Day 0

I ran out of work on time and grabbed my daughter from daycare. My wife left work on time as well. After a brief goodbye and some last minute additions to my gear I was off to the airport in Detroit.

I had my usual luck on the flight…it was packed and I was sitting next to another large frame person like myself. I never get to sit next to a little petite thing that only takes up half a seat, I always end up with someone like myself who is to tall and bulky to be comfortable in those sardine boxes they call airplanes. I landed at 9:30 PM local time in Minneapolis and waited for my luggage. Much to my surprise both pieces of luggage made it here. Unfortunately, because of the slow loading time and extra wait before the flight took off, the rest of my crew had been waiting for me for an extra hour.

The rest of the crew picked me up at the jump-n-run loading area and we headed for Ely. I think it was about 4 hours, or a little more, with the stops we made and the deer we had to dodge. You have to watch them, they are thick in there. We finally arrived at Ely at 2:30 AM and decided to nap for a couple of hours before we met with the outfitters.

Day 1

We met the guys from Wilderness Outfitters at the local breakfast joint (I cannot remember the name but they had excellent food) at 6 am. After breakfast we went back to the outfitter’s and packed our gear. We had two canoes, six packs, and two rod tubes. Everything we needed was in those packs including our food, fishing gear, tents, clothes, cooking utensils, etc.

We headed off to the Chainsaw Sisters around 7:30 AM and climbed into the canoes around 8 am. The water was high enough that we could canoe down Pickett creek without much difficulty. I was in the canoe with our guide Jeff. During that first few minutes he went over basic canoe strokes and their effects and we tried them out in that slow moving twisty creek.
Mudro Lake was our first open water to cross and it didn’t take real long. I didn’t realize, however, that the nastiest portage of the trip was at the other end…the “Stairway To Heaven.” I had been told by others in the group that this was nasty but I had underestimated it. The portage path was slimy with mud. The first half of the portage was mostly a gravel path up hill and the second half was an incredibly nasty downhill that was made up of water smoothed rocks like steps, if the steps had been done by a mad man. I huffed and puffed my way up one side and started down the other but I kept slipping with the weight of the double pack. One of the others came back and helped by taking the top pack off my back and that allowed me to finish the portage without falling and braining myself on a rock. After what seemed like forever, but really was just a few minutes, I made it to the end of the portage and arrived at Sandpit Lake.

The paddle across Sandpit was uneventful. While the lake is not really that big it is quite pretty and there are supposed to be decent Walleye and Smallmouth in the lake, but that can be said for a lot of lakes in the BWCA. In short order we arrived at the portage between Sandpit and Tin Can Mike. This portage is longer than the first portage but it is a little easier because the slope of the uphills and downhills is not as great. You still need to watch your footing but you don’t feel like your going to die if you fall over.

After we finished the Sandpit portage we found ourselves paddling across Tin Can Mike lake. On some maps this lake is known as Murphy lake, but no one seems to know why. Tin Can Mike looks a lot like Sandpit, only larger. Again it supposedly has good populations of Walleye and Smallmouth, but we weren’t stopping there. The portage at Tin Can Mike lake takes you to Horse Lake. I don’t remember much about the portage trail between Tin Can Mike and Horse Lake so it couldn’t have been real tough.

Now that we are in Horse Lake our destination is the river. Luckily for us there is not much wind that day, because our guide said that this lake can get quite nasty to paddle across when the wind picks up. We paddled halfway up the lake and turned east into the Horse River. Shortly after that we came to our first river portage. At this point the guide had us get out of the canoes and he took them through the very short rapids one at a time and we climbed in at the other side. There were a couple of short rapids to negotiate before the next river portage and those were uneventful because we took our time and picked a good line through each. The next river portage was quite a bit longer than the first river portage but still not more than a couple hundred yards. Back into the river we went and paddled a while longer before coming to the final river portage before the falls. This is another average portage with nothing special to describe other than wonderful scenery like always. We now are on the last leg of the river before Lower Basswood Falls.

There are two different portages that I know if at Lower Basswood falls, one on the American side and one on the Canadian side. The Canadian portage is a little better in the long run because it positions you downstream from the falls outflow and make the paddling easier to start. After passing Lower Basswood falls we are now in Crooked Lake. The portaging is over for us because our destination is Skull and Crossbones.

Skull and Crossbones camp site is located about 4 miles paddle down current in Crooked Lake. It’s situated on a south facing point next to the current just south of Wednesday bay. The paddle to that location is quite nice because you pass some pictographs located on a high rock wall. As we neared our destination the weather started to turn for the worse as we saw thunderheads start to roll in. We began to paddle a little faster as we heard the thunder crack in the distance and we got to the campsite before the rain started. We got out our rain gear and put up a tarp over the area near the firepit and stored our gear there as we dug out the tents. After the monsoon passed we finished putting up camp and decided to do a little fishing.

Just south of our campsite are two currents separated by a pool with an island in the middle. We began to drift around in the current eddies and jigged for Walleyes. No one caught any huge ones but we did catch enough for our group of four to have supper. By that time it was getting dark so we headed back to camp, had supper, and collapsed into our sleeping bags.

Day 2

Day 2 brought more rain and wind. We decided to fish the currents south of camp and right next to camp that day because Wednesday bay was churned to a froth. While we fished in the cove across from camp we saw two canoes start out into Wednesday bay, a few minutes later they came back after seeing the waves in the bay. Towards the end of the day the sun came out more and the wind lightened a bit, but it was still quite windy. We didn’t catch any huge Walleye but we did catch enough for another supper.

Day 3

Day 3 saw better weather and our tent had a mascot. It seems a local spider liked to sit on the outside of our tent every morning. He was about two inches across and had interesting patterns on his back. That day we went up to third current and fished after netting some minnows in the shallows near camp. Everyone caught Walleye’s and Northern Pike but there were no trophies that day either. Again, we had enough for supper.

Day 4

Day 4 brought more wind so we decided to fish around camp. More eating size walleye were caught and a couple of Northern Pike and Smallmouth made an appearance. The smallmouth bass were 22″ and 21″ respectively and quite chunky. That night we grilled fish instead of deep frying them, it was VERY good. I would suggest grilling Walleye to anyone. I would even consider leaving oil at home all together and just bring a grill basic, some spray butter, and some spices.

Day 5

We decided to go back to third current this day come rain or shine. The day started out overcast with a nice drizzle. We got almost to American current and the wind whipped into a frenzy. Trying to paddle against the wind through the current was quite intense because it generated some nasty white caps where it met the current in the narrows. We fought on to third current and waited to see if the wind would let up, but it never did. We went back down through American current and found a spot for lunch. After taking a siesta there and watching the weather, we worked back down to fourth current to get out of the wind and fish. We drifted all over the area just above fourth current and caught enough fish for supper. We then tried fishing the points back through Wednesday bay to Tablerock but nothing but a hammer-handle Pike was on the line.

Day 6

This day we broke camp and headed back out. Paddling up the Horse river wasn’t too bad until we reached the little rapids that we had ridden through going downstream. We got the boat stuck both times but were able to get off the rocks. We portaged around the first rapids before entering Horse Lake. Once we reached the lake we had lunch and decided to fish for a little while before exiting the BWCA. We saw several people fishing reefs for Walleye but decided it was too early in the season for there to be much there. We concentrated on the points and islands at the downwind end of the lake. We caught probably five Walleye in the couple of hours we had to spare and threw them all back since we weren’t taking fish out. Then we finished the paddle out.

Once we reached Chainsaw Sister’s we went to the bar and had a couple cold ones while we waited for our ride. Those were the best beers I had in a long time. Our ride picked us up and took us back to the outfitters. Once there we got keys to the bunkhouse and took a long anticipated shower. After that we went to Cranberry’s and had burgers and beer for supper, then it was off to bed.

Day 7

That morning we had another good breakfast at the something-or-other café (I still cannot remember the name) and settled up with the outfitter. In the midst of all the hubbub of the night before we managed to lock the keys in the truck so we had to wait for a locksmith as well. Oh well, you know how it goes. Once we were all settled up and geared up we made the drive back to civilization. I was dropped off in Minneapolis at the airport and the rest of the crew continued on to their destinations.

Conclusion

What to say about my first trip to the BWCA? I loved it. I would turn around and go again in a heartbeat. The quiet, the fishing, the scenery, it has it all. Even though we didn’t catch any trophy Walleye, and no one we spoke to had this year, I know they are in there. That place also has killer Smallmouth fishing and some huge 20#+ Northern Pike to offer. There is enough water to fish different water every trip for a lifetime if you like to paddle into the back country.

I would also like to say that our Outfitter was very good. Wilderness Outfitters provided excellent gear, canoes, and their guides are top notch. Jeff is especially good, even when the fish aren’t biting the best he has a sense of humor and enough stories to fill the slow time. The owner has been fishing , trapping, and hunting the area since he was a small boy and probably knows as much or more about the area as anyone. Their bunkhouse was clean and they were in the process of renovating it. While the bunkbeds were a little squeaky they were comfortable and the shower room was nice and clean.

As far as fishing gear is concerned you can probably catch all the fish you want with 1/4, and 3/8 oz jigs tipped with leaches or minnows. You can also catch fish on the grub bodies but the live bait seemed to work a little better. You might also want to throw in some lindy rigs in case the fishing gets a little tougher so you can slow down the presentation. Others have a lot of results fishing slip bobber rigs tipped with minnows or leaches. Instead of bringing in minnows I would recommend bringing a net and catching your own. It gives you less to carry and they work just as well.

I will have to say that I didn’t adequately prepare for the trip physically. Next time I will starting taking long walks with a backpack filled with weights. That will help condition me for the portaging. I still haven’t figured out a good conditioning idea for paddling other than just going out and paddling around somewhere.

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The recognized tug, tug, then a strong pull begins the underwater rodeo. The heavy one pound lead nose on a split tail white scampi bounces off the ocean floor actually calling the halibut to the lure. At 200 foot deep the ocean is totally dark. But a white lure seems to be the best color for halibut. A 20-pound “chicken” halibut fights likes a 60-pound salmon. The huge flat surface is added resistance teamed with muscle for a fish that is determined to stay on the bottom. The normal is three trips to the surface and two trips back to the bottom before you can land a 40-50 pound halibut.

Just as the halibut nears the surface where a net or gaff awaits, all that muscle turns the fish toward the bottom and the line screams off the reel. The Alaska halibut will not stop until it reaches the bottom again. Now you know what you have and you pray your equipment stays together.

Captain Jerry threw out the “pick” on the lee side of a spit in 150 foot of water. The tide was just beginning to come in, the “Dancer” was bobbing as the tide began to race back in. With 18-foot tides, a lot of water is displaced every 12 hours. The sandy bottom was ideal for halibut to wait for the tide to bring in the next meal. The sound of the anchor hitting the bottom had rang the dinner bell. The 55-foot cabin cruiser had pulled the slack out of the anchor chain and lined out facing into the incoming tide.

Dan dropped his one-pound lead nose white scampi lure over the side and waited for the reel to unspool. The heavy foot long plastic lure hit the bottom with a thump. The slack was taken out of the spider wire line so the lure could be bounced on the bottom to create an underwater thump that seems to lure halibut from hundreds of yards away. Alaska halibut fishing had always been a dream, too far away to even imagine. From the day of decision it had been over 11 months of planning, preparing and dreaming for this day of fishing for halibut off Prince of Wales Island. A minute had passed then 5 minutes; Dan was thinking “the bite” hadn’t started yet. Then it happened. Small yank, yank then he set the hook. Dan had caught several “chickens” so he knew it was a halibut. Suddenly the short stubby deep-sea pole formed a “U” and Dan began to lift the rod and reel down. The familiar yank, yank, yank as the fish refused to leave the bottom did not deter the stout built 6′ 1″, 30 year old as muscle warred with muscle until the cry was heard from the skipper on the flying deck, “my God the boy has hooked a keeper!” The fish looked slightly greenish brown and appeared to be gliding at an angle towards the boat but 6 to 8 feet under the surface. At 3 feet from the surface the addled fish saw the boat, bright sunshine and an excited angler all at once and did an about face heading back to the bottom. The Penn reel screamed as every bearing surface and brake rebelled as the 5 foot behemoth slipped out of sight. That foray had taken 20 minutes, Dan called for help. 6′ 4″ brother Paul with arms as big as a man’s thighs said “let me have that!”

In the April Alaska cool, beads of sweat poured down Paul’s face, the yank, yank, yank, reel up and scream down had taken its toll. Weakly he said “I’m gonna need a break!” Dan grabbed the short stubby “U” shaped pole and began to reel. Paul had lasted exactly twenty minutes only to have a brief glimpse of a shadowed recluse before the line screamed and the halibut returned to the deep.

The fishing pole had fibers that were releasing long ways on the rod, the famous reel was making a strange squeaking sound as it reeled up and a disturbing grinding sound as the break squealed off line. The halibut was coming up but Dan gave out in 10 minutes. Paul grabbed the rod and manhandled the rod, fish and reel. 10 minutes later he hollered “it should have been to the top by now, what is happening?” The brake on the reel had completely failed and as the line was reeled in the fish took back at its’ leisure. Dan took the next watch. Within 5 minutes Dan yelled, “I see color!” Captain Jerry was standing on the bow with a 22 rifle. Just as the halibut broke the surface Captain Jerry fired and dispatched the 124-pound giant halibut.

Alaska allows the dispatching of large halibut on the surface due to the tremendous power a halibut has after coming on board. These fish have been known to break the fisherman’s arms and legs contributing to several deaths by the flailing powerful tails.

Alaska halibut fishing doesn’t get any better. From a “chicken” to a keeper the thrill is always the same. It always starts with the same question “Have I hooked the bottom?”

Jim Zeller is the new “Euell Gibbons” for recommending a fishing spot for a fishing vacation trip or afternoon get away. Check out his favorite online Fishing Forum his choice for the World’s Largest Fishing Directory.

Fishing in Alaska is a dream come true for many an angler. The air and environment is clear and beautiful. The water is sparkling and what lies in that water is what has hundreds of people flocking to the state for the best fishing of their life. It is not unheard of to land a 35 pound King Salmon here and you will be amazed at the fish that are teaming in the waters.

In fact, you can catch that king salmon at up to weights of 50 pounds! You’ll also find huge fish including halibut, northern pike, Graylings, shiner perch, sturgeon, herring, and many, many more. Cod, walleye, flounder, crabs and shrimp are just teaming for you.

As for where to find them, you will need to check out the southeast region of Alaska. There are many locations to fish here and you can target just the fish species you are after. This is a warmer winter area of Alaska as well. But, still summers are cool and excellent for getting halibut on the move. Salmon migrate here to spawn and you’ll find a wide range of trout here too. Head to the locations between Bristol Bay and Cooper River where you’ll find many fish. You can also fish the coastal waters for halibut and ocean fish.

Make sure to check out Lower Cook Inlet. This is a popular location where you will be able to find Dolly Varden, a type of salmon. You’ll also find trout too in this area. You can dig for clams or fish for halibut and salmon off the coast. Another excellent location is in the Western and arctic regions. You’ll catch your fill of trout, pike, graylings, char and burbot here.

What To Take With You

Of course you will need your rods, freshwater and saltwater depending on where you head. Make sure to take twice as much tackle than you think you’ll need. Flies, weights, lures, a net, fishing line of several types, as well as pliers, waders, maps, and a compass are also necessary. Make sure to stock your first aid kit and include enough water in case you can leave the fish! For clothing, don’t forget you are in Alaska and you do need warm clothing, a fishing vest, sunglasses, hiking books, bug repellent and sunscreen. Check on getting the right fishing licenses too. Don’t forget your camera because these are truly some amazing locations not to mention the size of fish you’ll catch!

For bait, take a wide range of live bait. This could be prawns, night crawlers, crayfish, and razor fish. Look for frozen baits too. In artificial, take with you a wide range including lures, flies, streamers, spoons and spinners. Go for natural bit from the area if you can. You’ll find plenty of locations to purchase it in the area and of course you can find your own if you like. Don’t over bait though.

When heading off to fish in Alaska, it’s often wise to take with you a professional or to book a tour. These individuals can help you find the hidden locations where your fish are lurking. And, they can make sure that you see some of the best fish out there. Take the time to check out a few locations online and insure the organization’s quality. Then, head to the beautiful Alaskan country to get in some of the best fishing of your life.

Niall is a keen fisherman who is always looking at new tools to help him catch more fish. Visit Fish Finder Review for more information and great deals to help you find fish finders or other GPS and Sonar marine navigation systems. http://www.fish-finder-review.com

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Fish-Finder-Review.com

The gulf coast of Florida offers some of the best grouper fishing around. The Gulf has fairly calm water most of the year (except for our new 11 month recent hurricane season). The gear is pretty simple: a fairly stout rod, I say fairly stout because you don’t want your rod too stiff because this will effect the action it has on the bait…more on this later. I use 40lb line on the reel with a 100lb shock leader, and about an 8/0 hook. I like to use live bait for grouper fishing but some prefer jigs, spoons, and even heavy grade trolling lures.

After gear, guests, and boat are ready we need to catch some bait. I like to use the “junk” fish that you catch when bottom fishing with smaller rigs. Blue runners, sand perch, lizard fish, etc… Grouper are not real picky eaters when it comes to live bait. Yes, they do have favorites like anything else that eats, but the fish mentioned above will work great. I start my day with a piece of a large squid, about the size of you open hand is usually enough. I like to use large squid because it is tougher and stays on the hook better. Check you local fish market for availability.

We head out and stop around the 45′ area and start looking for our bait. Most of the time there are no clear signs of where the bait is, you just have to keep trying till you have some luck. The bait we are looking for is holding on the bottom most of the time unless you can find some sardines in the area, then try a Sabaki rig or something similar. Cut your squid into small strips and send it to the bottom and see if any small bait fish are going cooperate with your plans. Unless you have a favorite area to catch bait, you might have to move around till you start getting bites. We usually move about 300-500 feet each move till the bait starts biting.

After you get a couple dozen baitfish in the livewell head on out to your fishing area. Ours is around the 100 foot mark and is a series of GPS marks in a 3-5 mile square area. If we don’t get a bite in 20-30 minutes or so we will move on to another GPS mark in the area, (and no, I won’t give you my GPS #’s)…sorry!
This article is continued in part II.

You can read more about fishing techniques, submit your fishing photos, check out some tackle classified ads, or just look through our fishing forums at saltwater-angler.com

Thanks for reading!

Bluewater

Just the thought of Alaska and salmon fishing in the same mental picture conjures images of grandeur, pristine forest, snowy peaks, and a pole bent double while the line rips through the water. Alaska salmon fishing has been discovered closer than you could expect and more beautiful than all the pictures you’ve seen. This secret location is…

Alaska salmon fishing is closer than you think. A few hundreds miles north of Seattle is the southern most tip of Alaska. Prince of Wales Island is the largest island in North America and the closest Alaska salmon fishing grounds that has extreme fishing success.

If you choose not to drive up the Alaska Highway you will arrive in Ketchikan Alaska via commercial airlines, and take the ferry over to Prince of Wales Island or a commercial float-plane will fly you over to the island. There are resorts, lodges and guides that will accommodate you based on your vacation budget.

Craig and Klawok are two villages that welcome salmon fishers from all over the world. Coho or King Salmon arrive off the Island of Noyes bringing in the first salmon harvest for the year. There are thousands of miles of inland shores to fish without ever reaching the Pacific Ocean. Most of the king salmon fishing is within a cast of shore. To reach the early arriving king salmon you will need to meet them on the edge of the Pacific as they feed up to the inlets that flow in and around the Prince of Wales.

Expect the grandest of fishing trips with the widest array of visual candy. Gray whales, sea lions, sea otters, puffins, geese, bald eagles, loons, seals, majestic mountains, peaceful lagoons, bear, deer, cranes, killer whales, sea ducks and more waterfowl. A week on Prince of Wales will usually show you afternoon showers and then sunshine. The weather in April will be cool but not freezing. Bring a raincoat and pants. Oh, and you are going to see some fish! 30 pound king salmon is not uncommon. 60 pound kings come every year. And don’t forget Prince of Wales is one of the best locations to catch barn door size halibut.

Silver salmon are 8 to 12 pounds, fight very hard and will show up in huge numbers. You are allowed a 70 pound “fish box” by the airlines on your return trip. You will fill two of these boxes in 5 days of cleaned frozen filets. Silver salmon are later to show up to the party. Plan on a June trip for silver salmon. You have an option, have some of your salmon smoked. Never have you experienced salmon till you have tried fresh smoked.

Sockeye salmon, the most red meat of all salmon is next to last to arrive in late June or July in large schools. Sockeye salmon are usually 4 years old and weigh 5-12 pounds. A local guide and boat is a must for sockeye salmon fishing. Try driving your RV up or staying in a log cabin resort for the ultimate experience. You will dine on Dungeness crab, Alaska shrimp, sockeye salmon and halibut. If you have never fished Alaska you are in for the fishing trip that will make memories for a lifetime!

Salmon fishing has been a way of life for Alaskans. For the sports fisherman, salmon fishing in Alaska is a dream come true. I’ve been there, you won’t be disappointed!

Jim Zeller writes for numerous blogs and websites. Check out his favorite online Fishing Forum or his choice for the World’s Largest Fishing Directory

Fishing Secret #1

Fishing the Florida canals are absolutely gold mines within a couple mile radius of where you live.
Most canals are over looked for the more popular lakes. Or they aren’t accessible or private. I have found that these very canals deserve a second look. I’ve caught all my big bass in these local overlooked canals. Most people end up spending half the day getting to the place, fighting the traffic or compete for a fishing spot since everyone else is there. You also spend a bunch more money for this mini vacation, fish all day and maybe catch nothing!

The easiest method of accessing these canals is to simply walk to them. Carry your fishing pole and a few choice lures. Keep it simple. Work your banks, find the hidden spots. Remember there has been hardly any fishing pressure so expect to see action. Walk slow tossing your bait and be ready.

A real fun time and easy to put together is using a canoe. Just toss it on the vehicle and away you go.
Canoes are great. They are quiet in the water and allowed to be in all bodies of water. Some canals and lakes are “non-motor” use due to aquifer drinking water rules. Canoes are light and easy to move around. They allow you to bring more equipment and paddle to remote parts of the waterway.

Of course if you have a motor boat and some canals have boat ramps. You can enjoy both longer drives to untouched fishing paradise and expect a fine fishing day.

Canals that run along the interstates and turnpikes are phenomenal places to explore. Drive into neighbor hoods with canals. Locate the hidden treasures of pristine fishing secrets. If canals have lakes attached to them be ready for an explosive fishing secret experience. These combo lake and canal places are excellent because fish love where the water flows and bait fish hanging around these places. Golf courses are real fishing secrets. Be respectful when walking on the greens reaching these lakes. Not all golf courses have picky security out there. I have fished while people are playing. Just be quiet and respectful. Let them go first and have fun fishing.

I like to have at least two fishing poles, handful of favorite lures. I set up one with a top water lure and the other with a plastic worm. Working the banks and points slowly will produce bites. Remember to always release your catch.

Catch and Release is the practice of releasing your catch back to the water. This is a MUST if we want to experience the joys of fishing. By releasing the fish back to the waters we assure our future days and our grandchildren’s grandchildren the same opportunity to experience this for themselves.

It’s a real gold mine within arm’s reach. Take the time to explore your local canals. These canals won’t let you down.

Happy Fishing Days!!

By: Edward G. @ www.thankyoudollar.org click fishing tab.

Edward Gonzalez, home owner builder, fishing 25 yrs, self employed,

This Humminbird fishfinder is a great tool for any fisherman looking to bring home a cooler full of fish every trip out. This particular model is part of the 500 series offered by Humminbird. This combo offers GPS Chartplotting and High Performance Sonar. Why is this so great? It gives you your position thanks to satellite technology. Telling you where you are, how to get to your hotspots, and how to make your way back. No need to worry about getting lost or not finding the perfect locations. Of course, you also get performance fish finding in this unit as well!

The Humminbird Fishfinder 595c is an awesome tool. It offers these features in a quick disconnect mount which means you can easily grab it and go. It also features the built in UniMap which is excellent for telling you where in the USA coastline and the inland lakes and rivers to 4nm in details. Awesome accuracy in this is also provided. These things can help you get to the hot spots and find your way back. No need to worry about getting lost or making the wrong turn when you have such a reliable map to use. Other features include a 20 degrees single beam sonar which is optimized for coverage and bottom detail. It gives you a good look at what’s below the surface so that you can navigate your boat where you need it to go.

On top of these features, you’ll find Sonar Echo Enhancement which is a great tool for getting a good idea of where your bait is headed and how it is moving. Real Time Sonar also helps capture real time pictures of the waters. This means if the fish is there and moving, you can virtually see what it is doing so that you can react in order to grab it. Why should you invest in the Humminbird Fishfinder 595c? It is quite easy to see how well equipped you will be to find your fish and lure him to you.

Bring home a full catch everytime.

Niall Pesci is a keen lakes fisherman who is always looking at new tools to help him catch more fish. Visit Fish Finder Review for more information and great deals about the Humminbird Fishfinder 595c and other Humminbird GPS and Sonar fish finders and marine navigation systems. www.fish-finder-review.com

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Fish-Finder-Review.com

Fly Fishing is a passion of mine and I enjoy sharing my tips so that others can learn to catch the Big Fish!

I usually go out from the Boca inlet in Boca Raton, Florida. Then I drift for hours luring the fish. As much as I enjoy catching the fish I truly enjoy the peace and quiet of the ocean. It certainly does clear the mind from the hustle and bustle of life.

When the species of fish I am searching for aren’t hungry for the flys that I present them then I use conventional tackle.
That may consist of either live or dead bait. Then I go out to the desired depth to where the species of fish congregate. Usually starting with a depth of about 110 feet of water and drifting out to over 200 feet. I use three light tackle rods with 15 lb test on each one. That gives the fish less chance of seeing the line.

I fish each rod at a different depth in the water column. The first rod I fish live bait or dead ballyhoo with a short piece of leader wire. Let the line out until the bait is at least 75 yards from the boat.

The second rod I add a small egg sinker, enough to get the line down about 20 to 30 feet. I let this line out about 50 yards. I use live pilchard, live goggle-eye or sardines that are either live or dead.

The third rod I fish on the bottom depending on how much current there is I use either 4, 6, or 8 oz sinker. Whatever it takes for me to get to the bottom. Using no leader I thread the egg sinker through the line and tie my pre-made rig to the hook. Then I hook a dead sardine or 1/2 a ballyhoo through the mouth with a circle hook and hook the treble hook on the rear part of the bait. Then drop the bait to the bottom and slowly move it up and down off the bottom and that is when I get most of my strikes.

When using light tackle on the bottom it is very important to have the rod tip next to the water and the line tight so when you setup to hook the fish you can bring the fish up off the bottom quicker. Otherwise the fish will go into a rock hole and break you off.

I have learned many techniques over the years and one of the most important things is what is the most effective rig.
These rigs are most effective for catching any fish but especially those that live on the bottom, especially Grouper and Snapper.

If you look at the first photo you will see me holding two pieces of titanium wire that is flexible. You can bend the wire without being concerned that it will break.
The rig is made with a 5/0 circle hook and titanium wire attached to a treble hook. I catch 90% of my fish on the treble hook.

The length of the wire is determined by the bait that you are attaching it to. Shorter wire for shorter baits and of course longer wire for longer baits. The photos show roughly how far to place the treble hook from the tail of the bait.
After you cut the wire to length to install the hooks you must use a barrel sleeve and crimp it onto the wire to secure the hooks.

Once I have my catch of the day I then prepare dinner. One of my other passions is preparing the fish. Fresh fish is delicious and of course healthy. Hopefully you will have a successful day of fishing and enjoy some of my recipes.

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I am a native from South Florida and have fished here ever since I was a youngster. I have caught over the many years numerous fish but nothing compared to the last few years since I have refined my techniques.

Stopped into The Fishin’ Hole the other day, which happens to be one of my favorite fishing tackle/outfitter/sandwich shops. (Talk about your one stop shopping!!)

I was looking for a good 8 weight line to take to Alaska.

What I came away with was an update from about four different people who had just returned from Alaska.

Now, for those of you that have been following my upcoming maiden trip to The Last Frontier -you know that I am headed up there in a week from now. So it was nice to hear some first hand reports on what is going on, and how the fishing is doing.

Of course I am a little concerned that right there in the tiny town of Shady Cove, Oregon–there were four people who have recently been to Alaska right there at that given moment in that fishing tackle/outfitter/sandwich shop! If you take the ratio of those four people at that given time and the odds that they had been to Alaska and multply that out over the entire nation…. well….. you come up with a pretty dang high number!

And to think I was worried about the mosquitoes.

Anyway, one fella happened to have a photo album and all I had to say was that I was headed up to Alaska–and of course he pulled out that album and showed me some rather dandy Halibut that weighed in at 178 pounds. He also said if he didn’t have one of those belts that you strap on to fight Marlin, he would probably be recovering from hernia surgery. I of course said the fish was nice– but I was more concerned with the mosquitoes.

He told me they didn’t bother him.Hmmmm now that sounds fishy to me.

Another person reported that the Kenai–the LOWLY Kenai— fished well and they caught some really nice King Salmon. They weren’t bragging about size so they were either really big or really small.

Not sure.

They also went Halibut fishing and caught some 20 pounders, certainly not big by Alaskan standards. They also reported that every person on the boat puked their guts out.

Now there is something to look forward to. I hope I am fishing out of a Princess Cruiseliner–but I doubt it.

I also asked them how the mosquitoes were?

To quote them: ” OH MY GOD- THEY WERE BIG AS BIRDS!!”

Nice. Puking, scratching, and hernia surgery!!

We discussed the various options of Deet and netting, but it sounded like that only made it more challenging for the skeeters to find a way to make your life miserable.They described the mosquitoes approaching, ‘like a black cloud’ and then enveloping them in a blood sucking frenzy.

Sounds like a Stephen King novel.

One gal produced a bottle of some ” natural” deet free repellant, and offered up a very weak, “our friends used this up at Diamond Lake last week and said this stuff is ‘the bomb’.”

Unless she meant “bug bomb”–I wasn’t about to start experimenting with anything unproven. Besides, the difference between Diamond Lake mosquitoes and the Kenai Peninsula mosquitoes is probably like the difference between Peoria and Yankee Stadium. I told her I’d try it but I would need her cell number so I could be sure to call her at midnight if her”natural” spray was ineffective.

She pulled that bottle off the counter faster than a Ford truck recall goes out.

So it sounded like fishing was going about as expected, and the mosquitoes were going as expected also.

I also received a call from another buddy who wanted to go fishing on the Klamath River, in California, the week after I get back. He is an Alaskan fishing veteran so he had all sorts of good information to offer up about catching Silvers, including a “special” fly pattern that he developed and ties himself. I am now going to be his official “field tester” –because I suspect he thinks- if I can catch a fish with it…then it has real marketing potential. So look for it’s appearance on the “two guys with flys” website if it works. If not… well… you can always look for my swollen festering mosquito welts.

I have also checked in with my good friend Tom, who if you remember, floated the Kisaralik River last month. He is back and reported a successful trip, in the respect that no one was eaten by a Bear, and they returned with same number of people they left with.

Oh, and the fishing was great for BIG TROUT, and of course–Deet had little or no effect at stopping the onslaught of mosquitoes.As evidenced by his scabbed over arm full of bites and “Calamine lotioned” skin color.

Also received a phone call from Ranger Kurt–and he pretty much just laughed maniacally and kept saying things like: “August in Alaska” “August in Alaska” “HA HA HA ha…….”

Perhaps a few to many bites from his last trip??

Well, that is about it from the front.

I’ll be busy this week getting ready-and soaking my clothes in Deet…

A.J. Klott is a writer of fishing humor and the people and events surrounding the fishing world. He also can be found selling “fly tacks” and other various fishing supplies at: http://www.twoguyswithflys.com

Originally published in Procats Online Magazine

Settin’ It Up

Once Jeff has picked his area by marking the right bottom contour near the thermocline and the right space between the fish and the bottom, he is ready to deploy the drift socks. Williams will usually only use on drift sock or “sea anchor” to set his drift at the right speed and path.

Some anglers
use two anchors out the side of the boat but Jeff prefers to drift with the socks either out the front or the back to get a more controlled drift. If the wind is moving at a fairly good clip, Jeff will fish from the front so the wind doesn’t push his boat too fast. If the wind is fairly slow, he will fish from the back so the wind has more of a flat surface to push on, thus speeding up his drift. Jeff notes that he will catch more fish if he speeds up or slows down the drift when he needs to cover more or less water.

Also of note is that matching the speed of the boat to the activity level of the fish seems to work best on certain days. “You just have to fish and vary your drift speed till you start hookin’ up with fish. I like to start with a certain drift speed and then go faster or slower from there.”

If Jeff is catching fish fairly consistently he will leave the boat speed alone. If he goes very far without a hook-up and he is still marking fish on the graph, he will slow down or speed up if he thinks it is necessary. On windless days, Jeff will use his bow-mounted trolling motor to create a drift.

Fresh Bait

Jeff says that one of the most important parts of his fishing success is having fresh bait all day long. He motors to areas that hold shad such as bays, and cuts, and then moves slowly around till he locates schools of shad on his sonar unit. From the front of the boat, he throws a 16-foot diameter 1-inch mesh cast net and usually gets enough bait fairly quick. As soon as he nets the first few gizzard shad he tosses them into a top-quality aerated oval bait tank made by Grayline. After he has caught enough big shad he drains the water out of the tank then refills it.

“If I want the freshest bait possible I have to get the water changed. When shad get stressed they regurgitate and their stomach acids build up in the tank’s water and burn their gills. By changing the water, you remove all that and the built-in tank filters will do the rest.”

Williams uses either chunks or fillets depending on what works the best for that day. He makes sure to cut the chunks at an angle so they are streamlined enough not to spin much.

Ready to Go

We’ve got the right bait and figured out where to fish and set up the boat for the right drift by deploying the drift sock according to the power of the wind. Now its time to look at Jeff’s drift rig set-up. Jeff has experimented with many different snagless sinker styles including bottom-bouncers, weighted welding rods, modified egg sinker rigs, pencil weights, and others but he has finally decided on one that works best for him. He ties a short piece of 20 pound monofilament onto a small snap swivel then threads on eight ½ ounce egg sinkers onto the line and then fastens the last one to the line.

You’re Ready

Well, there you have it folks. Jeff’s simple yet effective summertime pattern he uses to catch blue cats on reservoirs can be used on lots of big lakes across the country. Get out there and drift, pay close attention to what’s happening while you’re on the water drifting and you’ll be catching blues like he does in no time. Chances are if you spend the time on a lake that has some monster-sized blues, you may be surprised just how big a fish you can handle!

Copyright © 2004-2005 Jeff Williams and Procats

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Jeff Williams runs a Truman Lake Hybrid Bass and Lake of the Ozarks Catfish Fishing Guide Service offering lodging and guided trips in Missouri. To book a trip, learn more tips, or find out how Capt. Jeff would fish your own local waters, call 1-866-HOOKSET or visit http://www.ozark-lodges-fishing-trips.com today!