Winter Bass Fishing Using Jigs

One of the most reliable lures that can be used for bass fishing in the chill of winter is that of the jig. These pieces are ideal for use in water that is extremely cold regardless of whether or not it is muddy or clear. This comes in rather handy being that the bass you are after at this time will undoubtedly be holding to virtually any cover they know. Jigs are considered presentation lures and the secret to using them is to make them appear as authentic to natural prey as possible using a rather slow presentation.

Jigs come with one hook attached to their solid, lead-headed bodies. A tiny trailer or skirt is affixed to the hook in order to catch the attention of nearby bass. Provided that you have adequate weed guards, these lures can be used in even the densest vegetation as they flawlessly make their way into the difficult to get to areas in a subtle way.

Many different kinds of weights can be used in conjunction with jigs also. You will want to make sure that you experiment with plenty of different styles and sizes so that you can ultimately decide what works best for your style. If you are fishing in clear water, you will need lighter fishing gear including line and weights. If you are fishing in darker, muddier water, you will then want to turn to heavier, sturdier equipment.

Always keep in mind that the goal when choosing weights is to select the absolute lightest weight you can possibly get by with. Since this can be somewhat of a challenge if you are not already out on the water, you may want to have many different weights with you so that you can switch on a moment’s notice if you need to do so.

When fishing using a jig, you will want to act as if it is drop bait. Once you feel that your weight has touched the bottom of the lake, you will then want to tip your rod and start reeling in the remaining slack. Once you have done this, very carefully draw back on your rod so your lure can drop another time. Once you feel any kind of sensation on your line, which is most likely a fish bite. You will now want to immediately set your hook and slowly reel in your line. Chances are, you will be greeted on the other end with a nice bass.

On days when you are unable to make it out to the water, try out some great online fishing games to keep yourself entertained and your skills sharp.

Crappie Fishing At Night

Fishing for crappie at night is an effective method for catching a great deal of fish as it somehow seems to be more productive once the sun has gone down. What distinguishes crappie from other species of fish is their sight. Crappie have the ability to see in color quite well. Knowing this can help you use it to your advantage when you are fishing for these critters one evening. Here are some fishing tips to start you off on the right foot.

· Be sure the bait you have is lively

If you are lucky enough to have access to a live well then you wont have any problem with this. However, you can purchase an aerator for around $20 that will keep your live bait on their toes.

· Determine your fishing spot

Use a topographical map, fish finder or a nice looking crappie hideout in order to plan where you intend to fish once the sun has gone down. If there is a location with adequate cover, this could be a great area to begin, particularly if there is still bait fish in the area.

· Use a lamp or a flashlight in order to attract smaller baitfish

With the use of a green light that is submerged beneath the water, you will be surprised how many baitfish will come right up to your boat. This, in turn, will attract the crappie as where the food goes, the predators are not far behind. Try and get a light that you can submerge at least five feet as this will provide you with a much better shot at attracting crappie in the dark.

· Use chum in the area you are fishing

In addition to bringing your fishing gear for crappie fishing you must also bring chum. The use of rather small bait fish such as minnows and bait fish that are cut up into small pieces and then tossed into the water will create a smell that will be irresistible to crappie. Once you have set up your light and have your chum in the water for around 30 minutes or so then you can begin fishing. Start with your bait around a foot above the floor of the lake. Gradually raise your lure foot by foot until you begin getting some bites. Once you start getting your bites you will now know where your fish are holding at. You will then be able to catch a remarkable amount of fish.

In addition to fishing, you can try out some great fishing games to keep yourself entertained during the times when you cannot make it out to the water.

How To Smoke Fish

So now that you have gone fishing and caught your fish you are ready to fry them up the same old way you always have while wishing that you knew how to smoke your fish instead. In order to smoke fish, you will need to stock up on a few pieces of equipment such as a Big or Little Chief smokehouse. Once you have this, the sky is the limit.

* Begin by sectioning the fish, splitting it along the backbone. Remove as many smaller bones as you can along with any ragged edges and blood. Now cut the remaining pieces into small chunks and rinse.

* Either purchase a pre-made brine or you can create your own by starting with warm water in a ½ quart. Dissolve either your own seasonings or that of the brine into this water and then add another ½ quart of water that is this time, cold. Place the chunks of fish into the mixture and submerge them completely in a bowl that is either stainless steel or glass. The bowl should never be aluminum. Let the chunks soak in your refrigerator between 4 and 6 hours for chunks that are rather thin and 8 to 12 hours for thicker chunks. You can cut the soaking time down significantly if you meat had been frozen as this helps the meat to absorb much more quickly.

* After they are done marinating, remove the pieces from the brine and rinse them once again in cool water. Put them onto paper towels in order to pat the pieces dry. Leave them sitting to air dry for at least an hour before putting them into your smokehouse.

* Now load the fish pieces onto the grills of your smokehouse and place the racks in, closing the lid. Plug in the cord to the smokehouse and you are almost finished.

* Fill up the flavor pan that comes with your smokehouse and place it into the door of the heating element. A pan that has enough fuel will begin to smoke in as little as 20 minutes, lasting around 45 minutes. It will take around two or three rounds before the process is complete. You will then want to empty out the pan and put it back into the door so that you can just use the heat of the smokehouse to complete the process of curing.

On days when you are unable to make it out to the water, try out some great online fishing games to stay sharp. It is also a very good idea to keep on top of your fishing gear tips to make sure your experience on the water is with the most appropriate equipment.

Three Must Have Crappie Baits

When it comes to fishing for crappie, there are three basic baits to choose from no matter where you are fishing. As long as you have the three of these options ready to go for your crappie fishing trip, you are sure to have a successful adventure.

Live Baits

Hands down the best live crappie fishing bait that you can choose to offer to the fish is the live minnow. Make sure that these baitfish are no longer than 2 inches in length and no shorter than one. The trick here is to keep them as hyped up as you can. This can easily be accomplished with an inexpensive aerator that can be purchased at a local outdoor store.

As you rig up for your minnows, be sure that you are using small hooks. Take your hook and hook the minnow up through its bottom lip and out through its top lip. This will ensure that your minnow can swim as naturally as possible once he is in the water. One of the best crappie fishing tips you can ever pass along is that the bait must look natural.

Jigs

If you have rather limited experience with lures used for crappie fishing, you may want to begin instead with marabou jigs. These lures are very inexpensive at just pennies a piece. They are extremely popular lures as well which means they produce results. Be sure to purchase them in sizes between 1/32 and 1/16 ounces and stay with the light colors such as yellows, greens and whites when just starting out.

Haul these pieces of fishing gear out to your fishing location and drop them to the bottom while bouncing them off the floor. After a few seconds, reel in a little bit and then start the entire process over again until you have succeeded in reeling in all of your fishing line. This will give you the advantage of working multiple levels so that you can better determine at what depth the fish are actually holding at.

Soft Plastic Lures

If you would prefer, soft plastic baits such as the plastic worm are extremely effective as well. However, the lure needs to be rather small which means no longer than three inches. Combine that with a 1/8 ounce jig head, that means it needs to be even less than three inches. Choose from styles such as sassy shad, small worm or grubs. As long as the lure somewhat looks like a minnow or shad, you are headed in the right direction. Stick with lighter colors here as well.

Successful Walleye Fishing

Getting the hang of becoming a successful walleye angler can be rather difficult as these fish are extremely skilled at avoiding capture. Walleye are referred to as short-strikers, meaning they have the ability and skill to remove your bait from the hook and get away both unhooked and unnoticed. This is largely attributed to their unique ability to take in the hook along with the surrounding water through their gills. Once you twitch your lure, they breathe in and let the hook escape right back out. Minus the food. One of the best walleye fishing tips you can ever choose to commit to memory is how to avoid this exact scenario. However, it is simple. Be patient and wait a moment before you decide to set your hook.

When walleye fishing in the summer in relatively deep water, it is usually ideal to wait to begin your fishing trip until the evening when it is dark. Once it is evening, the water temperature will start to cool which signals the walleye to begin heading to the water’s surface in order to feed. Keep in mind, however that it is extremely difficult to catch walleye and successfully release them due to the extreme changes in depth as well as temperature. The fish are simply not equipped to make the adjustment quickly enough to fully recover.

Walleye are a species of fish that are somewhat low in energy even during the peak months of spring and summer. Because of this, fishing for walleye using slower techniques that you might normally incorporate during the winter is ideal. Fish slowly by trolling at a slower speed as well as retrieving carefully using slow, gentle pulls until the fish is close enough for you to get into the boat.

If you happen to be fishing in a lake that is rather shallow, it is always best to begin fishing the areas that are filled with plenty of weeds and grasses as these are prime hiding locations for these fish. The weeds also serve to provide them with added oxygen which is essential to fish as well as air breathing mammals. With a little bit of added knowledge, the challenge of walleye fishing lessens as you perfect your techniques and approaches according to the differing weather conditions and particular temperament of the fish at these times. Always have extra pieces of fishing gear on hand as it is rather easy to lose pieces in the dark as well.