Ledgering

Ledgering is a straightforward style of bottom fishing. It requires a sensitive 12-foot(minimum) rod and a small to medium sized reel, a weight, swivel and various hook sizes.Bait feeders can also be used as the weight and many competitive anglers use this method in fishing contests around the world.

The idea of the ledger rig is to allow for sensitivity, in that as soon as the fish lifts the bait the line passes thru the weight and the bite can be felt, seen, or heard. The latter if you use electronic bite indicators.

The rod has to be long, sensitive and flexible enough to cast accurately as well as play the fish. Swing tip rods and feeder rods are dedicated ledger rods. Unless you are going after easily available species with the kids, then avoid using a normal spinning rod.

Light line is paramount when ledgering and the line between the swivel and your main line is much the same as a tippet on a fly line. Keep it as light as you can, even as low as one pound. Obviously, if you plan on ledgering for pike or muskie, then trace wire will be needed at a good length from the weight; at least half a meter. Ledgering for pike will also require a larger more powerful rod for heavy fish and arduous battles.

Rod stands are essential for ledgering. A couple of branches with a Y cut may serve you well when you are ten years old, but the proper stands allow the line to run thru and hold the rod steady.

Most ledgering only requires small fishing hooks around sizes16 to 22.

Baits range from small worms to colored maggots, single pieces of sweetcorn.

A long handled landing net is always useful when ledgering.

Fly Types and Where/When to Use

Fly fishing is both an art and a science. Laying out a perfect cast in exactly the right place, and tying a fly that is the perfect imitation of the real one are examples of the art side. Knowing where the fish are and what fly to use is part of the science side. Here are some tips on using the right fly.

One of the simplest ways of determining what fly to use is to look along the banks of the river. The bugs that live along the bank will eventually fall in the river and be eaten. When looking for bugs look on the ground, in the bushes, and in the trees.

Fish are sensitive to shape, color and size, so using a fly that is an exact imitation of the real bug is important. Having a wide selection of flies in your box is the key to success. Some people even bring their vice and fly tying materials with them. Then after observing what bugs are around, they tie a few to mimic what they have found. It is important to start with the right fish hook size to insure the bug is the correct size.

Fish will eat beetles, ants, grasshoppers, and almost any little thing that crawls, hops or flies. They also eat aquatic bugs. To figure out what aquatic bugs the fish are eating you will need a fine seine and seine the river in a few places. By seining the river, you find all the bugs living there and the shells of the bugs that have hatched. Armed with this information, you’re ready to go to your fly box for your vice.

Another good way to learn exactly how to seine and what you are looking for is to watch a fishing video on the subject. A good video is a fast way to learn. There are even some online fishing games that may help you learn.

Fall Salmon Fishing

The questions, when do salmon run, and do they run in the fall, are asked when fall begins changing the leaves. Salmon do run in the fall and fall fishing for salmon is a fabulous experience for those who fancy fishing the lakes and the northeast rivers. The Atlantic salmon and their landlocked relatives, the Sebago Salmon is the primary salmon that run in the fall.

Every fall the Atlantic salmon leaves the ocean and travel up the rivers and streams to where they were hatched. When they arrive they spawn and then start feeding to regain their strength. Atlantic salmon, unlike Pacific salmon, don’t die after spawning. This offers some wonderful fishing opportunities.

The Atlantic salmon will strike at a number of different flies and lures. This gives you your options of choosing your favorite style of fishing. If it is a slow day, try some of the online fishing games.

The Sabago salmon live in lakes from New Hampshire to New Brunswick. Like the Atlantic salmon they spawn in the fall and don’t die. These landlocked salmon, while smaller than the Atlantic salmon, are still pound for pound a good fighter.

Using artificial salmon eggs will catch lots of fish. Any style of artificial salmon eggs will be effective. They aren’t picky at this time of year, just hungry.

Another landlocked salmon that spawns in the fall is the Kokanee salmon. These fish are related to the Sockeye. After they spawn, they die.

The Kokanee are found in many cold water lakes throughout North America. One of the more popular methods of catching these fish is by snagging. A large weighted treble hook is used to drag the bottom of the lake in the spawning beds. Before using this method, you should check local fishing regulations to make sure its legal.

How to Prep for an International Fishing Trip

Fishing and traveling are two wonderful hobbies. When you combine them with an international destination you have the ultimate vacation. If you have never done an international fishing expedition you may not know how or where to begin. Here are a few suggesting on how to get started.

Advanced planning is very important. Starting a year or two ahead of time is not unreasonable. It takes time to get everything coordinated and to determine the best week of fishing.

One of the first things is to check the requirements for travel in the country where you want to fish. Find out if you need a passport or a visa or some other document to travel in the country. Then get these documents in order.

If you are going to spend the money for a trip you might as well hire a guide. It is important for a guide to be fluent in your native language. Good communication is important when retaining personal services, especially in a foreign country. Even if you speak with the guide on the telephone, follow up everything with writing. Clarify what will be provided and what you will have to provide. Confirm all prices and deposits in writing.

A good guide will be able to tell you which week of the year will offer the best fishing. Sometimes weather may change and ruin the best laid plans but an experienced guild will keep you informed.

Ask to see his fishing video’s to get an idea of what to expect.

A guide can also help you with lodging suggestions. Ask him where most of his foreign clients stay. Then explore the internet for other places to stay and contact them. Make sure there is internet access so you can play online fishing games or other fishing games. Then decide which one will meet your needs.

Purchasing your airline ticket will be your final step and commitment. Watch the fares as they may change during peak times. Watching the prices for several months will help you get the best price possible.

Tying Your Own Fly

There are several degrees of fly fishing enthusiasts. There are those who fish often, those who fish with the finest equipment, those who fish with old bamboo, and those that tie their own flies. Fly tying is a true combination of art and science.

There is something very satisfying about learning about the bugs fish eat and then being able to replicate them as a fishing fly. For some people tying flies comes natural and easy. For others it is much more difficult. An easy way to see what is involved is to watch a fishing video of fly tying. Most videos show the basics of materials and equipment.

There is not a lot of equipment required to tie flies. The vice is the basic tool. It holds the hook at many different angles so you can see and manipulate the fly. Another tool is the thread feeder. This tool feeds out the thread in an even manner so your fly is neat and the wraps of the thread are laid out perfectly.

Another important tool is a pair of pointed long handled tweezers or hemostats. They are used to hold the material while you wrap the thread around. You will also need a small pair of long handled scissors to cut the thread and material.

After you have the basic equipment you will need materials. The list of materials depends on where you live and what you will be fishing for, but the common material is the hook. However, even hooks are different in sizes, styles, and shapes. The hooks used for little brook trout are much different than hooks used for bonefish. Using the right fish hook size is very important.

Learning to tie your own flies is a fun part of the fishing game. It’s a different thrill than online fishing games, but it may be the most fun of all fishing games.

Catfish Fishing Gear Essentials

Have you been playing online fishing games but have actually not been fishing? Catfish fishing is a good way to start fishing, especially if you’re looking for a way to spend a leisurely day on a river or pond. Here are the essential basics you need to have a successful day of fishing for catfish.

First, you need to find a place where there are catfish. The easiest way to do this is to ask someone. The person behind the counter of your local tackle shop is a good place to start. Most of the time these people will know exactly where to find fish.

Next you’ll need a good sturdy rod and reel. If your just starting out there no sense in spending a lot of money on fishing equipment. Zebco and Shakespeare both make good rod and reel combinations that are sturdy and strong, but not expensive. Chose the one with 10-12 pound test line already loaded on the reel.

After the rod and reel, you’ll need fishing hooks. There are many different fish hook sizes. Buy number four or number two size fishing hooks.

Catfish spend most of their time on the bottom of the river or pond. You need lead sinker weights to get the hook down where the fish are. When you rig up your line put the hook on the bottom of your line and tie the weight on about a foot above the hook.

Now you need bait. Catfish like to eat nasty, stinky things. Try raw chicken or beef liver that has sat out in the sun for a day or two or you can even use old hamburger or stale donuts. Whatever you use put enough on the hook to completely cover the hook.

After baiting the hook, cast it out into the water and wait for the lead to sink to the bottom. When the line stops, reel up the slack until the line is taut. Now wait for the fish to bite. With this equipment and knowledge you’ll be ready to enter fishing contests.

Massive Fish Kills, Nature Or Concern

Hundreds of thousands of tons of fish are needlessly slaughtered each year in the waters of our planet. These are the result of many factors, but mostly it is the responsibility of the political systems around the world. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, human error, on the part of politicians is responsible for much of the waste.

Bycatchhas to be thrown back due to bureaucracy. Thankfully, there are many fishfights led by fishingactivists that are helping to make dramatic changes in the law so that wastage can be used constructively. Food for animals and fishfarming are amongst those uses, as well as plant feed and even fish sticks and other processed foods some of us enjoy.Everything from tongues, livers, skins, bones are packed with useful proteins and vitamins.

There are, of course, natural disasters that also destroy massive amounts of fish. The recent tragedy in Japan, 2011, has affected thousand of tons of fish where the waters are radioactive. Also where the dumping of contaminated water out at sea will have an adverse effect on fish living in it.

We anglers, also take home, or carelessly throw back fish that either go to the cat or end up rotting due to an element of greed or forgetfulness. When yougo fishing next, keep this in mind and be careful when disgorging fishing hooks from fish. Place your catches back gently. It will make a big difference for their survival and have a knock on effect regardless of how trivial it may seem.

Also, take what you need if you eat fish and remember that some species taste horrid over certain weights. Alternatives for fishing immortality can be better served with a fishing video, than a wall mount.

Fall Muskie Fishing

Muskie has to pile on the layers before the winter kicks in and fall is the alarm bell for them to start hitting everything with a vengeance. However, muskie become a little lethargic in the fall and prefer to ambush large lures that guarantee the protein and fats they demand. They are not as active at chasing quick lures during this season so fishing lures slowly with a twitching action will coax them to bite.

One of the best fishing lures for fall muskie is the jerk bait. A heavy action muskie rod of around six feet and sturdy enough to cast large jerkbaits for long periods will work best for comfort and playing. The rod also works well for that little twitching jerk needed to work the lure the natural way of an injured fish.

Muskie will hit lures near the surface but blistering fall winds tend to reduce the top layer considerably and they will usually be anywhere from fifteen to five feet deep. Weather and light conditions will dictate your own tactics, as well as, determining the best colours for your lures. Darker waters demand brighter colors and clearer waters, darker lures.

Baitfish will seek the sanctuary and the oxygen richness of the dying weeds in the shallower areas of lakes. Here, you can bet your life that the muskie will be lurking close to them, where they blend in effectively with the background.

It goes without saying that muskie are ferocious game fish and their teeth cut through everything other than trace wire. Make sure to include enough and avoid regrets.

Shooting a fishing video of your trophy instead of spending money on a wall mount is fish friendlier and gives someone else a chance to enjoy the adrenalin and sport you had.