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Archive for November, 2009

An Introduction to Fly Fishing Flies

Fly Fishing Flies (Orvis Fly Fishing School)

Traditionally, fly fishing has been used to catch salmon and trout, but today fly fishing can catch a variety of other fish species from smallmouth and largemouth bass, to your larger saltwater fish species, such as marlin and tarpon. Unlike bait fishing where live bait is used to catch fish, artificial fly fishing flies are used to catch fish when fly fishing. The equipment used for fly fishing also differs from fishing equipment used for bait fishing. For fly fishing it is important to select the correct fly line, fly rod and flt reel before you start fishing. It is also extremely important to use the correct fly fishing flies to match the species of fish you want to catch.

An Introduction to Fly Fishing Flies

Artificial fly fishing flies are commonly used in fly fishing. Artificial fly fishing flies are available all over the world, and many companies produce fly fishing flies. Fly fishing flies come in great varieties with respect to size, shape and even color. Fly fishing flies are made from materials such as fur, feathers, hairs and other materials. These materials can either be natural or synthetic. Many fly fishing flies available today imitate the food that a particular fish may eat. You also get fly fishing flies that don’t imitate anything in nature.

Fly fishing flies are made with the aquatic appearance of local fish and insects in mind. If you are trying to catch a fish in a particular location, the fly fishing flies you use must match a food that the fish eats in that particular location. You can also change the patterns and colors of fly fishing flies that you purchase so that these flies are a more suitable match for the particular location you are fishing in. Many fly fishermen make their own fly fishing flies for fishing or as a hobby. To meet the different specifications of fly fishing flies required all over the world, gifted experts are employed all over the world to create artificial fly fishing flies. It is actually quite a fun and rewarding hobby to create your own artificial fly fishing flies. Synthetic materials are more popular when it comes to creating flies.

If you are looking to purchase a quality fly fishing rod, check out the Sage fly rod range.

Categories of Fly Fishing Flies

There is an incredible variety of fly fishing flies that are available. Fly fishing flies can be broken down into the following categories:

  • Dry Flies – Designed to float on the water surface and imitate the adult stage of aquatic insects, or land-based insects that have fallen into the water (such as ants or beetles).
  • Wet Flies – Designed to float just below the surface of the water and imitate immature aquatic insects, or drowned insects.
  • Nymphs – A type of wet fly that imitates the larval form of aquatic insects.
  • Streamers – A type of wet fly that imitates minnows or small fish which are the prey of larger fish.
  • Surface Lures – Surface lures are designed to look like mice or frogs. Are usually very colorful, and are fished in a way to create a commotion to attract large predatory fish.

If you are looking to purchase a fly fishing float tube, check out the Outcast float tube guide.

For more information about saltwater fly fishing gear, take a look at the Feedest.com news feed for Fly Fishing Elite.

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Hooked on Largemouth Bass Fishing

Largemouth Bass
Image by heathzib via Flickr

My man and I live on one of the premier walleye fishing lakes in the state of Minnesota.  We moved here about 5 years back and have loved every minute of it.  We have always enjoyed walleye fishing.  I was shocked when my partner began taking an interest in bass fishing. There are lots of articles in the sporting mags about fishing for large mouth bass, but we had not fished for them.  My partner asserted that we had enough walleye in the refrigerator and could catch more any time, but he would have liked to engage in the game of fishing for large mouth bass.

I enjoy being out in the boat and getting a tan, so I did not actually care what my hubby was fishing for.  Then one day we were out on the lake and he caught an enormous bass casting into shallow water.  I was dazzled at the sight of this beautiful fish leaping out of the water, shaking his head making an attempt to get rid of the hook in his mouth.  I had been relaxing in the sun reading a book when the fun started.  My husband ordered me to get the net.  I stood with the net and watched the enormous bass jump out of the lake again.  Following the leap my man’s fishing rod almost doubled over as the fish made a dive to the bottom of the lake.  This battle went on for approximately five minutes before we ultimately had the large mouth bass in the boat.  We took pictures and then released this wonderful fighter.

After seeing the fun my husband had in hooking the big bass I announced I would have liked to give it a try.  After only three casts I felt pull on the line and then a powerful pulling.  I have fished for years and could not believe the strength of that fish.  He swam under the boat to try to lose the hook.  He then took an air borne jump from the water.  The leap in the air dislodged the hook from his mouth.  It was actually the most thrilling fish I ever lost!  I knew why my partner had switched to fishing for large mouth bass.

Fishing for bass requires the utilization of artificial lures.  There’s a giant selection of lures in numerous shapes and sizes.  During the past I can’t say I have paid much attention when my hubby is picking out lures, but with bass fishing I have started my own tackle box.  What an astonishingly fun fish to catch.  I don’t take a book with me in the boat when we are fishing for large mouth bass.

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Discover Alaska Fishing Lodges

Evening mist rising from Fish Creek, Hyder-Alaska
Image by Arthur Chapman via Flickr

Whenever people visit Alaska for the purpose of fishing they should know time is of the essense as there are seasons that are great and seasons that aren’t as great. Don’t be the one that didn’t take the time to plan your fishing trip.

This is because some kinds of fish are available and plentiful during certain seasons. Therefore, one has to get their timing rights if they would like to visit the state and get a certain type of fish. And it is because of this that people came up with Alaska fishing lodges which provide shelter for visitors in the form of comfort homes, provide necessary information and services for visitors who intend to enjoy their fishing trips at the lodgings.

One good about the Alaska fishing lodge is that it brings a new lifestyle that I may refer to as an ‘Alaskan way of life’ which is different from the hustles and bustles of major cities. But one of the top reasons for these lodges is the fishing experience. The main activity here is fishing, so people usually want a place to go back to and relax after the fishing experience. This is why the Alaska fishing lodge is good. The lodges also offer packages that are affordable for those people who are on a budget, they cater for everyone’s needs. The wonderful thing about these lodges is that they cater for everyone; even for those may be a little bit low on finances because the lodges have packages that meet everyone’s needs.

One of the thing to put into consideration when searching for the Alaska fishing lodge to stay in is its proximity to the water as well as facilities and services being offered by the hosts. There are good package that offers great food, lodging, fish process and also guides who are familiar with the place and could help visitors to choose the best spots for fishing around the area. The guides can also provide good advice on fishing.

If you find an affordable Alaska fishing lodge that offers a few of these services, then you should take it. This will save you the time and stress of searching for a package that is suitable for you by going from one agent to another. One important point to remember is that certain kinds of fish are found at certain areas, and these lodges are placed according to this. This could help in making your decision if you are only interested in certain kind of fish.

Last but not least, Alaska fishing lodges are a great way for one to get into the spirit of fishing and connecting with nature. For those people who like natural surroundings, visiting some of these lodges will give you the experience and relaxation one so deserves.

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Bass Fishing Tips For Better Bass Fishing

Jumping Smallmouth Bass
Image by wormwould via Flickr

Brrrr, it’s chilly out there today, glad I’m in my nice warm office. A great day for a few helpful bass fishing tips.

Get familiar with the instinctive behavior of the bass because it is going to be the focal point of these tips. I have always had good luck with bass but learning just a couple of tricks can make your bass fishing all the more fun and exciting making you into a truly serious angler.

Look For Cover, They Do

Yeah, bass do like to hang out under cover. Shade lovers at heart they get protection from the sun and other pretators. Plus the bait fish are constantly popping in and out of these areas giving the bass opporunties for ambushing dinner.

I really like fishing lily pads, big rock and docks for site fishing these crazy fish. I like to fish the docks before any one is out of bed as some people don’t care for people around their docks.

Cool And Clear Water

I have only fished smallmouth bass and they seem to like the warmer water as long as it doesn’t get too hot. Maybe somewhere between 58 and 80 degrees or 14 to 28 Celcius. Once it gets beyond these temps they shut down and get a lot tougher to find and fish.

What To Throw At Them?

Smallmouth bass have a wide range of food munch on. They will eat almost anything that’s alive so if you are using live baits be sure you keep them alive. Artificials are fine though, just put a bit of action into those baits.

Bass are very territorial and will swim back to the same spot their were caught in if possible. They don’t tend to school like other fish but if you can find great cover or humps with nice drop offs you can hook into multiple bass without moving around. If they are in the open they tend to travel alone.

Make sure to utilize these great fishing tips and let me know how it goes for you.

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Improve Your Fly Fishing Technique

Fly fishing in a river
Image via Wikipedia

While fly fishing is conceived to be one of the most relaxing hobbies you’ll ever engage in, there is still a decided amount of skill requirement in order to be successful. You might have heard so much about the cast and about tying your own flies and may wonder how to really improve your fly fishing techniques in order to improve your catch broad. There are just a few simple things you can remember in order to affect your time on the water a more enjoyable experience and to just plain old catch more fish; let’s review these few simple things to remember about your fly fishing techniques.

Being gentle with your cast is important and probably the most important of all fly fishing techniques. Many anglers make the error of attempting to force their project the direction you do with regular fishing. Remember that you’re not trying to achieve too far ahead of you and certainly don’t want to sink your bait the way you do with average fishing. Your target is to just skim or flit your fly over the top of the water. You also want to remember that with fly fishing, the fly is virtually weightless and the line is heavy, so the line pulls the fly and not the different way around. If you give your line just the smallest bit of guidance you’ll see how it pulls the fly behind it and how the fly then skims the water. Practice your cast as part of your fly fishing techniques as much as you can. You can stand in the yard and just apply a line without a fly. Aim for about ten or fifteen feet in front of you and keep exercising until you can hit it perfectly.

Other ways to improve your fly fishing techniques is to get sufficient with working the line. With typical fishing you commonly have no slack in your line but with fly fishing, that slack is essential for when you pull the line up for another project. Getting used to how it feels to control the slack with your secondary hand may take some practice. As you exercise your project, practice covering that slack so that it doesn’t get tangled up in the line and so that you have enough slack overall. Both hands are going to be important when it comes to your fly fishing techniques so get used to how the line feels to you and what it takes to control it.

While you’re exercising your fly fishing techniques, remember not to get too taken up in instructions and the “proper” way to cast. If you do, you might find that you’re lost on the enjoyment of fly fishing overall. Anglers have been successful with fly fishing for hundreds of years without fancy schools or teachings, so you don’t need to worry too much about these matters. Do the best you can with your own fly fishing techniques and remember to enjoy

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Bass Fishing for fun

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.

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.

The author is a building inspector who is ethusizstic about fishing and promote fishing Auckland and home security.

Fish Finder Reviews.

fish finder
Image by rossferguson via Flickr

Before you can decide which fish finder is the best choice for you, you should know how a fish finder works.

Sonar technology is used by fish finders to locate fish or other structure beneath the surface.  Sonar technology utilizes sound waves that are sent out into the water.  As they travel further, the sound wave will increase in diameter, going from the point of initiation and fanning out into a cone-like shape.  The cone continually becomes larger in deeper water because it continues to fan out from the point of origin.  When the sonar wave strikes against a solid object of any substance, it will send an echo back to the transducer.  The shape of the object struck will be determined by how long it took the signal to go out and then bounce the sound wave echo back compared to the surrounding area.  The echo will then appear on your fishfinder screen and you will see the aproximate size, shape and depth of the object.

The next thing you need to know before you can determine which fishfinder is best for you is your budget.   As a rule, think about how much you’d ideally like to spend on a fishfinder. Then double that.   This is more realistic and helps set an actual budget to work with.

Naturally, the budget isn’t the only consideration.  There are six other significant factors to help you make the best choice for you.  Review all of the following:

DEPTH RATING

All fish finders are rated up to a defined depth. The rating will indicate how far down the signal will return effective soundings based on the intensity of the signal.   However, you should know that the depth ratings given are for ideal circumstances in fresh, clean, relatively clear water; unless it states otherwise. When fishing in salt or murky water the effective depth will be less than stated. Like everything else; the more power the higher the cost; so know that if you plan to fish really deep water you need to spend more.

A good rule of thumb and my recommendation is to purchase a fishfinder with a rating of 10% more than you plan to need.

TRANSDUCER INCLUDED?

You should check included accessories for your fishfinder diligently before you make your purchase. Some fish finders come without a transducer so you need to check the included accessories before purchasing.   So consider that in the overall price.   There are two different kinds of transducers-single frequency and dual frequency. You may require one, the other or both depending on for what and where you are fishing.   Single frequency transducers work best in shallow coastal waters or inland lakes.   For offshore deep water and sea fishing, a dual frequency transducer is recommended. A transducer with dual frequency gives you a higher frequency transducer for a smaller cone in deep water. As an example; a 50kHz frequency transducer could have a 4 degree cone to provide a good view of the bottom in deep water and 200kHz transducer with a 20 degree cone would provide a better view of the bottom in shallower water. When purchasing the transducer you want get the right one as all will produce an image on the screen but you want it to represent the bottom under the boat, not hundreds of yards around it.

Installation of the unit must also be factored in here. Another consideration is portability; will you leave it on one boat or move it from boat to boat. You also have to decide if you will transom mount it or go through the hull for optimum clarity.

Portable single frequency transducers are manufactured by several different companies.Most of these units are intended for use on smaller boats.  They are intended for use on rivers, streams, or inland lakes.

A transom mount unit is usually easier and less expensive to install. Trasducers can be purchased in both single and dual frequency fish finder models.   Transom mounts are best for use in water that will not be very disrupted by a boat moving fast.Clarity usually is affected once your boat reaches 10 knots.

Best performance and clarity will be had with a thruogh hull transducer.   But this does require putting another hole in your boat hull for installation.   And they are really only warranted if you need bottom reading at very high speeds.

Through the hull dual frequency transducers are recommended if you plan to fish deep water and need to read the fish at high speeds.

For anyone who has a small boat or won’t be fishing at really high speeds, go with a portable unit or a transom mount. Save money on a transducer and buy more fuel for the boat!

CONSIDER THE POWER

As a rule, more power is always a good thing. You will generally find less power in the cheaper unit when all else is equal.   However, power is the key to accuracy and clarity because that is what determines the speed of the sonar echoes (bounced back sound waves) reaching your unit.

After finding all other factors equal I recommend buying the unit with the highest power rating. First find all the units that have the features you want then choose the one with the highest power rating.

SCREEN RESOLUTION

Consider this when looking at different options for the display.  Viewing in bright sunlight os better with a color monitor. A clearer image will be produced with higher resolution.

My recommendation is to look at several units in your price range with the features you want and then purchase the unit with the higher screen resolution, in color.  480×480 is ideal, but you don’t want to go any lower than 320×240.

DISPLAY – SIZE

Like more power being better, when it comes to display size, bigger is always better-if it fits where you want to put it!  The area measurements of where you plan to install the monitor will help determine the size. That will give you the largest display unit you can purchase.   A bigger screen will equal a heftier price, of course. However, screen size isn’t everthing.   Some really great fishfinders have 4″ diagonal screens and work fantastic.

READ THE REVIEWS, BUT . . .

It’s one thing to read the fishfinder reviews out there, but hey, take them with a huge grain-or maybe a block-of salt!   There is no way the reviews are written by someone who has actually used all of the different units and can definitively say one unit is the absolute best. More than likely the writer works for a manufacturer or distributor.  Instead, look for unbiased sources that present the actual facts. One example is of eFishBox’s fishfinder review page.   Make your decision based on your requirements and a solid understanding of the features you need, not someone who is getting paid to endorse a particular product.

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Rainbow Trout Fly Fishing Introduction

Fly Fishing Tips – How to Catch Rainbow Trout

Fly fishers, both men and women spend a great deal of their time hunting trout, and particularly rainbow trout. The beautiful rainbow band that runs along the the sides of a rainbow trout (from their head to their tail) is how one can identify a rainbow trout. As rainbow trout is a delicious fish to eat, and as they also provide excellent sport because of their fighting abilities, rainbow trout fishing has become very popular. Unlike other trout species, rainbow trout can also be tempted to take properly presented flies as well as streamers and nymphs, and are therefore the ideal fish for fly fishing.

Today, rainbow trout can be found in many regions in the United States, but the rainbow trout species originated west of the Rockies. Rainbow trout prefer cool streams, rivers and lakes, and are found in the northern parts of the US where the water temperature falls between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The main diet of rainbow trout includes plankton, immature and adult insects, worms, crustaceans. They sometimes even feed on small fish. Rainbow trout will remain in streams until they reach 6 to 9 inches in length, and then migrate to lakes or oceans where they spend years bulking up before returning to streams and rivers to spawn. Rainbow trout that have adapted to the saltwater environment are known as steelhead trout.

Rainbow Trout Fly Fishing Equipment

The fly rod used to catch rainbow trout varies depending on the size of trout you want to catch and the body of water you are fishing on. When fishing for medium to large rainbow trout in lakes and large rivers, use a 4 weight through to a 8 weight fly rod. When fishing for small to medium size rainbow trout in small streams and rivers, use a 1 weight through to a 4 weight fly rod. A recommended rainbow trout fly fishing rod for small streams is the extremely light Sage TXL fly rod.

The fly line used for rainbow trout fly fishing is typically a floating line if dry fly fishing on the water’s surface. When fishing below the water’s surface using a nymph or streamer, a sinking tip fly line is used. A fly fishing reel is not essential for rainbow trout fly fishing, and some anglers prefer hand stripping the line to using a fly reel. A fly reel is often just used to recover and store fly line and backing not in immediate use. For more information on fly reels, take a look at the following fly reel introduction.

Rainbow Trout Fly Fishing Flies

Two basic types of flies are used for rainbow trout fly fishing, wet flies and dry flies. Dry flies masquerade insects are used with a floating fly line which floats on top of the water. A wet fly can imitate a bug, a worm, a minnow, small fish or any other water creature that lives under the water surface. A wet fly is different from a dry fly in that it sinks under the water’s surface. Nymphs and streamers are classified as wet flies and are used normally with sinking tip fly fishing lines.

For rainbow trout fly fishing, different types of flies are used in different regional areas. It is a good idea to find out what flies, nymphs and streamers work best from local fly shops or local anglers for that particular region. A good technique when fishing for rainbow trout is to start out with dry flies on the water’s surface, which causes less water disturbance. If you have no success with dry fly fishing, then start using wet flies below the water’s surface.

For more information about saltwater fly fishing gear, take a look at the news feed for Fly Fishing Elite (Feedraider.com).

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Fly Fishing Atlantic Salmon in New Brunswick

Atlantic Salmon, Salmo salar, Taken thru glas,...
Image via Wikipedia

The Atlantic salmon is the reason I live in New Brunswick Canada, but don’t tell my wife that please. Back in about 1974 I was introduced to fly fishing by my sister’s husband and from that moment on it was all about the fly rod and Atlantic salmon.

My wife doesn’t fish so she doesn’t really understand the draw fishing has on me but she is good about it and even goes with me sometimes, just to be with me. Isn’t that sweet.

The fish of 1000 casts is the nickname given to our Atlantic salmon and it’s so true. Yet I have gone a couple of times and hooked a salmon on the very first cast. You just never know what the day will present.

I have a few places I like to go. Into the Renous area when we are going for more than one day at a time and I really like the Cains when I am only able to go for a short fly fishing trip.

I usually have everything ready the night before so that once my work day is done I can hop in the car and be on the water in less than an hour and half. That usually gives me a few of the best fishing hours before a short trip back home again.

I had a great evening on the water with a new fishing buddy Tim, read about on ‘The Joy of Fly Fishing.

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Fly Fishing The Outdoor Adventure

Green Highlander salmon fly. The hook length i...
Image via Wikipedia

The ancient angling method known as fly fishing has and still is very effective in catching bass, trout, salmon and even pike and pickerel. The artificially flies are used to lure or to excite fish to bite the flies by using this distinctive method of angling. Fly fishing is much easier than traditional fishing and it helps anglers catch the fish easier.

The two basic form of fly fishing that angler from all over the world recognize as Dry flies and wet flies. Dry fly needs to be coating with floatant in order to sit the fly in the surface of the water.  These dry flies are very effective in upstreams and moving water.  Anglers will easier to detect the fish and catch the them because it would help angler to locate where the fish resides like pools and pocket in streams.

Wet flies are uses beneath the surface of the water. Wet flies will not work as efective as dry flies in case where the weeds are many and almost touch the surface because wet flies will blend with the weeds in this condition.  In rich rivers where the weeds tend to grow closer to the surface have made traditional wet fly fishing ineffective to do.

In the 19th century, fly fishing was developed.  For slower and cleare rivers, dry fly technique is very effective. Anglers can keep the fly and line floating on the surface with dry fly fishing technique thus will make the fish aggressive and excited and also this is will help angler spot the location of the fish and in turn catches fish much easier.

Among fly fishing admirer,fly fishing later development have made this concept as basis and have gave birth to fly fishing be the sport fishing in the latter part of the 19th century. Some parts of the United States host fly fishing sports such as in the waters of British, Wyoming, Columbia, Alberta, Catskill Mountain of New York and provinces of Colorado and California.

Anglers in North America have developed various literatures pertaining to fly fishing and have been granted the reputation of the birthplace of dry fly fishing and be the epicenter for the western fly fishing and it is arguably one of the world’s best trout rivers, specifically the city of Calgary – Alberta. The growing numbers of fly fishers in various other states in America such as Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, Arkansas and Utah have keep the popularity of fly fishing sport at its peak.

Fly fishing uses longer and lighter rods, sizes vary from 14 feet (4m) for saltwater fly fishing and 6 feet (2m) for freshwater and the weight are between 2 to 5 ounces for freshwater rods.  The common cast used when the angler whisks the fly rod forward and back using his forearm and upper arm, the wrist is used to soften the motion. To make sure the rod do not touch the ground, the movement of rod varies from 10 o’clock position to 2 o’clock position. This will load the rod tip with energy and to travel the fly line creating distance and control and this will excite the fish or make them aggressive enough are known as false casting. When the fly touches the surface, it would be sure that the area where the most of the fish are located and thus will be easier to spot and catch the fish.

Feels the outdoor excitement if you are a fly fishing lovers or having fun with your family, using the proper equipment will help you develop your fly fishing technique for the sport. In most popular fly fishing location in the country, keep it exciting and enjoy fishing at its finest, thus you won’t have a problem in spotting nice locations for you and your family for this great outdoor adventure.

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