We've all seen it, probably even been guilty ourselves. The fisherman who shows up carrying everything but the kitchen sink, spends 30 minutes arranging all this baggage, and finds his range severely limited by the need to drag around such a menagerie, of which he'll only use a few items. If you've been there done that, welcome to the club.
Thankfully, fishing doesn't need be that complicated, or restrictive.
Over the years, I've developed a broad range of pack styles and equipage for the different types of fishing I engage in. I own a number of backpacks, fanny packs, water bottles and coolers. The trick is in choosing the right combination for the day and type of fishing.
Some days I actually get it right.
Throughout the year, my favorite endeavor is the pursuit of the Bass.
There are a few benefits to this, for one, "I don't need no stinkin bait". That's a huge advantage toward having an enjoyable and leisurely day on the water.
Toward this end, I have a couple of simple equipment options available. My first consideration is the length of time I'll spend fishing, along with the distance I intend to cover.
For short trips, a couple of hours, I'll generally carry a small fanny pack and a water bottle that will clip to my belt. My range of tackle doesn't need to be large, a spinner, a couple of crankbaits, plastic worms, maybe a topwater lure, if I've got room I'll usually add a few things.
A couple of granola bars, etc will do for snacks.
Along with a pair of needle nose pliers, in an accessible belt sheath, and a rag in my pocket, I'm pretty well fixed for a nice morning of Bass fishing. I will sometimes add my MP3 player to the outfit, but only if I'm fishing alone.
With a simple gear set up like this, I have great freedom of movement and everything I'm likely to need. I might add a pocketknife to the list but I think that goes without saying. There are no encumbrances, and nothing to leave lying on the bank, the only thing in my hands is the rod.
I have a number of variations I use for different types of fishing and a good hydration pack is indispensable for longer trips in warm weather.
All in all, it's has been an enjoyable expenditure of time and thought, fine tuning my gear techniques.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Using Your Crankbaits Wisely
There have been many words written about the finer points of using a crankbait. It can't hurt if I add a few of my own.
The popular methods, used by today's pro's, involve ripping a crankbait through the water, violently bouncing the lure off logs, sticks, and rocks. According to the articles I read, this works very well, I wouldn't know, I simply can't afford to lose that many expensive baits.
There is no doubt that fishing a crankbait through cover yields the best results. However, I think it can be done with minimal losses to the poorer variety of fisherman, such as myself.
First of all, match your crankbait to the area you are fishing. Crankbaits come in a multitude of sizes and depth ranges, it pays to use the money you save on lost baits to expand your arsenal.
When fishing open water, use a bait that will get you to the bottom. I prefer to fish crankbaits parallel to the shore, when fishing from the bank. Early season fishing means a deeper running crankbait when fishing this way, as the fish will be out a bit farther.
As the season progresses, I'll use a shallower bait and fish closer to the bank.
Fish your crankbait slow and careful, make a few stops, while maintaining tension on the line. I generally use a floating bait, this type can get you out of trouble much of the time. By fishing your bait slowly, you'll feel most of the obstacles before you get hung up. When you feel the bait hit an obstacle, stop and let the bait float free. You want your crankbait to hit those rocks and logs, but you don't want to lose it, if you can avoid it.
When fishing around logs, try to position yourself to fish across the log, not lengthwise. Logs have split and rotten ends, when you contact the end of a log lengthwise, you risk getting your line wedged in those gaps and your bait will wedge there too. You can bounce a log pretty safely if you stick to fishing it crosswise.
Rocks can be difficult too, lots of places to wedge your line and bait. A slow retrieve can save a lot here. Let that bait float and bounce over the rocks.
The distance of your rod tip, from the water, makes a difference in the depth of your crankbait. Match the distance to the area you are fishing.
Those bumps and stops are what will draw strikes. I know what the pro's say, but I don't subscribe to the idea that a violent retrieve produces more fish. Fish are highly tuned to their environment, they know your bait is there, even when it's quiet.
The bass is, primarily, an ambush predator, they are hiding in that cover, simply provide an opportunity they can't resist.
Get to know those obstacles in the water you fish. Most of us fish a local bass lake or pond, pay attention to the cover, work out the best way to approach each hiding spot effectively.
The popular methods, used by today's pro's, involve ripping a crankbait through the water, violently bouncing the lure off logs, sticks, and rocks. According to the articles I read, this works very well, I wouldn't know, I simply can't afford to lose that many expensive baits.
There is no doubt that fishing a crankbait through cover yields the best results. However, I think it can be done with minimal losses to the poorer variety of fisherman, such as myself.
First of all, match your crankbait to the area you are fishing. Crankbaits come in a multitude of sizes and depth ranges, it pays to use the money you save on lost baits to expand your arsenal.
When fishing open water, use a bait that will get you to the bottom. I prefer to fish crankbaits parallel to the shore, when fishing from the bank. Early season fishing means a deeper running crankbait when fishing this way, as the fish will be out a bit farther.
As the season progresses, I'll use a shallower bait and fish closer to the bank.
Fish your crankbait slow and careful, make a few stops, while maintaining tension on the line. I generally use a floating bait, this type can get you out of trouble much of the time. By fishing your bait slowly, you'll feel most of the obstacles before you get hung up. When you feel the bait hit an obstacle, stop and let the bait float free. You want your crankbait to hit those rocks and logs, but you don't want to lose it, if you can avoid it.
When fishing around logs, try to position yourself to fish across the log, not lengthwise. Logs have split and rotten ends, when you contact the end of a log lengthwise, you risk getting your line wedged in those gaps and your bait will wedge there too. You can bounce a log pretty safely if you stick to fishing it crosswise.
Rocks can be difficult too, lots of places to wedge your line and bait. A slow retrieve can save a lot here. Let that bait float and bounce over the rocks.
The distance of your rod tip, from the water, makes a difference in the depth of your crankbait. Match the distance to the area you are fishing.
Those bumps and stops are what will draw strikes. I know what the pro's say, but I don't subscribe to the idea that a violent retrieve produces more fish. Fish are highly tuned to their environment, they know your bait is there, even when it's quiet.
The bass is, primarily, an ambush predator, they are hiding in that cover, simply provide an opportunity they can't resist.
Get to know those obstacles in the water you fish. Most of us fish a local bass lake or pond, pay attention to the cover, work out the best way to approach each hiding spot effectively.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Just a few words about Crankbaits
My early years of bass fishing were spent throwing plastic worms into any cover I could find. Crankbaits looked , to me, like something that just begged losing on the logs and branches of bass country.
I spent many years missing out on the joys, and frustrations of fishing with crankbaits. My introduction to cranking came with a fish story to tell, and of course, the one that got away.
I had recently made the acquaintance of a self proclaimed bass fisherman who was new to the area where I lived, and presently without his tackle. I, being the generous soul I am, promptly invited this fellow on a fishing trip to the local bass pond.
When we reached the fishing hole, I offered my tackle box to this new acquaintance, not for a minute believing his claims of bass fishing prowess. As it happened, I had, sometime ago, purchased a Rapala SR5 in Bluegill colors to decorate my box, My new acquaintance quickly selected this decoration over the plethora of plastics, meant for actually catching bass. Somewhat crestfallen, I quietly accepted the inevitable loss of my handsome decoration and sportingly pointed him in the direction of an area I knew to be good bass country.
My new friend merrily started off, and I, feeling quite grand and generous, went the in the opposite direction with my beloved plastic worm.
Sometime later, we came round to opposite sides of a small inlet, close enough for easy conversation. I hailed my new friend, asking how his luck had been. At the moment he began his response, quite suddenly, his rod bent severely, and seconds later, a huge bass broke the surface, spitting my precious decoration back at my new friend. My friend's eyes grew large as dinner plates, he spoke a few words in a language unknown to me, and promptly fell over backwards. Thus was my introduction to the world of the crankbait.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Catfishing Season
It's been catfishing season, in my neck of the woods, for a few weeks now.
This is the time when we break out the jon boat and drift around the local fishing hole.
I'm lucky enough to have a nice sandpit full of fat catfish, nearby my home, where I can spend hot summer nights catching all sizes of cats. I have a particular friend who enjoys this type of fishing and we both sacrifice a lot of sleep during the months of June, July, and August.
There are a lot of guys out there who drift the bigger lakes, using shad, and other live baits, caught with throw nets. We don't get that technical about it.
We started out, a number of years ago, simply drifting nightcrawlers. This worked fine enough in the early season, we then began using chicken livers. The results have been so good, we gave up nightcrawlers entirely.
We don't go to the larger reservoirs, we stick to the smaller state lakes, sandpits and large ponds. Our results have often been quite good, with fish ranging from 1 to 20 pounds. Some nights are better than others, and timing is anybody's guess. Sometimes evening is the best, or early mornings, or the wee hours after midnite.
The wind is the essential ingredient here, either there's too much, or not enough.
We use a small v-bottom, that's easy to carry, equipped with a trolling motor and battery. The less stuff you have to carry, the better. We each use 2 rods, and carry the liver in a small cooler. The chicken livers hold up a lot better if you can keep them cool. I use a slip sinker, a swivel and leader combination, with just enough weight to keep it bouncing along the bottom. We use single hooks, less snags, and have little trouble with misses, the cats usually clobber it. Most of the smaller lakes are not that deep, and generally we'll be drifting in 8 to 15 feet of water.
In some areas, snags can be a nuisance and drifting the bait above the bottom is the best tactic. Generally, I like to stay in contact with the bottom, but that isn't always practical.
A decent headlamp provides enough light for me, I've used a battery operated lantern before but it will draw bugs. My headlamp has a setting with a red led, which I like the best, as it draws less bugs. My friend prefers the brighter white light setting, and complaining about bugs.
I am presently waiting for the wind to die off a bit so I can get out there tonite.
If you presently use, or plan to try this method, have fun and catch some fish.
This is the time when we break out the jon boat and drift around the local fishing hole.
I'm lucky enough to have a nice sandpit full of fat catfish, nearby my home, where I can spend hot summer nights catching all sizes of cats. I have a particular friend who enjoys this type of fishing and we both sacrifice a lot of sleep during the months of June, July, and August.
There are a lot of guys out there who drift the bigger lakes, using shad, and other live baits, caught with throw nets. We don't get that technical about it.
We started out, a number of years ago, simply drifting nightcrawlers. This worked fine enough in the early season, we then began using chicken livers. The results have been so good, we gave up nightcrawlers entirely.
We don't go to the larger reservoirs, we stick to the smaller state lakes, sandpits and large ponds. Our results have often been quite good, with fish ranging from 1 to 20 pounds. Some nights are better than others, and timing is anybody's guess. Sometimes evening is the best, or early mornings, or the wee hours after midnite.
The wind is the essential ingredient here, either there's too much, or not enough.
We use a small v-bottom, that's easy to carry, equipped with a trolling motor and battery. The less stuff you have to carry, the better. We each use 2 rods, and carry the liver in a small cooler. The chicken livers hold up a lot better if you can keep them cool. I use a slip sinker, a swivel and leader combination, with just enough weight to keep it bouncing along the bottom. We use single hooks, less snags, and have little trouble with misses, the cats usually clobber it. Most of the smaller lakes are not that deep, and generally we'll be drifting in 8 to 15 feet of water.
In some areas, snags can be a nuisance and drifting the bait above the bottom is the best tactic. Generally, I like to stay in contact with the bottom, but that isn't always practical.
A decent headlamp provides enough light for me, I've used a battery operated lantern before but it will draw bugs. My headlamp has a setting with a red led, which I like the best, as it draws less bugs. My friend prefers the brighter white light setting, and complaining about bugs.
I am presently waiting for the wind to die off a bit so I can get out there tonite.
If you presently use, or plan to try this method, have fun and catch some fish.
2011 Trout Fishing Vacation
I've recently returned from my yearly excursion to the Rio Chama, N.M.
For the past 3 years a friend and I have made this a yearly ritual, of sorts. Sometime around Memorial weekend we visit the El Vado Ranch for 4 days of fishing for Brown Trout.
This year's trip was, once again, a great time for both of us. My friend caught the largest fish this year, a 21 inch Brown. He also lost one, of similar size, near shore.
As usual, there was a lot of hiking involved and we both held up fairly well. Long days of hiking over difficult terrain, early mornings and some good steaks at the end of the day, made for a memorable time for 2 guys who like that sort of thing.
On day 3 we ran into a friend who was there for the weekend. His luck proved out well, as the next afternoon he found an arrowhead along a trail over a bluff. I never get that lucky.
We learned a new technique this year, I came up with the idea of throwing a 3/8 gold Kastmaster across to the eddies on the far shore. I found the current would drag the line and prevent the spoon settling in the rocks, so all that was necessary was to hit your mark, the current did the rest. The fish would hit the spoon as the current pulled it out of the eddie, fun. We each caught a number of fish, that would otherwise have been inaccessible, using this trick.
All in all, the fishing was just average this year and we did have to work at it a bit. The trip was a great time, though, and we're already looking forward to next year.
For the past 3 years a friend and I have made this a yearly ritual, of sorts. Sometime around Memorial weekend we visit the El Vado Ranch for 4 days of fishing for Brown Trout.
This year's trip was, once again, a great time for both of us. My friend caught the largest fish this year, a 21 inch Brown. He also lost one, of similar size, near shore.
As usual, there was a lot of hiking involved and we both held up fairly well. Long days of hiking over difficult terrain, early mornings and some good steaks at the end of the day, made for a memorable time for 2 guys who like that sort of thing.
On day 3 we ran into a friend who was there for the weekend. His luck proved out well, as the next afternoon he found an arrowhead along a trail over a bluff. I never get that lucky.
We learned a new technique this year, I came up with the idea of throwing a 3/8 gold Kastmaster across to the eddies on the far shore. I found the current would drag the line and prevent the spoon settling in the rocks, so all that was necessary was to hit your mark, the current did the rest. The fish would hit the spoon as the current pulled it out of the eddie, fun. We each caught a number of fish, that would otherwise have been inaccessible, using this trick.
All in all, the fishing was just average this year and we did have to work at it a bit. The trip was a great time, though, and we're already looking forward to next year.
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