Category: General Food Recipes

Fishing with Live Bait

There are many myths that surround using live bait instead of artificial and most of them are not true. Live bait is still used by many anglers. The one factual part of live bait, which no one can dispute, it that is often messy, and it smells terrible. If you can surmount these two factors, you will be in good shape to try live bait on your next fishing outing.

There are some basic principles that should not be ignored when using live bait. None of the principles concerning live bait are clean or nice, but they are mandatory. You should never handle live bait when your hands are dry. Bait has a slimy layer on the outside, which is protective as well as inviting to predators, and if your hands are dry you will risk removing that layer.

If you are running short on live bait, try to save the bait that dies in your live well or in a nearby bucket. When your live bait has run out, you will still be able to use the freshly dead bait on your hook to attract fish. All you have to do is cast your line and bob it a little to give the appearance that your decoy has some life left. Be careful of the weight that you put on a line with live bait. Fish are going to spot a weight if it is too heavy and weighting down the bait. Your weight or sinker should be light enough to give the bait the appearance of free floating in the water.

Seasonal fishing can change the perspective on live bait. For instance, the summer months can be brutal, especially in the South. You may need to adjust your thinking and practices when the summer months hit. Keeping the bait alive will be the hardest obstacle for any angler in the summer. In order to keep your bait living, you will need to change out the water regularly so that the oxygen can keep flowing through to the bait. However, you cant just stop at changing out the water.

The temperature of the water is crucial because the water on the surface is hot and deadly for living bait. Therefore, having ice on hand to put into the live well will be the most beneficial way of keeping your live bait happy until they reach the hook.

Some other tips you should keep in mind when fishing with live bait is to never hook your live bait in the eyes. The reason is that you want the bait to see the fish approach them because they will become more excited and it will cause the fish to latch on better. Another thing is that you should add water softener salt to the water that is holding your live bait. The salt will make the scales of your bait harder while instantaneously preserving the slimy coat that attracts predators.

Lastly, you should make sure that you know how to properly throw a casting net before trying to catch bait. People often times throw the net too hard or too soft and this results in frustration and a net that does not consistently open.

Fishing With Children

Often times as adults, we want to share our hobbies and pastimes with our children. However, it can be difficult to decide when that pastime is appropriate. Children have shorter attention spans that make it difficult to calculate when they are ready for certain things. Fishing is a common hobby of many people around the world and many people are eager to introduce their children to fishing the minute they can hold a fishing rod. Fishing is a lesson in patience for children and a structured way to teach them a sport that involves precision and safety.

When you take your child fishing, the most important thing to keep in mind is their safety. What kind of fishing are you trying to introduce? Are you thinking about a day of bottom fishing? Does pier fishing suit your needs? Are you going to go all out and take your child for a deep-sea fishing excursion?

Regardless of what you decide is best, you should have the basic safety essentials with you at all times. A first aid kit is mandatory because whenever a kid is involved accidents will happen. Children tend to get poked, scratched, and barbed, so you need to be prepared. If you are going out into the sea and away from the shore, make sure that you have life jackets and make sure that your child is wearing one even he or she has no intention of getting into the water. Keep in mind your childs abilities when it comes to swimming. If you do not think that they are a strong swimmer, you may want to keep your boat docked.

Make sure to buy and stock your childs tackle box. A youngsters first tackle box should be small and lightweight. There is nothing complex about the contents of a beginner’s tackle box. All a child needs are some pre-tied hooks, some bobbers, a couple of weights, swivels, and small scissors or fingernail clippers to cut their line. A tackle box is a fingerprint for many who view it as a personal expression.

Make sure to lead by example when you take your child fishing. Teach them how to keep the line taut so that they will be able to respond properly if a fish bites their line. As soon as your child feels the bite, teach them how to set the hook. Tug back on the rod in order to firmly set the hook in the fishs lip. Take the time with your child to let them learn techniques like playing the fish. Part of the fun of fishing is the struggle between the man and the fish, so let your child have the entire experience and not just a partial one.

When you introduce fishing to your child, you have certain advantages to teaching them at a younger rather than older age. Younger child have a greater absorption rate with a desire to soak up as much information as they can. Take the time that you and your child are sharing to educate them about catch and release regulations and fishing for food as opposed to pleasure.

If your child decides that they want to let the fish that you catch go, make sure that you know the right way to release. Cleaning the fish can either make a child vomit or ask when the next trip is going to be, so use discretion in regards to age when preparing your catch for dinner.

Fishing for Beginners

If you are new to the sport of fishing, you need to know some of the basic rules of fishing. Like other forms of hunting, fishing involves both your environment and thosearound you. Be respectful of both. You can responsibly enjoy this treasured pastime in several ways.

Fishing is an ancient practice. It dates back nearly 10,000 years. A number of various techniques and traditions have been used during fishing’s progression. Modern technological developments have changed the way people fish, but many of the same rules, regulations, and social norms involving fishing remain.

Always practice good stewardship of our waterways when you are fishing. Remember that these waterways were around thousands of years before you and will remain long after we are gone. You can make a conscious decision to leave the areas in which people fish in better condition than when you found it. Take care of our lakes, rivers, and other waterways so that others will enjoy these areas for years to come. Practicing certain behaviors will ensure that you are taking good care of the places where people fish.

Never litter when you are fishing. Always bring a trash bag or other receptacle to use for the collection of your trash. You can easily deposit it in a nearby trash receptacle. Dump your refuse in properly assigned dumping stations instead of tossing it in the water. You do not need to spend much time figuring out the many ways in which this hurts the environment.

As you fish, always use the correct type of bait and fishing gear. Certain areas allow for certain bait and gear. You will also encounter limits on the number, size, and kind of fish that you can keep. Become familiar with what these limits are and pay attention to them. Do not wait until you are at your fishing spot to search for what is allowed and what is not. Check with your destination before you head out on your fishing trip to see what the local regulations allow. If you plan on using a boat while fishing, research to see what kinds of watercraft are allowed where you are going to fish.

Every fishing location is different, so pay special attention to local procedures and cautions. This also applies when you decide to clean your boat after you leave the water. You do not want to spread non-native species to another body of water.

Finally, never fish where it is not permitted. There is always a reason why it is illegal. Some reasons include the protection of certain wildlife, the proper care of vegetation, and the safety of you and others who want to fish.

You should also follow a number of cautionary behaviors to ensure your safety. As with all forms of hunting, safety is first. If you will be using a boat while you fish, always wear your life jacket. Make sure that your passengers wear their life jackets, as well.

Be very careful when baiting and removing hooks. Make sure that you never fish on unauthorized waterways. Follow the posted speed limits and wake warnings that accompany the use of a boat. Bring with you all relevant safety items, such as water, flashlights, maps, and a cell phone.

Take time to discover how you can be both a better and safer angler.

Fishing Accessories

For some people, fishing is a pastime. For others among us, it is a serious sport. However you perceive it, fishing is enjoyable when youve got the proper accessories to use. Here is a list of some considerations to think over.

Often there is a nice spot to fish from the shore of a pond, lake, stream or river. Other times, you will need to consider what kind of transportation you will need to get over the water. The canoe is the oldest craft. It is the traditional vehicle of the American Indian and has great traditional value, but that does not mean it is the best kind of water transportation available. A canoe can be tippy at the best of times and especially hard to handle in the wind but paddling or drifting along makes it easy to approach good spots to fish undetected.

A small rowboat without a motor is considered the best kind of boat to use since you can stand up in it to cast. Although it is best to row to the spot where you intend to fish, a small trolling motor is handy for travelling some distances. Larger pleasure boats with outboards are also recommended, but a boat with high sides is best as big lakes and broad rivers are prone to winds that can whip up big waves.

You will also need to pick out some quality footwear. This becomes especially important if you are going to fish by the side of a lake. Hip boots are the most practical for this as they can be rolled down if youre not wading. While hip boots can also be used for stream wading, chest or hip waders are traditionally best here. When choosing chest or hip-wader boots, select ones that have a loose fit. Having waders that are too tight could restrict leg motion and undue stress on the seams could leave you wet.

The proper jacket is also a necessity. Jackets come in two basic lengths: Long and short. The long style is designed for fishing from a boat or wading in shallow water. If you are planning to use chest waders, it is recommended you use a short jacket since the bottom of a long jacket would drag in the water. You should select a jacket with generous pockets for carrying lure boxes and other accessories. A hat with a visor is another good idea because you will have your eyes on the water and need some kind of shade.

The avid angler has three stashes of lure and tackle-box containers. The first stash is for the home stockpile, the second and larger one for the boat, and a third stash is for the car. That way, you will always be covered in the event of a loss or other mishap. It is a good idea to buy a large supply at the beginning of the season too so you will have lots on hand, especially if you like to fish at night.

With the right fishing accessories and gear, you can turn your fishing experience into a better one. The last thing you want when the time for that perfect catch nears is to realize you are missing an important piece of equipment. Preparedness is among the most important aspects of fishing, so make sure that you have all of the gear you need to have the best experience of your life.

Charter Fishing in Hawaii

Sometimes the hardest thing about going on vacation is the overdose of downtime. You want to find enough things to do to keep you busy, but not too much to where you feel overloaded. Chartering a fishing boat has its advantages, but on the island of Hawaii, it is a day trip that you do not want to miss. There are certain basics when chartering a boat, but since Hawaii is not just a hop, skip and jump away, you want to make your plans ahead of time while having all of your questions answered.

First of all, you will need a boat. Hawaii has hundreds of charter boats throughout the islands, so availability will not be an issue. The companies that charter boats have certain criteria that they have to follow in order to run their business. The boat must be inspected for proper gear, maintenance, and repair history. They are also inspected for their experience level. No one wants to pay for a charter and catch a fish that the crew cannot handle.

The charter trips are typically broken up into various price categories. Prices will vary depending on where you are staying and where you want to fish. For instance, Kona has the lowest prices but the most competition for marlin fishing while Lahaina is the most expensive.

If you are concerned about the fish, do not worry. Most of the charters will succumb to whatever you want to do with your catches. If you want to take them home or if you want to cook them for dinner, it should not matter as long as you make your requests up front. Hawaii does have a deep-rooted tradition of selling Billfish and this concept offends many anglers. Today, many charters are willing to throw the Billfish back (at the customers request), but dont be surprised if this is not the case.

You should also know that when you charter a boat, you are not chartering fish. A charter is to allow you to have an experience out on the water enjoying the scenery and trying to catch a fish. Fishing is a sport where there are no guarantees and there is no way of predicting where fish will be and when. If you charter a boat with the expectation of a refund for a bad catch day, you will be disappointed. There is no charter trip that will refund your money for a lack of fish on a given day.

Some of the things that you will need when you charter a boat for the day are not what you may expect. Most boats will provide you with tackle and equipment, but that is it. You are expected to bring your own snacks and drinks. You should also invest in some Bullfrog sunscreen, which is waterproof and commonly used on boats. Another good tool essential to fishing are sunglasses. Your sunglasses should be polarized so that you can see the fish clearer than other glasses. Lastly, bring an extra towel and t-shirt because you will probably get wet.

Make sure to leave your bananas behind. Hawaii, as well as many other fishing places, has a strict policy against bananas being onboard. They are thought to bring bad luck, so do not try to test this theory or your day may be extremely unpleasant.