and sub-areas (casting, fly tying, etc), centres around a single goal - To successfully tempt a fish (Most commonly a trout) to take an artificial fly as a food item. Sighting, hooking, playing and landing the fish are also important parts of the successful fishing experience, not to mention being able to get the fly to the fish in the first place, by the unique casting methods utilized solely in fly fishing.

However, along with all that work, and the practice of the skills involved in bringing it all together at that crucial moment, comes that pivotal element of convincing the fish that what they are considering is indeed food-like in nature. Without this key element, we can forget the rest, and this is the one step of the exercise which is dependant upon the decision of the fish, rather than ourselves.

In this, fly fishermen spend untold amounts of time researching, studying, and imitating countless insect types in aid of presenting a believable decoy to their quarry. We tie our flies, the fish takes it, our efforts paid off, right?

But is everything as it seems? Did we deceive the fish for exactly the reasons we thought?

Although there are many factors involved in getting that fly to a timid fish, and fly fishing itself was obviously designed around overcoming all of those obstacles, considering it's significance, understanding the 'Feeding behaviour' of the trout has probably taken somewhat of a back seat, compared to some of the other areas or skills of fly fishing, we fishermen often seem to focus our efforts on.

The feeding behaviour of trout is the sum of two main factors:

Firstly, through the fry and fingerling stages of development, the identification of specific 'Food Recognition Keys' are ingrained resulting from the repetitive feeding pattern of their natural survival instincts.

Secondly, as they get larger, they can manage larger diet articles. Supplementary behaviour is then learned out of a reactive response to the local fauna they find in the area where they are hatched or released. Local knowledge is naturally beneficial here and this is normally what we focus on when fly fishing.

The behavioural patterns of trout vary significantly between the species, the size and the circumstances in which they are found. Trout habits also change through different times of the day, and again depending on weather conditions. Feeding habits and behaviours also change between faster and slower waters, and so on.

As in most types of fishing, there is not just one single or simple answer. If there was, it would have been made common knowledge, a long time ago. What this does tell us, is that to increase our odds of convincing the trout of the validity of our fly, it's going to be far more beneficial to concentrate on presenting specific 'Recognition keys', which remain consistent, rather than the far more subjective; 'Circumstance-specific learned behaviour' which will often vary greatly from fish to fish, and particularly from place to place.

There are many pieces to this puzzle. The more pieces you can find, understand and put together, the more it multiplies your fly fishing results. What this methodology does do for us especially, is simplify and sharpen our learning curve by quite an incredible degree.

Therefore, instead of studying dozens, even hundreds or more, of insects and the flies designed to imitate them, I've found that in nearly all circumstances, you need only a few fly patterns, each designed to do a specific job in the varying circumstances found on the stretch of water you're fishing.

Trout Flies then induce fish 'Takes' by the use of food 'Recognition Keys,' rather than by intended imitation. For this method then, local knowledge becomes relatively irrelevant.

This means flies do not need to imitate anything to catch trout. What!?! Say that again.- Flies do not need to imitate anything to catch trout. Certainly nothing specific anyway.

Flies can then be tied to counter stream or water conditions, or to counter, and or take advantage of, various aspects of trout behaviour. This, then (Not being restricted by specific imitation), opens up possibilities for us to incorporate the use of innovative strategies, tactics and trout fly construction, to give ourselves a far greater edge than previously thought possible.

The more time we have spent fishing with incorrect or insufficient knowledge, the more time you have spent developing the mindset that the trout is a vastly superior, cunning and unpredictable adversary, and results like mine become seemingly unattainable, and without such knowledge becoming available, the practical reality remains precisely that.

Normally it takes years of studying these fish, trial and error with different fly patterns, different fishing techniques, different innovative designs and methods with the right focus to get to a place where you understand these creatures adequately for the outstanding results we normally only see the Pro's achieving.

Fortunately, with the right focus, we can now be achieving much greater success in much shorter time frames by understanding and taking advantage of these 'Recognition keys', combined with other behavioural patterns of the trout species we are targeting and just some basic skills of fly fishing.

About the Author
Wayne Smith, author of the acclaimed 'Fly Fishing For Trout - A Quiet Revolution' which can be found here: Fly Fishing Find Great Resources here: Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing - The Feeding Behaviour of Trout

by Wayne Smith

Fly fishing, in all it's variations and sub-areas (casting, fly tying, etc), centres around a single goal - To successfully tempt a fish (Most commonly a trout) to take an artificial fly as a food item. Sighting, hooking, playing and landing the fish are also important parts of the successful fishing experience, not to mention being able to get the fly to the fish in the first place, by the unique casting methods utilized solely in fly fishing.

However, along with all that work, and the practice of the skills involved in bringing it all together at that crucial moment, comes that pivotal element of convincing the fish that what they are considering is indeed food-like in nature. Without this key element, we can forget the rest, and this is the one step of the exercise which is dependant upon the decision of the fish, rather than ourselves.

In this, fly fishermen spend untold amounts of time researching, studying, and imitating countless insect types in aid of presenting a believable decoy to their quarry. We tie our flies, the fish takes it, our efforts paid off, right?

But is everything as it seems? Did we deceive the fish for exactly the reasons we thought?
Although there are many factors involved in getting that fly to a timid fish, and fly fishing itself was obviously designed around overcoming all of those obstacles, considering it's significance, understanding the 'Feeding behaviour' of the trout has probably taken somewhat of a back seat, compared to some of the other areas or skills of fly fishing, we fishermen often seem to focus our efforts on.

The feeding behaviour of trout is the sum of two main factors:

Firstly, through the fry and fingerling stages of development, the identification of specific 'Food Recognition Keys' are ingrained resulting from the repetitive feeding pattern of their natural survival instincts.

Secondly, as they get larger, they can manage larger diet articles. Supplementary behaviour is then learned out of a reactive response to the local fauna they find in the area where they are hatched or released. Local knowledge is naturally beneficial here and this is normally what we focus on when fly fishing.

The behavioural patterns of trout vary significantly between the species, the size and the circumstances in which they are found. Trout habits also change through different times of the day, and again depending on weather conditions. Feeding habits and behaviours also change between faster and slower waters, and so on.

As in most types of fishing, there is not just one single or simple answer. If there was, it would have been made common knowledge, a long time ago. What this does tell us, is that to increase our odds of convincing the trout of the validity of our fly, it's going to be far more beneficial to concentrate on presenting specific 'Recognition keys', which remain consistent, rather than the far more subjective; 'Circumstance-specific learned behaviour' which will often vary greatly from fish to fish, and particularly from place to place.

There are many pieces to this puzzle. The more pieces you can find, understand and put together, the more it multiplies your fly fishing results. What this methodology does do for us especially, is simplify and sharpen our learning curve by quite an incredible degree.

Therefore, instead of studying dozens, even hundreds or more, of insects and the flies designed to imitate them, I've found that in nearly all circumstances, you need only a few fly patterns, each designed to do a specific job in the varying circumstances found on the stretch of water you're fishing.

Trout Flies then induce fish 'Takes' by the use of food 'Recognition Keys,' rather than by intended imitation. For this method then, local knowledge becomes relatively irrelevant.

This means flies do not need to imitate anything to catch trout. What!?! Say that again.- Flies do not need to imitate anything to catch trout. Certainly nothing specific anyway.

Flies can then be tied to counter stream or water conditions, or to counter, and or take advantage of, various aspects of trout behaviour. This, then (Not being restricted by specific imitation), opens up possibilities for us to incorporate the use of innovative strategies, tactics and trout fly construction, to give ourselves a far greater edge than previously thought possible.
The more time we have spent fishing with incorrect or insufficient knowledge, the more time you have spent developing the mindset that the trout is a vastly superior, cunning and unpredictable adversary, and results like mine become seemingly unattainable, and without such knowledge becoming available, the practical reality remains precisely that.

Normally it takes years of studying these fish, trial and error with different fly patterns, different fishing techniques, different innovative designs and methods with the right focus to get to a place where you understand these creatures adequately for the outstanding results we normally only see the Pro's achieving.

Fortunately, with the right focus, we can now be achieving much greater success in much shorter time frames by understanding and taking advantage of these 'Recognition keys', combined with other behavioural patterns of the trout species we are targeting and just some basic skills of fly fishing.

About the Author
Wayne Smith, author of the acclaimed 'Fly Fishing For Trout - A Quiet Revolution' which can be found here: Fly Fishing Find Great Resources here: Fly Fishing

Local Bass Fishing

by Michael Russell

If you are like me, you love to fish at the drop of a hat. While I do plan fishing trips, I also like to go on a whim.

Sometimes the urge strikes out of nowhere and I get up and go right now. Or, maybe I want to stop on the way home from work (or go instead of work like any bass fisherman worth his salt would do).

But then again, living in the city, there are not many places I can get to quickly enough to accommodate this habit. Most of the lakes in my area are over an hour's drive away, which is reasonable unless you are in a hurry.

After being frustrated by this, I decided to start a campaign to help scratch the itch a little bit. Talking to people didn't help much because very few of them were privy to any local fishing holes. So I turned to the Internet.

Bingo. I discovered a bunch of local parks that had ponds in them stocked with largemouth bass and catfish. So with that information and the help of Yahoo maps, I set out to learn every fishing hole in every local park that I could find. I'm still working on it.

While this was a sacrifice from actually heading out to the lake, this did help scratch the itch somewhat. Some of the ponds I found in the local parks ranged from 3 to 7 acres and were absolutely beautiful. One of the best kept secrets in my city.

In fact, I actually met people IN those parks who either did not know the ponds were stocked, and some didn't even know the ponds were there because they were back off the beaten path.

Admittedly, the fishing can be slow, but it is fishing and I do catch fish from time to time. Just the other day I went to one beautiful little pond hidden in the back of a local park and landed myself a little 2 pound bass (I don't think the bass appreciated my hugs and kisses). Trust me, that was enough to keep the interest up for a few more trips!

Another thing I discovered was some of the local creeks. There are all kinds of fish in them, including bass, catfish, bream and carp (don't tell me about the carp - if you never caught a big one, you are really missing something).

A good addition to your local fishing is privately owned ponds. Sometimes, if you get to know the owners, they will let you fish in there ponds, as long as you respect their property. There are probably more of these privately owned ponds than you realize. Some are open to the public and charge admission and/or require you to be a member of a club to get in. Check into it - it could be well worth it.

So, don't let the fishing blues get you down. If you don't have time to make the trip out to your favorite lake, try one of the local ponds. Especially if you have kids. These parks are a great place to break in a young angler.

About the Author
Michael RussellYour Independent guide to Fishing

Origin Of Fly Fishing

Author: Michael Russell

Fishing. Take a rod and a line and throw it in some water. Splash it around a bit and wait until something tugs. If only it were that easy. The truth is, fishing as a sport is not as easy as most people think and is a lot more complicated than just throwing your line is some water. For starters there are several types of fishing depending on what kind of fish you want to catch.

In this article we're going to focus on fly fishing and it's origin.

Fly fishing goes all the way back to around 200 AD. The first reference to it was written by Aelian who was born around 170 AD. Early in his life he knew nothing of the sea. In his early writing "On The Nature Of Animals" he writes about a certain way of catching fish supposedly invented by the Macedonians. A particular fish that runs through the Astraeus River in Macedonia happens to feed on flies that are peculiar to that region. These flies are not found anywhere else. The natives of the land called this species of fly Hippouros. These flies seek their food over the river and are never very far away from the fish in the river below. Because of this it is relatively easy for the fish to jump out of the water, catching the flies in their mouths and eating them.

It is from seeing this that the Macedonian's got the idea to use these flies to catch the fish. However, because it is unclean for their people to touch this species of fly they had to develop a way to catch the fish without actually handling the flies. So what they did was fasten red wool around a hook. They then fixed onto the wool two feathers which grow under a cock's wattles. The rod they used was six feet long and the line was also the same length. They then threw the line in the direction of the flies. The fish seeing this line which is disguised to look like the fly think they are going to have a nice meal and instead are caught by the fisherman's trap. Fly fishing was developed.

It should be pointed out that according to accounts of what the fly looked like and what the actual "bait" looked like it would seem that the Macedonians didn't try to imitate the fly exactly, as the fly color was yellow and the bait color was red. Some speculation is that the fly changed color when near water but this was never proven.
For those interested, the story above was taken from Radcliffe's "Fishing From The Earliest Times," which was published in 1921. This version of the story is the one most often printed with no credit given to the original author. Radcliffe himself states that he adapted this translation from "Lambert's Angling Literature in England" first published in 1881. Prior to this there was a Latin translation which was printed in 1558. This printing however wasn't discovered until 1834.

In a later article we'll cover modern day fly fishing.

About the Author
Michael RussellYour Independent guide to Fishing

Using A Fishing Rod

by: Travis Clemens

Rods are basically made from carbon. Plastic, composite carbon combined with Kevlar, which is a kind of material that is bullet proof, or just high carbon. Since the carbon's force and strength in connection to its mass is light, making it strong material that can allow thinner fabrication but still is able to keep the span and length. A rod that is lighter evidently handling will be easier, controlling it would be less tiring on ones arms and reduces resistance to air giving one an easier time accurately casting it, particularly on windy ways.

Rods come in silicon carbide, hard chrome or ceramic rings having a function of letting the line pass through. These are precisely used because of their smoothness having the function to minimize friction when passing through the line and keep the maximum strength. Silicon materials are a fact costly, so an alternative is bring into play ceramic rings like Zircon which when taken in to account, it is not as tough or as light, but is much cost effective. Rings made of chrome are better, although every season they require replacement, they do deliver excellent job of line running. At least thirteen rings are needed from the handle all through the tip, lesser near the handle, needing more close to the tip. The line can fasten itself to the rod, if you don’t have enough rings.

When determining length of the rod, you want to take into account exactly what kind of fishing you want. If you want far out fishing, in that case choose a larger rod as this will offer you better control when you are playing the fish. If you are planning to go fishing in an area that is enclosed, you will need a shorter rod. Normally, the safe rod size to choose is13ft (3.9m). This is lengthy enough for a waggler but does not cast out too far.

Handles
Handles are made from either cork or foam. Whichever you choose, this is a matter of preference. Just try handling both materials so you can have a good “feel” before buying it.

Action
Action is the term used in describing how the rod will bend when it is placed under the lot of strain and effort of a fighting fish.

There are two types of tip on a rod, the hollow and spliced tips. Hollow tips are good in catching carp, tench and chub which have a progressive or developing action making it sharp for quick bites, yet proficient enough to manage long distance strikes. Spliced tips normally are normally spliced to the end with two feet solid carbon. This rod is sharper so it is a good pick for fast acting fish.

When choosing a rod, these questions will help you pick the right one:

1. How frequent and where do you fish? Are you a beginner, a weekend warrior, or a tournament pro? If you are just starting out, you may need to budget and spend less money on your first rod. Once you learn the techniques and once you have decided that fishing is for you, that is the time to spend on more specific rods.

2. Freshwater or Saltwater fish? While there are a few rods that can be used for both fresh and saltwater fish, most rods are made for a specific purpose and application.

3. Spinning or Casting? The species you that you choose to chase will determine it.

4. Power, sensitivity, and your technique. The rod should match the way you enjoy fishing. If you like to fish with lures, then you should look for a rod that is comfortable enough to cast frequently all day long.

About The Author
Travis Clemens is a life time fisherman and he knows the ins and outs of gettinem on the hook! You too can gettem on the hook with Travis as your guide! http://www.best-fishing-tips.com.

Fishing Tips for the New Angler - Where to Find the Big Bass!

by: Buck Wilson

Ready to join the growing number of sportsmen who have set their sights on catching that big bass? Thousands of new anglers are gearing up to hit the lakes, streams and rivers in search of the largemouth bass. This magnificent game fish can be as elusive as that winning lottery ticket.
Bass are part of the sunfish family. Other members of this species include spotted bass, smallmouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, and pumpkinseed fish. These bass, including the largemouth, are identified as warm water bass or black bass. Because of its "spirited" nature on the line, the largemouth bass is a favorite game fish for the casual weekend angler, as well as, the tournament fisherman.

As a new angler, your greatest challenge will be locating the "hideouts" of the largemouth bass. What makes the bass such a great game fish is that they are hard to predict. They are sensitive to environmental and seasonal changes. As water temperatures or levels change, so will their resting places. Other factors affecting their location might be season, weather conditions, amount of daylight, and food availability.

So, where is the best place to find the big "Kahuna" of bass? Different bodies of water will yield different results. Let's take a look at each:

Ponds
Ponds can yield satisfactory results, but the bass tend to be small to medium in size. Weeds and reeds are the natural habitat of bass. When fishing ponds, look for areas of weed beds near the shore. Bass will tend to congregate near or in these weedy areas, but also like to hide around sunken logs, large rocks, or deep holes.

Lakes
Natural lakes must be divided into two categories - lakes in the Southern states and lakes in the Northern states. The lakes in the north tend to have a wide array of topography - rock bluffs, weed beds, holes, sunken logs, reefs, islands and reeds. Bass aren't as plentiful in these lakes because these waters do not contain the plankton and algae that they like to feed on.
On the other hand, Southern lakes, especially shallow ones, breed some of the largest bass in North America. In these lakes, the bass will congregate in the shallows around the weedy and reedy areas. It's around these areas that you have the greatest probability for a strike, so cast your bait or lure in that direction.

Streams
Streams are often overlooked as a source for good bass fishing. They can be a great place to also find smallmouth bass, which prefer cooler waters over the larger and warmer bodies of water. The same principles apply in streams as in ponds - look for the sunken structures and along the steep banks. Anywhere that the weed beds change into rocky areas is an excellent location to find bass. One note of caution: bass will not congregate in flowing water, so don't waste your time in the middle of the stream in the current flow. Cast your line where the current is blocked, like large rocks of downed trees. This is where the large bass will be hiding out.
For the new angler, practice makes perfect. You don't need to start your fishing career on the big lakes. Try the smaller ponds to get accustomed to your new gear and to start to master your casting and retrieval techniques. Try different baits and see how they feel on the end of your line. Determine whether a spinner, streamer, soft bait or crankbait works best for you.
Trust me - you will catch plenty of bass along the way. They may not all be trophy winners, but you will learn to get a "feel" for a bass on the line. To help you gain a better feel for the fish, try using an ultra light combination rod and reel. Even the one pounders feel like trophy fish, and the experience you gain will be priceless.

About The Author
Buck Wilson writes articles for sports publications and online newsletters. He is an avid sportsman and fisherman. For more information visit:
http://www.go-fishing.net
http://www.best-rifle-scopes.us