Getting on First Name Terms with Bass Fishing Lures

The black bass family of fish, are sought after by freshwater anglers everywhere as great game fish. These are the official sport fish of the state of Tennessee. Bass happen to be fish that have a voracious appetite. Bass fishing can be the exciting; but nothing annoys experienced and capable anglers as much as inexperienced fishers who don't appear familiar with the tools of the trade - chief among which would be the right bass fishing lures.

In general, you need different lures for smallmouth and largemouth bass. For the most part, the same kind should work all across the bass family. You do probably want to change the size of the morsel you use for fish of different sizes. What would a largemouth bass do with a tiny morsel anyway?

When it comes to bass fishing lures, the jitterbug happens to have a great popular following - not least because it happens to be very effective as a lure. Jitterbugs have a way of attracting attention to themselves with a struggling and gurgling motion. In quiet waters, jitterbugs can be the best bass fishing lures, drawing fish in from quite a distance. You just need to be careful to not disturb the water too much with your casting.

Spinnerbait is designed to mimic live bait fish. It can be very effective too - especially when it is matched to the fish you’re after with the right shape and size. The smaller models can be very quick for smallmouth bass.

The Kicktail minnow isn't a very popular choice among bass anglers. But it should be. It makes for a very effective kind of baitfish imitation. To a bass fish swimming around, this looks like a real live fish beggng to be eaten.

Any fisherman interested in smallmouth bass should really try jigs before anything else. They happen to be supremely effective and inexpensive as well. They can be a very versatile kind of lure - ruthlessly drawing smallmouth bass in in the most dependable fashion in every kind of waters. Most fishing supplies stores will sell these in kits of mixed sizes.

Surface baits, also called topwater lures, can be pretty unbeatable when you're trying to catch smallmouth bass. They can make for some pretty lively times when you're fishing in shallow waters. Smallmouth bass have a certain way of biting. They jump out of the water in their enthusiasm for the bait. They can be particularly rewarding bass fishing lures to work with.

Flounder Fishing Tips And Tricks

The tasty flounder is a great sport fish you can target in Rhode Island waters. Every day during the summer hundreds of boats are out there targeting this great fish. By following a few tips you can become a better flounder fisherman. Summer flounder are a funny-looking brownish fish with a totally white underside. They have two eyes on one side of their head and swim with the eyes upward, tending to cruise along the bottom, not moving to far away from it. They cruise about 1-3 feet off the bottom looking for something to eat, usually using the current from the tides to cover ground. Often they will spook some small life form as they approach, and a small puff of mud or motion is sent into the water which attracts the flounder to that area and he will pounce on the poor creature. This habit is the one we exploit when fishing for them.

Ok, so you want to find some flounder. Well, they aren’t always in the same place. As the season progresses, you have to go deeper and deeper to find them. Sometimes they move east or west with the tide. They prefer sandy bottoms, so these are where you want to be and you always drift for them. Never spend more than 15 minutes on a drift when searching, that is the point many anglers don’t understand, keep moving until you find a good drift where you catch 4 or more fish. Then keep doing that drift until it no longer produces well. Sometimes I may move 10 times before finding them. If the drift is slow, the flounder fishing will be slow. If the drift is too fast, either slow the boat down with a drift sock or sea anchor, or give it up.

Onward to rigs and methods. A typical flounder rig uses a 3-way swivel with sinker snap and a 30” leader with some kind of fluke rig attached. It can be as simple as a bare hook, or very elaborate with spinners, small squids and beads, etc. The sinker is important, as you need to have your rig on the bottom to catch these fish. The rig itself, well usually a simple green squid and a spinner blade works pretty well. Catching colors can change, and size of the spinner blade. But a bare hook doesn’t always work that well. Of course, we always put bait on the hook. It might be squid, smelts, peanut bunker, or strips of flounder belly. Depends on what is working that day. Squid is usually a good bet to bring. Cut it into long strips and hook it a couple times before putting it down. Now, as for sinker weight, use the smallest sinker that will keep your rig on the bottom, so you can jig it. The rig should always be jigged, never let it drag on the bottom. A gentle jigging, lifting the rod tip no more than 12” and back down till you feel the sinker hit the bottom. Down below, what happens is your rig is moving as the boat moves along, and each time the sinker hits the bottom, it makes a noise and a puff of sand or mud. This noise and puff of mud attracts the attention of the flounder, and the bait on the hook tastes good. This is what brings them in.

Now, on to hooking the fish. The big mistake I see here is everyone wants to haul back quickly as soon as they feel a hit. This is a bad idea, as the flounder typically grabs the end of the bait away from the hook. So when you jerk the rod, it pulls the bait out of his mouth, or off the hook. The trick is to lift the rod tip slowly until he is hooked or lets go of the bait. Once he is hooked, then you can proceed with reeling him in. Use a light tip rod, a rod with a heavy tip makes it hard to feel the hits and hard to tell when you’ve hooked the fish. Put two anglers side-by-side, one with a heavy rod, and the other with a light rod. The angler with the light rod will out fish the one with the heavier rod every time, given the same level of skill.

If you want to catch big ones, put on a big bait and be patient.

So if you follow some of these points you’ll be rewarded with more flounder in the boat.

Fishing With GPS

In this day and age, you would be hard pressed to find a fishing boat without some sort of fish finding device. GPS devices have become the latest in technology and water safety when it comes to fishing. They are used as a means of navigation and a way to mark your spot so that you can find it again in the future.

A GPS is a Global Positioning System that is made primarily for navigational purposes. They work off a network of satellites that are placed into orbit by the United States Government. The best part about a GPS system is that because they operate off satellite, they can be used in any weather conditions at any hour of the day.

The satellites will circle the earth twice during the day and transmit signal information to Earth. The signals can then be used to calculate the user's exact location by implementing triangulation and pinpointing exact spots. Triangulation means that the GPS receiver must be locked into three spots before a calculation of longitude and latitude can be displayed. After the satellites have mapped the location, the GPS can narrow in on other satellites for useful information such as speed, track, trip distance, destination distance and sunrise or sunset times.

The accuracy of the GPS system is very acute because of the multi-channel designs that are available. A GPS will lock onto a satellite and maintain that lock through one of their channels. A GPS fish finder is accurate up to fifteen meters while the newer models increase in accuracy up to three meters.

There are many benefits to investing in a GPS and people are using GPS more regularly and relying on them more than the more traditional ways of navigation such as maps and charts. If you have plot points that you have saved on a GPS, you may be able to save time and frustration on the open seas by going directly to the location that had the fish the last time you went out. Another advantage to the GPS is that it can detect hot fishing spots that may not be detected by older maps or charts. In addition, if you find a perfect fishing spot, you can share it with a friend when you go fishing on another boat.

GPS systems are also a great safety tool when you are out on the water. Many times, especially if there are many people socializing on a boat, it can be easy to lose concentration. People will easily be turned around or lost and a GPS is an easy tool to use to find your way back home. You can also use a GPS system if there is unexpected bad weather such as fog or heavy rain. GPS systems are also equipped with mapping software that makes it easier to find a dock. The GPS is so accurate that it is able to communicate exact positions to the Coast Guard or rescue crew if an emergency arises.

You can purchase a handheld GPS online or at your local marine or boating store. Ask a salesperson to help explain the different features and costs for the varying models. If you decide to purchase your boat from a dealer, you will need a built-in GPS. Your local boat supplier will be able to give you a reference to someone who can properly install your electronics.

You should never rely on just one navigation tool when you are fishing. A GPS seems to cover all of the bases, but it is still a computerized tool. You should always be proactive about your safety and always have marine maps and charts onboard at all times. You should also have a handheld radio handy in case of emergencies.