How to Choose a Perfect Hook

 By Allan Simons

     Fishing hooks come in many sizes and types and it is only natural for us to be a little confused when it comes to selecting a few from the vast range displayed in front of us. We must however ask ourselves a few questions- what size of hook we need, what is the job at hand and is the best in our budget. Fishing hooks depends on the size of the fish; the smaller the fish the smaller the hook should be. The line, the bait, fish species and more determine the ideal size. It is not always fish luck that the guy next to you is getting more fish than you are; a correct choice of hook has a role to play in this regard.

     When it comes to sizes, the smallest to the largest hooks are like this: 32, 30, 28, 26, 24, 22, 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 11, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0, 9/0, 10/0, 11/0, 12/0, 13/0, 14/0, 15/0, 16/0, 17/0, 18/0, and 19/0. If you do not have the appropriate hook for your kind of fish, it will not do any good.

     Apart from the size of the hook, the type also determines whether you will catch a particular fish with that hook or not. One of the most versatile and the cheapest is the most commonly used limerick hooks. A tarpon is also a similar looking hook, only stronger. Beaked hook is also another commonly used fishing tool that has an out turned eye. Tuna circles are wide gapped hooks are also quite popular. These above mentioned hooks are generally used in oceans. Anglers also prefer bait holder hook best, as it has two barbs on the shank that keep the worm or the prawn from slipping down.

     Fishing lines also make an important factor in deciding what type of hook you should be using. Matching the hook size, the type of fish and the line size will give you the desired result. A balance must be maintained when you are trying to land a big fish on light tackle. Ever wondered why your bait keeps falling off the hook? It is because you are not using the correct one. The hook has to be large enough to be able to hold the bait and the fish, yet small enough not to hide the bait.

     It takes time to get the right hook-right fish combination work. While selecting, be sure that you cannot catch a big fish on a tiny hook, therefore choose the size wisely. Learn from trial and error method, no one has mastered the sport overnight. It is okay if you make a few mistakes in the beginning. At the end, it is all worth it. So the next time you are going fishing be prepared with all the right equipments at hand. There are times when you practice catch and release- pinching the barbs on the hook makes it much easier to release the fish back in the water. If the it has pierced deep, just cut the line as close to the hook and releasing it in water.

Sharp hooks and Tight Lines!
Allan Simons is a seasoned fisherman from Australia. He is also an accomplished author of several outdoor articles on fishing tips, tackles, spots and other such topics.

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Secret Tips Behind Successful Fishing

By Allan Simons

     Fishermen have various tactics. From what baits to use to how to rig them so that it stays on the hook, where to look for that trophy catch, what color lures to use and how etc details vary from fisherman to fisherman. If you ask a seasoned angler, he will only tell you some tips that are helpful in general and all of us have heard already. He will not let the cat out of the bag when it comes to the intricate details. Unless you have a fisherman in the family; father or uncle or grandfather, you really have to learn fishing the hard way.

     Did you know that anglers actually glue their bait? Yes, they do. If they are fishing in some area with heavy grass, they dab a little super glue on the hook and then slide the worm upon it. That is the secret of making the worm stay in place and not lose the hook. Then again if you notice that the fish has suddenly stopped biting, but you know they are around, what you can do is downgrade your bait and also change your retrieval speed. So from a seven inches worm you can reduce it to a four inches worm and slow down your presentation as well.

      Some anglers also drag their line to the honey hole. Spooling your line off the reel and then dragging it at least 50 yards behind your boat on the way to your spot makes a huge difference if you are working with spinning tackle. Some anglers swear by different color water resistance permanent markers. You can customize your crank baits; add little details with the colored pens, which will benefit hugely. Along with customizing your baits it is also important to tune them. Cast the lure and then reel it back in to see if it comes back straight, Or else with the help of needle nose pliers tweak the eyelets as required.

     It happens at times that nothing works for the fish no matter what you try. A secret to this rule is to use grubs- at least that are what some anglers do. The lure being subtle, the fish need not swim as fast to catch it. It works both for bass as well as perch and saltwater species. Another great secret of successful fishing is to let your line fall limp after casting. It is an indication that your bait is at the bottom. Now as you are reeling it back in, lightly shake the rod with your other hand, which mimics a live worm better. Depending on the time of the month different animals hatch in the lake and that is what the fish are keying on. You need to try different stuffs like shad, grubs or frogs and you are sure to catch fish.

     A smart way to locate the fish in the fishing spot is to find the food! For example if you spot some blue herons at one place you can be sure that you will also find the fish nearby- as both are looking for the same food. But no matter what it is important to handle the fish with care. Holding the fish at the bottom of the lip is the right way to handle them. Also do not remove its slime- that is what protects the fish from getting diseases. The next time you are out there, use these secret tips and see the difference for yourselves! And if you are looking for some great fishing spots, click here. Good luck and Tight Lines!

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Be Prepared If You Are Going Night Fishing

By Allan Simons

You look forward to fishing at night in the hot summer months. You find it hard to resist the moonlight and the calmness of the hot summer months and you head out to the local lake with your tackle and bait. But there are certain things to be kept in mind when you are planning to go fishing at night. If you are thinking that we are being paranoid; you are just going fishing in your hometown lake and not some faraway place, and you are familiar with the entire lake so the extra precaution is unnecessary, you are wrong. Night fishing requires some additional safety measures in order to make it more enjoyable.
 

Allan Simons

 
The first indispensable safety measure is a properly fitted Personal Floatation Device that has to be worn by every one fishing at night. Even if you are a good swimmer, you should not take any chances. In the worst case scenario, if the boat capsizes, it would be impossible to locate people in the dark. The next important thing is the light- both bow and stern lights and switch them on as the visibility is reduced. It must be mentioned here that most of the night time accidents are results of boating without lights- it is a very foolish decision to operate a vessel without proper lights.

As a fishing safety device, a fully functional warning device is essential in the dark. It can work as a distress signal or an approaching vehicle can be warned of your position by the horn. Carrying a flare gun and flares is also a good idea. But at the same time it is also a smart move to carry a fire extinguisher; make sure that it is currently dated and must be kept in an accessible place.

An anchoring device is the most important safety device. The first thing we do when the boat is it danger is anchor it. A two way radio is a must in the vessel, which will help you to stay in touch with the people on the shore and you can use the radio to communicate with them if required. Also a flashlight is a life saver. Your boat lights might just fail you, keeping a powerful flashlight is a smart idea.

Carry some sort of a bailing device. You cannot operate pumps to pump out water if the batteries are not working. Carry some spare batteries for your flashlights when fishing at night. First aid kit, basic tools, manuals are all highly recommended. Get your GPS even for fishing at night, provided you know how to handle it properly. You need to be very familiar with all the functions and operations of the device to use it correctly and efficiently. Even a compass would be of great assistance in the dark, but again, make it a point to know its functions.

While you are fishing at night, file a fishing plan with someone so that he or she is aware of where to look for you in case something goes wrong. Ideally you should stay close to the shoreline while fishing at night. You can also take suggestions from the fishing guides who can give you some more ideas about how to keep yourself safer while fishing at night.

Allan Simons is a seasoned angler form Down Under Australia. He enjoys both freshwater and saltwater fishing. When he is not on the waters, he is busy writing articles on myriad fishing topics. His articles are an attempt to help his fellow anglers.


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River Trout Fishing Techniques

By Trevor Kugler

Trout Fish

All species of freshwater trout are found in both lakes and rivers, but to me one of these bodies of water stands out above the other when it comes to fishing for trout and that body of water is the river. Fishing for and catching trout in a river or stream (often referred to as river trout fishing) is as enjoyable as fishing gets for me and there is almost nothing else on the planet that I would rather do. To me fishing for trout in rivers, especially the kind of rivers that can be waded, is an almost a spiritual experience.
Over the past twenty plus years I have engaged in this type of trout fishing in rivers and streams from Pennsylvania to Montana and in that time have learned many tips and tricks that enable me to catch trout virtually every time that I head out onto the river. Below, I will outline a few of my favorite tips an tricks so that you can start using them and experiencing more when you head out onto the river in search of trout as well.

The First Tip is to always make sure that you are on the river at the most productive times of the day. So, how in the world do you determine the best time of the day to be on the river (other than of course the well known rule of the morning and the evening)? Simple, you familiarize yourself with the simple ways in which the moon impacts trout fishing. Specifically, you want to know what phase the moon is in and also what time of the day that the moon rises and sets on the day or days that you intend to go fishing. These factors have an incredible impact on the feeding behavior of trout, so planning your fishing trips to coincide with a full or new moon and the rising and or setting of the moon will help to increase your catch rates dramatically.

The Second Tip is to have an effective way to carry your bait while on the river. Why is this important you ask? Because by having your bait readily available and easily accessible when river trout fishing will save you a ton of time baiting up and re-baiting, which means that you will spend more time with your bait in the in the water where the trout are, rather than out of the water while you look for your bait. Depending on how many hours you put in of the river, this can add an extra forty minutes or more of quality fishing time to your day, which means that you will have more of an opportunity to catch trout.

The Final Tips that I have for you is to fish mindfully, which means that you concentrate on every cast, drift, and/or retrieve with 100% of your attention. Try not to think about what you're going to have for dinner, or what you want to do this weekend, just focus on the task at hand, fishing for trout. The more that you can fish mindfully the more you will learn and the more trout you will catch, it's as simple as that. You will also find that doing this will help you to enjoy the act of fishing that much more as well.
The bottom line is that these simple tips are effective and if you implement them into your fishing routine, you will begin to experience more success whenever you are river trout fishing.
Trevor Kugler is president of JRWfishing.com, a website dedicated to ultra light fishing, with an emphasis on ultra light river fishing for trout. Check out our new blog focused on trout fishing tips and techniques to help you be more successful on the water:


The Ultimate Trout Fishing Blog
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