The Tailing Redfish

There are a number of fishermen who believe that they have never had the privilege of witnessing a redfish that is tailing. Surprisingly, it is more likely that they have indeed seen this; they just did not realize it at the time. Redfish can often be found in conditions where the water is somewhat lower than usual. This can mean on an either incoming or an outgoing tide.

If you choose to fish around one specific area and you are having success, make sure to make a mental note of this exact spot as you will be more likely to find them in the same area time and again each year as redfish tend to prefer certain areas.

The mouth of the redfish was designed perfectly so that it could feed on the bottom of the water. With its blunt, large nose protruding beyond its mouth, seeing one of these fish feed beneath the waves is interesting as it uses its snout to push and sift through the mud and sand for food. Often, the fish will be hunting with its body completely vertical, resulting in their tail sticking straight out of the water. This is where the term “tailing” became popular.

Whenever casting your bait to a redfish that is tailing, you will need to know in which direction they are ultimately headed for. Keep in mind that if you cast behind these fish as they feed, you will be disappointed. Where you see one redfish, there are likely more. Once you recognize where the school is at, you will more easily be able to determine which direction they are all facing and you can cast your bait.

You can toss out virtually any smaller bait in their direction and it is almost guaranteed to be eaten up at once. As the redfish move along the floor, their prey moves away from them. This means that the redfish have had to resort to an instantaneous strike. If they happen to strike something they decide they do not want to eat, they simply spit it out.

I prefer to work with smaller, plastic grubs as well as a ¼ jig head. Chartreuse, white and pink are typically effective colors. If plastic grubs are not what you like to go fishing with, gold and silver spoons work rather well with these fish also. The next time that you think of breaking out your fishing gear and reeling in some fish, why not try for redfish now that you know a little bit more about how they operate.

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.

Hooking Your Bass

Summer means many people will be out on the water bass fishing. Catching the attention of your fish is half of the battle, but what about the other half of the battle? As soon as you have lured that bass into the vicinity of your line, you now have to worry about hooking that fish so that you can reel it in. Here is the best way how to go about this:

When it comes to setting your hook, lures with treble hooks will sometimes cause the fish to hook itself once it bites the bait. While this is convenient when it happens, it isn’t always that a fisherman is so lucky. A bass’s jaws are extremely thick and difficult to penetrate. It usually takes an extremely sharp hook and solid hook set to catch a bass.

Set your hooks with a slack-line method. Once you feel the bass strike your lure, face in the direction of the fish with your rod in between ten and eleven o’clock. Then, quickly drop the tip of the rod, snapping the slack right out of your line with a swift overhead snap. This action will set the hook nicely in the mouth of the fish.

The drag on most fishing reels will allow for some slippage of your line. This is designed to prevent a larger fishing from accidentally snapping your fishing line. Never set your drag by adjusting the setting and pulling line from the spool in the front. This could cause the line to become buried which can impact your line pull reading. Instead, first adjust your drag and then pull your line from out past the tip of your rod. You can also tie up a heavier object to the opposite end of your line and then adjust the drag that way. One of the best fishing tips you can remember is to always set your drag to no more than half of your fishing line’s pound test.

Since bass do not have any teeth like most fish, you can easily land them without having to resort to using a net if you are willing to put in the time to practice. Many nets only serve to harm bass that you would otherwise intend to release back into the water. Once you have your fish, reel him in slowly and with a gloved hand, pull the bass into the boat.

Fishing With Jig Heads

There are a number of choices for anglers when it comes to terminal tackle. While some of these options might seem rather straight forward and simple, others look rather detailed and intricate. Of course, all of these options can end up costing you an arm and a leg; however, what I suggest to as far as my fishing tackle tips for my inshore readers is a simple jig head.

Jig heads are usually crafted out of either lead, bismuth or other metal that is considered a non-pollutant to the environment. You can choose your jig heads from a number of different sizes, colors and shapes. I tend to prefer my sizes to be anywhere in between one eighth of an ounce to three fourths of an ounce. For my hook sizes, I stay with anything between a one and 5/0.

Keep in mind that when selecting your fishing gear, it is possible for a smaller hook to catch a surprisingly large fish. That being said, I tend choose the size of my hooks according to how deep the water is as well as how fast I need my lure to sink. If you are fishing in shallow water, you will want to select the lightest jig that you can, particularly if you use a grub tail.

In depths that are mid-range, determine how deep you want your lure to go as well as how authentic you want it to look as it drops. This likely will take some experimentation on your part until you determine where it is that the fish are holding.

Speed of the water may also play an important factor in choosing your jig as well. If the current happens to be rather strong, you may need to use a heavier jig. I usually try to fish across from the current so that my jig can follow it accordingly while also sinking simultaneously. The more subtle the current you are dealing with is, the lighter your jig should be.

You must also have an idea of what kind of fish you are trying to catch. Never use a 5/0 hook and jig if you are ultimately looking to catch a fish that won’t even be able to fit that in his mouth. Always remember that the size must also appropriately accommodate the species you are fishing for.

Choosing your size of jig should be a logical and simple decision. As long as you can picture how your lure will move throughout the water that you are fishing in, you must also account for the current and depth as well. Once you have this information, you will have the right jig.

Fishing In New Locations

Do you find yourself fishing in the same spots over and over? At some point, you became familiar with these locations and decided that is where you will stay. However, now you are looking to branch out. But how is it possible to successfully catch fish in a spot that you are unfamiliar with? Below are some fishing tips that should be able to point you in the right direction:

• Start by purchasing a quality chart of the place that you will be fishing. If it is inshore, the chart will be helpful for navigation. If you are offshore, you will notice that many bottom contours, GPS numbers as well as any wrecks are marked on plenty of fishing maps.

• Be sure to stop by a nearby bait and tackle store and ask the clerk a few questions. Make sure that you stop by later in the morning when they are less likely to be busy. Let them know that you are brand new in the area and they will happily mark up a chart for a potential new customer.

• Once you have your fishing chart, be sure that you take the time to sit down and study it carefully. Locate where the channels and cuts are on the make as well as any humps or deep holes appear to exist. Take note of where any flats are that are likely to empty into a channel during low tide. Studying these charts will help you with eliminating larger areas of water that are less likely to have as many fish. In almost any lake or fishing location there is a great deal of water that is rather unproductive to spend time fishing in. Using the chart to determine the best possible areas will save you a great deal of time.

• Be sure to check what the tides will be on the particular day that you are planning to fish. You can also ask the clerk at the tackle shop this information as well as their opinion of which ones should be fished.

If you want to invest the money, you can always hire a professional fishing guide as well. Guides will be able to show you first hand exactly where the prime fishing holes are as well as what tides are the best to fish and which bait you will be the most successful with.

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.