The New Season

After a long hard winter, I see all the boats are coming out and getting dusted off. People are making reservations at their favorite watering holes, and fishing tackle is flying off the shelves.

I suppose a core of them are gearing up for tournament time, while others (like myself) are just trying to spend more time with the kids. So whats your fishing-new-years resolution? Going to try out some new baits? Perhaps pick up a new style of fishing?

Hot lures this year appear to be soft plastics and plug baits. Will that change soon? Some magazines have reported great success on spoons in certain key areas, while falling short in others. Maybe it's the rods... hahah Doubt it!

While you're gathering the essentials for this years adventure, be sure to visit some new areas to fish. Grab a lake map from your GFP (if available) or purchase one on-line. There are several quality fishing map sites out there. Here's one just for fun - Lake Maps

Have fun this year, and remember to try something new!

First Weekend to try Fishing!!

Well, ok.... The key word here is 'TRY'.

The weather finally started turning around here. The temp was up, the wind was blowing pretty darn hard.

After listening to "I'm bored...." from the kids all day, I mention that we're going to scout out a spot for fishing, as I don't know the area all that well.

But oh no... We won't just 'find' a place dad - We're going to fish that new hole as soon as we find it!!

So I packed it all up, and we came home empty handed. Not really a surprise tho. The water was muddy looking, high winds, excessively cold water, you name it. But I still let them fish.... it's much more than the catch. ;)

Find A Place To Fish

Are you new to fishing, and need to find a place to fish?

No problem! Just go to Google and do a search for your states Game Fish & Parks, or key in "(state name) fishing".

Most states have a GFP site available. Some are listed as a .gov or .org (some might be a .com even).

At your states' site, you may be able to find maps of local area lakes, complete with depth, conditions, shore and/or boat ramps for fishing, camp grounds, etc. You might also be able to purchase your fishing license on-line.

If you're already an avid angler, you just may find useful reports, or new places to take that rod too.

Good luck!

NOT just any KNOT

Since this blog is aimed at helping new people to the sport of fishing (much like myself), I thought I'd toss together a collection of fishing knot resources.

Why? Simple.... The average knot (like how you tie your shoe) won't be good enough. Well, maybe for some small stuff, but nothing serious. So try out some new knots to make sure you don't lose the next big one!

Active Angler - The instructions on this site are easy to follow, and cover the basics.

Lake Link - Excellent page with different types of knots that cover multiple situations.

Kill Roy - Fly fishing site with a wealth of information for those seeking advice on fly fishing.

For those that would prefer a printed copy, you can order one from Amazon.com.

Give those resources a try, and surely you won't lose any fish due to a bad knot!

Fishing Tackle Manufacturers

The landscape is literally smothered with fishing tackle supply companies, wholesalers, etc. But what if you have a new big idea that you want to pitch to Cabela's, Wal-Mart, Bass Pros, or other major distributors.

These high-profile merchants demand excessively low purchase prices, and the only way to get your products to that level is to partner with companies that can provide your supplies in large quantities. Aside from the Chinese companies, there are still a few U.S. based tackle manufactures still available.

For your spinner blades, casting spoons, split rings, etc... I recommend the following U.S. based companies -

Worth - Based out of Wisconsin, this company can supply components to various degrees, including swivels, snaps, wire forms, and a lot more. The core of this business is metal based products.

Lakeland - This company offers a nice selection of spoons, blades, and an assortment beads and brass bodies. They are located in Minnesota.

Hagen's - Hagen's is a fishing tackle manufacturer located in South Dakota. Their catalog of fine products covers a wide range of fishing tackle components, much more than the previous two. In addition to the casting spoons and spinner blades, they also offer several painting products, a huge selection of beads, hooks by every major brand name, mylar tubing, and... well pretty much every thing a guy could ever need. They also have a knack for working with smaller bait shops, whom supply demand is very low.

I should also mention that if you have a new blade, or spoon idea, these companies should also be able to accommodate your development needs. The cost for plat-design can be quite expensive tho, so be prepared for a hefty bill.

If you would like to create plastic-based products (fish plugs, etc.), then sadly, your best bet would be companies based in China, as much of that industry has gone over seas. To find those suppliers, it may be best to check with Alibaba.com. That site is dedicated to all manufacturers, and yes, you might be able to find a few American companies.

Another site for finding tackle manufacturers would be Tradekey.com. I've seen many more American business's listed there, so that might be the best place to start initially (if you're looking for something that the other big three doesn't offer)

As always, try to stick with U.S. based companies, as you'll find that the customer service will always be much easier to contact (and understand).

Drop Shotting - New Tactic for Anglers

Every so often, fishermen find out genius ways to incorporate something from one industry to another. Excitement builds, and before you know it, everyone is using the new fad. The latest one being Drop Shot rigging.

Originally, this odd ball tactic was developed and heavily used in the saltwater fishing industry to keep bottom-feeding creatures (such as crabs, etc) from devouring the bait. Recently, this fantastic rig has grown into the bass fishing market, and then dwindled up north for walleye fishing. These rigs work well during drift-fishing situations also.

What does a drop shot set-up look like? Easy....

Picture, if you will, your standard run-of-the-mill fishing line. At one end you'll have the hook with some bait, a fishing lure, or nothing at all (god knows why). Just a bit up the line you might have a split-shot lead weight attached. Simple, elegant, effective. Now lets take a look at our drop-shot-rig, and notice the difference right away....

At the end of your line, you WON'T attach the hook. Simply attach your weight (actually this is done last, and I'll explain 'why' in a bit). Some people prefer specific types of weights for this, however I've examined everyones personal lead-based-buddy's and came to the conclusion that it really don't matter.... as it shouldn't. The point of the weight is to keep the bait down, and to be able to feel the bottom. Next, about 12" to 36", you'll have your hook. Strange? Yes... but let's look closer.

Once your rig is tied (explained later on), you'll lower it into the water, paying close attention to where the bottom is. If you've fished enough, you'll be able to tell, as it comes with practice. Now, once the lead hits bottom, stop. Every-so-often, twitch the rod. This will make your bait 'dance' or 'wiggle', enticing your target. From underneath, the bait appears to be a natural 'food' just hanging out in the water, above the forage on the lake/basin floor. Completely irresistible to a hungry fish looking for a quick and easy snack. Many tournaments are being won with this type of rig, and for obvious reasons. People claim that this set-up has caught fish when nothing else will. But enough of the chatter.... lets get you hooked up!

Tying - Fishermen can use any style of hook, line, rod, or knot to make this rig. It's very simple. However, one company (TTI Products) has created a hook, specifically to this type of fishing. I'm excited about this, as this design eliminates the potential problem of tying hooks on upside down, sideways, or just all weird. See below -


TTI Products Stand-Out Hook.













The eye of this hook is at the bottom, where the remaining line passes through, and a lead-weight is attached. At the top will be the source (rod) of line. Notice how this hook quite literally stands-out on it's own. Pay close attention to the tie-loop. It's NOT recommended that you use your standard fishing knot, and virtually impossible to utilize a snell-hook knot. The highly-recommended fishing knot is the Palomar Knot. Why? I believe this one works well as the tye is double wrapped, so it won't allow the line to easily pass out of the hooks bend/hole.

These hooks come highly recommended by intense fishermen as they take the trouble out of getting your hooks just right. The downside is the tying. With practice (a lot of practice), you'll be able to create your own flawless-rigs on the fly, in just a few minutes. You can buy these hooks at Cabela's, Daiichi's site (TTI Products), or if you want to buy in bulk, you may get them from Hagen's fishing tackle manufacturer.

No matter what you're fishing for, this rig is worth giving a shot!

Your Tackle Box - Does It Have Everything?

Over the past century, fishing tackle has seen tremendous evolution in both design, and usability. So much so, that deciding what to purchase (or create) appears to be a daunting task, at face value. Below is a list of the most widely known types of products and their most common uses.

Fish Plugs - Usually these fishing lures are designed to look like a small fish, or more importantly... a bait-fish of some sort that your target species is readily feeding on. These lures are very popular in the bass fishing industry, and are showing their place in the walleye and pike industry as well. Certainly, there is no short supply of wild designs when it comes to this popular lure, but choosing your weapons doesn't have to be all that difficult. For plugs, typically you want to focus on color, and depth. Action is also a prime objective here, so pay close attention to your plug body designs. First, you'll probably want to pick some common colors, which include firetiger, chartreuse, and some shades of blue (blue is a mystery at this point, as fresh water fish may have trouble seeing this spectrum, given their background. See this article for more info). If you're fishing for bass, then pick at least two or three plug body designs. Then apply those colors to each design (or as much as you can afford). This sort of shot-gun tactic will cover most ground, in about any lake. When your skills improve, you'll be ready to experiment with different fishing techniques using various plug designs, to maximize the fishing in your lake or region.

Casting Spoons - Possibly the worlds oldest fishing lure, the casting spoon has caught countless fish from varied species all over the planet. These tried-n-true fishing lures have graced mans tackle box for a century, and yet, recently these lures have seen less use in the fishing industry. Perhaps the lure has been 'dated', or maybe the rise of bass fishing has stifled it's once prosperous glory. No matter how you look at it, this familiar tackle piece will catch fish, but depending on what species you target may determine how your day ends. The casting spoon is a conclave piece of metal. The base material used can be either steel, nickel, copper, marine brass, or pretty much any metal you can imagine. Paints range from nothing (sheer metal finish) to all the most common combinations of the rainbow known to date. The primary purpose of the lure is to create some sort of side-to-side motion, otherwise known as the 'wobble'. The motion is usually smooth, and steady. This type of movement is best used when targeting species of a slower nature... such as salmon, pike, musky, and especially lake trout (see this article for lake trough fishing). Troll your spoons at 1mph or less. Anything too fast is going to spook, or just lose the fish entirely. The action will probably not be erratic enough to trigger a strike from bass or similar species. Another way of fishing with casting spoons is 'jigging'. If done properly, jigging a spoon through an ice fishing hole, or just off the boat, can make your lure look similar to a dying bait fish. The added flash will help catch the attention of your target. Jigging spoons is a very well known, effective technique.

Spinner Baits - Two styles of baits, all rolled into one single name... even tho they both look very different from one another. First, the in-line spinner bait is just that - 'In-Line'. This lure consists of a single straight wire shaft and a single three point hook at one end. In the middle of the shaft will be, usually, brass bodies (painted or unpainted), and at the top will be a spinner blade. For this rig, the blade is usually a Colorado, Indiana, or French style blade. When pulled through the water, the blade will spin very quickly, making this type of lure a 'trigger' type bait. Very popular in the bass industry, and easy enough to make on your own. Tackle components are sold at most bait shops, and many high-level retail stores.

Safety Pin style spinner baits consist of a v-shaped wire, with a small amount of lead weight on the bottom shaft. (think of a 'V', and turn it on it's side) Wrapped around the lead weight is usually skirting consisting of rubber (most common) or natural hair. The top section of the v-wire contains the spinner blades. For this design, anglers prefer a Willowleaf or Indiana style blade. Again, the principle is the same. Fast moving blades help induce a strike by bass.... tho this lure could be used for many species. In fact, recently anglers have been using rather large versions of this bait for musky and other northern-region fish.

Soft Plastics - Hot in any market is the plastic worm. And more recently, crawfish, minnows, grubs, you name it... soft plastics have it. A person can use these types of fishing lures in any lake, in any region, for any species. A great all around product. But if soft-plastics are so great, then why doesn't EVERY fishermen use just that? Simple - These lures can break easily, wear out, and in some cases... destroy tackle boxes (read more here). A dime a dozen, these lures work well, but expect to run through them like water on some days. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't bother with 'em. Keep a small selection of these lures on hand and you'll do great.

In summary, not every lake will be the same. You'll hear plenty of pro-grade fishermen say they catch fish all the time on this lure, or that lure... but in reality, you should be combining worthwhile knowledge of your target species, with your fishing waters. Every place is going to be different, so feel free to experiment... just take the 'noise' with a grain of salt.