Fishing Techniques – Page 3 – Tips and Techniques

Fish Finder | Fishing Riggs

Trout are cold water fish and as the water temperatures continue to drop as we move into winter months, trout are coming to the surface more regularly. I catch more trout in the bitter winter months here in Utah than any other time. The fish are hungry and the water temperature is just right for them.

The following is what I would call the best trout fishing rigg that I have ever came across. It is a simple fishing rigg but highly effective and productive. Before I get into this, it is important to know how to use it and why this fishing rigg is an effective trout fish finder.

I am active angler meaning I don’t just cast out a line with a bobber and let it sit out their waiting for a fish to come and take it while I’m sitting on the shore shivering. I believe that if you are going to catch the limit, you need to entice and trigger that strike. This is how an angler would fish for bass or any other predatory fish; trout are no different.

This trout fish finder fishing rigg is ideal using a light test line of 2lb to 6lb. I personally use a 4lb test line and have great success. The key to using this type of fish finder is when the fish are within the upper layers of the water column meaning the fish are near the surface. If the fish are down deep, you will need to use a bottom water fish finder fishing rig to get your bait within the right feeding zone.

Trout Fish Finder Fishing Rigg

Attach a 2-way swivel to your main line.
Secure a weighted bobber such as the cigar shaped weighted bobber shown below. Any type of bobber will work but if it is not weighted, secure a medium size split shot weight between the bobber and the swivel.
Attach a 3 foot leader to the main line swivel and secure to a size 6 to size 12 hook. I personally use a size 6 hook but you can definitely catch some big fish with a small hook; it’s all about your preference but I have less fish fighting their way off with a size 6 hook.
Leave enough line from tying the previous hook so that you can tie another hook one to two inches apart if so desired. The gang hook configuration allows a more natural swim from an artificial worm by hooking the artificial worm in the head section with the first hook and the tail end with the second hook. Leave only a little tail extending from the shaft bend of the hook.
Pinch a BB size split shot weight about 6 inches above the first hook eye. This will allow the bait to drop nicely as you alternate reeling and stopping on the retrieve.

Cast out and if using a light test line with the above weighted fishing rigg, you will probably achieve some good distance. Reel in half a turn and stop and repeat completing varying degrees of reel turns. This action will cause the worm to swim up and then drop and bounce back up in a wave light movement. Trout love this and will usually strike on the drop.

I have caught plenty of bass with this technique as well but with different bait. For trout, try different colors of honey worms or trout worms made by PowerBait. Trout can be very picky sometimes and what worked earlier may not work now. If the brown trout worms are not working, trying something brighter in the reds, blues and green colored honey worms.

Check out these great deals on ebay. I tend buy most of my tackle and artificial bait and lures from ebay since I usually find great auctions and get better than walmart prices. Four packs of these trout worms for only $10.95 is an awesome price from ebay and this includes shipping. Click here if you want to directly to this ebay location.

Fishing Kayaks

Fishing kayaking is all about fishing and kayaking to reach areas others anglers can’t get to.

Kayaks are making a big splash for shoreline anglers who wish to remain mobile while keeping it simple. To give you an idea of how popular this concept is, almost 91,000 web searches take place monthly on this subject and rightfully so. I have fished off boats but primarily I fish from the shore of lakes, reservoirs and rivers. I cherish the concept of finding a fishing spot while not having to pay big bucks for a boat and all the extra costs associated with owning a boat and wanting to get it out on the water.

I have spent the last couple of months researching a lightweight, highly effective means for a shoreline angler to get out on the water with ease. The canoe was the first thought on my mind when thinking about a portable boat but then size and weight associated with a canoe made it less practical for a solo angler to deal with easily. You can definitely buy some accessories that make it much easier for a solo angler to get a canoe into the water but it adds costs and complexity when their is not a straight shot from your vehicle to the water.

After exploring the canoe options I was introduced to a variety of fishing kayaks and the world of opportunity that fishing kayaks bring to a solo angler. Fishing kayaks cost around the same price as a canoe but come in a larger variety of shapes and sizes. The fishing kayaks are designed completely differently than the slim, shelled kayaks that you often see going down rivers. Fishing kayaks are designed for anglers and the primary focus is on stability. Many fishing kayaks are so stable, anglers can stand up on them and fish standing up. You can sit off the side without tipping the fishing kayak over top. Fishing kayaks are designed to hold tackle boxes, include fishing rod holders, ability to attach trolling motors and anchors while keeping the overall body light weight. From what I have seen, fishing kayaks can be kept streamlined for the truly mobile solo angler or have accessories added to it for further comfort and purposes.

One of the most appealing aspect of fishing kayaks is that most weight less than 75 pounds, come in sizes ranging from 8 feet to 12 feet and can access areas that boats can’t get into either since fishing kayaks do not require much water to float in and resist getting snagged in thick vegetation where the bass love to hide in.

Here are some options for a Solo Angler who wants to be able to get into the water and to broaden their fishing range.

The following platforms are in order of my preferences and cost does play a role so the list is based on my budget of not really wanting to break $500 but I will include some wish list recommendations.

My first recommendation exceeds my max price but offers such a versatile fishing platform that hits my ease of transport requirement of being light weight and can carried by a solo angler to a spot along any shoreline to launch.

The NUCANOE is a combination between a canoe and fishing kayak and is specifically designed for the fisherman and duck hunter. It is vertically unsinkable (granted, they said that about the titanic as well) and has great stability. The benefit of the NUCANOE is that it is shaped similar to a canoe so throwing your gear or including up to three people is very easy, simply get in and go. The 10-foot NUCANOE weights 59 pounds and hold up to 450 pounds of weight. The stern is squared allowing an angler to add up to a 2 HP motor. The retail price for 10-foot base hull NUCANOE is $759.00 based on the 2011 Retail Price List.

The Sport Fisher Kayak made by Lifetime is my top pick based on price, stability, ease of transport and design for an angler. Although the NUCANOE would be the top pick if I were to flex my budget but staying within my budget of $500, the Sport Fisher Kayak is the way to go. Actually, it is dang near impossible to purchase any fishing kayak for $500 or less but the Sport Fisher Kayak can be found on Amazon for $499 while the retail is $600. The Sport Fisher Kayak line is a sit on top style kayak specifically designed for stability allowing an angler to stand up and fish while providing an ultra-stable platform that weights only 60 pounds. This fishing kayak can also hold up to three people but you will have to reconfigure the seats and layout to do so. Cargo space is limited and isolated to one specific area. Since the sit on top kayak is not so quickly adaptable and limits your freedom of movement compared to the NUCANOE, it ranks second in the overall pick.

The Freedom Hawk Fishing Kayak is no where on my list as the price alone is unmentionable. Okay, I’ll mention it: $1,195. It’s a cool design as it provides three positions based on what you are doing. The first position is closed which it looks just like a kayak with a point noise in the front and back. The second position is with the stability wings open in which a section extends out on both sides providing ultra stability. The third position is with the standing guide bars up which allows an angler to stand up and utilize the guide bar for extra stability. It’s a neat design and worth viewing just to ease your curiosity. Click here to go to the Freedom Hawk product site.

The Wilderness Systems Tarpon 130T fishing kayak is ranked third overall. As I mentioned that $500 or less appears to be unrealistic except through Amazon with the Lifetime Sport Fisher Kayak. This Tarpon cost around $850 and for that price, the NUCANOE is a no brainer. The Tarpon is designed to glide over wakes and chops and offers exceptional paddling performance. The Tarpon is also a sit on top style fishing kayak and appears to have more cargo storage area than others.

Most fishing Kayaks are about the same with the same configurations. The NUCANOE is in awesome hybrid of a canoe and fishing kayak. The wonderful thing about the internet, give it some time and explore and you can probably get a used NUCANOE or any other type of fishing kayak for less than $500 in good condition. I leaning towards the NUCANOE more I think about it as it can grow with me as my kids get older and will most likely want to accompany me on these types of fishing kayaking trips.

Fishing Hook | Trout Worm

Just like there are more ways to filet a fish, there are more than one way to thread a worm on the hook.

Worms are the best type of bait and there several ways to thread a worm on a hook. I was recently asked by an angler who has just picked up the act of fishing how to put the worm on the hook. His method continued to result in fish taking pieces of his fishing bait worm but failing to get the hook in the fish’s mouth.

The following illustrations depict several methods of rigging a trout worm onto a hook.

Honey worm or meal worm
This illustration shows a honey worm or meal worm threaded onto the shaft of the hook. This is one of the best methods for rigging any type of bait worm if you plan on introducing any action such as luring or jigging. I prefer night crawler imitations or honey worms made by Berkley. Cut the tail so that it is slightly extending past the hook bend as you don’t want to give the fish enough worm tail to chew on.

The illustration to the right shows a worm hook rig that is more ideal of vertical bobbing or floating up from a bottom water fish finder type fishing rig. Leave some tail extending out to help entice a strike by it’s subtle movement. Live worms work exceptionally well for this type of worm hook configuration.

This illustration to the left is intended to depict a worm pierced through several segments of it’s body so it looks like it is handing on to the hook. This is also a great configuration when using a bobber with limited or no action.

Tube Jig | Plastic Bait

Versatile Artificial Bait – Crayfish Imitations
Tube Jigs are perfect for when nothing else seems to work. It is a simple plastic bait but consistently delivers in tough conditions.

What is a Tube Jig
Tube jig plastic bait are round headed, hollowed plastic tube that have a streamers at the end. Tube jigs are threaded onto a jig head or lead head with the hook protruding through the end by the streamers. Tube jigs are designed to be fished with a slow, subtle action that imitates a minnow or crayfish depending how it is fished.

How to Rig a Tube Jig Plastic Bait
Insert the hook in the top quarter of the plastic bait and thread the hook to where it is protruding from the end of the tube where the hook point is above the streamers. The tube body is flexible and will allow the jig head or lead head to be inserted into the tube. Insure the leader line is also attached to the jig head.

How to Fish a Tube Jig
Tube jigs are designed to imitate a fleeing minnow or scurrying crayfish depending how it is fished.

One of the first decisions an angler needs to make after deciding to use a tube jig is to select the desired jig weight. A light lead head will allow the tube jig to slowly descend to the bottom while a heaver tube jig will more quickly move downward and can be moved along the bottom imitating a creyfish.

The method to fish a tube jig is to use a six to eight pound test line and fish this type of plastic bait near cover where awaiting bass are lurking. Cast the line out and keep the rod at a 45 degree angle and the tube bait will sink in one direction and once the slack in the line is tight, the plastic bait will swing in the other direction. Continue dropping this line creating this zig-zag action until it hits the bottom. Let the tube sit on the bottom briefly before reeling up and continuing this cycle. Another method is to allow it to hit bottom and either bounce it back or drag it slowly along the bottom.

Where to buy Tube Jigs
Ebay is always a great choice to buy fishing tackle at great prices. This seller is selling a lot of 25 tube jigs with a beginning bid of $0.99. If you don’t think you could win this type of auction, think again. I won 5 piece bass popper lures for $2.00 including shipping cost.

Top 3 Fishing Accessories

Three Fishing Accessories for Shoreline Anglers

I am not one to carry the everything and the kitchen sink with me when I go fishing. I believe in being mobile to find the fish instead of waiting for fish to find me. As the day progresses and water temperature changes around the lake or reservoir, moving from location to location is key component to catching fish the limit. With that being said, the accessories that I value are based on:

Easy to carry or stow away
Provide the ability to keep or get my line back in the water as fast as possible

Basically, the accessories that I carry and value contribute to catching fish. The following five fishing accessories fall into the above criteria and are worth having to make your fishing life easier:

1. FISHING VEST
Fishing vest are great fishing accessory as they provide much needed pockets to keep the selection of bait that you are going to fish with in addition to other tackle such as sinkers and hooks. A fishing vest comes in very handy for the pure mobile angler. I vary on my technique as sometimes I will only move short distances and prefer trying out a variety of terminal tackle and baits to develop skill and explore new techniques. During these occasions, a fishing vest is not my preferred accessory. When being a mobile angler, select a small collection of baits that you plan on using and gather a small collection of sinkers, hooks or floats that you vary from to catch fish. Managing your tackle to be effective when moving around the shoreline is the key and a fishing vest is a great fishing accessory for this method.

2. TACKLE STORAGE CASE
A great way to store your lures, baits, hooks, sinkers, etc is with a fishing storage binder. A lot of people like the hard body fishing tackle boxes but I’m not one of those people. A tackle box is simply too structured for me to move around with, even short distances. I use a soft body tackle case similar to a gym bag that I can strap around my neck and move around with both hands free to focus on casting out ahead of me and trying to trigger a strike. A fishing tackle utility binder as the one shown here is a great way to organize your stuff so it’s easy to get to and to pick that right lure for that water condition. In addition, it allows you to pre-tie your lures and hooks and to keep it all in one nice, closed pocket for quick access and rigging. I highly recommend this method of storing your fishing tackle whether being mobile is important to you or not.

3. FISHING KAYAK
Okay, I’ll admit that this is a stretch however I am on a fishing kayak hang-up right now – I must have one!
Although I do take pride in being a shoreline angler and being able to catch fish from the shore, there is definitely something about getting out on the water and fishing the hard to get to places that a shoreline angler can not get to or even someone fishing from a boat. Fishing Kayaks such as the one shown here made by LifeTime are specially designed for fishing. They are extremely stable and designed not to flip over. You can even stand and fish from these fishing kayaks. These types of kayaks are light weight usually weighting less than 50 pounds and can be launched from any shore. No need to find a marina or having to use a trailer to get your boat around. Also, no fuel to pay for

Rocky Bottom Fishing Jigs

Football Jigheads
The football jighead is one of the most versatility jigs on the market and is very popular by anglers who fish structure for bottom dwelling fish. Football jigs works well around rock piles, trenches and shell beds. This jig tempts bass from 6 feet to 40 feet and is great for exploring the bottom floor. Once an angler finds the rock piles, focusing on creating a wave movement that allows the trailer to flutter will bring the bass to the area.

Round Jig Heads
These types of jig heads help keep the jig from getting caught on rocky bottoms. A key benefit to round jig heads is that it is very versatile on when and where to use it as it can work best with just about any type of bait. Utilizing a twist tail, trigger a bite on the drop during vertical jigging or luring. Walk a bottom bait along the trenches and rock piles and entice the bottom dwelling predators.

A key element to any type of jig head is the weight. Jigs come in a variety of sizes, weight and hook sizes and depending on the depth, terrain and species, an angler will need to accommodate to these elements. If fishing a football jig through some cover, a heavier weight may get more hung up than a lighter jig head.

Jigging is considered a complex method to fish but with some practice, jigging will result in catches when everything else isn’t working. The ability and versatility to adapt to changing conditions by adding different trailers that entice with movement and/or vibration is what makes jigging a preferred method to catching fish.

Fishing Pole Rack | Cheap Fishing

Fishing pole rack is an important accessory to keep you catching fish.

To an angler the fishing pole or fishing rod is the same thing that a rifle is to a hunter. It is important to maintain and service your fishing pole and reel between each fishing trip and use. Fishing doesn’t have to be expensive but will quickly become so if your reel or pole is wearing out prematurely because of lack of maintenance and upkeep.

A fishing pole rack is a means to store and organize your fishing poles. In addition, storing them in a fishing pole rack will prevent any warping or bending of your pole. For those of you who are guilty of bending and keeping your fishing pole in the trunk of a car for prolonged periods of time you can attest that the tip will be warped from where it was stored in the bent position. This pole warping can also occur if you leave your fishing pole leaning against a wall.

For those interested in cheap fishing stuff, check out some of these great deals:

7-Pole Rod Rack found at Sportsman’s Guide. It cost less than $30 and stands up with its own built in stands.

Okuma Expandable ABS Rod Rack found on Amazon. This 18 rod fishing pole rack can be wall mounted or stand up. It cost less than $20.

Rush Creek Log Cabin Style Corner Rod Rack which also found on Amazon and is the style that I prefer. It is a good looking corner fishing pole rack that stores 12 fishing rods. It is currently on promotion for slightly less than $60.

A fishing pole rack is worth the extra expense as it will help keep your fishing rod in a good condition when not in use. Do a search on fishing pole racks and you will find a variety of styles and sizes to chose from and the prices range from $12 to several hundred. For those who are handy and wish to make their own fishing pole rack, you will quickly find articles that will walk you threw how to make your own fishing pole rack which would truly be cheap fishing.

Fishing Trips | America’s Best Trout Fishing Waters

North America has some of the best trout fishing in the world.Brook Trout caught in the Wasatch Mountains, Utah Now that Fall is setting in and temperatures are dropping my excitement to head out on trout fishing trips is growing. I call my late fall and winter fishing trips a Miserably Wonderful time of trout fishing. The cold can make the fishing trip miserable while the allure of trout fishing and catching trout make it a wonderful outdoor experience. Depending on the type of trout in your local waters, trout fishing can be easy and mindlessly entertaining to mind bending complex as you struggle to figure out how to trigger a strike from a trout species that doesn’t fool easily like a lake trout or brown trout.

Forbes.com published an article several years ago listing the top ten trout fishing locations in North America. Of course this is a list that is arguable as most anglers favor their local spots but here is what Forbes published as their top ten fishing spots.

The top ten fishing trips to trout waters (according to Forbes.com)

1. West Yellowstone, Montana
The following rivers in West Yellowstone are hot trout fishing locations and would make great fishing trips due to the beauty of the area and the many alternative hot trout fishing spots to fish. Firehole River, Gibbon River and Slough Creek are great fisheries to explore.

2. Missoula, Montana
The Blackfoot and Bitteroot river are fishing trip options as is the Missouri River where anglers can find trophy size rainbow and brown trouts.

3. Roscoe, New York
The Delaware River, specifically the East and West Branches has some of the best trout fishing for rainbow trout and brown trout in the Eastern part of the United States. Other fishing trip options include the Beaverkill River and the Willowemoc Creek.

4. State College, Pennsylvania
Brown trout are abundant year around and anglers across the world take fishing trips to fish the Little J or Little Juniata. Spring Creek is also a great option for a fishing trip while visiting State College as this creek runs directly through town.

5. Grayling, Michigan
Fishing trips here should include the Au Sable River, Manistee and Grayling rivers.

6. Calgary, Alberta
Fishing trips to Calgary offer chances to catch the biggest stream-bred rainbow trout in the world in the Bow River. Two other mountain streams, the Crowsnest and Livingstone provide anglers an opportunity to fish for native bull and cutthroat trout.

7. Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Fishing trips to Colorado should include a stop at Glenwood Springs as the Frying Pan stream and Colorado River are great trout waters. The Frying Pan is considered one of North America’s most consistent trout streams.

8. Mountain Home, Arkansas
Fishing trips to Mountain Home should not disappoint as the White and Norfolk Rivers have some of the biggest non-migratory brown trout in the wold. These rivers can be fished year around and consistently produce huge brown trouts ranging around 30 pounders.

9. Redding, California
There are four areas worthy to schedule a fishing trip to. The Lower Sacramento has some of the most power rainbows in the world. McCloud River has the famous leaping rainbows and the Hat Creek and Fall River are have very big and demanding trout.

10. Asheville, North Carolina
Fishing trips to Asheville brings you to brook trout country as they are the only trout native to the east coast and fishing any of the Appalachian Mountain streams would result in a fun day of catching brook trouts.

Under Armour Cold Gear

Staying warm, dry and protected while winter fishing with Under Armour Cold Gear

I’m typically an off road angler meaning I have to park and hike into where I’m planning to fish. Since this is my preferred method of finding fishing spots that are not highly fished, I have to plan differently than an on-road fisherman. Mobility and ease of transport of my fishing gear is my number one consideration.

Mobility to get into the area that I want to fish and then the mobility to get around the shoreline to find the fish is what it is about. Being adequately prepared both with the essential fishing tackle and gear and cold weather gear and accessories is key to having a productive, fun fishing day or night.

The advances in high performance athletic and outdoor clothing and accessories can not be overlooked by the off-road angler. Under Armour is an American business that provides hi-tech clothing and accessories for professional athletes. Their under armor clothing line is ideal for the active outdoors man and the light weight, quick drying undershirts, pants and jackets are ideal accessories for hikers and active anglers.

Under Armour cold gear characteristics include:

Fitted form that is built for layering
Advance knit fabric that traps heat for enhanced warmth
Lightweight 4-way stretch construction improves mobility
Superior moisture transport system that keeps you dry
Most importantly, feels smooth against the skin and prevents chafing.

Layering is key to be dry and comfortable while staying active. Check out Ebay for some great prices on their coldgear fitted mock to build layers off of.

I highly recommend exploring the Under Armour Cold Gear especially as we move into the late Fall and Winter months.

Winter Accessories

Winter Accessoires for Cold-weather Fishing

As an avid shoreline angler, even in winter time, standing along the shoreline welcomes in the deep cold. There are many winter accessories that are designed to be light, warm and quick drying and being prepared will result in a fun fishing day out in the winter cold.

Cutthroat trout at Strawberry Reservoir, Utah
It is important to be prepared for the winder conditions and planning appropriately is the key to having a safe, fun cold weather fishing vacation. To do so, plan the type of fishing you are going to participate in. If your goal is to hike to a distant mountain lake, dressing in layers while having heavier gear accessible is important. It’s all about the amount of movement and physical activity you are embarking on when being outdoors and the amount of and type of cold weather accessoires to have. Many a nights, while standing along a lake shoreline, the heaviest winter gear that I have will still allow the cold to penetrate through. Movement creates more body heat which aids in the insulation of the accessory working properly and keeping you warm. Standing by a lake with minimal movement of casting out and reeling in or letting the line float will test any gear you got on. Focusing on the extremities are critical as most heavy cold weather jackets trap enough body heat to keep a cold-weather angler comfortable. Your feet and hands are more likely to feel the cold first and make any fishing winter trip miserable as time goes on and coldness sets in. The picture of me at the top left was taken in late fall at Stawberry Reservoir, Utah. I was wearing a heavy cold weather jacket made by Eddie Bauer and it was goose feathered lined or something. That jacket is possibly the warmest extreme-cold weather jacket that I have ever owned and is my go to jacket when heading out at night to stand by a lake and fish. Consider ebay when researching different winter jackets and accessories.

The following winter accessoires are key to staying outdoors safely and enjoyable. Wearing the right type of boot or having the right type of glove for a specific conditions, terrain and environments is crucial. The following are some recommendations on winter accessories but your judgement on what type or style to use should be based on length of time in the cold, degree of cold, environment that you are going to be in referring to wet or dry, rocky or snow packed and finally what you will be doing.