| FishRap News Edition: Jun 25, 2008 |
| When using most types of surface lures, it’s important to adjust your retrieve speed and the angle of your rod. Each lure has different characteristics and to get the best action from the lure, experiment with slower and faster retrieve speeds as well as holding the rod to the side, at the lure, up high and lower to the water to see what works best. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jun 10, 2008 |
| When targeting catfish, a good tip is to fly-line chunked mackerel, shrimp or other offerings without any weight. With no weight, in addition to leaving your spool open, the fish will feel the least amount of resistance and you’ll get more bites. |
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| FishRap News Edition: May 28, 2008 |
| When the wind picks up on the lake, try targeting shorelines facing into the wind. Baitfish will get pushed into the shallows and this can ignite game fish into feeding. The bite can be excellent along these shores during windy periods. |
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| FishRap News Edition: May 14, 2008 |
| When setting the drag on your spinning reel, set it according to the line test being used. Most people think the drag should be set to match the size of the fish being caught. But, more fish get lost when the drag is set too tight. Apply extra pressure to the spool with your finger when the fish tires and then release it when the fish runs. This will keep the fish on the line and the control in your hands. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Apr 30, 2008 |
| If you’re having trouble getting bit, try going with lighter test line. Lighter line can sometimes mean the loss of some fish, but much of the time you’ll draw more strikes. Just be sure to adjust your drag accordingly and play the fish a little longer to limit break-offs. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Apr 16, 2008 |
Always use fresh line. Sun, temperature and wear and tear can break down your line and cause it to become weak. Line that has been on the spool for an extended period will also tangle more due to memory.
Spooling up with fresh line will eliminate your chances at lost fish because of old worn line. It’s also best to respool if you are on an extended trip and have caught multiple fish as the line will have stretched and lost some strength. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Apr 2, 2008 |
| Aside from the bags of ice you plan on using to keep your catch fresh in the kill box, try bringing along a few frozen 1-gal. jugs of water for your coolers. It does the same job of keeping the cooler ice cold, but without filling the bottom with water as it melts. Plus you can have a swig of cold water right from the jugs. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Apr 2, 2008 |
| With the number of color combinations available for worms, swimbaits and other soft plastics, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Just keep it simple. Choose four or five basic colors such as purples, browns and dark colors for low-light situations, and some translucent lighter colors in greens, blues and browns for brighter situations. Don’t be afraid to try opposite colors in different lighting and water visibility situations. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Mar 19, 2008 |
| Don’t fish for a fight because you may lose. When fighting a fish try to relax and let the drag do its work. Make sure your rod is at a 45-degree angle and that it faces the direction of the line going into the water. Once the fish stops, go to work slowly by pulling up the rod as you reel. As the fish gets closer to the boat, close the deal – use a net to land the fish. Be sure to net the fish from the front, as fish cannot swim backward. If practicing catch and release make sure the fish remains wet, which is less abrasive to its protective slime. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Mar 4, 2008 |
| When you’re after bigger fish, sometimes you’ll need to slow it down. You know they’re there — you felt the nibbles. Try downgrading your bait and changing your retrieval speed. Instead of an 8-in. bait, try a 4-in. bait. It will trick the bigger fish into thinking this meal would be easier to catch. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Mar 4, 2008 |
| Don’t know when to fish? Let the tides lead the way. When saltwater fishing, the tides are a good way of letting you know if the fish are in a frenzy. Water moving all day washes across the reefs, moving bait around for the fish to eat. Check out www.tidelines.com for further dates. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Feb 20, 2008 |
Quagga mussels have now reached our waters. Here are some tips to prevent an infestation in your area (taken from the DFG Web site).
• Inspect all exposed surfaces - small mussels feel like sandpaper to the touch.
• Wash the hull of each watercraft thoroughly, preferably with high pressure/hot water.
• Remove all plant and animal material.
• Drain all water and dry all areas.
• Drain and dry the lower outboard unit.
• Clean and dry all livewells.
• Empty and dry any buckets.
• Dispose of all bait in the trash.
• Wait five days and keep watercraft dry between launches into different fresh waters.
For more information on quagga mussels, visit www.dfg.ca.gov. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Feb 6, 2008 |
| Here’s a tip on tailing and cleaning a lobster. Most will kill the lobster before de-tailing for easier handling – you can strike a knife between its eyes.
• Take the body of the lobster and twist the tail halfway in one direction and then the other.
• When you pull the tail, you will hear the membrane pop. (Be careful things could get sticky.) But before you pull the tail all the way, take a knife and push it up into the body cutting more meat out when you do detach the body.
• Next, take one of the lobster antennas and break it off. Try to make it the same size as the lobster’s anus. Use the antenna with the spikes pointing away from the lobster tail and insert it in the anus. Twist it a few times; the spikes will grab onto the colon, and then slowly pull it out.
• Then wash the tail and refrigerate it. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jan 25, 2008 |
| If shoreline fishing from a boat starts to become less exciting, try turning around and fish in the other direction. Lakes are open bodies of water that change from season to season, which means fish can change locations. There are many reasons a fish relocates – less pressure, more food, safety, temperature – you name it. You may never know if that big one is right behind you. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jan 11, 2008 |
| String a dozen swivels onto a large safety pin and fasten it to your shirt, vest or keep it in your tackle box. This is a cheap and easy way to keep them together or to make sure you can always find one. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Dec 28, 2007 |
| The Bimini twist is the common choice for doubling line in big game applications. Tied correctly, it provides 100 percent of the stated breaking strength of the line and acts as a shock absorber for game fish that are prone to jump, such as marlin and sailfish. The Bimini twist may seem difficult at first, but with a little practice this resilient knot can be tied quickly and easily. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Nov 30, 2007 |
| Keep a file on hand to sharpen those dull hooks. It’s great to have just in case you forget to sharpen your hooks before that fishing trip. It takes about 30 sec. Then you’ll have a hook that can penetrate those tough monsters. Hooks that have become too dull should be replaced. Sharp hooks make all the difference. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Nov 16, 2007 |
| If you feel like the fish are nibbling at your bait, try using smaller bait and slow down your retrieval speed. Most of the time you have to slow it down for the bigger fish. So be patient and when you feel a nibble on your line, it will most likely turn into a bite. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Nov 2, 2007 |
| When fishing in dirty or muddy water, try fishing with bait. Their natural scent will have more of an effect on the fish because it would be relying on its sense of smell rather than sight. You can also add a scent to an artificial lure or try chumming to bring the fish out from hiding. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Oct 31, 2007 |
| To reduce backlash when casting a baitcast reel, first, get the line wet and keep your thumb pressed lightly on the line to guide it from running away. Then at the time of cast, release pressure from your thumb, but keep some tension; following the range of motion in your arm, turn the reel in a vertical position allowing the line to flow freely. Right before the lure or bait hits the water, increase your thumb pressure to prevent line overrun. Then put the reel in gear. Practice makes perfect (or hopefully improved). |
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| FishRap News Edition: Oct 19, 2007 |
| There are thousands of different color lures out there in the fishing world today. What to choose … red, yellow … green? Well, don’t let the variety of colors get to you. Remember that a lure’s most important features are its size and action or technique. Other factors that count are water conditions and odor. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Oct 5, 2007 |
| When fishing for lobsters remember that they are more active at night. Try a spot in 15-80 ft. of water where you know they might be hiding, such as near caves, holes or crevices. Don’t drop your hoop nets directly on top of structure; the lobster can reach for the bait from the bottom and you’re more likely to snag. Place it near a sandy bottom where you can entice them out. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Oct 3, 2007 |
It’s summertime and you know what that means. VACATION! Here are some things to consider when planning a fishing vacation.
- Make sure there is lodging where you want to fish, whether it’s a campsite by the lake or a hotel by the ocean.
- Research your fishing location. Make sure when you want to fish is where you’re going to fish.
- Choose a location that doesn’t allow watersports. It’ll just be another excuse on how the big one got away.
And if you have a boat and plan to bring it, make sure your destination has the proper boating facilities. Happy fishing!
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| FishRap News Edition: Sep 21, 2007 |
| Here are some great tips for making fishing fun with kids.
• Hunt for bait. Search for earthworms and place them in a container with some soil inside. And don’t forget to poke some holes in the lid. Also, squish and roll white bread into little balls — they are surprisingly effective bait.
• Pick a fun spot. Ask the local tackle shop for areas that are kid-friendly and are full of fish. So, if your child starts to get restless let him or her run around and explore.
• Bring a bucket. Let them be one with nature and admire their catch. Bring along a nature book, measuring tape, a notebook and pen. Fishing can be educational, too.
• Pack some snacks. You know it can take awhile for the fish to bite. Hunger = grumpy.
• Don’t make it all about catching fish. Yes, fishing isn’t fishing unless you catch a fish. But, making the experience fun and enjoyable will create happy memories and will lead to more trips in the future. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Sep 7, 2007 |
| Trying to get that fish smell out of your freezer and refrigerator unit? Try this:
1. Turn off your unit and empty it.
2. Place a pot of boiling water with a sliced lemon in the unit and let it sit for about an hour.
3. Wipe down the walls and shelves with the lemon water and also each item before putting it back inside the unit.
This will help deodorize and make your refrigerator and freezer lemony-fresh. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Aug 24, 2007 |
| Clipping your fingernails can help reduce the nicks made in your fishing line. The tip of any nail, whether dull or not, can nick your fishing line making the line weaker. For example, a 10-lb. test with a nick can be reduced to measurements of a 6-lb. test, which can result in losing that fat catch by a nick. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Aug 10, 2007 |
| Next time you go on a river fishing trip, keep this in mind … Fish secrete slime as a way of communicating with other fish. If you catch a fish and release it in the same place you caught it, its fish slime will warn the school of danger lurking nearby. So next time you practice catch and release, try releasing the fish farther downstream. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jul 27, 2007 |
| Here are a few tips when handling smelly baits:
• Use a swimbait’s tail, instead of your fingers when smearing on a fish scent. Keeps the stink off your hands and on the bait.
• Also, try rubbing Vaseline on your hands before handling a stinkbait … it’ll be much easier to wash off that awful smell. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jul 13, 2007 |
| Plastics paired with leadheads and jigs can be an awesome combination. Sometimes fish pounce on swimbaits and other plastics so hard, the plastic gets torn after only one or two fish. A quick fix to help salvage your plastic for a few more fish is to use a small lighter. Simply heat the plastic briefly on both sides of the torn areas and mash them back together. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jun 15, 2007 |
| Now is the time for vacationing in the great outdoors — and your #1 enemy: mosquitoes. Keep your skin protected by not using soap, shampoo or lotion containing fragrances and wear neutral-colored clothing. Mosquitoes are attracted to things that remind them of nectar or flesh. Also, apply an insect repellent containning DEET to exposed skin. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jun 1, 2007 |
| It’s summertime and you know what that means.
VACATION! Here are some things to consider when planning a fishing vacation.
• Make sure there is lodging where you want to fish, whether it’s a campsite by the lake or a hotel by the ocean.
• Research your fishing location. Make sure when you want to fish is where you’re going to fish.
• Choose a location that doesn’t allow watersports. It’ll just be another excuse for how the big one got away.
• And if you have a boat and plan to bring her, make sure your destination has the proper boating facilities.
Happy fishing! |
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| FishRap News Edition: May 29, 2007 |
| More likely than not, you’ll be using your sea legs this summer. Here are a few suggestions to consider before heading out on the water.
• Eat before boarding the boat.
• Keep your head still and follow the horizon.
• Ginger root cures a queasy stomach.
• There’s always seasick pill or patches.
And if all else fails … Don’t get on. |
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| FishRap News Edition: May 18, 2007 |
| To reduce backlash when casting a baitcast reel, first, get the line wet and keep your thumb pressed lightly on the line to guide it from running away. Then at the time of cast, release pressure from your thumb, but keep some tension; following the range of motion in your arm, turn the reel in a vertical position allowing the line to flow freely. Right before the lure or bait hits the water, increase your thumb pressure to prevent line overrun. Then put the reel in gear. Practice makes perfect (or hopefully improved). |
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| FishRap News Edition: May 4, 2007 |
| Here is an easy, cost-effective, DIY way to make a rod leash. All you need is a strong braided line, brass hooks and the knowledge to tie a couple of strong knots. First, secure the braided line to the padeye or other utility ring on your kayak or float tube; then on the other end tie the hook and secure it with a sturdy knot. Clip it to your reel handle and voila! Instant leash. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Apr 6, 2007 |
| Family Hot Spots
With the help of the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and the expertise of state wildlife agencies and outdoors writers, families can plan a day of fishing in what they call Family Hot Spots. They have expanded their “Where to Fish and Boat” locator on the takemefishing.org Web site database by adding more than 10,000 locations. Each Family Fishing Hot Spot entry provides detailed information about the locations, the species of fish, the best times to go and the best techniques recommended for catching various species. The zip code and city search engines will also give you locations within the shortest distances and compile information on local regulations, fishing licenses, and fishing reports all on one page. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Mar 23, 2007 |
| Too little or too much floatant paste and your fly will sink. Squeeze a small amount of floatant on your finger, and rub the paste between your fingers until it liquefies. Then pull the wings, hackle and tail from base to tip coating them evenly. If the hackle sticks together, then you’ve applied too much. Squeeze more floatant onto the body of the fly, let dry and soon you’ll be ready to fly. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Mar 9, 2007 |
| Always keep a camera handy, whether it is disposable or digital. Proof is always good to have.
When taking a picture of an angler and his or her catch, keep the fish as the main object. Stay on the angler’s level, keep the sun at your back and shoot straight at the fish. If the angler is wearing a hat, have him or her take it off or use a flash during daylight to eliminate shadows. And it never hurts to take more than one photo. Say cheese! |
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| FishRap News Edition: Feb 23, 2007 |
| During grunion runs, halibut and other targeted species become accustomed to feeding at night. When the last grunion run is over, wait about a day before casting your bait to the bottom. The halibut will be starving as they’ve been waiting for their easy meal to appear. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Feb 9, 2007 |
| Here’s a quick way to get rid of curling leaders.
Keep an eraser with a slit cut in your tackle box. When your leader starts to curl, gently pull it through the slit in the eraser. Don’t do it too fast or too hard, or you will lower the leader’s breaking strain. Let it loose, and your leader will be as straight as an arrow. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jan 26, 2007 |
| Conserve your worms. If you still have some left over at the end of the day, dump the worms and the grass they were packed in into a bucket of saltwater for a few minutes. This will freshen up the worms and clean away their metabolic wastes. Put them back into their container and place them in the refrigerator. They will last for several days. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jan 12, 2007 |
| On your next fishing trip pre-rig an extra rod or two. Be prepared by tying your best lures. When you miss a fish on one lure, you can immediately cast your second rod in the same spot. Even though a fish has been stung moments before, more often than not another strike will occur on a different bait within a few seconds of the miss. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Dec 29, 2006 |
| When adding a tagline to your drop shot try using a foot or more of line for a more weightless freefall. By doing this, you increase the length and distance of a weightless freefall after the fast-falling sinker hits the bottom. And it also helps keep the hook and bait visible and free from snags. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Dec 15, 2006 |
| Clear and cold water doesn’t have to be a difficult obstacle to overcome. Here is a list of things you can do when fishing on winter days.
• Distance yourself from the fish and minimize your presence.
• Use thinner, low-visibility line, remove unnecessary terminal tackle and enhance the sensual appeal of baits and lures.
• Try to fish prime spots with good cover and/or structure, near or in deep water. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Dec 1, 2006 |
| Not all nets are created for the same purpose, and if you plan to release a lot of your fish, a fine mesh net is the route to go. These nets are easier on fish and are less likely to split or damage fins than a larger mesh net would. Promar and other net manufacturers make these types of nets and the cost is relatively inexpensive. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Nov 17, 2006 |
| Improve your fly tackle this spring by cleaning your line before the new season starts. Fill a small tub with lukewarm water, add dishwashing soap and unspool the entire line into the tub. Scrub it gently with a nonabrasive sponge and then rinse it in lukewarm water. Wipe the line dry with a soft cloth before putting it back on your reel, cast and fish on! |
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| FishRap News Edition: Nov 3, 2006 |
| When using bait casting type reels, here are some guidelines to avoiding any backlash.
• Prior to casting keep your line on the spool wet. Keep a spray bottle handy.
• Put your reel in free spool and keep your thumb on the spool to keep from releasing.
• When you’re ready to cast, release your thumb from the spool. Turn your reel upright, in a vertical position instead of horizontal. This will keep your line flowing smoothly.
• Then when your lure or bait touches the water, lightly guide your thumb on the spool letting it fall under a controlled free spool. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Oct 20, 2006 |
| Never use the top of your fingernail to see if a hook is still sharp. The white mark it makes will just tell you your hook is becoming dull. When it’s time to check sharpness, make sure you have an appropriate sized file. Just like a fish, the larger the hook the larger the file should be. You only need to strike the file against each hook about four or five times, and if you need more than 15 strikes it’s time for a new hook. Remember to file in one direction so you don’t dull the hook faster than neccessary. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Oct 6, 2006 |
| Here are some pointers on how to keep your rod and reel in tiptop shape.
• Always rinse your rod and reel with fresh water after every fishing trip.
• Thoroughly lube and clean your reel at least once a year, depending on use. If you can’t do it yourself, have it done by a professional. This will give your reel a longer life.
• When cleaning your reel, remove it from your rod. Spray the reel with WD-40 or something similar. But be sure to use a light spray; the odor can turn a fish off and the chemicals can weaken your line.
• After a long day of fishing, release the pressure on the drag. It will keep your reel in good working order. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Sep 22, 2006 |
| Fishing a pier during or right after a storm can lead to reeling in some big catches. The rough waters break and smash mussels and expose worms and crabs. But, when you’re ready to pull them in, wait a while. Move them away from the seabed and tire them out. During downtime, be sure to tie your rod to the pier railing; small fish can reel it in before you reel them in. Although first and foremost, always practice safety. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Sep 8, 2006 |
| When loading up on sunscreen and bug spray look for fishing-friendly products. Read the labels and make sure the products do not contain harmful chemicals that will damage your fishing lines or even the plastic on your sunglasses. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Aug 25, 2006 |
| What to do, what to do? You’re out of scent for your bait and you’re on a roll. You don’t want to leave and you really don’t have to. All you have to do is use your spit. Yes, spit. There’s something about the smell of human mucus that fish love … Try it yourself. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Aug 11, 2006 |
| When going on a fishing trip, bring along a variety of bait: mackerel, sardines, anchovies or squid, your choice. Try your luck with each bait and see what you catch. Once you get a bite, open up the fish and inspect its stomach. If you find they are eating small baitfish, cut or strip your bait in the same style. How else will you know how they like their meals? |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jul 28, 2006 |
| The most common places to get hooked are the nose, ear, back of the head and fingers. So, watch out for those casts. If you get caught, don’t fret. It happens to the best of us. Here are some tips:
•Wear eye protection such as wrap-around sunglasses.
•Stay clear of someone making a cast.
•Be aware of where your hooks are when casting.
•Always keep a pair of wire-cutting pliers in the tackle box.
•And most important, have a small first-aid kit handy with band-aids, alcohol wipes and Neosporin ointment. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jul 14, 2006 |
| Once in a while, it is a good idea to check if your guides are cracked. If not fixed, they could do some damage to your line or even cost you a catch. What you can do is take some cotton or a piece of stocking and pull it through your guides. They are hard to see with the naked eye, so if the cotton or stocking snags bring in your rod and have it fixed. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jun 30, 2006 |
| With catch and release becoming more popular. Here are some tips:
• Use barbless hooks.
• Land the fish quickly once they’re hooked.
• Keep the fish in the water as much as possible and limit the amount of time they’re handled.
• Handle the fish gently and wet your hands before attempting to remove the hook.
• Take care not to touch their gills. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jun 16, 2006 |
| If you’re a nocturnal angler, here’s a tip for you. Go to your local party supply store and buy those 2-inch glow sticks and some clear scotch tape. Now before you make your cast, tape the glow stick to the tip of your rod making sure not to block the line. So, when that fish is hooked a fan of neon light will catch your attention. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jun 2, 2006 |
| If you don’t already do so, you might want to keep a logbook of the fishing trips you take. It will help you get organized and remember certain lures or locations that could possibly help you catch that record fish. The information you need is:
1. Date.
2. Location.
3. Time started and finished.
4. Weather conditions - cloudy - sunny - raining - snow.
5. Wind direction.
6. Water temperature.
7. Details of fish caught.
8. Where they were caught.
9. What they weighed.
10. Details on the successful lures. |
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| FishRap News Edition: May 19, 2006 |
| You may have never thought of a thermometer as being a useful tool when fishing, but it actually is. Many anglers know that water temperature is crucial when fishing for a specific species and if the temperature is off by even a fraction of a degree, it can change everything. This is also true for bait species. So, carry a thermometer in your tackle box and check the water temperature frequently; you never know: It might help you find your catch. |
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| FishRap News Edition: May 5, 2006 |
| Save your olfactory senses by stuffing an old sock or a pair of panty hose with a piece of charcoal and placing it in your fishboxes, ice chests, bait tanks or even tackle boxes. This will absorb that smell we all dread and it will also protect tightly closed areas from rust by absorbing moisture. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Apr 21, 2006 |
| After casting a weedless lure across pond scum or the tops of lily pads, be sure to keep it moving at a slow, constant pace. Try not to use a stop-and-go retrieve. This gives the bass time to strike at the lure and limits the chance of a missed hook-up.
If you’re ever caught without a scale, here’s a quick way to get a fair estimate of a fish’s weight.
1. Measure the length (in inches) of the fish from the tip of its nose to the fork of its tail.
(LENGTH = 10 in.)
2. Then measure its girth (in inches), around the front of the pectoral fin. (GIRTH = 15 in.)
3. Now take the measurement of its girth and multiple it by itself.
(Example: 15 x 15 = 225)
4. Then you take that number (225) and multiple it by the length of the fish.
(Example: 225 x 10 = 2,250)
5. Now take that number (2,250) and divide it by 800. (Example: 2,250/800 = 2.82 lbs.)
And there you have an approximate weight of your fish. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Apr 20, 2006 |
| Thinking of chartering a boat? Before you do, be sure to do your homework. Spend some time on the Web and compare prices, times and what’s included in the trip. Get on the message boards and ask for other anglers advice and experiences with boats you are considering. Word of mouth can be one of the best forms of advertising and true information. And be sure to figure tips and miscellaneous items into your budget. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Apr 7, 2006 |
| When fishing for most species, especially in deeper water, it’s important to keep winding and ’come tight’ on a fish when you are bit. Monofilament line stretches and having a lot of line out in the water also creates a ’bow’ in the line. Winding until the rod is ’loaded up’ will ensure a solid hook-set. This is not true of braided lines as there is virtually no stretch. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Mar 24, 2006 |
| Stranded fishing line can be a nasty site especially when birds, fish, or other sea creatures get caught in them. The enviro-friendly fishing brand, Berkley provides recycling collection bins at your favorite tackle shop. If you are unable to find participating tackle shops near you, send it directly to: Berkley Recycling Center, 1900 18th Street, Spirit Lake, IA 51360-1099. Help protect your environment and recycle. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Mar 10, 2006 |
| A good option for beginning anglers or anglers who want a softer presentation without having to cast away from the boat when offshore fishing is to “butt-hook” a sardine instead of nose-hooking it. This normally causes the bait to swim down and away from the boat. The only drawback is that the bait will not stay on the hook while retrieving like a nose-hooked bait will. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Feb 24, 2006 |
| When targeting catfish around rocky or nasty structure, it can sometimes be helpful to tie your rig using a three-way swivel. Tie the main line to the top ring, the hook and bait to the middle one, and then the weight on the bottom ring. The trick is to use lighter line test for the weight so if it does get snagged, the weight will be the only part that breaks off and you have a better chance at landing the fish. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Feb 10, 2006 |
| When targeting calico bass at any kelp or structure area, try using a sardine on your first cast. Many times the biggest bulls will slam the sardine and it can produce the biggest fish on the stop. If you don’t get any takers, it’s easy to switch back to anchovies or artificials. Also try a sardine after you have been fishing with the aforementioned baits for a while and no one else has tried using one. This can produce as well when the bass get tired of looking at other baits. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jan 27, 2006 |
| When you know that leaders are going to be involved during your fishing trip, it’s a good idea to pre-tie them before heading out. You can cut the lengths, tie on the hooks and then package them in a plastic bag or a leader holder for easy and quick access on the water. This also makes it a lot quicker to re-rig during a hot bite. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jan 27, 2006 |
| When you know that leaders are going to be involved during your fishing trip, it’s a good idea to pre-tie them before heading out. You can cut the lengths, tie on the hooks and then package them in a plastic bag or a leader holder for easy and quick access on the water. This also makes it a lot quicker to re-rig during a hot bite. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Jan 13, 2006 |
| Storing plastics in some form of scent will heighten the bait’s fishing attraction and overall effectiveness. Scent plays an important role when game fish find and eat their prey. By storing plastics in scents (like Pro Cure or Hot Sauce) it helps to attract more fish, fish usually hold on longer and it also helps to mask foreign odors and the natural smell of the plastic. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Dec 23, 2005 |
| There are some different opinions as to the best way to clean reels after using them in saltwater. Many anglers and tackle shops will say that spraying water directly on a reel is not good and can force water in places it should not go. An alternative is to use Salt-X or some other type of neutralizer. Just put in a spray bottle, spray on reels and wipe down. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Dec 23, 2005 |
| In order to cast better and help decrease the number of backlashes, it is a good idea to let out about half the spool of line behind a moving boat, preferably at a slower speed or while still in the harbor. This helps by straightening out the line and also wets the line, making the line easier to cast. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Dec 9, 2005 |
| It’s a given that line will become worn and torn with normal use. But many times only the first quater or half of line that is affected. To save a little bit of money, you can take off the first 100 to 150 affected yards and then just add a “top-shot” of fresh line. It will depend on the situation, but this works great and can be used with braided or mono lines. |
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| FishRap News Edition: Nov 25, 2005 |
| For safety reasons, it best to place a hook on the back portion of the reel when in transit, especially on a sport boat. This keeps it out of the way and helps to prevent someone from accidentally being hooked as they walk by. Placing the hook on one of the eyes can cause some serious pain if an angler reaches for a rod and grabs the eye that the hook is attached too. |
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