Straight Hooked

Deep sea fishing at night

Davin — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 15:55:22 +0000

If you have never experienced this the first chance you get try it out. You need to make sure you have at least two days of calm weather and preferably a full moon it makes it easier to see. We went out on the 17 of October and had an awesome adventure. I went out with a couple of my good friends about 40 miles out. We uses squid and live bait fish we caught on the way out. As soon as we anchored on the spot my friend dropped down a piece of squid and immediately was hit and brought up a nice size Grunt. I wanted a something bigger so I dropped down one of our live baits. Immediatly I was hit I pulled up a 24 inch Gag grouper. I pulled up 3 keepers back to back. This action made my friend change his fishing strategy, and he began to fish with live bait as well and caught 2 keepers Grouper back to back one gag one red. As morning began to approach we continued catching nice grunt and the cooler was starting to look very nice. We decided to start trolling at day break my friend got a nice king fish, and I got a nice Bonita. The action was great I had something that decided it needed my plug more than I did so I had to let it go maybe I”ll catch him next time. Before we left we stopped at one more spot and it was on from the moment we got there. The action made my friends wife want to get in on it. She caught 1 keeper red grouper and me and him put 6 more in the boat for a total of 12 Grouper, 1 King, 1 Trigger fish,1 Bonita, and 50 to 60 Grunts. We headed in about 10am while everybody else were just coming out. If you ever get the chance to do this type of fish jump on it you will not be disappointed.

The many uses of a GPS

Davin — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 15:17:37 +0000

Global positional system aka GPS is a very important tool for all fishermen to have and more importantly know how to use. There are so many out their to choose from which is good because this makes them a lot more affordable than they use to be. When you are looking to buy one you have to decide on how much you want to spend and for that price range what you need it to be able to do. They are making them in combos fish finder/GPS where you can have the best of both worlds in one device and save on space in your boat. There are many uses for your GPS. Way points are places you have marked in your GPS. They could be fishing spots, the last marker to get you home, or just a area you past over and want to check out later. Another cool thing is a track this shows where you are currently going or where you have been. You can use this feature to take the exact path you took before. Some model are equipped with a pointer so while your are running you may pass over something to fast but with this feature you can take the cursor freeze the frame and point directly at the area you want and save it without even stopping. You can set alarms to tell you if you are in shallow or deep water. Their are settings to tell if you are moving if you think that you you are still. The GPS can tell you your current speed, approximate time of arrival to your spot, and so much more. This is a must have if you want to become a successful fisherman.

Marker Buoy

Davin — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:38:36 +0000

The marker buoy is a small but very important item to have in your fishing arsenal. You use them to mark your spot, or as a land mark of a point you want to fish up to. Without having one it is almost impossible to get positioned where you need to be especially is the current is ripping or if it is very windy. You can make your own by simply tying some line to a empty bottle with a weight attached to the end. I recommend purchasing one if you can because they are made to adjust to the different depths that you may be fishing. If you choose to make your own when you drop on the spot you want the current will unravel the remanding line and you may not be as close to your hole as you think you are. The marker buoy comes if a variety of colors and shapes you have to pick out the one that best fits your fishing style. I believe the best ones to choose from are the ones with a fin on the bottom. This will cause it to turn into the current thus making it easier for you to know how to position your boat and get closer to your fishing spot.

Fueling your boat

Davin — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:39:05 +0000

This is not as simple as it sounds. Lots of people just go to any gas station, or with how gas prices are today the cheapest gas station they can find. If you take precaution now it will save you time and money in the future. Almost everywhere you go gas stations have ethanol or methanol in their gas now. Did you now this is not the preferred gas for boat motors? In fact if you don’t take the right measures this gas will in the long run ruin your motor and leave you with costly repairs of cleaning or rebuilding your carbs. Gas containing alcohol may cause these problems to your outboard and fuel system. Vapor lock or fuel starvation. Deterioration of elastomers and plastic parts. Corrosion of metal parts. Wear and damage of internal engine parts. Starting and operating difficulties. You definitely don’t want to break down out on the water. What can you do to avoid this? Preferably find gas without ethanol or methanol but since this probably won’t happen take the time to use an fuel additive this will help with the cleanliness of the gas. If you don’t already have one add a water separator to your gas line this will also help tremendously. Always inspect your filters and change them as scheduled. If you take the time to do these few simple steps it will save you in the long run, and you won’t be without your boat.

Launching and loading your boat

Davin — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 15:10:01 +0000

Have you ever been ready to launch or load your boat but the person in front of you was taken forever to finish and get out of the way? I am dedicating this article to the inexperienced boater . We usually in the boaters community have a tight knit amongst each other. There is an code that we help one another when they are in need, but we seem to loose our patience when it comes to someone taking to long to launch or load their boat. I am taken it upon myself to let you know what you should be doing while waiting for others, and instruct you how to quickly get done when it is your turn. When you approach the boat ramp you may have a few people in front of you when you get there. You should use this time to prep your boat for launching. Release all your straps that have the boat secured to the trailer. Put the plug in and double check before you back down you have no idea how many people forget to do this. Whomever is in the boat for launching should be pumping the gas ball,turning on all electronics, and placing the fishing equipment in the appropriate spots. Make sure you unload everything you need out of the truck and have it put up so everyone can quickly enter the boat and make a speedy departure. I know you normally check your battery before you leave home but check again because sometimes those cables find a way to get loose, and turn on and off all your switches to make sure everything is working. By doing this if there is a problem you can attend to it before you launch your boat and you won’t be in the next persons way. Now all you have to do is back your boat down. This is very simple but some make it harder than it really is. When backing if possible always back to your driver side. Pull up and once your trailer is straight start backing and remember whatever way you turn your wheels the trailer will go the opposite direction. Once you see the trailer going in the direction you want it slowly start turning your wheels in the opposite direction. This will keep you from going to far left or right which in turn will cause you to have to pull up and readjust we want to avoid this if possible. Once the boat is in the water get it running and move it to the end of the dock so the next person can back down. While you are waiting for the person parking everyone else should already be in the boat. You have had a good day on the water and it is time to go home everybody is trying to leave at the same time so lets get in and out. You need to work as a team when you approach the dock send someone to get the truck while you and others prep the boat to be loaded. While you are waiting take out all the trash,and secure everything for the drive home. When it is your turn to load the boat it is your job to tell the person backing how far they need to come down. Once you have the trailer in position get the boat started on the trailer once it touches you can then drive it all the way on the trailer . Most trailers guide you up them once you are in the correct position. Secure your trailer strap to the boat and pull out. Once you are out make sure you pull up far enough to let the next person get his boat. Remove your plug,do a walk around to make sure the boat is on straight, and remove any weeds if possible. Hopefully this will help you to improve your launch and load time.

Gigging Fish

Davin — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:25:41 +0000

It has just become dark as you slowly troll across your unsuspecting prey and then is one quick motion you lunge your spear (aka) gig forward. Did I get it? You ask but you don’t have to wait long for your answer as the sweet feeling of the vibration of the gig pole in your hand as you raise your prize in the boat. For those of you that have never tried this form of fishing I recommend that you do. Be warned once you try it you will be hooked! One may ask what does it take for me to be able to gig fish. You need a boat that preferably can go in the shallows typically we fish in 1 to 6 feet of water. Also you will need lots of lights so that you can see down in the water. A good trolling motor to push you around, a couple of gigging poles,a valid fishing license, and a generator to power your lights so that you don’t run down your battery. You may want to stay out a little longer, so be sure to take some extra gas to keep that generator running. We strap our lights down on the boat with bungy cords at the front, middle, and back of the boat. Find what works best for you and your boat. We went out last night August 29 and didn’t do to bad considering the high tide. We caught four Sheepshead which have to be 12 inches and eight Mullet. The best time to go out is on an outgoing tide with as little wind as possible it doesn’t take much to mess up the clarity of the water. Check the laws in your area to see what can be harvested in this manner. ”Spearing is defined as the catching or taking of a fish by bowhunting, gigging, spearfishing, or any device used to capture a fish by piercing its body. Spearing does not include the catching or taking of a fish by a hook with hook and line gear or by snagging(snatch hooking). Spearfishing is defined as the catching or taking of a fish through the instrumentality of a hand or mechanically propelled, single or multi-pronged spear or lance, barbed or barbless,operated by a person swimming at or below the surface of water. The use of powerheads, bangsticks,and rebreathers remains prohibited.”

Learning the Uni-Knot System

Davin — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:57:45 +0000

The one requirement basic to all fishermen is the need for tying a line to the eye of a hook or swivel. Familiarize yourself with the simple procedure of using the Uni-knot here and then all other Uni-Knot applications become quite easy. 1 Turn the end back toward the eye to form a circle. With thumb and finger of the left hand, grasp both strands of line and the crossing strand in a single grip just forward of the hook. 2 Make six turns with the end around both strands of line and through the circle. (With light lines-say 2-to 12-pound test-you should make five or six turns. if using heavier line, four turns will be sufficient). 3 Maintaining the same grip with the left hand, pull on the end of the line until all the wraps are snugger tight and close together. Snugging down tightly at this stage is essential to maximum knot strength. 4 Finally, slide the finished knot tight against the eye of the hook by dropping the tag end and pulling solely on the standing part of the line. The excess end can be trimmed flush with the knot after final positioning. Information taken from Complete Book of Baits Rigs & Tackle.

Tying the Bimini Twist

Davin — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:12:19 +0000

This is one knot which really is difficult for the fellow who hasn’t tied it before. But, once learned, it can be tied in less than a minute-and take heart at the knowledge that hundreds of fishermen now tie it routinely and quickly, even in a rocking boat. You can too, if you practice and master it at home. 1 Double the end of your line, making the doubled portion about three feet long. Insert your hand in the loop and make 20 complete revolutions withe your hand to form the 20 wraps. Note that at this stage, the wraps are spread over a considerable portion of the line. The one most important thing to remember when tying the Bimini is to keep constant pressure on all three points. 2 Sitting erect, hold your knees tightly together and place the loop over them. Maintain pressure, as shown, with your hands on both the standing line and the short end. 3 Spread your knees slowly, maintaining very tight hand pressure in opposing directions, as before. This will draw the wraps tightly together. 4 Once the wraps are very snug, pull slightly downward with the short end while relaxing tension slightly at the same time. Be sure to keep up the tension, however, with the left hand and with the knees. The line should then roll easily over the wraps, all the way down to the end. 5 This shows the completed rollover before it is anchored with a half-hitch around one strand, and several half hitches around both strands. 6 This shows detail of first around of a single strand, and three others around both strands. Instead of making three separate finishing hitches, you can make just one- and go through it three times with the tag end instead of only once. Trim, leaving about an eighth-inch end. Information taken from Complete Book of Baits Rigs & Tackle.

The Uni-Loop

Davin — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 12:48:01 +0000

It takes just one slight variation to transform the hook tie into a loop arrangement which provides more freedom of action for artificial lures. Instead of sliding the finished knot all the way to the eye, just slide it to the size loop desired. Then, gripping the loop just forward of the hook eye, take hold of the tag end with pliers and pull very hard. This locks the knot around the standing line (or leader) at that point. If it slides down at all it will only be under heavy pressure when fighting a fish. Meanwhile, the loop position is maintained while casting and retrieving. It was this particular application, by itself called the Duncan Loop, that originally planted the seed for development of the Uni_Knot system. Information taken from Complete Book of Baits Rigs & Tackle.

Trout Fishing

Davin — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 03:03:19 +0000

The spotted sea trout (aka) speckled trout has to be between 15″ to 20″ to harvest. You are allowed one over 20″ inches per person and a daily bag limit of 5 per person. Their season is closed for the month of February. Now that we have the formalities out of the way lets get down to business to find out where we need to be to catch them and what we need to use. You can find trout in grass flats around sand bars and while you are in these areas look for run offs or small drops in depth. The speckled trout is a stalker and will be hiding around a corner or beneath a ledge. If your tide is coming in the trout will be facing out because the water will be pushing the bait inward and the exact opposite if the tide is going out. Fishing tide changes are so important because of the water movement the fish know this and are a lot more active at this time. You can use many varieties of bait while fishing for trout here are a few of my favorites. Sometimes I just use live shrimp without weight because this looks more natural, but you can also use weights if you choose too. You can also use small pin fish with an cork trout love them also. Some people choose to use artificial lures such as shrimp, worms, and different types of fly lures. If I am using artificial bait I prefer to use an Cajun popper and a Saltwater Assassin lure. To use this you tie the top end of the Cajun popper to your line and connect the bottom to your leader which will be a heavier pound test than your main line. Once it is out there give it a jerk from time to time because your popper makes a sound that attracts the fish when you do this. You will want to know the depth of the water you are fishing because this will determine the length of your leader. I highly recommend you try these techniques and hope you have a great time doing this. Find out what works best for you practice it and master it and always happy fishing.