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.