Fishing Lure Tips and Tricks

I was fishing with a friend the other day and we were doing the normal debate about who knows more about fishing. He told me something that I never even gave a thought about. Of course I acted like I already knew about it, but he won't know until he reads this that I didn't!

What I am talking about is super glue in soft baits. No, not to get the fish to stick to them when they bite! If you're using soft baits, they have a tendency to slide down the hook after catching a couple of fish or after about 100 casts. Here is what you do -Slide the soft bait down the hook (eye end). Put a drop of super glue on the hook and slide the soft bait back to the eye of the hook. Now you have no more slipping bait! In addition, this will increase the life of the soft bait, and, of course, more fish strikes, since the bait will always be on the hook properly. This is a must for lures like D.O.A. shrimp.

Tube rattles are something else you may or may not have tried or ever heard about. You put these rattles into your soft bait to add noise. This can dramatically increase your catch or size of fish. A lot of people don't think about noises that fish and baits make, they just think about their sight and smell, but sound is a big part of catching fish. Sound travels approximately 4 times faster through water than it does through air. This is also why it is said again and again to be quiet when you're fishing in a boat; just the bang of a hatch door could spook the fish that you were after. Anyway, you can also use super glue to hold these tube rattles in place.

One more thing to use with soft baits are bait weights. These are like the tube rattles, as they are put into the soft bait, but placement is important. For instance, on a worm you may want to put the weight at the end of the worm to help in casting under docks and structure. Or you may want to place it by the shaft of the hook in order to get faster drop on your bait. Experiment with this and I am sure you will find many uses for these. You can also adjust the weight by cutting off sections of the weight with line pliers. These work great with StrikeKing ZTOO soft baits because these are a floating bait and sometimes you just may want a little weight to get it just under the surface.

On to hard baits like suspended and top water plugs. Really, these baits are great just as they are, but the big complaint that I always hear is that the hooks and the rings are not strong enough. You can switch these out. Buy a better grade of hook and ring than what is on the lure. Try to stay with the same size hook and ring, because these lures have been designed to use a certain size hook and changing size can dramatically change how these lures work. However, using a stronger hook and ring can make the difference in landing a record fish or just having an exaggerated fish story.

Now let's do something about your fishing pole. It's important to have good quality fishing gear to catch quality fish over and over again. So, you went out and spent good money on a good rod and reel and think that you're all set. Well, maybe yes, but maybe no. Did you know that pole and reel balance is very important in catching fish? With the reel on the pole, the pole should balance in your hand - the tip should not drop. There are balance weights that you can put onto the butt end of your pole to help to balance it. This will increase the feeling of a hit significantly so you can set the hook on a strike. Also, it will give you more comfort when you are making a lot of casts. So, the next time you pick up your fishing pole, see how it fits in your hand and check the balance.

If you know other little tips and tricks like these that can help other anglers out, please tell them, but better yet, tell me! I like learning new things, and that's what I do this for is to help other anglers learn. Every time I go fishing, I learn something new. It may be something as simple as a new knot, or not to try to catch a fish with a gator sitting on the bank next to you, but I am always learning and isn't that part of fishing?!

How to Fish For Rainbow Trout - Tips to Make You More Successful

Are you new to trout fishing? Or maybe just want some tips to help you catch more rainbow trout on your next trout fishing outing? Well, in this article I'll outline some tips that will help you be a much more effective rainbow trout angler. If you want to know how to fish for rainbow trout this article is definitely for you.

These tips come both from 20 plus years of personal experience and from the best trout fisherman I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. This man has since passed on to another plane of existence, but before he left he taught me a ton about how to fish for rainbow trout. These tips will certainly make you more successful when fishing for these beautiful fish.

The fist thing to consider when fishing for rainbow trout is the size of your gear, and by 'gear' I'm referring to your rod, reel, line, and the manner in which you carry your lures, tackle and bait. When it comes to your fishing rod and reel when trout fishing, in most instances an ultra light rod and reel are what's needed. Your reel should be spooled with six pound test at most, with four pound test being ideal.

The best way to carry your tackle when fishing for rainbow trout is a fishing vest. Fishing vests have a ton of pockets for your tackle, weights, swivels, extra line, water bottles, etc. Many times when you fish for rainbow trout you will be wading and being able to carry all of your fishing tackle with you in a convenient manner is of the utmost importance. A fishing vest is definitely the way to go when fishing for freshwater trout of any kind.

The next thing to consider when fishing for trout is how you want to carry your bait. One of the best baits for rainbow trout is worms and the best way to carry worms while fishing is a bait bag. A bait bag simply clips to your fishing vest and carries your worms while fishing. In other words, the worms are removed from their original container and transferred to the bait bag. This way your bait is always at your fingertips waiting to be used. When it comes to rainbow trout tips this is one of the best. A bait bag is all but invaluable to the wading river fisherman.

Another piece of gear that helps immensely when fishing for trout is gang hooks. Whether you want to fi trout with live bait or you want to fish with synthetic trout bait such as Powerbait, gang hooks are a great idea.

Another great tackle idea is the use of small spinners such as rooster tails. When I say small I mean it, because I'm talking about spinners in the 1/32-1/16 weight class. Small spinners are great artificial bait for trout. One of my personal favorites is the Rooster Tail. Having a variety of small Rooster Tails (or other small spinners) is a must for any fishing vest.

If you want to know how to fish for rainbow trout, these tips will help you immensely. Never forget that there is no "tip" that will help you like spending time on the water fishing. The more time that you can spend on the water, the more successful you will be.

Fishing Rules and Regulations - Why Bother?

Image : http://www.flickr.com

What constitutes breaking the rules?

This weekend I had an opportunity to film something that happened right in front of our cottage. I was observing a gentleman fishing by himself in a boat. I gave him credit for the fact that it was raining and he must be a real trouper to be out there.

However, upon watching him I realized that he was going back and forth from the front to the back and he was actually fishing with two fishing rods. Although you are entitled to fish in some major waters with two rods you are Not allowed to do it in the majority of lakes and streams within Ontario. Purchasing a license and asking the questions would have been a great idea before he decided to head out and fish.

In Canada we have very strict regulations that seem somewhat confusing at times and it is very important to not assume that your regulations are the same as other areas. (A good example would be in Ontario -- If you are going to be fishing North of Hwy 7 then you would find that your season actually opens one week later then if you fished South of Hwy 7. Although the difference is only a week it could result in the loss of your boat for the season and heavy fines.)

You should always know what the local regulations are on the lakes that you will be fishing. There are many local tackle and bait shops that are usually able to define the regulations and give you a quick yes or no if you are not positive of what the rules are for the area.

If you are a visitor to Canada and your planning a fishing trip or a quick run to a local stream you are encouraged to make sure that you know the rules. Licensing is required and will differ in price according to where and how long you will require it. Remember if you do not find out what the regulations are you may find the consequences could be a very big unexpected expense in your vacation.

Licensing provides all of us the opportunity to make sure that we have future species stocked in our lakes. Rules and regulations although they sometimes seem like they are not necessary, they actually ensure that we do not over fish or disturb the natural habitats.

Fishing with two rods... well that is just plain stupid. When we told the gentleman with the two rods that we had him on tape he immediately put one rod away. He didn't even question if there was a rule not to do it. It sure makes you think that although he was aware of the rule He just simply thought he was above it.

It's our responsibility to find out the regulations that govern where we fish. Don't assume they are the same as home.

Remember today we have Video and You Tube so it's not worth breaking the rules - Our Fish count on it.