Thursday, August 26, 2010

* Crappie Fishing Jig

image : cbcoutdoors.blogspot.com

crappie fishing jigs
By mark fleagle


Crappie fishing jigs – What To Choose

How many times when you have been out fishing have you wondered what crappie fishing jig to use? There are so many types, sizes, colors to select from it is easy to get confused. Well let me explain exactly what a crappie fishing jig is , What crappie jig type to use for different situations, and what color to use.

#1 Crappie Fishing jigs what is it? The crappie jig is made up of the two parts, the first part has a hook with a sinker molded too it. The second part is the body and it is made up of a Varity of different items, plastics for curly tails, some type of hair or bristle for marabou jigs, add a spoon or blade to a marabou jig and you have a rooster tail.

#2 Crappie Fishing jigs Purpose? The crappie jig is use where you want to create a vertical jerky motion to attract the attention of the fish. Do not get jigging confused with spinner baits, spinners create a horizontal motion through the whereas, jigs create a vertical motion up and down through the water.

#3 Crappie Fishing jigs How do you choose? Well I wish I could say that it is totally cut and dry what to use for different situations but a lot of selection is trial and error. It is good to keep a log , so you know what works under different situations. This will give you a starting point for your next fishing trip. Most often the color, depth water , and water clarity can change the color of the jig in the water. Also, the weather conditions can change your selection. For example if it is a sunny or light sky day you would want to select light color jigs. If it over cast and a dark sky you would want to use dark color jigs. These selections are not set in stone. You will probably end up changing colors many times throughout the day

#4 Crappie Fishing jigs types? There mainly three types of crappie fishing jigs. Curly tail jigs, Marabou jigs, and Rooster tail jigs. Curly tail jigs come in a multiple of designs but the all have some type of tail and are made of plastic. Marabou jigs are made of some type of bristle or hair and also come in multiple designs and colors. Rooster tail jigs are a marabou jig with a rotating blade or spoon added.

Well folks lets get to fishing P.S If you want to catch some giant slabs use the listed crappie fishing jigs.


Mark Fleagle
Crappie fishing tips and information
http://www.oldfishinghole.com

Mark Fleagle Author A well respected fishing specialist with 30+ years of fishing experience,who has written many fishing articles. Mark has been a online presence for fishing information for going on 4 years. my site: http://www.oldfishinghole.com Get your free copy of "78 Fishing Discoveries Unleashed".

Article Source: http://www.free-articles-zone.com

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Trolling Therminology




Trolling is the name given to the type of fishing in which a natural or artificial bait, fitted with hooks, is towed from a line
attached to a moving boat. The appearance and motion of the bait is intended to excite carnivorous fish into attacking it, and
becoming hooked. This fishing method therefore aims to catch predatory fish, that is the types of fish which chase and eat other
fish.



Trolling is a fishing method which is carried out all over
the world, for commercial and recreational purposes. There
are many variations to the equipment and techniques used.
Trolling may be carried out at high speed, so that the
fisherman can cover a large fishing area, or slowly, so as to
avoid outrunning the fish. The lines may be of light, synthetic
material for invisibility, or may be of heavy wire and cable
for strength and resistance to cutting. The bait may be towed
at the surface, or may be trolled using weights or other
equipment to carry it down into deep water. The way in which
trolling is performed depends on local conditions, the species
sought, and their behaviour and physical characteristics.



There are, however, many tricks, tips and simple types of trolling equipment that are still known only to a small proportion
of troll fishermen. Some of these are recent innovations; others have been in use for years in certain areas but have never spread
further afield. In this book, we have tried to incorporate as many of these fishing tips as possible. We hope that all troll fishermen
will be able to find something new here, and use it to improve their fishing operations.



Adopted From Wikipedia

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

* Trolling Fly Lines

image from : flyfishusa.com



This Under Utilized Technique May be One of the Most Successful: Trolling Fly Lines

Author: Craig Mumby

This under rated trolling technique may be one of the most successful…





By Craig Mumby





If there is one technique that not many people consider when heading to the lake it’s trolling fly lines and it can produce some of the best fishing imaginable. This technique hasn’t had a real chance to prove itself as fly fishermen don’t do it often because a lot of the joy comes from casting and using finesse to persuade the fish to bite. If they’re going to troll why not just break out the spinning or bait-casting gear. On the other side of the coin, non-fly fishermen tend to be intimidated by fly rods and think that it’s both expensive and difficult to learn. Truth be told you can get a fly rod for a very reasonable price these days and it’s actually fairly simple to pick up the basics with minimal practice. More expensive gear and different casting techniques comes with experience, but for this technique you don’t need either. You don’t even need to know how to cast!


There are a wide variety of fish you can target with this method. It is a great technique for all trout species, even early and late season lake trout. But also bass, walleye, pike and pretty much anything else that swims in under 25ft. of water can be fished this way. For me, this is the single most consistent method for catching still water trout.





Go get yourself a fly rod and as I said it doesn’t have to be an expensive outfit though there are certain advantages to things like multiplier, or large arbour reels, as the retrieve ratio is greater and you will be able to gain line quicker on a fish running toward the boat. A standard 9 ft. rod is perfect; anywhere from a 5 weight to a 7 weight are ideal in most situations, but if you’re looking for bigger fish go with a heavier weight; lighter for smaller fish. Personally I like to use a 7 weight because it has enough backbone to work a variety of baits. There is a wide variety of line on the market and the body of water you’re fishing should dictate what “type” to use. There are six types of full sink line: type 1 – type 6. Type 1 runs the shallowest and type 6 the deepest. I use type 6 almost exclusively as it can get down faster and you can effectively fish around the 18 – 22 ft range with a lot of baits. An electric motor and fish finder are certainly advantageous as trout can be easily spooked and it can be crucial to know your depth so you can work your lines along the bottom structure properly. Bring along a good selection of flies such as shrimp and streamer patterns. It’s always a good idea to check with the local tackle shops to see what’s working. Lures like flatfish, quikfish, hot shots and rapalas are excellent choices to bring as long as they don’t have much dive to them and have high action while trolling dead slow. Pick up some fluorocarbon leader material. Leaders in the 9 – 12 ft range are best. I usually use Berkley Vanish and if I’m using something other than a fly, which I usually do, always tie a swivel into the leader or you will have quite the mess on your hands.





“Ripping” flies is one of the most consistent techniques for picking up active fish. Make a nice long fluorocarbon leader, no need for a swivel down to your fly, all on your type 6 sinking line. Don’t be afraid to use big flies! My best fly has always been a double shrimp pattern on a #2 hook. The key to ripping is exactly what it sounds like. Let your line out until the backing, keeping the trolling speed a little higher than what you might be used to and repetitively jerk the rod as hard as you can. The more power the better! This is another benefit of the heavier 7 weight rod; it makes this motion a lot easier on the arms. Essentially, this will make your fly almost swim through the water like a jerk bait and you get a lot of impulse strikes.


If you want to switch to hardware make sure you check the action of your lure at the side of the boat before you lower your line so you know how to gauge the speed for your troll. For example, flatfish are designed to have a lot of action at a very slow rate of speed, so by trolling dead slow you achieve the perfect action which you will notice on your rod tip, and be able to get deeper than lures that require faster action. So, when you want to get to some deeper fish with your type 6 line troll dead slow with a flatfish, kwikfish, or hot shots and you can effectively fish close to the 20 ft mark.


Getting used to the way the lines follow the boat is very important if you want to work an area properly. Let your line out to the backing if you’re fishing deeper than 12 – 15 ft. Fly lines have much greater water resistance than standard line and due to the thicker diameter it won’t cut the water like monofilament. For example, when you make a fairly sharp turn with fly line it will swing more with your turn and follow the path of the boat instead of cut across water and thus stalling your lure. This allows you to work your bait more effectively. When you get used to fishing this way you can estimate your depth and where behind the boat your fly, or lure, is running to within a few feet. Boat control is absolutely crucial when working deeper structure and you can actually work the lines to ride right up a drop off or sink down, whatever the case may be. So, if you’re trolling in 20’ feet of water and you see that the bottom is rising, all you have to do is gradually speed up so your line is elevated by water resistance caused by the speed of the boat. The reverse is also true when you come to a drop off; slow right down and let the line sink with the bottom and speed back up when your line is deep enough. This will put more fish in your boat and you’ll find a lot fun out of concentrating on the bottom and trying to work it properly. Some of my bigger fish have been caught while stalling on a drop off to let the lines sink, then as soon as you kick into gear hold on!





Even though this is not a popular technique it is not due to its lack of productivity. The only reason is that people never think to do it. There are so many different situations where you can apply this technique. I’ve had enormous success fishing for bass, walleye and pike with crankbaits and flies. Another great place to give this a shot is salmon fishing on the west coast. I’ve done very well fishing for coho, pink and sockeye salmon on a third rod out the back in between my downriggers. One of the biggest things to learn in fishing is to be versatile if you want to be consistently successful. Give this technique a shot and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.


About the Author:
Craig Mumby is twenty eight years old and has been in the sport fishing industry since the age of 18 when he started working with Bob Izumi’s “Real Fishing” show. He has fished professionally for nearly every sport fish in the country. Originally from Toronto, he grew up fishing Ontario’s many lakes and river systems. Currently, Craig guides out of the prestigious Langara Island Lodge in the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/this-under-utilized-technique-may-be-one-of-the-most-successful-trolling-fly-lines-325519.html