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.

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