How to Catch the Big Fish

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

For many people, taking up a hobby like fishing can be a relaxing way to spend a summer’s day on a weekend. For others, however, fishing isn’t just a hobby – it’s a serious sport. The select few who really take their fishing seriously usually have a common question: how do I catch the big fish? If you want to stop catching minnows and start catching muskies, this article will be a great guide.

1. Go where the big fish are.

Seem obvious? Okay, let’s try an experiment. Write down five local lakes you know that have fish that grow longer than a foot, nose to tail. Can you do it? If not, you’re going to have to do some research, ask around, and find out what you can do to start fishing where the big fish are waiting to be caught.

2. Know your target.

Common “big” fish caught around the United States include Muskellunge (muskie), Northern Pike, types of bass, and even catfish. If you’re going to catch the big fish, you’re going to have to know their habits – what they eat, where they eat, and what they’re often attracted to. You can’t expect to go out to a big lake, throw a worm on a hook, and catch a picture-worthy fish.

Instead, read up on your target and learn about their behaviors. Consult some fishing magazines or even an online source like Wikipedia. After about a week’s worth of easy reading, you’ll feel that you know your fish inside and out. The more experience you get, the more you’ll be able to search for a wider variety of big fish.

3. Match the bait with the fish.

You have to customize your strategy around the type of fish you’re going for, otherwise you can’t predict the kind of results you might get. In doing your research on your big fish of choice, make special note of the kind of bait and tackle that typically attracts your fish. If you know when the fish are most active and can drop some enticing bait into the water, you stand a good chance of finally catching that big fish.

Fishing is great, especially when you chase after challenges that a beginner wouldn’t necessarily try. The more you expand your awareness of local fish, the better you’ll get.

Photo Credits: Eldar

Five Pieces of Equipment You’ll Need on your Next Fishing Trip

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

If you’ve decided to take a fishing trip – extended or not – there’s a good chance that you’ll need to stock up on your fishing equipment. This might not be true for professionals, who might have all of the equipment they need handy in their garage or basement, but for the amateur, you’ll want to know exactly what to bring to make your fishing trip both fun and productive.

So what are the pieces of equipment you’ll want to bring? Here are five different types to watch for.

1. Fishing rods.

The absolute essential, fishing rods are the starting point for a typical fishing trip – if you haven’t used a fishing rod before, make sure that you try practice “casts” out in your yard. Casting with your fishing rod can be difficult to understand at first, but once you get the hang of it, it will become second nature. Make sure you find a good fishing rod and have good information explaining how to use it.

2. Fishing line.

This might go hand-in-hand with fishing rods, but it’s worth mentioning here because it plays such a vital role in the type of fishing experience you’ll have. Fishing line that’s tough but also barely visible will be what you’re looking for: you want to barely disturb the water, but you also want your line to hold up against some of the stronger fish you might have to wrestle into your boat.

3. Bait.

Bait might not qualify as “equipment,” but it’s a fishing essential. After all, it depends on the type of bait you’re using – while a worm might not be in your “equipment” box, a good lure will be something that you’ll keep with you. So make sure to know what kind of fish you’re targeting so that you can pick the appropriate type of bait, as well as how to use it.

4. A tacklebox.

Hooks, lures, bobbers, and other equipment need to be stored somewhere, especially since many of those individual instruments can be sharp. So make sure that you’re able to store them safely and efficiently in a good tacklebox. You don’t necessarily have to buy a new one – just make sure that you borrow one so that you’re not constantly tracking your fishing devices.

5. A boat.

Duh! Some people enjoy fishing from the shore, and in some cases (such as the coast) this can be a very productive way to fish. But to truly get a good experience out in the wild, make sure you can ride even a rented single-motor boat. You don’t have to break the bank here; just have fun.

Photo Credits: nugun

Five Distinct Fishing Techniques

Monday, May 4th, 2009

If you’ve ever taken your child out swimming and haven’t been sure about what kind of techniques to teach, don’t worry: you’re not alone. Many of us who would like to consider ourselves fun-loving and adventurous are willing to go out on a fishing trip, but how often do we really know what to do to actually catch the fish? In this article, we’ll take a look at five distinct fishing techniques that you can employ to actually look like a professional.

Doodling

Doodling is essentially a fishing technique that relies on using the worm as your chief type of bait. This will probably work better on the smaller fish that congregate toward this type of food, so keep that in mind. Doodling will entail using your worm by shaking your rod after dipping it in the water, then waiting a good half a minute for fish to approach your hook. After that, you can give your rod another shake and try to draw it around a bit.

Night Fishing

Night fishing usually emphasizes hunting the bass that tend to be interested in what you have during this time of the day. If you’re going to be night fishing, you have to make sure that you have all of the proper equipment and know all of the local ordinances involved.

Casting

When you’re fishing, casting is one of the most fundamental techniques you use in order to get your hook into deeper waters, plunging your hook into an undisturbed area of the lake or stream you’re fishing in. Overhand, underhand, and sidearm casts are different ways you can try to cast with greater efficiency – just make sure to stick with one technique to really get it down pat.

“Playing the Fish”

Playing the fish is a term that refers to what you do with a fish once it appears you’ve actually lured it into a bite. This will typically entail a quick jerk to “set the hook” into the fish’s flesh, followed by setting the “drag” on your rod to prevent the line breaking.

Flipping/Pitching

The “pitch” is a type of cast that causes very little disturbance to the water – instead of flicking your rod in order to send the hook out deeper into the lake or stream, you simply let the button loose and drop the line manually into the water, giving you a more stealthy way to pursue your fish.

These are just five things to keep in mind when you’re out fishing – remember that any one technique will take a bit of practice before you get it down to an art, particularly if you’re a beginning. The more you learn and the more experience you gain, however, the better you’ll understand which technique to employ and why.

Photo Credits: nugun