How to Attach Fishing Line to Tip-Ups

Instructions

1

Purchase a spool of 30- to 40-pound test braided ice-fishing line from your local tackle shop. These types of lines come coated or braided to be much thicker, more visible and easier to handle than the typical monofilament lines. Choose a colored line that you will be able to see easily as you look through the hole drilled in the ice. Tan is one of the more visible colors and a good option for beginning ice anglers. You will be able to look at it as it comes off your tip-up's reel and tell if a fish took the bait.

2

Hold the tip-up reel spool so that it cannot spin or move and tie the end of your ice-fishing line around the spool with an arbor knot. Clip back the end of the knot with a pair of nail clippers.

3

Place the spool of new ice-fishing line at your feet between your legs and sit down in a chair. Hold the tip-up's reel spool with your thumb tightly on the point where the knot meets the surface of the spool. This will permit you to wrap some line around the spool without the knot or the line spinning around the smooth spool's surface. Make about five or six wraps with the line before releasing your grip on where the knot meets the spool.

4

Grip the edge of the tip-up's reel spool with one hand so that the spool cannot spin and begin to wrap the new line around the spool using your other hand. This method will assure that you evenly distribute the line around the spool. Go slowly to avoid the line twisting as it comes off the new spool. Wrap the new line tightly around the tip-ups spool.

5

Wrap the line around until you have at least 25 yards of line on your tip-up's reel spool. You can be exact with this amount by measuring a foot of line when you first begin to wrap it around after the first few wraps. Once you know how much line is in a foot, determine how many wraps it takes to get that one foot around the line. Do the math to figure out how many wraps you will require to put 25 yards of line on the tip-up. For example, if it takes four wraps around to put one foot on the spool, you will need 300 wraps around to put on the 75 feet that makes up the 25 yards.

6

Cut the line when you have enough on your tip-up and tie on any terminal tackle such as leaders, swivels and/or hooks.

Bass Fishing Tips for Michigan

Spring

Spinnerbaits, crankbaits and plastic worms are your best baits during the spring. During this time, bass move into shallower and warmer weather for spawning and for a greater food supply. For bigmouth bass, fishing in murky water or on cloudy days are best, along with using a shallow-water flip technique. For smallmouth bass, gravel points and submerged hump locations will be your best bet for finding a school. Lake Huron, on the east border of Michigan, with more than 23,000 square miles, and is home to bass, walleye, crappie, and many other species of fish.

Summer

During the hot summer months, crankbaits, jigs and plastic worms will be your best baits. Both small and largemouth bass will be in shallow water during the morning, and move into deeper water as the sun rises. Largemouth bass may need to go as deep as 60 feet, depending on the depth of the lake. Smallmouth bass will be drawn to lures that resemble crawfish, as it's their favorite prey during this time of year.

Fall

Largemouth and smallmouth bass will hide in shallow to moderately deep water during mornings and evenings, and during the day move into deep water. Spoons and jigs are the best bait to use in deep water. Lake St. Clair in Northern Michigan is a popular destination for smallmouth bass, with some caught coming in around 6 pounds.

Winter

During colder weather, bass are less active and moving your lure in a slow motion will draw the attention of the fish. Jigs, pork baits and plastic worms are the best baits for large and smallmouth bass. Again, fish will collect in shallow water during mornings and go deeper into the lake as the day continues.

Tips for Using Rubber Worms for Bass Fishing

Select Bio Salt

Like everything else in fishing, technology is constantly evolving the lures. As simple as the rubber worm appears to be, some companies have begun producing rubber worms that are more advanced and therefore more effective in many instances.

Selecting a rubber worm made with "bio-salt" will help you attract more fish and make that wiggling worm irresistible to bass. According to the NGC Sports website, certain rubber worm lures are coated in this substance making them particularly flavorful to the fish. The bio-salt simulates the salty content of baitfish that bass prey on in the water. The fish will be attracted to your lure and be more likely to take it if you choose one of these "scented" or "flavored" versions.

Choosing Colors

If you've been to any bait shop and looked at the artificial lures you have noticed the rainbow of colors that rubber worms and other lures are produced in. This is not a fashion statement. The colors are actually useful for attracting fish in different water conditions, although most people just experiment with them until they find one that catches a fish.

Save the trial and error effort and go straight for the right color. It's a good idea to have several types in your tackle box, but pull out the ones that fit the conditions at that moment.

If the water is clear, go with a green worm, pumpkin seed worm or a black or blue variety of rubber worm, according to Fishin.com. If the water is a bit cloudy and dingy then go for the purple or red worm. If the water is extremely muddy, it is a good idea to choose a worm that will cause some vibration in the water. Try a worm with a fat ribbon tail that will allow the fish to feel the movement even if they can't see it.

Texas Rig In Shallow Water

Tie your worm on with a method known as a Texas rig and fish it in shallow water for best results, according to Family-Outdoors.com.

Make a Texas rig by sliding a small bullet sinker on the line with the wide part facing the end of the line. Tie on an offset worm hook at the end of the line and clip the excess line. Slide the head of the rubber worm onto the hook and ease it over the hook until the head completely covers the hook. The hook will protrude from the worm below the head when it is slid into place. Take the barb of the hook and stick it back into the belly of the worm without letting the hook break the surface on the other side. This rig will keep the lure from hanging in weeds or other objects.

Fish the Texas rig very slowly across the bottom near good cover in depths of two to 10 feet for best results.

Saginaw River Ice Fishing Tips

Use Fishing Lures by Location

The website All About Fishing recommends jigs, spoons and crankbaits, which work well in the deep structure of the river. Walleye prefer Swedish Pimples, Jigging Rapalas, Rocker Minnows and leadhead jigs, which work best from Vets Park to the Tittabawassee and Shiawassee Rivers' confluence.

Know What Time of Day to Fish

The website Travels recommends fishing for walleye after dark or at dusk along the shallow flats near the sides of the river's mouth. The website All About Fishing recommends trying shallow depths in the morning, but as the sun rises, moving into deeper waters, while the website Saginaw Bay finds that fish will bite all day on the Saginaw River, but early morning and late evening are best.

Know What Time of Year to Fish

Ice fishing for walleye and other fish on the Saginaw River is best in early- to mid-January, but it can be at any time of the year that occurs after several weeks of subfreezing temperatures, according to the Michigan Sportsman magazine website. Some walleyes enter the Saginaw River from the Saginaw Bay in the fall and spend the winter in the river, while others travel to the river throughout the winter. The website Saginaw Bay recommends late December through mid- to late February, as long as weather conditions are right.

Know Where to Drop Your Line

When ice fishing on the Saginaw, one of the safest bets is Wicks Park, which is near the Shiawassee and Tittabawassee Rivers' confluence. According to the website Saginaw Bay, areas near other ice fishermen are usually the safest to fish. Other popular access areas include Vets Park in Bay City and the Department of Natural Resources ramp at the mouth of the river.

Avoid the Bay City Power Company

The Bay City Power Company area of the Saginaw River should be avoided during ice fishing season, according to the website Travels, which reports that the power company discharges warm water into the river up to five miles east of the city, which warms the water and makes ice fishing difficult.

Keep Your Lure Near the River's Bottom

The website Travels recommends staying close to the bottom of the Saginaw River and Bay when ice fishing, with six inches or less from the bottom a good rule of thumb.

How to Make Homemade Ice Fishing Tip-Ups

Instructions

1

Make a cross. Place the center of the thick dowel across the thin dowel at a point approximately 4 inches from the end.

2

Wrap the fishing line around the dowel and then tie a knot to keep the dowels together.

3

Tie the strip of cloth to the long end of the 1/4-inch dowel with fishing line.

4

Attach the line to the short end of the 1/4-inch dowel.

5

Tug the line to make sure the dowel tips up and raises the flag.

Making Ice Fishing Tip-Ups

Definition and Uses

An ice fishing tip-up is a simple tool that allows you to see when a fish is biting your line. Most fishermen use them in areas where they can set up more than one pole. The device signals a bite by raising a colorful flag that is easy to see against ice and snow. You can purchase ice fishing tip-ups at any sporting goods store, but you also can make one easily with inexpensive materials.

To make your own, get a 1/4-inch thick wooden dowel between 18 to 24 inches long, a second dowel of the same length but slightly thicker (about 1/2- or 3/4-inch thick), a piece of brightly colored cloth, like a strip torn from a bright red shirt, some heavy braided twine and fishing line.

Attaching the Dowels

Take the thinner, lighter dowel and attach the cloth, flag or even brightly colored strip of tape to the end of it. Attach it by nailing it in, securing it to the end of a flexible wire (as shown above) or with a strong adhesive.

Then, use the twine to bind the dowels together at right angles to form an uneven cross. The lighter dowel should contain most of the length, meaning the thicker dowel only extends a bit past the thinner dowel. This allows the thinner dowel to raise the flag into the air when a fish bites the line.

You can add a second thicker dowel to form an "X" that will be a little more secure over the ice hole, as shown in the picture.

Placement

Attach your fishing line to the non-flag end of the thin dowel; on the shorter side. You can use screws or nails to do this. Place the ice tip-up over the hole, with each end of the thicker dowel(s) resting on the ice on either side of the hole. Let your fishing line fall into the hole. When a fish bites the line, it will pull on the line and on the short end of the dowel, raising the flag on the longer end into the air and letting the fisherman easily spot which line has a fish on it.

Note that some areas do not allow ice fishermen to set up more than one hole.

Tips for Salmon Fishing in Sacramento

When to Fish

Salmon are migratory fish, which travel upstream from the coasts to spawn. Because Sacramento is approximately 100 miles from the coastline, it is important to plan your fishing trip for a time when the salmon will be upstream in bountiful supply. According to Trails.com, the high season for salmon action in Sacramento starts around mid-July or the beginning of August and peaks during October and November.

Where to Fish

The city of Sacramento lies predominately on the eastern shore of the Sacramento River, known colloquially as the Sac. The 384-mile-long river should be your primary location when fishing for salmon in the area. According to Bay Area Fishing, the mouths of small tributaries or streams that branch off of bigger rivers, like the Sacramento, are prime locations for salmon fishing. Try finding spots like this in and around the city. Ideally, you will want to fish in water that is between three and eight feet deep.

Equipment

When fishing on the Sacramento River, you will want to use durable equipment, as the current can be strong and salmon can be heavy. For a fishing rod, use a variety that is at least 6 feet long. You will also want it to be flexible, to cope with the weight of your catch. Spin-cast and bait-cast reels are both good options. While the former has a spinning metal top, and allows you to cast further distances, the latter has a button release and is better for aiming your casts.

Drift Fishing

One of the best techniques for salmon fishing on Californian rivers is drift fishing.
The technique requires that you cast your lure or bait upstream and then allow it to drift naturally with the current back downstream and past your location. The natural movement helps trick fish into thinking your bait is a live prey item, caught in the current. A variation on the technique, which also works well for catching salmon, is to attach a bobber above your bait, and then cast it out. This will allow you to more easily track your bait, as the bobber floats downstream on top of the water's surface.

How to Set Up an Ice Fishing Tip-Up

Instructions

1

Open the tip-up up from its closed position. Typically with a wooden tip-up, this involves unscrewing a nut that allows movable arms to unfold into the form of an "X." The arms criss-cross over the hole in the ice, while the reel arm with the reel on one end and the flag and its trip mechanism on the other run perpendicular to the folding arms.

2

Lock the nut to keep the folding arms in an open position. Do not tighten the nut too snugly--this will make it very difficult to turn when you are done fishing at the end of the day and the tip-up is potentially frozen from the winter chill.

3

Bait your hook. Let out some line from the tip-up's reel and then attach your bait to the hook. Most ice anglers employ the use of live bait, such as minnows, shiners or meal worms on a tip-up.

4

Pull the flag up until it is as high as it can go on the tip-up. Traditionally a wooden tip-up has a thin long metal strip to which a flag is attached. One end stays attached to the very top of the tip-up's reel arm while the end with the flag is bent. This allows the flag end to fit into the part of the tip-up that triggers the flag to go up. In some cases it is a short bit of metal that the spinning reel dislodges the flag from, sending it into its upright position. On other tip-ups, the trigger is one long piece of wire with a catch on one end that moves in unison when the fish takes the bait and spins the reel. This movement dislodges the flag from the catch.

5

Attach the flag to the trip mechanism and carefully take line off the tip-up by hand. Simply pulling the line off the reel will cause the tip-up flag to go off. Take as much line off the reel as you desire so as to have your bait at whatever depth you decide.

6

Place the tip-up into the hole without causing the flag to go off. Be alert so that if the flag does go off from the tip-up being bumped that it does not whip up and slap you in the face. This is most unpleasant on a cold day. Your tip-up is now set up with the bait down in the hole and the flag ready to go up if the mechanism is triggered by a bite.

How to Build Ice Fishing Tip-Ups

Instructions

1

Gather your equipment on a table where it will not be disturbed by anyone if you walk away from building the tip-ups for a while.

2

Grasp the dowels, one in each hand. Lay the 1/4-inch dowel over the center of the 1/2-inch dowel to form a cross. The 1/4-inch dowel should be about one-third the way down from the top of the half-inch dowel. Wrap the braided fishing line around the middle of the cross, bringing the fishing line up from the bottom where the two dowels meet.

3

Alternate sides as you wrap the middle of the intersection of the two dowels. Repeat five times. After the fifth time, tie a knot. Cut the fishing line as close to the knot as possible.

4

Add a drop or two of superglue to the center of the knot to ensure the line will not break apart. Tie a strip of brightly colored cloth to the end of the 1/4-inch dowel. Use a distinctive material to ensure you will be able to recognize your own line.

5

Lay the tip-up with the 1/2-inch dowel on the ice above the hole. Center the tip-up. The 1/2-inch dowel should cover the hole and be equal on both sides of the hole. Tie your fishing line loosely on the opposite end of the dowel with the recognizable strip of cloth.

Bass Fishing Tips for February

Where to Find Them

According to the bass fishing resource website Largemouth Bass Tips, bass tend to stay in about 10 feet of water during the mid- and late-winter season. However, keep in mind that February has highly variable weather patterns, which will cause the bass to fluctuate their depths. As the hunting and fishing resource Game & Fish Magazine notes, on cold, dreary February days, bass tend to mope down into deeper waters, while on warmer days with lots of sunshine, bass will perk up and move into shallower areas. Regardless of the weather, you will likely find February bass hanging around boat docks and pillars, as these structures conduct heat into the water surrounding them.

Shallow-Water Tactics

Jigging is the go-to strategy for those fair-weather February days when the bass move into shallower waters. It involves castingor dropping, if you are ice fishinga weighted artificial bait (the jig) on to the bottom, or just above it, and then flipping or jerking it up and down. According to professional bass fisherman Greg Hackney, when it comes to selecting the colors of your bass jigs in February, darker is better. Some of the best choices include purple, blue, black, green and brown.

Deep-Water Tactics

For colder, more wintry February days, Greg Hackney recommends using a suspend bait, particularly one that resembles a shiner. Unlike with a jig, with a suspend bait the goal is to leave the bait still: the less movement the better. This willideallytrick hungry, lazy bass into thinking your bait is a rested or wounded prey item. Another deep-water February bass fishing strategy is drop-shotting, which, as Game & Fish Magazine notes, is similar to using a Carolina rig in reverse. While a Carolina rig has a sinker, or weight, between the rod and the baited hook, for keeping the bait on the bottom, the drop-shot has its weight below the bait so that the bait stays just off of the bottom. For optimal drop-shotting results in February, use small, rubbery artificial worms, about 4 inches long, for bait.

Irritation

As Greg Hackney notes, bass are lazy and slow-moving during February, which means they are unlikely to go chasing after a lure. One of the best strategies for encouraging bass to be aggressive is to irritate them, which you can accomplish by repeatedly casting, or dropping, your bait in the same areawhere you suspect or have seen a bassover and over again. Ideally, the bass will become so annoyed that it attacks your bait.

Catfish Tips for Lake Fishing

Temperature

According to Ask about Catfish Fishing, catfish prefer warmer temperatures, and typically spawn in 75- to 80-degree waters. It is best to fish for catfish in lakes that are in southern parts of the country that have warm climates. If you live in an area with colder climates, try finding large lakes that do not freeze solid during winter. It is not impossible to catch catfish in cold lakes, just less likely.

Depth and Location

It is a common misconception that lake catfish prefer only the deep sections of a lake's basin. According to Lake Avalon Fishing, catfish prefer shallow waters---less than eight feet---during many parts of the year, particularly winter. If you are looking to pull in some catfish from a local lake, try fishing close to and along its shores. Position yourself near areas with obstructions, such as fallen trees and patches of aquatic vegetation where catfish commonly hang out.

Bait

One of the best baits for catching catfish in lakes is live or freshly dead shad, which are small baitfish. Catfish are attracted to their movements and their scent. Another good option is to use commercial stink baits, also known as punch baits, which manufacturers lace with potent, odorous compounds to attract catfish.

You also can make your own bait using ingredients from the grocery store. According to Ask about Catfish Fishing, mash up cheese, mix it with ground chicken blood and liver, and let it sit in the sun for a few days. Mix in some flour and roll the bait into balls. Mold these catfish bait balls onto your hook.

Line Setup

Choose a strong line. Usually catfish are large and aggressive. Use 20-pound test line or greater. Test is a measure of the line's strength, not an indication of how much weight a line can hold. For example, a 20-pound test line will be able to support a fish that is much heavier than 20 pounds.

Use a sturdy, stainless-steel hook. Alternate using double and triple hooks, which may help increase your chances of hanging on to a catfish after it bites.

River Walleye Fishing Tips

Scout It Out

The first step in finding walleye is to scout out the location. Walleye like to sit in deep holes in a river during the day and then come out to eat at night. Using either a map of the river or a depth finder on a boat, look for a shelf alongside a deep hole. If you can find a weedy area here then you have found the ideal walleye fishing grounds as bait fish tend to hang out in the weeds so walleye will look in the weeds for their next meal. Spending some time finding the right spot will save you hours of fruitless fishing.

Bait

One of the most common bait set-ups is a spinner with a minnow attached. A spinner does just what the name implies--it spins. This spinning action catches light and makes the bait noticeable to walleye. Walleye prefer live bait so be sure your minnows are alive and replace them if they are dead. Trolling for walleye with a spinner bait about a foot above the bottom can be an effective way to catch your limit.

Time of Day

Walleye fishing tends to be best at either dawn or dusk. These fish have the ability to see very clearly in low, or no, light situations so that is when they are most active in searching for food. Fishing when it is dark will give you the best chance of catching walleye.

Listen to Your Elders

Experienced fishermen like to tell tall-tales, but they also have the experience of how to catch fish so it may be worth listening to their stories to hear a few local tips. People who have been fishing in an area for many years know where walleye like to hang-out and what bait works best. Talking to a few people at a local bait shop or simply following where the other boats are on the river may be easy ways to find where the big ones are.

Bass Early Spring Fishing Tips

Equipment

Having the right equipment, especially in the early spring, is key to making sure you have a successful and enjoyable experience. Make sure not to bring a pole that is too light for the job, instead choosing a medium-heavy or heavy-action rod and reel combo to take on the feisty bass. Don't skimp on the line, either, opting for a test that can take 40 lbs. of pressure, which is a better bet than one that can take just 20 lbs. Large plugs are recommended, and "Field and Stream" magazine suggests utilizing crank baits with varying retrieval speeds to entice any picky eaters. Access to a boat isn't needed to catch bass, but it's recommended. Being mobile is important when trying to put together a day-long excursion of trophy bass fishing.

Location

In the spring, look for bass in the shallows of lakes, especially in tall weeds. Spring is spawning time for bass, and the large females are found swimming in the shallows looking for a nesting place. While they are spawning, female bass are difficult to coax into a bite, but they are extremely aggressive before and after the event. If you're out on a warm spring day, look for bass in the shallows as well as in 8- to 15-foot water. The mouths of creeks that are pouring into shallows are usually a good bet as well.

Entice Them

If you're finding the bass are being choosy, try switching your lure to a jig with leeches, pork chunks, crayfish or plastic trailers. Having a scent in the water will help bring them and the jigging action will often be enough to trigger their aggressive instinct.

Where Did They Go?

Spring is a fickle time of year, especially the farther north you travel. One day you might catch plenty of bass and the very next day not get a nibble in the very same spots. Cold fronts will push the fish back into deeper water and often find them feeding infrequently. Keep your eye on the local weather forecast to see if there are any cold fronts that might push the bass deeper before going out.

Striped Bass Fishing Tips

When and Where to Fish

Striped bass are known to be caught throughout the day, though many anglers report having the most luck just after dusk and just after dawn. Night fishing is very popular for striped bass and is considered to be at its peak in the midsummer months. According to the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, anglers have reported the most success while fishing near the shore in areas with strong tidal movement, which creates "live" water that brings in fresh food to the hungry schools of fish.

What to Use

Most anglers choose to use a 10- or 12-foot rod combined with a 40-pound test monofilament line while using swimming plugs and live eels as lure. When jigging, plugging or utilizing bottom-fished baits, anglers should consider a medium- to heavy-action spinning rod combined with 20-pound test line. Another tactic proved successful is live-lining menhaden, herring or mackerel with a heavy-action rod. The live bait should be pierced along the spine with a treble hook for maximum efficiency.

Handling After Catch

If you're planning to eat your striped bass, gut it, bleed it and put it on ice immediately. If there is any ice melt, drain the excess water to keep the meat of the fish from soaking in warming conditions. This will keep the fish firm and ready to be cut into steaks and cooked.

How to Build Tip-Downs for Ice Fishing

Instructions

1

Begin by constructing the "rod." Cut a 1-inch dowel rod to 24 inches in length. Use 1 1/4-inch tubing clamps to clamp the prespooled fishing reel to one end of the dowel rod. Screw one 1/4-inch eyelet into the dowel rod directly in front of the reel, then place another eyelet at the opposite end of the dowel rod. Pass the fishing line through these two eyelets to complete the rod.

2

Construct the base from 2-by-4 lumber. Cut a piece to a length of 20 inches, then cut the base into a point so you can punch it into the snow. Next, cut a 2-inch by- 2-inch deep square out of the top of the lumber, then cut notches on either side of this square perpendicular to the 2-inch side of the wood.

3

Complete the tip-down by attaching bait to the end of your fishing line and letting the line to a predetermined depth through a hole in the ice. Push the base of the tip-down into the snow approximately 10 inches from the edge of the hole. Hammer two finishing nails 8 inches from the base of the reel on either side of the rod and place the nails into the notches on the 2-by-4 base. The weight of the reel will keep the tip of the tip-down up until a fish takes the bait, at which point the rod will tip down, indicating a hit.

Tips on How to Repair a Cracked Fishing Pole

Instructions

Repairing an Incomplete or Vertical Break

1

Unscrew the rod and remove the fishing line so you are only working with the damaged section of the rod.

2

Assess the damaged section. If the damaged section of the rod is not broken into two separate pieces, but the crack nearly splits the section in two, cut the rod into two pieces at the break and follow the repair instructions under Repairing a Complete Break. Continue if the crack is small or runs vertically.

3

Sand and trim away splinters so the crack is as smooth as possible.

4

Fill the crack with epoxy and slide a ferrule over the damaged area, attaching it with more epoxy. Select a ferrule that fits snugly around the diameter of the damaged section of the fishing pole.

5

Allow the epoxy to dry before use. Reassemble the fishing pole and restring before use.

Repairing a Complete Break

6

Trim the frayed ends of the broken section of rod. Sand the broken edges to leave you with smooth ends on both pieces of the rod.

7

Apply epoxy to both broken ends of the damaged section and attach one end of a ferrule to each broken end. Select a ferrule that fits over the ends of the broken section, but does not slide up and down the rod.

8

Allow the epoxy to dry before use. Attach the ends of the ferrule to each other and string your fishing pole as usual.

Hybrid Striped Bass Fishing Tips

Suitable Water Conditions

Generally, hybrid stripers tend to avoid other fish, especially predators. Hybrids are usually found in deep pools and will hover around dropoffs. In streams and rivers, fishing is usually best near cool eddies, calm pools and near rock faces. They are also abundant near the mouths of moving water where they feed on small bait fish brought to them by currents.

Seasonal Success

Beginning in early spring and into summer, hybrid striped bass are extremely active and can be caught in areas where they are common. In fall, like their cousin, the striped bass, hybrids will school and feed on a variety of food near the water surface (called a boil). While fall hybrid boils are not as pronounced as those of the pure striper, they do offer solid fishing well into fall months. In fall, casts into deep, open waters will produce fish, while moving streams and rivers are often hot beds.

Lures and Tackle

Generally a fast-striking fish, hybrid striped bass are often suckers for flashy, moving lures. Most experienced hybrid anglers prefer crank baits, jigs, spoons and large, diving and top water lures, which are often the most successful in fall and moving water. Because hybrid stripers are capable of fighting like a pike, novice anglers tend to overcompensate with heavy tackle, which is simply not needed. Light to medium rods will allow for better feel and the ability to set hooks quickly. Line strength of eight to 10 pounds, on a standard spinning reel, will allow for long casts and enough strength to reel in a running wiper.

Ice Fishing Tips for Smelt

Gear

Ice fishing for smelt, which are generally between 6 to 8 inches in length, requires equipment similar to fishing for crappie or panfish. You need an ice auger, or spud, to make a hole in the ice, and a fishing pole made for jigging. You also need small jigs, bait--bloodworms, grubs, minnows and even slices of other smelt--and a depth-finder sinker. According to "Panfish" by Dick Sternberg and Bill Ignizio, smelt are known to bite at night. They suggest having an ice shanty to fish from and a heater to stay warm. Setting up a shanty in advance is common.

Once you've arrived at your shanty, or completed setting it up, drill a hole with your auger or chip the ice with your spud. Tie on your jig, or small hook, and clip on your depth finder. Place it in the water and open your fishing reel until you hit bottom, when your line goes slack. Mark this spot on your line by tying a small knot and then reel the line back in and remove the depth finder.

Bait your jig with a small piece of grub, bloodworm or other food. Some anglers prefer to use several hooks or jigs tied to a single line because smelt swim in large schools, and multiple fish can be caught at one time with this technique.

Drop the line down to the depth you like and begin jigging. When you feel a bite, set the hook and reel your fish in. Make sure to grab the smelt quickly; they often hold onto the bait but are not hooked properly and can wiggle off the hook and fall back into the water.

Location

You may go home empty-handed if you fish the wrong area of a lake known to have smelt. According to "Modern Methods of Ice Fishing" by Tom Gruenwald, smelt can be found in deep water from early to mid-winter; this means you need deeper fishing holes. Gruenwald indicates that late-winter ice fishing often finds the smelt in shallower water, where they are more easily collected. Sternberg and Ignizio add that the mouths near the creeks and rivers where smelt run during their spawning season are good target areas in the late-winter months.

Tips and Tricks

Dropping crushed eggshells into the hole to act like chum in the water is known to attract wandering schools. Gruenwald notes that in New England, anglers tie a small hook to yarn and dip it in iodine. The iodine leaves a seaworm-like scent in the water. Coastal smelt are known to feed on seaworm. When the smelt bites, their teeth get tangled in the yarn, making them easier to catch.

Tampa Bay Fishing Tips

License to Fish

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission offers lifetime recreational fishing licenses for residents. Visitors can make use of the many fishing charters available in the Tampa Bay area. If fishing from a licensed charter, you won't need to obtain a license; you also don't need one if you are fishing from a licensed pier. Non-residents, however, need a license to fish from shore or any vessel other than a for-hire vessel.

Types of Fish

There is no shortage of species in Tampa Bay. Snook, redfish, redfish trout, cobia, trout, tarpon, black tip reef shark, snapper, Spanish mackerel, pompano, and grouper are among the fish caught here.

Where to FIsh

Some good places to try fishing from either shore or a boat are the Skyway Bridge fishing piers, the Courtney Campbell Causeway, Fort DeSoto Park, and Gandy Boulevard Bridge.

The Skyway Bridge has two fishing piers, both already licensed. Dubbed the "longest fishing pier in the world," the piers are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Bait, ice, souvenirs, drinks and snacks, and tackle and pole rentals are available.

Fort DeSoto Park is in Pinellas County, Fla., and is comprised of five keys: St. Christopher, Madeline, St. Jean, Bonne Fortune and Mullet Key. The park has two fishing piers. Often caught species here include lady fish, permit, pompano, Spanish mackerel, and king mackerel.

Courtney Campbell Causeway connects Tampa and St. Petersburg, Fla. The bridge has frontage roads on each side where fishing is available. The catch here includes spotted trout, cobia, tarpon, snook, pompano, and lady fish.

Gandy Boulevard Bridge is also between Tampa and St. Petersburg. Both ends of the bridge have fishing piers. Both piers are handicap accessible and portable toilets are available. Possible catches here are spotted sea trout, pompano, tarpon, cobia, Spanish mackerel, and lady fish.

When to Fish

Winter is a great time to fish in Tampa Bay. The cold weather makes the fish look for warmer waters. So, says Captain Sergio Atanes, fish the west end of the bay at first light because sunlight will hit this area first.

Creeks with muddy, dark bottoms tend to absorb and keep heat, drawing snook, which has a low tolerance for cold, as well as redfish. Creek shorelines are usually 3 to 5 degrees warmer than other water, warm enough to draw fish.

Also look for concrete docks and seawalls. The sun will heat the concrete, which will transmit heat to the waters by it. Marinas are also good options, as they have ample seawalls and docks to draw fish.

Atanes also recommends areas near power plants; there are three in the Tampa Bay area.

Bass Fishing Tips for Small Ponds

Bass Fishing Tips for Diamond Valley Lake

Fishing Spots

When searching for bass in Diamond Valley Lake, look in rocky banks and steeper areas. Launch your boat and troll fish in deeper waters and backs of coves. According to California Game and Fish, structures were planted around the entire lake allowing the fish to spread out. Several small islands as well as underwater reefs are available for bass to conjugate. Other effective spots are near rocky shorelines in depths of 10 to15 feet. Also don't overlook the main points of land that sink into the water as spawning bass frequently hang on these points. During spring, dependable bass hotspots include areas around the rock quarry, the water inlet tower, behind the island in Rawson Cove and the small saddle dam on the north shore.

Lures and Baits

Use worms to get you the most bites with either split-shot, drop-shot or Texas-rigged. Other effective baits include smaller baits, jigs and reaction baits like topwater baits, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, swimbaits and buzz baits. When casting for bass during the early morning, big topwater lures like the Zara Spook over submerged spots are most productive. During spring, use a lead head jig or a scrounger head rigged with a split-tail fluke in soft plastic with a pattern that imitates the color of shad baitfish.

Techniques

Use the lightest line you can get such as a 4 to 6-pound line because Diamond Valley Lake has relatively clear waters. When fishing on waters covered with trees and brush, use a heavier line set up. As the temperatures start to rise, shift to rigs with top water baits like shad pattern poppers. Fish during the spring and early summer for the most productive fishing because that is when the bass are spawning.

Bass Fishing Tips for Marsh Creek Lake, Pennsylvania

License

If you are age 16 or over you are required by Pennsylvania law to have a valid Pennsylvania fishing license. Both residents and non-residents must keep the fishing license on them at all times while fishing. Fishing licenses can be bought by phone, in person from license issuing agents or county treasurer offices. You can also buy a license online at the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission website.

Boating

Fishing can be done at Marsh Creek Lake from both the shore and boat. However, gas powered boats are prohibited on the lake. Only non-powered and electric powered boats are allowed. Boat rentals are available for a fee at Marsh Creek Lake for those with a valid driver's license. Generally, bass fishermen have a higher rate of success when fishing out of a boat. Using a boat allows the fisherman to go where the bass are.

Bass Fishing

Marsh Creek Lake has pads and weeds that grow thick. These areas are where largemouth bass like to congregate. According to Pennsylvania Game & Fish, "Hotspots include the wide bay below Conestoga Road, the bay in front of the state park office and the area by the dam". Bass typically hit on artificial bait such as rubber worms, spoons, jigs and crankbaits. Most bass fishermen prefer using a rod and reel to catch their fish. Trolling is another option for bass fisherman using a boat. Trolling is when the boat slowly pulls the fishing line as it sweeps the water waiting for the bass to take the bait.

To help locate bass, look for schools of bait fish. Typically predatory fish--such as bass--will be near the bait fish.

Water temperature can make or break your bass fishing success. During colder temperatures, bass move to shallow waters and hit more on top water lures. When the water temperature heats up, bass go into the cooler, deeper areas of the water. Typically, you successfully catch bass during the hotter months by using a plastic worm as bait and lowering your line closer to the bottom of the lake.

Fishing Bobber Techniques

Bobber Fishing From the Shore

You will normally want to keep your bait a foot or less above the bottom or above the weed line. Finding the proper depth to fish is a matter of trial and error. If you are using a fixed bobber, set it about a foot deeper than the length of your fishing rod. If you are using a slip bobber, take a guess at how deep you think the water is as far out as you can cast. Cast as far as you can and then slowly reel the line until you can see that the bobber is on the bottom or has become fouled in the weeds. At that point, you then know for sure how deep it is in that spot. Adjust the depth of your bobber to fish closer or further out.

Bobber Fishing From a Boat

If you are fishing in water deeper than the length of your rod, always use a slip bobber. Keep in mind the "fishing triangle." One side is the line from your rod tip to your bobber. The second line is straight down from your bobber to your hook. The third line is created from your rod tip to the fish when you try to set the hook. If your bobber is too far from the boat or if you allow slack line between your rod tip and your bobber, no matter how hard you pull, that third line is not going to be tight enough to set the hook into a fish.

Bobber Fishing in a River

Rivers and streams require more work and more attention from the angler than lake fishing. The bobber is constantly on the move over varying depths and subject to more snags. Basically, you will cast your bait upstream, allow it to float downstream, retrieve it and repeat. To keep a taut line which will allow you to set the hook when you get a bite, reel the line in as the bobber floats toward you, then either let line out as it floats away, or just reel it in a cast upstream again. If you want to fish near the bank, cast the bobber out into the river a little ways, then allow the current to swing it back into the shore.

When to Set the Hook

One of the first things you learn about bobber fishing is "when it goes under, set the hook." A better rule is "when a fish has the bait in its mouth, set the hook." If you are fishing on or very near the bottom, a fish would have to dig a tunnel in order to pull down on the bobber. As likely as not, the bobber will go sideways when a fish takes your bait and swims away with it. Any time you see movement that indicates the hook is in a fish's mouth, set the hook.

How to Use a Handheld GPS for Fishing Tips and Tricks

Instructions

1

Turn on your handheld GPS before you set off from the shoreline. Before putting the boat in gear, wait for the unit to acquire the satellites it need to mark your location. When it has the proper satellites and knows your latitude and longitude, press the button on the unit that marks your location. An icon will appear on the unit's screen and be stored in its log. Make a note on the icon that it is your starting location.

2

Watch the screen of your handheld GPS as you motor out onto the body of water. A line that shows where you have been, and where you are heading, will appear on the screen. Watch that line to chart your progress. Turn the boat off when you reach the location where you plan to fish, but do not turn off your GPS unit. Instead, keep the unit at the ready and whenever you catch a fish, miss a fish, or get a bite, press the button to mark the location on your GPS. Even if you do not catch fish, but believe you have located a good spot, mark the location. That way, you can go back at a later time and try fishing it again. Some of the spots worth marking are points and inside turns of drop-offs, weedlines, and rock piles.

3

If the handheld device you have allows you to download a map of the lake you are fishing, or has the lake pre-loaded into it (some units come with such software), look at the map and mark likely areas. Even if you have never fished those spots before, marking likely areas can save you time when you are on the water. You may not find or catch fish right on the spots you have marked, but once you do find or catch fish, mark the new spot. If the fish seem to be scattered about the area, keep both marks in your GPS log. If not, delete the original mark.

4

When you want to call it a day, find the icon you created when you left shore and press it. Now, your handheld unit will show you the route to take to get back there. As you navigate the boat, pay attention to your GPS to ensure you are traveling in the right direction.

Trout Fishing Tips in Colorado

Dry Dropper Rig

Using multiple flies and lures can be an effective tactic in Colorado waters. Trout spook easy, making conventional indicators too invasive for proper presentations. Colorado waters run clear, due to mountain snow melt and Rocky Mountain water clarity. By using a dry fly or floating lure as a strike indicator, and a weighted wet fly beneath, anglers can effectively fool Colorado trout into striking. This method is often referred to as a dry dropper rig.

Mysis

Many of Colorado's Gold Medal waters are located below reservoirs, and are designated as tailwaters. Using mysis patterns, or bait that imitates shrimp is an effective tactic when chasing these trophy trout. Throughout the year, anglers can have great success using these imitations, which are most effective in smaller sizes. Fishing mysis at varied depths will yield better productivity, as these insects move throughout the water column, dependent on the current flow rate emptying from the dam above.

Remote Areas

Colorado offers great backcountry fishing opportunities. State parks, national forests and hiking trails provide access into streams and lakes which receive little pressure from anglers. Rocky Mountain National Park and State Forest State Park are two wise choices during summer months. These areas produce beautiful brook, brown and cutthroat trout, many specific to Colorado. A permit is not required to fish these areas, although fishing licenses are required. Trout in these areas feed on a wide variety of insects and it isn't uncommon to have a 50 plus fish day.

Bass Fishing Tips for Cold Weather

Location

To catch bass, you must first find them. When the weather turns cold, bass do not automatically switch from their warm-weather locations. But they do tend to focus more on areas with two things: cover and access to deep water. As a result, focus on drop-offs, points and the edges of humps where there are pieces of cover such as green vegetation, rocks or timber. Bass will be schooled up during cold weather, so when you catch one fish, it is likely there are more in the area.

Slow Down

Once you find the bass, the next goal is getting them to bite. They will eat, but anglers should remember that bass in cold water are lethargic. That means your lure should be presented slowly and, in general, close to the bottom.

Lure Options

Some of the best lures for cold-weather bass fishing are jigging spoons, jigs and pigs, deep-diving crankbaits and small, finesse-type lures, such as small worms and tubes. Jigging spoons are especially effective once you have located a school of bass. Position the boat over the top of them and let the spoon down among the school. Jig it up and down slowly, and watch for your line to jump, which signifies a strike. Jigs and pigs should be presented slowly along the bottom in the manner of a crayfish that is moving around, and crankbaits should be cast far and retrieved slowly so they bump into the ground. Finesse lures can be especially effective when a cold front hits when the weather is already cold; that causes bass to become even more sluggish.

Lure Size

Because the weather is cold, many anglers decide to fish nothing but small lures, believing as they do that bass are lethargic and not willing to chase down a bait. But cold-weather bass still will hit a big bait, because they would rather have one large meal than multiple small meals. Use jigs and pigs and spinnerbaits that weigh up to 1/2 oz. or more and crankbaits that dive to 20 feet or more. Just focus on retrieving them slowly.

Break in the Weather

When the prevailing weather pattern is cold, as it is in the late fall or winter, a day or two of warm weather can cause bass to go on a feeding frenzy. Warmer weather will cause the shallow water to warm up, which in turn draws bass. Cast quick-moving lures such as spinnerbaits and crankbaits to take advantage of the action.

How to Fish From the Shore for Saltwater Fish

Instructions

1

Get a tide chart (available at tackle shops) and plan your surf fishing around high-and low-tide changes, when bait fish are most active. An hour before until an hour after each changing tide is a good time for surf fishing.

2

Tie a double-hook rig to your main line and attach 1 to 2 ozs. of sinker weight at the bottom, then bait both hooks. Squid strips and chunks of shrimp work well for flounder and sea trout. Bluefish, striper bass and smaller panfish, such as croaker and spot, will hit chunks of bloodworm or cut bait, such as mullet.

3

Get into a shotgun stance for casting by putting your right foot forward and pointing it toward your casting target (if you fish right-handed). Or put your left foot forward if you prefer to cast left-handed. Whichever way you fish, the foot planted forward in the sand should be on the same side of your body as the hand controlling the reel.

4

Plant your other foot back in the sand and turn it outward 30 to 45 degrees with your feet spread slightly more than shoulder width. Bounce on your knees a couple of times to check your balance until you have learned a comfortable stance.

5

Lift the surf rod above your head and behind you until the rod is parallel to the sand.

6

Pick your casting spot, which should be immediately behind the breaking surf where bait fish are gathering in the changing tide, to leverage the rod's power.

7

Swing the rod up and over your head, releasing the line when the rod tip is pointed at your casting target.

8

Give the rig time to sink and settle on the sandy bottom. You'll feel a slight pull when the pyramid sinker hits bottom.

9

Retrieve the line in a stop-and-go manner, twitching the rod tip frequently to bring the bait up off the bottom so it can settle again.

Hybrid Bass Fishing Tips

Bottom Fishing

Bottom fishing is a great way to find where bass are hiding throughout the day. All About Fishing states that striped bass, unlike many species of fish, even other bass, will normally congregate at the deepest points of a body of water. However, bottom fishing means different things in different places. To achieve success, you need to know what areas to look for when bottom fishing.

In a calm lake, the deeper areas or holes close to shore are a good place to put a hook. However, in rapid-moving water, like rivers with strong current, bottom fishing isn't necessarily in a deeper area, but rather in a spot where the dropoff is sharp. A big rise from a sandbar makes a great hideout for bass looking for a relaxing area to get away from the current.

The flatter and bigger the area of the bottom the better. It should have a lot of room to roam about without lots of obstructions.

Land Points

Seek areas where land jets out into the water. These points are common areas of congregation for school fish that hybrid bass feed on. Ben Sanders of Hybrid Striped Bass Fishing explains that anglers get better strike statistics if they troll slowly with the current right off points as this is where stripers like to hole up.

Warm Water Discharge

The areas directly below dams are very popular for hybrid bass because they love the colder water. As warm water flows away from the dam, cold water from the bottom rises to the surface, making the whole pool temperature lower. Ben Sanders of Hybrid Striped Bass explains that hybrid bass are drawn to fast moving water like that around dams and river mouths.

Top Water

During the warmer months more success in hybrid fishing comes from top-water fishing. Search for patterns of bait fish movement and run a top spinner or lure along that route. Hybrids will jump to catch it thinking it is a part of the bait fish school.

Another successful area to search for hybrid bass while top fishing is at the mouth of a river tributary. This is where two rivers meet and the flow is temporarily impeded while the waters combine. It provides an area of cooler water with less current. The points of the land areas at these junctions are popular with bait fish, hence a good place to find hybrid bass as well. The All About Fishing tips website suggests top water striper fishing is the ultimate thrill.

Shore Fishing Tips on Oahu

Locations

Fishing from shore in Oahu can take many forms. Anglers can choose from fishing the surf from sandy beaches, wade-fishing in the flats, piers, cliffs, docks and seawalls. Walk the ends of the numerous beaches in search of rocks and reefs that jut into the water. Many fish typically congregate around these points. Piers in Pearl Harbor, Wailua Bay and Sand Harbor are popular locations for putting anglers in deeper water off-shore without needing a boat. Wade into designated fishing areas at Pearl Harbor and Pokai Bay and fish the breakwater with squid or sand worms for a variety of species. Freshwater fishing for peacock and black bass can be found on Lake Wilson and the Nuuanu Reservoir inland. Be aware that unlike most shore fishing locations in Oahu, sections of these bodies of water may require a Hawaii fishing license.

Methods

Traditional fishing methods using spinning rods work well on Oahu. Live bait, lures, weighted hooks or cast-and-retrieve methods can all be successful traditional methods. To enhance your Oahu fishing experience, spend some time chatting with the locals and offer to share bait. You may find yourself being introduced to some traditional Hawaii fishing techniques. Slide-bait fishing off the cliffs past Makaha may help to put a hefty fish on your hook. Locals use extra-long poles to cast weighted line far off the cliffs then clip the hook and bait to their taut line to let gravity slide the rig off-shore. Simple-cane pole fishing for oama (juvenile goatfish) while wading off local beaches is a Hawaiian tradition. The fish are fried and eaten whole. Many locals congregate on Oahu docks and piers and fish for halalu and akule (types of mackerel) with larger cane poles or light spinning tackle. You might find an impromptu lesson on hand-line fishing---a traditional island method that uses no pole.

Gear

It's a good idea to bring a pair of shoes specifically for fishing on Oahu. Much of the fishing from shore requires wading into knee or waist-high water, especially when fishing the breakwater surfs. Sharp coral and defensive features on many of the fish around Oahu may pose hazards to bare feet. Basic gear can be found at many discount hardware stores around Oahu. Sifting sand off the beaches can provide you with plenty of sand worms and crabs for fresh bait. It's also a good idea to pick up a saltwater species guide and a copy of Hawaii's fishing regulations so you know what you're catching and if it's legal. Some species are open year-round while others must be released immediately if caught. The Pacific waters around Oahu are fertile ecosystems and you might be continuously surprised by what's on the end of your line each time you catch a fish.

How to Fix a Fishing Rod Tip

Instructions

1

Inspect the broken tip and practice fitting it back into place-- you'll need to achieve the original alignment when you replace the tip.

2

Using a lighter or a match, heat a glue stick until it begins to drip.

3

Place one drop of glue onto the broken end of the rod, making sure you don't get any glue on the fishing line. Fit the rod tip into place.

4

Hold the two pieces in position until the glue hardens. This should take only a few seconds.

5

Check the alignment. If the fishing line moves freely, you're done.

Bluegill Fishing Tips

When and Where To Fish

When early spring hits, it's bluegill season. It's fairly easy to catch bluegill at any local reservoir or stream from May through August, right off the bank. June seems to be the best month, when temperatures are between 70 and 80 in the mid-morning. Bluegill Fishing Online says the best time is when it's around 70 degrees outside.

Bluegills are about everywhere, but it is easier to catch them in ponds or lakes. Many fishermen have a secret bluegill pond. When few people fish it, the bluegill multiply and also get bigger. If you can hit a few ponds and lakes in early spring, you're almost guaranteed to catch some bluegill. After an hour, you'll be offering bluegill tips to others.

How To Fish

Let's talk about what gear to use. These are little fish, so you can buy a inexpensive pole at about any sporting store or even a place like Wal-Mart. If you're teaching children, you can start them off with a button pole so they don't have to flip the bail. Most other fishers like spinning rods. Make sure to use light line, because that's all you need, and a heavier line will possibly scare off the fish.

The simple method for catching bluegill, which works really well, is a bobber and worm. A child as young as 2 can hold a pole and watch the bobber, so it's a great way to learn how to fish. Set the bobber 1 1/2 feet above the worm, which also weighs it down in still water so you won't need weights. You can use this method to catch any small fish, including bluegills. Other great baits are crickets or other small insects that wiggle. You might need to add a splitshot weight with these baits. If you're not stopping by the store on your way out, it's perfectly fine to pull bait from your tackle box. In fact, jigs and rooster tails work great for catching bluegill. You can also land a small trout or perch on either. Jigs are easy because the head is weighted. Just tie a jig on, and you're ready to fish.

April Bass Fishing Tips

The Right Place

Bays and coves that receive sunlight but are sheltered from the wind are high-percentage areas during April. The water in the northwest part of the lake or reservoir in which you are fishing will have the warmest water, so start your search there. Pay close attention to emergent or submerged vegetation along the shoreline, boat docks that extend over shallow water, and fallen timber or trees that hang over the shoreline. Begin fishing with fast-moving baits such as spinnerbaits and try to find active fish. It's also a good idea to tie on a tube or worm and cast into the cover, too, and then work the baits slowly back to the boat.

Off the Shore

While most bass will be in their shallow spawning areas in April, some of the larger, female bass already will have moved out of the shallows. But they are generally not far away and with a little patience, you could hook one. Find the first feature outside of a spawning area--a drop-off or the inside edge of a weedline, for example--and begin fishing there. Remember that these fish are in recuperation mode, so they're probably not willing to chase quick-moving lures. Try a spinnerbait or crankbait to see if you can generate a reaction strike, but don't spend too long slinging these baits. Instead, tie on a plastic worm or a jig and pig and fish slowly along the bottom.

Try a Topwater

There is no more exciting way to catch bass than on topwater baits. And while topwaters tend to work only during specific times during the summer, bass will hit them all day during the spring. Concentrate your effort around shallow cover, especially the open water between the various pieces of cover you find. Cast the bait near the cover and then work it away from the cover and back to the boat. Poppers and buzzbaits both can be effective topwater selections, but it's important to fish them slowly. In the case of buzzbaits, reel them only fast enough to keep the blade spinning and the lure on top of the water.

Flounder Fishing Tips

Hook and Line

Hook, line, and rod and reel can all be used to catch flounder. Flounder will hit on nearly anything you present close enough to their faces. Cut bait, plastic grub or even live bait can draw a strike from a hungry flounder. A plastic grub with a bit of cut bait or the swim bladder from a cut-bait fish on the hook make a very popular combination. Flounder lie on the bottom and face up-current. They then wait for food to be carried over them by the current. They can frequently be found congregated around gaps in breakwaters and under bridge lights and any other place that would concentrate their foodstuffs, which include larval crabs, shrimp, menhaden and other small baitfish. Cast your bait up-current and allow it to drift over such areas. This is a very effective way to hook up with some nice flounder.

Gig

Flounder can be taken with a gig or spear and a light at night at low tide. Mainly in the summer months into early fall, the flounder will migrate onto broad shallow areas. Wade into the water up to your knees or less, then shine a light onto the bottom. The flounder will be visible and blinded by the light, so you can walk right up and spear the fish in the head. Spearing the fish's head instead of the body ensures you will not introduce sand into the meat. Run a stringer through the fish's mouth before withdrawing the spear so the flounder doesn't escape.

Caution

Be careful when wading for flounder. It is common to find stingrays in the same areas as flounder. Take care to drag your feet over the sandy bottom; don't pick them up to take steps. If you slide your foot into a stingray, chances are he will be startled and swim away, and you will be unharmed. However, if you step on a stingray, he will most likely barb you, and that is a most unpleasant situation.

Ice Fishing Tips for Walleye Fishing

When

Due to the nature of the walleye's vision it is mainly a night feeder. The fish has a layer of pigment that exists in its retina known as the tapetum lucidum that allows it to see when there is no light. Fish for walleyes in the early hours right before dawn, when the light is still low or from dusk until well after dark. While this may sound like a tough proposition, ice shelters, special suits to keep you warm and glow sticks (for tip-ups that allow you to see when a flag goes up) keeps things more comfortable than one would imagine. Few other fish are actively seeking to feed at night, so competition among species for your bait or lure will be mainly between the walleye and the crappie.

In lakes and river bays where the water is "dirty," meaning that its clarity is very low, walleyes will tend to feed throughout the day, allowing ice fisherman to have a chance to catch them. However, in clear water the walleye is easily spooked during the daylight hours, so fishing for them in shallow water where they are close to the ice layer will often prove fruitless. It is better to target deeper waters if one must fish in crystal clear lakes during the day and to choose overcast weather to fish under rather than cloudless "bluebird" skies.

Where

Drill multiple holes in the ice at the end of points of land that jut out into the water. Walleye will tend to be in the shallows during the first ice and make their way to deeper waters once the winter wears on. Walleyes favor moving water, so if you can locate a feeder stream or a spring, concentrate your efforts there--provided the ice is safe. Anywhere that you can see vibrant green weeds growing under the water you may find walleyes. You may also find them at what can best be described as underwater islands, where humps of the bottom stick up above the rest of the terrain. In the weedbeds, the walleyes will cruise around and above them looking for prey but typically do not go into the weeds looking for other fish.

How

It is important to avoid spooking the skittish walleyes once they have begun to bite. It's always a good idea to drill more holes than you need at first in case the fish do begin biting. This way you will not scare the fish with the noise from drilling once the bite is on. A 10-inch diameter hole is the optimal size. Tip-ups should be rigged with at least a 10-pound test braided line, while jigging rods can have between six and 10 pound test on them. When jigging under the ice for walleye it is easy to scare the fish with overactive motions of the lure. An easy up-and-down movement of a jig head, lure or spoon tipped with a piece of a minnow will suffice in most cases. Those that choose to place tip-ups in a hole and wait for a flag to go up indicating a walleye has bitten the bait can use minnows and shiners at least 3-inches long; the 6-inch long sucker minnows are the best to use and will stay alive when hooked behind the dorsal fin. However, as these minnows can be strong swimmers and may elude a walleye as it bears down on it, you should handicap it with a large split shot--a round weight that can be attached to the line. Place the split shot about 8 to 10 inches above the minnow to keep it from swimming upward and forcing it to remain down in the hole.

Sea Bass Fishing Tips

Seasonal Temperature Considerations

Take seasonal temperatures into account. Sea bass and most other fish will come closer to shore during colder months because the shallower water is warmer. During warm months, they will retreat into slightly deeper water, which is cooler and more comfortable. It should be noted that sea bass feed heavily just before a cold front arrives, then slow their feeding until a few days after it has passed.

Fishing in Different Weather Conditions

Consider the weather conditions. Bad weather also can drive fish into deeper water. Deep water is less turbulent and not as badly affected by surface rain as shallow water. If it is raining, expect to fish deep waters to catch sea bass. Many fishermen recommend using only live bait if it is raining because the fish will be on heightened alert and less likely to lunge for a brightly colored lures.

Where do Sea Bass Gather

Choose the right location. Sea bass usually feed near the edges of reefs and underwater wrecks. Smaller fish make their habitat on the deep sides where these structures drop. Bass feed on the smaller fish. Knowing where reefs and shipwrecks are located can give you an advantage when fishing for sea bass. Check local bait shops or talk to fisherman in the area and ask where their favorite places to fish are located.

What Bait Attracts Sea Bass

Use the right bait to increase your chances of catching a lot of sea bass. There are a large number of lures and weighted jigs on the market that are specifically designed for sea bass fishing. Many seasoned fishermen recommend using squid for bait. Cut the squid into strips that are around 4 inches long and place them on a snelled hook. These are fish hooks attached to a leader line with a loop at the top, which allows you to float the snell behind other lures. Leave a length of squid hanging from the hook like a tail and lure the sea bass.

Follow the Rules

Familiarize yourself with local regulations before fishing for sea bass. There is typically a limit on the number of fish that can be caught without a commercial fishing license. In most states this limit is 25 sea bass per person per day. There also might be minimum size requirements based on how much the fish weighs or how long it is from head to tale. Call the telephone number on the back of your fishing license to ask a wildlife official about local regulations for catching sea bass.

Ice Bass Fishing Tips

Equipment

Rig tip-ups with 75 to 100 yards of 20-pound test braided Dacron line. Attach to this a 4-foot long leader of fluorocarbon. This type of fishing line has the same refractive powers as water does. When immersed in the water, it is invisible to a bass. Rig this leader with a No. 4 hook and place a single split-shot a foot above it to hold the minnow or shiner down. When jigging for bass, use a medium to heavy ice fishing rod to handle the fight a bass can give through the ice. Spool on 8- to 10-pound test fluorocarbon line until you reach the line capacity on your reel. Tie on your favorite artificial jigs that produce bass for you in warm weather.

When and Where

The same depth water that holds bass in the summer might not do so in the winter. Bass tend to flock to deeper water after first ice in shallow lakes. Use topographical maps of lakes in your area to find the deepest waters. Early morning or late afternoon are prime feeding times for bass under the ice. Concentrate your efforts on deeper channels that run through large lakes. Remember that bass will be close by to where their food source is. Weeds that stay green in low light conditions offer fish a place to hide, a source of food and higher oxygen levels. In most lakes and large ponds, these weeds will attract smaller fish, which in turn will entice bass. Electronic fish finders can be of great help in locating bass and their prey through the ice.

Setting the Hook

Once a tip-up flag goes up in the air, carefully walk to it to avoid falling or scaring the fish. Bass typically will grab a bait headfirst, and then head off with it. Extended line out under the ice will indicate the bait has been taken. The reel will be moving as the bass swims off with your minnow or shiner. Remove the tip-up from the hole and grab the line so the fish will not detect anything being askew. Give a hard tug on the line to set the hook, then begin to bring the line in hand over hand. If the line suddenly stops screaming off the reel before you have a chance to set the hook wait a few seconds. Try to feel the fish by gently pulling on the line and attempt to set the hook if you can feel the fish moving.

Tips on Fishing With Copper Line

Size/Weight

First choose the depth you'll be fishing and then the weight of line you'll need.

Decide which length works best for you and the location you're fishing, and then consider the weight you'll need to use, advises Trails.com. Copper line is available in 30 lb. test and 45 lb. test, the latter being heavier and therefore considered to be more versatile.

More simply, 30 lb will drop about five to six feet for every ten yards of line reeled out. 45 lb drops seven to nine feet for the same amount of line. This may vary depending on your trolling speed (how fast you pull your line through the water) and how heavy your bait is.

Spooling

Don't go too tight when spooling copper line on your reel, according to Opti-Tackle Co. Make sure it's "just snug." Don't let the spool lie flat on the ground when winding it on your reel either, because it can cause extra loops in the line. A good way to spool the line is to hold a screwdriver in the center of the spool horizontally and allow the line to roll off the top, while another person winds it onto the reel.

Knots

To attach a leader, an Albright knot or an overhand knot will work best.

To attach a leader properly, Game and Fish magazine recommends that you tie an overhand knot in the copper line, and thread the line through that knot to tie a cinch knot around the "standing" wire.

An Albright knot will also work. Double the end of the copper line, making a loop, and thread the leader through the loop, wrapping it several times around the doubled copper line toward the end of the loop. Once you've done that, thread the leader back through and pull the knot tight, trimming the loose ends.

Deploying the Line

Reduce slack in your line to lower the copper line at a slower rate.

Copper line sinks faster than traditional line because it is heavier. To keep your slack at a minimum, Trails.com recommends that you control the rate it sinks by using a bait clicker. A clicker lets you know when you have a fish on your line. You'll hear a click, click sound. This will reduce slack and lower the copper line at a slower rate.

What Not to Do with Copper Line

Opti-Tackle Co. warns that copper line should never be attached directly to a "planner board" (a board that allows you to fish with several lines simultaneously, without becoming tangled). It will fray or weaken the copper line. Copper is a soft metal, and using a swivel or crimping it is also not advised. Copper line is not recommended for use in salt water, which will corrode and weaken the line.

Carp Fishing Tips

Bait

Carp bite on a variety of inexpensive baits, including corn, worms, potatoes, chick peas and dough balls. They also bite on commercial or homemade carp bait known as "boilies." The art of making and choosing boilies is an honored one among carp anglers. Boilies come in a variety of colors, flavors and ingredients but all basically are protein-rich pastes bound with eggs and boiled to a hardened state. Boilies offer the advantage of longevity in and out of the water. They also resist unwanted fish and can be cast long distances with accuracy.

Though commonly thought of as trash fish, carp are very choosy eaters, taking bait into their mouths several times and spitting them out before swallowing. Any sign of danger or any bait they don't like or trust will cause them to reject the bait and move on. If you find a bait flavor that works in an area, you might want to stick with it. But you also should have some alternates available in case the carp become wary.

Baiting Techniques

If you plan to fish the same area for several days, scatter some loose bait and allow the carp to find and feed on it. This attracts carp to an area and builds feeding confidence, making them more likely to take your hook bait. Some anglers prebait an area over the course of several days to several weeks. Over time, it's a great way to attract larger carp to the area. Particle bait, such as corn, chick peas, hemp seed, nuts and pellets often are used for this purpose. But make sure it is properly prepared before using.

Rigs

Placing bait directly onto a hook is a great way to have it rejected by wary carp. To avoid this, you might want to use one of many varieties of hair rigs. With a hair rig, the bait is positioned away from the hook on a "hair" so the carp will accept it. These rigs can be purchased or easily made by hand. This rigging can be incorporated with a variety of bait presentations, including a pop-up rig, where the bait floats above the bottom; a blow-back rig, where the hook remains in the mouth even when the bait is rejected; and a greedy-pig rig, which accommodates several baits on the hair to attract bigger carp.

Ice Fishing Tips for River Walleye

Timing Is Everything

Check the ice report by talking to the local Department of Natural Resources or Fish and Game office to find out if the ice in the area is thick enough to support fishing. Four inches, in most cases, is considered safe to hold a full-grown man. Early-season ice fishing for walleye is traditionally considered the best. Bait fish have a tendency to enter the river systems to avoid the deeper water predators, giving walleye a strong food supply and an active habitat in which to eat. Once the ice is thick enough, head out either in the early morning or toward dusk, avoiding the brightest part of the day, during which the light-sensitive walleye tend to become inactive. Drill your hole, or spud one, and clean it out with an ice scoop. Make sure your hole is large enough to accommodate a large walleye, which typically will weigh around 3 lbs., but you could snag one as large as 10.

Jigging Is Recommended

Walleye are light biters, so make sure to keep your eye on your pole tip or your finger on the line to feel for a bite. Use brightly colored jigs---yellow is highly recommended for the yellow perch that is a natural meal for walleye---and bait with minnows or nightcrawlers. Begin with a very active jigging technique, feeling for the weight of the walleye when you lift up. If active jigging isn't bringing in bites, slow your technique, even allowing rests in between jigs. Walleye will, typically, bite on the rest, so make be alert and prepared to set the hook.

Change It Up a Little

If typical jigging techniques aren't working, try mixing up your offers a little. If you're in deep enough water, try using a spinner bait or a spoon to attract a walleye's attention. In addition, turning your fishing line between your fingers will give your jig a spinning motion which should stand out to other fish in the area. Another technique, called "clipping," could draw some attention as well. Take a small to medium minnow and use a pair of fingernail clippers to snip off a portion of its top or bottom fin. Hook it through both lips and drop it in a hole next to your primary fishing hole. Jig actively with a minnow bait attached. The clipped minnow will swim erratically due to the imbalance the shortened fin has caused and your jig will give the appearance of an active predator fish coming to investigate, making it an easy target for larger game fish to hit. Try not to get your lines tangled and, if you do, just open one reel and pull the other line in, untangling them once you find the problem above the ice.

Staying Safe

While late season walleye have a tendency to be more aggressive as they are entering their spawning season, be mindful of the thickness of the ice you are fishing on. Be especially careful fishing near or under bridges, as ice tends to be thinner and more dangerous there.

White Bass Fishing Tips

White bass characteristics

White bass are a school-based fish that isn't known to occupy a set depth of water. These fish are found throughout most of North America and are known as a top-choice for anglers due to their taste and general size between 2 to 3 pounds, some as high as 4 to 5 pounds. The fish spawn in late spring and early summer, right about the time that water temperatures begin to reach 60 degrees.

Spring and summer techniques

Use a 5- or 6-foot rod that is capable of handling medium to medium-heavy action. Spinner baits, spoons and crank baits have all been known to have a high success rate with white bass, which feeds based primarily on sight and sound. In temporarily murky or muddied waters, which white bass do not normally habitat other than for short periods of time, vibrating spinning lures are known to work well. If you have access to a boat, troll the area looking for 15- to 40-foot depths, using a slow jigging motion behind the boat. If using a spinner or crank bait, let the lure trail behind the boat before starting a reel-and-stop technique and repeating the tactic once you've reeled your lure all the way in.

Winter techniques

Casting on open water and reeling in a spinner is not very realistic in the winter months when many areas ice over. Try using brightly colored jigs with minnows hooked through both lips as your primary bait. Jig up and down to draw attention. If you're intent on using plugs or spinner baits in the winter, try looking for a dam and casting into the calmer backwaters.

Michigan Sucker Fishing Tips

Rapidly Flowing Rivers

The main habitat of suckers is a fast flowing, cold river. Suckers prefer sandy or gravel bottom areas. Locating logical areas in a river is the first step in catching a sucker.

Cold Lakes

If you do not have access to a cold, fast-flowing river, the next best option for finding suckers is a deep, cold lake. Suckers will most likely be located in the deepest parts of the lake with a gravel bottom. You will want to use a bottom rig, since suckers will be located at the bottom of the lake.

Food

Suckers eat insects, worms, and snails. When deciding which bait to use, keep in mind what suckers eat. You probably won't have much luck if you use a lure, because suckers do not feed off other fish. Real worms, night crawlers, rubber worms, or flies (such as nymph and wet fly patterns) are probably your best bet. Suckers have a small mouth, so you want to use a small hook, such as a size 10 or smaller.

Springtime

Suckers spawn in early spring in shallow, fast-flowing tributaries. They tend to be more aggressive while spawning, so they are more likely to go after your bait.

Bass Fishing: Wii Tips

Choosing Your Lure

"Sega Bass Fishing" includes more than 20 lures, each with their preferred environment and fish type. The goal of the game is to get the biggest bass you possibly can. Fly fishing lures are great for trout and other fish types, but for the bass go with weighted lures. To choose the right weighted lure, look at the background of the level where the water meets the shore. There will be two to three colors used primarily at the shore line. Try to select a weighted lure that has these colors to attract the largest bass possible for that level. The colors will vary depending on the level, but you can change lures as many times as necessary to select the right one.

Cheats

For the aspiring novice fisherman, as if the fish weren't enough, often the timer will be your biggest enemy. Fortunately there is a cheat that can help give you a bit more breathing room. To activate this cheat, press: A, B, Y, X, Y, A, B, L, R, Y, X, A, B, A, Y, X, Y. When you hear the tournament announcer shout the word "Fish," you will see your time start and not change. When you want to finish the level, press "start" and "return to the docks."

The Key to Casting

Casting on the surface is simple enough; you hold down the A button and use the Wii-mote to make a flicking motion with your wrist. For more realism you can use your whole arm to draw back and then swing forward like a real fishing rod. The key to a successful cast is to release the A button when the controller is approximately level to the floor, with your arm fully extended. This will increase the maximum distance of your cast.

Hot Tips for September Bass Fishing

Follow Baitfish

September is often the time of year when baitfish transition from deep to shallow water and bass often follow. Clumps of baitfish can be located by sonar. Look for pieces of isolated shallow cover with baitfish nearby; these areas will often hold bass. Exactly how shallow depends on the lake; 15 feet is often a good depth, but this is not a firm rule. Creek mouths, drop-offs, points, channels, rock piles and irregularities in a weedline are good producers. Places with current are attractive to bass as well. Bass may be well-fed, in which case you will have to agitate them into biting.

Cover a Lot of Water

When you come to an area that you believe holds bass and baitfish, start by covering a lot of water with a fast-paced lure. This will catch most of the more active bass, as well as give you an idea of what specific spots within the overall area hold the most fish. Writer and fisherman Vic Attardo advocates using a buzzbait when you see bass breaking the surface or when the surface is rippled but not choppy. Poppers, crankbaits and spinnerbaits are other so-called "run-and-gun" techniques to cover water and find bass fast.

Be Thorough

Once the fast bite slows down, switch to a slower, more subtle technique and focus on small areas and specific pieces of cover. This will target bass that are too full or inactive to bite. It is important to make repeated casts to a piece of cover; making one cast and moving on will inevitably cause you to miss fish. Professional fisherman Woo Daves often casts a series of different lures to the same piece of cover in an attempt to rouse strikes. If you are fishing around wood and rocks, tie on a diving crankbait and bang it into the cover. Carolina-rigged soft plastics are also great for thoroughly exploring an area.

How Ice Fishing Tip-Ups Work

Wooden tip-ups

The most commonly used ice fishing tip-up is one that is made of wood and metal. These wooden tip-ups come in many styles but each accomplishes its task in basically the same manner. The tip-up opens up in such a way that it can be positioned over a hole made in the ice by the anglers. As the tip-up sits over the hole an arm that holds a reel will either be in the water or over the water, dropping a line down into the hole. When a fish grabs the bait on the hook at the end of the line it triggers a red or orange flag on a slender metal strip on the tip-up to go up in the air. This is achieved via a trigger mechanism that runs from the reel upwards to where the flag is attached to it. When a small notch on the reel trips this thin wire mechanism, causing it to turn, it releases the flag attached to a notch on the other end by knocking it off its "perch." This makes the flag, which has been bent over into position and placed into the notch, to spring up, alerting the angler that a fish has bitten the bait and is running with it. The ice fisherman will arrive at the tip-up, take it from the water, grab the line and set the hook before trying to pull the fish up through the hole.

Polar thermal tip-ups

A more modern type of tip-up is called a polar thermal tip-up. It is shaped like a disc and made out of tough plastic material. The polar thermal tip-up has an arm on it that folds down, dropping the reel into the water on one end, with a "T" shaped top on the other end that is perpendicular to the flat disc. When line runs off the reel it turns the arm and makes the top spin. The flag arm of a polar tip-up is a telescoping piece of metal that can be pulled out and placed so that it is held beneath the "T" top of the arm. When the reel arm spins the flag is released and goes up in the air. The angler will see the flag up and proceed to the tip-up, take it out of the hole, and set the hook to try to catch the fish. Polar thermal tip-ups sit right over a hole and cover the entire opening, keeping the hole from freezing over even in very cold conditions.

HT polar tip-up

This type of tip-up is a cross between a wooden tip-up and a polar tip-up. Made of plastic it is rectangular in shape and it has a spring loaded flag sitting on one end of it. The reel arm swings down, putting the reel into the water in the hole while the top end has the same "T" shaped trigger that the polar tip-up employs. The flag arm is tucked under the "T" and will go up when a fish takes the bait, making the reel arm spin and releasing the extended flag arm. HT Polar tip-ups are easy to deploy and easy to pick up at the end of the day.