Posts Tagged ‘winter’

Ice Fishing – 4 off Season Angling Benefits

ice fishing

During winter months, fishing does not come to a standstill. There are many anglers who enjoy the winters. They find it to be an ideal weather and get ready to face challenges of angling on frozen lakes and waterways.

Let us discuss about the benefits of fishing during the winters. It offers a lot of advantages to the fisherman because of the off season angling.

1. There is a lot of calmness of fishing on ice: Fishing can be done of the ice on a bright day by putting up a tent or house which is easily portable and can be put on the ice. Even if the weather is freezing, you can keep a portable heater inside the tent and fish inside the tent. If the weather is good and the weather is not windy, then you can also put your chair outside on a clear spot on the open ice. You need to simply drill a hole on the ice and sit back and wait for your catch. Ice fishing is more relaxing than summer fishing. Lots of people find winter months difficult to sit out and fish and hence prefer summer fishing.

2. There are fewer crowds for ice fishing: Since summer months are more popular for fishing, there is not much of a crowd for ice fishing. It is more peaceful with not much people around and there are more chances of making good catches. There is more variety and quantity of fishes available. Not many anglers are there present. It is more relaxing way to have a fishing expedition.

3. Tackles needed for ice fishing: Do not use a bait of fly fishing method. Try to use a reel and jigging rod instead. Less equipment will be required for ice fishing than normal fishing. This makes ice fishing trip safer for children and makes the entire trip more family oriented. Not much things are required to carry.

Tip up is a particular type of rod holder which is obtained. It keeps the line under the water and has a flag at the end of the rod. This makes it visible to see the fish biting under the line. For ice fishing, longer lines are needed. This is because food and fishes move deeper under the water as they look for a warmer place. The fishes are not available as they are in summer.

4. There are many ice fishing tournaments: Ice fishers gather all in one area and make it a social event. There are many ice fishing tournaments held. There are many spontaneous fishing competitions held and make the trip enjoyable to the fullest. The event is made more exciting as many areas conduct ice fishing tournaments.

February 1st, 2010 by admin

Choosing the Best Fishing Spot for Walleye

Walleye

To catch Walleye, an angler must seek out a quality fishing spot. Walleye possess habits that can help an angler understand where to look for them. Hence, a closer look at the behaviors of Walleye can help an angler find the perfect fishing spot to catch them!

An angler, when angling for Walleye, can find a good fishing spot in lakes, ponds, rivers, and large, relatively still streams. In the quest for a fishing spot, an angler should seek out deep bodies of cool, clear water. Additionally, a good fishing spot for Walleye can be found near transitional areas: areas that convert from one environmental element to another. For instance, an angler may want to find a fishing spot that is located near an area of water that houses a series of rocks that transition into a large gravel or mud bed. Further, an angler can position their fishing spot so that they have access to the shoreline during their typical feeding time.

An angler should be aware of the typical Walleye diet, as it can aid them in finding a fishing spot and selecting the right bait to catch them with. Walleye feed on crayfish, drum, insects, mudpuppies, salmon, snails, trout and yellow perch. Snails and insects can be used as live bait to snare Walleye. Also an angler can research the environment of his choosing to determine if it is a good fishing spot for Walleye. A good way for an angler to research the fishing spot in question is to contact local fishing officials for the regular fishing reports they produce.

Walleyes have eyes that are particularly light sensitive, which gives them the ability to see in murky waters. Conversely, Walleyes prefer clear, cool waters; thus an angler should seek out a fishing spot that has the cleanest water possible.

An angler will benefit from knowing that Walleye tend to be lackadaisical; they prefer not to have to chase their prey very far and they like to ambush them as they swim past. Thus, a good fishing spot for Walleye should possess a lot of good hiding spaces to seek out lurking Walleye. For example, schools of Walleye can be found clustered around rock formations and shorelines where lots of weedy vegetation grows.

An angler should also consider the depth preferences of Walleye: because Walleye have light sensitive eyes they prefer to remain in deep areas of water: many Walleye are hooked at waters depths reaching twenty to forty feet. Thus, an angler might want to consider including the use of a boat and a depth finder on their fishing expedition: a good fishing spot for Walleye can be found in the deepest waters.

Finally, an angler can benefit from knowing that the best time to fish for Walleye is in the evening. Walleye come to the surface and near shorelines after the sun goes down. Thus, an angler should consider a safe night location when choosing a fishing spot.

December 29th, 2009 by admin

Choosing the Best Fishing Spot for Stripers

Stripers

Striped bass are a prized fish for anglers. Where can an angler find a fishing spot for this prime species? An angler needs to understand the behaviors of striped bass in order to establish a fishing spot. In doing so, an angler can work with the natural rhythms of strippers and thereby increase their fishing proficiency.

Striped bass, otherwise known as stripers, inhabit waters that run all along the East coast. An angler will benefit in knowing that stripers spend the majority of their lives in salt water and migrate to freshwater to spawn. Likewise, in the summer months, stripers have a tendency to move north and then, in turn, to migrate south in the fall. Finally, an angler should remember that the best time to catch a striper is to establishing a fishing spot during spawning season, in areas that provide fresh, clear water.

Spawning season for stripers usually occurs when the water is warm enough to permit it in the months between April and June. An angler should be aware that striped bass begin spawning when the water reaches approximately fifty degrees. Also, when not hunting the shorelines of freshwater, they will linger and move in water that is roughly forty to twenty feet deep. Thus, an angler can establish a prime fishing spot along the shores of river openings, bays, near shore waters, reefs, beaches, and estuaries in both deep and shallow waters.

Stripers primarily move in schools, with occasional solitary striper remaining in deeper waters. An angler should be aware that in catching one striper, another is not at all far behind. Also, watching scavenger birds circling in the sky will give a good indication as to where the stripers are feeding. Finally, stripers can be caught from May to December.

Stripers feed on alewives, clams, crab, eels, flounder, lobster, menhaden, mussels, herring, silversides, smelt and squid. Thus, when establishing a fishing spot, an angler may want to find areas that house such creatures naturally or bring along items like herring and squid for bait. Also, an angler will benefit in knowing that stripers feed primarily in the evening and early hours of the morning and that the best time to fish for them is during the hours of dusk through dawn.

An angler might want to consider establishing a fishing site along the shoreline, in a relatively safe area for evening fishing as stripers behavior leans toward nocturnal tendencies, especially in the middle of summer. Conversely, stripers will feed throughout the day and establishing a fishing spot during anytime can prove successful for an angler.

Finally, when establishing a fishing spot, an angler might want to keep in mind that stripers tend to stick close to shorelines where easy feeding is possible. Further, stripers like moving currents and will move in and out with the tide. Thus, the best time for an angler to establish a fishing spot is two hours prior and two hours after high tide.

September 13th, 2009 by admin