Trout Swim Plug

The Bottom Line

If you are fishing for troply fish, this is an excellent plug. You may not get a lot of bites while fishing with an A.C. Plug but the ones you do get usually will be worth taking a picture. Use these baits if you want to catch a wall hanger.

Pros

* Hand Carved Baits
* Excellent Action
* Very Sharp Owner Hooks
* Large Sizes for Big Fish
* Combination Wooden Body and Soft Plastic Tail

Cons

* Need Heavy Tackle

Description

* A.C. Plugs come in several sizes and colors
* These plugs are hand carved and strong
* Excellent baits for trophy size fish

Guide Review - A. C. Hatchery Trout Swim Plug

A. C. Plugs are great baits for trophy fish. They are a little hard to cast if you are not used to throwing big baits, but they are excellent if you want to catch the big one. They come with very sharp Owner hooks that are heavy enough to handle any fish you hook and are solidly built plugs.

You can get A.C. Plugs in a varitey of colors and patterns including minnow, trout, shad and others as well as a varitey of sizes.

These plugs look very realistic in the water. Based on the pictures of trophy fish on the site, big fish think they look real, too.

Note - A plug was provided to me free of charge to test and use.

Fishfinders for ice fishing

The ice fishing season is in full swing again in the northern part of the hemisphere and I get many questions about choosing a fish finder for ice fishing so I thought it was a good time to address the topic.

Which type?
There are two types of ice fishing fish finders. One is the traditional flasher and the other is the more modern fish finder you will find in most boating situations.

The Flasher
A simple depth and fish finding device that displays the bottom echo and depth as well as any other echos (hopefully fish) and the depth they are holding.

Modern fish finder
Depending on the model these type of fish finders show everything, including structure and fish. There have been special ice fishing models released fairly recently which are fantastic and can run all day on a battery.

Choosing the right one
The most important thing about choosing an ice fishing fishfinder is the ability to handle the cold conditions! After this the power of the unit should be the key consideration. If you need your fish finder to penetrate the ice you may need extra power than someone using a transducer in the water.

Other important considerations:

• Battery Life - will it last all day or more?
  
• Zoom Mode - can it zoom in on a section of the water column? How much can it zoom and is it adjustable?
  
• Color or mono?
• Can it give readings before you start drilling?
• Warranty!

Hopefully this helps you make your decision when purchasing a depth finder for your ice fishing. If you have any questions feel free to email me or leave a comment.

Great fishing holidays

Currently I am on the road and am using one of those fancy wireless internet usb connections to post this for you.

I have been on some great fishing holidays, The one where I caught my first tarpon was probably my favorite. My dream fishing destination is probably Fiji or Tonga but I would also like to fish New Zealand for the big trout that live in the many great rivers. I also would like to fish the Midway Islands (maybe I just want to fish everywhere).

Basically the point of this little post is that I am wondering what was your favorite fishing hoiday or dream destination? Please leave a comment.

Bonefish fishing video

My last post was dedicated to one of the most sort after sportsfish so I thought I would continue in that vein and post a great little angling video of one of my favorite fish - the bonefish.

These great fish are a top angling target because of the fight they offer anglers as well as the great exotic tropical locations they are caught in. They are most often targeted on fly gear, but they can be caught with most of the popular methods of fishing. Bonefish form large schools over the flats where they feed and are targeted by anglers trying to spot the fish (called flats fishing). They are not often taken for food and although they are edible they are quite bony (hence the name).

The bonefish can reach 10kg and over 100 cm and feed mainly on small crustaceans and worms living in the sand. Like tarpon, they are also known to be able to breathe air from the surface of the water.

Enjoy the video

Tarpon Facts

Tarpon are one of the ultimate fishing targets for many anglers and one I have been lucky enough to tangle with on one occasion. After landing that fish I understood why this great species is so highly prized! The fight is spectacular and aerobatics are the norm as the tarpon tries to throw the hook (quite often successfully!)

Here are some interesting facts about this species of fish:

• There are actually two species of tarpon. However, the Indo pacific tarpon are much smaller than the more famous Atlantic tarpon.
• The Atlantic tarpon can grow to up to 250 cm (98 in) and to a weight of 161kg (350 lbs).
• When water becomes drained of oxygen the tarpon can breathe air from the surface.
• Although they are rarely eaten tarpon are quite edible, but very bony. A permit is required in some places to keep them - stick to catch and release.
• Despite the popularity of fly fishing for tarpon they can be caught with most conventional fishing methods.
• The tarpon is the official state saltwater fish of Alabama
  

How to spool linto onto a fishing reel

Yesterday I posted about you to cast a reel, but I git thinking that it isn't much use me explaining that process if the reel hasn't got any line on it yet! Spooling line onto the reel can be quite a frustrating thing for new anglers and sometimes simply attaching the line can seem all too hard.

For anyone new to this process (or for those of you looking for a better way) I have found a great video that shows the best methods for getting line onto your fishing reel without any twisting! It demonstrates the best knot to use when attaching line to the reel and the best method of winding the line onto the reel. The guy in the video also explains how much line to put on the reel, which is another thing that new anglers often get wrong.

I even learned a few new things myself and it is worth watching the short video.



Do you have something you would like to see on this blog? Please leave a comment.

How to cast a spinning reel

This blog is now over 250 words and I am yet to write a post about this subject. I can't believe it slipped my mind!

The spinning reel, also called an eggbeater reel, is the most popular form of fishing reel available. Most new anglers start with these reels as they are one of the easiest to learn to cast and retrieve. They cast long distances and, with a bit of practice, quite a good level of accuracy. They can be used for almost all forms of fishing.

If you are looking to get your child into fishing this is the type of reel you should start with. Even though they are considered a great beginners reel they are equally popular with advanced anglers!

How to cast the spinning reel video
The following video is a good demonstration of how to cast a fishing reel of this type. Remember to practice in the back yard or at the local park first - without hooks!!

Choosing the Right Terminal Tackle

The right choice depends on the fishing situation at hand

Bottom fishing, whether inshore or in deep offshore waters, necessarily means making a choice on the terminal tackle you plan to use. Many anglers catch fewer fish as a result of a poor choice or no choice at all.

Fish Finder Rigs

Party boats, or head boats, take from 12 to 50 people offshore bottom fishing and provide them with the tackle and bait. More often than not, the terminal tackle provided on the rods will be the fish finder type of rig. Sometimes called a ‘chicken’ rig, these leader- to-hook arrangements will have a pyramid or bank sinker tied to the end of the leader. Anywhere from twelve to twenty-four inches up from the sinker a loop is tied in the leader, to which is tied a hook. Sometimes a second loop and hook are tied above the first loop. Twelve inches above that will be the swivel.

The whole rig can be three feet long, making it extremely difficult to cast. This rig is designed to drop straight down to the bottom. With people fishing less than three feet apart from each other on a party boat, dropping straight down with heavy sinkers prevents lots of tangled lines.

Fish finder rigs are not just for the party boats, however. When fishing over a wreck or artificial reef, there are several species of fish that may not be on the bottom. Vermillion snapper (beeliners) school and suspend in the water column over the structure. Baits going to the bottom with a heavy sinker usually rocket right through the school. Savvy anglers recognize these schools on a fish finder and change their bottom rig accordingly.

Moving from a heavily weighted single hook rig to a smaller double hook rig will produce fish. Smaller baits on the two hooks and a slow descent will almost always result in a double hookup under these circumstances.

Grouper and Snapper Rigs

These two rigs consist of three to five foot monofilament leaders with a hook on one end and a swivel on the other. Grouper rigs have heavier and longer leaders with larger hooks than the snapper rigs.

These rigs are used with an egg sinker that can slide up and down the angler’s line. Bottom fishing straight down with these rigs is difficult in deep water. As the rig goes to the bottom, the weight of the sinker and relative buoyancy of the bait results in some very twisted lines. The sinker heads for the bottom and slides up the line leaving the bait behind to twist and turn.

These rigs do have a place in deep water though. In a current situation, a slower descent will stop the tangles because the current keeps the bait and hook out away from the sinker on the way down.

Even in a no current situation, these rigs can work well with live bait. The live bait swims away from the sinker, and a slow descent can again get the bait to the bottom without a tangle.

Many times large grouper and red or mutton snapper are leader shy. Chicken rigs make them wary and afraid to bite. Often a very long leader with an egg sinker and a live bait can entice a bite from a bigger fish.

Flounder Rigs

Flounder rigs use beaded casting sinkers or trolling sinkers. These sinkers are elongated and streamlined, allowing them to be bumped along the bottom with less chance of hanging on structure. The line is tied directly to one end of the sinker and the leader is tied to the other end. A twelve to eighteen-inch leader ties to a kayle or circle hook.

These rigs are ideal for dragging a live bait slowly along the bottom in search of flounder. Small mullet, mud minnows and other small live fish are ideal flounder bait with this rig.

Wire Leaders

Whether it’s king mackerel, Wahoo, or barracuda, sharp teeth dictate wire leaders. A wire leader can be stranded wire, coated wire, or stainless steel, and it is made in a variety of weight classes. The wire discourages strikes because it can be seen so easily; for that reason, is generally used in trolling situations.

Wire kinks easily if not handled properly, and will develop kinks while fighting a big fish. Take care to change leaders as necessary after a catch.

Free-Lining

Often terminal tackle will be used with little or no weight. The term ‘free-lining’ comes from the description of the bait as it drifts naturally with the current. This method uses a long leader, usually monofilament, and usually a live bait, free to swim where it will.

Choose your terminal tackle according to the prevailing circumstances. Match the weight to the conditions, and match the type of presentation to the target fish. Fish with the smallest weight required to get your bait to the desired strike zone while matching the size of your leader to the targeted fish. ‘Minimize’ should be the buzzword. The right tackle, the right leader, and the right presentation can put fish in your cooler.

Cara membaca pasang surut air laut

Untuk membaca jadual air pasang sila rujuk kepada contoh di bawah seperti yang biasa tertera dalam sisipan JORAN. Sebagai contoh

Pelabuhan Klang

SABTU

Masa Meter

02.52 1.80848

08.48 4.41518

01.51 1.32128

21.28 4.5

AHAD

Masa Meter

03.38 1.90927

09.27 4.21556

15.56 1.42215

22.15 4.5

Paparan masa adalah 24 jam. Contoh, pada Sabtu jam 2.52 pagi, air berada di paras paling surut dan mula bergerak pasang selepas jam 2.52 pagi. Air akan pasang sepenuhnya pada jam 8.48 pagi dan kembali bergerak surut hingga berhenti jam 3.18 petang. Air kembali pasang dan penuh pada jam 9.28 malam.

Waktu terbaik memancing berdasarkan pada jadual pasang ini ialah pada jam 2 pagi hingga jam 3.30 pagi, jam 8 pagi hingga jam 9 pagi, jam 2.40 petang hingga jam 3.50 petang dan seterusnya.

Pengiraan dibuat berdasarkan kepada pergerakan air piantan (30 minit sebelum dan selepas arus berubah) di mana ikan muara kebiasaannya galak setiap kali berlaku pertukaran arus.

Tetapi tidak bermakna waktu lain kita tidak boleh memancing. Memancing boleh seharian tetapi fokus dan tumpuan perlu diberikan setiap kali arus akan berubah. Persembahan umpan untuk ikan muara seperti jenahak, siakap dan kerapu sebolehnya ikan hidup atau jenis umpan segar. Selain itu pemancing perlu pastikan perambut dan tali utama tidak berbelit ketika umpan dilepaskan ke dasar.

Penggunaan saiz mata kail, kekuatan perambut dan tali utama pula tertakluk saiz ikan yang biasa di pancing di satu-satu lokasi. Secara am peralatan medium 15 paun hingga 30 paun sesuai untuk pancing muara.

Pasang Surut Air Laut Malaysia

FOR FISHING WITH KIDS

Avoid the kid’s stuff

A quality ultra-light bait cast or spin cast rod and reel combo is usually easier for kids to use.

Small hooks = big catches

Avoid hooks larger than size 10 (hook sizes run backwards - size 12 is smaller than size 10). Fish won’t readily take large hooks unless they are feeding voraciously. Most of the time, a subtle presentation is needed to catch wary fish. Tiny hooks also allow small fish to “inhale” the bait, rather than nibble the bait of the hook. If a fish swallows the hook and you want to return it to the water, simply cut the line as close to the hook as possible and release the fish.

Lighten up your line

Light line will do the job, preferably 6-pound test line or less. Unless you’re targeting monster catfish or marauding muskies, light line is your best bet.

Bag the big bobbers

Bobbers (or floats) are used to suspend your bait in the water and to alert you when to set the hooks. The harder the bobber is to pull under, the harder it will be to hook a fish. Small floats will help convince the fish to take your tasty bait and run. “Slip” bobbers work well for kids. Slip bobber rigs cut down on the amount of line needed at the end of the rod and are easier to cast. Small ice fishing bobbers can provide a light touch any time of year.

Sink it with shot

Sinkers help get your line down to the fish. They can also create “zero buoyancy.” Ideally, you want your bobber to just barely float on the top of the water. Squeeze small BB-sized split shot sinkers onto your line one at a time until your bobber early sinks from the weight. Since there is very little resistance when the fish takes the bait, it is more likely to bite the bait and run.

Great big gobs of worms won’t do

There’s no need to use whole whopping-big, writhing night crawlers on your hook. Keep the bait approximately the size of your hook. Live bait such as worms, beemoths or crickets work best. Cut the bait to fit your hook.

Line Size

You can Catch More Fish on Smaller Line

How many of you out there use the same tackle with the same line for all of the fishing you do? You never change equipment or line size to accommodate a different fishing situation. Line size, in particular, does make a difference.

I'm not talking about the obvious fact that the big game tackle needed for marlin would not be used for inshore flats fishing. I'm talking about the more subtle differences that a lot of anglers miss.

Fishing offshore last week, several of us were looking for a big catch to supply an upcoming fish fry event. That necessarily meant looking for a lot of average size fish rather than baiting and fishing for th4 one or two good catches we normally pursue.

We anchored over an artificial reef some 28 miles off of Saint Augustine, Florida, and immediately began catching fish. Vermillion snapper and black sea bass were all over this wreck and showed up on the depth finder in great numbers.

The vermillion (we call them beeliners) were up in the water column as usually. With a double hook fish finder rig (a six ounce sinker on the bottom and two branches of leader and hook above) some of us were dropping all the way to the bottom where we lost our baits to small pinfish and grunts. We went right down through and missed the school of snapper.

Several cranks up off the bottom put the bait in a good strike zone where the beeliners were holding. While we caught some of the beeliners with this method, I knew we could do far better.

Beeliners, and snapper in general are wary fish, and the larger ones did not get to be that large by eating every bait in front of them. I have studied snapper underwater in my diving days and watched them approach a bait. Generally, the bigger the fish, the less likely he was to get caught. The bigger ones seemed to lay back and watch the smaller ones tear and run at the bait. Only after they seemed to believe that it was safe would they attack a bait. The trick was - and still is for snapper - to make the bait appear as natural as possible.

The seas were running about three feet with a pretty sporty northeast ground swell. The sea conditions meant that the baits suspended off the bottom would rise and fall, sometimes abruptly, as much a ten feet in either direction. This certainly was not a very natural presentation, and the catch rate was proving just that.

The fish we were after would top out at five or six pounds. There was no need for the 50 pound test line and 100 pound test leaders we were using. So. I took out my eight pound spinning outfit. I tied a twelve inch, twenty pound test fluorocarbon leader to the line using a surgeon's knot and tied a 3/4 ounce. 2/0 jig head to the leader.

The jig head was big enough to get my eight pound line down to eighty feet or so to the fish, yet light enough to actually let the baited jig drift down at a slower rate. As the boat lifted and fell with the seas, I adjusted the line leaving my reel accordingly.

It was pretty easy to watch the line slowly disappear from the surface of the water, and when it quit sinking, I set the hook. A big beeliner had grabbed the naturally sinking bait without hesitation. The great part was that the bait never had a chance to get down to the junk fish. Beeliners were jumping on it before it ever got that deep.

Two things were very apparent to me on this trip, and I believe they will make a difference for you as well. While I didn't catch the biggest fish that day (Jason stumbled onto a nice 20 pound gag grouper), I consistently caught more and bigger fish than the average size being brought aboard.

First, I believe the line size made a difference that took the wariness away from the larger fish. Second, I believe the bait presentation, being more natural because of the line size, was more appealing to the fish.

I watch people every day fishing for small fish with an arsenal that would theoretically catch a whale. They watch me and my parties catch fish right next to them and shake their heads. They simply don't get it! Fish are cold blooded and may not have the brains to think = or so we think. I believe that the right line size makes a major difference in catch rate and overall success.

Best of all, the lighter tackle makes catching them a whole lot more fun!

Kite Fishing

Procedure:

1. Make up components as individual units, dropline, bottle, bait and trace etc. Use snap swivels for easy attachment.
2. Set up Skymaster and adjust bridle ring until desired angle of attack is achieved. You do this by loosening the larks head knot and sliding the line through the ring and then tightening the knot again. Shortening the left-hand bridle line will make the kite tack to the right and vice-versa. Make small adjustments and fly the kite and keep adjusting until you are satisfied. Let out all the kite line and remove the line from the reel and attach a snap swivel on the end.
3. Now clip the kite line onto the 3-way swivel, which in turn is attached to the fishing reel, drop line, bottle and bait. You will now be controlling everything from the reel.
4. Begin to let out line from the fishing reel taking up the slack from the drop line until you can release the bottle. This is a good time to check that the kite is behaving properly.
5. Keep letting out line from the reel until the bottle, and bait, is the desired distance from shore, this is usually 200m - 500m (650ft - 1,650ft).

NOTE: Don't make the drop-line and trace longer than you can back up on land, otherwise you may not be able to get the fish close enough to gaff. Kite fishing alone is not easy so have a helper at hand.



When I was a kid, one of the favorite summer pastimes was kite flying. We would spend hours adding just enough tail to keep the kite straight, but not so much that it would not reach some altitude. We would ride bicycles with the kite string tied to our waste and the kite suspended in the air 30 or 40 feet above and behind us. On calm days we would run sometimes an entire city block trying to launch our kite.

I still enjoy kite flying, only these days it is from the stern of a boat! And the kites I fly today are a far cry from the newsprint and balsa wood versions we used to make. These high tech kites I use are for one purpose, and that is to catch fish.

The method is relatively easy. It just takes a little practice to keep the boat motion either with the engine or with a drift such that the kite remains in the same relative vertical space all the time.

The kite acts as an outrigger of sorts, although you might better name it and "up" rigger.

The kite is launched and flown from the stern of a boat, usually on a line from a special rod and reel. The fishing line is attached at the kite similar to an outrigger, only instead of keeping the line out, it keeps it up. Boat speed
determines where the bait is in the water.

Usually a slow troll or drift, this fishing is designed for live bait. A live blue runner, or ballyhoo, or other bait fish is suspended from the kite right on the surface of the water. The bait's attempts to get below the surface
coupled with the motion of the kite keep the bait in and out of the water, right on the surface. It really drives billfish in the area crazy!

But don't be fooled into thinking that this is strictly a billfish tactic. King mackerel, cero mackerel and occasionally wahoo are also caught from kite rigs. My fishing partner has even caught yellowfin and blackfin tuna from his kite.

Any one can use this method. The expense involved is minimal, even for the special designed fishing kites. Many fishermen make their own kites to save money, but when they are made from paper, they usually don't last through the first day. So, a vinyl kite made for fishing is recommended. Simply catch your live bait, get to the area you would normally be trolling, and dangle a live bait on the surface under a kite. A nice lazy way of spending a day - no hard fishing, no weeds to clear from the bait, and a whole lot less gasoline used.

Changing Tactics Can Find Fish

Knowing what to do when the norm changes can save the fishing day

Water temperatures remained at a record low and continued heavy rains were making freshwater runoff a problem in my area. The cold thermocline continued to run the northeast Florida coast, and fishing was tough all around – unless, that is, you took some steps to overcome the problems.

What does this have to do with anglers in other areas, you may ask. Plenty. Adverse conditions, whether weather, temperature or anything else, can plague all of us at any given time. The anglers that know how to deal with these conditions will continue to catch fish despite the adversity.

That was the case for us during this time. Although our efforts went largely unrewarded, the plan of attack was correct, and we fished through the problems. Jason Marsh of Jacksonville and Lt Brian Bartlett, a Navy pilot out of NAS Jacksonville fished with me offshore from St Augustine, looking for some king mackerel.

The kings have yet to show up “on the beach” because of the colder water, and all the recent kingfish tournaments have found fish up to 50 miles offshore. So, we headed for some wrecks and artificial reefs ten to twenty miles off looking for fish.

What we found was no bait. Well, actually there was some bait. We found one pod of Spanish sardines and cigar minnows about nine miles off. It obviously was the only bait around because there were no fewer than twenty boats on that pod catching bait. Tangled Sabiki rigs, boats bumping into each other – it was a circus of sorts. But everyone was kind and we pushed off other boats as they pushed off on us, and caught enough live bait to use trolling.

Ordinarily we would have netted menhaden shad along the beach and used them for bait, but the cold water has run that bait off as well.

The Effects of Water Temperature

How it can change your fishing decisions


The Change

Water temperature plays such an important part in fishing that every angler needs to pay attention and react to even subtle variances. Fish are no different than a lot of animals when it comes to heat and cold. They want to stay comfortable. Consequently, even a small change or “break” will cause fish to move from one location to another.

Offshore

Fishing offshore presents particular problems. Temperatures can and do change from the surface to the bottom. I have fished in water that was 80°F on the surface and below 60°F on the bottom. What appeared to be ideal water was virtually void of fish – at least those that were in a feeding mood. Be aware of temperatures at varying depths and be prepared to react.

With surface temperatures, fish will often move along temperature breaks where warm and cold water meet. These breaks draw baitfish and feeding fish are close behind.

Inshore

Inshore waters are not as susceptible to temperature breaks, but they do exhibit changes according to the weather. Summer water temperatures as high as 90°F absolutely turn the fish off. Winter temperatures below 50°F do the same. Sometimes in summer, daytime fishing can be fruitless when the water is that hot.

Thermoclines

Pay attention to the NOAA weather maps online. Surface water temperatures are plotted and when cold thermoclines invade a coastline during the summer as they often do, you can see where you need to be fishing. Remember – find the breaks.

Finding the Fish

Look for surface temperature breaks offshore. Pelagics like mahi mahi, king mackerel, wahoo and tuna will run these breaks. Look for median bottom temperatures in deeper water. The fish will be in a comfort zone. If it’s too hot or too cold, they will move to that comfort zone.

Inshore, stay with morning and evening fishing in the hot summer, and rely on mid-day fishing in the winter. Stay away from the extremes of hot and cold. There are numerous warm water discharges from power plants on almost every coast. Winter fishing around this warm water can be excellent. Conversely, summer fishing there can be the pits.

Remember – look for the comfort zones and you will find the fish.

Speed Clinch Knot

When you are out on the water or walking along a river it is sometimes an advantage to be able to tie quick knots. You might have lost a fish (and your hook/fly), gotten snagged or simply want to change hook size or fly. In many of these circumstances you will want to tie a knot quickly to get back into the fishing action. However, in the panic of a hot fishing session, quick knot tying can often lead to inferior knots.

The speed clinch knot was developed to prevent this problem as it is a fast knot to tie, yet remains a solid fishing knot for most situations. With practice this knot can be tied in less than 20 seconds! Here is an instructional video showing the process.

Rigging a live shrimp (prawn) for bait fishing

I get many requests from people asking how to rig certain baits for bait fishing, but the most requested bait rigging lesson would have to be hooking live shrimp or prawns.

The reason for these requests is probably because live shrimp and prawns are probably one of the best and most versatile baits available to anglers. Where do you find the humans at the all you can eat seafood restaurant? Fighting over the fresh prawns! Fish are a bit the same and at times will ignore almost everything else you present to them. A live bait also kicks and flicks through the water attracting all the fish in the vicinity to investigate what is going on.

Now all you have to do is catch the little things, but that is another post for another day.

How to hook a live shrimp / prawn?
I could tell you, but it is probably better if I show you. This great little video I found on youtube shows the process of hooking prawns and shrimp very clearly.

The top five reasons I go fishing

This blog now hosts over 250 posts and I thought it was about time I shared some of my favorite things about this great sport. So here it is:

1. Relaxation - Life is stressful these days and it is only getting worse. Fishing is my ultimate relaxation tool. It is sort of hard to stress out sitting on a lake, river, estuary or ocean with nature all around (apart from losing that fish of a lifetime of course!). It is also hard to think about what I need to do tomorrow, which makes this reason number 1!
2. Fun - Lets face it fishing can be frustrating, but that is half the reason we keep returning to it. So the saying goes if fishing was easier more people would take up golf! However, fishing is great fun too!
3. Family and friends - My old man is my best fishing partner and this has brought us closer together, even though not much is said out loud. There is something about sitting in a boat with someone for a long time. Fishing also helps you make great lifelong friends with the same passion!
4. Excitement - I was once watching a great fishing show one day and the host was hooked up to an obvious monster. He turned to his fishing partner and said "When this no longer gets me excited I will know that I am dead." That says it all really.
5. Nature - For people that cannot understand my fishing addiction this is the reason I use to explain to them why I go fishing. I could write a book about the amazing things I have seen in nature while fishing. A pod of dolphins dancing right around the boat, turtles surfacing next to the boat and scaring the hell out of me with that sound they make, manta rays flapping water into the boat, monster schools of pelagic fish on a feeding frenzy and birds feeding on the scraps and that is just to name a few. These memories are etched in my mind forever and when I am too old to get into the boat any more will be some of my fondest memories!
   

Have your own top reasons for going fishing? Please leave a comment.

Redfish fishing video

Redfish (also called red drum or channel bass) are a favorite with anglers from from Massachusetts to Florida in the USA. These fish fight hard, grow big and respond well to a variety of angling techniques. They are often caught on lures and flies, but anglers using bait also account for their fair share of fish.

They are a popular fish to target in "no motor zones" as these areas are often home to the largest fish. In these locations a canoe, kayak or small boat with oars/pole can be used to access these great fishing locations. While these fish can be found in relatively deep water they are most often targeted by anglers in fairly shallow water where they put up a great fight!

I hope you enjoy the video!

How to chum (berley)

Chum (or berley where I come from) is any fish material added to the water column to attract fish/sharks to your baits (in some cases lures or fly's). Most people associate chum with monster sharks, but it can be used for all fish species in one form or another.

Popular chumming substances include:

• old fish frames
• tuna/fish oil
• chook pellets (chicken feed)
• dry cat food
• seafood leftovers/scraps (prawn or shrimp shells are popular)
• bread

Many anglers have a secret chum mix that is comprised of a variety of these substances blended together with fish oils. Others just freeze everything, put everything in a pot and mash it together and let it thaw out. You can also purchase pre-packaged dry chum pellets from most tackle stores which is a very convenient alternative.

How to chum properly?
There is an old saying - "a little often," which can be applied to chumming. You can throw a little bit out the back of the boat at regular intervals or place it in a slow release pot. It can take a while to work, but it is important when you start chumming to keep the trail going even when the fish start biting! If you are fishing deep water or in large currents surface berley becomes less effective and a deep water berley pot can be used to get the chum to the bottom.

Unhooking a fish

Yesterday I wrote about unhooking a fishing hook from your hand so I thought I would continue the trend today and talk about unhooking a fish. I have also previously written an article on releasing fish, which can be found at my previous post catch and release.

Unhooking fish can be a daunting task for new anglers. I actually know a few people who were put off fishing because of this alone! Get yourself a good landing net (knotless mesh if possible for the fishes protection), a set of long nosed and needle nosed pliers and a good quality garden glove.

1. Firstly the most important part of this process is not injuring the fish or yourself. Stay away from any spines or sharp gills and remember than some fish have big teeth! Always support a large fish and treat it gently.
2. Use the glove (wet it first) to hold the fish and use the pliers to push the hook back through the hole it originally created. 9 times out of ten the hook will pop out and the fish can be released/put on ice.
3. If the fish has swallowed the hook deep, but you still want to release the fish cut the line off as close to the hook as possible and the hook will rust and come free in a few days not harming the fish. Never try to extract a hook from deep within a fish as you could harm the internals and injure the fish.

These two videos show the process and equipment quite well and even though they are based in Britain the same basic equipment and techniques apply around the world.

Removing a fish hook from your hand (or body!)

Firstly I must apologize because this blog has been completely untouched for about a month now after a 90% drop in visitors overnight which I have been trying to solve for a while. Today the search numbers are back up a little so hopefully things are going in the right direction (fingers crossed). Enough of that boring stuff though!

As an angler you have probably had a hook stuck somewhere in you at some point during your adventures. Many anglers visit the hospital to get the hook removed, but sometimes our fishing adventures take us far from the hospital and we need to remove the hook ourselves! This little technique is one every angler should know, but I am unsure if sticking the hook in your arm to practice (or demonstrate on video) is a great idea. I advise people to always keep a pair of these clamps in your tackle box, but this method can also be used with string or fishing line to pull on the hook.

Fishing Without Bait

Have you ever left the dock and headed out to fish after forgetting your bait?

How many of us have ever left the dock and headed out to fish only to find you left the bait in a cooler on the dock? It’s a long ride back to the dock, and at the price of fuel today, it makes it very expensive to head back and retrieve it.
I have left my bait on several occasions over the years. There were also some days when there was no bait to be found! There are some solutions to a dilemma like this. Being prepared ahead of time can allow you to fish without retrieving that bait.

I always keep several items on the boat. These are things I only remove when I do a complete cleaning, and I make sure they are stowed on the boat again before I finish. They include several Sabiki rigs in a variety of sizes, an unbreakable jar of salt-hardened shrimp pieces, and a cast net.

The Sabiki rigs are a staple item on my boat for catching live bait. The shrimp is what I use to tip my bucktail jigs, and it also can be used alone to catch small fish for bait. The cast net is, of course, the major bait catching item. I keep it stowed in a two gallon plastic bucket, always ready when a school of baitfish comes around.

Improvising also plays an important role on one of these days. I remember one trip in particular when I was growing up in Key West. We had a small skiff and outboard – an 11 hp Wizard from Western Auto – and we did a lot of trolling for barracuda. We trolled because the boat leaked so badly we could only anchor for a few minutes at a time.

The boat was tied to some mangroves in a small creek. A fishing trip entailed buying bait, usually three pounds of whole mullet, and taking all our gear to the boat.

On this particular day, we managed to leave the mullet on the counter at the bait shop. We discovered this fact after we had left the creek and run to the small islands near Sawyer Key, around which we planned to troll. With no bait, my father took his shirt and undershirt off. He tore several strips of cloth from his white undershirt. They were about ten inches long and two inches wide.

Normally we would have taken one filet from the side of a mullet and cut it in half long ways to make two strip baits. This strip bait would be placed on a tandem double hook rig, and trolled slowly behind the boat. Barracuda on the grass flats around these islands could not resist bait like this.

Today, we took the cloth strips and hooked them up just like we did the mullet baits. In short order, we had several fish in the boat. The belly of a barracuda is very nice and white, and my father did not wait very long to slice a few strip baits from the fish we had caught.

It turned out to be a good day, even “without bait”. I even went to “Show and tell” at school the next Monday to tell everyone how we had caught fish on a piece of cloth!

Next time you're on the water with no bait, try a little innovation. It just might work!

Worms as Bait

Worms are a natural bait for both fresh and saltwater fish. Beach worms and Blood worms make ideal baits for saltwater fish while the common garden worms will catch most species of freshwater fish.

Two methods of attaching worms to hooks work best. The first is to simply thread the hook down through the centre of the worm leaving a 1-2 cm tag each end and lifting the upper portion up over the hooks eye and onto the line, using a small half hitch to hold it in place.

The second method is to thread the worm onto the hook leaving loops or folds. Again leave tags of about 1-2cm each end and use a half hitch at the top to hold the worm up in place. Using this method a number of worms can be placed onto the single hook providing a larger mass of bait 

and an excellent bait presentation for larger fish.

Teknik susun umpan


TEKNIK memasang umpan juga penting untuk menarik perhatian ikan. Ini kerana cara menyusun serta meletakkan umpan turut diambil kira supaya mangsa lebih cepat memakan umpan.

Menghimpunkan jumlah umpan yang banyak terutama cacing pada mata kail antara teknik yang boleh digunakan ketika memancing air tawar untuk memikat penghuni sungai ataupun tasik. Cacing adalah antara umpan paling berkesan untuk kebanyakan ikan air tawar. Ia mungkin digunakan seekor atau beberapa ekor sekali gus seperti gambar rajah berikut.

Fishing Games Download

Catch a boatload of fishy fun in this original arcade challenge! Load up the RV and crisscross the country in a series of tournaments that will put your angling prowess to the test. Cast your line in colorful locations like Bullhorn Lake, Golden Corn Lake, Wicked Mansion Lake, and more. Catch fish to earn points and climb to the top of the rankings in the amateur, pro, and elite circuits.



Your fellow fishers are sure to keep you on your toes, but watch out for surprises swimming just below the surface that will slow you down. Featuring innovative gameplay, colorful full-screen graphics, and hours of fun for the whole family, Fishing Craze is no fish-tale ... it's the real thing! Catch it today!




Games Download

Live Prawns

To attach live prawns, carefully pass the hooks point under the first shell section after the tail. Do not attempt to go for more as the prawn will die. Live prawns are gulfed down by all fish and your hook will take.If your fortunate enough to be able to gather live prawns, your fishing experience is sure to be successful.




They make an excellent bait for virtually every estuary species and many ocean going species too.You'll need a good aerator and continual water changes to keep them alive. If they die, freeze them immediately, however, once thawed, they do not re freeze well.Dead prawns are simply attached by threading the hook up through the body from tail to head.

How not to launch your boat

Boat launching can be a slightly stressful situation at times. Often you are faced with impatient anglers who feel that you holding them up is going to cost them a fish of a lifetime. If you have to share the ramp with other water users, such as jet skis, this situation can become even more stressful.

I am a proponent of making sure that you are ready to launch when you pull up to the ramp. I can't stand people who drive up to the top of the ramp and begin to get the boat ready - that is what the preparation area is for! I have seen many anglers load the boat up for longer than ten minutes while others wait behind them and it never ends well. Fortunately I am a patient person, but others aren't always this way.

Enough of the serious talk though. While trolling around youtube I came across this slightly disturbing video of a failed launch of a jet ski. It would have been nice to see more people come to the rescue, but I guess there isn't much that can be done - I hope that wasn't salt water!

Boating Knots: Zeppelin Bend

Have you ever been out on the water and needed a rope of a certain length of rope only to have 2 short lengths of rope in the boat. I know that I have been in this situation and have obviously needed to join the ropes to make the required distance. I am no rope knot expert, in fact I am known for tying fairly poor knots, but even I use this knot!

One of the best knots for this task is the Zeppelin Bend, which can be used to attach two lengths of rope with similar diameters. It is easy to tie and quick to learn - the following video shows the process of tying the Zeppelin Bend very well.

Best fishing songs

Fishing is a subject that much has been written about over the years, but there have also been some fantastic fishing songs written as well. My personal favorites would have to be take me to the river (not technically fishing I guess) and fishin' blues, but there are many great ones out there.

Do you have a favorite fishing song or do you have a tune you like to listen to when you are fishing. Please leave a comment.

How to prepare a crab for the table

Despite the fact that most people just love eating crab many people don't really know the first place to start when cleaning one! The process can be made as simple or as complex as you like and many people I know simply boil the crab and break it apart to eat it. Others use a machete to cut the crab in half and remove all the innards before cooking as they believe it makes the crabs even tastier.

This short video will show you one of the best ways to clean a crab and with careful attention you can easily learn this method!

Basic Fly Casting

Learning to fly cast can be a difficult experience. I know of at least 3 anglers that spent thousands of dollars on fly equipment only to have it sitting in the back of their garage after a failed learning experience. Apart from buying their gear off them the only help I could give them was get on the Internet watch some videos about fly casting technique and start again (for the record none of them listened).

I must admit I learn best by watching other people, which makes me pretty lucky I guess. With the Internet I can watch how to tie a knot, cast a fly, bait a hook etc. and this makes learning new things very easy.

The following is the video I used to help me learn the basic fly casting technique. Remember that youtube has hundreds of videos like this so take a look through, have a practice and find a technique that works for you.

Strangest fishing baits

A while ago I was looking around my favorite fishing forum and I found a thread dedicated to strange fishing bait people had used (or seen used). I was quite surprised by the number of non traditional baits that people have tried and just how successful they were.

I know in England it is normal to use Luncheon Meat (Tinned Ham) for carp and catfish, in some parts of Australia anglers regularly use chicken for bream and some Americans use only their hands to catch catfish - see catfish noodling!

I have also heard of potato, red meat and cheese being used as baits to varying degrees of success (although the health problems associated with fish and cheese should be considered). There was even a story in my local paper where two Greek anglers were pouring ouzo on their baits with extraordinary results.

What I want to know is have you ever tried a weird fishing bait and if so what were your results? Please leave a comment!

A bad days fishing is still a bad day

I must still be in a bit of a tizz over my blog disappearing from google and receiving very few visitors (sorry about that).

Sometimes it feels like all the bad days that you have avoided catch up with you all at once. I am sure you know what I am talking about. On these days it feels like you could win the lottery, but you would lose the ticket or maybe eat at the nicest restaurant only to be the only one that ordered the oysters and get food poisoning.

Sometimes these bad days even spread over to your fishing experiences. You might leave the bungs (plugs) out of the boat (guilty), forget the bait (guilty), forget to tie the anchor down to the boat (not guilty) or even worse.

This video shows what can happen when that "even worse" occurs. This video is entitled "how to ruin a Saturday" and just makes me want to cry for the guy!

The perils of being a fishing blogger (attention google)

Before I start this post I have to say this - don't get me wrong I love blogging for all my readers out there. This isn't a rant about you!

Sometimes working with the Internet can be frustrating. Over the past 3 days my blog has all but disappeared from google causing my visitors to drop back to the loyal few readers (thanks for sticking with me!) from almost 300 average visits daily. I can't for the life of me work out what is going on because I don't use shady tactics to promote the site nor do I use/steal content produced by other people (I write all this stuff myself).

Hopefully things will get back to normal soon because my confidence and enjoyment have taken a bit of a hit and I am looking for some good news!

If anyone is experiencing the same thing or has some advice please leave a comment.

Thanks for putting up with my rant. I promise I will get back to the fishing tomorrow.

Tuna fish cakes (Gluten and Dairy Free Fish Recipe)

My Mum suffers from coeliac disease, which is an auto immune disease caused by gluten that effects the stomach. The means that sufferers cannot eat gluten (wheat, rye, oats and barley) because the stomach reacts badly to it and begins to stop digesting food properly (in basic terms). It is estimated to effect 1% of the western world suffers from the disease and is often undiagnosed (or misdiagnosed) until adult life when symptoms such as weight loss, stomach pain and fatigue occur. It might sound like a problem, but with an adjusted diet most coeliac sufferers improve very quickly.

Gluten Free Tuna Fish Cakes
This recipe is dedicated to all the coeliac fish lovers out there, but anyone can enjoy this recipe because it tastes so good! It is my go to meal as it is very easy to prepare and the ingredients are almost always in the fridge or cupboard!

For this recipe you will need:
3 Large Potatoes
1 Large Tin of Tuna
Spring Onion
1/2 Cup of cornflour
1 Egg

The following video shows the preparation process quite clearly. Enjoy!

How To Roll Cast - Fly Fishing (with video)

Fly fishing is a great way to spend a day - if you know what you are doing, but if you are new to the sport it can be almost as frustrating as golf. For new fly fishing anglers casting is probably the most difficult aspect of the sport to learn. Fortunately with the advent of the Internet learning good casting techniques is as easy as watching a few videos and trying the techniques for yourself!

The roll cast is used when obstacles, such as trees, rocks or other anglers, block the angler from making a normal back cast. This situation arises quite frequently (especially on smaller rivers) and the roll cast is a must for all fly anglers to learn.

How to perform a roll cast
Fortunately the roll cast is not as advanced as many new anglers believe. Actually a roll cast is simply an overhand cast with different timing! This video shows the technique for the roll cast in good detail and is very easy to follow. After watching this video I suggest heading down to your local park to practice this technique.

Spider Hitch - Fishing Knots

The spider hitch is a knot similar to the bimini twist. It creates a double in the line, which is easier to handle and tie. This also allows for stronger knots because a double line is stronger than a single strand of line when tied.

This is a very popular knot with big game anglers as it creates a very good shock absorber and has very similar attributes to the very popular bimini twist, but it is much easier and faster to tie. It is suitable for lines up to 15kg.

Personally I would always tie a bimini twist when I had plenty of time to get it right, but I have tied the spider hitch when rushed and it has performed quite well.

The reports I have read suggest it performs well for small sportsfish, but don't expect it to hold up with bigger game fish. For them you really should try to learn the bimini twist!

This video shows the process of tying a spider hitch very clearly - thanks to the creator of it!

Boat Sinks - caught on video

Watching your boat sink must be up there with the worst things that can happen to an boater. In my many years of owning a boat I have only ever once been afraid that it was going to happen to me.

We had taken a couple of older friends out fishing in the usual calm weather we experience, but for some reason on this day the wind decided to spring up quickly from an unusual direction. We made it back to the ramp, but the waves were considerable and we quickly found ourselves washed onto the ramp with water coming over the back and no way to move the boat off the ramp. As I watched the water continue to flood the boat (it was actually so full that it was coming back out) I thought that this was the end of the boat! Fortunately a couple of young lads helped us out and managed to muscle the boat up the ramp where it was drained and put onto the trailer.

This video shows the sad end to a great boat. I haven't been able to find much info about what happened, but the whatever happened to the pink mullet it wasn't good! This is a very useful demonstration of the way smallish trailer boats sink and a must watch for anyone who wants to know.

How to make batter - fish recipe

After my post about how to make beer batter I got lots of requests for a plain and simple normal batter recipe. This recipe I have found for a batter mix is very simple and can be used for almost anything that you want to deep fry such as fish, pancakes or Yorkshire pudding.

For this recipe you will need:

• 2 Eggs
• 100g (4oz) Flour
• 300ml (1.25 cups) Milk
• A pinch of Salt

1. You then add these ingredients into a food processor (mixer) and mix for 2 minutes (I told you it was easy! If you don't have a food mixer then you can beat the flour and milk together and then whisk in the eggs and salt.
2. Let it stand in the fridge for 30 minutes and you are done!

If it still seems hard (or you don't like reading) here is a video explaining the same thing that I just wrote - enjoy!

Catching a sea snake while fishing (with video)

During our most recent fishing trip my wife caught a sea snake (which is the inspiration for this post). Fortunately for us is wriggled its way off the hook and we didn't have to debate who was going to take it off the hook for too long (for the record I was volunteered for the task!) I have previously encountered a sea snake many years before that also released itself - so I have been lucky!

Catching a sea snake is one of those things that you don't want happening to you when you are fishing in Australia - ever! The sea snakes that frequent our waters are the most venomous snakes in the world and one bite can kill a grown man in 10 minutes! I don't know about you, but I fish more than 10 minutes away from my local hospital!

This short video I have found is quite interesting. A British tourist fishing in Australian waters caught a cod (called grouper elsewhere) that had actually eaten a sea snake, and was still alive. I catch quite a few cod and they have the reputation of eating almost anything and I think a sea snake fits right into that category! Enjoy

Double Centauri Knot - Fishing Knots

This knot is also called the double figure of eight knot

The Double Centauri Knot is an excellent knot for joining two lines that are similar in diameter (thickness). It is an easy knot to learn and is sufficiently strong for most applications because it creates less wear and friction than other knots. It is reported to retain 85-95% of the breaking strain of the line.

The following video shows the process very clearly and is easy to follow.



In this video the instructor is using the Double Centauri Knot to join a leader to a bimini twist, which is one of the most popular methods of attaching a leader to the main line. The bimini twist is an advanced knot, but one every keen angler should become familiar with. You can find a demonstration of the knot at my post - how to tie a bimini twist.

Biggest Carp Ever Caught (with video)

If you are a regular reader of this blog you will know that carp are not my favorite fish in the world. Don't get me wrong they are a great angling target in their rightful place, but they actually illegal to catch and release in my country (Australia) and must be disposed of away from the water because of the environmental impact.

There is heaps of (mis)information about the biggest carp ever caught, but it seems to me the world record carp was caught by Graham Slaughter (what a great name!!) of Britain. His carp weighed in at a whopping 88.6lbs and is believed to be the only carp caught over 40 kilos in the world. To put that into perspective the women Chinese Olympic divers weigh in at around 37 kilos!

Here is a picture of the world record fish (click to enlarge)

It is an amazing fish and I have never seen anything like it. It looks like it has been seriously pigging out on anglers baits for years and years without doing any exercise!

Here is a video of the previous world record carp, which weighed in at 87lb 2oz and although it isn't 40kg it is still a great fish. The video is well worth a watch if you like giant carp!

How to fish a FAD

What is a FAD?
FAD's are classified as anything that attracts or aggregates fish, which gives rise to the term FAD (fish aggregation device or fish attracting device). They have been around for thousands of years and reports of anglers using FAD's date back to 200 BC. Mediterranean fishermen tied reeds together and floated them to attract mahi mahi and islanders of the Pacific and Indian oceans used rafts and palm leaves to attract tuna and other tropical fish.

In modern times Hawaii was the place the modern FAD's gained popularity and now many governments and fishing organizations in different countries have sunk large objects with special floats and buoys attached to attract fish.

Which fish are attracted?
In tropical waters baitfish are the first attracted and this brings in the medium predators like mahi mahi, tuna and other tropical fish. These species, in turn, attract big predators like marlin and sailfish.

How to fish the FAD's
You would think with all the great fish these attracting devices bring that the fishing would be easy, but it still takes careful preparation to catch the fish. Many anglers troll a spread of lures around the FAD, which can be a very successful method. Most lures types will catch fish. Other anglers like to cast lures (such as metal slices and surface lures) towards the FAD and crank the lure back to the boat quickly. Bait fishing can also be good around the FAD's and live bait caught in the area is usually the preferred option.

It is important to remember that fish can hold off the FAD slightly and it is not necessary (or polite) to park your boat right on top of the FAD!

Reef Fishing Video - Insane Action in Australia

This video is definitely amateur and it's noisy, but this fishing video shows some of the most insane reef fishing action that has ever been captured. It sounds a bit like my boat when the fish go off - I am known for being a little bit noisy myself (OK a lot noisy!) Congrats to the boys on the boat - it looks like so much fun! Apparently many fish were released, which is also great to hear.

This video was filmed on the great barrier reef and is fairly typical of the reef fishing available on the largest reef in the world. It really is a great fishing destination and all serious anglers should get there at least once in their lives. There are many fishing options available including everything from the ever popular reef fishing to serious sport fishing for grandeur marlin!

I really enjoy reef fishing, probably because the fish hold all the cards early in the fight and because you never know what you are going to pull up. The reef is also home to some of the best eating fish available! I hope you enjoy this great little video.

Fishing at the olympics

It is safe to say the most of the world is in Olympics mode (I have even noticed a drop in visitor numbers to this site!) So while the blog is a little deserted I thought I would put up my arguments for and against about fishing being included as an Olympic sport!

For

• Most countries participate in the sport of fishing in some form.
• It is a traditional and ancient sport.
• Each Olympics could have a different target species.
• It would raise awareness of angling and what anglers do to care for the environment.
• It would encourage the continued growth of catch and release fishing.
  

Against

• Animal rights activists would be against it.
• It doesn't make for great TV (this is debatable I guess).
• Transporting all the necessary equipment to the Olympic country could be a chore (although it can't be much harder than transporting a horse or a drunk athlete!)
• It isn't a traditional Olympic sport.
  

Hopefully the IOC is listening/reading to my thoughts and we will see fishing at the Olympics one day!

Of course this is all just a bit of fun, but feel free to tell me what you think - please leave a comment.

Tensioning Knot - Boating Knots

The tensioning knot is less well known than many other popular marine knots, but it should be one that every keen boater learns and knows. This knot can be very useful for many different things and has saved countless people from sticky or dangerous situations because it is fast to tie and very reliable for when tentioning is required.

This knot can also be a fast alternative to the truckers knot for when speed is needed or the rope is too short. This knot can be used for anything from tying down the boat on the trailer to fast locking off the rope on a boat where tensioning is needed.

I found a great little video showing the process for tying this knot, which is easy to follow and should have you tying like a professional in no time!

Best Tides For Fishing

Which are the best tides for fishing?

I get asked this question a lot. Maybe more than seven times a week and I have a pretty standard answer - "that is a loaded question." If the person asking seems really serious I then go on to explain a few things that just might help them discover the best times for fishing.

What are tides
Tides are the movement of water (rise and fall) in the ocean caused by the tidal forces of the moon and sun acting on the oceans. Tides can move a lot (spring tides) or very little (neap tides) and in most parts of the world there are 2 low and 2 high tides each day. You don't need to understand the real specifics of it, but it helps to know that tides effect fish in various direct and indirect ways:

• Tidal current pushes food into different areas
• Tidal current can make it easier or more difficult for fish to swim/move into new areas.
  
• Tidal current creates new channels and gutters for fish to stalk their prey
  
• High tide exposes fish to new areas with potential food sources (eg. rock pools)

What tides are best for fishing
I am going to be a little vague here, but it really depends on what you are fishing for. Many anglers suggest the 2 hours before and after the high tide and other suggest the opposite. Some anglers suggest fishing big tidal movements (no run no fun - as the saying goes) and others prefer the littlest of tide movements.

Be sure to ask other anglers in your area for their advice, but don't be afraid to experiment yourself. If you do this it is a good idea to keep a fishing diary to look back over and work out the best tides that have been successful for your particular target species.

After keeping a dairy for years I now live by this motto - the best time to go fishing is when you have time to go fishing!

Connecting braid to monofilament - Fishing Knots

One of the most common questions I get asked is how to connect the braid main line to a monofilament (or even fluorocarbon) leader material. I usually respond with a double uni knot (uni to uni knot) which is suitable for most fishing situations, but if they are truly serious about fishing they should learn the bimini twist knot coupled together with a lesser known knot called the bristol knot. The reason the bimini twist is recommended is that is created a loop or doubled line, which gives tremendous strength to the connection.

To make it easier for all of you I found a great video demonstration which shows one of the best methods for attaching braid to a monofilament leader. In this method the instructor the video uses a bimini twist and a reverse albright (also called a worm knot), which provides a strong, worry free connection.

These knots are slightly more advanced and can seem very complicated, but it is certainly worth the trouble and time taken to learn these fishing knots.

Free Downloadable Fishing Games Guide

Fishing games can be a popular way of passing the time when the weather turns bad, you can't get on the water or you just want something to do in your free time at work - sorry boss! I myself have even been known to play fishing games on the odd (often) occasion!

There are many online fishing games that can be played directly through your web browser (generally flash games) or downloaded onto your computer and installed (like regular programs). There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of games such as availability, quality of the games, accessibility and more.

Online fishing games
Generally online flash games are simple games that are fun for a short time. They can be played with a mouse and are usually defined by their simple game play. However, these quick, easy games can be quite fun and addictive and are well worth a look. Another great advantage of online fishing games is that there are many available and they are easy to find with a quick web search. While doing the research of this post I found heaps of these games and some are really fun - and best of all free!

Downloadable Fishing Games
There are many downloadable fishing games available although there are less of these than online games. These games tend to be of better quality than the other variety, but most of them are only available as free trials with limited features (called demos) before you are asked to pay. However, there are some great free fishing games worth a look such as big mouth bass 3D and others.

Cleat Hitch - Boating Knots (with video)

The Cleat Hitch is an essential knot for all boaters to learn. This knot is used to attach your boat to the dock and if you want the boat to stay in place (which is pretty important when you think about it!) the cleat hitch is the knot you will want to use. It is strong, easy to tie, and even more importantly, easy to untie for when you want to leave the dock. Most, if not all, boaters will use this knot and if you are new to the boating scene make sure you have a practice run or two before leaving the dock.

Many boaters also use the cleat hitch to attach the anchor rope to the cleat on the boat, but personally I feel that there are better knots for this situation.

The video gives a very good demonstration on this important boating knot and is quite easy to follow.



I am planning on adding more boating knots in the future and if you found this post useful or want to make a suggestion please leave a comment.

Amazon Piranha Fishing - Video

Piranha are, arguably, one of the most well known fish in the world. There is such mystery and folklaw attached to these fish they probably have more false stories circulating about them than true stories. I am sure you have heard stories of these man eating fish tearing shreds off swimmers and overtured ferries with packs of piranhas eating everyone that doesn't get out of the water fast enough. These stories make good Hollywood movies, but they are far from the truth as they are generally non violent.

There are about about 33 species of piranha (no one really knows exactly) and most make for very good fishing and eating. They respond aggressively to lures and flies and will attack a bait hard. In the following video the anglers use meat for bait and the piranha just love it. I love the old school fishing rods (or trees should I say?). It is well worth a watch.

This video also shows how to cook, clean and fillet a piranha which might be useful for someone I guess - enjoy.

Knotless Knot - Hair rig (carp fishing knots)

Fishing knot posts probably make up the highest percentage of this blog - and there is a very good reason for that. Tying good knots can make the difference between landing or losing that fish of a lifetime. Ever since I lost a huge Spanish mackerel to a dodgy knot I have been on a crusade to help others with their knot tying.

The knotless knot (also called the hair rig because it is more of a rig than a knot) is very popular with carp anglers, but many other types of anglers are starting to see the benefit of this knot in other forms of fishing. I have used it fishing for many freshwater fish and it also works in the saltwater equally as well. It is easy to tie with a bit of practice and can be tied with most types and diameters of line such as braid, fluorocarbon and monofilament.

If you are a carp angler then this knot is one that you should have in your arsenal, but don't discount it even if you never plan on catching a carp as it is more versatile than people realize.

The following video shows how to tie a hair rig.

Wii nunchuck controls fishing canoe

Reading one of my favorite tech blogs today (yes I am a geek) I came across a crazy video of a guy who has modified his kayak with two electric motors and given himself the ability to control it with a wii nunchuck. For those that don't know, a Wii is the latest video game console from Nintendo and the nunchuck is the little thing that fits in your hand with a control stick (think joystick) attached.

It is equipped with 2 golf cart batteries and can travel at 4 miles an hour top speed. It is almost a boat rather than a canoe and the maneuverability is absolutely amazing! This video is well worth a watch just to marvel at the engineering, but the trailer they have built for it is also very cool! The enginuity of some people is really quite amazing!

I hope you enjoy the video and if you have something you want to say about it please leave a comment!

History of Fishing Rods

In the last few decades fishing rods have undergone a transformation from the heavy beasts they once were to light finesse rods we now take for granted. While heavy rods still have their place most anglers are switching to light graphite models.

The earliest fishing rods can be dated back to ancient Egypt, China, Greece, Rome and medieval England (they were called angles which is where we get the word angling and angler). The first accepted pictures of angling with a rod date back to 2000 BC from Egypt. These early fishing rods were made of wood, bone or stone. The simplest rods were made out of a tree branch.

By about 800 BC fishing with a rod, line and hook was a common practice and is well recorded. The rods were made of different types of wood that was tied or bound together. The line was made from horsehair or finely woven flax. There is even evidence that a form of lead sinker was used at around this time. This is also around the time that fly fishing was developed after anglers learned that certain fish would eat flies off the surface of the water.

Throughout the years fishing rods changed very little until the 17th century when a wire loop was added to the tip allowing the line to be let out and back in very easily. By the end of the 18th century rods with guides along the length of the rod were common and this lead to the invention of the fishing reel.

In the 20th century rods underwent their most important transformation when the commonly used bamboo was replaced by fiberglass and, the lighter, carbon fiber.

Wahoo Recipes

Wahoo Fish Recipe

You can find the other recipes for wahoo at my previous post saltwater fish recipes

The wahoo is well renowned as one of the fastest, if not the fastest, fish in the ocean. However, it is also well known for its superb eating qualities and for this very reason is a very popular fish with tropical water anglers. The flesh is suitable for many different types of recipes and is also popular as sushi with many anglers keeping a bottle of wasabi sauce on the boat for the ultimate sushi experience.

This recipe is a Hawaiian dish, which works really well for a tropical fish like the wahoo.
For this dish you will need:

• Wahoo fillets (or steaks)
  
• Pineapple
• Onion
• Red Bell Pepper
• Ginger
• Soy Sauce

To prepare this dish:

• Simply cut up the pineapple and onion into rings and the bell pepper into flat peices ready for grilling.
• Grill the ingredients on the BBQ for about 10 minutes
• Peel the bell peppers and cut the ingredients into smaller peices
• Add the fish to the ingredients with some soy sauce and leave to marinate
• Cook the fish on the grill until ready
• Heat the other ingredients to reduce the marinade
• Plate the fish and pour the marinade over the top of the fish

For video instructions you can follow the link to youtube - Wahoo Recipe