How to Land and Release a Trout

Trout are great little fighters. Hauling in a big Brown Trout can sometimes feel like hauling in a monster carp, Rainbow trout will surprise with rod-bending runs and acrobatics. Given their active nature and their surprising strength many fishermen forget that they're dealing with an animal that is actually very fragile when removed from its environment. These same anglers may go on to release a trout and feel satisfied with a job well done; never see the poor fish die later from mishandling or oxygen deprivation. With a few simple precautions and techniques, however, this need never happen.

Properly handling a trout begins before your bait ever touches its lips. One of the first things an angler can do to protect trout is to de-barb his hooks. This is simply a matter of bending the barbs down with a pair of hemostats or fishing pliers. Barbs don't add appreciably to the ability to catch fish, but do add to the damage of removal. As a matter of fact, you may actually see your catch rates go up as setting the hook becomes easier. Armed with de-barbed hooks you're ready to go to the next step and learn how to properly land a trout.

Bring the trout to shore or to your hip (if wading) without removing it from the water. One thing to avoid is dangling the trout from your line in mid-air. This can damage the fish and cause it stress from which it may not recover. Instead, land the fish with a net designed for trout. If you must land it by hand cradle one hand underneath the trout and stabilize it with the other. Remove the hook carefully, use hemostats if necessary. If the hook just wont come out then clip it off and let the trout go with it, he'll get rid of it eventually.

Finally, try not to keep the trout out of the water for more than 45 to 50 seconds. Remember that the trout is delicate, its skin is covered with a thin "film" that protects it from injury and should not be abrased. When you place him back revive him by cradling the trout in the water with your cupped hand. Hold the tail with your other hand and move it (the trout) back and forth in the water. When the fish kicks free with a strong motion you'll know it's revived...don't let it go to soon to roll on it's back and drown. If you learn to do this correctly don not be surprised to run into the same fish several times over the coming years.

Some streams are stocked and taking the fish for your table is actually encouraged. It's important to know the applicable regulations for your favorite stream or lake. If you're fishing a catch and release only stream then these simple guidelines should guarantee you and your fellow anglers a healthy supply of trout every time you go fishing. As always, leave no trace and if you see litter pick it up.

Jeffrey Gray, founder of TroutWorld.com, has been helping trout fishermen find their way to new and different fishing venues via the internet since 1999.
www.troutworld.com -- bringing you great deals on gear, trout fishing news, tips, tricks and a world of information.
www.MagnaScreen.com -- The SUV camping solution: Turn your SUV into a tent.

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Catching Fish Advice And Tips

I have been fishing for over forty years both fresh water and at sea where I for many years owned and skippered a charter fishing boat. All fishermen are the same, no matter how many fish they catch it's always the same story, why did I not catch more or bigger fish. Maybe it would help to rectify this by remembering the following tips.

Tackle

Today there is a huge selection available for every kind of fishing and most of the top brands extremely expensive. This does not mean that you cannot catch plenty of good quality fish without spending a fortune.

Decide on the type of fishing you want to pursue and kit yourself out accordingly within your budget but don't expect you can use your fresh water tackle for sea fishing or vice versa. Ensure you have all that's necessary, carry out a regular inventory of your tackle box and obviously maintain all your tackle as new. One important piece of equipment that so many overlook is a good quality stainless steal and very sharp knife.

Also included in your tackle box should be a reasonable size first aid kit including protective sun cream especially if sea angling.

Weather

Whether to go or not to go? If sea fishing it's obviously up to the skipper to decide if conditions are suitable but it is also your choice. If it is your first experience of sea fishing and it is blowing a force four or more do not go, it could put you off sea angling for life. So many times have I had fishermen turn up for a trip and when I warned them it was going to be rough and advised those not experienced to cancel, had them tell me,"No problem we have fished in rough weather many times" only for half of them to be begging me to take them back within an hour. It is unfair to the others on board if you go on a trip without being 90% sure you will not get seasick.
The weather also effects the fishing, the old fishermen's saying, "The east wind doth blow, no fish will show" has a lot of truth in it from my experience. I have found the most productive days to be overcast with a light to moderate wind. Cloudless totally calm days while a pleasure to be at sea are not always so good for the fishing.

For fresh water fishing weather is also a factor, again those cloudless hot days seem to put the fish to sleep whereas a nice breeze and slightly overcast sky is better. Wet days are also good although not pleasant for the angler, but I have had some of my best catches in these conditions. Try also to fish with the wind in your face providing it is not too strong to prevent casting. During the summer the water warms up and fish seek deeper cooler water so a nice deep pool under the shade of some trees should be a good choice.

Attire and Approach

Remember above all you are a hunter, so dress and act accordingly. A suitably camouflaged and waterproof set of clothes is essential for the fresh water angler and stealth must be used when approaching your swim. If you see other anglers who are on a day out with the family keep well away as for sure they will be making a lot of noise.

When netting your catch place your landing net in the water and bring the fish to the net and try to avoid letting the fish thrash around on the surface. When replacing the fish do so very gently, don't just toss it back as I have seen so many anglers do which can not only harm the fish but will certainly disturb any nearby feeding on your ground bait.

For the sea angler clothing is vitally important although camouflage is not so important it must be of good enough quality to keep you warm and dry without being too bulky. Beware of the sun, it never seems so hot at sea but believe me you burn quicker. If you must expose you lilly white body make sure you apply adequate and high factor cream. The wind will burn your face and can chap your lips so a large brimmed hat is a good idea plus some lip salve.

While at sea keep the noise to a minimum, you should be wearing soft soled waterproof boots. Avoid banging the lid of your tackle box shut, letting your rod bang against the side of the boat, dropping you can of drink on the deck, etc. I remember one skipper who threatened to throw anyone who whistled while on his boat, into the sea. He called it "Whistling up the wind"
There is only one time you need to cast while boat fishing and that is for spinning but ask the skippers permission first because this is dangerous to other anglers.. I always insisted that only one angler be allowed to spin and that had to be done from the fore deck away from the other anglers.

One good tip about fishing from a boat, always try and fish from the stern, you are less likely to get tangled up with other anglers lines and from my experience anglers in this position catch more fish. Maybe it's because the experienced anglers always go for this spot!

Bait.

It goes without saying that bait and ground bait needs to be of the best quality and fresh. For the sea angler a good skipper will have a supply of bait but will also try and catch some fresh mackerel or sand eels etc. while on the way to his selected mark.
The fresh water angler must decide on the bait to be used and ensure he has a sufficient supply. Nothing is more infuriating than to run out of a bait that is constantly catching fish.
Ground bait too must be fresh, no good expecting to use last weeks left- overs.
While ground baiting or attaching bait to the hook, ensure your hands are clean, not coated in sun cream or anything else that will spoil the bait. If you are a smoker wipe your hands thoroughly before handling either the ground bait or the hook bait, a good idea is to rub them in the grass or soil, if on a boat in the sea.

Conservation.

Fishing is, in regard to numbers participating, the biggest sport in the world with millions fishing every day. It should be obvious that it is vital to conserve the fish stock, whether it be sea fish a fresh water. Most sea fish are good to eat but what is the point in keeping and killing more than one can eat and it is criminal to kill undersize fish.

While fishing in Darwin a couple of years ago I was delighted to learn that all the charter boats now operate a policy of catch and return. All the boats have an adequate fish tank to keep alive enough fish till the end of the day when the anglers can choose the ones they are going to eat that evening, the rest being returned. Any fish too big for the tank are weighed and photographed and returned immediately. Gone are the days when anglers came ashore with the days catch to be strung up and photographed.

Fresh water anglers should have a keep net big enough to allow the fish to be returned unharmed at the end of the session but unless you are competition fishing it is better to weigh and photograph your fish and return immediately.

Conclusion.

I hope you have found my article informative or at least given you food for thought. If you would like more information, advice and sources for where to go for fishing holidays, where to buy good tackle, bait etc. etc. please join my newsletter and immediately receive for free a forty year old proven method to catch fish without fishing, they actually catch themselves.

Good Fishing

http://www.carpfinder.com

The author was the first to set up and operate a charter fishing business in Jersey in the late 1960's/70's. "Phils Angling Charters" Over forty years experience of both fresh water and sea angling.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_Ringsdore

What to Expect From a Montana Fishing Guide

"Big Sky Country" and "Land of the Shining Mountains" are just two of several monikers that Montana has always been known for, and righteously so. This awesome state offers just what its nicknames advertise: vast tracts of the great blue sky, unimpeded by towering skyscrapers; rocky mountain ranges that stretch majestically into infinity, and most importantly, one of its many hidden treasures - the art and pleasure of fishing.

With plenty of water welling up from its great Rocky Mountains and flowing down into swift little creeks and mighty rivers, Montana offers plenty of game for fly-fishing buffs.

The sport, which is ever growing in popularity, attracts enthusiasts from all over the state as well as out-of-towners, and while it is to be expected that the locals know their way around like the back of their hands, those who are new to the area require guidance in navigating the challenging waterways of Montana's fly-fishing paradise.

Fly Fishing Guides

To address the need for some fishing guidance in Montana's great rivers expressed by many fishing enthusiasts, novice and expert alike, many businesses have been put up to do precisely that. All over Montana, there are plenty of fishing guides and outfitting companies that offer a wide variety of fishing services that range from arranged fishing tours to giving fishing technique advice as well as provision of fishing gear and equipment.

All of these services can be expected of a typical fly-fishing company, and most will probably offer variations of these benefits. Some additional come-ons for potential clients include board and lodging, as well as other outdoor activities like camping, hiking and horseback riding.

What to Expect

Fishing guides in Montana are among the most knowledgeable and the most experienced fly fishers around. As such, the guides are the very foundations of the state's fly fishing industry. Typically, a Montana fishing guide will be able to take you on guided fishing tours and show you the best spots in the best rivers from which to fish on. Some of the classic fly fishing rivers in Montana include the Gallatin, Yellowstone, and Madison. Most of them will also be able to offer advice not just on the best fishing areas, but also on how to go about fly-fishing.

They will be able to share a variety of tips, tricks and techniques that will surely enlighten the fishing mind - something that is especially helpful for beginners who want to learn more about the sport and are just starting out on their own forays into this exhilarating experience.

Fishing guides are also essentially tour guides. The great ones will be able to share extensive knowledge about fly fishing as well as stories about the many rivers of Montana, the state itself and tidbits of trivia and history that will make anyone's fly-fishing adventure a memorable experience.

Finally, fishing guides in Montana, precisely because of their knowledge and expertise should be able to keep you and your fishing party safe and in secure fishing territory. This ensures that those who signed up for a great fishing adventure get exactly what they ask for - no more, no less.

Get lots more information on Montana fishing guides, lodges, and resorts at http://www.MontanaFishingToday.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Kay

How To Correctly Choose The Right Fishing Tackle

I recently had a conversation with "wonder bread boy" about a serious dilemma he was having.

It seems that he has misplaced, lost or surrendered, to his ex, the bulk of his fishing gear.

Now, this alone is a monumental problem in itself, not the lost or misplaced part, but the trying to ask your ex for something that means absolutely nothing to her but would certainly open up a humongous can of nightcrawlers should you attempt to ask for it back...

"Hi sweet."

"Oh, it's YOU."

"How ya been?"

"Cut the chit chat wonder boy, what is it you want?"

"Well,(gulp) it seems-snookums- that when you tossed me out into the street and took legal ownership of all my bank accounts and left me with little or nothing to subsist on in this world, I, silly me, forgot to grab my fishing pole on the way out."

"You want your fishing pole back?"

"Ahh yeah."

"Sure, you can have it back, it's out in the garage."

"REALLY!"

"Yes, I have it all boxed up in that nice little shoebox, labeled @#$&*@#!!+, it's all yours."

"Oh."---"Never mind."

"By the way, my lawyer will be contacting you about increasing monthly child support, cars don't drive themselves without gas you know. Have a NICE day...."

So, as you can see, not willing to risk the ramifications, wonder bread boy was suddenly thrust into the market of having to go find some new fishing gear.

Here in lies the real problem.

WBB sidled on down to our local giant cowbird-which happens to be the Blackbird Sporting Goods store--and walked in looking to replace his spin fishing outfits. Finding replacements for the kids was easy, he just grabbed Scooby and Spiderman combo outfits and knew that the kids would settle who was qualified to be Scooby and who was qualified to be Spiderman.

Finding the right combo for himself was another story.

So, there he stood in the middle of the aisle, staring with that "deer in the headlight look", at dozens of rods and reels that he had not a clue as to which to choose from. Shimano's, Okuma's, Mitchell's, Abu Garcia's, Shakespeare's, Penn's, gear ratio's, ultralight's,micro's,Ugly Stik's,Daiwa's, two piece, three piece, sensitive tip, ultimate stiffness, Maxim's,Quantum's....WHEW!!

"I just want to catch some flippin' crappies."

Wonder Bread Boy, turned and headed for the checkstand. The boys got there rods, and WBB decided he would bait hooks and watch them fish.

All this over stimulation and multitude of choices had him reaching back far into his neanderthal tendencies, and he almost went home and tied some kite string onto a flagpole. Thinking that $70 or $80 was too much to invest, especially in "crappie futures", he figured he would fashion up a nice "fishing stick" to pursue fish and avoid the trauma of having to decide which combo was right for him.

It has gotten that way.

Fishing, like golf or skiing or just about any sport has gotten way to specialized and seems to require multiple quivers of gear for different situations. You can't use bass gear for trout.You have to have "lake fishing" set ups, "river fishing" set ups, trolling rods, casting rods.If you want want to have more fun with 9 inch fish, you have to go "light". Level winds for salmon. Fly fishing gear for "fly only" waters.You get the picture.

It's maddening as well as intimidating.

I myself, own a small satellite operation of Cabela's aka "my playroom", that will take my daughter at least two years to liquidate when I pass on to the big fishing pond in the sky. At last count I had fifteen various rods, and way too many reels and extra spools and such. Why I even found a reel I can't even remember purchasing....STILL IN THE BOX!!!!!

My gosh, I must be like a sleepwalker who wanders into the fishing aisles and starts gathering up items, only to wake up and not have a clue as to 'how did that sturgeon fishing rod got in my garage'!!

I've never even been sturgeon fishing.

We won't even get into the six or seven tackle "tubs"--not boxes--of lures, flies,trolling rigs, vests, waders, nets, flippers,attractants, baits,and yes dehydrated nightcrawlers, that have found their way into my fishing arsenal in over 40 years of fishing.

Lord knows, that if the nightcrawler should ever go extinct, there is plenty of DNA in my fishing tub to bring 'em back into existence!!

All that being said, I am now going to try and simplify your life by giving you three simple rules to go by when choosing your fishing gear:

1) Pick your fish species of choice.

Don't try to outfit yourself with every type of fishing gear. If trout and bass are the predominant type of fishing you do, then get a good combo outfit that is adequate for both. The same goes for salmon and steelhead, if these are the fish of choice, outfit yourself with a good middle of the road combination that will allow you to fish for both. Quite honestly, if you only occasionally go fishing for a certain type of fish--hire a guide and use his gear, or if you are a do it yourself guy, borrow and share with buddies who may have multiple outfits.(Like me!!)

Don't get me wrong. Different types of fishing really can be enhanced and improved by having slightly more specialized gear and if you decide that you have plenty of expendable income... go for it. But if you don't, it is just best to decide what kind of fish you really enjoy fishing for.

2) Stay to the middle.

The old rule of thumb, that you don't want to buy the least expensive and you don't want to buy the most expensive, certainly applies to fishing gear. If you buy your fishing gear at the "dollar store" or the Salvation Army, you are probably going to get what you pay for. On the other hand, don't be sucked in by the glossy ads and goofy graphs and bar charts that show why an extra $120 dollars spent on the same $60 dollar product will have you smiling and holding a mass quantity of big fish. I have seen plenty of good fishermen using good average run of the mill gear, catching as many, or out catching dudes with high priced fancy outfits.
I have sat in sporting good stores and had salesmen tell me how "sweet" this rod or that reel is and asked me to wiggle it around, then when I picked up a cheaper rod or reel and not felt any difference they looked at me like I was from Mars.
Most brand name gear today is made pretty well, so you can just pick ---the pretty one!!

3)Don't scrimp on the fishing line.

To me, in just about any kind of fishing, this is a big key. Get the right line, and get good quality. Whether it is having the right type of fly line, or the right test of monofilament, you will catch more fish if you pay attention to the selection of your lines. Too heavy, and fish will sit there staring at your line like WBB stares at aisle 32 at the Blackbird.

Use floating line when you should sink. Or sinking line when you should float. And you will have a nice day casting and/or walking on the river or lake.

I once used a fishing line called "Vanish",that was supposed to be the greatest thing since....well....Wonder Bread, and the only thing that "vanished" was the fish I was catching. Every fish I hooked broke me off. I switched lines and started to land fish after that. So that line has now "vanished" from my tackle collection and is now occupying some space at a landfill.

...And vanishing from my tackle collection is obviously no small feat!

So, get the right line and you can almost tie it on WBB's flagpole and catch fish. (with hook and bait of course...)

There you have it, Wonder Bread Boy, you are now armed with enough information to head into your local sporting goods store and confidently make a selection, so you can fish with your kids.

Or, you can wait about 30 years and pick up a nice collection of stuff at my daughters' garage sale!

A.J. Klott

Author, writer of fishing humor,and "fly tack" peddler.A.J. writes about the people,characters and modern day events that surround the fishing world. His first book is due out in December of 2005. If you need a laugh or a fun gift, visit his website at: http://www.twoguyswithflys.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=A.J._Klott

Great Fishing Close to Home and No Skunks!

Some of the greatest fishing in the world, is available within a mile or two away any where in the US! Many anglers miss out because their gear is too big and not sensitive enough to show them bites. Fish feed in a delicate fashion 90% of the time. In order to catch them, you need to change your ways. If you do, you can be rewarded with 500 fish in 4 hours- my record is 512.

To get in on this action, you will need a few items and, you will need to get rid of a
few old items you may be used to. It might help the reader to know that until the
Spring of 2000, I was a big game fisherman with a box full of lures and plenty of
spinning gear as my main tools for catching fish. Everything changed about the way
I fish, especially the fact that I actually caught fish, every time out. I still have not
been "skunked" since changing my ways. By the way, it's a good thing we don't
smell like a skunk when we don't catch anything as a group of anglers, otherwise
our families would know for sure how miserable a fishing day we had. Getting
"skunked" (catching no fish) stinks!

There is no need to be skunked, if you follow a couple of fishing basics and
transform your gear for local waters (instead of our tackle being based on Florida
bass or Kentucky crappie or Wisconsin Muskie. Even the "ultra light" spinning gear
we are accustomed to using as a standard for local fishing is cutting down on our
catches! Most anglers in the US have never truly fished "ultra" light. Years ago I
changed my gear and I caught sacks full of fish all summer and for the first time in
my fishing career, caught fish into very late fall! I never knew that fish would feed in
late November and early December on open water!

I will give you two examples of having a blast catching fish vs. casting at them.

At a 4th of July picnic on a small pond in suburban Chicago, I was fishing with my
30 foot pole while a pack of kids nearby were busy throwing a bass jig connected
to a 2.5 inch bobber (way too big) at a weed bed extending 4 ft. out into the lake
from the edge. Their problem was simple. They couldn't cast well with the short
"kids" rod and closed face reels. Their giant bobber was not giving them any
indication of bites and the bass jig was too big to fit in any of the nearby fish's
mouths. Their 10 lb. line was like a cable being seen by even the aggressive fish in
the area approaching this rig (read- avoiding). When the rig was actually wet,
because these kids could not get the thing into the water near the fish because of
tangles and weeds on the jig head, it was not catching fish. Their "casts" couldn't
get the lure/giant bobber combo past the 6-foot wide weedy edge.

I fixed that problem by putting down my pole and setting up my shortest 7 ft.
graphite telescopic "pole" with a delicate float (the size of an pencil eraser) with 1.5
lb. line leader attached to a siz #14 hook and baited it with a tiny grub. I handed the
pole to the first kid and she caught a chubby blue gill within 5 seconds. With this
non-mechanized fishing pole there was nothing to getting the bait just 6 feet out,
past the weed bed. The kids could easily put the bait in front of the fish. As for the
fish, they could easily pull under the tiny natural bait with the small hook and the
float, which was about 1/30th the size of the bobber. The sensitive rig picked up on
the fish sucking in the tiny bait immediately so the kids could react.

Sure, I had to stop fishing for a while, but I had a blast with this pack of 6 kids. My
newly adopted friends were out-fishing the guys with spinning gear working around
the pond 40:1 !

The reason most kids don't catch is those short little "kid's" rods. Kids rods come
with the Mouse on the box, wrapped in plastic as one unit and are way too short.
The closed face reels are not bad, but the short rods require a giant 55-gallon drum
bobber which are often sold with these kits. Every angler in America should own and
use a cane pole to fish with! A pole with no reel!

On another day that summer, with nothing more than the cane pole, I won the 1st
day of the U.S. Open with a top weight of 19.75 lb. of blue gill caught in 4 hours.
The answer to this victory was the simplicity of my rig and the size of my line using
a tiny hook. By using this cane pole (really composed of graphite) I was able to fish
quickly for blue gill that were in front of me. The conditions that day had them
feeding in past the first break of the shoreline and were only 8 inches of water. My
rig allowed me to get the bait out to the fish easily, accurately and quickly. Most of
the other anglers in the match were fishing much farther out. My neighbor had a 60
foot pole!!! He was 58 feet past the fish with his expensive gear and I crushed his
weight by 83% using little more than what Huck Finn used -- a cane pole. Some
competitors were even casting far out into the lake some 70 yards away. On this
day, AS MOST DAYS IN OUR LOCAL LAKES, the plentiful smaller fish caught in great
number, will offer you success as an angler.

I would brag even more about that U.S. Open, but my teacher Hall of Fame Angler-
Mick Thill, came from behind and crushed me in day 2 to win the tournament
overall, I finished 2nd.

Here are details on setting up to fish for most every fish in your local ponds. Follow
these (8) steps and you will have a pan fish blast of your own.

1. Consult local bait store owner.

They will give you great information on local ponds and you should be able to buy
some floats, and the rest of your gear below. While not every store owner is great
for information, most can get you to good fishing spots. To start,find waters with
panfish. Panfish are abundant and for the most part active. This will provide you
with a chance to catch fish.

2. Throw out your bobbers and purchase a couple small floats.

Bobbers are no good. Red and white are the worst. Throw them out or save them as
museum pieces. America is about to find out what the rest of the world has known
for 2,000 years. Floats catch fish. Even if you must cast larger float, a properly
balanced float will crush a round bobber every day. Slip bobbers are not as good as
floats either. This is because the line comes out the top in a slip float and catches
wind, current messing up the presentation.

3. Get some good fishing line

6 lb. test is overkill for pond fishing. Use 4 lb. with an even lighter 4 - 6" leader line
to the hook. If a fish feels the line, they are gone. If the fish sees the line, they are
gone. Your leader should be 2 lb.!
Fish feed by sucking their feed in with water. If the line is heavy, it gets sucked in
slower. Most of the time, heavy line is just spit back out. Fish can spit a poor
presentation out faster than you can see your float move up on the surface! With
heavy line, you can miss hundreds of fish bites each time out!! In the World
Championships- I fished with line that is 1/8th the thickness of U.S. 2 lb. line!

4. Get some small, SMALL hooks

Size #12 should be one of the biggest hooks you ever use! If the majority of you
checked your tackle box, I am sure that some 90% of you don't own a hook this
small! A big hook will kill your fishing! Kill it. Take a look at the nail on your pinky
finger. That is about as long as your hook should be or smaller. (Ask your bait store
owner or check out mickthill.com for these hooks) MOST MAJOR CHAINS DO NOT
CARRY THESE HOOKS. Some aren't interested in you catching fish, just buying stuff.
They are quite happy selling a bunch of giant bass hooks, because that is what you
have been buying!!! As we ask for proper equipment, the stores will change and
offer us great selection. You may find these hooks in fly fishing sections of big
stores but you can ask your local dealer to special order them. Size #14 or #16
hooks are perfect. If you are wondering, I have landed a 9 lb. walleye on a size #14
hook with small leech.

5. Get some small bait

Again, the thumbnail on your pinky finger is probably the biggest bait you should
use. There are times the fish only want 1 maggot (spikes) on a tiny #16 hook. Even
the big gills will not take 2 or 3 spikes as readily as they would 1 tiny piece of bait,
this is especially true in early Spring, late Fall and after cold rains. Same would go
for worms. Sometimes using a tiny cut piece will give you success. Only the fish will
tell you. Lastly- big fish eat small bait! I have caught 15 lb. fish on a piece of crawler
the size of my small fingernail.

6. Get a cane pole or telescopic pole

I have landed a 3.5 lb. fish so far on the cane pole with 2 lb. line. We call them
"whips" and some call them crappie poles. I plan on landing bigger fish than that,
but the greatest number of fish are best caught in our local ponds using a whip and
tiny delicate floats with small baits. The whip will deliver the bait out to the exact
spot you need to lower your bait. This could be a drop-off, rock edge, gravel edge
or weed edge. You can hit the exact spot every time! No missed casts. No birds
nests. Once you find the fish, you can put the bait back in with the whip in the spot
where the fish are. Whips vary in length from 6 ft. to 25 feet (longer if you find pro
versions).

7. Balance Your Setup

Good shot is essential to this setup. The bite indicator (float you use) should be the
smallest you can find. Take your line, rig this float up and then using a bucket of
water to add split shot below the rig until your float is nearly sunk. It should be 95%
below the water if you have the right amount of shot on it. 75% of that shot goes
right under the float. Take a few small shot and this will go close to the hook. The
best shot is Anchor brand split shot! This is premium splitshot that will stay on the
line better and not slide around on you. It also tangles much less than the brand
with the wings on it- round shot is best.
Correctly balance your tiny float on thin line with a small hook and you will have
created a very efficient fish-catching machine! When your bait is on the hook, float
in the water- the bait should sink the float a little. When the rig is properly balanced
with bait on it- the slightest movement will show above water for you to see. If you
have too much float tip sticking up- you will not see the bites!

8. Catch (and release) bags full of fish

You will need a keep net for the water if you want to have some fun. Seeing how
many you can catch is all the fun. There is nothing like pulling a bag with 100 fish
out to show people what fishing is all about. If you want to fish in a local club
competition, the net is also required to keep the fish you catch for weight of your
total catch. Keeping some medium sized fish and returning the largest fish is the
way to improve your lake. If you take all the big fish, they won't be in there next
time you go fishing. If you take the medium sized fish, the bigger fish will get even
bigger! It is essential that you release large fish to keep the bloodlines breeding and
ensure future fishing on your lake!

9. Teach a kid to fish and take them fishing

With a cane pole and the basics, kids can have a blast! If we don't take our kids
fishing, and above all, show them a good time, our sport will fade. Improving our
sport brings better fishing programs, cleaner local waters and education on
preserving our environment for kids. We need kids to care about their local world
and taking them fishing for bluegills is the absolute best way to show them a good
time. Incidentally, there is nothing wrong with catfish, golden roach shiners,
bullheads, carp or bass as any fish gives the kids just as much fun. Any fish they
catch will be a blast on a whip.

Who knows, you might even get hooked on pole fishing. I did.

As an angler, is our time best spent casting all day, or catching fish? Certain
situations will require spinning gear, a very long rod and casting, but for the
greatest number of situations in our local ponds and lakes the reel-less pole will
outperform casting gear sometimes by more than 200% and up. I mean, take a look
across the pond at spin casters sitting fishless and you destroying them with a pole-
that is the goal! Or should I say whipping them!

Angler Magazine Writer- John Wilkins
www.MidwestAngler.com
john@midwestangler.com

John Wilkins has fished on the US Fishing Team competing at the highest levels of fishing in Europe, Canada, China & the United States. He has fished in 2 World Championships and has educated anglers on the basics of fishing urban waters. His teacher is angling legend and Hall of Famer Mick Thill. John's top catch is 512 fish in a 4-hour competition and top finish is second in the US Open Championships in 2000.

Visit http://www.midwestangler.com for more tips & info. as well as a complete listing of US Fishing Clubs- the best place to learn is in a club.

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